The trailer of the third film in Sundar C's horror franchise, Aranmanai 3, was released today. Given the commercial success of the previous instalments, the film is expected to revive theatres which have only recently opened after the second lockdown. The trailer doesn't reveal too much of the plot and focuses on showcasing the production values of the film — like the sets and the songs.
It starts with a suggestion that a queen has turned into a ghost who haunts a forest. Arya seems to be the caretaker of a palace near the forest, and Raashi Khanna a guest who is haunted by a ghost there. It's clear that the film does not lack standard tropes of the Aranmanai franchise like invisible hands manipulating objects, jump scares, a wronged lady, minor infusions of superstitions about ghosts, ghosts setting off fires, a locust attract, even a haunted tape recorder — and finally, an Amman temple with a frenzied priest, presumably, the setting of the final climax showdown.
Captions in the trailer say that: When hell is full, the dead come to earth. And this time, it's more aggressive, more evil. The mood of the trailer, especially with an ominous voice over and a brooding background score, does feel more serious compared to previous Aranmanai films. But, the last shot shows late comedian Vivek and Yogi Babu being comically haunted by a pair of hands with no body. So, though this iteration of Aranmanai might outgrow its campy roots, it looks like it will still have all the standard Sundar C elements.
Similar to the previous two films in the franchise, Aranmanai 3 also has a huge starcast with Sundar C, Arya, Raashi Khanna, Andrea, Sakshi Agarwal, Vivek, Yogi Babu, Manobala and Vela Ramamurthy. Cinematography is by UK Senthil Kumar, music by Sathya C, and editing by Fenny Oliver. Aranmanai 3 is produced by Khushbu and Sundar C for Avni Cinemax, and presented by Red Giant Movies. The film releases in theatres on October 14.