8 South Movies Releasing in Theaters This Week: Sathya’s Jet Lee, Shane Nigam’s Dridam to Rathna Kumar’s 29

South Indian cinema has an exciting slate of films lined up for theatrical release this week. If you’re wondering what to watch, here’s a list of upcoming releases.

8 South Films to watch in theaters this week

1. Jet Lee

• Cast: Sathya, Rhea Singha, Vennela Kishore, Viva Harsha, Kabir Duhan Singh
• Director: Ritesh Rana
• Genre: Action Comedy
• Runtime: 2 hours and 12 minutes
• Language: Telugu
• Release Date: May 8, 2026

Jet Lee follows a passenger flight carrying fugitive billionaire Prajapathi that spirals into chaos when mercenaries and covert agents clash mid-air. Amid the turmoil, special agent Shivani Roy fights for control, while a mysterious man awakens in the aircraft’s bathroom with no memory and a deadly secret hidden within him.

2. Godari Gattupaina

• Cast: Sumanth Prabhas, Nidhi Pradeep, Jagapati Babu, Sudharshan, Raj Kumar Kasireddy, Viva Raghava
• Director: Subash Chandra
• Genre: Romantic Comedy
• Runtime: 2 hours and 25 minutes
• Language: Telugu
• Release Date: May 8, 2026

Set in the picturesque villages of Godavari, Godari Gattupaina follows a kind-hearted auto driver and a spirited college girl who fall in love. However, their relationship is tested by her father’s expectations and unforeseen challenges.

3. Ankam Attahasam

• Cast: Madhav Suresh Gopi, Saiju Kurup, Shine Tom Chacko, Maqbool Salman, Anna Rajan, Deepak Sivarajan
• Director: Sujith S. Nair
• Genre: Action Thriller
• Runtime: 2 hours and 6 minutes
• Language: Malayalam
• Release Date: May 8, 2026

Set in Trivandrum, Ankam Attahasam follows 24-year-old Ajay Chandran as he confronts his past while navigating the city’s underworld. Caught between loyalty, survival, and redemption, he faces shifting alliances and brutal enemies in a fight not just for power, but for his soul.

4. Operation D

• Cast: Rudresh Budanur, Suhas Athreyas, Sneha Bhat, Inchara Bharathraj, Mahesh S Kali
• Director: Tirumalesh V
• Genre: Mystery Thriller
• Runtime: 2 hours and 29 minutes
• Language: Kannada
• Release Date: May 8, 2026

Operation D is a tense thriller centered on the mysterious murder of a powerful figure. As the investigation unfolds, it reveals layers of deception, hidden motives, and unexpected alliances, keeping the truth just out of reach until the final twist.

5. Dridam

• Cast: Shane Nigam, Mathew Varghese, Dinesh Prabhakar, Nandan Unni
• Director: Martin Joseph Tharakunnel
• Genre: Investigation Thriller
• Runtime: 2 hours and 7 minutes
• Language: Malayalam
• Release Date: May 8, 2026

Dridam follows a young police officer tasked with solving a mystery in a quiet hill station, with events unfolding over an intense week-long period.

6. Day 11

• Cast: Ajith Kutty A, Swetha Abirami, Thamizh Bala
• Director: Sritika J
• Genre: Fantasy Adventure Thriller
• Runtime: 1 hour and 56 minutes
• Language: Tamil
• Release Date: May 8, 2026

Day 11 follows five youngsters who become addicted to a mysterious fantasy game that grants every wish instantly. As reality begins to blur, one girl suddenly disappears and is presumed dead.

Realizing the game holds the truth, the others re-enter it to uncover its hidden rules. They soon discover that every wish comes at a cost and must make a painful sacrifice to bring her back, forever changed by the consequences of their desires.

7. Manga Maaya

• Cast: Radhesh Shenoy, Prakash Shenoy, Akshath Amin, Prasanna Puttur, Nithin Agarwal
• Director: Prasad K S
• Genre: Suspense Thriller
• Runtime: 1 hour and 54 minutes
• Language: Kannada
• Release Date: May 8, 2026

Manga Maaya follows a lodge room boy who, pushed to the edge by humiliation and injustice, attempts to steal a stash of black money. However, he ends up trapped inside the building, turning his quest for revenge into a high-stakes fight for survival.

8. 29

• Cast: Vidhu, Preethi Asrani, Mahendran, Avinash, Shehnaz Fathima
• Director: Rathna Kumar
• Genre: Romantic Drama
• Runtime: 2 hours and 40 minutes
• Language: Tamil
• Release Date: May 8, 2026

29 is a heartwarming story that explores love, emotions, and identity, set against a nostalgic backdrop of romance in the pre-internet era.

The above-mentioned films are among the South Indian releases slated to hit the big screens this week.

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