Paapa
Venkatesh returns to Tamil screen
Though he began his career in Tamil, Venkatesh migrated to Andhra to be one of the biggest saleable heroes. Meanwhile, back home RB Chowdury had made waves by making hit films. After his banner Super Good Films accumulated enough awards and trophies in Tamil Nadu, he chose to enter Telugu filmdom and the first person to welcome him was Venkatesh with enough dates.
Together, they gave quite a few hits and now Chowdury and Venkatesh are once again joining hands with Paapa, a horror film with graphics. The audio cassette of the film was launched at a function in Chennai.

“Like Sarath Kumar or Murali, it is Venkatesh who has been my in house hero in Andhra. The film’s Telugu version is produced by MS Raju and we have a hit director like Kodi Ramakrishna as well as music by Manisarma which is very extraordinary. This film will herald Venkatesh into Tamil filmdom. We are planning another project in Tamil with Venkatesh,” revealed Chowdury.

Speaking about the film, Venkatesh said the subject was very important. Chowdury also was of the same opinion. This combination was successful because it was not a project banking on a hero but on the subject. And here too the central character was of a girl, who, one cannot figure out whether she is a devil or a human being with supernatural powers. The title too is universal and appealing. I hope it runs in Tamilnadu so that I get more offers. To me, Chennai brings fond memories of my school and college days”.

Sarath Kumar and Murali, who were the guests, wished Venkatesh all success. The film has Venkatesh in a dual role of a thief and a scientist and the two heroines paired opposite him are Soundarya and Anjala Zhaveri. The film has cinematography by Gopal. The film’s producer MS Raju had earlier produced Devi which created box-office records in Andhra and Karnataka.

Pappa is scheduled for simultaneous release on January 15 in Andhra and Tamil Nadu.

Kalavu Kathru Mara
Punished for no fault
Prabhu Deva has played many roles as the street side romeo and slum hero but in Kalavu Kathru Mara he plays the role of a blackmarketeer in cinema tickets. The character he essays has many shady things in life but he never got caught and when he comes across Gayatri (Roja), the meeting proves to be a turning point in his life. He transforms into a person who starts looking at the good things which nature has offered to humanity. He starts caring for the needs of others and Gayatri becomes his dearest possession. However, fate strikes a cruel blow when he is convicted for a crime he had never committed.

Based on a story by Mohanji, the director, the film is about a youth who takes to crime and wants to forget his past later on but what made him take to crime and why he could not forget his past form the crux of the story. “The climax of the film and the music by Deva is something very novel. In fact, I have made Prabhu Deva dance like a Micheal Jackson. It will stun the viewers. His brother Raju Sundaram and fight master Kannal Kannan’s dance is going to be very popular,” revealed Mohanji. The film has Rajiv, Radharavi, Vivek, Seeman, Chinnijayanth, Rajsekar, Pandu, Sabita Anand and Chaplin Balu in the cast. Cinematographed by Paneerselvam, the film is produced by Sribala Talkies and scheduled for release in February.

Deena
A street rowdy in love
Ajith, who has risen to the top rung in Tamil filmdom with a string of hits, had decided to space out his releases and after Mugavaree, he has been taking his own time in shaping out his films on the floor like Citizen and now Deena directed by debutant AR Murugadas, which was slated for Pongal release. The film is about a street rowdy Deena and his love for a girl who is a student of Fine Arts. “We see a rowdy in the streets and walk away from him or ignore him because he is a scum of the society but have we ever stopped to think why this man who brandishes a knife has taken to such a way of living. Does he have any feelings? When Ajith heard the story he was excited and in a week’s time we were shooting,” said Murugadas. Laila plays the Fine Arts student.

Suresh Gopi plays the elder brother of Ajith. His is a very soft role unlike his usual portrayals of menacing action men. “It is a very different role and a very different film, something with which I am proudly making entry in Tamil films,” says Gopi. Like every Ajith film the music has to be different and this time too the music is a sell out. Yuvan Shankar Raja has given a youthful score.

Produced by Bagyam Cine Arts’ Karthikeyan, a long-standing friend of Ajith and son of producer Palanichami who has produced many films with Bhagyaraj, was told by this star in the making four years ago that they should work together. It was then a casual talk between friends but today, Ajith is one of the four saleable heroes in Tamil Nadu. It shows the extent to which the young actor has risen and the fact that he has not forgotten his friend shows his human side. Cinematographed by Aravind, the film has Naghma in a song sequence with Ajith, a friendly gesture from the actress to the producer who had cast her in Vetiya Madichu Kattu (Sabash Daddy in Hindi) under Bhagyaraj direction.

Poonkuyilay
Rustic love
Poonkuyilay, produced under the banner of Manithan Cine Arts by TM Jaymurugan, who is also the director and music director, revolves round a love triangle between Udaya, Vindhya and Livingston. Its a usual story of a rich girl falling in love with a poor cousin Udaya. The girl’s father Vijaykumar is a terror. Once he chopped the hand of Curran who got hold of Vindhya’s hand. Added to this is another cousin, Livingston, who also woos her. Cinematographed by Kichas, the film has Manivannan, Rithika, Vyapuri and Illavarasi in the cast.

Jayamurugan denied the reports that he had fled the locales of Pollachi without paying for the hotel and cars. He showed vouchers signed by his manager for the cash that he had paid to him for the hotel and transport.

Vijaykanth turns producer
Vijaykanth, currently the top draw in Tamil filmdom after the roaring success of Vanathepol which ran for 25 weeks and the 100-day run of Vaalarasu produced by his brother-in-law Sudish under the banner of Captain Cine Creations, has now turned producer by joining his brother-in-law and launching Narasimha under the direction of newcomer Tirupathi Swami. The film’s muhurath was held in Chennai where a large gathering from the industry turned up to greet the actor who has acted in more than 130 films and has the sole distinction of having all these films in Tamil only. He has refused to act in any other language even though his films dubbed in Telugu had a big market. Many of his films have been remade in Hindi too.

>>>Ayyappa Prasad