Modha Rathri () is a 2026 Indian Tamil-language comedy drama film written and directed by Raja Karuppasamy in his directorial debut and produced by Mythri Movie Makers. The film stars Rishikanth (in his debut as lead actor), Anishma Anilkumar, Shelly Kishore, Chetan and Bagavathi Perumal in lead roles.

The film was officially announced in May 2026 under the tentative title MythriTamil03, denoting Mythri's third Tamil production and the official title was announced in same month.The film has music and background score by Bharath Sankar, cinematography handled by Surendran Paranjothi and editing by Ashok Arjunan.

Modha Rathri was released in theatres on 21 August 2026 and received positive reviews for the story, screenplay, casting, performances, direction, and overall duration. The film was a blockbuster hit at the box office and received critical acclaim and trending on Netflix.

Plot A wedding is organized in the town of Thekoor between Maruthanyagam "Maruthu" and Muthuselvi "Muthu". Maruthu is a reluctant groom who had been abroad in Dubai for five years after his ex-girlfriend killed herself due to her family's opposition to their relationship. After being convinced by his brother-in-law, Kannan, he proceeds with the wedding. Meanwhile, Muthuselvi "Muthu" is trying to escape the wedding as she is being forced to marry Maruthu because her mother does not approve of her relationship with her boyfriend. Despite her attempts to flee the wedding and her boyfriend's efforts to rescue her, she marries Maruthu.

On the night of the wedding, Muthuselvi tries to escape, which is witnessed by Maruthu. After a brief argument, Maruthu and Muthu plan to meet up with Muthu's boyfriend so that Muthu and her boyfriend can elope. However, her boyfriend hesitates and backs off, advising Maruthu and Muthu to live happily with each other. Before anyone can come to a conclusion, he distracts Maruthu and Muthu and escapes, leaving them confused.

Meanwhile, both Maruthu's and Muthu's family members find them missing. After heated arguments, they learn about their past lives and quarrel, with each side refusing to let their marriage continue. Through a series of events, and with the help of a local priest, Maruthu and Muthu warm up to each other through their respective heartbreaks and reconcile, choosing to be with each other. The movie ends at daybreak, with Maruthu and Muthu having a lively conversation at a temple.

Cast

Production

Development Modha Rathri was announced in May 2026 as the third Tamil-language production of Mythri Movie Makers. The film marks the directorial debut of Raja Karuppasamy, who also wrote the screenplay. It was produced by Naveen Yerneni and Y. Ravi Shankar under the Mythri Movie Makers banner. The film was described as a rural comedy drama set around an unusual wedding, with unexpected incidents and lies unfolding over the course of a single night.

The film's first-look poster was unveiled by filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj on 1 May 2026. The announcement revealed that the story takes place during a single night surrounding a wedding and revolves around the events that occur when several characters become caught up in the situation.

Casting Rishikanth and Anishma Anilkumar were cast in the lead roles. The supporting cast includes Chetan, A. Venkatesh, Bagavathi Perumal, Abdool Lee, Shelly Kishore, Sangeetha Balan, Banupriya, Sumithra Devi L, Varshini Karmegham, Karthikeyan DK, Velan, Kowshik Kabilan and Raja Karuppusamy.

Anishma Anilkumar was cast as Muthuselvi, while Rishikanth plays the male lead. The film marked Anishma's next major Tamil project following her appearances in Sirai and Youth.

Filming Principal photography commenced following the film's announcement in May 2026. The shooting was completed by 1 July 2026, with the makers announcing the completion of filming after wrapping the production.

Surendran Paranjothi handled the cinematography, while Ashok Arjunan served as the editor. Bharath Sankar composed the music, with A. Balumahendra serving as the production designer and Poornima Ramaswamy as the costume designer.

Music The music and background score is composed by Bharath Sankar, in his maiden collaboration with Rishikanth and Raja Karuppasamy. The audio rights were acquired by T-Series. The first single titled "Dai Dakka" was released on 8 August 2026.The second single titled "Mudhala Mudiva" was released on 18 August 2026.The last single titled "Modha Rathri" was released on 20 August 2026.The entire soundtrack album was released on 20 August 2026.

Release Theatrical Modha Rathri was released in theatres on 21 August 2026, coinciding Milad un-Nabi weekend. The film was distributed by AGS Entertainment in Tamil Nadu.

Home media The post-theatrical digital streaming rights were acquired by Netflix.The film will start streaming on Netlfix from 18 September 2026 in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi languages.

Reception Critical response Modha Rathri received critical acclaim from critics.

Manivasagan Namasivayam of DT Next gave 4/5 stars and wrote, "Despite the minor flaws, Modha Rathiri succeeds as an engaging wedding comedy and a family entertainer that blends laughter with observations on marriage, relationships, and society. Almost every character gets a moment to contribute, making the film a lively laughter riot and an impressive debut for Raja Karuppusamy".

Akshay Kumar of The New Indian Express and Cinema Express gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "Modha Rathri, replete with love, laughs and entertaining characters, gives courtship a chance in a hurried arranged marriage, finding a tiny room for two people to get smitten".A critic from Pentagan Media gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "Barath Shankar’s upbeat background score elevates the quality of the comedy scenes that follow spontaneously through the length and breadth of the film.".

Abhinav Subramanian of The Times of India gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote, "Rishikanth is fine, an unhurried presence in a film full of flapping arms. Anishma is alright in a part that asks for sporadic outbursts and long glum stretches. Bagavathi Perumal gets the loudest assignment and knows exactly how irritating to make it; most of the laughs come at his expense. The rest are sufficient. Shot across a handful of locations, the film looks functional more than flattering".Ananda Vikatan rated the film 43 out of 100.

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