Actor Y Gee Mahendra’s popular stage play ‘Charukesi’ is all set to be made into a movie. Tamil superstar Rajinikanth made this announcement at the 50th show of ‘Charukesi’ at Vani Mahal in Chennai. He also kickstarted the project with the customary ‘clap’.
Rajinikanth said: “In 1975, when I went to see the play ‘Ragasiyam Parama Ragasiyam’, I was not allowed in. But now I am here as the special guest at the 50th show of ‘Charukesi’. This is all an act of time.:
He added: “Popular actors, including Nagesh, Jayalalithaa, Cho, Visu, and so on, are from the Uaa theatre troupe. It is a disciplined troupe with many educated people and experts from various fields.”
Rajinikanth noted that had “Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan been alive, ‘Charukesi’ would have been another ‘Vietnam Veedu’.”
He continued: “As far as this drama is concerned, the story, screenplay, characters and dialogues are all well placed.
Rajinikanth said: “In 1975, when I went to see the play ‘Ragasiyam Parama Ragasiyam’, I was not allowed in. But now I am here as the special guest at the 50th show of ‘Charukesi’. This is all an act of time.:
He added: “Popular actors, including Nagesh, Jayalalithaa, Cho, Visu, and so on, are from the Uaa theatre troupe. It is a disciplined troupe with many educated people and experts from various fields.”
Rajinikanth noted that had “Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan been alive, ‘Charukesi’ would have been another ‘Vietnam Veedu’.”
He continued: “As far as this drama is concerned, the story, screenplay, characters and dialogues are all well placed.
- 1/27/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
Kollywood‘Panchathanthiram’ actors Jayaram, Yugi Sethu, Ramesh Aravind and Sriman teamed up after 20 years for a fun promo video, ahead of the release of Kamal Haasan’s upcoming movie ‘Vikram’. Tnm StaffSeveral sequences from comedy drama Panchathanthiram, which was based on the rollercoaster romantic story of Ram (Kamal Haasan) and Mythili (Simran), remain etched in the memory of fans. With dialogues penned by late actor-comedian and screenwriter Crazy Mohan, and Ks Ravikumar’s direction, hilarious scenes from the 2002 Tamil entertainer remain popular to this day. The conference call between Ram and his four best friends — Ayyapan Nair (Jayaram), Vedhantham Iyengar or Vedham (Yugi Sethu), Ganesh Hegde (Ramesh Aravind) and Hanumant Reddy (Sriman), is arguably one of the most comical scenes in Tamil cinema. The Panchathanthiram actors had a delightful surprise in store for fans on Friday, May 27, when they reunited after 20 years. Much like the old times, we see them...
- 5/28/2022
- by AditiKumar
- The News Minute
KollywoodIn a social media post, Kamal Haasan spoke about various aspects of ‘Dasavatharam’, including the ideation, production, technical team, make-up and music, among other things.Tnm StaffScreengrab/YouTubeActor Kamal Haasan took to social media on Sunday to share details about one of his biggest projects, Dasavatharam, on the completion of 13 years of its release. Kamal, who played 10 roles in the movie and was on board as the writer, shared his thoughts in a Facebook post. He spoke about the production, making of the movie, the technical team, the make-up and music, among other things. Recounting the pre-production phases, Kamal wrote how the script was declined by many directors citing that they didn’t understand the project and was finally taken up by director Ravikumar. “He immediately claimed it a winner on cards and was surprised that it was turned down (sic),” Kamal’s post read. Elaborating on the ideation period,...
- 6/14/2021
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
KollywoodKamal Haasan and Crazy Mohan have worked together on several blockbusters like ‘Panchathanthiram’ and ‘Vasool Raja Mbbs’ among others. Tnm StaffTwitter/ Kamal HaasanJune 10 marked the second death anniversary of screenwriter, actor, comedian and playwright Crazy Mohan. Many fans posted his photos and scenes from his movies in remembrance. Fans fondly remembered Crazy Mohan’s brand of comedy which involved witty one-liners, puns and smart wordplay. Actor Kamal Haasan, who worked along with Crazy Mohan on several projects, took to Twitter on Thursday to pen a heartwarming post about Crazy Mohan on his death anniversary. The camaraderie and friendship that the two shared, is well-known to many. Sharing a throwback photo where Kamal and Crazy Mohan are spotted engaging in a candid conversation, Kamal praised Crazy Mohan for how he changed the landscape of theatre. “In times when people said “the world is a play (theatre)” he changed it to say...
- 6/11/2021
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
Human interestIn ‘Alaipayuthey’, ever managed to notice which bank name is painted across the compartment that Shakthi travels in?Subha J RaoWhen Sambashiva Srisailapathy, 33, Mrinal Narayan, 35, and Dinesh Sekar, 29, or the Sumaar Moonji Kumars, get talking about films, you stop what you’re doing and watch them, even if it is over a patchy video call. The three, all raised by families that loved films, get animated, and speak about everything from the first to the last second of a film. Samba’s father would pick him up early from school and take him for a movie, Mrinal’s mother would be ready to travel with family from Madras to Hyderabad to catch the Telugu version of Salangai Oli, and Dinesh was the typical child who grew up on a diet of world masters before deciding he loved mainstream pulp too. Where they are different is that they do not stop with watching films.
- 9/15/2020
- by Geetika
- The News Minute
KollywoodActors Khusbhu, Nasser, Prabhu, director Ks Ravikumar and many others were also part of the Zoom call.Tnm StaffVinodh VelayudhanJune 10 marked the one year death anniversary of ‘Crazy’ Mohan whose contribution to Tamil cinema with his witty one-liners, puns and smart wordplay is fondly recalled by fans. Tokyo Tamil Sangam organised a Zoom conference call to celebrate the screenwriter and theatre personality by inviting people such as actor-politician Kamal Haasan, his close friend and many-time collaborator, actors Khusbhu Sundar, Nasser, Prabhu, director Ks Ravikumar, singer Nithyasree, musician Rajhesh Vaidhya and many others. Many participated in the Zoom conference, co-hosted by Mohan’s brother Maadhu Balaji along with Tokyo Tamil Sangam, to share their fondest memories of having known or worked with Crazy Mohan. “In Anbe Sivam film, there’s a dialogue that we wrote together on friendship and brotherhood between two men. “Idhenna kadhala, asingama solikitrukarthuku. Iruku. Vitrunga.”. It is there.
- 6/11/2020
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
Flix FlashbackIn #WatchWithTNM, we write about Kamal Haasan-Crazy Mohan's 'Panchatanthiram' and why it was the crown jewel in their shared repertoire Priyanka Thirumurthy"Everything about the film was joyous. Despite the turmoil in my personal life, the film always brought a smile to my face. It was just the balm I needed to keep me calm." These were the words of actor Kamal Haasan in June 2002, the year his movie Panchatanthiram released and brought the people of Tamil Nadu to literal tears, as they were assaulted by one joke after another, all timeless in their nature. And 18 years later, these words hold true for anyone who rewatches this film, because Panchatanthiram is a gift that keeps giving. The film is the crown jewel in the repertoire shared by comic genius 'Crazy' Mohan and Kamal Haasan, and came at a time when the actor's life -...
- 4/17/2020
- by Prajwal
- The News Minute
ControversyA Twitter user had claimed that Crazy Mohan was diabetic and that the doctors didn't do enough to save him.Tnm StaffSoon after the death of actor and scriptwriter Mohan Rangachari, popularly known as ‘Crazy’ Mohan, on June 10 following an acute heart attack, rumours began to do the rounds. Kauvery Hospital confirmed that he could not be revived with a defibrillator, and he was declared dead at 2 pm. However, a Twitter user said that he had first been taken to Chennai’s Meenakshi Mission a day prior to his death for heartburn, and further claimed that he was sent back without an Ecg being taken. The user alleged that if the hospital had taken an Ecg on June 9, they could have spotted the problem. Furthermore, the user claimed that the actor was diabetic as well. This thread was widely retweeted and gained traction, which led to Maadhu Balaji, Crazy Mohan’s brother,...
- 6/12/2019
- by Haripriya
- The News Minute
MollywoodThe film has four heroines - Prachi Desai, Prachi Tehlan, Malavika Menon and Abhirami V Iyer.Digital NativeMammootty starrer Maamaankam will release in multiple languages, say sources. The film is being made in Malayalam and will be released in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi languages, say a Times of India report. While it was said that Mammootty will be playing a warrior in this historical, sources in the know say that he will be appearing in different get-ups. Made on a budget of Rs 50 crore, Maamaankam began its production with debut director Sajeev Pillai wielding the megaphone. But due to creative differences with the producer, noted filmmaker M Padma Kumar was brought in to replace the filmmaker. The film has four heroines - Prachi Desai, Prachi Tehlan, Malavika Menon and Abhirami V Iyer in the cast and those playing supporting roles in it would be Unni Mukundan, Neeraj Madhav, Sunil Sukhada,...
- 6/11/2019
- by Cris
- The News Minute
FlixThe '90s was a difficult time for Tamil theatre, with both performances and audiences dwindling. Karthik BhattWriting a tribute is never an easy task, especially when the subject of the piece is a person who has been a constant presence in your life. When the subject happens to be Crazy Mohan, a man who it seemed lived only to make others laugh, it evokes an even more sense of poignancy. Though his collaborations with Kamal Hassan propelled him to a wider audience, his first love was theatre and hence this is a tribute to his theatre persona. Today the Tamil theatre scene is a vibrant one with many troupes coming out with several interesting ventures. But, growing up in the ‘90s, our knowledge of Tamil theatre was restricted to a few select personalities like Yg Mahendra, S Ve Shekhar and Crazy Mohan. It was an era when Tamil theatre was undergoing a rough patch,...
- 6/11/2019
- by Sowmya
- The News Minute
KollywoodCrazy Mohan made a foray into films through 'Poikkal Kuthirai' in 1983, but it wasn't until he collaborated with Kamal that he became wildly successful in cinema.K BalakumarKamal & Crazy Mohan/ Facebook'Crazy' Mohan never got tired of telling the story of how he ran into Kamal Haasan outside a burial site, where the actor was shooting for his film Sathya. It was the year 1988. Crazy Mohan, after his less than successful foray into films through Poikkal Kuthirai in 1983 (a rehash of his popular stage drama Marriage Made In Saloon), had stayed away from Kollywood. But veteran director (and old Tamil drama hand) Muktha Srinivasan got 'Crazy' back to films through the movie Katha Nayagan (a remake of the Malayalam cult hit Nadodikkattu). It was a middling hit in Tamil, but the humour in the movie was noticed, but nobody really registered who the dialogue writer was at that time.
- 6/11/2019
- by Sowmya
- The News Minute
KollywoodCrazy Mohan's wordplay was unique in the Tamil comedy world.Megha KaveriVinodh VelayudhanThe world lost quite a bit of its craziness on Monday as renowned playwright and inimitable comedy writer ‘Crazy’ Mohan passed away in Chennai due to a heart attack. He was 66. Earning his prefix ‘Crazy’ from one of the earliest plays he wrote, Mohan was known for setting a trend in Tamil comedy, which was clean and enjoyable for people of all ages. A distinct feature of his scripts was how he intertwined comedy with the story, thus ensuring that the narrative moved ahead quickly and the comedy track didn't poke out separately from the story. Some of the trademark features which made his scripts stand out and easily identifiable to the audience are the frequent usage of mistaken identities, wordplay and one-liners. He was known for his affable and intelligent comedy. While the comedy world mourns the death of their icon,...
- 6/11/2019
- by Meghak
- The News Minute
KollywoodKamal and Crazy Mohan have produced some of the best comedies together.Sowmya RajendranJust a few hours after Girish Karnad passed away, fans of cinema and theatre were in for another rude shock. Mohan Rangachari, best known as Crazy Mohan, too chose this very day to bid his final goodbye. If you were born in the '80s or '90s in Tamil Nadu, Crazy Mohan was an inevitable part of your childhood. Before stand up comedy shows became all the rage in our metros, an evening of humour in a Chennai weekend usually meant a Crazy Mohan stage play. You could go for these plays with the entire family; the humour rarely hurt, though it landed all the right punches. Many a time, the joke was only half-funny, but we laughed because of how it was delivered, how cleverly the words were used to distort the meaning. The crowd...
- 6/10/2019
- by Sowmya
- The News Minute
Death The death of the legendary comedian and writer came as a shock to the Tamil film industry and fans on Monday.Tnm StaffEven as news of the tragic demise of legendary comedian and writer Crazy Mohan plunged the Tamil film fraternity and fans into sadness, many celebrities recalled his invaluable contribution to cinema. Mohan Rangachari, fondly known to the world as Crazy Mohan, was declared dead on Monday after he could not be revived following an acute heart attack. The death of the 66-year-old actor, director, dialogue writer and comedian leaves a void in the heart of Tamil cinema, especially in the genre of humour. He is best remembered for his quick-witted one-liners and Tamil wordplay in films and plays over the years, a brand of comedy in which he ruled the roost among Tamil audiences. Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O Panneerselvam took to Twitter to express...
- 6/10/2019
- by Manasa
- The News Minute
Renowned Tamil writer, actor and comedy giant Crazy Mohan breathed his last here on Monday after he suffered a major heart attack. He was 67.
"After he complained of pain in his chest and suffered a heart attack, he was rushed to Kauvery hospital in the afternoon. Efforts were taken to revive him but unfortunately he passed away around 2 p.m.," a family source told a source.
Born as Mohan Rangachari in 1952, Mohan's first stint with writing began in college, where he was studying Mechanical Engineering when he wrote the script for "Great Bank Robbery" for an inter-collegiate contest.
He then started writing scripts for his brother Maadhu Balaji's drama troupe. In 1976, Mohan wrote his first full-length play called "Crazy Thieves in Paalavakkam", thereby, earning the moniker 'Crazy' to his name.
By 1979, Mohan started his own drama troupe Crazy Creations which went on to create over 30 plays that...
"After he complained of pain in his chest and suffered a heart attack, he was rushed to Kauvery hospital in the afternoon. Efforts were taken to revive him but unfortunately he passed away around 2 p.m.," a family source told a source.
Born as Mohan Rangachari in 1952, Mohan's first stint with writing began in college, where he was studying Mechanical Engineering when he wrote the script for "Great Bank Robbery" for an inter-collegiate contest.
He then started writing scripts for his brother Maadhu Balaji's drama troupe. In 1976, Mohan wrote his first full-length play called "Crazy Thieves in Paalavakkam", thereby, earning the moniker 'Crazy' to his name.
By 1979, Mohan started his own drama troupe Crazy Creations which went on to create over 30 plays that...
- 6/10/2019
- GlamSham
Kollywood Reports are that the filmmakers decided to put off the release, which was announced as May 1 earlier, in order to get the requisite number of theatres. Digital NativeDigital NativeDevi 2, the sequel to the hit horror comedy Devi that released in the year 2016 will not release on May 1 as announced earlier. The horror comedy was in the summer release race this year, but reports are that the filmmakers decided to put off the release by a few more weeks in order to get the requisite number of theatres. According to recent reports, it may be released on May 31 but we need to wait for an official word on it. The movie recently cleared the censor with a ‘U’ certificate. Devi was also simultaneously released in Telugu and Hindi, titled Abhinetri and Tutak Tutak Tutiya respectively and went on to earn good box office collections. Following the film’s success at...
- 4/29/2019
- by Luke
- The News Minute
Flix FlashbackIt's not difficult to make a film like 'Apoorva Sagodharargal' now with the technology that we have, but it's indeed a wonder that a film of such quality was made decades ago. Anand Kumar RSDirected by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, Kamal Haasan’s blockbuster film – Apoorva Sagodharargal hit the theatres in April 1989, exactly 30 years ago. This was a phase when Kamal, post the success of Nayagan, had started experimenting with not just different genres, but also myriad looks for himself in each of his films. Donning the role of a dwarf was one such idea. It’s not difficult for an average adult sized person to play a dwarf character in these times of technological advances. But, one must admit that it would have taken a lot of courage to do so in an era when there was no computer graphics to aid the visual effects. Kamal had that in him.
- 4/16/2019
- by Sowmya
- The News Minute
Kollywood Kamal as Senapathy, self-styled vigilante who prefers the monicker ‘Indian’, is seen blurred out in the poster. Tnm StaffThe first-look poster of Kamal Haasan’s Indian 2, his reunion with director S Shankar after 22 years, was released early on Pongal. The poster’s focus is on the iconic ‘varma-kalai’ that was made famous in the first film. Kamal as Senapathy, a self-styled vigilante who prefers the monicker ‘Indian’, is seen blurred out in the poster. The first-look poster, however, does not reveal any more about the film. The poster reveals that shooting will begin from January 18. With Anirudh roped in for the film’s music, cinematographer Ravi Varman will be the DoP. Indian 2 is being bankrolled by Lyca Productions. The film’s dialogues will be penned by writer Jayamohan, lyricist Kabilan Vairamuthu and Lakshmi Saravanakumar while the prequel Indian had late writer Sujatha on board. This action drama has Jack Gill,...
- 1/15/2019
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
KollywoodShe is a well-known celebrity in South Korea and is popular for her music, films, and television series across the globe.Digital NativeDigital NativeReports have surfaced that the South Korean actor Bae Suzy is reportedly in talks with the makers of Indian 2 to play a pivotal role in the film. Talks have been initiated and it needs to be known if the pretty actor would be joining onboard this magnum opus. She is a well-known celebrity in South Korea and across the globe and is popular for her music, films, and television series. Directed by Shankar, Indian 2 will have Kamal Haasan playing the lead role. Kajal Agarwal has been roped in to play the female lead in this film. The shooting of Indian 2 will go on to the floors on January 18, confirm sources in the trade. Anirudh Ravichander has been signed up to compose the tunes for Indian 2 and...
- 1/10/2019
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
KollywoodThe film which will mark Haasan’s return as the octogenarian vigilante Senapathy, was supposed to commence its shooting from 14 December.Digital NativeIndian 2, director Shankar's next is progressing well with the prep work to get it on to the floors. Ulaga Nayagan Kamal Haasan, who played the lead role in the prequel, will be the hero in the sequel as well, which will be bankrolled by Lyca Productions on a lavish budget. The film which will mark Haasan’s return as the octogenarian vigilante Senapathy, was supposed to commence its shooting from 14 December. Now the shoot has been postponed to January 2019 and it is being said that the delay in set work has resulted in this push. While the makers are yet to officially reveal more details about the project, there are reports that Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn are being considered to play the antagonist in this venture. It...
- 12/21/2018
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
KollywoodAlthough official confirmation has not been made, trade circles are also abuzz with the news that Kajal Agarwal may be roped in as well. Digital NativeDigital NativeLooks like Dulquer Salmaan and Kamal Haasan may get to team up! Reports are that the young hero has been approached to play a role in the Kamal Haasan starrer Indian 2, which is the sequel to the hit Tamil flick Indian. Director Shankar is currently busy with the groundwork to get the sequel on to the floors soon and is roping in the stars to play a pivotal role in it. Kamal Haasan, who was the lead star in Indian, will be a part of the sequel as well. According to a Sify.com report, Dulquer Salmaan has been approached to play a significant role in it and is yet to give his nod considering his current assignments on hands. Trade circles are...
- 11/12/2018
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
KollywoodThe actor was a part of the prequel and looks like he will be retained to maintain continuity in this film.Digital NativeDigital NativeIndian 2, Shankar's next, is on its pre-production mode. Ulaga Nayagan Kamal Haasan, who played the lead role in the prequel, will be the hero in the sequel as well. According to latest reports, the director is in talks with the Malayalam actor Nedumudi Venu for a role in Indian 2. The actor was a part of the prequel and looks like he will be retained to maintain continuity in this film. Also, Sukanya, who played Kamal’s wife in Indian, might be playing a role in Indian 2. While the director is still in the process of assembling his star cast, he is also busy with the location hunt in India and abroad. The shooting of Indian 2 will commence soon after Kamal Haasan is done with the hosting of the television reality show,...
- 9/11/2018
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
KollywoodHe was accompanied by ace cinematographer Ravi Varman. Digital NativeDigital NativeDirector Shankar has set the ball rolling for his upcoming film Indian 2, which is the sequel to his hit movie Indian. As in the prequel, Indian 2 will have the Ulaga Nayagan Kamal Haasan playing the lead role. The director had been hunting for locations for shooting the film and was recently in Prodattur in Kadapa, Andhra for the purpose. He was accompanied by ace cinematographer Ravi Varman, who will be cranking the camera for the venture. It may be mentioned here that the director was abroad a few months ago to scout for locations. The shooting of Indian 2 will commence soon after Kamal Haasan is done with the hosting of the television reality show, Bigg Boss season two. Pairing up with him in the film will be Nayanthara. Anirudh Ravichander has been roped in to compose the tunes for Indian 2. Indian,...
- 9/6/2018
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
KollywoodDirected by Shankar, the film's pre-production is currently in progress.Digital NativeDigital NativeUlaga Nayagan Kamal Haasan had earlier said that he would be joining the sets of the Shankar's Indian 2 after the release of Vishwaroopam 2. With the film scheduled for release on August 10, movie buffs are waiting for info on Indian 2’s progress which was formally announced last year during the grand finale of Bigg Boss season 1 Tamil. On Saturday’s episode of Bigg Boss, Kamal revealed that he will be starting work on the sequel to his blockbuster film Indian in September after he is done with the Bigg Boss season 2 television reality show that he is currently hosting. Pre-production of this magnum opus is currently on. Anirudh Ravichander has been signed up to compose the tunes for Indian 2, say sources. We also hear that the Lady Superstar Nayanthara is in talks to play the female lead...
- 7/23/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
KollywoodWhat was Tamil cinema like 25 years ago and how have these films aged?Nandhu SundaramI was in Plus One and my finals had ended that day. We were standing outside Raja Theatre in Nagercoil, my hometown. There were more than 65 government school students -- all of them from my batch -- standing outside, many of us still in uniform. I had never been to the movies with so many people and was very excited. My friends and I were there to watch Gentleman, the newest rage in town. One of my friends was holding on to a sack. I peered inside and found it to be full of lottery tickets. Another friend explained that they were to be used for throwing in the way of the light cast by the projector. Celebrating in this way is still the norm in many theatres across the country. It’s been more than 25 years and times have changed. Raja Theatre, which stood adjacent to the famous Nagaraja Temple, is no longer there. And, no movie will run for the 100 days that Gentleman did any more. In the streaming era of Amazon Prime and the like, films today run for about 35 days in the theatre before being shown elsewhere. Gentleman, arguably the most famous film of 1993, launched the career of director S Shankar. The songs were trendy and became hit, and thus began the famous collaboration between Shankar and composer Ar Rahman. The explosive choreography by Prabhu Deva created quite a buzz, with ‘Chikku Bukku Raile’ becoming a chartbuster. Arjun plays the lead Krishnamoorthy alias Kitcha in Gentleman and he stages multiple heists even as the police are hot on his heels. Kitcha, who has a dark and tragic past, plans to build a medical college for poor students. The film has tedious scenes involving the famous comedy duo - Goundamani and Senthil, who engage in frivolous games with Sugandi, played by Subhashri. Susheela, played by Madhubala, is the main woman lead. None of us knew it then, but the satellite TV revolution in Tamil Nadu proved to be a game-changer for movie-goers. Sun TV had just been launched with much fanfare and we would never treat the cinemas the same way again. Many of the films from 1993 are outdated and campy. Even the blockbusters released that year are not an exception. There are but a few gems that have held up well despite the ravages of time. Here, we take a look at some movies that have completed 25 years since they were first released in theatres. Nostalgia is a potent potion and many movies from 1993 bring a flood of memories with them. Take for instance, the completely inane Chinna Mapillai starring Prabhu, Sukanya, Visu and Radha Ravi. With side-splitting comedy, the movie had dialogues by Crazy Mohan and was helmed by Santhana Bharathi. With a particularly raunchy performance from actor Sivaranjani (who was briefly famous for such roles in Tamil cinema), the movie was later remade as Coolie No 1 with Govinda in the lead. Nuggets like that remind us of a time gone by when cinema was radically different from what it is today. Not all of the films from this era have endured. You may not dare to watch many films from this year on DVD. But the presence of classics like Mahanadhi and Marupadiyum more than redeem the pervading mediocrity that plagued Tamil cinema during this year. This symptom was shared by many films from the 1990s. In the January of 1993, the who’s who of Kollywood released movies. On Pongal (January 14) that year, an array of movies including Captain Magal (Dir. Bharathiraja), Jathi Malli (K Balachander), Kovil Kalai (Gangai Amaran), Marupadiyum (Balu Mahendra) and Walter Vetrivel (P Vasu) hit theatres. None of the films had their legendary directors at their best. In Captain Magal, actor Raja (a Bharathiraja favourite in those days) plays a music composer who is shot and injured when an attack is made on the life of the prime minister. To recover, he and his wife Kavitha (Kushboo in top form) move to a secluded house in the hills where bizzare happenings just don’t end. It’s a thriller that can get your teeth chattering, but none in the audience was too impressed and the film bombed. You may, however, remember the song ‘Entha Pennilum Illatha Ondru’, which became a huge hit. Jathi Malli which brought together the unlikely lead pair of Kushboo and Malayalam actor Mukesh too didn’t do well at the box office. Kushboo plays a Ghazal singer Sivaranjani, who moves to Ooty, after her mother is killed by terrorists. She finds in Kesavan (Mukesh) an unlikely source of solace, but will their hesitant courtship fructify? The late Balachander may have wanted his message of love triumphing terror to reach the masses, but no one was willing to listen. Kovil Kalai must be the most puzzling entry to notch up 25 years since release. Directed by Gangai Amaran, the film must have been regressive even for its times, but is positively bizzare by today’s standards. Made just four years after Amaran’s Karakattakaran, which stuck box office gold, Kovil Kalai, starring Vijayakanth and Kanaka, did reasonably well.at the box office. P Vasu is one of those directors who asks us to digest his films with dollops of sentiment. Best known for movies like Chinna Thambi, Vasu’s take on a cop’s life, Walter Vetrivel, may leave you cold today, but was a massive hit upon release. Sathyaraj's performance as Vetrivel brought audiences in droves to the theatre. The film just appropriated the popularity of former Tamil Nadu director general of police Walter Devaram and had no references to the life of the cop. In the title sequence of the movie, Sathyaraj delivers a line which might be a bit strange today. He says that if rowdies are allowed to roam freely, they would divide and sell the state in 25 years. Thank god, that hasn’t happened! Balu Mahendra’s film, Marupadiyum, starring Revathi, is the only one among the aforementioned movies to have dated gracefully. With his remake of Arth, Mahendra managed to deliver a film that both critics and audiences liked. Rajinikanth was pretty active in 1993. He appeared in three Tamil movies -- Uzhaippali, Yejaman and Valli. The films were box office successes, but may not figure among Rajini’s best. Kamal Haasan had a mixed year. Both Kalaignan and Maharasan were but blips in his career, but Mahanadi was a definite indication of how good a writer the actor was. The National Award winning movie was a tearjerker directed by Santhana Bharathi with whom Kamal would frequently collaborate. The late Malayalam actor, Cochin Haneefa, played the antagonist and his contribution as the sleazy child trafficker cannot be taken lightly. Puthiya Mugam, starring Revathi and her husband Suresh Menon, was an unforgettable movie experience for me. The thriller with its novel and imaginative use of plastic surgery had a couple of moments that were bone-chilling. The soundtrack from Rahman continues to remain among his best. The album also showed lyricist Vairamuthu in superb form. Bharathiraja made another movie that year and it was Kizhakku Cheemayile. I have always thought that Bharathiraja handled sentiment the best in Tamil cinema and that opinion was validated by this movie starring Vijayakumar and Radhika as inseparable siblings. Rahman’s score for this film remains popular even today. Sathyaraj returned to woo audiences with Malayalam director Joshi’s Airport, which rarely for Tamil cinema, had no songs. Though acclaimed by critics, the film didn’t do too well at the box office. Mani Ratnam’s Thiruda Thiruda was one of the better movies released that year. Featuring Prasanth, Anand, Heera and Anu Aggarwal, the movie traces the fate of Rs 1000 crore stolen from the government. With superb camerawork from PC Sreeram, which infused in it a spirit of adventure, the movie was welcomed by audiences and critics. However, I feel that the film is today among the most underrated of Ratnam’s flicks. Prathap was written, directed and produced by actor Arjun. Though Arjun’s film never quite made it into the big league, films like Prathap kept the actor in the market for biggies like Mudhalvan. In 1993, Ks Ravikumar directed three films -- Bandmaster (Sarath Kumar), Suriya Chandran (Anand Babu) and Purusha Lakshanam (Jayaram). We might never guess it, but Ravi Kumar went on to direct both Haasan and Rajini in many movies. It is hard to find common ground among the movies released in 1993. Many films featured songs with rain on the sets. Shots focussing on the leading lady’s navel or the cleavage were mandatory. The loss of the story in Tamil cinema was a complaint that was often heard. My friends often told me that line 'You can watch the movie once'. Naturally, word of mouth made a huge difference in making a movie a success. This was also the year that Ajith Kumar debuted with his movie, Amaravathi. For many of the actor’s fans, this would have been a really special moment. Despite all this, many of the movies from 1993 were so far removed from reality that we can now easily see what frustrated audiences. So when artificiality was replaced by the raw realism of New Cinema, movie-goers made sure they welcomed it whole-heartedly.
- 6/27/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
Film: "Kalyana Samayal Saadham"; Cast: Prasanna Venkatesan, Lekha Washington, Delhi Ganesh, Uma Padmanabhan and Crazy Mohan; Director: R.S Prasanna; Rating: ****
What makes a man a 'man'? The premise of the boldly entertaining "Kalyana Samayal Saadham" surrounds whether the answer to the question is a man's ability to perform in bed.
The film's narrative captures scenes from a south Indian arranged marriage and helps us understand that the true definition of a man goes beyond his manhood. Walking a tight rope between a romantic comedy and an adult comedy, the film marries the two genres with a modern-day attitude and leaves a lasting effect.
At heart, the film is a love story of a soon-to-be-married couple - Raghu.
What makes a man a 'man'? The premise of the boldly entertaining "Kalyana Samayal Saadham" surrounds whether the answer to the question is a man's ability to perform in bed.
The film's narrative captures scenes from a south Indian arranged marriage and helps us understand that the true definition of a man goes beyond his manhood. Walking a tight rope between a romantic comedy and an adult comedy, the film marries the two genres with a modern-day attitude and leaves a lasting effect.
At heart, the film is a love story of a soon-to-be-married couple - Raghu.
- 12/28/2013
- by Diksha Singh
- RealBollywood.com
Star-casts: Karthik Kumar, Shika, Jayaraman, Radharavi, Sarath Kumar, Anand Raj and many others
Production: Giriguja Productions
Direction: Madhumitha
Music: Selva Ganesh
From the ancient times of Tamil Cinema, films based on ‘Treasure Hunts’ have been one such genre that is liked by everyone as the story will have lots of twists and turns. Be it the very old ‘Pudhaiyal’ and the other film with the same title starring Mammooty and Aravind Swamy in lead roles, they were really interesting as it involved fun, frolic, adventure, romance and action as well.
‘Kola Kolaya Mundhrika’ is one such film that has ‘treasure hunt’ as its central concept and yet looses out the track with a flimsy screenplay. But the interesting part with the film is that it has lots of characterizations laced with funny elements.
Apart from the lead characters, M.S. Bhaskar, Jayaraman, Anand Raj, Vasu Vikram and others have played their...
Production: Giriguja Productions
Direction: Madhumitha
Music: Selva Ganesh
From the ancient times of Tamil Cinema, films based on ‘Treasure Hunts’ have been one such genre that is liked by everyone as the story will have lots of twists and turns. Be it the very old ‘Pudhaiyal’ and the other film with the same title starring Mammooty and Aravind Swamy in lead roles, they were really interesting as it involved fun, frolic, adventure, romance and action as well.
‘Kola Kolaya Mundhrika’ is one such film that has ‘treasure hunt’ as its central concept and yet looses out the track with a flimsy screenplay. But the interesting part with the film is that it has lots of characterizations laced with funny elements.
Apart from the lead characters, M.S. Bhaskar, Jayaraman, Anand Raj, Vasu Vikram and others have played their...
- 5/22/2010
- by Editor
- KollywoodToday
Few filmmakers in Kollywood are badly deteriorating the existing prominence of Tamil Cinema and we bring you an exclusive about them. Of course, it’s up to you to decide whether they should stay back in film industry or quit making films.
1. Saran: The director couldn’t afford for better films other than ‘Kadhal Mannan’, ‘Amarkalam’ and ‘Gemini’. Precisely, ‘Vasool Raja Mbbs’ was a hit because of its original storyline inherited from Hindi, Crazy Mohan’s dialogues and of course Kamal Haasan’s presence. If there could be one director, whose film has no quality contents, it’s none other than Saran.
2. Thankar Bacchan: He presumes himself to be a veteran and his films are masterpieces. He is well known for criticizing every filmmaker, whose films are city-oriented. During a recent interaction with media students, he mentioned that those who are sitting inside air conditioned rooms cannot make a film.
1. Saran: The director couldn’t afford for better films other than ‘Kadhal Mannan’, ‘Amarkalam’ and ‘Gemini’. Precisely, ‘Vasool Raja Mbbs’ was a hit because of its original storyline inherited from Hindi, Crazy Mohan’s dialogues and of course Kamal Haasan’s presence. If there could be one director, whose film has no quality contents, it’s none other than Saran.
2. Thankar Bacchan: He presumes himself to be a veteran and his films are masterpieces. He is well known for criticizing every filmmaker, whose films are city-oriented. During a recent interaction with media students, he mentioned that those who are sitting inside air conditioned rooms cannot make a film.
- 3/29/2010
- by Editor
- KollywoodToday
For those who’re fed up with overloaded heroisms and dark-shaded ingredients, few filmmakers have been delivering certain mirthful entertainers. Of course, director Madhumitha joins the bandwagon as she’s set for the release of ‘Kola Kolaya Mundhrika’.
The film is based on a hilarious take on treasure hunt embarked by various gangs. The film features Karthik Kumar and Shikha in lead roles while Anand Raj takes on the role of a comedic baddie.
It’s gonna be a rip-roaring flick as Crazy Mohan has penned dialogues while V. Selvaganesh has tuned melodies to the lyrics of Na. Muthukumar, Andal Priyadarshan, Francis and N. Ramakrishnan. The film is produced by Trisakti Sundar Raman and Nalini Sundar Raman of Giriguja Films International Private limited.
The film’s audio was launched by ace K. Balachandar while yesteryear actress Sacchu received the first copy and the trailed was released by Chithralaya Gopu with...
The film is based on a hilarious take on treasure hunt embarked by various gangs. The film features Karthik Kumar and Shikha in lead roles while Anand Raj takes on the role of a comedic baddie.
It’s gonna be a rip-roaring flick as Crazy Mohan has penned dialogues while V. Selvaganesh has tuned melodies to the lyrics of Na. Muthukumar, Andal Priyadarshan, Francis and N. Ramakrishnan. The film is produced by Trisakti Sundar Raman and Nalini Sundar Raman of Giriguja Films International Private limited.
The film’s audio was launched by ace K. Balachandar while yesteryear actress Sacchu received the first copy and the trailed was released by Chithralaya Gopu with...
- 1/9/2010
- by Editor
- KollywoodToday
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