Saturday, June 14, 2008
Anil Ambani’ Big Music for Rs. 2.25 crores
Rajinikanth-starrer Kuselan’s audio rights have been lapped up by Anil Ambani’s Big Music for Rs. 2.25 crores! Though several music companies have been vying with each other, Big Music finally emerged the winner in the bidding race. Kuselan’s music director, G.V. Prakash, happens to be the nephew of ace music director A.R. Rahman.Surprisingly, the price for Kuselan is much higher than Sivaji’s audio rights. It is also worth mentioning here that Sivaji’s music was composed by G.V. Prakash’s uncle A.R. Rahman. The Kuselan album contains five songs for which Daler Mehendi Shankar Mahadevan, Kailash Kher, Shriya Ghosal, Hariharan among others have rendered their voices. The audio release is slated to be held in Chennai on June 30, 2008 by Big Music.
Rs. 18 lakh helicopter for Dhanush!
It is not new in Kollywood to use helicopters for film shoots. We have seen movies that were made even a decade ago using choppers. The latest to join this bandwagon is Padikadhavan. Though Padikadhavan happens to be the name of Rajinikanth’s yesteryear hit, it is not a remake. Incidentally, the film stars his son-in-law Dhanush in the lead role along with Tamanna. Padikadhavan is directed by Suraj. The latest buzz about this film is that a helicopter has been hired to shoot a stunt sequence in Hyderabad that involves Suman and Tamanna. Sources say that the helicopter was hired from a Bangalore-based company for just two days. Guess what the price would be for just two days? Well, it is an astounding Rs. 18 lakhs! Now, that’s one fight to watch out for!
Hollywood Corner
The Incredible Hulk opens today. This follow up to Ang Lee’s Hulk is an explosive, action packed epic by the director of Transporter. A sampling of reviews from several newspapers and magazines indicate a hit. Variety calls the film, “A straightforward actioner that delivers the goods with no unnecessary frills or digressions.” Also opening today is Night Shyamalan’s The Happening, starring Mark Whalberg. Critics have already panned this B movie sci-fi effort from Shyamalan as a “case of crippling Shyamalania" that is goofy and trite. “He still sees dead people”, says the Washington Post, “only now they're the best thing in the movie.”The surprise hit last week was Kung Fu Panda, an animated film with the voice of Jack Black that overtook even Indiana Jones and Sex and the City at the box office. Critics have praised it for its quality of animation and storytelling. It’s probably the first animated kung fu movie Hollywood has made.
Releasing next week will be Get Smart with comedian Steve Carrel as the funny spy, Maxwell Smart. In the weeks following, we’ll see Angelina Jolie in an adaptation of a cult graphic novel called Wanted, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, and the eagerly awaited sequel to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight.
Dasavatharam-Review
Starring: Kamal Haasan, Asin, Mallika Sherawat, Jayapradha, Nagesh, Nepolean, Santhana Bharathi, P Vasu, R Sundarrajan, Erode Sounder
Direction: K S Ravikumar
Music: Himesh Reshammiya,
Re-recording: Devi Sri Prasad
Production: V Ravichandran
Dasavatharam, which was under production for almost two years, has finally hit the marquee and in style. Kamal and the marvel of technology rule this venture of Aascar Films directed by K S Ravikumar who has packaged Kamal's dream with aplomb.
It would be an uphill task in understanding Dasavatharam if one does not pay adequate attention to the opening stadium scene where Kamal as scientist Govinda Ramasamy, renders an acceptance speech for all the praise he receives. The ensuing 12th century sequences will not fall into place if one does not concentrate on this scene.
Kamal as Rangarajan Nambi, in a gravity-defying movement, flies from the bottom of the statue and thrashes the baddies who are involved in removing the Lord Ranganathar idol. Napoleon plays Kulothunga Chozhan who is an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. He agrees to pardon Kamal if he just chants Om Nama Shivayah but the latter meets his watery grave by saying Om Namo Narayanaya along with the idol.
Sharpness of dialogues exchanged between Kamal's family and Napoleon in this scene is commendable and a testimony to the clashes between Saivism and Vaishnavism that persisted in those earlier times. Napoleon, albeit in a small role, dazzles in his performance as the Saivite King. His arrogant countenance and 'mightier than thou' body language reiterate the experience of this veteran star in filmdom.
Cut to the present time again: Govinda Ramasamy (Kamal) is a scientist working in America, researching the components of biological warfare which are potent enough to wipe out the human race. The story that follows shows Kamal in a race to save mankind from the hands of his superior who purloins this dangerous chemical. His struggle begins in America and ends in Chennai on the 26th of December 2004 - during the Tsunami.Out of the ten Kamals, the first one who walks away with plaudits is Indian RAW agent Balram Naidu who is presented with little make up. His Telugu dialogues are enjoyable and remind us of the SPB of Guna. Next is Boovaraghan with his Nellai Tamil. His body language is exemplary. The Japanese kung fu exponent comes third in this avatar race with limited dialogues and moderate make-up. The remaining Kamals fail to make an impression.The theatre broke into raptures when the American Kamal asks the Japanese Kamal if he remembers Hiroshima to which the Japanese Kamal counters with, 'Do you remember Pearl Harbor?' Dialogue writing in the movie needs to be singled out.
The filmmakers ought to have done a better job of the poorly conceived Mallika Sherawat song sequence. The lady has disappointed her fans. Asin has done her job as best as she could, given her hysterical character. M. S. Bhaskar tries to make us laugh. Cinematographer Ravi Varman has worked in sync with the story line and his camera movements are commendable. He has used artificial lighting well, especially with the lengthy shots where more than two Kamals appear on screen. Himesh shines in the Kallai mattum kandal and Mukunda numbers, while Devi Sri Prasad has done a good job with re-recording. The usual filmi gimmicks such as grandma-Kamal walking on the shoulders of people, and Bush-Kamal trying to act hip could have been avoided.In short, with unexpected twists and turns missing in the film, Dasavatharam is a make-up magic show that disappoints as drama and satisfies as a technical showpiece. Atheist Kamal seems to be indirectly affirming the existence of God here.
Direction: K S Ravikumar
Music: Himesh Reshammiya,
Re-recording: Devi Sri Prasad
Production: V Ravichandran
Dasavatharam, which was under production for almost two years, has finally hit the marquee and in style. Kamal and the marvel of technology rule this venture of Aascar Films directed by K S Ravikumar who has packaged Kamal's dream with aplomb.
It would be an uphill task in understanding Dasavatharam if one does not pay adequate attention to the opening stadium scene where Kamal as scientist Govinda Ramasamy, renders an acceptance speech for all the praise he receives. The ensuing 12th century sequences will not fall into place if one does not concentrate on this scene.
Kamal as Rangarajan Nambi, in a gravity-defying movement, flies from the bottom of the statue and thrashes the baddies who are involved in removing the Lord Ranganathar idol. Napoleon plays Kulothunga Chozhan who is an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. He agrees to pardon Kamal if he just chants Om Nama Shivayah but the latter meets his watery grave by saying Om Namo Narayanaya along with the idol.Sharpness of dialogues exchanged between Kamal's family and Napoleon in this scene is commendable and a testimony to the clashes between Saivism and Vaishnavism that persisted in those earlier times. Napoleon, albeit in a small role, dazzles in his performance as the Saivite King. His arrogant countenance and 'mightier than thou' body language reiterate the experience of this veteran star in filmdom.
Cut to the present time again: Govinda Ramasamy (Kamal) is a scientist working in America, researching the components of biological warfare which are potent enough to wipe out the human race. The story that follows shows Kamal in a race to save mankind from the hands of his superior who purloins this dangerous chemical. His struggle begins in America and ends in Chennai on the 26th of December 2004 - during the Tsunami.Out of the ten Kamals, the first one who walks away with plaudits is Indian RAW agent Balram Naidu who is presented with little make up. His Telugu dialogues are enjoyable and remind us of the SPB of Guna. Next is Boovaraghan with his Nellai Tamil. His body language is exemplary. The Japanese kung fu exponent comes third in this avatar race with limited dialogues and moderate make-up. The remaining Kamals fail to make an impression.The theatre broke into raptures when the American Kamal asks the Japanese Kamal if he remembers Hiroshima to which the Japanese Kamal counters with, 'Do you remember Pearl Harbor?' Dialogue writing in the movie needs to be singled out.
The filmmakers ought to have done a better job of the poorly conceived Mallika Sherawat song sequence. The lady has disappointed her fans. Asin has done her job as best as she could, given her hysterical character. M. S. Bhaskar tries to make us laugh. Cinematographer Ravi Varman has worked in sync with the story line and his camera movements are commendable. He has used artificial lighting well, especially with the lengthy shots where more than two Kamals appear on screen. Himesh shines in the Kallai mattum kandal and Mukunda numbers, while Devi Sri Prasad has done a good job with re-recording. The usual filmi gimmicks such as grandma-Kamal walking on the shoulders of people, and Bush-Kamal trying to act hip could have been avoided.In short, with unexpected twists and turns missing in the film, Dasavatharam is a make-up magic show that disappoints as drama and satisfies as a technical showpiece. Atheist Kamal seems to be indirectly affirming the existence of God here.
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