Galatta Cinema April 2009 by Galatta Cinema

The CompleTe SouTh IndIan movIe magazIne

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annIveRSaRY ISSue

apRIl 2009 vol 3 ISSue 1 monThlY

Sneha FOReVeR FReSh

AprIL EYE CANDY

STYLe DIVaS haUTe hUnKS hOT BODIeS

JUICE IT Up!

TInSeLTOWn GOSS! CeLeB BUDDIeS SIZZLInG COUPLeS ROCKInG PaRTIeS

THEY DA KINGS!

FIneST FILMMaKeRS RISK TaKInG PRODUCeRS TeCh WIZaRDS STaRRY BRanDS

ajITh

THE MOST WANTED ‘THALA’ MANIA & A pEEK INTO ASAL!

4 EXCLUSIVE ASAL pOSTErS

The ‘ASAL’ ISSUe- GaLaTTa’S MOST EXCITING SpECIAL YET!

pg. 62

pg. 50

pg. 132

CONTENTS 04.09 16. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 18. READERS’ VOICES

55JUICY TITBITS 56. CHEMICAL REACTION

On-screen couples that get the heat on

58. KILLER COMBOS

Pairs that look the best together

60. CELEBRITY BUDDIES Stars can be friends too!

62. FUNKIEST PARTIES AROUND

Most happening happenings in tinseltown

A GALA-TTA 127 TIME! 128. STARS WITH GALATTA 130. WHAT’S ON G.COM

88. COVER FEATURE

2nd

ANNIVERSARY

PURE GOLD

140

BOX OFFICE BONANZA

141.SCREEN SCORCHERS

Movies in theatres and movies coming up

COOL FEATURES

76. JIIVA AT HIS CANDID BEST 132. SERAH ON HER LUCKY BREAKS

pg. 76

50. THE SHINING – NILA

47 BEAUTIFUL 97PEOPLE

GEEK STUFF

47. INNOVATION & FILMS

97. STYLE DIVAS

Starlets standing a class apart

103. HAUTE HUNKS

Men with REAL style

23‘ASAL’ FEVER 23. NO BIZ LIKE SHOWBIZ

Sivaji Productions: the stalwarts

43. ULTIMATE, ABSOLUTE The inimitable Ajith Kumar

63. QUIET THUNDER

Saran’s explosive comeback

BRAND WAGON

83. IN THE VORTEX

Box-office history repeating itself

71. CELEB ENDORSEMENTS

MAGIC PEOPLE

20. BOSSMEN

Filmmakers we can’t do without

34. EYE OF THE STORM

Cameramen make it look good!

36. TECH WIZARDS

Working to complete the picture

109

NOTE WORTHY

110. MUSIC MAGIC

Music directors par excellence

114. SNAZZY SERENADERS Singers with attitude

116. WORDS FROM THE HEART

Lyricists who make poetry

118. SEASON’S BEST

Albums rocking the charts

pg. 23

pg. 97

88COVER FEATURE 88. SNEHA

Elegant beauty and boundless charm – Sneha talks of life, movies, love, resilience and getting together with the girls...

Editor’s Note

On the cover: SNEHA Photography: G. Venket Ram EDITOR Shakthi Girish

MD & CEO, GALATTA.COM C.R. Venkatesh

EDITING CONSULTANT Ashok L. Rajani

PRESIDENT, GALATTA.COM Girish Ramdas

WRITERS Padma Iyer, Kaanchan B., Vijayalakshmi S., Prasanna Singh, Smitha M., Baiju N., Kolammal S.

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT – AD SALES Balasubramanian S.

DESIGN CONSULTANT Sharon Suares CHIEF DESIGNER Logesh M. DESIGNERS Sankaran N., Punitha Vijayakrishnan Shailesh Kumaran Seran

MANAGER – AD SALES Sunil Krishnamurthy SENIOR MARKETING COORDINATOR Jayashree G. MANAGER - NEW MEDIA Shailesh Kumaran Seran MANAGER - CIRCULATION Mohan H.

PRINTING PRESS Rathna Offset Printers

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Ravikumar P.

SPECIAL THANKS TO Mr. C. N. Ramdas IAS (R), Chairman, GNG Group of Companies

Mrs. Kamalam Rajendran, MD, Bojaraj Textiles

Mr. C. R. Rajendran, Chairman, Bojaraj Textiles

Mrs. Nirmala Ramdas, Director, GNG Group of Companies

We also thank those who have helped us put the April 2009 issue together: Mr. Ramkumar - Sivaji Productions, Mr. Ajith Kumar, Mr. Saran, Mr. G. Venket Ram, Mr. Kiran Reddy, Mr. Swaroop Reddy and Mr. Tanera Ngaronga of Sathyam Cinemas, V4 Entertainers, Mr. Vijayakumar Radhakrishnan – CTO, Dot Com Infoway Ltd. and Mr. Gnanam for Nostalgia pics. We thank the ENTIRE FILM industry – actors, producers, technicians, stars, support-personnel like managers and PROs, behind-the-scenes staﬀ like assistants, designers, secretarial staﬀ and others who have supported us from the start. Our hear elt thanks to: Mr. Randor Guy – He is the man who spearheads the Nostalgia section of our magazine. His fantastic memory and inimitable writing style have instantly brought an eclectic feel and old-world charm to Galatta Cinema – there is none better qualified for Nostalgia! To advertise on Gala a Cinema, contact: Balasubramanian S. at +91-98409 11777 Sunil Krishnamurthy at +91-96000 84464 Or email us at: ads@galattacinema.com For more info, log onto: www.galattacinema.com Contact us at: Galatta Cinema, Post Box 7166, Chennai – 600 102 Tell us what you like or don’t like about Gala a Cinema Email: editor@galattacinema.com Snail Mail: Galatta Cinema, Post Box No. 7166, Chennai 600 102, Tamilnadu, India

Shakthi Girish

16 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

MA C PEOPLE

MAKING IT WORK, BEHIND THE SCENES

Guru

Dasavathaaram

> MANI RATNAM

> K.S. RAVIKUMAR

LATEST FILM: Guru COMING SOON: Ravan/ Asokavanam

LATEST FILM: Dasavathaaram COMING SOON: Adhavan, Jaggubhai

He is one of the most revered directors in the country, someone who has crossed the North-South divide. Actors all over the India aspire to work with him. Roja was the film that put him on the national map. Since then, Mani has given us gems like Bombay, Dil Se, Iruvar, Kannathil Mutthamittal, Alaipayathe and his last release Guru. Now he is all geared up for his Hindi-Tamil film Ravana/Ashokavanam starring Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Vikram, Prithviraj and Priyamani.

Dasavathaaram, the costliest Indian film ever made (a whopping budget of Rs. 1.3 billion), starring superstar Kamal Haasan in an unprecedented 10 diﬀerent roles, creating a world record for the maximum roles in a single film – this is K.S. Ravikumar’s most recent historic film. He is famous for a mixture of genres, ranging from comedy to action thrillers. Ravikumar is now directing another big-budget film titled Aadhavan, starring the most enterprising Suriya and Nayantara in the lead.

Sivaji

Bheema

> SHANKAR

> N. LINGUSAMY

LATEST FILM: Sivaji - The Boss COMING SOON: Enthiran

LATEST FILM: Bheema COMING SOON: Paiyya

He may be known for his larger-thanlife song picturisations, but the common thread that runs through most of his films is the message of social change. Be it Indian, Mudhalvan, Anniyan or Sivaji, all his protagonists work towards improvement of society. Of course, we do have the one or two feel-good films like Jeans and Boys, but it is movies like Sivaji that make Shankar the director he is. His next is the sci-fi Enthiran, yet another magnum opus starring Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai.

20 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

He has made movies in a variety of genres, action, romance, drama and each time he has emerged a winner. From Anandham to Bheema, he has a great run at the box oﬃce. He has worked with some of the biggest stars of Tamil cinema, Mammootty, Ajith, Madhavan, Vishal and Vikram. His movies are known for amazing action sequences. He is now all geared up for Paiyya, starring upcoming stars Karthi and Tamannaah.

Billa

Saroja

> VISHNUVARDHAN

> G. VENKAT PRABHU

LATEST FILM: Billa COMING SOON: Sarvvam

LATEST FILM: Saroja COMING SOON: Goa

He has been associated with some of the best directors of Indian Cinema, Ram Gopal Varma, Mani Ratnam and Santosh Sivan, He debuted as director with Kurumbu, but it was Arindum Ariyamalum that established him. Known for his hard hitting movies, Vishnu broke the trend with the stylish Ajith-starrer Billa. His next film Sarvvam is again a departure from his usual kind of films, thus proving that he is capable of handling diverse subjects. Subramaniyapuram

> SASIKUMAR LATEST FILM: Subramaniyapuram COMING SOON: Pasanga, Nadodigal Sasi Kumar is the rare director who tasted phenomenal success in 2008 with his directorial debut Subramaniyapuram, which is widely recognized as the “Path Breaking Movie of the Year”! A gritty movie with the colours of the bell-bottom years, it is at once poignant and gut-wrenching. After producing Pasanga (Tamil), Sasi Kumar is now busy acting in director Samudrakani’s Nadodigal after which he is expected to start directing his second film.

22 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

Will the second venture of a first-hit director also be a hit? Not necessarily, but Venkat Prabhu of Chennai 600028 fame has proved his talent again with his recent comedy drama and thriller Saroja, which was appreciated by all sections of the audience. Most notably, the film rocked even without any superstars! Venkat Prabhu, who is on a roll with two back-to-back hits Chennai 600028 and Saroja is now busy shooting for his next, Goa. Vaaranam Aayiram

> GAUTHAM MENON LATEST FILM: Vaaranam Aayiram COMING SOON: Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa After Sasi Kumar’s Subramaniapuram, director Gautham Menon’s Vaaranam Aayiram is considered to be one of the most realistic movies in 2008. With a beautiful narration of father-son relationship, Vaaranam Aayiram touches you deep inside and brings forth several emotions at once. It makes you laugh, cry, angry and sympathetic. Great visuals, hard-hitting dialogues and the inimitable Gautham Menon touch.

Anjaathe

Abhiyum Naanum

> MYSSKIN

> RADHA MOHAN

LATEST FILM: Anjaathe COMING SOON: Nandhalala

LATEST FILM: Abhiyum Naanum COMING SOON: Yet to announce

Mysskin is already regarded by critics as Radha Mohan has, till date, directed four one of the greatest script writers in confilms, of which three are critically-actemporary Tamil cinema. He is considered claimed and also box-oﬃce hits. After the to be a director in thesame league as Mani average performances of Bheema and KuRatnam, K. Balachander, Ram Gopal Verma ruvi, actress Trisha once again returned to and Bhagyaraj. Anjathe, which told the story of two friends, was the forefront in Tamil with Abhiyum Naanum, an emotional tale the surprise package of 2008. Mysskin is currently working on of a father-daughter relationship. The movie, recently released two films: Nandalala and Mugamoodi. in Telugu also, is drawing crowds in A.P. too. Poo

Villu

> SASI

> PRABHU DEVA

LATEST FILM: Poo COMING SOON: Yet to announce

LATEST FILM: Villu COMING SOON: Wanted: Dead or Alive

Director Sasi’s Poo, the love story of a village girl, was one of the most-acclaimed movies of 2008. Set in a rural backdrop, Poo is based on a short story which threw light on the story of a rustic rural woman in love with a young man. The film marked the Tamil debut of Malayalam actress Parvathy, who is definitely one of the most promising actresses who entered Kollywood in 2008. Despite a lukewarm box-oﬃce response, Poo is still known for religiously adhering to the essence of its story.

28 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

Starting his career as a dancer and choreographer, he got a break as actor in Shankar’s Kadhalan. He went on act in many movies on one hand and choreograph award-winning numbers on the other. Prabhu Deva fulfilled his desire to be director with the Telugu film Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana. He directed his first Tamil film, the super hit Pokkiri, followed by this year’s . He debuts in Hindi as director with Wanted: Dead or Alive (starring Salman Khan), the Hindi remake of Pokkiri.

TELUGU

ASHTA CHEMMA Big things come in small packets; Ashta Chemma proved this adage. The success of this movie directed by Mohana Krishna Indraganti proved that all that matters is an interesting story and a fresh approach in narration. Ashta Chemma, which starred relative newcomers, went to become one of the biggest hits of 2008, overseas as well. Mohana, who studied film-making from Canada, won eleven awards, including the National Award and Nandi Award for his directorial debut Grahanam.

SRINU VYTLA

READY, KING Srinu has had a great 2008 with two big hits, Ready and King. Ready had upcoming stars Ram and Genelia while King has established stars Nagarjuna and Trisha. Srinu has an impressive track record with some super duper hits like Anandam, Venky, Dhee, and Dubai Seenu. He has worked with some of the biggest names in Telugu cinema: Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna and Ravi Teja. Though his films are commercial extravaganzas, Srinu is known to make films within specified budgets. His upcoming projects are said to be with Victory Venkatesh and Chiranjeevi’s son Ram Charan Teja.

RADHA KRISHNA JAGARLAMUDI

MOHANA KRISHNA INDRAGANTI

GAMYAM Foreign-returned debutant Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi’s first film Gamyam was a super duper hit. With Allari Naresh, Sharwanand, and Kamalinee Mukherjee in prominent roles, Gamyam was very well-received by critics and audiences alike. The film went on to become a big hit.

ARUNDHATI Kodi Ramakrishna, a veteran in Telugu cinema, is a writer and director who has been in the movie business for over 40 years. His latest offering, the Anushka starrer Arundhati has turned out to be a great blockbuster. The special effects, rich costumes and graphical extravaganza Arundhati is running successfully. And its phenomenal box office performance is not limited to Tollywood; its dubbed version is creating waves in Tamil Nadu, which is rather rare.

30 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

SRIKANTH ADDALA KOTHA BANGARU LOKAM Debutant director Srikanth Addala made history when the first film directed by him won a 4/5 rating. Starring Varun Sandesh (Happy Days fame) and Shweta Prasad, Kotha Bangaru Lokam released on 9.10.2008 to a very good response all over Andhra Pradesh and was declared one of the biggest hits of 2008.

KODI RAMAKRISHNA

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RANJITH

THIRAKKATHA Finding the hidden actor in writerdirector Ranjith was one of the most exciting discoveries of Mollywood in 2008! Ranjith proved his acting abilities through Thirakkatha and Gulmohar, both of which garnered excellent reviews last year. He is now busy with the pre-production work of his forthcoming directorial venture Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha with Mammootty and will be soon seen on the silver screen once again in two upcoming movies: Robin Hood and Loudspeaker.

MADHUPAL

THALAPPAVU To find fame with one’s debut directorial venture itself is a rare blessing for any director. In fact, no one anticipated that character actor and villain Madhupal could taste phenomenal success in Malayalam with super hit Prithviraj starrer Thalappavu, the story of Naxal Varghese and Police Constable P. Ramachandran Pillai. The film bagged rave reviews and critical acclaim in 2008, including the young directors’ award instituted by the Sohan Antony Memorial Arts Society.

32 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

AKKU AKBAR

CYCLE His recent films CID Moosa, Thuruppugulan and Cycle are enough to establish the credentials of director Johny Antony! With the awesome ride of his new Cycle (which marked the debut of playback singer Vineeth Sreenivasan as a hero), Johny Antony has become a top director in Malayalam in 2008. He is now busy with Ee Pattanathil Bhootham, a fantasyfilled adventure, with Mammootty in a double role as a bike jumper named Jimmy and a friendly ghost!

VERUTHE ORU BHARYA If last year’s Veruthe Oru Bharya has become one of the biggest Malayalam blockbusters in recent years, the credit should go to its director Akku Akbar. This film, revolving around an ever-complaining husband (Jayaram) and his wife (Gopika), was touted to be the comeback movie for Jayaram. After bagging three major awards in Asianet Film Awards 2008 for his debutant venture Veruthe Oru Bharya, Akku Akbar is now all set to direct his next film titled Thappana, with Mammootty in the lead.

JOSHI TWENTY:20 Ace director Joshi excels in all areas of film-making, be it in action, songs or suspense! This is evident from his recent blockbuster Twenty:20, referred to as “the mother of all multi-starrers of Malayalam cinema”. After this biggest-ever Malayalam multistarrer which broke the collection records by collecting over 10 crores in the first week itself, Joshi is now all set to team up with Prithviraj for his next film titled Robin Hood.

MALAYALAM

JOHNY ANTONY

TECHNICAL WIZARDS NIRAV SHAH

Cinematographer

RAVI VARMAN

PREETHA

Cinematographer

Though Nirav Shah did not have any releases in 2008, he was in the news for refusing Shankar’s Enthiran. Since he had already committed himself to good friend Vishnuvardhan’s Sarvvam, Nirav opted out of the Rajinikanth-Aishwarya starrer. Besides Sarvvam, other films he is currently working on are the Hindi film Wanted: Dead or Alive, the remake of Pokkiri and the Simbu-Varalakshmi starrer Poda Podi. His most remembered work is of course the stylish Ajith starrer Billa, again a Vishnu film.

GOKUL DAS Cinematographer

R. RATHNAVELU Cinematographer

Cinematographer

34 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

S.R. KATHIIR

Cinematographer

After the Mammootty-Meera JasmineNarain starrer Calcutta News (2007), director Lal Jose’s Mulla was the most-hyped Malayalam entertainer of actor Dileep in 2008. Though Mulla wasn’t a big hit for Dileep, it was complimented for brilliant cinematography w b by Gokul Das, who won the best cinematography award for Mulla in the Idea-Mathrubhumip A Amrita Film Awards 2009. The manner in which G Gokul Das captured the emotions on camera d did full justice to the characters.

SANTHOSH C. THUNDIYIL

Mohanlal starrer Aakashagopuram is a fit example for the recent international collaboration with the best of talents from Hollywood, UK, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam. Shot entirely in the UK by noted cinematographer Santosh C. TThundiyil of Krrish, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Pinjar aand Kaal fame, each frame of the film was no le less than a masterpiece. Aakashagopuram was d directed by K.P. Kumaran.

TECHNICAL WIZARDS ANTONY Editor

SUPREME SUNDAR

KANAL KANNAN

Stunt Master

Movie: Kadhalil Vizhundhen

Stunt Master

V.T. VIJAYAN Editor

MU. KASI VISWANATHAN Editor

Art director

36 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

RAJA MOHAMMED Editor

What makes Mu. Kasi Viswanathan diﬀerent from other technicians in Kollywood is his neat editing, which is evident from Radha Mohan-Prakashraj team’s critically acclaimed Abhiyum Movie: Abhiyum Naanum Naanum, which deals with the relationship between a daughter and a father. In such emotional films, editing plays a crucial role and he came out with flying colours. His other noted films in 2008 were director Viji’s Vellitherai and Raju Iswaran’s Panchamirtam.

REMBON B.

Movie: Aegan

One of the few editors to have worked in all the biggest film industries in India is Antony. This veteran editor has been in the industry for over 20 years. Bheema, Vaaranam Aayiram, Ghajini (Hindi), SinVaaranam Aayiram gakutty, Arasangam and a Satyam were his major films last year. His work in Vaaranam Aayiram which had Suriya in w a double role was indeed an editing challenge. Antony is currently working for four big budget A films; Ayan (release on April 3), Paiyya, Podaa Podi, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa and the biggie P Enthiran. E

Creating nostalgic memories on the silver screen is always tricky! However, art director Rembon B. can take pride for having done his work to near perfection in Subramaniyapuram, Movie: Jayam Kondaan one of the most realistic films in recent times. Every element of the eighties from newspapers to electronic instruments was aesthetically incorporated in the sets and scenes. His second film was Jayam Kondaan, urban and more today in look and feel, a complete change from his earlier venture.

TECHNICAL WIZARDS HARI ANUMOLU Cinematographer

SAKTHI SARAVANAN Cinematographer

MURELLA PRASAD Cinematographer

P.C. SREERAM Cinematographer

Movie: Ready

Cinematographer

CHOTA K. NAIDU Cinematographer

Movie: Gulabi Talkies

P.G. VINDA

Cinematographer

Prasad was part of two big hits of 2008, King and Ready. Both these films were shot in beautiful locales and Prasad made each and every frame come alive with vibrant colours and pleasant hues.

S. RAMACHANDRA AITHAL

Considered to be the lucky mascot of debutant film makers, Hari Anumolu has worked in the first films of over nine directors. His work in the superhit film Gamyam won him appreciation from all over.

Kasaravalli’s Gulabi Talkies has been getting a lot of acclaim as well as awards at various international film festivals. Aithal’s cinematograohy transformed the story of Vaidehi into a visual masterpiece

THE WORD ‘CINEMA’ IS DERIVED FROM CINEMATOGRAPHE FRENCH , WHICH IN TURN COMES FROM KINĒMA GREEK MOTION AND GRAPHE WRITE. THE USE OF THE WORD CAME ABOUT IN 1899 IN BRITAIN.

38 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

X X ANIL MUKHATHALA

Script Writer

K.S. CHANDRASHEKAR Cinematographer

Mizhikal Sakshi, an offbeat film directed by Director Ashok R. Nath, was a brilliant move by its script writer Anil Mukhathala to remind us that cinema can be much more than slapstick, Movie: Mizhikal Sakshiu violence and vulgarity. A famous name among tele-serial workers and professional drama troupes, Anil Mukhathala p is now busy with Madhyavenal, directed by Madhu Kaithapram. M

Movie: Moggina Manasu

M.J. RADHA KRISHNAN

R. GIRI

SHAJI

Cinematographer

Movie: Budhdhivantha

Cinematographer

ANANDAKUTTAN Cinematographer

Movie: Gamyam

40 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

SHRAVAN K. Editor

M.J. Radhakrishnan, who won the State Award for the Best Cinematographer in 2008, may not talk much, but his camera does! His frames have enhanced the visual beauty of four Malayalam films last year, Movie: Thirakatha namely Gulmohar, Adayalangal, Thirakatha and Naalu Pennungal. all of these movies were completely diﬀerent from each other. Mention must be made about Thirakatha. Based on the movie industry, it captured two diﬀerent eras beautifully on screen. For his Bioscope, Radhakrishan bagged the award for the best cameraman in the South Asian film festival at New York in 2008.

Cameraman Anandakuttan needs no introduction to a regular moviegoer in Malayalam. In a career spanning more than 30 years, he has cranked the camera for more than Movie: Parthan Kanda Parlokam 56 films. Known as veteran director Fazil’s favourite cameraman, Anandakuttan brought out two Malayalam films in 2008: Suresh Gopi starrer Thaavalam and Jayaram starrer Parthan Kanda Parlokam.

MARTHAND K. VENKATESH Editor

B.V.S. RAVI Dialogues

SRIJITH GURUVAYUR Makeup

SHAMDAT

Cinematographer

M.R. VARMA Editing

Mulla was an average film which got noticed only for Dileep’s get up, rather than his performance. The credit goes to Srijith Guruvayur, who won the best makeup man award for Mulla in Movie: Mulla Amrita Film Awards 2009.

P. SUKUMAR

Kantri was one of the most stylish films ever made in Tollywood. Marthand K. Venkatesh again proved he can do quick work with editing scissors and the result was a racy entertainer.

One of the best lens men of Mollywood, Sukumar has been in the industry for more than a decade, framing hits like Katha Parayumpol, Rappakal and Twenty:20. He is now all set to debut as director.

GOOD TO KN

VIJAY C. KUMAR Cinematographer

WAR AND PEACE THE SOVIET PRODUCED FILM ADAPTATION OF LEO TOLSTOY’S LITERARY WORK, MADE IN 1968 WAS RE LEASED IN 4 PARTS AND HAD A RUNNING TIME OF JUST OVER 8 HOURS. IT TOOK 7 YEARS TO MAKE THIS FILM. GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 41

COMPLETING

TECHINICAL WIZARDS

CAMERA ART EDITING STORY DIALOGUE

THOTTA THARANI Art Director

National Award winning art director Padmasri Thotta Tharani has an unique talent to create realistic sets with the right ambience and tone – be it the amazing glass set in the song ‘Sahana’ from Sivaji, The Boss or the colourful transparent bus of Kaadhalan! His 2008 list: Dasavathaaram, Kuselan, Indralogathil Na Aazhagappan, Dhanam and TN 07 AL 4777.

RAJEEVAN Art Director

Rajeevan can easily create any set with the right ambience and present the backdrop which a script demands. His art skills are manifested in his ventures, be it his maiden film Mounam Paesiyadhae or Kaakha Kaakha. Bheema, Sillunu Oru Kaadhal, Arasangam, Vaaranam Aayiram and Pirivoam Sandhippoam are some of his 2008 movies.

BRINDA

Choreographer

Who is the most sought-after choreographer in Tamil and Telugu? It is none other than ace dance master Brinda, who is flying high after superstar Rajinikanth’s ‘Balleilakha’ in Sivaji – The Boss. Brinda was part of six blockbusters last year, including Bheema, Dasavathaaram, Jayam Kondaan and Abhiyum Nanum.

KANNAN

Cinematographer

After a struggle of almost 15 years to achieve fame in the film industry, cameraman Kannan finally achieved his much-deserved success last year with two Tamil blockbusters: Raja Mohan’s Santosh Subramaniam (a remake of the Telugu blockbuster Bommarillu) and Kalaignar KarunaniMovie: Santosh Subramaniam dhi’s classical entertainer Uliyin Osai.

42 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

DON MAX

Editor

Besides the super hit Silambattam, editor Don Max had two Malayalam films in 2008: Thalappavu and Raudram, for which he won the award for the Best Editor in the Idea-MathrubhumiMovie: Thalappavu Amrita Film Awards 2009. Don Max’s current project is Suriya’s much-hyped Tamil film Aadhavan, directed by K.S. Ravikumar.

ARVIND KRISHNA Cinematographer

Creative use of any kinds of lens is the secret behind the success of any film maker, including cameraman Arvind Krishna! With his own style of picturisation, Aravind Krishna has given new tones to many movies in 2008, including superstar Rajinikath’s Kuselan and Vijay’s Poi Solla Porom.

DEEDI DAMODARAN

Script Writer

Director Jayaraj’s much-acclaimed Gulmohar, starring scenarist-director Ranjith in the lead role, was indeed the debut venture by Deedi Damodaran as a script writer in Movie: Gulmohar Malayalam. Deedi, daughter of renowned scenarist T. Damodaran, had rendered able support to the director in making Gulmohar much more than a documentation of the revolutionary fervour that overtook young minds in Kerala in the 70’s.

For more interesting news and trivia about the people behind the scenes, log on to www.gala a.com. You can find all the behind the scenes action and exclusive interviews with these technical wizards.

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 47

TECHNOLOGY IN MOVIES

Effects, graphics, animatronics, robotic arms, green screens...

Hollywood

might well be the big dad of technological innovations in SFX, showcasing the unimaginable on the silver screen. But South Indian Cinema is not far behind! In the past two years, the standards of our films – with respect to CGI and other technology – have undergone a sea change. Let’s take a look at our films which flummoxed viewers with their immaculate visuals, CGI, spectacular stunts and make up!

DASAVATHAARAM With Kamal playing 10 roles, more than half the film relied on special eﬀects and make up. With special masks that last only for five hours and use of extensive SFX, the film took more than two years to complete. Just like The Ten Commandments is remembered even today for the scene where the ocean is shown parting, Dasavathaaram will be remembered forever for its seamless CGI and the tsunami scenes.

ARUNDHATEE

Amazing audiences with SFX, Kodi Ramakrishna betters his Ammoru record with Arundhati (Arundhatee in Tamil)! The encounters between protagonist Anushka and the undead are as grand as between Fraser and Arnold Vosloo in The Mummy.

Bemusing audiences with SFX is not something new for Kodi Ramakrishna; he did so in Ammoru (Amman); now he betters his previous attempt through Arundhatee (Arundhati in Telugu)! The encounters between the protagonist (played by Anushka) and the undead are as grand as the confrontations between Fraser and Arnold Vosloo in The Mummy.

KUSELAN Be it the scene where Rajni rides on a winged horse or the scene where a decapitated yet alive Vettaiyan (played by Rajni) runs in tandem with his flying head, Kuselan left viewers bemused. But personally, I liked the special eﬀects in Sivaji too.

PADIKKATHAVAN This film secured a place in our list for the song where four avatars of Dhanush are shown dancing together. Not just advanced CGI, it also required hard work from Dhanush, who had to kneel down into his shoes with legs tied behind to get that dwarf look!

48 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

TN 07 AL 4777 A courageous Pasupathy, modern technology and gadgets, and perfect timing – these were the ingredients of the spectacular scene where Pasupathy escapes narrowly when a train hits his car. Shot in Super 35 format, the entire film is a technical marvel!

LATEST TECHNOLOGY

Lighting, cameras, colour correctors, light predictors...

VAARANAM AAYIRAM CGI meets attention to detail in the song Mundhinam Partheney, where every frame of the song had to be recreated with the authentic feel of the era, be it the 70s, 80s, 90s or later.

ACHAMUNDU ACHAMUNDU This soon-to-be-released Prasanna and Sneha starrer is Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first film to be shot with Red One Camera using online editing technique! A reason which made Hollywood filmmaker Michael Peyser check out its shooting (held in the US).

JALSA With the technological innovation of colour grading (to colour enhance a film digitally) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jalsa (starring Pavan Kalyan) was a visual treat. Careful grading can bring out extra freshness and crispness in hues and can even swap colours in motion (no puns)! Making things appear from nowhere, the two Asuras in this fantasy film really stole the hearts of kids with the help of CGI. Perhaps not Hollywood-style (especially since the budgets here are a fraction of Hollywood spending!), but still admirable, green screens and clever editing brought back memories of B&W twin-heroes days, only this time, more believable.

VILLU A 15-minute graphically-enhanced comedy scene is something rare! Villu had it, but unfortunately it had to be trimmed because the Censor Board had some objection. Nevertheless, the abbreviated comedy scene pertaining to Vadivelu was still exhilarating.

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 49

What you miss the most about home.. My family, the food and most of all my room! I just can’t sleep anywhere else! Pros of being a celeb... The preferential treatment. The love people have for you. The fan following. Basically all the adulation. The feature you get the most complimented on... People go, “Oh you have such lovely hair” or “What beautiful eyes you have” a lot! If not an actress... A news reader. I really wanted to do that. I even worked at a news channel in Delhi. Your weirdest phobia.. I meet everything head on. I try out new stuff and then decide whether I want to try it again or never!

nila Totally addicted to.. Besides cinema, it’s

strip(p)ed down

the Internet! I check Facebook about 8 times a day! And for even the smallest query I go online!

Photography: Suvo Das Pics courtesy: Nila

Fave designers... Essentially, I am jeans and T-shirt girl and not a designer-clothes person Fashion icon... Sushmita Sen. She is the ultimate diva. She dresses with class and elegance. And when it comes to looking hot, I admire Bipasha Basu. These two ladies, I really look up to when it comes to being fashionable. Among your contemporaries... Shriya is the only one who has good taste and style, and carries herself well. But otherwise, I think most South Indian celebs dress very loud. I’m sorry to say this, but except for Shriya, I think nobody here comes even close to being called fashionable! The worst thing you’ve worn: I hate wearing the folk style sari. I just hated the sight of it and did not want to wear it. But I ended up wearing it anyway! I hope I won’t have to wear it again! Brand crazy... I hate brands! I find them dull, plain and overpriced! As long the clothes fit well and suit my style I don’t pay attention to the brand. The one thing you wanna conceal with your clothes... My stomach. ALWAYS!

STEPPING UP... THE GLAM Q I think everybody must draw a line when it comes to exposure. That they would not wear a dress with a neckline lower than this or a skirt that goes higher than this. Everybody has their own standards. For me, I am comfortable in short clothes, but I will never stoop down to wear a bikini. I just think it’s completely unnecassary.

The one thing you wanna accentuate... My shoulders! I make a conscious effort to show them off! What clothes will you absolutely not wear for a movie? A bikini!

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 51

Shopping... Shopping is the only way to get me out of my lazy moods! I love to shop for clothes, bags and shoes! I’m a very selfish gal when it comes to shopping, because I shop only for myself. I just forget everybody else! Friends & Haunts I have no cinema friends. There are people within the industry whom I talk to, but I cannot call them my friends. All my friends are from college and from where I worked. Rather than pubbing and going dancing, I prefer holidaying with my friends. Books & Movies In college, I was glued to reading. As an English Honours student, I had so much to read: Shakespeare, poetry and so many classics, that my reading phase is now over! I prefer watching movies. I don’t mind even a C Class movie. But I just can’t watch my movies! Because every time I watch them, I feel that I could have done much better! Spa I go to the parlour at least twice a month out of necessity. I go to the spa only on the day when I look at myself in the mirror and I see a shabby person looking back at me! I indulge in myself only if I need it. But once there, I get the complete package!

I HATE FILMI DANCING. I AM A TERRIBLE DANCER AND I THINK EVERYONE IN THE INDUSTRY KNOW ABOUT IT!

Work out I hate to work out! I was always skinny, but since I came to South India, I’ve been adding on the kilos. The worst part is that I even try to diet! I love junk food. But now I do work out. Right now, I’m concentrating on toning up, because I’ve lost a lot of weight and I’m not one of those gals who is crazy about being stick thin. I look at some of them and think, “Gosh they might collapse any moment!” It’s just plain stupid, I think.

NILA CORNERED

ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT ARYA IS THAT HE WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF MY LIFE AND ALWAYS WILL BE.

The most ridiculous rumour... There were rumours saying that I demanded mineral water to bathe in during Jambavan! The only water-related incident that took place was during the shooting of a scene that required me to go underwater. Since I am asthmatic, I said that I could not stay under the water for a long time. But the director insisted and I refused. When it comes to my health, I will not compromise! And I think it’s this incident that got blown out of proportion! But my policy is not to react to such rumours, because I could not care less! The worst thing someone has said about you... Initially, I had this image of being a rude arrogant girl, so nobody dared to say anything bad about me. And good as that was, it backfired when it came to signing on movies. I’ve never created a problem, but I am a very straightforward girl. I tell things the way they are and people can’t handle it. It’s really not my problem... Has anyone ever tried to get fresh with you? It’s not happened, but if anyone tried to get fresh with me, I would just slap him! I just won’t take it, no matter how big a star or director he is. I hate it when someone says: “We are paying you. You have to do everything we tell you!”

NILA’S ADDICTION! When I did my first movie, I said to myself – this is my last. When I started acting, I had just returned from New York. At the outset, it was a cultutre shock. And then the long hours of work and the lack of punctuality put me off! So I wanted out. But I kept saying one more, one more and now – I’m addicted to Cinema!

Have you encountered the casting couch? I have not encountered it, but I have seen young girls and new actresses taking that route. All I can say is that aspiring actresses should simply not put themselves through it. Any girl who wants to be an actress must first have a good education to fall back on, in case cinema does not work out. That way, the casting couch is not your only option.

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 53

PICS COURTESY: NILA PHOTOGRAPHY: SUVO DAS

I’M NOT PLANNING TO BE A GLAMOROUS FILMI BIMBETTE. I WANT THOSE PLUM ROLES!

JUi

TITBITS

FRESHLY SQUEEZED FOR GALATTA CINEMA INGREDIENTS

SIZZLING SCENES KILLER COMBOS CELEB BUDDIES FUNKY PARTIES GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 55

TOP 5 SIZZLING SCENES IN KOLLYWOOD

1 VISHAL & NAYAN IN SATHYAM

S GC’TE VO

ARYA & TRISHA IN SARVVAM

DEFINITELY GETTING THEIR HEAT ON, AREN’T THEY? If she is running for Kollywood’s No. 1 spot among the ladies, it’s because she’s got the booty and the right moves! She’s gone from rounded to chiselled and we completely dig it! But what’s adding to her hottitude right here is the man-accessory she has on her! (Or is it the other way around?!) Gals out there are hurrahing that our cine men are working out, and they are hooting at Vishal’s choco-abs! Yummadelicious, wouldn’t you say?

Hmmm... They do look good on each other now, don’t they?! They were dating at this point, and from the unmanageable heat emanating here, it’s pretty obvious that they have the hots for each other!

NITIN & PRIYAMANI IN DRONA

SIMBU & NAYAN IN VALLAVAN

4 Kaveri Jha is not quite as gentle as the soft petals she lies on! The provocative look in her eyes, the bare midriﬀ and the skirt that leaves little to the imagination, spell out BOLD! The Indian Beauty: Is that what they called the movie?

What an image makeover for the award-winning Muthazhagu! Priyamani has a well-toned body and ever since her debut, she threw us hints about just how hot her bod is. But with Drona, the covers have come oﬀ (not all the way though, but enough to get the hot-ometer throbbing and the mercury rising!) The wet sequence and Indian cinema are nearly inseparable! The lady in white this time is Priyamani. Her drenched sari carelessly clinging to her body as Nitin gets in the picture... getting too close for comfort! The rain, the hot gal and drenched clothes are a dangerous trio, wouldn’t you say? Titillating, beguiling, romantic, turning the heat on, teasing, taunting and toeing the line of sexual acceptance in our society this is what steamy scenes in movies do. Voyeuristic in nature and an outlet foro repressed emotions, our filmi hot scenes are a psych test in themselves!

ON SCREEN COUPLES THAT SIZZLE

MADHAVAN & SADA BODY CHEMISTRY

Priyasakhi

HOTTEST

Every gal has been mad about Madhavan at some point, but the one gal who walked away with the cake is Sada! We are not hinting at anything beyond the super screen sync that these two share. They look so good together that they had the rumour-mills grinding at top speed. Every tabloid speculated that their on-screen romance had spilled into real life! Sada was happy to find a guy who spoke her language, and Maddy... well he’s your typical ladies’ man! But they both swear tthe heat stayed only on screen! the scre

S GC’TE VO Pokkiri

Vijay is ideally the mass man. He’s got the right formula to woo the masses, but the lady who wooed him best was Asin! She’s always played the bubbly gal and he the fiery young man. But together, they get the mercury rising. She used her seductive prowess to get this Pokkiri, and he happily allowed himself to get netted!

PROJECTS TOEGETHER Pokkiri and Sivakasi [Fans are clamouring for them to unite in Vijay’s 50th film too!]

GANESH & DIVYA Golden Star Ganesh and Kannada’s Golden Gal Ramya (a.k.a. Divya Spandana) are essentially the hottest pair in Kannada cinema, and the romantic sequences in Bombaat stand testimony to this fact!

Polladhavan

HOTTER

VIJAY & ASIN BODY CHEMISTRY

HOT

KILLER

PROJE PROJECTS TOEGETHER Ethiri, Priyasaki and the soon-toP release Naan Aval Adhu

COMBOS

& SET THE SCREEN ON FIRE

King

Vaaranam Aayiram

SURIYA & SAMEERA...VA VA VOOM BODY CHEMISTRY

NAGARJUNA & TRISHA...AGELESS SIZZLE BODY CHEMISTRY

Suriya and Sameera [aaah!] Reddy may have acted together in just one movie, but they looked amazing together. She combined smart and coy, while he was the unabashed love-struck Romeo. Together, they gave celluloid romance a face-lift: fresh, fiery and fabulous.

He is the King, and she is indeed his Queen! She’s in her twenties and he’s possibly twice her age, but love they say is unconditional! Together they ooze hottitude and their chemistry makes you wanna see more of them. King, is obviouly just the beginning of a silver screen romance.

Lollypop

PRITHVIRAJ & BHAVANA BODY CHEMISTRY He’s a handsome guy and she’s a pretty gal, and together they make a very good-looking couple. They have not acted in a dozen movies together -- at least not yet! But they appear to be comfortably and happily in love, on screen of course. There’s a refreshing youthful energy about them that makes them just right for each other.

PROJECTS TOGETHER Lollypop and Robin Hood

DHANUSH & DIVYA

SIMBU & TRISHA

Divya Spandana is one of those gals who don’t have to put too much eﬀort into looking sexy. The man that brings out her hottest best is lover boy Dhanush! The songs in Polladhavan have them go from outright sexy to soft and subtle.

When they starred together in Alai, he was too young and she was too shy. But stills from Gautam Menon’s Vinnaithandi Varuvaya give us a brand new picture. You can almost feel the sweetness and softness of the romance that the script demands. Vinnaithandi Varuvaya

SHRIYA & TRISHA There are always exceptions to the rule! The rule that Shriya Saran and Trisha have broken is that actresses can never be good friends. Ever since the two co-starred in Enakku 20 Unakku 18, they have been best pals. Just ‘coz they are cine gals does not mean they don’t do regular girly stuﬀ like shopping, checking out the dudes, catching up on the latest gossip and just sipping on a healthy mix. When their demanding career gives them the time, Shriya and Trisha revel in each other’s company and it shows!

CELEB BUDDIES

SIMBU & DHANUSH Wipe that nasty smile oﬀ your face, will you! And look closely at the picture, at the smiles on their faces. Kollywood’s angry young man is smiling so gleefully, his dimples are at their deepest! And Dhanush looks equally happy too! He’s in fact warmed up to his so-called foe by putting a hand around him. The media just makes too much out of celeb spats. These guys look thick as thieves!

60 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

S GC’TE VO

T ESIS OT R ASSES N ULD ELY L V T CO JUS TWO LO E H T

ARYA & POOJA “Even if he was the last guy on Earth, I don’t think I’d marry him! He’s my best friend but if we two tied the knot, World War III will break out,” were the words spoken by Pooja, when questioned about the romantic links that had been drawn between her and Arya. They’ve acted in four movies together, and that’s quite a lot of time spent together, but they still take the time to hang out with each other on a work-free day, because that’s what best friends do, right?

LAKSHMI RAI & NAMITHA Here’s another pair of pretty babes who have sparked a lasting friendship. In an industry ridden with backbiting and catfights, Lakshmi Rai and Namitha have managed to befriend each other. At parties, premieres and movie functions, it’s quite normal to catch these two gals together, smiling, giggling and having fun. Today, most of our celebs enjoy the simple things in life, and there aren’t many who wear their stardom on their brow. These two gals are as grounded as it gets; they are sweet as they are sexy, nice as they are naughty. And together they make one lively, energetic pair!

VENKATESH & NAGARJUNA Behind all the glitz and under all the superstar baggage lie two very fun guys – Venkatesh and Nagarjuna. They may have been fighting for the top spot in Tollywood, but that has not stood in the way of a thriving friendship. What else but that would have brought Venkatesh to the audio launch of Nag’s movie [which was combined with the launch of Nag’s son’s debut movie]? These guys have been in the industry long enough to know that there is more to a successful career in cinema than fighting oﬀ competition! There’s room for everybody!

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 61

L to R: Shriya, Radikaa, Simbu, Ramya Krishnan, Sidney Sladen and Trisha

ALL FOR FASHION Sidney

Sidney Sladen’s fashion shows are certainly much-awaited every year and for each of them, he never fails to draw oohs and aahs from the audience. The Aphrodite-inspired Collection 2009 show was, as always, star-studded, glamorous and such a glorious evening! From his muse and buddy Trisha to Simbu, Ramya Krishnan, Shriya Saran, Radikaa Sarathkumar, Lakshmi Rai, Abbas and Erum Ali and of course, us, he had a host of starry cheer-leaders!

Sidney taking a break with his mum

Simbu poses with the little beauties

FUNKIEST TINSEL TOWN DOS

Ramya Krishnan shows the world she is still one of the hottest!

Lakshmi Rai

Shriya Saran

The country’s finest models pose for Sidney’s Aphrodite collection

UNIVERCELL Bang in the heart of Chennai stood a new landmark – the Univercell showroom of cell-phones and myriad gadgets. Madhavan, who went from being the oﬃcal ambassador of the brand to a friend of the Univercell family, came with complete starry fanfare, wowed the crowds (and they were HUGE!), his fans and the press with his tech-savvy remarks.

It is speech time for Maddy

Ready to unveil the latest and the slickest

Tradition meets technology – the vilakku ceremony

Models displaying the concept of cellphone versatility

Bosses of Univercell speak forth!

Madhavan checks out Univercell’s latest collection

Maddy shows of his newest gadget

The showroom gets jampacked in no time

Speedster Arya: At Blur, Sathyam Cinemas

There’s no biz like showbiz and no parties like star-studded ones! Tinseltown rocked this month also with a slew of launches, announcements, contests and shows. Featured are pictures of some outstanding film-related events that took place in March. Arya came to the Blur gaming zone at Satyam Cinemas for their promo, Baana was launched, Mehta Jewellery launched a new collection attended by stars with smiles brighter than Mehta’s diamonds, Jiiva met his fans at Radio One, Karan attended the Kaantharvan press meet, Director Vikraman spoke at the Mariyathai press meet, Madhushree was thrilled to meet superstar Rajinikanth, Kanthaswamy team held a press meet to announce its audio launch shortly, and many, many more.

Emmy Awards Judge Felicitation

Jiiva Meets Fans at Radio One

Kanthasamy Press Meet

Celebs attend Mehta Jewellery’s New Collection Launch

Baana Movie Launch

Kaathavarayan press meet

Mariyathai press meet

Madhushree meets Rajinikanth

Miss South India Contest

Naan Aval Adhu trailer launch

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no biz like showbiz and there are no parties like star-studded ones! Tinseltown rocked this month also with a slew of launches, announcements, contests and shows. Featured are pictures of some outstanding film-related events that took place in March. The Miss South India contest was held, Naan Aval Adhu trailer was released, Ramya Krishnan held a press meet. Kamal Haasan released the Pasanga audio, where he spoke inspring words. The Papparamittai audio was released, as was the Annai audio and the Mariyathai audio. A press meet was held for Aaa Boo Thri.

Napoleon at School Function

Ramya Krishnan press meet

Sa Boo Thri Press Meet

S.J. Suryah & Ameer in Papparamittai Audio Launch,

Sneha at Annaiyin... audio launch

Mariyathai audio launch

Pasanga audio launch

Surya, Ayan Press Meet

Vaigai audio launch,

Sripriya at painting auction

Vishnuvardhan Press Meet

Sivamani at Nokia 3rd Anniversary Celebration

There’s no biz like showbiz and there are no parties like star-studded ones! Tinseltown rocked this month also with a slew of launches, announcements, contests and shows. Surya appeared even younger at the Ayan press meet, Sripriya revealed her hidden painting talents and began selling pictures of her paintings for charity, Sivamani added life and rhythm at Nokia’s third anniversay celebration, the audios of Vaigai and Vizhiyum Seviyum were launched with fanfare, the premiere show of Yavarum Nalam was held and well-attended, AP vs. TN star cricket match was held and enjoyed by all.

Yaavarum Nalam Premiere Show

Arivunithi Meets the Press Star Cricket

Vizhiyum Seviyum Audio Launch

Pasupathy at painting exhibition

Women’s Day Celebration at Marriot

BRAND CELEBRITIES IN ADS

N O G A W GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 71

Asin SIMPLICITY ͳ ASIN’S USP She might be modelling for the most exquisite jewellery, but it is Asin who attracts all the attention. The way she portrays herself, be it in TV ads or print ads, she is her gorgeous self. The shining jewels may be the focus of the advertisement, but the jewel that shines most (and outshines the jewellery as well) is Asin. She makes every woman look beautiful, her face is not typically North or South Indian, it is simply INDIAN!

BIG FM

With the success of the Hindi Ghajini, Asin has become the most sought-after brand ambassador among movie celebrities. Even when she did only South Indian films, she was the numero uno choice of several brands. From beverages to jewellery, beauty products to media, Asin has done it all. She has been featured on several magazine covers. Her ads invoke as much interest as her films. People watch these ads to see her rather than the products!

FUNNY & SOPHISTICATED Asin has to her credit some of the best brands in the country. She is the face of CavinKare Fairever, Tanishq. Tata Sky and Mirinda. She also endorsed Close-up along with Saif Ali Khan. Another thing that makes Asin popular with advertisers is that she does ads in all languages. For instance, her Tata Sky ad was shot in four languages, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. And she dubs for all these ads, just like her movies, in her own voice. This makes the ads more real and the audience is only too happy to hear a celebrity speak their language. They thus trust the endorser and the product.

BLOCKBUSTERS

R B

D N A

Asin’s movies are superhits, but her ads are even bigger hits. The recent Mirinda campaign which has featured her as a bride-in-waiting, mental patient, singer and vegetable vendor, has become immensely popular among audiences. Asin has adapted herself to each of these characters, thus adding the fun element to the ad and at the same time, making the product more memorable. Something that will make the brands also happy. Another of her latest campaigns is the Fairever Fruit ad.

Shriya She may not have as many ads as her contemporaries, but every time Shriya comes on the small screen, she is a joy to watch. She has a face that appeals to audiences all over the country. There is a certain conviction and honesty in her that makes her believable and the products she endorses trustworthy.

USP ͳ ATTITUDE This curvaceous lass has a great attitude and she carries it with style and panache. One of her biggest campaigns has been the Saravana Stores campaign. Dressed in all the gold finery, Shriya looked no less than a queen and queen indeed she is. Her popularity among Tamil and Telugu audiences is immense. She has been associated with some of the biggest movie projects; adding to it, her amazing looks make her the most wanted on the celebrity endorsement list.

STYLE & GLAMOUR From jewellery to oil, from soaps to mobile services, Shriya has represented a wide gamut of products. But when people see her in ads, especially young girls, they look at not only the product but also at Shriya. Her style sense ahas always been appreciated, and young girls want to know what she is wearing. Her style statement sets fashion trends. When she did the Heads & Shoulders campaign, she gave Kareena Kapoor, the other celebrity endorser, a run for her money.

BRAND

Her commando act (no funny jibes please!) for the recent Idea cellular ad is top-notch. It has humour, a social message (mess with women and you will get your #&% kicked!) and represents today’s generation. It shows all the sides of GenX. They are socially responsible, respect elders, believe in group eﬀort and are health conscious! With Shriya representing the youth, we are definitely looking forward to more such ads featuring her. Are the ad pundits and brand owners listening?

LUX

GOING PLACES

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 73

Suriya Suriya as Sanjay Ramasamy in Ghajini was believable as the business tycoon and when he talks about mobile services, bikes, fairness creams and biscuits, he is no diﬀerent. Hypnotized by his charm and honesty, you follow his every word! Despite his celebrity status, people look at him as one of their family members and that is his USP.

HONESTY ͳ SURIYA’S USP

Fairness creams, biscuits, motorbikes, hair oil, colas, mobile service provider, Suriya has been the face for several brands and products. Coincidentally, he has endorsed most products that have also been endorsed by Shahrukh Khan. This says a lot about his popularity and image. And with several prestigious projects under his belt, Suriya is definitely the most trusted celebrity endorser among South Indian actors.

n a v a h d a M BR

D N A

This is one Tamil actor who has a great fan following, not only in his home state but all across the country. With prestigious projects in Hindi like 3 Idiots with Aamir Khan and Teen Patti with Amitabh Bachchan and two back-to-back hit movies Mumbai Meri Jaan and 13B (Yavarum Nalam in Tamil), Madhavan must be hounded by companies to endorse their products. But just like his films, Maddy is choosy about the ads he does.

CONSISTENCY ͳ MADDY’S USP

The brand that he is most identified with is UniverCell. He has been their brand ambassador for two years now. Committed to the brand, Madhavan makes it a point to be present for all important events of UniverCell. He is also the face of Airtel and his ads with Vidya Balan became very popular. The chemistry between the two (carried forward from their onscreen appearance in Guru), worked well with the audience. The two joined Saif-Kareena and A.R. Rahman for the Airtel Digital TV campaign.

Genelia After a shaky career start, Genelia made a huge jump in 2008, replacing several actresses in the endorsement b(r)andwagon. Her hit films in Hindi (Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na), Tamil (Santosh Subramaniam) and Telugu (Ready), have made her the hot new face of advertising. She is the new ‘cute and bubbly’ face of television, taking over the tag from Bollywood’s Preity Zinta. Looks like Gen-X loves Gen-elia and her ad-vataar. Great going girl!

FUN FACTOR ͵ GENELIA’S USP Starting with Fanta Apple, Genelia’s fun and jovial character has captivated audiences all over. Not only TV viewers, even the advertisers have taken notice of this silver screen queen as a potential brand ambassador. Her next big break came with Cadbury’s Perk. The fun element in her Fanta ad continues here too. Hardly new to modelling, (remember her in Parker Pens with Big B), her new-found success in cinema has made her the hot favourite in the ad-world. Prietys, Ranis and Trishas beware!

Simran Several years back, when she appeared in the Sunrise ad with Ajith, Simran was at the peak of her career. One of the topmost heroines in Tamil and Telugu cinema, there was no stopping her. Marriage and motherhood may have put a temporary halt to her career, but Simran is now back with a vengeance, in films, TV and also in ads.

BRAN D

STILL HOT

Be it the traditional NAC ads or the latest Sugarfree campaign, Simran is now the face of the modern Indian woman. She may no longer be the choice of youthful brands like colas or icecreams, but she is definitely the choice for products that represent modern woman and her many roles. So we have her as the doting mother, the beautiful wife and the health-conscious woman today. Simran then and Simran now, is still the darling of ad-dicts!

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 75

“

Being a producer’s son only means more expectations and more naysayers to squash, more independence to prove. Today, if I am respected on my own steam, it is because of a lot of work into each project, ensuring I am just the lead actor!

76 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

RISE

& RISE OF JIIVA

THE ACTOR GETS CANDID ABOUT HIS WORK AND LIFE

hen you have a producer for a dad, how can you possibly not make it as an actor? That’s what we think when another kid with a rich daddy makes it as a hero. But when Jiiva decided to make the cut, he knew that he was going to be different. Of course, he is thankful to his dad for the launchpad, but as he orbits cine skies now, he wants his own spot. He wants to shine on his own, to be a star, but on his own terms and with his own abilities. And if you follow his story, you’ll realize that we can safely say that Jiiva has outgrown the Super Good Films Banner and is twinkling jubilantly in celluloid space!

One look at his career graph and you will see he has been exploring his abilities and cine possibilities, emerging successful in some and losing miserably in others. But Jiiva is intent to take failure and success with the same enthusiasm. He’s not embarrassed to talk about his flops, just as he’s only too happy to discuss the movies that became surprise hits. In spite of the overwhelming response to his Siva Manasula Sakthi, this level-headed guy has got his feet on the ground and is ready to call the next bet, for cinema is the biggest gamble of them all; one hit raises the stakes twice as high!

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What’s it like being a producer’s son and debuting in cinema? My first two movies were under our own banner, both did not do too well, and I was still called R.B. Choudhary’s son! It’s nice to have your father as a producer, but after a point, it does not matter. You need to achieve success on your own. So when Raam happened,

“

After E’s success, my career should have taken a turn for the better. But I did Pori which swallowed two solid years of my life.

I was very thrilled and quite proud! When we discussed the script, Ameer told me I would have to work a lot, and I did. Though we were financially involved with the project, the movie released under Ameer’s banner, and I was so happy that the movie did well. If I had succeeded under my dad’s banner, nobody would have paid attention to the work I put in! I could have slogged like a dog, and at the end of the day, every one would have just said I made it only because I had backing! So after Raam, what was your plan of action? There was only one plan. I had to make a name for myself. Then came Dishyum and E. E was our home production, a movie that required just six months to make, but instead, it took over a year. We had a lot of trouble in getting it out, and then finally, when it did hit the screens, it was released along with movies like Dharmapuri and Vallavan. There was a lot of hype around Vallavan since it was Simbu’s directorial venture. And along with it were several spicy news items around the film. Naturally, we were rather worried about the fate of E. But it turned out that on the day of release, the Vallavan reels did not arrive at Devi theatre and so, they ran E there instead. The theatre was jampacked. I was in the box seat and was so happy seeing how the audience was responding to the film. They were

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really enjoying it and I was on cloud nine. But just when I stepped out, I bumped right into Simbu, who was quite surprised that some other movie was being screened! I am sure he must have heard the resounding applause from within the theatre and that was something he had hoped would happen for his film too! It was quite an awkward situation when we both met outside. It was like a scene out of a movie, the two of us meeting there! The Pori debacle... After E’s success, my career should have taken a turn for the better. But I did Pori, which swallowed two solid years of my life. I must admit that Pori is my biggest flop till date. Every time I met the press, they would always allude to Pori and how it flopped, and that just frustrated me. I started thinking why I did that film. I’m sure if the director hears me saying this, he’ll feel bad, but that’s how it is. Well then why did you do it? What went wrong? I was caught up in a lot of tension surrounding the release of E when the Pori script came along. My dad was the one who heard the story completely. Later, when the director narrated it to me, I sort of lost focus midway! So I had to turn to my dad and ask him what he thought of the story and if I should do it. My dad said that since Subramania Siva’s Thiruda Thirudi had done well, he thought Pori would do so too. Hence I signed on for the film. The director and I had a lot of misunderstanding throughout the making of Pori. He kept saying Raam was too artsy and that only commercial movies worked. Everyone around also kept saying that I should do a commercial movie. And in the name of commercial, a whole lot of elements were included in the movie. I remember, during the dubbing, everyone else would be laughing over some comedy sequence in the movie, while I would be seated quietly, not finding it funny at all! In the end, even the audience did not find it funny and the movie flopped. I learnt my lesson! And still you decided to take a risk soon after that with Katradhu Tamil? I had my heart in Katradhu Tamil.

I worked my *** off for that movie! The amount of effort I had put in for all my movies till that time, I put in for Katradhu Tamil. It may not have done as well as expected, but it was the reason my market value went up, as in – that’s what triggered the increase in my salary! So as far as I am concerned, even though it did not do well commercially, the movie was a good investment for my career. How did this movie you had so much faith in, not make the cut? Where did it go wrong? If you ask me, I’d say it was at the editing table. When I heard the story, it was mind-blowing. At first, director Ram made it just the way he had explained. But then I guess, everyone telling him that his movie was great, got to his head, and there started the problem. And yet, I’d say he managed to make a good movie, but he made the mistakes mainly while editing. In spite of the mistakes, I believe the end product was quite good. In fact, I thought it would make a few rounds at international film festivals and win him some awards. Director Ram and I did not get on well and I will not work with him again, but I am sure he will win critical acclaim for his movies in future. He’s got the vision and some great scripts that are bound to win him applause and awards. With movies like Subramaniyapuram and Anjaathe turning hits, do you think Katradhu Tamil would have made a bigger bang now? Yes, I think it would have done better now. Like I said before, I expected the movie to win an award, but with some problems between the director and the producer, the movie just did not make it to any awards. And my hard work went for a toss. But had it released now, it would have done better. The movie put forth a lot of ideas that were ahead of its time. Like the hint at the recession, by taking a dig at the overpaid software guys, and through sequences in the movie where the protagonist takes extreme measures because his poverty pushes him to do so. It’s a good movie, but sadly, no one went to the theatre to watch it! When it was aired on TV, everyone who saw it thought it was a good movie! I even had people call me and say that it was

a fabulous movie and that I deserved an award for my performance. All this comes too late! Or should I say the movie came too early! But with Thenavattu you jumped back into the game… Soon after Katradhu Tamil, Thenavattu was supposed to release and only after that Rameswaram. But you know how it is, there was some confusion and Rameswaram came out first. That again did not do too well here. But overseas, it did extremely well. I guess, people away from home were able to relate with the refugee theme of the movie better than us sitting at home! So before I got slotted as an artsy actor, I did Thenavattu and the movie brought home good collections! My highest till date! Given Thenavattu’s success, will you be doing more mass movies? I am an actor, and much as I would like to do movies like Katradhu Tamil, it’s movies like Thenavattu with a tried and tested formula that are relatively low-risk. I was sitting coolly in London when the release of Thenavattu happened. I was sure it would do well and it did. But that does not mean I will only do the commercial formula. I will keep it balanced. But honestly, I think I’m not yet ready for movies like Katradhu Tamil. There’s a lot of physical and emotional strain that I go through as an actor for a movie like Katradhu Tamil. For Katradhu Tamil alone, I lost so much weight and then I had to sit through the torment of sticking on that beard and wig. And then, when the movie bombs at the box office, everything I put in goes waste and I have to start all over again. Now that I’ve done Thenavattu I have people saying “Poor Jiiva, he’s getting caught up with the mass movie craze,” and most of them appreciated Katradhu Tamil only after they saw it on TV. What people have to understand is that for me to do an experimental movie, I should first give at least two hit movies. So, what are your future projects? I’ve signed on for Vithai and Singampuli. From the name alone, you know it’s a mass movie. After that comes Kudumi, the title alone has everyone wrinkling or raising their eyebrows, wondering what kind of a

“

I’m not yet ready for movies like Katradhu Tamil. There’s a lot of physical and emotional strain that I go through as an actor for a movie like that.

movie it’s gonna be! Set in a tribal backdrop, it’s an action movie too, but not on the usual lines! What if director Bala made an action movie? That’s how it would be. What’s the story behind SMS’s success? Oh! I had super cool fun making that movie! Actually, we all had tons of fun. I think this is one movie I really enjoyed being part of. Many of the scenes were improvised on the set and that added to the final output. Of course, the director gave us a lot of creative freedom and that is what really seems to have worked in our favour. The cast was very well assembled; we had Urvasi ma’am, Gnanasambandham, Sathyan and Santhanam. Santhanam’s witty responses would spur us on to say something equally funny, so there was as much

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competition as there was spontanity, and so in the end, what you see on screen is so natural that you relate to it! Heroine Anuya and I had a few problems on the sets, but no one thought a compromise was needed, because that small friction worked for the script! There were no restrictions and the fun just kept coming and now it continues! So you knew it was going to be a hit? Well yes, I enjoyed making the movie and wanted people to enjoy watching it. But one month prior to the release

“

The amount of effort I had put in for all my movies prior to that, I put in for Katradhu Tamil. It may not have done well commercially, but the movie was a good investment for me. when I showed my dad the film, he saw it and he did not like it! He was totally put off by my character in it -- the smoking and drinking parts specifically, and he said he did not like the movie! So his verdict was that the movie would flop! You can imagine what a letdown that was. I was so very upset. My mom was immediate to console me saying we’ll make up for it by doing better movies after SMS! All I could tell them was – wait and watch how youngsters were going to enjoy it. So you must be thrilled that the movie is doing so well? Yes I am. I’ve been to movies where the people from the audience ridicule scenes from the movie, altering dialogues and trashing the movie. Some would even fall asleep! But when I watched SMS at theatres, I was overwhelmed by the claps and whistles! I think because it’s the kind of love story that anyone can relate to. For people in love, for lovers who go on bickering, and for people who are having a bad day, SMS is the movie they go to, to get cheerful. I’m sure Vikatan Talkies hoped that this movie would not become an expensive hometheatre films, and it‘s not!

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JIIVA, UNPLUGGED! From movies, to family to friends, Jiiva gets personal...

Me, myself & “ii” If you do an online search on Jeeva, the search pages churn out links to news about the death of Jeeva, cinematographer. So once at the airport, when I was chatting with a French lady, she suggested the double ‘i’, assuring me that the change would also work wonders in my career. I’m not into numerology, but I guess the new spelling is fancy, so I accepted the change. I’m sure some people find it ridiculous too! But it works well for me! I’m not sure if it’s the numerology that has helped, because I believe it’s self-confidence ultimately. But then, cinema is a field where a lot of money is involved, so loads of tension, and I don’t wanna lose my hair to it! So let’s just say the double ‘i’ is not a solution, but merely backs me on the positive mindset! Sibling Rivalry Not at all! We both are different. We know our set of assets and negative aspects, and we work based on that. When his movie does well, and mine does not or vice versa, we don’t bicker over it. Movie-making is a risky business and success and failure come with the territory. I’m not trying to outdo him or he me. We have to pay attention to our own individual careers first. While I’m busy trying to be better than say Ramesh or Simbu, from nowhere a Karthi pops up and he beats us all! His movie runs for a whopping 200 days and we were busy competing with each other! So rather than worrying about who’s doing what, I’d set a goal for myself, and try and reach it on time. Competition will always be there, but beating them alone is not the goal. I am my own competition and I want it to be like that. Friends… Arya and Ravi are good friends. They are like me – they are not too emotionally attached to cinema. They treat it like a business. Likewise, another good guy on the block is Karthik. He’s a very sweet guy with no bad habits! Sangitha and her husband Krish are also good friends. I keep in touch with Srikanth also.

Star Cricket… Cricket is probably the common factor that brought us guys together. I did not meet my cine pals at pubs and discos! We are a group who play for the United Stars team that plays league matches with the ICL players. It’s a serious game, mind you. No rubber ball and stuff. Real cricket. We’ve been playing for over a year, and I guess that’s what helped me picked up 69 runs at the Star Cricket match! My first 18 runs were rather slow, but after the break, I came back, hit the first ball for a six and then my game took off! I’d have scored some more, but they called me back to the dressing room because the others had to play too! Six pack mania… I’m quite happy with my family pack! The thing is I love to eat. I am a big time foody! My wife cooks well and though now she has restricted my diet to healthy food, when I go out, I enjoy junk food! But I do want keep fit, and yeah, I must start my regular workouts. I play a lot of cricket, and I believe that’s a good workout. I’m not particular about six-pack abs. I want my bod to be like say Brad Pit without the six pack! Or maybe like Daniel Craig! Yeah, yeah, I know that to get into that shape itself requires loads of work, but I was able to lose close to 11 kg for Raam. I’m sure I can do so if I have to!! SMS did not require it, but let’s see maybe I’ll try the look for Kudumi!! Getting intimate on the screen… Of course Supriya will not approve if I get too close, it’s quite natural. Had she been in cinema, she’d probably feel otherwise. A peck on the cheek is ok, but if I go and smooch a costar, then I’d better get my pen out and ready to sign divorce papers! In a way, it’s good that I’m not allowed to smooch my co-stars! The idea is yuck! Celebs not on my fave list… Sundar C. and Simbu! Sundar

C. is a good commercial film director. When a good director turns actor, it’s ideally because he has a good script and no good actor has agreed to do it. So he decides to do it himself, after all it’s his baby! But Sundar C. is coming out with one movie after another projecting himself as a mass hero… And that somehow seems really unacceptable! Then there’s Simbu. He’s a talented guy, but it’s just his attitude that gets to you. Among actresses, someone I would rather not work with again is Nayantara. I worked with her on E; for the first half she was good and then she got real unprofessional. Good guy on the sets… I’m a very frank person. What you see is what you get. I love Supriya, I am most comfortable with her. So I have never had the need to get close with any of my co-stars. I don’t make a conscious effort to keep my distance with anybody. I’m this jolly guy with everybody. But sadly, no girl has ever proposed to me! That’s probably because I have never kept my relationship with Supriya hidden. I guess I may as well have it plastered in my head that I am committed! Tha actors’ fast for the trouble in Sri Lanka… I don’t know how big a difference it had on the Tamils in Sri Lanka. But it did have an impact on the Sri Lankan Tamils outside the country. Many people thanked us for showing our support. And our fast put the war on hold for a day, so in that way, we brought a small relief to the suffering people. The fast was the film fraternity’s way of saying that we care. The political plunge… Never! I have no problem with other actors getting into politics, but I never will! My aspirations are very small! I’m just 25, I have a lot to accomplish in cinema. And then when I’m old, I wanna got settle on some nice scenic island like Bali! And then

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if I get a chance to act, I might. But at the age of 50, I will act my age. I’m not for dyeing my air black and continuing youth roles! Gay roles… In Tamil Cinema, we are still running around with ‘arivaal’, so it’s gonna be a long while before the theme of homosexuality will seep in. And when it does, I’d probably do it for a comic sense. Something like, say, Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham in Dostana! Since homosexuality is not much talked-about in our society, we’ll just have to wait and see what the reactions are when it comes down South. Only based on that can we make a movie out of it, and then I’ll decided if I will act in it. Sex in cinema… Say it in a serious tone like Fire or Water and you’ll have trouble. Make a joke of it and it’s ok. It will reach those who understand it, and go over the head for others. So long as it’s just in jest, sex in cinema is ok! It’s a man’s world... I completely agree that our industry is male-dominated. But to change the scene, we guys cannot take the initiative. Also, we have not educated the audience by giving them a variety of films. That’s why a movie like Poo, where the female plays a bigger role, does not do well. Our movies are all hero-oriented and being a hero, I cannot complain! I myself am not sure if I would have played Srikanth’s part in Poo. The moment an actor agrees to play second fiddle to a woman, everyone thinks he’s not getting good movies. I‘d probably do Poo after I‘ve had a couple of hits and have two big projects in hand. Given her market value, a big actress like Asin could easily get a director to make a movie in which she had a powerful role. But given that our audiences are not trained well enough for such a story, nobody wants to take the risk. Log on to www.galatta.com for the video of the interview with Jiiva. Also check out his offical site www.jiivaonline.com for more interesting information and latest gallery downloads. G C

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Celebrate 2 years of absolutely gorgeous colour, drama and exciting movie info with us at Galatta Cinema. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just getting bigger and better and we invite you to hop along for a fabulous ride all the way. Welcome to our 3rd year - it promises to be a firecracker, again!

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COVER FEATURE

Sneha SHE JUST KEEPS BLOOMING

It’s not just her world-famous charming smile. It’s a combination of her disarming sweetness, friendly nature and surprising solidity. One would expect Suhasini-turnedSneha to be either a frail, naive beauty, dragged wherever the tides will drag her or a completely superficial starlet hiding behind a veneer of bonhomie. She is neither. She is a person who has always made good choices and wherever there were mistakes, they were only stepping stones to more wisdom. So here she is, wiser and still as young and fresh as a freshly-bloomed flower, taking accolades, tough projects, brand endorsements, bad luck and naysayers in her stride. She reminds us of us, which is why she is our most special feature in this Anniversary issue. So why don’t we read on and read into our Sneha’s thoughts... Photography: G. VENKET RAM Clothes: SHWETHA & SHIFA OF ETALAGE, CHENNAI Make-up: JAIRAJ Hair: RACHEL

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LIFE COMES AROUND FULL CIRCLE FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE, REALLY! BUT THE TRICK

IS TO CARRY ON WITH DIGNITY AND TAKE IT BY THE HORNS WHEN IT COMES BACK TO YOU!

At the end of the day, here you are, still in business, still on top. How do you maintain this composure? It wasn’t always like that, let me be honest. It has been cultivated in my profession and really, it is absolutely necessary in this industry. So many people say so many things about you and an actor, even any other celebrity, just cannot afford to be affected by it all – be it good or bad. I just want to do my work, enjoy myself, feel content that whatever I do (hit or miss), I have put in my best and it is never a frivolous job. I choose to re-invent myself constantly and not stereotype my image, so I guess this is why I am still in the business? A Catch-22 here – your NOT being a stereotype seems to be one in itself and now, you are indeed slotted as a “different”, somewhat serious actor. Does this bother you? Yes and no. I am very, very happy and every single one of my roles have had some meaning (do understand, I have already taken into consideration that this is in fact, a mandriven industry). I have been appreciated and loved for my work, not just some skin-show or a few minutes of mass titillation. I just seems richer. But there is a bane in this too. What bane, you ask? Now I feel I have come out of my cocoon and I really want to do some glamorous roles, but people want to give me only good, solid roles. Ha ha ha! What are you doing about it? Being sensible. It’s easy to show desperation and accept just about any floozy stuff I may get, but that would be such a loss of esteem for me. I will wait. I will spread the word that

I am ready to be an urban, bold heroine, a woman of the times and the feminine equivalent of dashing. Because that is what I am now! Some directors have indeed sat up and taken notice. Venkat Prabhu, for example, has cast me in Goa and it’s going to be such a cool, hip experience! So what is glamorous to you? What lengths would you go to get that image makeover? The English word ‘glamorous’ has been completely muddied and typecast in industry parlance. To be glamorous is to be a diva, a star. Bold clothes, confident stride, frills and fuss that go with the image of a star; a reckless lack of concern for norms and rules... THIS is glamorous. Bold does NOT mean vulgar; glam does NOT mean skimpily clothed. It simply means pushing the limits right to the very edge. That’s where I want to be. I want strong roles with attitude. That doesn’t mean I have to be in a starched saree and “jolna pie” and shout slogans. I want to be nicely dressed, a woman of substance. I made it on my own, after all, and I want to project that. If it means international styling and clothes that show a little bit more of my skin, so what! I know my limits and I am clear about where I draw the line. This photo shoot with Galatta Cinema, for example? It was different, bold, urban... without being vulgar! Evening gowns and subtly sexy outfits. Smoky and simple makeup. Model-like posture as opposed to contrived poses. I like! This is the direction I want to go in. Wow! Such confidence. Such a strong stance. There is much strength and sunshine radiating from you. But we remember you as a sweet, quiet young girl. What brought about this change? Life, experience, a few ups, many downs and now, this journey back up. I was a real “songi” girl. I was conservative, mistrusting and wary of everything. I didn’t give life a chance. I wanted to make it and make it on my own, so I just worked and worked – and worked. And got worked up also in the process! The media wrote as much slimy gossip as praise about me. It got me down, it affected me. Now I am older. I look around me and see that people who thought I was just a little naive girl are now coming to me for advice. My dad and my brother, to whom I was always a baby, now have adult conversations with me on business. My friends, who always thought me to be their dear, darling Plain Jane, now get fashion tips from me. I am still doing films, my dates are full of projects, each one interesting and different. I have nurtured my self-confidence and now I am happy, happy, happy! I guess it shows! Wow! It’s infectious, this enthusiasm for life. But what got you down? Did the media affect you? Of course! Every star is affected by what is written about them. With me, for a long time, it was just a matter of finding it difficult to balance how to digest what the media writes and how to ignore some stuff that is published. Over time, I have learnt that too. People wrote trash about me. People would one day say I am prissy and uptight. The very next moment, they’d say I walked around with hardly any clothes on! Me! Have you ever known me to be like that? The media linked me with people and broke us apart too, very soon after that. I was called a “different” actress,

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Silver moon MEMORIES IN SNEHA’S LIFE AND HER DEEPEST SECRETS...

“Did you know I was almost an unwanted child? My birth was a surprise and when I was growing up, I was always the runt of the litter. Today, my parents tell me their unlikely child is also the surprising cause of bringing the family fame and fortune! It’s both poignant and a new high!” “I had some shattering heartberaks in my life, quite recent, actually. I had no idea how I was going to get out of the doldrums I was in. I was dying inside. But my friends showed me the way of light. I have now put my past behind me as something to learn from...” “My movies are sometimes a reflection of myself and sometimes, they’re just my projects, my experiements with my acting skills. I wish my fans and movie buffs too would be able to tell the difference and see me for both the actor as well as the person I am.” “You know, the only regret I have is that I may have missed out on fun times that girls who are best buddies can have together. I want that. I want that glee of being with a gaggle of giggly girls (me included!) and travel the world, see new places, meet new people, shop and have a blast. Perhaps there is still a chance for me? I am GOING to do it sometime...” “It hurts me and upsets me when the tabloid press proves that there are no depths they wouldn’t sink to. Like when they write about my underwear showing through some wet clothes during a shot – with pics that I know have never even been shot with me! Or how they feel they can judge my character. Don’t they know families read this type of thing?”

but immediately slotted into the other extreme for any little bit of commercial presence... Everything affected me. So much so that now, we just stopped buying these tabloids! I mean, c’mon dudes! Don’t you have families? Don’t you have respect and responsibility for what you write? Don’t you understand that our families are reading what is written about us? Would you like to read how one of YOUR loved ones is walking around in a sexy, white, wet saree? And the sad thing is, this is not baout all the publications or media companies, just a few that upset the entire apple cart. But now, I am above all that. I maintain my composure and decorum. I do my job, make my public appearances and earn my respect through my carriage and my work. And I feel so good since I am at peace. Hm. Interesting. As interesting as your movies. So, in this volatile micro-world, did you always know you could act? Nope, no way. It was only during my first few films (especially Virumbugiren, thank you Susi Ganesan!) that I thought, my God, I can do that?! And so it began. It was all because of choices based on an extra moment of consideration, an instinctive feel of the script. Even in my masala entertainers, I am no dumb bimbo. There is something about my character. I like that. I like to think I am important to the movie, no matter how small my role is – which, it hardly EVER is! I try not to think of my projects as hits and flops. Each has been an experience and if it was a hit, great! If it wasn’t, well, better luck to all of us next time!

I’M JUST A GIRL. I WANT TO HANG OUT WITH MY GIRLFRIENDS, SEE THE WORLD, TRAVEL AND SHOP. THAT IS PROBABLY THE ONLY THING ABOUT LIFE

Movies like Parthiban Kanavu, Autograph and others were not just award-winning, but also commercial successes? Did you think that would happen? If everyone chose to be different or chose their scripts on box-office speculation, NO ONE would try anything different! What’s the point? I like to be touched by my script before I decide to do it. All actors look at parameters of, is this project good enough, will my role be well-received, does this movie have hit potential cos I have to stay in the business... I do too. The success of the movie is important to me. But not more than the strength of my role or the comfort levels I need to work with a team. Cheran and Shyam are dear friends. With them, I am confident and natural. Sometimes the movie is a hit, sometimes not. But the experience has been memorable, has it not?

(Laughs) I like all three because they are indeed great roles (and all different characters) and they’re also urban and for the audiences of today! Bhavani IPS will have me kick some serious butt. Goa promises to be seriously fun. Achamundu is for the global audience with an Indian flavour. Plus two Telugu movies. My kitty is so wondrously full!

It looks like you’re working yourself to death! When do you relax! I DO relax. These days, health and happiness are foremost in my list of priorities. I work out, eat right, spend loads of time with my family and friends and savour life. They say you have to experience darkness to appreciate light. I did And in the face of such performance-oriented roles, you that during some very heartbreaking and troubled times in also did Silambattam and King... my life. But my support system and inner confidence pulled Oi! Come on, they were pretty good movies too and hits, except for King – I loved the movie myself, by the way. De- me up. I will work for as long as I am still considered a topspite Simbu’s supposed reputation and all that, my role was runner. I refuse to fade into secondary roles. I’d rather stop beautiful, elegant. Actually, these movies were fun, say what then. And when I do, I will still be active with any of my other passions. I will never throw this wealth of experience you wish (grins)! I enjoyed Ae Nee Romba Azhaga Irukaway and fade into oblivion! Mediocrity is not for me. In a key, Chinna and Bose as much as Vasool Raja MBBS and few years, I’ll still be the same and I’ll still be on top... Pallikoodam. And I thoroughly enjoyed my Telugu movies too! The trick is to be careful in choosing the script and to be careful not to be taken advantage of during shooting. All We DO believe that... With her charm, elegance and gentle beauty, she is a perfect combination of a star and other times, I am contented and enjoying myself! a real person. Indeed, a fitting icon to be on the cover of our Anniversary Special Issue. There more on Sneha on Wow! Some interesting movies coming up – Achamundu www.galatta.com. Be enchanted! Achamundu, Goa, Bhavani IPS... Looks like you are wearing yourself out!

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THAT I THINK I MISSED! NEVER MIND. I AM YOUNG AND DELIGHTED WITH LIFE RIGHT NOW I WILL ACHIEVE THIS TOO SOON!

I AM PROUD THAT I AM A BIG GIRL NOW... AND I AM HUMBLED WHEN I SEE ALL THOSE HORIZONS I STILL HAVE TO REACH

“Beyond all everyday relationships is the relationship with family and close confidantes. My family is my spine. My father always supports me, even though I have always been the youngest little girl. My sister is both my sister and my best friend –= this is rare, because our closeness is like that of two best girlfriends and not just as sisters! My brother, who lives in the Gulf, dotes on me and my nephews and I are thick as thieves (even right up to the mischief we all cause). I am like a surrogate mom to them and spending so much time with them makes me feel as if I am prepared to be a great mom of my own kids any time! My close friends have been with me through good and bad and will always be there for me. What mor does a girl need from the people around her! That is why I don’t party hard with scores of other people - I have everyone I need right here, around me...”

Style

DI VAS STARLETS WITH REAL STYLE

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 97

REEMA SEN

SHRIYA SARAN

Style

DIVA WHY? Shriya Saran brought sexy to Kollywood with her hour-glass figure and Shakira-type hip moves. Her style statements are never loud, but most certainly catch the eye! Shimmering gold is what sets oﬀ her skin and curves to best advantage. We love the way she wears beads and lets her locks float. She knows her points of seduction and how to show them oﬀ! In ‘Sahana Saral’ in Sivaji, she looked her dazzling best. Or so we thought! Then in ‘Pon Magal Vandhal’ (in Azhagiya Tamil Magan), clad in gold, she was a still better epitome of perfection. 98 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

In seconds, she can go from naughty to flirty to sexy! She’s got the body and she dares to flaunt it, in clothes that accentuate her booty and her moves. From turtle-necks to plunging necklines, from pastel shades to blaring reds, she’s worn them all. She never over accessorizes and there’s never been a colour mismatch! Dhool is her best look till date. She experimented with her style and look, from killer red in ‘Inthadi’ to cooler shades in ‘Inthunundu Mutham’. The cool gal nextdoor oﬀ-cam, she ups the glam and how!

TRISHA

ASIN DIVA WHY?

Her vital stats could give you guys out there sleepless nights, but she keeps you guessing! There’s a hint of cleavage here, a suggestion of a dangerous bend there, but you are just gonna have to work your imagination. She lets the pretty face do the talking. She’s a diva, because she proves that it’s not always about exposure! Her outfits for Ghajini were topnotch. Particularly in her opening number ‘Rasikira Rasikira’, the figure-hugging choco T teamed up with her jeans, setting oﬀ her skin tone. But in ‘Dole Dole’ in Pokkiri, she was a scorcher!

She has ‘eﬀortless’ written all over her. Flowing colours and minimal accessories work for her. She’s got great legs, she’s very aware of them, and she makes sure we are too! Short skirts and tight jeans are her best bet. On the ramp, those deadly flowing gowns get the nods, the applause and the cam-clicks! She went from innocent to sexy, our eyebrows still rise skywards when we see her on all fours prowling like a wild cat in the tall grass in the song ‘Ayayo Ayayo’ in Saami, a look no saami can resist! Her stylish best: Ayutha Ezhuthu.

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100 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

Don’t judge this one by her silver screen avatar. She’s got the perfect tan and just the right sense of fashion to show it oﬀ! Her aura of elegance emanates from her good dressing and her razor-sharp intellect. Though most often the plain Jane in her movies, her portfolios shots are hot! She goes from warm to coy to sexy, and before you know, she’ll have the temperature soaring.

PADMA PRIYA

ANUSHKA DIVA WHY?

She’s young and dresses to celebrate the fresh youth and sexiness that she oozes and that makes Anushka fashion’s newest diva! Having developed her own understanding of style, she goes for light flowing fabrics and sunny colours when it’s flirty on the agenda. Her action gal act in the Telugu remake of Billa entails some deadly figure hugging clothes and the famous bikini scene! How hotter is she gonna get next?

POOJA

RAMYA KRISHNAN DIVA WHY?

While every one is clamouring Size Zero is in, Ramya glides in and walks away with crown! She carries her beauty in her smile and tasteful clothes. She loves the bling and yet, when she sports the heavy brocades and flashy stones, she does it so well, it does not hurt your eye. In her day, she was unbeatable. She had the lean mean frame and the teeny weeny waist, and she made every designer’s stuﬀ look good! From films to television, Ramya Krishnan continues her glam role.

She’s not crazy about going by the What’s In manual; she lets her body and personality fashion her style statement. She goes for the understated sexy, with her single colour flowy dresses that showcase her slim limbs and slender shoulders. No one has dressed her up as well as she looked in her debut movie Jay Jay. The skinny jeans and cut tops that generously showed oﬀ her taut abs and itsy-bitsy waist line sure had the guys ogling. She dresses in outfits that play up her best assets, bring on the drool and gets gals going green!

Sassy Lassie no.1

LEKHA

Style tips For Lekha’s supermodel-meets-starlet style, you gotta first have some panache in the first place! Never mind, simply team monochrome outfits with cuts and lines that suit your body type; don’t be afraid to dramatize and experiment, but don’t try to shock (people may still end up so!); dress for the crowd you’re with, which means intelligent dressing. Have some sense of colour and aesthetics... if you don’t, no worries, these can be cultivated, you know!

hunks

E HA U T SUAVE, SMART, HEROIC

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MADHAVAN

AJITH

hunks

HA U T E

WE LIKE COS...! Charming, dashing, daring, smashing… He can be any of it – one at a time or all at once! We’ve caught him in various clothes, collared Tshirts, turtle necks, V necks, formal shirts, slacks, printed shirts, full suits… He dresses to suit the occasion, but his picks are always in sync with his style and body. Even in a suit, you can’t for one minute think of him as the serious kind. His boyish-naughtiness can make even a tux look like casual wear, and that’s not a bad thing!

104 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

WE LIKE COS...! He’s the business class customer! It’s not often that you can catch this man in a jeans and T-shirt outside his private turf. He’s always the gentleman, in his full-sleeved shirts and formal pants, and properly coordinated formal pair of shoes. If it’s a public function and he’s decided to grace it, he’ll sweep you oﬀ your feet in his full suit. He’s not one to accessorise, because the smile does it all, and more!

hunks

VIKRAM

VINAY

HA U T E

WE LIKE COS...! The complete ladies’ man! He loves his shirts – the slim-fit single colour slacks that he casually wears with a pair of boot-cut jeans to match. He teams up his wear with his sexy smile and lady-killer charm, and immediately, the fairer sex is weak in the knees. He has his occasional over-casual look and attitude to match, but being the sweet talker that he is, he is allowed one!

Cool and unfussy, that’s his style and we like it! He’s tall and his perfectly-fitted stonewash jeans put his height in the right perspective. He’s got a toned body, and his T-shirts keep a bare minimal distance from it, so we are always wondering if he’s got six-pack abs under the covers! Vinay likes the blacks, whites, grays and dull blues, and surprisingly they don’t put a droop on his always cheerful personality!

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hunks NAGARJUNA

PRITHVIRAJ

HA U T E

WE LIKE COS...! Simple does it! In an era of flashy colours and sequined jackets in Telugudom, Nagarjuna chose to break the mould ‘and stick to his own style. With the occasional indulgence in extravagant designs, Nags prefers to don only the low-key look, and let his expressions catch the attention. A slim-fit single colour shirt teamed up with a nice pair of jeans, that is enough to get the gals drooling, even today!

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WE LIKE COS...! ‘Debonair’ is the word that comes to our minds! We adore his broad smile and twinkling eyes, but we love the way he dresses to accentuate them! You can seldom catch this guy in formal clothes. We wonder if his wardrobe has ever seen a set! He looks smashing in his perfectly-fitted shirts that are sometimes single coloured and sometimes have the faintest of prints. A hearty guy, the summer hues he chooses for his clothes reflect his cheerful disposition.

hunks

WE LIKE COS...! Simbu sometimes dresses to keep with the trends, and sometimes to start his own! If you go by his movies, he takes pains to look careless in his dressing. But in real life, he takes pains to look his best. Whites and creams are his fave choices when it comes to his shirts. Eight out of ten times, he’s wearing a white shirt and a pair of slim jeans when he steps out of home. He is one of the few celeb men who loves to accessorise and does it well. From the finger band to the eye-brow piercing, he let’s his mind go wild!

He loves black and we love black on him! Maybe it’s to take attention oﬀ his weight, but the black shirt and black pant that we catch him in at most events, show him in the best light. In his younger days, Kamal was experimental in fashion as well. He dared to wear body hugging T-shirts made in golden fabrics and managed to escape the fashion police simply because he’s got the looks! He’s even sported flower prints and dizzy designs, and managed to pull them oﬀ unscathed!

KAMAL HAASAN

SIMBHU

HA U T E

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 107

WE LIKE We love his tanned, rugged look that his elegant way of dressing highlights all the more! He flirts well with his shirts! White shirts and black or blue jeans are his best look. He’s always had a well toned body, and on occasion when he decided to go for a body-hugging shirt, with sleeves rolled up to reveal his menacing biceps, the guys go green and the gals go ga-ga! He pulls oﬀ the look with finesse.

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MAMMOTTY

VENKATESH

hunks

HA U T E

COS...! Mammootty is the picture of old-school elegance, even when his shirt is untucked! Cotton shirts in spring shades, teamed with formal pants is his trademark style – on and oﬀ screen! But true to his Mallu roots, he looks his elegant best in a white cotton shirt paired with the traditional white veshti. He does do the T-shirt and jeans combo well, but we like his traditional look best of all.

Notew rthy

Music makers

The success of a filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music plays a vital role in popularizing the film and its story. Galatta.com takes a look at some of the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s musical stalwarts and maestros.

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 109

& A.R. RAHMAN

AR RAHAMAN

He is the twin Oscar winner the whole world is talking about and the one who made India proud by the outstanding victory. Rahman’s style combines the technological aspects with the ethical nuances of Indian music. His music crossed regional and national borders and has contributed to the evolution of film music. Keeping him as their idol, many new talented music composers are entering the film scene and are setting the entire industry on a roll.

& ILAYARAJA

ILAYARAJA

Annakkili was Ilayaraja’s debut as music director. He is one of the most-gifted musicians of Kollywood. Celebrated as Isagnani, his genius is remarkable; there is a cathartic value and a touch of spirituality in the tunes he composes with his humble harmonium. His instrumental alignment, particularly the fleet of violins he uses in his melodic compositions, creates a magic among listeners. The Maestro continues to rule even today.

& HARRIS JAYARAJ

Swift modern tunes and soul-touching melodies are Harris Jayaraj’s specialty. From the modern to the soulful, folk to rock, Harris has experimented with a wide variety of genres. Some of his songs oﬀer a contemplative experience to the audiences. His best works are for Gautham Menon’s films, but the two parted ways recently. Interestingly, similar to Rahman, Harris’ genesis as music director sprang from his skills as a junior keyboardist.

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DEVI SRI PRASAD

HARRIS JAYARAJ

& DEVI SRI PRASAD

Armed with the experience of composing a new-age album titled ‘Dance Girl’, Devi Sri Prasad got into film music through the Telugu film Devi; since then, there has been no looking back. His compositions range from the rustic Sri Lankan Baila to contemporary hip-hop and like his co-composer A.R. Rahman, he sings well too.

MUSIC

& BHARADWAJ

VIDYASAGAR

BHARADWAJ

MAESTROS FOOD FOR THEE SOUL

Bharadwaj is a chartered accountant who stepped into the realm of film music by choice. Trained in Hindustani, Carnatic and Western music, he is a storehouse of rich knowledge and thorough expertise. He began his career as a composer in AIR, later worked with Doordarshan and even released some albums. Recently, Bharadwaj has started a music institution named Bharadwaj School of music, his personal contribution to his passion.

& VIDYASAGAR

Known as the king of melodies, Vidyasagar’s compositions have the power and reach to tap into listeners’ emotional caches. His compositions take you into a diﬀerent realm. Today, his profile spans many noteworthy albums including Anbe Sivam, Ghilli, Mozhi, Kuruvi, Abhiyum Naanum and so on. He is equally popular in Malayalam cinema. He and Rahman are disciples of the same guru – Dhanraj Master.

& VIJAY ANTONY

VIJAY ANTONY

YUVANSHANKAR RAJA

Vijay Antony is a rhythm-lover. Fresh after his successful ‘Nakka Mukka’ that took the musical world by storm, Vijay Antony gave another hit with his Tamil rap ‘Aathichudi’. This sound engineering grad experiments with delightful combinations of exquisite tempos and tunes. Though just six films old, he has a wide fan base and strong fan following. Country music that gives prominence to raps and tappankoothu are predominant in his style.

& YUVANSHANKAR RAJA

Scepticallly called Ilayaraja’s son in the beginning, Yuvan is now one of the hottest young beatsters on the block. With music blends of rap, hiphop, his father’s timeless style and international influences, his music is great to listen to, sing along and dance for. Yuvan has created a wide variety of albums, from Silambattam to Sarvvam to Kunguma Poovum Konjum Puravum.

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G.V. PRAKASH

& JAMES VASANTHAN

JAMES VASANTHAN

James Vasanthan is a well-known TV personality. Though music had been his passion, it was not until Subramaniyapuram that his musical talent came to the forefront. The track ‘Kangal Irandaal’ went to become one of the most popular songs of all times. The movie, which was considered an underdog, went on to become one of the biggest hits of 2008. James’ simple tunes was what captured listeners’ hearts and he is back with Pasanga.

& G.V. PRAKASH

CHAKRI

Rahman fans found G.V. Prakash’s trend-setting numbers equally enjoyable. He is a chip oﬀ the old block who has also carved out a niche of his own. Though relatively young and new to filmdom, Prakash’s debut Veyyil and its widespread reach established his innate talent. Superstar’s Kuselan added star status to his musical portfolio and Selvaraghavan’s Aayirathil Oruvan will take him to the next level of recognition in the field.

& R.P. PATNAIK

R.P. Patnaik is a multifaceted personality. A popular music composer, he has also tried his hand at acting. An established name in Telugu and Kannada cinema, Patnaik returns to Tamil cinema with the Madhavan-Sada starrer Naan Aval Adhu. He joins an ensemble of music directors in this Storm Pictures’ venture. His hit films include Jayam, Eeshwar, Santosham, Nijam, Gemini, Swagatham and several more.

R.P. PATNAIK

& CHAKRI

112 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

Chakri too belongs to the group of young music directors in Tollywood. Often compared to Bollywood music director Bappi Lahiri for his showmanship, Chakri’s music is full of foot-tapping notes and rhythm. His music accepts changes and stylized additions according to the prevalent trend. His music is indeed the favourite of young listeners.

MUSIC

MAESTROS FOOD FOR THE SOUL M. JAYACHANDRAN

& M. JAYACHANDRAN

Seeking pure classicism, his music involves aesthetics of elegance and majesty. He binds listeners with a range of mesmerizing, melodious compositions. The sense of unhurried yet genuine emotion in his songs adds to their quality. Jayachandran has sung around 1000 songs in Malayalam; his compositions guide today’s upcoming composers. This devout musician is winner of many prestigious awards, including the prestigious Kalamaamani.

& MICKEY J. MEYER

MICKEY J. MEYER

Mickey is celebrated as the A.R. Rahman of tomorrow. This 25 year old musician’s talent was brought under the spotlight by director Shekhar Kammula through Happy Days. The film and its music became very successful and Mickey received wide recognition for his work in the film. Following Happy Days, he composed the music of another romantic movie, Kotha Bangaru Lokam. Mickey still has a long way to go in the sphere of film music.

& SHANKAR EHSAAN LOY

SHANKAR EHSAAN LOY

The SEL trio, comprising Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa, is the first composer trio in film music. Mukul Anand was the first filmmaker who brought them together for Dus. SEL products are a rich fusion of diﬀerent components and styles from varied music genres; the end product is enthralling and mood-tuned. Some feel their music is an acquired taste. The SEL trio perform worldwide for charitable causes frequently.

& MANI SHARMA MANI SHARMA

ENTER HIMESH

Himesh Reshammiya began his Kollywood innings with Dasavathaaram & Bommalaattam; he rocks the charts ever since!

Among the experienced music directors in Tollywood is Mani Sharma; the Telugu industry fondly calls him ‘Swara Brahma’. His tune and rhythm vie with each other to portray and convey several aspects, both mystic and musical. He is a consummate composer who creates tuneful musical rhapsodies with exemplary grace and knowledge. Pokkiri, Vijay’s blockbuster film of 2007, had Mani Sharma’s music.

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 113

SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SI SINGERS SING NGER NG ERSS WITH ER WITH H ATTITUDE ATT ATTIT ITU SINGER SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SINGERS NG GER ERSS WITH WITH H ATTITUDE ATTTIT ITUD UDEE UD SINGERS WITH WITH ATTITUDE ATTTITTUD DE

SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SINGERS WITH ATT SING SINGERS NG GER RS WITH WIITH H ATT ATTT SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SI

NAZZY

ERENA D ERS SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE

MADHUSHREE

UJJAINI

Madhushree is a camp constant in A.R. Rahman’s musical extravaganzas. Singer Kumar Sanu, who happened to hear her rendition in a solo concert, guided her during her first venture into the competitive world of film music. Fully exploiting her qualification and training in Carnatic music, Madhushree quickly made it to the top. Today, she has many hum-worthy numbers to her credit. ‘Sanda Kozhi’ in Ayutha Ezhuthu, ‘Vaaji Vaaji’ in Sivaji, ‘Marudhaani’ in Sakkarakatti are some of her best songs. She has sung in Enthiran (Rajinikanth’s next) under Rahman.

Ujjaini could well be called the poster girl of today’s young and exploring group of singers. Though gifted with a voice that naturally suits peppy pop songs, she modulates it to sound blissful in melodies and hip-hop too. Hearing ‘Party-kku Variya’ in Azhagiya Tamizh Magan and ‘Yahoo’ in Aegan, one can understand the inherent emotion and essence in her voice. Complemented with great looks, Ujjaini will soon be seen in a cameo in Saa Boo Thri. Quiz her about her foray before the camera; she replies that singing is her first love; acting is welcome too.

TANVI SHAH The lucky singer who got the chance to share the singing part alongside A.R. Rahman in the Oscar-winner ‘Jai Ho’, Tanvi is the typical contemporary super girl kind who juggles a super-springing career in interior design and costume jewellery in addition to singing. Gifted with an exceedingly sweet yet bold tone that can control any tough raga nodes in a swift flourish – that is Tanvi’s peerless identity. Most recently, she has sung along with intertional rapper Snoop Dogg.

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SSINGERS SI NGER NGER NG ERSS WITH WITH ATTI WI ATT TTIT IT SINGERS WITH AT

TH ATTITUDE SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE TH H ATTITUDE ATTTIT ITUD UDEE UD

PRASHANTHINI

SHREYA GOSHAL

Prashanthini is veteran singer Malaysia Vasudevan’s daughter. But that is not her only claim to fame. Her sonorous voice and expressive style of singing has helped her create a niche for herself. ‘Mundhinam Paarthene’ in Vaaranam Aayiram is her first chart-topper and it has happened in Harris Jayaraj’s music, the music director who introduced her to Kollywood. She has also sung for Ilayaraja and A.R. Rahman. A contemporary voice that sounds good across varied genres of music, Prashanthini is on her route to recognition.

Shreya Goshal entered the film music scene through a TV reality contest, bagging the best singer award. And when Sanjay Leela Bhansali oﬀered her Devdas, there was no looking back for her. Her mellifluous and powerful voice made her popular not only in Hindi films, but in South Indian cinema as well. Her popular numbers down South include ‘Pon Megham’ from Guru, ‘Thaen Thaen’ from Kuruvi, ‘Moggina Manasali’ fro Moggina Manasu, ‘Tututu’ from Ready and ‘Antha Siddanga’ from Konchem Ishtanga Konchem Kashtamga.

He has sung nearly 400 songs in Hindi, plus 100 plus in all Southern regional languages. ‘Chappa chappa’ in Maachis is one of his big-time Bollywood hit songs. He has worked with all topnotch music directors in all languages, including Ilayaraja, Harris Jayaraj, A.R. Rahman and Shankar-Ehshaan-Loy. His hit list includes ‘Andankaka’ from Anniyan, ‘My name is Billa’ from Billa, ‘Odum Varaiyil’ from Aegan, ‘My heart is beating‘ from Jalsa and several more hits.

MAHALAKSHMI IYER She too is the ‘Jai Ho’ girl. For Tamil music-lovers, she became a familiar voice through her very first song ‘Kurukku Siruthavale’ as well as the exotic ‘Yaro Yarodi’. Trained in Hindustani classical music, Mahalakshmi is equipped with excellence and understanding in handling the delicatelyembellished melodic compositions. At higher octaves, her voice explodes with an inexplicable beauty and quality. She has sung over 1000 film songs, including frequent chart-toppers in Tamil.

TIPPU NARESH IYER

KRISH

Naresh Iyer is the voice behind the recent hit ‘Mundhinam Paarthene’ in Vaaranam Aayiram. Abundantly talented, Naresh has won many awards for his singing. ‘Mayilirage’ in Anbe Aaruyire, ‘Oru Mugamo’ from Bheema, ‘Rubaroo’ from Rang De Basanti and ‘Hey Kaala Bandar’ in Delhi-6 comprise his diverse song list. He is also part of a rock band in his hometown Mumbai and has sung in all South Indian languages

While on a sojourn to India from the US, Krish took a chance oﬀered by Harris Jayaraj and sang ‘Manjal Veyyil’ in Vettaiyaadu Vilayaadu. The success of the song and the film helped him discover the passionate singer in himself and the prospect of making it big as a playback singer. He decided to stay back and try more and more and more. ‘Adiye Kolluthe’ from Vaaranam Aayiram is his latest hit.

Tippu aka Ekambaresh entered film playback singing through the PrashanthSneha starrer Virumbugiren. But ‘Venmadhiye’ in Gautham Menon’s Minnale was his first major hit. ‘Eppadi Irundha Em Manasu’ in Santosh Subramaniam and ‘Vaada Maapillai’ the fun song in Vijay’s Villu were Tippu’s best in 2008. His portfolio has an eclectic mix and his versatility is his strength.

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 115 H ATTITUDE ATT TTIT ITTUD U E SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE ITH ATTITUDE SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE SINGERS WITH ATTITUDE

POETRY IN

MOTION &

LYRICS AND LYRICISTS NA. MUTHUKUMAR Poet Na. Muthukumar’s verses are inspired by the varied happenings and personalities around him. With a great command and knowledge of Tamil, Muthukumar often plays with literary puns. However, his rhyme always carries a substantial meaning and reason behind it. ‘Kokku Para Para’ in Chandramukhi, ‘Suttum Vizhi’ in Ghajini are examples of his expertise. Having been born and brought up in a village down South, one can find a lot of nativity in his lyrics. ‘Oru Kal’ in Siva Manasula Sakthi is his first hit in 2009.

THAMARAI In many ways, she is a revolutionary poet. She writes only in pure Tamil, refuses to inject vulgarity into her lyrics and keeps away from double entendres. Her ‘Vaseegara’ in Minnale, reflecting the feministic passion, brought her great recognition. ‘Karka Karka’ in Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu and ‘Oru Maalai Ila Veyil Neram’ in Ghajini are some of her hits in 2008. In a field that is predominantly populated by male writers and where superficial lyrics laced with romance only rule the roost, Thamarai has already earned a place for herself.

PA. VIJAY

VAIRAMUTHU

poet who has an a very intense is hu ut nmaalai Pom ira ge. ‘Idhu Oru Po Padmashri Va ua ng la il m Ta for the yle and intense insatiable love t. His writing st bu de s d. In hi is l ga al ers to Kollywoo zhudhu’ for Nizh on for newcom ac ritbe w y as ar e er rv lit se the sphere of attitude could d ve vi re s ha pa writing d by the in many ways, his ssion was fuelle pa ’s es hu ut m ira Va ents of the sixti ing for movies. tionalist movem alra ‘K il s m Hi Ta d. e th rio kers of the pe in associated with th d an s et great po ard. a Academy aw and also by the won the Sahity ’ m sa ha hi Id u likkatt

Pa. Vijay has written over 1200 songs in films. And in perspective, he can very well be termed as the new-age poet. His ‘Ovvoru Pookkalume’ won the National award for its motivating verses. Pa. Vijay has also written and released 10 books, comprising 8 poem collections and 2 novels. Thaai Kaaviyam, for which the screenplay was written by Kalaignar Karunanidhi, was his first film as hero. But since the shooting got stalled, Gniabagangal directed by Jeevan will mark Pa. Vijay’s debut on the silver screen.

From the days of yore till now, song lyrics have played a key role in the success of a movie album which in turn has helped in the success of the film. Movie lyricists are creative Brahmas whose mighty pens create success stories. A look at some of the leading screen poets:

VAALEE This living legend is the one of the most celebrated and successful lyricists in Kollywood. His writing has touched every subject and the legend has been in the industry for more than four decades, writing songs for all, from Sivaji Ganesan to Suriya, from Dasavathaaram to Naan Kadavul! With excellent flair, he can write any type of song – be it with chaste Tamil words or the popular “kuthu” for the youth. Vaalee has also written numerous books, including Avathara.

SIRIVENNALA SEETHARAMA SASTRY Sirivennala Seetharama Sastry takes the prefix Sirivennala from the title of his first film. From working in the telephone industry, he is today one of the most respected lyricists. He has won the Andhra Pradesh State Award for Best lyrics six times. He uses an amalgamation of both complex and simple Telugu in his lyrics. His recent releases include Konchem Ishtamga Konchem Kashtamga and Kotha Bangaru Lokam.

O.N.V. KURUP Padmashri O.N.V. Kurup is the poet who revived the life of Malayalam film music. Till

KULASEKHAR

HAMSALEKHA

Kulasekhar’s activities in Tollywood range from popular lyricist to script writer and director. He has penned the screenplay and script for Jayam, Nuvvu-Nenu and Gharshana. He has written songs for more than 100 films. Subsequently, he also directed a film Prema Leka Rasa but unfortunately, the film has yet to be released.

One of the veteran lyricists in Kannada, he is also an established composer. He has written songs for over 300 films. He has worked in not only Kannada, but Tamil and Telugu films as well. In 2008, Hamsalekha’s songs in Vamshi were very popular. He has been in the industry for over two decades.

then, the existing crop of writers in the industry adopted the practise of rephrasing and copying the then-popular Tamil songs and using them in Malayalam films. Through his sparklingly innovative writing, Kurup gave music its true life and identity. Only through him did the culture and ethnicity of the land acquire recognition. Contemporary and appealing, `Samayamayillapollum’ and `Enthini chilankakal’ from Karuna are some of Kurup’s lyrical gems.

ALL TOPPERS

SUPERB ALBUMS

VAARANAM AAYIRAM All the songs in this Suriya-Sameera-Divya starrer with music by Harris Jayaraj got wide recognition among film music-lovers. The most distinguishing feature of the album is its variety of songs. Ranging from the melodious ‘Nenjukkul Peidhidum’ to the harrowing ‘Ava Enna Enna’ to the soft-sounding ‘Mundhinam Paarthene’, Vaaranam Aayiram has an enthralling melange. Each and every song of this movie captured every heart that had ever been in love and continues to do so.

2008

SAKKARAKATTI Featuring hardly any popular stars, Sakkarakatti’s success was facilitated by the success and reach of its music album. A.R. Rahman made the music for this contemporary love story. ‘Taxi Taxi’, the hip-hop sung by Benny Dayal, is a big hit. Till now, the song remains at the top among mobile ringtones. ‘Marudhani’, the melody sung by Shreya Goshal, is also popular. Rahman may have used some his old compositions, but they were just as popular. Overall, the album was a big hit.

SUBRAMANIYAPURAM This retro classic, set in the early seventies and eighties, became a sensational hit and much of the credit for its success goes to its song ‘Kangal Irandaal’ sung by new singers Belly Raj and Deepa Mariam. It is only through this film that TV fame James Vasanthan debuted as music director. All songs merge and meld well with the film’s refreshing theme. ‘Madhura’, a typical thiruvizha song that is filled with the rhythm of rustic instruments, is also a delight. Shortly after the movie’s audio release, James Vasanthan’s fame shot through the roof and now he is much sought-after. Rumours go that he will work with S.P. Charan soon...

ALL TOPPERS

SUPERB ALBUMS

2008 E DASAVATHAARAM

The music launch of this film was one of the biggest of all time. CM M. Karunanidhi, Jackie Chan, Amitabh Bachchan and Mammootty, along with Hema Malini and Jayapradha, graced the music launch of this Kamal-Asin-Mallika Sherawat starrer. Composed by Himesh Reshammiya, the songs fo this movie went on to become chart busters. ‘Mukunda Mukunda’ sung by Sadhana Sargam was no less than the anthem of several listeners. ‘O Sanam’ and ‘Ulaga Nayagane’ were played repeatedly on radio channels. ‘Kallai Mattum’ was another chartbuster. Even the Hindi versions of the songs became equally popular.

KING King is a Nagarjuna extravaganza. With him being the dancing hero of Tollywood, songs have always been a key aspect in his films. In fact, the King album, composed by Devi Sri Prasad and marketed by Aditya Music, topped the audio sales records of all Nagarjunastarrers. The audio release function was star-studded and grand. The first CD was received by Venkatesh, another popular star in Tollywood. The remix title number and the 8 heroine featuring number are among the listeners’ favourites.

JALSA The songs of this movie were released in phases and that added to the frenzy of this Pawan Kalyan starrer. Three songs were released on the Net and the remaining six at an audio launch function. Devi Sri Prasad was at his best with nine songs in one album. A unique mix of Telugu, English and Hindi, the songs, expecially the title track ‘Jalsa’ and ‘My Heart is Beating’, were hits. Devi even used some of the tunes for Vijay’s Villu.

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 119

ALL TOPPERS

SUPERB ALBUMS

2008

LAPTOP

THIRAKATHA

Music director Sreevalsan J. Menon has created a new record through his compositons for Laptop (Malayalam). Particularly, the songs ‘Ilam Neela Neela’ and ‘May Masame’ sung by new singer Amal Antony are widely popular. The predominant emotions in the album revolve around love and loss. The lyrics are well-etched and the music forms a unique form of narrative in the movie. In fact, these songs with their embedded feel tell us a complete y story.

Thirakkatha has Priyamani and Prithviraj in the lead roles. Music for the movie is composed by Sharath, one of the most original composers in Malayalam cinema. He is the disciple of the Carnatic great Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna. His style resembles the authentic, mood-tuned melodies of the eighties and early nineties. ‘Ariki Nee Illa’ by Madhu Balakrishnan and ‘Oduvil Oru’ by Chithra are a couple of the best in the album.

MIZHIKAL SAKSHI Music directors Dakshina Moorthy and Sarath have made a comeback to Malayalam cinema through Mizhikal Sakshi. The movie is a realistic tale based on the emotions of a physicallychallenged woman who faces the tragedy of her only son’s demise. All the four songs are based on slow-paced, sorrowful tunes. O.N.V. Kurup’s lyrics form the bedrock of the film’s music. ‘Chethiyum’ by Chithra and ‘Paalapoo Eathalil’ by Nishad and Shwetha are extraordinary.

ALL TOPPERS

SUPERB ALBUMS

2008 E CYCLE

The movie marked the on-screen debut of Vineeth Srinivasan, son of veteran actorwriter-director Srinivasan. Vineeth, who made a name for himself with his singing, hit a home run with this film, one of the biggest hits of 2008. With a complete young star cast, the movie was one of unexpected runaway hits of 2008. The music of the film by Mejo Joseph was a superhit. Vineeth sang three of the six songs. Dad Srinivasan also rendered one number. ‘Puthiyaoreenam’ and ‘Varnapainkili’ were two of the most popular numbers. ‘Paattunarnnuvo’ (both versions), one by Chitra and the other by Vineeth, were also hits.

ARAMANE Golden Star Ganesh is indeed the Golden Boy of Kannada cinema. Since Mungaru Male, every movie of this talented actor, irrespective of its performance at the box-oﬃce, had amazing music. Aramane was one of the chartbusters of 2008. Gurukiran, a name to reckon with in Kannada music, came up with another winner with the compositions of Aramane. The songs were on top of the charts, especially ‘Nanagu’ by Kunal Ganjawala and the duet ‘Patra Baryela’ by Karthik and Shwetha.

MULLA The movie may not have been a box-oﬃce hit, but the songs of this Dileep-Meera Nandan starrer were definitely hits. Composed by Vidyasagar, the songs became popular, thanks to some great soulful lyrics by Vayalar Sarathchandra Varma. ‘Kanalukal’ by V. Sreekumar and Sujatha and ‘Kannin Vaathil’ by Gayathri and Devanand were two of the most popular numbers. The theme track of the movie was also well-recieved.

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ALL TOPPERS

SUPERB ALBUMS SAROJA

SANTOSH SUBRAMANIAM

Yuvan hit a winner with this one. ‘Dost Bada Dost’, ‘Aaja Mera Soniya’ and ‘Koda Kodi’ were chartbusters and continue to rock. The movie’s success was the icing on the cake.

DHAAM DHOOM

MASKA

Vijay Antony hit a home run with this one. He may be blamed for lifting tunes, but there is no denying that ‘Naaku Mukka’ and ‘Thoziya En Kadhaliya’ were sures hits.

AAKASHAGOPURAM

READY

ANNAN THAMBI

Rahul Raj’s compositions were completely suited for this commercial blockbuster. Mammootty (two of them) was a treat to watch as he danced to ‘Thom Thom’.

MUSSANJE MAATHU

Devi Sri Prasad was part of another winner, again with Genelia as the heroine. This was another hit for Ram. All the six songs were young and peppy, a sureshot hit formula.

ASHTA CHEMMA

Aakashagopuram brought together the best talents from across diﬀerent movie industries. Emmy Award-winning musician John Altman (Titanic fame) composed the music.

Chakri’s best of 2008, Maska, was a fine combination of six songs. This Ram-Hansika starrer also did well at the box-oﬃce, music being an important aspect of its success.

Sundar C. Babu’s tunes for ‘Kathala Kannala’ and ‘Kannadasan Karaikudi’ went on to become top of the charts. This Mysskin movie is also the first hit of 2008.

KADHALIL VIZHUNTHEN

Devi Sri Prasad may have reused the tunes from the Telugu original Bommarillu, but this did not stop the songs from becoming hits. The pick of the lot ‘Yeppadi irundha’.

Director Jeeva’s swan song had Harris Jayaraj’s music. The soft romantic numbers coupled with a hip hip song were are hits. The pick of the lot is of course ‘Anbe En Anbe’.

ANJAATHE

2008

V. Sridhar was the man behind the hit songs of this Sudeep-Ramya starrer. Shreya Goshal, Udit Narayan, Kunal Ganjawala and Sonu Nigam rendered some of the hit numbers.

TAJ MAHAL

The songs of this movie were composed by Kalyani Malik. The music of this small budget film went on to become a big hit and the movie too followed the same path.

MELODY MEETS DANCE MOVES!

E With music by Abhiman, this AjayPooja Gandhi starrer was a beautiful mix of romantic and peppy numbers. The music as well as the movie did well with the masses.

M O NE

MO N

EY z

s z

MO N

EY z

s z

They are accused of making the big bucks. Actually, these guys are the ones who put these bucks at stake, to bring a creatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life to reality. Without the entity known as the producer, there will be no film industry, no one to trust a crew of technicians and host of actors to bring people to cinemas and watch, unwavering at the screen, at a directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creations. We pay tribute to producers who, no matter how many hits or misses, still believe in the power of cinema and still fund moviemaking... GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 123

s MONEY... MONEY... MONEY... AVM Tradition, respectability, ethics

AVM PRODNS One of the oldest and most respected production houses in the South, AVM was started by Av. Meiyappa Chettiyar. Today, it is jointly run by M. Saravanan and M.S. Guhan. Its success stories include Parasakthi, Alli Arjuna, Kalathur Kannama, Anbe Va, Muratu Kaalai, Minsara Kanavu, Gemini, Sivaji and a whole lot more. This April will see the release of their Ayan starring Suriya and Tamannaah, directed by K.V. Anand.

SIVAJI PRODNS

Movie: Sivaji

Movie: Chandramukhi

SURESH PRODNS

AASCAR FILMS Movie: Chandramukhi

Movie: Dasavathaaram Oscar V. Ravichandran’s Aascar Films Pvt. Ltd. has a string of super hits to its name, starting with Vanathai Pola, a big hit and National Award winner. The movie was a family entertainer, a feel-good flick that won the praise of audiences and earned the debutant producer fame and fortune. In 2008, Aascar Films made box oﬃce history with Kamal Haasan starrer Dasavathaaram. Their next release will be Aanandha Thaandavam starring Tamannaah. Other noteworth films from this banner are Roja Kootam, Poovellam Un Vasam, Anniyan, Thalainagaram and Unnale Unnale.

124 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

Established in 1955, the production house is owned by brothers Ramkumar and Prabhu, sons of veteran actor Sivaji Ganesan. Their movies Mannan and Chandramukhi with Superstar Rajinikanth were blockbusters. Their next big film is Asal with Ultimate Star Ajith, directed by Saran. Their other successes include Vietnam Veedu, Thanga Padhakkam, Pudhiya Paravai, Rathapasam, Vetri Vizha, Kalaignan and Rajakumaran.

Movie: Konchem Ishtamga Konchem Kashtamga

D. Rama Naidu is possibly one of the biggest producers down South. His name has entered the Guinness Book of Records for having produced over one hundred movies in almost every Indian language! His 2008 release Kausalya Supraja Rama was well recieved at the box-oﬃce. Suresh Productions is involved with not just making movies, it is also actively part of the distribution and postproduction activites of films. Their recent successes as distributers include Maska, 16 Days and Konchem Ishtamga Konchem Kashtamga.

s MONEY... MONEY... MONEY... GEETHA ARTS Geetha Arts, owned by Allu Aravind, has produced close to 40 films. The highlight is that 75% of these films have Chiranjeevi in the lead. Their biggest hit till date is the Chiranjeevi starrer Pasivadi Pranam. They had a great 2008 with super hits like Pavan Kalyan’s Jalsa and the Aamir Khan-Asin starrer Ghajini, which broke all records in terms of box oﬃce collections.

AMMA CREATIONS Amma Creations from T. Shiva has created several family dramas and warm romances since its inception in 1992. Some popular movies under this banner include Deva Vakku, Aravindan, Chinna Maapillai, Nandavana Theru, Rasaiyya and the Madhavan starrer Vazhthugal. Most of these movies were commercial successes, if not blockbusters. One of the big hits of 2008, Saroja, is from the same banner. Directed by Venkat Prabhu, the movie became one of the biggest hits of year. Its music by Yuvanshankar Raja also topped the charts.

Movie: Ghajini

THIRUPPATHI BROS Thirrupathi Brothers, the production house of N. Subash Chandra Bose and N. Lingusamy, was the maker of the Jayam Ravi-Bhavana starrer Deepavali. Their latest release is the youthful film Pattalam, based on joys and woes of adolescence. Pattalam stars Nadiya and several youngsters. Their next film is the Karthi-Tamannaah starrer Paiyya.

Movie: Saroja

CAPITAL FILMWORKS The dream child of S.P. Charan, the company started its journey in 2002 with the Tamil film Unnai Charanadaiendhen. The movie won four Tamil Nadu State Government Awards. Their subsequent films include the Shriya-Jayam Ravi starrer Mazhai and the superhit Chennai 600028. Their upcoming films include Kunguma Poovum Konjum Puravum, Aaranya Kaandam and Naanayam.

ROCKLINE PRODNS Owned by Venkatesh, a bar owner turned producer, this is one of the prestigious production houses of the Kannada film industry. Venkatesh, a popular hero himself, has produced over a dozen films starring some top Kannada stars. His Studio Rockline is one of the biggest and most sought-after for shooting big budget ventures.

RAJAPUTRA VISUAL MEDIA M. Ranjith has produced several hit movies under the Rajaputra Visual Media banner. From the Suresh Gopi starrer Chintamnai Kola Case till the recent Mohanlal starrer Red Chillies, Ranjith has made movies that are diﬀerent, suspense thrillers being the main genre that this banner has ventured into.

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 125

s MONEY... MONEY... MONEY... AYNGARAN INTERNATIONAL

ANNAPOORNA STUDIOS First owned by Nageshwar Rao and now by Nagarjuna, Annapoorna Studios’ all-time super hit is Shiva. Under this banner was Kalidasa, which starred Sushanth. The next movie under this banner is Nagarjuna’s son Naga Chaitanya’s film. Hopefully this GenX Akkineni will continue the success trail.

PYRAMID SAIMIRA

Movie: Sarvvam Starting with the blockbuster Billa, Ayngaran Interantional has been associated with several big projects like Aegan and Villu. They have also produced movies in association with other production houses, such as Dhaam Dhoom, Seval and Dhurai. Upcoming releases of this banner include the Arya-Trisha starrer Sarvvam, Mysskin’s Nandhalala and Jayam Ravi’s Peraanmai. The banner is also involved in Angadi Theru and Srikanth starrer Studentz Day.

SUN PICTURES Movie: Ayan

A relatively new entrant in cinema, Sun is not new to the media industry. One of the biggest success stories in the TV industry, Sun entered movies with Kadhalil Vizhunthen. They had a modest list of releases after that, each venture turning out to be a success. Their latest release is the Suriya Tamannaah starrer Ayan. Sun entered the big league when they took over the production of Shankar’s sci-fi flick Enthiran starring Superstar Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai.

Pyramid Saimira Production International Ltd. made its entry into cinema with ambitious dreams. They have had several successes. 2008 may not have been great with the dismal performance of Kuselan, but the production house is raring to go!

MOSER BAER A world leader in development and manufacture of removable storage data, Moser Baer entered cinema production with movies like Vellitherai, Raman Thedia Seethai and Poo. Their upcoming films include Pudhiya Varpugal and Kandein Kadhalai (the Tamil remake of Jab We Met).

BIG MOTION PICTURES Part of ADAG, BMP has been a forerunner in entertainment. They have a countrywide presence and around 40 films in the pipeline. Their recent releases include Poi Solla Porom and Yavarum Nalam. Their next release is Mammootty starrer Kutty Shranku.

DUET MOVIES

RED GIANT PICTURES

Movie: Kuruvi

126 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

Red Giant Pictures is the production house of Udayanidhi Stalin, grandson of CM M. Karunanidhi, Red Giant made its debut with the Ilayathalapathy starrer Kuruvi. Directed by Dharani, the movie had a decent run at the box oﬃce. The movie may not have been a blockbuster, but it set the ball rolling for this banner. The second film from this banner is Aadhavan, directed by K.S. Ravikumar. Starring Suriya and Nayantara, Aadhavan is touted to be a big budget, visual extravaganza. Music is by Harris Jayaraj.

Started by actor Prakashraj, this production house has, in a short while, gained a great reputation, thanks to the quality of cinema it has provided. Their latest release, Abhiyum Naanum starring Trisha, Prakashraj and Aishwarya, has done extremely well. Their next venture is Mayilu starring all newcomers.

RADAAN After TV success, Radikaa Sarathkumar’s Radaan entered movies with family films like Kanaamoochi Enadaa. Their recent release is the Sarathkumar starrer 1977. Just as in TV, Raadan is sure to hit the peak in movie production too.

Celebrity SUPPORT

MAKING

WOW, WHOO, VOUCH! CELEBS BACK GALATTA.COM

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 127

Celebs

AMRITA

RAMBHA

RAMBHA This sizzling actress joined us to celebrate the festival of lights, Deepavali.

AMRITA

SRIMAN

The tallest celebrity ever to visit us, this beauty queen chatted with her fans online.

SADA

SRIMAN

JIIVA

Her online presence created frenzy with hundreds of fans wanting to talk to her.

The latest visitor, he is such a sweetheart and completely down-to-earth.

JIIVA

This talented actor was at Galatta for an enjoyable exclusive interview.

SADA

SUNAIYANA 7

LEKHA

VEDHIKA 6

VEDHIKA

SUNAIYANA

LEKHA

GANESH VENKATRAMAN

CHINMAYI

When this lovely lass joined us in our Ayudhya Pooja celebrations, it was wonderful to have her with us. The bubbly actress came, spoke and entertained. Posing with GC, she hopes to be our cover girl soon. Always a pleasure to meet, Lekha had a ball in the Galatta chat room. This debutant floored us with his charm during the New Year celebrations 2009.

CHINMAYI

She came, she crooned, she warbled, she sang and â&#x20AC;&#x201C; she bowled us over!

GANESH VENKATRAMAN

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 129

WHAT’S ON Galatta.com

in-house snippets HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIKRAM He has avoided the media for a long time now; that is not just because he doesn’t like to talk to the press when his movies are waiting to be completed, but also because he has been truly busy. Busy or not, though, Vikram continues to “do his thing” and in April 2009, he celebrates his birthday in charitable style! God bless, dear Vikram!

EXCITING SLIDESHOWS The month of April promises to be as special as each month has been on Galatta.com. We have added a lot of special sections on the site and are in a bid to revamp many of our sections. So keep logging on to www.galatta.com everyday!

MUSICALLY YOURS! The look, the feel, the mood. All young, fresh, colourful and totally refreshing. That’s Saran’s Modhi Vilayaadu. We listened to some numbers, and boy, did they rock!

KANDEIN KATHALAI SPECIAL

SENSATIONAL SIZZLERS The hottest actresses featured exclusively on Galatta.com’s Sizzlers every week! Keep checking them out! This is the remake of the mega-hit Hindi movie Jab We Met. Aptly cast are Bharath and Tamannaah, both young and both expert actors. Now it remains to be seen if this remake would be as enjoyable as the original.

LATEST MOVIE PREVIEWS & REVIEWS

A rush of movies are releasing this April and even before they splash into our magazine, they are going to be online. Check them out and leave your comments!

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QUE SERA

serah ? A DIVA IN THE MAKING

We all know the song, “Que sera sera, Whatever will be, will be; The future’s not ours to see...” and how true! Did a girl in Ireland have any clue that she would wash up on the shores of South Indian cinema, to be quickly grabbed up like a precious black pearl? No way! She had no idea! The lovely lady caught in a twirl of olive green is Serah. If you’ve watched Samastha Keralam PO, you won’t need an intro. But if you have not, you’re probably dying to know more. When Czech beauty Yana Gupta can break hearts left, right and centre up North, don’t we Southies deserve some of that beauty too? And Serah fits the bill in her own sexy way! She comes all the way from Ireland, but before you wrinkle those eyebrows in search of an Irish hint in her features, let us break the news to you – she is a Tamil girl! At a time when Kollywood film makers are scouting Mumbai for ravishing beauties, Serah has come along to prove a point! Tamil girls can be just as sexy and daring as the Mumbai imports, if only you give them the right roles. Will Serah inspire her fellow Tam-gals, to stop by at Kodambakkam and jet-start glamorous careers on celluloid? Serah is not your typical six foot skinny super model! She’s much more than that! She’s got the looks and the lithe body, and to top it all, she knows how to flaunt them! She’s just 20, and can’t wait to get her cinema career going. From the look of it, we already know she’s all set to storm the cine scene, with her blend of innocence and boldness, topped with an attitude that combines confidence and enthusiasm.

Photography: Munna S., Mumbai

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134 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

little girl WHEN I WAS JUST A

Gone are the days when little girls occupied themselves with their toys and looked forward to a future centred around the hearth! Little girls today discover their girly charm and use it to their advantage! Nobody had to tell Serah that she was gorgeous; one look at the mirror and she could see it for herself! Her childlike smile can go from innocent to coy to seductive in seconds! She’s petite and like most things small, she is a package of surprises! There’s a childish sense of mischief dancing in her twinkling eyes! There’s an eager little girl peeping out at you when she throws her naughty smile. She’s full of life and energy, and can’t hold back her impatience to get the spotlight on her! Born in Tirunelveli, Serah spent most of her formative years in Tamil Nadu. The family moved to Ireland a few years ago when her father’s business required the move. But her craze for Indian films remained intact. She never really thought she’d burst on the South Indian cine scene, but while at Ireland, she was into modelling. She even did a few ads, but it’s at home that she decided to take the big leap – going from modelling to acting. A common friend introduced her to Malayalam film director Bipin Prabhakar, and obviously, the next step was cinema! Serah debuted in Bipin’s Samastha Keralam PO, where she plays the love interest of the protagonist, played by Jeyaram. While Malayalam cinema has given her a good opening, Serah has her eyes and heart set on Kollywood! “It was a very homely role, where I wear sarees and churidars throughout the film. Now, I want to break out of the mould and do an ultra glamorous role in a Tamil film,” she gushes!

mine

THE FUTURE IS TO SEE

Serah oozes self-confidence, as she does hottitude! And she has no doubt it’s just a matter of time before she’s climbing up the ladder of success in tinselville! She’s got her portfolio done at Mumbai, and it’s bound to catch everybody’s attention! “The portfolio was shot keeping in mind the needs of the South film industry! I’m open to doing glam girl roles, provided I’m the heroine. But I will not do eye candy item numbers,” she asserts! Serah is already signing movies in Tamil and Telugu, but the pretty lady should keep in mind that with looks like hers, she’s gonna serve as eye candy anyway!

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 137

APRIL FEATURE

BOX APRIL

OFFICE 140 GALATTA CINEMA |APRIL 2009

BO NANZA

BOX OFFICE

BONANZA

BANNER: Vikatan Talkies PRODUCER: B. Srinivasan DIRECTOR: Rajesh M. CAST: Jiiva, Anuyam, Urvasi, Santhanam MUSIC: Yuvanshankar Raja RELEASE DATE: Feb 14

In this romantic entertainer, Shiva (Jiiva), a courier boy and Sakthi (Anuja) a radio jockey, meet on a train where they bluﬀ about themselves and their jobs. He claims to be an Army oﬃcer;

SIVA MANASULA SAKTHI she claims to be an air hostess. Shiva finds joy in harassing others and Sakthi is also self-centred. They meet again and again, quarrel, fight and try to engineer the other’s downfall, then

YAAVARUM NALAM

BANNER: Big Pictures, WIde Angle Creations PRODUCER: Suresh Balajee, George Plus DIRECTION: Vikram K. Kumar CAST: Madhavan, Neetu Chandra, Saranya MUSIC: Shankar Ehsaan Loy RELEASE DATE: March 6

predictably, they get mutually attracted, romance and plan to marry. But Sakthi’s father arranges her marriage to Arun (Aarya), which she opposes… Jiiva performs well and Anuja matches him in histrionics. Arya appears in a guest appearance and you really have to enjoy the spoof on various Tamil films.

If you are a big fan of television soaps, then Yaavarum Nalam is your nightmare! It’s been a while since we had a horror movie down South, and Yaavarum Nalam is quite an entertainer in that genre. The Shankar Ehsaan Loy trio have done well for themselves in their Kollywood debut, in spite of the ‘Sexy Mama’ controversy!

Madhavan and his family move into flat number 13B and from day one he senses something odd – the milk always gets spoilt, they are unable to set up the Pooja room and to top it all, a TV serial resembles their life to the very smallest detail. Now it’s upto Maddy to save the day. [Don’t worry, he does!

GALATTA CINEMA | APRIL 2009 141

BOX OFFICE

BONANZA

ARUNTHATHEE

BANNER: Sri Thenandal Films & Mallemala Entertainments PRODUCER: N. Radha DIRECTOR: Kodi Ramakrishna CAST: Anushka Shetty, Sonu Sood, Manorama, MUSIC: Koti RELEASE DATE: March 20

Anushka, known for her glam roles, has proved that even if you de-glam her, she will stun you with her acting! The CG work for the movie is amazing! Arunthathee proves that you can

like her and is believed to be her reincarnation. The ghost of Jakamma’s foe pours forth wrath on Arunthathee. How does she escape?

kill the man, not his spirit. We’ve heard about one’s past coming to haunt us, but what if it’s your past life? Arunthathee is the story of Jakamma, a provincial warrior queen of the 1920’s and her granddaughter Arunthathee who looks every bit

bone! Nadiya, with her eﬀervescence and coolitude, is the highlight of the movie. She has not aged a day since her Rajathi Raja days and puts young actresses to shame with the way she looks and acts. The movie is all for fun and fun for all. If you happen to been a teenager, or collegegoer, this movie is bound to work for you!

PATTALAM BANNER: Thirrupathy Brothers Media (P) Ltd PRODUCER: N. Subhash Chandra Bose DIRECTION: Rohan Krishna CAST: Nadiya, Bala Krishnan, Guru, Arun, Irfan, Kripa, MUSIC: Jassie Gift RELEASE DATE: March 27th

School is the most fun part of one’s life. Some of your best friends from life are the ones you shared your bench with in high school! Pattalam comes along to rekindle those fond memories and tickle your funny

BOX OFFICE

BONANZA

It’s been quite a long wait, and we only hope it will be worth it! Anandha Thaandavam is based on a story penned by the late Sujatha, and has a refreshingly young cast with

rendered too monotonous by the mechanized American lifestyle. That is when she longs to return to India, and the rest of the tale unfolds.

ANANDHA THANDAVAM

BANNER: Aascar Film (P) Ltd PRODUCER: V Ravichandran DIRECTION: AR Gandhikrishna CAST: Tamannah, MUSIC: GV Prakash RELEASE DATE: April 10th

Tamannaah and Siddharth in the lead. The film is about a young girl whose profession in the field of virtual reality and special eﬀects field takes her to the US. After spending quite some time there, she realizes her life has been

AYAN

BANNER: Sun Pictures, AVM Productions PRODUCERS: Kalanithi Maran, M. Saravanan, M.S. Guhan, Aruna Guhan, Aparna Guhan DIRECTOR: K.V. Anand CAST: Suriya, Tamannaah, Prabhu MUSIC: Harris Jayaraj RELEASE DATE: April 3rd

of his. His next big flick is K.V. Anand’s Ayan. Produced by Sun Pictures and AVM Productions, Ayan promises to have all ingredients for a mass film – from mind-boggling action sequences to pretty babes! But the Ayan team promises this is no ordinary mass movie, but an intelligent one!

It’s no understatement to say that Suriya is the most-wanted actor in Tamil cinema these days, both with the audience and the film-makers. His dedication to his career and passion for quality cinema, is evident in every movie

BOX OFFICE

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BANNER: Sathyajyothi Film PRODUCER: Thyagarajan DIRECTION: LK CAST: Atharvaa, Samantha, Karunas MUSIC: Yuvanshankar Raja RELEASE DATE: To be announced

The word Baana is bound to bring back sweet memories of those kite-flying childhood days, Baana being the jumbo of kite. Set in the slums of Chennai, it is speculated that Baana, like Slumdog

Yuvanshankar Raja – who has his finger on the pulse of today’s youth – composes the music of Baana.

Millionaire, will give us a realistic, yet light-hearted peek into the life of a couple of slum kids. Produced by Sathyajyothi Thyagarajan, Baana will be Atharvaa’s (actor Murali’s son) debut film. Playing his love interest is newcomer Samantha.

linger in the mind of a man. Given that shooting for Jeevan’s criticallyacclaimed Mayilu was over in just 45 days, thanks to his meticulous planning, it is quite possible that Gniabagangal will hit screens in less than 90 days. Pa. Vijay is not just the lead player on-screen but oﬀ-screen too, since he is the producer.

GNIABAGANGAL

PRODUCER: Pa. Vijay DIRECTION: Jeevan CAST: Pa. Vijay, Sri Devika RELEASE DATE: To be announced

Eminent lyricist Pa. Vijay will be seen on the silver screen soon in the lead role of Gniabagangal opposite Sri Devika (who is acting in Sarithram). Cinematographer-turneddirector Jeevan directs Gniabagangal, which like Autograph, lists out the memories that

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Another Hollywood-inspired movie finds its way into Kollywood, but altered to suit the tastes of South Indian audiences. Incidentally, the same movie (Disclosure in English) has a Bollywood avatar as well!

shared past, and Srikanth is not ready to let it wreck his life. But Namitha couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care less, and wants her pound of flesh (ouch!).

INDIRA VIZHA PRODUCER: Ashok K. Kotwani EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Sanjeev Sharma DIRECTION: K. Rajeshwar CAST: Sreekanth, Namitha, Hemamalini MUSIC: Yatish RELEASE DATE: To be announced

Creative minds think alike?Indhira Vizha stars Srikanth, Namitha and debutante Hemamalini. Hema and Srikanth are engaged. Srikanthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boss hands over the management of the company to his wife Namitha. Srikanth and Namitha have a

KANDEIN KADHALAI

BANNER: Moser Baer Entertainment, Blue Ocean Entertainment PRODUCER: Moser Baer Entertainment DIRECTION: Kannan CAST: Tamannaah, Bharath, Santhanam MUSIC: Vidhyasagar RELEASE DATE: To be announced

with full-length comedy sequences featuring Bharath and Tamannaah along with Santhanam. Kannan of Jayam Kondaan fame is the director of the movie while Vidyasagar composes the music. Kandein Kadhalai is written by Pattukottai Prabhakar, edited by Kola Bhaskar with cinematography by P.G. Muthiah. Moser Baer Entertainment produces the movie in association with Blue Ocean Entertainment.

Kandein Kadhalai is a romantic comedy. Though a remake of Jab We Met (Hindi), the script has been altered to satisfy the expectations of Tamil audiences. The producers have made the movie more enjoyable

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Kanthasamy’s release has been getting delayed for a while now, but the frequent press meets have reassured eager fans that it is on the verge of releasing, with the final tweaking in progress! Director

press meet where it was announced that the film’s music will hit stands on 14th April. The main highlight of the music album is that Vikram has sung every song that features himself!

KANTHASWAMY BANNER: V Creations PRODUCER: Kalaipuli S. Dhanu DIRECTOR: Susi Ganesan CAST: VIkram, Shriya MUSIC: Devi Sri Prasad RELEASE DATE: April-May 2009

Susi Ganesan, who is just about as eager to watch his movie as the public, promises that the experience will prove worth the wait. Producer Dhanu expressed his total satisfaction with the movie at the recent

their relationship takes on a diﬀerent facet; they fall in love. But what impediments do they have to face and overcome to succeed in their love? Director Srihari worked with Sundar C. in six films before he decided to make his own movie. Right from the movie’s ad design to his atypical choice of title and screenplay, Srihari is all set to start some refreshing trends in Kollywood. In addition to the two lead players, the old Mahabalipuram road has also played a very significant role in the movie.

KAARTIC ANITHAA BANNER: King Magic Films PRODUCER: Shankar V. Rajan DIRECTION: Srihari CAST: Charan, Manju, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Rajan P. Dev MUSIC: Jack Anand RELEASE DATE: To be announced

Neighbours, childhood friends and collegemates, Anithaa and Kaartic know each other for a long time. They chat casually, argue fiercely and debate studiously on a diverse range of subjects. As time passes,

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Malai Malai will see Arunkumar’s outand-out action avatar, and director A. Venkatesh vouches that the fight sequences will be more exciting than ever! He also vows that the screenplay

Venkatesh asserts that the title has nothing to do with the hit song Malai Malai, but instead refers to the names of the hero and the villain! Did you know that the entire team was arrested during the photo shoot at Thailand? Apparently, they strayed into restricted land, and the army took them to task! Of course, things were sorted out and all ended well!

MALAI MALAI

BANNER: Feather Touch Entertainments PRODUCER: Dr. Mohan and Hemanth Kumar DIRECTION: A. Venkatesh CAST: Vedhika, Arunkumar, Prakashraj MUSIC: Mani Sharma RELEASE DATE: To be announced

will be diﬀerent; the villain will be given importance on par with the hero! Talented and popular actor Prakashraj is the suave villain in Malai Malai, while Vedhika is the lead lady.

lines. Captain’s fans are praying their hero will strike gold with this movie. His co-stars are Meera Jasmine and Meena. Producer T. Shiva has great confidence that Vijay Antony’s music will give the movie its crowning glory. Two songs for the movie were filmed at some exotic locales in Australia and Bangkok, one of which is a remix song from MGR’s Idhaya Kanni. One location used is Long Beach Ancient Village, a place where no Tamil film has been shot, T. Shiva revealed.

MARIYATHAI BANNER: Amma Creations PRODUCER: T. Shiva DIRECTION: Vikraman CAST: Vijaykanth, Meena, Meera Jamine MUSIC: Vijay Antony RELEASE DATE: April 2009

Vijaykanth and Vikraman have tasted success as a team with Vannathaipola, which was not the typical Captain movie, but rather a typical Vikraman movie – a lovely family drama. Mariyathai promises to be on the same

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Sasi Kumar’s directorial debut Subramaniyapuram surprised everybody with its runaway success and hence Pasanga is expected to do so too. Likewise, James Vasanthan’s music for

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supporting roles. Vega played the title role in Venkat Prabhu’s Saroja. Pasanga has a unique storyline and revolves around 50 children in the age group of 8 to 10. It also has a beautiful love story to narrate. The movie is about letting children enjoy their childhood.

PASANGA BANNER: Company Production PRODUCER: Sasikumar DIRECTOR: Pandiraj CAST: Vimal, Vega MUSIC: James vasanthan RELEASE DATE: May 2009

Subramaniyapuram, the ‘Kangal Irandal’ number specifically, was a smash hit. His songs for Pasanga are already popular. Playing the lead roles are Vimal and Vega. Vimal is from the Koothu Pattarai drama troupe and has acted in

a film on a confused guy in love. He loves one lady, almost gets engaged to another, finds a caring lover in yet another and is finally forced to make a choice, which leaves him totally confused. Playing this confused guy is debutant Akshay. Acting as his friends are Prajin and Harshad. Prajin plays a married man who is so caught up in his software engineer’s life that he has no time for his family. Harshad is the lady-crazy fellow who lusts for older women! The odd thing about this movie is that the director, producer and actors are all from the same college!

SA BOO THRI BANNER: Wizard Media Works PRODUCER: Prasanna, Rajesh and Sunitha DIRECTION: Harshad Khan CAST: Akshay, Harshad Khan, Prajin MUSIC: Abdul Rafiq RELEASE DATE: May 2009

Love is a mysterious feeling that creeps up on you from behind and strips you of sanity – this may not be your description, but that’s pretty much the essence of Harshad Khan’s directorial début Sa Boo Thri! Harshad has made

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Samuthirakani, the villain in Subramaniyapuram, is the director of Naadodigal. Sasikumar, the debut director and actor in Subramaniyapuram, is the hero. Samuthirakani is the winner

captivate audiences. Nadoodigal is the story of four youngsters and how one incident causes them to frantically travel from one place to another. Hence the name Nadoodigal.

NAADODIGAL CAST: Sasikumar, Nivedhitha BANNER: Global Infotainment Pvt. Ltd. PRODUCER: Michael Rayyappan DIRECTION: Samuthirakani MUSIC: Sundar C. Babu RELEASE DATE: To be announced

of the Tamil Nadu State Award for Best Story writer for the movie Unnai Saranadainthen in 2003. Nadoodigal is a mixture of three themes – romance, action and friendship. Samuthirakani is sure the movie will

After Bheema, this is Lingusamy’s newest venture. Sources reveal Paiyya is a romantic comedy with the highways as the backdrop. The Madras-Bangalore highway was the primary location for shooting. Tamannaah’s brother is reportedly teaching her to drive as there is an interesting car chase sequence with her behind the wheel!

PAAIYA CAST: Karthik, Tamannaah BANNER: Thirrupathi Brothers PRODUCER: Subash Chandra Bose DIRECTION: Lingusamy MUSIC: Yuvanshankar Raja RELEASE DATE: To be announced

Karthik was always in the cast; it’s his lady that took a while to get confirmed. But at last the Paiyya team decided to bring Tamannaah, who is hot property in Kollywood right now, with a bunch of movies in hand!

W RAP U P PLAYING FAVOURITES

Namitha was the star at the audio launch of Vaigai. Though she is not starring in the movie, she was there to support a special someone. Before you start getting ideas, here is the news. Vaigai stars Bala, who was Namitha’s favourite contestant from and winner of the reality show Maanaadu Mayilaadu, Season 2. She was there to support the debut of her fave dancer. And with Namitha present at the event, it was great publicity for the movie.

ACTION KING BACK IN ACTION Arjun has had a good run at the box oﬃce. The comedy caper Marudhamalai was a runaway hit and Dhurai, Bommalattam and Thiruvannamalai have also fared well. His next movie Maasi was launched recently. The actor is also awaiting the release of Aaruvadai which also has Mammootty and Sneha. Arjun is also planning to direct a Hindi film. A lot of action in the life of the Action King. Phew!!

GETTING YOUNGER! Looks like Suriya is out to defy nature. Spotted recently at the Ayan press meet, the actor, who has shed more weight since his Vaaranam Aayiram days, looked all set to give the upcoming heroes a run for their money. One was reminded of the Suriya of Naerukku Naeru days, passionate and raring to go.

LOOKS CAN BE DECEPTIVE! She may look like a weak and thin girl, but Neetu Chandra is not what she seems. This lovely lass, who made an impressive debut in Tamil with Yavarum Nalam, is trained in martial arts and even represented India at several championships. So be careful before messing with this girl. She can kick some serious #$&.

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