Yana Gupta returns to Sandalwood

Yana Gupta returns to Sandalwood
Yana Gupta, the Czech model-actress who debuted in Hindi films with the sizzling item song 'Babuji' is making a comeback to Sandalwood. She entered Kannada films four years ago with an item song 'Bin laden Nanna Mava Bill Clinton Nanna Bava' in Jogi which had Shivarajkumar and Jennifer Kotwal in the lead roles.

Now Yana will appear in a dance number in Jothegara featuring Prem Kumar and Ramya in the lead roles. The song was shot in Bangkok recently. Before her career in Bollywood, Yana modeled for international clients like Calvin Klein and Victoria's Secret. She was named the new face for Lakme Cosmetics in 2001. Yana is famous in the South for her item number in Anniyan (Tamil).

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Diganth busy

Diganth, the handsome hunk of Gaalipata fame, is very busy these days. He has just returned from US after shooting for his film E Preethi. Although Diganth signed E Preethi at almost the same time as Gaalipata, the film was delayed due to visa problems and the team was allowed entry to the States only recently.

Diganth has also finished two movies, Bisile and Housefull. His latest release was Mast Majaa Maadi which is running successfully. Bisile and Housefull are directed by newcomers and Diganth says that he chose the films exactly for that reason. Newcomer directors are full of fresh ideas and they are less pretentious, he feels.

Diganth, apart from doing small budget films, also gets offers from big banners. He has his hands full till the end of August. Yograj Bhatt, who directed Diganth in the super hit Mungaru Male and Gaalipata, approached him for another film but unfortunately, the actor is so busy that he couldn’t give dates.

Shivamani to hit theatres on 16th

Shivamani featuring Sri Murali and Sharmila Mandre will hit theatres on 16th January, a day after the release of Ganesh’s Circus. The cast and crew of Shivamani conducted a press meet recently to give information about the film just ahead of its release.

Hero Sri Murali requested every one to watch the film without any preconceived notions. He also requested them not to believe the rumours that are floating around. Shivamani is not only an action film, it is also a well-made film to suit the tastes of different audiences.

Sharmila Mandre, the heroine, said she has already watched the film and it has shaped up very well.

Director Amarnath said that he has used technology to its best in the film which has helped in spicing up the song and dance sequences. Ajay Pai, one of the producers of the film who was present during the press meet, appreciated the performance of all the artists. He said that the first 10 minutes and the last 10 minutes of the film hold much importance and should not be missed.

Gagan Chukki starts shooting

Gagan Chukki gives a message to youth that life is more important than love. The film started rolling at the famous Gaganchukki waterfalls recently. Debutant Govindaraju, who has worked with noted directors Cheran and Bharathi Shanker, is directing the film.

The film tells a triangular love story and Akul, Bhavana Rao and Sanjitha play the lead roles. Akul has so far done only comedy roles and this is his first serious film. His earlier films Banni, Aathmeeya and Paramesha Panwala featured him in comic characters and Akul is keen to prove his mettle in a serious role.

The director says this film has no relation to the Gaganchukki waterfalls except for the name. Gagan is the name of the hero and Chukki is the name of the heroine. The crew shot for five days at the Gaganchukki waterfalls and producer Nitish was very happy after seeing the rushes.

Lakshmi in Nam Yejamanru

Dancer, model and actress Lakshmi Gopalaswami is a well-known face in the Southern film world, but Sandalwood did not see her in many movies. This beauty is now looking forward to the release of her Kannada film Nam Yejamanru with Dr. Vishnuvardhan in the lead role and Malayalee actress Navya Nair in an important role.

Lakshmi, who is more active in Malayalam, chose to act in Nam Yejamnru for two reasons. One, the film is directed by Nagabharana, one of the noted directors in Kannada Cinema and next, Lakshmi’s role in the film is that of a dancer. Dancing is something that Lakshmi is very passionate about and she cherishes every role which gives her an opportunity to dance.

Lakshmi has acted in a Hindi Film Dhuaan which was premiered at the Goa Film Festival recently. She is very happy that the film got good responses from the audience. She says that Subhash Ghai, who saw the film, was very impressed with her performance.

Circus to be remade?

Circus will hit the theatres only on January 15th, but the film has already caught the eyes of producers in other languages. The latest buzz in Sandalwood is that producer-director Dayal Padmanabhan’s biggie Circus is getting offers to be remade into Tamil and Telugu. It is heard that Soundarya Rajinikanth is one among the producers who has shown interest in the film and that she will be watching Circus on its opening day at the 4 Frames theatre in Chennai.

Apparently, Dayal Padanabhan does not want to sell the rights of the film. Instead, sources say that Dayal wants to co-produce the film with Soundarya, who has a tieup with Warner Brothers.

While none of this news are confirmed and is still in the rumour list, there is no doubt that Circus will definitely be a film to watch out for this weekend and Ganesh is said to have done a wonderful job. The film is shot mainly on a train and is termed to be an entirely different film of its genre.

KFCC to celebrate 75 years of Kannada Cinema

It was on March 3, 1934 that Kannada Cinema took its first step. Now in 2009, this bustling film industry is completing 75 years of its existence. To celebrate this feat, the KFCC has organized a 3 day mega event in Bangalore on March 1, 2 and 3 with a budget of Rs. 10 crores.

KFCC President Dr. Jayamala has come up with novel ideas to make the event memorable. Talks are on to honour 75 reputed film personalities in the event. Also, 75 books on prominent film personalities will be published as part of the celebrations. The event will also feature entertainment programmes like dance, music and other stage shows.

Music director Hamsalekha is composing the title song for this event and Crazy star V. Ravichandran is preparing the logo.

Prabhu in Kannada

Prabhu, son of Sivaji Ganesan and noted Tamil actor is acting in his first Kannada film Boss which features challenging star Darshan and Navya Nair in the lead roles. Prabhu, who arrived at Bangalore this morning, was taken to Mysore by producer Ramesh Yadav. Prabhu will spend 10 days in Mysore to shoot for the film.

Prabhu debuted with Sangili in 1982 and later delivered several hits during the 80’s and 90’s. One of the major films of his career was Chinna Thambi which broke all box office records in 1991. He has also acted in many films alongside Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and his father Sivaji Ganesan.

Birugali cleared with U/A

Choreographer-turned-director Harsha’s second film Birugali has been cleared by the Censor Board with 'U/A' certificate. The Censor Board refused to give a clean 'U' to Birugali due to the excessive violence portrayed. Aa Dinagalu fame Chetan is sporting a new look as hero in Birugali which has lots of action sequences. He has reportedly worked hard in the gym to look fit.

Birugali's story, screenplay and dialogues are by director Harsha. His first film as a director was Geleya. Chetan’s first film was Aa Dinagalu in which he played the role of a calm and composed guy. But in Birugali Chetan plays an action hero.

Arjun has scored the music while H.C. Venu is the cameraman. Other members of the cast include Sithara Vaidhya, Karishma, Thara, Kishore, Giri, Mico Nagaraj, Paramesh and Pratap. Birugali is all set to release by the end of January.

Ramesh’s Laddu treat

Ramesh Aravind knows how to use the media to publicise his films and he definitely knows how to thank them too. This actor-cum- director is known for his stylish romantic comedies and is busy directing the latest one, Venkata in Sankata. Being Ramesh’s film, the media has been giving good coverage toVenkata's progress and Ramesh decided to thank them.

So, on the auspicious day of ‘Vaikunta Ekadashi’ Ramesh Aravind sent dozens of laddus in decorated boxes to his media friends thanking them for the publicity they are giving for his film Venkata in Sankata.

Venkata in Sankata is a comedy film about a cop who yearns for promotion. He has three wives and he struggles to meet all their needs. The film is expected to be a light hearted comedy like his previous films Rama Shama Bhama and Satyavan Savithri.

Ramesh’s Laddu treat

Ramesh Aravind knows how to use the media to publicise his films and he definitely knows how to thank them too. This actor-cum- director is known for his stylish romantic comedies and is busy directing the latest one, Venkata in Sankata. Being Ramesh’s film, the media has been giving good coverage toVenkata's progress and Ramesh decided to thank them.

So, on the auspicious day of ‘Vaikunta Ekadashi’ Ramesh Aravind sent dozens of laddus in decorated boxes to his media friends thanking them for the publicity they are giving for his film Venkata in Sankata.

Venkata in Sankata is a comedy film about a cop who yearns for promotion. He has three wives and he struggles to meet all their needs. The film is expected to be a light hearted comedy like his previous films Rama Shama Bhama and Satyavan Savithri.

Rajamanikyam in Kannada

Malayalam superstar Mammootty's Rajamanikyam (2005) directed by Anwar Rasheed was the biggest hit produced in the history of Malayalam cinema! It collected almost eight crores in just 60 days and around four crores from the three metros alone. With this out-and-out comedy thriller, Mammootty broke all myths and rumours that he cannot dance or do comedy roles; he proved his ability to handle humorous roles marvellously and dance superbly.

Rajamanikyam is now being remade in Kannada as Nane Bere, Enna Style Bere by Malayalee director Dinesh Babu, who has directed many super hit Kannada films including Gargasa. Kannada superstar Vishnuvardhan will play the lead role; young star Rajesh and Lekshmi Hedge will appear in important roles.

Rajamanikyam is the story of a buffalo dealer Bellary Raja alias Rajamanikyam (Mammootty) who tries to unite his warring siblings. The film begins in a village in South Kerala bordering Tamil Nadu, abode of a wealthy man, Raja Rathnam Pillai (Saikumar). Following the demise of his first wife, Raja Rathnam marries Muthu Lakshmi Ammal. But he is unaware that his new wife already has a son, Muthu. On the night of the wedding, Muthu knocks at the door of Raja Rathnam and asks for his mother. But Muthu Lakshmi denies the fact that Muthu is her own son.

When Raja Rathnam comes to know the truth, he adopts Muthu without the knowledge of Muthu Lakshmi and renames him Rajamanikyam. Later, when Raja Rathnam's son kills a child in the village, Rajamanikyam takes the blame and leaves the village. After several years, Raja Rathnam's two grown-up children, Rajaselvam (Manoj K. Jayan) and Rani Rathnam (Sindhu Menon), start fighting for their father's wealth. Rajaselvam, aided by his childhood buddy Simon Nadar (Renjith), sets up a plan to frame his own father in a murder case. As a result, Raja Rathnam is arrested but dies of a heart attack on the way to prison.

After his death, the two siblings call the family lawyer to read out Raja Rathnam's will in public. But to their utmost surprise, they find that all their father's assets have been given to Rajamanikyam, a buffalo dealer in Bellary. They fail to realize Bellary Raja is none other than Rajamanikyam. How Rajamanikyam returns to his home town to unite the warring siblings forms the rest of the story.

Puneeth, Umashri Bags Best Award

Puneeth Rajkumar has been selected as the best actor of the year for the film Milana. Umashri has bagged the best actress award for the film Gulabie Talkies. Sadhu Kokila has won the best music director award for the film Inthi Ninna Preethiya film

Dr Vishnu Gets Rajkumar Award

Dr Vishnuvardhan has been awarded Dr. Rajkumar Award for the year 2007-08. Senior and reputed director Renuka Sharma has be awarded with Lt. Puttanna Kanagal Award

Shivaji Prabhu In Boss Kannada Film

For the first time Shivaji Prabhu is acting in Kannada film Boss starring Dharshan, Navya Nair, Rekha in lead. Shivaji Prabhu son of Shivaji Ganeshan arrived to Bangalore at 9 AM. Producer Ramesh Yadav received him at the airport. They reached shooting spot at Mysore and shooting began at 2 PM with Dharshan, Sumitra at the sets. Shivaji Prabh will be acting for 10 days for the final schedule of Boss film.

legendary actor Dr. Sivaji Ganesan has acted in Kannada film School Master directed by B R Pantalu

Nam Yejamaanaru on Jan 30th

Dr. Vishnuvardhan starrer Nam Yejamaanaru directed by Nagabharana is all set to be released on January 30, says the film's producer Rajashekhar. Though the film's shooting had finished last August, there has been considerable delay in the release of this hugely expected film. Rajashekhar says that the delay in the graphics work had resulted in the late release of the film.

“The graphics work took a longer time and we had to spend considerable time, energy to get it done. But now everything connected to the film has been completed and first copy of the film will be coming out in a few days. We are sure to hit the theatres on January 30' says a confident Rajashekhar.

Rajashekhar promised Dr. Vishnuvardhan fans that the film has turned out as a racy film with entertainment values and an intelligent handling of a different type of subject. He said Dr. Vishnu and Navya Nair have done a great job in performances. Lakshmi Gopalaswamy, Anant Nag, Ramesh Bhat are also in the cast. Hamsalekha’s has provided the music for the film and the songs have become popular, said Rajashekhar.

Bhagyadha Balegaara - Navya Nair Heroine

Gaja heroine Navya Nair is the heroine of Bhaagyadha Balegaara starring Shivaraj Kumar and directed by Sai Prakash. The film is produced by Ramesh Kashyap who had earlier produced last year's hit Nanda Nanditha. The shooting of this film is now being held in Channapatna. Navya Nair had finished her work in Boss starring Darshan in Mysore and immediately thereafter left to Tumkur to join the shooting of Bhaagyadha Balegaara.

Earlier the producers were thinking of casting Kamalini Mukherjee as the heroine and even discussions had taken place. But now comes the news that Navya Nair has been signed and she has been participating in the shooting.

Meanwhile, Navya Nair's second Kannada film "Nam Yejamaanaru' starring Dr. Vishnuvardhan and directed by Nagabharana will be releasing on January 30.

Ganesh strikes gold in 'Circus'

After a lacklustre 2008, 'Golden' Ganesh is back to his best. In a role tailor-made for him, though not the romantic one he is familiar with, the Kannada superstar does an excellent job in 'Circus'.

Produced and directed by Dayal Padmanabhan, who essays an important role in the film as well, 'Circus' makes for engrossing watch. The taut script, written by Yograj Bhatt, combines Ganesh's trademark romantic flavour with good suspense and thrills.

The plot of the story is very simple. Dhanush (Ganesh) is the leader of a gang of five pranksters, who often land in trouble. One fine day, one of them write to the Railway authorities stating that on such and such a day, a bomb will explode in the Gandhadagudi Express, just to mar the reputation of the train. Later, realising the folly in mentioning the address of one of them in the letter, they go to the railway station to retrieve the letter from the RMS bogey.

They soon find that terrorists have made all arrangements to blast the train on the same day. Dhanush succeeds in foiling the nefarious designs of the terrorists in the end. The last 30-minutes of the film has many thrilling moments and Ganesh does a neat, convincing job.

In between, there is time enough for a beautiful romance between Dhanush and Priya (debutante Archana Gupta).They sing and dance to three peppy songs from Emil. Archana is cute and gorgeous, but looks weak in histrionics. In fact, the unnecessary romance proves to be a distraction and dulls the suspense.

Senior actors such as Gurudatt, Dharma and Avinash Bharadwaj come and go without making an impact.

The production values of the film are very good, especially, Shekhar Chandrudu's cinematography.