Kuselan may get more Rajini

CHENNAI: On the eve of the release of 'Kuselan', Rajinikanth had expressed regret for his earlier statements against Kannada chauvinists and then after the release, a dialogue was removed to assuage fans’ feelings. 'Kuselan' seems to be only getting into deeper trouble each passing day.

After theatre owners and distributors of the districts around Chennai converged on the city on Monday to demand compensation for their losses, on Tuesday, the buzz in the industry was that the film would be pulled out of cinemas in a couple of days — after just a three-week run.

Apart from critics having ripped the film apart — saying that it was a classic case of how to spoil a good story — 'Kuselan' has bombed at the box office.

Theatre owners and distributors of Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur districts said the occupancy was less than 30 per cent and that they did not gross even the minimum guarantee amount (Rs 4 crore).

In view of this, they called for a press conference to demand compensation from Pyramid Saimira which holds the distribution rights of 'Kuselan', bought for a price of Rs 67 crore. According to the Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram Theatre Owners Association, the producers, Seven Arts and Kavithaalaya, had told them that Rajinikanth would appear on screen almost all through the film. Though Rajinikanth’s appearance in 'Kuselan' is not very short, Pasupathy plays the the main character. This apparently has not gone down well with Rajinikanth fans, who have, for once, refrained from watching the film more than once.

More trouble is likely to come on August 23 when theatre owners from across the state meet to decide on the course of action to recover their losses. Now, another buzz is that the film is being pulled out to give it a new look — with Rajinikanth appearing in more scenes and re-launch it. ....

'Destiny brought us together'-Director Vijay

VIJAY recounts for the first time, how he signed up Ajit for 'Kireedam'. “I had written 'Kireeedam' and met Murugan, the manager of Sivaji Films.

Ajit was doing their 'Paramasivam' then and gave an ad showreel of mine to be passed on to Ajit sir. However nothing happened for six months. One day I met Suresh Balaji who liked my script and took me to Hyderabad to meet Ajit.

There Ajit hugged me and made me feel very comfortable, making general conversation and even serving lunch to me, seeing my nervousness! He is a thorough gentlemen and a great humanitarian.

When Suresh showed him my ad showreel, Ajit’s face changed completely. He said, “I have seen this reel before! Destiny has brought us together. We are doing this film.”

Apparently, Ajit’s assistant had forgotten to show the reel to Ajit. One day when a repaired DVD came home, the showreel was the only CD around and Ajit used it as a demo to check out the performance of the DVD player! Ajit was mesmerised and very impressed by the person who had done the ad. But he never knew till he met Vijay in Hyderabad, that he was going to meet the same debut director who had impressed him earlier. That’s how a young debut director signed up one of the top five stars of Kollywood. Fate indeed! ....

'Poi Solla Porom'-serious about being funny

TAMIL cinema’s heroes have always given way for a genre of unintentionally funny movies: Those in which the characters take themselves so seriously that it actually seems funny to the audience who later immortalises such movies/ scenes in the oft-watched columns of Youtube, as funny videos.

But a clear departure from that is director Vijay’s 'Poi Solla Porom', which is serious about being funny. Vijay had earlier directed the Ajith-starrer 'Kireedam'.

PSP, set to hit the screens early September, is an adaptation of National Award-winning rib tickler 'Khosla Ka Ghosla', starring Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, Ranvir Shorey and Parvin Dabas.

'Poi Solla Porom' is the first production venture of Priyadarshan and Vijay, after being an assistant for seven years, has finally turned out the chosen one. “It wasn’t like we’d ever had a discussion or something about a movie. He just called me one day and said I’m directing his maiden production venture and it has happened,” he recalls it all.

The movie was what experienced actors at the audio launch called a milestone in Tamil cinema in the genre of humour. “What’s going on is serious business, according to the characters.

But their serious-ness gets to a level that it tickles the funny bone of our audiences,” he explains, just as he is readying his movie for release in September.

Surprisingly, this strict comedy doesn’t boast of any of today’s comedians in its credits. Instead, it has some industry veterans like Mouli, Nasser, Nedumudi Venu, Delhi Ganesh, Lakshmi, evening it with younger talent like Evam Karthik, Bosskey, RJ Balaji and so on.

“It’s a film that centres on 15 people hatching a plot to win against one man, played by Nasser,” the director explains, adding that it wouldn’t be fair to term anyone a protagonist here. “Nor is anybody a villain.” Evam Karthik and new faces Omar, Justina and Piaa form the core, with Venu and Lakshmi playing Karthik’s father.

“While it’s an adaptation of a Hindi movie, its climax, which will be a highlight, is original and unexpected,” the director adds.

Vijay has two movies to his credit, and both of them were remakes. Is that what we call treading his mentor’s footsteps? Vijay comes with a quick answer to deny it.

“Kireedam was a storyline I thought of. Later, Priyadarshan sir said it resembled the Malayalam movie and so we extrapolated from that one to make the Tamil version. PSP was Priyadarshan’s choice. While it’s not wrong to do a remake, I’d prefer writing my scripts. I am a writer first, a director next,” he says.

It was around the week he made this statement that Priyadarshan’s 'Kanjeevaram' was announced to be premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. And in the credits section for the dialogue writer was found Vijay’s name. ....

Directing Priyan's maiden venture

HE'S the lucky guy who directed Thala Ajit right in his debut film, 'Kireedam'. He considers himself even more fortunate to have a guru like ace director Priyadarshan. Director Vijay’s claim to fame is not his father’s name. He doesn’t even use any initials in his name.

Dad AL Azhagappan (Valli Cine Arts) may be a leading distributor, a producer and former vice president of the Producer’s Council and secretary of the Distributors Council. But Vijay has carved his own identity, doing both his dad and mentor proud.

In his second film 'Poi Solla Porom' ( PSP), he is directing the first movie produced by Priyadarshan, both a tremendous pressure and a great honour for him. How has this journey into cinema been so far?

Life changing moment

Vijay is clear that he owes everything he is today, to his mentor Priyadarshan. “Through every shot of PSP, I would remember that Priyan sir’s name is involved. That pushed me to go that extra mile.” recollects Vijay. So how did he meet his mentor? Apparently one thing led to another.

Vijay recalls, "Isari K Ganesh, the chairman of Vels College of Science recommended me to the director AL Raja of 'Ninaikade Naal Illai' and I worked as assistant director. My dad was against my joining films this way. He felt I wouldn’t be able to take the treatment usually meted out to young assistant director's in cinema!

But people saw my work and told him I was doing well. It was PS Subbiah who introduced me to Priyadarshan sir,” remembers Vijay. He breathes deeply and adds, “I still remember, I met him at 11 30 am on 5 December 2000 at his Four Frames office. After that moment my life changed completely.

When he took me as assistant director in 'Kakka Kuyil' (Malayalam), it was the greatest opportunity for me."

Taking wing

Then came Lesa Lesa and Vijay’s excitement was unbounded. Being the only one who knew Tamil in the unit, Vijay learnt more with the additional workload. “The best part about Priyan sir is that he never shouts. He will understand your work and nature, respect talent and guide you. I have learnt discipline, hard work and dedication from him,” feels Vijay.

Vijay worked on 'Hungama' and 'Kilichundan Mampazham' too and once he was four films old, he wanted to take wing on his own. “Priyan sir was delighted. ‘Tell me what you need and I will back you’ he had said.

Till today he is behind everything I have done on screen,” says an emotionally charged Vijay.

Sojourn into ads

But before he could find a producer for his first script, Anil Jain of Venus Ad Films tied up with him and Vijay went on to do 55 ad films in the next one-and-a-half years. “I didn’t want to sit idle at home waiting for my first film to take off,” grins Vijay. Today he is one of the well-known ad makers in his field and has done 90 ads to date.

In fact he got Ajit into 'Kireedam' because of his ad showreel! Was dad happy? “Dad never compliments me but when I bought a Lancer, selling my Maruti, he realised I had carved a niche without having used his name! He would praise me to others, so I think he was proud of me!” grins Vijay.

Vijay now has three scripts and is already getting offers from Big Motion Pictures and Gemini Productions. For the shy boy with big dreams of cinema, the journey into the big league has already begun. ....

'Vijaykanth sir put me at ease'-Chheryl

THE sexy goan lass is all smiles when she talks about Captain Vijaykanth, the hero of her forthcoming 'Engal Aasan'. For Chheryl, this is her second Tamil film and she is happy that ‘both have been with Vijaykanth sir.’

First seen in 'Arasangam' as the Canadian Police officer who helps hero Vijaykanth in Canada, Chheryl admits she had a meaty role and a good start.

From playing a modern girl in that film, to a traditional Indian girl in 'Engal Aasan', Chheryl has been able to showcase her talents to the maximum. So how was the experience of working with the big man himself ? “Vijaykanth sir put me completely at ease.

He was so friendly and full of humour and never let me feel that I was a newcomer," says the former model. "He was very helpful and would tell me so much about camera angles, dialogue delivery and how to emote. In 'Engal Aasan' I play an Indian girl who loves him in the first half and hates him in the next half. So I had to really show intense emotions and I did it with his help."

When she first signed up 'Arasangam' she had not seen Vijaykanth but had only heard about him. "But he has fans around the world! In Canada, during our shooting, people would come from all over just to meet him," she recalls. This former Ms India finalist 2002 and winner of the Sony Viewers My Ms India award, has several ramp shows, TVCs and print ads to her credit, including one with Dhoni. She has walked the ramp for leading designers from Aki Nirula to Ritu Kumar. So how did Tamil films happen?

"I had heard of the Tamil film industry because in Mumbai there are many stars like Sridevi, Rajni sir, Kamal sir, Simran and Jyothika who are known to Hindi audiences as well. So I was aware of this industry and when a friend suggested that I attend the auditions of 'Arasangam' by the producer in Mumbai, I took a shot," she says. Before she knew it she had bagged the role that very evening!

Chheryl certainly dreams of a Bollywood career too but right now she is concentrating on her Telugu flick 'Sathyameva Jayete' (a remake of Khakee) starring Milind Soman, Atul Kulkarni, Neetu Chandra and Sivaji. She is also in 'Va Da', Sundar C’s next Tamil project.

'Engal Aasan' is almost ready and Chheryl has got some songs left in the movie which are being canned in the Far East. Is this Vijaykanth starrer going to be as lucky for her as her debut film? Lets wait and watch! ....

‘I want to do roles that excite me’-Archana

"'THAMIZHAGAM' is my second Tamil film after my debut movie 'Vegam' with Ashwin Sekar," says Archana. The softspoken Telugu speaking lass is still not fully fluent in Tamil but is keen to make her mark on the Tamil screen. "'Tamizhagam' is a fully commercial film and my co-star is Rishi," she says. The songs screened at the launch portray her dancing and emoting skills to the maximum.

What happened to her debut film 'Vegam'? “Sadly it did not do anything much for my career in Tamil. But I am keen to do more Tamil films now,” she reflects.

Archana has plenty of on-screen experience as a consummate actor on the Telugu and Kannada screen. “I did the Kannada version of 'Thimiru', 'Nenu', the Telugu remake of 'Kadhal Kondein' and other films like 'Sriramadasu' and 'Samanyadu'," avers Archana. Nagarjuna and Balakrishan have been her co-stars.

The lass is also a consummate Kuchipudi dancer and with her fair complexion and oodles of talent, why haven’t Tamil directors realised her potential? “I don’t know, perhaps I haven’t been in Chennai for long and that could be one of the reasons,” she reflects.

Now the gal is waiting for the perfect roles to come along. “I don’t want to play the heroine who is just there for the songs. I am very confident about my performance. I have played a wide variety of roles, from goddess in two mythological films, to a college girl in 'Nenu' and even a negative role in 'Saamanyadu'. I want to do roles and subjects that excite me,” says Archana.

With her Telugu and Kannada career doing so well, why the need to step into Tamil films? “Tamil films offer a good scope for acting with their really different and exciting subjects,” she smiles.

With so many films being churned out here, it’s not long before this talented actor will perhaps carve her niche in Kollywood. ....

Emgeeyar pictures wins rights over 3 tamil films

CHENNAI: After several rounds of legal battle for about a decade, the Emgeeyar Pictures Private Limited, represented by Nirmala Ravindran, has got back its right over the three Tamil feature films ‘Nadodi Mannan,’ ‘Adimaipenn’ and ‘Ulagam Sutrum Valiban.’ starring MGR.

A division bench comprising Justice P K Misra and Justice K K Sasidaran, while passing orders on a batch of original side appeals from Emgeeyar Pictures, on Monday observed that the Shanthi Films, by its proprietor K Rajamanickam and Karpagam Circuits, by its proprietrix R Kavitha, who disputed the right over the films, had not approached the court with clean hands.

Having regard to their course of conduct, there was no equity subsisting in their favour, the bench said, allowed the appeals and dismissed the civil suits from the companies.

The bench also directed the companies to render complete and correct accounts to Emgeeyar Pictures with regard to the three films for various periods. ....

Vijaykanth mouths MGR's words in Engal aasan

CAPTAIN’S next flick, Yuvasri Pictures’ Engal Aasan directed by Kalaimani is now nearing completion.

“The talkie portion is complete and only the songs need to be canned,” said the Puratchi Kalaignar. The unit is leaving tonight to can three songs in Hong Kong and Malaysia. The film stars Vijaykanth, Vikranth, Chheryl, Sujatha (aka Suja) and Akshaya. The new face in the cast is Ramki, a party worker of the DMDK, who has not had any acting before. Vijaykanth called him ‘the villain with the innocent looking face’ which was touted as a plus point in the film by the filmmakers.

Director Kalaimani, who has finished the film at a quick pace, was all praise for the Captain. “He used to arrive at 6.45 am itself for a 7 am shot,” he said. Vikranth said he was elated to be acting with Vijaykanth and this movie would be a great stepping stone in his career. All heroines heaped praise on the Captain for encouraging them and working without any fuss with them despite being a big star.

The film deals with a bank scam and Ramki plays the head of the co-operative bank which is cheating the public with their scams. Vijaykanth plays a bank officer who cleans up the system.

The surprise element in the film was the announcement made by Vijaykanth, “I have delivered MGR’s famous dialogue from Ayirathil Oruvan which starts with 'Matham konda yaanai..'

since everyone wanted me to do it. It is also in a very important situation in the film.” So is this an attempt to instil the impression of a 'Karuppu MGR’ in the minds of the people, asked a scribe. “Not at all, I have made no such attempt,” came the reply. “It is for the audiences to decide who is what.”

Producer S V Thangaraj waited 25 years before he could actually make this film with his idol and was delighted to be working on a new subject with the Captain. He praised him for his guidance throughout while lauding Vikranth who showed no qualms about getting lesser publicity in the films.

“Vikranth considered it an honour just working in this project with the Captain,” said the producer. The music is by Sabesh Murali, camerawork by A Venkatesh, editing by Vasu and Salim while dialogues are by Velamani.

Judging by the upbeat mood in this filmi camp, it sure look like they have a winner on their hands. ....

Krishna's vow for Alibaba

BEING Vishnuvardhan's brother or producer Pattiyal Sekar's son is no reason for debutant hero Krishna to make his acting career any easy. "He vowed not to have stunts for any scene, and taht, he has tried hard to keep with," says director Neelam K Sekar, the movie's director.

"In fact, I was so terrified at seeing him do stunts that i didn't visit the shooting spot for days," producer- dad Sekar adds.

The movie has Krishna playing a man who luck smiles on, unexpectedly.

How he goes off the balance after that is 'Alibaba's' tale. The movie, according to the crew, has some never-done-before stunts in the movie, and is planned for an early September release. ....

Marmayogi, nothing like Marudanayakam

SPECULATIONS about a Kamal starrer never cease. The latest was about Ocher Studios and Warner Bros tieing up to produce his latest venture, 'Marmayogi' But these stories are, well, just stories. Clarifying that it will be Pyramid Saimira producing it, along with Rajkamal Films is KS Srinivasan, director and CEO of Pyramid Samira. The deal, sources say, was inked for Rs 125 crore.

“The movie’s formal launch will be in Mumbai on September 14. We’re planning the launch in Mumbai as the movie, which will be shot in Hindi, English and Tamil, is meant for a pan-India audience,” he explains, adding that the deal was inked with Rajkamal over three months ago. After Dasavathaaram, in which he played 10 roles, Kamal will do only one role in this movie, and will sport a new different look.

The hunt for a heroine is on and the names of leading heroines in Bollywood are in discussion. Hemamalini has been roped in to do an important role in the movie, and sources say it has strong negative overtones. Among the names mentioned for contenders as heroines includes Padmapriya, Kajol and Shriya.

“As for the techinicians, most of them, including the DoP and editors, will be from Hollywood,” he clarified.

'Marudanayakam' has nothing to do with 'Marmayogi,' Srinivasan clarifies. “Marudanayakam,' as everybody knows, was a story set during the freedom struggle. This movie, however, is set in an era prior to British imperialism. There’s no way they can be connected. We’re not usig any scenes from that movie in this. Kamal will sport a very different look in this movie.” ....

Rajnikant to compensate Rs.100 mn to "Kuselan" distributors

CHENNAI: Tamil superstar Rajnikant has reportedly promised Rs.100 million compensation to distributors of his box office flop "Kuselan" even as exhibitors raised the banner of revolt against him Monday after losing a lot of money.

"Over 375 cinemas have lost heavily due to the film being a disaster at the turnstiles. We have announced a movement for non-cooperation against 'Kuselan' producers K. Balachander and Seven Arts International and are meeting on Aug 23 to chalk out our plans with regard to Rajnikant," S. Palaniappan, head of a distributors' body, told reporters Monday evening.

"The loss will cross over Rs.250 million in the short term unless adequate remedial measures are initiated by the actor, who has immensely benefited out of our labours in the past. We were taken for a ride by the producers who claimed it was a full length Rajnikant film, which it was not," Palaniappan added.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the distribution company Pyramid Saimira, which is showing the film across Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, said the movie had so far collected Rs.210 million since its release Aug 1. He expressed confidence about "Kuselan" covering the costs of Rs.600 million before being taken off theatres.

Saimira however, was noncommittal about accepting the compensation and did not react to the allegations made by the other distributors and exhibitors.

Sources close to Rajnikant told IANS late evening that the thespian's "fabled munificence will ensure none would be out of pocket".

While the star did not charge any fee from the Tamil producer and his mentor K. Balachander, the Telugu version's producers had paid Rajnikant a fee of Rs.100 million.

The movie icon had Friday recommended several cuts to improve the collections of the movie.

The matinee idol had underwritten the losses of his earlier flop "Baba" (2005) to the tune of over Rs.250 million and helped distributors and exhibitors stage a smart recovery through his subsequent release "Chandramukhi" (2005) which created box office history.

"Chandramukhi" ran for 800 days consecutively in Shanti Cinema, owned by the company that produced the film in the heart of the city - breaking the 64-year-old record created by "Haridas" (1944). ....

Surya-Jyothika's daughter Diya

Not just Brangelina's twins make news in India, Indian celebrities too are not far from sharing their happiness.

For the first time, South Indian celebrity couple Surya and Jyothika have released their daughter Diya's photographs (taken on her birthday -- August 10) to the media.

Not only the romance of Surya and Jyothika made news, but their wedding too, was much talked about in Chennai. Jyothika's farewell to films after marriage was big news as well.

Though the birth of their first daughter made the rounds, the couple kept away from the media. ....

Rajnikanth to return Rs 10 crores?

Superstar Rajnkanth has been shocked by the poor fate of his Tamil film, Kuselan. The chief distributor of the film, Pyramid Saimira, is under pressure from smaller distributors and theatre-owners, as they incurred huge loses. They are now demanding their money back.

Rajni, who has been observing silently, has reportedly decided to act. He has reportedly held secret parleys with the administrators of Pyramid Saimira and assured them that he will pay Rs 10 crores to be disbursed to the distributors and theatre owners, who have lost their money.

It was ace director Mani Ratnam, who started this trend of compensating distributors and theatre-owners, when his film, Iruvar (1997) failed.

Years later, Rajnikanth did the same when his much-hyped Baba (2003) failed to create waves at the box office. The superstar gave money away to the disappointed distributors and theatre-owners and salvaged some of his reputation. ....

Sibiraj and Revathy-Marriage on cards

NO one quite knew how and when the love bug bit actor Sibiraj, until he formally announced his marriage to the world.

But the son of actor Sathyaraj is certainly on cloud nine these days, anticipating his impending wedding. Currently busy distributing wedding cards, he took off some time to spill the beans to this website about his ladylove, Revathy.

How it happened

So how did the duo meet? “My cousin Mahitha was a classmate of Revathy's and that’s how we got introduced in 2000,” he grins.

Sibi was studying in Loyola College doing his first year at the time. In the beginning the duo were just friends.

“She was very down to earth and polite. We would talk on the phone and that’s how we got to know each other more. I liked her caring and understanding nature,” he recollects.

Slowly the friendship turned into something deeper and Sibi realised that she was the one he wanted to marry.

“I proposed to her about four months after knowing her. But she took six months to say yes to me!” he laughs.

Daddy cool

Sibi was in no hurry to get married but now since both of them are around 27, the families decided it was about time to tie the knot. How did dad Sathyaraj react to his son’s choice?

“My father is very cool and is okay with my choice as long as the girl is from a good family with a good nature. He doesn’t mind caste, community or even religious differences at all.”

But the going was not smooth initially for the young pair. Sibi recalls, “Though her brother supported us a lot, her parents were initially skeptical about me since I was an actor.

I used to visit her house as a friend and so they got to know me better. Revathy cleared all their doubts about my character and managed to convince them finally.”

Marriage and after

Sibi’s wedding is to be held at the Accord Metropolitain Hotel on 14 September while the reception will be held on 15 September at the MRC Hall in Santhome.

Will Revathy continue working after marriage? “Well she was a software engineer at Vertusa and has temporarily resigned because of the wedding preparations. She may take up her job later, though nothing is decided yet,” says Sibi.

And what’s the best thing about Revathy that Sibi can’t get enough of ? “I am temperamental and blow a fuse often. She is quiet, practical and understanding and calms me down,” says the youngster. ....

Sundar C goes nude in a double role film

SHREE Movie Makers is ready with their next venture, Thee, a movie produced and directed by G Kichcha, starring Sundar C, Namitha and Ragini.

Speaking to the press about this movie, the cast and crew revealed some interesting facts about the film which are sure to bring in the audiences, according to them.

To begin with, the opening scene includes a nude shot of the hero in a crowded part of the city. “This scene will be a big plus for the film,” feels director Kichcha.

“The scene is necessary because the film is about a man who comes with nothing to the city. In two months however, he makes it big as a politician. The scene reveals the extent of how fast he has grown with literally nothing, not even clothes to his credit”, adds Sundar.

Ragini, plays his homemaker wife, with two kids, while Namitha plays a politician with a cinematic background. The surprise element is the dual role played by Sundar.

“I am quite excited since I get to play the roles of a cop and a politician, each with a different get up,” he said with a grin. Shrikant Deva has done the music with a gaana paatu thrown in, sung by his father. Thalaivasal Vijay plays a cop as well.

Sundar stresses that he is here to do commercial cinema and is not an actor in a serious mode. However, this film has a message for viewers.

Realising ones responsibilities and without just blaming cops and the system, seems to be the underlying message.

Did Sundar interfere in the direction department on the sets? “Not at all,” avers the director. “But I do give suggestions since cinema is all about team work. However if something is really going against the grain, then I will put my foot down,” adds Sundar who is confident this movie will do well at the box office, since it’s a remake of the Telugu hit, Operation Duryodhana.

Thee is a movie for the masses, with plenty of fights and action, comedy, songs and romance. Will it prove to be yet another hit for this filmi Midas? Only time will tell. ....

Namitha-starrer Jaganmohini to be different

THE Namitha-starrer, Jaganmohini, promises to be different- and how! Despite being the adaptation of a 1978-Jayamalini hit, several changes have been made in the storyline.

Most importantly, Namitha will not be the stereotype, revenge seeking ghost in the movie. Instead, she plays a girl, who, even after her death, comes back as a ghost and a sweet one at that!

In the movie, Namitha plays the role of a girl who enamours a prince by her beauty. But she dies, with the prince getting settled with another girl, played by Nila. How and why Namitha comes back to earth forms the crux. In the remake, Jothilakshmi plays Namitha’s mother.

“We did approach Jayamalini, the heroine of the original Jayamalini version, to play her mother but she refused the offer. However, Jothilakshmi has agreed to be Namitha’s mum,” the director added. With about 40 percent of the movie completed, it is slated for a December release.

And again, it won’t be the famous long, white robes for the ghost- Nams will be as sexy as ever, not giving up those skin huggers we’ve seen her in so long for being a ghost.

The director, NK Viswanathan, says, “Though Namitha was initially hesitant about doing the role, she enquired about her character’s portrayal, and how she would be looking as a ghost. When explained, she was completely awed and immediately agreed to do the job.”

Namitha’s introduction scene as a ghost will see her rising from the ocean. The scene will be shot at the Andamans next month, and in a new venture, it will be shot under water completely, facilitated by special equipment flown in from Mumbai.

All technicians who will shoot the scene will also be undergoing a week’s training for the same. For Namitha, it will be a very challenging session to shoot.

Though she will have an oxygen mask when under water, she will have to get rid of it when the shoot happens. Fighting breathlessness is sure a new test for Nams who has left her fans breathless with her glamour all along. ....

Narain and Pooja in Pandhayakozhi

Actor Narain, who shot to fame with movies like Anjathay, Chithiram Pesudathi, will team up with Pooja in his next movie Pandhayakozhi.

Directed by MA Venu, Pandhayakozhi features Narain and Pooja in the lead with Mollywood lass Ramya Nambeesan doing an important role.

This will be her next Kollywood venture after Raman Theydiya Seethai. It is the story of the relationship between a mother and a son, who strives hard to keep up his mother’s ambition.

It is said to be a pacy action movie packed with sentiment. Shooting for the movie has been completed in Chennai and Pollachi.

Pandhayakozhi will be a September release. ....

Arun, back in action

ACTOR Vijay Arun seems to be back in the saddle after his brief hiatus from films.

Having taken off to the US for a small course in film making at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, the actor is back with a lot more than just experience. Apparently the stint has resulted in a joint collaboration with Australia’s Channel 9, which will now produce films starring the actor.

New collaboration

“I met students from across the world during my course there. Some friends from Channel 9 showed keen interest in South Indian cinema once I explained about our industry to them. So when they approached me for a joint collaboration I explained it all to my father Vijaykumar”.

During the making of Thavam, he had already announced that our home company, Movie Slides Pvt Ltd, would be making 2 films with me in January and June of 2009.

But we did not want to lose this international opportunity either. So when my father- in-law showed interest in filmmaking, we founded a new company called Feather Touch Entertainment to enter into this international collaboration”, explains Arun.

Commitment to cinema

Arun’s father-in-law, Dr NS Mohan, a General Physician cum Granite exporter who has now turned film producer, was always interested in films and has now found an opportunity to pay homage to his friend, the late actor Raghuvaran, via this film project.

His son, Hemanth will be the co-producer. Disclosing the plans of the company, Mohan said that, “We are here to make good movies in the long term and are not looking at immediate profit or loss.

I have immense faith in my son-in-law who has been training hard for the next film, regardless of whether he had new projects or not. This sort of dedication will surely yield results.”

Arun, for his part, has already been taking kickboxing lessons and freestyle running classes to get into shape. The film’s heroine is yet to be cast, but Prakash Raj will be playing an important role.

The screenplay is by writer, Pattukottai Prabhakar. “I will be playing a call taxi driver and the story has 16 main characters”, revealed Arun.

With so much going for it, lets see if lady luck favours this persevering youngster this time. ....

Celebrating the spirit of rebellion-Subramaniapuram

Watching Subramaniapuram was like witnessing post DMK cinema finally come of age. The narrative is located in the 1980s and this helps trace the journey of Tamil cinema’s backlash against the myths that dominated our psyche from Parasakti in 1952 to Ulagum Sutrum Valiban in 1974. This so called heroic journey ended with the people watching the duplicity of two superstars of Tamil politics crave for attention from Indira Gandhi during the ignominious Emergency of 1975.

Subramaniapuram relates, in many ways, to the politics of betrayal among the best of friends and the closest of relatives.

The backlash of the early 1980s had several flagellants and heading the list was Rajnikant, the complete antithesis of everything that MGR stood for. A little later, he was joined by T Rajendar, who put an end to the soppiness of Tamil cinema, as well as a host of others such as Bharatiraja, Bhagyaraj, Balu Mahendra, Ilayaraja, and me at a later stage.

None of us knew what we were doing and the audience just lapped up whatever we showed them on the screen as long as we were critical of the hypocritical lives that we were living in the name of Dravidian pride.

Subramaniapuram is a celebration of the spirit that had rebels shouting hoarse in the 1980s under a banner called ‘Nothing’. It is a celebration of the embarrassment that the first post-Independence generation felt about its parents soaked in the fantasy of nationalism mixed with garbled notions of Indian/Hindu tradition. It is a celebration of a rasa called Disgust or Bhibatsa an emotion that Indian dramaturgy had almost forgotten.

Never have I seen the recreation of a film’s opening day done with such aplomb and solid craftsmanship as the release of Murratukalai is depicted here. The choice of this film was apt as it epitomises counter-culture on screen and otherwise, in as many ways as possible.

This film was also known for being the most outlandish duckling that Tamil cinema had ever hatched. This was embellished by the shot constructions and the mise-en-scene by Kadhir that seemed to echo the spirit of a Pontecorvo in the Battle of Algiers or a Nicholas Ray in Rebel Without a Cause.

The detailed art direction of Rembon and the music of James Vasantham added to the richness of an era gone by in a refreshing manner. Hopefully, young makers of Tamil films will take serious note of the amazing craft and commitment that this debutant film crew and the actors have displayed and take bolder steps into the future.

That this film could have been made possible only with the active support of hundreds of ‘jobless’ youngsters in small-town India, who must be leading as ‘pointless’ lives as the main characters of this film, is a pointer that the young Indian is still alive and kicking. That this film is filled with so many minute details by the young M Sasikumar and his crew, who have never experienced the ’80s except by watching films of the period made by mavericks of that era proves that some forces in Tamil cinema are still alive and kicking.

That thousands of viewers across the state stand up to celebrate the film today assures all of us that counter-culture, which is the essence of a healthy democracy, is still alive and kicking. Who cares if the upper crust chooses to call such folks porikis?

This film makes me aware of the shameful and disgusting times that we are living in, where the Left, Right and Centre vie with each other in exploiting a billion plus citizens with conceited deceptions of good governance. Like the lame friend, at the end of the film, I would like to pull the oxygen mask off the faces of these traitors and let the average citizen live peacefully .

My only request to Sasikumar is not to wait for the big superstars who will surely beckon him to harness his skills and commitment to abandon this fiery path that he has decided to take. He has to fasten himself to his crew members with hoops of steel and carry forward this encounter with disgust in more creative ways. ....

Jayam Kondaan to release this month end

The Vinay-Bhavana starrer, produced by Sathyajothi Films, is all set for an August-end release.

Paving the way for biggies like Kuselan and Sathyam, this movie, whose audio launch was held over two months ago, it is all set to hit the screens this month end.

Coming from a production house that has been nitpicky in choosing only family-oriented healthy entertainers, the movie is said to be an interesting love story.

Directed by R Kannan, a former assistant to Maniratnam for movies like Guru, Kannathil Muthamittal and Ayutha Ezhuthu, the music has been done by Vidyasagar, which is already famous.

One of the songs in the movie, Naan Varaindhu Vaitha, sung by Madhusree and Hariharan, was shot in the rarely captured mosque called Bibi-Khanym Mosque of Uzbekistan.

“I told the story over two years ago and it has come out very well. We’ve not exaggerated anything in the story, which is about a relationship between Vinay, a civil engineer educated abroad, and Bhavana, a sprightly volleyball player in Madurai,” explains the director.

However, the suspense element in the movie is an untold relationship between the main characters in the movie, Vinay, Bhavana and Lekha Washington. ....

Nethra is the Khiladi

IT is supermodel Nethra Raghuraman who has finally won the famed reality show that took place in South Africa. For the 31-year-old supermodel who performed various stunts under difficult climatic conditions, the win came as a big surprise.

“I’m elated. For me, the journey was more important than the destination. During my days there, I just wanted to be good,” says the statuesque beauty.

The show, on the newly launched Colors channel, is a month-long daily that has 13 female celebrities along with ex-army officials as partners, in a battle of bravery. The reality show was launched with much fanfare and is being anchored by filmstar Akshay Kumar for which he is reportedly being paid Rs 1.5 crore.

Nethra wins a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh. She is all praise for her partner Saurabh Batta who never pressurised her to perform. “His input on certain stunts and his experience in the Army helped me a lot.” ....