Vazhakkusets a new benchmark
Following Samurai with Vikram (2002), Kaadhal with Bharath (2004) and Kalloori with Akhil (2007), director Balaji Sakthivel achieved international recognition when his 2012 venture Vazhakku En 18/9 was awarded Best Film at the SAFF in Paris, recently. This has given Balaji fresh impetus to come up with an even better script for his next directorial venture. Says Balaji: “I have a new benchmark now. Broadly, it will be an issue-based subject with a thriller treatment. For me, content is more important than form and only when I complete the script will I be able to slot it into a genre. Right now, I am travelling a lot — a favourite pastime for inspiration.”
One for the family
Director Pandiraj has just completed the talkie portions of Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga . “When I look at it from a viewer’s angle, I am quite happy with the outcome. It is different from my earlier films Pasanga and Marina , but will provide wholesome entertainment to a family audience. Vimal and Sivakarthikeyan have excelled themselves playing two childhood friends whose fathers were childhood friends too. There is an underlying message about parental love and respect,” says Pandiraj. Paired with the heroes are Bindhu Madhavi and Regina. One works in a hospital and falls in love with one of the heroes who goes there for an X-ray. The other girl works in a photocopying shop and falls in love with the other hero who frequents the place. “There is a lot of comedy even in the song sequences. Yuvan Shankar Raja has scored the music,” informs Pandiraj.
A sensitive role
D avid is her second Hindi film after Ishqiya , but Anupama Kumar is elated at the sensitive role she plays in Bejoy Nambiar’s tri-lingual. Says Anupama: “In David (Hindi version), I play a Muslim woman living in 1970s’ England. It was a refreshing experience working on a black and white format. Also being fluent in Hindi, I could handle the sync sound (live sound) effortlessly. I will treasure the experience working with seniors such as Sarika, Milind Soman and, of course, Neil Nitin Mukesh. I am one of the four South Indian artistes in David (the others being Nasser, Vikram and John Vijay). While the others are present in both the Hindi and Tamil versions, I am exclusively in the Hindi version — the story I am part of is there in the Hindi version only.” Anupama’s forthcoming Tamil releases are Moodar Koodam and Ponmaalai Pozhudhu .
Political satire
The Nineties hit Amaidhipadai ’s sequel is fast nearing completion. If Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA is Satyaraj’s 200th film, director Manivannan completes his half century as a filmmaker with it. Some of the earlier hits of the Satyaraj-Manivannan combo are Maman Magal, Pudhu Manithan and Vazhkaichakram . Nagaraja Cholan is a political satire on the same lines as Amaidhipadai. It features other prominent names such as Seeman, M. S. Bhaskar and Vaiyapuri. The glamour quotient is provided by Mridula, Varsha and Hansiba. The forthcoming audio release function will be a treat for fans — it will commemorate the two landmark incidences in Satyaraj’s and Manivannan’s career.
