Exclusive: “I’m not so good at this part, you know,” Indian megastar Prabhas tells Deadline on the set of upcoming mythological sci-fi movie Kalki 2898 Ad.
He is referring to his inability to push his work “into the international level,” but this might all be about to change. For Deadline is speaking to Prabhas in the late evening about a movie which, at a reported budget topping 600 crore rupees ($72M), is estimated to be one of the most expensive Indian movies ever made, potentially the most. Aswani Dutt’s Vyjayanthi Movies is behind the production, with Swapna Dutt and Priyanka Dutt producing.
Releasing on June 27 after multiple delays, director Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 Ad is a sci-fi infused retelling of the Hindu myth of Kalki and the Kali Yuga, the end of the current world age. The film launched its first teaser at the San Diego Comic-Con last...
He is referring to his inability to push his work “into the international level,” but this might all be about to change. For Deadline is speaking to Prabhas in the late evening about a movie which, at a reported budget topping 600 crore rupees ($72M), is estimated to be one of the most expensive Indian movies ever made, potentially the most. Aswani Dutt’s Vyjayanthi Movies is behind the production, with Swapna Dutt and Priyanka Dutt producing.
Releasing on June 27 after multiple delays, director Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 Ad is a sci-fi infused retelling of the Hindu myth of Kalki and the Kali Yuga, the end of the current world age. The film launched its first teaser at the San Diego Comic-Con last...
- 5/29/2024
- by Hannah Abraham
- Deadline Film + TV
The inaugural edition of the South India Film Festival (Siff) kicked off with a magnificent lamp lighting ceremony graced by esteemed personalities, setting the stage for a historic event celebrating regional storytelling and cinematic brilliance.
Among the distinguished guests were Minister of Cinematography and R &B, Mr. Komatreddy Venkatreddy, Co-Founder of aha Mr. Allu Arvind, Mrs. Megahana Jupally, Director of Myhome Constructions and Meru Schools, Mr. Tg Vishwa Prasrad of People Media Factory, Mr. Ajit Thakur, Mr. Ravikant Sabnavis, CEO of aha, Director Vamsi Paidipally, and others. This ceremonious beginning marked the start of an event that promised to showcase the rich tapestry of South Indian cinema.
The day unfolded with engaging conversations and insightful panel discussions. Renowned film critic Mayank Shekhar and the legendary Allu Aravind delved into the heart of Telugu cinema, while moderator Vani Rane led a discussion on the GenZ perspective featuring Santosh Shoban, Anand Devarakonda,...
Among the distinguished guests were Minister of Cinematography and R &B, Mr. Komatreddy Venkatreddy, Co-Founder of aha Mr. Allu Arvind, Mrs. Megahana Jupally, Director of Myhome Constructions and Meru Schools, Mr. Tg Vishwa Prasrad of People Media Factory, Mr. Ajit Thakur, Mr. Ravikant Sabnavis, CEO of aha, Director Vamsi Paidipally, and others. This ceremonious beginning marked the start of an event that promised to showcase the rich tapestry of South Indian cinema.
The day unfolded with engaging conversations and insightful panel discussions. Renowned film critic Mayank Shekhar and the legendary Allu Aravind delved into the heart of Telugu cinema, while moderator Vani Rane led a discussion on the GenZ perspective featuring Santosh Shoban, Anand Devarakonda,...
- 3/24/2024
- by Editorial Desk
- GlamSham
The teams behind upcoming sci-fi epic “Kalki 2898 Ad,” hit Disney+ Hotstar series “Aarya” and prolific producer Siddharth Roy Kapur spoke with Variety on what has been an eventful 2023 for the Indian entertainment landscape.
2023, the first full year of business since the pandemic, saw Indian audiences return in droves to cinemas. It was also a golden year for streaming with all the major Indian platform delivering global hits.
Roy Kapur had a packed year with Season 2 of Emmy-nominated Indian space and nuclear program-themed “Rocket Boys” on SonyLIV, epic war film “Pippa” making a direct-to-streaming debut on Prime Video and comedy-drama film “Tumse Na Ho Payega” bowing on Disney+ Hotstar.
“What we haven’t had is a theatrical release this year, which feels a little strange,” Roy Kapur told Variety, adding that “Deva,” an action thriller directed by Rosshan Andrrews and produced by Roy Kapur Films and Zee Studios, with Shahid Kapoor...
2023, the first full year of business since the pandemic, saw Indian audiences return in droves to cinemas. It was also a golden year for streaming with all the major Indian platform delivering global hits.
Roy Kapur had a packed year with Season 2 of Emmy-nominated Indian space and nuclear program-themed “Rocket Boys” on SonyLIV, epic war film “Pippa” making a direct-to-streaming debut on Prime Video and comedy-drama film “Tumse Na Ho Payega” bowing on Disney+ Hotstar.
“What we haven’t had is a theatrical release this year, which feels a little strange,” Roy Kapur told Variety, adding that “Deva,” an action thriller directed by Rosshan Andrrews and produced by Roy Kapur Films and Zee Studios, with Shahid Kapoor...
- 12/27/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Prime Video today launched the rib-tickling trailer of the Telugu comedy-drama, ‘Kumari Srimathi’. Directed by Gomtesh Upadhye, the series stars Nithya Menen along with Nirupam, Gautami, Thiruveer, Talluri Rameshwari, Naresh, and Murali Mohan in pivotal roles. Produced by Early Monsoon Tales, a web division of Vyjayanthi Entertainments with a legacy of 50 years, the seven-episode Telugu series will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on September 28 with dubs in Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam.
The trailer of Kumari Srimathi takes the viewers into the life of a 30-year-old single woman, named Srimathi (Menen) and her dysfunctional family. Set in a remote village in East Godavari, Srimathi, who is a strong-willed woman, decides to open a bar and a restaurant in her village to reclaim her ancestral home. A series of hilarity follows when Srimathi overcomes various social and moral barriers along the way.
“Kumari Srimathi will be always special to me. It made...
The trailer of Kumari Srimathi takes the viewers into the life of a 30-year-old single woman, named Srimathi (Menen) and her dysfunctional family. Set in a remote village in East Godavari, Srimathi, who is a strong-willed woman, decides to open a bar and a restaurant in her village to reclaim her ancestral home. A series of hilarity follows when Srimathi overcomes various social and moral barriers along the way.
“Kumari Srimathi will be always special to me. It made...
- 9/22/2023
- by Editorial Desk
- GlamSham
Prime Video today launched the rib-tickling trailer of the Telugu comedy-drama, ‘Kumari Srimathi’. Directed by Gomtesh Upadhye, the series stars Nithya Menen along with Nirupam, Gautami, Thiruveer, Talluri Rameshwari, Naresh, and Murali Mohan in pivotal roles. Produced by Early Monsoon Tales, a web division of Vyjayanthi Entertainments with a legacy of 50 years, the seven-episode Telugu series will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on September 28 with dubs in Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam.
The trailer of Kumari Srimathi takes the viewers into the life of a 30-year-old single woman, named Srimathi (Menen) and her dysfunctional family. Set in a remote village in East Godavari, Srimathi, who is a strong-willed woman, decides to open a bar and a restaurant in her village to reclaim her ancestral home. A series of hilarity follows when Srimathi overcomes various social and moral barriers along the way.
“Kumari Srimathi will be always special to me. It made...
The trailer of Kumari Srimathi takes the viewers into the life of a 30-year-old single woman, named Srimathi (Menen) and her dysfunctional family. Set in a remote village in East Godavari, Srimathi, who is a strong-willed woman, decides to open a bar and a restaurant in her village to reclaim her ancestral home. A series of hilarity follows when Srimathi overcomes various social and moral barriers along the way.
“Kumari Srimathi will be always special to me. It made...
- 9/22/2023
- by Editorial Desk
Actress Nithya Menen’s upcoming comedy drama series ‘Kumari Srimathi’ is all set to stream digitally from September 28. Set in a village in East Godavari, the series hilariously encapsulates the tribulations in the life of a 30-year-old woman (played by Menen), who challenges stereotypes in a small town riddled with antiquity.
Produced by Early Monsoon Tales, a web division of Vyjayanthi Entertainments, the series is directed by Gomtesh Upadhye and stars Nithya along with Nirupam Paritala, Gautami, Thiruveer, Talluri Rameswari, Naresh, and Murali Mohan in pivotal roles
The seven episodes of ‘Kumari Srimathi’ in Telugu are dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam.
Producer Swapna Dutt said: “Srimathi’s journey is a celebration of determination, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds of family. With a fresh and unconventional plot, Kumari Srimathi explores the intricacies of the domestic households, breaking the norms of society, and nurturing personal aspirations, all while taking the audience...
Produced by Early Monsoon Tales, a web division of Vyjayanthi Entertainments, the series is directed by Gomtesh Upadhye and stars Nithya along with Nirupam Paritala, Gautami, Thiruveer, Talluri Rameswari, Naresh, and Murali Mohan in pivotal roles
The seven episodes of ‘Kumari Srimathi’ in Telugu are dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam.
Producer Swapna Dutt said: “Srimathi’s journey is a celebration of determination, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds of family. With a fresh and unconventional plot, Kumari Srimathi explores the intricacies of the domestic households, breaking the norms of society, and nurturing personal aspirations, all while taking the audience...
- 9/18/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Actress Nithya Menen’s upcoming comedy drama series ‘Kumari Srimathi’ is all set to stream digitally from September 28. Set in a village in East Godavari, the series hilariously encapsulates the tribulations in the life of a 30-year-old woman (played by Menen), who challenges stereotypes in a small town riddled with antiquity.
Produced by Early Monsoon Tales, a web division of Vyjayanthi Entertainments, the series is directed by Gomtesh Upadhye and stars Nithya along with Nirupam Paritala, Gautami, Thiruveer, Talluri Rameswari, Naresh, and Murali Mohan in pivotal roles
The seven episodes of ‘Kumari Srimathi’ in Telugu are dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam.
Producer Swapna Dutt said: “Srimathi’s journey is a celebration of determination, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds of family. With a fresh and unconventional plot, Kumari Srimathi explores the intricacies of the domestic households, breaking the norms of society, and nurturing personal aspirations, all while taking the audience...
Produced by Early Monsoon Tales, a web division of Vyjayanthi Entertainments, the series is directed by Gomtesh Upadhye and stars Nithya along with Nirupam Paritala, Gautami, Thiruveer, Talluri Rameswari, Naresh, and Murali Mohan in pivotal roles
The seven episodes of ‘Kumari Srimathi’ in Telugu are dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam.
Producer Swapna Dutt said: “Srimathi’s journey is a celebration of determination, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds of family. With a fresh and unconventional plot, Kumari Srimathi explores the intricacies of the domestic households, breaking the norms of society, and nurturing personal aspirations, all while taking the audience...
- 9/18/2023
- by Agency News Desk
Indian pride was on full display at Comic-Con’s Hall H in an ear-splitting and thunderous panel for Project K, the first Indian movie to be showcased not only at the pop culture convention, but also in the room that has launched so many Hollywood movies, including those from Marvel, Warner Bros./DC and Legendary’s monster pics.
The panel featured a who’s who of Indian superstars — Prabhas, Kamal Haasan, Amitabh Bachchan (via Zoom), veteran Bollywood producer C. Aswani Dutt — and each one’s entrance was greeted with chants and screams. It was a form of Beatlemania hysteria rarely seen in Hall H.
“Indian cinema in on the world stage,” said Rana Daggubati, another Indian actor and producer who acted as an unofficial moderator for the panel and who sat among the Project K team. “We understoond what global fandom means…but we were, like, now we need to...
The panel featured a who’s who of Indian superstars — Prabhas, Kamal Haasan, Amitabh Bachchan (via Zoom), veteran Bollywood producer C. Aswani Dutt — and each one’s entrance was greeted with chants and screams. It was a form of Beatlemania hysteria rarely seen in Hall H.
“Indian cinema in on the world stage,” said Rana Daggubati, another Indian actor and producer who acted as an unofficial moderator for the panel and who sat among the Project K team. “We understoond what global fandom means…but we were, like, now we need to...
- 7/20/2023
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Mumbai, July 20 (Ians) Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan and Telugu star Prabhas, who are awaiting the release of their upcoming sci-fi epic film ‘Project K’, were clicked at a get together ahead of their film’s grand reveal at the San Diego Comic-Con.
The cast of the film along with the filmmakers came together to celebrate the film among cinephiles. Kamal Haasan and Prabhas along with director Nag Ashwin, Swapna Dutt, Priyanka Dutt and Rana Daggubati attended the dazzling get together.
While Kamal Haasan showed up in a classic black jacket and white shirt, Prabhas sported a blue jacket. The get-together even witnessed a star studded guest list of actors, film makers and movie buff’s from both Indian as well as the international circuit who gathered to celebrate ‘Project K’.
Vyjayanthi Movies, the production house behind the film, took to social media to share pictures from this star studded event and...
The cast of the film along with the filmmakers came together to celebrate the film among cinephiles. Kamal Haasan and Prabhas along with director Nag Ashwin, Swapna Dutt, Priyanka Dutt and Rana Daggubati attended the dazzling get together.
While Kamal Haasan showed up in a classic black jacket and white shirt, Prabhas sported a blue jacket. The get-together even witnessed a star studded guest list of actors, film makers and movie buff’s from both Indian as well as the international circuit who gathered to celebrate ‘Project K’.
Vyjayanthi Movies, the production house behind the film, took to social media to share pictures from this star studded event and...
- 7/20/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Actress Mrunal Thakur, whose portrayal of Sita in ‘Sita Ramam’ has been received quite well by the audience, says she was floored by the love showered by fans on both Dulquer and her in the US where they had gone to the North American country on an invitation from the Telugu Cultural Sangam.
Ever since ‘Sita Ramam’ released, Mrunal has been receiving accolades from all corners for her performance in the film.
The film has South heartthrob Dulquer Salmaan opposite Mrunal complimenting each other on screen.
Recently, the duo, along with the makers of ‘Sita Ramam’, were invited to Washington DC in the US to be a part of the Telugu Cultural Sangam after the Diwali celebrations.
During the trip, Dulquer Salmaan, Mrunal Thakur, director Hanu Ragavapudi and producer Swapna Dutt interacted with a packed house that kept cheering for the onscreen couple in ‘Sita Ramam’.
Giving details of the trip and the experience,...
Ever since ‘Sita Ramam’ released, Mrunal has been receiving accolades from all corners for her performance in the film.
The film has South heartthrob Dulquer Salmaan opposite Mrunal complimenting each other on screen.
Recently, the duo, along with the makers of ‘Sita Ramam’, were invited to Washington DC in the US to be a part of the Telugu Cultural Sangam after the Diwali celebrations.
During the trip, Dulquer Salmaan, Mrunal Thakur, director Hanu Ragavapudi and producer Swapna Dutt interacted with a packed house that kept cheering for the onscreen couple in ‘Sita Ramam’.
Giving details of the trip and the experience,...
- 11/7/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Tollywood Tnm spoke to the team behind the extensive promotions for the film, which is having a successful run in theatres across India and overseas.Jahnavi ReddyTwitter/Vyjayanthi MoviesTelugu comedy film Jathi Ratnalu, which released in theatres on March 12, has turned out to be a massive hit, showing in packed theatres through the weekend. Reports suggest that the film’s immense success is a significant milestone in the return of Telugu films and audiences to theatres, since the onset of the pandemic. The film, directed by Anudeep K V, has pulled Telugu audiences to theatres not just in the metros and districts of the Telugu states, but across the country and even overseas. While reviews and audience reactions have almost unanimously declared the film a non-stop laugh riot, the team of Jathi Ratnalu had managed to create and sustain anticipation among audiences for weeks before the film’s release, and...
- 3/17/2021
- by Jahnavi
- The News Minute
TollywoodAmong the promising releases from Aha include Tamannaah Bhatia’s ‘11th hour’.Tnm StaffPhoto Courtesy: Shreyas MediaTelugu Over-the-Top platform Aha has announced that it will be producing 52 original releases in 2021, which includes web series, movies, talk shows, and docudramas. Directors Sukumar, Harish Shankar, Surender Reddy, Vamshi Paidipally, Nandini Reddy, Praveen Sattaru, Dr Sailesh, Pawan Kumar, Venu Udugula, Sudheer Varma, Sagar Chandra, Ranga Yali, Vidya Sagar, Uday Gurrala, Pranav Pingle Reddy, Pallavi Gangireddy amongst others have been roped in to create this content, Aha said. According to Aha, its recent talk show Sam Jam hosted by star actor Samantha Akkineni, and releases such as CommitMental, MaaVinthaGaadhaVinuma, and Anaganaga O Athidhi have received a good response so far. Ramu Rao Jupally, promoter, Aha, said, “In a short span of time, Aha has grown to be recognised as a game-changer in the Telugu entertainment industry. Today, the Ott industry is one of the...
- 12/14/2020
- by Balakrishna
- The News Minute
Tollywood The film, directed by Hanu Raghavapudi, is being produced by the makers of Dulquer’s previous Telugu film ‘Mahanati’. Digital NativeDigital NativeEarlier in July, the makers of Mahanati announced that they will be reuniting with Dulquer Salmaan for an untitled Telugu film which will be directed by Hanu Raghavapudi. The makers unveiled a concept poster to mark the announcement of the project. Going by the poster, the film is a period romantic drama set in the backdrop of war. The poster, which shows an Air Mail cover, hints that the story unfolds in the year of 1964 and features Dulquer in the role of an Indian army man, ‘Lieutenant Ram’. The latest update is that Pooja Hegde and Rashmika Mandanna have been signed as the female leads. However, the makers are yet to make any official announcement regarding the casting. Vishal Chandrasekhar has been roped in to compose music for the film.
- 12/5/2020
- by Jahnavi
- The News Minute
CinemaDulquer had played the role of Gemini Ganesan in the 2018 Savitri biopic ‘Mahanati’.Digital NativeFile PhotoOn the centenary birth anniversary of the late actor Gemini Ganesan, Dulquer Salmaan aptly posted a tribute to the iconic actor on his social media. Dulquer had played Gemini Ganesan in the Savitri biopic Mahanati / Nadigaiyar Thilagam, which won him accolades from all quarters. On the late icon’s birth centenary, Dulquer wrote, “Though I could never match his charm, looks or acting skills, I consider it a privilege and honour to have been able to play the role of Gemini Ganeshan on screen. Apart from leaving a legacy that has inspired a generation of movie lovers, he had a larger-than-life personality that today is the stuff of legend. Here’s remembering the one and only Gemini Ganesan on his centennial birth anniversary.” The biopic, based on the life of actor Savitri, had Keerthy Suresh playing the lead role.
- 11/18/2020
- by Rajeswari
- The News Minute
Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan will join Indian cinema stars Prabhas and Deepika Padukone in an as yet untitled film that will be one of the big ticket Indian films of 2022.
It is being produced by Aswini Dutt’s Vyjayanthi Movies and will be released in time to commemorate the outfit’s 50th anniversary in 2022. Nag Ashwin will direct.
“Welcome aboard @SrBachchan sir, it is our honor to have you. Your birthday celebrations have begun!” tweeted the Vyjayanthi Movies handle.
Welcome aboard @SrBachchan sir, it is our honor to have you. Your birthday celebrations have begun! #NamaskaramBigB...
It is being produced by Aswini Dutt’s Vyjayanthi Movies and will be released in time to commemorate the outfit’s 50th anniversary in 2022. Nag Ashwin will direct.
“Welcome aboard @SrBachchan sir, it is our honor to have you. Your birthday celebrations have begun!” tweeted the Vyjayanthi Movies handle.
Welcome aboard @SrBachchan sir, it is our honor to have you. Your birthday celebrations have begun! #NamaskaramBigB...
- 10/9/2020
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
TollywoodReports have it that she had pitched in a breezy romantic entertainer to Naga Chaitanya and he has agreed to join the star cast.Digital NativeFollowing the success of Oh Baby, Nandhini Reddy is working on her next project and there are various speculations about it. Reports have it that she had pitched in a breezy romantic entertainer to Naga Chaitanya and he has agreed to join the star cast. Swapna Dutt and Priyanka Dutt will be bankrolling this untitled film. And we hear that Mickey J Meyer is already on board to compose the tunes. While Nandhini Reddy is working on the script, Naga Chaitanya will be completing the Shekar Kammula directorial Love Story which is in progress. Expectations on this Naga Chaitanya – Sai Pallavi starrer have been rising high ever since its announcement. Narayan Das K Narang and Puskur Ram Mohan Rao are bankrolling the project under their banner.
- 2/29/2020
- by Luke
- The News Minute
TollywoodThe film will be bankrolled by Swapna Dutt and Priyanka Dutt under the banner Swapna Cinema.Digital NativeDirector Nandini Reddy, who shot to fame with her debut flick Ala Modalaindi, has announced her next project after the success of Oh! Baby. The versatile director has now announced her next project through her social media handle. “Super excited about my next with @SwapnaCinema. Produced by #PriyankaDutt #AshwiniDutt @SwapnaDuttCh A @MickeyJMeyer Musical @RIP_apart @LakshmiBhupal #JayashreeLakshminarayan @UrsVamsiShekar," the director wrote on Twitter. Super excited about my next with @SwapnaCinema Produced by #PriyankaDutt #AshwiniDutt @SwapnaDuttCh A @MickeyJMeyer Musical @RIP_apart @LakshmiBhupal #JayashreeLakshminarayan @UrsVamsiShekar pic.twitter.com/cJ7g83QFtW — Nandini Reddy (@nandureddy4u) October 7, 2019 Lakshmi Bhoopal has penned the story and dialogues for the film and cinematographer Richard Prasad has been signed up to handle the camera. Mickey J Meyer will be scoring the music and Jayashree is the art director. The film...
- 10/8/2019
- by Priyankar
- The News Minute
Tollywood Producer of the film Priyanka Dutt said that she declined the offer because she wanted the money to be used for the development of the state. Digital NativeThe makers of the biopic on late legendary actor Savitri are happy over the response for the film. Mahanti opened to packed houses early this month and has been doing well at the theatres. While, the movie buffs, celebs and critics have been raving about it, a pat in the back came for the team from none other than the chief minister of Andhra, N Chandra Babu Naidu. The team was invited to the Secretariat and felicitated by the Cm. Also, the Cm offered tax exemption for Mahanati which the producers declined politely. On this, Priyanka Dutt, the producer of the film and daughter of ace producer Aswini Dutt said that her father declined the offer because he felt that the money should be used for the development of the state. In this regard, she has been quoted by the Indian Express as saying, “We feel so honoured. The chief minister had decorated his party office with our film’s posters and invited press and guests, and spoke so well. This means more than the National Awards for us. Chandrababu Naidu sir hardly watches movies. He loved Mahanati. He hosted a special screening for his cabinet and told them that they have so much to learn from Savitri garu’s life. He also kindly offered tax exemption for our film which my father declined because he thinks the government needs that tax for development in the state.” The biopic, based on the life of actor Savitri, had Keerthy Suresh playing the lead role. Directed by Nag Ashwin, the film also has Dulquer Salmaan, Samantha Akkineni ,Vijay Devarakonda, Shalini Pandey and Prakash Raj in the star cast with a host of celebs making guest appearances. Meanwhile, Ten days since its release, the film has grossed a whopping Rs. 42 crore and counting worldwide. The film has entered $2 million club at Us box-office. It was produced by C. Ashwini Dutt, Swapna Dutt and Priyanka Dutt under the banner Vyjayanthi Movies.
- 5/29/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
CinemaKamala, who is a well-known gynaecologist, has pointed out that some facts in the film are either false or distorted and have hurt her family.Digital NativeDigital NativeThe biopic on the legendary actor Savitri, Mahanati in Telugu and Nadigaiyar Thilagam in Tamil, was released a few days ago and has received positive reviews. However, Kamala Selvaraj, daughter of actor Gemini Ganesan through his first wife and noted gynaecologist, is angry over the biopic as she says it shows her father in poor light. In an interview with Tnie, Kamala Selvaraj pointed out that some facts in the film are either false or distorted and so have hurt her family. She says that it is totally untrue that Gemini Ganesan introduced Savitri to alcohol. She also said that the makers have portrayed Gemini Ganesan “to be jobless and hanging around the sets of Savitri’s films all the time”, whereas he was a star with his own fan following. Kamala Selvaraj is reported to have said that her father tried to save Savitri on several occasions and at one point of time had gone to her house but was thrown out by the guards over there. Ever since then, he refused to meet Savitri and the relationship ended on a bad note, she said revealing that she was there with her dad during the incident. Mahanati/Nadigaiyar Thilagam, directed by Nag Ashwin, stars Keerthy Suresh as Savitri and Dulquer Salmaan as Gemini Ganesan. The film is doing extraordinarily well in the Us. So far it has collected over Rs 12 crore in the Us market and is all set to cross the $2 million mark. The biopic has an ensemble cast, including Samantha Akkineni, Vijay Deverakonda, Rajendra Prasad, Tanikella Bharani, Bhanupriya, Malavika Nair, Shalini Pandey, Tulasi and Divyavani. The film also has a long list of celebs making cameo appearances and they include Akkineni Naga Chaitanya, Mohan Babu, Prakash Raj, Naresh, Krish, Srinivas Avasarala, Sandeep Vanga, Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam and Sai Madhav Burra. The film is bankrolled by C Ashwini Dutt, Swapna Dutt and Priyanka Dutt under the banners Vyjayanthi Movies and Swapna Cinema. Mickey J Meyer has composed music for this venture with Dani Sanchez-Lopez working on the cinematography and Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao editing it. Sai Madhav Burra penned the Telugu dialogues while the Tamil dialogues have been written by Madhan Karky. Also read: ‘Magical bringing Savitri back to life’: ‘Mahanati’ cinematographer Dani Sanchez Lopez (Content provided by Digital Native)...
- 5/18/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
TollywoodThe film released to packed houses on May 11 and is doing well at the box office.Digital NativeDigital NativeDulquer Salman’s role as the legendary actor Gemini Ganesan in Mahanati has won him accolades from all quarters. The actor, who has been accepting challenging roles, has said in an interview that he would be very uncomfortable doing safe roles. He has been quoted by the Indian Express as saying: “We all knew we were doing something important, something very special. To tell the story of legendary actress Savitri was something I believed in. This was a role away from my home territory in Kerala, hence an added challenge.” Titled Mahanati in Telugu and Nadigayar Thilagam in Tamil, it is a biographical period film based on the life of former South Indian actress Savitri. The film had Keerthy Suresh playing Savitri while Dulquer Salman played her husband and actor Gemini Ganesan. Directed by Nag Ashwin, the film was bankrolled by C Ashwini Dutt, Swapna Dutt and Priyanka Dutt under the banners of Vyjayanthi Movies and Swapna Cinemas. Mickey J Meyer had composed music for this venture with Dani Sanchez-Lopez cranking the camera and Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao editing it. Mahanati/Nadigayar Thilagam has an impressive line-up for stars in the cast and they include Keerthy Suresh, Dulquer Salmaan, Samantha Akkineni, Vijay Devarakonda, Akkineni Naga Chaitanya, Rajendra Prasad and Bhanupriya. Several top stars and directors including Akkineni Naga Chaitanya, Mohan Babu, Prakash Raj, Naresh, Krish, Srinivas Avasarala and Sandeep Vanga appeared in guest roles in this flick. The film released to packed houses on May 11 and is doing well at the box office. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.8px Arial; color: #222222; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.8px Arial; color: #222222; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 15.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} (Content provided by Digital Native) Also Read: First glimpse of Jyothika from 'Chekka Chivantha Vaanam'...
- 5/14/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
Tollywood Reports say that the star discussed his interest in this genre with producer Ashwini Dutt and there is a possibility of director Nag Ashwin coming up with a script for the same. Digital NativeThe mega star of Tollywood Chiranjeevi has evinced interest in doing a folklore film with fantasy elements. According to reports doing rounds, the star had discussed his interest in this genre with producer Ashwini Dutt and there is a possibility of it happening soon with director Nag Ashwin coming up with an impressive storyline. Apparently, the director is in the process of penning a folklore with the time travel concept. If things work out favorably, Chiru’s desire to star in a folklore may turn out to be true. Director Nag Ashwin, along with the producers of Mahanati, Swapna Dutt and Priyanka Dutt was at Chiru’s residence recently as the star wanted to congratulate them for making Mahanati, a biopic on the legendary actor Savitri. On the occasion, Chiru had told, “It was emotionally overwhelming to watch the biopic. Savitri garu is my all-time favourite actress. I appreciate the makers for bringing her back to life through this film.” The star is currently busy with Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, a biopic on the late freedom fighter, who fought the British valiantly much before the Sepoy Mutiny. Directed by Surendar Reddy, the film is bankrolled by Ram Charan Teja under his banner Konidela Production Company. It has an impressive star cast with Chiranjeevi playing the title role and Amitabh Bachchan, Vijay Sethupathi, Nayantara, Tamannaah, Jagapathi Babu, Sudeep and Pragya Jaiswal in pivotal roles. Based on the life of Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy, the film has been written by Paruchuri Brothers. While director Surendhar Reddy had penned the screenplay for it, the dialogues are written Sai Madhav Burra. Made on a budget of Rs. 150 crores, Sye Raa is currently in the shooting mode and is likely to hit the silver screens early next year. (Content provided by Digital Native) Attachments area...
- 5/14/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
TollywoodIndrakshi says she really connected with Savitri's character.Pranita JonnalageddaIndrakshiFor a little over a year now, Indrakshi Pattanaik has had just one obsession: Savitri. So much so, that the renowned stylist who was roped in as the costume stylist for the legendary actress’ biopic, Mahanati (Nadigaiyar Thilagam in Tamil), has not just met her in her dreams but often confuses Keerthy Suresh for Savitri even as she speaks. It’s interesting how all this happened considering Indrakshi had no previous inkling of south Indian cinema as she mostly grew up on a dose of “vintage Bengali films by the likes of Satyajit Ray”. “I first met Priyanka and Swapna Dutt for another project when I happened to stumble upon Savitri’s photo. At that point, neither did I know who she was, nor did I know about the biopic that was in the offing,” she recalls, adding, “I was genuinely interested in the fashion of those times and briefly discussed it. The truth is, though I am a stylist in Telugu cinema, I have never quite explored the past of cinema here. I always wondered why Ntr was referred to with the Jr prefix and came to know about his grandfather. I knew that Nagarjuna’s father was a legend, Anr. I also knew that Gemini Ganesan was Rekha’s father. My only knowledge of south Indian cinema of the past was through these links. In the eventual days after that meet, Mahanati happened and the film has not just made me wiser but opened up an entire other world for me.” Real life Savitri Keerthy Suresh playing Savitri in Mahanati The journey At first, Indrakshi wasn’t sure of handling such a huge project. “I thought I wasn’t ready for this and I said I’d do one character. But the film has no single lead; Samantha, Vijay, Keerthy and Dulquer are all as key as every other character in the film and it all had to come together as a single entity. I had studied the history of fashion and had always had a keen interest in it. Not everyone gets an opportunity to work on it and deliver it through a film made on a massive scale. This was the moment for me to grab,” she reckons. Even though it seemed like just any of her other movies at the outset, the scale of the project didn’t strike Indrakshi till she started the actual work. “Though it seemed like all I had to do was make banks of clothes era-wise, I didn’t realise what I was taking up. I thought ‘how bad can it be?’. Well, I didn’t think then that we’d be shooting back to back, every day would need changes. We had crowds of around 400 people sometimes, where everyone had to be registered. The film’s background is the its skeleton and it was important that everyone looked as perfect as the leads,” she recalls, adding that the toughest part, and also the most exciting one on this project was the research. Indrakshi on the sets The research As much as she was enterprising from the word go, it was no easy task for the stylist to bring to life the bygone era majorly because of the lack of documentation. “Extensive research had to be done because of the lack of documentation of the fashion trends in south India in those times. There are just some cryptic black and white images of erstwhile Madras online, where we just got tiny glimpses of people of those times. But it was quite tough,” she shares. In fact, Indrakshi’s major inspiration for almost everything that was worn by the characters in the film was pictures sourced, through an online campaign, and of course her group of resourceful assistants (some of them shopped for her in the bylanes of Kolkata, while others joined her in Charminar), and several of the crew members who pitched in. Hundreds of photos flooded them with people excited to share a glimpse of their family’s history. “With the kind of photographs I collected, I could probably publish a book, and maybe I will! Because what I have with me is real fashion trends of several decades that have had no documentation whatsoever. And in the film, I’ve made a serious attempt to bring the photos alive,” says Indrakshi, who took over around three months to put together a database that would help her work on the film. What’s more, she had great support in the form of designs by Gaurang Shah and Archana Rao and producers Swapna and Priyanka Dutt. Shares Indrakshi, “My producers went all out for the film, compromising at no level in terms of the costumes and giving it their all. In fact, collaborating with such able designers was quite the advantage they gave me. Each of them put in their own research, even as they gave me the best of their designs making my job easier. They were the two pillars of strength for the costume department. Gaurang’s beautiful handlooms and sarees and Archana’s perfect finish to the costumes was such a boon for me.” Indrakshi and her team Elaborating on the research, Indrakshi reveals, “India has always lagged behind in comparison to international fashion trends. And south India was a step behind again and we needed to reflect that. While we had some sort of documentation with regard to what stars wore at that time courtesy the pictures they clicked for themselves or on film sets, dressing up the common people, who are in a large number in the film wasn’t going to be easy. It’s not easy to know what a newspaper guy, a milkman or even just a random bystander on the road dressed like in those times. And we used the photos as reference points to create the looks.” While crowdsourcing pictures was one task, the next step was going all out to recreate looks of the stars and their contemporaries of the time. Samantha and Vijay in Mahanati “A major archival research had to be done, visiting various production houses because we wanted to recreate real moments. Then, there’s of course the few and far videos online and a few behind the scenes of films of other actors too. We reached out to veteran photographers, and sometimes their sons for pictures from those times. I also interviewed several actors from those times. And then, I met Savitri garu’s daughter and she was a major information bank, because she has seen a lot of this for real. We just needed a hang of what the period was like and this research was a major revelation.” And what she learnt through the research is interesting. She reveals, “I realised that unlike the casual dressing style on the sets of film today, in those times discipline was key and there was a proper uniform for people on the sets of films and the hair had to be neatly combed. White on white or white and khaki. Wearing ties, with rolled up sleeved shirts that were neatly buttoned, people of those times were very impeccably dressed. Even journos and photographers dressed in dhotis, suspenders, bowties and the lot. There was some British influence. With passing time, you notice how style became more casual.” Pointing out to an interesting fact, she reflects on how there never has been a film that has shown the sets of south Indian films of the past. “We have had movies in Bollywood that have taken us to that era but it isn’t the case here and that’s one reason this film will make an impact. It will be a trip down the lane of nostalgia for an entire generation,” Indrakshi states. Sailing through various fashion developments from the sudden body consciousness to conical bras, to an interest in the lingerie to tight fitting clothes, was quite a task in the process of recreating those times. The leads As much as importance was given to the look of every single character seen on the screen, Indrakshi’s priority was obviously the lead actors, and of course several other stars who made key cameos in the film. From the '40s to the '80s, every decade had its own set of fashion trends and the onus was on the stylist to ensure authenticity. “The characters played by Samantha and Vijay are seen in the '80s. What I understood as I worked on styling for this period was how people’s fashion sense transformed due to the sudden influx of technology. Radios, TVs and telephones became the order of the day and more accessible. People were suddenly spoilt for choices in everything. There were advertisements and jingles of various products. And people became familiar with colours with suddenly several options becoming available for everything. And with so many choices at their disposal, it made the generation laidback. The '80s are the modern aspect of the film and represent the present in some way. In the mood of the film, they are today. You are seeing it through their point of view,” she explains. She reckons it was fun to style this part of the film because she could make some decisions on her own. “It was complete fiction and it was great fun playing with the characters,” she says. Elaborating on styling Samantha’s character, she states, “She’s a reflection of feminism in times when western fashion was evolving in south India. In the earlier eras, you never saw women reporters or photographers but that wasn’t the case anymore. Earlier, only Christians wore skirts but by the '80s, the rest were trying them out too. Samantha’s wardrobe consists of skirts and blouses when she’s out to work, and saris at home. She is the nerd and her fashion is minimalistic with chiffon type sarees and small blouses. I was inspired by the photo of a friend’s mother and partially from Rekha too. As for Vijay, he’s the cool dude and it totally reflects in the denims and t-shirts he sports and his style reflects iconic shirts of the '70s with materials like corduroy.” Keerthy Suresh in Mahanati Styling Keerthy Suresh was obviously the most important and challenging part of the job. Recreating several of the actor’s iconic film sequences and public appearances, Keerthy had a total of around 130 look changes. “I believe when we are recreating something, we have to do it better. If we do not have the exact looking version of something, we have to get a better looking version of it. In today’s times, it’s tough to get a hang of what a particular actor’s fashion sense is like because of their heavy dependence on stylists. She wasn’t a stylish lady, but had a personality that reflected in the clothes she wore. That according to me is style.” As much as Savitri’s life is partially documented, it wasn’t easy. “How would she dress when asleep? You don’t know what she’s wearing when she fights with Gemini and walks off. We didn’t know a lot of things and these had to be decided by us, and it was a huge responsibility because it had to be real. I literally had to go in to the depths of her character to understand what she might wear at all such times. In very few instances in the film you see Keerthy in overloaded jewellery and her look mostly comprises of chokers, sheer saris, flowers in her hair, a bun, puffed sleeves and tight handed blouses. As she ages, she chooses to wear more silks,” Indrakshi explains as she shows us several reference images, adding that director Nag Ashwin and cinematographer Dani were a major support in terms of bringing out the best from her. Personal learning curve and intricacies Mahanati happened to Indrakshi at a time when she was going through a lot of issues on her personal front. “It was a rough phase, with my divorce suddenly becoming a drama on social media and I wasn’t sure how to deal with it. That’s when I read the script and I can’t believe how much I connected to Savitri’s life. When one’s life is being discussed and out for the public, it’s not easy,” says Indrakshi. Indrakshi She adds, “Her story gave me the confidence that I could do anything and now, nothing feels difficult. It’s not one of those films where you just go to a shopping mall and pick up stuff. You literally have to make everything. Gaurang and Archana were a major help, but my team had to look out for clothes worn even by a bystander in a scene. Every small detail had to be checked. The film’s intricacies are important and I had to ensure even a fringe on every of the background artistes was perfect. Accessories are key supporting elements and it might seem like not a big deal, but they are such important part of every frame. Can you believe accessories decide which year we are talking about because they are the fastest evolving fashion element, with developments almost every year. And sourcing them all, was another major task.” Interestingly, accessories were sourced from as far as Florence in Italy. Accessories used in the film “Vintage flea markets in Florence, and of course Hyderabad and Mumbai chor bazaars. For instance, glasses were bought from an old Parsi shop in Dadar, Mumbai. And watches are from those shops that store vintage watches in chor bazaars. We’ve really made an effort to keep it real,” she signs off.
- 4/20/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
SexismIn a press meet, Rakul Preet, Manchu Lakshmi, Nandini Reddy, Suman, Srikanth and others came together to condemn the incident.Tnm StaffAfter Telugu TV anchor E Sambashiva Rao of TV5 News asked actor Posani Murali Krishna on a show if there weren't "brokers" and "whores" in the film industry, Tollywood has come together to condemn the incident. Although TV5 News has apologised for the anchor's language on the show, which was aired on March 23, the Movie Artists Association (Maa) called for a press meet in which they expressed their unhappiness about what had happened. Actor Rakul Preet Singh, who is among the top heroines in the Telugu industry today, said that the media was always writing all kinds of news about celebrities, but that this time it had reached the limit. "It's disgraceful. When I first saw the video, I didn't believe it...if something like this had happened in the channel. I wondered if someone had sent a forward just to create controversy," she said. Adding that it was the job of news channels to give people information, Rakul said, "But everything has become about TRPs now. Just imagine, from the actor's point of view, my parents don't know Telugu, but if they understood that news, what will they think? They'll think this is the industry I'm working in." Rakul added that when called for press meets and asked to speak on the "casting couch", she'd always said that in the last 4-5 years that she has worked in the Telugu industry, nobody had acted "funny" with her. She further claimed that the Telugu industry was very good and that this was why she'd learnt Telugu and was speaking it. Slamming the anchor for using such language not just against women actors but women in general, Rakul said, "What are you teaching the kids? What are you teaching the younger generations? I think it's high time that we put a stop to this." A visibly upset actor Manchu Lakshmi, daughter of veteran actor Mohan Babu, said, "I studied in America. I've worked in Hollywood. I came back to work in our Telugu industry. Once my father called and told me that someone had written something bad about me on a website and that it should be taken down. I told him, 'Nana, I don't care'." Stating that she argued with her father that even if that article was taken down, another would come up, an emotional Lakshmi says that she had grown up in front of the people she was addressing and that she never thought things would come to such a state. The actor said that she hadn't come to work in the Telugu industry with so much pride only to be humiliated. Slamming clickbait journalism, Manchu Lakshmi said, "I know you use us to make money." She appealed to the press to write correct information and not give in to sensationalism. "Why is that man not sacked already?" she questioned the assembled journalists, pointing out that if she'd behaved rudely with any one of them, they'd have all united against her. The actor spoke at length about the hard work involved in cinema, and how she'd stood up for various causes and even been part of political campaigns. Director Nandini Reddy said that she was the first person from her family to come into the film industry, "They were all scared for me when I wanted to get into films." Pointing to the media, Nandini said that just as the Telugu film industry was also her family, the press too was family to her. Nandini said that she was at a recording when her friend called and asked her if she had no shame. "When I asked why he was speaking like this, he said it's been 24 hours since the interview happened and you haven't even reacted. Are you human? Are you dead?" Nandini shared that when she first saw the clip she was dumbstruck and that even now, her hands were shaking thinking about how she felt when she watched it. Asking how much more they had to bear, Nandini pointed out that such discussions took place on prime time TV and said, "Enough is enough." Nandini also acknowledged that the press had a right to question the film industry about the language and portrayals in cinema, but said that going back and forth on the issue would take them nowhere. The director said that mediapersons themselves should stop their colleagues from indulging in such behaviour, just as they exercise their rights to question the film industry. "Let us be censors for each other," she said. Actor Hema and producers Supriya, Swapna Dutt were among the Tollywood women who spoke up. The men from the industry like actors Suman, Srikanth, Ali, directors Harish Shankar, Sv Krishna Reddy, Paruchuri Gopala Krishna, Bvs Ravi and others also slammed the incident. Previously, at the audio launch of the Telugu film Ra Randoi Veduka Chudham, veteran actor Chalapathi Rao infamously said that women are "fit for sleeping with men." His remarks sparked outrage and Nagarjuna, Naga Chaitanya, as well as Rakul Preet Singh, who had been present at the event, issued their condemnation for the derogatory remarks.
- 3/29/2018
- by Monalisa
- The News Minute
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