Entertainment
Aditi Balan's look as Padmavathi in Madhavan-starrer 'GDN' revealed
Published On Thu, 30 Jul 2026
Asian Horizan Network
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Chennai, July 30 (AHN) A day after revealing the look of actor Teejay Arunasalam as the young G D Naidu in director Krishnakumar Ramakumar's eagerly awaited period film, 'GDN', the makers of the film on Thursday revealed the look of actress Aditi Balan in the film.
Actress Aditi plays a character called Padmavathi in the film, which is a biopic of iconic Indian inventor, agriculturist and philanthropist G D Naidu. It is slated to hit screens worldwide on August 7 this year.
The makers released a poster of Aditi Balan from the film and wrote, "Introducing @AditiBalan as Padmavathi. One voice. One stand. A story that changes everything. G.D.N in theatres from 7th August."
The makers have also released the look of actress Sheela as the young Chellamal in the film.
A trailer that the makers had launched earlier this month has triggered huge expectations among fans and film buffs.
In fact, the trailer was launched at a special event organised at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore, which is also the hometown of the legendary inventor.
The entire cast and crew of the film were present at the trailer launch event as were the family members of the brilliant innovator and philanthropist who was hailed as the Edison of India.
The trailer released begins with a person saying G D Naidu, in his old age, had gone mad, as he had bombed his own building. The trailer then shows an Englishman asking, "Who the hell is this fakir?"
It is then that GD Naidu's character is introduced with flair. His detractors are jealous he is making millions through his transport system UMS. We also realise that he has started a polytechnic engineering college.
The trailer shows actor Jayaram playing a very vicious character called Krishnan with power. He asks, "GDN charges huge amounts as fees but does he find paying tax a bitter pill to swallow?"
The British realise that GDN is working within the system and that his books are clean. However, his rivals are intent on thwarting his fame and success by hook or crook. Vinay Rai's character is seen telling an English official, "Soil the books."
Those in power try to restrict GDN's growth by levelling trumped up charges against him. Jayaram's character is seen ordering cops to search GDN's premises claiming they had got information that GDN had developed machines for printing counterfeit currency.
Eventually, we get to know from the trailer that GDN was an honest tax payer who was paying all his taxes on time and that he began questioning the government only when they began levying taxes unjustly on him.
The trailer then shows the British government bringing treason charges against GDN, saying that he was doing business with the Nazis and that this was against the interests of the crown.
Krishnan's character threatens saying that GDN will not be allowed even one peaceful night's sleep from that point on. The trailer ends with Aditi Balan's character summing up the courage of GDN.
She says," If the story of a hunt is written by the lion without the hunter in it, then the meaning of courage itself will change."
The film, apart from Madhavan, also features Jayaram, Priyamani, Dushara Vijayan, Sathyaraj, Aditi Balan, Vijay Rai and Teejay Arunasalam in pivotal roles. The film has music by Govind Vasantha and cinematography by Aravind Kamalanathan.
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AHN
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