He fasted for the cause of the SriLankan Tamils — twice over. Director P. Vasu was part of the fast in the city recently. Before that, he was in Japan. “I was scouting for a location in Toyama, a six-hour drive from Tokyo. Hari from the Tokyo Thamizh Sangam told me they were observing a fast for the Tamils, and asked me if I could join them. I joined them in Tokyo on the said date. It was a junction, and only 30 were permitted to sit on the road. However, slowly the number swelled to 100. In the evening, we submitted a memorandum to the Indian embassy. I’m happy to do my bit for the cause,” he says.
Happy outing
Cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran turned director with Yaan, and apparently enjoys his new role. “The film is a romantic action flick based on a real-life incident. I’m happy to have Jiiva and Thulasi in the lead. Jiiva fits the role to a T. And Mani Ratnam suggested I rope in Thulasi for her talent. A major portion of the film featuring the lead pair is over,” he says. Yaan is produced by R.S. Infotainment, with music by Harris Jayaraj and editing by Sreekar Prasad.
A new direction
Yesteryear actor Ambika and her sister Radha ruled the South Indian film industry for over a decade. With 175 films to her credit, Ambika now wields the megaphone along with Malayalam actor Suresh. Nizhal in Tamil and Anabella in Malayalam, the film is said to belong to the point-of-view genre, where no cameraperson is involved. The actors themselves hold the camera, which promises the viewers a different movie experience. “The one-hour-40-minute film is a blend of love, comedy and suspense. The lead pair is Major Kishore and Indu Thampi. There was a 40-day workshop for the artistes and the technicians, readying everyone for the final take. The Tamil film is likely to release this month,” says Ambika.
Twist in the tale
It’s interesting how K.P.S. Akshay turned an actor. “I did my Visual Communication and wanted to be a director. So, I produced a film to wear the director’s hat. But then, as chance would have it, the person chosen to play the lead pulled out at the last minute, and the unit asked me to don the greasepaint. The film is over, and here I am,” says the actor. The film Enakku 20 Unakku 40 is getting ready for release. Produced by Sri Bannari Amman Productions, the movie also features S. Siva, Shalini, Amrutha, Singam Puli, Vaiyapuri and Vadivukkarasi. The film’s music is by Joy Maxwell, and cinematography by P.S. Selvam.
