Nattu varthamanam

Akasha Gopuram review

2008-09-16T09:46:00.000-07:00

Mohanlal starrer Malayalam film Akashagopuram , the first in the south Indian language to be shot entirely in the UK with an international crew, is all set for global release on August 22.Adapted from Henrik Ibsen's classic play ‘The Master Builder’, the film by K P Kumaran with Mohanlal in the lead has been shot by cinematographer Santosh C Thundiyil and has music by John Altman, the man who scored for ‘Titanic’ and ‘Golden Eye’.
addthis_pub = 'apunkachoice';

"Almost all the Malayalees in the 1960s are familiar with Isben's work and can identify with the film. Very few of the new generation might have heard about the Norwegian playwright. As an actor I feel it is a blessing for me I feel honoured and lucky to be a part of this film," Mohanlal told reporters in New Delhi before a special screening of the film earlier this week.The movie, according to the producers, is also billed as the costliest ever in Malayalam.Set among the Indian immigrant community, ‘Akashagopuram’ tells the story of a middle-aged architect whose all-consuming desire for success makes him forget his real passion for architecture."This project, I feel, is an attempt to break through existing conventions. It is for the first time that an Indian film has been shot entirely in London. Conceiving and executing such a project is rare. It may be taken as an effort to attempt to expose the film to a wider audience," national award-winning director Kumaran said.

Interview : ‘I definitely enjoy the space I am in and I have no regrets’

2008-07-27T22:10:00.000-07:00

Vidya Balan rides on great hits like Lage Raho Munnabhai, Hey Baby, Bhool Bhullaiya. With Kismet Konnection doing well she again has something optimistic to look forward to. Enjoy a good phase in her career Vidya is contented. She doesn’t bother much about the flak she receives for her dressing sense. What she has to say about all these and more, let’s find out.
Excerpts from an Interview:

People often criticise you about your weight gain and your sense of dressing. What do you have to say to them?
I have nothing to say to them. These things used to bother me initially. But these things only amuse me now. They carry pictures of me when I was 13 or 15 years old and I was quite big then.
You looked pretty good in Kismet Konnection.
I went through weight reduction programme before beginning shooting of Aziz Mirza's Kismet Konnection opposite Shahid Kapoor. I had to go on yoga and dieting. So far I had worked with old actors like Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan and Saif Ali Khan.
Kismet Konnection has done well. What do you have to say about the film?
I think that it is a magical love story. We lead our life amidst superficialities and stress and forget to treasure the simple moments in our lives. The film is about those simple moments and that is why it is so special.
There are so many rumours revolving around you. Do you get bothered by that?
Being in the movie making business this is something we have to adjust ourselves with. People think that we are larger than life and so they are interested and inquisitive about our lives. I definitely enjoy the space I am in and I have no regrets. But many time things go out of hands and you get to learn nonsensical things about you from all over the place.
What are you concentrating at the moment?
A couple of interesting projects on which I will start work very soon.

Movie Review : 'Minnaminikootam'

2008-07-27T22:00:00.000-07:00

Producer: Raakhi Ram

Director: Kamal

Cast: Narain, Indrajith, Jayasurya, Anoopchandran, Meera Jasmine, Roma, Samvrutha and Radhika

Music: Bijbal

'Minnaminikootam', about the stressful lives of IT professionals, disappoints.
It is difficult to understand how Kamal, a top ranking director of Malayalam film industry with 32 movies under his belt, could come up with such a dud that has obvious similarities with an earlier Tamil movie 'Ullam Ketkume'.
Jasmine plays a Singapore-based IT professional who tries to have a reunion of sorts with eight pals during a friend's wedding that includes the male lead played by Narain.
The absence of screen chemistry between Jasmine-Narain, missing storyline and seven loud songs by Bijbal force the audience to rush to the exit.
The director has loaded the film with a lot of oomph by showing glossy, skimpily clad females to keep a possible full front bench of catcalling voyeurs happy. Sadly, it fails to even entertain them.
Jasmine looks good in songs sequences filmed in pleasing frames, but it is too little to generate interest.
The rest of the cast look insipid, jaded and wasted.

Minnaminni koottam-YOUTH SPECIAL-Movie by kamal

2008-07-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

Urvasi Manoj K Jayan Divorced

2008-07-20T20:24:00.000-07:00

Malayalam Actress Urvasi and Manoj K Jayan put an end to their 7 year old marriage life by mutual consent in Chennai Court.
Urvasi, a popular actress in Tamil and Malayalam cinema, made her debut in Tamil with K Bhagyaraj in the movie 'Mundhanai Mudichu'. She had fallen in love with popular Malayalam actor Manoj K Jayan and got married in the year 2000.
The couple developed difference of opinion recently and filed for divorce at Chennai Family Court. The Judge awarded divorce to both on Wednesday morning. The Court also instructed Urvasi to leave her daughter under Manoj's care.
Later Manoj told, “There is nothing to say about the divorce. My parents are taking care of our daughter and I hope that she would stay with me and pursue her studies”.

Sreesanth expresses his love to Priyanka Chopra

2008-07-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

Guess who is seeing Priyanka Chopra? If you think the lucky man is Harman Baweja then you are totally mistaken. It is not Harman but Indian fast bowler Sreesanth. Report is that Sreesanth has expressed his feelings for Priyanka on phone.

From this news, we can say that cricket weds entertainment. First it was the story of Deepika Padukone’s relationship with Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh that had hit the spotlight of the media and now latest in the row is Priyanka’s linking up with Sreesanth. In a telephonic conversation, Sreesanth expressed his love for her. He opens his heart to Priyanka as how much he loves her and how her thought have driven him crazy. Though her reaction about Sreesanth’s thought is not known but listening to the conversation one can expect positive signal from her.
This is not the first time that her name is linked up with any cricketer. Earlier, the news of her entangled with MS Dhoni went far and wide. The chatting between Sreesanth-Priyanka will give one a clear idea that he was clean bowled by Priyanka. Though her link up with debutante actor Harman is not declared publicly but it is sure that they shared something very special. As now, the picture of Sreesanth came into forefront. What shall we say, Harman out, Sreesanth in!
GA_googleFillSlot("bm_news_post_news");

Kamal hasan's Dasavatharam

2008-07-18T05:15:00.000-07:00

After watching Dasavatharam- the so called magnum opus of the year- an ardent fan of Kamal Hassan will ask why indeed it is called a magnum opus in the first place. Why was all the hype, tension, cases, expectations and unnecessary expenses wasted on this average film. Once again, Kamal fails to attract Tamil audiences with his own script.
The story starts with an incident taking place in 12th century during the rule of the Chozha dynasty when Hindus were divided into Saivites and Vaishnavites. Rangarajan Nambi (Avatar No.1) is a loyal disciple of Ramanuja Azhwar. King Kulothunga (Napolean - what a fantastic performance!), a follower of Lord Siva, compels Nambi to change his religious beliefs and worship Lord Siva instead of Lord Vishnu but Nambi refuses.The king then orders for the immersion of the statue of Lord Ranganatha along with Nambi into the sea.

After this meaningless first avatar, the movie shifts to the present scientific world. Govind (Avatar No.2), an American scientist invents a dangerous bio weapon in his lab but wants to destroy the same after realizing its dangerous consequences. But the US Govt and scientists don't allow him to do that. One fine day, Govind runs away from the lab with the bio weapon but Fletcher (Avatar No.3), a former CIA officer turned villian, chases him to get the weapon back to destroy other countries.
The weapon is mistakenly sent to an Indian address by courier where a 95 year old lady (Avatar No.4) receives the parcel. Govind immediately rushes to India and traces down the address. He is followed by Fletcher who is accompanied by his prostitute cum translator (Mallika Sherawat). The old lady refuses to give the weapon to them without understanding the danger it could cause and puts it inside a statue of Lord Vishnu.
The scientist captures the statue and starts running with it pulling Asin close relative of the old lady, along with him. Fletcher chases him till the end of the film. A foolish police officer Balram Naidu (Avatar No.5) too is in the race always chasing both these characters.
In between a Punjabi singer (Avatar No.5), US President George Bush ( Avatar No.6), a tall Muslim ( Avatar No.7), a martial arts trainer ( Avatar No.8) and a Southern district resident Annachi ( Avatar No.9) comes, does something and disappears.
Finally the tsunami comes to the rescue of the Scientist and destroys the weapon along with drowning Fletcher . The statue of Lord Rangaraja which was immersed in the sea in 12th century also appears on the shore after the tsunami.
What did Kamal Hassan really want to convey? Lord Ranganatha, the almighty who is sleeping inside the sea for centuries, finally sends a tsunami to destroy the bio weapon along with the bad guy. No doubt, Dasavatharam is really an average movie with a poor plot and characterization that fails in most of the departments and fails to attract the viewers.
What is the necessity or compulsion of portraying Kamal in 10 different get ups?To create some mindless hype or register it as a record in the Industry? Highly idiotic! Particularly the role of Punjabi Singer, Muslim tall man Kalifullah Khan, Annachi and Japanese martial arts trainer unnecessarily intervene in the flow of story.
There is no professionalism in makeup also. For most of the characters, the makeup looks very amateur. Kamal looks like an animation character playing the bad guys role because the makeup is over done. However, one must appreciate him for the hardwork put into playing so many different characters to perform in many roles simultaneously at this age.
Apart from Kamal, Asin plays dual roles for the first time but nothing is special in any of her get ups. Her performance is also not par excellence. Jayapradha appears in few scenes and does well in them. Nothing is special in Himesh Reshammiya's songs or Devi Sri Prasad's background score. Ravi Varman unnecessarily lifts the camera to top angle and shakes even inside a house.
Technically the film is far superior to any other Tamil movie in some scenes, particularly in the tsunami climax. The special effects of Jennie in the last 15 minutes simply rocks. Also the body language of Japanese Kamal is simply excellent. Watch this movie to see Kamal in 10 different avatars. But is it really enough to make a fan to watch a film? This is a big question stand before Kamal fans those known as the lovers of good movies like sensational Mahanadhi or Kuruthipunal!
Kamalji, we expected a lot from you!

Parunthu-The mammoty movie

2008-07-18T05:04:00.000-07:00

The movie tells the story of a greedy money lender 'Gillette Purushothaman'.Produced Howly Pottur under the banner of Dream Team Productions,

Madambi released

2008-07-18T04:51:00.000-07:00

‘Madambi’ typical Mohanlal masala sticks to the easy formula of a superstar film. The storyline is as old as the hills, and the scenes have been peeled off from various yesteryear hits such as 'Balettan', 'Vesham' and 'Vatsalyam'. What makes the film work is the way it has been packaged by director B.Unnikrishnan.

Mohanlal plays Puthenveetil Gopalakrishna Pillai, a cunning moneylender whose only interest in life is to chase the buck.The first half is funny, and the second half turns out to be a tear-jerker.

If you come out of this film smiling, it is only because of Mohanlal. He plays to the gallery with signature verve. The film's opening was a bit weak for a Mohanlal-starrer, but it has picked up big time in all the release centres.

Gopika got married

2008-07-18T02:27:00.001-07:00