He has a string of notable films ( Roja Koottam, Parthiban Kanavu, Uyir, Kana Kandein, Nanban and the recent Paagan ) to his credit and is known to be a dependable actor among directors and producers. Srikanth, who now has two movies in different stages of production, says, “We have already completed one schedule of Om Shanthi Om , being directed by Prabhakar (assistant to Rajesh). I am paired with Neelam in the film, a family entertainer set in modern-day Tiruchi and Thanjavur. I play an educated youth working in the automobile industry. After completing Om Shanthi Om , I will start work on Nambiyar , a romantic thriller. For the first time, I will be teaming up with Santhanam and am looking forward to it.” The heroine for Nambiyar is yet to be finalised.
Life’s enriching
Life is a journey with many twists and turns. That’s the premise of director R. Venkatesan’s Nalanum Nandiniyum . “The hero (Michael) and the heroine (Nandita), with their unique characteristics and behaviour, set out on this journey, learning about each other, imbibing each other’s strengths and overcoming their weaknesses on the way. We have seen couples trying to better their lives and that of the other family members in the midst of hardships. I have tried to incorporate all this into Nalanum Nandiniyum which has romance, comedy and emotion in the right proportion. Without emotion there is no relationship. Greater understanding comes out of emotional situations,” says first-time director Venkatesan, who has learnt the ropes under Venkat Prabhu.
Tale with a twist
The villain harassing the heroine is common in movies. But, in M. Ganesan’s Isakki , it is the hero, played by Sharran Kumar, who relentlessly pursues and torments the heroine, Ashita. She is a school teacher who is least interested in him. To make matters worse for her, a villain enters the scene. “Under usual circumstances, the hero would try to get rid of the villain to win the heroine’s heart and hand. But, I have decided to veer away from the beaten path to make the story interesting. The turn of events actually takes place post-interval,” says Ganesan. Will the heroine fall for the villain or the hero? “For that, you will have to wait for the release of Isakki, ” says the director.
New viewpoint
Filmmakers are always thinking of innovations to grab viewers’ attention. There is only so much one can do about a storyline — romance, thriller, family entertainer, suspense, murder or comedy. So, directors Ambika and Suresh thought of employing a new technique called POV, or Point Of View, where the actors hold the camera and enhance the viewing experience of the audience who get into the plot, rather than watch as third persons. The bi-lingual, Nizhal in Tamil and Anabella in Malayalam, is a 140-minute movie comprising love, comedy, suspense and thrills. Suresh is a film student from Hollywood having studied in UCLA. He has acted in Malayalam films, while Ambika is a yesteryear actor who has acted in over 175 films in all four south Indian languages. Indu Thampi and Major Kishore are the lead actors.
Humility personified
At the recently held Micromax MTV Video Music Awards India 2013, two big names from the entertainment industry were seen bonding big time. Priyanka Chopra who won the Super Achiever of the Year Award was seen complimenting A. R. Rahman who won the Best Indie Video Award. When asked if he would give the actor an opportunity to sing one of his compositions, Rahman said, “Rather, she needs to give me a job.” Now, isn’t he an embodiment of humility? The Micromax MTV Video Awards India 2013 will be simulcast across all seven channels of the Viacom18 Network which includes MTV and Colors, today at 7 p.m.
