The music and trailer launch event for the upcoming Tamil comedy-horror film Jinn – The Pet was held in Chennai, with the production announcing a worldwide theatrical release scheduled for May 30. The film stars Mugen Rao, winner of Bigg Boss Tamil Season 3, alongside actress Bavya Dharika in lead roles.
Directed by T.R. Bala, the film explores the unconventional concept of keeping supernatural beings called “Jinn” as household pets, an idea the director encountered during his time in Malaysia. “I learned about this practice from my relatives in Malaysia, where people keep Jinn as pets similar to how we keep dogs, cats, or birds, but with certain conditions like avoiding water and sunlight, and feeding only at night,” Bala explained at the launch event.
The film features music composed by the duo Vivek-Mervin, with cinematography by Arjun Raja and editing by Deepak. The cast includes veteran actor Radha Ravi, Bala Saravanan, Imann Annachi, Nandhu Anand, Vadivu Karasi, and others.
Producer Kayaar, who attended the launch, praised the film’s commercial potential. “After watching the trailer, I could see the quality of the work. The hero-heroine combination works well, and ‘Jinn’ represents a fresh concept,” he said. Kayaar also noted that the film’s audio and digital rights have already been sold, indicating pre-release commercial success.
Actress Bavya Dharika shared her personal connection to the film’s theme, revealing an unusual experience she had with the concept of Jinn before being cast. “Three months before I received this script, I had an encounter related to Jinn that left me quite shaken. When the script with the title ‘Jinn’ came to me later, I was amazed by the coincidence,” she said.
The launch event was attended by several industry figures including retired Justice S.K. Krishnan, retired police officer Panneerselvam IPS, spiritual speaker Mahavishnu, and Directors’ Union officials. FEFSI president R.K. Selvamani used the platform to address ongoing industry issues, particularly concerning the revenue distribution between theater owners and producers.
“Currently, theaters sell seven to eight lakh tickets daily, generating around Rs. 2 crores for theater owners and Rs. 60 crores monthly. However, this revenue primarily benefits theater owners while producers often face losses,” Selvamani noted, calling for better industry negotiations.
Music directors Vivek-Mervin expressed enthusiasm about working on the project. “It’s been a while since we worked on a commercial entertainer. Working with director T.R. Bala was memorable, and we’re pleased with the response to the song ‘Kutti Ma,'” they said.
The film is produced under the banners of Fairy Tale Pictures and AR Touring Talkies Productions, in association with VGV Creations and Cinemarasa Productions. Director Bala, who previously worked as an assistant director on three Vijay films, described the project as a complete family entertainer designed to provide relief and happiness to audiences experiencing stress.
Mugen Rao, who has been actively working in films since his Bigg Boss victory, emphasized the film’s family-friendly appeal. “This story will captivate everyone from children to adults. It’s a complete family entertainer, and I encourage everyone to visit theaters on May 30,” he said.
The production faced initial challenges with the title, as producer Rajeshwari Vendan revealed that the original title “Jinn” had to be modified to “Jinn – The Pet” due to rights issues with another production company. The film marks director T.R. Bala’s debut as both director and producer through his company Fairy Tale Pictures.