[For the Date between 27th Dec'04 - 2nd' Jan'05]
Vijay - Surya coming together again?
Vijay & Surya acted together in Nerukku Ner & Friends.
Both the movies clicked at the box office.
But it was when Surya was just a wannabe hero & Vijay was in the fringes of stardom.
Things are now different. Vijay is at the acme of his career. Ditto for Surya. After Pithmagan, Kakka Kakka & Perazhagan, he is the one to watch in the industry.
So is it so easy to bring them together again?
Don't know. But Anandhi Films (who produced movies like Chinna Gounder) is giving it a try.
The production house is coming up with a two-hero subject.
And for that, they have approached Vijay and Surya. Both the heroes seem to have agreed to be part of the movie.
Kamal & the Oscars
The annual academy awards night, the biggest event for the showbiz world, is just 3 months away. And the fever is already catching on.
But one man is hardly impressed.
And he has never been impressed.
Kamal Haasan has always made known that. Kamal who is currently busy with Mumbai Express, has again spoken out against the Oscar awards.
"Why consider the Oscars as a yardstick to measure our potential?" the actor asks.
"The academy awards are meant to expand the market potential of Hollywood movies alone", Kamal has said.
Touche!
Speaking about his Mumbai Express, Kamal said, "the movie is an attempt to show Mumbai as a better place to live. The glory & beauty of the city would be unravelled in the movie. There's nothing negative about Mumbai in it".
On doing a string of comedy films, Kamal says, "the biggest challenge for an actor is to act in comedy roles. It's one of the most difficult jobs & I want to take that challenge".
Sathyaraj acts as 'Dumb Dada'
This film is produced by Priyanka Arts productions. This is a film in which an honest Police Officer takes on a Dada, who terrifies the whole region by his activities.
As per the story, the DSP an encounter specialist, arrests the Dada and got him life sentence though the court of law. But the Dada manages to come out prison just in 5 years. He tries to wipe out the entire family of DSP as a vengeance. The DSP gives him a different punishment altogether is the climax of the movie.
In this movie, Sathyaraj is acting as the DSP and also as Dada. The character of Dada is very different. The Dada who is a terror in the region, is dump so could not speak at all. He is also shown as an old man. The main thing is that, both the characters are not related to each other by any way.
The new comer Mega from Mumbai is the lead pair of Sathyaraj. She is acting as a reporter. Apart from there two other in the film are, Anumohan, Pandu, Sathyapriya and Babilona.
The director and the producer of this film is Arirajan, a famed Tele serial director, he had directed 'Mega' Tele serials like Mangai, Gogulam, Enga kumumbam. He had directed family oriented serials in the small screens. But in the big screen his film is Action oriented. The film had sold out on the day of pooja itself. That is the kind of confidence he commands among distributors.
Dina is scoring the music. Camera is handled by, P. Kannan. Editing is taken care of by V.T.Vijayan. The shooting was conducted in Chennai and Pandichery and is now complete. This film is being released on the eve of Pongal.
Actresses return to ads!
Actresses are pretty good at making hay while the sun shines.
Most leading actresses are more interested in acting in commercials than in films themselves! Leading faces like Meena, Sneha and Devayani are seen more often in ad films. The trend was started by Simran, who was paid a huge amount to appear in the soft-drink commercial.
When asked why, they have a very strong justification- "You will have to work atleast forty or fifty days to complete a film. But, in ads, you need to work only three or four days and you make even more money than what you would in a film!"
Then, these ads provide greater visibility to actresses. There are instances of many actresses who began getting offers in films again because they looked so good in ads. Pranathi Jose is an example.
Selvaraghavan’s next movie, ‘Pudupettai’
The film ‘7G rainbow colony’ is super hit in all the southern languages like Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada. But the director Selvaraghavan’s face does not reflect this stupendous success and remains very calm.
He says, "The most important reason for the success of this movie is Producer A.M.Rathnam. He only released this movie with courage. The people make a film successful of the story is good, even if there is no importance given for dance and comedy sequences. I didn’t really expect this kind of success to this film. I cannot claim that I had done this film in an perfect manner. There may be many mistakes. If the film is 80% good and 20% not so good, our people are ready to forgive".
Manirathnam had sent him a letter of appreciation after seeing the film. Selvaraghavan had framed it and put that in his front office. He is buzy in preparing for his next film. He says that he is planning to start the shooting in the month of coming February.
"The name of my next film is ‘Puduppattai’. The hero is Danush. The rest of the things has to be decided later. I get lot of ideas about this film everyday. The theme of this film is journeying into a new dimension. I think I will start for the shooting in the month of February.
I do hope that this film will give me utmost happiness than the films I have done so far!" The director is not satisfied about his film 7G rainbow colony. This film did not give me even 10% satisfaction as I thought in the begining. The expected tone and tenor of the film was very different. I got satisfaction about the film ‘Kadal Kondan’ to some extent. But in this I am satisfied and happy about the last 40 minutes of the movie.
There are lot of things have to be included for commercial purpose. The theme should also reach the people living beyond Chennai. So we have to simplify the movie. His younger brother Danush got married, when is he going to get married? "I am not at all satisfied with the life yet. Next I am going to do a movie with Venkatesh in Telugu. Apart from this there are two Hindi films. Again, another film in Tamil with a front line hero. So I am very busy atleast for three years from now. If and when I find time through this struggle filled life, I may think of marrying."
Lensman magnifies his prowess
Why cannot a cinematographer become a successful commercial director asks cinemtographer K V Anand, who is currently directing Kanaa Kandein starring Srikanth and Gopika.
According to Anand, "having worked under reputed directors I know the basics of direction and I am confident that I can do justice to the job".
It's the role of a cinematographer to bring on screen the expressions conceived by a director. "Having worked behind the lens, I think I have learnt few tricks of the trade", he adds.
"I want to establish myself a successful director who can make quality commercial movies. My Kanaa Kandein is a crime thriller that would appeal to masses".
Is the lensman reflecting truth or magnifying things?
Kalki's name, but Rathnam's film
Ponniyan Selvan is a novel preserved as rich treasure in every Tamil-loving household. A movie with the title Pooniyan Selvan is all set to be churned out in Kollywood.
But hold on.As it happens, the movie has got nothing to do with classic penned by Kalki.
It would be a movie on a youngster who desperately loves a girl in his locality.
Thanks to the success of 7G Rainbow Colony, A M Rathnam has decided to produce another movie with his son Ravi Krishna in the lead role.
This movie is the one that has been titled Ponniyan Selvan and would be directed by Azhagiya Theeyae fame Radha Mohan.
Acting opposite Ravi Krishna would be Gopika.
Sridevi gives herself more options
Actress Sridevi, who did not have any big release last year is keeping her fingers crossed hoping for a revival of fortunes through Devadhaiyay Kandein opposite Dhanush.
But just in case, to keep her options open and wide, she has decided to try her luck in Kannada film industry too.
She is making her debut in Kannada with Kanchanaganga opposite Shivraj Kumar.
Rajendra Singh Babu directs the movie and music is by S A Raj Kumar.
Then Sivaji, now Jr Sivaji
Remember National Pictures? This prestigious production house directed a movie called Parasakthi, about 50 years ago.
But for them, the Tamil filmdom would not have come across the actor Sivaji. Exactly after 50 years, the production house is all geared up to produce a movie in Tamil.
It would star Dushyanath aka Jr Sivaji, Sivaji Ganesan's grandson in the lead role.
Prabhu would play a guest role in the movie.
Whoever said Tamilians are suckers for sentiments, sure knew what he was talking about.
A young director is happy
Director Balaji Sakthivel is a happy man these days. And he has every reason to be chuffed.
His Kadhal is doing brisk business at the box office. "Though my debut venture Samurai was a average hit, Kadhal, which did not even have an established star cast, has made it big," he says in a matter of fact tone.
"Though I was afraid about the audience response for the experimental movie which dealt more on human emotions, I think I need not have worried. People have rewarded me in a big way', Sakthivel says.
He says "it's a real life incident. I added some typical cinema elements to make it interesting".
Balaji is naturally thankful to director Shankar who produced the film. "All credit should go to Shankar. A director who is known for his big-budget fantasy films coming forward to produce this emotional melodrama deserves a special appreciation", Sakthivel adds.
Asked about his next venture, Sakthivel says, "Kadhal was different from Samurai. Certainly my next venture would be more different from Kadhal".
Intriguing combination
Arun Pandian's is a restless spirit. He is still to decide what he is. An actor? Or a producer?
But going by the fate of the movies that he has acted in, he seems to have come to the conclusion of being just a producer.
Arun Pandian who produced movies like Devan and Vikatan, is planning to produce another film next year.
It would be a crime thriller that would be directed by Khaakha Khaakha fame Goutham.
Interestingly, Arun Pandian is not playing the hero.
Sources say, the director has approached Vijay with the script. Most likely the latter, who has not donned the khaki in any of his movies before, would play lead role.
Vijay-Gowtham-Arun Pandian. An intriguing combination, surely.
Vikram Declines the invitation from Khan
AVM studio is abuzz with hectic activities. On one side, there is the shooting of Mega Budget director Sankar’s Anniyan. And the other side, Priyadharshan’s Hindi film is being shot.
In between the shot intervals ‘Anniyan’ Cheyan and the hero of Priyadarshan’s movie Salmankahan had met and talked. Salmankhan has special affection for Cheeyan.
 Because he had acted in the Hindi version of the Tamil film Sethu’ ,‘Tere Naam’, which had given him a break. Khan in an expression of gratitude had invited the Cheeyan to bollywood.
But Vikram had already declined the chance to act with Amitab in an Hindi movie. Even now he had expressed his disinclination in a civilized manner to Khan.
"Tamil film field is enough for me, I have lot more goals to achieve in this language itself". Khan who heard this’ answer was very much surprised.
Even the new comers, after having given a single hit film had started dreaming about Bollywood and Hollywood. There is no wonder about Khan’s surprise about this Vikam’s denial.
Three men and a book
Guess what's common between Kamal Haasan, Sivakumar and Pandiarajan apart from being actors in Kollywood?
Give up?
Well, it is an intriguing connection. Something that Kollywood doesn't see quite often.
All the three have written books that are to be released shortly.
While Kamal Haasan, who is fond of literature, has come out with a short collection of his poems written on varied subjects from time to time, Sivakumar has completed a book titled Idhu Rajapaatai Alla. It is all about his experiences in the industry with directors, producers, actresses and actors in the last four decades.
Actor-director Pandirajan's book is a compendium of short stories titled Thookam Varadha Podhu Sindhithavai.
Kollywood has not much intellectual pretensions. The books that come out are usually from the poet types.
But now this is really different.
A rebirth for Gopika
Autograph Gopika is still in trance. Whoever meets her has to listen to her story of how she escaped from the clucthes of death. For the film `Thotti Jaya’ she was to run on the parellel track in the Mambalam railway station when the train hired for the shooting started moving. To adjust for the train timings the shooting was set for a midnight shot. Cameraman Rajashekar and crew with the camera were mounted on the moving train. When the train moved and Gopika began to run on the parallel track the camera started cranking. To the horror of the camera crew they saw Gopika trip and stagger towards the running train. By sheer luck she managed to pull back and fall on the parallel track. A great tragedy was averted. Hearing this her parents rushed to the hospital where she was admitted for leg injury. However she attended shooting of the film the next day in Kelambakkam. Her parents are now accompanying her for every shooting.
The Maiden attempt of Mastro's daughter
The daughter of IsaiGnani Ilayaraja & play back singer Bhavadarini is scoring music on her own for the first time for the film 'Kathiruppen'.
Bhavadarini had sung many famous songs like, 'Masthana, Masthana', 'Thendral varum Vazhaiyai' and 'Mayil pola Ponnu Onnu' and had attracted the hearts of Tamilians. She had risen to the level of Music Director now by scoring music for the film 'Kathiruppen'. Kamalhassan's daughter Suruthi had rendered her voice for a song in this film. All the songs in the films have been recorded
The director of this movie is L.T.Karthik. This film is based on poetic love story. The film can be seen by the whole family That is how the film is being made without crossing the limits of decency in any manner. The Hero Nitish is from the drama troupe 'Koothu pattarai'. Sujitha, who had acted as the child artiste in the film 'Poovizhi Vasalile' is now acting as the heroine of this film. Others in the cast are Nasar, Seetha, Delhi Ganesh, Devadharsini.
The first schedule of the shouting was filmed in Kodaikannal. The next of the film is being shot in places like Moonaru, Ooty and Chennai.
{{ More Cinebits .. Gossips..}}
Your Feedback is my Tonic.. Please SIGN my guestbook.. - Mohan
|
