Seenugadu
Ganesh in a new avatar
After turning hero with Please Aunty, Ganesh has been flooded with offers and his next film Seenugadu, being produced under the banner of Natraj Creations, was launched recently at Annapoorna Studios. Director Babji, who surprised many by delivering a hit NTR Nagar with lookalikes of big stars like Chiranjeevi and Nagarjuna, has now been taken seriously.

A new girl, Nilambari of Bachi fame, is paired opposite Ganesh in this tale of an innocent villager. He claimed that the makers approached him impressed with his performances as an innocent villager in TV serial Vidhi. The film is expected to be wrapped up in single schedule and songs will be picturised in January. All the leading comedians including Brahmanandam, AVS, LB Sriram and Uthej are also in the cast to make it an entertainer.

Director Babji said, “A boy and a girl fall in love in a village and due to quirk of fate the girl moves to a city. The innocent boy arrives in the city in search of her and the hurdles he faces before he gets her forms the crux of the story. His character has similar shades of Venkatesh in Anari but it would be a good entertainer.”

Comedian-turned-hero Ganesh said that he had been in the industry for long and his ambitions are getting fulfilled now. This is his second film in lead roles.

University Blues
Shooting commences
Before the low-budget boom Hyderabad witnessed a spurt of English films after the nation-wide success of Hyderabad Blues, the recent one being Dollar Dreams. Now another film to join the bandwagon of ‘thematic’ films University Blues has commenced recently at Hyderabad. Producer Mattaiya of Sadguru Sai Creations is introducing new faces and technicians with a traditional story line. New faces Sriharsha and Soumya Rai play the main lead in this college-campus story and they are yet to finalise the character to play the key role of a ‘Saadhu’. He is introducing Chennai-institute trained Murali as the director and Sri, erstwhile assistant to ace cinematographer Ashok Kumar, is the first woman cinematographer to Telugu films. The producer claimed that a youth unearths ancient scriptures of India which had references of ‘transmigration’ and other yogic-sciences.

While the title suggests that it would be a college-campus story, the main plot is yogic science. Are they not contradicting each other? "Not really because it will start off in a college and gradually shift to the Sadhu’s ashram. A team visits a ‘saadhu’ to learn yogic sciences and after seeing boys and girls in intimate positions, the ‘saadhu’ gets evil thoughts. Later he realises the futility of cranial desires and gains back his senses. We are planning to release the film all over India", clarified the producer.

6 Teens
Low-budget movie launched
Producer Srinivas Reddy’s Varsha Creations’ 6 Teens is another low-budget film to attract youth. It was launched recently at Annapoorna Studios with much fanfare. Popular actress Raasi sounded the clap on six youngsters - Rohit, Satish, Pavan, Abhijeet, Ameet and Mumbai girl Ruthika - since the story revolves around these six teenagers. Director Nageswara Reddy claimed that it would showcase the youthful pranks from a new angle and also claimed that after scouting for many girls, he selected Ruthika. The film would be wrapped up in a stipulated schedule and also within a specified budget like other films of this ilk.

Producer Srinivasa Reddy added, "We thought about this subject much before this boom. And we will spend where ever it is necessary without compromising. I am happy with my team." All the five youngsters expressed happiness on getting a break and new girl Ruthika said "I have done a few films including Khatron Ka Khiladi in Hindi. I liked my character in my debut film in Telugu."