Sultan, The Warrior on April 14, 2009

The much-hyped animation film will release on April 14th, 2009. Earlier it was reported that the film will be made in 18 different languages. But now the filmmakers – Warner Bros. and Soundarya Rajinikanth (Ocher Studios) – have decided to make it in 12 languages. The animation film with a lead role that is entirely modelled after Rajinikanth has been in the news ever since Soundarya announced it. This film was termed as Kollywood’s first step towards animation technology, which is at its best in Hollywood. The film uses motion-capture technology and latest 3D software to give a lifelike animated representation of the actors. Even the most minute facial expression of the actor can be shown clearly with this technology. The shooting is going on full speed in sophisticated animation labs fitted with machineries imported especially for this film. The film also stars Vijaylakshmi (of Chennai 600 028 and Anjaathey fame) as Rajinikanth’s love interest. This is the first time an Indian film is reaching the depths of animation and 3D technology. Though Bollywood has announced its arrival in animation section with its latest animation film Roadside Romeo, it would be Kollywood that will become the hub of animation movies once Sultan – The Warrior is released. So, on April 14th, 2009 comes Sultan – The Warrior, which will change Kollywood’s image forever!

Shriya back in kollywood

The Other End Of the Line was the film which Shriya was depending a lot, her debut film in Hollywood. The film produced by Ashok Amritraj which released in US last Friday has bombed miserably at the box-office and the reviews too has been scathing. The film made on a shoe-string budget of $ 2.5 million (Rs 12.5 crore), could gross only $ 57, 000 (approximately Rs 28 lakhs) from 91 screens in its opening weekend. A leading US distributor of Tamil films says: "Shriya's Rajnikanth film Sivaji collected almost four times this amount in its opening weekend from lesser number of screens!" The failure of the film has Shriya now looking more eagerly at Kollywood. She has more or less taken a decision to stick to Tamil cinema and compete with arch rival Nayanthara! A few days back she has signed Vishal’s Thoranam, to be directed by debutant Ayappan. She will be shooting for the film by the end of the month.

Billa 2007 Songs - Tamil Movie starring Ajith

Aag - Movie Review

Aag Genre Action Director Ram Gopal Varma Cast Amitabh Bachchan, Mohanlal, Ajay Devgan, Prashant Raj Storyline A cop hires two buddies to capture the dreaded gangster Babban Singh Bottomline Miracle cure for insomnia David Dhawan made Jodi No.1, as a cheeky tribute to Sholay. Though irreverent, that was true homage. Unpretentious, it interpreted the classic effortlessly, confident in its own skin and consistent with the director’s style. Ram Gopal Varma Ki… [Insert appropriate Hindi ‘gaali’, if you are a fan of the original] is an insufferable potboiler about a bandit called Gabbar. The kind of film that makes turkeys like Daag – The Fire look infinitely slicker. There’s no stopping Varma’s Aag, especially, after he cuts off his editor’s arms (in the original, Gabbar cuts off Thakur’s). The film agonisingly runs for over two and a half hours, unleashing its sadistic streak with bursts of Babban (Bachchan playing out his childhood fantasy, just like a child possessed) and we find ourselves at the butt of all cruel jokes. It’s difficult to review Aag because I kept nodding off to sleep, waking up to be occasionally frightened by the name mothers will drop in the coming weeks to scare kids crying in the cinemas: “Soja, nahi to Nisha Kothari aa jaayegi.” Nisha makes ‘su-side’ sound like a good idea. Sho lay was way ahead of its times with elaborate set-piece action sequences of an epic scale – remember the painstakingly shot and orchestrated train-being-chased-by-dacoits sequence in the original? Here, Ramu rents out run down ru ins of a fort and lets his Steadicam operator run amok. Deserted ruins instead of a speeding train crashing into timber for an impact? The metaphors can’t be more definitive of the respective narratives or the audience response. Watching stuntmen who’re shot at fall down animatedly, you let it pass thinking maybe he’s just recreating the 1970s feel all over. You may have forgiven him for that too, if it were consistent. Aag is a confused product. Suddenly, it opts fo r the slickness and subtlety of Company. Sholay came across as a seamless narrative, in spite of the motley crew of unforgettable characters. Here, in spite of its attempt to simplify, the screenplay is terribly disj ointed, at times even making you forget the characters that exist in the film. There are all of three scenes to write home about. Veerendra Saxena as A.K. Hangal is heartrendingly good. Two, Bachchan as Babban when he chops off the Inspector’s fingers is psychotically effective and the third, I forget but that Prashant Raj chap isn’t half-bad.

Karthi may be soon in Shankar's production

‘Karthi, who shot to fame through Paruthi Veeran, would soon act in a movie produced by director Shankar's S Films. The film would be directed by a one-time associate of Shankar’, say Kollywood circles. With Karthi is currently acting in Ayirathil Oruvan in Selvaragavan's direction, it is said that works for the new project would commence once the actor becomes free. Resembling Kadhal and Veyyil, this production venture of Shankar too would come with a strong story line. It may be recalled that Shankar is already producing Kallori and Arai En 305il Kadavul, directed by his former associates Balaji Sakthivel and Simbudevan respectively. Apart from this, Shankar is busy with his directorial venture Robo, in which Sharukh Khan is acting in the lead.