Rajini- Salman to team up - Atlee Rs 60 crore bill for Sun Pictures- Manjumel Boys a drunk Mallu story

This week j starts with two directors = A R Murugadoss and Atlee. We learn that Rajinikanth and Salman Khan are coming together for a film helmed by ARM in Hindi and produced by Saji Nadiadwala. Sajid had announced that he had signed Thalaivar but with no details. The bizz is that ARM has read out a script to both actors and it is not a remake. ARM had in Hindi directed Ghajini (2008), Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty (2014), Akhira (2016) , all remakes. Way back, Sajid had directed Salman Khan in the Hindi remake of Ravi Teja film Kick. Now ARM has come up with a sequel. Back home, ARM is to direct Sivakarthikeyan. Atlee’s stock in Bollywood is high and our sources say that Sun Pictures has agreed to foot his direction fees of Rs 60 cr plus share of digital rights for a project starring Allu Arjun and it would be the actor’s Hindi debut. The announcement to come on the actor’s birthday will mark the actor’s next after Pushpa 2. Though Pushpa 2 is much hyped film in Bollywood, in Telugu States, the price of Rs 100 cr demanded by the producers is considered too steep as it was not a big hit as in North India. The collections of RRR in these States were along this lines and trade feels that Pushpa 2 will not be as big as RRR.

Writer Jeyamohan review of Manjumel Boys Manjummel Boys – A drunkard’s rant“: “I refrain from critiquing contemporary cinema and avoid commentary, as I am a part of it. Cinema, to me, is neither art nor propaganda but purely a business venture. This business norm dictates that one entrepreneur should not undermine the interests of another. This perspective aligns with an internal principle. However, after viewing the Malayalam film “Manjummel Boys” amidst accolades and excitement, I couldn’t help but notice the excessive adulation showered upon Malayalam cinema, especially by certain media outlets. Every film is hailed as a classic without deserving such praise, often turning out to be mundane imitations that fail to captivate a diverse audience. If “Manjummel Boys” had been a Tamil production, one might question the exaggerated risk and heroism portrayed in Tamil newspapers, which seems unknown to the locals in Kerala. The film depicts a moment where a man risks his life for another, creating an atmosphere of suspense. Yet, the reality of such an incident and its coverage is questionable, resembling a climactic fabrication presented as realism. In essence, all films are amalgamations of elements meant for entertainment. Here, the masses, devoid of even a rudimentary intellectual introduction, engage solely in cinematic discussions, masquerading as intellectual pursuits. They consume what is presented to them and coexist within their destiny, fueled by their pocket money, a source of my concern. “Manjummel Boys” irked me, not for its fictional elements but for mirroring a mindset prevalent among Kerala tourists who infiltrate tourist spots across the South. The film portrays a disturbing pattern of drunken behavior, vomiting, trespassing, and a lack of basic knowledge or civility. This depiction resonates with the unfortunate reality of drunk Malayalis engaging in road rage incidents in areas like Ooty, Kodaikanal, and Courtalam. My experiences include witnessing these intoxicated individuals causing havoc, leading to broken roads and the tragic deaths of at least twenty elephants annually due to discarded bottles. Despite my efforts, as highlighted in “The Elephant Doctor,” the film’s director appears oblivious to the consequences of such behaviors. These Malayali individuals, often oblivious to languages other than Malayalam, exhibit a sense of entitlement, showcased realistically in the film through their interactions with Tamil Nadu police. Attending weddings in Kerala has become a challenging ordeal, with two distinct types of Malayalis – those who toiled abroad and those who exploit domestic drinkers. These inebriated groups disrupt weddings with their unruly behavior, even resorting to vomiting during ceremonies. Tamil Nadu seems to be heading towards Kerala’s norm, wherein cinema normalizes drug addiction and vices while portraying law-abiding citizens as benefactors. Kerala cinema consistently depicts joy through drinking, fighting, rioting, and vomiting, presenting a skewed perception of reality. In other words, the protagonist of today’s Malayalam cinema are the ones whom a Tamil hero saves the common man from. The root of this cinematic trend lies in a small group of drug addicts in Ernakulam, perpetuating alcoholism and worse addictions day and night. Malayalam cinema, once celebrated for naturalistic works of art, has now veered towards centralizing such themes. Government intervention is imperative to counteract the influence of filmmakers glorifying drug addiction. Those who celebrate these drug addiction movies in Tamil Nadu are likened to scoundrels, as commercial cinema, devoid of artistic attributes, directly addresses the uneducated masses. Granting artistic freedom to such cinema will only impoverish and degenerate the masses who lack intellectual resistance. While these mobs degrade tourist attractions, their intrusion into thick forests poses a greater threat. Ignoring laws and warnings, they engage in destructive activities, endangering wildlife and ecosystems. May is particularly perilous, as discarded beedi cigarettes in dry Tamil Nadu forests lead to fires and loss of life. Resorts in Kerala are fraught with danger, with horrifying experiences shared by many. “Manjummel Boys” not only justifies these disruptive individuals as representatives of the common man but also glorifies them, attempting to label them as martyrs and embodiments of friendship. The film’s conclusion, with one of them receiving a national award, contradicts legal norms and suggests a need for corrective measures. If “Manjummel Boys” serves to raise awareness about these disruptive gangs in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, it may encourage law enforcement to treat them unequivocally as criminals and discourage any form of support. Sometimes, their unfortunate predicaments may serve as a natural consequence, providing a deterrent and safeguarding our forests.”