Why Ponniyin Selvan is no Bahubali - Rajini as human rights activist- Vidya Balan in Mani- Kamal film - ARR on today's listeners

Mani is happy to hear PS is not like Bahubali Mani Ratnam, in a conversation with Cinema Express, stated that he deliberately avoided a treatment similar to that of the movie Bahubali for his movie Ponniyin Selvan. He clarified that he had no intention of making it like Bahubali as it had fictional characters and a lot of imaginary elements, whereas Ponniyin Selvan is based on the book by Kalki and portrays real people. Ratnam wanted to show the characters as realistically as possible. Referring to the war sequence, he mentioned that he did not want it to be like Bahubali, and he wanted to be more involved in the action rather than filming it from afar, which tends to look artificial and digital. Ratnam expressed satisfaction if people said that the war sequences in Ponniyin Selvan were unlike those in Bahubali. Rajinikanth as human rights activist Director Gananvel's upcoming film will feature Rajinikanth as a retired police officer and human rights activist who opposes encounter killings and the system that employs them to conceal the criminal-political nexus. The film draws inspiration from the notes of a renowned police officer on encounter killings. Gananvel's previous work, "Jai Bhim," was based on a book by Justice R Chandru and explored custodial torture and death, as well as caste bias in the criminal justice system that harms innocent people from marginalized communities. Vidya Balan tipped to be in Mani- Kamal film

tt appears that Vidya Balan is now the leading contender for the role as leading lady in the upcoming film directed by Mani Ratnam and starring Kamal Haasan. If she does accept the offer, it would mark her third appearance in Tamil cinema, having previously starred in Mani Ratnam's Guru (2007) and H Vinoth's Nerkonda Paarvai (2019) alongside Ajith. Vidya Balan has openly expressed her admiration for Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan, stating at an awards ceremony that she has idolized him throughout her life. However, there has been no official confirmation from the team regarding this matter.Vidya Balan's debut was meant to be Malayalam film Chakram with Mohanlal and Dileep. Film got shelved. A R Rahamn on free music and judgemental listerners During the 1980s and 1990s, I eagerly awaited the release of a new Michael Jackson album, which only occurred once every five years. I would listen to the album non-stop for days, initially finding faults but eventually humming the tunes. Similarly, when people purchased my music, they went through a similar process of judgment before embracing it. However, with music now being free, people are quick to make comments without giving the music a chance to settle in their hearts. Nowadays, listeners scrutinize every aspect of a song and share specific time codes with each other. Nevertheless, as the music composer for Ponniyin Selvan 2, I find it all worthwhile as the effort put into mixing, arranging, and composing pays off. These are the sentiments shared by A R Rahman in a recent conversation with a media outlet.

Karthi regales Coimbatore fans- Salman Khan film scares PS 2 - Agent - Sam- Chay fans spat

Karthi made a big impression with the audience during the promotional tour of his upcoming film, PS 2, in Coimbatore. Playing the role of Vanthiya thevan, Karthi's Coimbatore dialect, coupled with his father Sivakumar's Coimbatore roots, made him an instant hit. He even delivered two dialogues that were removed from the first part of the film. One of them summarizes the entire story, which revolves around a property dispute between an elder brother's son and a younger brother's grandson. The other dialogue, which received an enthusiastic response from the crowd, describes the characters of Trisha and Aishwarya Rai in the film. According to Karthi, the challenge is to make the story accessible to those who haven't read Kalki's novel while also satisfying those who have and compare the film to the book. ------

Salman Khan film hits PS 2 Hindi prospects The release of Salman Khan's film "Kisi ka Bhai Kisi ka Jaan" on April 21 is expected to have a negative impact on the box office prospects of Mani Ratnam's "Ponniyin Selvan 2" in North India. "Ponniyin Selvan 2" is set to release worldwide on April 28 in four South Indian languages and Hindi, and the cast, which includes Vikram, Trisha, and Karthi, have embarked on a promotional tour via a private jet to visit several cities in the South as well as hold media events in Mumbai and New Delhi. The makers of "Agent," a Telugu film starring Akhil Akkineni and Mammootty, have announced that the Malayalam version will release in Kerala on April 28 alongside the Telugu version. However, due to the release of Salman's film a week earlier, they have postponed the Hindi version's release. ----

Samantha blocks Naga Chaitanya fans The film "Shakunthalam," which had Samantha as the central character, has unfortunately not performed well at the box office, earning only Rs 7 crores worldwide. Out of this amount, Rs 5 crores were contributed by the two Telugu speaking states. As a result, Naga Chaitanya's fans are pleased and are criticizing Samantha. One fan remarked that merely using emotional stories as a promotional tactic is not sufficient to attract an audience. It's been reported that Samantha has blocked such negative comments on her social media. In the past, when Naga Chaitanya's movie "ThankYou" didn't do well and Samantha's "Yashoda" was a success, he faced criticism. However, the tables have now turned. -----

Dasara effect Nani's upcoming 30th film, which revolves around the bonding of a father and son and stars Murnal Thakkaur as the lead, has been sold to an OTT platform for Rs 30 crores. This amount constitutes half of the film's budget, and the sale was likely influenced by the success of the recent film Dasara , which crossed the Rs 100 crore mark. The film is directed by newcomer Shaurya and features music by Hesham, who previously composed the hit soundtrack for the Pranav Mohanlal film, Hridhyam.

Ponniyin Selvan Anthem - Khushbu - Ravichandran to team up - Joju not in Leo- Answara Rajan in Kannada - Miraa Menon in Rajini film

With the release of Ponniyin Selvan II approaching on April 28, the movie's promoters have ramped up their marketing efforts. Recently, the film's makers announced that the Ponniyin Selvan anthem, composed by music director AR Rahman, will be unveiled at Anna University on April 15. Directed by Mani Ratnam and based on Kalki's novel of the same name, the first part of the movie was released in September of last year. An array of popular actors, including Jayam Ravi, Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha, Prakash Raj, Rahman, Jayaram, and Karthi, are featured in the film. The screenplay, authored by Mani Ratnam in collaboration with Jeyamohan and Kumaravel, is produced by Lyca Productions and Madras Talkies. Ravi Varman serves as the cinematographer, Sreekar Prasad handles the editing, and Thotta Tharani is responsible for the art design.

Crazy Star Ravichandran and Khushbu to team up Director Gururaj Kulkarni is set to helm a legal thriller for Crazy Star Ravichandran, with the official launch taking place on April 21. The production team has approached noted actor Khushbu to play the lead role alongside Ravichandran. This duo has previously worked together on films such as Ranadheera, Anjada Gandu, Yuga Purusha, and Shanti Kranti. The Kannada industry is eager to see this successful pairing on the big screen once again, and the opportunity has arisen with this new project. Gururaj confirms that initial discussions with Khushbu have taken place, and they are currently working on scheduling. An official announcement will be made once the actor commits to the project. Khushbu was last seen in the Kannada film Naanalla in 2011.

Answara Rajan in Jio Studios Kannada film with Dhananjay Parameshwar Gundkal, a well-known name in the television industry, and known for his work on various seasons of Bigg Boss Kannada, television serials, and several reality shows. He has worked with ETV Kannada , Zee and Colors is now joined Jio Studio , where he plans to produce several movies ranging from small to big-budget. Additionally, he will also be directing his debut film, which is a commercial entertainer starring Dhananjay in the lead role. The movie is set to start filming in May and is rumored to mark the Kannada debut of popular Malayalam actress Anaswara Rajan. More information about the cast and crew is expected to be announced soon. Dhananjay, on the other hand, is currently occupied with a Kannada-Telugu bilingual project directed by Eashvar Karthic and has Uttarakaanda in the works.

Joju George not in Vijay's Leo There were rumors circulating that Joju George, the Malayalam actor, would be part of Vijay's upcoming film Leo, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. However, a close source to Joju has denied the rumors. It's worth noting that Joju recently made his Tamil debut in Jagame Thandhiram, starring Dhanush. The team behind Leo has just finished filming their long schedule in Kashmir. This film is the second collaboration between Vijay and Lokesh, following their previous project Master. The next schedule is at Prasad Studios Chennai. The movie features an ensemble of stars, including Trisha, Priya Anand, Mysskin, Arjun, Sanjay Dutt, and Mansoor Ali Khan, among others. The film is set to release worldwide on October 19 and has music by Anirudh Ravichander, cinematography by Manoj Paramahamsa, stunt choreography by Anbariv, and editing by Philomin Raj. Joju, who was recently seen in Thuramukham, has several projects in the works, including his Telugu debut in the tentatively titled film PVT 4, starring Panja Vaisshnav Tej, and Pulimada.

Mirnaa Menon in Rajinikanth Jailer Actress Mirnaa Menon, who gained recognition for her role in Sarjun KM's 'Burqa', has landed a significant role in Superstar Rajinikanth's latest action flick 'Jailer' directed by Nelson Dilipkumar. The up-and-coming actress has revealed that she will be playing an important character in the movie and will be seen traveling with Rajinikanth's character. She has already filmed for 45 days for the project. Menon made her debut in Tamil cinema with 'Santha Devan' opposite Arya, directed by Ameer, which unfortunately was shelved. However, she gained her big break with a role alongside Mohanlal in 'Big Brother' and went on to appear in Telugu films with Adi Saikumar and Allari Naresh. Her Tamil movie 'Burqua' with Kalaiyarasan is currently available on the Aha OTT platform and has garnered positive critical reviews. Other notable actors in 'Jailer' include Mohanlal and Vinayakan from the Malayalam film industry.

Suited Madurai man Kamal in Pa Ranjith film - Ravi Teja - Varun Dhawan in STR film Hindi remake - Crisp PS 2 for censors

 Pa Ranjith is currently working on writing the story for his upcoming film with Kamal Haasan. The director has expressed his interest in making a Madurai-based film with the veteran actor and has stated that the film may not necessarily feature the traditional veshti-sattai attire commonly seen in such movies. He said that a suited Kamal would be seen. Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan is currently busy with his next film, Indian 2, directed by Shankar.

Ranjith is also working on his upcoming film Thangalaan, which features Vikram and Parvathy in lead roles. The film showcases the origins of the Kolar Gold Field of Karnataka and has been shot in KGF for around 55 days. The director has mentioned that the filming is 80% complete and they hope to wrap up the remaining portions by May. The film will feature music by GV Prakash, and will release in multiple languages including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi.

----------

The first installment of 'Ponniyin Selvan' was granted a U/A rating by CBFC and had a duration of 2 hours and 47 minutes. Te uncensored version of the second part of film will have a runtime of 2 hours and 37 minutes. But we have to wait to see whether the film faces any changes made by the censor board. The second part is expected to be more concise than its predecessor, potentially leaving fans yearning for more. Director Mani Ratnam has completed post-production ahead of schedule, allowing him to embark on a promotional tour with the film's lead actors.

-----

Fresh reports indicate that yet another South Indian superstar is set to join forces with a Bollywood heartthrob, just days after news broke that Jr NTR would star alongside Hrithik Roshan in 'WAR 2'. As per the latest updates, Ravi Teja is all set to make his debut in Hindi cinema and will be seen sharing screen space with Varun Dhawan in the upcoming remake of the film 'Maanaadu'. The movie, which will be made in both Telugu and Hindi, features a time loop structure and a captivating storyline that received widespread critical acclaim and commercial success upon its release in Tamil cinema. Ravi Teja and Varun Dhawan will be stepping into the shoes of Silambarasan and S J Surya in this much-awaited bilingual venture.

Ponniyin Selvan 2 faces Akhil - Mammooty Agent competition - Director Shankar AD turns beggar

The upcoming release of Ponniyin Selvan 2 is set to face stiff competition in Kerala from the film Agent, which features Mammooty in a significant role. Both movies are scheduled to release on April 28th, leading to a clash at the box office. Meanwhile, in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Dil Raju, who has acquired the distribution rights, is facing challenges. The Telugu film industry suggests that Raju is creating obstacles, as he did with Vijay's Varasudu, to prevent any straight films from the Nagarjuna family from having a clear and unopposed run. As a result, Agent and Ponniyin Selvan 2 will have to share theaters. Additionally, Panja Vaishnav Tej, known for his role in the film Uppena, is also releasing his fourth film on the same day. Although Dil Raju owns a chain of theaters, he is helpless this time as he is only the distributor and not the producer, and therefore cannot decide on the release date.

The situation looks unfavorable for Ponniyin Selvan 2 in Kerala as Agent, which features Mammootty in a prominent role, is expected to secure the best theaters and attract larger opening crowds. Furthermore, since the first installment of PS did not perform well, the chances of success at the box office appear bleak unless positive word of mouth and pre-release publicity manage to attract audiences in both Kerala and Telugu regions.

According to a trade report, Gokulam Gopalan's company will release the second installment of Ponniyin Selvan in Kerala. The first movie did not perform well in Kerala and the two Andhra states, with a collection of only Rs 6.50 crores in the first 15 days. Our previous report stated that PS 2 was struggling to find buyers in neighboring states. However, Gokulam has now stepped forward and acquired the film for a minimum guarantee of Rs 9 crores from Lyca Productions. This means that if the movie's collections fall below this amount, Lyca Productions will have to compensate for the deficit. Gokulam Movies has got Dream Big Films as distribution partner. Sri Venkateswara Movies of Dil Raju who distributed first part in two Andhra States has agreed to take the second part but on a commission basis

-------

According to a report, Selvendran, who was previously Director Shankar's Assistant Director, is currently begging on the streets of Chennai. Selvendran had worked with Bharthiraaja and then assisted Shankar in films such as Kathalan, Jeans, and Indian. He later got a producer, Sai Rathnam, to support his story and made his own film titled Oru Kadhalan Oru Kathali in Tamil and Neeku Naaku in Telugu. The film featured Sarath Chander as the hero, Rambha as the main attraction, and Lakshmi Rai in her debut role in Telugu, alongside Abhinaysree in Tamil version. Unfortunately, the Telugu version of the film, which was released in 2006, was a failure, and even the revised Tamil version with Abhinaysree in the lead, released in 2009, was not successful.

After this, Selvendran's career took a downturn, and he became unapproachable. Currently, he is reportedly begging on the streets for food. Rambha is married and living abroad, while Lakshmi Rai, who now goes by the name Rai Lakshmi, is busy sharing bikini photos of her vacations abroad. Meanwhile, Director Shankar is busy working on his upcoming projects, Indian 2 and Rc 15.

No buyers for Ponniyin Selvan 2 - Aamir Khan remakes Darshana film- RRR team bought Oscar tickets

The latest buzz in the industry is that Aamir Khan has secured the rights to produce the Hindi remake of the Malayalam movie Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey, with Fatima Sana Shaikh, known for her role in Dangal, set to portray the titular character, originally played by Darshana in Malayalam. Vipin Das, who directed the original film, will be directing the remake. While there is no information yet on the other cast and crew members, the Malayalam film was made on a budget of Rs. 6 crores and earned Rs. 40 crores at the box office. It is currently available on Disney Hotstar.

----

Mani Ratnam's second installment of Ponniyin Selvan has yet to find a distributor for Andhra and Telangana States. Despite the success of the first part, Dil Raju, who acquired the rights for these regions, has shown no interest in the sequel. Although the movie had a promising first weekend in Telugu states, its earnings sharply declined on Monday and never recovered, even during the festival day. The film was purchased for Rs 10 crore and needed to earn over Rs 12 crore to break even, but it only managed to close its first week with Rs 8.25 crore (Rs 15 crore gross). In Tamil Nadu it is the highest grossing film so far. April 28th is the release date. Tamil Nadu distribution has been acquired by red Giant Movies.

Upon the release of Ponniyan Selvan I, while film enthusiasts acknowledged Mani Rathnam's hard work, they expressed that the plot was heavily intertwined with Tamil history, making it difficult for non-Tamil audiences to connect with it. This is likely the reason why Ponniyan Selvan 2 is struggling to find buyers in other languages, despite featuring popular stars such as Aishwarya Rai, Vikram, Trisha, Karthi , and others.

------

 According to recent updates from the Economics Times, only MM Keeravani and Chandra Bose received tickets to attend the Oscars 2023 event at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, as they were nominees. However, the remaining members of the RRR team, including director SS Rajamouli, lead actors Ram Charan and Jr NTR, and their families, bought tickets to witness the historic moment live.

Reports suggest that director SS Rajamouli bought tickets in advance for himself, the RRR team, and their families to attend the event. It is noteworthy that a single ticket for the Oscars event costs $25,000 USD, which is approximately Rs. 20.6 Lakhs. This new information has surprised Indian movie enthusiasts.

The netizens' discontent towards the Academy Awards organizers has heightened as they assigned the RRR team to the back row of the hall, as seen in the viral videos. Director SS Rajamouli and his team were captured sitting in the last row while MM Keeravani and Chandra Bose were seated ahead with other nominees. Accompanying Rajamouli were his wife Rama, son SS Kartikeya, and other family members, while Ram Charan attended with his wife Upasana Kamineni, and Jr NTR made a solitary appearance at the event.