Fifteen years after it rewrote box-office rules and turned Ajith Kumar into the ultimate anti-hero, Mankatha is back on the big screen, and Thala fans are losing their minds over it.
The stylish heist thriller, directed by Venkat Prabhu, began its grand re-release in theatres across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and select overseas markets on January 17, 2026, just ahead of the film’s official 15th anniversary later this year. Advance bookings opened last week, and reports from major chains like PVR, INOX, and local single-screens indicate housefull shows for the opening weekend in several cities.
Produced by Cloud Nine Movies and starring Ajith in the iconic negative-shaded role of Vinayak Mahadevan, Mankatha was a game-changer when it hit screens in August 2011. It became the first Tamil film to cross the ₹100-crore mark worldwide, held the top spot for months, and gave Ajith one of his most memorable characters — a ruthless, gambling-addicted cop who masterminds a massive heist.
The supporting cast — Arjun Sarja, Trisha, Andrea Jeremiah, Vaibhav, Premgi Amaren, and Lakshmi Rai — along with Yuvan Shankar Raja’s electrifying background score and Sakthi Saravanan’s slick cinematography, turned the film into an instant cult classic.
The re-release was announced quietly on social media last month by the original team, with Venkat Prabhu posting a throwback poster and the caption “Thala’s game begins again.” Distributors confirmed that a remastered 4K version with enhanced audio has been prepared specifically for this theatrical run.
Fans have flooded X and Instagram with nostalgic posts, memes, and videos of long queues outside theatres. “Finally getting to watch Vinayak’s entry on the big screen with full theatre whistling — nothing beats this feeling,” one user wrote. In Coimbatore and Madurai, college students reportedly bunked classes to catch the first-day-first-show.
Trade sources are optimistic about the re-release performance. “Re-releases of cult films like Ghilli and Thuppakki have done phenomenal business recently,” said a Chennai-based distributor. “Mankatha has that same mass pull. We’re expecting strong occupancy through the Republic Day weekend.”
Ajith, currently busy shooting for Good Bad Ugly with director Adhik Ravichandran, has not officially commented on the re-release, but sources close to the actor say he is thrilled that a new generation will experience the film in theatres.
For many fans, this isn’t just a re-release — it’s a celebration of a film that redefined “mass” in Tamil cinema. If the opening weekend reports are anything to go by, Mankatha is proving once again that some games never get old.
