Ouch! Bachchan Bahu turns Karate Kid

These days, Aishwarya is making more news in the Tamil film industry as her mania is crazing fans down south. The actress has been shooting simultaneously for Mani Ratnam’s bilingual flick “Raavan’ and Shankar’s “Endhiran’.

Earlier, she had mastered her enunciation of Tamil so fluently that Superstar Rajnikanth was floored by her Tamil.

Now, Aishwarya Rai has topped herself, with yet another achievement; by learning Karate for the film Endhiran. Endhiran features Rajnikanth and Aishwarya Rai in the lead and is produced by Sun Pictures. The film is directed by Shankar. In order to act in the stunt scenes, Aishwarya is learning karate.

Ramesh is running a karate school in Chennai. For the past 30 years he has been training karate to various actors. Since there is a scene where Aishwarya Rai has to fight, Shankar has decided to teach her karate. Now Ramesh is coaching her in karate. According to the sources they have stated early, since this scene is very important to film, so Ash is being trained in the martial art. Earlier Aishwarya learnt fencing for Jodha Akbar that won her appreciations.

Arjun heading for new heights

Have your ever heard of a film personality marking his debut in a different language as a hero, director, script writer and producer at once? If not, meet multi-faceted Arjun, widely known as action hero in Tamil and South Indian Bruce Lee in Kannada. The talented actor is now all set to debut in Bollywood with a film, scripted, directed and produced by himself apart from handling the lead role.

Ask why he daringly experiments with such a risky task in an unknown place and Arjun says he wants to explore himself more since he has no image issues in Bollywood. Thanks to his previous movies, Arjun has enough experiences in all the above genres!

Arjun has already completed the story and the script of the Hindi film and right now, he is working on selecting the artists and technicians. "I wrote the script a year ago and while I was rewriting it, I thought it would be better if it can be made in Hindi rather than making it in Tamil or Telugu where I have already acquired an image. A feel-good and tender love story with a bit of thrill, the film has a universal theme ‘love’ but the angle will get strong focus," the actor sai,d adding this film would start rolling in September.

Presently, Arjun is awaiting the release of Vayuputra (Kannada), directed by his brother Kishore Sarja. After Vayuputra, Arjun will begin Sangolli Rayanna probably in August. His upcoming release is a bilingual flick Vande Mataram (Aruvadai in Tamil).

Ganja Karuppu to wed a doctor

Popular Tamil comedian, Ganja Karuppu will soon enter the holy matrimony. Revealing that the bride to be is a doctor and a native of Madurai, the actor said that the date of engagement and wedding is yet to be finalized.

Ganja Karuppu shot to limelight with films like Paruthiveeran, Ram, and Subramaniyapuram and his career graph is soaring high ever so steadily. With the wedding season in full swing in Kollywood, Ganja Karuppu’s marriage adds to the festive season.

Tamil Movie Vamanan Review

After the sucess of his movies like Chennai 600028 and Subramaniapuram, Hero Jai makes his another solo entry into mainstream cinema with Vamanan. It is a good effort by the actor who is trying to make his presence felt in Kollywood. However the movie lacks intensity at several points especially the climax.

The one line story of the movie is about a video tape unintentionally records the death of a politician (Delhi Ganesh) by another Anbu (Sampath) and how people who are in possation of the video tape are killed. A crew shooting for an Ad film in which Lakshmi Rai is the model loses control and accidentally tapes Delhi Ganesh being killed by Sampath. Unaware of this the Ad director and the model watch the video and inform the assistant Commissioner. However the commissinor is an aide of Sampath.


In the meantime, Jai a wannabe actor is in Chennai to make a name for himself. He meets Priya in a railway station and the couple accidentally witness the murder of the Ad director by Sampath. The video also lands with Priya. Jai falls in love with Priya and tries to woo her through her mother Urvashi. Finally Jai is framed for the murder of Pooja and how he proves himself innocent forms the climax of the story.

Jai in all fairness performs his role well, while Santhanam as Jai’s friend and Urvashi as Priya’s mother add to the comedy track. On the whole the movie is a one time watch.

‘Indiravizha’ – lots of skin, no depth

Film: “Indiravizha”

Director: K. Rajeshwar

Cast: Srikanth, Namitha, Hemamalini, Vivek, Rahasya, Nasser, Radha Ravi, Y.G. Mahendra

Music: Yadheesh

Rating: *1/2

A woman driven by ambition goes on to seduce her ex-lover in the backdrop of workplace politics – that is the crux of “Indiravizha”. Heavily inspired by Bollywood hit “Aitraaz”, the movie has a bold theme amidst Tamil film stereotypes. But that alone doesn’t come to the rescue of the flick directed by Rajeshwar. It looks amateurish and lacks conviction and depth.

What begins as a normal candy floss love story takes a turn after the entry of Namitha (Kamini). Keen to make quick money, she is ready to go to any extreme. Unlike the Hindi version, which wasn’t that provocative, the Tamil movie relies heavily on namitha’s skin show.

The film revolves around Santhosh Sreenivasan (Srikanth), who is content head for a television channel. His choice of programmes helps the channel sustain its ratings. Then enters Kamini, wife of the channel’s owner John Kumaramangalam (Nasser), who is nearly two decades older.

She is entrusted with the task of running the channel. When Santosh meets her, he gets the shock of his life for she is his ex-lover who had ditched him for greener pastures. She makes all attempts to bed Santosh. Meanwhile, coming to know of the past, Kumaramangalam sacks Santosh.

The latter challenges his dismissal in court alleging sexual harassment. Does he win or not? That’s the climax.

Namitha deserves credit for playing a negative character and oozing glamour. Srikanth underplays his character while newcomer Hemamalini, who plays Srikanth’s wife, deserves credit.

Nasser plays a role that is typical of his earlier movies. Vivek, as Srikanth’s friend, tries to evoke humour, but in vain. Surprisingly, item girl Rahasya has got a role to play apart from dancing to two songs. And she does manage to impress with her performance.

Director Rajeshwar has made an effort to portray human emotions, but he seems to have concentrated more on the steamy scenes and the glamour quotient rather than a convincing narrative. As a result, the movie lacks logic, pace and interest.

“Indiravizha” may be remembered only for its gutsy theme, not the way it has been handled.

Trisha thanks Priyadarshan for ticket to Bollywood

Southern actress Trisha describes her entry into Bollywood as dream debut and thanks her mentor, filmmaker Priyadarshan, who launched her in Tamil movies with “Lesa Lesa” seven years ago, for now introducing her to Hindi films as well.

Priyan has signed Trisha for the Hindi movie “Khatta Meetha” opposite Bollywood star Akshay Kumar.

“My lucky director Priyadarshan, who introduced me in Tamil movies, is giving me a break in Hindi films too. After my debut in ‘Lesa, Lesa’, I was reticent about my career. Now with a firm foot in southern cinema, things have worked out for Bollywood as well, thanks to Priyadarshan. I have a meaty role on par with Akshay in the movie,” Trisha told IANS.

The former Miss Chennai has one more reason to feel happy about her association with Akshay. Yes, she has signed on the dotted lines for two more Hindi movies to be made by the Akshay’s production house, Hari Om Productions.

“I should consider myself lucky. Though I had several offers from Bollywood earlier, I couldn’t accommodate the dates as I was busy with Tamil and Telugu films. Now the moment has come and that too in a big way. Three movies and a dream debut opposite Akshay Kumar, that too directed by my mentor Priyadarshan,” she says with a vivacious smile.

Asked will she bid adieu to south Indian films now, Trisha said: “No. I have done over 30 films in various south Indian languages. Why do you think I should say bye to my native?”

She also rubbished rumours that she had pulled out of “Aadukalam”.

“I am extremely happy to be part of the movie directed by Vettrimaran. However, if the dates allotted for the film will clash with my Hindi movies, I will have to rethink about it. But as of now, the rumours are baseless,” she said.

The actress is optimistic about stiff competition in Bollywood.

“There is competition everywhere. It keeps one going. When I entered southern film industry, Simran and Jyothika were ruling the roost. Competition makes you give your best. And I am ready for the game,” she said.

Namitha tired of skin shows

Actress Namitha, best known here as the sex siren, is reportedly bored of skin shows. The actress, whose ‘Indira Vizha’ opens today, says she would like to do performance oriented roles too.

“I would like to be part of interesting, acting oriented films like ‘Sadma’. But I know people here will never cast me for roles like this,” rues the actress. But she has moved out of the glamour mould in her own way, by deviating now to do an action film. The movie, titled ‘Desadrohi’ that has her playing a serious cop. “It’s such a welcome difference to do different things on screen than just grope about in a bikini. People who saw my stunts actually thought I was the second version of Vijayashanthi in doing them.”

Following these, the actress is doing the lead role in ‘Jagan Mohini’ too, in which she plays a ghost. “Just because I am famous as a sex siren, it doesn’t mean that I have to wear a bikini all the time. I equally love wearing kurthas,” says the actress. Are the directors listening?