Vijay TV on Friday launched ‘Rasigan Express,' a bus that will tour across the State seeking votes for nominees of the fourth UniverCell Vijay Awards.
The vehicle was flagged off by Information Minister Parithi Ellamvazhuthi from the city. The customised bus would provide people a platform to cast their votes in five categories — Favourite Hero, Heroine, Director, Film and Song in Tamil.
The colourfully decorated vehicle with images of popular actors would take fans down memory lane with photographs and video of award ceremonies held in the past three years.
It would travel to 14 places in the State, including Chengalpet, Cuddalore, Vellore, Madurai and Karur, before culminating its journey in Kancheepuram on May 7.
The organisers said nearly one lakh people voted last year. This time, people can choose their favourite film from 131 films released in 2009. A five-member jury comprising actor Radhika Sarathkumar, director A.R. Murugadoss, writer and director Yugi Sethu, cinematographer Ravi K.Chandran and cartoonist Madan would select the best technicians and actors for 32 categories.
Flagging off the bus, Mr. Ellamvazhuthi said this was the second time that he was participating in the event. Highlighting government initiatives, such as presentation of awards to film and television artists, he said such efforts by television channels to appreciate the film industry should continue for several decades.
Tamil Film Producers Council president Rama Narayanan, film producer Udayanidhi Stalin, Film Employees Federation of South India president V.C. Guganathan and UniverCell founder D. Sathish Babu spoke.
