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Tabu’s performance in director Priyadarshan’s action drama Virasat garnered her widespread acclaim and became a significant milestone in her career. In a recent interview, she recounted an amusing and memorable incident from the film’s set involving the director. Tabu played the role of Gehna Thakur, and to achieve a rustic village look, Priyadarshan insisted on her having oily hair. Initially, the hairstylist suggested using a small amount of gel to add shine. However, Priyadarshan had a different approach.

Tabu shared, “Priyan (Priyadarshan) wanted me to have oily hair and a village look. So, the hairstylist told me to take a little gel and apply it to make it look oily. When I went on set, he said, ‘I asked you to put oil.’ I said, ‘Yeah, a little. Nice shine is coming.’ So he let it go and then came back with a bottle of coconut oil...

The Indian advertising industry is one of the biggest industries in the world, given the sheer consumer volume and the diversity of the consumer groups across the country. While the current ecosystem of advertising encompasses digital, broadcast, radio, print, and outdoors, it was the year 1974 that proved pivotal in shaping the landscape of advertising in India.

It was the year when the Liril advertisement, featuring Air India stewardess Karen Lunel, came out, and it forever changed how Indians engaged with the medium.

The advertisement film showed a bikini-clad Karen enjoying nature as she bathed under a waterfall.

The advertisement, which was shot at the Pambar Falls in Kodaikanal, was created by Lintas (Lever International Advertising Services) advertising agency.

The agency was headed by Alyque Padamsee, who is known for portraying Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Richard Attenborough’s multiple Oscar-winning film ‘Gandhi’.

The idea behind the commercial was shaped by a...

Legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja, who has delivered some iconic soundtracks in Indian cinema like ‘Nayakan’, ‘Sadma’, ‘Thevar Magan’, ‘Aa Raathri’ and several others, is getting a biopic. What’s more exciting is that Tamil superstar Dhanush will be portraying the legendary composer on screen.

The shooting for the yet-to-be-titled film is scheduled to start in October 2024 with the makers aiming for therelease of the film around mid-2025.

Ilaiyaraaja is one of the most prolific composers in a career spanning over forty-seven years, he has composed over 7,000 songs and provided film scores for over 1,000 films and apart from performing in over 20,000 concerts. He is nicknamed “Isaignani” (the musical sage) and often referred to as “Maestro”, the title conferred by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London. Oscar and Grammy-winning composer A. R. Rahman, too, started the aegis of Ilaiyaraaja. He was the protege of the maestro when he joined him in 1986.

Dhanush is...

Legendary music composer Ilaiyaraaja, who has delivered some iconic soundtracks in Indian cinema like ‘Nayakan’, ‘Sadma’, ‘Thevar Magan’, ‘Aa Raathri’ and several others, is getting a biopic. What’s more exciting is that Tamil superstar Dhanush will be portraying the legendary composer on screen.

The shooting for the yet-to-be-titled film is scheduled to start in October 2024 with the makers aiming for therelease of the film around mid-2025.

Ilaiyaraaja is one of the most prolific composers in a career spanning over forty-seven years, he has composed over 7,000 songs and provided film scores for over 1,000 films and apart from performing in over 20,000 concerts. He is nicknamed “Isaignani” (the musical sage) and often referred to as “Maestro”, the title conferred by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London. Oscar and Grammy-winning composer A. R. Rahman, too, started the aegis of Ilaiyaraaja. He was the protege of the maestro when he joined him in 1986.

Dhanush is...

AnalysisWith the ‘save farmers’ trope coming back to mainstream discussion after the jallikattu protests in 2017, movies once again began connecting Tamil identity to agriculture. Any threat to agriculture was seen as a threat to Tamil identity itself.In Tamil popular culture, a film that claims to be based on the ‘plight of farmers’ is immediately looked down upon. One could say that the Tamil audience is tired of how filmmakers abused the trope of ‘save agriculture, save farmers’ in numerous films over the last few years. After the massive protests against the ban of jallikattu in 2017, movies on farmers were a hot commodity in Kollywood. Kavan (2017), Kadaikutty Singam (2018), Kana (2018), Seema Raja (2018), and Bhoomi (2021) are some of the movies that hopped on the bandwagon of the ‘save farmers’ trope. However, romanticising agriculture and making movies on the struggles of farmers is not new to Tamil cinema. Mgr’s Vivasayi (1967) and Sivaji Ganesan...

Leo is a gangster drama film that marks the second collaboration of Thalapathy Vijay and Lokesh Kanagaraj after the blockbuster Master (2021)

The film also features Trisha Krishnan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Sarja, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Mansoor Ali Khan and Mysskin in pivotal roles. The film has music composed by Anirudh Ravichander, cinematography by Manoj Paramahamsa and editing by Philomin Raj. The film is produced by S. S. Lalit Kumar of Seven Screen Studio and co-produced by Jagadish Palanisamy.

The film is scheduled to be released in theatres worldwide on 19 October 2023, coinciding with the Diwali festival. The film will also have an English dubbed theatrical release for the first time for both Vijay and Lokesh.

Leo Glimpse

According to the latest report from Vikatan, the film will follow the new trend of releasing in two parts, similar to other big-budget films like Salaar: The Ceasefire, Pushpa 2: The Rule and Kgf: Chapter 2.

KollywoodMaamannan is Mari Selvaraj’s third film, starring Vadivelu, Fahadh Faasil, Keerthy Suresh and others.Vadivelu and director Mari Selvaraj fans can rejoice. Netflix has announced that Maamannan is set to stream on the Ott platform from July 27. Mari’s third film, and another success, is an anti-caste take on the cult classic, but caste-pride film Thevar Magan (1992) that had starred Vadivelu in a supporting role. Set in the Kongu belt of Tamil Nadu, in Salem, Maamannan also provides an insight into electoral politics in the region. Vadivelu as the titular character, plays a Dalit Mla from a reserved constituency. The story tracks his empowering journey alongside his son Adheeveran (Udhayanidhi Stalin) as he takes on caste oppressors within his own fictional political party. The film received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. Maamannan cements Vadivelu, known primarily for comedy roles, as a powerful character actor. Maamannan also...

Film CommentaryMari said that Maamannan, his film’s powerful protagonist, is a reimagination of Esaki, a subservient character in ‘Thevar Magan’ who is willing to sacrifice his life for his master Sakthivelu, played by Kamal Haasan.Letting out a spoiler during the film Maamannan’s audio launch, Tamil filmmaker Mari Selvaraj said that his anti-caste film with Vadivelu and Udhayanidhi Stalin in the lead roles was “inspired” by the cult classic 1992 film Thevar Magan. Mari said that the powerful character of ‘Maamannan’, his film’s protagonist, is a reimagination of ‘Esaki’, a subservient character in Thevar Magan who is willing to sacrifice his life for his master ‘Sakthivelu’, played by Kamal Haasan. It is no coincidence, according to Mari, that he chose Vadivelu, who plays Esaki in Thevar Magan, to now play the reimagined character of Maamannan. Mari establishes the politics of Maamannan from the very first shot, just like...

ControversyThe protesters in Theni raised slogans against Dmk and said its actions could lead to caste riots. To prevent violence, police protection has been offered to three theatres in Thoothukudi as well.Police in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district detained 20 people who were staging protests in front of a theatre against the screening of Mari Selvaraj’s Maamannan, which was released on Thursday, June 29. According to reports, police protection was given to the theatre in Theni. The protesters reportedly belong to the Tamil Desiya Forward Bloc which supports the dominant Thevar community in Tamil Nadu. During the audio launch of Maamannan, director Mari Selvaraj had said that the film was inspired from Thevar Magan. He said that although Thevar Magan was a masterpiece, it made him feel distressed with its glorification of the feudal nature of the Thevar caste, and its problematic caste politics. After this speech, people began calling...

KollywoodMari Selvaraj took to Twitter to share a picture with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mk Stalin, who he said hugged and appreciated them after watching ‘Maamannan’.TwitterJust hours into the release of Mari Selvaraj’s latest and much-anticipated film Maamannan, praise has already begun to pour in. On Twitter, Mari Selvaraj shared a picture with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mk Stalin, who he said was all praise for the film. “After watching Maamannan, Chief Minister Mk Stalin hugged and appreciated us. We offer our gratitude and love to him,” said the director. The film features Vadivelu, Udhayanidhi Stalin, Keerthy Suresh, and Fahadh Faasil in lead roles. Actor and producer Dhanush, who watched the film on Thursday, June 28, also took to Twitter to share his appreciation. “Maamannan by Mari selvaraj is an emotion. A big hug to you Mari. Vadivelu sir and Udhayanidhi Stalin have delivered a very convincing performance. Great...

NewsThe petitioner claimed that the release of Maamannan could lead to communal tensions.A writ petition has been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a ban on director Mari Selvaraj’s Maamannan, claiming that the film might stoke communal tensions between Thevars (dominant community) and Devendra Kula Velalars (Dalit community). The film is scheduled to release on Thursday, June 29. Maamannan stars actors Vadivelu, Fahadh Faasil, Keerthy Suresh and Udhayanidhi Stalin. The petitioner, Manikandan, who belongs to Thevar community, demanded the Central Board of Film Certification to revoke the censorship certificate of Maamannan and further completely ban the film’s screening. Manikandan claimed that after watching the trailer and audio launch of the film, he suspects that Maamannan will induce “religious fanaticism” between Thevars and Devendra Kula Velalars. He said that Mari Selvaraj’s previous film Karnan was based on a true incident between Thevars and Devendra Kula Velalars. Mari...

Cinema“The voice in the film is an important one. It is not just Mari’s but the voice of crores of people. This is a generation which dictates the path of India, and films are necessary for that,” Kamal said.Ever since Mari Selvaraj’s speech during the audio launch of Maamannan was televised, the director has been either subjected to criticism or applause and his views on Thevar Magan movie have become a raging topic of discussion. However, actor Kamal Haasan, who was the chief guest for the event, has appreciated Mari Selvaraj for his politics. “I have been watching your films since Pariyerum Perumal. One quality I like about you is, instead of defining who is the opposition, intending to change the society, you attempt to give even the oppressors a neutral space. When you are in anger that thought does not occur. But your thought proves your quest for equality,...

KollywoodMari Selvaraj, who is known for his anti-caste movies, said that watching Thevar Magan distressed him greatly and did not understand whether the movie was right or wrong.Anti-caste Tamil filmmaker Mari Selvaraj said that Thevar Magan, considered an iconic movie in Tamil cinema, had inspired him to make his latest movie, Maamannan–by reimagining the film about Thevars, a dominant community, with Dalit characters. In his speech during the audio launch of Maamannan’s on June 1, the director in the presence of actor Kamal Haasan, the lead actor of Thevar Magan, confessed to him that he did not understand whether Thevar Magan was right or wrong when he watched it for the first time. Besides playing the lead role, Kamal Haasan also wrote and produced Thevar Magan. Mari Selvaraj said on stage, “Today Thevar Magan is treated as a masterpiece. Every director would have watched it before making their films.

InterviewRevathi is right now busy with editing work of her new film, 'Salaam Venky'.CrisRevathiBarely 17, Asha walked into the house of a happy family next door and into Malayalam cinema more than 38 years ago. Bharathan, a legend among the 80s filmmakers, cast her to be the possessive young woman acting vengefully against an older woman in Kaattathe Kilikkoodu. Asha had become Revathi when she began acting, and it is as Revathi that Malaylis knew her and admired her through all these decades. Two days ago, when Revathi was announced the winner of the state award for best female actor, it became a moment of quiet pride for cinema lovers. It’s her first from the state, though she has won national awards for her role in Thevar Magan and as a director for Mitr, My Friend and Red Building Where The Sun Sets. She’s been active in Tamil and Hindi,...

India’s Kamal Haasan is a true multi-hyphenate. Beginning as a child actor in 1960, he is one of the country’s most consummate actors with films like “Pathinaru Vayathinile” (1977) “Moondram Pirai” (1982) “Nayakan” (1987), “Thevar Magan” (1992) and “Vishwaroopam” (2013) behind him.

He also produces via his Raajkamal Films International (Rkfi), writes, directs, and runs the Makkal Needhi Maiam political party.

The upcoming “Vikram,” directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj (“Master”) and costarring Fahadh Fasil (“Malik”) Vijay Sethupathi (“Kadaisi Vivasayi”), will be Haasan’s first release since 2018’s “Vishwaroopam 2.” It is produced by Rkfi.

Haasan was at the Cannes Market to launch NFTs based on “Vikram” from Fantico, a digital licensed platform of Singapore’s Vistas Media Capital.

What is “Vikram” about? And is the title an homage to Rkfi’s 1986 film Vikram?

This is not a sequel, but, yes, it’s [about] a man who’s very similar. The film starts differently, its about reminiscing the man and his deeds.

TollywoodOn Sunday, Kamal announced that he would be taking a short break from his commitments to undergo a follow-up surgery on his leg.Digital NativeFile PhotoActor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan, On Tuesday took to Twitter, sharing an update on his surgery and his health condition. Kamal Haasan's tweet in Tamil loosely translates to, "The surgery was successful. Thank you to the Sri Ramachandra Hospital team. Till the injury heals, I will continue to be connected through the internet." Kamal Haasan met with a tragic accident at his home back in 2016 when a roof caved in. He suffered a fall from 18 feet and had multiple fractures in his leg and underwent major surgery. During the surgery, an implant was placed in his leg. In 2019, he underwent a surgical procedure that aided in the removal of the implant. அறுவைச் சிகிச்சை வெற்றிகரமாக முடிந்தத...

KollywoodKamal Haasan and director Lokesh Kanagaraj took to Twitter to reveal that they are joining hands for an untitled project.Digital NativeDirector Lokesh Kanagaraj's next with Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan tentatively titled KamalHaasan232 was officially announced recently. Kamal Haasan and Lokesh Kanagaraj took to Twitter to reveal that they are joining hands for an untitled project. On Tuesday, Lokesh Kanagaraj shared the fan-made motion poster of the film on his Twitter handle. "Thank you fans for this amazing gesture. Happy to present the fan made motion poster of #KamalHaasan232 #Summerlaவர்றோம்Sambavamபண்றோம் #எவனென்றுநினைத்தாய் #GunனுVenumனுகேட்டியாமே @ikamalhaasan @Rkfi @turmericmediaTM @anirudhofficial (sic)," tweeted Kanagaraj. Thank you fans for this amazing gesture. Happy to present the fan made motion poster of #KamalHaasan232https://t.co/K9KVxvIPDB#Summerlaவர்றோம்Sambavamபண்றோம் #எவனென்றுநினைத...

KollywoodKangana has especially been vocal in the aftermath of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide.Tnm StaffNational award-winning cinematographer PC Sreeram on Tuesday tweeted that he has refused to be part of a film with actor Kangana Ranaut in the lead. Sharing a short message on Twitter, PC Sreeram wrote, “Had to reject a film as it had Kangana Ranaut as the lead. Deep down I felt uneasy and explained my stand to the makers and they were understanding. Sometimes it’s only abt what feels right. Wishing them all the best.” The cinematographer-turned-director’s tweet has been gaining widespread attention on Twitter. Notably, PC (as he is fondly known) had worked with Kangana in her debut Tamil film Dhaam Dhoom in the year 2008, which was filmmaker Jeeva’s last project. With the latter’s passing while shooting was in progress, PC who was at first handling cinematography took over...

KollywoodThe trailer of the film, directed by Sp Jananthan, was released on Saturday.Digital NativeVijay Sethupathi has reunited with director Sp Jananthan for a project titled Laabam, which will be bankrolled by Vijay Sethupathi Productions in association with Arumuga Kumar, who had produced Vijay Sethupathi’s Oru Nalla Naal Paathu Solren. The film has Shruti Haasan as the female lead. The trailer of the film has been released by its makers now. The film has Vijay Sethupathi playing the lead role and he will be seen as a social activist. Shruti Haasan, who was last seen in the Tamil movie Singam 3, is making a comeback with Laabam and reports are that she plays a stage performer in it. The others in pivotal roles include Jagapathi Babu, Sai Dhanshika Kalaiyarasan,Ramesh Thilak, Prithivi Rajan, Danial anne pope, Nithish veera and Jai Varman. The technical crew of Laabam comprises Ramji as...

Flix FlashbackDirector Bharathiraja’s film, scored by Ilaiyaraaja, released 35 years ago on August 15.Anand Kumar RSScreenshotIn a scene in the film Muthal Mariyathai, the lead character Malaichami, an aged village chieftain, catches up with Kuyilu, a very young girl who has just recently shifted to the village in search of work and shelter. She challenges Malaichami, who claims to be physically fit in spite of his age, to lift a boulder lying by the side, to prove his manliness. Malaichami, while accepting the challenge, asks her with a streak of naughtiness if she will marry him in return. Kuyilu agrees to this perhaps, equally naughtily. Malaichami doesn’t attempt to lift the rock despite Kuyilu pursuing him, as he doesn’t want to put her in a spot and with that they move on from the scene. After Kuyilu departs, Malaichami, to satisfy his own ego, tries to lift the rock but struggles.

Actors Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth on Friday jointly unveiled a bust statue of late filmmaker K. Balachander here.

The statue was unveiled at the newly-inaugurated office of Kamal Haasan, who consider Balachander his mentor. Rajinikanth presided over the function as chief guest.

Also Read:?Kamal Haasan to unveil his fathers statue

K. Balachander was instrumental in shaping the careers of both Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan. Both these Tamil veterans worked with Balachander in over 20 films.

Kamal Haasan on Thursday celebrated his 65th birthday with members of his family, in hometown Paramakudi.

On the career front, Kamal Haasan is currently working on Shankar's "Indian 2". The film, a sequel to the 1996 superhit "Indian", which marks the return the actor as the nonagenarian vigilante, Senapathy.

"Indian 2", which hits the screens in 2021, also stars Siddharth, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh and Priya Bhavani Shankar.

The team of "Indian 2" recently completed an action sequence shot...

Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan on Thursday rang in his 65th birthday with members of his family in hometown Paramakudi in Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil veteran, during his stay in Paramakudi, will unveil a statue of his late father, according to a statement.

Also Read:?Kamal Haasan's?unseen avatars from movies

The 65-year-old will also be looking forward to the celebrations that are planned to commemorate 60 years of his acting career. Members of the Tamil film fraternity will come together for the event.

On the career front, Kamal Haasan is currently working on Shankar's "Indian 2". The film, a sequel to "Indian", marks his return as nonagenarian vigilante, Senapathy.

"Indian 2", which will hit the screens in 2021, also stars Siddharth, Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh and Priya Bhavani Shankar.

The team of "Indian 2" recently completed an action sequence shot on a reported budget of Rs. 40 crore in Bhopal. The team also briefly shot in...

Academy AwardsOf the 52 entries sent by India so far, only 20 have been in languages other than Hindi – what explains this? Sowmya RajendranIndia has decided that the 2019 entry for the Best International Feature Film category in the Academy Awards will be Gully Boy, a Hindi film directed by Zoya Akhtar. The response to the announcement has been mixed, considering there are several other Indian films which received critical acclaim this year. A few hours before the announcement was made, there were discussions on social media about the films that were reportedly in contention – these included the critically acclaimed blockbuster Andhadhun as well as a handful of south Indian films, namely Super Deluxe (Tamil), And the Oskar Goes To (Malayalam), Dear Comrade (Telugu), Olu (Malayalam), Oththa Seruppu Size 7 (Tamil), Uyare (Malayalam), and Vada Chennai (Tamil). While Gully Boy received mostly positive reviews, the film has similarities to the 2002 American film 8 Mile...

FilmsThe film, starring Vikram and Akshara Haasan, is bankrolled by Raaj Kamal Films International. Tnm StaffKamal Haasan launched the first look and title of his upcoming production with Vikram in the lead on Tuesday. Titled Kadaram Kondan, the film also has Akshara Haasan as part of the cast. Vikram's 56th film comes after Sketch, which was a flop, and Saamy Square, which proved to be a disappointing sequel to a blockbuster film. Directed by Rajesh M Selva, Kadaram Kondan has music by Ghibran. The poster for Kadaram Kondan shows a heavily tattooed Vikram sporting a funky hairstyle and sunglasses. He's also handcuffed, with wisps of smoke around him. The buildings featured in the poster suggest that the action may take place in Malaysia. Kadaram Kondan could also be an allusion to Chola king Rajendra Chola who was bestowed the name which means the one who conquered Kadaram, for having sacked...

MollywoodThe actor-singer would also be making her television debut, by hosting an upcoming talk show on Sun TV, titled ‘Hello Sago’. Digital NativeActor-singer Shruti Haasan recently met Oscar winning music director Ar Rahman at his La studio. Putting out a picture on Instagram, she wrote, “Incredible evening spent with the legend A.R. Rahman in his amazing La studio! music and more music surrounds my life. Blessed.” She would also be making her television debut, by hosting an upcoming talk show on Sun TV, titled ‘Hello Sago’. Shruti Haasan, before donning the greasepaint, had always evinced interest in music. The musician-turned-actor had been singing right from the age of six with her first playback singing happening for her father Kamal Haasan’s film Thevar Magan. The rendition for the Ilyaraja music won her a lot of appreciation. She debuted as music composer for Unnaipol Oruvan, which released in 2009. Directed by Chakri Toleti,...

Film CommentaryFrom going after the loosu ponnu to taking on Gautham Menon's obsession with killing women, 'Tamizh Padam 2' exposes the misogyny in Tamil films. Spoilers ahead.Sowmya Rajendran*Spoilers ahead Cs Amudhan's Tamizh Padam 2, much like the first film, takes a dig at Kollywood trends and spares no mainstream film. This time around though, the director has also addressed how female characters are represented in Tamil cinema, especially the heroine, who has been reduced to a "loosu ponnu." Agila Ulaga Superstar Shiva's first wife, Priya (Disha Pandey), is killed off unceremoniously because this is a sequel and obviously, a sequel can never have the same heroine. Besides, Tamizh Padam 2 is a cop film and as guruji Gautham Menon has taught us over and over again, a police officer's sincerity to the job is inversely proportional to his wife's longevity. So, Priya dies and is replaced by Ramya (Iswarya Menon). How? Shiva's friend advises him to simply close his eyes and fall in love with the first woman he sees. Shiva has only two conditions – a. The girl must be the colour of maida b. She must be a 'loosu ponnu'. This may seem satirical to people who are not familiar with mainstream Tamil films, but it's actually an accurate description of the heroine in most of them. Amudhan goes one step ahead and breaks down the conditions that establish a "loosu ponnu" – she must chase a puppy, she must help blind people cross the road, and she must eat ice-cream in the rain. While film critics have been lamenting this annoying trope for eons now, it's refreshing to see someone from the industry spelling it out in neon. Ramya also wears a T-shirt that says "Mental manadhil" and gets into a bus for patients with mental health issues (one supposes that mental healthcare professionals won't be delighted by this) to seal the deal for Shiva. He's in love! Among the films that Amudhan takes a dig at is the horrendous Remo which romanticised stalking on a whole other level. When his friends advise him to torture the heroine into falling in love with him, Shiva asks if that would not be wrong. They, however, tell him that he's the hero and that he can go to any extent to make the woman fall for him. Santhana Bharathi, who appears as one of Shiva's friends, also dresses up as a female nurse – to make sure we don't miss the reference. Ramya is hilariously oblivious to the fact that the heavily bearded person in the nurse uniform is not a woman – well, she's a loosu ponnu after all. 'Adida avala' from Mayakkam Enna and 'Evandi unna petha' from Vaanam (by Dhanush and Simbu respectively, the kings of the soup song genre) get a rehaul with Ramya singing the woman's version of it when she's dumped by Shiva for a stupid reason. Although the song is meant to be funny, it has some poignant lines that hit home, especially given the spate of stalker related murders in Tamil Nadu. "Love failurenu solli acid adikkara neenga/ engakita enda kolaveri pathi maanamkettu pesureenga" (Those of you who say love failure and throw acid, why do you speak to us about murderous rage without any shame?) are lyrics that Kollywood will do well to remember next time directors are tempted to make the same-old "suffering" hero nonsense. There's plenty of good-natured humour about a plethora of films – Vivegam, Vikram-Vedha, Thupparivalan, Thuppaki, Pisasu, Kaththi, VIP, 24, 7aam Arrivu, Thevar Magan, 2.0, Kabali, Ms Dhoni, Baahubali, Irudhi Suttru, Villain, Veeram, Saamy – the list is super long. However, what's appreciable is how Amudhan has also gone after the misogyny present in the films of directors who are considered to be "classy", particularly Gautham Menon. Although Gautham Menon is usually credited with giving "sensible" women characters who are not the "loosu ponnu", they tend to die brutal deaths, especially in his cop films. The misogyny is not as glaring as it is in the average mainstream film, but it's all the more disturbing. In Tamizh Padam 2, Shiva stalks Ramya (his tenant - Vinnaithaandi Varuvaya) to the Us (Vaaranam Aayiram) and the heroine eventually dies. But then, she hilariously comes back as Gayathri (the proposal scene is straight out of Vettaiyadu Vilaiyaadu). The self-obsessed hero voice-overs that are present in every Gautham Menon cop film – Khaaka Khaaka, Yennai Arindhal, Achcham Yenbadhu Madamayada – are also unmistakable. By the end of the movie, Shiva, the sincere cop, has a wall full of pictures of dead wives – so much so that his long-suffering paati decides to kill him and put an end to it. And oh, Kasthuri does an "item" number in the middle of an investigation because that's how the "classy" directors show off their "massy" side to the audience. Tamizh Padam 2 is not without its issues. It is essentially a string of scenes from popular films and if you don't get the references, chances are that it will not make any sense to you. But Amudhan has dared to show Kollywood an aspect that is seldom discussed by people from within the industry seriously – why can't we have better female characters? Why can't our love stories treat women with more respect? And when will our heroines grow up and behave like adults?...

25 years after it first released, Kamal Haasan’s Thevar Magan remains a landmark film in the Kollywood canon. While a section of fans appreciates the film as a potent call to reform caste-ridden lives with education, many detractors see the film as a celebration of caste pride and a glorification of the Thevar community.

25 years ago, on Deepavali, we saw the release of a film that Kamal Haasan wrote and acted in -- Thevar Magan, which became one of his biggest blockbusters. In this video essay, Baradwaj Rangan takes a look at the things that make the film so special. From the cast (Kamal Haasan, Sivaji Ganesan, Revathy, Gautami, Nasser, Vadivelu) to the music (Ilaiyaraaja), cinematography (PC Sreeram) and direction (Bharathan).

Even though the track is titled ‘Sanatta’, it is touted to pack quite a loud punch on the 2015 chartbusters list. And it all came together courtesy the magic of Shruti Haasan, the singer of the track and her musical mentor Ilaiyaraaja who’s composed the track.

Says a source, “Sanatta brings back the duo – Shruti Haasan and Ilaiyaraaja after five years after they worked together on one of her south films. What’s more interesting is that she made her singing debut with him at the age of six for one of her father Kamal Haasan’s Tamil films – Thevar Magan, the original film that Anil Kapoor’s Virasat was a remake of. And now after all these years, they’ve come together yet again to rule the chartbusting tracks list of this year with ‘Sannata’.

‘Sannata’ as a vibe is very different from the song she sang earlier this...

Shruti Haasan will be seen attending Iliayaraja’s 1000 film celebration in Mumbai today, January 20th.

The occasion will have Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan and Rajnikanth present as part of the commemoration. An Insider source mentioned that Shruti will be present at the event alongside her father and to cheer on Raja Sir who she made her debut with as a singer at the age of 6 for her dad’s Tamil film Thevar Magan – the original version of Virasat. She has subsequently done tons of songs with Raja Sir.

The occasion also marks the music launch of Shamitabh for which Shruti has sung a very catchy track called ‘Sanatta’ – the soft launch of which has not only become the albums biggest hot but also a chart topper for 2015 so far.

‘Sannata’ as a vibe is very different from the song she sang earlier this year Joganiyan for Tevar which also was...

Shonali Bose

Shonali Bose’s feature film Margarita, with a Straw that won her the Sundance Institute– Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award 2012 has completed principal photography. The film was shot in India in March and in New York in June 2013.

The film features Kalki Koechlin (Shanghai, That Girl in Yellow Boots), Revathy (Thevar Magan, Dhoop, Marupadiyam) and William Moseley who played Peter Pevensie in the film series The Chronicles of Narnia.

Produced by Bose’s production company Ishan Talkies and Viacom 18, the film is still in need of finishing funds. It is expected to be ready by October this year.

The film revolves around Laila (Koechlin) who falls repeatedly in love, yearns to have sex and wants to be a Bollywood lyricist.

Academy award winner Resool Pookutty (Slumdog Millionaire) is the sound designer of the film. Prasoon Joshi ( Taare Zameen Par, Rang de Basanti) has penned the lyrics. Anne Misawa ( Treeless Mountain,...

Kamal Haasan is one superstar who is known for his talent not just in south or Bollywood but also globally. The man who has shown his skills in the world of cinema both, in front and behind the camera, and has managed to mesmerize the audiences with his work completes 50 years in Indian cinema this year. In order to commemorate this grand occasion, a three-day festival of Kamal Haasan's films is being organized in New Delhi from July 2, which is to be inaugurated by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni. In all, there will be seven movies of the actor that will form the retrospective, which will start with the Hindi film Hey Ram and will be followed by regional films like Anbe Sivam, Virumaandy, Thevar Magan, Dasavatharam, Nayagan and Sagar Sangamam.

Kamal Haasan is one superstar who is known for his talent not just in south or Bollywood but also globally. The man who has shown his skills in the world of cinema both, in front and behind the camera, and has managed to mesmerize the audiences with his work completes 50 years in Indian cinema this year. In order to commemorate this grand occasion, a three-day festival of Kamal Haasan's films is being organized in New Delhi from July 2, which is to be inaugurated by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni. In all, there will be seven movies of the actor that will form the retrospective, which will start with the Hindi film Hey Ram and will be followed by regional films like Anbe Sivam, Virumaandy, Thevar Magan, Dasavatharam, Nayagan and Sagar Sangamam.

A three-day festival of Kamal Haasan's films is being organised in the capital from July 2 to commemorate the veteran actor's 50 years in Indian cinema. The 55-year-old national-award-winning actor, who has played diverse roles in over 200 films in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi, will be the guest of honour at the event, to be inaugurated by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni. Seven movies of the actor will be screened. The Retrospective will open with Hindi film HeyRam and will be followed by Tamil movies like Anbe Sivam,Virumaandy, Thevar Magan, Dasavatharam and Nayagan and one Telugu movie Sagar ...