GDN: Karunakaran's look as Perunkili revealed ahead of Aug 7 release
Synopsis
With just days to go before its worldwide release on 7 August, the makers of GDN have unveiled Karunakaran's character Perunkili — the latest in a steady drumroll of cast reveals for the Madhavan-led biopic on G D Naidu, India's pioneering industrialist whose story involves colonial-era power plays, fabricated charges, and an unbroken spirit.
Key Takeaways
Karunakaran's look as Perunkili has been revealed by production house Varghese Moolans Pictures via Instagram.
GDN , directed by Krishnakumar Ramakumar , is a biopic on Indian inventor and philanthropist G D Naidu , led by R.
The film releases worldwide on 7 August .
Earlier reveals include Aditi Balan as Padmavathi, Sheela as young Chellamal, and Teejay Arunasalam as the young G D Naidu.
The ensemble cast includes Jayaram , Priyamani , Sathyaraj , Dushara Vijayan , Carl Andrew Harte , and Vinay Rai .
Music is by Govind Vasantha ; cinematography by Aravind Kamalanathan .
The makers of the much-anticipated period biopic GDN, directed by Krishnakumar Ramakumar and featuring R. Madhavan in the lead, have unveiled actor Karunakaran's character look as Perunkili — the latest in a series of cast reveals building anticipation ahead of the film's worldwide theatrical release on 7 August.
The Perunkili Reveal
Production house Varghese Moolans Pictures shared the look on its official Instagram page, captioning it: 'Introducing Karunakaran as Perunkili. Power has many allies. G.D.N in theatres from 7th August.' The post was met with enthusiasm from fans and cinema enthusiasts eager for more glimpses of the ensemble cast.
Earlier Cast Announcements
Prior to this reveal, the makers had introduced several other characters. Actress Aditi Balan was confirmed to play a character named Padmavathi, while veteran actress Sheela portrays the young Chellamal and actor Teejay Arunasalam plays the young G D Naidu. The film chronicles the life of iconic Indian inventor, agriculturist, and philanthropist G D Naidu.
What the Trailer Revealed
A trailer released earlier this month has already set expectations running high. It opens with someone claiming that GD Naidu, in his old age, had gone mad — having reportedly bombed his own building. A British official is heard asking, 'Who the hell is this fakir?' before Naidu's character is introduced with considerable flair.
The trailer establishes Naidu as a self-made industrialist amassing wealth through his transport system UMS and founding a polytechnic engineering college. Actor Jayaram portrays a vicious antagonist named Krishnan, who questions whether Naidu pays his taxes while charging steep college fees. When the British authorities confirm Naidu's books are clean, his rivals — including a character played by Vinay Rai — attempt to frame him by telling an English official to 'soil the books.'
The trailer further depicts trumped-up charges being levelled against Naidu, including allegations of printing counterfeit currency and, eventually, treason — with British authorities accusing him of conducting business with the Nazis against the interests of the Crown. Aditi Balan's character delivers the closing line: 'If the story of a hunt is written by the lion without the hunter in it, then the meaning of courage itself will change.'
Full Cast and Crew
Beyond Madhavan, GDN features an expansive ensemble including Jayaram, Carl Andrew Harte, Priyamani, Dushara Vijayan, Sathyaraj, Aditi Balan, Vijay Rai, Karunakaran, and Teejay Arunasalam. The film's music is composed by Govind Vasantha, with cinematography by Aravind Kamalanathan.
With the global release date of 7 August fast approaching, each new character reveal is adding fresh momentum to what is shaping up to be one of Tamil cinema's most-watched biopics of the year.
Point of View
Known largely for comic roles, in what appears to be a character aligned with power and menace. Whether that against-type casting pays off is a question the box office will answer on 7 August. More broadly, GDN arrives at a moment when Tamil cinema is reasserting its appetite for large-canvas historical biopics — a trend that demands both production scale and narrative rigour to sustain audience trust.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Karunakaran playing in GDN?
Karunakaran plays a character named Perunkili in GDN. The production house Varghese Moolans Pictures revealed his look on Instagram, describing the character with the line 'Power has many allies.'
When is GDN releasing in theatres?
GDN is set to release worldwide on 7 August 2025. The film is a period biopic on G D Naidu, directed by Krishnakumar Ramakumar.
Who is G D Naidu, the subject of the biopic?
G D Naidu was an iconic Indian inventor, agriculturist, and philanthropist. The film depicts his rise as an industrialist, his transport system UMS, his founding of a polytechnic engineering college, and his battles against colonial-era persecution.
Who else is in the cast of GDN?
The film stars R. Madhavan in the lead, alongside Jayaram, Priyamani, Sathyaraj, Aditi Balan, Dushara Vijayan, Carl Andrew Harte, Vinay Rai, Karunakaran, Sheela, and Teejay Arunasalam. Music is by Govind Vasantha and cinematography by Aravind Kamalanathan.
What has the GDN trailer shown so far?
The trailer portrays G D Naidu as a self-made industrialist targeted by both British colonial authorities and jealous rivals through fabricated charges — including allegations of printing counterfeit currency and conducting business with the Nazis. Jayaram plays the primary antagonist, Krishnan, while Aditi Balan's character delivers the film's closing lines about courage.
