Cinema Plus, The Hindu's weekly supplement, was launched on Saturday evening at a glittering function at the Taj Krishna hotel here. The film fraternity turned up in full force, braving pelting rain to be at the event.
Chief Guest actor Nagarjuna, who is featured on the cover page, cut short his trip to Jordan to be at the launch party. After he unveiled the first page of the first edition of Cinema Plus to cheers, various people connected to the film industry, including Vishnu Manchu, Allu Arvind, Ramesh Prasad and actor Sunil, spoke.
Setting the mood, The Hindu's Senior Associate Editor Mukund Padmanabhan said: “The launch of Cinema Plus marks the deepening of relationship between the paper and readers in Andhra Pradesh.”
Fathers' compulsion
Mr. Nagarjuna spoke about the time his father made him read the paper to improve his language. “But I am happy that there will be no gossip in this supplement,” he said to cheers from the film folks.
Producer Allu Arvind said: “My father compelled me to read the paper and whatever I am speaking here is due to The Hindu .”
Welcoming the launch of Cinema Plus, which he suggested would fill a lacuna in The Hindu's coverage, Mr. Vishnu Manchu said he almost cracked the civil services exam with the help of the newspaper.
Young actor Ram had the audience in splits when he said: “Everyone is talking about being compelled by their fathers to read The Hindu when they were children, I am still being forced to read it.”
Cinema-loving State
P. Ranga Reddy, The Hindu's Regional General Manager, proposed a vote of thanks.
Mr. Reddy said Cinema Plus would be available with every copy of the paper distributed in Andhra Pradesh, a State which is keenly interested in cinema.
