Pa n o r a m a o f s o u t h c i n e m a
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Jennifer Kotwal’s quirky side EXPOSED! Upendra at his versatile best Looking back at 2009
2010
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HAPPY NEW YEAR
TRULY SOUTH. TRULY FILMY.
hAppY w Year Happyne New
Publisher & Managing Director Moorthy Sreenivasulu Chief Executive Officer Allu Sirish Executive Director Ramakanth T Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor Features Editor Senior Copy Editor Features Writer
Vanaja Banagiri Mona Ramavat Karthik Pasupulate Rahul Ganguly Vrinda Prasad
Editorial Coordinators Tamil Nadu & Kerala Sridevi Sreedhar Karnataka Aravind Gowda Mumbai Anil Merani Creative Director Art Director Senior Graphic Designers Graphic Designers Stylist Photographer Production Head
Raj Shekar Badireddi Jaya Prakash Karanam Patur Suresh CH , P Suresh Vamshi Vulavapati, Naresh P Maya Raj Manisha Panchawati Krishna P
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Branding & Marketing Director Ayyar S, ayyar@southscope.in Marketing Manager Saroj Kumar Biswal, saroj@southscope.in Vishnu K, vishnu@southscope.in
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Raghu Kumar Gorthy, gorthy@southscope.in Sanjay Kumar Sangu, sanjay@southscope.in Mohan Manoharan, manoharan@southscope.in Ravanam Swaminaidu Raghurama Raju Kalidindi
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Southscope takes no responsibility for unsolicited photographs or material. ALL PHOTOGRAPHS, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, ARE USED FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY. Registered Office: #202, Shiva Sai Sannidhi, Dwarakapuri Colony, Punjagutta, Hyderabad 500 034. All rights reserved. Reproducing in any manner without permission prohibited. Published for the month of January 2010 RNI NO.: APENG/2009/29389
Edited, Printed, Published and owned by Moorthy Sreenivasulu Printed at Kalajyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5, RTC X Roads, Hyderabad – 500 020. Published from 202, Shiva Sai Sannidhi, Dwarakapuri Colony, Panjagutta, Hyderabad 500034, A.P. Tel.: +91 40 3060 2323 / 2424 Editor: Moorthy Sreenivasulu
Contents Exclusives 12 Readers’ speak 13 Star speak 14 New Year special! Meet team Southscope
37 Legend Akkineni Nageshwara Rao takes us down memory lane
42 Vishnu reinvents himself. What next?
44 Upendra’s versatile magic 50 Dancing to a different tune with choreographer Imran Sardhariya
Centre Stage
52
Charan racing ahead to the top. Join the ride!
Features 32 Why movie marketing sucks in
Andhra Pradesh? Allu Sirish’s take
46 Pause for effect! Welcome to
the fantastic world of computer graphics
62 Aspiring Kannada directors may never stand a chance!
70 A behind-the-scenes quick peak into making of the Southscope Calendar, 2010
74 The year that was. Looking back at 2009
79 New Telugu releases hitting a road block
50
Galleria
28 Nikhil, frame by frame 28
64
South spread
Jennifer Kotwal hots up the scene this winter
Contents Funda 19 Junk mail
Trivia on cinema
20 Gold Class
Telugu Tinsel Kannada Capers
24 Loading please wait Films in the making
36 Kaleidoscope
87 Sing along Karaoke
88 Chartbusters 90 Flashback
The classic romance of Dasara Bullodu
92 Final Cut
Letter from the Editor
What happened when and where
40 Hi 5 with the simmering Sanchita Padukone
80 Bioscope
Movie reviews
84 Numerology
January 2010 predictions
86 Screen test
Launch pad for aspiring actors
46
64
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12 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
Rambabu Adla: Southscope is a very good concept. Keep it up. All the best!
Nagarjuna: My movie King came as a big hit at the beginning of 2009. And Rana and Chaitanya’s launch were happy moments. I’m kick starting the year with Kedi and looking forward to much more in 2010. Southscope is truly wonderful. Happy New Year.
Venkatesh: Southscope is already doing very well and evolving quite nicely. Wishing all my fans a very happy and prosperous New Year. And here’s wishing Rana and Chaitanya lots of luck and success ahead.
Krish Jagarlamudi: Southscope came as a surprise package for all the four industries, giving wider publicity to not only stars but also to people behind the scenes. Wishing Sirish, Vanaja, Karthik, Vrinda, Mona and Rahul the best of everything this year.
Prabhas: Working with my uncle was my biggest dream and Billa made it happen last year. This year, I hope I’ll be able to give the biggest hit of the year and make it a memorable one. Happy new year to everyone at Southscope.
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Anushka: My high voltage performance in Arundhati and glam packed role in Billa has made 2009 very special for me. Looking ahead for more such challenges and interesting moments for this year. My new year wishes to Team Southscope and all my fans.
Director Meher Ramesh: This year I’m working with Jr NTR on a film that I’m sure everyone will love! Wishing my movie viewers a very happy New Year and kudos to the Southscope team!
Shraddha Das: I must thank Southscope for giving me a new project with Dil Raju who noticed me walk the ramp during the Southscope Style Awards, 2009. Looking forward to a packed new year and loads of wishes for Team Southscope.
Tanish: I loved Southscope. The new generation stars have been projected well by the magazine. My heartiest congratulations to everyone at Southscope and here’s wishing all film buffs a very happy and successful new year.
We ring in 2010 with many wishes and greetings from the film industry and all those wonderful people who have made Southscope even more special! Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 13
Year 2010
New Year wishes from our team Moorthy Sreenivasulu Allu Sirish
Ramakanth T
2009 was an eventful year for us at Southscope. We launched the magazine with a bang, and you, dear readers showered your affection and support in return. Here’s raising our glasses and goblets to more excitement, more entertainment and much more fun in the times ahead. With a spanking new look and a fresh perspective to boot, we implore: Why stick with happy, when you can have a fantastic New Year!
Raj
Vanaja Banagiri
2010 Happy Happy New New year year
JAN ‘10
Contributors Sridevi Sreedhar Karthik Pasupulate
Aravind G Rahul Ganguly Vrinda Prasad Mona Ramavat Anil Merani Venket Ram
Maya Manisha
The team at Southscope is a ragtag bunch constantly brimming with manic levels of energy. Between the ace design team, the sharp advert guys to the funky editorial team, we make a motley crowd indeed!
Vamshi
Naresh
Suresh CH
P Suresh
Avinash Gowariker
Sanjay
Raghu
A student of Bombay Scottish School, Avinash was never interested in academics. He started off assisting his cousin Ashutosh Gowariker for the Aamir-starrer Baazi. He did a photo shoot with Aamir Khan on the Bombay-Pune highway. A leading film magazine published those pictures. Since then he’s been one of the most sought after celebrity photographers in Mumbai.
Aishwarya Rai, Malaika Arora, Yana Gupta, Kylie Minogue. . . Vipul Bhagat, the ace makeup artist has worked with them all. With over 15 years of experience under his belt, Vipul continues to make the leading ladies look that much more delectable, both on and off the screen.
Jaya Prakash
Krishna P
A leading advertising photographer, Venket Ram has shot for over 80 films, from Manirathnam’s Kannathil Muthamittal to Ajit’s Asal and for well over a thousand advertisements. Kodak chose him to produce their Calendar for 2002 and he was listed as one of the top 10 photographers of India by a popular photography magazine in 2005.
Vipul Bhagat
Rakesh Nair is an IndoAmerican freelance writer and television documentary producer living in New York City. Currently writing his first novel, Rakesh is a compulsive blogger and a lifelong film addict.
Saroj Vishnu
Rakesh Nair
16 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
Anjani Putrudu, Evraina Epudaina, Junction, Nachav Alludu, Sweet Heart, Raju Maharaju, Naa Style Veru, Aa okkadu, Neramu Siksha, Pista, Prayanam, Diary, Usha Parinayam, Target, 1020 love Story, Ananthapuram 1980, Rahavaru Cgeoaka Cheruvu, Rajadhi Raja, Flash News, Kick, Ee vayasulo, mitrudu, Bangaru babu, veedokkde, Adhinetha, kalasala, circus circs, jai, Sambasiva, Punnami nagu, Ananda Thandavam, Nene Mukhyamantrinaithe, Billa, Aakasamantha, Manorama, Buddhimanthudu, Bheebatsam, Sntha vooru, Malli Malli, Kooturu kosam, maavadu Mestri, Naa Girl friend baaga rich, ldhi premnte, Rsunami7, Drona, Venkatadri, 16 Davs, Soldier, Mondi Mogullu penki pellalu, Satyameva jayathe, siddham, Nenu Devudni, Konchem ishtam Konchem kastam, srisailam, bank, Manjeera, Kheeante, dhee, Masth, shh, Arundhati, Maska, Fitting Master, Sashirekha Parinayam, Mental Krishna, Mahanagaram lo indumathi Aa Okkadu, Aakasamantha, Amaravathi, Anjaneyulu, Arundhati, Arya 2, Baanam, Bendu Appa Rao, Bheebatsam, Billa Boni, Bumper Offer, Current, Drona, Eenadu, Ek Niranjan, Evaraina Epudaina, Ganesh, Gopi Gopika Godavari, Indumathi, Jayeebhava, Josh, Kavya’s Diary, Kick, Kurradu, Konchem,Ishtam, Konchem Kashtam, Magadheera, Malli Malli, Manorama, Maska Mesthri, Mitrudu, Naa Girl Friend Baga Rich, Oy!, Pravarakhyudu, Prayanam, Punnami Naagu, Raju Maharaju, Sankham, Sasirekha Parinayam, Satyameva Jayathe, Shh..., Siddham, Sontha Vooru, Villagelo Vinayakudu
TELUGU
The year that was
A Aa E Ee, Villu, Kadhalna Summa Illai, Padikathavan, Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu, Gaja, Satrumun Kidaitha Thagaval, Pettarasu, Naan Kadavul, Kudiyarasu, Perumal,Siva Manasula Sakthi, TN 07 AL 4777, Laadam, Laadam, Thee, Iru Nathigal, Arupadai, Innoruvan, 1977, Yavarum Nalam, Adada Enna Azhagu, Adatha Aatam Ellam, Nesikkiren, Pattalam, Ayan, Naalai Namadhae, Karthik Anitha, Ananda Thandavam, Naal Natchathiram, Guru En Aalu, Enga Raasi Nalla Rasi, Kunguma Poovum Konjum Puravum, Mariyadhai, Newtonin Moondram Vidhi, Ilampuyal, Meiporul, Pasanga, Brammadeva, Sarvam, Rajadhi Raja, Thoranai, Kulir 100°, Mayandi Kudumbathar, Ragavan, Manjal Veiyil, Maasilamani, Oliyum Oliyum, Muthirai, Vaalmiki, Naadodigal, Pollachi Mappilai, Nee Unnai Arinthal, Unnai Kan Theduthe, Thottu Sellum Thendrale, Sirithal Rasippen, Gnabagangal, Vaigai, Puthiya Payanam, Indira Vizha, Vaamanan, Thalai Ezhuthu, Kanna Nee Enakkuthaanda, Achchamundu!, Kadhal Kadhai, Vedigundu Murugesan, Engal Aasan, Malayan, Aiyantham Padai, Modhi Vilayadu, Malai Malai, Anthony Yaar?, Aarumaname, Sindhanai Sei, Saamy Sonna Sarithaan, Eesa, Nesi, Azhagar Malai, Vannathupoochi, Ore Manasu, Madhavi, Netru Pol Indru Illai, Shivagiri, Pokkisham, Kanthaswamy, Quick Gun Murugan, Ninaithale Inikkum, Madurai Sambavam, Eeram, Unnaipol Oruvan, Solla Solla Inikkum, Madurai To Theni Vazhi Andipatti, Arumugam, Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru, Suriyan Satta Kalloori, Kannukkulle, Moonar, Iru Vizhigal, Vedappan, Onan, Peranmai, Aadhavan, Jaganmohini, Kanden Kadhalai, Saa Boo Three, Palaivana Solai, Adhe Neram Adhe Idam, Kanna Nee Ennaku Thaanada, Karagam, Vaidegi, Thambivudayaan, Swetha 5/10 Wellington Road, Thamizhagam, Vizhiyil Malarnthathu, Yogi, Naan Avanillai 2, Mathiya Chennai, Renigunta, Edhuvum Nadakkum, Vettattam, Pinchu Manasu, Meendum Meendum Nee, Vairam, Thozhi, Pachiyapuram
Tamil
2009
Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 17
Orkkuka Vallappozhum, Love In Singapore, Colours, Makante achan, Red Chillies, Aayirathil Oruvan, Kadha Samvidhanam Kunjako, Hailesa, Bharya Swantham Suhruthu, Perumal, Nammal Thammil, Samasthakeralam P.O, Sagar alias Jacky Reloaded, 2 Harihar Nagar, Banaras, I.G, Moss & Cat, Bhagyadevatha, Bhoomi Malayalam, Currency, Black Dahlia, Soofi Paranja Kadha, Bhagavan, Kancheepurathe Kallyanam Passenger, Vellathooval, Calender, Ivar Vivahitharayal, Dr.Patient, Malayali, Fiddle Vilapangalkappuram, Bhramaram, Madhya Venal, Eee Pattanathil Bootam, Winter, Puthiya Mukham, Bharya Onnu Makkal Moonu, Rahasya police, Parayan Marannathu, Rithu, Katha Parayum Theruvoram, Oru Pennum Randaanum, Dalamarmarangal, Daddy Cool, Kaana Kanmani, Oru Black And White Kudumbam, Shudharil Shudhan Decent Parties, Duplicate, Loud Speaker, Vairam: Fight For Justice, Robinhood, Pazhassi Raja, Seetha Kalyanam, Angel John, Kerala Cafe, Swantham Lekhakan, Utharaswayamvaram, Neelathamara, Patham, Nilayile Theevandi, Chemistry, Kappal Muthalaali, Gulumal-The Escape, My Big Father, Palery Maanikyam - Oru Paathira Kolapaathakathinte Katha, Happy husbands, Keralotsavam 2009, Bodyguard, Black Stallion, vidam Swargamanu, Chattambinaadu.
malayalam
Aa Dekhen Zara, Aagey Se Right, Aamras, Aao Wish Karein, Aashayein, Accident On Hill Road, Acid Factory, Ada... a way of life, Agyaat, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, Aladin, Alibaug, All The Best, Aloo Chaat, Baabarr, Bachelor Party, Bad Luck Govind, Bal Ganesh 2, Bank, Barah Aana, Billu Barber, Blue, Blue Oranges, Chal Chala Chal, Chandni Chowk To China, Chatur Singh Two Star, Chintu Ji, Daddy Cool, De Dana Dan, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Delhi 6, Detective Naani, Dev D, Dhoondte Reh Jaoge, Dil Bole Hadippa, Do Aur Do Paanch, Do Knot Disturb, Dulha Mil Gaya, Ek Se Bure Do, Ek Second...Jo Zindagi Badal De, Ek The Power Of One, Fast Forward, Firaaq, Fox, Fruit and Nut, Gulaal, Har Pal, Horn Ok Pleassss, Hum Phirr Milein Na Milein, It, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Jai Veeru, Jail, Jashnn, Jugaad, Kaashh... Mere Hote!, Kal Kissne Dekha, Kambakkht Ishq, Kaminey, Khalbali - Fun Unlimited, Kissan, Kisse Pyaar Karoon, Kurbaan, Kusar Prasad Ka Bhoot, Let’s Dance, Life Partner, London Dreams, Love Aaj Kal, Love Ka Tadka, Love Khichdi, Luck, Luck By Chance, Main aur Mrs. Khanna, Marega Salaa, Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye, Morning Walk, Mr. Fraud, Munnabhai Chale Amerika, New York, Paa, Paathshala, Pankh, Paying Guests, Quick Gun Murugun, Raat Gayi, Baat Gayi?, Raaz - The Mystery Continues, Radio, Rang Rasiya / Colors Of Passion, Right Yaaa Wrong, Rocket Singh (Salesman of the Year), Runway, Ruslaan, Sankat City, Shabri, Siddharth, Slumdog Millionaire, Straight, Suno Na, Taalismaan, Team, Teree Sang, The President Is Coming, The Stoneman Murders, Three - Love, Lies and Betrayal, Toonpur Ka Superhero, Toss, Tum Mile, Vaada raha... i promise, Victory, Videsh, Wake Up Sid, Wanted, What, Zindagi Tere Naam, Zor Lagaa Ke... Haiya!, 3 Idiots, 42 Kms..., 8x10 Tasveer, 99
Bollywood
Gulama, Anu, Chikkapete Saachagalu, Kempa, Taxi No-1, Circus, Shivamani, Jolly Days, Nanda Ambaari, Meghave Meghave, Birugaali, Idya Madyar Nagalikke, Junglee, Kurunadu,KA-99 B-333, Samskaravantha, Swatantrapalya, Venkata in Sankata,Ee Sambhasane, Kariyaa(re-released), Thabbali, Namyajamanru,Rajakumari, Ninnalle Nanna Hrudaya, Shankara Punyakoti,Anjadiru, Baaji, Ee Shathamaanada Veera Madakari, Ram Balaram,Kannadadha Kiran Bedi, Ghauttham, Jaaji Mallige, Hrudayagala Vishaya,Jhossh, Nishedhagne, Savari, Uda, Yagna, Auto,Chellidaru Sampigeya, Eshtu Nagthi Nagu, Machchaa, Minchu, Hodimaga, Seena, Dubai Babu, Thaakath, Jodi No. 1, Abhimaani, Kalaakaar, Nannedeya Haadu, Yuva, Kaaranji, Olave Jeevana Lekkachaara, Manasaare
kannada
tel Everybody who has seen the K Vishvanath masterpiece, Saagara Sangamam will remember the song Thakita Thadimi. It was a huge hit and people still refer to it as the song in which a drunk Kamal Haasan famously danced on a well. But you will be surprised to know the real story behind the making of the iconic song. The budget was slashed drastically for the song in the last minute. In fact art director, Thota Tharini had to raise the set at just one-tenth of the original cost. At an awards ceremony Raj Kapoor couldn’t stop raving about Thota Tharini’s work. If only he knew, it was just a set! NTR, ANR and Jamuna have come together for some of the best films ever made in Telugu cinema. But all was not well between the superstar trio and they had their share of, shall we say, ego tussles. According to the official version, it all started on the sets of Bhookailas (1958). NTR and ANR were apparently ticked off with Jamuna when she turned up late for a shoot one day, and did not appologise. In fact, ANR and NTR decided to boycott Jamuna! The feisty actress had her own version (Shall we say the more scandalous one. Maybe you could Google this one if you can’t believe.) The cold war continued with neither party willing to budge and it looked like the famous trio would never work together again. Thankfully, seniors like KB Reddy, Nagi Reddy and Chakrapani stepped in to make truce. The big three finally got together for Gundamma Katha in 1962. Guess Jamuna was called Satyabhama for a reason!
KAN
Unlike Tamil and Telugu stars, very few Kannada stars have been successful in politics. None of them even dared to launch their own political outfits. In the last two decades, however, there has been a steady stream of film stars into politics. Versatile actor Ananth Nag, ‘Rebel Star’ Ambareesh, Shashikumar, comedian Jaggesh, Kumar Bangarappa, ‘Sainika’ Yogeshwar, and cop-turned actor B C Patil are the only few who managed to win elections. But the list of film stars who bit the dust is lengthy – acclaimed filmmaker Shankar Nag, ‘Abhinaya Sharade’ Jayanthi, comedian Dwarakeesh, ‘Dialogue King’ Saikumar, Doddanna, director S Mahender…A clever few, however, managed to gain access to the corridors of power through the backdoor – nomination to the Upper House. That list includes Mukhyamantri Chandru, Umashree, Srinath among others. Kannada matinee idol Rajkumar is known for teaming up with some of the most stunning leading ladies of south India during his five-decade reign. A little known fact is that he launched the career of actor Rekha, who went on to become one of the biggest Indian film stars. Daughter of renowned Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan, Rekha who had performed in several southern films as a child artiste, was looking for a break as a heroine. During the 1970s, Kannada movies were shot in Madras. Rekha was recommended as the female lead for Dr Rajkumar’s bond-style movie Goa dalli CID 999. Rajkumar, who was already an established star then, did not hesitate to act with her. The film released in 1998 features a plump Rekha, who helps the hero solve a mystery. The movie is still popular among Rajkumar fans.
Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 19
GOLDCLASS
telugutinsel
Meera does(her) glam thing!
Meera Jasmine has always been more of an actor than a looker. But now we hear Meera’s been bitten by the glam bug. She was spotted recently looking the absolute stunner, thanks to all those extra pounds that she shed for her latest flick Moksha. Billed to be a horror film, it is touted as a first of its kind. Sure, we have heard that before! But what we are certainly looking forward to is the hot hot Meera!
Tarakaratna pulled out the surprise of the year with a rather disturbing portrayal of an obsessed lover in Amaravathi. He shocked the audiences with his spooky act as a twisted hypnotist in the film. Without a doubt, this has been a huge departure from anything done so far. After his last few films fizzled out at the box office, poor Tarakratna was going through a rough patch. With Amaravathi, we are sure he is happier as he laps up all the appreciation for his performance. There’s some vague talk that he might do more such roles this year. Guess he’s freaking out!
Nisha Agarwal is one of the newest entrants among the pretty faces in the Telugu film industry. There is some talk that she’s bagged the lead role in the upcoming Vinaystarrer, Veelle, being directed by Ravi Prakash. And Nisha has already starred in a Tamil film. Not too bad for a newcomer, eh? Guess it helps if your sister is a top actor in the scene. The way she’s headed we’d imagine Nisha has all the makings of a movie star, and let’s not even mention the striking similarity to her sister Kajal!
20 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
GOLDCLASS
telugutinsel
Sneha
the action
star
Sneha is in for a makeover. Having carved a niche for herself in family oriented films, Sneha is now getting ready to surprise everyone as a tough as nails cop in her next flick, Bhavani IPS. It’ll obviously be an action film on the lines of Vijayashanthi’s Kartavyam. Sneha, we hear trained in martial arts to prepare for the stunts and the action scenes. Refusing to use a body double, she insisted on doing all her stunts on her own. Kick ass!
Before you get ideas, let’s clarify that it is the alphabet bug that has bitten Nag yet again. Close at the heels of Krishnarjuna and King, Nagarjuna’s latest flick happens to be called Kedi, making it three Ks in a row. Nag looks super cool as he sports a particularly dapper look in his latest K film. We wonder if that’s because there’s junior (Naga Chaitanya, that is) also around, apart from a whole lot of newcomers. But back to the K business. Let’s see if it sparks off a new trend. Looks like there’s love blooming on the sets of RGV’s latest, Raktha Charitra. But no, it’s got nothing to with Ramu. The buzz on the sets is that there’s a little something going on between Radhika and Vivek Oberoi, who were practically inseparable while shooting for the first schedule at Ramoji Film City. Apparently, what was meant to be a casual chat has developed into (what we suspect) a full blown romance! Radhika has been in the news since being chosen to play the wife of faction leader Paritala Ravi, in Raktha Charitra, which is based on his life. The 24-year-old Marathi actor seems to have made quite an impression already. But looks, like on Vivek, it’s rather strong. The impression we mean!
Love All
Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 21
GOLDCLASS
kannadacapers
Few Kannada film stars are known to endorse brands or do television commercials. But for the first time, two leading Kannada stars – Upendra and Pooja Gandhi - have been signed by a popular footwear brand for their TV commercial, which will be aired shortly. It looks like the success of their on-screen pairing in Buddhivanta prompted the footwear brand to bring them together again. Quite a shoe…er show!
Diganth
went missing
It seems upcoming actor Diganth is getting better and better with courting controversies. This time, the actor went missing for two days when shooting for his latest flick Swayamvara in Bangkok! The production unit halted shooting and deployed the entire crew on a search-and-rescue mission. But Diggi was nowhere to be seen and had even switched off his phone. It took a lot of efforts for Sharmila Mandre, the female lead of the movie, to track him down. As usual, Diggi failed to come up with a convincing excuse. We hear, he was exploring the notorious massage parlours in Bangkok, while he was required on the sets! With his casanova tag firmly in place, it’s not difficult to imagine him doing exactly that. Then there’s always the allegations made by producer Priya Bharathi, who allegedly caught the actor in bed with his co-stars in the US, to back that reputation.
It seems like the Kannada film producers are throwing a spanner in the works, yet again. They have threatened to halt film production and distribution from January-February 2010 if theatre owners do not agree to a new revenue-sharing formula. The producers contend that they have incurred huge losses as most of the films bombed in 2009. Now, they have come up with a “scientific revenue-sharing” formula and are trying to enforce it on the theatre owners, much to their ire. Eager to compensate for the recurrent losses, theatre owners are keen on screening non-Kannada films, while not hesitating to go with the new formula. Since Kannada films generate a fraction of the kind of revenue that theatre owners earn from screening English and Hindi movies, the stalemate just goes on and on… 22 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
Shivarajkumar was not paid! It seems that the global recession has impacted even the Kannada film industry. The victim this time is Hat-trick Hero Shivarajkumar. They say, Shivanna is upset since the last installment of his fees for the film, Devaru Kotta Tangi awaits payment, even after it hit the screens. Just so you know, stars in the Kannada film industry are paid their fee in installments, with the final installment usually being cleared after the voice dubbing. For Shivarajkumar though, it seems the producers have not lived up to their promises. The actor, known for his patience with the industry, is waiting without complaining. In the meantime, Devaru Kotta Tangi is doing pretty well at the box office. Will he receive his last installment at all? Let’s hope so.
Baby-face actor Amoolya is having a hard time on the web. Recently, her digitally enhanced image appeared on a local matrimonial website seeking “alliances” from suitable boys. She had a hard time dealing with harrowed calls from the film industry. For 19-year-old Amoolya, this is not a major setback considering that wellknown director Ratnaja has roped her in for his next venture, Premism. Last year, a cyber-squatter had created an account in Amoolya’s name on Orkut, misguiding many of her friends and fans. Now, she wants to put an end to all this by staying away from the internet for a while!
Shruti, home alone? The cry queen of the Kannada film industry, one-time superstar Shruti has recently ended her 11-year marriage with director S Mahendar. When she filed for divorce, she accused Mahendar of neglecting her and their daughter. But it later emerged that Shruti had fallen in love with journalist-turneddirector, Chandrachud (Chakri) and now wants to marry him! But look at this. Both Shruti and Mahendar are members of the ruling BJP in Karnataka. Shruti was the chairperson of the Karnataka State Women Commission. Following the marital discord, Shruti was deemed no longer “morally fit” to continue in the position. The state government promptly removed her from the coveted post. Meanwhile, Chakri distanced himself from Shruti. She is now home alone and said to be desperately seeking reconciliation with Mahendar. Cry queen indeed!
GOLDCLASS
kannadacapers
Radhika is now an unwed mother Controversial actor Radhika’s worstkept secret is finally out. Turns out, she is now an unwed mother! Radhika, who made news for hobnobbing with top politicians in Karnataka throughout her career, recently delivered a baby girl at a prestigious hospital in Bangaluru. The hospital authorities sure had a tough time controlling the media! As for the docs, they played the mum card (pun intended) and neither denied nor confirmed the news. Radhika, who moved away from acting a couple of years ago made headlines when she was apparently travelling to Maldives with a noted politician. While dealing with pending tax issues, Radhika had a tough time when her former husband committed suicide. Now, everyone’s guessing the name of the baby girl’s father! Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 23
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TELUGU
Chandra Siddhartha is one of those prolific directors who rarely create films with simple black or whites. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Andari Bandhuvaya explores the shades of grey within the human psyche as it charts the lives of two youngsters caught up in a selfish world. While the lead pair is concerned about the common good of society, their faith is put to the test in a milieu governed by selfishness. How it happens forms the rest of the narrative. Though the subject might sound a bit serious, Chandra assures that the film will be exciting, nevertheless. Last heard, Naresh, Krishna Bhagawan, MS Narayana and RK have been roped in to complete the formidable credit lines in the film.
Cast
Sharwanand, Padmapriya
Director
Chandra Siddhartha
Music
Andari Bandhuvaya
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Anoop Rubens
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TELUGU
Rakta charithra Cast
Surya, Vivek Oberoi, Shatrugan Sinha
Ram Gopal Varma
Director
Touted to be a story about real people and real life incidents, Rakta Charithra is set to be played by big names in the film industry. Vivek Oberoi and Surya are playing the lead roles, while a role similar to the political life of NTR would be portrayed by Shatrughna Sinha. In fact, Rakta Charitra is even modelled on the history of some leaders from the turbulent political past of Andhra Pradesh. The script has been split into two parts, as director RGV felt that a single film would end up being too long winding an affair. Both the films would be released within a gap of 10 to 15 days and would be made in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. Watch out for Vivek Oberoi though, since he is set to sport a receding hairline and mustachioed look in the film; while Shatrughna Sinha, for the first time in his career would feature a clean-shaven screen persona.
Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 25
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KANNADA
Cast
Avinash Divakar, Harshika Poonacha
Director
S D Arvind
Music
Arjun
JUGAARI – The Gambler Jugaari marks the entry of comedian Narasimha Raju’s grandsons in the Kannada film industry. As the story goes, the protagonist, played by Avinash is seen caught up in bureaucratic corruption. The script traces how he hatches an elaborate plan to trap the bureaucrats in their own game, who fall prey to his stylish, businessman-like charm. How the hero rights the wrongs while suffering an emotional dilemma forms the rest of the film. Arvind, a post graduate in Mass communication with experience in theatre has written and directed the film while the younger brother Avinash, a fine arts student, plays the protagonist. The movie was extensively shot in and around Bengaluru. For actor Harshika Poonacha, this is her second film after PUC, which had a modest run at the box office.
26 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
Ratnaja’s films have always generated a great degree of anticipation from the audience. The acclaimed director, however, could not fulfill the expectations from his previous movie Honganasu, which tanked at the BO. After the poor run of Honganasu, Ratnaja lay low for a while, though not for long. Now, he has teamed up with his favourite producer and music director to direct Premism, a teenage love story premised on a love triangle.
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KANNADA
As the industry buzz goes, Ratnaja set the bar too high with his directorial debut Nenapirali. Superb music blended with a new storyline and fresh faces contributed to the success of the movie. This time around, the director has adopted the same formula for Premism. Gauging from the music charts, Hamsalekha’s music score has worked with Kannada audiences, with the title track having hit the top 10 slot. The songs have been shot in several locations, including China. How the tried and tested formula would work for the filmmaker, however awaits the viewers’ verdict.
PREMISM Cast
Amoolya, Chetan Chandra
Director
Ratnaja
Music
Hamsalekha
Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 27
28 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
Shekhar Kam from t him and mula’s h s e ge aje n’t for new proje ven th Happ R cts c e m y ur a er u c got fo o D l a o i ikh head i min ov N y e’s t nt u he g H sp race already ha .
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Photographer : Sandeep, Styling & Hair : Maya Raj Makeup : Maya Raj & Gopi, Clothes & Accessories: Envy
Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 29
Re We mem kn b matt ow er . tha t
in the making is a j w Te wc vi his ne omer c hat t a e R and t kind of pr om rta , tha is e as
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30 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
A n ot he c a l lh r im h
for more pics log on to www.southscope.in
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Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 31
I had the opportunity to present in the segment titled ‘Lobbying for Change: The role of trade bodies & censorship.’ It was a privilege to be on the panel, which was moderated by none other than Kamal Haasan. The other panelists were R Prasad, Competition Commission of India, Babu Ramaswami, Censor Board Chief, Gnana Rajashekaran, ex Censor Board member. Prasad, from the Competition Commission suggested that the CCI should monitor unfair trade practices in businesses in India. They would then investigate and if required, make recommendations to the government to pass laws and decisions challenging the practices in that specific business.
I was presenting at the FICCI Frames MEBC (Media and Entertainment Business Conclave) that was held on November 18-19, 2009 in Chennai. The market leaders of various verticals of the entertainment industry made presentations on their fields. Arvind Ranganathan, CEO Real Image spoke on the digitisation of cinema. Kunal Kohli, Rajamouli, Mani Rathnam discussed content. FX Labs and Intel made their presentation on the gaming industry. You get the picture.
Prologue:
A note before I begin: My father, Allu Arvind was one of the members on the Council when the prevalent rules were formulated in the late 1990s. He is still on board as an executive committee member. In its mission on why the TFPC was formed; it states that to give “equal publicity opportunities to all producers irrespective of their projects and budgets.” The very foundation of the Council is ‘socialism’ or an ‘everyone is equal’ ethic. The TFPC did a great service for the industry by subsidising the rates for film trailers on TV channels. To understand my argument, let us now delve into how the industry functions.
How the Telugu Film Producer’s Council functions:
Most of the discussion in the panel was about Censorship in India. It was an interesting debate, but I am going to skip that. My agenda was to highlight the archaic practices of the Telugu Film Producer’s Council. I was allotted exactly six minutes to speak, since time was short. I also had just five slides in my presentation. Here, I am going to expand on what I spoke. A majority of my presentation was on the restrictive advertising rules of the Telugu Film Producer’s Council (TFPC). I also spoke about the home video and satellite restrictions.
From his presentation at FICCI Frames 2009, Chennai, Allu Sirish shares some insights on the advertising rules of the Telugu Film Producers’ Council.
Why it sucks to market movies in Andhra Pradesh
In addition, during those spots, the channel plays the entire trailers given by the Council. All trailers get equal airplay. For example, if there are 12 minutes available for a channel on an evening, and the TFPC has 6 trailers of 30 seconds, each trailer gets played four times. Of course, first preference is given to Telugu films, while dubbed Indian films get second preference with international films trailing a close third.
The fact remains that this system also has its pitfalls. A producer cannot go to a channel directly and buy the spots. He has to route it through the TFPC. The Council earns a small commission on the sales of TV spots (fair enough!). However, you cannot pick the timing and number of airplays that your trailer gets. The TFPC creates a ‘play list’ of all the trailers submitted to it, which include small, big and dubbed films. Each TV channel has specific times (usually non-primetime) when it plays film trailers.
You can’t customise your campaigns:
This subsidy would have saved crores of rupees to the industry over the years. Such a subsidy does not exist for Tamil films in Tamil Nadu. They pay commercial rates to channels. The TV spot expenses of a big budget Tamil film would waver around the Rs 1 crore mark, whereas a big budget Telugu producer would only spend Rs 20-25 Lakhs! You might be thinking, where is the problem when everything is so cheap for us?
Firstly, here’s what ‘Entertainment Rate’ means. The market rates for the 10-second advertisement spot on television, known as TVCs (television commercials) varies between Rs 7,000 and Rs 30,000 on non-news channels like Gemini TV, Teja, Maa TV and ETV. Ideally, a 30 second advertisement would cost a brand anywhere between Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000. Most organisations buy the requisite minutes in bulk on an annual basis. These are the current rates for commercial products such as real estate, soap, mobile phone, TV, insurance and all other ads that you see on TV. The rates for film trailers in Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai markets are usually a fraction of the commercial rates. This is known as the ‘entertainment rate.’ For example, a 10-second spot on ETV costs Rs 1,965, while on Gemini it costs Rs 2,265. This concession is mainly because movie trailers have ‘entertainment value’ for the channel and is of interest to the audience too.
The Entertainment rate:
To ensure a blockbuster opening, the movie needs to be present everywhere, constantly reminding the audience that the movie is coming up and encash it at the box office on the opening weekend. However, the current restrictions by the TFPC do not allow that, crippling the producer in the process. We cannot create a huge buzz simply through a few trailer spots and print ads. Even today, in spite of the emergence of newer media, TV and print have the biggest share of eyeballs. Andhra Pradesh has nearly 4 crore television viewers. Between them, the top five newspapers reach nearly 2.5 crore readers. The producers meanwhile do not have a free hand in trying to reach these audiences.
The Blockbuster campaign trail:
In 1999, Andhra Pradesh had only 9,38,000 cell phone connections. Today we have over 3,76,00,000 mobile subscribers (2.65 Crore GSM, 1.1 Crore CDMA). To keep it simple, if you advertised on the Sun and Eenadu’s media, you have captured almost all of your audience. However, today the audience is totally fragmented. A film has to be present across various media to grab eyeballs. Andhra audiences now have nearly 20 television channels to choose from. Moreover, we now have five Telugu newspapers (Saakshi, Eenadu, Vaartha, Andhra Jyothy and Surya). Add to that English newspapers (Deccan Chronicle, Times of India, The Hindu and The New Indian Express) and five radio networks playing Telugu music. – Radio Mirchi, Radio City, Red FM, Big FM and All-India Radio. Film hoardings dominate the Rs 100 crores outdoor advertising market in Andhra Pradesh.
These rules worked perfectly fine back then. People had only three channels to watch – ETV, Gemini and Teja. Eenadu had near monopoly with Vaartha trailing a distant second. Andhra Jyothi was not re-launched, while Saakshi and Surya were not born yet. The Internet had a very limited presence, unlike today.
Andhra Pradesh 1999 v/s 2009:
In this scenario, a producer cannot demand for more airplay over and above the allotment. Even if he senses that his film is not getting the visibility it deserves, he cannot buy more spots. A film made on a budget of Rs 2 crores and one that is made with Rs 40 crores should survive with the same resources. In the case that the film producer decides to purchase spots directly from the channel, he would be issued a note of “non-cooperation”, which means he will be banned by the TFPC. A ban means being cut-off from a lot of resources for the producer. He cannot function in the industry if banned.
In Tamil Nadu and other markets, when a brand has to do a co-branded television promo, they usually buy at regular rates. But for the Hindi/Bollywood market – that’s not the case. They pay entertainment rates! According to the unofficial rules of the TV industry in Mumbai, if a trailer has 22 seconds of the movie’s visuals it qualifies for an ‘entertainment rate.’ The ratio of 22:8 seconds co-branded promotion works really well for advertisers. They’re paying a lower rate for these spots and they’re able to grab eyeballs – as most people switch channels during commercials, but don’t when trailers are played. That’s why in Bollywood we see brands tie up even with small and
The Bollywood industry, on the other hand operates on a ‘free market’ policy. I feel it’s one of the reasons why it was able to expand rapidly since 2004. There are no barriers to growth through regulation.
Bollywood market – an advertiser’s heaven:
Another determinant factor is the fad of shooting for hundreds of days. The same TFPC couldn’t impose a restriction on remunerations and budgets of the movie (which the Malayalam Producer’s Council did). Ask anybody in the film business – they would say that it is the talent’s remunerations that have made movies less profitable, and more risky. For a big Telugu film, anywhere between 40 to 60 per cent of the movie is spent on remunerations. That is why most of our big films cost over Rs 20 crores to make – but we never see that money on screen. Marketing hardly costs us 5-7 per cent of the budgets. The growth in the industry ensures that we can afford a little extra that goes into marketing a film. Television channels, print and online media will really benefit from the extra revenues they derive from the money spent by producers and brands on their platforms.
While the Tamil industry doesn’t have subsidies – it isn’t too restrictive either. Mumbai cinema has best of both the worlds – subsidies and no restrictions. One of the reasons cited by the TFPC for these rules is that it’s trying to keep the producer’s publicity costs in check, without them overspending. Quite frankly, that is a rather lame play of logic. Marketing costs today are a fraction of the movie’s budget. We still spend the biggest part of the movie’s budgets on remunerations of artistes and directors.
mid-budget movies and campaigns around them. Through this, the producer too is able to get more TV spots on television, yet not pay the huge monies that are required to do so. Movie-associations are so big in Bollywood, UTV claims in an official press note that for one of its films, Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal, it was able to make profits even before its release due to in-film placement from Reebok, Western Union and Gillette.
In the early 2000s, a Chiranjeevi movie released with 150-160 prints. Today, a Magadheera releases in 800 screens in Andhra Pradesh alone and a 1000 screens across the world. In 1999, the 20 Crore-grossing Kalisundam Raa was the highest grosser of Telugu cinema. Cut to 2009 and you see Magadheera grossing Rs 80 Crores in Andhra Pradesh alone! It generated nearly Rs 10 crores in revenues to the AP government through ‘entertainment tax’. Even in 2006, the highest amount recovered from the AP box office for a film was Rs 40 Crores! The industry is growing multiple folds and the society too, is transforming radically in tandem.
Industry expanded many times over:
I wish the TFPC considers the changing dynamics of business and modifies its old rules. I am game for any trade regulation that keeps a check on monopoly or restricts arm-twisting by powerful entities in business. But I am not for rules that have no relevance today. If proven that the old rules are more beneficial to the industry, I am willing to accept and work within the old framework.
A requirement for new rules:
In my opinion, we should also adapt a system akin to Hollywood and Bollywood of having a run of a few weeks at theatrical market (4 to 10 weeks depending on the BO success), then release it on home-video and within 3-4 months of home-video release, broadcast it on satellite. The issues of home video and satellite deserve an article by itself, which I hopefully shall write soon.
Earlier, films sometimes ran even up to one year at the movie theatres. Hence, to protect the interest of movie theatres, a film could not be screened on TV till two years after release. Now, the gap has reduced to a year. Today we live in an “opening weekend era” where a movie makes nearly 30-35 per cent of its money on the opening weekend. The maximum potential of the movie is milked by its 4th-5th week. It’s only the odd Arundhathi or Magadheera that still run in theatres for weeks together. Recent hits like Jalsa, Parugu, Ready, and Krishna have grossed over Rs 30 crores at the box office, but collected most of their moolah in the first four weeks itself. Satellite channels too would be able to monetise a new film easier, while grabbing more eyeballs. More eyeballs means more advertisement revenue to the channel, which in turn imply higher royalties paid to producers.
Another issue I spoke about at the FICCI Frames was how, by having a delay of months between the theatrical run and release of home-video (DVD/VCD/Blu-Ray) we’re losing out on huge revenues, which are being enjoyed by movie pirates. Home video contributes to nearly 50 per cent of Hollywood’s revenues, whereas it only contributes to about 2-3 per cent to a Telugu film. As the penetration level of VCD/DVD players are increasing by the day, the potential is huge.
Home video and Broadcast restrictions:
This article is only to bring to light the issues facing the industry, but does not intend to disrespect the TFPC in anyway, though most of my comments on the organisation were not very flattering. My father – Allu Arvind, is one of the most active members of the TFPC. Many other producers whom I personally know and respect are on-board serving in various capacities. Being the apex body of the industry, it has the power and the responsibility to guide the industry into this new cycle of business. Hope this article serves that purpose.
Post script:
KALEIDOSCOPE
The star cast of Maa Naana Chiranjeevi, including the lead pair, Jagapati Babu and Neelima were spotted at the audio launch of the film. The event, while being a small-scale affair saw a full house in attendance.
Victory Venkatesh will be seen scorching the screen this time with Trisha in Namo Venkatesa. The chemistry sure was sizzling at the title launch, as the entire cast and crew celebrated the event at Ramanaidu Studios.
Pic: Sunny
Pic: Naresh
The audio launch of Om Shanti saw a number of big names from the Telugu film industry turning up to make an appearance, maestro Illayaraja included. Also seen at the event were the stars of the film, Nikhil, Kajal, Bindu, Navadeep and Aditi Sharma, among others.
King Nag will probably be tagged as Kedi from now on, as his new film, Kedi was announced at Novotel, Hyderabad, recently. The title launch of Kedi saw Nagarjuna, debutant director Kiran, producer Shiva Prasad Reddy and rest of the cast turning up to have a gala time.
At the inauguration of the new building of the Producers’ Association of Karnataka, a number of industry stalwarts were seen mingling with the crowd, much to their delight, we’re sure!
The audio release of the upcoming Sri Hari turned quite a few heads as lead pair Murali and Pooja Gandhi showed up to support the crew.
36 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
‌The legend who walks One of the greatest actors of Indian cinema, the intense and multi-faceted Akkineni Nageswara Rao is more interesting than all the myriad characters he has played, discovers Karthik Pasupulate Picture courtesy : Sanjay Kishore & B A Raju
Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 37
I did not have the personality of an NTR, the flair of SV Ranga Rao, the voice of a Jaggiah or Gummadi. I was short, had sunken eyes and an ordinary face. A person who derives sexual gratification from observing the naked bodies or sexual acts of others, especially from a secret vantage point is called a voyeur. Just take off the word sexual from that definition, and it will leave you with the job description of a journalist. Film journalists, in particular are voyeuristic by default. We get our kicks from peeping into other’s lives. We celebrate stardom, we sometimes make nasty remarks, ask invasive questions, get judgmental with the answers. We probe deeper in the hope to get at that which nobody knows. But guess what, none of those tricks work when the star in question happens to be Akkineni Ngeswara Rao. They call him ANR mostly, or superstar Nagarjuna’s father sometimes. ANR is not just a superstar. He is a cultural icon. In a career spanning almost six decades, he made a mockery of distinctions like ‘old’ and ‘new’ with his timeless films. Pathaala Bhairavi, Maya Bazaar, Devadasu, Batasari, Premnagar, Dasara Bullodu, Ardhangi, Laila Majnu, Dr Chakravarthy, Kalidasu, Seetaramayya Gari Manavaralu are all landmarks of Telugu cinema. To act in a hundred films might be achievable but to create as many masterpieces is truly remarkable. Along with NTR, he reigned supreme in Telugu cinema for over four decades. No mean feat for the youngest of five sons of a farmer. When he was four, ANR’s father left behind an inheritance of five acres land that was worth Rs. 3,000. ANR had no option but to drop out of school after class four. He probably never imagined the kind of stardom he was destined for. A true legend in every sense of the word, we wonder what living the life of a legend really means. “I don’t understand the legend business. I am just myself. Titles...well are just titles. Yes, I have had a very long and successful career as an actor, if that makes me a legend, maybe it does,” he shrugs, without so much as twitching a facial muscle. As he speaks, he switches to Telugu often and we have done the best we could to
translate his lines. Sample this: “When people like a film they shower flowers by the truckloads, but you can be sure as hell the bouquets turn into cow-dung just as quickly if the film proves to be a failure. I’ve had a lot of both,” he adds on a more thoughtful note adjusting his spectacles. For anybody to be around for as long as he has, taking things with a pinch of salt becomes almost a habit. But an artist is after all someone who performs not just for himself but for the world and he is judged by his performance. With age he might have gotten wiser but we are sure he would like to be remembered for the best that he was. “Yes it does feel good to be appreciated. I would like to be remembered for my deeds, whatever their true worth is,” he remarks with a poker face. “An actor’s contribution, good or bad, accounts for less than ten percent of the success or failure of the film. The actor is like a medium through which the director
conveys his ideas. Cinema is teamwork. The credit for my success must be shared equally with all the directors, cameramen, makeup artists and technicians that I have worked with,” he humbly adds. Perhaps that is what makes him the man he is. Clad in a crisp white khadi kurta, his trademark rimless glasses, slightly bent to the right, a black strapped Reebok wrist watch and a scarf around his neck, ANR looks more like a philosopher these days. And he certainly looks like a man who is now content with living a life that has defied all odds. “I did not have the personality of an NTR, the flair of SV Ranga Rao, the voice of a Jaggiah or Gummadi. I was short, had sunken eyes and an ordinary face. I still had to hold my own while being pitted against them. I knew my limitations as an actor and made the most of the opportunities that came my way,” he says talking of appearances in an era that is still regarded
as the golden age of Telugu cinema. But despite all that, he ruled hearts for close to seven decades. But ANR being ANR, has his take on that as well. “Popularity is a sin,” he exclaims. “The world expects you to live by the standards it sets, and every little indiscretion is looked upon with a magnifying lens. Eyebrows are raised even if I am out with my daughter. Where as an ordinary man can have it with a hooker and still get away!” We hear him pause for breath and he resumes, “I have never eaten a stomach full in all these years as an actor. I had to stay trim,” he shares. It is hard to say if ANR chose acting or was it the other way round. A primary school dropout, he discovered life through acting and vice versa. We wonder how he evolved his distinct style and those very memorable mannerisms. “I was never influenced by anyone or anything in particular. Those days, people sang and watched plays in their leisure time. I did that too. In any case, I was too young to know what I was doing. One thing led to another and I found myself working in films. I just went with the flow. That is why I believe acting is not something that you can teach,” he explains. It feels like he’s ready to move on to the next question, but there’s another thought we can see forming slowly. “Valmiki was an uneducated dacoit. Yet he wrote the Ramayana. Kalidasa was uneducated too, but he produced some of the finest pieces of literature we have known. That is the nature of creativity,” he asserts. Yes we cannot argue with that line of thought. But there is an insinuation that runs deeper than the nature of creativity. For many, Ramayana is a lot more revered than a work of art. It’s a religious text after all.
to five brothers at the same time. We all know of the mountain tribes for whom it is alright for many brothers to be married to one woman simply because there weren’t enough women around. Moral values are a consequence of the time and they keep evolving over the course of history,” he says feelingly. Guess we are all products of our conditioning. But one thing’s for sure. What ever his take on god, he excelled in bringing many mythological characters he portrayed on screen, to life. ANR made his debut in 1940 when playback singing was first being introduced and about 5-6 films released in a year. And he has probably seen more cinema than anybody else. We must ask his opinion on the escapism in our films. “Call the effect escapist or realistic, people have always appreciated good films. Cinema is a business and it has its own compulsions. I do believe our filmmakers are as talented as any in the world. It’s just that we cater to a small audience pool, so we cannot experiment much,” he says matter-offactly. Guess intellectualising cinema does not much make business sense. Does it? His has been a very remarkable life but is there anything he yearns to change about it, if he had the power? “I just hope when death comes, it is painless. Otherwise, I have had a great life. I have no regrets whatsoever,” he says, his gaze unwavering. ANR’s life would surely make for an amazing script with many unexpected turns. If he were to cast somebody from the current lot of actors, to play him, who would it be? “He must be 5ft 5 1/2 inches tall, skinny and should have sunken eyes and an ordinary voice,” he breaks into a guffaw. “Not many heroes fit that description today,” he quips. After all, there can be only one ANR…
“I do not believe in god,” comes the firm reply. “Veda Vyasa himself said in one of his slokas that there is no Rama, no Krishna, Sita or Rukmini. Puranas speak about the incest between lord Puri Jagannath and his sister Subhadra. We all know about Draupadi being married
… The legend who walks
Is it her second name or those stunning good looks that everyone in the Kannada industry have sat up and suddenly taken notice of? Well, Sanchita’s not related to Deepika, but she has the makings of a big star too, what with that natural vivacity and an instinctive chemistry with the camera. With no formal acting lessons, Sanchita’s debut film Ravana - a remake of the Tamil hit Kadhal Kondein – earned her enough attention to start charting her acting career.
That and a considerably significant role in the Tamil Vettaikaran, with Pillayar Theru Kadaisi Veedu in the pipeline, promise to take her only up, and still up…Vrinda Prasad gets us more.
40 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
01
02
Were you always interested in acting?
Do you believe in luck?
I was still in class 12, when one of my uncles casually suggested that I consider acting since I had the looks and was fond of cinema. That sort of got things started.
It’s about both – luck and hard work. Clichéd yes, but for me it’s always 99 per cent hard work and one per cent luck.
with
Sanchita Padukone
03 How do you prepare yourself for a role? I watch a lot of movies in my free time and try copying mannerism and expressions. Also, I get the script much in advance, which gives me a chance to not only learn the lines but also understand the character better. I also try to interact extensively with the director before a shot.
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What kind of roles are you looking at?
What’s your mantra as an actor?
Since I’m just starting my career, I can’t get choosy about the roles I do. I would definitely like to do more performance-oriented roles. I’m open to bold roles too as long as the presentation is tasteful and aesthetic.
I strongly believe that passion for your work can take you places. Whatever I do, I give my 100 per cent to it. Also, if I can switch from one role to another effortlessly, I’d be able to grow more rapidly as an actor.
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Wish new To vishnu! 42 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
Love, work and his new film ...Vishnu Manchu is equally passionate about ‘em all discovers Karthik Pasupulate in an exclusive
His last film, Krishnarjuna released almost two years ago. Yet Vishnu Manchu was making headlines quite regularly for a host of other reasons. He lost weight, set up a new business, played cricket, got married to his love, Viranica. And now Vishnu’s back in the game as the hero in YVS Chowdhary’s latest offering, Saleem.
But love first Being married for ten months now, guess it would be alright to presume life would have changed a lot. “You would be surprised to know that we are yet to go on our honeymoon. I promised Viranica that we will go after Saleem. I have been sleeping in the office these last few days. I think only she can put up with me. Yes it’s amazing to be married,” he grins. It sure must be. Viranica has definitely had an influence on Vishnu. She is the reason behind his new stylish look in Saleem. It is quite a love story, by the way. We must hear the firsthand account though. “It was very interesting. We were in love for three years. As you probably know, Viranica is from New York. She graduated from Wharton Business School and is also a jewellery designer. She was going back home when we met but she decided to stay back and make Hyderabad her home. It was an exciting romance. She had to get used to me being an actor, all the women and rumours that surround me. We also had to hide from the world. It was fun in quite a filmy way,” he looks every bit love-struck.
Then comes Saleem Saleem is a special film for Vishnu in many ways. “It is the 50th production of my home banner, Lakshmi Prasanna Pictures. Made on a budget of Rs 23 crores it is also our most expensive home production. It is always a privilege to share the screen with dad (Mohan Babu). He’s played a negative character after a long time, and it’s just sensational,” shares Vishnu. “The film took a year and a half to complete, but I am glad it has turned out well,” he shares.
But the credit goes to my team. It helps to have the right people once you’ve set the ball rolling,” he says. For him, the family business is just an extension of himself. “Being a son, it is my responsibility to do my bit to help expand the family business.”
Like father, unlike son? It must help to be the son of one of the most popular actors of Telugu cinema. “It is both good and bad. Being Mohan Babu’s son, people already know me and it was easy to get into the industry. But I have also been having a tough time making a name for myself,” shares Vishnu. He certainly had to earn his identity the hard way after his first film bombed. Just as he was being written off, Vishnu pulled off the biggest blockbuster of 2006, Dhee, making critics eat their words. “I don’t know why but people have always wanted me to play an action hero. Perhaps that’s because of my size,” he quips adding, “I love action films but want to touch them with a dash of comedy as well. That’s what we did with Dhee and I would like to do more such roles which incorporate these elements in the action genre.”
Sibling rivalry Now when you have a kid brother (Manoj) doing the same thing you do, competition is only inevitable. “I consider Manoj to be my biggest competition. Just look at the kind of roles he has been doing. Manoj has got enormous potential. He’s got some amazing films lined up,” says Vishnu. Looks like this sibling rivalry will go on for a long while. Come to think of it, Vishnu probably looks more like his dad, but we wonder who among the two is like Mohan Babu, by nature. “I think it’s my sister Lakshmi Manchu. But none of us has got his famous temper. Manoj is the little rascal in the family, a total prankster and is just very bindaas! Sandwiched in the middle, I am perhaps the most boring of us,” he signs off.
Actor factor We wonder if all that multitasking is what prevents him from acting in more than one film a year. Or is it just a case of less is more. “I am no superstar. It is understandable if Nag, Venky or Baaliah do one film a year. I have a long way to go. I have decided to do two to three films every year from now on,” he responds. That does seem like the right thing to do for a young actor who is still finding his feet in the industry.
Beyond acting Cinema is not Vishnu’s only passion. As a second generation actor, he wears quite a few hats. He is the CEO of Thinksmart - a special effects and animation film studio based in Hyderabad, 24 Frames Factory - a content development company which produces content for television, radio and internet and Sree Vidya Nikethan Educational Trust. That sure sounds like quite a plateful. “Yes, in some of my pompous moments, I take pride in all the things we are into. Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 43
e talks straight or he doesn’t talk at all! That’s Upendra, brought o you by Aravind Gowda
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He talks straight, or he doesn’t talk at all! That’s Upendra, brought to you by Aravind Gowda
Being UPENDRA. period
e talks straight or he doesn’t talk at all! That’s Upendra, brought to you by Aravind Gowda e talks straight or he doesn’t talk at all! That’s Upendra, brought to you by Aravind Gowda e talks straight or he doesn’t talk at all! That’s Upendra, brought to you by Aravind Gowda
e talks straight or he doesn’t talk at all! That’s Upendra, brought to you by Aravind Gowda e talks straight or he doesn’t talk at all! That’s Upendra, brought to you by Aravind Gowda e talks straight or he doesn’t talk at all! That’s Upendra, brought to you by Aravind Gowda e talks straight or he doesn’t talk at all! That’s Upendra, brought to you by Aravind Gowda e talks straight or he doesn’t talk at all! That’s Upendra, brought to you by Aravind Gowda
He makes acting look effortless and direction comes to him naturally too. So does scriptwriting, and penning lyrics, winning an entire generation of fans in the process. For Upendra or Uppi however, multi-tasking is no big deal. He has carried forward a rare legacy of a veritable all-rounder, preceded by a very few. And the rate at which he’s going, even after a decade, it’s unlikely Upendra will slow down anytime soon. His inimitable dialogue delivery, together with histrionics and a radical sense of style have been crowd pullers for years now. There was a time when the portrayal of women in his films had drawn much criticism and he was branded as a ‘negative influence.’ Uppi, being who he is, casually brushed aside the accusations and churned out hit after hit. Some personal conviction, we say. “And my love for films and creativity,” he adds. The films he makes are usually realistic and close to the everyday. “I am often criticised because my films depict the truth and ills of society. That has never stopped me from experimenting with subjects and I have always loved to take the road less taken,” he says firmly. As a struggling artiste, for a long time he worked with actor-director Kashinath as script-writer and assistant director. Many argue that Uppi was indirectly responsible for Kashinath’s resounding success in portraying the darker side of society in his films. Life was never easy then and it’s a constant challenge even now. A thrilling one, though! After featuring in Tarle Nanmaga, Upendra’s next project as director was the suspense thriller Shsh, which launched Kumar Govind as a lead actor in the Kannada film industry. It ran for more than 100 days at several theatres. Subsequently, Uppi disappeared from the film radar for some time. In the weeks that followed, there were rumours that he was working on a secret project. The secret turned out to be the 1995 production Om, based on the Bangalore underworld. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Shivarajkumar starrer went on to become a trendsetter in the Kannada film industry, breaking several box office records in the process. It also shot Shivarajkumar into the league of established actors. Even today, critics say that Om brought out the best in Shivarajkumar’s performance. After his subsequent films, Operation Antha and Swastika received a lukewarm response, people started wondering if Uppi was losing his
Midas touch. But soon after, Uppi moved before the camera for A, while continuing to direct the film and design costumes. He’d written the script too. A went on to become a hallmark of style and set off fashion trends in Karnataka. Risk taking became somewhat of an everyday thing for him during his next projects. A and Upendra were made in quick succession, starring and directed by Upendra, and both films set the BO on fire. Following this, he delivered several hits like Preethse, Kutumba, Gowramma and Rakta Kanneeru. Just when everyone thought he was getting into a groove, he started to pen several songs for Puneet Rajkumar’s films. But gradually, things started slowing down a bit. There were even talks of the “Uppi Phenomenon” ebbing away with the onslaught of youngsters in the Kannada film industry. Full of surprises he anyway is and his return to direction and acting was certainly a pleasant one. While he refuses to share much, we hear he will soon feature in a film without a title but represented by a symbol. As the script awaits the final touches, shooting will start anytime soon. Though there are speculations that top Hindi female actors are being considered for this multilingual film, the actor is tightlipped. Even as he wraps up Srimathi, his ongoing project, we know he is working on the new film subconsciously. The movie title seems to be the symbol, - the hasta mudra – thumb and fore finger forming a circle. This film would be made in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. For now, it has generated a lot of interest in the industry as Uppi’s real life wife, Priyanka’s facing the camera after eight years! Upendra finds it exciting to act with Priyanka, after their pairing in the controversial H20. Presently though, he’s also thinking of foraying into advertising and hospitality. But his heart remains firmly stuck in celluloid!
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Films like Arundhati and Magadheera have brought special effects in Telugu cinema, back in vogue! Karthik Pasupulate chats up with the men heading the latest graphic revolution.
The year gone by, will go down in cinematic history as the year of the Avatar. With ground-breaking techniques and spectacular visual effects, James Cameron’s 160 million pound, 3D science-fiction extravaganza serves up an experience so profound and overwhelming that you forget you are sitting in a theatre. Something similar has happened to Telugu cinema albeit on a much smaller scale. Arundhati and Magadheera, the biggest hits of last year created a similar impact on audiences in their own way. Together the films have grossed well over Rs 160 crore - a new milestone in the history of regional cinema. We can safely assume that visual effects are here to stay. “Oh yes! VFX (visual effects) provide the third dimension to filmmaking. Who could imagine that a Telugu film made essentially for a Telugu speaking audience would rake in over Rs 100 crores? They are certainly a value addition to the film, when integrated with the storyline,” exclaims Rahul Nambiar, special effects supervisor for Arundhati. He is also the MD of Tickle Bug Creative Studio, the company that worked on visual effects for Arundhati. According to C Kamalakannan, VFX producer for Magadheera, who worked on national award winning films like Anji and Magic Magic, points out that it is no longer a case of effects for the sake of effects. “Computer Graphics were looked upon as a novelty initially. It did not matter if CG was relevant. Directors would introduce visual effects for a song, just because big star flicks could afford it. Now scripts are developed from a special effects point of view. That is what happened with Magadheera,” he says. Phani Eggone, a special effects supervisor, and one of the founders of Firefly Creative Studio, a leading VFX company in Hyderabad echoes similar views, saying, “The huge commercial success of these films would inspire more filmmakers to look at visual effects as an integral part of the story telling rather than being just gimmicks.” It is however just a case of special effects coming a full circle in south cinema. “Yes the technology might be new but special effects are not new to Telugu cinema or south cinema in general. Historically, folklore and mythological films like Mayabazar, Pathala Bhairavi had some of the best visual effects you ever saw,” he points out. But back then filmmakers relied on camera tricks to create special effects since advance computer technology was still a very far fetched idea. Computer generated graphics first made an entry in 1990, with the Venkatesh-Divya Bharati jungle adventure, Bobbili Raja. It was just for a couple of minutes in the song Kanyakumari Kanabadada dari... It was an attempt at bringing Jungle Book characters into a song sequence. Kids loved it but that was just about it. Filmmakers
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moved ahead like that was an easily dispensable distraction. It was director Kodi Ramakrishna’s Ammoru (1995) that special effects were not only noticed but also applauded alike. The technology marveled at with puritans acknowledging a grudging respect. It was a nice little story of the triumph of the divine over evil, livened up by some robust 2D animation. The film was a runaway hit. More importantly, Ammoru emboldened the producer, Shyamprasad Reddy to push his boundaries. Anji, the Chiru-starrer was hailed as a technological miracle boasting eleven minutes of computer generated graphics. The movie won the national award for best special effects, but fizzled out at the BO. This failure was interpreted as a rejection of visual effects based films by the audiences. A notion that was strengthened further when director MS Raju’s Deviputrudu, an ambitious visual effect based film failed to do well. His earlier film Devi, was a hit thanks largely to its visual effects, but it did not matter. It has been a long journey from those days when most filmmakers thought of special effects as some technical complication to now when some of them know exactly what they want from the VFX guy. “Earlier, people thought they could just shoot with a blue screen and the VFX would take care of the rest. But filmmakers like Shyam Prasad Reddy and Rajamouli have now figured out how to make special effects work, which is why they have an edge over others. The VFX guys are now part of the story board discussions and work together with the crew on the sets,” says Sanath, VFX producer, cofounder Firefly Creative Studio. As revolutionary computer graphics are, they don’t come cheap at all. “Forty five people worked in three shifts for over a year on Magadheera! That of course is leaving out the expense incurred on 48 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
the motion capture cameras, technology and the hardware,” points out Phani, describing the effort that goes into the process. Guess it is understandable why the estimate went up by three times of the total, by the time the final product was ready. However in the business of filmmaking, costs can be subjective. “Expense is relative when you compare it with the possibilities that it opens up. In the end, it is not just the costs that visual effects can be judged on but what can be made possible with it. So in that sense it the ends justify the means,” argues Nagesh, VFX coordinator, Firefly. Kamalakannan though believes computer generated effects can help save costs in a big way. “Only 15-20 per cent of the sets were designed physically by the art department for Magadheera. It cost us about 1.25 crore. The rest of the 75-80 per cent was created by digital extension and it cost us just about the same,” Kannan argues. Now you cannot contest with those figures. But the flexibility that technology offers is a value addition, argues Sanath. “Technology helps in visualising more cost effectively as well. A whole shot can be choreographed and elements added wherever necessary. Especially
when it comes to high-risk action episodes, it allows you flexibility. You can choose from multiple versions, and could work out cheaper than doing the real thing,” he explains. There’s still a long way to go before we can call our cinema graphically revolutionised, but we are certainly on that path. Phani is more optimistic and feels, “When you compare the output with the budgets and limited resources we work with, we are more efficient than special effects artists of Hollywood.” Going by what Rahul Nambiar says, his upcoming summer flick would push the boundaries even further. He’s directing the film himself. “It all began when we were planning to remake Arundhati in Hindi. The idea of working on the same film all over again was naturally, not inspiring. The producer, Shyam Prasad Reddy agreed and we decided to do a new film altogether. It will have everything you can imagine and more. All I can say right now is that, this film is going to blow you away!” beams Rahul. That’s not all. Kamalakannan shares his next Telugu venture is going to feature effects that are much more complicated, both in volume and technical execution than what we saw in Magadheera. Now that is something to look forward to, definitely!
In step with
Imran Sardhariya Charting choreographer Imran Sardhariya’s career graph was the easiest thing to do, realises Aravind Gowda, since the only direction it moves is upwards! Kannada Golden Star Ganesh was in a quandary. He was desperately looking for a choreographer for his third film, Hudugaata. A funky track, based on hip hop and rap in the film, was clearly a challenge. The filmmakers were particular that the choreography had to match the chart-buster track. Another time, same day: Struggling choreographer, Imran Sardhariya happened to speak to Ganesh to congratulate him for the success of Mungaru Male. It was meant to be a quick call but turned out to be rather long, thanks to Ganesh’s sudden brainwave. Imran met Ganesh on the sets of Amrutha Dhaare first. It struck to Ganesh that Imran couldn’t have called at a better time and decided to try him for choreographing the track, titled Stylo.
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For a choreographer who loved fast-paced songs, it comes as no surprise that Imran himself has been on the fast lane in life. As a high school dropout, Imran grew up watching
stars find it difficult to match his speed and style. Only Priyamani comes close,” he points out. Imran’s dance focuses on quick body movements that are well suited for disco and fast dance. For the fast-paced professional that he is, it takes anywhere between one and three days to wrap up a track, depending on the stars and the schedule. While he prefers to get his homework done beforehand, there are times when he is given just an hour’s notice to belt out a dance routine. “It becomes difficult. A choreographer has to visualise immensely to make a dance sequence fall into place appropriately. Often, we get very less time to plan and execute. But eventually, it all works out fine”. On occasions, Imran even had to argue with cinematographers for the best dance shot. “It is difficult for a cameraman to visualise as a choreographer. That is when we have to step in. I also get involved during the editing,” Imran explains.
Stylo not only became a super hit track, it turned out to be trend setting. Songs from so many movies following this were styled like Stylo! Ganesh was seen dancing to the hip-hop number surrounded by Russian dancers in a lounge bar. Everyone was impressed with this picturisation and Imran was asked to choreograph the rest of the tracks for Hudugaata. They are all popular even now! With Hudugaata, Imran Sardhariya announced his arrival with a bang. Today, he is one of the busiest choreographers on the circuit. No film of Ganesh or Puneet Rajkumar is complete without Imran’s signature brand of choreography. With multiple hits ensured in each film soundtrack, Imran’s only climbing higher and higher. Be it Satyabhaama Baramma from Ganesh’s movie Krishna, Thara Thara Onethara from Puneet’s Bindaas or Milana, Vamshi and Gaalipata, each track has its own distinct identity. The biggest break for Imran, however came from a relatively unknown film, titled Nanda Weds Nanditha, which saw actor Yogi’s debut in Kannada films as a hero. Its track Jinke Marinaa shot with a disco flavour remains one of the biggest hits even today. So much so that the film itself garnered a fan following because of the song. “It was one of my biggest challenges as well,” shares Imran.
Bollywood stars dance in the film studios of Mumbai. He arrived in Bangalore as dramatically as his style always is. At barely 20, he eloped with his girlfriend and decided to settle down in Bangalore! All he had were a million dreams and loads of love. But soon enough, Imran started a dance and music academy on a hand loan. “It was a very difficult time. We did not have a single student for the first three months. We had even decided to close it. But we were patient. It was our faith that kept us going,” recalls Imran. Today, kids throng his dance academy, that’s now managed by Imran’s younger brother. “Life has been a struggle for me. If not for Ramesh Aravind, who introduced me to the film business and Ganesh, who gave me my biggest break, I would have remained just another dancer,” Imran is touched when he talks about it.
So, is the going tough in the Kannada film industry? “If we look at the other film industries, we are far behind when it comes to choreography. But we have made a beginning. Filmmakers have understood the importance of choreography. But there is a lot of scope for improvement,” he finds. When he’s not working, Imran likes to take time off for judging talent shows. “We are in need of good talent and I hope that the shows actually do what they are meant for,” he states. From choreography to direction seems natural enough and Imran is open to a lot of things. “I have plenty of ideas and a script for a successful film. It’s at a very initial stage at the moment. But Imran’s first New Year resolution is to turn director by 2010. Good move!
Though he is considered “expensive” by Kannada film standards, the fact remains that the tracks choreographed by Imran are a class apart from the other run-ofthe-mill fare. So, what sets him apart? “When I pick a project, I ask for complete freedom in taking decisions in terms of location, costumes and schedules. Fortunately, so far I have been given that kind of flexibility by everyone I’ve worked with,” he contends. Apart from that, Imran decides on the body movements for a song depending on the stars. He styled some of the best disco steps for Puneet. “He rocks! Most female Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 51
Reigning heartthrob, soaring star or chip-off-the-old-block, call him what you wish. Ram Charan Tej is nonchalant about definitions. Vanaja Banagiri trails the facts behind the fantasy man who has given a new meaning to masculine mystique. Circa: 1989 Location: Film Set, Hyderabad Occasion: Interview with Chiranjeevi, Megastar Cut to 2009 Location: Mahboob Studios, Mumbai Occasion: Interview with Ram Charan Tej, a rising star
Life’s interesting. I was a rookie reporter then, just a few years into journalism, and I was excited as heaven. No surprises there. I was, after all, the chosen one to be invited to the megastar’s film set for an exclusive one-onone. He had just been hailed as `bigger than Bachchan’ by a national magazine and was the highest paid Indian actor. Do I even need to mention, how awestruck I was? I still remember vividly walking into a bucolic set. And there he was, in flesh and blood, clad in traditional sort of clothes, doing what was his hallmark – dancing to the beats of a song intended to enkindle the audience. That all his songs and dances did just that intentionally or by default is besides the point. In between shots, as he walked towards me, my excitement was palpable. A bad actor that I am, he caught on and immediately said a few nice things about how glad he was to be interviewed by a lady journalist and how he had expected me to be a much older typical journo, so and so forth. His friendly banter devoid of starry airs put me at ease. Pronto. Chiranjeevi (Call me Chiru, he had insisted) was and still is all man and more importantly human in his interactions with people. That’s what has probably drawn him towards politics and away from his implacable stardom. So why am I talking about Chiranjeevi when this one’s about his heir? I am coming to that. Amongst a hundred
questions I had asked Chiru, back then, one of them was if he would expect his son (then four years old!) to walk in his footsteps. And he had replied, “Acting is a wonderful profession. I would have been a nobody if I hadn’t been an actor. My son is too young for me to say anything right now. But I have a feeling he may. Having said that, the choice will always be his.” Twenty years hence, the four-year-old is two films old already! His raw, brooding, intense, honest persona, unlike anybody audiences had seen before, have clearly established him as a performer-par-excellence. And if you go by the box office performance of his last film, the others in the fray were pipped at the post by the emerging Numero Uno of the Telugu film industry. Let’s then welsome the latest heartthrob, superstar in the making , Ram Chran Tej. His name means the light at Lord Rama’s feet. His dad, an ardent devotee of Anjaneya, saw him as His blessing and named him thus. Come March 27th and Charan will celebrate his 25th birthday. And I have a sense of revisiting nostalgia as I watch Charan getting it right for lensman Avinash Gowariker’s camera. Having greyed my hair in this profession, awe is a rare emotion now. But I definitely feel a sense of appreciation for the actor during my conversation with him.
Photographer: Avinash Gowariker, Stylist: Leepakshi Ellawadi, Makeup: Vipul Bhagat, Hair: Aalim Hakim
I mention my conversation with Chiru to Charan and he smiles, all warmth at the mention of his dad. “That’s so true. He gave me total freedom. Until sixteen, I was clueless. Then one day, it came like a thunderbolt to me. And I asked myself why I shouldn’t choose acting. It would be tough, I had no doubts. But then the challenge would be in establishing an identity of my own. That would be a bigger challenge than fearing that I may never see the light in his shadow. Moreover, I didn’t have to struggle for a head start. That did it for me.” His debut film, Chirutha may have been just a moderate hit but the second one, Magadheera is running to full houses till date after having shattered all box office records for more than 100 days. Must be a good feeling, hmmm... “You know, it’s strange. My dad kept telling me `Go celebrate. Enjoy your success,’ after Magadheera was declared a super hit. But I just couldn’t. I didn’t step out of my house for one whole month.” Why on earth? “To begin, though I knew it would do well, I didn’t expect it to be such a massive hit. Not even in my wildest dreams. That’s why, I didn’t want to get carried away and lose my head. It is possible to be misguided by people and that could have been disastrous especially at the beginning of my career. I needed time to see things for what they are. In the right perspective. I had to let the truth sink in.” What truth? “That it was the film that was a bigger success than me. That the film is a team effort. And that every film can’t be a Magadheera.” Pray, tell us, how does such sanity dawn on 24-year-olds? Education, upbringing, what? “Stop embarrassing me,” he waves his hand, “I have never been a great one for formal education. I believe knowledge has nothing to do with one’s education or the lack thereof. I also believe, life’s the best classroom. In fact, my schooling has been very chequered. I changed eight schools, the last two included a boarding school in Ooty.” Eight schools? Wow! Why? A little hesitantly, with a stylish pursing of lips, “I was a naughty kid,” he says. “Rana (another Telugu actor now) and I would be up to pranks the whole time. One of them, we pulled off with amazing consistency and quite effortlessly for long. Whenever we would spot the principal walking out of his room, we would sneak in. One of us would keep a watch and the moment we saw our class teacher passing by, we would emerge out confidently and tell her that we had just obtained the principal’s permission to take the day off. This went on for quite sometime until one day the principal walked into one of our classes and enquired when he found us absent. Lo and behold! The lid was off the Pandora’s box, so to speak. Luckily for us, our principal was blessed with a great sense of humour. He couldn’t stop laughing.” Pranskter, you you… Spoilt brat too? “Never. That’s one thing my parents made sure my sisters and I didn’t turn into. We had an idyllic childhood but a very grounded one. My dad was constantly
away shooting. I missed him a great deal. But my mom more than made up for it with her attention and affection. Whenever my dad was home, it was Diwali, Pongal, Idd, everything for us.” Sure, but then indulging children materially is a done thing, isn’t it? “I agree. We got the best of everything but we were not allowed to go overboard. My dad had a unique way of demonstrating the value of money to us. When I was ten or eleven, bowling had just started in Hyderabad. And I had become an addict. I would go every weekend to the bowling alley. Each session would cost around 100 rupees. I had no concept of money, leave alone realising the value of it. Neither did my parents object, so it went on for sometime till I blew a few thousands on bowling alone. One day, my dad sat me down and held a 50 rupee note in his hand. He tore it into two right in front of my eyes and told me that people could have had a meal or two with that one note. And he had just destroyed it. He went on to explain to me that I needed to earn the money first and then I could burn it, tear it, spend it, donate it, whatever. But I had to realise the value of it, to begin with. That’s it. I got the message – loud and clear. I haven’t stepped into a bowling alley since then and I don’t ever waste money. My dad is one-of-akind. Never let me lose sight of reality.” Any lessons from Dad? “ Professionally, my dad was a rock star. He made dancing look cool when it was considered effeminate. He played negative roles when the term anti hero was not in vogue. He rewrote every rule in the book of fame. I learnt that it is necessary to think out of the box and walk the less trodden path. He also demonstrated through his actions how it was important to aim for collective progress. He never oversold his movies because he wanted everybody involved with the movie to prosper. I emulate him and that’s why I extracted a promise from the producer of my next movie to not oversell it. Only then did I sign the film. You can’t grow as an actor if you only think about upping your remuneration with every release of yours.” There must be something he would like to change in his dad. “Yes. He is very gullible. You could do the meanest thing in the world to him. And yet you apologise and all will be forgiven and forgotten.” Hardly a desirable quality in the game of politics, eh? “I don’t agree with that. Indian politics needs good Samaritans. Sooner or later, people will separate the chaff from the wheat.” Profundity! Is he spiritual or what? “I don’t know, to be honest. But I do get drawn to spiritual literature and autobiographies. Living with the Himalayan Masters by Swami Rami has been a strong influence. I also pray whenever I have the time. I visit temples, churches and I went to the dargah in Cuddapah before the release of Magadheera. And I never miss the Eid celebrations.” What about influences on his acting? Dad or Uncle (Pawan Kalyan, a much celebrated actor)?
THE CLAsSIC CONTENDER Turn on> A woman’s eyes and fingers< Turn off> People who wear masks< Beliefs> I despise conventions< Love> Most misused word. Beyond definition. Many forms and expressions.< Disorders> I am fastidious about cleanliness and order. Nobody cleans my room in my house when I am away. I also have a nagging feeling that I may be a nag.< Chiranjeevi’s best films> Challenge, Abhilasha< Next role> Just out of college urban youngster for the film Orange< Next co-star> Genelia
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“Comparisons will haunt me forever. More with my uncle since he is younger. But I think I am in my own mould. I go with the flow. Not that I make a conscious effort.” Any professional training? “I studied acting in the London school of theatre and drama and with Namit Kishore Kapoor in Mumbai.” He matched his dad step to step in a super hit dance number in Magadheera. How did he do that? “Oh no. I am not a patch on him. I haven’t had any formal training either. I guess I have inherited it. The credit also must go to the choreographer, the lyricist and the other dancers in the group with me.” So far so good. What about his personal favourites as far as acting is concerned? “Life’s beautiful. I feel that having favourites limits your choices and that is restricting. At various points, for various roles, there are various actors.” Phone rings and he excuses himself to attend to the call. He mentions something about getting it by his birthday to the caller. He looks at my curious expression and grins endearingly as he says, “I am buying my own car finally.” Which? “Range Rover.” Dream car? “Like I just mentioned to you, I have many favourites, many dream cars…” Does that mean he has no pet passions? “I love shoes and watches. All men do.” Any favourite brands? He answers with a will-you-ever-give-up smile, “I love Breitling and Roger Dubuis watches. And my choice of shoes is very seasonal.” And what else? “I love horses. I started riding when I was nine. I feel on top of the world when I am on horseback. I read somewhere that the best therapy for addicts at a rehab is tending to horses and dogs. I have four dogs – a chow chow, a Labrador, a Pomeranian (my mom’s favourite) and a cocker spaniel. They destress me completely and I adore them.” Friends? “Daggubati Rana, Sharwanand (actors) and Vicky are my circle of comfort.” Fears? “I am too open to life. I hope that won’t land me in trouble. ” Women? “I have grown up with two sisters and I have great respect for women. I am closest to my mom and love her to death. I don’t have a girl friend at the moment. I am looking for one.” Any specifications? “Nah, at least not as far as external appearance is concerned. I would be happiest with a girl who will be secure enough to understand the demands of my profession and support me.” What’s the most romantic thing he would do for his girl? “I would cook a nice meal.” Excuse me? “Yeah, is it surprising? I love cooking sea food. I learnt continental cooking at a star hotel in Chennai. I can make excellent Scallop fry.” Eating? “Do you even have to ask? I love Japanese food. Wherever I go, I first look for a Japanese restaurant. But my comfort food is good south Indian vegetarian food with pepper water rasam and hot steamed rice combo topping the list.” Parents’ approval? “Definitely matters. That said, they are happy when I am happy.” Touché.
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When we were 15, Rana and I had heard about a black magiciansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cave in Nanakramguda (in Hyderabad). We were so intrigued that we decided to explore it. One night, we drove down and trekked up the hill. You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe what we saw. There were caves all around with skulls, black dolls and what have you. Right in the centre was a fire place that was ablaze. Our eyes almost popped out of our heads and our heartbeats were ringing in our ears. We ran for our lives for a couple of kilometres. God, that was the spookiest experience of my life! I wonder what would have happened even if one of us had fainted with fear!
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for more pics log on to www.southscope.in
They are at it again. This time aspiring Kannada directors may just have to give up on their dreams, since The Kannada Film Directors’ Association has come up with a bizarre proposal for righting the wrongs of the industry. Aravind Gowda reports.
The first of these measures is that any personality interested in directing a Kannada movie should have worked as an assistant director for at least five Kannada films! Not impossible in an industry that produces over 100 films a year with a five per cent success rate, we say! This proposal has obviously been opposed widely, with the directors coming in for sharp criticism from all quarters of the film industry. “This is the era of globalization. Every sector is opening up opportunities for newcomers. But the Kannada film industry is trying to follow protectionism, instead. This will only lead to a further deterioration of quality in Kannada cinema. If we do not promote youngsters with innovative and original ideas, how can we hope to have good movies and evolve the industry? We strongly oppose this proposal,” huffs Ha Cha Sathyan, a prominent film producer.
Many stars in the past have forayed into direction. So many that it’s no surprise when somebody announces that they will soon direct a film, or wish to someday. But these dreams may remain just dreams for Kannada stars. In yet another attempt to redeem Kannada cinema, The Kannada Film Directors’ Association is set to impose tough measures to facilitate production of “quality Kannada films.” This one comes quite literally with a director’s cut! If the directors’ association has its way, then it could be the end of the road for many aspiring directors. The contention here is that the quality of Kannada films has hit an all time low because the film industry has been “flooded with novices who do not understand the finer nuances of filmmaking.” This, the directors’ association, argues has forced it to propose measures to “restore quality in Kannada films.”
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The Kannada Film Artistes’ Association too has objected to this proposal. The list of actors who want to get into direction is rather long. “No serious thought has gone into drafting this proposal,” finds Sathyan. “It is every actor’s dream to direct a movie. Shivanna, Golden Star Ganesh, Pooja Gandhi… Should they work as assistant directors in five films before independently directing a film? This is crazy.” In 2009, 110 movies were churned out by the Kannada film industry, out of which, 10 were successful. Only five films were super hits. It is ironic that all five were made by newcomers, most of whom are not members of the directors’ association. Critics and insiders point out that the proposal of the directors’ association is a retrograde step. “We have to produce quality Kannada films and expand the market. This proposal will only end up creating an exclusive club for directors. How can a small number of directors take on the challenges before the Kannada film industry?” questions L Prakash, a leading film critic.
Don’t we see this happening in Telugu and Tamil movies as well? So, why should Kannada filmmaking remain the exclusive right of a few individuals?” wonders Sathyan.
Kannada films face strong competition from Tamil, Telugu and Hollywood movies. Besides, the market is limited. Unlike Tamil and Telugu, Kannada films do not even release abroad. “Hollywood blockbuster 2012 is running to packed houses in districts for more than a month in Karnataka. It only shows that we like innovation and creativity. Kannada films are also being challenged by non-Kannada films on home turf. Kannada film directors have to address such challenges at a macro level. This proposal is like going back to the Soviet era when filmmaking was an exclusive club,” argues Prakash. The proposal of the directors’ association drew widespread flak, also because none of the so called ‘established directors’ who drafted it have been able to deliver hits in the recent past. A committee of the association that drafted this proposal is headed by veteran director, Rajendra Singh Babu. Though he directed blockbusters like Antha and Bandhana decades ago, his latest venture Bhimoo’s Bang Bang Kids featuring Upendra has been lying in the cans for several months since distributors have not showed any interest in it. His previous film Mohini was a disaster. Babu has not been successful in launching his son Aditya Singh’s acting career either. Another committee member Joe Simon has not directed a film in the last two years. Director Tiptur Raghu is now already forgotten by the film industry. On the contrary, all the recent hits were delivered by a bunch of enthusiastic young filmmakers. Prem, Ratnaja, Yogaraj Bhat, Guruprasad and Suri have been consistently successful. Another promising bunch, including K M Chaitanya, M R Ramesh and Raghu Jaya, has made an interesting beginning. “Creativity cannot be dictated by a handful. Experimentation should be an ongoing process.
Insiders say that the directors’ association, which is losing its grip in the industry, wanted to “flex its muscles” through this latest proposal. “The demand for veteran directors has practically vanished as they have failed to produce hit films. Now, producers are supporting young filmmakers with new ideas. The old timers want to create an artificial demand by coming up with such proposals. But they will never succeed,” Prakash says confidently. The committee that drafted this proposal will shortly place it before the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), the apex body of the Kannada film industry, for approval. But experts contend that it will be difficult for the KFCC to implement the proposal. “It is a fact that 50 per cent Kannada films these days are being made by first time directors. But this particular proposal is in direct violation of Fundamental Rights. The directors’ association seems not so thorough in its homework. Nobody can stop anybody from directing a film in India. This proposal will not stand the test of law,” points out Maruthi Prasanna, a legal expert. Other proposals made by the directors’ association include reducing the length of shooting schedules, cap on raw stock, restrictions on number of frames and reducing the cost of film production by 30 per cent. The proposals have widespread ramifications involving every section of the film industry. Upset with these developments, a section of the producers intends to approach the KFCC seeking to derecognise the directors’ association. “The established directors failed to maintain quality. Most of them resorted to remaking hits films. We hope that they put their house in order first, before imposing restrictions on new filmmakers,” Sathyan says. What will become of these proposals, only time will tell. In the meanwhile, what more bizarre suggestions come up to save the Kannada film industry, we wonder. If only the same creativity was used for making better films…
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A date with oomph and glam
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Zooming across Hyderabad and Goa, the shoot for the scintillating Southscope 2010 Calendar was one helluva ride! 70 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
on for went zeroed r a d n le pe first g a ca thsco makin inally, Sou cinema. A e f o k l F a south mised to b The t a month. tars in d ro ery aroun elve hot s he shoot p we say, v t t tw h , a n ig o m m e in d uth cin ing an for so ging, excit n challe eed! d hot in
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Vrinda Prasad recalls the weeklong frenzy that went behind the scenes, all the while brushing shoulders with the leading ladies of south cinema. Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 71
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Lak s hers hmi Ra i: Al elf, L w cam era. akshmi ays will ing t Rai the S p e w ll g o tryin orgeous ing bold as effor push tless g ou with acto t var o r ious absolu a capita n te l look s giv ly loved B, en t o he r.
Insider tip: faux pas and festivities Given the sizzle factor involved, we wanted to avoid all distractions, save for the leading ladies, as they shed inhibitions! Dwaraka came as a natural choice as a secluded, serene and beautiful stretch of clean sand and sea, where the shoot commenced. The coastline here was dotted with cottages, though tourists were (thankfully!) far and few.
Amidst the drinking and feasting, Reema discovered a small Chinese food joint serving the spiciest food ever at Calangute. Even as we were busy wrapping up, she went on about how amazing the grub was! She claims they make the best noodles and spicy chicken and it is an essential check mark on your next Goa itinerary!
At the end of the first day, the production guys decided to stay back at Dwaraka in order to keep their setup intact. The crew however, wanted to head out to the happening side of town. Hence, we packed everything and travelled back to north Goa, where we were put up for the night. Each day usually started on a lazy note, as we would unwind at the beach in Calangute. As evening wore on, we would head out clubbing with a bevy of gorgeous screen-divas in tow! Pub hopping sure was fun at Goa. Seiya simply loved the Punjabi numbers belted out at Titoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, while the others jived to the groovy Trance mixes at Mamboâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.
s Goan goddes ng with the ki lt or fe , W re a: n su r Ilea a, fo th ride. Ilean was a smoo at home!
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TELUGU Text: SKN and Karthik Pasupulate Looking back, 2009 has been a year of contradictions in Telugu cinema and the pay offs were more random than that of a slot machine. It was a year which saw two of the biggest grossers ever in Arundhati and Magadheera. Together the two films earned over Rs 160 crores; unprecedented in the history of Telugu cinema. However, out of the 123 Telugu films released (until Dec 10), just a handful turned out to be hits. With a cumulative success rate of less than five percent, it would be fair to say the losers clearly outnumbered the winners. We are talking films not people mind you. Here’s a recap of all that made the news in Telugu filmdom last year. Ram Charan was easily the star of the year, having made history with his second film. With gross collections of Rs 115 crores and counting, Rajamouli’s epic love story, Magadheera became the biggest hit ever in the industry, bettering the Rs 60 crore mark set by Mahesh Babu’s Pokiri in 2005. Clearly there’s no stopping Charan from here. Magadheera is a landmark in every sense of the word. The year was just as good for the leading lady, Kajal Agarwal. She went from being another promising actor to one of the most sought after girls in tinsel town. Her second release of the year, the Allu Arjun starrer Arya-2 has also opened to a great response from the BO and with a slew of plum projects on hand, Kajal is surely on her way up. Anushka is one of the few actors who can afford to look back at the year with delight. The leggy yoga trainer showed that she can carry a film on her shoulders as she did with Arundhati. The incredible success of the film has catapulted her to the top bracket of female actors overnight. Showbiz without the stars is much like a rainbow without the colours and that was
the case with Telugu cinema last season. None of the big four - Mahesh, Nag, Venky, Pawan, – had a release to their name. Allu Arjun’s Arya-2 released right at the fag end of the year, shoring up some much needed star presence at the marquee in what has been a rather lackluster year. Jr NTR’s Adurs which was also supposed to release at the same time was postponed. It was not a great year in terms of returns either. Dil Raju, the maverick producer seemed to have lost his Midas touch. Josh, which he produced and Evaraina Eppudaina, Mallanna and Ganesh distributed by him, faltered to deceive in the end, losing big money in distribution. However, the lack of star presence was made up in part at least, by the newcomers. Naga Chaitanya, made an impressive debut with the college drama, Josh. The movie was okay, but the young man showed, in time he will be ready to carry the Akkineni legacy into the 21’st century. Rana, Suresh Babu’s son also announced his arrival with the Shekhar Kammula directed, Leader, coming up soon. The film has generated huge interest in the industry and will have to wait a while to know how it will fare. But not many will be betting against Rana, for he surely looks the part. Here’s a quick look at the grossers of 2009. Magadheera: The biggest hit ever made in south cinema! Made on a budget of Rs 40 crores, the film has collected Rs 115 crores worldwide (as of Dec 10) and is still going strong. Arundhathi: The film made on a budget of Rs 14 crores, set the tone for the year. It collected about Rs 50 crores (both Telugu and Tamil Versions) Kick: Ravi Teja was at his entertaining best. Kick collected a gross of about Rs 25 crores. May not be a windfall considering the film cost Rs 18 crores to make. It was a hit nevertheless.
Arya 2: Made with a budget of about Rs 20 crores, Arya 2 collected almost as much in just two weeks. Perhaps that is what fetched Rs 1 crore for the rights to dub the film in Malayalam. Yugantham: The Telugu version of the doomsday prophecy film, 2012 is surprisingly the fourth biggest grosser of the year. Bought for Rs 3.5 crores for AP, the movie collected about Rs 12 crores. That makes it the mother of all Hollywood dubs in Telugu. Gopi Gopika Godavari: Made on a Rs 1.5 crore budget, this Vamsy special did robust business raking a neat Rs 4 crore in revenue. Bendapparao RMP: This Allari Naresh starrer left everyone including the filmmakers laughing (their way to the bank, we mean). Made on a budget of Rs 3 crores, the movie collected Rs 6 crores (satellite not included) without much fanfare. Ride: The movie made with a budget of Rs 4 crores with young stars in the lead earned slimmer profits. The average fares: Maska: Made with almost Rs 15 crores, the movie just about managed to recover about 80 per cent thanks to heavy openings of pongal season. Konchem Istam Konchem Kastam: This Siddarth starrer cost Rs 12 crores to make. But the producers got the timing of the release wrong. It was released in February during the exam season and did not do too well despite having an impressive star cast and hit music. Prayanam: The movie made with about Rs 3.5 crores, though not a huge hit managed to garner good enough critical acclaim. Siddham : A small budget remake of Ab Tak Chappan, the Jagapathi Babu starrer did average business.
Anjaneyulu: The movie made with Rs 15 crores sold out almost Rs 20 crores and is the only one to have got huge table profit before release in the recent times. It drew good openings and recovered 70 per cent soon.
large number of releases is that a lot of NRI and local businessmen are getting lured into film production without understanding the economics of filmmaking. The audiences are smart as they are rejecting these films wholesale.
Oye: This Rs 10 crores worth Siddarth starrer got good openings but lost steam soon.
A small film of 2008, Subramaniapuram was made on a budget of Rs 2.75 crore, which went on to make over Rs 14 crore and became a blockbuster. The same director, Sasikumar’s next film, Nadodigal cost Rs 7.5 crore and went on to collect Rs 15 crore from theatre screenings. Similarly, noted director Ameer made his offbeat super hit trendsetter Paruthiveeran with Suriya’s brother Karthi as hero, for Rs 3.5 crore in 2007, it went on to do business worth Rs 12 crores. At the same time it took Ameer nearly three years to make and release his next film, Yogi in which he debuted as action hero and cost him Rs 11 crores, but the film has turned out to be one of the biggest flops of the year!
Mahathma: The much hyped 100th film of Srikanth also ended up as another also ran. Ek Niranjan: This much hyped Prabhas starrer also failed to make much of an impact at the BO. Made with a budget of over 20 crores, Ek Niranjan had great openings but lost its way soon
tamil Text: Sridevi Sreedhar 2009 saw a record number of Tamil releases-125, the highest in two decades. On October 30, Tamil cinema hit the fastest hundred in its history as the 100th film of 2009, Kanden Kadhalai released. Never before has the Tamil film industry crossed 100 releases in October alone. A boom in production of small films ensured a record number of releases. However on the downside it has been a bad year as there has been only one blockbuster (Ayan), two super hits (Nadodigal, Padikkathavan) and several sleeper hits (Siva Manasulla Sakthi, Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu, Yaavarum Nalam, Eeram, Unnaipol Oruvan, Pasanga, Masilamani Kanthaswamy, Mayandi Kudambathar, Aadhavan, Kanden Kadhalai). It clearly means only six out of the 125 films were profitable from Tamil Nadu theatrical rights alone. The other eight films may have broken even and made a small profit if revenue from other channels - Television, Overseas, Telugu dubbing or remake rights and Indian domestic rights from theatre screenings (Kerala, Karnataka and Mumbai multiplexes) are taken into consideration. The remaining 85 per cent films released during the year are nothing worth writing about and many of them may not recover the cost of their prints and publicity. The reason for the boom in production and
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As leading producer G Dhananjayan of Moser Baer Entertainments says, “The trend setting directors who made films on a shoe string budget and were successful with their first film, increased their budgets by over 100 percent for their second films overnight and ended up with huge losses. The basic reason for the failure of their films was that they increased stars’ salaries, made their films technically savvier with DI, graphics, rich locales for their songs without paying any attention to the script.” Another reason is the blood and gore in Tamil cinema. This year, nearly 20 films have got either ‘A’ or ‘U/A’ certificates with cuts. The success of a few films which glorified violence has led to a situation where violence has become a part of the new formula for small films. Like a few years back in Telugu, a lot of films were based on ‘faction feuds of the Rayalseema area,’ in Tamil now most such films are set in the killing fields of south Tamil Nadu, mainly Madurai where caste and political rivalry lead to murder. The blood and gore of ‘made in Madurai movies’ has put off many. Renigunta, a film on a group of teens turning into hired killers, which was rejected by the regional Chennai censors got through the revising committee with an ‘A’ certificate. The opening was very
good but in most of the theatres, there were hardly any female viewrs. Meanwhile 2009 also saw the further erosion in superstar ratings in the trade as many of the distributors could not recover the cost at which they purchased the film. 2009 also saw the emergence of Suriya as a superstar, with a terrific opening. His KV Anand directed Ayan is the only blockbuster of the year so far. Ayan was the third biggest hit in Tamil cinema crossing Vijay’s Pokiri and behind Dasavatharam and Sivaji. Aadhavan was another masala-thriller by K S Ravikumar, the director of Dasavatharam. While it didn’t set the box office on fire, with its star power, good music and promotion it ended up as an above-average grosser cementing Surya’s position as a star that sells in the cities and towns. (Please note Vijay’s Vettaikaran is not being considered as the film released only on December 18). Among heroines, it was Tamannaah who ruled the roost. Ayan and Padikkathavan made her the new numero uno actress of Tamil as all top heroes wanted to sign her. Nayanthara lost the race with Sathyam, Aegan and Villu failing at the box office. Trisha didn’t fare all that well either in Sarvam and Shriya could not create any impact with Kanthasamy. Kanthaswamy grossed Rs 24 crores in its first week (16 crores from Tamil Nadu, 2 crores from Kerala Karnataka, 6 crores from Telugu) proving that he is still a superstar at the box office. But due to the weak content, the movie fizzled out at box office. In Tamil Nadu, producers serious about their business are a handful. The influx of inexperienced newbies, can do little to better the situation. Meanwhile artist remuneration and production costs are only skyrocketing. Yet nobody seems to be bothered, with most superstars having increased their salaries twofold this year. Curiously enough, there seems to be no dearth of producers hankering after them for dates. Pretty much every NRI producer worth his million is being lured by the Tamil film bug to produce movies; often with any bloke who might be available at the moment. This of course has resulted in a situation where a new actor is born every Friday, only to be handed out his obit the day after!
mALAYALAM Text: Rakesh Nair Like most of this decade, 2009 in Malayalam cinema was ruled by its aging giants, its twin-towers—Mohanlal and Mammootty. The film year’s biggest event unfolded when Mammootty, reuniting with his Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha director Hariharan and writer M T Vasudevan Nair, unleashed Pazhassi Raja not only in Kerala’s theaters, but also throughout Indian movie halls in record print counts. The film was, on critical and box-office terms, one of the major recent victories in Kerala’s mainstream cinema—not least because its story (about the eponymous Kottayam royal who revolted against the British) was rooted within a very local milieu. For Mammootty, Pazhassi Raja represented another remarkable moment in what has shaped into an admirable few years for the star—he has, in the last few years, managed to strike a fine balance between box-office winnings and meaningful cinema. The film, released throughout the country as it was, and narrated by major names for different regions (Chiranjeevi in Telugu, Shah Rukh Khan in Hindi) was also a fitting close to this decade for its star, who has been one of the two major actor-ambassadors for Kerala throughout the rest of southern India, and, beyond. The other member of that duo, Mohanlal, had a less interesting year within Malayalam cinema’s borders. On the one hand, he had two misses in the form of Red Chilies and Sagar Alias Jacky: Reloaded. The latter was an especially disappointing failure as it was a remake of one of Mohanlal’s greatest masala action films from the 1980s, Irupatham Noothandu. Reloaded, directed by Amal Neerad, continued mainstream Malayalam cinema’s incorporation of Hollywood and Tamil cinema stylistics at the cost of negligible things like script and character and context. After the usual titanic opening that marks anything Mohanlal headlines, the film sputtered towards less than impressive collections. Ironically, 2009’s biggest Malayalam hit, (relative to the scale and the actors involved) was also a sequel to a well-regarded film from Malayalam cinema’s golden years. 2 Harihar Nagar, directed by Lal, is the sequel to In Harihar Nagar. The sequel’s success, marked by a
strong box-office opening and good reviews from critics, seemed to reflect and bolster an ongoing need on the part of Malayalam filmmakers to return to the roots of their industry’s finer years. Other commendable hits included Bhagyadevatha, Loud Speaker, Passenger and Iras Virahitharayal. Veruthe Oru Bharya, Banaras and IG were disappointing. Meanwhile, as the old guard of the Malayalam industry continued to reach back to its past, Prithviraj’s successes this year, Puthiya Mukham and Robinhood, continued to cement his position as the most heralded young acting prospect in Malayalam cinema’s future. The always great Sreenivasan’s son, Vineeth Sreenivasan, debuted as an actor in Makante Achan which hit the mark at the box-office and was notable for the kind of satirical wit that has always been a trademark of Sreenivasan’s work, even if it seemed a tad watered-down and compromised here. The film’s strongest attribute was its rooted and naturalistic aesthetic—a filmmaking trend that is increasingly rare these days. Mohanlal himself attempted a more rooted story later in the year to better results when he re-teamed with his Thanmathra director, Blessy to make Bhramaram. The film received mixed reviews, but the near-universal praise of Mohanlal’s performance helped to secure a box-office victory. Combined with his success in the Tamil film Unnaipol Oruvan, Mohanlal managed to salvage his record in 2009 through a deft and very telling balancing act: On the one hand he had Bhramaram, which represented old-school Malayalam filmmaking and was directed by a former assistant to one of Malayalam cinema’s most beloved stalwarts—Padmarajan. On the other hand, he acted in a Tamil remake of a very recent Hindi film. This is, in some ways, the great compromise facing all of the southern industries as they stand today: Hold on to the past, ingratiate yourself to the future.
KANNADA Text: Aravind Gowda For the Kannada film industry, 2009 remained just another year. The only difference was the addition in the number
of films when compared with the last year. In 2009, as many as 110 Kannada films were made, of which only ten were considered successful at the box office. Of the ten successful films, only five were super hits, nothing great by industry standards. It seems that Kannada filmmakers are yet to find the new formula for success. So much money invested in so many movies featuring some of the highest-paid stars, but the fortunes of the producers have remained the same. The number of super hits each year has always been in a single digit in the last one decade for Kannada filmmakers. In spite of a number of ‘promising’ newcomers in the Kannada industry, a bigger success rate still remains a far fetched possibility. Of the 110 movies that were released in 2009, Junglee, Ee Shathamanada Veera Madakari, Savari, Josh, Eddelu Manjunatha, Love Guru, Raj The Showman, Manasaare, Gokula and Kalaakar emerged the winners. Of these 10 films, Ee Shatamanada Veera Madakari featuring Sudeeep, Josh featuring newcomers, Eddelu Manjunatha (the comeback film of comedian Jaggesh), Puneet’s Raj, The Showman and Yograj Bhat’s Manasaare were super-hits. The poor success rate has forced the producers to propose ‘low-cost’ movies for 2010. This has prompted producers to come up with a proposal for costs to be cut by 50 per cent and that does not exclude the stars’ remuneration. But that plan has not gone down well with the actors, particularly those in the bracket of Rs 1 crore and above. The year 2009 has been a not so great year for the top stars as well. Despite many of their movies not running successfully in 2009, top stars continue to command high remuneration. Surprisingly, last year, stars could not produce more than one hit. And it has become difficult to select the star of the year. ‘Golden Star’ Ganesh began the year on a wrong note when the film Circus bombed at the box office. The failure jolted Ganesh to such an extent that he stayed away from the silver screen for almost the first half of the year. Ganesh does not have a single hit film to his credit in 2009, though his home venture, Maleyali Jotheyali was released in late December. It was alright at best.
Sudeep, who is busy with his Hindi film assignments, did manage to find time to direct Ee Shatamanda Veera Madakari. The movie was considered a hit. In 2009, Sudeep could manage to act in two other films and only Kichcha Huchcha hit the screens. Savari, a remake of the Telugu Gamyam, managed to replicate the success of the original. Josh, directed by Dinesh Baboo, was packed with newcomers and created quite a stir. It was the only such movie in 2009 to make a positive impact. It proved that irrespective of the star cast, a movie can be a hit provided it has the right ingredients. Duniya Vijay’s Junglee was considered a moderate success but its music turned out to be quite popular. Upendra failed to provide a single hit in 2009. Of the two of his movies released in 2009, Dubai Babu, a remake again, did not appeal much while Rajani, yet another remake, too failed to impress. A series of flops forced Upendra to return to direction. Shivarajkumar’s performance was no different. Both his movies of 2009 sort of bombed. Other stars like Diganth, Srinagara Kitty, Kiran, Tarun and Ajay managed to hold on moderately. Diganth though, could heave a sigh of relief only during the last quarter of 2009 as his film, Manasaare managed to complete 50 days. Established stars like Vishnuvardhan, Ravichandran and Ramesh Aravind could not deliver any hits this year. Vishnuvardhan and Ravichandran in particular are almost on the verge of retirement. However, Mooru Guttu, Ondu Sullu, Ondu Nija, a low-budget comedy movie, with Ramesh Aravind and comedian Komal did pretty well. Exotic foreign locales and good music saw the film through. The surprise element of the year was Jaggesh’s Eddelu Manjunatha, which was the biggest revenue grosser. Interestingly, the movie was lying in the cans for several months and it proved to be a comeback film for Jaggesh, whose political career wasn’t so smooth sailing either. These days, Jaggesh can be seen more at film locations than political forums. Puneet Rajkumar’s Raj, The Showman was a face saver. It completed 50 days in several theatres across the state.
But Darshan failed to recreate the magic of 2008 as none of his films fared well. Similarly, Yogi who made a sensational entry with Nanda Loves Nanditha could not produce another hit though he is acting in 12 films. Among the female stars, very few have managed to hang on - Pooja Gandhi, Radhika Pandith and Aindritha Ray of which the latter acted in most number of films in 2009. Pooja Gandhi’s movies are lined up for release in 2010 and the actress feels her best is yet to come. Let’s see if the same can be said of Kannada films in general.
BOLLYWOOD Text: Mona Ramavat Like the southern industry, it wasn’t such a great year for Bollywood either. Down right bad in fact. It was a case of one thing leading to another, some things going terribly wrong, many things cropping up unexpectedly. The recession for one is an example of all three. Then again, if swine flu couldn’t keep people away from movie theatres for long, the IPL matches surely did. Add to the list elections and the strike in the industry. And we’re not done yet. Humungous film production costs giving low returns. Overall, the loss for the film industry in 2009 was well above Rs 500 crores. Approximately, 120 films were released in 2009 but barely turned out to be hits. It was a year of big movies generating big hype which failed to impress. Plus a big bunch of lukewarm films that came and went within the blink of an eye. The year started with some such firecrackers which just didn’t ignite. The President is Coming, Kaash…Mere Hote are names that are even hard to recall. The beginning of the year didn’t see the release of too many films. Then there were pretty much no releases during the two-month strike following the tussle between the producers and distributors. The few films that were released in between barely ran. With a drought of films in the initial months, especially the first quarter in turn led to a barrage of releases later. This was detrimental for the industry since
audiences were split and too many parallel releases ate into each other. Then there were the biggies: Films with big budgets and big stars and big promotion. Most of these opened impressively but failed to keep up week after week. Nagesh Kukunoor’s 8X10 Tasveer was eagerly awaited but thoroughly disappointing. So was Kambakktht Ishq, a southern remake, Rani Mukherjee’s Dil Bole Hadippa, Do Knot Disturb, Shruti Haasan’s debut, Luck, Main Aur Mrs Khanna, London Dreams, Acid Factory and Kurban. Somewhere on top of this list are two Akshay Kumar films – Chandni Chowk to China and Blue – both of which failed miserably to bring back the moolah. Blue had a TV premiere within weeks of release. What do you say to that? Falling somewhere between the hits and misses were films like Shah Rukh Khan’s Rs 22 crore budget Billu Barber and UTV’s massive project, Delhi 6. They didn’t quite wield the Khan or Bachchan magic but couldn’t be called utter flops. Divided opinions sustained interest in these movies for a while, which fizzled out after sometime. Perhaps you could count in What’s Your Rashee here as well. Films that went on to become decent hits were a few. Many of these fell into the low budget category - Dev D, New York, Wake Up Sid, Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani, Raaz – The Mystery Continues. The big budget ones that did good business were Love Aaj Kal, Kaminey (was also among the most path breaking of last year’s films) the Salman Khan starrer Telugu remake, Wanted and De Dana Dan. Include All The Best in this list too. Other films that didn’t do roaring business but were liked nevertheless were Quick Gun Murugun (which surprising did great in Mumbai) and Luck By Chance among a few others. The last month of the year had some promising stuff. Rocket Singh was much liked and Ranbir is certainly turning out to be hot property for 2010. The thoroughly different Paa drew in hordes too. It was also the month of the Three Idiots. Let’s see if it sets the precedent for creative themes and treatments for this cinematic year.
The show must go on,
but how? It looks like the New Year is going to start on a rather bleak note, with no fresh movie releases in Andhra Pradesh. With agitators directing their wrath on the big-ticket releases, the dumbfounded producers are seriously considering shutting shop for the time being. When they say reality is stranger than fiction, perhaps this is what they mean. It all started when mega star-turned-politician, Chiranjeevi announced his decision to oppose the move to form a separate Telangana. The pro-Telangana activists forcibly stopped the screenings of Magadheera and Arya 2, featuring Chiranjeeviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son Ram Charan Teja and nephew, Allu Arjun respectively. Adurs, starring Junior NTR and the Daggubati Rana starrer, Leader are two big films that were slated for release in December. The producers are now faced with a mounting predicament, as both pro and anti Telanagana agitators upped their ante, taking to the roads all over the state. In a situation like this, producers are left to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea. If they go ahead and release, they could risk bearing the brunt of rampaging mobs. If they decide to postpone, there is the risk of fighting for viewer attention along with a slew of other big-starrers set for release around Sankranathi. The big Sankranathi releases are Nagarjunaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kedi, Shambho Shiva Shambho of Ravi Teja and Namo Venkatesha, starring Venkatesh. Besides, if the stalemate over separate statehood for T state gets worse, the filmmakers could be looking at indefinite delays. Unfortunately, for the producers it looks like the revenues are going to take a hit anyway. The industry as a whole has been through a lean phase in the last year, with over 90 per cent films failing at the box office. If this is how things continue, it looks like 2010 is not brining in any cheer for the Telugu film industry.
With the political turmoil over the formation of the Telangana state taking center stage, the film industry finds itself at the receiving end of an unexpected backlash. A Southscope report.
Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 79
bioscope
TELUGU
Amaravathi Cast: Bhumika, Sneha, Gadde Sindhura, Tarakaratna, Allari Ravi Babu, and others Direction: Ravi Babu Music: Sekhar Chandra
Good Dark-thrillers are a rarity in Telugu cinema. If you were to rate Amaravathi on that basis alone, it is one of the better films of recent times. The movie starts off with a statutory warning suggesting it is unsafe for pregnant women, children and the weak hearted. That kind of sets the tempo. The movie is packed with enough creeps and twists to keep you interested.
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It’s bizarre and that’s why it’s different from the usual fare. A police hunt to find an obsessed lover with a fetish for pregnant women can be quite bizarre. Add to that the fact that it’s the foetuses he is after can be plain unsettling. That too in Telugu. Imagine!
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Tarakaratna who plays the protagonist psychopath is simply brilliant.
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No songs, no deliberately included comedy tracks. The narrative pretty much sticks to the original idea.
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If you compare Amravati to films like Psycho, Seven, Saw or Silence of the Lambs, Amaravathi would look atrocious. But if you compare it with the likes of Anasuya and Mantra, Amaravathi might just seem on par or better.
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Could have been better... The whole hypnosis mumbo jumbo looks all too silly. Tarakaratna is a master hypnotist who can well hypnotise just about anybody. That crucial part is more dramatic than convincing and sort of dilutes the whole experience.
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The story is original but the same cannot be said about the treatment and cinematography. The hi-tech special task force, with the cars, the swanky office, face mask (from Silence of the Lambs) and the works, is all too Hollywood inspired but ends up looking so wannabe.
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- Karthik Pasupulate 80 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
Good Katha is one of the most original Telugu movies made in recent times. Set in the scenic Araku Valley, this one’s truly a whiff of fresh air. Most importantly, it’s an example that you do not need to be inspired by some Hollywood flick to make a decent thriller. The filmmakers deserve a big applause for that surely.
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bioscope
TELUGU
It’s the Genelia show all the way. Playing a vulnerable primary school teacher struggling to deal with the ghosts of her traumatic past, Genelia put in a mature performance and carries the film on her won. Debutant Arun Kumar has done well for a first timer.
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The performances, background score, the music, screenplay, cinematography…nothing was overdone, thankfully.
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The background score was a nice old world charm-ish fare and on top of it all, it was all as clean and clear and in synch with the rest of the film.
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Could have been better...
Katha
The movie has its moments, but in the end you leave thinking something was certainly amiss.
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Katha ambles along at a holiday pace for most of the first part. It picks up in the second half but the sagging pace at places does bring down the excitement. We go to a thriller to get thrilled! We do not mean cheap thrills mind you. But a fast paced adventure should be the sort to keep you guessing all the while, right? Unfortunately, Katha leaves you more amused than thrilled in the end.
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Cast: Genelia, Arun Kumar, Prakash Raj, Raghu Babu, Shafi and others Director: Srinivas Raga Music: SK Balachandran
- Karthik Pasupulate
Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 81
bioscope
KANNADA Good The theme is tried and tested but the treatment is interesting. There’s Preetham (Ganesh) who first meets Anjali (Yuivika Chaudhary). Later, he also happens to meet Shwetha (Anjana Sukhani) and starts liking her. But Shwetha resents the very idea of marriage. So Ganesh with Anjali’s help woos Shwetha. Slowly all three get close. There are heartbreaks and unexpected twists. Good youthful stuff.
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Ganesh’s acting is excellent. But his performance appears to be an extension of his character in Mungaru Male.
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Yuvika Chaudhary and Anjana Sukhani are both nice too. Anjana’s graceful and Yuvika has proved herself with a better performance.
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Though Maleyali Jotheyali has nothing new to offer, the film has a good script.
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Krishna’s excellent camera work makes the movie a two time watch!
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Could have been better... The story starts with a flashback. There is consistency in narration but the impression created is that it is a sequel of Mungaru Male with the same background and shooting locations.
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Maleyali Jotheyali, is sort of disappointing in the climax which is rather predictable. The element of curiosity goes flying out of the window halfway through.
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Harikrishna’s music appears to be paling. Only a couple of tracks are worth humming along.
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- Aravind Gowda
82 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
Maleyali Jotheyali Cast: Ganesh, Anjana Sukhani, Yuvika Chaudhary, Rangayana Raghu, Sudharani Direction: Preetham Gubbi Music: V Harikrishna
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E-mail :- bhavikksangghvi@gmail.com Website :- www.bhavikksangghvi.com
(People born on dates 1st, 10th, 19th or 28th)
Vocation Your trade will grow, thanks to your inherent persistence and negotiation skills. Assets You will spend plenty on property and repair work of machinery. Family and Friends Tension regarding senior members of the family might get resolved. Health Your health might get affected slightly but only due to excessive work pressures. Travel You might get an opportunity to go abroad for training or higher studies. Romance Single people may find their perfect love match this year or reunite with their love.
84 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
Assets You might plan to repair your inherited property or to make some big change in it for which you will be able to arrange funds and resources. Family and Friends Some auspicious ceremony like a marriage or engagement is likely to take place at your home in the beginning of the month.
People born on dates 1st, 10th, 19th or 28th
01
Vocation Do not let any misunderstanding or confusion create problems between colleagues, partners or close friends.
(People born on dates 2nd, 11th, 20th or 29th)
Astro Numerologist:- Bhavikk Sangghvi
(People born on dates 2nd, 11th, 20th or 29th)
Health Minor ailments like stomach disorder, knee pain, bile disorder or diabetes might disturb you occasionally. Travel You might go on a journey to upgrade your skills or acquire professional training. Romance Those who are already married might be blessed with a baby.
03
(People born on dates 3rd, 12th, 21st or 30th) Vocation Maintain balance at workplace. Assets You might plan to buy a second hand automobile or electronic gadgets. Family and Friends Anxiety and difference of opinion at your home is indicated, which will be resolved gradually as the year progresses. Health Favourable planetary positions will result in good health. Travel There are very lean chances of a transfer. Romance Elderly people would enjoy a happy life with their loved ones.
(People born on dates 3rd, 12th, 21st or 30th)
2010
january predictions
02
Family and Friends There is a possibility that family members might travel for work or education etc. Health Your working efficiency will improve. Travel If a transfer happens, it will definitely be a place of your choice and for a reputed post. Romance You may be misunderstood at times but a calm attitude will be helpful.
Assets There is a chance of your purchasing a house or office in the later part of the month. Family and Friends In the beginning of the month, you might get some social or political post of responsibility. Health Beware of side effects of medicines. Travel Frequent travels with your family members are on the cards.
(People born on dates 5th, 14th or 23rd)
(People born on dates 5th, 14th or 23rd)
Vocation Certain situations will help up your name and fame. Assets You may have to spend money on the repair of some vehicle, machinery or agricultural equipment. Family and Friends In your social life, hidden adversaries might come to the fore. Health Stay aware of certain blood related problem. Travel You might go on a journey by air. Romance On the love front, there will be plenty of suspense!
(People born on dates 7th, 16th or 25th)
Vocation You will remain highly inspired to start some new business or diversify your present business. Assets Your expenditure on the education of some family member might increase. Family and Friends It may turn out to be a very auspicious month for your engagement or marriage. Health Your old health problems might get cured. Travel There will be instability in your professional life which may evnetually get settled in your favour. Romance In the matters of sex, you will act in a controlled manner.
Vocation In the beginning of the month, you might be in a dilemma because of an uncertain target and instability on the professional front. Assets The good position of the planets indicate an increase in your income. Family and Friends There will be celebrations of a child birth. Health Health in general shall remain satisfactory throughout the month. Travel Your transfer orders are likely to get cancelled.
Romance Though you might fall in love, it would not necessarily be a pleasant experience and you might end up getting hurt or your prestige would be at stake.
05 07
(People born on dates 8th, 17th or 26th)
(People born on dates 8th, 17th or 26th)
Assets By mid month you are likely to face some tension regarding your responsibilities towards parental possessions.
Vocation You will reorganise the basic infrastructure of your business.
08
Romance Luck favours you as your partner would be just as you expected them to be.
09
(People born on dates 9th, 18th or 27th)
Vocation You will get good support from someone very close to you. Perhaps a relative. Assets You can increase your income by investing savings in shares or speculation. Family and Friends There may be new additions to the family because of child birth or marriage. Health Refrain from irregularities in your food and exercise habits. Travel Those seeking a transfer from their present work place would have to wait for some more time. Romance A few issues from the past may surface again, so watch out.
Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 85
(People born on dates 9th, 18th or 27th)
Vocation As a result of the present planetary positions, you will make good investments aided by your hard work but you will see the results only after some delay.
(People born on dates 6th, 15th or 24th)
(People born on dates 6th, 15th or 24th)
(People born on dates 4th, 13th, 22nd or 31st)
(People born on dates 7th, 16th or 25th)
(People born on dates 4th, 13th, 22nd or 31st)
04 06
Standing tall at 6 feet, 2 inches, engineering graduate Sree Ram is a self-confessed film buff, who loved enacting movie scenes in front of the mirror right from his school days. He later enrolled at Barry John’s Acting School, Mumbai. When not catching up on movies, he’s usually playing volleyball and squash or reading. Sounds interesting. Let’s see what’s in store for this hunk. - Vrinda Prasad
sriram
Southscope invites aspiring actors to send in their portfolio pictures to vrinda@southscope.in
86 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
SCREENTEST
I’m crazy about you Hosa gana bajana oye, hale prem purana oye neenu tumba nidhana speedagide zamana nanna jyothe jopana hosa gana bajana oye nidhanave pradhana ade safe prayana helikonde hogona hale prem purana yakoo aha nange
I’m crazy about you Hosa gana bajana oye, hale prem purana oye neenu tumba nidhana speedagide zamana nanna jyothe jopana nange bere kelsa ittu ee haadu helonkinta bereondu kelsa beka sakaiytu thaya taka matadu kasta sukha future papuondu hesaruidona hosa gana bajana [f] hale prem purana oye neenu tumba nidhana speedagide zamana
aha tumba oho booru hanga yerde yeredu stepu kunidu bidona hosa gana bajana oye hale prem purana oye
nanna jyothe jopana hosa gana bajana yakoo aha nange aha tumba oho
Jhonny jhonny yes pappa eating sugar no no pappa kanaddalli helbekappa avvalakki pavalakki dam dum dusk pusk preeti geeti irali swalpa I love you helodakke tumbane susth agatte
booru hanga yerde yeredu stepu kunidu bidona hosa gana bajana hale prem purana…oye!
ninanthu sikkapatte,somberi agibitte doora kulitu naduve gap bidona hosa gana bajana hale prem purana oye......
Ah ah ah appu ah ah ah appu I’m crazy about you , I’m crazy about you...... oye mutthu koda betting katti headu bushu addona baa
Film Singers Music Song
: Ram : Puneet Rajkumar, Suvi Suresh : V Harikrishna : Hosa Gana Bajana Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 87
Telugu
Tamil
01 AARYA-2
01 Vettaikaran
02 LEADER
02 Aayirathil Oruvan
03 SALEEM
03 Aadhavan
04 VILLAGE LO VINAYAKUDU
04 Paiyaa
05 EK NIRANJAN
05 Siddu Plus Two First Attempt
06 BINDAAS
06 Kandha Kottai
07 MAHATMA
07 Kanden Kadhalai
08 GHATIKUDU
08 Nanayam
09 PRAVARAKYUDU
09 Eeram
10 KATHA
10 Ninaithale Inikkum
Bollywood 01 AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI 02 KURBAAN 03 TUM MILE 04 3 IDIOTS 05 DE DANA DAN 06 RADIO-NHF 07 PAA 08 LOVE AAJ KAL 09 DELHI-6 10 KAMINEY
Ka nnada
Malayalam
01 Suryakanti
01 Gulumaal
02 Ram
02 Pazhassi Raja
03 Maleyali Jotheyali
03 Sufi Paranja Katha
04 Parichaya
04 My Big Father
05 Gokula
05 Robinhood
06 Manasaare
06 Ivar Vivaahitharaayal
07 Prem Kahani
07 Puthiya Mugham
08 Malebille
08 Bhramaram
09 Jothegara
09 Loud Speaker
10 Devru
10 Daddy Cool
I n t ernational 01 MICHAEL JACKSON-THIS IS IT 02 AKON-FREEDOM 03 MOS-SATURDAY NIGHT CLUB CLASSICS 04 MADONNA-CELEBRATION 05 VARIOUS-25 CLASSIC CHRISTMAS SONGS 06 BONEY M - CHRISTMAS WITH BONEY 07 A SIVAMANI-MAHALEELA 08 BON JOVI-THE CIRCLE 09 JIM REEVES-CHRISTMAS SONGBOOK 10 BACKSTREET BOYS-THIS IS US
final countdown
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BAC K Matters of the heart â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially three hearts - and highly entertaining drama plus great music can be stuff that iconic filmmaking is about. And it was! Karthik Pasupulate revisits the romance of Dasara Bullodu.
Movie: Dasara Bullodu Director & Produced: V B Rajendra Prasad Music: K V Mahadevan Dialogues, Lyrics: Acharya Atreya Camera: S Venkataratnam
V B Rajendra Prasad
90 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
KV Mahadevan
Cast: Akkineni Nageswara Rao Vanisree, Chandrakala S V Rangarao Nagabhushanam Gummadi Venkateswara Rao Padmanabham Anjali Devi, Baby Rani Chayadevi, Jhansi Radhakumari
Acharya Atreya
Once in a long while, comes a film with a simple story, but turns out to be a much liked, much talked about blockbuster that went beyond the story. Dasara Bullodu turned out to be a film like that. The archetypal love triangle with a seventies flavour of Telugu cinema, Dasara Bullodu packed sensibility, love, sacrifice, drama, great music, stunning leading ladies and more.The audience loved it and the stupendous success of the film earned ANR the nick name, Dasara Bullodu. Music maestro KV Mahadevan’s compositions added a surreal dimension to a tale of love and redemption. Numbers like Chetilo Cheyiesi... Paccha Gaddi Koset Paduchupilla, Ettago Unnadi Olammi, Nalla Vade, are all as popular now as they were then. Among a host of other things it was ANR’s dance prowess that stood out in those iconic numbers and established him as the undisputed dancing sensation of his time. Dasra Bullodu also marked the directorial debut of eminent producer, VB Rajendra Prasad. There is an interesting story to it. Rajendra Prasad wanted V Madhusudhana Rao to direct the film but he was busy with other projects. His second choice was Adruti Subbarao, who was also busy with a Hindi film. So the producer decided to shelve the project until he could get the dates of the directors. As it turned out, ANR’s film was postponed and he had dates to spare. Rajendra Prasad suggested ANR direct the film himself. But ANR insisted Rajendra Prasad direct the film, as it was his idea. So it was decided and Rajendra Prasad directed his first film.
Set in a village backdrop, Dasara Bullodu revolves around Gopi (ANR), Radha (Vani Sri) and Nirmala (Chandrakala). Both women fall in love with Gopi but it is Radha who Gopi falls for. Nirmala’s father Bullayya is the villain who wants to get his daughter married to Gopi by hook or by crook to get hold of his property. But then, Nirmala is diagnosed with cancer and realises Gopi’s love for Radha and sacrifices her love so Gopi and Radha could get together. The movie was clearly a blockbuster and remains a landmark film in Telugu cinema. Buoyed by the success of this film, VB Rajendra Prasad went on to direct films like Bangaru Babu, Bangaru Bommalu, Rama Krishnulu, Muddula Koduku, SP Bhayankar and Bharyabhartala Bandham, but none of these could match the phenomenal success of Dasaar Bullodu. The film was remade in Hindi as Raaste Pyar Ke, much later in 1985, with Jitendra, Rekha, and Shabana Azmi. The film was a hit in Hindi too.
Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 91
New Year. New beginning. What comes to your mind when you hear these expressions? Hope or relief? Anticipation, apprehension, or nostalgia? For me, it’s an intoxicating cocktail of all of these emotions and a host of others that defy definitions. It also speaks of closure, of leaving behind and moving on. Most importantly, it speaks of life, of progress. Of late, life has become synonymous with Southscope for me. And yes, I have made a new beginning too in the New Year. Or more like started from where I had left a decade ago. My interview with Ram Charan Tej tugged the slumbering reporter in me. I mean, I had become more of an editor, encouraging the younger lot to go out there and bring back their stories. I was happy to mentor my young enthusiastic team and ecstatic to see them blossom into seasoned interviewers. As luck would have it, I accompanied Charan for a photoshoot and ended up interviewing him willy nilly. And I must say the entire exercise has infused me with such fresh energy that it almost feels the way it did at the beginning of my career. And when he said that my questions got him thinking, I felt I was hearing the best compliment. Once a reporter, always a reporter. Nothing can beat the adrenaline rush that a journalist experiences from a face to face with stars or people whose stories impress, intrigue and invigorate. What made it even more interesting is the fact that I was Charan’s age when I had interviewed his dad, the megastar Chiranjeevi. That’s the beauty of life. We learn and outgrow what we have learnt, to learn it all over again with a fresher perspective. That’s what our Creative Director, Raj Sekhar and Art Director Prakash and their team have done with this issue. They have enlivened Southscope with a new look, new design to welcome the New Year. As for the content, we have the sizzling Shriya Saran at her sensuous best and the chivalrous Charan at his challenging best, vying for your attention on the covers. Inside, Trisha talks of her Bollywood debut, Vishnu on the love of his life, Amrita Rao on herself, Bhavana on Happy Husbands, Jenifer Kotwal’s tryst with the camera, the amazing language of computer graphics, taking stock of cinema in 2009, legend behind AVM studios, film reviews besides the regulars.
I am also very excited to announce the arrival of the haute hot Southscope 2010 calendar featuring the best babes of southern showbiz. Subscribe and you can lay your hands on them! The calendar, I mean. Let me sign off by wishing all of you a fantabulous 2010. Let the magic unfold…
Vanaja Banagiri Editor-in-Chief