Etcetera: Debuting with a crime thriller

Bhuvanakkadu

Director V. M. Mohan still can't believe that his first film is ready for release. When he decided to take the plunge into Kollywood, Mohan was a greenhorn in the true sense of the word. “I had no experience, no theoretical or practical knowledge of making a film; all I had was the drive to make one. That's how Bhuvanakkadu happened. I have not only produced and directed it, but also written the story, screenplay, dialogue and lyrics. At the end of it all, I think I have learnt a lot, and it has given me the confidence to get on with my next project. Bhuvanakkadu is a crime thriller and has Vignesh and Divya Nagesh in the lead. This film, which has taken me six months to complete, is releasing on December 27 and I hope the content and treatment will appeal to filmgoers,” says an excited Mohan.

Love for the arts

When scores of star struck boys and girls keep descending on Kollywood to try and make it to the silver screen, here is a small-town girl (from near Nagercoil) who made it to a French film,

Son epouse , thanks to her love for the performing arts. Janaki played Gracie, a Tamil girl with behavioural disorders ever since she was married. Janaki got interested in the performing arts when she was in Standard 12. “I joined a cultural troupe in my local diocese and took part in folk dances, street plays and martial arts. An unexpected visit to Delhi to attend a 30-day workshop at NSD introduced me to modern drama and Hindi. I have a smattering of English. Yet another chance meeting with Revathy who was an integral part of Gautham Menon’s production team fetched me a role in

Malini 22 Palayamkottai, a remake of the Malayalam film

22 Female Kottayam ,” says Janaki. Her deep interest in Therukoothu, has resulted in Janaki being part of

Rowthiram Pazhagu, a series on Puthiya Thalaimurai.

Catch the Aaha Kalyanam trailer

Band Baaja Baaraat was a huge box-office hit in Hindi and brought to the limelight two very talented actors — Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma. The Yash Raj Films production is now being remade in Tamil, titled Aaha Kalyanam, under the direction of A. Gokul Krishna. It features Nani and Vaani Kapoor in the lead.

"The storyline of

Aaha Kalyanam is similar to

Band Baaja Baaraat , but I have changed the marriage functions to suit our south Indian weddings. The cultural aspects pertaining to different communities have been incorporated. The overall presentation is very colourful and fun-filled. As far as the Tamil and Telugu versions are concerned, the songs and climax scenes have been individually shot, while most of the remaining scenes are dubbed. We decided on Vaani Kapoor as the heroine as she matches Anushka’s energy levels,” says Gokul.

Aaha Kalyanam is expected to hit the screens in early February.

Meanwhile, watch the trailer of Aaha Kalyanam which has been released with Dhoom 3, starring Aamir Khan and Katrina Kaif.