Sai Pallavi plays cop Nithya Reddy in Dhanush-Mammootty's 'Om'
Synopsis
Sai Pallavi is a cop named Nithya Reddy in 'Om' — and that single reveal turned Monday into a fan event. With Dhanush and Mammootty sharing the screen for the first time, a red-sanders backdrop, a Naseeruddin Shah cameo, and four National Award winners on set, 'Om' is already the most watched Tamil release countdown of late 2026.
Key Takeaways
Sai Pallavi plays a policewoman named Nithya Reddy in director Rajkumar Periasamy 's 'Om' .
A character glimpse was released at 6 pm on 26 October 2026 , confirmed by the director on X.
The film stars Dhanush and Mammootty together for the first time , alongside Sreeleela and Naseeruddin Shah .
Release was shifted from 16 October to 20 November 2026 after clashes with Rajinikanth's Jailer 2 and Suriya's Deepavali release.
The title carries a 'Chapter 1' tagline, suggesting a franchise is planned.
The film is described as one of the biggest-budget productions of Dhanush's career, with a shoot schedule in Malaysia .
Actress Sai Pallavi plays a police officer named Nithya Reddy in the upcoming action entertainer 'Om', the film's production house confirmed on Monday, 26 October 2026. Directed by Rajkumar Periasamy, the film stars Tamil star Dhanush and Malayalam superstar Mammootty in the lead roles and is slated to release on 20 November 2026.
The Character Reveal
Production house Wunderbar Films kicked off the announcement playfully on X, asking director Rajkumar Periasamy when fans could expect a glimpse of Sai Pallavi's look. Periasamy responded directly on the platform, confirming a character glimpse at 6 pm on 26 October 2026. In his post, the director wrote: 'Dhaaraalanga Cheppacchu. Today, 26.10.26 At 6 o'clock. A glimpse of #SaiPallavi's glimpse, for now #OM @Sai_Pallavi92 as #NithyaReddy.' The character of Nithya Reddy is that of a policewoman, adding a law-enforcement dimension to a narrative already centred on the illegal red sanders trade.
A Historic On-Screen Pairing
One of the biggest draws of 'Om' is that it marks the first-ever collaboration between Dhanush and Mammootty — two of South Indian cinema's most celebrated names across different language industries. Director Periasamy had earlier disclosed that Mammootty plays a character called Karthikeyan in the film. The cast also includes Sreeleela as the second female lead and Bollywood veteran Naseeruddin Shah, making the project one of the most pan-India ensembles in recent Tamil cinema.
Release Date and Earlier Postponements
The film was originally scheduled to release on 16 October 2026 but was postponed out of respect for superstar Rajinikanth, whose film Jailer 2 released on 15 October 2026. Dhanush personally announced the deferral. The film also stayed away from a Deepavali release, as Suriya's film had already been announced for that date. The production subsequently locked 20 November 2026 as the confirmed release date.
What the Film Is About
A title teaser released earlier showed the story revolves around woodcutters involved in the red sanders trade in South India. Dhanush himself plays a woodcutter who steps in to protect workers held at gunpoint by police. The film's title carries the tagline 'Chapter 1', signalling that a sequel may already be in the works. Wunderbar Films head Sreyas has described 'Om' as one of the biggest-budget films of Dhanush's career, and one that is intended to revive the 'mass vintage Dhanush' that fans have been waiting for.
Crew and Production Highlights
The film's music is composed by Sai Abhyankkar, with cinematography by Ezhil Arasu and editing by Kalaivanan R, who recently won a National Award. Costumes are by Kavya Sriram. Notably, Mammootty, Dhanush, director Rajkumar Periasamy, and editor Kalaivanan — all National Award winners — jointly celebrated their wins on the sets of the film during a recent schedule shot in Malaysia. With its high-profile cast, inter-industry appeal, and a franchise-ready setup, 'Om' is shaping up as one of the most anticipated Tamil releases of late 2026.
Point of View
Which is now standard practise for big Tamil productions. What's underreported is the franchise signal: 'Chapter 1' on the title of a first-time Dhanush-Mammootty collaboration, backed by one of the larger Tamil film budgets in recent years, suggests the producers are already betting on a sequel before the first film has even faced audiences. If the red-sanders milieu and the inter-industry cast connect with pan-India streaming platforms, 'Om' could be structured less as a standalone and more as an IP launch.
NationPress
26 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does Sai Pallavi play in the film 'Om'?
Sai Pallavi plays a character named Nithya Reddy, a policewoman, in director Rajkumar Periasamy's 'Om'. The character was confirmed by the production house Wunderbar Films on 26 October 2026, along with a glimpse released the same day.
When is 'Om' releasing in cinemas?
'Om' is scheduled to release on 20 November 2026. The film was originally planned for 16 October 2026 but was postponed out of respect for Rajinikanth's 'Jailer 2', and it also moved away from a Deepavali slot already occupied by Suriya's film.
Who are the lead actors in 'Om' and what are their characters?
Dhanush plays a woodcutter at the centre of an illegal red-sanders trade storyline, while Mammootty plays a character named Karthikeyan. Sai Pallavi plays policewoman Nithya Reddy, and Sreeleela and Naseeruddin Shah are also part of the cast.
Is 'Om' the first film featuring Dhanush and Mammootty together?
Yes, 'Om' marks the first-ever on-screen collaboration between Tamil star Dhanush and Malayalam superstar Mammootty, which is one of the primary reasons for the film's high fan anticipation across language industries.
What is the story of 'Om' about?
'Om' is set against the backdrop of the illegal red sanders trade in South India. Dhanush plays a woodcutter who steps in to protect workers held at gunpoint by police. The title carries a 'Chapter 1' tagline, suggesting the film is designed as the first instalment of a franchise.
