The small-budget underdog that took the South Indian box office by surprise is finally making its way to the small screen. Youth, the coming-of-age drama that turned Ken Karunaas into an overnight sensation, is set to premiere on Netflix on April 16, 2026.
The film’s journey from a modest INR 6 crore project to a INR 50 crore+ grosser is a testament to the power of relatable storytelling.
Before Youth, Ken Karunas played supporting roles in Vaathi and Asuran. For Youth, Ken took on the gargantuan task of writing, directing, and starring in this project.
His performance as Praveen, a 15-year-old navigating the awkward, hormone-fueled chaos of 10th and 11th grade, has been hailed for its natural charm. While the critical reception is mixed, the audience’s reception to the film is a lot more positive.
Set in Chennai in 2014, the film focuses on the grounded reality of a middle-class family. Praveen is a “good-for-nothing” student more interested in chasing girls than his textbooks. The veterans, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Devadarshini, play his parents. Their work has also received high praise from the viewers.
In an era where many films struggle to stay in theatres for more than a week, Youth held strong for over 20 days. It achieved an incredible 500% return on investment, proving that audiences are hungry for breezy, relatable, and affectionate dramas.
Netflix is reportedly releasing the film in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi.
Led by Ken Karunas, Youth also stars Anishma Anilkumar, Meenakshi Dinesh, Priyanshi Yadav, and other talents. Stay tuned for more updates.