How is the 'Baba' raging these days?

God! Madhan! Its unbelievable. The whole state has only one name on its lips these days. Look at the sheer hold Rajini has. Wow!

Very hue. The business statistics of the film is mind boggling too. Even Bollywood is watching the performance of this film industry.

Madhan, is this going to be Rajini's last film?

Even Rajini doesn't know the answer to this. Rajini had been giving serious about retiring for some time now. But, something mysterious, an unexplainable force, had been driving him to make more movies. But this time Rajini is adamant that 'Baba' is going to be his last film. This is what he said during his Malaysia tour too. He hasn't quiet made up his mind about entering politics. Even if he doesn't directly enter politics, he plans to do lot of good through his foundations and by the money that 'Baba' will bring in. This is what the general belief is.

Yeak! Well! Its not pleasant to hear that Rajini wants to quit acting. You tell me Madhan, will we ever see an actor like Rajini again? Actors like him are born only one in, may be a thousand years.

True again. In the past 29 years, he has done everything that an actor could only dream of. He has created unbelievable records. Everybody wants the record career to continue. But, everybody knows that the Lord himself has to speak to him and order him to continue working.

Alright Madhan, any other news?

The film that has Kamal & Manirathnam working together, is slowly shaping up. Manirathnam is working these days on a film. After completing it, the duo unites to rattle us up with this film.

Okay! On one land we have Rajini retiring and an the other hand, there's Kamal who's singing up to work with all the leading directors like Sunder.C, Bala & Manirathnam. Hey! Looks like Sneha & Shrikanth have returned to shooting.

Yes, Shanthi. The director of 'April Maadhathil', Stalin, says that he looks at these accidents in a positive way. The film portrays college fun in a beautiful manner. Until now, we didn't have a film that happens fully inside a college campus. The film starts in the month of June, when colleges reopen, and ends in April when Shrikanth in the lead roles, the film overflows with youthfulness', says the director.

Alright Madan, I've got to go. We'll meet next week with the review of 'Baba'. Bye Baby!

 


Baba!

Finally, August 15 is almost here. Millions of hearts are experiencing an increased flow of adrenalin. They are all set to see 'Baba'.

Investment - 5 crores.

Returns - Nobody knows how many crores. That's the rate at which Baba's commercial performance is exploding.

Story of Baba - how a non-believer transforms into a Believer. Director Shankar and 'Sujatha' had contributed heavily for the screenplay. Rajini himself had declared this at the functions of 'Boys'. With contributions from people like them, the film is sure not to slag anywhere. This is what the Industry Insiders believe.

Manisha Koirala is paired with Rajini in the film. And, the losing end of the usual love triangle is played by Sanghavi (since Sanghavi and Rajini were both Kannadigas, on the sets, they spoke to each other in Kannadam.)

Riyaz Khan and Aashish Vidhyarthi are the two people who clash with Rajini and earn the wrath of the audience.

Starting from Rajini, everybody in the unit wanted the former Ms.World, Aishwarya Rai to be the heroine. But, they wanted call sheets for 40 days at a sketch which Aishwarya Rai couldn't give. So, she had to refuse the film.

Manisha & Rajini form a good pair. Comments began to surface that her matured looks work well with Rajini's advanced age. When director Suresh Krishna came to know about this, he ordered the make up man to pay special attention to Manisha's face.

A TV actress who played a minor role in the film says that a book could be written based on all the things that happened on the sets of the film. She says that Rajini's pace and dedication on the sets never failed to astonish them.

I was Rajini's commanding presence on the sets that made the film happen smoothly at the shooting spots. This was also responsible for the film's completion an time. The 'Rajini' spell had worked magic on everybody right from the actors and actresses down to the people who provided the props for the sets. The pride that these people had in working for 'Baba' was so moving. It's a surprise that Rajini factor alone had inspired them to be so absolutely punctual and prompt.

The same story continued with the Censor Board too. The speed at which they came up with a 'u' certificate for this film was hair raising. This is what the whole cine industry has to say. Everybody's gaping at the dedication that the whole industry is showing to get this film released on time.

Instead of choosing music directors like Ilayaraja or Deva who don't have a market these days, Rajini was smart enough to go for commercially viable A.R.Rehman. The cinema music industry, for its share, is gushing at Rajini, for its part. Cassette sales are expected to go beyond the 10 Lakhs mark which by itself is a record.

Following is the statistics of the film:

Tamilnadu Rights: 16 crores
Andhra Rights : 9 crores
Karnataka Rights : 2 crores
Kerala Rights : 1 crore
Audio Rights : 6 crores
International Rights: 6 crores
TV Rights: 5 crores

The 'Baba' revenue is growing unabated. Revenue is not the only thing that's growing. The audience's expectation is growing at an alarmingly astronomical rate too!

Simran - She's one of Tamil cinema's unforgettable actresses!


If a list was made

If one were to make a list of leest actresses of Tamil cinema, then Simran is bound to find a very enviable top slot in it. The only difference the between her and her counterparts on the list is - her glamour. She is the first and only actress who could do a wonderful job both as a serious actress & a glamour doll.

In the midst of actress whose circumference grew in direct proportion to their age, here is one actress who had been dedicatedly guarding her slender waistline. Thanks to this, she is able to execute all those complex dance movements so gracefully.


2002 seems to be bitter year for simran. This is inspite of the fact that this was the year in which she had worked with stalwarts like Kamal and directors like manirathnam & Balachander. But..? Until 1999, Simran was like any othe actress opting for the easy, strainless way out. Doing glamorous roles. Then 2 films 'Vaali' and 'Thullatha Manamum Thullum' happened. These two films before. 'you have seen simran, the glam babe. Now, watch simran, the actress'. Her new avtar began then and she didn't look back. Since then, she had been conquering new heights with each & every film of hers.

Simran was the daughter of sharada - Ashokkumar couple. She had tow sisters and a brother. A picture - perfect family it was. The glitz of the cine world mesmerised her Too. Her stint as the anchorperson of 'Superhit Muggabla' got her in touch with Jaya Bachchan. That was how 'Tere Mere Sapne' happened.

Soon, Malayalam's 'Indraprastam' came looking for her. Her entry into Tamil cinema was amidst lot of excitement & controversy.

'V.I.P' was originally intended with Laila & Ramba as the two heroines. But, prabhudeva didn't like Laila. The makers of the film had no choice. Simran hit her first jackpot. Laila's exit brought simran in and she danced her way into Tamil cinema to the tunes of 'Mayilu mayilu mayilamma'.

Before 'Vaali', cinema career was going on a smooth track. Her records were full of glamour roles. 'Vaali' came. "When I first met S.J.Surya, I never thought that he was a director. He looked so down_to_earth & simple. But he was the one who had explained the character to me from the beginning till the end. He was the sole motivator. Credit for binging such a performance from me goes fully to him". Even now, simran gets all excited when she talks about 'Vaali'.

Every actress who enters Tamil cinema dreams of working with Rajini, because a film with Rajini ensures twice the current salary and the fan following & fame touches the sky.

" 'Arunachalam' & 'Padaiappa' invited & me but due to my call-sheet problems, I couldn't accept the offers. I'm not 'Bala' but I'm surely starring in Rajini's next film". She swears. The first thing that comes to mind when one talks about Sirman is her fab figure.

" I do yoga & aerobics. I follow a strict diet routine. I don't break the routine. 2 or 3 chappatis with subji & fruit juice in my breakfast. My lunch consists of rice with chicken or mutton curry & 2 pooris. My dinner is chappatis with some idlis & dosas. When I feel thirsty, I have fruit juices. This is the timetable that has kept me from adding on weight, "she says.

Simran is after seen on the Telugu coast.

"They pay better," pat comes the honest reply.

Alright, lets get to the theme of this write-up.

2002 turned out to be the most painful year for simran. On the career front, this was a bitter year. Only 'Panchathanthiram' is figuring on the list of hit films. 'Pammal.k.Sambandham' & 'Tamizhan' turned out to be average grosser while 'Kannathil Muththamittaal' and 'Ezumalai' flopped. This was the bad news.

If her career looked this bad, her personal life was total niglit mare. Monal, who was told to leave the house by Simran, committed suicide due to love failure. Under this mental strain, she blindly accused Mumtaj Unnecessarily and now the latter had filed a defamation case against her.

If these were not enough, sum ours of an affair with Kamal surfaced. The basis for these rumors was the fact that she had been the lead actress of 2 consequtive Kamal films. Simran used to consult with Kamal for each and everything. "This deep bond of friendship was twisted & turned by the media & was declared as 'caught red -handed' scandal of the month, "Simran says. She thus flames the media for the alleged 'affair'. Kamal wouldn't speak about this either because he believes that this would affect simran's personal life.

Even now, Kamal & Simran continue to be good friends. Once, he was supporting her when she was dealing with her problems. Now she's lending her shoulder to supports him in his hour of need. In spite of the glaring & probing eyes of the media, a beautiful bond of friendship does exist between the two. If there's thing simran can't handle, its disastrous relationship with Raju Sundaram.

When the industry first came to know about their love affair, every one was shocked. Then, they began accepting them as a couple.

Simran, for her turn, began giving interviews in the magazines, stating that Raju Sundaram was the man in her life, that she was going to marry him, that their philosophies & views matched on many issues… She just couldn't stop talking about ber love for him.

"The relationship between me & Raju Sundaram is over. When they fall in love, the very much know that its an actress they are falling in love with. But, when the question of marriage pops up, they have a hundred reservations. What should we make out when they say that their actress. Did he not know that I was an actress when he was in love with me?"

She feels upset now.

After four years of being together, when Raju Sundaram decided to read out the 'Vote of Tanks' of their relationship, Simran had no choice but to accept it. Among commonfolks, its probably men who suffer more when a relationship ends, but in the cine world, in more than 90% o the case, it's the actresses who suffer.

In the aftermath of Monal's death, Simran had shifted her residence to Mumbai again in order re-invent herself. But she hasn't quit Tamil cinema yet. And just to prove it, she's busy with 4 films now.

Had she wanted, Simran could simply have chosen to remain a decorative piece is all her films. But, except for shortage of money, she had suffered everything that any other ordinary woman would have. Maybe this is why she's managed to survive in this industry for so long.

Simran is no exception to the highs & lows that Life has for everyone.


Mediocre rather than the razzmatazz Indian Star Night!



Our kollywood people's stage performance is not only the issue in the starnight shows performed by them in Malaysia and Singapore. Besides their group attitude that shows their concern over the film federation, their individual attitude revealed their lack of support over the local press. Here Priya Thiagarajan discloses the issue through an email to us.

The "Tamil Mega Star Night - 2002" opened with the usual flair, glitzy, colourful costumes, gyrating dancers as one expects in all Indian films. Mollywood's debut in Malaysia dazzled the 14,000 odd-crowd at the Putra Indoor Stadium, Bukit Jalil, held last month.

The heat of the show started at the beginning of the week with the arrival of the vice-president of South Indian Film Actors Association (SIFAA), Napoleon. He arrived earlier to oversee every aspect of the show from speaking to the press, welcoming the stars who came in batches on different days, arranging the stars for a press conference, distributing tags, fetching the stars to the ticket counters and back, and making sure rehearsals were running smoothly.

The local event manager, Siva Production's participation was very minimal. The only time their presence were duly noticed was during the press conference on Wednesday, 24 July 2002, while on Thursday and Friday, it was down to only one person, Mr. Rao, the owner of Siva Production.

They were also talks that the reason could be due to a misunderstanding between the local event manager and the owner of Roja Combines, Mr Kaja Mohideen.

The press conferences didn't go smoothly either. The organisers were protecting the stars as if they were the last treasures of India. The press conferences were often cancelled at the eleventh hour much to the frustration of the press.

The organisers did not allow the press to meet or to speak with the two pillars of Kollywood, Rajinikanth and Kamalhassan, citing tiredness and sleepiness as excuses.

The security given to the stars will even put our Prime Minister's security to shame. Each time a star arrives to the hotel lobby, there will be at least four bodyguards "hugging" them much to the amusement and irritation of the fans who were waiting for them.

A fan said, "They don't look like stars to me. From the way they are protected right up to main door, they look more like wanted criminals, minus the handcuffs."

Some of the fans who were waiting at the lobby to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars were very disappointed when only a number of stars took has the courtesy to acknowledge the crowd, and especially when told that Rajinikanth and Kamalhassan, the main reason they waited for, will not appear.

However, when actor Vikram arrived, he was received with a thunderous applause and an O-Podu". He returned their affection by waving at them much to their delight. Some stars, like Mumtaz, Ramba and Meena were seen wearing sun glasses the minute they stepped into the lobby, minus the smile they are so famous for in movies.

Arrogance was in the air when some of the more famous actors and actresses were seen ignoring the fans and the press.

An actor, who was recently made a Member of Parliament (MP), was seen giving sarcastic remarks to some newsmen regarding articles they wrote in their papers. His sister's character had no similarity whatsoever to what she portrays in a popular Tamil mega serial.

However, Tamil movie stars must be awarded the best actors and actresses in the world. The minute they hit the stage, they completely transform themselves from the arrogant and unapproachable stars to "down-to-earth people".

Despite all these hassles, the show started with a fusion of dances, choreographed by Dance Master Kala and Brinda. If there was one thing about the show worth mentioning, it is the brilliant choreography.

After that, the show went into a boring phase. For one hour, stars came on stage and danced to songs from Tamil movies and performed sketches which were far from humorous.

Akin to a sinking ship, the show was somewhat saved by Indian actor Prasanth, together with Dance Master Kala, mesmerised the audience with their dances and antics. They even invited some fans to perform on stage. It was just the right antidote and what the audience wanted to see, not the come-on-stage-dance-bye performance chunked out by actors like Arjun, Madhavan and Shyam.

To Prasanth, stay the way you are and you will always be number one.

Vikram, the current number one of Tamil cinema star, was a major disappointment. Instead of dancing to the tunes of "O-Podu", the song that made him an overnight sensation, he chose to sing the song. Although it was originally sung by him, the song went totally out of tune.

Another star, Vijay, seemed nothing like in the movies in which he often portrayed strong and brave characters. Here, he didn't even have the courtesy to say 'Hi' to the audience. He, too, chose to follow Vikram's footpath by singing a song from one of his movies, Shah Jahan. Like Vikram, he too completely 'killed' the song.

The performances of the actresses were just as bad, underscored by the typical routine of the "round belly dance".

Actress Kushbu, married to director Sunder. C, refused to allow photographers to take a picture of her as she was expecting her second child.

However, she was jumping ala 'Inspector Gadget' on stage though not too impressively. Furthermore, she performed a dance with Prabhu, son of the late Sivaji Ganeson.

Despite being a Tamil night, none of the actresses, except for "Chitthi" Radhika, Kushbu and long-time comedian, Padmashri Manorama, the performers spoke not a word in Tamil to the audience.

They can't be blamed though. Maybe none of them are fluent or they did not have the customary hundred-page script before them.

It's about time Tamil movie directors and producers picked Tamil-speaking actresses for their film if they do not want the Tamil movie scene to rot. They must realise that they can't be using dubbing artists for actresses who don't have any talent except to show off their belly on screen.

Finally, two stalwarts of Kollywood, Rajinikanth and Kamalhassan, appeared on stage to a thunderous applause. They had the easiest task - they were only required to answer questions from 15 fans which were restricted only to "reel-life" and not real-life.

It was indeed a chance of a lifetime to 'grill' the two icons of the Tamil movie industry, as even during the Press conference, the media were denied the opportunity.

However, it was sad to see that Malaysians, in total awe of the stars, could not come out with relevant questions. Most of the questions were confined to their acting capabilities and their up-coming movies, which a 10-year old fan could answer.

It was amusing to see both of them telling their fans how much they (the fans) meant to them. They said that they constantly needed the support of the Malaysian Indians in order for them to succeed. They also added that Indians must help one another even if they have migrated to another country and that they were so happy to see them in the stadium.

These statements are from the same people who did not care for their fans when they were waiting for them at the hotel. These are also the same persons who preferred sleeping, than meeting the fans who determine their success. Such hypocrisy! No wonder one is a superstar and the other, a National Award recipient.

After the curtains came down, many non-discerning fans left the stadium feeling ecstatic after seeing their favourite stars live but for those who know quality agreed the fans were merely being treated to as Kollywood's cash cows.

There were too many misgivings such as too many stars performing in the five-hour show. Actors and actresses did not glitter as brightly as they had been expected to while performances were meagre, less glitzy and less entertaining than what is usually portrayed in Tamil movies. Certainly, it was not worth was the value many fans paid for in the expensive tickets.

The organisers should have, instead, organised a smaller-scale show with lesser actors and actresses as this would have allowed the stars ample time to interact with the fans the way Prasanth did.

Organisers who wish to organise shows like this in the future, take heed. The audience must not be taken for granted as they are the reason for Kollywood's success. Local event managers must ensure that the audience are well cared in every aspect because word-of-mouth goes a long way.

It's also about time that Malaysian Indians find better ways to spend their hard-earned money on matters that will improve their lifestyles, such as children's education, instead of shows like these, which does not have an iota of contribution to the well-being of our society.

Nevertheless, SIFAA president Vijaykanth made the seemingly smart move to hold the concert here and in Singapore to clear off SIFAA's debts, said to be amounting to 20 million rupees (RM1,561,010.62) by taking advantage of the Indian immigrant's penchant for all things Indian - from its money-churning cinema and beautiful woman to evergreen songs of love and love themes.