Tamil actor Thavasi, who was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, died on Monday at a Madurai hospital in Tamil Nadu. He was 60.
The actor, who had played supporting roles in Tamil films, had been undergoing treatment at the Saravana Multispeciality Hospital in Madurai from earlier this month.
Last week, a video of the late actor seeking financial aid for his treatment went viral. Many actors from the Tamil film industry, including Rajinikanth, Robo Shankar, Vijay Sethupathi, Sivakarthikeyan, Silambarasan, and Soori contributed money for the actor’s treatment.
After taking the actor’s plight into consideration, managing director of Saravana Multispeciality Hospital and MLA of Madurai’s Thiruparankundram constituency P Saravanan waived treatment charges for Thavasi.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, Saravanan said, “The actor was admitted in the hospital on November 11 and was at stage four of oesophagus cancer. At the time of admission, he could not swallow his saliva or food.”
Adding that the actor had been suffering from cancer for eight months, he said: “The actor was put on a liquid diet and an endoscopy procedure was performed.”
Saravanan said that the late actor had lost hopes of surviving the disease, had been reacting negatively and refused to undergo treatment. “Last night, at around 7 pm, the relatives were ready to take him from the hospital and the actor breathed last at 8 pm,” Saravanan said.
On Monday, Saravanan wrote on Twitter, “Character actor Mr Thavasi was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and was admitted to our Saravana Hospital on 11.11.2020 (in a very advanced condition). We fitted him with an Oesophageal Stent in the oesophagus. He had been receiving treatment in a separate room.” He further wrote, “Mr Thavasi was transferred to the emergency department today (23.11.20) due to severe shortness of breath. He died at 8:00 pm without any treatment. I extend my deepest condolences to his relatives, friends and fans.”
குணச்சித்திர நடிகர் திரு.தவசி அவர்கள் உணவுக் குழாய் புற்றுநோயால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு 11.11.2020 அன்று (மிகவும் முற்றிய நிலையில்) எங்களது சரவணா மருத்துவமனையில் உள்நோயாளியாக அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டார். அவருக்கு உணவுக்குழாயில் Oesophageal Stent பொருத்தியிருந்தோம்.
Thavasi is survived by his wife, daughter, and son.
According to a report by The Times of India, while Silambarasan and Sethupathi donated Rs 1 lakh each, Sivakarthikeyan contributed Rs 25,000 through his fan club. Soori, too, donated Rs 25,000 and provided food for Thavasi’s family through his hotel in Madurai.
Thavasi made his acting debut in the 1993 Tamil drama Kizhakku Cheemayile, helmed by veteran director Bharathiraja, alongside actors Vijaykumar and Radhika Sarathkumar. He has acted in over 140 films. His last acting stint was Annathe, starring Rajinikanth, which is yet to be released. He has also acted in supporting roles in films like Varuthapadadha Valibar Sangam, Rajini Murugan, and Sundarapandian.
The last one-and-a-half months have been nothing short of overwhelming for actor and theatre artist Pratik Gandhi.
Post the success of the show Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story on SonyLiv, Gandhi who played the role of the protagonist Harshad Mehta, has had to spend a minimum of four hours each day on interviews.
The series, directed by Hansal Mehta based on the book The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away by Sucheta Dalal and Debashish Basu,has shone a light on Gandhi’s performance and ensured that he is flooded with offers.
In the series, Gandhi plays the lead role of Harshad Mehta, a stockbroker who was arrested in 1992 after a financial fraud of Rs 5,000 crore was uncovered. The rags-to-riches story of Harshad Mehta and the scam has been been the base for this widely-acclaimed show and has gone on to receive 9.5/10 ratings on IMDB, an online film database.
Hailing from Surat in Gujarat, Gandhi began his acting career with notable performances in Gujarati plays like Mohan No Masalo and Hu Chandrakant Bakshi. He went on to act it in Gujarati films like Bey Yaar (2014) and Wrong Side Raju (2016). The latter even went on to win the National Award for Best Gujarati Film. Gandhi also found a place in the Limca Book of Records in 2016 for Mohan No Masalo (2015) for performing the play in Hindi, English and Gujarati all on the same day.
Until Wrong Side Raju in 2016, Gandhi worked simultaneously as an engineer and an actor. His engineer’s income substantiated his passion for acting. After the film’s success, which got him more offers, he decided to give up his engineering career and shifted his focus to acting full-time.
He started his career in Hindi films as a friend of the lead actor Jackky Bhagnani in Mitron (2018). However, a sudden call from Hansal Mehta for Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, changed it all for him, he says.
In an interview with Silverscreen India, Gandhi talks about his craft, likes and dislikes while choosing a script, and the directors he wants to work with in the future.
How did you prepare for the character? Did you have any knowledge of the stock market?
I have tried to understand Harshad Mehta’s character and characteristics. We did not work hard towards mimicking him, we never wanted to make it caricaturish. I don’t look like him at all. So, the major preparation I did was to gain 18 kg to try fitting into that body frame and create the look and feel, as close as possible, including the moustache and the hairstyle. A majority of my work involved learning his body language. We also had to incorporate the transformation from his early days to the very end.
There were a few key characteristics that I worked on. He (Harshad) was a dreamer, achiever and a very charming guy. He was a person who used one-liners with ease and was a friendly person. A confident guy with no fear of reaching any extent as in approaching anyone for anything. I tried to imbibe these traits.
Did you find any similarity with Harshad Mehta?
The similarity that I found between Harshad and me were of the initial days of Harshad’s struggle and the place he came from. Both of us come from middle-class Gujarati families. His strong family values and the bond between the two brothers were some of the things that I could relate to as well.
Have you read Suchitra Dalal and Debashish Basu’s book on which the series is based on?
Oh, yes. We even met them once during our photoshoot. The book was a little difficult for me to understand as there are lots of technicalities involved and I am not a finance guy. I am from an engineering background. So, I had to learn the processes of making accounting entries without computers like in the 1980s and 1990s. Though these were not included in the dialogues, it was essential for me to understand in order to avoid mistakes.
Are you a method or a spontaneous actor?
I am a very, very spontaneous actor. I work on my instincts. The only method I use is to ensure that the words I say are not as sounding like scripted lines. They have to have meaning. (If) I have not understood a word or a line, then it will never connect.
There were lots of punch lines in the series. How different was it from your usual process of delivering them?
It was interesting. Even if there was a 0.001% difference in the delivery of each punch line, it would be noticeable. We were very conscious from the beginning that all these lines should not come across as the character is trying to forcefully say it. It should come across as if it is part of the character’s regular vocabulary.
What are your likes and dislikes when you are choosing a script?
I go with my gut feeling. In a script, I look for whether it will add any value to me as an actor. Am I getting to do anything different from what I have previously done? Who’s directing it? Is the subject appealing? I also see whether the character adds any value to the script. Before Scam 1992, I played a few roles in films and series that I now try to avoid. I didn’t find them challenging enough. With Scam 1992, I was really excited as I have seen Hansal Mehta’s previous movies and loved them. So when he called me, I felt honoured.
How many scripts have you refused recently? And what are the role offers that you are getting?
So many. After Scam 1992, I am getting a lot of protagonist roles.
Which kind of audience do you find it difficult to please- live or on-screen?
On-screen. It is more difficult because you cannot gauge the audience. In plays, I understand the energy. I can still tweak my performance on stage. But on screen, we can’t do anything about it.
If in one line you were to describe director Hansal Mehta, what would it be?
He is an actor’s director. He gives a lot of freedom to actors and puts them in the most comfortable zone.
What’s your favourite genre of films to watch? Which was the last movie or short film that you watched?
Frankly speaking, I don’t watch a lot and there’s no particular genre that I like. I like to watch anything and love experimenting. I could never watch a lot of films or television. I know so many people who watch three films a week, but I have never been able to reach that level. The last movie I watched was the Hindi film, Serious Men (2020) directed by Sudhir Mishra, and I loved it.
You are currently shooting, what’s the project on?
It is a Gujarati film that I am shooting. We could have finished it long back but due to Covid-19 lockdown, it got delayed and we are shooting it now.
Which are the other directors you wish to work in future?
There are lots of directors. I have just started now. Hansal Mehta- I would like to work with him again. Apart from that Zoya Akhtar, Mani Ratnam, Anurag Kashyap, Anurag Basu, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
This will be Sanghi’s second film after debuting alongside late actor Sushant Singh Rajput in Dil Bechara in July.
Trade analyst Tarun Adarsh has announced that the film will be shot in three cities in India and one international location.
According to a report by DNA, Sanghi said she was looking forward to working out of her comfort zone, “After exploring many scripts and possibilities for a while, OM felt just right since it was the spectrum jump I was looking for in terms of throwing myself into an entirely unchartered territory of a big commercial actioner being executed in a never-seen-before way that is going to present me with new & exciting challenges.”
Further, Sanghi describes her character Kavya as confident, hard-working, and sharp.
Debutant Kapil Verma, son of action director Tinu Verma, will direct Om-The Battle Within.
Bankrolled by Zee Studios along with Ahmed Khan and Shaira Khan, the film’s initial announcement was made on Kapur’s 35th birthday. Shooting is expected to begin in December, and the film is expected to release in the second half of next year.
Meanwhile, Kapur marked his last appearance in the anthology film Ludo by Anurag Basu which premiered on Netflix on November 13.
Directed by Ram Madhvani, Dhamaka marks the first collaboration between him and Aaryan. Madhvani will produce the film along with Ronnie Screwvala and Amita Madhvani. Details on the rest of the cast and crew are yet to be announced.
The poster carries the tagline “Going live 2021”. The actor reportedly plays a journalist covering the Mumbai terror attack with the film showing the daily life of contemporary Indian newsrooms.
This film marks Madhvani return to the thriller genre, following his directorial work with the crime drama web series Aarya starring Sushmita Sen. The first season premiered on Disney+ Hotstar in June and received positive reviews. Madhvani also directed the critically acclaimed 2016 Hindi biopic thriller Neerja starring Sonam Kapoor. The film was based on flight attendant Neerja Bhanot, who died while saving passengers during a terrorist attack in 1986.
Meanwhile, for Aaryan, Dhamaka is expected to be a stark contrast from his role as the protagonist of the 2020 romantic drama Love Aaj Kal alongside Sara Ali Khan. In a report by Hindustan Times, the actor called it a “miracle script” that had him on the edge of his seat. He further said that the role would give him “the opportunity to explore a different side of [himself] as an actor.”
Aaryan also received wishes for his birthday from the film fraternity, including from actor Deepika Padukone, who wrote on Instagram, “May we sign a fun film together this year!”.
On Monday, lead actor Mohanlal began shooting for B Unnikrishnan’s Aaraattu, an action thriller. Aaraattu also stars Shraddha Srinath as an upright IPS officer. (Full interview here).
According to Times of India, the Aaraattu team began shooting their first schedule in Palakkad. Mohanlal reportedly plays Neyyattinkara Gopan, a character who travels from Neyyattinkara to Palakkad in a black Mercedes (The News Minute) to complete a mission. The car, which according to TNM reporting, plays an important role in the film, will carry the registration number 2255, a reference to Mohanlal’s Rajavinte Makan.
Aaraattu is written by Udayakrishna, who had previously written Mohanlal’s Pulimurugan. Other key cast members include Nedumudi Venu, Sai Kumar, Siddique, Vijayaraghavan, Indrans, Johny Antony, Sheela, Rachana Narayanankutty, and Swasika.
This is Mohanlal’s fifth film with B Unnikrishnan. Their last film together was Villain (2017).
Speaking with Silverscreen India, Shraddha Srinath had earlier said that the film would especially appeal to Mohanlal fans. She said, “It’s a more commercial film and it’s a space that I have not really explored. I mean it has all the thrills and it has all the sort of kicks that you know Mohanlal fans love.”
Vijay Ulaganath handles the cinematography for Aaraattu, with music composed by Rahul Raj, and Shameer Muhammed editing.
Mohanlal recently finished shooting for Drishyam 2, a sequel to the 2013 thriller Drishyam, directed by Jeethu Joseph. Produced by Antony Perumbavoor, Drishyam 2 also stars Meena, Ansiba, and Esther Anil.
Films on security threats, wars and tussles between India and Pakistan have been a staple in Hindi cinema for years.
These crop of films started since 1970s withHindustan Ki Kasam(1973)andAakraman(1975) after the 1971 Indo-Pak war and continue to find favour with the masses. Films like Border(1997), Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001), LOC Kargil(2003), Raazi (2018), and Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019) continue to instil nationalistic fervour. Many of these films have been banned in Pakistan and Afghanistan for their controversial content and depiction of the neighbouring country.
Hindi cinema has a big fan base among South Asian countries. Since the advent of the internet revolution, a generation of young Pakistanis have taken to YouTube to express their views on the portrayal of their country in these films. Some of these YouTubers have shed light on the accuracy of the films’ characterisation of the so-called enemy country.
Reaction videos from Pakistan have given rise to healthy discussions, debates and knowledge-sharing between the two neighbouring countries, creating a space for borderless discourse.
Namkeen Sach team, a Pakistani YouTube reaction channel
Popular channels like News, Views and Update, Namkeen Sach and Pakistani Reactions have over lakhs of subscribers. Speaking to Silverscreen India, these YouTubers chart their journey into the world of the internet, their interaction with the subscribers and speak about the internet being a soft power in international relations.
A still of Iman and Moazzam reacting
Know thy neighbour
Reaction videos are a simple way to know your neighbour, say Iman and Moazzam, admins of News, Views and Updates, a Pakistani YouTube Channel.
YouTubers from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal and Bangladesh have been making reaction-based content for years. YouTubers like Namkeen Sach (with 4.3 lakh subscribers), Pakistani Reactions (3.02 lakh subscribers), and Afghan Reactors (Afghan channel with 15,600 subscribers), talk about all kinds of Hindi films, songs, trailers and teasers.
Interestingly, according to YouTube analytics, between 2019 and 2020, for Namkeen Sach– a Pakistani channel which reacts to Indian popular culture- Indian viewers account for 45% of its total viewership. Bangladesh (25%), Pakistan (20%) and other countries (10%) account for the rest.
These ‘reactors’ on channels mostly include working professionals, students and even some aspiring civil servants.
The two members of YouTube channel Pindi Reactions– Luqman Ahmed Cheema and Adil- are engineers. Luqman works as a civil engineer in a Pakistani construction company and Adil is a CCS aspirant (equivalent to India’s UPSC).
Pakistani Reactions
“In Pakistan, people follow Indian movies and music the same as Indians do. So, we try to watch and react to every new trailer or video online,” says Cheema.
The idea behind the reaction videos for most channels is to promote an environment for cultural exchange and discussions. They choose the material for videos based on audience suggestions.
“But we have some rules for a video to be eligible for the reaction. It should be positive, informative or entertaining. Any video created against any country or religion is not allowed on our channel,” says Cheema.
After 1990s, there’s been a degree of conflict in most Hindi films, says the admin of Pakistani Reactions, requesting anonymity. Since he is based in California, US, it gives him an outsider’s perspective on the gradually-growing divide, he says.
“I can see a certain disparity between groups, causing a deep ‘us and them’ sort of mentality in India. This mentality has affected the entertainment sector as well, whether it be actors, comedians, performers or dancers and even scholars and writers have very often gone on to present a certain idea Pakistan and Pakistani people,” says the admin.
Most Indians do not have any idea about Pakistan and mostly go by the sentiment portrayed by Hindi films, he says, adding that these themes keep recurring.
Iman and Moazzam say that they have been watching Hindi films since their childhood and were initially surprised by some of the portrayals of Pakistan. However, it changed over time as they began reacting to other elements, including songs and dance.
Uri: The Surgical Strike is one of the recent films which Pakistani reaction channels, except News, Views and Updates, did not react to. They say that they choose not to upload videos which target Pakistan and connect the country with terrorism, even though they watch it.
On the other hand, they commend films like Bajrangi Bhaijan (2015) for honestly showcasing a positive side to an otherwise tensed situation.
“I feel like putting Bajrangi Bhaijan and Raazi in the same sentence as Uri: The Surgical Strike would be unfair. Though the ground realities of what happened are still unclear, when I see Uri, it feels like a propaganda movie,” says the admin of Pakistani Reactions.
Despite the difference, the admin says that his channel has seen a fostering of a deep friendship between the two countries too. A number of messages that the channel receives comes from India, the says. He says that a similar friendship can be seen in the comments section of every Coke Studio video, which showcases musical performances of Pakistani artists.
This has helped many people from both sides wean off from a fictionalised discourse and take a deeper look at their neighbours. “It makes many realise that the other side does not have bad or evil people,” he says.
Three-year-old YouTube channel Namkeen Sach consists of nine friends from different professional backgrounds coming together to learn more about India’s popular culture. Their reaction to performer Indian rapper Emiway Bantai’s Machayenge video fetched them more than three million views. Their other popular videos included reactions to a short film titled Ishwar Allah Ek Hai, a song by Jubin called Tujhe Kitna Chahe Hum, and a video on India’s and Pakistan’s respective national anthems. The themes are overwhelmingly positive and help in fostering friendship.
WhatsApp Image 2020-11-13 at 9.06.29 AM
Reaction videos- a soft power
Soft or cultural power needs to be seen in terms of how many viewers these reaction videos have and the impact it creates, says Vivek Mishra, research fellow, ICWA and deputy director of Kalinga Institute of Indo-Pacific Studies.
While channels with only 100-200 viewers cannot be termed as soft power, those with thousands of followers exercise some influence, says Mishra.
“Bollywood has given us the lateral space for people to manoeuvre and to put across their opinion. While Bollywood itself can be perceived as soft power, YouTube creators reacting to content, gain a stride of their own,” adds Mishra.
“We are getting mentions in live sessions by other Indian YouTubers. Seeing the love we are receiving, we are thinking of planning an event to come to India and Bangladesh. We will also our friends from across the border to Kartarpur,” says the Namkeen Sach team.
The namak (salt) in the title of Namkeen Sach (salty truth) is to counter the mirch-masala (controversy) content promoted in YouTube, that promotes hate and distrust between India and Pakistan, says the Namkeen Sach team. That is what they aim to do in the future to counter the divide too, they add.
Several diaries of late English actor Alan Rickman, widely known for playing the role of Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series, will be compiled and published as a book, The Guardian reported on Saturday.
Publisher Canongate has acquired the rights of the actor’s 27 handwritten volumes that span across his 25 year-old career.
The late actor, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2016, started journalling during the 90s with the intention of publishing them.
After a long stint in English theatre, Rickman debuted on the big screen with the 1988 film Die Hard.
Apart from giving his fans an understanding of his private circles and interests in politics, the diaries also include behind-the-scene stories and tales from the Harry Potter sets that he was a part of for a decade, from 2001 to 2011.
“I’m delighted that Canongate will be publishing Alan’s diaries, and couldn’t have wished for a finer appointment of editor than Alan Taylor,” said Rima Horton, Rickman’s wife, who was with him since 1965, stated The Guardian.
“The diaries reveal not just Alan Rickman the actor, but the real Alan – his sense of humour, his sharp observation, his craftsmanship and his devotion to the arts,” she said.
To be titled The Diaries of Alan Rickman, the diary entries will be edited by Alan Taylor, editor of the Scottish Review of Books. He has also put together The Country Diaries, a treasury of pastoral journals by the likes of Beatrix Potter, Dorothy Wordsworth and John Fowles, for Canongate.
Taylor told The Guardian that Rickman’s diaries were “anecdotal, indiscreet, witty, gossipy and utterly candid” making it “compulsive reading” for people in both US and UK.
“More than anything though, the diaries reveal the real Alan Rickman, funny, passionate, occasionally provocative, and give fresh insight into his art,” Canongate told The Guardian.
“He wrote his diaries as if chatting with a close friend. They provide pitch-perfect vignettes: short, pithy paragraphs painting big pictures, and offering intriguing insights into himself, his peers and the world around him. They are intimate, perceptive and very funny.”
The book, once edited, will be published by Canongate across the world, and by Holt in the US.
Black Panther, the hit 2018 superhero film starring late actor Chadwick Boseman in the lead, is expected to have a sequel. Marvel Studios will begin shooting for the sequel in July 2021, as reported exclusively by The Hollywood Reporter.
The filming will commence in Atlanta and will be done over six months time.
The Studios, along with director Ryan Coogler, had planned a production schedule for March 2021. The plan was put aside after the demise of Boseman this year in August. Boseman played King T’Challa, the titular character of Black Panther.
The actor had been battling stage III colon cancer for four years. This led to the delay of other Marvel films, like Black Widow, that were supposed to hit theatres this year.
Although Marvel has not released a statement on their plan to proceed without Boseman, the studio has reportedly indicated that it will not use CGI to include the late actor in the film.
The universe’s fandom has already begun showing resentment towards the project.
According to the report, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, and Angela Bassett will reprise their roles as Shuri, Nakia, M’Baku, and Queen Ramada, respectively. Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta, who has also worked in Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico, will reportedly play the role of one of antagonists.
Black Panther has broken several records for Marvel. It is the highest-grossing movie by a Black director, and the fifth highest-grossing Marvel film, garnering $1.3 billion worldwide. Notably, it is the only Marvel film that won three Academy Awards and earned seven nominations, including in the Best Picture category. Black Panther won awards for Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design at the 91st Academy Awards in 2019.
Ante Sundaraniki is the title of the upcoming Telugu musical comedy starring actors Nani and Nazriya Nazim Fahadh. Announcing this on Saturday, the production house, Mythri Movie Makers, added that the movie is expected to be released in 2021.
A brief curtain-raiser video that ran through the credits of the movie was also released along with the title.
Written and directed by Vivek Athreya, Ante Sundaraniki marks the Telugu debut of Nazriya, a popular star in Malayalam. Silverscreen India had earlier reported on Nazriya signing the movie with Nani, a collaboration the director described as “a dream combo.” Nazriya, who took a break from acting after her marriage to actor Fahadh Faasil, started acting again in 2018. Her last role was the much-talked about Esther Lopez – an alcoholic, chain-smoking sex worker in the Malayalam psychological drama Trance.
Only two films old, Athreya has acquired a name for himself as solid script writer and director. His previous films – Mental Madhilo, and Brochevarevarura – were both box office hits made on a low-budget with actor Sree Vishnu in the lead. Brochevarevarura, a crime comedy starring Sree Vishnu and Nivetha Thomas, was a surprise hit in 2019, making more than 3 times its budget at the box office.
Nani’s last was the crime thriller, V where he played a negative role. After several delays due to Covid-19, V was released directly on Amazon Prime Video to mixed reviews. His next release is likely to be Tuck Jagadish, a comedy with Aishwarya Rajesh playing the female lead. The actor has a reputation in Telugu as someone willing to experiment with his roles and working with Athreya will likely enhance that reputation. The collaboration between Nani and Athreya was announced in May 2020, with Athreya describing the project as an “out and out entertainer.”
Vivek Sagar, who worked with Athreya in Brochevarevarura will compose music for Ante Sundaraniki. Niketh Bommi and Raviteja Girijala will handle the camera and editing, with production design by Latha Tharun. Naveen Yerneni and Ravi Shankar Y produce the movie under the Mythri Movie Makers banner.
Actor Silambarasan, also known as Simbu, who plays a character named Abdul Khaaliq in his upcoming Tamil film Maanaadu, has shared the first look poster of his character on social media. The poster was also shared by director Venkat Prabhu.
The poster features a close shot of Simbu’s face in a skull cap with his hands raised for namaaz. A bullet seems to be lodged in the middle of his forehead. In the background there are silhouettes of politicians. Simbu plays the role of Abdul Khaaliq, which translates to “the servant of the creator”.
Maanaadu’s public relations manager A John told Silverscreeen India that shooting for the film is currently underway in Pondicherry. “More than 40% of the shooting has already been completed. “The film is expected to wrap up shooting by December,” John said.
Maanaadu, billed to be a political thriller, is directed by Venkat Prabhu of Goa and Mankatha fame. Prabhu took to social media earlier this week to announce the release of the first look. He also shared a poster featuring Simbu praying, even as men in white, possibly politicians, wreck havoc around him. The words, “Stand for what is right even if it means standing alone,” were featured on top.
On the technical front, Richard M Nathan will handle the camerawork, Yuvan Shankar Raja will compose the music, Praveen KL will handle the editing, Sekar will handle the art, and Rajeevan will be in charge of production design. Vasuki Bhaskar will handle costumes and Stunt Silva will choreograph stunt sequences.
Simbu is currently working on director Susienthiran’sEeswaranwhich is expected to release before Maanaadu.
On Friday, digital cinema provider Qube Cinema announced a full waiver in the Virtual Print Fee charges for all Hindi and non-South regional films releasing in December this year. It also said there would be a 60% waiver in Virtual Print Fee charges for releases in January 2021.
Qube further said that South Indian language markets would have specific packages appropriate to their requirements. This announcement is expected to help producers plan upcoming releases through Christmas and New Year, and into 2021.
The Virtual Print Fee, a subsidy paid by a film distributor towards the purchase of digital cinema projection equipment by a film exhibitor, has been a long-standing issue between the Tamil Film Active Producers Association (TFAPA), Qube Cinema, and the Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association. Recently, a temporary agreement was reached over the demand to completely slash VPF charges on hold. The move will now allow new Tamil films to be released.
In their statement, Qube said that certain charges would continue to apply, “Logistic charges for content delivery and key management for both DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) and non-DCI screens will continue to be applicable on new releases and library content.”
Qube had also announced a full waiver on VPF charges in November, due to the holiday season.
Senthil Kumar, the co-founder of Qube Cinema, had earlier told Silverscreen India that around three small-budget films would be releasing towards the end of November, while roughly six small-to-medium budget films would be released in December. Service providers are also aiming for some big-budget Tamil and Hindi film releases in January 2021.
Talking about the new agreed-upon VPF rate with TFAPA, Senthil had told Silverscreen India that the TFAPA had agreed on a charge that was already proposed by the service provider. However, he said, “We can’t disclose the business details of it but it’s nothing different from what we had discussed earlier.”
Amazon Prime Video has released the teaser of the upcoming Kannada horror film, Mane No. 13, on Friday. The film is set to release on November 26 and will become the fourth Kannada film to release on the streaming platform, after Law, French Biriyani and Bheemasena Nalamaharaja.
Written and directed by debutant Vivy Kathiresan, Mane No. 13 is the story of five best friends (Sanjeev, Chethan Gandharva, Aishwarya Gowda, Praveen Prem, and Varsha Bollamma) who get stuck in a seemingly haunted house, Mane No. 13 (House No. 13). In the teaser, the friends are seen struggling to get out of the house, which seems occupied by ghost souls with supernatural powers.
The storyline in the one-minute teaser for Mane No. 13 bears an uncanny resemblance to the 2013 Hindi horror film, Horror Story where a group of friends plan to stay at a haunted hotel for a night, a decision that changes their lives forever.
In an interview with Silverscreen India, Bollamma said Mane No. 13 will be her first Kannada film. “It’s a Kannada movie and I am a Kannadiga, from Bangalore. So, everybody back home can enjoy it,” she said. Bollamma’s last film was Middle Class Melodies , a Telugu film that premiered on November 20 on Amazon Prime Video. Before that, she starred in the 2019 Telugu film Jaanu.
Mane No. 13‘s release was reportedly delayed due to the Coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, following which the filmmakers opted for a digital release. It was initially slated for a November 19 release on Amazon Prime Video but the streaming service has now pushed the date by nearly a week.
With music composed by A M Sah, cinematography by Sandeep Sadashiv, and editing by Castro, Mane No. 13 is produced by D Krishna Chaitanya’s Sri Swarnalatha Productions. Chaitanya has produced horror films like 6-5=2 (2013) and Karvva (2016).
When it comes to films on the representation of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer (LGTBQ+) community, many films tend to over-simplify stereotypes and tropes, which makes the community the target of crude jokes. While there have been many films that have managed to bring the conversation to the table, albeit in a problematic way, here is a list of eight films that were lauded for their nuanced and accurate representation of the community.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Credits: Shutterstock
A classic film that very often makes it to many lists on movies about homosexual relationships, this 2005 film directed by Ang Lee focuses on the passionate relationship between two sheepherders. Adapted from Annie Proulx’s short story of the same name, Brokeback Mountain was one of the first mainstream films that were praised for its heart rendering portrayal of a tumultuous romance between two men. Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger’s riveting performances had also been widely appreciated.
2. Love, Simon (2018)
This teen romantic comedy is a fan favourite. Simon Speir (Nick Robinson) is a gay teenager living in the suburbs of Atlanta. When a blackmailer threatens to reveal his secret, he embarks on an emotional and beautiful journey to come to terms with his identity. The film received great reviews for its heartfelt portrayal and normalisation of teenage homosexuality.
Starring Timothy Chalamet and Armie Hammer, this movie is set in Italy in the 1980s. A romantic drama, it follows 17-year-old Elio falling in love with his father’s teaching assistant, Oliver. They soon strike up a sensuous romance that is headed towards its inevitable end. It is an emotional and ultimately heartbreaking tale on love and romantic relationships. Both critics as well audiences particularly praised Chalamet’s performance as Elio, cementing the film’s status as a modern classic.
Kapoor & Sons (2016)
Though the film’s main focus is not about queer representation, the makers were praised for making a Hindi film that does caricaturise gay men. Rahul (played by Pakistani actor Fawad Khan) has kept his sexuality a secret from his family until his mother discovers messages between her son and his partner and she does not react well. Rather than feeling guilty, Rahul stands up for himself and his identity. Kapoor & Sons’ mature and normalised depiction of a gay man is a refreshing change from the harmful stereotypes about the LGBTQ+ community that have made their way into films such as Dostana, Raja Hindustani, Housefull, etc.
Carol (2015)
Credits: Shutterstock
Carol (Cate Blanchett), a socialite in the 1950s meets Theresa (Rooney Mara), an aspiring photographer who works at a department store. They get into a secret relationship at a time when being a lesbian was a punishable offence. Their loving relationship soon becomes tragic and complicated when Carol’s ex-husband threatens to expose her sexuality as a means to get full custody of their child. A story about forbidden relationships and societal pressures, Carol is a hopeful and poignant take on same-sex relationships.
Tangerine (2015)
Credits: Magnolia Pictures
Shot entirely on an iPhone, this film starring Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, and James Ransone follows two sex workers from the transgender community and a cab driver making their way through Los Angeles on Christmas Eve in search of one of the women’s boyfriend/pimp who is cheating on her. Directed by Sean Baker, Tangerine is an edgy comedy with dark undertones.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
Credits: Shutterstock
A transgender woman and two drag queens embark on a road trip in a pink bus, called Priscilla, across Australia in order to reach Alice Springs. During the journey, the three of them connect with each other, sharing secrets and performing for unapologetic homophobes and curious crowds. Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce star in the film.
Margarita with a Straw (2014)
This movie stars Kalki Koechlin as Laila, a college student with cerebral palsy. She gets an opportunity to study in New York where she meets Khanum (Sayani Gupta) a blind Pakistani-Bangladeshi woman. As they unexpectedly fall in love, Laila begins her journey of self-discovery where she tries to understand her sexuality, identity, and more. A sensitive tale that tackles multiple issues and relationships, Margarita with a Straw is full of heart and emotion.
France, Denmark and Finland announced their respective official entries in the International Feature Film Category for Oscars, on November 19. Two of Us, directed by Filippo Meneghetti, is France’s official entry while Zaida Bergroth’s Tove is Finland’s. Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round is Denmark’s official entry for the Oscars.
French film Two of Us premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival and revolves around two elderly and retired women who concealed but nourished their love from the public eye for decades in the garb of friendship. What follows is a series of events that threaten their relationship. So far, at 39 nominations for the Oscars’ International Feature Film Award, France has the highest number of nominations and has won 12 of them.
Finland presented Zaida Bergroth’s Tove, which world premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year. The biographical drama based on a free-spirited Finnish author, who is at the brink of artistic success and in an open relationship with a politician and a theatre director, as per Nordisk Film & TV Fond.
The Finnish Oscars jury said that the film, also the second most expensive Finnish one, “tells a universal story about looking and finding love and about the passion of making art”.
Another Round marks director Thomas Vinterberg’s third entry after The Celebration (1998), and The Hunt (2013). The film features Mads Mikkelsen and this is the actor-director duo’s second outing after The Hunt. It revolves around “four men in mid-life experimenting with alcohol to rekindle the fire of their youth. The result is an insightful, tender and entertaining film balancing tragedy with a good dose of humour,” as per Claus Ladegaard, who chairs the Oscars committee.
The film was the first selection under the prestigious Cannes Label 2020 edition and had its international premiere during the Toronto International Film Festival. It went on to win the Silver Shell- Best Acting Award at San Sebastian for all the four leads- Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang and Lars Ranthe. The film also bagged the Virtual Audience Award for Best Film at the BFI London Film Festival.
Ruthy Pribar’s Asiawas announced as Israel’s official run for the awards’ International Feature Film Category after the film won the Ophir Award, the Oscar equivalent of the country, on November 13. It won in the Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Cinematography awards categories and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival bagging the Best Actress Award there.
The film, which deals with a Russian immigrant mother and her relationship with her daughter, was conferred upon with the Nora Ephron Award in memory of the late filmmaker.
While India is yet to announce its Oscar entry, three Indian filmmakers have been invited to the Oscars 2021 jury- Nishtha Jain, Shirley Abraham, and Amit Madhesiya.
The prequel had actors Taylor Lautner and Taylor Dooley playing Shark Boy and Lava Girl, respectively. While Dooley reprises her role as Lava Girl, JJ Dashnaw, last seen in Spy Kids, takes over as Shark Boy.
The story revolves around the members of team Heroics getting kidnapped with their children left to rescue them. The new generation heroes now have to plan a rescue operation for their parents while at the same time discovering their inherited powers. Chopra Jonas plays the antagonist in the film.
The former Miss World shared the teaser on Instagram and wrote: “I had the best time shooting this movie, especially with Robert Rodriguez and these amazing super kids!! Loved playing their nemesis…. who do you think is going to win, them or me?! Streaming on Netflix New Years Day.”
Rodriguez has previously directed the four-film series Spy Kids.
Chopra Jonas will be seen next in Netflix’s The White Tiger, the screen adaptation of Aravind Adiga’s novel of the same name. She also has Amazon Prime Video’s series Citadel.
Pascal will be next seen in the DC superhero film Wonder Woman 1984, which is set to release in December.
The Kerala High Court on Friday rejected the plea to transfer the trial in the case of the abduction and sexual assault case of a female Malayalam actor. Malayalam actor Dileep is the accused mastermind in the case.
The court observed that there were no sustainable grounds to transfer the case. The court also rejected the prosecution’s request to stay the case for a week so that it could appeal to the Supreme Court on the basis that it would not be proper.
Justice VG Arun was reported by Bar and Bench as saying, “It goes without saying that unless the Court and the prosecutor work in sync, it will result in either the guilty escaping from the clutches of law or the innocent being punished. I am confident in the endeavour to reach the truth and render justice, the Special Public Prosecutor and the defence lawyers will work in tandem as is expected of them. For the reasons mentioned above, I find no sustainable ground to allow the prayer for transfer. Consequently, the transfer petitions are dismissed.”
The trial is currently ongoing at the Additional Special Sessions Court at Ernakulam in Kerala.
Both the survivor and the prosecution had moved the high court in October to transfer the trial to another court, claiming bias on part of the judge. The prosecution had claimed that they wanted a transfer because of alleged derogatory comments against the Special Public Prosecutor and repeated adjournments. The survivor stated that the court remained silent when she was harassed in the name of examination by Dileep’s counsel.
On February 17, 2017, the survivor was abducted while she was on her way from Kochi to Thrissur in Kerala. After being sexually assaulted for two hours, she was dropped off near the residence of director Lal. Soon after the incident, the first accused in the abduction case- Pulsar Suni, who drove the car while she was being assaulted- was arrested. In June, Pulsar Suni confessed that actor Dileep conspired the assault.
On July 20, 2017, Dileep was arrested as the eighth accused in the case. Reportedly, the prosecution counsel alleged that the trial proceedings were constantly being delayed ever since he was let out on bail.
Dileep, who was suspended from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), was reinstated to the organisation in 2018. In retaliation, the survivor, Rima Kallingal, Ramya Nambeesan and Geetu Mohandas resigned from AMMA. The Women in Cinema Collective slammed AMMA’s decision and called it “reeking with misogyny”.
In a scene in the 25-minute Tamil short film B. Selvi & Daughters, Selvi (played by Tamil actor Kalairani) starts reprimanding her daughter Kavitha (actor Gayathrie from Super Deluxe), for setting up a social media account for Selvi’s business of selling sarees.
“With whose permission did you do all this? All this is difficult, Kavi. I cannot do it,” Selvi says.
Kavitha’s intentions come from a place of goodness. She wants to help her mother, a single parent, make better business online than selling sarees on WhatsApp. One can also empathise with Selvi’s apprehensions of starting an e-commerce business after having done door-to-door sales as a hobby.
Mother-daughter relationships are a complex see-saw of emotions. They are almost always filled with support, love, anger, hate, trust, and irrationality. B. Selvi & Daughters, directed by Drishya Gautham and produced by Tarana Reddy, portrays this complex relationship.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, the director-producer duo, who have been writing partners for years and are now part of entertainment company Stray Factory, talk about the evolution of the project, their work and the portrayal of women in cinema.
A still from B. Selvi & Daughters
Mothers
B. Selvi & Daughters was intended to be a feature film with fuller versions of the characters on screen, says Drishya. It was modified while applying for a grant by the Her&Now project for films promoting women’s entrepreneurship offered by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
“There has been an advent of small businesses online and several women are running them from their homes. Women who once sold sarees to friends are now having online stores. I was fascinated by that. I also saw mothers of friends who would often be homemakers, filling their time with engaging work. However, these women would never associate the word ‘entrepreneur’ to themselves,” she says.
The story of a 50-year-old mother who gives up her career aspirations, like every other ‘good Indian mother’ for the upliftment of her family, highlights that conversation, she says. In the film, a year after her husband’s death, Selvi tries to convert her hobby of selling sarees door-to-door to an online business. Her fiercely-independent daughter Kavitha, who helps her mother set up the business, gives her the confidence to stand on her own two feet despite Selvi’s recurring insecurities.
“We do not think of our mothers enough. Come to think of it, we hardly pay attention to what middle-aged women go through,” Drishya says.
In a scene in the film, a fearful Selvi applies for a loan at a bank. Her conviction is challenged each time she fails to answer the bank teller’s questions properly. Selvi’s trepidations are further made clear when she and her daughter go for lunch to her brother Saravanan’s (Jeevaravi) house during the Pongal festival. While Saravanan talks over all the women in the conversation, he further validates Selvi’s insecurity of not being able to start her business. The evolution of this relationship is interesting to watch.
Tarana says that women like Selvi sometimes may want to self censor. As Selvi begins to assert herself, she also finds respect. The empowering song in the background Naveeni, adds to the swagger of the scene.
“The final sequence between Selvi and Saravanan is unscripted. Kalairani ma’am got very comfortable in the character. When the two of them were talking during the time when I was getting the shot ready, they came up with this phenomenal banter. That is how we chose to end it,” says Drishya.
Walking the talk
Tarana says that the shoot took around four days but finding women technicians to work on the project was difficult. When they pitched the idea to GIZ to ensure a crew with mostly women, they hardly thought it would be a problem.
Producer Tarana Reddy and Director Drishya Gautham
“The available women technicians were overworked. Others who were not given the opportunities, and hence were not as skilled. In the beginning we aimed at a cast and crew with 100% women but we had to get on with the project so we did. It took a while, especially because we did not want to just do this for tokenism. We are looking to collaborate with all these women in our future projects too,” she says.
She says that all the women on set, particularly technicians, were empathetic and emotional, making it a professional and considerate workspace and was worth the effort.
Future projects
While B. Selvi & Daughters was intended to be in the “uplifting space” and impact-oriented, Drishya and Tarana say that they are working on a feature film on women’s right, besides other projects.
“This is more of our vibe,” says Drishya.
B. Selvi & Daughters is streaming free of charge until November 22 on https://www.cinemapreneur.com/en/b-selvi-daughters
“I am humbled to have a chance to bring Don McCullin’s life to film,” said Jolie in a statement reported by Deadline. “I was drawn to his unique combination of fearlessness and humanity – his absolute commitment to witnessing the truth of war, and his empathy and respect for those who suffer its consequences. We hope to make a film that is as uncompromising as Don’s photography, about the extraordinary people and events he witnessed, and the rise and fall of a unique era in journalism.”
McCullin has been a photojournalist for The Observer and The Sunday Times and has won several awards for his coverage of some of the world’s most dangerous war zones, including wartime London, with black-and-white images of poverty-stricken, unemployed, and urban conflicts. He is best known for his wartime coverage in Vietnam and Northern Ireland. Unreasonable Behaviour is his autobiography published in 2002.
In an interview with The Washington Post on the 50th anniversary of The Tet Offensive (a major part of the Vietnam War in early 1968), McCullin had talked about his the memories from the wars he had covered, including wars in Congo, Cyprus and Israel.
“Later, I photographed another Marine in a Christ pose against a wall while two others held him up. Snipers were everywhere. I asked his helpers to bring him to me so that I could carry him to a first aid station not far away. They tried to run over, but they fell, exposing a ghastly bullet wound under his hip. I lifted the injured man on my shoulders and ran him away from the battle.”
“All the great images — then and even now — do not make any difference. They are proof of what happens in war, but they are like Christmas cards: They come every year,” he said.
According to a report by The Guardian, it was Jolie’s directorial which was an adaptation of Loung Ung’s memoir of the Khmer Rouge rule in Cambodia First They Killed My Father, that persuaded McCullin to collaborate with Jolie. McCullin says, “Having viewed Angelina’s last film on Cambodia (and having spent so much time during the war there) I was very impressed at how she made such a powerful and accurate representation of the place at that time. I feel as if I am in safe, capable and professional hands with her.”
Jolie made her directorial debut with In The Land Of Blood And Honey in 2011, a romantic story set during the Bosnian war. She followed this with directing Unbroken, a 2015 adaption of the Olympic runner Louis Zamperini’s memoir where Zamperini was captured by the Japanese during the second world war. Unreasonable Behaviour will be marking her fifth directorial.
Unreasonable Behaviour will be produced by Hardy and Dean Baker under the banner of Hardy Son & Baker, in collaboration with Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of Working Title Films. The rest of the cast has yet to be announced.
McCullin and Mark George are the executive producers for the film while the screenplay has been written by BAFTA-nominated screenwriter Gregory Burke.
Actor Ajith, who sustained injuries on his hands and legs while shooting for a bike stunt for Valimai, has recovered. Ajith’s publicity manager Suresh Chandra told Silverscreen India on Friday that the actor recovered and resumed shooting within the hour. The injury occurred ten days ago when Ajith’s bike skidded off the road during a stunt sequence in the rain, said Chandra.
The confirmation comes in the wake of days of speculation on social media. No official announcement had been issued from the filmmakers.
Chandra has said that Ajith is back in Chennai, now that the part of the shoot involving the stunt sequence has been completed.
The film is being bankrolled by Boney Kapoor, who also produced Ajith’s last film Nerkonda Paarvai. Valimai‘s music is being composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja.
The pooja for the movie was held in Chennai last year. The movie was initially slated for a Diwali 2020 release. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, however, brought the shoot to a halt.
Thus far there have been no announcements about the film’s release.
For actor Urvashi, who works predominantly in Tamil and Malayalam films, the Diwali weekend has been a busy one. She had two back-to-back releases- Mookuthi Amman and Soorarai Pottru, where she played starkly different characters.
She plays the doting and ever-hopeful mother in Mookuthi Amman, whose charades mostly include her trying to go to Tirupathi and overturn her family’s luck. She plays a serious and headstrong character, Pechi who hopes that her son and husband will reconcile in the Suriya-starrer Soorarai Pottru.
Starting her career as a child artist and bagging the female lead in Mundhanai Mudichu at the age of 13, she has worked in 500-odd films.
With Mundhanai Mudichu currently being remade, the recent release of Amazon Prime Video’s Tamil anthology film Putham Pudhu Kaalai and the hit film Micheal Madana Kama Rajan’s 30th anniversary in the news, the audience is once again reminded that this season belongs to Urvashi and her stellar performances.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, the actor gets candid about her choice of films, roles and her long journey in cinema.
This year saw you have back-to-back releases with Putham Pudu Kaalai, Mookuthi Amman, and Soorarai Pottru. How does it feel?
I feel happy and I am also a little surprised because this is the first time my films have released on an OTT platform. All three of the films that I worked on, have premiered on these platforms and this is a new experience for me. The lockdown is new for everybody, so there was uncertainty about these films’ releases. It has been one year since Mookuthi Amman and one-and-a-half years since Soorarai Pottru was made. We did not know how the reception would be like because they were released on OTT platforms but thankfully in three or four days many people had already watched it and liked it, and that makes me really happy.
Many social media pages and users have been raving about your screen presence and versatility. They think that this season belongs to you.
I usually do not follow all of this. In my free time, I read, listen to music, and spend time with my child. I do not have the habit of using social media. But in the last three days, I have been learning how to do so because so many people have given positive responses and it won’t be right if I don’t follow that. In my spare time, I see these responses and I feel happy. It is so sincere that they have taken the time to say such kind words for which I am very grateful.
On one hand, there is a serious film like Soorarai Pottru and then there is Mookuthi Amman. You are known for both serious and comic roles. Which one do you identify with more?
In Malayalam cinema, it is a mix. When I was playing lead characters also, it was always a mixture. In Tamil films, in the last five to six years, I was doing movies that were focusing more on comedy. But unexpectedly I got two roles that were vastly different and it was surprising that it released at the same time. As an actress, I feel I can do any kind of role and I should not fall into one particular type of image.
Mookuthi Amman is a devotional film and it is the first devotional movie that has been made in a long time. How was your experience?
It has been a while since these types of films came out. Even if you take the film Dhilluku Dhuddu 2, I came as a godwoman who is a fraud. In 1997, I acted in Ettupati Raasa where there was an Amman song. Generally, after a long time, a movie based on Amman has come out. Even the title has the word Amman in it. The message of this film is not to have blind faith but to have good faith. It is a good thing that this family entertainer released during the festival season.
Credits: Disney+Hotstar
The film is also a satire with many political references. How was it to perform the role?
We were expecting a lot of controversies around the film. When we were doing this film, we used to discuss with RJ Balaji about some of the dialogues fuelling something. Dialogues in the film such as Kanda thanni la abhisekham panna, adhan colour maarirchu (my hair hair colour has turned brown because you have done abhisek in bad water) are all good messages and the fact that we could watch it with our families without any issues, is a great thing. Today, when anything can become a controversy on social media, due to its growth, but people have seen this in a positive light. The fact that it looks like God itself is saying these things has allowed people to take in a positive manner.
This year, your movies have all been released on OTT platforms. Do you see a difference between a theatrical release and an OTT release?
Of course. Films are meant to be enjoyed in theatres and that is why we fight against piracy as well. Moreover, cinema is not just meant for the directors, artists or the film technicians involved, but also for the distributors and exhibitors and their families who depend on it. So, it’s imperative that they do not get affected. Plus, nothing beats the feeling of watching a film with the entire family on a big screen which is forgone on a smaller screen. However, now that we are slowly breaking out of a situation where there are so much panic and angst, we cannot afford to stall the release of these big-budget films. It will cause a major loss to the producers.
Besides, watching these films on an OTT platform brings some amount of joy to the audience and at the same time, the producers are also safe. Without the producers, we cannot watch films, be it good or bad. To prove anyone’s talent and to bring it to the screen, we need producers to spend money. All this works fine for the time being, but the future is the big screen, and films should be released in theatres. However, they can run parallelly.
Earlier, when TV was introduced, many were concerned that families would rather stay home and watch serials on TV than come to the movies, but now the two co-exist and people watch movies in theatres as usual. Similarly, OTT and theatres too will co-exist. Both have their positives and negatives. The biggest plus in this situation is that people who were not able to spare the time to watch films in the theatres can now watch those films at their leisure while working, eating day or night.
Considering how your latest films are all vastly different from one and another, what makes you pick a particular script?
In Malayalam cinema, the script will be cleared and we have to read it and do our homework. But for some films, we cannot do that. We will appear in only some portions so there is no need to hear the whole script. We just have to see if it is comedy-based or if there is anything that I need to avoid. The director will narrate the story and if I derive happiness from it, I do it. But for Mookuthi Amman, they narrated the story scene by scene and for Soorarai Pottru, I got the script six months in advance. But for some films, we do not need to see the whole script but I just see if my character will entail any controversy and if I can improvise on it. If yes, then I choose the script.
You started your career as a child artist. What was it about cinema that drew you in?
I grew up in an artistic household, my father and my siblings all were into music and drama. When I entered the industry, I was insecure about my craft and I slowly understood that acting is my profession after almost 15 films. But now I feel like this is the best profession for me. Honestly, I thank all the films I have worked in, the directors, my co-actors, and good writers for my talent and success. Even in my first film, Mundhanai Mudichu in which I played the female lead, I was told what to do by my director because I was young and I thought I would be going back to school after that film. I assumed that no one liked my work and that thought changed only after 15 films. I owe it to my co-artists, directors, and writers who motivated me to do more films.
Are they any type of characters and roles that you would like to work on, in the future?
In cinema, we cannot wait for any particular type of role. It is not in our hands. When we take it up as a profession, we cannot keep waiting. It depends on luck. So many types of characters have been done by actresses across Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam industries but I did not get to play them. Some characters are age-dependent. The only thing that I am particular about is to make sure that I do not play the same type of characters.
