8 South Movies Releasing in Theaters This Week: Sathya’s Jet Lee, Shane Nigam’s Dridam to Rathna Kumar’s 29

Are you wondering what’s new to watch in theaters this week? Here’s a list of South Indian movies to check out.

By Goutham S

Published on May 04, 2026 | 02:35 PM IST | 1.1M

8 South films in theaters (PC: E4 Entertainment/Mythri Movie Makers/Stone Bench)

South Indian cinema has an exciting slate of films lined up for theatrical release this week. If you’re wondering what to watch, here’s a list of upcoming releases.

8 South Films to watch in theaters this week

1. Jet Lee

Cast: Sathya, Rhea Singha, Vennela Kishore, Viva Harsha, Kabir Duhan Singh
Director: Ritesh Rana
Genre: Action Comedy
Runtime: 2 hours and 12 minutes
Language: Telugu
Release Date: May 8, 2026

Jet Lee follows a passenger flight carrying fugitive billionaire Prajapathi that spirals into chaos when mercenaries and covert agents clash mid-air. Amid the turmoil, special agent Shivani Roy fights for control, while a mysterious man awakens in the aircraft’s bathroom with no memory and a deadly secret hidden within him.

2. Godari Gattupaina

Cast: Sumanth Prabhas, Nidhi Pradeep, Jagapati Babu, Sudharshan, Raj Kumar Kasireddy, Viva Raghava
Director: Subash Chandra
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Runtime: 2 hours and 25 minutes
Language: Telugu
Release Date: May 8, 2026

Set in the picturesque villages of Godavari, Godari Gattupaina follows a kind-hearted auto driver and a spirited college girl who fall in love. However, their relationship is tested by her father’s expectations and unforeseen challenges.

3. Ankam Attahasam

Cast: Madhav Suresh Gopi, Saiju Kurup, Shine Tom Chacko, Maqbool Salman, Anna Rajan, Deepak Sivarajan
Director: Sujith S. Nair
Genre: Action Thriller
Runtime: 2 hours and 6 minutes
Language: Malayalam
Release Date: May 8, 2026

Set in Trivandrum, Ankam Attahasam follows 24-year-old Ajay Chandran as he confronts his past while navigating the city’s underworld. Caught between loyalty, survival, and redemption, he faces shifting alliances and brutal enemies in a fight not just for power, but for his soul.

4. Operation D

Cast: Rudresh Budanur, Suhas Athreyas, Sneha Bhat, Inchara Bharathraj, Mahesh S Kali
Director: Tirumalesh V
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Runtime: 2 hours and 29 minutes
Language: Kannada
Release Date: May 8, 2026

Operation D is a tense thriller centered on the mysterious murder of a powerful figure. As the investigation unfolds, it reveals layers of deception, hidden motives, and unexpected alliances, keeping the truth just out of reach until the final twist.

5. Dridam

Cast: Shane Nigam, Mathew Varghese, Dinesh Prabhakar, Nandan Unni
Director: Martin Joseph Tharakunnel
Genre: Investigation Thriller
Runtime: 2 hours and 7 minutes
Language: Malayalam
Release Date: May 8, 2026

Dridam follows a young police officer tasked with solving a mystery in a quiet hill station, with events unfolding over an intense week-long period.

6. Day 11

Cast: Ajith Kutty A, Swetha Abirami, Thamizh Bala
Director: Sritika J
Genre: Fantasy Adventure Thriller
Runtime: 1 hour and 56 minutes
Language: Tamil
Release Date: May 8, 2026

Day 11 follows five youngsters who become addicted to a mysterious fantasy game that grants every wish instantly. As reality begins to blur, one girl suddenly disappears and is presumed dead.

Realizing the game holds the truth, the others re-enter it to uncover its hidden rules. They soon discover that every wish comes at a cost and must make a painful sacrifice to bring her back, forever changed by the consequences of their desires.

7. Manga Maaya

Cast: Radhesh Shenoy, Prakash Shenoy, Akshath Amin, Prasanna Puttur, Nithin Agarwal
Director: Prasad K S
Genre: Suspense Thriller
Runtime: 1 hour and 54 minutes
Language: Kannada
Release Date: May 8, 2026

Manga Maaya follows a lodge room boy who, pushed to the edge by humiliation and injustice, attempts to steal a stash of black money. However, he ends up trapped inside the building, turning his quest for revenge into a high-stakes fight for survival.

8. 29