After Dasavatharam, looks like Mallika Sherawat is the flavor of Kollywood now. Mallika Sherawat’s romantic Bollywood movie in 2005, Bachke Rehna Re Baba, is now being dubbed in Tamil as Mallika Kamini.

Mallika has a role with a difference in this movie where she plays an seductress who plots to entrap wealthy men by her looks and then forces them to pay a ransom. Rekha plays Mallika’s aunt in this movie, which was directed by Govindh Menon.

The movie did not do well in bollywood. It will be released by released by Mani Enterprises in Tamil Nadu as Mallika Kamini.

Photo Gallery of Stars who watched Dasavatharam - Click here

Psycho is being planned as a movie that will be made on a quick schedule and will be loosely based on the recent spate of serial killings in the city. Chittiraiselvan, an alumnus of the MGR Film and Television Institute, and director of the film Agra , will return to make his second film that will be released in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam.

It may not feature the famous shower scene of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho that scared generations of film goers, but the director is confident that his film on the serial killer suspected of the midnight murders of eight security guards in Chennai, will be an edge-of-the-seat thriller.

“When something like this happens, everyone wants to know who is doing it, why and what the police are doing. It is a dramatic point in everyone’s life and my story will explore all elements,” said Chittiraiselvan. “If I can have the adrenaline flowing like he did, I will be happy,” said Chittiraiselvan, an ardent fan of director R K Selvamani.

Selvamani made the highly acclaimed Pulan Visaranai in 1990 based on the notorious serial killer Auto Shankar, who was accused of murdering nine teenage girls in Thiruvanmiyur. Starring Vijaykanth and Sarath Kumar, the film went on to generate a huge buzz. However, that was not Kollywood’s first or the last tryst with serial killers.

In 1978, Bharathiraaja directed Sigappu Rojakkal , which explored the dark side of a seemingly normal man by day and a rapist and murderer by night, who buried the victims in his own garden and grew rose bushes above the graves.

Balu Mahendra’s Moodu Pani made in 1980, starring Prathap Pothan and Sridevi, is yet another example that this movie sub-genre which keeps attracting top directors in Tamil.

With his easygoing manners, Pothan was brilliant as a serial killer, and the last few minutes of the film were rivetting. In 1984, Nooravadhu Naal starring Mohan was released and ran for 200 days and was a big box-office grosser.

“Serial killers are not born, but are a creation of society and circumstances, and my film will look at it from the emotional angle of the killer as well,” said Chittiraiselvan, who promised a blood-curdling climax. “Every movie-goer will identify with the character and recall the tiny mistakes he makes in life,” he added. However, he is clear that he would not glorify the serial killer. “However, what pushes such people over the edge needs to be examined.”

The director said he prefers to go by his imagination rather than rely on psychologists or the police profile on the killer.

The film is likely to roll out on August 18 and and the shooting will be wrapped up in 50 days. Being produced by Rangeela Enterprises, Psycho will not bank on a big star cast, but on story and screenplay, Chittiraiselvan said. Source:timesofindia.indiatimes

The change is apparent. In his ramrod-straight physique and his new confidence. Six-footer Vishal is ready to go shirtless and show off his six-pack abs in his forthcoming cop film Sathyam.

One of Kollywood’s famous downsizing stories in recent times, Vishal’s lean-mean look is clearly the result of sweat. “It called for a totally new routine,” rewinds the actor. “My role demanded such a demeanour. Since I play an assistant commissioner of police, I wanted to look like a cop — an absolutely fit one at that. So workouts became an essential part of my routine. Besides, there’s a scene in which I go shirtless, so I had to get ready for that.”

Though not someone to be hit by pre-release angst, Vishal admits he’s quite anxious about Sathyam. “For the past 18 months my life revolved around the film that’s slated for release on August 14. A lot is at stake. This is my biggest film so far — in terms of canvas, technical expertise and budget. Besides, it’s a bilingual. It’s my first straight Telugu film. The very look of Sathyam is slick. It’s mounted on a grand scale like a Shankar film. There’s art by Thota Tharini, visual effects by Hollywood experts and music by Harris Jayaraj. Director Rajashekar’s hard work shows in every scene.”

Divulging details, he continues, “There’s a never-seen-before car chase sequence that lasts for eight minutes. It’s a crucial part of the film. There’s another scene shot at the Dubai airport in which Kannada star Upendra, who plays the villain, chases the hero. These are portions where you can’t tell if it’s visual effects or real! I was bored of my usual fist fights. So we had to try out different action sequences. Besides, there are so many misgivings about encounters in cop films. Sathyam digs out the truth.”

Talk about action being his forte, and Vishal says earnestly, “It’s not that I want to do only action flicks. I’m just choosing from the best that’s offered to me. Post-Sandakozhi, which ran to packed halls for 210 days, I wanted to capitalise on my strong points. Thimiru followed, and it looked like action was something the audience expected of me. Though I tried comedy in Malaikotai and soaked in family sentiment in Tamiraparani, action was the core of these scripts too.

Incidentally, Sathyam is something that came to him immediately after Sandakozhi. “But I didn’t take it up then. I felt I needed to fine-tune my histrionics and fine-tone my physique. I’ve done tremendous homework for my role in Sathyam. I picked up inputs about body language, etc., from top cop C. Sylendra Babu. I can’t afford to mess up.”

Vishal, who started off as an assistant director before turning actor, says, “It helps to have that kind of a background, because you know what a director expects. My chemistry with my directors is often better than that with my heroines (laughs). But I can be a nuisance sometimes. I poke my nose into a lot of things — right from the coconut that’s bought for the puja.”

Though a star of some consequence today, Vishal’s heart still beats for direction. He will soon direct his dream film on a superhero — to be played by him. “I love fantasy characters. The South must have its own superhero. I’m working on the script. If it does well, there will be sequels too.”

Vishal, who is in no hurry to sign films, says, “I’ll be doing Udayanidhi Stalin’s forthcoming film. I’d rather take one film at a time and go slow than goof up. Today, an actor kills himself for his role. You have to be a thorough-bred. But the pressure is good. It keeps you on your feet. Tinseldom today is like a garden. A new flower blooms every day. There’s no room for complacency. Either you are a somebody or a nobody.” Source: hindu

Cast: Vishal, Nayanthara, Upendra, Premji Gangai Amaran
Music: Harris Jayaraj
Direction: Rajasekhar
Production: Vikram Krishna

There is a good news for fans of ace director Jeeva. They will now get to watch his magic on screen one more time.

Dhaam Dhoom , the last movie that the director was working on when he passed away, is now all set to be released in August.

Says Director G K Manikandan, who took over from where Jeeva left, "This is Jeeva sir’s first action movie. Till now, he has done only romantic movies. Ninety per cent of this movie was made by Jeeva sir. I completed the remaining ten per cent. Although, he wasn’t there, everything has been made according to his taste."

Jayam Ravi plays the lead in the movie with Kangana Ranaut and Lakshmi Rai.

The movie revolves around a house surgeon who goes to attend a conference in Russia, where he gets trapped.

The film also has Jayaram playing an important role. Music for the film has been scored by Harris Jayaraj. Source: timesofindia

Its the dream of every kollywood star, to be associated in some way with the legend actor MGR in their movies. Superstar Rajinikanth was named MGR in his motta boss avatar in Sivaji the boss movie. A lot of people have been trying to get to name their movie as MGR and finally its ilayathalapathi who has even come closer to achieving this.

Though Vijay’s movie is not directly titled MGR, he will be seen portraying a guest role in the movie Pandhayam, in which Vijay will supposedly be acting in a movie titled MGR when hero Nitin Sathya comes to meet him.

Pandayam is incidentally directed and produced by S.A Chandrasekhar who is actor Vijay’s father.

Actress Nayanthara in Kuselan Movie Photo Gallery

The shoot for Rajinikanth’s ‘Kuselan’ completed. The year 2008 saw remakes such as Yaaradi Nee Mohini and Santosh Subramanium making it big at the box office. Malayalam movie Katha Parayumbol is now being remade as Kuselan,starring Rajnikant.

According to the latest buzz in the industry, the next movie in the remake line is Malayalam superhit Meesa Madhavan, directed by Lal Jose. To be directed by Prabhakaran, the movie will feature Paruthiveeran-fame Karthi and Nayantara in the lead. It is said to hit the floors after Nayantara finishes her current movies Sathyam and Aegan, and Karthi his Ayirathil Oruvan.

Director K. Balachander’s Kavithalaya, along with Seven Arts, is producing the film, the Tamil remake of Malayalam hit ‘Katha Parayumpol.’

Rajinikanth plays the role of the superstar, while Pasupathy acts as a barber.

Meena plays the wife of the barber, while Nayanthara pairs with Rajinikanth. Actor Prabhu, too, plays an important role. According to Mr. Vasu, shooting for both Tamil and Telugu versions of the film is over. “We have shot for nearly 81 days, and I must give credit to my cameraman Aravind Krishna for his speedy work.

Actress Nayanthara in Kuselan Movie Photo Gallery

Rajnikanth is going to Japan! In, and probably with, his new film Kuselan that was completed in a record five months, and in which the ageing actor has a rocking new image. Rushes from the film that has Japanese subtitles show that the flamboyant star looks younger and more dynamic than what he did in Sivaji — The Boss a year ago.

Rajnikanth has never been to Japan but the South superstar is already quite an iconic figure there. The Japanese believe he’s India’s answer to Jackie Chan. An actor who delights the audience with his exciting fighting skills, energetic dancing, and abundant talent for comedy, drama and emotion. No wonder they call him the Dancing Maharaja!

Japan has a sizeable South Indian population that, naturally, worships Rajnikanth; but surprisingly, the Southie legend’s following is also huge among the Japanese. Local stores have DVDs of all his movies. And the release of a new Rajnikanth film, is cause for celebration. Ten year ago his film Muthu ran for 23 weeks at a Tokyo theatre and was seen by over 1,27,000 Japanese.

Now Rajnikanth, at the invitation of the Tokyo International Film Festival, is preparing to take Kuselan to Japan. In it, he changes 20 costumes in two songs, which should amuse the Japanese considerably. But better still, Rajnikanth romances nine Japanese models in one song, and that should make him a household name.

Modestly, the actor told BT from his home in Chennai, “I don’t know whether I can make it to Tokyo. It’ll be great if I can. Otherwise, I’m excited that the Japanese are waiting for Kuselan with as much passion as they had for my films a decade ago. They are high on emotional content and comic action, it’s a treat to be watched by them.”

Kuselan, incidentally, is also being made in Hindi as Billoo Barber with Shah Rukh Khan playing Rajnikanth’s role. Both films are based on friendship and are slated for release internationally in the first week of August to coincide with World Friendship Day. Source: timesofindia

The change is apparent. In his ramrod-straight physique and his new confidence. Six-footer Vishal is ready to go shirtless and show off his six-pack abs in his forthcoming cop film Sathyam.

One of Kollywood’s famous downsizing stories in recent times, Vishal’s lean-mean look is clearly the result of sweat. “It called for a totally new routine,” rewinds the actor. “My role demanded such a demeanour. Since I play an assistant commissioner of police, I wanted to look like a cop — an absolutely fit one at that. So workouts became an essential part of my routine. Besides, there’s a scene in which I go shirtless, so I had to get ready for that.”

Though not someone to be hit by pre-release angst, Vishal admits he’s quite anxious about Sathyam. “For the past 18 months my life revolved around the film that’s slated for release on August 14. A lot is at stake. This is my biggest film so far — in terms of canvas, technical expertise and budget. Besides, it’s a bilingual. It’s my first straight Telugu film. The very look of Sathyam is slick. It’s mounted on a grand scale like a Shankar film. There’s art by Thota Tharini, visual effects by Hollywood experts and music by Harris Jayaraj. Director Rajashekar’s hard work shows in every scene.”

Divulging details, he continues, “There’s a never-seen-before car chase sequence that lasts for eight minutes. It’s a crucial part of the film. There’s another scene shot at the Dubai airport in which Kannada star Upendra, who plays the villain, chases the hero. These are portions where you can’t tell if it’s visual effects or real! I was bored of my usual fist fights. So we had to try out different action sequences. Besides, there are so many misgivings about encounters in cop films. Sathyam digs out the truth.”

Talk about action being his forte, and Vishal says earnestly, “It’s not that I want to do only action flicks. I’m just choosing from the best that’s offered to me. Post-Sandakozhi, which ran to packed halls for 210 days, I wanted to capitalise on my strong points. Thimiru followed, and it looked like action was something the audience expected of me. Though I tried comedy in Malaikotai and soaked in family sentiment in Tamiraparani, action was the core of these scripts too.

Incidentally, Sathyam is something that came to him immediately after Sandakozhi. “But I didn’t take it up then. I felt I needed to fine-tune my histrionics and fine-tone my physique. I’ve done tremendous homework for my role in Sathyam. I picked up inputs about body language, etc., from top cop C. Sylendra Babu. I can’t afford to mess up.”

Vishal, who started off as an assistant director before turning actor, says, “It helps to have that kind of a background, because you know what a director expects. My chemistry with my directors is often better than that with my heroines (laughs). But I can be a nuisance sometimes. I poke my nose into a lot of things — right from the coconut that’s bought for the puja.”

Though a star of some consequence today, Vishal’s heart still beats for direction. He will soon direct his dream film on a superhero — to be played by him. “I love fantasy characters. The South must have its own superhero. I’m working on the script. If it does well, there will be sequels too.”

Vishal, who is in no hurry to sign films, says, “I’ll be doing Udayanidhi Stalin’s forthcoming film. I’d rather take one film at a time and go slow than goof up. Today, an actor kills himself for his role. You have to be a thorough-bred. But the pressure is good. It keeps you on your feet. Tinseldom today is like a garden. A new flower blooms every day. There’s no room for complacency. Either you are a somebody or a nobody.” Source: hindu

Cast: Vishal, Nayanthara, Upendra, Premji Gangai Amaran
Music: Harris Jayaraj
Direction: Rajasekhar
Production: Vikram Krishna

Malavika has survived 10 years in an industry in which any other woman would have moved from item number to heroine material to sister/ mother mould.

But she broke the norms, and is still the reigning dance queen of Kollywood. And she was clearly the one to make one-item appearances sound fashionable.

She might have made news for all the wrong reasons in recent times, but the expectant mother, settled in Mumbai now, thinks her Kollywood life has been one jolly good time, brass-tacks. She gave the clear go-ahead when one-song offers came her way. “People thought it would do their movie good if I did a dance number. I had no qualms with it,” she explains.

But Karthikai, the movie she walked out for, citing sexual harassment from the producer as a reason, has left a sour taste in her Kollywood stint, and she pauses to say it has been her biggest regret in her career. When the inevitable probe on her future plan is made, her answer is non-committal. “My child is my biggest preoccupation now. I’m eager to watch my future unfold after it’s born,” she says.

The Rs two billion cartoon extravaganza Sultan the Warrior will also feature superstar Rajinikanth in live action, publicists said.

“The superstar’s live action will appeal to all sections of the audience and not just children,”sources said.Meanwhile, a number of actresses have been pipped to play a role opposite Rajini in the movie, but nothing has been finalised yet.

The movie with animated Rajinikanth playing the main protagonist is being produced jointly by the actor’s daughter Soundarya Rajnikanth owned Ocher Studios and Warner Brothers. Source: timesofindia.indiatimes

Actress Malavika, who has charged Anjaneyulu, the producer of the film “Kartheegai”, with trying to molest her during the film’s shooting in Hyderabad last week, has been sacked and is to be sued by the producer for Rs. 75-lakh damages.

Veera, who directs the film, announcing that Malavika has been removed from the film, said another top actress would take her place. He would not disclose the name of the actress replacing Malavika.

He said the charges leveled by Malavika against the producer are baseless and she would be sued for Rs 75-lakh damages for causing financial loss and mental agony.

Pretty actress Meenakshi, who made a dream debut in Karan-starrer Karuppasamy Kuthigaitharar, has turned on her glamourous side.

Meenakshi who is not familiar with wearing half sari or sari found it challenging to wear one in her debut movie. Now she is back to her favorite attire, modern clothes in her upcoming movies Perumal and Rajathi Raja.

Meenakshi is also a busy model besides appearing in films.