A new reality show on Raj TV may well be the answer to the prayers of several Tamil directors who have been ruing the fact that the industry does not have many Tamil-speaking heroines.
The show, Tamil Pesum Kadhanayagi (TPK), which its creators claim is the first of its kind in Tamil television, will spot potential actresses.
Mala Manyan, CEO, Raj Television Network, says, “It is for the first time that heroines are being searched for through a reality show. We are trying to find an ordinary girl who probably has the aspiration and the talent to become an actress. We hope to spot twenty talents, all of whom stand a good chance of being cast in films.”
The show, it seems, already has the backing of a considerable number of Tamil directors, including A.R. Murugadoss, K.V. Anand, Vetrimaran and Rajesh.
The process of shortlisting the participants will be spread over five seasons and include a grand finale. In Season One, auditions will be held at seven places including Chennai, Mumbai, Malaysia, Bangalore and Palakad. The top ten in each place will enter the next season.
All the 70 will then attend a theatre camp after which 40 will be selected by industry experts at the end of Season Two. In Season Three, these 40 girls will be trained in ramp walking. They will also attend personality development and confidence-building sessions after which 30 will be chosen.
The next season will see these 30 attend a police training camp to help them stay fit. After the camp, their endurance and perseverance skills will be put to the test. Only 20 will make it to the next round.
In Season Five, the 20 contestants will be flown to Malaysia for a grooming session. Grooming includes honing their acting and dancing skills. At the Grand Finale, they will exhibit their skills to a large audience which will include top directors, cinematographers and artistes. The top five contestants will emerge winners.
Says Mala, “Aspirants from other states can also participate in this reality show, the only condition being they need to speak Tamil.”
Explaining what led her to come up with this idea, Mala says, “We own the rights of over 2,500 films and have had tremendous support from the film industry. In return, we want to dedicate this show to them. Not every director can afford to spend six months looking for a heroine. So, as a result of this process, the industry will have 20 talented actresses to choose from by the time this hunt concludes.”
The show commences on August 18.
