Prabhu-Prabhu Deva in Charlie Chaplin

Khaja Moideen of Roja Combines is known for his business acumen. He signs only saleable artistes and today he has dates of artistes like Ajith and Vijay in his pocket. The fact that Khaja has signed Prabhu shows that Prabhu’s market is on the upswing.

Prabhu is flanked by Prabhu Deva and Abhirami in Charlie Chaplin

Prabhu last year topped the list with five releases. His strength has been his changing image as the family audience’s darling. Today his films like Mitta Mirasu are running to full houses. Making a mix of youth and maturity, Prabhu co-stars with Prabhu Deva in Charlie Chaplin, directed by Shakti Chidambaram, director of the hit film Yenamma Kannu.

Prabhu is one of the few artistes who has no hassles about acting along with other heroes. He has co-starred with Rajnikant, Kamal Haasan, Karthik, Sathyaraj and Vijaykant and is liked by everyone in the industry.

"Prabhu Deva’s rise to the ranks of an actor has been due to his sheer hard work. I have seen him as an assistant to his father Sundaram Master. I was very scared when I had to dance with Kamal Haasan, a dancer par excellence in Vetri Vizha. It was Prabhu Deva and his brother Raju who used to lend me support by saying that I could do it. Kamal also helped me by giving easy dance movements. Anyway today when I am acting with Prabhu Deva, it just shows his rise to stardom from a dancer.

The film is a breezy comedy and stars Abhirami, Gayatri, Monal and Vindhya as the leading ladies along with Vivek, Chinni Jayanth, Pyramid Natarajan and Pandu in important roles.

Like every Prabhu Deva film, the music score in this film too is important. Bharani sensing that he has a good chance to create a hit has strained hard. He has already recorded nine songs with Pa Vijay and Kapilan as lyricists. Cinematography is by Sivakumar.

Nandha, cassette released

Kamal Haasan, Bharathiraja and Bala at the cassette release function of Nandha

Kamal Haasan, of late, has been shying away from public functions due to his busy schedule. He is currently busy with Pammal K Sambandam starring Simran. It was, thus, a surprise to see Kamal Haasan at the cassette release function of Nandha when his own film is also scheduled for Diwali release. It was only when Kamal spoke did one realise that though director Bala was one film old, his tenure as the associate to Balu Mahendra had made him friends with many of the greats in the industry. When Bala’s Sethu won the award for the best regional film at the national level, it was Kamal Haasan who called him up and congratulated him and that too when Hey Ram was one of the competitive entries.

Bharathiraja, one of the chief guests at the function, said that Bala was much in demand and many were in search of him but sadly the growth of small screen had shadowed the merits of the big screen and would soon finish off film industry. Kamal Haasan, while felicitating Bala, said that years ago a lean youth clad in dhoti had worked with him as an associate. That young man had narrated a story called Mayil to him and later on this youth became the most sought after director who did films like 16 Vayithinile, Sigappu Rojakal and Kizhakaey Pogum Rail. Speaking more about Bharathiraja, he said, "These films cannot be made again. And the film industry respects you for that. As for the small screen, I beg to differ from your view. I think it is yet another avenue for us. Did USA not resist it? If we do not have the courage of Taliban, let us at least as individual Indians resist the onslaught of TV. The fight is ours and it includes Bharathiraja too. Sethu was made with a determination to succeed and if the will is there then success cannot elude us," said Kamal Haasan.

Kamal Haasan was happy that his friend Illayaraja’s son Yuvan Shankar Raja was the music director and said that Yuvan would score music for his film in the near future.

Bharathiraja said that there is no doubt that after Sivaji Ganesan, India has not seen an actor like Kamal.

Surya, Raj Kiron, Laila and Rajsri who play important roles in the film were present on the occasion. Bala said that the post-production of the film was over and it would be ready for Diwali release. Narayanan, Ganesh Ram and Kesavan Kutty who have produced this film under the banner of Aparajeeth Films too were present on the occasion.

Ajith in Gautham Menon film

Gautham Menon who directed Minnale, starring Madhvan and Rima Sen and remade it in Hindi with Madhvan and Diya Mirza is to direct Ajith in P Karthikeyan’s next production. Karthikeyan had earlier produced Deena with Ajith and Laila in the lead.

Silambarasan sings for Deva

Silambarasan, the actor-son of producer-director-music director-actor T Rajinder recorded a song for composer Deva. The youngster has so far sung only for his dad’s film and that too under his dad’s baton. According to Deva, he felt that Silambarasan’s voice was most suited for a fast number and thus the recording of the song took place with the father’s permission for the film En Vilay Azhagay starring Prasanth and Amisha Patel in the lead. It is directed by Rajkapoor. The film has cinematography by Ravivarma.

Santosh Sivan to direct a Hollywood flick

Santosh Sivan, after Asoka will direct and cinematograph a film for a Hollywood based production company. The film deals about the outlook of the immigrants in USA and how they view the Americans. According to Santosh, the real natives of the land are the Red Indians, a fast vanishing tribe. The outlook of the US born English speaking Americans and how they treat the immigrants namely the Asians and the Latin Americans and their views on the Americans forms the subject. Sreenivasan, the noted Malayalam comedian, director and screenplay writer, plays the role of an Asian in New York. The film will be shot in Allepey, New York and Toronto. The details of the production house will be made public soon since the scripting work is in progress.

Aalvandhaan has 610 prints!

The Kamal Haasan-starrer Aalvandhaan will be releasing on Diwali day with 610 prints, the highest for any Tamil film so far according to its producer S Thanu. This includes the inland and overseas regions. Meanwhile VCDs of the film are said to be doing the rounds in the pirate markets in the state.

Giants battle for Diwali honours

Kamal Haasan and Manisha Koirala in Aalvandhaan

Kamal Haasan’s Aalvandhaan, directed by Suresh Krissna is the most expected movie coming for Diwali. Kamal Haasan playing in a double role, Raveena and Manisha as the heroines and with special effects, the film’s audiocassette is already a hit. The promos on TV are very catchy and the publicity hype is at its peak with producer Thanu taking special interest to promote it.

Next in line is Vijay’s Shajahan, produced by Super Good’s RB Chowdury. Vijay, who has been going through a lean phase, hopes to get back his top slot with this film. Richa Pallod is the leading lady. The combination of Chowdury and Vijay has been lucky in the past. Veteran director K Balchander is back this time with his 100th film starring Madhvan and Simran in the lead with music by AR Rahman. Given the initial draw of Madhvan with the youth and KB’s pull with the matured audience, the film is expected to do well. Kamal Haasan makes a guest appearance in the film.

Vijaykant’s Thavasi, directed by Udaysankar with Soundarya in the lead has the action hero in playing the father and son. Vijaykant in dual roles have always excelled at the box-office. His previous release Narasimha is only an average grosser and the trade is looking forward to see whether this film will take him back to the Vanathepol and Vallarasu days when they were blockbuster hits. Prasant’s Majnu and Vikram’s Kaasi are scheduled to come two weeks after Diwali.

— Ayyappa Prasad