I n d i a’ s L e a d i n g s o u t h f il m m a g a z i n e
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01 07 Pa no r a m a o f s o u t h cinem a
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The madness about star titles
From Suhasini Maniratnam’s personal diary
God’s own superstar
Mohanlal Meghna Naidu does her hot number…again In pictures Lakshmi Rai served for dessert!
PLUS Jayam Ravi + Gautam Menon + charmme + Rahul Dev + Samvrutha Sunil + Dharan + Manisha Koirala
VOL01/ISSUE 07
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28
What makes Mohanlal stand among the best Indian actors of all time‌
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I N D I A’ S L E A D I N G S O U T H F I L M M A G A Z I N E
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RNI NO.: APENG/2009/29389 REGISTERED NO.: L II/RNP/HD/1118/2010-12 VOL ISSUE
01 07 PA N O RA M A O F SO UT H C I N E M A
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THE MADNESS ABOUT STAR TITLES
FROM SUHASINI MANIRATNAM’S PERSONAL DIARY
Exclusives 22 Twice the fun: Gautam Vasudev Menon
God’s own superstar
MOHANLAL
44 Jayam Ravi’s stock is on the rise
MEGHNA NAIDU DOES HER HOT NUMBER…AGAIN IN PICTURES
48 Dharan finds back the music
LAKSHMI RAI SERVED FOR DESSERT!
PLUS JAYAM RAVI + GAUTAM MENON + CHARMME + RAHUL DEV + SAMVRUTHA SUNIL + DHARAN + MANISHA KOIRALA
50 Samvrutha Sunil’s in demand
26 18
56 Baddie of the month: Rahul Dev
Galleria
On the cover: Mohanlal Photographer: G Venket Ram Stylist: Vivek Karunakaran Picture courtesy: Manappuram Finance
south spread 38 When glamour met Charmme!
44
Features
I N D I A’ S L E A D I N G S O U T H F I L M M A G A Z I N E APRIL ‘10
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26 Tamil stars’ title hang ups FLICKS OF THE SEASON > SUMMER RELEASES
36 Laugh riots do better
business than big star blockbusters in Malayalam
60 Around the world in
24 frames - Stalker
Kajal NAGA CHAITANYA LOVES TO KISS AND TELL AINDRITA RAY VIEW FROM THE TOP
22
STARS’ STYLE SUTRA
PLUS SEKHAR KAMMULA + NANI + CHETAN + KRITI KHARBANDA + VENU + VIKRAM
50
01 07 PANORAMA OF SOUTH CINEMA
52 Special sizzler: Meghna Naidu
28
52
VOL01/ISSUE 07
CONTENTS/
18
PAGE Get stumped by Lakshmi Rai
38
Funda 09 Junk mail
70 Looking back
10 Gold Class
71 Screen test
14 Loading...Please Wait
72 Sing along
59 Kaleidoscope
73 Cheesy on screen dialogues
Trivia on cinema Jolly Kolly / Simbly Malayalee Films in the making
What happened when and where
Revisiting Amma Ariyan
Launch pad for aspiring actors Karaoke
Vadivelu gets corny
62 Bioscope
Movie reviews
66 Mumbai Matinee Bollywood brouhaha
68 Wild West
Hollywood hullabaloo
74 Leaves out of my book
Suhasini Maniratnam’s take
8 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
54 Mumbai Express
Manisha Koirala is back in action
junk mail King of Comedy Goundamani has been known for his outings with fellow comedian Senthil (their banana routine in Karagattakkaran still manages to evoke hysterical laugher.) The two had this permanent exchange of comic banter that’s really funny. Goundamani was also one of the most daring comedians around – nothing and no one escaped his barbs. More than his comic routines with Senthil though, Goundamani was quite a character artiste in his own right. He was much more than mere comic relief. He played old men and young, bringing a slice of rural life to perfection on screen. Particularly memorable is his role as a miserly father-in-law in Pondatti Sonna Kettukkanum: he is the foil to actor Bhanupriya and despite his irascible characteristics, infuses such life into the role that you forget he’s just a character and begin cursing him as you watch! Navarasa Nayagan Karthik – Master of the nine emotions - the son of veteran Tamil actor Muthuraman, was everyone’s favourite young actor of the late eighties and early nineties. On the sets of director R V Udhaya Kumar’s Kizhakku Vaasal, an emotional scene was in progress. Manorama, playing a rather naïve Karthik’s mother has just died in her sleep, as a result of a shocking episode the day before. Karthik did away with all conventional expressions of sorrow and delivered a bravura performance that had everyone overwhelmed. The camera simply kept rolling beyond the scene – so deeply was everyone caught up in the moment. The movie went on to become a blockbuster, spawning a series of similar films. Very few matched up to the intensity of the original one though.
Jagadeesh is often seen on screen playing characters that are mostly comic and even idiotic. But off the screen, his personality is totally different. He holds a masters in Physics, was his class topper and became a Physics lecturer in a government college. Sometime later he decided to try his hand at acting, just like that on a whim. And it worked! He went on to become a hugely successful comedian who did some serious roles as well.
mal
You’ve seen them, you love them, you can’t imagine growing up without them… Now here’s what you didn’t know about them!
tam
It was his role in the TV serial Kumilakal that perhaps proved to be a crucial turning point in the life of actor Manoj K Jayan. Films happened soon after this. He turned out to be quite a successful actor not just in Malayalam but in other language films as well. But did you know this about him? Manoj is the son of popular musician Jaya of the Jaya-Vijaya duo who were identical twins. And yes they did play a lot of pranks too!
Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 9
GOLDCLASS
jolly kolly
Vikram gets fitter for cop role Everyone knows how Chiyaan Vikram gets right into the characters he does. He goes all out to make sure his characters look as authentic as possible on screen. For one of his forthcoming films, he’s playing a super cool intelligent investigative cop and has gone on a crash diet shedding a good five kilos already. That too in just two months and is looking oh-so-wonderful! Is it even possible for him to look anything but wonderful, we wonder…
Trisha’s not exactly lost in translation!
Why so serious Bhavana? Bhavana who has been stuck with the girl-nextdoor image tried to turn glam with Ajith’s Asal hoping that the film will be a hit and told close friends she’s finally getting all hip and happening. Unfortunately, the film failed to live up to the hype and Bhavana ended up with nothing but brickbats. What’s more, she also had a fall out with her manager accusing him of having no raasi (luck). Our sympathies with the man with no raasi who had introduced her to the Tamil film industry from the small town of Trissur in Kerala. Hmmm…
10 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
It’s a pretty well known thing that Trisha’s hold over Hindi isn’t something to crow about but recently when asked, she went on record and said that if she can do so many films in Telugu without knowing the language, then Hindi is cakewalk since she studied Hindi at school. Now that that’s out of the way, what’s next Trish?
The heights of being Anushka! Every biggie in the Tamil industry wanted to be featured with the 2009 sensation, Anushka after her blockbuster Arundhati in Telugu became a super hit. But post Vettaikaran in which she was cast with Vijay, things are not so hunky dory for Anushka since her tall stature and Amazonian looks make her male co stars look rather puny. Now everyone’s wondering what it’ll be like in Singam in which she is paired with Suriya. Anyone who’s looking at the publicity stills can’t help but think that she looks older to the young and charming Suriya. These days Tamil actors seem to be having second thoughts on working with Anushka. Tall order for them!
From flab to fab!
GOLDCLASS
jolly kolly
We met Simbu recently and he looks absolutely fantastic! He has shed those extra kilos and is turned totally fit. All for a new girl? Apparently not. He wants to do away with the soft romantic hero look he had in Vinnaithandi Varuvaaya and has been working out diligently for his next film, an action packed stylish entertainer. Cool da!
Namitha’s puppy love Namitha may be all fire and ice but when it comes to her dog, who died recently, she’s a real softie. Goofy had fallen terminally ill and she didn’t want to leave him alone in her Chennai home so she had him driven down to her Ambi Valley flat in Mumbai where she is settled. Goofy was Namitha’s weakness and she had been doing her best to take care of him in his last days, with the help of the best vets in town. Goofy kinda love? Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 11
GOLDCLASS
simbly malayalee
Urvasi’s back with a bang! Gopi gung ho over guns Suresh Gopi has picked up weapons once again to deliver his firebrand justice to social evils. Once again, he plays a ruthless investigative cop in veteran action film director Suresh Babu’s Kanyakumari Express. For Gopi, this will be familiar territory, playing the no-nonsense tough cop. His character, Mohan Shankar is hated by politicians and unscrupulous businessmen. The story charts how he comes to the rescue of a beleaguered chief minister, played by Jagathy Sreekumar, at a crucial time. It will be an edge of the seat action thriller, we hear.
Urvasi returned in a power-packed, humorous role as the interfering mother of the hero in Saa Kudumbum Shyamala, directed by Radhakrishnan Mangalthu. The film is a family-friendly comic caper, tinged with some emotional drama. Urvasi is usually known to be picky about her roles, though this film changed her mind. One look at the script and Urvasi immediately fell in love with the story. She gave immediate dates, much to the filmmaker’s delight. She was heard gushing about just how well the comedy and emotional elements were combined in the plot. Yes Urvasi, we are waiting too.
Mamtha’s on a song Mamtha Mohandas whose mother tongue is Malayalam has crooned for Tamil and Telugu films and many music directors. Now she is all excited after recording her first song in a Malayalam film ever. It is for director Amal Neerad’s Anwar, in which she also plays the female lead, alongside Prithviraj. The music of Anwar is being composed by Gopi Sundar. Good, we say!
12 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
Mohanlal, now turbocharged Mohanlal’s got a fancy new set of wheels! The actor has become the first in the industry to buy a spanking new white Mercedes 350. Sure enough, his new car has become the cynosure of all eyes at the location of his new film Oru Naal Varum in Trivandrum. A little birdie tells us the superstar has also got himself a premium number plate, bearing KL-AW-999 for his new Merc, which cost a cool Rs 95 lakhs. Mohanlal evidently is not bothered about the superstition in the industry that Mercs bring bad luck to their owners!
Vineeth’s directorial debut Vineeth Sreenivasan, son of veteran actor Sreenivasan is making his debut as a director with Malarvadi Arts Club. The playback singer-turned sometime actor chose to stay behind the camera this time. The film features five new faces along with Jagathy, Nedumudi, Innocent, Salim Kumar and Suraj Venjarammoodu in supporting roles. Vineeth claims to have worked on the script for over a year. Last heard, the film is being promoted as a youth-centric romp set in a village called Manassery, charting the story of five friends who run the club. Good beginning, let’s hope!
GOLDCLASS
simbly malayalee
Sarath Kumar gets busy in Malayalam! Sarath Kumar is very much in demand following the mega success of Pazhassi Raja. His career in Tamil films has been on a bumpy ride after the debacle surrounding Jaggu Bhai. But in Malayalam, Sarath will be seen in two films, Christian Brothers and Oridathoru Postman, directed by industry veteran Joshy. In Christian Brothers, he shares screen space with Mohanlal, Dileep and Suresh Gopi. Oridathoru Postman will feature Sarath in a mystery character, along with Bobban Kunchacko and Innocent. Evidently, there’s a lot going for him here! Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 13
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TAMIL
Irumbu Kottai Murattu Singam (IKMS) is an action comedy set in Tamil Nadu of the 1850s. The cowboy culture of Texas from those times is incorporated in the film with a Tamil twist and all the essential commercial ingredients, mainly fights and comedy.
Cast Lawrence, Lakshmi Rai, Padmapriya, Sandhya, Manorama Director Simbudevan Music
GV Prakash Kumar
Producer Kalpathi S Agoram Banner AGS Entertainment
Irumbu kottai Murattu Singam 14 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
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TAMIL
Singam Cast Suriya, Anushka, Prakash Raj, Vivek Director Hari Music Devi Sri Prasad Producer Gjanavel Banner Studio Green Singam happens to be Suriya’s silver jubilee film in which he plays Duraisingam, a police officer. It is touted to be a typical mass entertainer packed with action, comedy, catchy numbers, punch lines and drama. Suriya and Anushka plus Vivek’s comic stuff is something to look out for in this film. One of the songs was shot with the lead pair in the deserts of Muscat and the glitz of Dubai.
Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 15
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MALAYALAM
Mammootty plays Viswanatha Panicker, the corrupt president of a grama panchayat in this film which is a satire on the kind of panchayat politics that we often read about. Panicker has amassed immense wealth through wrong means. His nickname is Pramani as he has many a pramanam (documents) with him; documents that belong to others in the village. At a certain point in his life, he repents and tries to mend his ways. An upright Janaki (Sneha), the panchayat secretary plays a key role in Panicker’s transformation.
Pramani Cast Mammootty, Sneha, Lakshmi Srilatha, Siddique, Suraj Venjaramood Director B Unnikrishnan Music
M Jayachandran
Producer Dr AK Pillai Banner Aditya Cinema 16 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
Paattinte Palazhi
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MALAYALAM
Cast Meera Jasmine, Revathy, Manoj K Jayan, Jagathy Sreekumar Director Rajiv Anchal Music
Suresh Manimala
Producer BC Joshi Banner Surya Cinema Meera Jasmine is back in action after a break in an author-backed role in Paattinte Palazhi. She’s sporting a new look and will be seen as a youngster, a wife, a mother and then a woman who comes to terms with herself and her ambitions. She plays the role of Veena, a leading playback singer who is lonely at the top.
Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 17
Photographer: G Venket Ram Stylist: Nischay Polavarapu Hair Stylist: Tanvi Gutka Makeup: Sharon Uttangi 18 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
GreEN blouse effect The beach never looked so green!
Sun downer Lakshmi Rai makes a subtle proposition when the sun goes down. Cocktails are overrated!
20 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
White lightning
Beauty, they say, lies in the eyes of the beholder. Sensuality though works exactly the other way round!
Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 21
I WANT TO MAKE LOVE TO At Amethyst, one of Chennai’s up market coffee pubs, the scene is of controlled chaos. Amidst the foofaraw it’s almost a pleasure to wait for Gautam Vasudev Menon. Clearly the man of the moment in Tamil cinema these days, Gautam’s delivered a stupendous hit in both Tamil and Telugu. Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (VTV) is the love story of today, that everyone seems to be talking about, while Ye Maaya Chesave is creating similar magic in Andhra Pradesh. In a time where the box-office doesn’t take a hundred days, his movie has been going strong for so long. The story is no different – it’s not so much as old wine in a new bottle as sparkling cola in a swanky, flashy mug. And let’s not even bring in the added appeal of the lead pair and a great crew in the picture. Yet where the film goes down well with critics, fans and detractors alike is the feel of the movie, like sticking a camera into a couple’s life, that makes it so appealing. Many such ruminations later, Gautam Menon’s man-Friday appears first, heralding his arrival – and then the director arrives, pausing to accept congratulations by the dozen. Talking to Gautam Menon is like conversing with spitfire – you have no idea what he’s going to come up with next. So we decide to revel in the spontaneity. After a bit though, we steer back to VTV’s commercial and critical success, various reviews and the way the climax differed in both Tamil and Telugu versions. “I even shot the break-up differently,” he explains, hands waving for emphasis. “If you notice, I shot it continuously for the Telugu version because both actors are pretty new. But for Tamil, I could afford to break it up, because both stars are capable of carrying on where we leave off.” End of impromptu conversation, and we’re a go for the real interview. What does it feel like, now that the entire crew is down from VTV’s high? “Actually, I’m still on a high,” Gautam grins. “It was a long project, with a lot of painstaking work – and the results are finally out. Frankly, it’s amazing. People loved it, the casting, the characters, the songs,” he could go on all night. Turns out, a number of bloggers and online users have fallen in love with the film and are posting enthusiastic reviews. At this point we quiz Gautam if he has ever gone online to find out the veiwers’ verdict, since the release. “I’m not very much into those things,” he says, to our amazement. “But I’m glad to know that they like it so much. Such public frenzy for this film is heartening.” 22 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
says a besotted young man in director Gautam Menon’s latest painting like romance that has a whole generation of Tamil and Telugu youngsters smiling in relatable nostalgia. Pavithra Srinivasan just falls short of being besotted!
YOU ALL THE TIME...
Doubtless, the unusual casting had a good deal to do with it. How did he zero in on Trisha and Silambarasan for the lead pair, considering they usually do only out and out commercial films? “It was a casting coup, yes,” Gautam agrees. “The truth is, it was a business decision. I knew that if I cast Simbu, I’d be going against a lot of pre-conceived ideas, and it was the same with Trisha,” he says matterof-factly. “But my instincts were correct; they both did an excellent job. Whether it was the dance sequences, the romantic elements or the fight scenes, we had nothing in the way of elaborate rehearsals – they completed it in one shot.” Of course, the best part of VTV and Ye Maya Chesave is the characterisation. Karthik is crazily in love with his neighbour, while Jessie, a Malayali Christian, practical, cool and yet, filled with the fire of longing and love. Didn’t Gautam receive a lot of flak for portraying their scenes together in a rather lustful way? Indian cinema, after all, shies away from showing the physical aspect of any romantic relationship. “I’m completely aware of the double standards adopted here, and I accept it.” Here comes the grin again. “But tell me; – what part of romance doesn’t involve a physical aspect? Touch is important; there has to be touch, between lovers,” he insists. A dialogue in the movie actually has Simbu telling Jessie that he wants to ‘make love to her all the time.’ Probe the filmmaker on this and he is ready with a prompt reply: “Love-making is an essential part of romance, but I’ve shown it in a very tasteful way. Karthik actually touches Jessie’s feet in the movie, if you notice. In the beginning, he’s hesitant, but after they accept their love, he does it with more confidence.” What about the lip locks peppered through the film? “Oh come on,” Gautam guffaws, but there’s a hint of a frown. “Of course there is going to be some amount of kissing between people in love!” Considering the amount of realism in the movie, we cannot help but ask, was this love story inspired from life? “Every filmmaker inserts some part of himself into his movies,” admits Gautam. “I won’t say it is from my life, though. It’s a realistic take on today’s relationships.” He elaborates on the theme, though, touching on his own life. “My wife and I were friends before we got married, and she told me that she knew she was going to marry me the second we met,” he chuckles. “I didn’t feel any such thing. In fact, I was involved with someone else, but it was twelve years before I finally realised where my relationship with my future wife was headed. All it takes is a spark, really and everything suddenly falls in place.” Indeed, a spark is all it takes for Simbu’s Karthik to fall in love with a demurely sari-clad Jessie, a programme analyst with a software firm and incidentally, a year older to him. Designer Nalini Sriram’s simple saris and salwar-kameezes are an essential part of Jessie’s classy, grown-up appeal. Just how did Gautam decide on her wardrobe, considering the glam sham of mainstream cinema?
24 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
“My assistants and I extensively researched on the kinds of clothes worn by young women working in a software company,” he says seriously. “We’d wait at the bus-stops around Chennai, photographing or video recording them. A majority of them wore salwar-kameezes like the ones Jessie wears in the movie. Malayali Christians, in particular, go in a lot for saris, we discovered.” The film might be a simple love story, but what makes it so different are the confrontations between Karthik and Jessie, leading to criticism that Jessie’s character is confusing. What woman, some ask, is this muddled about her decisions? “Haven’t you seen women like this?” Gautam asks, in turn. “I have. There are people like Jessie who are constantly torn between what they want and what they show. I’ve also seen men like Karthik who fall crazily in love. Ever since the movie released, so many people have called to tell me that this is exactly their story. That they’ve fallen in love with a woman like Jessie, yelled in front of her home, thrown down their cell-phones and stuff. That’s life.” Fair enough. But must they speak so much English? Among the so-called mass audiences, this is a common complaint about Gautam’s movies. “Don’t watch the film, then.” The answer is sharp. “I’m not forcing anyone to. Did you like Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai? Or Yogi? If that was the kind of earthy, rustic movie everyone wanted, they’d have watched it. They needn’t go for this one.” Gautam is however, aware of his penchant for English. In fact, he’s inserted a couple of in-jokes about it in the film itself. The director insists, though, he’s completely homegrown, and thinks only in Tamil. “I studied engineering in a place called Kalamavoor, between Trichy and Pudukottai. In our group of 20, only three spoke good English. Years later, I see them in foreign countries, heading companies, speaking English and wearing suits. I’m amazed at the transition. This is the real world.” His own transition into the Tamil film world was slow and steady. He started out as Gautam, then became Gautam Menon – now, he’s Gautam Vasudev Menon. “When I made my entry onto cinema, my producer felt that my surname might keep in the way of the audience accepting me,” Gautam says candidly. “I’ve never had any reservations about using my full name, though.” His initials even appear on a prop-ship in one of the song sequences – a joke played, reportedly, by art director Rajeevan. Back to VTV, there are a couple of references to actor Ajith as well. What about the buzz surrounding his upcoming project with the actor? “I’m still working on the script,” Gautam clarifies. “Ajith wanted some time as he’s going in for a racing championship for the next few months.” He does divulge that the working title for one particular script he’s mulling over is Thuppariyum Anand, a story set in Madras in the 1920s. Things are still very tentative though, and the grapevine indicates that he’s signed with Simbu again. Ganesh, one of the producers passes by, and the conversation turns to him. The man plays a cinematographer who is also
Simbu’s friend in VTV. Incidentally, he’s walked away with plenty of applause. “Ganesh was a genuine find,” Gautam’s face relaxes as he fields a dozens texts and calls on his phone. “We’ve been friends for a long time and initially we thought we’d be the only ones to appreciate his brand of humour, but his offbeat comments in the movie have become a hit,” he laughs. It’s been an eventful ten years since his first film, Minnale. How has the ride been? Gautam turns thoughtful at this. “I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker even when I was studying. The first time I saw Nayagan, I was dumb struck. I worked for some time selling Autocad in Wipro, but I spent half a day at least watching movies. I knew then, what I had to do. I joined director Rajeev Menon as his assistant and that was it. I’ve never looked back since.” There are more people beginning to gather around, obviously to congratulate. Gautam slips in with this group, saying a hurried goodbye. It’s back to the foofaraw of the Amethyst. The last few minutes went by in a quick, power packed swish. The sort that leaves behind an impact till some time after it came and went – like the man himself.
Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 25
Clash of the Titles! Prefixing titles to the names of stars, inspired from adrenaline driven adulation has been a science and art in Tamil cinema discovers Pavithra Srinivasan
MGR was a charm-magnet who drew shrieking crowds – and it showed in his titles. And as the actor made his transition into politics, so did the titles.
For many, actors are the reason celluloid dreams take concrete shape on-screen. A band of script-writers may sweat it out on paper; endless unit hands help get that shot perfect, but it is the stars who rescue us from the biggest catastrophe known to man: boredom. Stars open the doors to our imagination, so it’s no surprise that practically all of them have scores of fans, some more than the others. And with great stardom comes great adulation, hysteria and…titles. Right from the days of the first talkies, stars have been bestowed upon with titles by idolising fans who think, discuss and after much deliberation come up with the titles for their favourite stars. It was a trend that had begun during an era where cinema was still a forbidden pleasure. But as the industry ballooned into a giant, occupying every facet of life, so did the stars. Everything they did was thrown into the spotlight – all their distinct mannerisms and individualistic styles that made up their image. With reel morphing into real and vice versa, titles for stars began to come in vogue. One of the first actors to have inspired the madness to another level was actor and politician extraordinaire, M G Ramachandran. The man exuded charm, sincerity and integrity; his movies were excellent entertainers with screenplays that were racy, poignant and full of values. MGR was a charmmagnet who drew shrieking crowds – and it showed in his titles. And as the actor made his transition into politics, so did the titles. From a much-loved Vaathiyaar, he became a unique leader. Thus was born a revolutionary, the Thalaivar, the man with the golden soul, the king of the people. Many aspired to follow in his footsteps, though that proved well-nigh impossible.
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His contemporaries were equally felicitated, albeit in different ways. Sivaji Ganesan, easily the best actor Tamil cinema has seen, was the Emperor among actors. M R Radha, known principally for his on screen villainy was also an accomplished and multi-faceted actor – and his title showed it. Gemini Ganesan, with his penchant for romance both on screen and off, was the quintessential King of Love. Jai Shankar, who leaped into the fray, as the cowboy or undercover cop, was also south India’s James Bond. Later in life, Jay Shankar also came to be known as the People’s Actor. In this game of colourful prefixes, the ladies were not left behind. Savithri managed to practically light up the screen with her presence. Though she may not have been your conventional, willowy heroine, her acting talents were on par with the legendary Sivaji Ganesan himself. For sheer histrionic abilities, she was matchless as is evident in her title. Padmini, with her enviable figure and talent in Bharathanatyam was the Light of Dance. B Saroja Devi, who epitomised the demure heroine, was adulated as a Goddess. While K R Vijaya, with her perfect set of pearly whites was the Queen of Smiles. Jayalalitha was both an excellent actor and future politician. Her titles, calling her the Daughter of Art and Revolutionary Leader were examples of this. When Rajnikanth and Kamal Haasan created magic on the Tamil screen, the frenzy of titles grew in stature as well. Ecstatic fans were followers of their unique styles and unparalleled acting prowess. As the years rolled by, Rajni grew from an actor to a Superstar, ruling over millions of fans who adored him with a fervour matched only by MGR’s fan base. Kamal, meanwhile went from strength to strength as an actor, earning the title, Universal Hero.
Vijaykanth, extremely popular for playing the archetypal cop went by the name of Captain. Sarath Kumar, often seen playing the part of the rustic leader has been loved and respected immensely. In both cases, the titles served their political aspirations as well. And then came the next generation of superstars. After playing the romantic hero in many films, Vijay suddenly became an action figure in his films. Sure enough, he was promptly crowned Young Commander. Ajith, following pretty much the same path was given the fond epithet of Thala, besides being called, quite simply “ultimate.” Vikram has Chiyaan, the name of the character he played in Sethu before his name. Likewise, Vishal, Bharath, Simbhu – all followed in the title race. In later years, titles changed in their reason to be: instead of a gesture for a much beloved star, they became status symbols. Practically every star in their climb up was graced with one. While some richly deserved the honour, it’s equally true that heaping titles became a frequently trivialised affair, often evoking much sarcasm, suppressed or otherwise.
MGR Sivaji Ganesan Gemini Ganesan M R Radha Jaisankar Savithri Padmini B Saroja Devi
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K R Vijaya Jayalalitha Rajnikanth Kamal Haasan Vijaykanth Sarath Kumar Vijay Ajith Simbu Vishal
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Bharath Jeevan Arun Vijay
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Makkal Thilagam (People’s leader) Nadigar Thilagam (King of acting) Kadhal Mannan (King of romance) Nadigavel (Prince of acting) Makkal Kalaignar (People’s performer) Nadigayar Thilagam (Queen of acting) Nattiya Peroli (Light of dance) Abinaya Saraswathi (Goddess of characterisation) Punnagai Arasi (Queen of smiles) Puratchi Thalaivi (Revolutionary leader) Superstar Ulaga Nayagan (Universal hero) Captain Supreme Star Ilaya Thalapathy (Young Commander) Ultimate Star (now removed) Little Superstar (Now Young Superstar) Purathchi Thalapathy (Revolutionary commander) Chinna Thalapathy (Small commander) Mirattal Nayagan (Vibrant hero) Ilam Sooryan (Young sun)
Among these bands of frothy title-holders, some stood out – by opting for no title at all. Their work, according to them, was enough to speak for who they were. For this new breed of stars, titles weren’t really necessary. Suriya is part of this exclusive club, as is Dhanush. And lately, Ajith has renounced his title as well, preferring to let his name speak for itself. Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 27
God’s own phenomenon There are actors, there are entertainers and there are superstars. Once in a way do we come across somebody who is a complete package. Sridevi Sreedhar is awestruck as she comes face to face with Mohanlal, one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. Photographer: G Venket Ram Stylist: Vivek Karunakaran
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Some say he is a method actor, others that he is instinctive. But what every film lover agrees whole heartedly with is that if there’s one actor who has elevated Malayalam cinema to a global level, it is Mohanlal. The much revered actor has been mentioned by many a critic as one of the best the country has to her credit. That Mohanlal is a consummate actor has been established eons ago. Right from the time he debuted on September 4, 1978, it had become clear to Malayalam filmmakers and the audiences that a star was born. His role of a mentally challenged 18-year-old in his first film, Thiranottam never saw the light of the day but his second film, technically his debut, was Fazil’s Manjil Virinja Pookkal in which he played the wicked guy. As luck would have it, he tasted rare critical acclaim as well as box office success right then – Something that was not accomplished by any of his predecessors. Many say that Mohanlal has neither had predecessors nor will we find his successor any time soon. He is in a league created and established by himself. But when you meet the man, you find him devoid of any of the trappings of stardom. There’s a philosophical aura surrounding him instead. His simplicity and cool attitude are conspicuous by their abundant presence. On screen, every time he appears, he adds yet another aspect to his already overflowing versatility. And his legion of fans can be found in many corners of the global map. From comedy to action, mean guy or the quintessential angry young man, he has played every single role with subtlety and much panache. Winner of countless State Awards for Best Actor, three-time National Award winner, Mohanlal has the distinction of having been awarded with the much honoured Padmashri. In 32 years, he has acted in close to 300 films, with every role as memorable as the other. Amongst his best roles are TP Balagopalan MA, Nadodokattu, His Highness Abdulla, Kilukkam, Manichitrathazhu, Bharatham, Kireedom, Vaanaprastham, Devasuram, Thazhvaram, Namukku Parkkan Munthirithoppukal, Thanmathra and so on. Rajavinte Makan, the 1986 release that had him playing a don with a golden heart, turned out to be the first big break in Mohanlal’s career and made him a superstar, a man of the masses. He has worked with eminent filmmakers like Padmarajan, Bharathan, Aravindan, Sibi Malayil, Lohitadas, Priyadarsan, Sathyan Anthikkad, Shaji N Karun, Hariharan and Fazil among many others. Mohanlal has teamed up with Sreenivasan in quite a number of films and their combination on screen has always worked magic at the box office. He has rarely ventured out of Malayalam but whenever he did, he created quite a storm like in Mani Ratnam’s Iruvar and Ram Gopal Varma’s Company. His performances on stage for plays like Karnabharam, Kadhayattam and Chayamukhi had the audiences asking for an encore. Quite recently, he was conferred the honorary title of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army. Off screen, he is an avid art and antique collector. Besides, he has also been involved in film production and distribution for quite a while now. His private world revolves around Suchitra, his wife, the daughter of late actor-producer K Balaji, son, Pranav and daughter, Vismaya. Southscope meets him on the sets of Oru Naal Varum in Thiruvananthapuram, in which he plays the part of an ordinary man. Lal, as he is known among friends, is far from his former reticent self and is exceptionally articulate and eloquent.
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Don’t you think you’ve been in the news for all the wrong reasons? As you all know, being the General Secretary of Association of Malayalam Movies Artistes (AMMA), we were forced to take action against veteran actor Thilakan. AMMA is one of the best run artistes associations in India. The disciplinary committee of AMMA decided to suspend the actor for “unsubstantiated statements and provocative interviews” against the association and its members. We want Thilakan Chettan back in our fold as we are trying to sort out the issue in a friendly manner. Nobody in AMMA has any personal issues with Thilakan; but an association has to move forward according to its rules and regulations. But Thilakan’s complaint is that he was thrown out of your film and that you along with Mammootty are trying to scuttle his career. I have never promised anybody roles in my films. It’s my directors who decide on the cast and he should ask them instead of indulging in mudslinging. Anyway, for me, it has been a cleansing period. What do you have to say about the controversy that you are endorsing alcoholic beverages, gold, real estate, private finance companies and have no right to be a Khadi brand ambassador for Kerala government? (Laughs) The surrogate ad I did was one of the most talked about ads in Indian advertising. I don’t think it should be anybody’s concern if I endorse various products. Even Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, big names in Indian cinema endorse many brands. There is nothing wrong with it. I accepted Kerala Industries Minister, Elamaram Karim’s plea to become the goodwill ambassador of Khadi and Handloom clothes in the state without taking any payment, as the clothes woven by these sectors weave many lives as well. Support for them would not only boost their production but also strengthen the culture and heritage of Kerala. What about other social awareness campaigns that I have done for AIDS, Indian Railways, and Kerala Police? Coming to your films, critics say that you are doing films not suitable for your age, especially the larger than life mass hero characters. Do you know that Marlon Brando and Clint Eastwood played some of their best characters after they turned 60? Closer home, legends like MGR, Sivaji Ganesan, NTR, Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan have all been our evergreen superstars, well past 50. And I’m yet to turn 50! Age is no bar for a star. In all art forms, people who are older too get the awards and accolades.
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Are you worried that you are getting old and one day your stardom will disappear? Once born, the only appointment a human being cannot miss is with death. I will act and like John Wayne said, would like to kick the bucket wearing the boots and the grease paint. Actually, I’m happier today because I have matured like good wine as a person and as an actor. All I pray for is good health. When your films bomb at the box office, do you panic? My debut film Thiranottam never saw the light of day. My first release, Fazil’s Manjil Virinja Pookkal was declared a flop by the trade right on the first day, but a week later, thanks to word of mouth publicity, the film went on to become a blockbuster! Last year, some of my films did not do well at the box office. But I’m a seasoned actor who has seen failure and success at close quarters. If there is a concerted effort to success, then failures can never overtake it. It’s sad but that is not the end of the road. Maybe I am successful because I recognise failure. I don’t think a film’s failure affected me as much as my father’s and brother’s death.
a town planning officer, who is trying to demolish my new house as it has violated building laws. Sameera Reddy is playing my wife who uses her intelligence to help me fight the corrupt system where politicians, the land mafia, corporation officials and building contractors are hand in glove. I can’t reveal anything more as there is a twist in the climax. Why don’t we have Malayalee heroines in Malayalam cinema? The so called golden age of Malayalam cinema - the 70’s and 80’s - coincided with some of the finest heroines like Sheela, Sharada (Telugu), Jayabharathy, Srividya, Seema peaking their careers. In the 90’s, there was Shobhana and Revathy. Recently we had Manju Warrier, Kavya Madhavan, Meera Jasmine, Navya Nair and others who got married and moved on to other languages. So we have to depend on actors from other industries. But I can say people like Lakshmi Rai, Lakshmi Gopalaswamy and Sameera Reddy are all competent professionals.
They say that you do not choose your scripts properly… I am no magician. There are so many factors that go into filmmaking. Like all actors, I listen to a story carefully and then take a call on it. But even the most carefully laid out film which has the potential to be a hit can flop. Sometimes I am bewildered when a bad film does super business. I strongly feel every film has a jathakam (horoscope). How do you choose a script? Let us take the film that I’m shooting – Oru Naal Varum - as a case study. Manian Pillai Raju who is producing the film has been one of my earliest producers; he was my senior in school and college. The director is T K Rajiv Kumar with whom I have worked earlier. But above all, Sreenivasan is the script writer and is pitted against me in an important role in the film. Our chemistry, let us call it physics, has worked big time in the past in more than a dozen films in the last 25 years. My image as a ‘common man’ has been Srini’s creation and the last film we did together, Udayan Aanu Tharam about five years back was a super hit. Tell us something about Oru Naal Varum? It is going to be a light hearted entertainer laced with comedy and drama. Sreenivasan is playing
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About being cast as one of the seven husbands of Priyanka Chopra in Vishal Bhardwaj’s next film, Saath Khoon Maaf… I would have loved to do the film based on Ruskin Bond’s short story, Susanna’s Seven Husbands. Vishal came down to Kochi and narrated the entire story and I was hooked. But after that he never got back to sign me up officially or discuss the dates of the shoot. Now it is too late, as I have other commitments for the rest of the year. What is happening on the Kandahar project, which is to be directed by Major Ravi? Kandahar will be an action adventure film and will take a few more months to start as we have to get a lot of permissions to shoot in different locations, from the army and the home ministry. It will be produced by my company, Pranavam Arts in association with a Mumbai based corporate. Amitabh Bachchan will be playing an important role as the father of a passenger on the ill-fated plane that has been hijacked. Tamil actor Suriya and I will play commandos involved in the rescue act. The film is based on the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in 1999 by five Pakistani militants who forced it to land in Kandahar with 186 hostages on board. The grapevine has it that Suriya has pulled out of the project? Suriya had agreed to do the film initially but later he called up and said he had some reservations, as Prakash Raj is making something similar with Nagarjuna. I told him that both films were different, but if he still has reservations he need not do the film. We will find some other star in Tamil to do the action commando role or maybe we will talk to a younger hero like Allu Arjun (smiles) and make it an even bigger project.
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Perfect comic timing! Sridevi Sreedhar is seriously amused with the new trend of comic capers that the Malayalam film industry seems so caught up with A wind of change is blowing across Malayalam cinema. Big budget superstar movies like Ivide Swargam Aaanu, Drona and Bodyguard hardly sizzled at the box-office. Low budget comedy capers instead, turned out to be the flavour of the Christmas - New Year season. In terms of the returns on investment, Happy Husbands and Gulumaal have been declared super hits. My Big Father was also an average grosser. These films were slapstick comedies made on modest budgets, ranging from Rs 1.25 to Rs 2.50 crore (cost of marketing included). Industry watchdogs predict that these will recover their cost and make profits from theatre releases alone. According to Alex George of Central Pictures, the oldest distribution concern in Kerala, “Low budget comedies are stealing the show from the big superstar films. People just want to have a good time and are really not bothered about which star is in a film. The economics of such films are a safe bet for the producer, distributor and theatres.” Director V K Prakash’s comedy caper with Jayasurya and Kunchacko Bobban, Gulumaal -The Escape is a roller coaster ride, which gives you no time to think right up to the end credits. The film was made and marketed on a shoestring budget of Rs 1.35 crore. It is speculated that it would get a share of Rs 2.10 crore from theatre releases alone.
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challenging it is to make sequels of a comedy film, Lal says, “You see something once and find it funny, but you see it again and you are already familiar with the nature and style of the characters. Even their mannerisms and their reaction to various situations are known to the audience.” So in the third of the series, the entire action was shifted to a new environment to make the film comic but not repetitive. “In Ghost House Inn has a humorous theme, and for a change, horror will make the viewers laugh,” adds Lal.
Similarly, Saji Surendran, after the success of Ivar Vivahitharayal came out with Happy Husbands, loosely based on Aneez Bazmi’s No Entry – a story of three happily married men and a sizzling siren who creates havoc in their lives. The film, with a budget of Rs 2.30 crore is expected to collect a distributor’s share of Rs 3.5 crore from theatres in Kerala alone. Director Saji Surendran seems really comfortable with the comedy genre. “Happy Husbands is a sort of a cat-and-mouse game. It’s narrated with perhaps the right pace.” V K Prakash says that his recent film, Gulumaal was made with an all out humorous plot. The story revolves around two conmen trying to sell a painting to an NRI. “The comic element in the film was refreshingly new; the sort that I believe in,” says Prakash.
Some of the finest comedy actors are from the Malayalam industry Another significant reason why comedy capers starring smaller stars are being made is because TV channels in Kerala pay almost the same money for a comedy film as they would for films starring superstars. The television rights for Mammootty’s Drona went up for Rs 1.32 crore, while Happy Husbands trailed close at Rs 1.22 crore. Armed with handsome returns, Malayalam film producers are busy tickling the collective funny bone of the Kerala audiences and yes, laughing all the way to the bank!
Meanwhile Siddique’s Bodyguard didn’t come packed with comic ammo. All of his nine earlier films were super hits, thanks to the fun element. Look at his films of the late 80’s and 90’s, which he directed along with Lal, and you’ll find that they had all that it takes to make a laugh riot - something that Bodyguard shied away from, being pretty much a love story. Bodyguard, after a great opening petered out since the audience was expecting a crass comedy and not a pure love story. At the same time, Mohanlal’s Ividum Swargam Aanu also did not amuse much and was actually more of a family tear jerker. Says film critic Beena Ranjani, “Some of the finest comedy actors are from the Malayalam industry. And top actors including Jayaram, Jayasurya, Jagadish, and Suraj are all from the mimicry school and can make viewers laugh, which is the only reason why films like Happy Husbands are having a happy time at the box-office.” More than a dozen films are getting ready in the comedy genre this year. After the success of 2 Harihar Nagar last year, writer director Lal is now ready with In Ghost House Inn – the third in the hugely entertaining Harihar Nagar trilogy. On how
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Photographer: G Venket Ram Stylist: Chaitanya Rao Makeup: Gaffer Kirkire Hair: Vijay Raghavan Coordinated by: Sridevi Sreedhar
’ Charmme s charms
Take a portion of wide eyed innocence, add a generous dollop of talent, mix an adequate measure of vulnerability, sprinkle a pinch of sensuality and what you get is a heady concoction called Charmme Kaur. Vrinda Prasad captures all the elements of the cherubic actor who has been missing in action since her last film, before staging a comeback with a new film in Malayalam.
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Come May 17 and Charmme completes 9 years in tinsel town. Though her first movie Nee Thodu Kaavali was released in 2002, her first brush with acting happened when she was a 13 year old in Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon with Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan. During the shoot, Aby baby, while setting his hair, happened to see Charmme in the mirror and turned around to say that she could become an actress. That’s how the idea took root in her mind. Since then, she has worked towards giving wings to her dream of facing the camera. Initially, she had to convince her family as they came from an orthodox Punjabi background. The start of her career was slow and Charmme had a series of failures with Nee Thodu Kaavali, Kadhal Azhivathillai (Tamil) or even Chanti. Sri Anjaneyam brought her back in the limelight. Her big break though, came in the form of Gowri, alongside Sumanth. This was quickly followed by the stupendous success of Mass with Nagarjuna, which strengthened her position. Then came Anukokunda Oka Roju, a heroine-oriented film which created ripples at the BO. With Pournami she was appreciated for her Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi moves, though the movie failed. After this came Mantra that put her back on track. And then came a spate of heroine centric roles like 16 Days, Manorama and Kavya’s Dairy, which found, at best, a lukewarm response from the audience. After a period of highs and lows, Charmme’s current film in Malayalam Agathan with Dilip is doing well for her. Now she has two films to look forward to: Syeaata and Mangala in Telugu.
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Now we know she is a go-getter. Success and failure is how it works. At least that’s the way she sees it. “But god has always been sweet to me; I have always had a couple of movies in hand. Even if I wouldn’t work, I would just pacify myself saying I have one coming up for good. And if it wasn’t working with Telugu then I would have some project in Malayalam. I feel blessed.” When asked about her being on the heavier side, she confesses, “Coming from a Punjabi family and being a foodie I have always been rather chubby. But then it was tough for me to give up on all the goodies for the passion of being a star!” But the movies after all give her all the food she wants to do roles like in P.S. I Love You and My Sister’s Keeper. Interesting!
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There are foodies, there are foodies, and there is Charmee. “I studied in a girl’s convent and we were a group of eight friends. Most of these girls wouldn’t eat to remain slim and I being the connoisseur of food would eat up all the eight tiffin boxes. Believe me, I used to carry Rs 10 each day and I would go to the canteen and have vada pav after eating eight lunch boxes! May sound like a story but yes I did it!” But that is a thing of the past. In the future, she wants to go on a cruise with all her girl friends, dance with strangers, get all crazy and wild!
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Action
She had the longest ever crush on M S Dhoni. Right now, she is single. All it takes for a man to impress her is to take her to the moon, her dream destination, and simply utter ‘Let’s get married.’ Quite easily done, wotsay?
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Rakish Ravi’s
Repertoire
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Jayam Ravi has many reasons to celebrate, though he prefers to do it in his own quiet way. The jaunty actor who was christened Ravi Mohan at birth opens up to Karuna Amarnath in a tête-à-tête about this and more. Fish out Jayam Ravi from his hectic schedule and you’ll see he is a happy man. These days, he’s busy shooting for his fifth film with his brother, M Raja and the success ratio of this duo can’t be doubted. “Tillalangadi has all the ingredients of a box-office hit - comedy, thrills, action, love. It’s also got veteran actors like Vadivelu sir, Suhasini and Prabhu sir,” he smiles. Having seen most of the rushes, Ravi is confident that it’ll be a good film. For Tillalangadi has his love quotient and chemistry with actress Tamannaah shining through pretty convincingly. In the meanwhile, he has signed two other films, for which he’ll be shooting simultaneously – Ameer Sultan’s Aadhi Bhagavan and Prabhu Deva’s next big project. While Ameer’s film was being planned for the last three years, it’s a dream come true for Ravi to be working with Prabhu Deva. “I am a huge fan of him and his films, and am very proud to work with him. All I can say is the film will be a feel-good Shah Rukh Khan sort of thing, with love as a central theme,” he shares. Ameer’s movie on the other hand will cater to the mass audiences and will be a total entertainer, set in Chennai. “But, the film will have a new character and outlook. You could say it’s the kind that Godfather or Forrest Gump brought to Hollywood,” he beams. Three lover boy roles already! Wouldn’t it bore an actor to do the same thing over and over again? How can you bring in variation in the role of a lover? Or is it some sort of an image he’s trying to create for himself? “No,” he clarifies, “I am not trying to be a lover
boy again. For instance, my role in Peranmai was very different. I’m just trying out a variety. Having said that, no one can tire of love stories! It’s a theme that has kept cinema alive for decades.” Success and failure in the film industry is something that all actors have to take in their stride. Yet Ravi has been one of those few actors who haven’t gone to town about it. You don’t see much of him on television, nor do you get a ball-by-ball update of his life. It’s not a conscious effort on Ravi’s part. To start with, he has never been the kind to show off his success in the first place. “People know who you are and what you’ve done in your career. There’s no need to go out of the way to make your presence felt,” he feels. But, out of sight is out of mind, and that’s the downside of shying away from the media. Isn’t it? “It’s hurtful when people don’t recognise your success. But, when I go to shoot for my films, people come up to me and appreciate my work. I guess that’s what makes success worth the while,” he tells us. Any actors he’d like to emulate? “Everyone wants to be like someone and in the process, becomes someone else,” he smiles, “If you ask me, I’d like my career to pan out like Kamal sir’s or Karthik’s. I also look for inspiration from Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.” Speak about his spotless image and Ravi laughs, “I don’t make an effort to keep it like that. I am pretty much the way you see me. I would like my work to take centre-stage, that’s all.” You could
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attribute Ravi’s quiet demeanour to perhaps lessons learnt early in his career. “I must admit, I got carried away by the success of my first two films – Jayam and M Kumaran Son of Mahalakshmi (which also won him the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor) – because both were huge hits,” he confides, “Luckily, I got timely guidance from my family and then I decided to take it slow. One film at a time. Of course, after a few not-sogood showings at the box-office, people discouraged me. Then I ran into some hiccups with the media, but I feel it all happened for the best and I handled it well.” Soon, Ravi turned into a down-to-earth, clearof-controversies actor, with his head firmly in place. Then came a barrage of films - Something Something, Unnakum Ennakum, Deepavali, Santhosh Subramaniam, Dhaam Dhoom, Peranmai and success followed! Few people in the industry know him as Ravi Mohan these days, thanks to his debut Jayam. But, Ravi isn’t against these so-called tags attached to actors’ names. “It takes a lot of hard work to earn a tag,” he feels, “whether it’s action hero, universal star or superstar; nothing happens overnight. At the end of the day, it’s the fans who give you the tag, and you’re still in business because of them.” Doesn’t he feel that being identified as a certain kind of actor can leave him with no choice to experiment or explore other kinds of roles? He breaks into a smile at this: “If you’re bold enough, you’ll push yourself beyond stereotypes. Actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Mohal Lal have all broken out of it time and time again. Let me get that ‘tag’ first, and then we’ll see!” That sure looks like a possibility in the near future, what with two films in the pipeline that bring out the ‘lover boy’ in him. Tags or not, there’s no stopping this actor from doing his thing on screen. The smile meanwhile is likely to stay put on his face!
I’d like to be remembered for: Being a good entertainer, whether as an actor or a film director.
Future plans: I plan to venture into direction, but it’s not going to happen any time soon. I have two scripts, one almost complete. I’ve narrated it to my brother and he likes it, so it’s a good start! When I am not acting: I keep myself updated with the world of sports. I am a huge fan of cricket and volleyball. In fact, I captained my school teams and was also a state level carom player.
Top secret: I am extra troublesome at home (laughs). Since I am the youngest among my brothers and sisters, I have always been the spoilt brat. Family time: My family is my life. We are a very close knit family and the bond between us only grows stronger everyday.
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Finding There’s something common between Prophet Mohammed, Winston Churchill, Freddie Mercury, Sir Issac Newton, Pope Benedict, TS Elliot, Mark Twain, Victor Hugo, Charles Dickens and Dharan. They are all ailurophiles! But before you start wondering if that nasty sounding word means anything nasty, let’s assure you it’s simply another word for a cat lover. The 22-year-old simply can’t get enough of those purring felines. He has 15 of them! Get past the pets and you’ll get to see the music paraphernalia. Listen to his music in films like Paarijatham, Laadam and Sivi and you’ll agree with us that Dharan is turning out to be one of the most promising music directors in Chennai. See him and you wouldn’t believe that he’s risen phoenix like, after perhaps the most devastating episode of his life... It all began with a chance encounter with director Gautam Menon. It was the first day first show of Minnale. Tickets in hand, Dharan was waiting for his friends outside the theatre. Just as the film was about to start, Gautam walked up to him and offered to wait for his friends while ushering him in to the theater. “I had no clue that he was the director,” recalls Dharan. Well not many people knew about Gautam Menon then. Photographer: Williams
A few years later, he ran into Gautam again, returning from an AR Rahman concert. Gautam happened to be on the phone at the parking lot. “I recognised him and went up to have a word. I spoke about my music and Gautam put me on to Harris Jeyraj who was then working on Kaka Kaka,” he recollects. Dharan interned with music director Harris for a month and that was the beginning of his tryst with cinema. “It was a great learning experience and I had the opportunity to learn so much about music production,” shares Dharan. However, it was ace filmmaker Bhagyaraj who gave him his first big break. Dharan was into composing ad jingles and caller tunes at that time. It was the theme music he composed for Yatra, the annual cultural festival of the M.O.P Vaishnav College, Chennai that paved the way for his first break. The theme was a big hit among the students and he was invited to judge their light music competition along with singer Srilekha Parthasarathy. “The theme music was played again and the kind of applause it received from the students was overwhelming,” he recalls. That is where he first met Bhagyaraj’s daughter, Saranya, who introduced him to her father. “He liked a song from my demo CD and wanted to use it in Paarijatham. Five music directors were composing music for the movie. Three months later he called again and that’s when the hit number Unnai kandaenae . . . was composed. He liked it immensely and had me compose music for the film,” he lets us know. Paarijatham turned out to be a huge hit and Dharan was quite literally thrust into the limelight. It gave him an identity. “Rajinikanth released the music of Paarijatham. It was an incredible moment for me,” he shares. It was all the more special as his mother was a huge fan of Rajini. He had first composed the base tune of Unnai kandaenae on the Casio keyboard his parents had gifted him. He was just 12 years old then, and had waited for two years before his parents finally gave in to his fancy. “My parents were skeptical about buying me the keyboard since they did not understand my fixation with music. They thought it was an unnecessary distraction. But I had my way eventually,” he shares. Even now the Casio remains his most valued possession. 48 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
He’s seen more of life than most 22 year olds, has found his calling in music and Dharan Kumar is not veering away from there. Karthik Pasupulate strikes a chord...
back the music Life has a way of humbling you when you least expect and destiny caught Dharan unawares when he lost both parents to terminal diseases within months of each other. He was obviously devastated and plunged in despair just when his life was touching new highs. “I was shattered. I did not know why this was happening to me.”
After his career took a back seat following the vagaries of life, Dharan is slowly but surely finding his way back. He’s got a couple of prestigious projects on hand. Currently he’s working on director Bhagyaraj’s next venture, Siddhu + 2. Then there is Thambikku Inda Ooru, starring Bharath. A couple of other projects are still in the pipeline.
But thanks to his unshakable faith, Dharan sprung back. “I am a great believer of god. I figured there must be some reason for me to be still alive. After some intense soul searching, I realised I’m still around for my music. If I can touch people with my music, I think it would all be worth the effort,” he says. He also aspires to make music to spread awareness about fatal diseases like cancer, TB, AIDS and stuff, while contributing a part of his earnings to charities.
Fortune favours the brave they say. Make that brave and purposeful, we’d say.
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LUCK BY CHANCE
50 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
Quintessential cute girl-next-door, harbinger of success; are two descriptions Samvrutha Sunil has become synonymous with, in the Malayalam film world. Vijay G trails the hit machine who has been living out of suitcases for some time now, busy doing films back to back. With more than 25 films in six years, Samvrutha has reason enough to be happy. The icing on the cake is her latest release Happy Husbands, which has set the cash registers ringing in a big way. Besides Malayalam, she has done The White Elephant in Bollywood, Uyir in Tamil and Evadaithe Nakenti in Telugu. Her strict condition of non-exposure is perhaps the reason why she is rarely seen outside Malayalam, unlike most of her peers. But the pretty girl says that she is happy with the way her career is going. In an exclusive tête-à-tête with Southscope, she talks about her dreams and career in particular and life in general… Are you comfortable with the ‘lucky mascot’ tag that you have in the industry? (Smiles) Actually during the first two years in the industry, I was considered an unlucky artiste. My initial films including Rasikan were not commercial successes. I am aware of the instances when I was removed from the cast under the pretext of being unlucky. Later when I had three successive hits Chocolate, Arabikkatha and Hello, I suddenly became a lucky star! I don’t believe in such aspects on a personal level but if people think I am lucky, well, it’s nice. My focus is on doing better roles and in fact, that is my only priority. Do you feel the same tag works against you, as it is often seen that you are being cast just for the heck of it and in the bargain, the depth of the role is often compromised? In Malayalam cinema, real challenging roles for the heroines have become a rarity. Last year, there was this role in Punyam Aham which was heroine centric but it failed to get acceptance from the audiences. At the same time, even the comparatively smaller roles in masala entertainers get noticed. Like in Ivar Vivahitharayal, I think my character was a real good one. Her friendship with the hero affects his married life. If she had been presented even with a slight grey shade, it could have lost its charm from the viewers’ perspective. Though subtle, it had some powerful facets and had enough relevance in the story. Again, my character in Neelathamara had only a few scenes, yet it made a definite impact. The three films that I have committed to this year - Chekavar with Indrajith, Manikya Kallu and Raghupathi Raghava Rajaram with Prithviraj - have me playing the lead heroine. You’ve completed almost six years in the industry. Are you happy with the way your career has developed? Actually I am. Of course, my career graph has gone up very slowly. I was not doing the high profile projects during the initial days of my career. But I think my decision to accept projects which had more than one heroine helped me a lot. Else, I think by now I would have been out from the industry.
the three heroines, mine was the shortest role. But I have been receiving tremendous response from the viewers, even now when the film is aired on TV. It has also helped me get some other films, like Punyam Aham, for instance. What I look forward to is to make a mark in a film and if I can do that, I will accept such roles. Imagine, if you could rewind and start things afresh, would you plan your career differently? (Smiles) Okay, let me put it this way. There have been films that I feel I shouldn’t have done, in retrospect. But even then, I could learn a lot of things from them or at least I could decide on the films that I should actually do, as an actor. If you were to pick your favourite films, what could it read like? I would say Vaasthavam, Neelathamara, Arabikkatha, Ivar Vivahitharayal and Punyam Aham. Did you ever want to change your ‘cute girl next door’ image? (Laughs) Even if I want to change, people perceive me only that way, it seems. Still, I want to do roles which are bold and not just the goody-goody type. I think my character in Robin Hood was that of a bubbly girl and that surprised many. I am ready to take those challenges but I can only wish that such roles are offered to me more often, right? What are the types of roles that you want to experiment with? I want to do the role of a mentally strong woman who can handle anything, just like a hero would! I don’t know if it would ever happen but what is the harm in dreaming? Besides The White Elephant in Bollywood, Uyir in Tamil and Evadaithe Nakenti in Telugu, you have not been seen in other language films. Why? It is not that I have decided not to accept other language roles. The fact is that I am not getting the right kind of roles. After the success of Uyir, I was flooded with offers but none of them worked out eventually. I have to be comfortable with my characters and if they are good roles, I have no problems with any language. Showbiz is often being dubbed as a big bad world which is tough to cope with for nice girls. What say? I disagree. It is a much safer place, when compared to any other profession. My parents come to the sets with me and I have always felt safe here, as part of the industry. It is perhaps all about how you approach things and I love this profession.
Is it a wise career move to do films with more than one heroine? It has worked for me. For instance, in Vaasthavam, of Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 51
This girl turns out to be just the carefree everyday person we don’t expect her to be! Despite her on screen boldness, in real life her biggest highs come from, ahem, retail therapy and mountain biking. Vrinda Prasad indulges Meghna Naidu’s softer side we rarely get to see.
Lock stock and one smoking Meghna Naidu! Kaliyon ka chaman, that oomphalicious music video got the kind of viewership an India-Pakistan cricket match usually manages. Then she turned heads with her first film, Hawas. She followed it up, down south with Satruvu in Telugu and Saravana in Tamil. Both films had a lukewarm run at the BO, but Meghna moved on with life. She did scintillating item numbers in Telugu films like Vikramarkudu, Adavari Mataluku Ardhale Veru et al. While her career graph has not been exactly spellbinding, her item number in Dhanush’s Kutty sure set a lot of hearts racing! So now she’s done films in at least four languages. Quiz her on what makes Bollywood different from southern films, and that gets the model-turned actor thinking. “Mumbai lacks the kind of discipline that the south prides itself on! It’s the same heat and same light that both industries work on, but down south the hero actually walks in before the director! That is precisely where Bollywood needs to work on,” she finds. In a moment, Meghna adds with a smile, “beyond that, you cannot tell them apart.” Given her obvious sizzle factor, we prod Meghna on this whole hullabaloo on skin show on screen. Before we are finished with our question, she cuts in, “one doesn’t need to strip to look sexy. In fact, the sari is the sexiest outfit I can think of and women look hottest in it. It’s just that everyone has a different take on it.”
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As far as her own style statement goes, Meghna is one of those few actors who do not swear by designer clothes! She loves picking up stuff off the streets and totally enjoys wading through the shops in Bandra, Colaba or the flea markets in Goa. “I wear brands only for public appearances. Otherwise, you’ll find me in something inexpensive, yet chic,” she smiles. You say action and Meghna jumps off animatedly from the sofa. At random, she talks to us about her recent trip to Mahabaleshwar with a group of friends and how they got lost in the forest. “It just felt like Agyaat,” she exclaims. As it turns out, the group found their way out after three hours, and then she suddenly stops with an abrupt “I’m not telling you the story!” Despite incessant prodding, the rest remains untold as Meghna breaks into a mischievous smile. Looks like there’s more, but she’s just not telling! Apart from travel, Meghna loves mountain biking and takes off with her friends whenever she gets the time. And some day, she also wants to do a full-fledged action film, a la Kill Bill! Meghna, we gather turns out to be quite the adrenaline junkie when she exclaims, voice all crackling with excitement: “I want to try bungee jumping and sky diving in New Zealand!” Besides, any guy who will let her shop stands a chance at winning her hand. Shopping is her biggest adrenaline pumping adventure. “Sometimes, my friends have to
hide my credit cards to make me stop,” she grins. For Meghna, shopping happens to be “the best form of therapy, ever!” But let’s spill the beans on our star’s status now. And we don’t mean her Facebook status either! Only this time, it isn’t good news for all you guys out there. Meghna is taken (sulk sulk!). She loves candle light dinners and is a self confessed romantic. Can you believe that! “I love surprising my special someone. But that does not work out all the time. So I write him letters or poems to make him happy.” Whoa! What else do we say…
Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 53
mumbai express
Manisha Koirala turns mother-in-law to Rajinikanth’s son-in-law! That’s entirely possible and it’s happening even as you read this! Sridevi Sreedhar fills in on the latest from Manisha Koirala, her comeback, all that happened in between and of course the mother-in-law bit…
54 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
She’s back on familiar territory and it shows. And here we mean the film sets and Chennai too. She was after all featured in three among the biggest Tamil blockbusters of all times - Muthalvan, Indian and Bombay. A long break later, she is back after much persuasion. In the meanwhile, Manisha hasn’t lost any translucence of the skin or zest for life. The Chennai heat is a big conversation beginner these days and so we warm up (quite literally) to each other as Manisha settles down during a break between shots. Before there’s a chance to start shooting questions, she slips into nostalgia mode and begins recollecting the last time she was in Chennai in 2002 for the film Baba in which she was paired with Rajinikanth. “I still remember his daughter Aishwarya took me around and we became such good pals in such less time.” And now years later, she’s back with “Rajini sir’s” son-in-law, Dhanush in a film aptly titled Mappillai (which also translates to son-in-law). She chuckles, “Chennai has always been my favourite city and it’s like a second home. I love the smell of Jasmine, the food from Ponnusamy a Chettinad restaurant and shopping in Nallis. And this time I visited Tirupati too apart from the Amma Bhagawan (Kalki Bhagwan) temple – the abodes of two gods I have immense faith in.” So what else has been happening with her mostly out of action these last few years? “You know my attitude towards life has undergone a sea change in the past few years. I had taken a voluntary sabbatical; call it a break or what you will, from my normal routine. I did a lot of travelling, saw lots of new places, and spent more time with my family and friends. In the process of much soul searching, I’ve also found immense inner peace during this time.” She also calls herself a survivor. “I have survived many emotional traumas but today I am at peace, happy and have no complaints. I have zero regrets.” And all of this has made her come back with a renewed yearning for life. In the film that she’s currently shooting for, Manisha plays Dhanush’s mother-in-law, and a difficult one at that! We wonder what it might do to her image. But she only laughs, adding, “I have to admit that when this offer came my way, even I thought that I was too young to play the male protagonist’s mother-in-law, but Srinivas my good friend and Mani Ratnam sir’s assistant in Mumbai gave me the confidence. He told me that if I could play the mother of two children in Bombay at age 22, then this role would be a real challenge. As an actor I have to experiment and here I am having a blast and enjoying every moment of the shoot.” With mock exasperation she continues: “I was truly fed up of playing the same kind of roles and this one about a self obsessed mother-in-law who is always at loggerheads with her son-in-law sounded pretty interesting.” She finds her costar Dhanush, “extremely talented, hardworking and humble. It’s such a pleasure to work with people like him.” Apart from this film, she’s also doing Jai Bhawani in which her role is inspired by the politician Mayawati. “I am also eagerly looking forward to Sanjay Leela Bhanali’s forthcoming film in which I am paired with Naseeruddin Shah, who is one actor I have always admired. I have also signed up a film with director Shayamaprasad in Malayalam.” A contemplative pause later, Manisha shares, “I’m hungry for challenging roles and cinema will always remain my primary passion,” dispelling any misgivings we might have had of her disappearing a second time. So has she finally found Mr Right? She smiles and ducks the question with the ease of a seasoned actor. “Love is beautiful. It changes you completely.” Thought provoking, huh?
Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 55
Getting good with getting bad!
56 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
He was no star kid, no soft eyed romantic hero or girls’ fantasy material but he sported six pack abs even two decades ago! Anil Merani gets a pageful of Rahul Dev, pointy cheek bones and all. “I wanted to move beyond showing my body. I’d been there, done that already,” Rahul recalls his pre acting days when he was a hot favourite on the Delhi ramp and had absolutely no intentions of becoming an actor. After his latest release, the horror thriller Shaapit, Rahul is relatively relaxed and was found in deep discussion with his manager on the current status of Bollywood at his plush suburban Yari Road pad in Mumbai. And five minutes into their hospitality, we realise that Rahul is every bit detached from his bad man persona on screen. A mechanical engineer, he even joined a private sector firm, but then life came calling with his first modelling assignment. And soon Rahul created a place for himself in the Delhi fashion circuit. This was a beginning but a totally unexpected one for his family – Dad, retired police officer and mom a school principle. “I think the easiest way to get into films is being a model,” Rahul quips. “I was offered Champion (2000). Since my character was based on the dreaded Afghan terrorist, Mast Gul, it was quite powerful. My work was widely appreciated and it picked 12 Filmfare nominations that year.” He won best villain. “I was only overawed by a certain youngster called Hrithik Roshan, who had also debuted the same year with Kaho Na Pyaar Hai,” Rahul smiles. We wonder if acting came in the way of his middle class sensibilities. Did his parents oppose his decision to become an actor? “No there was no 3 Idiots kinda parental pressure story happening here. They have always supported me in all my decisions.” Over the last nine years, Rahul has acted in well over sixty films, say thirty five or so in Hindi and the rest southern. “Since most character artistes don’t shoot more than 50 days per film, I can easily do seven films a year. But if I had done it all in the same zone, I would have been overexposed. So I moved south,” where he is quite a hot pick when it comes to bad guys. He now wants to work with new age directors like Dibakar Banerjee (Khosla Ka Ghosla) “I have done good, bad, and mediocre films and now want to do projects which reflect my sensibilities,” he shares. We couldn’t help bringing up his last debacle, Blue. “I guess the underwater treasure hunt saga failed in the narrative; technologically it was superb. Despite what people say, whether this Rs 80 crore film recovered its investment or not, I would still call it a flop.” That was pretty straightforward, haa?
In Shaapit Rahul plays a professor who guides the hero to get his girlfriend out of a spell. “What attracted me to this Vikram Bhatt film was mainly the genre. I have never tried horror before. The best thing about my character in this one is that the audiences are left confused if I am the bad guy or not.” Rahul never aspired to become a ‘hero’ and has always been comfortable with his villain image. “The image of my first film was strong and that’s when I decided to continue being a villain. But that doesn’t mean that I have only done negative characters. I also played Sukhdev in 23rd March 1931: Shaheed and a dedicated cop in 88 Antop Hill. My good character in Indian was also widely appreciated.” Rahul’s most popular Telugu hits Mass with Raghava Lawrence and Pournami with Prabhu Deva have clearly been landmarks in his acting career. Adhavan in Tamil was also a big one for him. But how did he deal with not knowing the languages, we wonder. ”It was tough. Coming from Delhi, we are clueless about all Indian languages below say Madhya Pradesh! But then I slowly started to learn Tamil and Telugu. My dream is to dub in my own voice. I’ve always spoken my dialogues in English, while the real Telugu sentences, which are much longer, usually created sound sync issues. So I would like to be able to say my own dialogues soon. “ On how the film industries differ from each other, Rahul says, “Discipline wise, I would rate them as Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada. Malayalam is also supposed to be very time specific. But I can’t comment on that since I have done only one Malayalam film so far. Having said that, things in Mumbai have also got much better with corporates entering the scene.” In terms of creativity: Tamil, Hindi and Telugu. That order.” As of right now, his only film down south would be Rajnikanth’s Rs 100 crore animation film, Sultan, which will be dubbed in 14 languages. So how was that experience? “We have finished most parts, but honestly I really did not enjoy it that much. You had to say solo dialogues in front of a computer; everything else including the drama with the swords is pure animation. The director would keep screaming and you had to keep changing your emotions.” Ask Rahul about the other Bollywood villains he admires and a long pause follows. “It would be unfair to compare one to the other. They all came at different times after all. Praan sahab was very good. Danny and Amrish Puri have been acting institutions unto themselves.” What he likes best about these actors is the life they infused in the characters they played and their Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 57
personalities that added so much more value to the villainy on screen. “As for me, I don’t push the director to take my inputs. Sometimes they do, other times they don’t. I have always believed that the film is a director’s medium more than an actor’s. We all know that Amitabh Bachchan is one of the best actors around, yet he is quite different in each film, since only the director can bring out the best in you,” Rahul feels. These days though, he is busy spending time with his 10-year-old son, Siddharth. They both went through a tough time recently when Rahul’s wife, Rina passed away because of cancer. The two had met during college and had an eleven year long marriage. Rahul declined to talk much about how he’s coping with the tragedy. “All I will say is that that I am trying to immerse myself in work more and more. Luckily for me, my family has been my biggest support; my mom has come down to Mumbai to take care of my son. Siddharth has also managed to get on with his life. His mother continues to strengthen him I guess...It is basically because of my responsibility towards Siddharth that I haven’t signed very many south films of late. But with his final exams getting over soon, I will think of doing some regional projects again.” Besides work, Rahul’s disciplined fitness regime keeps him going. Even at 40, Rahul puts in all the effort to keep fit. “I work out, not for looking good on screen, but for myself. I also meditate for an hour everyday. I shut myself out completely when I’m meditating. It’s truly divine.” He also loves to cycle and run. “I recently was a part of the NDTV Greenathon and ran for 12 miles. I have not run such distances for a long period. But I am an instinctive person and when they asked me to run I just said yes. I did not even have my running shoes on,” he smiles. Besides acting, Rahul is also involved in a number of other things including causes like cancer (especially after his wife’s death). He is also a part of PETA and won the humanitarian award of the year from the NGO. It was his association with PETA that inspired him to turn vegetarian. “The transition was easy to make, since Rina was a veggie too and I did it for her as well,” Rahul shares. He is also working on a real high end wellness spa these days. “It’s not for the money really,” Rahul states, adding, “Something needs to excite me enough to take it up as a project. The same applies to my films as well.” Maybe this is the reason why Rahul considers Rajdhani, a film which has been stuck for some time as being quite close to his heart. He plays a lisping cop in this political satire which also stars Om Puri and Shabana Azmi. He quite liked his character in Sankat City too, but the film tanked at the box office. “I believe in choosing films that gives me a kick; whether or not they do well is beyond my control.” Currently, Rahul is awaiting the release of Run Bhola Run, a comedy starring Govinda apart from an untitled experimental Hinglish film.
58 SOUTHSCOPE Jan 2010
Pic: V Rajesh
KALEIDOSCOPE
TAMIL / MALAYALAM
Pic: V Rajesh
Vikram was the cynosure of all eyes at actor Munna’s grand wedding reception in Chennai. Munna, who is doing a crucial role in Mani Ratnam’s Raavan got married to Betty Mary.
Pic: V Rajesh
Self confessed foodie and actor Abbas Ali and his wife, designer Erum Ali hosted a Lucknowi gosht biryani party at their swanky residence at Tiruvanmayur.
Directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan, the launch of Malarvadi Arts Club in Kochi saw top names in attendance from the Malayalam film industry, including Mammootty, Dileep, Prithviraj and Vineeth’s father, acclaimed scenarist and actor Sreenivasan.
In keeping with the spirit of Women’s Day, Women’s magazine Just For Women felicitated women achievers from myriad fields, in Chennai. Dr Gita Arjun, Joshna Chinappa, Rehane, Vandana Gopikumar, Radhika Sarathkumar and Sobhana were honoured.
Pic: V Rajesh
The Paiyya team, comprising director Lingusamy, Jayam Ravi and Tamannaah, along with the technical team met the media to announce that the film is going to be an April release.
Jan 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 59
Around the world in 24 frames
//russian//
Stalker finds new interpretations every time someone sees the European sci-fi classic of the 80s. Rahul Ganguly sits back and finds some of his own.
Stalker (Сталкер)(1979) Cast: Aleksandr Kaidanovsky, Alisa Frejndlikh, Anatoli Solonitsyn, Nikolai Grinko Runtime: 163 min Country: West Germany / Soviet Union Language: Russian Colour: Sovcolor / Eastmancolor
60 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 61
The curse of the Zone: The Zone of the film was said to be inspired by a nuclear accident that took place near Chelyabinsk, Russia in 1957. Several hundred square kilometers of forested area was polluted by radioactive fallout and abandoned. Of course, there was no official mention of this at the time. Even today, Chelyabinsk remains one of the most contaminated places in the planet.
bioscope
TAMIL
Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya Cast
: Silambarasan, Trisha
Director : Gautham Vasudev Menon Music
: AR Rahman
Good The story is wafer-thin but the strength of the film is its screenplay backed by awe inspiring performances by the lead pair.
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Menon has etched his characters with utmost care especially in the confrontation scenes between Trisha and Simbu.
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The lighting, tones and camerawork of cinematographer Manoj Paramahamsa are really worth writing about.
Art director Rajeevan’s choice of blending interiors with the exteriors is brilliant.
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Antony’s editing without using any gimmicks makes the narration silken smooth.
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Ganesh (one of the producers of VTV), is a scream as the cameraman friend of the hero.
n
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The unconventional climax is riveting.
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Trisha’s outfits and saris are aesthetic, thanks to costume designer Nalini Sriram
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A R Rahman‘s music is unique.
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The romantic track is engaging because it’s innocent, simple and the director nails it right.
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Could have been better... It has too many songs which are experimental and come in the way of the story, especially in the second half.
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The film at two hours and 35 minutes could have been trimmed a bit in the second half to make it as racy and interesting as the first half.
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The dialogues and confrontations are repetitive after a point.
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-Sridevi Sreedhar 62 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
bioscope
MALAYALAM
Sufi Paranja Katha Cast
: Prakash Bare, Sharbani Mukherji, Thampi Antony
Director : Priyanandanan Music
: Mohan Sithara
Good The story is highly relevant in today’s social scenario.
n
Priyanandanan handles this rather volatile theme maturely and sensibly.
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K G Jayan’s visuals and Mohan Sithara’s music help transport you to a different period, in a beautiful way.
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Sharbani Mukherji adds sensuality and charm in a remarkable way. Prakash Bare, as Mamootty, looks handsome and authentic. His character goes through several phases and he has handled it all like the seasoned performer he is. Thampi Antony looks perfect for the role.
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Sufi Paranja Katha is generally devoid of the usual clichés and excruciating pace that are usually associated with a certain group of serious films in Malayalam.
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Though the presentation is in the traditional format of narration, it easily qualifies as an engaging watch that is thought provoking. The sincerity with which it has been made and its topical value are perhaps the highlights.
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Could have been better... It’s hard to find minuses in a film like this one, except that the length could have been trimmed a bit.
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After a long time here is a film that is truly bold in its theme and brilliant in its treatment!
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-Vijay G
Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 63
bioscope
BOLLYWOOD
Right Yaa Wrong Cast
: Sunny Deol, Irfan Khan, Isha Koppikar, Konkana Sen, Aryan Vaid, Arav Chowdhary, Deepal Shaw, Shaurya Chauhan,
Director : Neeraj Pathak Music
: Monty Sharma
Good Its Sunny Deol’s comeback film in a brand new underplayed avatar at that! The “Heman” of yesteryears turns in a rather subdued performance playing a top cop. He does it without even a single dialogue that threatens the sound barrier. It isn’t the usual Sunny Deol film. Good to see him anyways. He still exudes every bit of the beefcake Jat machismo!
n
Come to think of it, the ensemble cast works for the film. The brilliance of Irfan Khan and Konkana Sen and the oomph of Isha Koppikar promises to be an enticing prospect, on the surface at least.
n
The film sticks to exploring the moral contours of the right and wrong of things through out, though it’s set in a rather unimaginatively simplistic commercial format.
n
64 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
Could have been better... Had the director chosen to guard the twists a little more, perhaps with some solid dramatic logic, it could have still been salvaged. The over dramatisation adds up to make the film look rather silly.
n
The court room drama could have been handled much better, and it ends up looking amazingly uninspiring. The final lie detector test which Sunny Deol passes in the end is the stuff of classic Bollywood gone wrong!
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The Hollywood influences notwithstanding, Right Yaa Wrong falls short of being a gripping thriller. A few raunchy moments between an unabashedly wanton Isha Koppikar with her husband’s brother is perhaps the best part of the film.
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- Karthik Pasupulate
bollywood brouhaha
Lara the scribe If Lara Dutta had not been a supermodel and actor she would have been a journalist. The former Miss Universe revealed this when she was filming a commercial, in which she plays a reporter. She had even taken up Mass Communication as a subject at her undergrads at Mumbai University. Will Lara now seriously think of changing her profession, given that most of her recent films like Blue and Do Not Disturb have tanked? A good looking news reporter will also raise the TRPs of most channels! A fly on the wall quipped that maybe Lara can report in a bikini!
Deepal’s going totally deglam Arjun’s SRK fixation
Looks like Arjun Rampal just cannot see beyond Shah Rukh Khan. As in, Om Shanti Om had resurrected Arjun’s acting career and SRK had apparently helped him with other projects as well. So it was surprising when he was recently quoted as saying that he wants to do films beyond the SRK banner as well. But now what will Arjun say when he has replaced Vivek Oberoi in SRK’s sci-fi thriller Ra.1? Did Arjun realise that he had bitten more then he could chew?
66 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
Deepal Shaw has totally changed her image. She had first burst into the scene some time back with raunchy music videos and bold roles in Kalyug, Karma Holi and Confession. But soon she realised that this road is quite tough and many more girls are also ready to strip on their way to success. So this girl then decided to instead do a deglam role in a bid to make her mark in tinsel town. It took her lots of time, but finally lady luck smiled and she got A Wednesday, in which she played a TV reporter. Next, Deepal is awaiting the release of her first lead role in Vikalp in which she will be seen playing the character of a traditional Sholapuri girl who wants to make her country proud in the field of technology but terrorists thwart all her dreams. Her other project, Right Ya Wrong has just released, in which she plays a cop. But this girl has no qualms over the fact that the producers have not promoted her in the film. That’s really humble, shall we say?
bollywood brouhaha
What plagues Abhishek Bachchan?
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It seems Abhishek Bachchan does not get anything easy in life. His first Bollywood hit came after 13 flops. His love life wasn’t smooth either. And the same seems to be the case with his TV career. He first came on the idiot box as host of National Bingo night on Colors with much fan fare. But after the premiere, which featured his dad, nothing earth shattering happened and the TRPs never rose. A source quipped that the audience did not warm up to him. It seems Abhishek always had this fear, for when he had spoken to the media recently, he had defended the once a week format by saying “Would you want to see me more often?” This quip was then taken as a joke, but now may have to be reinterpreted. The channel also has played safe by having the show only for 13 episodes, which might now not be extended. He’ll be at least second time lucky, we hope!
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So much goss about Aditya!
The new Twitter bird!
Guess what. Priyanka Chopra has over 200000 followers on Twitter and regularly gives updates on what she is doing. She was even invited to the headquarters of Twitter, during her recent visit to the US. But all doesn’t seem well here. A newspaper claims that Priyanka has hired a PR agency to handle her tweets. Although Priyanka refused to comment on the issue, many close to her assert that Priyanka always writes her own tweets. One such source even checked Priyanka’s tweet account on her phone. We hope a little birdie tells us something sometime soon!
Aditya Narayan who recently debuted with the horror film, Shaapith sure seems to be riding on a high wave. Just one film old and he is already comparing himself with Ranbir Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor and Neil Nitin Mukesh. He even went on to say that he might be just 22 now but a few years down the line even the audience expects him to be in the league of the sought after youngsters. He also claims to know what exactly producers and directors want from him. He further said, he wants do projects like the sort Johnny Depp does. Currently, there’s some buzz that he is seeing his Shaapith costar, Shweta Agarwal and there was loads of buzz that he was seeing Sa Re Ga Ma Pa contestant, Mauli Dave; something that he denies vehemently! This ‘one woman at a time’ Romeo now wants to take off on a European vacation with a girlfriend in tow. Even before his acting career has made some headway, there seems to be more gossip about this star kid! Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 67
hollywood hullabaloo
Penelope’s swashbuckler adventure Latina hottie Penelope Cruz may join Johnny Depp and sail the seven seas in the upcoming installment of the fourth part of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. This one will see Depp reprise the role of the dashing Jack Sparrow. While nothing much is yet out on the plot details, the tale revolves around the legend of the Fountain of Youth. Cruz’s character is also being kept secret, though she is to be Sparrow’s foil and equal in many ways. The latest edition of the Pirates franchise will set sail before cameras in Hawaii this summer. We sure are waiting for this one.
What’s cooking Brangelina? Look who’s absolutely in love here! Brad Pitt was recently spotted spending some ‘quality time’ with Angelina Jolie, while he was shooting for The Tourist. The couple took off from the sets in Paris and went out for an intimate dinner at a top Paris eatery near the Eiffel Tower. The couple reportedly arrived hand in hand and left quietly after dinner. And it seems the waiters had plenty to smile about as well, since Brad left them a princely tip of 200 Euros. Quite evidently, rekindling romance has made a generous man out of Brad. That’s rich!
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Kellan Lutz strips… For an underwear ad that is. Seen recently in the Twilight series, Kellan Lutz has now been roped in as the face of a new line of men’s underwear by Calvin Klein. Lutz’s entry will be a clear departure from Calvin Klein’s usual brand ambassadors, who are mostly models. With his chocolicious looks and so much of that oh-so-sexy stuff on show, Lutz’s stripped down avatar is sure to result in many heart attacks among his female fans!
hollywood hullabaloo
Gyllenhaal’s
royal bruises
Jake Gyllenhaal, who was busy wielding swords for his upcoming film, Prince of Persia was apparently hell bent on playing out the fight scenes himself. After a few hours of intense shooting though, he found himself battered and bruised, with pulls on his shoulders, back and a sprained ankle. He was so into the scene that he did not realise when he actually punched a co-actor in the face during shooting! The production unit apparently had a tough time ensuring he did not end up hurting himself or others for the rest of the shoot. Dude sure packs quite a punch, what say!
Sean set to ‘Penn’ some jail time Sean Penn was caught on video, assaulting an unnamed photographer who was stalking him. Penn went ahead and damaged the snapper’s camera and for this, he may even have to spend 18 months behind bars if convicted! Penn is no stranger to brushes with the law though. The 49-year-old Oscar winner was sentenced to two months in jail for punching a movie extra on the set of a film, way back in the 80s. ‘Serves’ him right, eh?
Megan says no to sex without love! Guess what! You’ll find her sexy (and some really sexy) pictures pretty easily, but can you believe as easily that she’s been to bed with just two men in her life? In an interview recently, Megan Fox has admitted to bedding only two men. One: her childhood sweetheart and the other, “Brian” (Austin Green). She even went on to say that she hates the idea of having sex with someone she doesn’t love and that she’s not even come close to having a one-night stand. Now here’s one unscrewable American? Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 69
Looking
BAC K Vijay G revisits filmmaker John Abraham’s uncontested Malayalam classic, Amma Ariyan, and is left truly amazed!
Film: Amma Ariyan (Report to Mother) (1986)
Script & Director : John Abraham
Cinematographer: Venu
Cast: Joy Mathew, Harinarayanan
Banner: Odessa Movies
Music: Sunitha
His life was nothing short of an edge-of-the-seat thriller. Regarded as one of the finest filmmakers ever in Malayalam, John Abraham made just four feature films. But those had a distinct quality that announced his genius. John Abraham’s Amma Ariyan was certainly a landmark film and it continues to surprise movie buffs with its intensity, relevance and ingenuity. Regarded as some kind of an “erratic genius, who lived a nomadic life”, John raised funds to make the film from contributions made by ordinary people. He always managed to defy conventions. His films stand proof to that. Amma Ariyan is a journey, where John mixed fact and fiction in an amazing manner. The primary character, Purushan is going to Delhi to pursue his research and he promises to write letters back home to his mother. Several historical anecdotes, political and social issues get mentioned here, partly through various characters that appear in the story and of course, through Purushan’s letters to his mother. In fact, Purushan’s journey ends when he learns about the death of Hari, a musician and a naxalite activist. The course of his life changes from then on, as he readies himself to inform the matter of her son’s suicide to Hari’s mother. The story branches out to paint a picture of contemporary society and its issues, shown through the characters and events that follow from then on. They start their journey from Wayanad and reach Fort Kochi, going through several historically relevant places and find Hari’s mother. By the time they reach there, their group has grown stronger. The reactions from various persons to the news of Hari’s suicide are 70 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
indeed interesting. It is often shown as a pointer towards human emotions, relationships and of course, political activism. Amma Ariyan is indeed a masterpiece by a hugely talented filmmaker. John's other feature films are Vidyarthikale ithile ithile (1972), Agraharathil kazhuthai (Tamil 1977) and Cheriyachante Kroorakrithyangal (1979). The director passed away in 1987. The relevance and impact of his handful of films will, however linger on for a long, long time.
SCREENTEST
steffi
Photographer: Sunil J Rupani
A Mass Communication graduate, Steffi is extremely passionate about sport, swimming and badminton in particular. Her fascination for the world of glamour began with her stint in a documentary. Other than that, she’s also appeared in a bunch of skits and dance performances in college. Steffi loves travelling and is a big movie buff as well.
Southscope invites aspiring actors to send in their portfolio pictures to vrinda@southscope.in Apr 2010 SOUTHSCOPE 71
karaoke// tamil // Oh Maha Zeeya, Oh Maha Zeeya ‌ Nakka Mukka Nakka .... Oh Shakalakka ... Oh Randakka... Ullaahi Ullaahi... Ayaka Yahi Yahi... Mehoo...Mehoo.... Dailamo Dailamo... Rahtulla Sonali Oh... Oh Maha Zeeya, Oh Maha Zeeya... Nakka Mukka Nakka.... Oh Shakalakka... Oh Randakka... Samba Sambale... Osose Sayo Sayo... Hasili Fisili... Ilahi... Yappa Jippa.. Yappa Jippa Dailamo Dailamo Ballelakka.. Ballelakka Nakka Mukka Nakka... Oh Shakalakka... Oh Randakka... Oh Maha Zeeya, Oh Maha Zeeya... Nakka Mukka Nakka... Oh Shakalakka... Oh Randakka... Eh sala sala... Isk borara... Osaka Moraiya... Boom boom jakaka... Mukka Mukalla... Mayya Mayya.. Mayya Mayya Laalakku, Laalakku Dol dappima... Dol dappima Nakka Mukka Nakka... Oh Shakalakka... Oh Randakka... Oh Maha Zeeya, Oh Maha Zeeya... Nakka Mukka Nakka... Oh Shakalakka... Oh Randakka... Ullaahi Ullaahi... Ayaka Yahi Yahi... Mehoo...Mehoo.... Dailamo Dailamo... Rahtulla Sonali Oh... Oh Maha Zeeya, Oh Maha Zeeya... Nakka Mukka Nakka... Oh Shakalakka... Oh Randakka... 72 SOUTHSCOPE Apr 2010
Film : Tamil Padam Singers : Hariharan, Shweta Menon Music : Kannan
Vadivelu
corny
dialogues That’s a different route; this is the route…to hell!
Over here it’s known as a bus, in Dubai it’s called a garbage lorry.
All in all, my sister cuts a super figure!
Don’t do this, it pains me. I’m warning you, I will start crying!
If you hit me, it hurts
A a haaa…!
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leaves out of my book >> Suhasini Maniratnam
Actor extraordinaire Suhasini Maniratnam turns columnist to share her personal diary exclusively with Southscope readers.
Let’s make a song and dance about it I love listening to film songs. But detested shooting for a song. Most of our songs were shot in Ooty. So whenever a family vacation was planned I used to avoid going to Ooty. But two years ago I joined a big group for a three day holiday. When others were standing under a huge tree, I could actually recall a sad Telugu love song and remembered how many times I ran around the tree shooting for that one line. A boating trip reminded me of several Tamil and Malayalam movies shot in the same lake, probably on the same boat.
A college friend of mine asked me once, “How do you remember people or very significant happenings at various times in your life?” I answered without even thinking, “By the film music that was popular at that time.“ I am sure it’s the same for you too. The lullabies that our mothers sang were from the Friday movie they had just seen, the philosophical song that grandpa hums is from the Sivaji Ganeshan movie he likes. Even the first love song that you heard over the phone was from a movie that was popular in your teens. I personally have a love–hate relationship with songs. I grew up in a village with a transistor glued to my ears. I know the lyrics of all the Tamil songs from 1970 to 1990 absolutely by heart. My son often wonders if I really went to school or just sat at home and memorised all the Tamil songs 24/7! But when I went to film school and learnt about world cinema, songs stuck out like sore thumbs in a good script. It was worse when I started acting. Getting dressed in pink and blue and dancing with 30 dancers behind you when all you had to do was supposedly express your love for the man. What a nuisance romancing with 30 dancers watching you and a dance master saying 1, 2, 3 …
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Indian films follow our story telling tradition. All our Katha Prasangams have a song rendered after 10 sentences. We love to hear stories and stories sung to us too. Every film should have those five songs. Otherwise a film is not complete. Westerners can never understand the concept of Indian film songs. They ask weird questions! The hero and heroine are singing in the hills, but where is the violin played from, where are the drums and the chorus singers? Are they hiding behind the bushes? I actually said yes to this man! When we send our films from our Madras Talkies office to any international film festival screening, the common practice used to be …remove the songs and send the films, as the western audience is not used to actors singing songs. But times have changed. These days they call up from Cannes or Berlin asking why that beautiful song picturised on top of a train is missing from our reels. This is globalisation. The Indian film song has made its global presence. Adios, Suhasini Maniratnam