20th Century buys Rajendra Prasad’s film

Telugu actor and comedy king Rajendra Prasad has completed an English film titled Quick Gun Murugan. This is the first international film. The film is directed by Shashank Gosh and produced by Anand Surapur. Hollywood giant 20th Century Fox has bought the film and is set to distribute it.

Rajendra Prasad informs that the film will also be screened at a film festival in London this month. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday in Hyderabad, he said that he takes pride for being the only Telugu star to feature in an international English film.

“Quick Gun Murugan is shot in English but the central character is a Tamilian. It is shot both in English and Tamil. I play the character of a cowboy. It is a hilarious entertainer,” he revealed. He also informed that the film also promotes the importance of vegetarian food.

Vaaranam Aayiram is Son of Krishnan in Telugu

Tamil actor Surya has a good following in Andhra Pradesh too after the stupendous success of Ghajini. Since then his Tamil films are regularly being dubbed into Telugu. His latest Tamil film, Vaaranam Aayiram, is also having its Telugu release, titled Surya S/0 Krishnan. Directed by Gowtham Menon, the film stars Sameera Reddy, Simran and Ramya as the female leads while Surya plays a double role.

Aaskar Ravichandran produces the movie which has music scored by Gowtham’s favorite Haaris Jayaraj. Dil Raju has bought the exhibition rights for Nizam area for a whopping amount.

It is scheduled for a Deepavali release and the music will hit the markets on Vijayadasami.

Mumaith Khan in Kamal's Marmayogi

Mumaith Khan, the peppy item girl of Tamil and Telugu has signed to do an important role in Kamal Hassan's magnum opus Marmayogi.

Since the film's story is based on historical events, Kamal, the director of the film has decided to offer a role of this spicy actress. But Mumaith hopes that the actor will offer a good role like that given to Mallika Sherawat in Dasavatharam.

Mumaith is now doing a big role in Kandhasamy opposite Vikram including a hot number in which the actress wears skimpy cloths to project herself in a more sexier way than seen in her previous films.
Apart from these films, Mumaith is going to appear in a lead role in a Tamil film which has not yet been titled .

Nenu Meeku Telusa on Oct 10

Mohan Babu's younger son Manoj Kumar gets ready to strike with a curiously titled bilingual film Nenu Meeku Telusa, which is going to release on October 10th.

Made on Sree Lakshmi Prasanna Pictures banner, the film is produced by Manchu Lakshmi and directed by new face Ajay Sastry. Sneha Ullal and Riya Sen are the two heroines going to test their luck.

The film is widely believed as the exploits of a person who has lost his memory. However, director Sastry claims that it has nothing to do with films like Ghazani or any other story. He further threw a challenge that if anybody could prove this point as is being already executed, such a person would be offered a trip to Singapore.

We have to wait and see what is in store for this new director and for the young hero Manoj. The flick is a bilingual in Telugu and Tamil.

i told a charector

A t 1,300 movies and counting, actor Jagathy Sreekumar is going strong. Comedy is his forte. And given that he’s managed this feat acting only in Mal
ayalam films, this number only goes to show his standing in the industry. “Doing comedy is tough.

And I’ve been able to do it for over three decades. I can still make people laugh, so I don’t regret being typecast,” says the actor.

Ninety per cent of the roles that come to him are comic. “I do all kinds of humour. I can play a buffoon, do crass comedy and sensible stuff too. I’ve no qualms about doing rubbish roles. After all, acting’s my profession and I need to make a living out of it. I’m a little greedy,” he concedes.

He’s quick to explain though, that acting’s not just about the money for him. “When I’m acting, I totally get into the character. There are nuances and lines to memorise. So I’ve mastered a technique of deleting my memory bank every now and then to start afresh on new projects and new people,” he says. And when he’s not convinced with the presentation of his character or the film, he tells the maker so. “If the director is open to discussion and allows me to tweak my character to enhance it, I strive to do my best. On the other hand, if the filmmaker has an ego issue and refuses to incorporate any changes, I just do my job and move on. Then, I think only about my remuneration,” he says.

Money, says the actor, is also why most young actors move out to work in Tamil and Telugu. “The remuneration doubles in Tamil and triples in Telugu,” he notes, refuting the claim of several actors that Tamil cinema is on a creative high. “Sensible filmmaking, though few and far between, continues to be in Malayalam. But an overwhelming number of senseless films are also being churned out today. That’s because, unlike earlier, film-makers are not well read. They don’t explore the classics for inspiration and attempt to play to the masses. In doing so, the movie becomes all about a superstar and the script takes a backseat,” he explains.

Sreekumar, who’s currently working on Run Gopala Run with Dilip, Lollipop with Prithviraj, and Pazhashiraja with Mammooty, is content with this work. That’s also why he’s never shifted base in all these years. “I’m not comfortable working in other languages. Unless you understand the language perfectly, you cannot lip-sync or emote efficiently. Then, if the dubbing artiste doesn’t get the emotions right, there’s more failure,” he says.

sadu soon

Nagababu and Archana are the lead actors with Vinodkumar in a special role in the film Sadhu. The film is now in the final stages and the climax scenes are being shot. Ajni, who worked as cameraman for Telugu, Tamil and Kannada films has turned director with Sadhu. The producer said, "The actual hero of our film is the story which has all kinds of elements that will attract all classes of audiences."

The director commented, "The story revolves around a newborn baby boy. Nagababu is playing a different role. We will complete the shooting by October. The action scenes choreographed by Ram and Lakshman will be a highlight. We are confident that this will be the biggest hit in Nagababu's career."
Nagababu said, "The story has perfect screenplay and a gripping subject. Anji's visualization and treatment of the movie is also turning out to be fantastic. I am sure that the film will earn a big name for the entire unit."
Rahuldev, Ali, M.S. Narayana, L.B. Sriram, Dr. Sivaprasad, Vallabhaneni Janardhan, Suman Setty and Surekhavani are in the supporting star cast. Story and screenplay are by Mallidi Mohana Gandhi, dialogues are by V.V.V. Durga Prasad, lyrics are by Chandra Bose and editing is by Gauthamraju. Chinna is the music director.

Remembering Sivaji on his b'day

For, the opportunity to click Sivaji Ganesan, touted to be one of India’s most expressive actors ever, created more pangs than pride for photographer Venket Ram, who was a little over 25 when it happened.

“I was freelancing at The Week and a special issue with him as the cover was planned. But my theme was to take candid and casual pictures of him as a family man, and not about him as an actor,” Venket Ram begins, as he recollects the jittery moments at Sivaji’s house before the photo shoot actually began. “My editors told me I shouldn’t move him around a lot because Sivaji sir was just recuperating from an illness then,” he says.

But Venket Ram was among the more fortunate among the photographers and Sivaji wasn’t just another actor. Recollecting with precise details, from the teak staircase on which Sivaji was captured to his conversation with Sivaji in Telugu, Venket says it was an experience he learnt a lot from. “One of the first things he did was quiz me. He heard me speak and asked me if I was a Tamilian. After I told him that I was from Andhra, he shifted over completely to Telugu, in which he was fluent. It was funny because he would switch to Tamil when he was talking to our correspondent and make it a point to converse in Telugu with me, addressing me only as Venketgaaru.” “He made conversation with the correspondent as I arranged my lighting equipment and was waiting for him.

Then he came, and when he found that I was actually waiting for him to come, he said that he too was waiting for me to call him,” Venket says, adding that his photos of Sivaji Ganesan don’t reveal any trace of illness.

It was, perhaps, after this that Venket understood what it could have meant when Sivaji is referred to as the ‘Director’s actor’ in the industry.

“He came, stood and asked me what he had to do. I was startled. I told him he could do what he was comfortable doing. Please tell me what I must do.

It’s your photo shoot and only you know how I look from the lens,” Venket says, adding how it left him speechless.

“The photo shoot lasted two and a half hours. My lights conked when I made him pose for the photo in the staircase.

While I was working on it, he would funnily say Enna Andharathila Nikka Vittutaaru, Venketgaaru, he recalls.

The shoot, it seems, was without break, and the actor even refused to sit down between shoots. Unfortunately, it was the only opportunity that the photographer had to meet the actor in his lifetime. “But I often keep telling myself I had this chance at least,” the photographer says, with identifiable humility.

Sheela

Sheela, who had been part of several Tamil and Telugu films, is making her presence felt in Malayalam film industry. Thanks to 'Maya Bazaar', a movie opposite Mammootty, she has become a popular face in the neighbouring State.

Sheela, who started her career with 'Ilavattam', played a important role in Vijaya T Rajendhar's 'Veerasamy'. She ventured to Telugu be part of a couple of biggies. Now she has gone to Kerela with 'Maya Bazaar'.

The Malayalam movie released on Thursday has won rave reviews for her performance. Says Sheela 'it is a joy sharing the screen with Mammootty and I learnt a lot from the versatile actor'.