Opening his innings
Kamal Haasan named actor Mayilsamy's son, Arumanayagam, when the boy was born. Now, he's all set to make his film debut with Parthom Pazhaginom under a different name — veteran director K. Balachander has re-named him Anbu. Currently completing Visual Communications at Loyola College, Anbu is waiting to start shooting for his role as a teenaged lover in director Maduravan's new film. “I have always been interested in films, especially the technical aspects. I used to watch a lot of MGR and Kamal films. In the acting department, I love to play the romantic with a bit of action thrown in,” says Anbu. Considering his qualification, will he become an all-rounder in filmmaking?
Message-driven
When two youngsters decide to leave their village for the glamour of the city, their inexperience lands them in trouble in director R. T. Alexander's Aridharam . The duo fall a prey to the temptations and pleasures of city life. Compounding the situation, one of them falls in love. Tamizh, Sangeeth and Srivijaya form the cast. “I have endeavoured to convey a message to the youth of our villages that they should be wary of the pitfalls of city life. If they tackle them with intelligence, they can look forward to a bright future,” says Alexander.
Love and life
As children, our lives are influenced by our parents. Rarely do we take our own decisions. “But when one falls in love, life does a somersault. The mind starts listening to the dictates of love. Major decisions are made to accommodate the love interest which, on many occasions, become detrimental to the future prospects of the persons involved. I have made Mathikettan Saalai to convey a message that while love is important to lead a meaningful life, it shouldn't be allowed to warp the mind,” says Patturajan whose directorial debut features Adarsh and Divya Nagesh. His experience assisting in the direction of Renigunta has spurred him to tackle this subject.
One for the parents
Here's a film that tells parents how to deal with their growing children. “While parents should guide their wards to take the right path, any excessive control will only turn them into rebels. We have heard of instances where children have gone astray and landed on the wrong side of the law. Kalla Parunthu will show what happens to the hero Hamsavel and heroine Manju Dixit in their quest for unshackled freedom,” says first-time director Ithayan.
Vijay's Kaavalan at Shanghai
Jackie Chan might be a crowd-puller in India, especially Chennai. But, imagine Vijay's surprise when he went as a guest to the 14th Shanghai International Film Festival for the screening of his Kaavalan . Says Rekhs, a professional subtitlist, and who is responsible for the film's entry, “The audience loved the film; some of them came out with tears in their eyes. Kaavalan inaugurated the Focus India section of the panorama. At a meet-and-greet session, Vijay spoke to a largely Chinese audience, aided by an interpreter. “Five films, including Kaavalan , were sent from India for the section. This is the first time I'm taking part in an international film festival. It proves that neither actor nor language are a barrier to a film's international reach. I was surprised to hear people from the audience call my name, after the screening. As an actor from India, I felt proud to be recognised.”
