Tamil Movie News and Gossips

One of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ, St. Thomas, came to India after Christ was crucified with a mission to spread the Word of God.

St. Thomas was also part of the famous 'Last Supper'.

A film is being planned to bring to light the life of St. Thomas with a whopping budget of Rs. 50 Crores. Ajith and Shalini will appear in guest roles in the film that will start production in January, 2009.

The movie's launch was held on the 3rd of July which is also 'St. Thomas Day' at the Santhome Basilica compound. Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi officially launched the film and a host of politicians were also present.

Incidentally, Santhome Basilica houses the saint's tomb.

The makers of the film have planned to shoot in locations such as Chennai, Iddukki, Munnar and a few places abroad. The movie will also feature Hollywood stars in it.

The film will be released in 2010. ....

Gone are the days when permission to film in railway stations and airports was as easy as pie. Due to these crowded places becoming soft targets for terrorists, the authorities are leaving no stone unturned with their security measures. Therefore, obtaining permission to shoot in railway stations and airports has become very hard and troublesome. Even when permissions are granted, filmmakers find it extremely difficult to complete all the shots within the stipulated time.

The makers of the film 'Sathyam' needed an airport to film an action sequence. Airports in India said NO while an airport in Dubai said YES. The crew went over there and canned the shots.

Jeevan was supposed to star in a film titled 'Payannigal Gavanathirkku' and the film was to be shot extensively in railway stations. Since permission did not come their way the film sadly had to be abandoned.

Dhanush's 'Padikkadhavan' needs a railway station to can some 'vital' scenes. Not sure if permission would come their way, the filmmakers decided to erect a railway station set at the Ramoji Rao Film City in Hyderabad. Sources say tremendous effort has been put in to bring about the authentic effort.
A wise decision indeed by the team that bears the name 'Padikkadhavan'. ....

Ramya Krishnan, touted as the ever-youthful actress despite her age is all set to stun audiences with her performance in a movie called 'Arumugam'. The movie is to be directed by Suresh Krishna and will star Bharath.

After her marriage with Telugu director Krishna Vamsi, Ramya Krishnan refused many film offers that came her way and concentrated on producing and hosting game shows for television. The role that Nadhiya played in the movie 'Sandai' was first offered to Ramya Krishnan who turned it down.

After listening to the story of 'Arumugam' an impressed Ramya Krishnan gave the green signal.

The actress shot to fame after her inspired character 'Neelambari' in the smash hit film 'Padayappa'. Many film lovers felt that she even stole the limelight from Rajinikanth in the film. 'Nilambari' is a character that will be etched among classic roles in Tamil Cinema.

Interestingly, her character in 'Arumugam' is also along those lines….a determined woman with shades of desperation stylishly spitting venom.

Ramya Krishnan is back to what she does best….inspired performances on the silver screen. ....

Probably inspired by the title of a yesteryear blockbuster 'Avan, Aval, Adhu', a film starring Madhavan and Sada is being made with a similar name 'Naan Aval Adhu'.

This movie will bring Madhavan and Sada together on screen for the third time. Their earlier movies were 'Priyasaki' and 'Ethiree'.

Shamita Shetty, Sriman and Sayaji Shinde are also in the cast and the film's shooting has been completed and dubbing is going on currently.

Noted Telugu script writer Kona Venkat will be making his debut in Tamil films as a director. G V Prakash has scored the music along with Patnaik. ....

'Kadhalil Vizhunthen', the movie which hogged the limelight even before its release thanks to a fast paced song that features in it, 'Naaka Mooku, will hit movie screens on Independence Day.

It is a romantic action thriller set in the backdrop of a college campus. The film narrates a love story in a distinct style. The story is about a young lover, who loses his girlfriend but somehow believes she is still alive.

'Kadhalil Vizhunthen' is directed by PV Prasad, a former assistant to directors V. Sekar and Azhagam Perumal. Nakul (of 'Boys' fame) plays the male lead in the film and Telugu actress Sunaina makes her Tamil debut as heroine. Other important roles of the film are played by Hari Raj, Livingston and Sampath.

Vijay Anthony has composed music and lyrics are by Thamarai.S. Vijay Milton is the cinematographer and VT Vijayan is editing the film. The movie is produced by Umapathy with the banner Atlantic Cinemas. ....

Ace Malayalam director Lal Jose will take a break from Malayalam cinema for a while, and is starting work on his debut Tamil venture. The film titled 'Mazhai Vara Pokuthu' will tell the story of a rustic village in Tamilnadu that longs for rains.

The movie based on a plot by Lal Jose will be scripted by James Albert who has created two big hits in Mollywood, Classmates and Cycle.

Daniel Balaji will play the lead role for the first time with 'Mazhai Vara Pokuthu'. Lal Jose is finalizing the other cast and crew of this venture and will start shooting in a couple of months. ....

Versatile Malayalam actor Mohanlal will be working in a full fledged international film based on the life and times of Nair-San (1905 – 1990), a man of Indian origin (a Tamil father and a Malayalee mother) but who lived his life mostly in Japan. Though in Japan, he was actively involved in the freedom struggle against imperialistic Great Britain. His cause was not just limited to India but also for many other parts of Asia.

Nair-San will be brought to life on the silver screen by Albert, an aluminous of the Film and Television Institute in Chennai. Committed to serious cinema, Albert is the recipient of three Kerala state awards.

Says Albert, 'My fascination for Nair-San made me come up with a script and found many interested people in Japan. I thought one vital character of the film would suit Jackie Chan and sent the script to his office. Jackie Chan evinced his interest within a week for the cameo role and also volunteered to choreograph an action sequence'.

Playing Nair-San has caught the imagination of Mohanlal and has given a 125-day call sheet to the director. An excited Mohanlal said, 'My father had told me about Nair-San and I liked the person a lot. I was also told that he used to stay in Poojapura, the same area I stay in Thiruvananthapuram'.

The film is to be produced by Morpheus Media Ventures Private Ltd., and A. R. Rahman is expected to score the background score.

The film will be shot extensively in Japan, Inner Mongolia and a few scenes in India. ....

Actor Napoleon's next film has been titled 'Pallikondapuram'. This happens to be the name of a novel written by popular Tamil writer Neela Padmanabhan. Highly literary in nature this novel has been translated in to various languages such as Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarathi, Assamese, Telugu, Oriya, Kannada and Bengali, and stands as an iconic inference to Tamil literature.

Tamil filmdom has become subject to naming their films with the same names of earlier productions calling this 'fashionable'. Names of literary works and novels are also being used as movie titles these days.

Writer Padmanabhan's comments are along these lines. 'Is this a clear sign that marks dearth of creativity in Tamil films or is it a cheap gimmick in pursuit of cashing in on previous successes?'

Whichever it may be, the writer is furious and has appealed to the filmmakers to make an unconditional change to their film's tile. The writer has also made it very clear that no one had approached him for permission. Even if they did, he is in no frame of mind to relent.

The Tamil Writers Association of Thiruvananthapuram is representing Neela Padmanabhan's cause.

When a creative writer is so very passionate about his work, one feels the filmmakers would have to go for a name change. ....

Director Mahendran who rendered an awesome film in the form of 'Mullum Malarum' called upon filmmakers to do away with duets and run-of-the-mill love stories. Speaking at the audio launch function of the movie, 'Vannathupoochi' a film based on the lives of children, the veteran director urged young directors to treat cinema as an art form.

'When a young director makes a film based on human emotions and somehow does not taste the desired success, it is so very easy for him to change tracks'. But then the director urges young directors to hold true.

Says Mahendran, 'We treat children with reverence, but then never make children's films. Most films that feature children actually have them mouthing dialogues meant for grown-ups. This is not good'.

'People think making movies with enormous budgets is what good filmmaking is all about. This is totally false. True human emotions amalgamated with a spectacular narration will never go unnoticed'.

He also called upon Tamil filmmakers to do away with needless 'exercise schedule' dance sequences and running around trees in foreign locations and urged directors to be more responsible.

Precise observation and absolute truth from the heart of an ace director. ....

Cheran is contemplating to cast Mollywood lass Udhayathara for 'Autograph-2', a sequel to his blockbuster 'Autograph'.

Two characters of 'Autograph' Gopika and Kaniga, will not be a part of the sequel as the former is entering wedlock soon and the latter has already entered it. Looks like Cheran will be finding replacements for the characters and probably, that is how Udhayathara will be fitting into the scheme of things.

Navya Nair has been already cast in the sequel, while Sneha who was part of the original, has also agreed to star in the new version.

'Autograph', which consolidated Cheran as hero, went on to become a stupendous hit. The retro classic swept many awards at several film festivals.

Udhayathara is in the process of rising to fame in Tamil filmdom and has already completed 'Thee Nagar' starring Karan and 'Kannum Kannum' with Prasanna. She has reportedly expressed her delight to be part of 'Autograph 2'.

Once Cheran completes 'Raman Thediya Seethai', he is expected to revisit the story that took him to dizzy heights. ....

After directing the Vijay starrer 'Villu', Prabhudeva would don the greasepaint again. In a recent interview, the choreographer-turned-actor-turned-director made it loud and clear that he has this innate desire to act in lead roles.

'Like dance, acting too is my passion. I am doing cameos in Telugu films, but that is just for friendship and fun. But then I am seriously planning to act in the lead role in a Tamil movie. If everything goes well, it will go to the floors next year.'

However, Prabhudeva has some reservations too. Says he, 'I will not direct the movie in which I am going to act. I want to concentrate on acting alone.'

The rubber man of South India has all that it takes to be flashy and successful before the camera. Let's wish this great talent all the very best in his second innings as an actor. ....

Many years ago, a movie named 'Jaganmohini' rocked Tamilnadu resulting in box office collections setting new records. The film was produced and directed by Vittalachariya. And now Murali Cine Arts is trying to recreate the same magic by remaking the film and the same title has been retained.

The story of the film is set about 300 years ago and actress Namitha would play a girl who specializes in pearl hunting. So, most of her scenes in the film would be in and around water. Something her fans would simply love.

The film also features Nila as the princess of another country and a popular Telugu hero Raja plays the protagonist. Interestingly, the hero of the earlier 'Jaganmohini', Narasimharaj plays the hero's father.

Plans are on to shoot underwater scenes near the Andamans and hi-tech cinematic technology is expected to be used. The crew has also planned innovative lighting techniques underwater. Something to look forward to.

The film has cinematography and direction by N. K. Vishwanathan and has music by Ilayaraja.

Meanwhile, what else is Namitha up to besides getting wet in 'Jaganmohini'? She has reportedly asked for an exorbitant salary when the producers of 'Karthigai' approached her to replace Malavika. As reported already Malavika and the makers of the film had a tussle that let to Malavika being shown the door.

Sources reveal that the salary asked by Namitha was so high it sent panic waves among the producers. ....

It has all the makings of an interesting and intriguing battle to attain the upper hand in Tamil Film Producers council. The council, one of the richest councils in the industry, is witnessing a stiff battle as it goes to polls on the 6th of July. Incumbent president Rama Narayanan is seeking re-election and he is challenged by veteran producer Panchu Arunachalam.

Rama Narayanan has floated the Producers Association Progressive Front to contest the elections, while Panchu Arunachalam, backed by producers like Radhika Sarath Kumar, Keyar and A M Rathinam, has formed the Democratic Progressive Front.

'Producers enjoyed prime positions a few years ago. But today they don't. We are contesting the polls only to regain our glory and check the dominance of the corporates. Making money is not our concern,' says Panchu Arunachalam.

'Several small-time producers are undergoing untold miseries. The honchos of the association are paying no heed to their woes. We want to bring about a change', he says and adds, 'it is a fight against monopoly.'

Radhika Sarath Kumar is contesting for the post of honorary secretary in Panchu Arunachalam's Democratic Progressive Front.

However, on its part, the Producers Association Progressive Front claims that it's good work in the past couple of years will ensure its success.

Aggressive campaign is on from both sides to woo producers. ....

Though predictions come true or not, Tamil Cinema is well known for going by what astrologers predict. An interesting tidbit about the much hyped and highly anticipated film 'Robot' starring superstar Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai seems to be in consultation with a famous astrologer.

Sources have indicated that a top personality involved with the project had taken director Shankar's horoscope to the astrologer in a bid to find out about the film's prospects. The astrologer in turn had wanted to meet Shankar in person before going ahead with the predictions. Shankar had an audience with the astrologer and certain 'revelations' were made.

According to the astrologer, Shankar's 'time' is good at the moment and will continue to be so for a few years. However, with regards to 'Robot', the movie must be made immediately in order to have a dream run worldwide. A delay in its release might even doom the movie to failure.

This information has reportedly rattled the director. One will have to wait and see if the director takes the astrologer's prediction seriously and start filming at once.

It is not know if the astrologer is a fan of the Rajini – Shankar combination and is in haste to see the movie released quickly. ....

After the refreshing success of 'Chennai 600028', the same team has got together for 'Saroja'. Sources say that Yuvan Shankar Raja has put up an inspired performance in getting all the tracks of the movie just perfect. Apart from introducing new talent, the songs have the soul of youth and are expected to make waves among music lovers.

Yuvan Shankar Raja, the talented son of Maestro Ilayaraja, has been living up to his famous father's illustrious name and has been involved with numerous smash hits already.

A song titled 'Cheeky, Cheeky' has been sung by Yuvan himself along with a contestant of the reality show 'Singapore Idol' Mathilda D’ Silva.The lyrics of the song have both Tamil and English words in them. Gangai Amaran has penned the Tamil part while Yuvan himself has worked on the English part. This song reportedly has been shot in a very trendy way and the music reflects that. Yuvan himself features in the song and is to be used for promotion purposes of the film.

'Aaja Mera Soniye' has been sung by Premji Gangai Amaran and Vijay Yesudas. Lyrics are by Valee and toes the same lines of the super duper hit 'Saroja Samanikalo' featuring TV artists and shot near VGP. This has been designed as an engagement song.

'Dosth Bada Dosth' has been penned by Valee and showcases the voices of Haricharan, Rahul Nambyar and Naveen. Tunes have been etched out in such a way that they would be apt for people who listen while on long drives. This song is expected to rock.

'Kodana Kodi' has the voice of Mohammed Aslam of 'Pon Magal Vanthal' fame. The song also has a talented female singer from the band X5, affiliated with SS Music. Industry sources say this song might just go on to become the song of the year thanks to its soothing tunes.

'Nimirnthu Nill' is a song that oozes with loads of energy and has been penned by Gangai Amaran. Shankar Mahadevan has lent his voice for this charged up song.

There is also a bonus track in the film titled 'My Life' by Yuvan and has his stereotyped style of music.

'Saroja' is very highly anticipated and grapevine has it that its audio rights have been sold 150 times that of 'Chennai 600028'. This is exactly what would happen when a team tastes success after putting in a lot of work. The movie despite not featuring any major hero has reportedly been sold at an exorbitant rate and is expected to be released soon.

Golden days seem to be in store for director Venkat Prabhu. The industry is abuzz with the news of Warner Bros. partnering Soundarya Rajinikanth for producing a movie and Venkat Prabhu would be directing it. This piece of information however has to be confirmed officially. ....

Actress Kamna was introduced in 'Idhaya Thirudan' to the Tamil film industry. She then proceeded to act in 'Machchakaran' and a host of Telugu films. She is currently one of six heroines in the film 'Rajathi Raja' directed by Sakthi Chidambaram and starring Ragava Larencce.

Kamna has recently said that it was very nice to see many heroines coming together for projects. She even termed it 'healthy'.

'Hindi cinema these days are coming up with quite a number of movies that feature many heroes. Heroines are introduced in order to pair with them. Interestingly none of them have ego clashes', she says.

'In Tamil even if there is only one hero, many heroines are teaming up in projects these days. This is a very healthy sign', Kamna added.

'Naan Avan Illai' starring Jeevan had five heroines. 'Raman Thediya Seethai' starring Cheran also has a number of heroines. So does 'Rajathi Raja'.

If every artiste has the same viewpoint as Kamna, the Tamil film industry would indeed become an artistically inclined place where healthy competition would prevail. ....

Director Jagan is working on a film called 'Raman Thediya Seethai' and is produced by Moser Baer. The film stars Cheran, Pasupathy, Nithin Sathya, Navya Nair, Vimala Raman, Ramya Nambeesan, Gajala and Karthiga.

Says Director Jagan, 'this is the story of a man in search of his wife. God has destined someone for everyone and it is our duty to find that someone. Cheran, the hero of the story goes on a journey to find his perfect mate. The characters of Pasupathy and Nithin Sathya help him along the journey. In the process, he meets a number of women and finally finds the right one'.

The movie has been designed in such a way that in each scene there is a flashback element and that calls for extra locations. Going by this pattern, the number of locations in the movie comfortably beat the number of scenes, which is usually the reverse.

'There are 78 scenes whereas there are 94 locations in the film' adds director Jagan. Looks like a new trend and sure does sound interesting.

Music is by Vidyasagar and cinematography is by Rajesh Yadhav. The movie will grace theaters in August. ....

Sarath Kumar is all set to play Shriya's father in K. S. Ravikumar's 'Jaggubhai'. The story delves deep into the intricate relationship between a father and daughter. The film was originally written for superstar Rajinikanth but then was shelved for unknown reasons. However, the director wanted 'Jaggubhai' to see the light of day and cast Sarath Kumar in the lead. Interestingly, the director has rendered big time hits with Sarath in the past.

K. S. Ravikumar is facing a Himalayan problem now. Who will play the role of Sarath Kumar's wife? Because the role also entails playing mom to Shriya, most top actresses don't want anything to do with the project. Actresses such as Sneha, Simran, Padmapriya, Vimala Raman and Tabu have been considered but with negative responses.

With Shriya among the top contenders in the line up of Numero Uno in Tamil films, no other actress wants to give her that much of boost to consolidate it. Truly a headache for the filmmakers.

Meanwhile, there were reports that the title for the movie would be changed. The director has denied this and said he'd go ahead with the same title. ....

The audio release for the movies 'Sakkarakatti', 'Sathyam' and 'Saroja' are expected to happen at about the same time and music lovers are in for a treat with accomplished composers A. R. Rahman, Harris Jayaraj and Yuvan Shankar Raja fighting for 'hearing rights' amongst film music lovers very shortly.

All three movies are expected to do very well. 'Sakarakatti' has Baghyaraj's son Santhanu in the lead and numerous Computer Generated Imagery based sequences have been made for the song sequences.

The songs are expected to have the grandeur element and the right person has been roped in for the effect – A. R. Rahman.

'Sathyam' has Vishal and Nayantara starring in it and the story is about a cop and a daring television journalist.

It also features a number of children in it. Harris Jeyaraj has weaved his magic for this film that is expected to be a thriller.

'Saroja' has the same 'Chennai 600028' team and loads of fun and frolic is bound to be part of the plot. Kajal Agarwal joins the team as the heroine.

Yuvan Shankar Raja would ideally like to assert his presence with this film big time, especially with competition coming in the form of many young music directors like G. V. Prakash. ....

Many people in Kerala would remember Shamna Kasim, the girl who featured in many popular advertisements. She also played quite some important roles in three back to back Mohanlal films. She acted as Mohanlal's foster sister in 'Ali Bhai', the heroine's only friend in 'Flash' and the second heroine of 'College Kumaran’.

She then had a number of small time project in Mollywood, as the heroine. But things didn't work out as expected and she was replaced from many movies like 'Chembada', after filming had actually started.

Well, she then changed her name to Poorna and is now debuting in Tamil opposite Bharath, a young actor of Tamil Cinema. Poorna's first movie in Tamil 'Munniyandi Vilangiyal Moondramaandu', is releasing on July 4.

A major highlight in her career is that even before the movie's release, she has earned appreciation from actor Vijay. He said in the audio release function that Poorna had a striking resemblance to Asin. This surely would boost her market value.

The film is set against a family background in a semi-urban village and is directed by Thirumurugan of 'Emttan Magan' fame. Poorna will have to wait just this weekend to know whether she can follow the likes of Asin, Meera Jasmine, Bhavana and Nayantara in the quest to climb the ladder of mega stardom. ....

Confusion still reigns over the casting of the movie 'Rajadhi Raja' starring Ragava Larencce which is produced and directed by Sakthi Chidambaram.

The movie that boasts of six heroines was touted to have Sandhya as one of the heroines. She had reportedly declined the offer and Pooja was approached. Rumors were abuzz a little while back that Pooja has confirmed being part of the project.

However, now it is confirmed that she has been replaced by young Kajal Agarwal. The girl from Mumbai, who made her debut with Bharathirajaa's 'Bomallattam', is currently acting in 'Modhi Vilayadu' opposite Vinay.

She is also acting in a couple of films in Tollywood.

Making a film with six heroines seems to be a tough task especially with all the heroines competing with each other. It is humanly impossible to have all six characters share equal screen presence. Probably, the 'crowd factor' is playing in the minds of the leading ladies and hence the constant replacements.

However, the truth is that even with a small role, a good actress can make her way into the hearts and minds of film loving public. ....

Remember the grand trailer Kamal filmed for his dream project 'Marudhanayagam' a decade ago.

In similar vein, the actor has now come up with a short film on his forthcoming movie 'Marmayogi'. Sources reveal that the short film comprises the theme of the movie, cast and crew along with other technical details. It would be screened at the grand launch of 'Marmayogi' planned at Mumbai by this month end.

It is said that bigwigs of Bollywood like Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, and Shah Rukh Khan are expected to attend the launch ceremony. Produced by Pyramid Saimira, ‘Marmayogi’ would have Hema Malini and other Bollywood actors in pivotal roles.

A short film to promote a feature film is indeed a novel idea. What will creativity come up with?

Let's wait and watch. ....

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, along with 150 special invitees including Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan watched ‘Ulliyin Osai’ on Tuesday, a film based on a story the Chief Minister had written four decades ago.

Rajini, when asked about the movie, said, 'Story, screen play and dialogues are superb. It is a fantastic love story. Excellent.' Asked if there was any particular dialogue that he liked, he said that there were far too many.

Praising Karunanidhi, Kamal said, 'He had worked on the project despite all his duties as Chief Minister. I have a lot to learn from him.'

This film proves that both Kalaignar's stories and art are timeless, said director Bharathirajaa.

K S Ravikumar, fresh from the success of ‘Dasavatharam’, said there were so many twists and unexpected turns in the movie in the second half and that kept him very interested and absorbed. 'The songs are very good and so is the manner in which they have been filmed. I did not expect such a touching movie,' he said.

The film is based on Karunanidhi's short story 'Saarapallam Samundi'. Produced by Thiruvottiyur SP Murugesan, the film has Keerthi Chawla, Suja, Vineeth and Sarath Babu in lead roles. Ilavenil makes his debut as director while Ilayaraja has handled the music. ....

Veteran actor Mohan is keen to regain his lost glory with 'Sutta Pazham'. The movie marks the re-entry of Mohan, who had done over 100 films including blockbusters like 'Payanangal Mudivathilai', 'Thendralae Ennai Thodu'. 'Rettaival Kuruvi', 'Idhaya Kovil', 'Mouna Ragam' and 'Udhaya Geetham'.

Asked why the actor is making a comeback, he says, ' I agreed to act in the film because of director G.K. When he first offered me the role, I turned it down as I was busy producing serials for Sun Network. But he persisted. When he narrated the story to me, I liked it and agreed to do the role. The film is a comedy thriller'.

Mohan in the recent years produced several television serials. Mohan also created a record of sorts in 1984, when 19 films (he was the hero) were released and most were hits.

Having worked with greats including Balu Mahendra and Manirathinam, Mohan says, 'if the storyline is good, I would continue to act'.

The combination of Mohan and music Maestro Ilayaraja in the 80s was phenomenal as almost all the songs went on to become trend setting hits. ....

Just hours before the biggest moment of his life, the audio launch of the superstar Rajinikanth starrer 'Kuselan', G.V. Prakash in an exclusive interview , spoke about the excitement factor and his experiences working for this highly anticipated movie.
Here are excerpts from the interview….

How did 'Kuselan' happen?

Got a call from P. Vasu’s office and was told about Rajini sir’s next project. I took the car and dashed to his house immediately.

What went through your mind about composing for the superstar?

I am a huge fan of the superstar. Thoughts of musical composition engulfed my mind that night itself and I started composing. As a big fan of Rajini sir, I wanted to appease the fan in me first. I guess that worked big time.

Your experiences working with P. Vasu?

P. Vasu gave me enough space so that I would feel comfortable. He actually had an amazing team and I felt happy and thrilled working for 'Kuselan'. Working with that terrific team made me come up with a good performance. P. Vasu was wonderful and I thank him for giving me this opportunity.

Your thoughts on composing a song for celebrating 75 years of Tamil Cinema at such a young age….

I am happy with the result of 'Cinema….Cinema'. I have been previledged to do this song. Not only is it celebrating 75 years of Tamil Cinema, but also is the introduction song of the superstar. So I had to amalgamate his style in the song too. As I said, I am happy with the result and I am sure it will a huge treat for Rajini fans.

Rajini sir called me over the phone and congratulated me. We spoke for 25 minutes and am thrilled with the outcome.

Which is the song closest to your heart?

I like 'Cinema….Cinema', 'O Zaarare' but the closest to my heart is a song called 'Sollamma'. My friends love 'Cinema….Cinema'. They kept pestering me to play it all the time. 'O Zaarare' has also come out very good. In fact I asked Daler Mehndi to sing for two days. I was very particular to get the perfection right.

What about K. Balachander? Did he like it too?

I started out with the project only after getting his blessings. He hasn't spoken to me yet about the songs but I am sure he'll talk to me about his impression soon.

Would 'Kuselan' put you under pressure for forthcoming films?

No way. I am sure after 'Kuselan' my market precense will increase a lot. I have a very good line of impressive films that have scope for the musical element in a big way. I have director Selvaraghavan's film on hand and then 'Anandha Thandavam'. I have the next film of the 'Polladhavan' director and then 'Angadi Theru'. I am looking forward to working in these films.

How will your celebrate the success of 'Kuselan'?

Well, hangout with friends, attend all the phone calls and generally be happy. ....

‘Kuselan’ is superstar Rajinikanth's 156th film and BIG MUSIC has come out with a big plan to celebrate the superstar's achievement.
Minutes before the audio launch for ‘Kuselan’ is slated to happen at the Le Royal Meridien in Chennai, BIG MUSIC will have Rajinikanth release 160 balloons as an imagery to "Kuselan Songs' taking the skies with a mission to soothe and entertain. The songs are not only going to be released in CD format but also will be ON AIR thanks to all the FM stations. The balloons taking to the skies is also a visual imagery to the 'Kuselan' sound waves taking the air.
The 156 balloons would also be symbolic of all his films with which he had set many a heart thrilled to raptures with his flamboyant style and acting skills.
The whole 'Kuselan' team would be present at the launch which is expected to be scintillating and savvy.
'Kuselan' songs COMING SOON on raaga.com (downloadable)…. Stay tuned for the experience…. ....

Fourth of July is not just an important day for Americans (Independence Day), but also a huge day for Sasikumar, the debutante director of the film ‘Subramaniapuram’. On this day, he would realize his dream of general audiences flocking to theaters to watch his recreation of the eighties in the film ‘Subramaniapuram’.

A former associate of directors Bala and Ameer, Sasikumar reportedly has put in an inspired effort to weave the tale of five educated and yet jobless youngsters in the Madurai locality of ‘Subramaniapuram’. The world of these doting youth is heavily influenced after a girl comes into their lives. Do they still remain friends or does selfish desire make them fall apart? This is the crux of the story.

The youth are played by Jai (of ‘Chennai -600028’ fame), Ganja Karuppu, new faces Mari, Visithran and the director himself. Swathi plays the heroine and director Samuthirakani has been showcased as the villain.

The film industry is abuzz with the fact that the director kept the story a secret and did not even reveal it to his cast. He thrived on getting spontaneous reactions from his cast and says this surprise element has done a world of good for the film.

The movie could be a welcome relief for all those enthusiasts who'd like to see life in the eighties all over again. ....

Actress Sandhya seems to be quite a favorite among Tamil filmmakers. Apart from the movies 'Manjal Vayyil' where she pairs with Prasanna and 'Mahesh, Saranya Matrum Palar' with Shakthi, she has many more in the pipeline.

Both 'Manjal Veyyil' and 'Mahesh, Saranya Matrum Palar' are getting ready for a July release.

A film is being planned with the title 'Odippolaama' and Sandhya will be starring opposite a debutante, Primal. This movie will be made simultaneously in Tamil and Telugu. Interestingly director K.S. Ravikumar had planned to make a movie with the same title with Dhanush some years ago. The movie for reasons unknown was shelved.

Sandhya will also feature in Sakthi Chidambaram's 'Rajadhi Raja' that stars Larencce. She is slated to play one of six heroines in the film. Grapevine has it that some heroines roped in for the film are pulling out. A feeling of the 'crowd element' seems to have set in with the girls. Lakshmi Rai who was supposed to play a vital character in the film has reportedly pulled out. Sandhya however will be a part of the film.

Director Seeruramasami who made 'Koodal Nagar' starring Bharath and Sandhya is starting another project for Roja Combines. He has reportedly asked for Sandhya's dates for the project.

With so many films under her belt, young Sandhya has an opportunity to make a mark for herself firmly in the world of Tamil Cinema. ....

'Adhivasiyum Adhisayapesiyum' will star comedian Senthil in the lead role and is reportedly the remake of the celebrated English film 'Gods Must Be Crazy' that was released in the eighties.
'Gods Must Be Crazy' was about a carelessly thrown Coke bottle from an airplane. The bottle landed amidst a tribal hamlet and confused all the inhabitants there as to what it could be. They end up using it for all kinds of purposes that was narrated in a funny way.
The same story is to be remade in Tamil and it would be a cell phone instead of the Coke bottle. 'Adhivasiyum Adhisayapesiyum' would also feature Mayilsamy, Vaiyapuri and Ramesh Aravind. Designed as an out and out comedy film, shooting is slated to happen in dense forests of South Africa and Malaysia.
Actress Meena was origianlly cast in the film but then pulled off as she is again gaining prominence after being in the starcast of 'Kuselan'. Reports indicate that the producers of 'Adhivasiyum Adhisayapesiyum' cannot afford the higher remuneration she is demanding right now. Looks like a replacement will be made very soon.
The movie is produced by a new company called BBC International. ....

Kamal Haasan's ‘Dasavatharam’ is still on making waves at the box office garnering good collections.
The big-budgeted movie, produced by Oscar Ravichandran and directed by K S Ravikumar, has entered the third week and is still drawing packed houses. Released in over a dozen screens in Chennai, the movie features Kamal Haasan in ten different roles. ‘Dasavatharam’ surely is still the talk of the town.
The movie is doing well in multiplexes and has managed healthy collections in urban centers.
Vijay's ‘Kuruvi’ is not far-behind. Directed by Dharani and produced by Udhayanidhi Stalin, ‘Kuruvi’ is flying high thanks to the hype and hoopla created for the film. The return of the ‘Gilli’ team has managed to garner enough attention on ‘Kuruvi’.
Jayam Ravi's ‘Santosh Subramaniam’, which completed its 50-day run, is also in the race. The Tamil remake of a blockbuster Telugu version, has struck a chord with family audiences. The peppy songs and the neat performance by Genelia have helped its cause.
In rural centers, Larencce Ragavendra's ‘Pandi’ is putting up a very good show.
Meanwhile a couple of new-releases last week-end - ‘Ayudham Seivom’ starring Sundar C and Parthiban's ‘Vallamai Tharayo’ have opened well.
While the former is a mass entertainer, the latter is an emotional drama.
The likes of ‘Hulk 2’ and ‘Sarkar Raj’ too are doing well at the Chennai Box Office. ....

The latest beauty from Mumbai to grace the Tamil screen is Sania Vakil.
A popular model in Mumbai, she has been introduced to Kollywood by Perarasu in ‘Thiruvannamalai’. She plays Arjun's heroine in the movie.
The shooting for ‘Thiruvannamalai’ is on at a rapid pace. Popular Kannada actor Sai Kumar plays the baddie.
Perarasu says, “It is a commercial entertainer. It has loads of action, sentiment and glamour. Arjun plays a cable operator”.
The movie produced by Kavithalaya Films, has Srikanth Deva scoring music. ....

Though ‘Thee Nagar’ and ‘Kathavarayan’ failed to put up a successful show in Kollywood, Karan is not a disheartened man.
He is confident that his next film, ‘Kanagavel Khaaka’ will go on to become a big hit. 'It is an action drama with enough scope for action'.
‘Kanagavel Khaaka’ is a movie sure to lift my spirits, he says. Directed by Kavin Bala, who worked as associate director to Hari and Saran, the movie features Kannada actor Hari Priya opposite Karan.
'Silence is one of the powerful weapons. When it is disturbed, it leads to fiery consequences. That is the crux of the movie', says Karan. ....

The much-awaited ‘Kuselan’ audio will be launched in Chennai on Monday. The Raijni-starrer directed by P Vasu, has young G V Prakash scoring the music.
Listen ‘Kuselan’ audio Songs
Produced by Kavithalaya and Seven Arts, the movie features Rajinikanth, Pasupathy, Nayantara, Meena, Prabhu, Vadivelu among others.

The audio rights of the movie has been lapped up by Big Music for a big price. The album has five numbers.

Among them the track Perinba Pechukara is Rajinikanth's favorite number. The song is penned by veteran lyricist Valee and is shot with lead pair Rajinikanth and Nayantara in a duet mode.

Rajinikanth admired the tuneful lyrics with matching background score by Prakash.

Also a song celebrating 75 years of Tamil cinema, penned by Valee, is other major highlight of the album.

P Vasu heaped laurels on Prakash for coming up with such trendy and groovy numbers while Rajinikanth appreciated the young music director for his good work and expressed hope the audio CD would top the charts.

The other tracks in the audio are

Cinema Cinema... Artist: Shankar Mahadevan Lyricist: Vaali,
Sollamma... Artists: Hariharan, Sujatha, Baby Ranjini, Baby Pooja Lyricist: Pa. Vijay,
Om Zaarare... Artists: Daler Mehndi, Chitra, Sadhana Sargam Lyricist: Vaali,
Chaarai... Artists: Shreya Ghoshal Lyricist: Dr Kridhaya,
Perinba... Artists: Kailash Kher, Prasanna Lyricist: Yugabharathi.
'Kuselan' songs COMING SOON on raaga.com (downloadable)…. Stay tuned for the experience…. ....

....

Watch Complete Album ....


1	2	3

....

....

ACTOR Vijay will enter his 35th year this Sunday . While meeting him on the D-Day is reason enough to cheer his fans, the actor seems to have yet another plan up his sleeve. He will unveil the flag for his Akila Indiya Vijay Rasigar Narpani Mandram on that day.

If that wasn’t interesting enough, the flag that the Ilaya Thalapthy launches will bear a striking similarity to the one that Rajini’s fans have for their association. While Rajini’s flag had Light Blue, White and Red with the Superstar’s image imprinted in a star in it, Vijay’s flag is said to be in Light Blue and White with Vijay’s face over it.

Likewise, another actor to have a fan club flag was Vijayakanth, who later used it as his party’s flag. The same goes for Sarath Kumar too and this new move by Vijay has, expectedly , raised eyebrows about his political aspirations.

With over 45 movies spanning 16 years in kollywood, Vijay had the lover boy tag attached to him until Thiru malai happened in 2003. Establishing him further as a hero the next year was Ghilli, directed by Dharani which went on to become a blockbuster. From then, the actor went from strength to strength, with hits like Thirupaachi, Sivakasi and Pokkiri, which came to soar his career after a dud Aathi.

The Ghilli crew joined hands once again to recreate the Ghilli magic but didn’t quite succeed in Kuruvi, which is his latest release. The actor has just begun work on his next project, Villu, along with Nayantara directed by Prabhu Deva.

Currently in Salakudi, shooting for Villu, Vijay is expected to flow to Chennai on Sunday morning to celebrate his birthday with fans. The birth day will end with a grand celebration on Sunday evening at 4.30 pm at the University of Madras, Centenary Hall. The actor is expected to unveil the fan club flag and announce other welfare activities that will be undertaken by his fan club in phases.

Vijay had earlier announced that he will build wedding halls in different parts of the state and now, he will launch the fan club flag. The ever-reticent actor might never intend getting into politics after all, and might just have wanted to mobilize fans after two box officer bloopers, but the talks about his political aspirations will sure not cease anytime now. ....

AFTER your comments about hating Bheema, you seem to be getting notorious for your frank opinions.

There was such build-up for Bheema! Director Lingusamy, Vikram and I keep running into one another. And Harris Jayraj, who did the music, kept saying, ‘It’s such a brilliant film.’ But when I went and watched it, I was so disappointed that I just had to say something about it.

But doesn’t this rub people the wrong way?

Yeah. I think Vikram hates me now and Vijay had a problem with what I said (about his giving me DVDs of his films so that I could incorporate elements from them into a script for him). But I don’t care. They can talk about my film too. That’s the way it should be. If Vikram and Vijay are not going to work with me because of this, I think it’s their loss.

So you don’t think you’re cutting off avenues?

I don’t think so. I’m making a film with newcomers - four boys. I don’t know how well the film will do, but at least I’m enjoying myself. These boys give me everything. Even Surya worked for me like that in Varanam Aayiram. I said, ‘At 17, I need you to look like this, at 21, like this and at 31, you’re a tough guy; so can we have a six-pack?’ It’s only for one scene. And for four months, he went off everything! He’d eat only boiled vegetables and chicken with no salt. And he was going through all that just for a film. I can always do a film with Surya, Karthi and with so many youngsters. But I’m hoping others will come around.

Tell us about Varanam Aayiram.

It’s the story of a young man on the verge of life. The film traces his life from the time he is born up to a point where he realises he’s made it in life. We see his first love, whether he gets to marry the girl he fell in love with and the equation he had with his father - an inspiration at every point in his life. It traces parts of my life and the lives of everybody I know.

So is it a sort of biopic of Gautam Menon?

It’s a very personal story. But what I’m hoping is that the guy next to you in the theatre will say, ‘Hey this has happened to me!’ Of course, there’s a little bit of fantasy.

Let’s shift gears to Chennayil Oru Mazhaikaalam.

Varanam Aayiram is a very conservative film in terms of what Surya thinks about women; but this is a very in-your-face sort of film with four boys and three girls. We wanted to cast only newcomers. Then the co-producer said, ‘We need somebody in this film other than Gautam and AR Rahman.’ So we pitched the idea to Trisha. She was looking forward to working with us.

There’s been a lot of talk about the switch from your regular - Harris Jayaraj.

I am doing a film with Harris in December which stars Ajit. I always wanted to work with Rahman right from when Minnale happened. Harris knows that too. Even Rahman was saying ‘You have a great record with Harris. They’ll think I’ve done something to that!’

With Ajit, will you attempt to tread a middle path between an Ajit film and a Gautam Menon film?

The only time that happened was with Vijay. I narrated bits of Varanam Aayiram to him. He said he loved it but then he said, ‘Can you bring some of my elements into the film?’ I said it wouldn’t work in a film like this. I don’t want to do that kind of compromise. I did that with Pachaikili Muthucharam. That was a mistake; and I don’t want to do that again.

Ever thought of doing films in Bollywood?

I don’t want to make the mistake I made with Rehnaa Hai Tere Dil Mein. Nobody knows me there; so I want to go with a big actor that the crowd will come for. I am pitching something with Abhishek (Bachchan) right now. I’m also thinking of a remake of Vettaiyaadu Vilayaadu with Amitabh, taking out the love angle. ....

Ragasiyam, a breezy duet, Adiyey Kolludhey, Azhago Alludhey said to be Suriya’s introductory song in the movie, and a distorted, out of tune Meera Mudiyaamal, all said to be from Vaaranam Aayiram(VA), have been garnering quick hits on Youtube for quite sometime now.

While many other websites too seem to have the mp3 version of the songs, Youtube has a montage of the movie’s stills to go with the audio and has generated tremendous interest among netizens.

Speaking to this website’s newspaper, director Gautam agreed that one of the songs of the movie were leaked from his office over six months ago and later found their way to the internet.

“Yes, Adiyey Kolludhey is from VA. It was leaked out over six months ago from my office but it’s not the final version that will feature in the movie. The two other songs found on the net aren’t from my movie at all,” he explained.

Speculations are rife that the movie is actually an adaptation of the Russian film Karakter though it has been denied. Haris Jeyaraj has composed music for VA and the audio launch of the movie is expected in July.

Suriya teams with Gautam for the second time after Kaakha Kaakha and like Kaakha Kaakha, Vaaranam Aayiram will also be an August release. ....

What is your role in Vaarnam Aiyrum?

I am playing the role of a sensitive and sweet college girl who will change the life of Surya.

How is it, working with Surya and Goutam Menon?

I am a fan of Surya and his film Khakha Khakha and Surya is a very humble person. He and Jo (Jyothika) make a beautiful couple. Surya is a very proud father and a dedicated husband. And Goutam Menon got the best out of me in the film as I play a very sensitive and soft character.

What is the next film you are working on in Kollywood?

I am acting with Ajith in a yet to named film directed by Goutam Menon. I can’t reveal anything more than this.

You have worked in Hindi, Bengali, Telugu and now Tamil Industry, which one is the best according to you?

Each industry has its own charm and individuality . I have won national awards for films. There is nothing like, one industry is best.

How are your roles different in Kollywood when compared to Bollywood?

In Kollywood, I have now played a very subtle and sensitive character but in Bollywood, my characters were always loud and clear. But here, I faced the toughest task of battling with the language. I learnt the dialogues like a school girl. At the end of the shoot, when I see my first rushes, I am very happy and then I realise the sweet pain.

There have been rumours about you seeing cricketer, Ishant Sharma. What do you say about that?

I don’t know from where you find all this. I am shocked with these constant rumours.

Are you dating any other cricketer?

No no…

Is it true that you really didn’t find a good store in Chennai to buy clothes?

Yes. I couldn’t. I am a shopaholic and I still remember I wanted to buy jeans and I couldn’t find a good shop to buy them. But I thought people in Chennai are not fashionable. But now I have to change my view because I found people, just as conscious about what they wear. I even saw that on the ramp here. And with Style One I think, Chennai will become a fashion hub. The clothes are so trendy with some amazing sun glasses collection. I love them.

What is that one place you like in Chennai?

I like the Spa in The Park hotel. It’s one place that brings me down to this city and nothing else.

What food do you like in Chennai?

I am a South Indian and so, I take South Indian food only. I simply love idlis, dosa and I am absolutely in love with the chutneys.

What are your upcoming projects in other languages?

I am acting in an art film with Sunil Shetty and other popular actors. I am also acting in a couple of comedy films.

But I am extremely excited about the Tamil film.

....

NOBODY seems to have bought the idea that Rajini’s role in Kuselan is just 25 per cent. Why, not even director P Vasu confirms that.

“Go and ask Rajini now how much his part is,” he retorts, when a scribe points out Rajini’s earlier statement. As if to soothe the Rajini fan, Vasu adds “There’s everything about a Rajini film in Kuselan, from punch dialogues to stunts.” Quite understandable, with Rajini having done a 40day shoot schedule when the entire movie took only 82 days. It is said that the actor comes for close to an hour in the movie. With the shooting done for Kuselan, P Vasu announced recently that the movie would be a July release. “We’ve only taken the crux from the Malayalam original, Kadha Parayumbhol. If I did a complete remake, I would have taken half the original time I took to shoot the movie,” he jested.

Having worked with Rajini for three movies, from Mannan to Chandramukhi, P Vasu avers that he hasn’t seen one change in the actor.

“He’s still the youngster I first met him as. If I’ll have to give you one change, I’ll just say the balding of his hair,” he says.

“I’d like to reiterate what I’ve said earlier: Rajini has a split personality. He transforms fantastically from the calm, no fuss person to the spunky, charged up actor just when the camera is on,” he added.

Speaking about Kuselan, Vasu said he was happy with the way the movie turned out to be.

“There will be sentiment, there will be fun. It’s a thorough entertainer and Rajini gauged that the movie would be good even when we did the shoot for it,” Vasu explains.

It was Vasu who gave Nayantara a big break with Chandramukhi and she has acted in Kuselan as well.

“Nayan has given a very mature performance and I can see that she has grown. Her role has oodles of glamour and she carries it off wonderfully.” Following Kuselan what does the director plan to do? “I will be doing a Bollywood movie. We’re still finalizing the script for it,” he retorts. There has been news about a possible remake of Baazigar with his son in the lead. What does he have to say about that? “Well, that’s something I’ve learnt about by seeing the papers. There is no truth in it,” he says.

He did Chandramukhi with the Superstar before this and that went on to become a super hit that ran for over 800 days. With so much hype and hope pining on Kuselan, it seems like Chandramukhi’s record is waiting to be broken. ....

Tamil Masala Actress|Telugu Hot Heroines - Recent updates

Indian Hot Actress|Masala Heroines - Recent updates

Tamil hOt Actress|Masala Gallery|Desi Masala

Online Tamil Songs

My Favorite sites

Labels

Blog Archive