Sai Suresh

Sai Suresh enters Telugu film industry
Sai Suresh who directed Kunguma Pottu Gounder enters the Telugu film industry with a remake starring Venkatesh in the lead and is likely to be produced by Dr. D. Rama Naidu. Speaking about his first hit, Sai said, “I was told by many that if I did a film on a subject emphasing on education it would not run and that a filmmaker preaching about education will not go well. My argument was Gentleman was a film on the education maladies and it was a hit. So why not? My film has been received very well in the rural areas and cities. In fact, Vadivelu who saw the film said that he had actually faced a situation where his son was not given admission because both he and his wife were educated only up to the eighth class. Even Manivannan has appreciated my work.”

Other Articles

Interview

Sai had earlier directed Moovendar. But when it flopped, he went into hiding. It was then his friend and associate Sundar C with whom he shares a good rapport told him to get back to work. Thus he changed his name from Suraj to Sai Suresh and worked on the script for Vishnuram. Currently he is directing Military which is a remake of Hitler with Sathyaraj and Rambha in the lead. “I have made a few changes in the original,” says Sai who is to do a film for Vishnuram again after finishing the Telugu remake.

Vijay continues good work
Vijay, since last year had embarked on many schemes to help the poor. Every year he has decided to arrange for couples from economically weaker section to get married. This he announced at the inauguration of his newly built marriage hall named after his son and wife. For every 100th day run of his film, he organises camps all over the state and gives away working aids to the handicapped. Now next in the series is the inauguration of his next marriage hall in Chennai named after his mother Shoba who is also a storywriter. This time too he got 50 couples married off. All this took place on his birthday. Career-wise hehas been doing well. His latest film Badhri is a hit while in the offing is Shahjahan. Udaya directed by Perumal and a film with Oscar Movies are the ones that he is banking on. Vijay’s dad S. A. Chandrasekar (SAC) presented his son with a Lancer car on his birthday. SAC, who gave up direction four years back to look after his son’s career, is now back to direction because his son has stabilised himself in the market, acquired the ability to pick out the right stories and the directors and is leading a happy married life. SAC directed Dost with Sarath Kumar and Abirami in the lead. He is now working on a script for Oscar Movies.

Meena

Meena in a Japanese film
Meena is to act as the leading lady in a Japanese film. The Rajanikant- Meena starrer Muthu was a big hit in Japan and this has led to her signing a Japanese film.

Roja Combines twin celebrations
In the Tamil film industry, the tribe of producers who continue to make films regularly are a fast vanishing breed. Roja Combines’ Khaja Moideen is one of the rare producers who regularly churns out successful films. Their recent release was Vanchinathan starring Vijaykanth in the lead.
Khaja recenly held a function in Chennai where he launched the audio cassette of his forthcoming film Allithantha Vanam starring Prabhu Deva and announced the start of his next film Charlie Chaplin starring Prabhu and Prabhu Deva.

Directed by Sakthi Chidambaram, this comedy film features the two heroes together for the first time. It’s fast becoming a trend to produce films with two heroes and this signals the dropping of egos in an atmosphere where success is a rarity.

Says Prabhu, “I think I am the only hero to have acted with all my contemporaries. I have not felt any need to have any insecurity-feeling cause I am sure of my capabilities and if the role suits me then its fine. In fact I think its great working with co-heroes because it makes you alert and competitive. I am here since the time of Rajanikant and Kamal Hassan, and never once have I got bad remarks on my role. Here Prabhu Deva is a good dancer and good at comedy and so we are looking forward to having good fun. Sakti has also proved himself in Yennama Kannu as a director of comedy”.

Sarath Kumar

Sarath Kumar, S.S.Chandran are MPs
The ruling AIADMK, in a surprise move, nominated veteran comedian S. S. Chandran as the party nominee for Rajya Sabha. Chandran who had spent a large part of his life as a DMK activist had only recently joined AIADMK. The opposition party DMK nominated Sarath Kumar for the upper house. Sarath had once contested for Lok Sabha on DMK ticket and is a campaigner for the party. He recently married actress Radhika.

Lara Dutta

Lara Dutta signed opposite Arjun
Lara Dutta has been signed for a film with Arjun as her hero. It is directed by Maharasan and producd by Cee (TV) Ltd. Lara who was in Chennai for the publicity stills of the forthcoming film attended the audio cassette release of Majnu made by the same production house. Maharasan had recently directed Vaalarasu with Vijaykant and is currently directing Indian, the remake of the Hindi film starring Sunny Deol and Shilpa Shetty in the lead.

Vijay’s cousin Sanjiv Kumar makes his debut
Sanjiv Kumar, the cousin of Vijay, makes his debut as the hero in Beauty. Son of the Sheela who is Vijay’s aunt, Sanjiv had trained in dancing with Kala and martial arts with Jacquar Thangam. The film is directed by Srikanth, the debutant hero is paired opposite Abinayasri.

Rights sold
Media Dreams, the production house of Pentamedia Ltd, has sold the rights of its Hindi film Little John to Zee TV for theatrical exploitation. Its MD Vaidyanathan said its production in Tamil was a commercial failure because it had no stars in it and in future they will go in for only films with stars. The first of them is Pammal K Sambandam with Kamal Hassan and followed by Robo starring Kamal Hassan and directed by Shankar.

Media Dreams is expanding from production to exhibition business. It already owns the multiplex cum entertainment complex Mayajaal situated on the outskirts of Chennai. It has acquired the lease of Woodlands theatre in Chennai and would soon take up lease of theatres in other districts of Tamil Nadu.

— AP