New is a 2004 Tamil language directed, written and produced by S. J. Surya, who also features in the lead role. Simran, Kiran Rathod and Devayani play supporting roles, while A. R. Rahman composes the music. New is about an 8-year-old boy who is turned into a 28-year-old man by a scientist and is loosely inspired by the Hollywood film Big. New was released on July 16, 2004 and became a commercial success and became embroiled in a series of controversies post-release. The film was first announced by S. J. Surya in 2000, where he reported that Ajith Kumar and Jyothika would play the lead roles... in the film, with Kareena Kapoor in a guest appearance. Surya noted that script-writing began in 2001, while production with the final cast began in 2002. The critic from The Hindu claimed that "belonging to a genre that is rare to our cinema, "New," however, gets bogged down in a mire of duets and double entendres", but hinted at potential success citing that director "seems to have hit the bull's eye." The film was simultaneously shot in Telugu as Naani, starring Mahesh Babu and Amisha Patel in the lead roles with the Telugu version releasing two months earlier than New.
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