Here’s some exciting news for Tamil movie fans—Madonna Sebastian has reportedly joined the cast of the upcoming action thriller Benz, and I’m already curious about what she’ll bring to the table! The update dropped on June 10, 2025, just a couple of days ago, and with the first shooting schedule wrapping up as of yesterday, June 11, this film’s already got a lot of buzz. Being part of Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU), Benz is shaping up to be a big deal, and Madonna’s addition only makes it more interesting.
Benz stars Raghava Lawrence in the lead, with Nivin Pauly playing the bad guy, Walter—a creepy character who’s already got everyone talking thanks to his intense promo. Directed by Bakkiyaraj Kannan and produced by Lokesh Kanagaraj under G Squad, the movie’s got a great team behind it, with Sai Abhyankkar doing the music, Goutham George on cinematography, and Philomin Raj handling the editing. Plus, Netflix has grabbed the post-theatrical rights, so we’ll all get to binge it eventually.
Now, let’s talk about Madonna Sebastian. Word is she might be bringing back her character Elisa Das from Leo (2023), where she played the twin sister of Vijay’s Leo Das. In Leo, Elisa had a tragic end in a flashback, so fans are wondering if Benz could be a prequel, showing more of her story before that happened. That’d be pretty cool, since female characters don’t usually pop up across LCU films like this. It might mean we’ll get to see more of Elisa’s life and how she fits into the bigger LCU puzzle, which is all about cops, vigilantes, and drug lords.
Madonna’s not the only new face—Priyanka Arul Mohan and Samyuktha Menon are apparently in talks for the other female lead roles, and there’s talk of R. Madhavan joining too, maybe as a shady character. With Nivin Pauly’s Walter already looking like a total menace in his promo, rocking gold chains and a bloody hammer, the cast is stacked! I’m especially excited to see how Madonna fits in. She’s been awesome since her Premam (2015) days in Malayalam cinema, and she’s done some great Tamil films too, like Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum (2016). Her role in Leo was small but left an impact, so I’m hoping Benz gives her more to work with.
I’m wondering, though—will the LCU finally give its female characters a bit more depth? The universe, with hits like Vikram, Kaithi, and Leo, is awesome for its action and interconnected stories, but sometimes the women in these films don’t get as much focus. If Madonna’s really reprising Elisa, I hope they dive deeper into her story, especially if this is a prequel. The LCU’s always been more about the guys, so this could be a fresh change if they pull it off right.
The team’s been shooting for over 120 days across India and the UAE, and with the first schedule done, Benz is being hyped as one of Tamil cinema’s biggest releases this year. Lokesh Kanagaraj producing it means expectations are through the roof, and I’m rooting for it to deliver. Madonna Sebastian joining the cast has me even more excited to see how it all comes together. We’ll have to wait for more updates, but for now, Benz is definitely on my radar!
Source: OTTPlay