Galatta cinema February 2009

Page 1

VALENTINE SPECIAL ISSUE

THE COMPLETE SOUTH INDIAN MOVIE MAGAZINE

FEBRUARY 2009 VOL 2 ISSUE 11 MONTHLY

TM

&

S$4.00 Rs.40

LOVE LUST ‘L’

DEBUTANTS TO WATCH OUT FOR

YALONAD A E N

OLD WORLD

IN THE HOT SEAT

2009

STARS ON THE WORD

FRUSEIC DTOHWISINES M

ROMANCE

ENT VAL DAY

NAAN

VA-VA

KADAVUL REJUVENATED

MOOM MUMTAJ’S

AR RAHMAN

BREATHTAKING MAKEOVER

N

LOVE POTION #

LODE STAR

THE PRIDE OF INDIA

AYANTARA OPENS UP ABOUT LOVE


02 09

CO NT EN TS

p.50

p.90

REGULARS 06.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 30.

WHAT’S ON G.COM?

82.

08.

READERS’ VOICES

32.

SUBSCRIPTION

102. HOT SPOT

KICKSTART

35.

CONTEST

104. RISING STAR

12.

GALATTA GRAPEVINE

36.

GALATTA TALKIES

18.

PEEKABOO

58.

IN THE GROOVE

110. BRINGING HOLLYWOOD HOME 112. BEYOND SOUTH

22.

SCENE ABOUT TOWN

62.

TOP 10 MUSIC CHARTS 114. WRAP UP

FAST TRACK

72.

FIRST CUT

10.

28.

Genelia

Meenakshi

STARGAZING Get romantic with the stars Sanaa Khan, Ganesh Venkatraman


p.28

p.63

FEATURES

SPECIALS

FREEBIES

42.

STAR OF THE MONTH

63. LOVE BYTES

DOWNLOAD

BEHIND THE SCENES

76.

46. 50. 84.

T. Rajendar

Prabhu Deva

COVER FEATURE

Nayantara

NOSTALGIA

Celluloid Romances

POPKORN Naan Kadavul

90.

LOOK BOOK Mumtaj

96.

DEBUTANTS IN THE HOT SEAT

106. ICON IN FOCUS A.R. Rahman

SMASH HIT MUSIC OF AYAN

FREE! DOWNLOAD CODE INSIDE!


Here’s a shocker. Recently, Superstar Rajinikanth’s car was stuck in a traffic jam on the way to his shoot in Ennore near Chennai. Recession times, perhaps, but Director Shankar did not waste any time and sent a few stunt men on bikes. The ever-accomodating Rajni happily obliged to ride pillion. What a guy, what a star!

Aascar Ravichandran rose to fame by distributing Jackie Chan’s films, especially in the South. Now it is heard that Ravichandran will produce a film starring the great comic martial arts hero. Jackie was in Chennai for Aascar’s Dasavathaaram music launch last year.

12 GALATTA CINEMA |FEBRUARY 2009

Trisha, the queen of Telugu and Tamil films, decided to watch her movie King in a theatre among enthusiastic audiences to gauge people’s reactions first-hand. Since her appearance in public would create havoc, she used the age-old ruse of concealing her beauty in a ‘burqa’. Safely tucked into her disguise, she watched the entire movie even as the audience was unaware of the celebrity in their midst!


i After going through a stiff time in Malayalam so far, Navya Nair is back with a big-banner film Calendar, opposite Malayalam superstar Prithviraj. The actress, who has had loads of luck in Kannada, is excited to be doing a Malayalam film after quite some time. Directed by Mahesh, the movie is slated for a Vishu release.

Nayantara has a special place in Tollywood and a huge fan base. Realizing her potential and wanting to capitalize on her rising stardom, V.V. Vinayak has cast her opposite Junior NTR in his forthcoming film, which will have one more heroine.

The latest film personality to sing Swati’s praises is none other than Mani Ratnam, who took time off from his busy shooting schedule of Ashokavanam to watch Subramaniyapuram. The director felt that the movie’s quality was enhanced by Swati’s acting and her portrayal captured the essence of the film.


Samiksha, the pretty lass who rose to fame with the hit Arindhum Ariyamalum, realized that with talent and looks, one also needs a little bit of luck to click in the film industry, something she seemed to have little of, when her role in the film Rajathi Raja was cut and when she was replaced by another actress in Murattu Kaalai! Here’s wishing you luck, Sammy!

Trisha’s entry in Kannada has been speculated about for some time, but with the release of Haage Summane, Karnataka has now got its own Trisha look-alike in Mumbai model-cum-actress Suhasi. And this bubbly girl doesn’t mind being called Junior Trisha!

Ever heard of 15 lyricists and 24 playback singers working for a film? Or, have you ever heard of a film with 10 lead roles? But the Kannada film Holidayz has it all and is all set to break records for the number of artistes performing in it.

14 GALATTA CINEMA |FEBRUARY 2009


i

We told you a while ago that Venkat Prabhu is seeking Hollywood actors for the lead roles of his upcoming Goa. Now, the buzz in Kollywood is that this talented young director had contacted Jessica Alba for a prominent role in Goa and apparently, she may also be part of Rajinikanth’s Sultan! When we asked Venkat about this, he simply said, “Hey, I have just sent the script to her, let’s see if she likes it enough to join us!”

A senior LDF leader reportedly said that Mammootty’s name was being considered for the forthcoming elections. Though the actor was unavailable for any comment on this, he had hinted at a possible jump into politics in his recent interviews as well as his blog launched on New Year’s Day.

Malayalam actress Kavya Madhavan is got married on February 5 to Nischal Chandran, a computer engineer working in the National Bank of Kuwait as Technical Adviser. The wedding took place at Sree Mookambika Temple, Kollur. Kavya joins the likes of Sangitha, Gopika and Kanihaa who tied the knot recently.


Mamta is unhappy that she is not seen as much as Trisha in the promos of King. Now, rumour mills say Mamta is trying to approach Srinu Vaitla to ask him to include her in the 50 days celebrations at least! Mamta has every reason to be mied at being ignored and given her strong will and character, it’ll be interesting to see how she makes her presence felt!

Genelia is receiving praise from all quarters for her portrayal of a brave girl who runs away from a forced marriage in Sasirekha Parinayam. This Mumbai girl, who has found stardom in the South film industry, has also made a successful re-entry into Bollywood with Jaane Tu Yaa Jaane Na.

A few weeks earlier, it was reported that Mammootty might share screen space with Kamal Haasan in the remake of the superhit A Wednesday (Hindi). Now, it is heard that it would not be him, but Mohanlal who will be part of the film! If this happens, it will be one of the most interesting partnerships in Indian cinema!

16 GALATTA CINEMA |FEBRUARY 2009


i

Siya, the curvaceous actress who wowed audiences in Neninthe, is one worried lady. Though her debut was excellent in Neninthe opposite Ravi Teja, talk that her chances are iy, thanks to her nose (no, really, we’re serious!), has worried her. Siya is concerned about this criticism and is seriously contemplating plastic surgery to reshape her nose!

With his hunky, urban boy looks, Ganesh Venkatraman (of Abhiyum Naanum fame) is the perfect candidate for the quintessential romantic hero. But the actor says that he does not want to fall into stereotypes; he is open to various roles, especially actionoriented ones. Atta boy, Ganesh.

Young Puneeth Rajkumar is all set to have an interesting and unique dance sequence in his forthcoming film Raaj The Showman. He will dance alongside yesteryear heroines Jayapradha, Jayamala, Ambika, Roopa Devi and Bharathi Vishnuvardhan, all of whom had worked with his father, late Rajkumar.

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 17


MEENAKSHI Who is your inspiration? I am my own inspiration!

Define Love… The necessity of life

Hottest Indian stars... Hrithik Roshan and Bipasha Basu

Define Friendship… The backbone of one’s existence

Your dream date… Hrithik Roshan or Shahid Kapur

Three words that describe you… Intelligent, spiritual, child-like

Your idea of a romantic evening... I am an outdoor person, so any activity outdoors... and I am game!

The first thing you do in the morning? I drink a glass of warm water

Your favourite getaway... Oh! Too many for this page! You shop the most for... Clothes and cosmetics (duh!) What makes you smile? A selfless act always makes me smile. And of course, when I am pampered and praised, I love it smiling apart, see me grinning from ear to ear! What brings a tear? Poverty. Especially poor children. What makes you angry? Dishonesty, hypocrisy You love the sound of... I like the sound of streams, soft and gentle. I also love the sound of chirping birds, early in the morning. I like listening to musical instruments. You can’t stand the sound of... I hate to hear people shouting! Your biggest fear… Not getting what I want Your dream role… Playing a double role. Or that of a mentally challenged character A director you wish to work with... It’s like my getaways list - it’s so long, this page will not be enough to list them!

If not an actor, then... A doctor, a surgeon maybe... A profession you would never want to do... A regular 9 to 5 job, too boring! Your most memorable moment… Still waiting for that special moment! Your most embarassing moment… It will never come. I am capable of turning every bad moment into a good one! Keeping yourself… I love to paint and write. I also enjoy going on long drives at night. A recurrent nightmare... I watch a lot of horror movies, so I have different nightmares every time! Family member you are closest to… My mom, I love her! What is the one thing you always carry with you? A picture of Sai Baba Message to Galatta fans… Download my pictures! (From Galatta.com, of course!)

Love the stars talking snappy? Watch them get on candid camera for hours... online. Simply log onto www.galatta.com and check out the video interviews section.



STAR OF THE MONTH

allinoNe


DRAMATIC GESTURES, HARD-HITTING POETRY, ENERGETIC MIND... T.R. IS LIKE A WHIRLWIND LASHING ACROSS Vijaya T. Rajendar A one-man film industry!

I

am a different character, ask anyone!” Vijaya T. Rajendar declares. We are intrigued. In Chennai parlance, that’s declaring you’re... well... different. Not necessarily in a positive sense. For a person to declare that on record, he has to have self-confidence enough to fill an ocean! Known for his rhyming rhetoric and his tongue-in-cheek comments, T. Rajendar never fails to excite our fascination for the wonderfully unusual. A cult figure who climbed and established himself in Kollywood all on his own, he is almost the only doting dad who was able to groom his son T.R. Silambarasan and launch him successfully into a bright filmi career. From his first movie, Oru Thalai Raagam (1980), T. Rajendar made his reputation as a freewheeler and independent thinker. Bound by nothing except his passion for cinema, this enigmatic man has broken many rules – written and unwritten – laid down by the South Indian film industry. He has tried his hand at all departments of film-making and even turned to politics, the last and final frontier for any successful South Indian film personality. A veritable storehouse of maxims, one-liners and wisdom, T. Rajendar is a one-man film industry. Almost the only thing he hasn’t tried his hand at is stunt choreography. Oru Thalai Raagam was his debut film as director where he contributed the story, screenplay, dialogues and even the lyrics. Not content with being only a director, writer or actor, he made up his mind and also learnt the art of cinematography.

should look like but then, the director would have no scope to experiment or break the rules. When a director wants full artistic control of his film, then he should learn each and every aspect of film making, is this awesome showman’s belief.

Ask him why he’s got a finger in every pie and he declares that’s his book learning; having a formal education helps him get to the bottom of things. He holds an M.A. from Annamalai University. Not content to let things be, he has to know how every other thing works. A control freak? We don’t dare ask him that of course! Cinema is a visual medium, even babies know that nowadays! So how can a writer or director give great results when he doesn’t know the difference between a zoom shot and track shot or how a shot division is translated on-screen? A very valid point, Mr. Rajendar! But that’s not all. An experienced cinematographer would tell the director exactly what a shot

Not one to sit idle, Thesinghu Rajendar, more popularly known as Vijaya T. Rajendar, is involved in many activities apart from cinema. He is deeply involved with the launch of Kural TV and the Kural website – his venture to reach out to Tamils around the world, preserving vanishing Tamil culture and traditions, bringing expat Tamils closer together. He is the host of Aratai Arangam on TV. Once a week he leaves home at 4 p.m. to shoot each show and comes home only by 11 p.m. That’s 7 whole hours on his feet hosting a chat show – truly a man of action and words! Making a film is like going to war, says the philosophic showman, “Preparation is all. I would never act as a hero for the sake

T. Rajendar, Silambarasan: Father and son, like two peas in a pod!

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 43


Ahead of his times of appearing on-screen! I have to fit into the character, only then will I get back on-screen.” Right now, the mountain of self-confidence is concentrating his energies on two stories – one is an urban romance, another is set in a village. Not only is he writing stories for these 2 films, he’s working on the songs as well, listening to tunes; he plans to have at least 8 songs in each film! Not only that, he is working out to take on his next role which comes 2 years after Veerasamy, which had all the appropriate sentiments: love, ‘sister’ sentiment, moral preaching, everything that would have made a runaway success. Except that women (his major audience) stopped coming to the theatres, preferring TV serials. And he is the first to accept that Veerasamy was a dismal failure. Not because the script or story was lacking in any way but because people’s tastes have changed. “Cinema is a dynamic medium, cinema will not change for you but you have to change for it. If you can’t do that, you have to step away from it,” is the wisdom that filters out from the black beard that is T. Rajendar’s trademark. Underneath all that hair (which shampoo does he use!) the razor-sharp brain is working overtime always. Music rules him, it’s in his every fibre. “I keep up a beat even when I am not able to snap my fingers or move myself in rhythm,” says the bearded cult figure, even as he rocks himself and snaps his fingers. A man much ahead of his times, T. Rajendar was one who forsaw the trends that would rule cinema and trained his sons accordingly. Declares the indomitable showman, “I have the pulse of the audience and I have never given a movie that has incurred horrible losses.” Even when he gave Veerasamy, he was wise enough to step back and analyze the situation. He realized that it was the youngsters, especially bachelors, who were dictating market trends. They didn’t care for sentimental films and preferred a film that would be light-hearted. “So I adapted. I give 4 or 5 fast beat ‘kothu’ songs, some fight scenes. Love, too, is not a serious issue like it used to be in my films,” says master craftsman T. Rajendar. Quick to enumerate his many strong points, T. Rajendar’s USP is his quick-silver tongue, the gift of gab that any salesman or orator would his right hand to possess. His dialogues have gone down in history like no other hero’s, except maybe Rajinikanth’s. His political speeches are peppered with limericks that he seems to spout spontaneously. No other film personality has his informal way of grabbing people’s attention. Enough and more has been written about his style – style of dressing, style of talking, style of dialogue delivery. Every one of his movies is priceless – masterpieces that follow the classic storytelling formula of good wins over evil. No matter how much one might talk about award-winning films, his films invariably walk home with box-office success. Ultimately, in the Tamil film industry, it is not awards but people’s appreciation and acknowledgment that count. That’s T. Rajendar , the businessman.

44 GALATTA CINEMA |FEBRUARY 2009

T. Rajendar says he does what he does only because of his convictions. “The difference between a politician and a statesman is that a politician thinks about the next election while the statesman thinks about the next generation. I wish to be a statesman.” An incurable idealist, T. Rajendar has stood up for his beliefs in speaking up for the suffering Sri Lankan Tamils. Invariably, his favourite topics are – Silambarasan and Kuralesan. Not that he’s talking from the point of view of a father but as a dispassionate observer and lover of cinema. Simbu is stuffed with talent, says T. Rajendar, but the industry is not willing to give the young genius his due.

The difference between a politician and a statesman is that a politician thinks about the next election while the statesman thinks about the next generation. I wish to be a statesman.


TR’s hit flicks picks

tempo and different recording technologies and they are both hits.” Kuralesan, the younger son, though not exposed as much to the industry as Simbu, will also be stepping into films very soon. He finished his schooling and is now preparing to enter the industry. With a fond but exacting father, Kuralesan will be a finished product when he steps in front of the camera. He will have none of the hesitation that a newcomer usually has, making him a sure-shot hit with the next generation of cine-lovers, claims the fond father. Speak about the allegations of vulgarity in his films, T. Rajendar brushes them off. “There are always people who gossip about you, though they will be doing worse things, but when, in spite of their criticisms, you come out a winner, they will clap their hands and encourage you!” He recalls an old maxim, “Only fruit laden trees are stoned,” meaning that only if your films are hits will the gossip-mongers talk about you! It is apparent that the ace showman has met much criticism and ridicule for his actions and beliefs and they just slide off him now. He points out that though he may have gone to other people’s ‘paaratu vizhas’ he has never held one for himself. He really doesn’t need to – with all that self-confidence oozing out of him! “I might go to other people’s functions and give speeches, but never will I hold a function for myself,” declares the master of rhythm. “Appreciation should come spontaneously from the people and should not be a selfpromotional exercise,” an old sentiment that is sadly lacking in many film personalities nowadays.

2001 - Sonnal Thaan Kathala 1999 - Monisha En Monalisa 1994 - Oru Vasantha Geetham 1992 - Enga Veetu Velan 1988 - En Thangai Kalyani 1986 - Maithili Ennai Kadhali 1983 - Uyirullavarai Usha 1983 - Thangaikor Geetham 1981 - Rayil Payanangalil 1980 - Oru Thalai Raagam

Cinema is a dynamic medium; cinema will not change for you but you have change for it. If you can’t do that, you have to step away from it.

At this young age (26 years), Simbu is his father’s son through and through; he’s acted, directed, written lyrics (Kaalai) and even croons a song in each of his films! Reminiscing about his hit song ‘En Aasai Mythiliae’ from Mythili En Kaathali, “It was recorded in the technology available then. Now ‘Where is the party tonight?’ from Silambattam has captured youngsters’ imagination. Very simply, the 2 songs have the same beat but with a different

He believes in God but not in religion – a common enough statement. But he says that he has knowledge of astrology. T. Rajendar says, “Every is pre-written, nothing is re-written.” Hmm... does that mean we have no hope? Nothing wrong in trying, success and failure are secondary he opines, referring to some of his less-than-spectacular ‘filmi’ offerings. “My name is TR and in every TRP rating, I am there. When I talk on TV, the TRP rating goes up. I don’t need to enter politics for money. I can make movies, sing and dance and earn my money through movies,” he insists as he explains his reluctance to buy his way into politics. Throughout the interview, he refuses to name names but his one-liners and witticisms definitely find their mark. In his heyday, T. Rajendar has given hits that rivalled Superstar Rajni’s film collections! That’s amazing, considering that no distributor will take the risk of releasing a film when a Rajni film is around the corner. This unique personality signs off with the assurance that he will be around and very active in cinema during his sons’ time and even when his grandchildren enter the field, he will be there to guide them! Such is his passion and love for cinema as he lives and breathes the craft. You can catch the video interview of this multi-faceted personality on Galatta.com. For more such in-depth interviews and conversations with the men and women who changed the face of cinema, log on to www.galatta.com.

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 45


BEHIND THE SCENES

A V E D U H PRAB

46 GALATTA CINEMA |FEBRUARY 2009


He lost his son just weeks before his second Tamil release was scheduled to hit theatres (this time too with his masala-filled team led by Ilayathalapathy Vijay). Heartbroken but steely-willed that life must go on, Prabhu Deva completed his Villu on time and unleashed his special brand of commercial entertainer to the masses, even as he came to terms with his grief. An insightful chat with this shy, reticent and multi-talented man revealed a lot more than his reasons for being in films...


WHEN I STARTED MY CAREER, I AIMED AT BEING THE BEST, AT LEAST THE BEST IN INDIA


CHOREOGRAPHER TURNED ACTOR TURNED FILM MAKER! ‘Chikupuku Chikipuku Raile, Kalakadu Paru Avan Style...’ Prabhu Deva danced his way into the hearts of cinema lovers all over India with his dance moves in Gentleman. Dancing alongside Gauthami, this son of renowned dance master Sundaram became a household name. He was already popular in South Indian cinema, but now he became known across the country. Prabhu Deva started his career as a dance choreographer. Inspired by his dad, famous dance master Sundaram, Prabhu Deva learnt Bharatanatayam and Western dance to prepare himself well for his debut in films as a dance master. His first film was Vetri Vizha and since then, he has choreographed for over 100 movies in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. He even made appearances in some movies for a song. After making several one song appearances, he turned full time hero with Kadhalan opposite Nagma. The song ‘Mukkala Muqabla’ was a super hit and so was the movie. The song became popular all over the country. The music of the film and Prabhu Deva’s dancing were responsible for the film’s success. He went on to act in many more movies like Sooriyan, Love Birds, Mr. Romeo, Minsara Kanavu, Kadhala Kadhala, Engal Anna and many more... But this did not stop him from continuing to do what he did best: choreography. His work for the song ‘Vennilave’ in Minsara Kanavu (Tamil, starring Prabhu Deva and Kajol, directed by Rajeev Menon) and ‘Main Aisa Kyon Hoon’ in Lakshya (Hindi, starring Hrithik

Roshan, directed by Farhan Akhtar) won him the National Award for Best Choreography twice. Prabhu Deva moved to his first love, movie direction, with the Telugu movie Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana, released in 2005. The movie won the National Award (Best Telugu film). Though he started his acting career in Tamil films, it was not until 2007 that his first directorial release in Tamil, Pokkiri, hit the screens. The movie, starring Vijay and Asin, went on to become the biggest blockbuster of 2007. In 2009, the director joined hands with Vijay once again for Villu. The movie opened to packed houses and was well received by the audience. Galatta Cinema spoke to the director about his films, his ambitions and future plans. What is your mantra for success? There is only one way to success and that is hard work. Of course, you need some amount of luck too. But nothing can replace sincere hard work. How different is actor Prabhu Deva from director Prabhu Deva? As an actor, I think I was more carefree. Even as a choreographer, I was laidback. I did my job and moved on. I did not think about how the movie would do. Actually in the beginning, I was a bit scared to face the camera. But today, I am more serious about my work and more mature. As a director, I have become more concerned about

a film. Now I realize how much hard work goes into making a film and its success is important for all those involved with it. Has language ever been a barrier for you? Not really. Whatever the language, each individual is always different. So it does not matter whether it is a Hindi, Telugu or Tamil movie, as long as you continue to do your work with commitment. How do your see yourself in the future? When I started my career, I aimed at being the best, at least the best in India. It may have seemed far-fetched at that time, but I believe that one has to try to reach the stars, only then one can rise above the ordinary. Success is relative, but you have to try, make an effort. Prabhu Deva has proved time and again that success can be got by sincere hard work. After Villu, he is busy shooting for the Hindi remake of his 2007 superhit Pokkiri. Titled Wanted: Dead or Alive, it stars Salman Khan and Ayesha Takia in lead roles. Though there has been speculation of his returning to acting, Prabhu Deva says that at this point of time, he is happy being behind the camera. Galatta Cinema wishes him all the best in all his endeavours. Log on to www.galatta.com for the complete interview of Prabhu Deva and mor such chats with other behindthe-scenes wizards.

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 49



o

COVER FEATURE

L

A VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL

IS ALL AROUND

She’s definitely the hottest thing that’s happened to Southern cinema. Probably the only star of her peer group who is not afraid to reinvent her looks, image and career priorities, Diana Kurien a.k.a. Nayantara a.k.a. Nayan is definitely tinseltown’s hearthrob, heartbreaker and one hot mama! But a girl on top can also be a girl who loves love. Or can she? Galatta Cinema peeks into what makes this actress’ heart beat, her loves, likes & pet hates...

VE

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 51


STARGAZING

Love, lust, passion, romance, fantastic chemistry with co-stars onscreen, perfect poise and confidence even while being at her glamorous best. Here’s Nayan’s take on that... You have acted with everyone from the Superstar-range to newcomers. So with which “heroes” did you share the best on-screen chemistry? Oh, so many of them, perfect gentlemen, great to work with and learn from and great fun on the sets too! Rajni Sir (amazing how simple and humble he is!), Vijay and Ajith (so friendly, down-to-earth and quietly funny), Dhanush (a barrel of laughs!), Venkatesh, Ravi Teja, Dileep... so many of them who have made my experiences on the sets memorable! He have there been many movies or scenes you were not very comfortable doing? Which ones were they and how did you deal with the situation? For actresses, most of such situations have to do with the shot itself or costumes: too uncomfortable or too skimpy, etc. These have happened to me many times and you know what I do? I go with the flow. It is an actor’s job to choose the right script and team to work with, but when shooting starts, one must trust the director’s vision no matter what you may have envisioned when you read the script. If you have chosen well, you know it won’t go out of hand, even if it’s not as peachy as you thought. Yes, in many movies and shots, I have known when the monitor shows that it’s not flowing well, but I just let it go. Move on. It’s not the end of the world! Is it difficult holding your own, your dignity and personal space, on the sets and in this industry? What’s your mantra? One mantra: Professionalism. The greatest thing that will get you respected with absolutely everyone from co-stars to technicians to producers is to be professional. You cannot force your morals and values down everyone’s throat or demand respect with your star status. You have to prove that you’re a thorough professional, be smart, know when to compromise with limits, know when NOT to be too stiff and in the end, hold your own values and working methods. It’s a lot of hard work, but it is worth it. Even a top star is just a fun-loving girl at heart, wouldn’t you agree? Which actors do you find the hottest? The hottest men I have seen on screen (and sometimes off!) just have to be Brad Pitt and Saif Ali Khan. With Brad Pitt, it’s everything about him and his screen persona; his acting is brilliant, his face and body are to die for and he’s absolutely gorgeous. With Saif, it goes even beyond all that, and there’s respect added to that. I find him super hot in looks and body, including that very charming smile and demeanour, but I also respect him for what he has made of himself in the industry... and for being such a confident MAN. It take guts, the greatest belief in your love for your woman and unshaken faith to show the world you love your woman, get her name tattooed on your body and remain grounded and faithful even under all the prying eyes. He’s a true man!

52 GALATTA CINEMA |FEBRUARY 2009

In the romance/ love genre, is there a movie you’d love to do or wish was made in a South Indian language? Well, I loved watching Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. It was funny, romantic and I loved watching the man go for his woman, overcome all obstacles in a perfectly dedicated, yet cheerful manner, just to get her in his life. Wow! After these, there have been too many beautiful movies to count!

REAL LOVE

So what does love mean to someone as beautiful, successful and ambitious as Nayan? And what kind of man would Mr. Right be, to sweep this lass off her feet? You know you are in love when…? Actually, you don’t. Shocked? It’s true. I am not the type of person who falls instantly in love. It takes time, togetherness, conversations, body language and compatibility of the mind before I can give myself to loving someone. And you know what? Such love is the kind that creeps up on you and one day you realize you really like this guy and want to spend all your time with him and you fell in love with him and didn’t even know it! Never mind if it takes a few days, weeks or years. That’s how it is. So what kind of man would your Mr. Right be? There is no Mr. Right. Shocked again? It’s true, though! Mr. Right is simply someone who is a whole bundle of rights and wrongs and you’re OK with that combo! Someone who, in all his imperfection, is the one guy who I would want to spend my life with. But some basic conditions are there, of course! For one, he has to be so self-assured and unshaken in his determination to DO something, that he would just DO it and not simply talk about doing it. My man would be a MAN, confident and sure about himself even as he loves me to bits, from me as a person to me as a career girl. And he should be sensitive to other people’s feelings and compassionate. Be ready to help to his best ability. Not necessarily Superman, but super in his own way. That would be my man! Right now, though, I am happily single and loving my life and career, so he’s gonna take a while to come by, I think! Do you always plan or weigh your relationships or just let emotions do the thinking? You just cannot plan a relationship. You can resist falling in love, resist giving yourself, resist compromising your stand... but at the end of the day, if you’re smitten, you’re smitten. Don’t fight it; instead, work with it. All relationships have ups and downs. How do you deal with the downs? How do you deal with heartbreak? With your own strength of conviction. It’s a difficult task and my rules may not apply to anyone else and there is no one rule to solve a situation, you have to balance what your heart says with what your mind advises. For example, if my relationship weren’t working out too well, I’d take a step out of my confusion and tears and look at


L

O

V

E THY WILL BE MINE



it with some clarity. Do I want to give it my best shot? Is it worth my time and love to give it that shot? If my heart says yes, and my principles say go for it, I would. If, deep down, I feel that working at a problem would only hurt me more, I would let it go, move on, learn from my past relationships... Every experience in life only makes one stronger and wiser... What magic potion do you think keeps a relationship together? Like my take on Mr. Right... there is no “magic potion” that works for all relationships, all the time, for everyone. You have to do the awfully difficult task of balancing every part of yourself and decide. What’s great for me may be a curse for someone else. But yes, some basic things that you can rely on a relationship for would be inner strength, unshaken love and absolute honesty. I would be honest with myself and honest with my man and he should be the same. It helps us be clear of where we stand with each other, in any situation.

A smart, young, successful woman like Nayan knows that there’s more to love than passion and romance. Love is about togetherness and companionship. Do you believe in love at first sight, or in letting love grow, like fine wine? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it now. Friendship that grows into love is my belief and emotional make-up. It is my belief that there is no such thing as love at first sight. It’s usually attraction! But friendship that grows into love has both magic and strength, both qualities that make for a super romantic relationship! So friendship is equally important as love, in a relationship? Equally! Friendship means knowing each other’s faults and goodness and loving each other anyway! Frienship means great conversations, comfort levels and fun! Friendship can only mean more love! So describe the perfect relationship between your man and you, how you would regard each other... With honesty, respect and high self-esteem that comes from being strong and grounded in our own

Won’t a romantic angle spoil a good friendship? Only if you let it! Every relationship depends on you, so it is not the tag of “friendship” or “love” that directs a relationship, it’s how committed YOU are to it! In my relationships, I feel that being comfortable with my man only enhances the romance in what we share together. And one can’t feel like roses and wine every moment of the day, so what is left? Friendship. Togetherness. Companionship. A buddy you can hang out with.

LO VE

ACTUALLY

LOVE & FRIENDSHIP

careers, beliefs and principles. A well-balanced career couple, for example, have the opportunity of a great relationship, where they have so much to talk about and their own self-confidence is at such a high. Plus, working hours away from each other make them appreciate their time together and with family!

NAYANTARA’S QUICK TIPS ON LOVE

So have you ever met anyone who has made your heart flutter and made you feel like a buddy at the same time? (A disbelieving tone in her voice) Can you believe, none at all! Of all the wonderful people I have met and known, not a single man had my heart singing for love! But never mind, I have a lot of time and I k know it will happen to me one d day... (A glint of mischief in her vvoice)

BODY & SOUL B 1. Be honest; with yourself, with your lover. 2. Don’t jump into love. Feel it, feel the companionship and go for a languid swim in it. Let it engulf you, even as you balance your emotions with your mind’s advice. 3. Get into the comfort zone. Like your lover before you love your lover. It keeps a relationship stronger and more meaningful. 4. Know where to draw the line between your workspace and personal space. One should not invade or confuse the other. And let people know which space THEY can get into! 5. Give in to love. Be strong and be there for yourself if it doesn’t work out, but don’t shun it. Let it flow in, work at it and if it’s meant to be, it will happen. Happy loving, dear readers and fans!

I the 21st century and the It’s y youth understands that a perfect rrelationship starts in the mind aand ends at the body, a healthy b blend of both. Let’s see what N Nayan has to say about that... D Do you believe that physical ccompatibility is as important as eemotional? A Absolutely. D Don’t let anyone tell you any d different because everyone K KNOWS this is true, even if tthey don’t want to openly admit iit. If my man and I can’t be as p physically compatible as we aare otherwise, the relationship jjust would not be complete. A And it is so frustrating when p people want to cheapen this cconcept. It is not about sex, it iis not just about the body, it is aabout a beautiful culmination o of a beautiful relationship. I ttake care of my mind, I am h happy, I look after my health

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 55


LOVE

IS A MANY


SPLENDOURED THING and body, I am self-confident and self-assured and if I look for the same from my man, along with the essential emotional and mental compatibility, what is wrong! It is an important part of a healthy relationship. Speaking of compatibility, what kind of love gets you where it should: purple passion, crazy and fun stuff together or mushy romance? Believe it or not, mushy romance! (Smiles at my disbelief) See, here’s the picture: we’ve got this great relationship going, we’re perfect for each other, but soon, there will be other people in our lives, our children, then their children, our homes, work, lives, commitments... so how do we keep the magic going even when we’re 80? With romance. With those flowers and sweet notes and amateur poetry and holding hands and dinners together. And when you keep the romance alive, you keep the relationship alive! Several relationships scream: Sex is over-rated! And several scream: Sex is under-rated. Your take on this? Oh dear Lord! Do you believe me to be a sensible, mature and wise girl? (We nod, of course, or we wouldn’t even be talking to her and having a such a great time doing it!) Then let’s just let this question go. I don’t want to say what I feel from my heart and my common sense and turn it into controversy! (smiles) Ok, we understand perfectly. Now, choose: Intimacy is a matter of the mind or is it a matter of the body? It starts at the mind, moves to the body and ends at the mind again. Simple. Intimacy is about comfort, love, romance and a strong relationship. Without all of these, being intimate is just a bawdy physical thing and I am not for such a thing. So a perfect relationship should have physical attraction and intimacy in equal portions? I’ve said so already. It’s a perfect blend of platonic and non-platonic. You can’t be intimate if you’re not attracted to your beau and you can’t be intimate if you don’t intrinsically like your beau and are comfortable with him or her. At least in my equation, don’t take one away from the other, they’re all essential and interlinked.

SAFE IN LOVE, SAFE AT WORK

Nayan is the best at keeping her self-esteem and personal space perfectly in place and here’s how she says she does it...

about letting it slide. You let it slide once, it will happen again. Stand up for yourself and be true to yourself. People will stand back and respect your space. How do you maintain your dignity and self-confidence on the sets? Oh, it’s not an easy task. As much as I am sensible and careful, I also like my dose of fun and laughs, but I have to work hard not to let my hair down too much, because I don’t want to be taken for granted. I have a few unwritten rules for myself that keep me out of temptation’s way. For example, I never conduct business on the sets. It has to be done through the proper people, through protocol. I don’t engage in unnecessary conversation with anyone. Usually my co-stars and I become friends after a few schedules, so I am more comfortable with them. I keep my conversations and discussions with everyone to the point and very open. That’s it. There’s little chance of people making up stories about me, belittling me and all that. It’s a tough job, though, to be on my guard all the time. Being mobbed by adoring fans – how do you keep yourself safe? Not much of a problem, really. There are always people around me when I travel outside, even to a movie theatre and in any case, crowds here aren’t usually particularly rowdy. How do you keep your composure even as you are called a glamdoll and hot goddess by all around you? Sometimes, when I think back on how much work I have put into a movie, I wish people would see that we are what THEY make of us. They watch us, enjoy our dancing and singing, so why criticise us afterwards? But no matter what, I walk into a movie fully aware of my role and my look. I am open to performance-oriented roles, but where are the projects? There are but a handful of such movies with strong heroine roles, even if they aren’t fully arty and heroine-oriented ones. Face it. It’s a commercial industry; the very people who slot me also love watching my movies. I am very clear and committed to all my projects and I too have proven that I can be as versatile as I am beautiful. What would be the one thing about you that you would guard even in a relationship? My ethics, my principles, my honesty.

A splendid star and a strong young lady, is Nayantara; honest and forthright. She is truly the perfect modern face of the Indian If someone on the sets tries to act fresh with you, what Woman. would you do? I absolutely don’t stand for it and the solution is to react to Catch her complete take on love on www.galatta.com. Our it immediately. Don’t look at your image, don’t think about Nayantara gallery is replete with the latest imagery and our Villu public embarrassment -- it’s only embarrassing for the man special gives you a peek into the glam Vijay-Nayan charisma. Simply log on and enjoy the charm! if he’s openly accused and found out -- and don’t think

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 57


A VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL

L

VE BYTES

A SPECIAL VALENTINE DAY SPECIAL - WATCH LOVE BLOSSOM ..BE NOURISHED...BE CHERISHED... BE GLORIFIED... BE SEXED UP...IN THIS GALATTA CINEMA EXCLUSIVE PEEK INTO THE LOVE LIFE OF THE CELEBRITY GALAXY...

ARYA & TRISHA IN SARVVAM


SIMBU... A SOFTIE AT HEART I fall in and out of love so often, I sometimes wonder if I am just softhearted or is there something else about me! But I love pampering my woman and you know what! I get pampered a lot myself! I like to think I am a passionate person, so I give all of myself to my relationships... perhaps that is the thing that people love AND hate about me... this is me, I give my all and what you see is what you get. My woman has to be all-woman and yet, strong and self-assured. She has to need me as much as I need her! Right now, though, my love and passion is my work.

SADA... ON FINDING TRUE LOVE I am not a party animal, so the only people I meet are those on my sets and my friends. That true-blue, “forever� kind of love is still elusive to me, but you know what? I am not even looking for it right now! Work and more work. Tamil, Telugu and Hindi movies beckon me and I am going to answer their call, make a name for myself. And when I find my own Mr. Perfect, it will be simply, well... perfect!

A RELATIONSHIP WORKS ON RESPECT, MUTUAL SUPPORT AND CREATIVE SPACE - DHANUSH

AISHWARYA... ON DHANUSH What I love the most about Dhanush is not just the friendship we share along with love and the loads of laughs. It is his confidence in me and his constant encouragement of whatever I want to take up, be it direction or dance. He always says, if you want to do it, go for it, I support you. I love and admire the way he looks at me and women in general as individuals with their own skills and talent and never slots them. When he is being so supportive, it actually spurs me on and makes me want to do more, in fact! Of course, we share all else that make up a great couple, but his quiet do encouragement and support of what I want to definitely tops my list!


ARYA ON COMMITMENT All I know is that I am not ready for it just yet. It’s not because I don’t believe in fidelity and giving my 100% in a relationship. I only say it because I am too focussed on my career, my football and living it up to do any justice to even a short-term relationship. My serious love affair right now is with my movies, something I take a break from regularly for my football and occasionally to hang out with my buddies. But when I am ready, you can be sure, love will be what I do best!

ARYA & TRISHA IN A STILL FROM SARVVAM

ANUSHKA... TO LOVE ME IS TO KNOW ME... I am a rollercoaster ride all by myself. Now, now, don’t get any ideas, here’s what I mean: Even as a child, I was very stubborn and tried to get my way as often as I could... and I loved adventure and mystery. The unknown beckons me and the unpredictable excites me! All this is not to say that I am bouncing off the walls at anything and everything. In fact, loud and vivacious though I can be with my closest company, I am usually demure and not a very people-person. In fact so many have started out thinking that I am an arrogant girl, but are now my dear friends, after the first conversations broke the ice. So Mr. Right, this is me - I will give my 100% fearlessly to love, but are you man enough for me, to handle my exuberance, my ambitions and my personality?!

TRISHA ON COMMITMENT So many people ask me when I am going to “settle down” into a marriage or at least, a permanent relationship. Why? I have so many dreams, so much to do! I would be doing justice neither to my work and my ambitions nor my man if I thought seriously about the “C” word right now. In time, though, I will and I will work at making it beautiful and lasting. But remember, ANY relationship, short-term or long, requires some amount of commitment and effort. RADIKAA AND I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF LIFE AND LOVE BEFORE WE MARRIED. WHICH MEANS THAT WE BOTH BROUGHT NOT JUST LOVE AND ROMANCE TO THE TABLE, BUT ALSO WISDOM, LESSONS LEARNT AND A LOT OF UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT!

- R. SARATH KUMAR

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 65


RAHASIYA... LOVING THE SINGLE LIFE Don’t get me wrong, I am a woman too; and I would also like to find my soulmate some time in my life. But for now, I have so much to do - my work is just beginning to look better and better, I need to get to the top of what I want to do, I want to dance, party, hang out with my friends, take off on holidays whenever I am not working, have a blast... I am so not ready to settle down to commitment or a married life! There is a man for me who will love me to pieces and treat me like a queen; a man I will give my all for, but for now, I am married to my work and devoted to my family and friends. Of course, I have had my share of beautiful relationships, but they could never have lasted! (Laughs)

IT’S TOO EARLY FOR LOVE!

CELEBRITY COUPLES WHO’VE GOT IT GOING ON GC BOWS TO THESE COUPLES WHO SHOW US THAT CELEB MARRIAGES CAN WORK WELL TOO! RADIKAA & SARATH KUMAR KHUSHBU & SUNDAR C. A.R. RAHMAN & SAIRA

GAUTHAMI... FAMILY COMES FIRST! I call his daughters too as “my girls”. In fact, the four of us are by ourselves a gang of closely bonded “girls”! We have both been through a lot and the thing that stands out the clearest is our commitment to friendship and an intelligent relationship between each other in the family. As for the wagging tongues, we don’t put them over the REAL issues. We are older, wiser and much more grounded in our lives right now, so our focus is to support our family even while working on our own dreams. We live for our ideals, we live for the moment and we live for our family with peace and togetherness.

MANI RATNAM & SUHASINI NAGARJUNA & AMALA AJITH & SHALINI MADHAVAN & SARITA VAMSI & RAMYA KRISHNAN UPENDRA & PRIYANKA TRIVEDI


VIMALA RAMAN... LOVE IN THE 20s Love is great at any age, but the 20s are for making a name for yourself and for experiencing the world. Balance it out. Work hard, party hard, enjoy your relationships, but get your priorities right. I am right now all about work and friends. The 20s are a sizzling age - you’ve arrived as an adult, but still have the enthusiasm of a teenager. I like to combine these to choosely my projects wisely and yet let my hair down for some fun! The world is my oyster and I want to see all of it, including the pearl inside!

WE ARE EACH SO DIFFERENT AND YET, WE LIKE SO MANY OF THE SAME THINGS. HE GIVES ME MY SPACE, RESPECTS MY WORK AND I LOVE HIS FAMILY LIKE MINE. AND VICE VERSA. THESE ARE DEFINITELY SOME BASIC ESSENTIALS FOR A HAPPY START TO A MARRIAGE, IN TODAY’S WORLD. - SRIYA REDDY ACTOR, PRODUCER

TOP MOST ROMANTIC FLICKS TO WATCH THIS VALENTINE’S DAY SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE Danny Boyle’s tale of inner strength and success is actually one of undying love! GC’S MUSH RATING

VAARANAM AAYIRAM Perhaps Gautham Menon’s best movie so far, it starts with love and ends with love. Beautiful all the way. GC’S MUSH RATING

NANDANAM This Malayalam PrithvirajNavya Nair movie is all about love, so be prepared for great doses of mush! GC’S MUSH RATING

VINAYAKUDU The thing we like most about this movie is how the girl is confident and successful. Feelgood all the way! GC’S MUSH RATING

ABBAS & ERUM ALI LOVE, TRUST... FUN! This couple is one to be admired and draw inspiration from. He, a fun-loving, eternally young actor and she, a successful-yet-grounded designer. Together, they go on family dates, spend loads of time with kids, watch movies, party hard and still find time to do justice to their work! Way to go!

SANTOSH SUBRAMANIAM The things that love makes you do! Under all that laughter is touching poignancy. GC’S MUSH RATING

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 67


SHRIYA... ON ROMANCE AND INTIMACY ONSCREEN I am a God-fearing and spiritual person. But I am also bold and self- confident, and I know exactly how my family supports me and just how far I would allow myself to go. So, you’ll see a lot of sizzle and glamour, but that doesn’t mean that I am instantly attracted to everyone or that I am “wild” girl, nosirree! They’re for the movie and I don’t have any hypocritical inhibitions when I sign my contracts for my movies. When I accept a project, even one with a lot of skinshow, I only agree if I trust the director and the team. I am wise, I have my limits and I keep it real! PIC COURTESY: FRAPPE PUBLICATIONS

LOVE CONNECTION BEYOND BORDERS

LAILA... ON MOTHERLY LOVE

- NAMRATA & MAHESH BABU

The whole industry went into shock when I decided to marry Mehdi, my boyfriend of many years. But I am in such a beautiful place with such a darling son who keeps me busy and a great guy who keeps the romance alive in our marriage! Family is my life right now and movies will come later!

- KAMAL HAASAN & SARIKA - HEMA MALINI & DHARMENRA SRIDEVI & BONEY KAPOOR - SURIYA & JYOTIKA - UPENDRA & PRIYANKA - AMALA & NAGARJUNA - RAMYA KRISHNAN & VAMSI

MADHAVAN & SARITA... ON MULTI-FACETED LOVE SARITA: We met ages ago, but you know what? The magic is still there. We’re friends, we still love each other and Maddy is a guy with so many interests other than his movies, that life with him is never stuck in a rut, it’s always interesting! MADDY: Sarita has stood by me through thick and thin, from the time I was a TV artiste to now, when I am juggling movies from North to South! She is my wife, my lover, my friend and my business partner!

BEST KEPT CELEB SECRETS GC WONDERS: TRUE OR FALSE??? We’re not saying it happened, but we sure did read about it! Simbu was madly in love with our lovely covergirl during the tumultuous Vallavan. Shriya and Jesse Metcalfe cootchie-cooed their way into the tabloids. Kamal Haasan split up with Sarika, then Simran and now has found peace with Gauthami. Arya couldn’t figure out if it was love with Nila. Lakshmi found Dhoni hot beyond his cricketing... True or not? We can only wonder!


SANGITHA... ON THE DATING GAME It was difficult at first. We are both private people and we like to keep our off-screen persona away from prying eyes. Both are very individualistic, so we had to have our meeting of minds before we could decide where we’re going. We each had to know what changes we were ready to make in our lives before we decided to get married. We kept it quiet, we kept it real and here we are, newly married and all set for a happy life together! Wish us luck!

THE NEWLY WED BRIGADE... The last couple of years have seen a slew of celebrity weddings, some grand and some hush-hush. Given the usually conservative nature of our industry’s men and women, not many of these couples are seen doing the social rounds. Some of them, though, happily, seem to be out and having a good time together as a pair - it’s lovely to see them dressed up, at each other’s arm and all smiles and bonhomie. Here are our favourites... SRIKANTH & VANDANA

VINAY’S PERFECT DATE My tastes are usually so different from the casual rockstar you see me on screen as. I like to be the gentleman, the spoiler. On a perfect date, which would be in a softly lit secluded spot (a table for two on my apartment rooftop?), I would be in a tux, my lovely date would look every inch a woman, we would have wine, hold hands, look into each others’ eyes and have endless conversation; I would perhaps order in food from the best restaurant (and maybe tell her I made it for her myself!) and my entire evening would be spent in just giving her a lovely time. As for the perfect ending, I don’t kiss and tell! But I’d know it was perfect if she goes home happy that I was as good to her as she wanted me to be before our date began!

VINAY AND HIS “THUNDERBOLT” JIIVA & SUPRIYA

It was as Mario Puzo termed it - I was at a nightclub and I saw this woman and she knew I was looking at her... I didn’t know her and when I went back to meet her again another night, she was gone; moved out of India. She was beautiful and I don’t know if what I felt was love or attraction, but it was powerful... I have never felt that way with a woman again, even today!


WOOING THE PERFECT WOMAN...GETTING THE PERFECT MAN... KNOWING REEMA... Listen, Mr. Perfect: you have never met someone like me before. Just when you think I am a darling, I can quell you with a look. And just when you think I am an ice maiden, you can melt me with the right moves. I have simple needs and yet I am high-maintenance. I have my faults, but I will look closely at every single one of yours. You can annoy me as easily as you can sweep me off my feet. Intrigued? Here’s how YOU can get into my heart...

OOZING MANLINESS The biggest attraction for a man, to me, is his absolute faith in himself and how he is “all man”. I don’t mean a hunky, sitcom idol, but a man who is so sure of himself, it shows in his carriage, in his walk. The way he is unfazed, his innate elegance, the way he remains unshaken in his thoughts and ideals.

A SELF-MADE MAN Some successful women have a problem with men who are more successful than they. I am not one of them. In fact, I’d love it if my man is even more successful, financially and otherwise, than me. It means he has his own individuality that has nothing to do with me. It draws me that a man has made it in his own right and can now take care of me and love me on an equal footing!

ONE-WOMAN POWERHOUSE My man has to be a most committed and devoted on-woman man. It’s the small things he does for me that matter - courtesy, flowers, thoughtfulness, etc. Like Richard Gere in Pretty Woman, simply with suave charm that hides a warm heart, he should break through my shell and get to the real me!

SEXY MEANS CLASSY, SEXY MEANS CHIVALROUS

REEMA SEN

Bad language? Yeesh. Crude behaviour? Get out of here! Sloppy dressing? Leave right now! Yes, my man has to be nicely dressed, smell great, ooze charisma, be absolutely chivalrous, be dignified in his language and at least for the time he is with me, he has to pamper me and show me that he has thoughts only for me!

I LOVE WOMEN I am a sucker for beautiful women. Thank you God for giving them to us plebeian men! No, I don’t mean you have to look all pretty and dolled up, but you have to be a true WOMAN. It should be in your walk, your eyes, the way you carry yourself, your laugh, the way you speak... Such a woman I can spot from the other end of a crowded room, even!

AS STRONG AS SHE IS BEAUTIFUL My kinda girl is not a wimp. She doesn’t have downcast eyes and isn’t timid. She is confident and happy. She looks at me directly in the eye. When she smiles, it’s real. When I need a shoulder to lean on, hers must be there, strong and supportive.

DARING, YET DIGNIFIED Ok. I like my woman to be gung-ho. I like her brashness, I like her gleaming mischief and her love for fun. I can even take a little bit of bawdy language. What I DON’T like is if she takes all of this a little too far and becomes more like a man than a woman! Some limits please? Even the grungiest beauty should still smell of some nice perfume, have clean nails and teeth, take a little effort to look good for me. And put some limit on the crudeness!

SUCCESS SHINES THROUGH Yeah ok, I am making money and have my career all chalked out. But if my woman too has her individuality, nothing like it! I don’t care if she’s a 9-to5er or a businesswoman or a multi-tasking homemaker, but she should be good at whatever she does and confident while facing the world. The positivity of a busy, successful woman shines through and boy, that really turns me on!

VISHAL


POPKORN


There are movies that come, make some noise but eventually, slip into oblivion. But there are other movies that come and leave deep impressions on the mind for years to come. Director Bala is one of those artsy directors who go off the beaten path, to bring to life dark stories that will forever haunt audiences. In that line of celluloid epics, comes the much-awaited Naan Kadavul… Bala’s signature style of movies are those that leave you with a funny feeling in the stomach. Sad, yet real. Disturbing, yet riveting. Abandoned by his father for no fault of his, Rudran, a young boy, finds his way to Kasi, where he begins to live in the company of sages and sanyasis. Fascinated by what he sees and with not many other options, the boy takes on the severe life of the sages, to eventually become one himself. Matted long

locks, an equally unkempt mop of beard on his face, this is what Rudran grows to look like. In his eyes, the sages see a fierce light and in his being, they sense an almost unearthly spirit. What is it that makes this young man so tough and impenetrable? What divine powers has his devout meditation earned him from the gods? As the sadhus who know him wonder on, his father returns – guilty for having abandoned his son based on superstition. When he discovers that his boy now resembles a raving madman, he forces Rudran to return home with him. Rudran is once again thrust into a strange new world, but this time, he is not quite as malleable. Normal life as we know it, is not normal for him. And eventually, he decides he was better off amidst the murmuring sadhus and returns to Kasi, but not before a touching yet doomed relationship with the blind beggar girl Hamsavalli. It’s taken more than two years to make, and the expectations have grown manifold ever since the release of the movie’s trailer, stills and music. But before this masterpiece hits the screens, let’s look at some different facets of Naan Kadavul...

NAAN KADAVUL Releasing 6th February


THE DEMI-GODS SPEAKETH… NAAN POOJA

NAAN ARYA

Arya shed his lover boy image with Arindhum Ariyamalum. And now, he takes the rugged look to a whole new level. If you’ve checked out the stills for the movie or caught a glimpse of the trailer, you’re sure to have winced at the sight of the hideous avatar that Arya has taken on in Naan Kadavul. Thick brown long hair, matted beyond repair, replace his usual longish straight tresses. We were not so perturbed when he quit his clean-shaven look for a little stubble. But this thicket of a beard on his face makes it hard to recognize the actor himself! There are no traces of the handsome hunk who stole our hearts in his debut, but Arya has no worries of losing the lasses. His faith in the movie transcends such petty worries. “The first thing that director Bala did when it was settled that I would play the lead in Naan Kadavul, was show me a picture of a sadhu standing upside down. He gave me 35 days to learn how to do that because that’s the opening scene. Without realizing the difficulty involved in achieving that posture, I happily agreed! But when I spoke to a yoga master, he said it usu-

78 GALATTA CINEMA |FEBRUARY 2009

ally takes about 18 months to perform that upside down stunt for someone as new to yoga as me! So you can imagine just how hard I had to work to be able to imitate the sadhu in the photograph within the timespan Bala sir gave me!” says Arya of his very first experience with Naan Kadavul. “But now I’ve been with him for almost three years and I’ve come to learn what a patient teacher he is. He will never push an actor too much to do something. He just tells us what he expects us to do and gives us ample time to learn how to perform the feat. Because in the end, it’s perfection he seeks. I may not have had a single release in 2008, but Naan Kadavul’s release this year will more than make up for it,” he confidently adds. FUN FACT “The only trouble I’ve had since I signed on for the movie is that I couldn’t step out of my house! With such a huge beard, it’s hard not be messy while eating or even sipping on tea! Sometimes I even had to use a straw to drink tea or coffee!”

“Naan Kadavul, besides being the whetstone for my acting skills, has also taught me how to be a better human being. It has taught me to be more compassionate, to be more thankful for this life, to be happier, to be more humble. Most of these I learnt from Bala sir and it’s people like him that tell you that there’s still hope for mankind.” Thus coos leading lady Pooja about Naan Kadavul. Bala had already started shooting for the movie and he had not yet zeroed in on an actress for the role at hand. But fortunately for this versatile beauty, he picked her and she is more than happy to have been a part of this venture, even if it has taken three years to make. “Naan Kadavul has been a series of surprises for me. I went for the test shoot thinking Bala sir was going to be one big tyrant and wring me dry. I was so surprised when he turned out to be this patient, soft-spoken and generous man. It was a fabulous experience for me. Did you know that Bala sir insisted I dub for the movie myself ? I must say dubbing was so much harder than acting! But I must say I’m happy I did it!” FUN FACT “For all of you who keep saying Arya and me are in love, here’s some news. Even if we were the last two people on earth, I would not marry him! He’s my best friend and we hang out a lot, but that’s it. If it went beyond friendship, that would set off World War 3!”


NAAN

BALA

Naan Kadavul has been making news since its title was announced! Director Bala has not given a movie in five years, and it’s been nearly three years since the announcement of Naan Kadavul, so one might wonder what’s been keeping him? 80% of the movie’s cast consists of physically challenged people, specially challenged people and some victims of both. As such, getting them to act and emote has been such a painstaking job, and no wonder the delay in production. But Bala has no regrets. So what if a star actor stomped out of his demanding project, he had faith he would make a star of whoever took on the role. In Sethu, he dealt with a young lad who suddenly loses his mind; in Nandha, it was about a boy who turns to a life of

crime because of his strained relationship with his mother; in Pithamagan, he narrated the story of man who grew up in the cremation grounds, devoid of emotions. In each endeavour, the young director has put his career on the line to bring to the silver screen a moving story of an unusual mind. His protagonists and their actions are often results of the scathing treatment doled

out to them by society. Naan Kadavul is yet another story that falls in line with his usual films, but it’s bound to bring fresh excitement and thrills. Bala is a secretive man, preferring to let his work do the talking rather than himself. And time and again, his movies speak volumes of his eye for detail and his passion for realistic cinema. Given that cinema is larger than life, it’s quite extraordinary to make events portrayed on the big screen reflect life and yet appear with more grandeur. But Bala has found the magic formula that deftly blends reality with cinematic strokes. One of the main highlights of Naan Kadavul, insiders say, is just how true-to-life the fight sequences are. Bala is not one who would agree if a hand raised to slap another artiste did not in fact touch the one supposed to receive the slap. And it’s no wonder that at the end of the 30-day climax fight, Arya and the villain Rajendran were nursing real wounds!

NAANGAL KRISHNAMURTHY, JAYAMOHAN The man who ensured that every object in the field of the camera belonged d to the story is Art Director Krishnamurthy. He has played a vital role in the film that is touted to win several awards even before it is released. “I do o not work on a film hoping for awards. I just want to be a part of good projects. The awards are simply a bonus!” says Krishnamurthy. Bala’s signature realism is through Krishnamurthy’s work in the film, like on the simple yett breathtaking yogi hutments he created on the banks of the Ganges. The Art Director says that it was an absolute delight to work with Bala, who not only required very naturalistic sets but also employed very simple people to act in the movie – people who had no celebrity baggage and hence fit their parts well.

controversial themes of the movie is the portrayal of the Agory Cult – a group of sages who worship Rudra, an avatar of Lord Shiva, who is associated with the dead. Agory sages are known for their habit of living on cremation grounds, meditating on dead bodies and eating human flesh. Jayamohan who is well versed with the Agory Cult, has also interacted with such sages!

Jayamohan explains Bala’s talent as a director through a certain scene, one that hardly lasts a few moments. “When I wrote the script, there was a scene in which Rudran is all alone. I described him as being so alone, that even God was not with him. Bala immediately asked me how he could convert this into a visual. I asked him how he would have shown it had I said God was with him. It seemed quite a challenge at the time. But when I saw that particular scene, I felt Bala usually opts to write the diainside me that Rudran was logues for his movies himself, but with h so alone, because even Naan Kadavul. he decided to go with God was not with him. the words of writer Jayamohan. Well There are several known for his novel Yezham Ulagam people in the shot, [The Seventh World], Jayamohan has but still you will done in-depth research into the varifeel Rudran’s ous themes that form the crux of Naan n solitutde.” Kadavul, and hence proved an apt writer for the movie. One of the most

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 79


HOT

MUSIC TO MOVE THE

SPOTS

GODS Ilayaraja is not called the Maestro for no reason! If his rendering of the Thiruvasagam touched your heart, the music album of Naan Kadavul will strum on your heart-strings! Every composition is a musical masterpiece in divine Indian classical rhythms that just melt your heart and soul. Combined with some fabulous lyrics, the songs sing of human emotions and are bound to move listeners to tears. ‘Om Sivoham’ in the voice of Vijay Prakash is one powerful number. The Rudra Mantras that are recited through the course of the song send out potent vibes. ‘Oru Kaatril’ in the ever-enduring voice of the Maestro, and Madhu Balakrishna’s ‘Pichai Pathiram’ are bound to get the nods from patrons of Carnatic music. Vaali’s excellent lyrics for ‘Amma Un Pillai’, sung by Sadhana Sargam, fills one with a sense of divine calm as only Ilayaraja’s music can. ‘Matha Un Kovilil’ by Madhumitha is also a heartening composition, but of the ladies, the one who landed the best song is Shreya Ghoshal. Already popular for the way she captures human emotions in the modulations of her voice, Shreya has sung ‘Kannil Parvai’ with such passion that one can’t but help wanting to immediately lend a helping hand to the blind girl begging for alms around the corner.

80 GALATTA CINEMA |FEBRUARY 2009

The Naan Kadavul team toured India shooting at some rather unconventional spots – unconventional because, they are not the usual glamorous locales that our filmy dudes like to shoot at! The Kumbh Mela that takes place once in 12 years in Allahabad is the ultimate sadhu magnet! So obviously, director Bala was not going to let the opportunity to shoot at the Mela pass. In the midst of almost a crore of sanyasis and devotees, a fifteen member Naan Kadavul team spent several hard days of shooting. But in the end, the sequence came out so well, that they forgot that for the entire time they were there, they slept in small tents erected on the roadside! No posh five star hotel suites for these poor souls! The climax fight is what everyone lucky enough to have caught a glimpse of is raving about. Stunt master Super Suprayan spent a solid 40 days with the crew in Kasi where the bone-breaking, blood splattering grand finale takes place. Not just for the climax, but Kasi, along with Varanasi, is one of the prime locales of the movie. A rather beautiful set created on the banks of the Ganges served as the place where the sanyasis meditated. Other places that were integral locations for the movie include Periyakulam and Theni.


GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 81


the

MUMTAJ

There’s not a single soul down South who does not know the voluptuous beauty that is Mumtaj... She’s been sizzling the cine scene since the day she stepped in front of the camera for T. Rajendar’s Monisha Yen Monalisa. Her’s was no downplayed, low-key entry. Low necks and short skirt that left a bare minimum to the imagination was how she jumped onto the silver screen, and from then on, it’s been an unending process of wooing followers and breaking hearts... Daring, bold, eye-popping are some words that describe Mumtaj’s cinematic journey with accuracy. And she had no qualms about flaunting her great looks... Kushi brought us this sassy lass in her sexiest best... Kattipudida is


mph girl the rauchiest item number till date, all thanks to madam Mumtaj and her awesome moves, of course! If you thought she looked super-hot already, you better brace yourself before you flip the page! She’s taken the heat up a few degrees more, so don’t be surprised if you break into a sweat, or burn your fingers when you try to trace her curves! Mumtaj, we thought, would never need a makeover or facelift. With her dangerous curves, there seemed no scope for improvement. We were just not prepared for what she had in store for us when she smiled, hinting that she had just upped the OOMPH factor! She’s not just upped it, she’s got it soaring!


Upon the eapaart H ota-ws t... oman Lose yourself in her eyes or take a dip in her honey sweet lips! But beware of the renewed power in her spirit, it just might be a bit too much for the weak hearted. She’s got the look and the style! And the aura of sensuality emanates a heat that will scorch your finger tips if you dare get too close!

92 GALATTA CINEMA |FEBRUARY 2009


Hot just got hotter - that’s the story of her success! She was ravishing in her debut movie, and now she is simply stunning! She’s got the mercury rising to the verge of boiling! Shah Jahan’s lady love was the only Mumtaj we knew, till this hot babe came along and added a new flavour to that name. When she puts on her dancing shoes and the music begins, she sets the dance floor ablaze with her seductive moves. It’s not just the guys who are hypnotized by her swaying hips; she even leaves the ladies mesmerized.

The laDder esms ucitec ofhers to ovie star rise from m girl

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 93


‘Come and get me’ say her eyes! But all beauty is a snare! This lovely lady has her heart space all filled up! All you guys out there, worry not, you still have a chance, for she’s just romancing her job right now! Kissable lips and huggable hips, but there’s no man who’s won her affections or lived up to her expectations, and she waits in all earnest for him to come along. In the meantime, she’s shaping up and shimmering up to adorn the silver screen and grace the dreams of her beloved worshippers.

s e y e m o o r d Be d on love her stan

94 GALATTA CINEMA |FEBRUARY 2009


Cat on the l on prodyw a on missi la

One look at her and you just know what she’s trying to do! She’s all out to woo you! She’s back with a vengeance and looks like there’s no stopping this wild cat any more! She’s tucked in her abs, toned up her body and she’s got that look in her eyes that speaks volumes of what’s going on inside her. She’s here to prove a point. The sidelines are not for her; they never were and never shall be. She’s here to step right over naysayers and glide up to the top, where she truly belongs.

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 95


stars

DEBUTANTS In the hot seat

SIYA

A student of psychology, Siya was busy with her studies and modelling assignments when she was approached for the Telugu movie Neninthe. And before she knew it, this bindaas girl was playing the lead role in the film! Her debut role of a movie dancer gave her enough scope to perform as well as be glamorous. Off-screen, she may be simple and reserved, but Siya has a lot of guts and oomph to make it to the top!

SNIGDHA This Marathi mulgi (girl) made her entry into Kollywood with a bang (of course you remember her moves in the song ‘Kathale Kannale’ from Anjaathe). But that does not mean she’s gonna remain an item girl. She plays the lead in the soon-to-release Nandhalala. Her look in the film is completely different from her glam look in her item song. And we must say she looks completely at ease doing an offbeat role in an offbeat film. But will she be as snug in an actor’s garb as she is in dancing shoes? We’ll have to wait and watch!

96 GALATTA CINEMA |FEBRUARY 2009


DEBUTANTS In the hot seat

in the making SANAA KHAN She is the ultimate item girl, and we mean that as a compliment. Her smooth curves, eyes that ooze sensuality and mesmerizing moves make her perfect for the part. Her work in Silambattam has won her admiration from all quarters. Her confidence is alluring and and if it were all about the heat, she is sizzling, but since acting DOES count, we’ll wait for movie number two to pass proper judgment!

NAGA CHAITANYA He’s young, urban, ambitious and quite clear about what his career would be. And so Naga Chaitanya cooled his heels, waiting for that perfect debut. With dad Nagarjuna’s boyish charm, this good-looker was born to break hearts and sculpted to take on a career in acting. And that’s precisely the challenge he’s taken on. He has already started work on his first film and his co-workers say that he is indeed a chip off the old block. He’s got the sex appeal and the style that foretell he is a superstar in the making!


DEBUTANTS In the hot seat NAVNEET KAUR This Pumjabi kudi made her debut in Tamil cinema with Arasangam opposite Vijaykant. Though this is her first tryst with Kollywood, she has been around in Telugu and Kannada films for three years. But it is her role in Arasangam that brought her recognition. Her flawless skin, towering personality and infectious smile have made Navneet Kaur a much sought-after actress. And this lovely lass has proved that she is not just a pretty face, given the fact that she is all set to debut in Malayalam opposite the extremely versatile Mammootty.

NAKUL Chubby and spikey hair are what we would associate with the name Nakul, because that’s exactly how he was in his debut film Boys. The younger brother of actress Devayani has since then come a long way. Having dabbled in music and some assistant direction, Nakul went through a radical makeover for Kadhalil Vizhundhen, the movie that proved he can get quite psychotic, if the script demands of course! His lead role won many hearts and girls were swooning over him. Watch out for Masilamani, where he once again pairs with Sunaina, his leading lady in Kadhalil Vizhunthen.


DEBUTANTS In the hot seat GANESH VENKATRAMAN Strip off the turban and the beard he sports in Abhiyum Naanum and you’ll be surprised to find a handsome Mumbai-ite smiling playfully at you! Did you know that when he went for the screen test of the movie, he dressed up like a Sardarji – complete with the turban and beard – and introduced himself as Malkit Singh to Prakashraj and Radha Mohan? He revealed his true identity only when they said he had been selected! Talk about getting into character!

SUNAINA She played dead for most part of her debut movie Kadhalil Vizhundhen, but that does not mean her acting skills are dead as well. In the sparse instances that she was given the chance to act, the lass did show sparks of the actress hidden within. Let’s hope her next movie proves as successful as the first.

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 99


DEBUTANTS In the hot seat SNEHA ULLAL She may have had a forgettable stint in Bollywood, but Sneha Ullal’s forte in Tollywood and now Kollywood has given her fame and recognition. Her work in Ullasamga Utsahamga and the recently released Nenu Meku Telusa (in which she plays a IPS officer) has won her lots of praise. Her first release in Tamil is Yennai Theriyuma, the Tamil version of Nenu Meku Telusa. From playing an innocent school girl in the Hindi movie Lucky to her role as an IPS officer in Yennai Theriyuma, this Aishwarya Rai lookalike has indeed come a long way!

SHANTHNOO When you are son of one of the most eminent actors and film-makers, eminence is what is invariably expected of you. Watch Sakkarakatti and you will see that dimple-cheeked debutant Shanthnoo Bhagyaraj shows no signs of pressure! Sakkarakatti was quite a good launch pad, but with his second movie Pudhiya Varpugal being directed by daddy dearest, things are just getting better for him!

100 GALATTA CINEMA |FEBRUARY 2009


DEBUTANTS In the hot seat VEGA Slim is so in today and Vega is one pretty young thing who fits the criterion aptly. In her debut movie Saroja, she played a naughty school girl who gets kidnapped – and she looked every bit the part. But the young actress swears she’s ready to glam up and romance our heroes, only on the silver screen of course!

SWATHI She played the unassuming timid village belle in the sleeper hit Subramaniyapuram. Meet her in person and you’ll see the fun, chirpy girl she actually is. She’s had her fair share of success in Tollywood, and with her smashing performance in the climax of Subramaniyapuram, she’s quite in demand in Kodambakkam as well!


Get romantic A day of romance and undying love, of candlelit dinners and roses, of aphrodisiacal chocolates and heady wine and for the more “mana-vaadu” inclined, some

SONA ACTRESS FAV LOVE SONG: “When a man really loves a woman” by Bryan Adams ROMANTIC IDYLL: Venice and Paris GIFT FROM THE HEART: A short poem – hand written!

PRIYANKA ACTRESS FAV LOVE SONG: Uruguthe Maruguthe... from Veyil ROMANTIC IDYLL: Venice ROMANTIC GIFT: Blood red roses VINAY ACTOR FAV LOVE SONG: Romeo & Juliet by Dire Straits ROMANTIC IDYLL: Bora Bora in French Polynesia GIFT FROM THE HEART: A chartered jet flight around the world RAVI KRISHNA

SARANYA MOHAN ACTRESS FAV LOVE SONG: Poo Vasam from Anbe Sivam ROMANTIC IDYLL: Backwaters of Alappuzha GIFT FROM THE HEART: A greeting card with a sweet message

ACTOR FAV LOVE SONG: Kadhalenum Thaervizhudhi... from Kadhalar Dhinam ROMANTIC IDYLL: Venice GIFT FROM THE HEART: Deep red roses


with the stars jasmine flowers and “neer-mor” with two straws in it. Sounds like an ideal Valentine’s Day? We asked some of our favourite stars some mushy questions; and look what they revealed...

RAMBA ACTRESS FAV LOVE SONG: Pehli Nazar Mein... from Race (Hindi) and Uda Poo... from Minsara Kannaa (Tamil) ROMANTIC IDYLL: Queenstown in New Zealand GIFT FROM THE HEART: A watch - ‘When every second counts as a heartbeat’

POORNA ACTRESS FAV LOVE SONG: Kadhal Rojave... from Roja ROMANTIC IDYLL: Kannur in Kerala GIFT FROM THE HEART: A single red rose AJMAL ACTOR FAV LOVE SONG: Lady in Red by Eric Clapton ROMANTIC IDYLL: Krim in Ukraine GIFT FROM THE HEART: A houseful of candles, yummy food and lots of roses in many colours SHIRIN ACTRESS FAV LOVE SONG: Mandram Vandha Thendralukku... from Mouna Raagam ROMANTIC IDYLL: Switzerland GIFT FROM THE HEART: A pair of Love Birds

VEDHIKA ACTRESS FAV LOVE SONG: Eppo Nee... from Kaalai ROMANTIC IDYLL: Maldives GIFT FROM THE HEART: A suprise romantic dinner for 2


RISING ST T

RS RS

SANAA KHAN Sanaa Khan, nicknamed Chhoti Madhuri as she closely resembles Madhuri Dixit, is the latest hottie in Kollywood. Spotted by the multi-talented Silambarasan, this Mumbai model has made an exciting debut with her Tamil Christmas release Silambattam. Today, she’s been reportedly flooded with offers from both Tamil and Telugu film makers.

THE HOW! “When Simbhu came to Mumbai, hunting for a new face for his movie, he saw me in an ad film. I guess he liked what he saw and signed me for Kettavan. But the film was delayed due to some reasons. So I was introduced as heroine in Silambattam.” About her working experiences with Simbu, Sanaa says that he is the only person she knows down South. “I love working with Simbu. He is a down-to-earth person and great fun to be with. He used to crack jokes and make me laugh all the time on the sets. He has helped me a lot throughout the movie.”

THE GLAM FACTOR “I think that I am glamorous. And as to what are my limits, it all depends on the individual. For me, glamour starts from the top of my head and ends on my chin. I believe in myself and that is what makes me glamorous, it is something that comes from within.”

WHAT NEXT? “I am only one film old. But I want to experiment with a wide gamut of roles and characters. I want to establish myself as a good actress, and of course make money too! I want to make my parents proud by achieving everything that is possible within my limits. I want to work with all the people in the industry, each and every one who can get the best of me and present me beautifully. There are many offers, but I am taking my time. I have to choose the right roles. But it is too early to talk about anything now.” As of now, Sanaa is enjoying the success of SIlambattam and is spending all her time watching many Tamil movies, so as to grasp the language. Galatta Cinema wishes her all the best for her future projects.

104 GALATTA CINEMA |FEBRUARY 2009


GANESH

RISING ST

RS

Kollywood has witnessed a boom with a host of newcomers making their debuts in 2008. Actor Ganesh Venkatraman, a software engineer by qualification, is the most recent addition to the list. He debuted with Abhiyum Naanum opposite the numero uno of Tamil and Telugu films, Trisha and has already garnered a huge fan base with his great acting and matinee-idol looks.

THE BEGINNING Ganesh, former Gladrags Man-hunt 2003 winner and one of the top five finalists of the Supermodel contest in Istanbul (2003), comes from a middle class Tamil family, but by no stretch of imagination does he look South Indian. His parents were very strict on his higher education. That he used to watch a lot of films was his only touch with cinema then. During his college days, he actively participated in theatre and ramp shows that eventually directed his focus towards modelling and acting.

THE SHIFT After his education, he worked in a reputed IT company for nearly two years. “But it all changed after the Gladrags competition which I won,” says the actor. Then he advanced to the Supermodel contest. The preparation for this contest required Ganesh to take a substantial 8 months off everything else and he gave up a Masters education in the United States. During this span, he acted in three Hindi TV serials (Antariksh, Star Wars and Mayavi) and several commercials. His first break came with The Angrez, a crossover film which ran for 300 days in Hyderabad. And then Abhiyum Naanum happened, in which he plays a Sardar! His work was appreciated and Ganesh had arrived in Tamil cinema!

THE FUTURE There are several offers, but Ganesh wants to accept only roles which enhance the image he has achieved through his first mass entertainer Abhiyum Naanum. He says that he won’t allow his looks to restrict himself to just romantic roles. He is looking forward to enact various kinds of roles, especially action-oriented ones. We wish this young and talented actor success in all his endeavours.

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 105


ICON IN FOCUS

W


ON AR RAHMAN

TOP

OF THE

WORLD He was born Dileep Kumar and he was married to music, perhaps from birth. A brilliant brain also combined a musical genius, not just in playing an instrument or singing, but understanding the realm as a whole. Dileep found spirituality and became Allah Rakka Rahman. With this, he also found a wellspring of inspiration in his work. A lifetime of being surrounded by music and more than two decades of success later, A.R. Rahman continues to be unfazed by the waves of awards and accolades he receives for his work, the latest and most prestigious being for his sound track for Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, an extraordinary tale of less-than-ordinary people. With three Golden Globes nestled in his studio, rubbing shoulders with scores of other awards, AR (as he is called by his closest confidantes) is on the brink of an equal number of Oscars and perhaps even Grammy nominations - two of the world’s most popular and highest awards. Has that changed AR for better or worse? Not at all, says he and say everyone else around him. He continues to be the enigmatic blend of excited and gung-ho idea-man, a deeply spiritual Muslim, a fantastic music technician and guru to his loyal singers, instrumentalists and studio technicians. “These awards are for India and for my family, more than for myself,” he says. We at GC want to talk about his work, his inspiration, KM Conservatory of Music, his vast sound library (one of the largest in the world, we hear) and the way he eats, drinks, breathes and lives music, from melodies to beats to synching it all to getting his musicians to do what comes from their heart... and putting it all together in a unique and eminently listen-able album. We don’t really want to talk about Slumdog alone, for to us as Indians and lovers of AR’s music down the years, it is but another brilliant album from his coffers. Yes, it IS the one album that has shot to the highest international fame, but let’s not take away those soundtracks that can even now make us sit back and close our eyes. From ad jingles with their signature Rahman flavour to Bombay, Roja, Rangeela, Dil Se, Lagaan, Swades, Jodha Akbar, Guru and now a wave of new Indian and international albums underway, Rahman is bigger than Slumdog Millionaire, was always bigger than any one of his albums. Truly a genius and a jewel in India’s crown, this soft-spoken, intelligent man has managed make the science and art of music meet as no one else has in many, many years, across the globe. We hope to keep AR as a regular part of Galatta Cinema, so let’s start with a quick tribute to Slumdog Millionaire and how musicians - be they world-famous or in his own studio - admire and revere him. “Enough of me for now, let me get back to my music,” said AR to us... Jai Ho!

GALATTA CINEMA | FEBRUARY 2009 107


SLUMDOG

MILLIONAIRE It’s an ordinary tale. It’s an extraordinary tale. It’s unforgettable, during the movie-watching experience itself, but also out of the theatres and in the news. Danny Boyle’s movie, inspired by Vikas Swarup’s book, has done what very few filmmakers have, it would seem - put India, it’s glaring realities and the never-say-die inner strength of its people, out there on the world map. Whether the movie itself is trashed or praised, the unanimous verdict across the world of a genius at work, goes to A.R. Rahman for its globally appealing soundtrack. This little master has been in our backyard for nearly 2 decades, but it has taken a foreigner to get the world to sit up and notice a meastro who can sweep the world off its feet with his music.

Jamal, Salim, Dev Patel and Freida Pinto the newest heartthrobs of world cinema!

Dev Patel hadn’t dreamt of the heights of stardom he would attain... simply by playing his part of a very simple and steadfast young man from the slums of Mumbai. But for the Harrow-born Dev, perhaps that was indeed, acting!

It is impossible for an almost-illiterate, totally “uncultured” and dirtpoor boy from the slums, who is but a “chai-walla” to be at the brink of winning the jackpot at Who Wants to Be A Millionaire. Or is it...?

Turning ordinary people into great actors... and great actors even greater!

Anil Kapoor fit the shoes perfectly, of an largerthan-life iconic show host of a primetime show. He’s at once terrifying, at once filled with bonhomie, at once your well-wisher and at once someone who may not be all he seems.

The captain of this awardwinning ship, Danny Boyle, with his partner Loreen Tandon, bring ordinary people and superb actors together and make a movie that seamlessly showcases each of their skills.


the entourage TANVI

- SINGER, “JAI HO” Slumdog was yet another project that got me into AR’s studios, my most beloved place to be! I cherish every moment working with AR because he lets us unleash our creativity, go whacky and think out of the box! With Gangsta Blues, like every other project, I just walked into the studio with no expectations. AR asked for some stuff, gently pulled me in the direction he wanted my voice to go and just let me do my own thing. I came back, listened to the finished product and as always, my jaw dropped in awe! No, Danny wasn’t breathing down our necks. He had his discussions with AR and trusted him to give him a mind-blowing and perfect soundtrack and that’s just what he did. I am blessed indeed, to let all my creativity flow into my music and work and AR knows just how to get work out of others, simply by letting them do what they do best and gently channelling them in the right direction!

KRISHNA CHETAN - MUSIC PROGRAMMER & PRODUCER

Programming means working on everything else other than voice in a song, with samples recorded from real music instruments; music production starts here and continues until the product is out. By working with AR sir, you learn that music is also about spirituality, human psychology and reading your director’s mind. You know, AR sir took a long time to accept Slumdog; and was going to do only a few cues on the BG score! He is a musician who trusts his instincts the most, he composes only when he feels it. Sometimes, all the top songs in different albums would have been composed in under 20 minutes. And sometimes, one song would take ages. For me, working on Slumdog required a different treatment. We experimented a lot and magically, it all fell into place - doesn’t always happen! It was great fun working on ‘Jai Ho’ and ‘Ringa Ringa.’

M.I.A.

- SINGER, “O SAYA”, “PAPER PLANES” Maya Arulpragasam is a hotch-potch of idealogies and bundle of contradictions. Politically, she walks on the edge of controversy (her father is a part of the LTTE). She is not a trained singer and her music is edgy and raspy, but it hits you in the gut. All the while you keep telling yourself that it is too jarring and off-key and “noisy”, you are drawn into it, to be captivated forever. M.I.A. is her call-sign and with her albums Arular and Kala, she had arrived with a bang on the international musical scene, hungrily lapped up for her colourful personality. What a contrast to her new guru, the calm and grounded A.R. Rahman, whose work she was inspired by for ages! What a thrill it was to work with him on Slumdog, even as they mixed her Grammy-nominated ‘single Paper Planes.’ With ‘O Saya’ and ‘Paper Planes’, M.I.A. has reached even more varied audiences.


WRAP UP Just-in info, noteworthy moments, saluting the month’s bests... Let’s Wrap Up in style! GOLDEN GLOBE BOY The applause hasn’t died down even days after the famous Mozart of Madras proved yet again how he is quite simply, one of the most feted artists of our time. With his musical genius, A.R. Rahman did what several megastars, including Kamal Haasan and Aamir Khan have wanted to for years, won the prestigious Golden Globe for the brilliant soundtrack of Slumdog Millionaire and become one of the strongest contenders for the Oscars. For India, not for himself, says this selfeffacing genius. Read our exclusive on the inimitable A.R. Rahman in our forthcoming issues...

AHAM BRAHMAASMI! What is it about his meltingchocolate eyes and hunky looks... or it is sheer grit and talent? Despite 2 years of alternately sweating it out in Naan Kadavul and cooling his heels while waiting for its problems to get sorted out, Arya is back in the world’s face, complete with matted hair, a crazed persona and superb performance in the movie. All this, even as he shoots for soothing Sarvvam. Indefatigable, indeed.

TANTALIZING TAMANNAAH Tamannaah is back in Tamil. After sizzling Tollywood, the milk-complexioned beauty is in Kollywood’s big league, with a string of plum projects ahead. Is the actress geared to usurp the current top starlets’ place in Kollywood? After her just-released Padikathavan, her upcoming projects include Ayan with Suriya, Raja Rani with Bharath and Aananda Thaandavam with Siddharth. Her biggest plus? An image which is a combo of artist and glamdoll!

NAGESH: A LEGEND DEPARTS Think of cinema of the black-and-white era; Nagesh will be definitely one name no one can forget. Born Gundu Rao in a Kannadiga family Nagesh dared to dream wild. With his incredibly sharp wit and sense of humour, he found his own brand of comedy – a proper mixture of slapstick and wit. In his formative years, Nagesh suffered from an extreme inferiority complex because small pox had left permanent pockmarks on his face. He vented out all his pain in Server Sundaram, where he played a plain-looking waiter who turns into a film star. With changing times, Nagesh modified his acting style to suit the new tastes and enthralled the new generations. He did not attend any film school, but learnt everything on his own. Nagesh is a legend who helped Cinema evolve and his life shall inspire millions in the years to come. Galatta Cinema mourns the demise of this great man and actor. May his soul rest in peace! Published by T.S.P. Shanmuga Raja on behalf of Dot Com Infoway Limited from “GNG House”, K-48, Anna Nagar East, Chennai – 600 102 and printed by B. Ashok Kumar at Rathna Offset Printers, 40, Peters Road, Royapettah, Chennai – 600 014. Editor – Shakthi Girish RNI No.TNENG/200721243, Postal Registration No. TN/CCN/310/07-09


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.