Tamil Cinema News & Gossips

Mankatha the only Tamil film to make it!

2011-12-19T18:15:00.000+05:30

Mankatha has ranked 7^th in the top 10 most searched films in 2011 through Google. It is the only Tamil film to have reached the Google Zeitgeist top 10, making the achievement very special. The movies that made it to this list are as follows:
Rank 1: Bodyguard
Rank 2: Ra One
Rank 3: Harry Potter
Rank 4: Delhi Belly
Rank 5: Singham
Rank 6: Ready
Rank 7: Mankatha
Rank 8: Transformers 3
Rank 9: Dookudu
Rank 10: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Mankatha was directed by Venkat Prabhu with Dhayanidhi Alagiri of Cloud Nine Movies producing it. Ajith, Arjun, Trisha, Premji Amaren, and others formed the star cast.

Vijay at a party in Mumbai

2011-12-19T18:13:00.000+05:30

The entire cast and crew of Murugadoss directed Thupakki starring Vijay and Kajal Agarwal are currently in Mumbai for the first schedule. Everyone is having a wonderful time and there is a great vibe on the sets.
The leading man, Vijay is getting a lot of praise from director Murugadoss and cinematographer, Santhosh Sivan who have been bowled over by how good he is at his job. Mubina Rattonsey, who is known to Santhosh Sivan threw a party for the team at her residence. She added that though Vijay and Murugadoss may be giants in their field they are very humble and grounded.

Rajini film to start soon

2011-12-19T18:12:00.000+05:30

Rajini's Kochadaiyaan is all set to role in January after the Pongal holidays. Soundarya Ashwin is directing the film and KS Ravikumar will be handling the story, screenplay and dialogues. The ace director said that Rajini loved his script and is excited about the film which is expected to be completed in March.
Ravikumar also said that they are attempting something that has never been done before in India and the final product is going to be awesome. He promised Rajini fans that Kochadaiyaan will be something special.

Shruti and Shriya in love!

2011-12-19T18:08:00.000+05:30

Shruti Haasan and Shriya Saran are in love with Mumbai based designer, Nishka Lulla's couture creations. They were both present at the Blender's Pride Hyderabad International Fashion Week last night. Shruti modelled one of her lehengas from the Kalamkari collection and dazzled the crowd with her poise and grace.
Shriya was present in the audience for the show and earlier she had modelled one of Neeta Lulla's creations. Both the actresses were full of praise for Nishka and said that her creations are exquisite!

MOUNA GURU MOVIE REVIEW

2011-12-17T13:04:00.000+05:30

Mounaguru, the title suggests that the movie is about a character that does not say much or does not say anything at all. In his third outing at the box office, Arulnidhi chooses to do something very different from his previous two. Not that his first two movies were similar to each other; Vamsam and Udhayan were films in very different settings. But, Mounaguru is different, not just in the context of Arulnidhi’s fledgling career, but also in the contest of contemporary Tamil cinema itself.
Mounaguru is basically a thriller which brings together many threads and ties them up in an intriguing knot so that you don’t know which thread leads where until the director decides to reveal it to you. The basic requirement of a thriller is its unpredictability and Mounaguru fulfils that. It tells the story of a young man who is a simpleton. In fact, he is so straightforward that he does not know how to smartly avoid trouble even when it comes straight at him. This lands him in quite a lot of hot water. It is such an incident that brings him into the view of a corrupt police inspector, who sees him as an enemy. As a result, he is unwittingly dragged into a story that he knows little or nothing about.
Revealing anything more about the story would be a bit of injustice to the film. And, it would also be a very hard job to describe it in a few lines because there are so many characters and minute details so important to the central plot. Almost every single character and scene shown in the movie contributes significantly towards the movement of the story, which is what sets Mounaguru apart.
The first person to be congratulated on Mounaguru is its director Shantha Kumar. More than his direction, his writing impresses hugely. But, writing a script that is gripping and intelligent is one thing, executing it without compromises in contemporary Tamil cinema is quite another thing; especially for a debutante. But, Shantha Kumar has done exactly that, credit is also due to the producer for having faith in the script. The movie almost never deviates from the central plot; there is a bit of family and romance, but that can be put down to the necessity of etching Arulnidhi’s character. It is not hero-centric. The antagonist and other characters are as important, perhaps even more, because they are the active players in the plot. And, the director’s decision to bring in a pregnant lady cop as an investigator at a key juncture in the film takes you by surprise; Uma Riyaz Khan produces one of her best performances to date. And, the intelligent investigation procedure is superb. The best thing about Mounaguru however is the fact that there is no heroism! Mounaguru takes you to one of the most unpredictable climaxes in recent times that justify the title of the film!
One can go on and on! But, the fact is that you have to watch the film to enjoy it. Arulnidhi has found his break in his third film. The first two were not bad, but they did not allow him to make a mark as a performer. Mounaguru fits him perfectly. For most parts, all he has to do is underplay and for an inexperienced actor, that can be one of the toughest things. John Vijay turns in the performance of his career as the lead antagonist; you could say that he is the cornerstone of the plot. But, the show stealer, one must admit is Uma Riyaz Khan. Fair to say that you never expected such a powerful performance from her; she takes you by surprise. Iniya, after her commendable show in Vaagai Sooda Vaa, does not have much scope here. Remember Dhanush’s ‘come to my home’ friend from Aadukalam; he delivers a small gem as a mental asylum inmate.
The best thing about Mounaguru, as said earlier, is the fact that it does not have much time or space for anything except its central plot. So, music plays only a supplementary role. The songs are very few and the BGM does not stick out, demanding attention. The camera, which would have been tempted to go in for that dim and dark look for the thriller feel, keeps things real and normal. There is no excessive darkness or artificial tones imparted which only enhances the originality of the movie. The fights too look original. There is not a single instance of anyone flying six feet off the ground!
Mounaguru is one of the prototype thrillers to come out of Kollywood. We have watched many English movies and admired the way they follow the central plot without spoiling the soup with too much romance, sentiment and comedy. This is a Tamil film that does the same. But, the problem with leaning far too much into one genre is that you may alienate the followers of the others. Yes, Mounaguru is for those who love suspense thrillers. There is not much for those who look for ‘all round’ entertainment. It’s sensible, it’s thrilling.
Verdict: Taut, unwavering suspense thriller!

Thanks to Maddy for marrying me: Sameera Reddy

2011-12-17T12:59:00.000+05:30

Amala Paul had the audiences in splits of laughter by imitating the director of Vettai, Lingusamy at the film’s audio and trailer launch function. Arya danced to the tunes set by Yuvan Shankar Raja during this event and thanked Lingusamy for offering him the opportunity to star in Vettai.
Madhavan relived his Run moments and spoke about the ever-popular ‘Shutter scene’ in that film which was also directed by Lingusamy.
It was Sameera Reddy who gave the shock of the life to the audiences by saying that she is ever so thankful to Madhavan for marrying her… in the film!
Apart from the audio launch, this event also marked Lingusamy’s 10^th year in the tinsel town. The entire cast and crew of Vettai, including Lingusamy, Arya, Amala Paul, Madhavan, Sameera Reddy and others danced on stage, which enthralled the audiences.
Vishal, Venkat Prabhu, Jayam Ravi, Jiiva and several others made it to this function.

Amy Jackson is not Bala’s choice

2011-12-17T12:46:00.000+05:30

Amy Jackson says that she was not approached to play the female lead in Eriyum Thanal, directed by Bala. The actress wondered where such reports came from and clarified that she is not doing the role, as reported by the media. It may be mentioned here that Atharva has been signed up by Bala to play lead role in Eriyum Thanal.
Amy added that she has been signed up for Thandavam by director Vijay, and she is waiting for this project to commence. In Thandavam, wherein she will be sharing the screen space with Vikram, Amy is said to have a very meaty role.

Mani signs up Telugu star’s daughter?

2011-12-16T20:44:00.000+05:30

Sources in the tinsel town say that the veteran director Mani Ratnam had signed up Lakshmi Manchu, daughter of Tollywood star Mohan Babu for his upcoming film. Lakshmi Manchu has acted in several films before and is a producer too.
She has been signed for a prominent role in the film that Mani is to direct, reports sources. However, there is no official confirmation on this yet either from the director or from the actress.
Further, there are rumors that Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor may play the female lead in the film. This news is also not confirmed yet.

Tamil Cinema News & Gossips: Update on Vishal - Trisha film

2011-12-16T20:42:00.000+05:30

Tamil Cinema News & Gossips: Update on Vishal - Trisha film: Vishal's next film, Samaran is with his Theeradha Vilayatu...

Update on Vishal - Trisha film

2011-12-16T20:40:00.000+05:30

Vishal's next film, Samaran is with his Theeradha Vilayatu Pillai director, Thiru for Balaji Real Media Pvt Ltd. Trisha is the heroine and Prakash Raj will be seen in an important role. Yuvan Shankar Raja is doing the music. The first schedule was completed in Ooty and Chalakkudy in 15 days. Word is that one of the action sequences that was filmed has turned out to be spectacular.
The second schedule will commence on December 20th and the entire team will be flying to Thailand for a 50-day shoot. The last schedule will be filmed somewhere in Europe. Samaran is about something extraordinary that happens in an ordinary man's life which takes him on a rollercoaster ride. It is going to be a summer action-thriller.

THE 2011 TAMIL CINEMA AWARDS

2011-12-16T20:33:00.002+05:30

As the year ends, it’s time for top tens and awards again! Now here is a list of my personal favorites. Do let me know your views and comments

1. Best lead actor- Male :    Vikram   (For Deivathirumagal)

2. Best lead actor- Female:    Anjali   (For Engeyum Eppodhum)

3. Best actor - In a negative role:    V. I. S. Jayabalan   (For Aadukalam)

4. Best debutante lead actor - Male:   Sharvanand   (For Engeyum Eppodum)

5. Best debutante lead actor - Female:    Richa Gangopadhyay   (For Mayakkam Enna)

6. Most popular actor :   Ajith Kumar (For Mankatha)

7. Best actor in a supporting role- Male : Shared by Sampath Raj (For Aaranyakandam) and Jayaprakash (For Yudham Sei)

8. Best actor in a supporting role - Female : Lakshmi Ramakrishnan (For Yudham Sei)

9. Best Comedian : Santhanam (For Kandaen)

10. Best original screenplay : Vetri Maaran (For Aadukalam)

11. Best cinematography : P. S. Vinod (For Aaranyakandam)

12. Best editor : Gagin (For Yudham Sei)

13. Best director : Mysskin   (For Yudham Sei)

14. Best debutante director : Shared by Thiagarajan Kumaraja (For Aaranyakandam ) and M. Saravanan (For Engeyum Eppodhum)

15. Best original background score : Yuvan Shankar Raja (For Aaranya Kandam)

16. Best music director : G.V. Prakash (For Aadukalam and Mayakkam Enna)

17. Best art director : Seenu (For Vaagai Sooda Vaa)

18. Best lyricist : Vairamuthu ( For the track 'Sara sara saara kaathu' from Vaagai Sooda Vaa)

19. Best Male playback singer : G.V. Prakash (For the track 'Yathe yathe' from Aadukalam)

20. Best Female playback singer : Chinmayi (For the track 'Sara sara saara kaathu' from Vaagai Sooda Vaa)

21. Best choreographer : Dinesh Kumar (For the track 'Otha sollala' from Aadukalam)
22. Best costume designer : Vasuki Bhaskar (For Mankaatha)

23. Best stunt director :   Action Prakash (For Yuddham Sei)

24. Best special effects (CG) :           For the movie 'Aadukalam'

25. Best crew : For the movie 'Aaranyakandam'

26. Best movie  : Aaranyakandam.

THE DIRTY PICTURE MOVIE REVIEW

2011-12-15T20:42:00.000+05:30

Riding on the success of his last film Once Upon a time in Mumbai, director Milan Luthria’s Dirty Picture released today. Produced under the banner of ALT Entertainment and Balaji Motion Pictures, the film stars some of the biggest Bollywood names. The trailer and the title indicate that this is an extremely bold film, a genre that is not the forte of the director or the lead actor Vidya Balan. It has already been receiving a lot of publicity especially due to various controversies regarding the story. A film based on the life of the well know sex icon of the South, ‘Dirty Picture’ releases amidst a lot of expectations. Will the film and the actors live up to it?
I would say to an extent yes. The film is the story of a poor village girl Reshma (Vidya Balan) who runs away from home to live her dream of films and stardom. Her hunger for movies overrides her need for food. A plain Jane, she has neither the looks nor the glamour to enter the film industry. Until she discovers her key to success- her sexuality. Being in the right time and the right place gives her a chance to dance on screen. Her moves and expressions earn her the disgust of budding director Abraham (Emraan Hashmi) and the love of well known producer Selvaraj and the audiences. Under the patronage of Selvaraj, ‘Silk’ is born. Her on-screen and off screen performances make her and her films an instant hit with the audiences. With time she realizes that people only love her body. She is considered dirty and cheap. The story goes on to reveal the tragedy of a woman who struggles for recognition, love, acceptance and finally dignity.
The film stands on the feet of Vidya Balan. Ironically, this is one of her best performances after Parineeta. Her boldness on screen is unprecedented and does make the audience squirm a bit, but she is every bit the ‘Silk’ that she plays. Her expressions and moves make her sizzle on screen. Her dialogue delivery, especially at the time of the Awards ceremony is excellent. She is extremely convincing as the vamp.
Naseeruddin Shah plays his part as superstar Suryakant well though his usual charm is missing. Tushar Kapoor as Ramakant delivers better than his last few films. Though he has a small role, he does it well. Emran Hashmi lacked the grit of an angry young man. His hatred for Silk is dull.
Milan Luthria has taken a bold move with this film which in itself earns him some brownie points. The story told through the eyes of Abraham adds weight to the narration. He holds the attention of the audience well throughout the first half. The scene right before the intermission raises the levels of expectation. But they are not met with in the second half. The film starts dragging. Loopholes start appearing. Overall, the story starts losing the attention of the audience. The last song in the film could have been avoided.
Technically, the sets and the costumes do justice to the era in which the film is set. Vidya Balan’s dresses are quite revealing and as Emraan Hashmi mentions in the film “Even children wear more clothes than she does”. Cinematography by Bobby Singh and the choreography are further successful in establishing the 80s look. Vishal Shekar definitely score with Oh la la, but the other tracks are ordinary. The dialogues are infused with innuendoes and those that are not are quite powerful, especially Vidya’s.
Overall, the film is bold and dirty, but there is a heart to this story. It does fall short of the expectations in terms of direction and screenplay in the second half. But Vidya Balan surely exceeds them all. So do watch it for Vidya’s performance.
Verdict: Dirty Picture, but its Vidya all the way.

Vijay and Dhanush to compete?

2011-12-15T20:39:00.000+05:30

Shortly on the heels of Aishwarya Dhanush's announcement that the audio of 3 will be launched on December 23rd, there have been reports that the music release of Nanban will also be on December 23rd and will happen at Harris Jeyaraj's On the Edge Concert in Coimbatore with the musician performing some of the tracks live.
Kolaveri di is already a phenomenon and this has created huge expectations for the rest of the album. On the other hands Nanban is one of the most eagerly awaited films of all time and people are expecting magic from the Shankar - Harris Jeyaraj combination. And Vijay of course has a great track record where music is concerned because his films can be counted on to feature atleast a couple of chartbusters. It is going to be a great competition!

Mankatha’s 100th day celebrated

2011-12-15T20:26:00.000+05:30

Mankatha’s 100^th day was celebrated at the Short Film Gala 2011 held on December 10^th at the Anna Centenary Library Hall. The film’s director Venkat Prabhu along with his team including Premgi, Vaibhav, Mahat Ragavendra, Ashwin, Aravind Akash and editor Praveen K L were present during this event.
The Short Film Gala is an event organized by The Slight Media and Filmgala. During this event the SFG award for short films were given to the winners.
Later, the entire Mankatha team cut a huge cake to mark the celebrations of Mankatha’s 100^th day.

Aishwarya Dhanush confirms

2011-12-15T20:15:00.001+05:30

The audio launch of 3 will happen on December 23^rd, 2011 confirms Aishwarya Dhanush, the director of the film. The debut director says that she is planning a very different audio launch for the film.
3’s songs are most expected because the single track – Why this Kolaveri Di – has turned out to be huge hit. Therefore the expectations on the rest of the songs are very high. Anirudh is making his debut as music director in 3.
The film stars Dhanush and Shruti Haasan in the lead roles.