Suriya’s ‘Scene’ lights up Deepavali, emerges as festive hit

CHENNAI: A group of young women waver between picking up their bags from the theatre’s baggage counter and watching the film again before the excitement mellows. This is a ‘scene’ witnessed on Deepavali day, after watching an early-morning screening of Suriya’s Scene — a Deepavali release that feels like a film version of watching a 10000-wala firecracker burst with timed perfection.

Directed by Aavesham-maker Jithu Madhavan, Scene is an engaging and entertaining dark comedy with so much going for it that choosing its most satisfying highlight is a difficult exercise.

Let’s start with Suriya, for whom this will undoubtedly be a hat-trick of hits in 2026. The film opened to packed houses on Deepavali morning, with fans celebrating the star’s latest outing with whistles, confetti and repeat viewings — many audiences reportedly staying back to watch the film a second time immediately after the first show.

Directed by Jithu Madhavan, known for the blockbuster Aavesham, Scene blends dark comedy, mass moments and sharp writing, positioning itself as one of the standout festive releases of the season.