Is it possible to time-travel back to the mid-1960s, to a Tamil Nadu of the past, where the Dravidian uprising was reaching a pinnacle? The only medium with a transportive power that comes close to the magic of a time machine is cinema. And it is this quality of the art form that the makers of upcoming Tamil period action drama Parasakthi have tapped into as they kick-started their pre-release promotions. On Thursday (December 18), the makers of the Sivakarthikeyan-starrer unveiled a grand exhibition at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai that displays the many period sets that were created for the film.
According to the makers, the team led by art director Arvind Ashok Kumar had recreated props and sets from the 1960s for the making of the film, some of which have now been recreated or rescaled as installations in the exhibition. From a radio station and a vintage car to a makeshift police station and a steam locomotive, the installations promise to allow visitors a chance to relive life in a bygone era.
As a major highlight, the makers also unveiled a special behind-the-scenes video narrating how the many looks and costumes of the lead characters were designed — a video that visitors can exclusively watch at a tentkotta-style traditional movie theatre installed at the exhibition.
The ‘Parasakthi’ team watches the special behind-the-scenes video at a tentkotta-style traditional movie theatre installed at the ‘World of Parasakthi’ exhibition at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai on December 18, 2025
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Special Arrangement
The exhibition, which will be open to public viewing until December 21 (Sunday), was unveiled at a grand event called the ‘World of Parasakthi’ that was attended by the film’s director, Sudha Kongara; lead actors Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, Atharvaa, and Sreeleela; music composer GV Prakash Kumar; producer Aakash Baskaran; art director Arvind Ashok Kumar; and costume designer Poornima Ramaswamy, among other members of the film’s crew.
Speaking at the event, director Sudha said that the aspect of being a filmmaker that she loves the most is how the craft allows the director to live many lives, witness many lifestyles, and explore many worlds. “In Irudhi Suttru, I explored the world of boxing; in Soorarai Pottru, it was about the aviation industry; and now, in Parasakthi, I have gone back to the 1960s and peeped into that world for the last five years.” Adding that the film gave her everything, the filmmaker spoke about what it meant to revisit a time when people were much simpler. “It was just about 15 years after we got Independence, and people didn’t care about money and desire; what they all carried in their hearts was a fire, a passion. We were a young nation, and all these people fought for every right. I liked that, and I wanted to talk about it,” she said. “Be it period props, locations, costumes, jewellery, and even the faces of the background artists we chose to suit the period, we tried our best to ensure it’s all authentic. I hope this exhibition gives the public the same feeling these sets did to us,” added the filmmaker.
The ‘Parasakthi’ team checks out a vintage car that has been installed at the ‘World of Parasakthi’ exhibition at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai on December 18, 2025
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Special Arrangement
Meanwhile, the lead hero of the film, Sivakarthikeyan, in his speech, lauded Sudha for the hard work she had put in while preparing for the film. “The first reason I chose to do this film isn’t the story; it was Sudha ma’am herself. Only after deciding to do a film with her did I even listen to this story. She has worked hard for almost five years on this film. So, I didn’t have to do any research; she already had a post-graduation on the topic in a way.”
The Madharaasi-star then thanked producer Aakash Baaskaran for the initiative to host the exhibition. “How we take a film to its audiences is as important as how we make it. And this event is an example of what you can do when you understand the pulse of your film. So I appreciate the production team,” he said.
Ravi Mohan and Sreeleela share a goli soda at the ‘World of Parasakthi’ exhibition at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai on December 18, 2025
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Special Arrangement
Parasakthi, which is Sivakarthikeyan’s 25th film, is said to capture a historical student movement that forever changed the political fabric of Tamil Nadu. The film, which borrows its title from the iconic Sivaji Ganesan film written by M Karunanidhi, has a screenplay penned by Sudha and Arjun Nadesan.
The film has cinematography by Ravi K Chandran and editing by Sathis. Notably, the film marks GV Prakash’s 100th film as a composer. Produced by Dawn Pictures, Parasakthi is set to release in theatres on January 14, 2026, during Pongal.
The World of Parasakthi exhibition will be open to public viewing between 2 PM and 10 PM on December 19, 20, and 21
Published – December 19, 2025 03:14 pm IST
