Sindhu Menon to tie the knot soon

There are reports in Kollywood that Sindhu Menon had entered into wedlock with the London-based software engineer Prabhu. However, this news was not confirmed by the actress or sources close to her. But her engagement news with Prabhu is got confirmed just hors ago.

Though Sindhu entered the film industry with the Bharathiraja directed Kadal Pookal, and acted in a couple of film, she shot to limelight after Eeram, which was produced by Shankars S Pictures. Sindhu Menon, who has worked in many films in all four South Indian languages, will enter marital bliss soon. She seems to be the most sought-after heroine now, and is making inroads into Kollywood too. Recently, she got engaged to Prabhu, a UK based businessman. The wedding date has not been finalised yet. Sindhu Menon was born in Bangalore in a Malayalee family, and can communicate in all four South Indian languages fluently. A trained Bharatanatyam dancer, her first film was Rashmias a child artiste in 1994. She is very popular in Karnataka and has also acted opposite many top stars in Malayalam films.

Samuthirakani with Mohan lal in Shikaar

Following Prabhu and Sarath Kumars lead, popular Tamil director-actor Samuthirakani, is set to make his Malayalam debut. Samuthirakani directed the recent success Naadodigal, which also had a Telugu remakeShambo Shiva Shambo by the director himself. He will be debuting in Malayalam with Mohanlal�s film Shikaar. It is directed by Padmakumar. Apparently, he was recommended by Mohanlal for the role. Mohanlal was impressed by Samuthirakani�s acting in Subramaniapuram and the way he portrayed a villainous politician, thus recommending his name to Padmakumar. Mohanlal�s role in Shikaar is that of a lorry driver named Balaraman, who transports goods between cities in South India. Samuthirakani�s role inShikaar is as important as Mohanlals role. Ananya, who played the female lead in Naadodigal, will be playing Mohanlal�s daughter while Lakshmi Gopalaswamy plays his wife. It has started shooting in Kothamangalam, Idukki, and is slated to be Mohanlal�s big Onam release in September. Samuthirakani has earlier acted in Tamil films like Parthale Paravasam, Paruthi Veeran, Subramaniapuram and did a special appearance in his Telugu film, Shambo Shiva Shambo.

LINGUSAMY�S MALAYALAM FILM WITH Mega Star Mammooty

Lingusamy is planning to make his directorial debut in the Malayalam film industry soon. And, sources report that he would be doing it in style by signing up the son of Malayalam mega star Mammootty. The actors son Dulquar Salman has shown keen interest to follow his dad�s footsteps and his wishes are now being fulfilled by the doting father. We hear that Dulquar Salman would soon undergo a name change that would suit the film industry

Pokkiri Raja postponed

The much Awaited Mammootty- Prithvirajs Combo movie Vysakh directed Pokkiri Raja, which was to release on April 30 has been postponed to May 6. It has upset the fans of Mammootty and Prithviraj who were waiting to watch their heroes scorch the screen. The film which is being censored today would have been actually ready for release this Friday. But the stand off between distributors and theatres in Kerala has resulted in the postponement. All the theatres in Kerala and outside were also looking forward to the biggie which carries good pre-release reports. Let us hope the stalemate in the trade would end soon, as this is peak summer season, the best time to release a film.

Ajmal Ameer returns to Malayalam with Makara Nilavu

Ajmal Ameer, the handsome young doctor, had made his debut in Pranaya Kaalam opposite Vimala Raman and had moved to Tamil films after this movie. Later, he was also seen in a role in Mohanlals film Madambi. Now, he has returned to Malayalam films. Ajmal will be doing the lead role in the film Makara Nilavu. Directed by P K Radhakrishnan, the film will be scripted by Rajesh Poojari. Aravindakshan is the cinematographer of the film and the editing is by K Srinivas. The female lead in Makara Nilavu will be played by Dhanya Mary Varghese. Apart from Ajmal and Dhanya, the movie also stars Manikkuttan, Arun, Jagathy, Suraj Venjarammoodu, Harisree Ashokan, Bijukkuttanm Indrans, Boban Alummoodan, Maithili, Urmila Unni and Kanakalatha in important roles. The movie will be produced by Suneer under the banner of Royal Cinemas. Ajmal has done a number of Tamil movies like February 14, Anjathe, TN 07 AL 4777, Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru and is working on Kathirvel, Ko andKaruppampatti currently.

Mohan Raghavan :The man behind T D Dasan

Not many knew Mohan Raghavan before his maiden venture, T D Dasan Std VI B, hit the screens. Now the writer-director is being talked about as one of the talents to look forward to in Malayalam films. His film was noted for its honest and sensitive portrayal of a simple story about a young boy named T D Dasan, living in a village in Palakkad, who writes a letter to his estranged father. The letter never reaches his father, but Dasans life changes when a girl posing as his father replies to the letters. In this exclusive interview, the director talks about his film, the response to it and the difficulties that he faced while making it. Mohan Raghavan happy with the response to your maiden venture. In fact, it has done better than he ever expected. But he would have liked more people to watch it. The number of people who have actually watched the film is quite less.

Thilakan accuses Kerala�s Ruling party�s indifference

Malayalam actor Thilakan, who was expelled from Keralas apex film body for calling it a mafia group, is upset that the Left Front government did not help him in his fight against injustice. I was not helped by the CPI(M)-led government in Kerala in my fight against injustice meted to me by the film Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) and Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), Padmashree winner Tilakan told PTI. The veteran actor was a member of the United Communist Party of India in the 60s but accuses the Left Front government led by V S Achutanandan of remaining a mute spectator to his unjust expulsion. AMMA had expelled the actor for lifetime on grounds of indicipline after Thilakan refused to apologise for criticising the association in public

He wouldn\'t commit suicide: Sreenath\'s brother

In a shocking twist to Srinaths tragic demise, his brother Sathyanath alleged today that he suspected foul play behind the actors death. Sathyanath was speaking at a press conference at Trivandrum. Sathyanath said that the relatives of the actor would lodge an official complaint to the Chief Minister and Home Minister, requesting them to bring out the truth behind the actors untimely end. Sathyanath said that they were hundred percent sure that Srinath would never commit suicide. Therefore, what has to be found out is whether somebody else did it, or pressurized him to do it. Sathyanath also said that the makers of the film Shikar did not even show the courtesy to inform them of the actors death. He also alleged that somebody had threatened the actor that he would be thrown out of the film, if he did not get a membership in AMMA.

Prithvi with P T Kunju Mohammed

Young superstar Prithviraj seems to be making all the right career moves. While he is busy doing commercial films like Thanthonni on one side and doing highly promising films like Ravan on the other, he is also being approached by parallel film makers to do the lead role in their films. P T Kunju Mohammed who is currently planning to make a film on the freedom fighter Mohammed Abdul Rahman Sahib, has approached Prithvi to essay the role. Considered to be a highly challenging role, Prithvi would play Sahib at different ages. This could be the role that fetches several more awards and accolades for the young actor

Ajmal back in Mollywood with \'Makara Nilavu\'

The handsome young doctor who had made his debut in Pranaya Kaalam? Ajmal who had moved to Tamil after his debut film had also done a role in Mohanlals Madambi. Now he is back in Malayalam again, doing the lead role in a film called Makara Nilavu. The film would be directed by P K Radhakrishnan and scripted by Rajesh Poojari. Cinematography is by Aravindakshan and editing by K Srinivas. Dhanya Mary Varghese is the heroine in Makara Nilavu. Besides Ajmal and Dhanya, the film also has Manikkuttan, Arun, Jagathy, Suraj Venjarammoodu, Harisree Ashokan, Bijukkuttanm Indrans, Boban Alummoodan, Maithili, Urmila Unni and Kanakalatha in key roles. The film would be produced by Suneer under the banner of Royal Cinemas

Mukesh has decided not to do dad roles any more on screen

Mukesh has decided not to do dad roles any more on screen. This is because he is disappointed with the way his role has been left out in news articles relating to Mummy and Me, the Jithu Joseph directed film that has Urvasi and Archana Kavi in key roles. Mukesh had accepted the role because he felt that the role of the father had ample potential. However the publicity of the film focuses on the mother and the girl child, and has totally ignored the father. Mummy and Me tells the story of a teenage girl and her over-caring mother. We need to wait for the movie to see if Mukeshs woes are indeed true

Sangeeth Sivan touch again in Mollywood

Sangeeth Sivan has been a popular name with some hits like Yoddha, Nirnayam, Aparichithan etc. Meanwhile the director moved to Bollywood and made some Hindi movies. Now, according to sources, he is back in Malayalam. He is all set to make a movie titled Bhasuram which will have none other than Mohanlal in the lead. Sources indicate that a Tamil heroine will play the leading lady in this thriller

Mohanlal impressed with Samudrakani

Samudrakani is a popular director in Tamil who has also acted in a movie and the small screen. The director cum actor is all set to play the villain Mohanlal starrer Shikar. According to sources, it was the superstar who had recommended Samudrakanis name for the movie. He was apparently very much impressed with the directors work in a movie as an actor. Sources indicate that his role will be as important as Mohanlals in the movie.

IV Sasi plans a great return

IV Sasi has made more than 150 films and has many hits to his credit. However for the last couple of years, his movies have failed miserably at the box office with few not even making an appearance. According to sources, the popular filmmaker is all set to make his comeback. He has roped in none other than T Damodaran for the script and Mammootty to play the lead. The trio has many hits to their credit.

Jayasurya with new looks

Jayasuriya is known for his commitment in the roles he does. Meanwhile the actor is sporting a new look these days. He has clean shaved his head and sporting a bald look. This is apparently his fourth get up in the movie Nallavan in which he is doing four roles. The actor, who needs a hit, is highly hopeful with this movie

Mohanlal-Sreeni team again

The duo of superstar Mohanlal and Sreenivasan has done many movies with lots of success. According to sources, they are all set to come together for the Malayalam movie titled Oru Naal Varum. They are coming together after almost six years with this one which will be directed by Rajiv Kumar. Meanwhile the shooting of the movie is almost complete and the movie is expected to release on May 7th. It is currently under post production

\"Traffic\" is expected to be a different experience

Traffic is the Malayalam movie which will be directed by young director Rajesh Pillai. The movie brings together the talented trio of Vineeth Sreenivasan, Sreenivasan and Kunchakko Boban. Meanwhile this flick is expected to be a different experience. It will be one of the first multi-narratives to be presented in Mollywood. It is about how life changes for four different people who witness an incident in traffic.

Sreenath found dead in hotel room

Popular Malayalam film and TV actor Sreenath was found dead in a hotel room in this Kerala town Friday morning, police said. His body was discovered by the hotel staff at about 8.30 a.m., a police official said. Police have not ruled out the possibility of suicide as his wrist was found slashed, he added. Sreenath had been in Kothamangalam in Ernakulam district, around 250 km from Thiruvananthapuram, for the past two days and was shooting for Malayalam film Shikar starring superstar Mohanlal. Sreenath, who was in his early 50s, began his film career in the 1980s but faded out after an initial burst of movies. After a hiatus, he went on to become a popular television actor though he continued to act in films occasionally. His popular films include Salini Ente Kootukari, Ethu Njangalude Katha, Oru CBI Dairy Kurippu and Kireedom, among others. Sreenaths last film was Kerala Caf�, a movie that had 10 short films woven around a common theme, which released late last year. At the start of his film career, he worked with actress Shantikrishna in a few hit movies and later married her. But the marriage didnt work and the two parted ways. He wed again a few years back. In the last Lok Sabha elections, Sreenath was a Shiv Sena candidate from the Attingal constituency. Sreenath was winner of a state award for best TV actor

Kavalkaran first schedule completed

Much prior to Vijays 50th film Sura would hit screens, the actor has already completed the first schedule for Kavalkaran. Followed by Vettaikaran, Vijay has once again chosen the title of yesteryear MGR film Kavalkaran. The actor reasserts that choosing the yesteryear titles of superstars� films gains more prominence for his films. As known earlier, Kavalkaran is a remake of Malayalam film Bodyguard (Dileep and Nayantara in lead roles). The film is directed by Siddique and marks the comeback of Asin in Tamil film industry. The first schedule has been shot across the locales of Kumbakonam, Kaaraikudi and Pollachi. According to the buzz, yesteryear actors Raj Kiran and Roja seem to have been signed for this film for enacting the role of Asin�s parents. Followed by the grand success, Ghilli and Kuruvi, music director Vidyasagar has scored music for this Vijay�s film.

Mohanlal-Sangeeth Sivan team film- \'Bhasuram\'

Sangeeth Sivan is planning another Malayalam film after a short break. Titled Bhasuram, the film would be scripted by the director himself. Bhasuram would be an action thriller. Originally, Sangeeth Shivan had planned a sequel to his highly successful film Yodha, but is said to have dropped the project taking into consideration the high budget required. Bhasruam would be captured on camera by Santhosh Sivan. The heroine would be an actress from Tamil. Sangeeth Sivan had directed several Hindi films, none of which had made an impact. He is now back to Malayalam, where he hopes to recreate the Yodha magic once again!

Balabhaskar in \'Pattinte Palazhy\'

Rajeev Anchals Pattinte Palazhy that has been in the news for the intense character that Meera Jasmine portrays would have a surprise actor in its cast. This actor would be none other than young music director Balabhaskar who would play Meeras close friend in the film. Balabhaskar would have work for four days in the film. Balabhaskar had appeard in several music videos and albums before. Besides Meera and Balabhaskar, the film also has Manoj K Jayan, Revathy and Jagathy Sreekumar in key roles. The film that has completed major part of its shooting is fast getting readied for a late summer release.

Silk Smitha\'s biography on screen

Silk Smitha was a phenomenon by herself who dominated the vamp roles during the 80s and 90s. She has done more than 200 movies in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi. She committed suicide in an apartment in Chennai. According to sources, it was announced sometime back that Bollywood is trying to bring her life to celluloid. Moreover popular Bollywood actress from Kerala Vidya Balan is likely to play Silk Smitha. But so far, no confirmations or announcements have been made on this aspect. Let us see what happens

I.V.Sasi-Mammootty-T.Damodharan team again

Malayalam film lovers consider Mammootty - I. V. Sasi - T. Damodaran as one of the most dynamic combinations ever in the history of the Malayalam industry. The buzz is that this team will be uniting again for a new film very soon and the news has gone down very well with film buffs. The successful trio has earlier worked on a number of super hit films like Avanazhi, 1921, Inspector Balram, Ee Naadu, Iniyenkilum, Innallenkil Naale and many others. They last worked on Balram v/s Taradas a few years ago. The movie turned out to be dismal, failing to strike a chord with the audience and flopping at the box office. This time, though, they are said to be working on a fiery film which will excite audiences and set their pulses racing.

Dileep to Kollywood

Latest buzz is that Dileep has moved to Kollywood to try out his luck there. He will be entering Kollywood with the movie tilted Roja, Malli, Kanakambaram. The movie will also feature Satyaraj in a prominent role. The movie is directed by Jagan, who earlier directed Raaman Thediya Seethai. His upcoming projects in Malayalam includes Film Star, Walayar Paramasivam, Christian Brothers, Brothers and Kaaryasthan. Tamil movie locations include Ooty and Pollachi.

\"There is need for new directors, technicians, actors in Malayalam cinema\": Sibi Malayil

The crisis-ridden Malayalam film industry needs new blood in various fields, including acting and direction,well-known film director Sibi Malayil yesterday said. There is need for new directors, technicians, actors in Malayalam cinema. New promising directors, who venture into the field, are not being given enough encouragement, Malayil told reporters in Kochi. In Malayalam, there are very few good artistes, unlike in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. They have 10-20 good actors to choose from, he said asking the media to promote enterprising directors and young actors. Malayil, said TD Dasan STD VI B, by debutant director Mohan Raghavan, was different from routine films which should be encouraged. Very few Malayalam films are becoming a hit now. This is a film which is different and has received positive respone from the audience, he said. The Malayalam film industry needs these type of films to survive, he said adding the film had a unique screenplay and a different treatment. Actor Biju Menon, who has essayed a role in the film, said this was a small budget film. More producers should be encouraged to invest in such different films. Describing his film as simple, director Mohan Raghavan said it had been released in about 10 centres and he was hoping the audience would give him encouragement. Jagathy Sreekumar, Jagadeesh, Suresh Krishna, Swetha Menon are essaying various roles in the film. The film is about a letter written by a 11 year-old boy Dasan from a remote Palakkad village to his father whom he has never met.

Crisis continue, exhibitors join to shut theatres from May 1

The Malayalam film industry, riding past a string of box office crashes, With the Kerala Film Producers Association already on boycott, another important stakeholder in the entertainment industry the Exhibitors Wednesday threatened that if the present crisis is not solved, they would close down all theatres from May 1. Why this crisis hit the film industry is? it blaming game by one craft to another craft. Week back the distributors and producers halting the production and fresh releases. The production of new films will not be sanctioned but the shooting and production work of films already started will go on. On the one hand the Film Exhibitors Association Kerala (FEAK) and the Film Distributors Association of Kerala are feuding over sharing the proceeds while on the other Kerala Film Chamber and the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) are at loggerheads over restrictions imposed on the artistes. A leading light of the Producers Association: �Prohibitive costs of film production have left us with no option but to withhold permission for new films until a more viable production regime came into being. The main reason is the remuneration for super stars. Lending another dimension to the crisis, the Kerala Film Chamber (KFC) has demanded that stars, including actors and singers, should stop taking part in reality shows and other shows meant for Malayalam television channels, Says G Suresh Kumar. Distributors and producers want a crackdown on other language films (OLF) like Tamil, English and Hindi films are eating the collections of Malayalam films. �From April 16, we are imposed the release of any new films in Kerala unless our terms and conditions are accepted by the theatre owners, this ban is continues. We have also made it clear that other language films (OLF) can release in Kerala only two weeks after its worldwide release�, Says Siyad Kokker, president of FDAK. The Film Chamber ban on artistes is to come into force on May 1. Now these saga exhibitors join to shut theatres from May 1, Producers and exhibitors have decided to boycott actors and singers who continue to anchor TV programmes after May Day. Ever one in the film industry the threading others. Finally who will take response for this situation? The daily vase industry workers are suffering. Says singer K G Marcos: �I havent got a film song to sing in the past four years. Those like M G Sreekumar are getting a maximum of three songs a year and the remuneration is never more than Rs 25,000 for a song. Can you live for a full year with a mere Rs 75,000?� asks Marcos. But resentment is brewing among artistes. Sreekumar said he would prefer to live with whatever he was getting from the TV shows if the Chamber was serious. He is busy doing programmes with several channels. He points out that TV award nights and reality shows are not the reason for the audience to keep away from cinemas but the lack of good movies has been a deterrent. Last year 78 films were made, of which six raked in profits. A superstar�s film costs more than Rs 3.50 crore and the remuneration is one of the biggest expenses. Producers want a cap on the length of raw film to be used besides a reduction in the number of crew from 150 to 80. A major crisis hit the Malayalam film industry in 2004 when the Kerala Film Chamber and AMMA locked horns over restrictions imposed on the artistes by the producers, citing that their off-screen appearances undermined the industry revenue. The row was settled with the mediation by the state government. Liberty Basheer, president of the Exhibitors Federation, asked what is the use of keeping the theatres open if no films are being produced?. This present stalemate has to end and it has to end at the earliest. There is going to be a meeting of the Kerala Film Chamber April 24 and we expect this issue would be taken up, Basheer said. The chamber is the body of producers, distributors and exhibitors of the Malayalam film industry. The producers association is cut up with the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) because despite two rounds of talks with them last year to bring down the cost of production, no concrete steps were taken by AMMA. The producers association hence decided that no new films would be produced. We think, now State government will enter and settle down the all issues raised by industry bodies. Let�s hope Malayalam film goers will enjoy with their stars performing in the entire medium.

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Kandahar rolls from June

The trilingual movie Kandahar has been in the news for sometime now. It will be directed by Major Ravi and stars Mohanlal in the lead. Meanwhile Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan and Sunil Shetty are also playing pivotal roles in this one. The latest we hear from sources is that the movie will start rolling in the month of June. With so much news and with such stars, it has already created huge expectations among the audiences

Samuthirakani in Shikaar !

Samuthirakani is a popular director in the Tamil industry, who has made a mark in the small and the big screen. The director is all set to make his debut in the Malayalam industry. However it wont be as a director but as an actor. This would be for the movie Shikaar which has Superstar Mohanlal in the lead and will be directed by M Padmakumar. He is apparently playing a negative role in this thriller

Prithvi-Mamta paired in two films

Mamta Mohandas will pair up with young talent Prithviraj for not one but two forthcoming movies. The two are pairing up for the movie Anwar which is expected to be released in July. This movie directed by Amal Neerad deals with terrorism. On the other hand the two are pairing up for Singaravelan which is expected to start shooting from July. This one is directed by Deepan and produced by Vijayakumar of Seven Arts

Mohanlal not to play Priyanka Chopra\'s husband anymore

Superstar Mohanlal has opted out of Priyanka Chopra-starrer Saat Khoon Maaf . It may be recalled that he was one of the first actors to be cast by Vishal Bhardwaj in the film. The reason for his sudden withdrawal from the project is apparently due to his other commitments in Malayalam cinema, in which he has more pivotal parts to play. It seems unlikely that Mohanlal would do another Hindi film in the near future. Meanwhile, Russian actor Alexander Dyachenko has been signed as one of Priyankas seven husbands in the film. He was apparently chosen because he fitted the description in the script of a 30-something Russian dreamer. The casting would have been complete but now Vishal needs a replacement for Mohanlal

Thilakan back with drama

After igniting one of the biggest controversies ever in the history of the Malayalam film industry, Thilakan is back to theatre. Initial discussion regarding the formation of a theatre group led by the actor were held recently. Thilakan would start working further on this project once he returns from the Gulf tour for which he would leave on the 23rd of this month. Its being said that Thilakan plans to recreate the magic of one of the dramas that have been penned by his guru and mentor P J Antony. Sources close to the actor said that he plans to become very active in theatre, and that the formation of the theatre group as well the staging of its first drama would take place in the course of this year itself.

Mammootty and Jayaraj planning to bring \'Kunjali Maraikar\'

It seems to be raining promising new projects in the Malayalam film industry. Several of these projects are big budget films that are being planned on an enormous scale. There was news recently of Karnan that would bring Mammootty and Hariharan back with Gokulam Gopalan. Now news has started filtering in that another magnum opus is in the making. Director Jayaraj has plans to depict the story of Kunjali Maraikar on screen, and that too with Mammootty as the lead. If reports are to be believed, this film might be scripted by T P Rajeevan, whose path breaking story was used for Ranjiths Palery Manickyam. There hasnt been any official announcement on this project as yet

Jayasurya in \'Take it Easy\'

Jayasurya has signed up for yet another promising project this year, after T V Chandrans Kinavalli. The actor would be seen in Leo Thaddeus new film titled Take it Easy. Thaddeus had earlier directed Pachamarathanalil with Sreenivasan and Padmapriya in lead roles. This film would tell the story of a father and son against the backdrop of Kochi. Lal would play Jayasuryas dad in the film. Take it Easy would be scripted by the director himself. Innocent, Suraj Venjarammoodu and Sai Kumar would be seen in supporting roles. The heroine is yet to be finalized. The film that would be produced by Kammuvadakkan Films would start its shoot at the beginning of July

Mammootty to pen dialogues for his bilingual film

Mammoottys bilingual movie will go on floors in May and producer K. Manju says the superstar will write the dialogues for the Malayalam version of the film. The Kannada version is titled Shikari, but the title for Malayalam version has not yet been finalised. He was so impressed with the script that he offered to write the dialogues of the film himself. We were excited when he accepted the responsibility of writing the dialogues. His book Kazchapadu, a collection of essays in Malayalam, has been widely appreciated, said Manju. Films director Abhay Simha said: I had contacted Mammootty a year ago with the script to make a film in Kannada. He took time to read the complete script and was impressed. Though he had agreed to work in my film, the dates were not finalised. Meanwhile, I got well-known Kannada film producer (Manju) to make the film and Mammootty also suggested to make it in two languages, including Malayalam, as the script was strong and universal. Simha says that the film will go on floors once Mammootty is back from his vacation. We also worked out other details. Just last week I met Mammootty in Mumbai, he has agreed to work in my film from the month of May. He has gone abroad for a holiday. He will return in the first week of May. We may start shooting in Bengaluru from May second week, Simha, who won National Award for his debut film Gubbachchigalu, told IANS. The makers havent finalised the actress. Earlier, Konkana Sen Sharma was approached and she had even agreed to be part of the film. But Simha says it would be doubtful if Konkana renews her interest in doing this film as she is busy working in other movies.

Sarath Kumar to lead in Baburaj\'s \'Manushya Mrugam\'

Sarath Kumar seems to be getting busier in Malayalam these days. The Tamil actor has completed his work in the Joshey film Christian Brothers and would also be seen in Oridathoru Postman along with Kunchacko Boban. His first solo hero project in Malayalam would be actor-director Baburajs second film after Black Dahlia. Titled Manushya Mrugam, Sarath Kumar would be seen in the role of a Crime Branch SP in the film. Baburaj himself would play the villain in the film. Kiran Rathore would be the heroine. Jagathy, Kalabhavan Mani, Salim Kumar, Abu Salim and several other actors would be seen in supporting roles. The shoot of the film would start at Perumbavoor on the 18th of this month

Mammootty with Sreenivasan in Martin Prakkatt\'s film

Megastar Mammootty would play the main role in renowned photographer Martin Prakkatts film. Sreenivasan would also be seen in a major role. Nedumudi Venu, Suraj Venjarammoodu, Salim Kumar would form the supporting cast. The heroine has not yet been decided. Bipin Chandran would script the film that would have music by Bijibal. The shoot of the film that would be produced by Noushad for Big Screen Cinema would start at Kochi on the 20th of May

Priyanandanan with \'Shambho Mahadeva\'

Director Priyanandanan whose last film Sufi Paranja Katha was widely praised by the critics and masses alike is planning his next film. Titled Shambho Mahadeva the film would be a different experience, Priyanandanan says. It would deal with fake godmen who have been taking the public for a ride in the name of spirituality. The story of the film is by Ranjith. The script would be penned by newcomer Manoj. The film would start its shoot in June

Amitabh will act in Mohanlal\'s film for free

Amitabh Bachchan will work for free in a forthcoming film starring Malayalam superstar Mohanlal. Mohanlal, great exponent of his art and craft, one of the finest actors of the country, from Kerala and Malayalam cinema had come over to finalize dates and schedules for the film he is making directed by Capt Ravi, Amitabh posted on his blog bigb.bigadda.com Its a small guest appearance and I had agreed. They had come over to officially sign me on and make payments etc...Payments? For a guest appearance of 3 days? With Mohanlal who has always had my greatest admiration? No way !! I dont charge money for such acts. And told them so. I shall just gloat in the honour that I shall derive by working in a Malayalam film and that too with the exceptional Mohanlal. The yet-to-be titled film will be shot at Ooty in Tamil Nadu

Has \'Amar Akbar Antony\' been dropped

Rumours are rife in the industry that Jagadeeshs directorial debut Amar Akbar Antony with Mammootty in the lead has been shelved! Even if the rumours are not true, it is likely that Jagadeeshs film would be postponed, almost indefinitely. Industry sources say that Amar Akbar Antony has been postponed since it was likely to turn out into a big budget film. Jagadeesh has plans to cast Mammootty in three roles and had planned shoots in some major cities in India. It is said that there were also plans to rope in some big names from Bollywood for the project. Mammootty after his return from the US was expected to start this project. However, he would now be joining the location of the bilingual film Shikari to be directed by Ajay Sinha. Soon after, he would start working on Sohan Seenulals film Doubles in which he would team up with Nadia Moithu.

Mohanlal , the brand ambassador for Act of Humanity

Superstar Mohanlal is also the brand ambassador for Act of Humanity. He recently launched the second phase of the anti-terrorism campaign in Kochi. He along with a former Kerala High Court judge handed over the flag to R K Malayath, the popular magician. This was to mark the start of the awareness rally. Speaking at the occasion, Mohanlal urged the crowd to make Kerala a terrorism free state.

A Baby Girl For Gopika

Gopika is very well remembered as a homely girl in most of her films. Her done roles in movies like Veruthey Oru Bharya, Swa Le, Mayavi..all denote her like a girl next door. With her out-standing performances in films, she was able to win the hearts of all audience. In 2008, she got married to Dr Ajilesh, an NRI and went to Ireland. And now the couple is said to have blessed with a baby girl. Sources say that both mother and the baby is doing well. Also it is said that Gopikas parents will soon be starting to Ireland. Gopikas original name is Girly Anto. She made her debut in the industry with Pranayamanithooval opposite Vineeth. After that she was noticed with a dance song Lajjavathiye..in 4 The People. That brought the graph of her career and she did not get a chance to turn back. Swa Le was her last released movie opposite Dileep

Asin faints on the sets of Kavalkaran ( BodyGuard)

Asin, beauty queen of south, is shooting for her upcoming Tamil film Kavalkaran with Vijay. The film is the remake of Malayalam film Bodyguard which cast Dileep and Nayantara in the lead Directed By Sidique ( Sidique - Lal ). And the latest buzz is that Asin fainted on the sets of Kavalkaran. The incident was said to have happened while the actress was taking a break from shooting and was taking rest in her caravan along with her father, maid and make-up man. But there was a gas leak in the air-conditioning vent of the vehicle that made her breathless and she fainted. All the four were rushed to the hospital 25 km away from the set. Asin, her father and her maid were given immediate medical treatment, and after ensuring there was no lasting damage, the doctors discharged them. Asin on returning back took rest and continued her shooting.

Manisha Koirala as Mother of Nayanthara in Electra

Nayantara plays the central character in the movie Electra. It says that Manisha Korala will team p in the movie to play the mother character of Nayanthara . The shooting of the film will kick off from April 23. Nayantara plays the character of Electra in the movie. Prakash Raj plays the father to Electra and Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala plays the mother. The movie will have the central character with mannerisms and attitudes as similar to the mythological character with the same name. The most importance of this film is that Nayantara is to dub her own voice for this film. Directed by Shyamaprasad, the movie will definitely carry some very good performances from the acting crew. Electra is produced by Vindhyan on the banner of Radhika entertainments. The movie is planned to be completed in a single schedule at the selected locations of Kottayam and Alappuzha

Film producers in Kerala to stop production from Apr 16

The Kerala Film Producers Association has decided to stop producing films indefinitely from April 16 demanding that the stars co-operate with its attempt to cut the cost of production. The decision was taken at the associations General Body meeting on April 6. The meet decided that production costs should be cut at any cost, association General Secretary G Suresh Kumar said today. We no longer can suffer the whims and fancies of stars and those who accompany them. We are the ones who have to spend money for this paraphernelia, he said. He also said the Kerala Film Chambers recent directive to actors not to appear on TV reality shows should not be mistaken as a move against them. The real issue is being diverted by the artistes. We have to find ways to cut the cost of production without which Malayalam cinema cannot survive, he said. The chamber had imposed a ban in 2003 on artistes who appear on TV and stage shows saying that films were not running in theatres while the stars were performing on TV screens. The agreement was signed between Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) and the Film Chamber. Suresh Kumar, who is also an executive member of the Film Chamber, said the ban was only meant for the more prominent stars in the industry. Playback singers and non-star actors were not asked not to come on TV and as such it was not likely to create any serious problems. He made it clear that actors who had already signed agreements with TV channels could be exempted from the ban in discussion with the chamber till their contract ended. The Chamber had announced that from May 1 onwards, actors who appear on stage and TV shows, would be barred from films.The decision was taken by the Chamber on the demand from film exhibitors, he said. Meanwhile, a fresh controversy broke out in Malayalam filmdom with one of the superstars Suresh Gopi openly airing his view that actors should not appear on TV shows. Comedian Jagadish had strongly reacted to the statement and playback singer M G Sreekumar also came out against the Chambers decision banning artistes on TV shows. He had went on to say that he would stop stop singing in films if the ban continued. Eminent actor Kamal Hassan has also joined the war of words saying any kind of ban on artistes was not good.

Apology from Suresh Gopi to AMMA

Malaalam Film upper Star Suresh Gopi had to apologies to AMMA for making a comment that Malayalam film stars should not take part in television shows. It was seen as a statement in support of Kerala Film Chamber (KFC), which has been demanding it to be implemented. Comedian Jagadeesh had come down heavily on Gopis statement and said that the action hero was targeting Mukesh, a bitter rival. Gopi till Monday evening struck to his statement and said that he would not withdraw it. But on Tuesday he had a change of heart and said that he would apologize for making such a rash statement and would not speak his heart out on such sensitive subjects in future.

Suniel Shetty will Play the Role Surya in Kandahar

It was earlier reported that Mohanlal, Amitabh Bachchan and Surya will be seen together in the Malayalam film directed by Major Ravi. But later news was heard that Surya backed out from the film due to date issues and that Mohanlal and Major Ravi are in search of another actor. And the lucky draw has gone to the Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty. Suniel Shetty is not new to Malayalam films. Although a cameo role , he was seen in Priyadarshan film Kaakkakuyil. Now Mohanlal will play the lead with Amitabh Bachchan confirming himself to play a pivotal role in the movie. Major Ravi has been very much applauded for his war based films like Kurukshetra and Keerthichakra. Both had Mohanlal as the hero. This two films even gave Mohanlal the Leut Colonel title. Kandahar movie is all about Kandahar Indian Airlines flight hijack incident which rattled the nation in 1999. The movie is said to be a bilingual one in Tamil and Malayalam and will be shot in Kerala, Delhi and Nepal

Endhiran resumes, Resul joins the team

Aishwarya Rai will be joining the latest schedule of Sun Pictures Shankar directed Endhiran featuring superstar Rajinikanth in Chennai. The entire shoot was being delayed as Ash dates were not available. She was busy with Mani Ratnams Raavan and now that its shoot is over, she has to complete her portion for the costliest film being made in India. Endhiran, is a mega budget movie which will cost around Rs 150 crore for its makers. The best of the technical team like Oscar winning sound recordist Resul Pookutty, has joined the project. Says Resul: Endhiran is going to be a very challenging job, but Im sure that I will be able to deliver a state of art product with the backing of Sun, Rajinikanth and Shankar

AIR is paying tribute to 82-year-old Malayalam cinema

Commemorating the 60 years of its Malayalam transmission, All India Radio (AIR), Thiruvananthapuram, is paying tribute to 82-year-old Malayalam cinema with the launch of �Malayala Cinema: Flashback. With this mega serial sound track, AIR takes listeners on a nostalgic trip through the history of Malayalam cinema, where its actual creators will give the narration. The programme will be launched on April 15 at 11 a.m. as live from Agastheshwaram in Kanyakumari district, where J.C. Daniel, father of Malayalam cinema, was laid to rest. Daniel�s granddaughter Janett will light the lamp, marking the launch of the programme. The programme will feature the transformation of cinema from silence to sound, black and white to colour, and use of innovative technology in filmmaking. Malayalam cinema�s actors and technicians will join AIR in this historic trip. The programme also includes the history of Malayalam film songs. As many as 500 cine artists are participating in the programme. Tune in to the live programme every Sunday, between 11 a.m. and 12 noon. Moreover, exciting gifts await the listeners who can answer correctly the question raised at the end of every episode

Kavya Madhavan to Tamil Movie

Kavya Madhavan, the beautiful actress with her wide eyes and dimply smile, is very busy after her come back. Already Kavya is shooting for two films and one is getting a this week release. Her Paapy Appacha with Dileep will be releasing this week and her Christian Brothers opposite Mohanlal is progressing to its finals stages. Now the latest buzz about the actress is that Kavya has started eyeing other languages also. She is said to have committed a yet to be titled Tamil film opposite Prasanna. It tells the story of ever fighting couples. It is directed by Thambi Durai

Blessy to direct Prithviraj

The Most Promising Yougnster in Malayalam Movies Industry is getting busy day by day , Movie Industry already buzzing Prithviraj Have 36 upcoming projects for the next 3 years which includes the upcoming films ofMani Ratnams Raavan, bilingual Police Police (Telugu and Tamil) and Mammootty-Shriya starrer Pokkiri Raja (Malayalam). According to industry sources, Prithviraj will star in a movie by Blessy, one of the most promising directors of Mollywood. Prithviraj will play the lead in Blessys untitled film to be shot extensively in U.A.E. This project is expected to go on floors by mid-August.

Sarathkumar as Police Officer in Manushya Mrugam

After playing the most celebrated character of Edachena Kunkan in the Film Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, which won eight State awards recently, popular Tamil actor Sarathkumar is getting to play a Police Officer in his third Malayalam film titled Manushya Mrugam to be directed by actor Baburaj. According to sources, Sarathkumar will be seen as a Crime Branch SP in this film, which is scheduled to start rolling by April end at Perumbavoor. Sarathkumar recently signed another Malayalam film Oridathoru Postman, in which he plays the role of a wildlife photographer. Manushya Mrugam will also star Kalabhavan Mani, Jagathy, Salimkumar and Abu Salim in major roles. It is the second movie by Baburaj, whose debut movie Black Dahlia which didnt make any waves in the Box Office

Ajmal starring in Latin American movie - DENOVA

Actor Ajmal, who catapulted to fame playing the role of an anti-hero in Tamil movie �Anjathey, is quite upbeat after finishing shooting for an �international� film, his first. �Denova�, which essentially means �Ultimate Truth�, is directed by a Dubai-based ad filmmaker Swabri, the actor said. �It is basically a kind of a Latin American movie and the story is about a nuclear family, how a tragedy strikes it and how it overcomes it, he told PTI. Ajmal plays different roles -- that of a person from the mid-twenties to late and early-thirties. The character evolves through the different phases and his surmounting the ordeal forms part of the story. �It has a spiritual angle too.� The 90-minute English film has Mumbai-based Auroshika, who is busy now doing Nagesh Kukunoor�s film, as heroine, he said. It is meant for a select audience and the producer is focusing on releasing it initially at festivals like Cannes, and later at multiplexes, he said. The film will be released in different languages, including Hindi, Arabic, Persian and Iranian, the doctor-turned-model-turned-actor said. The project landed in his lap quite unexpectedly. Swabri had seen his photos and invited him over. That was how he got the chance. The film was shot in Dubai and Kerala, said Ajmal, who received the Filmfare award for the best actor in a supporting role (Tamil) for his performance in �Anjathey� released in 2008. Ajmal is also looking forward to the Venkat-directed �Kathirvel�s� release in April-June, in which he plays the part of a thief. Sunaiana is the heroine. He is now busy with the shooting of �KO� directed by K V Anand. There are two main characters in the movie. �One is Jivaa and the other is me,� he said, without elaborating. Another project is �Karuppanpatti� by debutant director Prabhu, an associate of ace filmmaker Shankar. They are on the lookout for a heroine. Ajmal enacts a double role in the period (70s) movie -- that of a father and son. Ajmal is also game for comedy roles. His first -- Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru -- by debutante director J S Nandhini released late last year, drew widespread appreciation from fans. The actor, who made his film debut in the 2007 Malayalam movie �Pranayakalam�, said he is happy doing projects in the Tamil film industry. �I am sticking to Kollywood (as the Tamil film industry is popularly known) right now,� he added. For someone who has put on hold his medical profession to pursue a career in films,Ajmal has come a long way

Thilakan issue: panel orders probe

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) has directed the Labour Commissioner to conduct a detailed inquiry into the ban imposed by the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) on actor Thilakan. Commission member K.E. Gangadhanran issued the order on Tuesday on a petition filed by Sreekumar Nooranad against the office-bearers of the organisation alleging violation of Mr. Thilakans fundamental right to work. The Labour Commissioner has been asked to submit his report in two weeks. According to a statement of the KSHRC, the petitioner had contented that the organisations decision not to cooperate with Mr. Thilakan in films amounted to violation of a citizens right to livelihood. The petition, the statement said, had also demanded cancellation of the organisations registration and an examination of the minutes of the organisations meetings. According to sources in the KSHRC, the petitioner had sought the governments intervention in view of the fact that AMMA was an organisation registered under the Registration Act. Mr. Thilakan has been staging an agitation against the organisations ban and campaigning for protection of his right to work.

Malayalam actor Santhosh Jogi found dead

Malayalam actor Santhosh Jogi found dead. The dead body found in his flat at Thrissur. Santhosh jogi Acted in Blockbusters like Keeethichakra (Gudha Se Mannat ) and Big B

Mammootty in Kannada opposite Konkana

Superstar Mammootty is all set to make his debut in Kannada. The movies titled Shikari. He plays double role in the film, the first one as a software techie and the second as a freedom fighter.. Big budget film producer Gandugali K Manju has been successful in bringing the Malayalam actor to Kannada films. Speculations about Mammoottys entry into Kannada films have been on in Sandalwood for the last six months. Now, they have turned true with Mammootty giving his nod for Shikari. Manju has selected award-winning young director Abhay Simha for the project. Simha, who hails from coastal Karnataka, is known for his grip over filmmaking. He is an ardent fan of the actor and is very much excited and is looking forward to his project.The selection of the remaining star cast is on. Abhay is planning to cast Bollywood actress Konkana Sen Sharma as the leading lady in the film.Manju wants Shikari to be a closely guarded secret as it is supposed to be a surprise package. Abhay Simha is a product of FTII who believes in good cinema that is entertaining and sensible. He shot to fame after the 45-minute documentary on the psychology of twins, triplets and quadruplets. He has 19 documentaries, 10 short films and two music videos to his credit. By the time Producer K. Manju says the superstar will write the dialogues for the Malayalam version of the film. The Kannada version is titled �Shikari, but the title for Malayalam version has not yet been finalised.�He was so impressed with the script that he offered to write the dialogues of the film himself. We were excited when he accepted the responsibility of writing the dialogues. His book �Kazchapadu, a collection of essays in Malayalam, has been widely appreciated,� said Manju. Earlier, another Malayalam superstar Mohanlal had acted in Love, the debut film of Aditya Singh, son of renowned film-maker Rajendra Singh (Babu). But the movie was a disaster. Since then, Mohanlal has not been seen in any Kannada movie

Meera Nandan : �NO Glamour Roles

Meera Nandan says that she would rather go back to singing than taking the glamour route to stardom. The actress currently has Ayyanar, Kadhalukku Maranamillai and Suriya Nagaram to complete in Tamil and a few other Malayalam films. Meera states that she would don costumes that her role requires her to, but would not go in for revealing outfits at any time. An accomplished singer, Meera says that she has taken part in several concerts in the past. The lady adds that when opportunities to act in films came by, she decided to take it up and would continue to act till good offers pour her way

Mammootty as Kunjali Maraikar

Malayalam cinema seems to be getting interesting lately. Some of these big-budget films include the Mammootty starrer Karnan, which would bring him back with Gokulam Gopalan and Hariharan too. Buzz has it that another big project is being planned. Kunjali Maraikars story will be depicted on screen by director Jayaraj. The film is expected to star Mammootty in the lead role. Sources have it that the film will be scripted by T P Rajeevan, who also scripted Ranjith�s film, Paleri Maanickyam. However, an official announcement about this project is yet to be made

GET READY for Vishu 2010 Blockbusters

Vishu is one of the biggest seasons in Malayalam films as it heralds the start of summer and holidays. Vishu 2010 will see four releases: MohanlalsAlexander the Great, Dileep�s Pappy Appacha, Kalabhavan Mani�s long delayedPuliman and an unknown, TD Dasan Standard VI. The first off the block will be the Mammas-directed Pappy Appacha, which will release in 80 screens on April 14. It features Innocent and Dileep as an illiterate father and son duo who own everything in a village from the school to the hospital, theatre and the local bar. There is stiff resistance from a school teacher, played by Kavya Madhavan, against their domination, which leads to a comic twist and more fun. On Vishu (April 15), Mohanlal�s Murali Nagavally-directed Alexander the Greatis scheduled to release in nearly 85 screens. It is said to be a typical masala entertainer with a great twist. However, trade people haven�t confirmed its release yet, and the film is yet to be certified by the censors. Anil K Nair�s debut film Puliman, featuring Kalabhavan Mani and Meera Nandan, is also scheduled for release on April 15. The other Vishu release isTD Dasn Standard VI. Directed by Mohan Raghavan and starring newcomers, nothing much is known about this film

Marriage for Bollywood Diva Manisha Koirala

Manisha Koirala, one of Bollywoods most beautiful and footloose divas, is all set to tie the knot with businessman Samrat Dahal, but insists that it�s not an arranged marriage.�Yes, I�m getting married to Samrat. He�s from Nepal, like me. But it is not an arranged marriage, says Manisha. �Yes, our families know one another for long. So there was a comfort level between me and Samrat. And when Samrat asked me to marry him, I agreed,� she says. Manisha returned to Mumbai from Kerala last Wednesday to the news of her marriage all over the papers. �I was totally cut off in Kerala shooting for a Malayalam film. I had no idea my marriage plans were being discussed in my absence. The wedding is on June 19 in Kathmandu and will be attended by our families,� says the actress. After marriage Manisha will move base to Kathmandu. �That�s where Samrat is based. So now Kathmandu will be my first home. But I�ll continue to be a Mumbai girl at heart.� Manisha volunteers that she broke up with her last boyfriend, American Chris Dolan, long ago. �But we continue to be friends.�

Priyadarshan to Remake � Children of Heaven

Priyadarshan is directing a film titled Bumm Bumm Bole, which had Taare Zameen Par child star Darsheel Safary in an important role. The movie is an adaptation of an Iranian film Children of Heaven. Speaking about Darsheel, Priyan was quoted by the IANS as saying, �Darsheel is much better than many great actors of Bollywood films� He really knows how to perform and understand the character, how to behave and keep the right kind of body language, much better than many of our superstars. However, the director gives full credit to Aamir Khan for training Darsheel. He said, �It was very easy to direct Darsheel as Aamir trained him very well. He has now become a complete actor.� When asked if Bumm Bumm Bole was childrens film, the director denied it.

The smash hit Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa will be remake in Hindi

The smash hit Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa will be remade in Hindi by IN Entertainment (India) Limited, part of Hinduja Group and co-produced by Photon Kathaas. The film which is directed and co produced by Gautham Vasudev Menon is a romantic musical entertainer that has struck a chord with the audience irrespective of age or gender. The lead roles in VTV were essayed by Silambarasan and Trisha. There is a buzz in bollywood that the Hindi version also will be directed by Gautam Menon and the music will be composed by Oscar winner A R Rahman. The music of Rahman will be an integral part of the film. There is no final word on who will be cast in the Hindi remake and the final word is expected in this regard

Ilayathalapathi Vijay to Politics

Ilayathalapathi Vijay answered a volley of questions aimed at him during a recent press meet. When the reporters asked him about the Makkal Iyakkam that he had started and its motive, the actor replied that it is a label to do social work. The Makkal Iyakkam is a stepping stone to Vijays entry to politics. The actor says that this association has been doing a great deal of social work without any publicity. On what type of people he expects for his association, Vijay declares that youngsters with social awareness are a must. The actors states that he is waiting for the right opportunity to enter politics and it will not be far off.

Suraj Venjarammoodu as \'Female Unnikrishnan\'

Suraj Venjarammoodu is doing the lead in the film Female Unnikrishnan directed by K.B Madhu. Under the banner of Shenoy movies international, Shejoy Varghese is producing the film. Sudheesh John has written the story, dialogue and screen play.

Mohanlal\'s \'Pranavam\' is back

Speaking of Mohanlal, the actor has done another thing besides buying himself the Mercedes. He has revived his home banner of Pranavam Arts which has given some wonderful movies. Now his company along with a Mumbai based corporate will jointly produce Kandahar. Mohanlals brother in law, Suresh Balaji will be in charge of the production. Suresh Balaji has been busy in production related works for many Tamil films

Mohanlal\'s brand new S Class Mercedes Benz 350

Superstar Mohanlal is now a proud owner of a brand new S Class Mercedes Benz 350. He is probably the only actor in Kerala to have bought this luxury sedan. This work of beauty cost him 85 lakhs and he has obtained a fancy number for it as well. As of now he rides in the car to get to his shooting spot in Thiruvananthapuram where he is shooting for Oru Naal Varum directed by TK Rajiv Kumar.

Film artistes, singers and technicians not to appear on television shows

The Kerala Film Chamber Thursday asked all film artistes, singers and technicians not to appear on television for doing shows from May 1. The Chamber is the body of producers, distributors and exhibitors in the Malayalam film industry. Addressing reporters here after a meeting of the Chamber, one of the office bearers said that a similar decision had been taken in 2002 but nothing happened. �This time we will see that the order is obeyed. From May 1 all artistes, singers and technicians should not appear on programmes in televisions or other stage programmes. If they do that their films will not be screened, said the office bearers. One reason why such a decision is going to be implemented sternly is that there has been a drop in theatre collections, which has affected the stake holders of theChamber. However, veteran singer M.G. Sreekumar dismissed the move as ridiculous. �This year I have sung just four film songs and all what I have earned is Rs.25,000. If they are so particular that this new rule has to be implemented then let them ensure that I get to sing songs in every film that is released,� said Sreekumar. The ban extends to reality shows, being judges on TV shows and such programmes. However they can appear on TV if it is meant to promote a film which they have acted in, theChamber clarified

BigM\'s \"Shikari\" and \"Shikaar

Mammootty is all set to star in a double role once again in Shikari, a Kannada film to be directed by Abhay Sinha. Mammootty would play a software engineer and a freedom fighter in the film. The shooting of the film would start at the beginning of May in Bangalore.With this the directors longtime wish to have Mammootty playing the lead in his film would come true. Shikari would be Mammoottys first Kannada film, and would be produced by one of the veteran producers of Kannada cinema, K Manju. Meanwhile, the other megastar of Malayalam films is planning to start the shoot of his film Shikar that would be directed by Padmakumar. Mohanlal would play a lorry driver by the name of Balaraman in the film. Ananya would appear as his daughter in the film. Suraja Venjarammoodu, Lekshmi Gopalaswami and Jagathy Sreekumar would also appear in Shikar. The search for a heroine for the film that has been scripted by Suresh Babu is still on. The film would be shot at Adimali, Idukki, Thoothukkudi and Hyderabad. Shikar would be Mohanlals next major project this year

Resul , C V Balakrishnan and Madhu Kaithapram against State Awards Jury

A day after the Kerala State Awards 2009 have been announced, reactions to the decisions of the jury have started pouring in from different corners. Oscar winning sound designer Resul Pookutty expressed his disappointment at not being given the Best Sound Designer award. The award for Best Sound Design had gone to Harikumar for his work in Patham Nilayile Theevandi. Resul in an interview to a TV channel said that he was not sure why the jury had ignored his work in Pazhassi Raja. He said that the jury consisted of members who were not able to differentiate between sound and music. Resul said that he was ready to accept the jurys decision, but maintained that the opinion that the sound design for Pazhassi Raja did not have a regional flavor to it, did not make any sense. Meanwhile C V Balakrishnan, renowned writer, said that it was not right to make an outdated filmmaker as Sai Paranjpye the Chair Person of the jury. Madhu Kaithapram, director of Madhyavenal said that the decisions of the jury were quite senile.

Resul Pookutty slammed the Kerala Film Awards jury

Oscar award winner Resul Pookutty has slammed the Kerala Film Awards jury, saying it had neglected the sound mixing category in Pazhassiraja movie, which won eight State awards. Pookutty told the media in New Delhi yesterday that the jury members did not have any knowledge in sound mixing that they could not distinguish sound and music. The jury members had imposed their ignorance on the common man. While giving the award for sound recording to Harikumar for the film, Pathamnilayile Theevandi, the jury opined that the sound of Pazhassiraja was not rooted in Malayalam. �Im not disappointed because the jury, which judged the films, does not have the basic sense of sound and music, he said. To opine that the sound in Pazhassiraja was devoid of basic Malayalam characteristics showed the ignorance of the jury. �I respect the jury for what they are but they should not impose their judgment on the people of Kerala�, he said. Pookutty said he was not sore with the jury for not giving him the award. Just because he happened to win an Oscar also did not automatically qualify him for the award. It was not Pookutty alone who flayed the jury. Novelist and film critic C V Balakrishnan said Sai Paranjpe, the head of the jury, �is senile and outdated. She had judged films from a vintage angle because she�s ignorant of the latest in film-making�. Another harsh comment from the jury was about film-maker Shaji N Karun�s Kutty Srank, starring Mammootty. �We don�t take a film-maker into account. It�s true Shaji had a brilliant film like Piravi. But Kutty Srank did not rise to a certain level. There were some seven to eight well-made films and Srank did not quite make it�, said Paranjpe in reply to questions.

\'Oru Naal Varum\' shoot completed

Oru Naal Varum, directed by T K Rajeev Kumar has wrapped up its shooting in forty days flat. This is quite impressive since the films has some of the busiest stars in the industry that includes actors like Mohanlal and Sreenivasan and also Bollywood actress Sameera Reddy. Oru Naal Varum has been scipted by Sreenivasan, and also stars Devayani, Suraj Venjarammoodu, Raju and several others. The film has been produced by Maniyanpilla Raju

\'Shinkaravelan\'will start its shoot in July

Young superstar Prithvirajs Shinkaravelanwill start its shoot in July at Munnar. Shinkaravelan is director Deepans next film after the Superhit Puthiya Mukham. The film would be shot on locations at Thodupuzha, Alappuzha and Ernakulam. Tamil actor Sampath would play the anti-hero in this film. Shinkaravelan would be scripted by Babu Janardhanan. Vijayakumar would produce the film under the banner of Seven Arts International

Sheela and Lekshmi Rai as heroines in \'Makeup Man\'

Jayaram\'s \'Makeup Man\' being directed by hit-maker Shafi will have two heroines - Sheela and Lekshmi Rai. The shooting of the film has already started last week at Trivandrum. After twenty five days of shooting in the capital city, the unit will shift to Malaysia for the erst of the shoot. Scripted by Sachi and Sethu, \'Makeup Man\' is being produced by Ranjith for Rejaputra Films.

No disappointment \": Ranjith

Director Ranjith said that he was not at all disappointed at not being selected for the Best Director award. This is a jurys decision. While the Asianet, Vanitha and Mahtrubhoomi Awards were declared, I was the best director, but Pazhassi Raja was the Best Film. So, as I said, its entirely a jurys decision, Ranjith said. The scritping of Palery Mainckyam was the most difficult task. I spent more than seven months for it. The project had cent per cent support from Mammootty. I would hence like to dedicate this award to Mammootty, and the producers Subair and Anoop. I am happy that the film has gained recognition. All awards definitely inspire to move even further forward, the director said. Palery Manickyam has bagged several honours at the State Awads this year including Best Film, Best Actor (Mammootty), Best Actress (Shwetha Menon), Best Makeup and Best Costume Design

Mammooty and his films flames at Kerala film awards

Megastar Mammooty and his films dominate the Kerala State Film Awards 2009 which were announced by State Minister for Culture M.A. Baby Tuesday. Mammootty is named the best actor for his roles in Paleri Manikam Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte katha, while his film Pazhassi Raja� won the best director award for Hariharan. Together both the films bagged 12 awards, with Pazhassi Raja winning eight and �Paleri Manikam� four, including the best film award. Pazhassi Raja really merited all these awards because it was a technical masterpiece and was breath-taking evoking a bygone era, said Sai Paranjape who headed the jury that saw 36 feature films, two children�s film and two documentaries. Mammootty, who is on a month-long holiday, was not available for comments. But Renjith said that it is great moment for him because his efforts have been appreciated well. Swetha, who was declared the best actress for her performance in Paleri Manikam, said initially she was apprehensive about the role because the character was slightly older than her age. Renjith was adamant that I should do it because it was a character that had lot of potential. Just because he insisted, I took it and I am so happy that I have won an award, she said. Superstar Mohanlal�s film �Ividum Swarghamanu� was named the best popular film.

2009 Kerala State Film Awards Declared

2009 Kerala State Film Awards Declared ..! Best Actor � Mammooty ( Paleri Manikyam )

Best Actress � Swetha Menon ( Paleri Manikyam )

Best Director � HariHaran ( Pazhassiraaja )

Best Film - Paleri Manikyam oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha - Directed by Renjith , Produced by AV Anoop and Maha Subair

Special Jury Award - Jagathy Sreekumar

2nd Best Film - Raamanam � R Sukumaran

Most Popular Film - Ividam Swargamaanu � Directed by Roshan Andrews , Produced by Antony Perumbavoor

Best Cinematographer : K G Jayan( Soofi Paranja katha)

Best supporting Actor: Manoj K Jayan ( Pazhassir aja )

Best Supporting Actress : Pathma priya (pazhasiraja)

Promising Directror � P Sukumar ( Swale )

Best Script: MT Vasudevan Nair (pazhasiraja)

Best Editor: Sreekar prasad (pazhasiraja)

Art Direction: Muthu raj (pazhasiraja)

Sound Mixing : Harikumar ( Patham Nilayile Theevandy )

Dubbing Arist : Shobby Thilakan ( Pazhassiraja)

Back Ground Score: Rahul raj (rithu)

Music: Mohan sithara (soofi Paranja Katha )

Comedian : Suraj venjaran mood (ivar Vivahitharayal)

Best Singer (male) : yesudas (madya venal)

Best Singer (female) : sriya goshal (banaras)

Best Child artist : niveditha (brahmaram)

Mammootty and Swetha Menon bags state awards

Megastar Mammootty bagged the state award for the best actor in 2009 for his sterlling performance in Palerimanikyam Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Kathaalong with Pazhassi Raja and Loud Speaker. Mohan Lal too was in the race till the last round along with Jagathy Sreekumar and Innocent. Swetha Menon walked away with the best actress award. Ranjith was selected as best director for Palerimanikyam Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha. Pazhassi Raja by Hariharan, which leads in the best cinema category also has stamped a strong presence in the best supporting actor category, with Manoj K Jayan and Sharat Kumar in contention. The going is tough for the best film with Palerimanikyam , Brahmaram, Kerala Cafe, Soofi Paranja Kadha too filling the space apart from Pazhassi Raja.

P Sreekumar to script \"Karnan

The next magnum opus in Malayalam, Karnan might start sooner than expected. Its being said that Mammootty has taken an extra bit of interest in the film, the script of which has impressed him thoroughly. It might come as a surprise to atleast some of us, that the film would be scripted by P Sreekumar. Earlier it was rumoured that M T Vasudevan Nair might be writing the script for this film as well. Its heard that Gokulam Gopalan and Hariharan plan to recreate the Pazhassi Raja magic yet again, and create a landmark in Malayalam cinema through Karnan. If rumors that are pouring in are to be believed, Karnan might turn out to be the costliest film to be produced in Malayalam, with a budget of about 30 crores

\\\"I don\'t want to be a member of AMMA anymore\" : Thilakan

Thilakan on a prominent news channel after being expelled from AMMA for life, said that he didnt want to be a member of the association any more. This association will not let an artiste progress. Every decision that the association took today against me was preplanned. I wasted 5000 rupees as taxi fare to come to the meeting, that I should have given away to the poor and needy. Doing a job is a fundamental right. Denying it is not a right thing to do. I have talent that is inborn, and an experience of fifty four years in the acting profession. This is why they are scared of me. Also, I will react when I see something wrong. Why was I not made an executive member of AMMA till now? Thilakan asked. He said that he didnt really need an AMMA or a FEFCA to carry on acting. Within a month there would be announcement of a new film in which he would do the chief role. If an association displays mafia like qualities,then what should I call it? I would call it a mafia organization and not a flower. Today after my expulsion, it is clear that AMMA is a mafia organization, Thilakan said. Thilakan also said that today he knows who his real friends are. Truth will definitely reign supreme. He said that he was considering legal action against AMMA now, and added that he has already filed a case against FEFCA

\"Only fools would expel an actor like Thilakan\": Azhikode

Prominent orator Sukumar Azhikode reacted to the news of Thilakan being expelled from AMMA, by saying that only fools would expel an actor like Thilakan from the association. Azhikode lashed out against Mohanlal once again and said that though the actor had used his army uniform for commercial purposes, no action has been taken against him. Azhikode said that definitely Thilakan has not committed as grave an offence as the one Lal has committed. Azhikode also asked if a military rule was prevailing in AMMA that the association took such a drastic decision. He said he wished the members of AMMA behaved like adults and not like children. The least that they could have done is to take Thilakans age, experience and temperament into consideration. One does not just expel an actor of such great repute, just because he has called the association a mafia organisation, Azhikode said.

Idavela Babu and Siddiq shouted at me: Thilakan

Thilakan who has been expelled from AMMA for life, revealed to a popular news channel today that all was not well at the executive committee meeting at Kochi. Thilakan said that Idavela Babu, the Joint Secretary of AMMA got so angry at his statements that he sprang up from his seat and started shouting at him. Later Siddiq, who had come to the meeting after it had started also got irritated and shouted at me, and asked me to get out. Ganesh Kumar also did not behave well with me, Thilakan said. AMMA President Innocent at the Press conference however denied any such incidents and said that the meeting was quite peaceful. Innocent said that Thilakan had even earlier said many statements that he had retracted later.

Happy Birthday Sreeni

Come, April 6th, and Malayalams most favorite actor and script writer celebrates his birthday. Sreenivasan, who has charmed us for almost three decades with his incomparable acting, script writing and directorial skills, turns 54 today. There are probably very few Malayalis in the world who havent had an opportunity to see this wonderful film maker in action. Almost a household name in Kerala, Sreenivasan and his films have been both commercially and critically accepted across the highly cinema literate state. Sreenivasan is currently busy with the shoot of Oru Naal Varum his latest script writing adventure in which he co stars with Mohanlal. Directed by T K Rajeev Kumar, Oru Naal Varum is eagerly anticipated by fans of the actor.

Blessy\'s next with Prithviraj

The list of directors who want to cast the rising superstar Prithviraj seems to be growing by the day. Now the latest in the line is director Blessy. He has roped in Prithvi for his next venture which is yet to be titled. Sources indicate that the movie will be completely shot in the Gulf desert. The shooting is expected to kick off in the month of August. This should be interesting

Thilakan completely dismissed from the film organisation.

Veteran Malayalam actor Thilakan who has angered the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) with his utterances against film celebrities was Monday dismissed from the film organisation on grounds of indiscipline. His dismissal came after an angry exchange between the veteran and members of the executive committee of AMMA at a meeting here in the night. Addressing reporters, its president Innocent said that Thilakan has been removed from the rolls of AMMA. The executive committee was not convinced about the explanation given by him. His conduct and his statement against the members of AMMA and the organization was an act of indiscipline and he did not apologise for that. So to keep the discipline of the organization intact, we have removed him from the membership of AMMA, said Innocent. He added that Thilakan could continue to act in films. He can continue to act and there is no bar on AMMA members to interact with him, said Innocent. Reacting to his dismissal, Thilakan told reporters that he was not surprised. I knew that this was bound to happen. I am aged 74 and am an actor for the past 54 years and I have never been in such a position. They did not look at my age, my failing health and my seniority in the industry, said Thilakan. On March 1 Thilakan was suspended from the AMMA after failing to appear before the committee on two occasions. For the past two months Thilakan is in dispute with various film workers organisations, including the AMMA, for his utterances against some superstars and select directors. I will decide my next course of action after finding out if the executive committee of AMMA has the powers to dismiss a member. If I find they do not have the powers then I will approach the court of law, said Thilakan.

\\�AMMA� expelled Veteran Ace Actor �Thilakan �

Vital meeting of AMMA held at Cochin today regarding the Thilakan issue take decision to Expellled Thilakan from the Association. AMMA is not at all satisfied with the explanation given by Thilakan today at the Executive Committee meeting held at Cochin. Take significant decision to rule out Thilakan�s Life time membership from AMMA ( Association of Malayalam Movie Artists ) .

\"Superstars are scared of young star Prithviraj\": Thilakan

Thilakan is out again after a brief period of silence and has lashed out against the superstars. In an interview with a private channel, he said that the superstars are scared of young star Prithviraj. It is because of this that they are making use of fans to howl in the halls where Prithvis films are playing. Prithvi is one of the most macho stars in the new generation of actors, Thilakan said. He also knows how to speak properly. And above everything else, he is Sukumarans son. It is this boldness that has prompted Prithvi to speak in support of me, Thilakan added. Prithvi had earlier spoken in support of Thilakan when he said that it was not right to ban any actor from films. He had also said that he had refrained from expressing an opinion on the matter till now, because nobody had asked him an opinion

Stars busy with stage shows in Europe and the US

Most of the major stars in Malayalam would be busy staging shows in the Europe and the US during summer. Jayaram Show 2010 would tour all over Europe from the 28th of April till the 28th of May. Besides Jayaram, the show will also have Samvrutha Sunil, Meera Nandan, Manikkuttan, Balabhaskar, Kottayam Nazeer, Afsal and Sayanora. The group will perform on more than twelve stages across Europe. Meanwhile another group led by Dileep and Kalabhavan Mani has planned a US trip by the end of May. Other members are being finalized. The group is expected to stage shows in the US for about a month

Babu is someone who does a peon\'s job while remaining the Joint Secretary\":Thilakan

Thilakan has made it clear that he would not change his stance a bit, even though he plans to appear before the executive committee of AMMA on Monday, to offer an explanation. He said that he was planning to go, solely because of Mohanlals request to do so. If AMMAs decisions are justifiable, Thilakan plans to agree with them. However, he added that he did not hope to get justice from an Association that had a Joint Secretary like Idavela Babu. He added that Idavela Babu was nobody to say that Thilakan was being offered one more chance to appear before AMMA and that he would be thrown out of the association, if he didnt do so. Babu is someone who does a peons job while remaining the Joint Secretary, Thilakan added. I am still being denied job opportunities. There hasnt been any response regarding this from the officials of AMMA till now. And yet, I will be going for the meeting on Monday, to ensure that I have tried my level best to solve this issue, he said

Mukesh takes charge as Sangeetha Nadaka Academy Chairman

Mukesh took charge as the Sangeetha Nadaka Academy Chairman yesterday. P Valsala also took charge as the President of the Academy. Mukesh took charge after offering respects to the late actor Murali. He said that he was not worried about being a fresher, and also that he hoped he would be able to interact with the creative geniuses in the field quite effectively. Mukesh also remembered the several stalwarts in the field with whom he has been lucky to have maintained a wonderful rapport. When asked as to how he would deal with the political interventions, Mukesh sounded quite optimistic. He said that politics was a part of his life, and that all interventions would be seen in a progressive and positive sense

Minister Jose Thettayil turns actor

Minister Jose Thettayil turned actor for Nakharam, a film directed by T Deepesh. The minister took on the role of a judge and got his scene right on the first take itself. The shooting was held at Koothuparambu High School. The minister took part in the climactic shoot. It was make up man Pattanam Rasheed who got the minister ready for the shot. Though he was acting for the first time, being in films is not entirely new to the minister, since he had earlier directed a documentary. Nakharam has former Transport Minister and actor K B Ganesh Kumar doing the chief role. Dr. Vatsalan Vathussery has scripted the film that is being

Kalabhavan Mani as a school teacher in \'Pallikkoodam\'

Kalabhavan Mani would soon be seen in the role of a school teacher in a film. The film to be directed by debutante Jayachandran has been titled Pallikkoodam. The story of the film is by the director himself. The script of the film has been penned by Sathyan Kolangadu. The camera would be handled by M J Radhakrishnan. Shyam Dharman would compose the music. The film would be produced by R P Suresh Kumar under the banner of Bhagyatara Productions. Shooting of the film would start at Vandiperiyar in May

Dimple Kapadia debuts in Mollywood

The gracious and elegant Dimple Kapadia was once the hottest heroines in the Bollywood circuit. After many years in the cinema industry, she is all set to make her debut in Malayalam. This will be for the movie Bombay Mittai which has Vinoo Mohan and Venkat in the lead. Though her role is short, it is supposedly very important in the movie. Umar Karikkadu is making his debut as a director with this one

Mukesh in \'Ladies Only\'

Mukesh is part of the movie In Ghost House Inn which is running successfully across the state. Meanwhile he is all set for his next venture which is titled Ladies Only. This one will also star the luscious beauty Lakshmi Sharma, Jagathy Sreekumar and Suraj Venjaramoodu. Pappan Payattuvila will be directing this one. This flick has already completed its traditional start recently and it is slated to be a comedy entertainer

Shakeela for a comeback

Shakeela made her mark as a glamour star of Mollywood. She was in hiatus for some time but now she is back. She will be part of the movie Onnara Kallan which is not a x rated movie. Instead this one is a comical flick which will be directed by debutant Raviraj. Sources indicate that many other comedy actors will be part of this movie. Shakeela is due to get married in the coming months

Cinemax launches first multiplex in Kerala Cochin

Multiplex chain operator Cinemax has launched its first multiplex property in Kerala. With this launch, Kerala also gets its first-ever and only multiplex till date. The four-screen multiplex at Oberon Mall Kochi was launched with a special screening of Malayalam film Thantonni. Said Cinemax India SVP Devang Sampat, Cinemax has established its presence with a strong emphasis on screen size, picture and sound quality and innovative consumer offers, offering viewers a variety which keeps them coming back for more. The launch of our first property in Kochi is a fortification of our promise of providing a state-of-the-art entertainment experience to all movie-enthusiasts and also strengths our presence in Southern India. The new property is a step towards the reinforcement of Cinemaxs commitment of providing the best of Indian and International Cinema to all its viewers across the country. With the launch of this property, Cinemax now has 94 operational screens and is poised to take the count to 100 with its forthcoming launches in Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Baroda

Elsamma Enn Aankutty - New Film From Lal Jose

Elsamma Enn Aankutty is an upcoming Malayalam movie by filmmaker Lal Jose with Kunchakko Boban, Indrajith, Janardhanan, Jagathy, K P A C Lalitha in the cast. The team is on the lookout for a newcomer to play a female lead. The script is by Sindhuraaj and Rajamani is to score music for the film. Lal Jose is one of the most popular directors in the Malayalam film industry Sindhuraaj who has earlier worked with Lal Jose on Mulla. Although Vidyasagar generally scores the music in all of Lal Joses films, this time, the director has roped in Rajamani for the task. The film will begin shooting in May.

Petition to grant Yesudas entry to Guruvayoor temple rejected

A petition that was filed before the High Court, seeking that K J Yesudas be given permission to enter the Guruvayoor temple was rejected by the High court division bench. The petition was filed by Lalitha Vasudevan, a native of Kozhikode. The court observed that Yesudas was not the kind of person who would seek someone elses help in an issue as this. Also the petitioner had submitted the petition without the singers knowledge. The court also said that such unnecessary petitions would cost the court both energy and time. And the loss that petitioners with real issues face because of this is huge. Therefore it ruled that the petitioner remit a rupee as a symbolic fine to have wasted the courts valuable time.

Lenin Rajendran supports Thilakan

Director Lenin Rajendran has made it clear that he would offer Thilakan an opportunity to act in his films, if there is a role that suits him, irrespective of who is opposed to the actor acting in films. Lenin was speaking at a press conference in Dubai. Only fools would deny an opportunity to a great actor like Thilakan. Its certainly not right to ban an actor from acting in films, the director said. Lenin also said that a trade unionism that is akin to the kind of unionism that the head-load workers had a few decades back is prevalent in the industry today. I have not commented on the Thilakan controversy till now. This is because I see the whole thing as a joke. Because an issue that concerns the association must have been solved within the association itself. What happened instead was a washing of the dirty line in public, Lenin said. I am often told that there is a segregation based on caste in the industry. I am not interested in all this, he concluded

Devaraj tries to complete \"Swapnamalika\"

Malayalam flick Swapnamalika has been in the making for a long time now. The reason seems to be that superstar Mohanlal eventually lost interest in the flick. Now, finally the director seems to be all set to complete the remaining portions of the movie. He has apparently changed the screenplay which will ensure that Mohanlal does not need to be present for most parts. The movie also stars foreign actress Elena

Searching for \"Makeup Man\" heroine

For the first time in their career, two popular stars Prithviraj and Jayaram are coming together in a movie. This one is for Makeup Man which will be directed by Shafi. The movie is expected to be a laugh riot with two superstars. Meanwhile, the luscious long legged beauty Lakshmi Rai will play the heroine in this one. On the other hand, the search for another heroine is still on and an announcement will be made soon

Jagadish\'s debut directorial with his own script

Jagadish has been a person of many abilities. He has been a popular actor with comical and character roles in more than 150 movies, a singer, a screenplay writer and an anchor. Now he is all set to make his debut as a director with the movie Amar Akbar Antony. This flick starring superstar Mammootty is supposedly a comical entertainer. Meanwhile sources indicate that Jagadish is writing the script for this one.