Samy's latest
Sindhu Samaveli is Samy's latest release. Going by the track record of the director who created quite a controversy with Uyir and Mirugam, has Sindhu Samaveli already begun causing a stir? "The A certification is only for the subject, not for the treatment. The Censors appreciated the way Samy has handled the oft-heard-but-rarely-discussed story, without vulgarity," Michael Rayappan, the producer, vouches for Samy's mature treatment of the bold theme. His Global Infotainment has made a name for itself as a house that backs solid storylines - Naadodigal and Goripaalayam are examples enough. Still it's surprising that Rayappan has plumped for Samy this time. "It's again a powerful story. Newspapers abound in incidents of unsavoury relationships leading to murder and mayhem, but we give it little thought. Sindhu Samaveli speaks of the aftermath of such recklessness," says Michael Rayappan.
Perfect screen mom
Even in her first film, Pokkisham , Anupama Kumar garnered enough attention. Now again in Vamsam , her second, she has made viewers sit up and take note of her. Passion for cinema makes this mother of a five-year-old shuttle between Delhi, where she lives, and Chennai. "I can't manage it without my husband's help," she says. It was Cheran, her first director, who called her up one morning and told her that his friend Pandiraj wished to cast her as the mother of Arulnidhi. She was initially apprehensive about travelling far down south. But despite the Pudukottai heat it was Arul's cheerfulness, the warm vibes she shared with actors Jayaprakash and Kishore and the rest of the unit and Pandiraj's encouragement that made the 60 days of shoot a wonderful experience for Anupama.
Her next release should be Ayyanar , in which she plays Aadhi's mom. "Again it's a strong role," she says. She will also be seen playing Prabhu's wife in Aadu Puli . "Prabhu is a joy to work with. For the first time, I get a chance to sing and dance and I've been allowed to look my age," she laughs.
Raavananhas helped
John Vijay runs an ad agency called H2O, has directed shows for television, including Channel V, and was the programming head of Radio 1, the FM station, when it was set up in Chennai and Bangalore. But the acting bug bit him when Mithran Devanesan first offered him a role in the plays "Final Solution" and "Dance Like a Man". Sarath Kumar's Thalaimagan marked his debut on the big screen and later directors Pushkar and Gayathri, his classmates in the Vis-com course, gave him a break in Oram Po . A few roles followed and then came Raavanan that gave him recognition. "Working for Mani Ratnam has been a confidence booster," says John Vijay, who has three films - Bale Pandiya, Kadhirvel with actor Ajmal and Quarter Cutting again with Pushkar and Gayathri - lined up. "I look different in each film that people don't recognise me in person. They assume I'm a 40-plus guy," he smiles.
Tactics galore
The concept is rather new. The audio release of Chikku Bukku a fortnight ago was followed by a trailer launch this past week. "Two songs in the album have gone down very well with youngsters. So we felt that a 30-minute visual teaser of the numbers would further kindle curiosity. Arya wanted the event held in a public place and so we had it at the Express Mall," Manikandan, the film's director informs. Beginning at 10 in the morning till 5.30 p.m., John Britto's Company danced for the two numbers through the day! A contest was organised, results announced and prizes distributed in the evening, after Hariharan and Leslie, the composers of Chikku Bukku , and the lead pair Arya and Shriya arrived. Did the ploy work? "Of course, it did! People gathered in large numbers," says Manikandan. If the trend translates into houseful shows what else can the makers ask for?
