Mankatha re-release reactions: From ‘thala’ chants to soft drink anointments, fans' fervour hits peak; say ‘badly missing vintage’ AK
Ajith’s cult classic Mankatha roars back to theatres, as Venkat Prabhu’s stylish heist still hold massive recall value years after its original release
Last Updated: 03.43 PM, Jan 23, 2026
After 15 years since its first release, the 2011 Tamil film Mankatha has made its way to theatres once again, this Friday. The heist actioner drama, which marked Ajith Kumar’s 50th outing, is directed by Venkat Prabhu and met with the same fan frenzy as it did in 2011.
Mankatha re-release: How are fans reacting to Ajith’s film?
Ajith Kumar’s one of the cult classics is Mankatha, the Tamil film which released initially in 2011. A re-release was planned recently, with the film hitting theatres once again on Friday (January 23). Mankatha, at the time of its first release, became a commercial success and went on to become one of the hit films in Ajith Kumar’s career. The case is same with its re-release too, with Mankatha getting great response from fans.
One of the reasons why Mankatha clicked with fans is how it brought Ajith Kumar in a different shade, having him play an anti-hero. Mankatha occupied major big screens in Chennai, and fans celebrated the film with FDFS celebrations, from doing anointments to Ajith’s cutout to whistling during some of his iconic scenes. Here are more reactions:
Will there is Mankatha 2?
Director Venkat Prabhu had visited one of the theatres in Chennai and watched Mankatha along with fans. Addressing the audience, Venkat Prabhu, when asked about making Mankatha 2, said that he is always ready for the sequel and if Ajith Kumar gives a nod, the project will surely take place. However, no official announcement has taken place about Mankatha 2.
Mankatha is a heist action thriller which revolves around cop Vinayak Mahadev who joins a gang in planning a heist revolving cricket betting money. The film starred actors Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Lakshmi Rai, Anjali, Andrea Jeremiah, Ashwin Kakumanu, Vaibhav Reddy, Premji Amaren, Mahat Raghavendra, Jayaprakash, Aravind Akash and Subbu Panchu. The film had become a commercial success and is one of the blockbusters in Ajith’s career.
Mankatha FAQs
Q. Is Mankatha hit or flop?
A. Mankatha was a commercially successful film at the time of its release in 2011.
Q. Which Ott has the Mankatha movie?
A. You can stream Mankatha as Gambler in Telugu on JioHotstar via OTTplay Premium.
Q. What is the 50th film of Ajith?
A. Mankatha is Ajith's 50th film.