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11 contemporary Tamil films you need to watch if you’re exploring South Indian cinema

Contemporary Tamil cinema is blessed with a wide variety of filmmakers operating in different modes, technically and socially. Want to explore the genre? Our guide of the best Tamil films to watch will help you start off on the right step.

Super Deluxe (2019)

The uncensored version of Aaranya Kaandam (2011) is unavailable, so let’s go with Thiagarajan Kumararaja’s mildly polarising sophomore effort, Super Deluxe . Kumararaja announced himself with a film that’s now a cult-favourite among cinephiles of all order. With stars like Vijay Sethupathi, Fahadh Faasil, Samantha Akkineni and Ramya Krishnan, Super Deluxe is a work of such extraordinary thought and care that its simplicity eludes our grasp. It interrogates everything from love and life to morality and sex, even daring to go beyond the known universe.

Pariyerum Perumal (2018)

Produced by Ranjith, Pariyerum Perumal stars actor Kathir as the eponymous protagonist, an ambitious youth beginning his dreams of becoming a lawyer, and escaping and annihilating the den of casteism he and his family has been living under. Director Mari Selvaraj builds a double narrative—a macro look at some contemporary real-life caste related violence, juxtaposed with Perumal’s college and personal life derailed subtly and overtly by caste.

Aruvi (2017)

Aruvi stormed into the screens but felt like a breath of fresh air. Backed by great music—a concept album from independent musicians Bindhu Malini and Vedanth Bharadwaj—Arun Prabhu Purushothaman’s film is a bildungsroman (a story dealing with one’s formative years or spiritual education) of a woman shunned by everyone, including her parents. The film channels her discreditation into a hostage situation in a TV studio, running a program that is disingenuous about working for the betterment of society. The tonal shifts are many, some working better than the rest, and yet, Aruvi is one of the rare films with a sole woman as its lead that is unapologetic throughout.

Aandavan Kattalai (2016)

M Manikandan announced himself with Kaaka Muttai (2014), a National Award winner that winked its way through heavy-duty themes like globalisation and the expanding divide between the rich and poor. In Aandavan Kattalai , he examined the nature of roots and identity with a script deceptively freewheeling, and filmmaking that holds its cards close to its chest. It’s the best marriage entertainment and social message Tamil cinema has ever had.

Joker (2016)

For the last five years (not to mention the decades before that), Tamil Nadu has remained one of the few voices of dissent against the increasingly nationalistic and pro-Hindutva government. And this has reflected in the state’s cinema and pop culture. Raju Murugan’s 2016 social satire is one such film that highlighted the struggles of the poor and the oppressed. This one is a film that makes you laugh at its absurdity (which is dangerously close to reality), while shaking you enough to shed a silent tear for the future.

Kirumi (2015)

Directed by Anucharan, Kirumi , meaning germ, is a tiny film that has remained in obscurity. But it is more gem than germ. The film is largely plotless, but Anucharan displays remarkable control over his craft, delineating a journey of a man coming of age, albeit a little late in his life. Through him, it draws a portrait of the city ( Chennai ) and its myriad characters who are in front of us everyday—living, breathing and trying to make something of their lives—but invisible to our eyes and minds. Like germs.

Visaranai (2015)

All of Vetrimaaran’s filmography makes for a great guide to contemporary Tamil cinema, but forced to pick one, Visaranai, his most visceral film to date, is a personal favourite. Based on true events narrated in M Chandrakumar’s 2017 novel, Lock-Up: Jottings of an Ordinary Man , Visaranai deals with police brutality and violence in prison. Vetrimaaran is arguably the most refined filmmaker operating in Tamil cinema for almost a decade now, and his cinematic language is one that translates across cultures. Visaranai was also India’s entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2015.

Jigarthanda (2014)

With Pizza (2012), Karthik Subbaraj proved his mettle as an engaging storyteller and a clever rug puller. With Jigarthanda , he shocked and awed. The film charters a first-time filmmaker’s journey as he tries to befriend a real time gangster in order to study and make a film on him. Dreams of reel turn into real nightmares until both the filmmaker and the gangster cannot distinguish between them anymore. Jigarthanda boasts of ambitious shot making and a self-reflexive narrative that launched Karthik Subbaraj as a filmmaker to watch out for in Tamil cinema.

Madras (2014)

Madras is Pa Ranjith’s second film after his quasi-indie effort in Attakathi (2012). The feature has since gone on to become a major turning point, as Ranjith came up with a refreshing voice and visual paradigm for the portrayal of the subaltern in Tamil cinema. Ranjith’s sleight of hand was so subtle that if you are not paying attention, you’ll probably miss the cues for some searing social commentary. Ranjith and his films mainstreamed conversations about caste, and his efforts towards that go beyond cinema.

Soodhu Kavvum (2013)

Soodhu Kavvum will remain a landmark in contemporary Tamil cinema. The film distilled a special love for Tamil pop culture, infusing it with a brand of irreverence familiar to the Tamil fan, along with memorable characterisation. Its ironic gaze at cinema and life itself will continue to hold a special place in every cinema lover’s heart. The film is replete with quotable quotes that service meme makers and will continue to do so for years to come.

Onnayum Aatukuttiyum (2013)

The new wave of Tamil cinema will lack some chutzpah without the contributions of an auteur like Mysskin. The director’s aesthetics are singular and no one in the history of films has filmed Chennai in the night-time the way he’s done. He goes into the nooks and corners of daily life, literally and metaphorically. Among his impressive filmography, the one that stands out is Onaayum Aatukuttiyum —it’s an exploration of strong and weak, right and wrong. It’s at once his most confident and most experimental film to date.

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Top 15 Tamil Movies Inspired From Real Life Incidents

Check out the list of top 15 Tamil movies inspired from real life incidents. The collection includes Bombay, Kalloori and Raktha Charithiram.

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Yagavarayinum naa kaakka, vazhakku enn 18/9, naduvula konjam pakkatha kaanom, nadunisi naigal, rattha charithram.

Nayagan (1987)

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• Olympics 2024

'Beginning is an experimentation of sorts'

They open up on their experience of being a part of the experimental film, shooting single takes, the film's core message, their upcoming projects, and much more..

CHENNAI: Actors Gouri G Kishan and Vinoth Kishan, who play the lead roles in the Tamil film 'Beginning', billed as Asia's first split-screen film directed by debutant Jagan Vijaya talk to us after their film was screened at the 20th Chennai International Film Festival. They open up on their experience of being a part of the experimental film, shooting single takes, the film's core message, their upcoming projects, and much more.

According to Gouri, Beginning was a challenging experience of sorts, " It is obvious because we were a part of a film that was being made for the first time. The whole focus is on us. We literally shared the screen space with each of us on either side of the screen. It needed a lot of rehearsals beforehand. Executing the vision required a lot of planning. It was quite different from whatever I have done so far. From my side, there has to be so much preparation and as an actor, I feel empowered that the makers believed in me and gave me a powerful character that has several layers and is like a roller coaster of emotions. Being an escape thriller, we needed a palpable energy all the time, so as a person also to keep up and to adapt to it was extremely challenging. Meanwhile, it was an enjoyable experience as well."

Asking whether the depiction of social media abuse was inspired by real events or was an imagery of the director, Gouri replies, "It is a combination of both. When Jagan discussed it with me, being a woman, it instantly struck a chord and I am sure every girl would relate to it as well. At some point or the other, we all have faced the issue that is discussed in the film. It deals with men who are unable to cope with rejection of consent and differing from opinions of the opposite gender. When the director told me about the core message of the film, he took my input as well, and generally, we all believe that it is sometimes what a lot of girls face today. So, what you saw on screen was not just what was written on the paper but Jagan was generous enough to accept my inputs as well, which means that I have been given a space to speak."

Beginning also had a subtle reference to her previous blockbuster debut '96' in the film, Gouri chuckles and says, "That is Jagan sir's idea. He just wanted a nice connect, but my character doesn't react to it, but at the same time the audience could connect. That is something that was out of the box thinking."

Gouri adds that working with co-star Vinoth Kishan, who she has been a fan of since watching Andhaghaaram was exciting. "Ever since I watched Andhaghaaram, I have been a huge fan of his work. I always wanted to work with him. So, when such an opportunity knocked on my door, I was so excited and it was almost like a competition. Because he is an absolutely brilliant performer. But, we had very few combination scenes yet I completely enjoyed it and I even feel like Vinoth will win an award for this."

Gouri also has a few words as to what she feels about the film being screened at the film festival. "I feel proud, not just being part of the film but also being part of this community. Today's response at the film festival was so empowering for us because everyone was enjoying the film. They want to watch films of different genres.. They are giving us a space to see what experiments we are doing and I feel like as an audience, that is extremely intelligent of them. I feel proud to say that we are also a part of that community as well. I was fortunate enough to be part of such a creation, right from the time I landed the one liner, there are some things you have to do for passion and we all gave our everything. It was not an easy film to make. There are a lot of doubts about whether it works or not and with today's attention span of the audience, it is very difficult to make sure people pay attention to the film. But with Jagan sir's brilliant writing, I think he has woven it beautifully. After today's response at the festival, we are confident."

Talking about playing powerful characters with layers in commercial and in art films from '96' to 'Beginning', the actress feels like it is something every actor needs, "I think every actor does. We'll want characters with a scope to perform and especially being a female actor, sometimes it's less. You don't get as much space and many layers to portray. Whenever I do get these roles, I cash in on them and try to do justice to them. So even as Charu from Paper-Rocket, I wanted to do a convincing job because I am portraying a person with a disability (PwD) and I have to be sensitive about it. I am also very happy that directors and producers are trusting me and my ability to do that, although I have just begun. Hopefully, I get to do more roles," adds the actress

On her upcoming projects, the actress adds that she has two Malayalam films -- Vishnu Dev's Little Miss Rawther and Anuragam with Gautham Vasudev Menon and a couple of projects in Telugu and a project with GV Prakash.

Actor Vinoth Kishan walks in and speaks on acing the single-takes in the film. "It was interesting. For this character, the single takes were in fact well within my comfort zone. Keeping this character, we can't take it with cuts because it loses its continuity."

Asking about how he fit himself into the shoes of a differently-abled character, he adds, "Director narrated the script with the mannerism of my character. He already zeroed in on a particular way of delivering the dialogue. It made the process easier for me. Then, for a week we rehearsed the characters' body language and behaviour to get into the skin of it."

Vinoth too is elated on working with Gouri, "We actually didn't share much screen space in the film. We don't have a single shot together. But, when the audience watches the film, they would believe that we have acted together. My scenes were shot first. It was challenging for scenes involving Gouri because they have to match their scenes with mine. They have to see what I have done and match the timing properly. It was quite challenging,"

On asking how his journey has been in the Tamil film industry from debuting in Nandha as a child artiste to Andhaghaaram and balancing both OTT and theatrical projects so effortlessly, he smiles and says, "It feels good. It's been a slow journey but a steady one. Apart from career growth, there is also personal growth for me as an actor."

On what the audience can expect from his other projects, he adds, "I have two big projects lined up and I have done a project as a solo lead in Tamil and Telugu. I have also done a web series that will be out on Sony LIV soon."

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Experimental Tamil film 'Nilanadukkam' to be screened at Canada's oldest film festival

Nilanadukkam , a Tamil film directed by debutant Balaji Vembu Chelli, will premiere at one of the oldest and prestigious film festivals in Canada, the 49th Montreal Festival Du Nouveau Cinema. This event is scheduled to happen between October 7 and 18. It is in fact a prestigious honour for the filmmaker as Nilanadukkam will be the first-ever Tamil film to be screened at this fest.

According to the film’s director Balaji Vembu Chelli, Nilanadukkam is an experimental film set in Kukkal, a village 40 kilometres away from Kodaikanal. The film delves on a catastrophe and the mystery surrounding it. Speaking about the film in an interview to the Times of India , the director had said, “It revolves around a rookie photojournalist who is trying to get his first major break. The photojournalist is played by Rajeev Anand, who was the lead in Manusangada. A few theatre artistes and some locals from Kukkal have acted in the film.”

On the screening, the director said, “It will be screened in the Temps section, a competition section, and the film will be eligible for an audience award. It is a section that encourages experimental films. The exact screening date of the film is yet to be announced.” Besides Nilanadukkam , the section will also have films by famous filmmakers such as Gaspar Noé, Abel Ferrara and the late Dennis Hopper.

Though it is a proud moment for Balaji Vembu Chelli that his film is premiering at the film fest, it is sad that he could not go there in person. The pandemic has forced the event organiser to opt for hybrid screening, said the director in the interview. He was quoted as saying that the organisers will be allowing only the locals to attend the screenings at the theatres and other festival attendees will be allowed to watch the films online.

The technical crew of Nilanadukkam comprises Vedaraman Sankaran as the cinematographer, Dorai Prakash SA as the editor, and Maarten Visser has composed the tunes for the film. The star cast of this film includes Rajeev Anand as the lead actor with Sasi Kumar Sivalingam, Semmalar Annam, Suthan Rajj, Babu Ram, and Vengadessin Ezhumalai forming the supporting cast. The film is bankrolled by its director Balaji Vembu Chelli in association with Vivek Krishna Ramanujam, and Mathivanan Rajendran.

Incidentally, the only other south Indian film to be screened at the Montreal Festival Du Nouveau Cinema was the Malayalam movie Jallikattu which was screened at this fest last year. The film, which was based on the short story Maoist penned by S Hareesh, was directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery with Antony Varghese playing the lead role. Vinayakan and Sabumon Abdusamad were also part of the star cast.

Jallikattu  was bankrolled by Thomas Panicker under his banner. S Hareesh in association with R Jayakumar has penned the screenplay for this venture. The technical crew of this film comprised of Girish Gangadharan for cinematography and Deepu Joseph for editing.

(Content provided by Digital Native)

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• Film Theory

What is Experimental Film — History, Examples & Movements

W hat is an experimental film? This elusive and niche genre can be difficult to define, and there are many common misconceptions about experimental filmmaking, but we’ll be sorting through the fact and the fiction to provide a comprehensive overview of what it means for a film to be “experimental”. We’ll get started with a definition, then dig deeper into experimental filmmaking as a genre, and finally close things out by taking a look at some notable examples.

Avant garde film definition

First, let’s define experimental film.

There are many film terms and phrases that could use simple definitions, and we’ve compiled them all in our ultimate guide to filmmaking terminology . You can also look up definitions for every genre of film in our ultimate guide to movie genres .

EXPERIMENTAL FILM DEFINITION

What is an experimental film.

An experimental film is a project bucks the trends of conventional cinema and pushes the medium of film in unexplored ways. The spectrum of experimental films is extremely broad; this genre encompasses a great many types of projects of varying lengths, styles, and goals.

There are experimental feature films, though more experimental projects have shorter runtimes. This is due in part to many experimental films being made for low budgets and/or the fact that the majority of experimental films are never intended for mainstream appeal or traditional distribution.

AVANT GARDE FILM CHARACTERISTICS

• Can be any length
• Niche and often artsy
• Pushes boundaries and tries new things

Experimental filmmakers

Digging deeper into experimental film.

Let’s dig a little deeper into what it means for a project to be classified as an experimental film. There is a modicum of debate over what exactly constitutes an experimental film, and some projects blur the line between traditional cinema and experimental filmmaking by including elements of each. Experimentation can be found in the editing, in the filming, in the subject matter, or in the manipulation of the camera and celluloid’s chemical and mechanical processes.

A beginner’s guide to experimental cinema

There are many misconceptions about what experimental filmmaking is, so let’s dispel a couple. One common belief is that experimental films have no story. While some experimental films certainly lack anything that could be considered a traditional narrative, that does not hold true for all experimental films.

Another commonly held notion is that experimental films are weird for the sake of being weird or that they are simply filmed nonsense. This is quite a reductive stance to take on the entire genre, but it is an opinion shared by many. The audience for experimental films can be extremely niche, and experimental filmmakers are aware of this. They are not made for everyone.

Surreal = experimental is another common misconception. Containing an element of surrealism does not automatically make a project experimental in nature. However, there is an intrinsic linkage between surrealism and experimental cinema, so the misconception is understandable. Let’s clarify this point with an example.

Sexy Beast  •  dream sequence

This dream sequence from the gangster flick Sexy Beast is undoubtedly surreal yet there is nothing experimental at play. The surrealism is conjured through traditional filmmaking means only. So, while surrealism and experimental cinema often go hand-in-hand, surrealism alone is not enough to constitute a film being labeled as experimental; the filmmaking methods and the pushing or warping of boundaries play important roles as well.

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The history of experimental cinema

Experimental filmmaking over the years.

Since the first camera was invented , artists have been experimenting with the tool. At the dawn of cinema, everything was an experiment. It was only through the intervention of time that certain techniques and methods became standard.

While many of the techniques used in Voyage dans la Lune seem antiquated by modern filmmaking standards, they were absolutely boundary shattering way back in 1902. Radical experimentation was necessary to pull off so many things that had never before been seen or created in the medium of film.

A Trip to the Moon

As cinematic techniques improved and became seen as standards, there were still filmmakers willing to experiment and push the envelope. 1929’s Un Chien Andalou was an early masterpiece of both surrealism and experimental filmmaking. Many of the techniques used in Un Chien Andalou were experimental at the time but have since been integrated into more standard filmmaking techniques as the decades have passed. Salvador Dalí and Luis Buñuel were two master surrealists and played an important role in the common linkage between surrealism and experimentation through their boundary pushing methods.

Un Chien Andalou

By the 1940s, surrealism and experimental filmmaking were further linked through the work of Maya Deren. Over time, she has proven to be one of the most influential experimental filmmakers of all time. She created a number of experimental short films, the first of which, Meshes of the Afternoon , is often credited as a turning point for experimental and avant garde cinema. The short remains a highlight of the genre more than 70 years after it was first released.

If you are interested in making your own short films, check out our how to make a short film guide first.

Meshes of the Afternoon  •  Maya Deren

Andy Warhol is a name well known in the pop art world, but he made numerous contributions to the experimental film world as well. Warhol made nearly 150 experimental short films throughout his lifetime, and a number of them made throughout the 1960s were considered important contributions to the form. Below is a compilation of six of Warhol’s shorts made between 1964 and 1966.

Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests

David Lynch is perhaps the most well-known filmmaker to consistently experiment in his films. He earned a spot on our list of the best directors of all time . Some Lynch projects explore a blend between experimental cinema and traditional filmmaking, while other Lynch projects comfortably fall into the “wholly experimental” category. Since his debut feature in 1977 with Eraserhead , Lynch has continued to employ experimental techniques in his feature films to this day. A significant degree of Eraserhead’s experimentation can be found in the atmospheric sound design . Listen closely to the trailer below.

Eraserhead  •  trailer

Now that we’ve explored a brief history of experimental filmmaking, let’s see if we can sort experimental films into a few distinct categories.

Experimental film examples

Types of experimental films.

Though experimental films in general can be a bit difficult to categorize as they defy convention by their very nature, there are a few common types we can examine from a bird’s eye view . The first type is: experimental films that challenge the form of filmmaking . This includes projects that defy the expectation of what a film is and manipulate the creation process, like Stan Brakhage’s Dog Star Man .

Dog Star Man  •  complete

This piece of experimental filmmaking was originally produced as four shorts before being compiled as a singular project. Dog Star Man is often hailed as an experimental masterpiece and was made through various manipulations to the film stock, experimenting with different exposure types, and radical editing techniques.

Another film that lands in the “challenges the form” category is Derek Jarman’s Blue . This one-hour-19-minute experimental film features just a single, unchanging visual for the entire duration: a solid blue screen. An intricately orchestrated audio track underscores the static visual, and the two combine to form a highly emotional experience.

Blue  •  Derek Jarman

Our next type of experimental film is the experimental documentary . Check out our list of the best documentaries to set a baseline for traditional documentary filmmaking before we jump into the experimental side of the genre. This experimental category encompasses projects like the nearly century old Soviet-produced Man With a Movie Camera . The full documentary is available to watch below.

Man With a Movie Camera

Another experimental documentary found in this category comes from none other than Orson Welles with For for Fake . This documentary, essay-film hybrid blurs the lines between fact and fiction in a fascinating way.

F for Fake Video Essay

Experimental Animation is a tried and true category of experimental filmmaking with many worthwhile and envelope pushing entries. Again, you can set a baseline for the non-experimental side of this genre by checking out our list of the best animated films ever made . As for the experimental side of the medium, first, we can return to David Lynch for his contribution to the category.

Six Men Getting Sick

The above short film, Six Men Getting Sick , was David Lynch’s very first foray into filmmaking. He began his journey into the arts as a painter, and you can see him bridging the gap with this painted filmmaking experiment.

For further examples of experimental animation, we can look to the Quay Brothers. Their shorts utilize a dreamy blend of stop-motion animation and puppetry. A number of their shorts are in the criterion collection; here is a highlight reel for four of their shorts.

Criterion teaser for the Quay Brothers

And for one last example of experimental animation found in a recent film, we can look to 2018’s German-Chilean production La Casa Lobo . Sculpture, stop-motion, traditional animation, and other artistic techniques were blended together in jaw dropping fashion that utilized life-size sets and dizzying camerawork. This experimental production pushes the boundaries of animation and accomplishes things never before seen in the medium. It gives the absolute best stop-motion films a run for their money.

The Wolf House  •  trailer

Experimental filmmaking remains alive and well in the modern filmmaking age. As long as there are boundaries left to push, filmmakers will continue to experiment.

What Was Dogme 95?

If you’re interested in experimental filmmaking, the Dogme 95 cinematic vow of chastity makes a fascinating case study into a radical filmmaking experiment. Learn about the movement, why and how it was created, the films that comprise it, and more, up next.

Up Next: What was Dogme 95? →

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Experimental movies in Telugu cinema

These are some of the really good experimental movies in Telugu cinema I can recall, which were off the beaten track.

**Mithunam-**Just two characters in the entire movie, and the dialogue, their thoughts, their interactions around them. Absolutely minimalist in tone, with just S.P.Balasubramaniam and Lakshmi in all the frames, their old village home and the bonding around them. Brilliant movie by Tanikella Bharani as director.

Grahanam - Indraganti Mohan Krishna’s debut feature, shot entirely in black and white. Based on a novel by Chalam, revolves around the theme of fidelity, chastity, with a narrative that keeps you guessing till the very end.

Anukokunda Oka Roju- Thriller shot in a narrative that goes back and forth, of a missing date in the calendar, and the heroine caught in an unexpected situation.

A protagonist, who does not look like a conventional hero, no duets, no heroine. A movie revolving around the decline of Indian classical music, and it’s revival. The central character a 12 year old kid, son of a prostitute. Shankarabharanam broke all rules of conventional cinema, and was a runaway success. It remains a classic to date.

Sirivennela - Centering around the relationship between a blind flutist and a deaf/mute artist, K.Viswanath handled the sensitive theme wonderfully.

Aithe - 5 youngsters get involved in a kidnap drama, for money. Shot with 5 new faces, no duets, no love angle, no separate comedy track, movie by Chandrashekhar Yeleti was a riveting thriller, with enough intrigue, double crossing to keep the viewer entertained.

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• Sai Pallavi dubs for 'Amaran' in Mumbai

Sai Pallavi dubs for 'Amaran' in Mumbai

About the Author

The TOI Entertainment Desk is a dynamic and dedicated team of journalists, working tirelessly to bring the pulse of the entertainment world straight to the readers of The Times of India. No red carpet goes unrolled, no stage goes dark - our team spans the globe, bringing you the latest scoops and insider insights from Bollywood to Hollywood, and every entertainment hotspot in between. We don't just report; we tell tales of stardom and stories untold. Whether it's the rise of a new sensation or the seasoned journey of an industry veteran, the TOI Entertainment Desk is your front-row seat to the fascinating narratives that shape the entertainment landscape. Beyond the breaking news, we present a celebration of culture. We explore the intersections of entertainment with society, politics, and everyday life. Read More

Visual Stories

It Ends with Us star Blake Lively was joined by Deadpool & Wolverine stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman at the film’s world premiere Tuesday night in New York City.

Lively, of course, was on-hand to support her husband Reynolds and his co-star Jackman at the red carpet world premiere of Deadpool and Wolverine in July.

Lively is also a producer on It Ends with Us, which opens in theaters on Friday.

Here are some photos from the It Ends with Us red carpet premiere, where the carpet’s color was turned pink to match the film’s title treatment.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 06: Blake Lively at the world premiere of IT ENDS WITH US, in theaters ... [+] August 9 from Columbia Pictures, at AMC Lincoln Square on August 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Sony Pictures)

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Lively stars as Lily Bloom in the highly anticipated big screen adaptation of author Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel that was released in August of 2016.

Lively’s credits include the hit series Gossip Girl and hit films The Age of Adaline , The Shallows and A Simple Favor.

More recently, Lively voiced a role in the family comedy IF and appeared in a cameo role as Ladypool in Deadpool & Wolverine .

Justin Baldoni at the "It Ends With Us" New York Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on August ... [+] 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images)

Justin Baldoni directs It Ends with Us and also stars in the film as Ryle Kincaid, a neurosurgeon who has a romantic relationship with Lily Bloom. Lily eventually learns, however, the Ryle has a violent side.

Baldoni has starred in such series as Jane the Virgin and Everwood , as well as the daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful .

He also directed the romantic drama Five Feet Apart and an episode of Jane the Virgin , as well as eight episodes of the docuseries My Last Days .

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 06: (L-R) Brandon Sklenar, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds at the world ... [+] premiere of IT ENDS WITH US, in theaters August 9 from Columbia Pictures, at AMC Lincoln Square on August 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Sony Pictures)

Brandon Sklenar joined Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds at the It Ends with Us premiere.

In It Ends with Us , Sklenar plays the adult version of Atlas Corrigan, Lily’s first love in high school. In their adult years, Lily and Atlas connect again, which causes issues with Ryle.

Skelnar’s acting credits include a key role in the series 1923 and guest roles in such shows as The Offer , Walker: Independence and Westworld . His film credits include Midway and Vice .

Blake Lively and Jenny Slate at the "It Ends With Us" New York Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square ... [+] Theater on August 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images)

Jenny Slate joined Blake Lively at the pink carpet premiere of The End of Us . In the film Slate plays Lily Bloom’s best friend and coworker Allysa Kincaid, who is also Ryle Kincaid’s sister.

Slate’s acting credits include the films Everything Everywhere All at Once and Obvious Child, as well as the TV series House of Lies and Parks and Recreation .

Slate has also performed several voice roles in such films as Zootopia , The Secret Life of Pets and its sequel, The LEGO Batman Movie and Despicable Me 3 .

Jenny Slate and Hasan Minhaj at the "It Ends With Us" New York Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square ... [+] Theater on August 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images)

Hasan Minhaj star as Alyssa’s husband, Marshall, in It Ends with Us .

Minhaj’s acting credits include The Daily Show , The Morning Show , No Hard Feelings and Haunted Mansion and the series Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj.

Also attending the It Ends with Us premiere was Isabela Ferrer, who stars as the young version of Lily Bloom in the film.

Isabela Ferrer at the "It Ends With Us" New York Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on August ... [+] 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images)

Isabela Ferrer stars as the young version of Lily Bloom in It Ends with Us , which marks the actor’s feature film debut.

Brandon Sklenar and Alex Neustaedter at the "It Ends With Us" New York Premiere at AMC Lincoln ... [+] Square Theater on August 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images)

Alex Neustaedter also stars as the young version of Atlas Corrigan in It Ends with Us .

Neustaedter’s acting credits include key roles in the TV shows Colony and American Rust .

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 06: (L-R) Blake Lively and Tom Rothman, Chairman and CEO of Sony ... [+] Pictures Entertainment's Motion Picture Group, and Ryan Reynolds at the world premiere of IT ENDS WITH US, in theaters August 9 from Columbia Pictures, at AMC Lincoln Square on August 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Sony Pictures)

It Ends with Us star Blake Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, were joined at the film’s world premiere by Tom Rothman, Chairman & CEO of Sony Pictures' Motion Picture Group.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 06: (L-R) Colleen Hoover and Tony Vinciquerra, Chairman and CEO of Sony ... [+] Pictures Entertainment, at the world premiere of IT ENDS WITH US, in theaters August 9 from Columbia Pictures, at AMC Lincoln Square on August 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Sony Pictures)

It Ends with Us author Colleen Hoover joined Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra at the event.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 06: Author/executive producer Colleen Hoover (L) and producer Blake ... [+] Lively at the world premiere of IT ENDS WITH US, in theaters August 9 from Columbia Pictures, at AMC Lincoln Square on August 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Sony Pictures)

Author Colleen Hoover also joined Blake Lively on stage to introduce the film at its world premiere.

According to Variety , It Ends with Us —a New York Times Best Seller—has sold more than 1 million copies worldwide.

It Ends with Us opens in theaters nationwide on Friday.

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