Monday 13 May 2013
Vijay labeled as the current gen's Superstar
The director wonders at the astounding reach that Vijay’s movies have in the state. He doesn’t reveal much about the story of the movie but assured that it will be a special experience. During certain scenes, the director just forgot to say ‘Cut’ as he was so moved by the natural performance of Vijay.
Also during the shoots in Mumbai, they had to start early in the day as with time, the crowd that came to see Vijay at the spot used to grow beyond control. The Mumbai Police were shocked to see the kind of frenzy for Vijay in their city.
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Friday 10 May 2013
Production: Ronnie Screwvala, Siddharth Roy Kapur
Cast: Anjali, Arya, Hansika Motwani, Premji Amaran, Santhanam
Direction: R Kannan
Screenplay: John Mahendran, R Kannan
Story: Arshad Bhatia
Music: S. Thaman
Background score: S. Thaman
Cinematography: P. G. Muthaiah
Editing: Leo John Paul
Stunt choreography: Silva
Dance choreography: Kalyan
Singers: Anbu Raju, Andrea Jermiah, Chinmayi, Dhevan, Gaana Bala, Karthik, Megha, Sricharan, Suchithra, Vijay Prakash
Lyrics : Gaana Bala, Madan Karky, Madhan Karky, Na Muthukumar, Thamarai
Delhi Belly, the Hinglish film that created quite a heavy flutter few years back for its bold adult comedy, comes to Tamil with director Kannan helming the state of affairs. To suit the Tamil palette, Kannan has apparently toned down the original that justifies its U status.
Settai is about three roomies who get embroiled in an almost ‘shit’ situation, totally unaware and oblivious of what’s happening around till roof falls down on them. And how they get away from this ‘shitty’ mess forms the basic oneliner.
When the cast list features Santhanam, it is a clear indication of what to expect and when he has been accompanied by Arya and Premji, the anticipation levels are bound to soar. But sadly, the humor is not in adequate doses in Settai but happens in sporadic bouts. And when it happens it does bring the smile but not laughter.
The flavor and the main essence of the original was its heavy adult content which worked for the film big time. But it is evident that Kannan’s intentions are to present the film with Tamil sensibilities in a much diluted form which works against Settai. Toilet humor is one segment that has not been tried in Tamil cinema and hence the director has treaded the path with a lot of caution, resulting in it becoming a spoke in the wheel. The humor component is there in Settai but not a rollicking one.
The first half moves a bit slowly. It is in the second half that the film picks up some kind of momentum, majorly due to Santhanam. Although his jokes evoke laughter, he is getting to be repetitive these days.
Arya looks much too serious for his role. Surprisingly Premji comes across as quite different from his earlier roles and appears somber throughout. Of the lady cast, Hansika delivers quite well and suits her role. There are not much of opportunities for any cast member to showcase their histrionics and all of them have delivered just about right.
Thaman’s tracks are fairly decent and well picturized by cinematographer Muthiah. However in the second half, the Agalathe number although good in looks and presentation, impedes the proceedings. The song on Premji ‘Edhai than kandute’ comes across as neat. Costumes of Deepali Noor are chic and colorful and bring a rich tone to the film.
The core scene of the smuggler, played by Nasser, where he spreads the velvet cloth with the precision of a perfectionist, only to receive a piece of shit, is well done and delivers the necessary effect. The pre-climax scene of the trio trying to frisk the diamonds from the jeweler in their burquas and Santhanam’s trip to a toilet in an unknown house with their dumbfounded looks is a laugh riot. And the dialogue that Santhanam says at that instance is the best one in the film.
There is quite a big ensemble in Settai like Nasser, Sayaji Shinde, Subbu Panchu, Ali, Mano Bala, Suja Varunee and also Neetu Chandra for an introductory item number.
In Settai, even though John Mahendran is in charge of the dialogues, Santhanam has doubled up as the writer for comedy portions and they are as usual filled with his characteristic oneliners.
To sum it up, for all those who have watched the original, Settai is a fizz free product and for the rest, the film may work in parts.
Production: Listin Stephen, Raadhika Sarathkumar
Cast: Cheran, Iniya, Mithun, Parvathi Menon, Prakash Raj, Prasanna, Raadhika Sarathkumar, Sarathkumar
Direction: Shaheed Kader
Screenplay: Ajayan Bala, Bobby-Sanjay
Story: Bobby-Sanjay
Music: Mejo Joseph
Background score: Mejo Joseph
Cinematography: Shehnad Jalal
Dialogues: Bobby-Sanjay
Editing: Mahesh Narayanan
PRO: Nikhil Murugan
Distribution: Sun Pictures
The Tamil remake of the acclaimed Malayalam hit Traffic, Chennaiyil Oru Naal, comes with a stellar cast list and fair bit of marketing push, thanks to the involvement of Sun Pictures.
The movie serves as a nice platform to educate the audience about the novel concept of organ donation. It does so through an action-packed premise which also tugs at our heart strings, as a police car has to deliver a heart from Chennai to Vellore just in time to save the life of a 13 year old girl.
A lot of characters are involved in this gripping mission such as the police commissioner who has to manage the entire logistics and practicalities of the trip, a tainted police constable who seeks redemption, a narcissistic superstar who encounters the realities of his personal life and a young doctor who is caught in a fix, to name a few.
The emotional quotient of the movie is also pretty high as we have one family which is grieving the loss of their dear one while another is desperately waiting for the heart to arrive. So we have dramatic action on one side with a nice emotional undercurrent running through. The script is the main selling point of Chennaiyil Oru Naal and kudos to the director Shaheed Kader and the screenplay writers Bobby-Sanjay and Ajayan Bala.
The movie does have some unwarranted frenzy towards the end and this episode turns out to be a bit far-fetched as the car is in a race against time through a crowded narrow alley to reach Vellore in time. But, the overall motive of the movie and the way it has been presented makes this particular episode just a minor blip.
Chennaiyil Oru Naal owes a lot to the solid performances by all the acclaimed actors in the cast. Cheran has the best role as the man who executes this high-stakes mission while Sarath Kumar is the brain of the mission as the city’s police commissioner.
Prakash Raj as the self-centered superstar, Radhika as his concerned housewife, Prasanna as the distressed doctor, Jayaprakash and Lakshmi Ramakrishnan as the grieving parents and Parvathi Menon as the heartbroken girlfriend are among the other notable performers. We also have Mallika uniting with her Autograph pair Cheran after close to a decade and Iniya’s role throws the script open to more tension in the second half.
Lookout for a surprise cameo by a Superstar who also promotes the cause of organ donation in the end as the credits roll.
Mejo Joseph takes care of the music and there are a couple of songs at the start as the premise and characters are setup. His RR is mushy and dramatic as per the demands of the script.
The cinematography by Shehnad Jalal shines in the accident scenes and also while covering the fast moving car on the highways of the state.
Mahesh Narayanan’s editing patterns add to the excitement and tension among the audience when we are waiting to see how all the characters are thrown into the mix by one particular incident. Interesting work indeed
On the whole, we have a movie which offers excitement and also educates us about a vital concept which can prove to be a life-changer to any of us in need.
Production: Antony Nawaz, R. Madhan Kumar, Sathya Narayanan
Cast: Dimple Chopade, Sundeep Kishan
Direction: R. Madhan Kumar
Screenplay: R. Madhan Kumar
Story: R. Madhan Kumar
Music: Gopi Sunder
Cinematography: Raana
Production: Antony Nawaz, R. Madhan Kumar, Sathya Narayanan
Cast: Dimple Chopade, Sundeep Kishan
Direction: R. Madhan Kumar
Screenplay: R. Madhan Kumar
Story: R. Madhan Kumar
Music: Gopi Sunder
Cinematography: Raana
Yaaruda Mahesh made by a relatively new team shot to centre space with a mischievously done trailer which became the talk of the town when it was released. The film directed by newcomer Madhan Kumar and cleared by the censor board with an A, targets the youth audience.
The film is the story of a young man Shiva who suspects that his wife’s paramour is Mahesh and his search of this man. Sundeep Kishan who was last seen in Marandhen Mannithen is the male lead and is supported by a huge ensemble that includes Livingston, Uma Padmanabhan, Singamuthu and many others.
Madhan Kumar has attempted to make a movie with humor as its mainstay but it is unfortunate that this humor comes across as episodic. While the individual elements are successful in bringing out the laughs, the ingredient that strings all these into a cohesive product is missing. Till the interval block, the audience is kept wondering about the purpose of the film and post interval, when it is known, it becomes quite predictable. And the climax is one big downer.
The film in the first half literally hops with a search of direction and also gives the feeling of watching a television serial. There are so many characters affected by verbal diarrhea. It appears that the purpose of all college students is only to find their mates. And the women bashing continues in YM too where the character says not to trust any woman! It’s definitely time for a change!
In the second half, the search for Mahesh starts and each episode of Mahesh truly brings laughs although they may not appear logical or sensible. Examples are the episodes of transgender and ‘gopppal’, the drum Mahesh, the slum dog Mahesh and the gay Mahesh. Madhan Kumar should have used a powerful thread to string all these episodes which would have resulted in a wholesome laugh riot.
Jagan shoulders the film and it’s his performance, body language and dialogue delivery that carries Yaaruda Mahesh. The best pick would be when he proudly brags to Sundeep that he is going to become a dad and that he has ensured that it is only his kid! Sundeep Kishan is average and does not do much. Heroine Dimple Chopade is another glam doll for Tamil.
An interesting aspect that is notice worthy of YM is the way the director has etched the character of Sundeep Kishan as a stay at home dad with wife Dimple as the sole bread winner. There is also a dialogue from Dimple that gives instructions to Sundeep to take care of the baby and household when she starts for work. However while you are relishing this approach change of Tamil films, there comes a tight slap (literally and metaphorically) to Dimple from Sundeep bringing down such novelty factor quickly and assuring that the director had taken the detour only slightly and temporarily.
The tracks scored by Gopi Sundar are pedestrian but the picturization of the songs is stylish. The different tone adapted in Yaaruda Mahesh number stands out. That aside, other technical departments are just about adequate.
To sum it up, Yaaruda Mahesh is a unidirectional product that targets youth with liberal does of adult humor but is not powerful enough to sustain the interests through the entire length of the film. Yaaruda Mahesh certainly has not lived up to the expectations generated by the trailer.
Production: Udhayam VLS Cine Media
Cast: Avani Modi, Chandini, Nakul
Direction: Prithvi Rajkumar
Screenplay: Prithvi Rajkumar
Story: Prithvi Rajkumar
Music: GV Prakash Kumar
Background score: GV Prakash Kumar
Cinematography: Velraj
Dialogues: Vetrimaaran
Singers: G.V. Prakash Kumar, Maya, Megha, Rahul Nambiar, Saindhavi, Santosh, Sathish, Shalmali Kholgade, Silambarasan, Sonu Kakkar
Lyrics : Annamalai, Madhan Karky, Prithvi Rajkumar
PRO: Nikhil Murugan
Distribution: Udhayam VLS Cine Media
Naan Rajavaga Pogiren marks the directorial debut of yet another assistant of Vetrimaaran, Prithvi Rajkumar. Produced by Udhayam VLS Cine Media, the film stars Nakul, Chandini and Avani Modi in the lead roles and Manivannan, Kasthuri, Suresh, Gaurav, A Venkatesh and Seetha in supporting roles. Vetrimaaran has penned the dialogues.
Raja (Nakul) is a boxing champion based in Chennai and Jeeva (Nakul), his look alike, is an innocent man living in Himachal Pradesh. A mutual friend of both educates Jeeva about Raja. Eagerness forces Jeeva to go in pursuit of his look alike. Naan Rajavaga Pogiren is a chronicle of Jeeva's journey and what he discovers about Raja. Avani Modi plays Reema, Raja's best friend and Chandini plays Valli, a Law student, an activist and Raja's girl friend. In a nutshell, Naan Rajavaga Pogiren is a tale of love, friendship and awareness.
Nakul has done some solid work for the film and it is evident. He shows enthusiasm and intent in his performance. He has particularly done well in the action sequences and the entire credit goes to Dilip Subbarayan. Among the two lead ladies, Chandini scores better and has been awarded more screen space. Avani Modi, on the other hand, appears juvenile in parts and her dubbing (by Chinmayee) is far too expressive to match her performance.
Other senior actors, Manivannan, Kasthuri, Seetha, A.Venkatesh and Suresh, have done their small parts with perfection. Particularly, Manivannan’s gruff voice suits his role of an activist. A.Venkatesh plays the template Tamil Villain and his role has supposedly been inspired from Saamy’s Perumal Pichai, as one of the characters in the movie says. Another notable performance was Nishanth’s, who plays the friend of Nakul.
The story is the strongest element of Naan Rajavaga Pogiren. On paper, it looks excellent but what spoils it is the screenplay. Prithvi Rajkumar has attempted to do a Vetrimaaran’s style of screenplay, but hasn’t done it quite well. Too many flashbacks leave the audience befuddled at places. Another let down in the film is its poor pace.
On the other hand, Vetrimaaran’s regulars don’t fail his assistant. Cinematographer Velraj has no problem crafting each frame with impeccability and freshness. GV Prakash’s background score does very well to add to the tension prevalent in the film. But his songs don’t create the same magic. Songs are wrongly placed and one might get a feeling that there are too many of those.
On the whole, Naan Rajavaga Pogiren is an ambitious effort, by a promising new comer, but with a less gripping screenplay.
Production: Dhanush
Cast: Nandita, Priya Anand, Sivakarthikeyan
Direction: Senthil
Screenplay: Senthil
Story: Senthil
Music: Anirudh Ravichander
Background score: Anirudh Ravichander
Cinematography: Velraj
Dialogues: Senthil
Editing: Kishore
Dance choreography: Baskar, Dinesh
Singers: Adhi, Anirudh Ravichander, Dhanush, Mohit Chauhan, Shreya Goshal, Velmurugan, Vivek Siva, YOYO Honey Singh
Lyrics : Dhanush, R.S. Durai Senthil Kumar, Vaali
PRO: Riaz
Distribution: Vendhar Movies
Dhanush’s Wunderbar Films presents Ethir Neechal, featuring Siva Kathikeyan with two pretty women for company in the form of Priya Anand and Nandita. There is also an experienced support cast comprising the likes of Jayaprakash and Raviprakash to back the main leads.
The main protagonist in Ethir Neechal feels that the name that was bestowed on him after birth, is his biggest undoing as he becomes the butt of ridicule due to this unique name. He then gets himself a new name and just as things start falling in place for him thanks to a new job and a pretty girlfriend, they come back to square one due to his original name. He then decides to get rid of his ‘slacker’ attitude and wishes to achieve something in life.
The Chennai Marathon gives him that opportunity and the rest of the movie is about how he swims against all odds and proves a point to himself and his dear ones and also how he uncovers a pertinent issue to the society as a whole.
Ethir Neechal provides a wholesome package which combines elements like comedy, romance, hardship, inspiration and ultimate fruition in the end. The first half is mostly a breeze thanks to the situations arising from the hero’s unique name and his efforts to change it. There is a whole lot of wordplay involved such as Kenayan being addressed as K9.
Siva Karthikeyan and his friend are the typical cinema combo where the friend stands by the hero all along and provides plenty of light moments. These two rule the first half. Priya Anand is the romantic interest of Siva and she plays a beautiful teacher and has a small role in Siva’s transformation. The scenes when Siva woos Priya, using a small school kid in his neighborhood, provide some healthy laughs.
Nandita has a more substantial role from the second half onwards as Valli, Siva’s trainer and a former promising athlete whose prospects are ruined by a doctored hormone test.
The film throws light on the hardships that humble athletes have to encounter in the face of the rich, influential people who matter. In these segments, the ambitions that a dad has for his daughter and his efforts in bringing her talent to light, have been portrayed well. There is also a subtle mother sentiment angle earlier in the movie, between Siva and his self-respecting mother who struggles to raise him single-handedly.
Anirudh is the biggest backbone of the movie with his background score lifting each scene and putting it on a pedestal. This youngster is surely a tremendous talent and watch out for him in a cheeky cameo as a bartender. His songs are already fan favorites and each of them earns the whistles and claps from the excited crowd.
Dhanush’s cameo in a Kuthu song at the bar will please his fans while Nayanthara, in another cameo, doesn’t have much screen-time in the same song.
The movie’s production values come across in the way the marathon has been picturized in an intricate manner. Though the action in the marathon is cinematic, the milieu appears authentic and Velraj’s work behind the lens spells quality as always. The training period that Siva goes through before his appearance at the marathon has also been presented seriously but with a tinge of lightheartedness running through it.
On the whole, though the movie isn’t very racy, it offers something for the entire family. Beyond just being a mindless romantic comedy, it also makes some valid points about the state of poor athletes in the country.
CAST AND CREW
Production: C V Kumar
Cast: Sanchita Shetty, Vijay Sethupathi
Direction: Nalan Kumarasamy
Screenplay: Nalan Kumarasamy
Story: Nalan Kumarasamy
Music: Santhosh Narayanan
Background score: Santhosh Narayanan
Cast: Sanchita Shetty, Vijay Sethupathi
Direction: Nalan Kumarasamy
Screenplay: Nalan Kumarasamy
Story: Nalan Kumarasamy
Music: Santhosh Narayanan
Background score: Santhosh Narayanan
Cinematography: Dinesh
Dialogues: Nalan Kumarasamy
Editing: Leo John Paul
Stunt choreography: Billa Jagan
Dance choreography: Shobi
Singers: Andony Dasan, Andrea Jeremiah, Chinna, Divya Ramani, Gana Bala, Ganesh Kumar B, Kovai Jaleel, Rob Mas
Lyrics : Gana Bala, Ganesh Kumar B, Hip Hop Tamizha Adhi, Muthamil, Nalan Kumarasamy, RR
Soodhu Kavvum marks the entry of yet another young director, Nalan Kumarasamy, following Pizza’s Karthik Subbaraj, whose claim to fame was a TV show designed for likewise aspirants. Nalan Kumarasamy shows his gratitude in the opening slide by thanking the judges of the show - Prathap Pothen and Madhan.
The aptly titled Soodhu Kavvum tells the story of petty criminals who are engulfed by their own occupation volunteering to ride the high tide, knowing well of its repercussions. Scheming the perfect crime and executing it is only half the story as Soodhu Kavvum offers some radical and sometimes outrageous twists and turns.
The actions and decisions of a motley crew led by Das, played by Vijay Sethupathy, with amateur miscreants enacted by Simhaa, Ashok Selvan and RJ Ramesh, is what drives Soodhu Kavvum forward, but at an unhurried pace. While Vijay might be the leader of the pack the screen space is fairly shared with other members in the gang but Vijay’s paunch and graying beard does earn him a sense of seniority. The actor does have the guts to play a forty year old, so early in his career. Sanchita Shetty’s character is a surprise as Vijay Sethupathy’s doll faced confidant and ‘dream girl’. Nice touch, sharing a different chemistry with the hero. The other cast members include familiar character artists such as Radha Ravi and MS Bhaskar in integral roles and a common face in the short film circuit, Karunakaran, appears in a role tailor-made for him.
Soodhu Kavvum’s scoring area is definitely its characterizations as Nalan Kumarasamy offers each of the central characters a back story that’s unique and more importantly contributing to the character’s present circumstance. Essentially the only righteous character in the film is that of M.S. Bhaskar who plays a spotless politician. Without being all too preachy or self conscious Nalan Kumarasamy paints a picture to portray that there’s hardly any room for such individuals in the modern day. Neither is he tempted to be ironic. Having said that, the writer director seems to have been consumed by his own thoughts, and probably even overwhelmed with his own project, that sees him go on a creative overdrive. Sure there is always room for cinematic freedom, and it is filled to the brim in Soodhu Kavvum in a bid to offer something different.
Santhosh Narayan peppers the background score with processed beats and hard rock rhythms that work well for the numerous dramatic slo-mo scenes. He also employs his own version of a popular score from Dr. Strangelove. The songs are well shot and its position in the film is justifiable. The camera work and editing is slick and seems to have drawn inspiration from post-modern filmmakers.
The film introduces us to several quirky characters and ambitious sketches, all delivered with a light heartedness. The director is rather successful in making the audience root for the anti-hero group and their reckless ways but the viewing is lacking of a certain stranglehold because of many long drawn-out scenes and the leisure manner in which the story unfolds to an end.
Production: Mahendra Talkies
Cast: Arjun, Cheran, Lasini, Mukhta Banu, Surveen , Vimal
Direction: Vasanth
Screenplay: Vasanth
Story: Vasanth
Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Background score: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Cinematography: Bajan K Dinesh
Editing: Shankar Raman
Dance choreography: Cool Jayanth, Dinesh, Robot K Ravichander, Suchitra
Singers: BlaZe, Karthik, Krish, Nandini Erikar, Neha Bhasin, Ramesh Vinayagam, Shwetha, Yuvan Shankar Raja
Lyrics : Na. Muthukumar
PRO: Nikhil Murugan
Distribution: Mahendra Talkies
Director Vasanth has a special place in Tamil cinema for his films have always dealt with human relationships in a sensitive manner and have struck a chord with the audience. After his Satham Podadhe in 2007, he is back with Moondru Per Moondru Kadhal with Arjun, Cheran and Vemal. Very true to the title, MPMK is about the love stories of three sets of people with three different landscapes.
The emotion called love is ubiquitous and it touches people at different frequencies and at different dimensions. What this wonderful feeling does to its lead characters and its effect in the trajectory of life is what MPMK all about. While mountainous terrain is the backdrop for Vemal and Lasini’s love, it’s the coastal belt for Cheran and Muktha Bhanu and its plains for Arjun and Surveen Chawla.
Vasanth has made the film in his usual style but a tepid pace works against MPMK. The styles of film making have changed and so do the sensibilities of the audience. For the current crop of audience who is low on patience and is restless to slow unfurling of the plot, MPMK may not work. That said, the plot is quite succulent and lofty which has a lot of positivity going with it.
We generally don’t find ‘cinematic’ family in Vasanth’s films and MPMK is no exception either. Be it Vemal’s parents (my family is such a happy one that we even laugh at the mention of the word ‘joke’) or Cheran’s parents (a father who is so happy helping mom and a mom who is so sensitive to son’s feelings) or Surveen’s practical father.
It is not something new that Vasanth’s films are clean and are devoid of glamour or double entendres. Moondru Per Moondru Kadhal also follows the same path. Narration follows a very languorous path and hence the engaging factor fluctuates quite steeply. Arjun’s segment is the best followed by Cheran and Vemal. Dialogues sparkle on and off.
In the performance section, it is Arjun who scores over others and is aptly cast as a swimming coach. Cheran and Vemal are their usual self and there is not much for them to showcase their histrionics. Among the lady members, it is Muktha Bhanu who delivers perfectly as the love struck Mallika and she fits the role perfectly. Surveen who looks like a mix of Amala Akkineni and Kiran is adequate and her shots are well captured. Thambi Ramaiah, John Vijay, Appukutty, Shanthi Williams and Sathyan round out the supporting cast.
The songs of Yuvan Shankar Raja are already popular and gel quite well with the narration. Even though Aaha Kaadhal has been filmed fairly well, the power that the lyrics and the music had created has not been totally translated visually. Mazhai Mazhai number comes out trumps with cinematographer and music director having a field day with their respective departments. That apart, Ritwik Vasanth appears for ‘stop the paattu’ number and shows his dancing prowess. Bhojan K Dinesh is in charge of camera and resplendently captures the moods of the different terrains.
Toting up, Vasanth’s Moondru Per Moondru Kadhal, although eulogizes love, works in parts with music and camera helping the story but his style has not been felt powerfully in the film.
Cast: Manivannan, Sathyaraj, Seeman
Direction: Manivannan
Screenplay: Manivannan
Story: Manivannan
Music: James Vasanthan
Background score: James Vasanthan
Cinematography: D. Shankar
Dialogues: Manivannan
Editing: Sudharshan
Stunt choreography: Supreme Sundar
Singers: James Vasanthan, Mahalingam, MK Balaji , Nancy, Palani Ammal, Pooja, Sarayu, Vasudha
Lyrics : Na. Muthukumar
Distribution: V House Productions Movies Share
Amaidhi Padai released in 1994 talked about the emergence of an ordinary man in the world of tricky politics. Nagaraja Cholan, M.A., MLA picks up from where Amaidhi Padai left and chronicles the happenings in Nagaraja Cholan’s political life where he is the power centre for regional politics.
Nagaraja Cholan becomes significant for two reasons, firstly it is the 50th directorial work of Manivannan and secondly it is the 200th film of veteran artist Sathyaraj.
Undoubtedly, the highlights of the film are its razor sharp dialogues and the crackling chemistry between Sathyaraj and Manivannan. This is a different school of performance but hits the bulls’ eye. Dialogues dipped in sarcasm, reflecting the current political scenario occupy the centre stage of Nagaraja Cholan. And there could be no better artist than Sathyaraj who can deliver such emotion nonchalantly with an air of arrogance; it’s a breeze for this veteran. His body language and the timing sense elevate the character of a seasoned, corrupt politician to a higher notch.
Manivannan plays the perfect foil for Sathyaraj. Having brought Nagaraja Cholan to limelight, Mani knows him inside out and in a way, the characters are made for each other in pulling the other down. There is one more character in the form of Sathyaraj’s son played by Raghu Manivannan who is adequate in his role.
In the world of politics, there is nothing called honesty or ethics which has been clearly brought out in the film. Betrayal, backstabbing, weakness for women and money are some of the features that are dealt with in Nagaraja Cholan in a very objective manner. There is also the aspect of selling of our nation to foreign forces by politicians, displacement of Tribals and their livelihood and the Naxal forces. The scenes associated with the Tribals putting up a fight are the least convincing in the film.
Although expectations were raised with the introduction of the CBI officer Sathyaraj, he does not have much of a role to play in the film. Seeman as the socially conscious individual becomes responsible for the unintentional laughter when he mouths powerful dialogues as stoically as possible. There are many women characters but none of them make a mark. Varsha Ashwathi who made an impression in Neer Paravai is reduced to an item girl in Nagaraja Cholan.
There are plenty of dialogues taking abundant digs at the present political scenario from power cuts to freebies to Vijaykanth. These are the enjoyable moments of the film.
Technically camera work is neat and functional and James Vasanthan’s music is not anything that you will recall when you leave the theatre.
Although the dialogues and chemistry of Sathyaraj-Manivannan combo are the positives of the film, the strong punch that should have been created due to these factors is missing in Nagaraja Cholan. The movie does not grip you for the 150 odd minutes, nor does it bore you. There are dips but they are not much felt mainly due to Sathyaraj and Manivannan.
Poonam will be seen as a happening model in this movie and her role
gives her a lot of scope for a stylish performance. Poonam is happy to
make a comeback through such a role and is hopeful that another facet of
her skills would be showcased through this film.
A couple of months back Ilayathalapathy
Vijay took some time off to engage in philanthropy by supporting and
heading the wedding ceremonies of 11 underprivileged couples in the
Villupuram district. Vijay will now reportedly be carrying forward the
gesture to Trichy.
The actor’s schedule will supposedly see him in Trichy on the 12th of May to oversee the proceedings of the marriage of 15 couples from the district. In the last instance there was a frenzied crowd hoping to get a glimpse of the star actor and the event suffered some man management issues. The organizers will hope to avoid any such situation this time around and ensure a smooth ride for all concerned.
The actor’s schedule will supposedly see him in Trichy on the 12th of May to oversee the proceedings of the marriage of 15 couples from the district. In the last instance there was a frenzied crowd hoping to get a glimpse of the star actor and the event suffered some man management issues. The organizers will hope to avoid any such situation this time around and ensure a smooth ride for all concerned.
Tamannah
is surely among the most happening young stars around and she is a
busy-bee in all the major industries of the country such as Tamil, Hindi
and Telugu. Her ultimate aim is to be a name to reckon with, in all
these industries and she plans to multitask across the country.
Her Telugu movie, Tadakha, which is the remake of 2012's Vettai, hits the screens today and Andhra-ites will be looking forward to this one eagerly.
In Tamil, her next outing will be opposite Ajith and industry sources
say that she will sizzle like never before in her second innings in
K-Town. Looks like her male fans are in for a treat.
Her Telugu movie, Tadakha, which is the remake of 2012's Vettai, hits the screens today and Andhra-ites will be looking forward to this one eagerly.
Vijay will join the unit in the first week of June in Chennai. Director
Nesan plans to finish the talkie portions of the film in quick time and
wants to retain the look of the film as a secret.
It must be noted that a photo-shoot was held recently, in which Vijay and Kajal participated.
1) Ileana D' Cruz
This lady from the tinsel world of Bollywood has straightaway hit the
field with her chubby look and sportive features. So far she has acted
in 3 tamil movies- Kedi, Raja Vesham and Shakthi and still the most
sought after star by the directors and the heroes in Kollywood. She has
been in the field since 2006 making her debut in Telugu with Devadasu.
Prior to that she had been involved in the profession of modeling and
has gained popularity all over.
Living away from any sort of controversy, the 24 year old angelic physique has gained much popularity in the South Indian movie world. Her presence in Tollywood has made the rich dividends to the heroes there and the producers. Her charm and simple beauty have acclaimed more fans and she is the dream angel for many youths. She has won two filmfare awards as on date. Currently she has given her body trials to K Shankar for his Nanban, probably opposite Vijay. Her current remuneration is Rs 1.5 crore which the producers are too willing to shell out just because she is adored by the fans.
Current Salary: 1.5 Crore
Current Salary: 1 Crore
Current Salary: 80 Lakhs - 1 Crore
This find of K Shankar in Boys has a varied path in her career. In all these years of her career span, she has shown her performance in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi movies. She is in the field for more than 7 years, since her debut in Hindi film Tujhe Meri Kasam. She was at her peak of career during 2003-2006 which period she could accompany top heroes including Vijay in Sachin. Her acting caliber could be identified in Santhosh Subramaniam with Jeyam Ravi. Her prominent movies in Tamil are Boys, Chennai Kadhal, Uthamaputhiran with Dhanush and the ensuing Velayutham with Vijay. She draws on the range of Rs 75 lakhs ' Rs 1 crore for a film.
Current Salary: 75 Lakhs - 1 Crore
Current Salary: 60 Lakhs
Current Salary: 50 Lakhs
7) Haniska Motwani
This girl with lot of luxurious beauty and glamour is on the rise now with more films coming on to her lap. So far she has acted only in a few films in Tamil ' Maappillai with Dhaunush, Engeyum Kadhal with Jeyam Ravi. Her ongoing movie is Oru Kal Oru Kannadi opposite Udyanidhi Stalin. As she is stepping into the field with utmost care and movies started coming at gradual frequency she is yet to make her mark. Her current pay package is Rs 50 lakhs.
Current Salary: 50 Lakhs
8 ) Shruti Hassan
The heir apparent to the Ulaga Nayagan Kamal Hassan, Shruti Hassan proves that she is the chip of the old block. Initially she made her interest on music (though she could muster her performance in Hey Ram, which fetched the impressive performance in his dad's Unnaipol Oruvan. After watching and observing the prospects in her action stint, AR Murugadoss put the weight on her to play the role opposite Surya in the ensuing 7am Arivu. In addition she made her skillful performance in certain Hindi and English films. Shruti Hassan's remuneration as an actress is Rs 40 lakhs which is on the litmus test only to be proved after the release of 7am Arivu..
Current Salary: 40 Lakhs
Current Salary: 30 Lakhs
She draws the pay package of Rs 30 lakhs.
Living away from any sort of controversy, the 24 year old angelic physique has gained much popularity in the South Indian movie world. Her presence in Tollywood has made the rich dividends to the heroes there and the producers. Her charm and simple beauty have acclaimed more fans and she is the dream angel for many youths. She has won two filmfare awards as on date. Currently she has given her body trials to K Shankar for his Nanban, probably opposite Vijay. Her current remuneration is Rs 1.5 crore which the producers are too willing to shell out just because she is adored by the fans.
Current Salary: 1.5 Crore
2) Anushka
This lady who hails from the Telugu region has come in a smashing manner with her debut in 2005. She has so far played a prominent role with second level top heroes of Kollywood. This is a great back up at her age of 20 that she has a promising future if fortune smiles at her. A major drawback for her is her height which may irk some heroes to team up with her. This was very apparent in Vettaikaran as Vijay has to manage her during the duet songs. And this was obvious in Vaanam where STR could not match the difference. Though she has played in limited number of movies in Tamil ever since her debut in Sundar C's Rendu, her appearances in Telugu have been remarkable, especially Arunthathi. Currently she is doing her makes for the ensuing films ' Irandam Ulagam from Selvaragavan and Vada Chennai from Vettrimaran. Another news is that she is on the cards for pick to pair with Kamal in his Viswaroopam. Hence Anushka is on the making of a popular actress after the successful run of Singham. Her current remuneration is Rs 1 crore which the producers are half hearted to pay.Current Salary: 1 Crore
3) Trisha
Cute and slim figure in the southern region was originally a supporting heroine during the days of Simran. She made her appearance in Tamil movies from Jodi but shot into fame after her thumping performance in Aamir's Mounam Pesiyathe opposite Surya. This film fetched her the prestigious Filmfare Award 2002 meant for the Best Female Debut actress. From then on there was no going back as she was one among the most sought after by the top heroes then. Ajtih, Vijay, Vikram, STR were the most favorites who admired acting with her. Among the notable films in her career, Lesa Lesa, Ghilli, Saamy, Bheema, Ayutha Ezhuthu, Tiruppachi, Jee, Kreedam. She had a good stint in Tollywood too as the audience were craze for her. To her credit, she has received many awards including Vijay Award Favorite Heroine 2010 for her performance in Gautham Menon's Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya. Other films which spoke volume of her career stint are Abiyum Naanum, Sarvam, Manmathan Ambu and the latest Mankatha. Trisha has the stable remuneration structure in the range of Rs 80 lakhs to Rs 1 crore depending upon the producer and the script..Current Salary: 80 Lakhs - 1 Crore
4) Genelia
This find of K Shankar in Boys has a varied path in her career. In all these years of her career span, she has shown her performance in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi movies. She is in the field for more than 7 years, since her debut in Hindi film Tujhe Meri Kasam. She was at her peak of career during 2003-2006 which period she could accompany top heroes including Vijay in Sachin. Her acting caliber could be identified in Santhosh Subramaniam with Jeyam Ravi. Her prominent movies in Tamil are Boys, Chennai Kadhal, Uthamaputhiran with Dhanush and the ensuing Velayutham with Vijay. She draws on the range of Rs 75 lakhs ' Rs 1 crore for a film.
Current Salary: 75 Lakhs - 1 Crore
5) Amala Paul
The Malabar beauty has a good chunk of prospects in the tinsel world and at the age of 20 she is making drastic efforts to secure a pride of place. When her debut was made through the controversial Sindu Samaveli more eye brows raised towards her. But her role in Prabu Solomon's Mynaa proved that she is a capable person. This made a swirling change in her career and currently she is on the pace of reaping more projects. The recent Deiva Thirumagal has once again proved the point though her earlier movie Vikadakavi made an utter flop. The future seems to be bright for her with Vettai from Lingusamy, Muppozhuthum En Karppanaigal with Atharva. She has won awards for her performance in Mynaa and also for new actress category. Her current salary is Rs 60 lakhs and she proves that she deserves it.Current Salary: 60 Lakhs
6) Tamannah
The Sindhi origin lady shoot up fast and glided down with same pace in her career. She started her career on low profile like Kallori in Tamil though she could make entry into Telugu field earlier. Her debut in Kedi during 2007 was a sidelined one she shoot to the utmost fame through big films like Sura with Vijay, Padikkathavan and Vengai with Dhanush, Thillalangadi with Jeyam Ravi, Kanden Kadhalai with Bharath, Paiya and Siruthai with Karthik. In addition she is the anchor for commercial products of national reputation. She was one among the nominees for the best actress award for her performances in Kallori, Kanden Kadhalai, Paiya. Though current phase of her career is focused on Tollywood she demands the salary of Rs 50 lakhs.Current Salary: 50 Lakhs
7) Haniska Motwani
This girl with lot of luxurious beauty and glamour is on the rise now with more films coming on to her lap. So far she has acted only in a few films in Tamil ' Maappillai with Dhaunush, Engeyum Kadhal with Jeyam Ravi. Her ongoing movie is Oru Kal Oru Kannadi opposite Udyanidhi Stalin. As she is stepping into the field with utmost care and movies started coming at gradual frequency she is yet to make her mark. Her current pay package is Rs 50 lakhs.
Current Salary: 50 Lakhs
8 ) Shruti Hassan
The heir apparent to the Ulaga Nayagan Kamal Hassan, Shruti Hassan proves that she is the chip of the old block. Initially she made her interest on music (though she could muster her performance in Hey Ram, which fetched the impressive performance in his dad's Unnaipol Oruvan. After watching and observing the prospects in her action stint, AR Murugadoss put the weight on her to play the role opposite Surya in the ensuing 7am Arivu. In addition she made her skillful performance in certain Hindi and English films. Shruti Hassan's remuneration as an actress is Rs 40 lakhs which is on the litmus test only to be proved after the release of 7am Arivu..
Current Salary: 40 Lakhs
9) Tapasee
Another Punajbi dhaba after Simran, this lady is slowly gaining the momentum since she could not leave her interest on her software profession. Her stint as a model for Panataloon range of products made the difference in her which took her to the Tollywood for the debut in movies. However the rich dividend was paid to her for her performance in Vettrrimaran's Aadukalam opposite Dhanush, with National award. Within short span of time she could enter into the Mollywood too and that too with the star hero Mammooty. The latest movie with her on the screen is Vandhan Vendran pairing with Jeeva, which is making some good news for her. Moreover she is on the shortlisted heroines for Vijay's upcoming movies and it is shocking to know that she declined an offer to pair with Surya. Her current salary is Rs 30 lakhs which sounds less but it may be hiked at any time.Current Salary: 30 Lakhs
10) Anjali
The Telugu migrant to Kollywood, this actress has the potential to inculcate a new direction to the actresses. Anjali started appearing before the camera as a model before making appearances in low budget Tollywood movies. She made a silent revolution through Vasantha Balan's Angadi Theru for which she was suitably rewarded with Filmfare Best Debut actress. From then she is very choosy about the movies and is rarely on any sort of controversy. Her popularity gained with the latest hit of Mangatha. Her other films include Katradhu Tamil with Jeeva, Rettai Chuzhi, a cameo appearance in Kho, the latest Engeyum Eppothum. She is booked for the ensuing Thambi Vettothi Sundaram and Aravaan and Maharaja.She draws the pay package of Rs 30 lakhs.
1) Rajinikanth
It is to be noted that superstar Rajnikanth has a different scheme of acting for movies. Earlier he had the practice of making movies for nearly 4 or 5 co-producers by making them wealthy and richer. However, he had to be shelled out his salary to the tune of Rs 20 crore, in addition to certain area rights including overseas. Of late, he makes the deal for exclusive salary and do not enter into any rights basis. On this account the industry sources claim that Rajnikanth's current remuneration would be around Rs 25 ' 30 crores.Yes, the producers are too willing to bet on these green horse hoping to reap the utmost harvest. Yet, the producer must be ready and affordable to spend that much of money without any hitch or hindrance. After Chandramuki which made Sivaji films regain the lost wealth, Rajni procured much coffer to the producers of Sivaji and Enthiran. Since the ensuing Rana happens to be his home production from his daughter Soundarya being one of the co producers, it is to be yet known what would Rajni receive as remuneration.
Current Salary: 25 ' 30 crores
2) Ajith
This Kadhal Mannan is ever the proprietary of speculative collection. At times he offers rich movies like Billa but none can predict the outcome of his movies. Yet, he is the second to Rajni in terms of remuneration for his career. He started his career slowly and in tune with the saying Slow and steady wins the race, he has stabilized his position. For many years, he had been the darling of A centre audience and gradually moved to other centres. His affinity with NIC Arts made him the friendly hero and from this house he gave many films.Without minding the result of the movies, Ajith does not compromise on the remuneration. His talent show has just been emancipated with the latest Mankatha which has made the whirlwind collection to the distributors and the theatre owners. Though his movies flop at times, he is the most sought after hero after Super star. This is due to the reason that all his films have excellent openings and the fans are craze to adore the Thala. The industry claims that Ajith's salary is somewhere Rs 17 crore and with the result of Mankatha lifting him to anything else, his salary may near that of superstar soon.
Current Salary: 17 crores
3) Vijay
This Ilayathalapathi had been the sure winner in the race for many years. But as ill luck would have it he had to face the debacle with few films two years ago. This changed the trend in the industry and he had to resort to offensive strategies to overcome the flaw. What makes Vijay differ from other two top contenders, Ajith & Surya, is the penetration among all ages of audience. His simple rendering of action in his movies win him laurels and his sense of humor bring the women audience to the fore. For nearly 80% of his films, he has settled the score by brining fortunes for the producers and the distributors. This is why the distributors had once paid full amount as advance even on the day of pooja for the new film. Now his salary structure stands at Rs 15 crore and since he has a good cinema family background with his father being director, Vijay has the practice of receiving the rights for North Arcot, South Arcot and Chennai (which is usually referred as NSC areas).
Current Salary: 15 crores + NSC Rights
4) Surya
The flawless hero is on the steep rise almost for the past 5 years. With all his films assuring minimum profit, the producers do not hesitate to book him. Surya too is not avaricious to sign for many films since he feels that he has a vision on his career. To be brief, Surya is choosy about the movies to sign up and is more particular about the theme. He has the intention to do just two films a year but it does depend on the project. After Varanam Aayiram, he made a hat-trick with two action films ' Ayan and Aadhavan. Singam's tremendous collection at the Box Office took Surya into the new heigh. The producers ran into amuck with treasures and additional wealth. Surya receives Rs 15 crore as salary and gets the Telugu rights in addition.
Current Salary: 15 crores + Telugu Rights
5) Kamal
Ulaganayagan Kamal Hassan is the one artist who lives and acts for the art. He is not conscious of his salary structure but is fond of fame which is invaluable. To say the truth, he is committed to improve the Tamil film industry and for this sake he is ready to take any challenge and face hindrances. Though he is not able to reach the stardom scale on his varied themes and characters, he too is in the top list of richly paid heroes. He does not receive any rights for any area rather he releases his own production on his own. In all accounts, he gets Rs 10 ' 15 crore for a movie but he is flexible to the nature of the theme.
Current Salary: 10 ' 15 crores
6) Vikram
This Chiyan Vikram is gradually expanding his path towards the peak of excellence and in recent years, his action films have not reached the mass. It seems that he is heading for a saturation on action as he sketched his career on ratio ' for every two or three action movies one artistic movie-. It is needless to say that his recent projects in two years ' Anniyan and Kandasamy ' received big jolts. These two films have dumped his early success like Saami, Dhool. From Beema, the decline started until some revival in Deiva Thirumagal. He has now turned back to his old style for action. His current salary is around Rs 10 crore without any further deals.
Current Salary: 10 crores
7) Dhanush
The National Award winner started his career with his father's own home production. Dhanush stepped up with care and shrewd applications. Counted on his movie list, his ebb would be less compared to the more lows. Continuous flops taught him good lesson and he is currently more thoughtful of select movies from efficient directors. His breakthrough came from Yaaradi Nee Mohini with Nayanthara. This could be vitrified in Aadukalam but Uthamaputhiran proved to be a futile exercise. Yet he signs movies at the pay package of Rs 7 crore.
Current Salary: 7 crores
8 ) Karthi
An ideal sibling to the talented brother Surya, this assistant director turned-actor has worth behind his shoulder. In all these five years of his career spread his movie list might be less but the value is bigger. From the debut in Paruthiveeran, Karthi could emanate a sense of suitable actor for right story. His success move glided from Aayirathil Oruvan, Paiya, Naan Mahan Alla, Siruthai. The industry alludes him as one of the triumphant heroes in Tamil industry. Like his brother Surya, he too gets the rights for Telugu in addition to the salary of Rs 7 crore.Current Salary: 7 crores + Telugu Rights
9) Simbu
The find from Astavadhani T.Rajendran and the capable son proving the proverb, the chip of the old block, Simbu alias STR is a cocktail hero for any story. He has a different version of movie making and he does not compromise on quality for the story. Yet at times, he too dwells on action films just to focus himself to the inferior audience. If his career span is analysed, his action movies would have brought less wealth than the ones which he infused artistic touch like Manmathan. This could be further proved with the runaway success of Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya. His next film Vaanam procured some relief for his action and now he is too involved in the Tamil remake of Hindi Dabaang titled Osthi. For many years, to say three years, STR receives Rs 5 crore as his pay.Current Salary: 5 crores
10) Jeeva
For this low profile actor, the turn around success of Kho has made him step into the steep hike in his salary. Though he hails from the strong family of film production, Super Good films, Jeeva is the one who can fit any measured cloth and tailor made roles. He has no regrets over his flops and he does not rejoice on the winning streaks. But the industry feels other way that his future has to be adjudged on his upcoming movies. This could be true that the recent releases, Rowthiram and Vandan Vendran have not put Jeeva on the talk. His efforts in Kho have made him deserve Rs 1.5 crore. This may either increase or decrease and it lies on his action.Current Salary: 1.5 crores
Thursday 9 May 2013
Real Name : Shivaji Rao Gaekwad
Date of Birth : 12th December 1950
Place Of Birth : Nachikuppam, TN, India
Father's Name : Ramojirao Gaekwad
Mother's Name: Jijabai
Siblings : Daughters: Soundarya and Ishwarya
Spouse : Latha
Studied Upto : Diploma in Film Technology
Previous Carrier : bus conductor
Introduced Film : Apoorva Raagangal
Director : Balachander.k
Languages Acted : Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and English
Awards Won : Nallavanuku
Nallavan Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award , Kalimmani Award, MGR Award,
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor, Tamil Nadu State Film Award
for Best Actor, Padmabhushan Award, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for
Best Actor
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