The kids, Ramesh and Vignesh, who played lead roles in the double-National award winning Tamil film Kaaka Muttai , have been offered an undisclosed sum by Fox Star India, to secure their immediate future.
A Chennai-based NGO named Bhumi has been entrusted with the responsibility of handling the money. “The money will be handed over to the kids after they turn 21. Until then, a small amount will be given to their families to take care of monthly expenses and any other additional educational costs,” said actor Dhanush, who presented the cheque to the kids along with fellow producer and director Vetrimaran, Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star India and the film’s director, M. Manikandan at the shooting spot of VIP – 2 in Chennai on Thursday.
“We (Vetrimaran and Dhanush) earlier announced that we will be taking care of their school education. We are not disclosing the money, but we have arrived at the amount that will be given every month in consultation with their families,” said Vetrimaran.
Asked if there are plans to feature the kids in any of their future ventures, Dhanush said that it would happen only if he comes across a character that requires actors of their calibre. “We have to match their potential and do justice,” he said.
“It’s rare for a film to do well at the box-office and get critical acclaim. But, very few films are life-changing for the audience and for those who worked in it. Kaaka Muttai is one such film. This is our small effort to change the lives of kids who worked in the film,” said Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star India. Vetrimaran and Dhanush produced the film and Fox Star India distributed it.
Of dancing and
Mickey Mouse
For Prabhu Deva, acting in Any Body Can Dance (ABCD) – 2 , a 3D dance film directed by choreographer Remo D’ Souza, was a fun-filled experience. This is mainly because it is based on the story of a Mumbai-based dance troupe and he got to see Mickey Mouse on the sets too.
“The movie is about a dance group from Nala Sopara, a town in Mumbai, that went on to win a dance show in Las Vegas. It is a sequel to ABCD which is based on a story,” says Prabhu Deva.
He says one of the best moments was meeting Mickey Mouse on the sets of ABCD-2.
Dharmesh Yelonde, a dancer himself, who has acted in the movie, says it was a great experience working in the movie and he learnt a lot from Prabhu Deva.
Dance lovers in Chennai are thrilled. Z. Arun Kumar, president, Cine and Televison Dancers and Dance Director’s Association, said such movies are a source of motivation and were tried by the south Indian film industry years ago. “But they were not a hit. In Mumbai, they have used better technology to tell the story,” he explains.
(Reporting by Udhav Naig and Vivek Narayanan)
