LSS (Love, Share, Subscribe) opens in theatres on February 20, a college-set romantic comedy that arrives with an unusual backstory. Its director, R. Mahalakshmi Murugan, spent his younger years working as a tailor in his village before moving to Chennai with dreams of making films. His entry point into the industry was Captain Vijayakanth’s office, and he credits both Vijayakanth and his wife Premalatha for setting him on this path.
“If not for them, I wouldn’t be standing here,” Murugan said at the film’s audio and trailer launch, held at Bharani Studio in Vadapalani on Valentine’s Day. The timing was deliberate. LSS is a love story, and the team used the occasion to release a romantic track alongside the trailer.
The film introduces Aadhav Krishna as the male lead and Simran Advani as the female lead, both making their screen debuts. Aadhav is the son of Balagopi, a well-known production manager who has worked behind the scenes on several successful Tamil films. Director Saran, who attended the launch, noted that Aadhav has “a natural mischief on his face” that makes him a fit for next-door-boy characters. Of Simran, he said: “Her eyes do a lot of the talking. She should go far.”
Saran’s presence at the event wasn’t merely as a guest. He wrote the lyrics for the film’s promotional song, a rare outing for a filmmaker who typically works with Vairamuthu on his own productions. Saran said the opportunity came when Murugan asked him for “a song that speaks to the current generation.” He took it as a creative challenge, researching slang and vocabulary from 1900s-era Black Town (now George Town) in Chennai and weaving it into the lyrics for a historical texture beneath the contemporary surface.
Music for the film is by Ashwamithra, while the promotional track is composed by Agath Mahendran. The film also features Badavagopi, Vinothini, Java Sundaresan, Rohit, Dhananjayan, and Muthu Buvan in supporting roles. Cinematography is by N.S. Sathish Kumar, with editing by Srikant NB and stunt choreography by Thalapathy Dinesh.
Producer Kathiresan, who attended the launch, spoke about his long association with Balagopi. “He’s been behind the success of many films without taking credit,” Kathiresan said. “Today his son steps in front of the camera.” Actor Ilavarasu, praising the film’s polish for a debut effort, said the teaser looked like the work of someone with ten films under their belt.
The teaser, released online alongside the audio, has been drawing attention for its tight editing and colourful college-life visuals. The team describes LSS as a film the whole family can watch, built around romantic comedy without skimping on the comedy part.
Produced by P. Raghu under JB Films with Jones, LSS opens on February 20.