FILMS-CHANNELS

By N.Thyagarajan Singapore Airlines has obtained exclusive rights for the in-flight screening of Rajinikanth’s latest release, ‘Sivaji-The Boss.’ The movie, released in June this year, made news for being the most expensive Indian production to date. “This is the first time Singapore Airlines has purchased the rights of an Indian movie. The film will be screened on all its international flights from December 1st,” said Mr Bharat Mahadevan, airlines manager- southern India. The screening rights has been purchased from Ayngaran international, a London-based company that had the distribution rights of Sivaji for the overseas market. SC Babu, CEO, AVM Productions- producers of Sivaji, said that the film will be dubbed in Hindi and released in January next year.

The Bollywood Super Star Sanjay Dutt,was granted bail by apex court Tuesday giving a big relief to not only the actor and his family but also to the Indian film industry. The film actor is involved in different Bollywood projects worth more than 100 crore rupees. A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices K.G. Balakrishnan, R.V. Ravindran and J.M. Panchal granted bail to Sanjay Dutt. Dutt is presently serving a jail sentence in Pune’s Yeravada jail. The Bollywood superstar who has acted in some of the most successful movies over the last two decades is serving a six-year jail sentence under the Arms Act in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case. Dutt was convicted for buying AK-56 rifle and a pistol from underworld dons linked to the bombings in which 257 people were killed in Mumbai in 1993. Sanjay Dutt, son of late Sunil Dutt, who was one of the best actors the country has produced and a Congress party leader has challenged his conviction by TADA court late last month. He has sought bail until t

( BY N.THYAGARAJAN) Jaya TV Channel is going to air 'Duplicate', a programme in which a lot of artistes having the similarities faces and voices of various actors, actresses and singersould be appearing on the screen. The programme is scheduled to air in the channel as early as possible. The programme is to be anchored by the film comedian Mayilsamy who has invited all those who have the simlarities of faces and voices of leading film artistes and singers. The programme will last for 45 minutes on every sundays, it is said. While Sun TV airs on all Sundays the very same programme with a different title, " Super Duper", the Jaya TV channel too joins in the bandwagon of the theme.

( MRS. KARPAGAM RAJAN, SENIOR REPORTER) The popularity for the AVM's mega soap Vaira Nenjam has been increasing with a lot of feed back from various Kalaignar TV viewers. It has been said that the story-line of Sekizhar had been bringing an increased number of audiences to it. Recently, the AVM Productions have come out with an announcement to select the best letters and give them prizes to all connected with its film Sivaji which was released a few months ago. One may surprised to see that if a person had written a letter in appreciation of the Vaira Nenjam he would receive a cap with Rajini's Sivaji style emblem on it. A person might receive an FM Radio or the cooling glasses that of Rajini used in the Sivaji film. Also a key chain with Rajini Sivaji photos or an audio cassette of the Sivaji film. Beside various prizes, the photos of the persons who had won would also be shown, before the Vaira Nenjam being telecast on all working days between 8.00 PM and 8.30 PM.

( by N.Thyagarajan ) It is expected that Urvasi award winner Archana will be honoured with one more award when Onbadhu Rupa Notu is released. Earlier Archana who had won thrice the Urvasi Award had acted with Sathyaraj in the Onbadhu Rupa Notu directed by Thangar Bachan. Earlier her Veedu had brought her good name in the industry. It is after a long hiatus Archana is appearing in this film in a good role. Archana who is interested in the welfare of her family, laids out condition whenever any producer approaches her. She is willing to act in their films, provided they recognise her as a senior artiste with a lot of awards decorating her almirah in her house. If the status is refused or denied then her next action will be not to act in the film. Since, Archana has been concentrating only on doing good roles, she forgot to marry. When asked about her idea of marrying at least in the near future, she comes out with firm answer, she had decided not to marry anyone. She also told many re

"( BY N.THYAGARAJAN ) Actress Tarikaa is of opinion that 'acting' in serials is just for living. If one wants to achieve something in acting career, it could be achieved through only by acting in films, for the films could be seen at any time at any day even after decades of its release. Whereas once the serial is over, there ends the life of the serials. "That's why I called acting in serials is just for living and also to improve one's efficiency in the career of acting. "I have seen a lot of people praising me after they watched my acting for serials, with that there ends the recognition of the actors. But in cinema it is not so" says Tarikaa. Tarikaa started out her career in Bharathi Raja's Eera Nilam in a small role as a Village girl appeared in black colour with full make ups. Bharathi Raja's son Manoj who is her friend asked her to go and meet his father who is producing the film. The director refused to give her role, for she is ve

( N.THYAGARAJAN) TV actors D.Gnanasundaram ( also known as Kitcha in TV circles ) and another actor Poovilangu Mohan have formed a Prime Force Academy, an educational and charitable trust, to uplift the downtrodden people caught in the web of sending their school going children for employment in various factories, and household works, and also to create an awareness among the public mass about the evils of the HIVs. Speaking to the filmschannels.blogspot.com the founder -president and actor Kitcha elaborated that their main focus of the Academy was to educate the people through their short films produced by the academy. So far the academy had produced Agram, Dusk, Thorn, Unnatural destiny, Asthamanam and Vessel (all short films.) The Vice President of the Academy Poovilangu Mohan who is also a TV & Film artiste said , that all the films were produced with the idea to prevent or eradicate the problems of Child Labour, Pollution Control, Female Infanticides, Schizophrenlia and f

Malavika is acting in duel role in Kattuviriyan opposite ENT Specialist Dr.Ram. Kalaipuli Sekaran is producing this film. Earlier, he started out his career as the dialogue writer for Yaar and subsequently produced Pattikattu Thambi, Oorai Therinjukittan, Ulavaali, and Kaval Poonaigal. Siva Chakravarthi who is known for his outstanding for car sales is acting as villain. He is also president of the All India Car Merchants & Advisory Association. Kalaipuli Sekar wants to give some good film with a message, hence has decided to produce this film.

( BY N.THYAGARAJAN ) When people wanted to buy a lot of genuine things for their money earned through the sweat of their eye-brows, they could not be choosy in selecting good things. Knowing the fact, the Makkal TV has newly introduced a unique programme ‘Mugavari’ being aired on all working days commencing from 1.30 PM. The channel takes all to various markets where various things are sold and also introduces new things to the public to make purchases. It makes let the buyer beware (Caveat emptor) always when they start to spend their moneys. A brief description about those articles and its usefulness are demonstrated directly from the sales points of those things. Beside, the anchor gives full details about special services that are rendered in the market to the public. Mugavari in English means Addresses. Makkal TV Channel’s Mugavari gives tips and introduces various entrepreneurs and other people engaged in various commercial activities. The anchor of Mugavari, Divya talks about v

( by N.Thyagarajan ) Bharathi Raja, Mani Rathinam, Sathyaraj, Archana, Prabhudeva, Parthiban, Lingusamy and Sreeman decorated the stage of Onbathu Rupa Notu cassette release function held in Chennai recently. Bharathi Raja while participating in the function said that he had understood the story-line of the film through three songs of the film. He congratulated Thangar Bachan who is the producer of the film for taking an all out effort in producing the real human life story and with which one can trace out the human live history. Sathyaraj who had acted in the film had lived in the character, Bharathi Raja said. Speaking at the function, director Mani Rathinam said that there was a time that very few could be counted as the best directors and producers. Formerly, people interested to see films of director Sridhar, Balachander, Bharathi Raja and Balu Mahendra. Now with growth of technicians in the Tamil film industry with a lot of people having sound knowledge about stories, the Tamil

( N.THYAGARAJAN ) Vikatan Televistas new mega soap Thirumathi Selvam is being aired through the SUN TV Channel on all working days between 1.30 PM and 2.00 PM. Sethu film fame Abitha appears in a weighty role as the eldest daughter of the family. She undertakes all the responsibilities of the family when there are two younger sisters and one elder brother. Abitha as Archana in the serial without proper education does the job of house executive and all the other family members tease her, except her parents. Her elder brother’s wife Jayanthi (actress Raghavi) puts several blames on Abitha since she did not like her. Abitha with the only aim of uplifting the family members patiently bears the brunt of others. When many grooms visit her house with a proposal to marry the beauty Abitha, the alliance breaks down on several occasions due to her unemployment. The new serial has so far completed ten episodes is penned and directed by S.Kumaran.

( BY N.THYAGARAJAN ) Eminent Playback Singer Anitha Kuppusamy, wife of Playback Singer Pushpavanam Kuppusamy has taken over the anchoring job of the Kalaignar TV Channel’s weekly programme Suyamvaram from the erstwhile anchor Anuradha Sri Ram who is also another Tamil film playback singer. Suyamvaram draws a large number of parents who are on the verge of giving marriages to their kids by sitting before their idiot boxes to find good alliances of their equal status. The programme which is aired on all Sundays between 7.00 AM and 7.30 AM shows the boys and girls who are to be wed with their entire bio-data followed by their contact numbers to have in touch with them. When contacted the former anchor Anuradha over phone, she said that she has to say nothing about the programme, since she participated for a few weeks, but said that the programme is organised by the Channel itself not with the motto of deriving profit out of it. “ I personally saw a lot of phone calls were pouring in from

( N.THYAGARAJAN ) Film comedian Y.Gee.Mahendran wants to produce a mega TV serial fully based on the life history of a rhythamist as Mridanga Vidwan. The actress has his own music troupe and the actor himself is a versatile rhythmist in tabala, bangoose and Mridangam. Y.Gee.M nowadays participate in various kutcheris playing mridangam for some leading carnatic musicians. He surprised many with his gamakka in playing mridangam and had won several audiences for his acumen in playing those instruments. Sometime ago, film playback singer K.J.Yesudoss in his TV interview, had asked the comedian to play mridangam for his song. Till then, no one knows that the comedian had the talents in playing of mridangam too. He had also appeared as a carnatic music singer for the Jaya TV Channel's mega serial Sahana. He appeared in the JKB role. Recently, when he was in a carnatic music cutcheri said to the TV Guide, that he wanted to produce a mega serial based on the life of a mridangam player.

( BY N.THYAGARAJAN) Manorama is the only one Tamil film comedienne who has so far completed 1200 Tamil films is to appear in the Guinness book of records soon. It is not only the number of films that counts but many titles that she received as Kalaimamani and Padmashree for her acting career for over a period of fifty years. It was learnt authentically that the California University is going to confer a doctorate on her, and if she receives the award, it will be a second doctorate to her. The comedienne received her first doctorate sometime ago from the Annai Sathyabama University. Manorama has strong opinion that if one should become a successful comedian in any language; the person must have proficiency in the particular language. She says "acting alone will not support anyone, unless the actor or the actress should have the knowledge of Tamil. You can show many heroes, heroines and character artistes from other states, but, you can't point out one single artiste as comed

In Chennai, it's a Tamil film Azagiya Tamil Magan starring Vijay that's vying with Shah Rukh Khan`s movie for the top honours. And if the booking trend has to be trusted, so far it indicates that Vijay's film has a clear headstart.King Khan usually opens No 1 at the Chennai box office. But not when he's pitted against the biggest star in Tamil cinema after Rajinikanth. ATM hits seven screens in the city with a total seating capacity of 4120 seats per show as opposed to OSO`s 4 screens and 2930 seats. Supriya Rajashekhar, director of corporate communication of Satyam Cinema said, "It's different here in Tamil Nadu. There`s been a phenomenal response to ATM here in Chennai much more than OSO and Saawariya."On the eve of his film release Vijay spends time at the Velankanni Shrine. His prayers before his previous film Pokkiri were clearly answered and it was a blockbuster. In ATM he plays a double role opposite Shreya, Rajinikanth`s sweetheart in Sivaji.Sreedh

( N.THYAGARAJAN) For the first time in the history of Indian TV Channels, a transgender is to host a talk-show titled Ipadikku Rose, to be aired through the Star Vijay TV channel. The channel would start to air the late night talk-show from the middle of December on weekly basis. The host of the show, Rose who is born as a boy was gradually reached the stage of transgender when he was studying at school, is now a qualified in Electronic Engineering from Chennai Sathya Bama University and did her post graduation studies from a Texas University in the USA and returned to India to uplift and wipe out the wrong opinions prevailing about various transgenders in India. Participating at the Launch of the talk-show Ipadikku Rose, the transgender who attired in a beautiful make up with sarees, said, that there were a lot of bad image prevailing in the society about transgenders and this could be wiped out through the talk show, she hoped. She also recalled that in foreign countries transge