TOLLYWOOD GOSSIPS & NEWS

Harish quite happy with NTR, Sam’s performance

Young Tiger NTR is busy shooting for director Harish Shankar film, which is titled as MLA as per the buzz. Currently film shooting is taking place at brisk progress in and around Hyderabad. NTR will be seen as student in this upcoming flick. Dil Raju is producing the film on Sri Venkateswara Creations banner.

Currently a duet song is shooting on the lead actors NTR and Samantha. Thamanhas rocked tunes for the film. The known fact is that NTR is one of the best dancers of Tollywood and he amazes his filmmakers with his grace and unique style in dancing. Harish Shankar is quite happy with the way the song is being shaped up.

 “Just finished da First day song shoot with Young Tiger .... He amazed all of us with his unique grace ... U gonna see his peaks guys,” tweeted Harish Shankar.

Mahesh to romance Shruti Hassan?

After Gabbar Singh hit Actress Shruti Haasan has become much demanded actress. She is currently busy with the projects like Balupu with Ravi Teja, Yevaduwith Ram Charan, Harish Shankar’s untitled project and also Race Gurram withAllu Arjun. She has some very exciting projects for the year.

We all know that Mahesh and Sreenu Vaitla’s second combo movie has been finalized with the title Aagadu. Here is the latest buzz that Shruti Haasan will be seen with Mahesh Babu in this project. Though nothing is finalized yet, but she is under consideration.

Mahesh is now busy with Sukumar’s directorial venture under the same 14 Reels Entertainment production house. Mahesh romances Kriti Sanon in this film.

Huge mans huge work out for Baahubali

Tollywood young hunk Rana Daggubati is going to perform antagonist character in Baahubali. Baahubali will be directed by Tollywood ace director SS Rajamouli. The film features Prabhas, Anushka and Ranawill play the lead roles. Rana and Prabhasboth of them are building up their bodies for a very muscular look.

Rajamouli has engaged Vietnamese trainers for Prabhas and Rana and they are training the heroes in martial arts and sword fights. Rana posted a picture of his trainer, named Tuan, on his twitter account. ‘Baahubali’ is going to be a period action adventure.

The regular shoot of this move will starts from next month. Arka Media banner is producing the film with a massive budget. Baahubali will have tunes composed by MM Keeravani.

NTR-Harish’s film titled MLA?

Tollywood Baadshah Young Tiger NTR is currently busy shooting in Harish ShankarDirection. As per the buzz the title is MLA (Manchi Lakshanala Alludu). The flick is being produced by Dil Raju under Sri Venkateswara Creations.

The production team is getting ready to shoot a song today, tunes providing by S.S. Thaman.  Presently shooting is going on at a rapid pace in and around Hyderabad.

Director Harish Shankar revealed that the characterisation in the film will be quite entertaining and NTR will be seen as powerful student leader in this action entertainer, as per reports. Samantha will be seen as female lead in this film which is movie to hit the screens in the second half of 2013.

Krish to direct Akshay Kumar's next movie

Krish Jagarlamudi

Director Kirsh Jagarlamudi is all set to join an elite group of Tollywood filmmakers like Ram Gopal Varma and Puri Jagannath who managed to break into Bollywood. The Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum director is going to directBollywood superstar Akshay Kumar in his maiden venture. The film, it is learnt is going to be a remake of Tamil movie, Ramana, which was remade in Telugu as Tagore starring Megastar Chiranjeevi in the lead. 

The director is understandably very excited. "I'm really excited about the project and I can't start working on it. However, I feel it will be equally challenging as any other film I have worked on. Since I'm venturing new territory (Bollywood), I can already feel the pressure," Krish was quoted as saying. 

It is learnt that Sanjay Leela Bhansali will be producing the movie tentatively titled Gabbar. Akshay will be seen playing a self styled vigilante in the movie. Apparently the producers were keen on roping in Ghajini director, Murugadoss before zeroing in on Krish. 

One more Kaajal to Tollywood industry

Kaajal Vashisht says she won't do item numbers as her focus is on performance-based roles, but not on item numbers.Kaajal Vashisht is making her debut with the upcoming Telugu romantic-drama "Iddarammayilatho".

"Other actors can choose what they want to, but no item numbers for me. I have acted in theatre and did plays. I did films. I believe my potential as an actor would attract work for me in South. I want to do more films in South provided I get performance-based roles," Kaajal said.

She is cast opposite Allu Arjun in "Iddarammayilatho" which is directed by Puri Jagannadh. The film also features Amala Paul and Catherine Tresa as the female leads.

Kissing on screen is no big deal: Priya Anand

In five years, Priya Anand has carved a niche for herself in Kollywood, Tollywood andBollywood. In a chat with TOI, the actress, who moved from the US to realize her dream, talks about her career so far...

Has acting always been your passion?

I've always wanted to be part of the industry in some way or the other. I've grown up seeing films, and I loved the way how audience reacted to cinema. I' came down to Chennai with the idea of joining Shankar as an assistant director. I've seen all his movies, and I liked that every film of his had a message. It's not shoved down your throat; it's subtle. The production value of his films was huge and it was like a dream. But, once in the city, life took its own course. I was suddenly flooded with modeling assignments and film offers. I thought that I could always take up acting first and then venture into direction. For an actress, age is important. I can't grow old and then want to play the lead. So, I picked up the first script that came my way in Kollywood. When I'd signed 180, (Nootrenbadhu in Tamil), I'd had no release in Telugu. But soon after that, my movies in Tamil and Telugu had hit screen one after the other. It was a weird feeling to see myself onscreen.

Did you tell Shankar you dream?

Yes, I'd met him a few months ago during one of the cricket matches. When I told him of my dream, he just laughed. I also found out that he didn't have any female ADs then.

Coming from a non filmy background, was making a mark in the industry difficult?

Yes, but I learnt a lot along the way. I started from scratch in the industry. There was no famous person backing me. So, I was glad when my films got bigger by the day. I suddenly found myself working with the biggest names; made my B-Town debut with Sridevi. Initially, I had to work hard to get myself noticed. Now, I keep pushing myself because I want to get more interesting work. Even now, I feel insecure when I audition for a role. But at the same time, I'm also confident that whatever I've achieved is through my own merit. I don't have a godfather in the industry; no one recommends me and I don't go out of my way to get a film. So, every time someone offers me a role, I know it's because of my talent. It makes me feel deserving, and I've learnt not to take things for granted.

Don't you get bored playing the good ol' bubbly girl in almost every film?

Not every film is heroine oriented these days. Though I've always gotten to play a bubbly girl, every character has had its own share of meat. Renuka (Nootrenbadhu) had to handle the trauma of losing her husband. And in Leader, I was bubbly throughout the film, but supported Rana's character in making a social reform despite being treated badly. Geeta (Ethi Neechal) is a level-headed person; and Anjali from Vanakkam Chennai is also an interesting persona. Every character has its own graph and has to be dealt with differently. My characters have high energyon screen. There's a thin line between being bubbly and being annoying, and I think I know where to draw the line!

Do you have any role models from the industry?

When you are from outside the industry, you can be a fan and consider several people your role models. But you can't be part of the industry and be star-struck. You can be a fan, like someone's work and admire someone. But it's going to be difficult if you are awestruck and have to work with them.

How comfortable are you getting intimate on screen?

I've already done intimate scenes in Nootrenbadhu and Ko Ante Koti. I've locked lips in both the films. But the scenes are always aesthetically shot. Thankfully, no one's pointed a finger at me and said I look vulgar while doing the scenes. I don't have a problem in acting in intimate scenes as long as it goes with the story and doesn't look forced.

You're also not involved in any controversies...

That's because my personality is not controversial! I don't drink, don't smoke and don't party hard. I can't handle drunk friends and for me, there are better ways to have fun! I'm not a wannabe and don't like real life drama. There's already enough drama in my job! I'm pretty vocal in my thoughts. I spend most of my free time spending time with my friends; I'm also actively involved in causes supporting children. I'm not dating anyone. And I'm on friendly terms with everyone in the industry. So, there's basically nothing to write about me!

Anjali says ‘missing’ episode a nightmare

Actress Anajali’s uncle Suribabu reportedly hit her with a shoe at Daspalla hotel, which led to the actress escaping from there. This is what she had told the police orally, but did not seek any protection from them.

“She might have been scared. The incident took place during the altercation with Suribabu. She has some family-related issues that weighed on her mind all the time. In a depressed condition, she left the hotel,” a senior police officer told the Express.

According to sources, Anjali’s aunt Bharati Devi used to abuse and harass her. Bharathi Devi suspected her over her acquaintance with a young IT professional. She noticed Anjali sending text and MMS messages to him, and began harassing the actress.

Now that the actress has resurfaced, she told mediapersons on Saturday that she would henceforth concentrate on her career. Her talent and performance in films had attracted producers with offers of lead roles in various films in Tollywood.

“Its my duty to cooperate with producers and meet my commitments. I will resume shooting on Monday. The shooting of Bol Bachan Telugu remake will take place on Monday in the city,” Anjali told the media. She felt that the ‘missing’ episode was a nightmare in her life.

Anjali, who disappeared from a hotel on April 6, resurfaced on Friday night and told the police that she had not gone into hiding, but was away to take rest as she was not well. Jubilee Hills police also recorded her statements, which they will submit to the court in connection with her missing case. The police are likely to close the case in a couple of days.

A few days ago, Anjali complained that her aunt Bharati Devi and director Kalanjiyam were torturing her mentally and were using her like a human ATM.

No idea why a sexy tag has stuck on me: Riya Sen

Yearning for more roles from Tollywood directors actor Riya Sen today said "I am a Bengali and not a foreigner."

"Come on, I am a Bengali, not a foreigner. Just that I am doing lot of works in Mumbai doesnot imply I am averse to good scripts here," Riya told on the sidelines of a design institute event.

"This is a preconceived notion of all Tollygunj film makers. I live in Mumbai and I do travel places for shows and events but I will come back and stay for days if any good project comes my way," she said recollecting how many Bengali directors said they would love to work with her but felt she was hard to get by.

Ria, who was present at the announcement launch of a design institute, said "no idea why a sexy tag has stuck on me."

About her role in Rituparno Ghosh's Noukadubi, she said "as we met days after 'Chokher Bali' he discovered I am much younger than Raima.

"Noukadubi is a period film which will always be a milestone in my career. For the costumes in the movie, a reputed jeweller had made very differently styled and crafted articles," she said.

Riya, who would be seen in 'Zindagi 50 50' and 'Hai Rabba Main Kya Karoon?' this year said movies help a lot in influencing the fashion statements of individuals.

"Not everybody can watch a fashion show but today's youngsters carry off so well which I can see in the streets and places that I visit. As it is, people get influenced by actors and actresses and how they dress like and so films do play a role," she reasoned.

 They treat me like an ATM: Anjali

She’s now an actress on the run, trying to flee who she claims is an “evil relative” who tortures her for money, a movie director who has been “spreading” wild rumours and yes, two industries that are now waiting for her to finish projects.

It’s no surprise then, the world is looking for actress Anjali.

But speaking to DC from a “safehouse” in Hyderabad, the actress, who starred in 'Seethamma Vakitlo...', reveals what went wrong over the past few years.

“I couldn’t take it any more. For the past few years, my aunt (a woman identified as Bharathy Devi) has been using me like an ATM. She’s actually my mother’s sister. My real parents are in Andhra Pradesh and there is a threat to their safety too.

“Bharathy, along with this director, Kalanjium has ruined my life. He is the one responsible for this mess. They were also linking me with many VIPs and tarnishing my image. All my bank accounts and property are under her control,” Anjali said.

“She was treating me like a slave. I recently suffered an electric shock on the sets of a movie. But Bharathy forced me to work the next day. They were saying that I did it for publicity. I was deeply hurt,” she added.

Even running away was not without risks for the actress. “They may even spread rumours saying I might have run away with someone…which is totally untrue,” she adds. “I will never ever go back to Chennai. If I’m injured or harmed in any way, I want it on record that Bharathy Devi and Kalanjium are responsible.”

Anjali’s Tollywood colleagues, meanwhile, are anxious. According to sources, the turmoil in the star’s life has put on hold two major productions —  'Balupu' and the 'Bol Bachchan' remake. Crew members say the actress has not been taking calls.

“She was supposed to shoot for 'Balupu' with Ravi Teja from April 1 to 7, but we are not sure if she has completed the schedule. Ever since she had an argument with Bharathy, she hasn’t been in touch,” says a source close to the actress, adding that it is was unclear if Anjali will complete shooting for the climax portions of Venkatesh’s film in Bengaluru.

For the 'Bol Bachchan' remake — where Anjali is playing Asin’s role — producers Ravi Kishore and Suresh Babu are hot on her trail.

“She had finished a good chunk of her work and had just 15 to 20 days left. We’re looking for her,” director Vijayabhaskar said.

Meanwhile, Bharathy too, is in Hyderabad, offering money for clues. “I am ready to pay as much money as you want, please let me know where my daughter is,” she pleaded.

Srikanth Addala to launch Varun Tej

The latest tollywood buzz is that the Naga Babu’s son Varun Tej is being launched by Mega producer Aswini Dutt in the production banner of Vyjayanthi movies.

Kotha Bnagaru Lokam and Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu fame Srikanth Addala is about to direct this debut movie of Varun Tej. The regular shooting of this movie may start from 20th may.

Varun Tej is currently under going training and director Srikanth Addala is said to have been impressed with the former’s acting skills. The yet-to-be titled movie is touted to be a youthful love entertainer. Parineeti Chopra may play the female lead but nothing has been confirmed as of now.

Ravi Teja romancing Shruti Haasan in Portugal

Shruti Haasan and Ravi Teja Actors Ravi Teja and Shruti Haasan will be flying to Portugal to shoot for a couple of songs for their upcoming movie, Balupu. The film's unit will shooting in and around some scenic locales in Lisbon, the Portuguese capital city. The shooting schedule will begin from tomorrow, April 11 and go on till May 26, say sources in the film's unit. 

Billed as an action entertainer, the movie is directed by Gopichand Mallineni. Prasad V Potluri is producing the movie under the PVP Cinema banner. Actress Anjali is playing the second lead in the movie. Thaman is composing the music. The film is expected to hit the screens in June. 

Bollywood Gossip: Nayantara

India - Nayantara, the most wanted actress in the South Indian film industry, has been cautiously taking up offers to retain her “number one” status in South films.

The actress, who returned to films after her break-up with dancing sensation Prabhu Deva, signed quite a few films that offered to showcase her talents.

She choose a Telugu film, Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum, for her come- back flick, and tasted success. She also gave the nod to Ajith Kumar’s Valai, AR Murugadoss produced Raja Rani, Idhu Kathirvelan Kadhal and a few Telugu projects.

Nayantara’s also agreed to do an item number in the forthcoming Tamil film, Ethir Neechal, which is produced by Dhanush

Tollywood actress eyeing no 1 slot

Kolkata: Happy to be cast a youth icon for a global brand, popular Tollywood actor Nusrat Jahan today said she was eyeing the top actress slot in the local industry.

"I have been considered by an Italian MNC to be the their youth icon here. Hope they watched my role in Shotru and liked it. Since I am representing the Bengali film industry, I hope to enrich my repertoire of films, in mainstream where I can connect to the people more, so that I can do justice to the icon role in real sense," Nusrat, whose debut performance was superhit Shotru by Raj Chakraborty, told reporters here.

Affirming that she was looking forward to the response to one of the biggest budget Bengali films `Khoka 420` where she played opposite Deb along with Bengali heroine Subhasree, Nusrat said, "I do want to consolidate my stay here in Bengal in two-years time. I hope to bag as many projects as possible offcourse with quality productions and there is no harm in eyeing the number one slot."

"If you say after being adjudged by Italian Blues and Blues, I will now be more familiar with the European consumer that will be a misnomer now since I have a long way to go. But since everybody nurses bigger ambitions, so am I. It all depends on your amount of good work here, with directors in mainstream as well as offbeat movies.

"I got few Bollywood offers but I had declined since I don`t believe in doing itsy-bitsy roles in such films," she said.

Nusrat, who said bags are accessories to enhance a woman`s appeal, said her challenge would be to introduce more funkier leather styles among the Tollywood audience, "with the concept of classes and masses merging in urban areas these days."

A Blue & Blues spokesman said "with more and more coming of age Bengali films hitting the screens now we would like to rope in more young members of the Tolly brigade as our youth icons in eastern India in coming days to popularise our Italian-made and styled products." 

Regina gets busy in Tollywood

The tall and pretty Regina Cassandra, who is thrilled with the response to her latest film in Tamil, director Pandiraj’s Kedi Billa Killadi Ranga (KBKR), is actually getting busier in Tollywood. While she has already done Siva Manasulo Sakthi (SMS), a remake of Siva Mansula Sakthi (Tamil), and Routine Love Story in Telugu, she has now bagged two more films.

Regina had no time to bask in the glory of KBKR, for she had to return to Hyderabad for shooting. In one of the films, she plays an MBBS student with actor Nara Rohit.The film is directed by Tatineni Satya, who has directed Bheemili Kabaddi Jattu, a remake of Vennila Kabaddi Kuzhu (Tamil), and SMS before. Regina says she is excited to be working with director Satya for the second time.

Regina’s second film is with actor Sai Dharam Tej under the Geetha Arts banner. Says Regina, “The film is yet to be titled and is directed by A S Ravikumar. I play a college girl who is also an artist. It’s a very subtle character.” For the moment, Regina is juggling her schedule for both the movies.

What’s south beauty Sharmila Mandre learning from Allari Naresh?

Kannada actress Sharmila Mandre is thoroughly enjoying working with Allari Naresh in director Devi Prasad’s film Kevvu Keka, her debut Telugu film. What did southern actress Sharmila Mandre learn from her co-star Allari Naresh while working in the upcoming Telugu romantic-comedy "Kevvu Keka"? She learned all that it takes to be comical on the screen.

"Naresh is one of the actors with impeccable timing for comedy and, therefore, working with him was not just fun but a learning experience as well. After having spent a few months with him on the project, I have learned how to be comical," Sharmila told IANS. 

"Comedy comes to him naturally and there have been so many instances on the sets when we all laughed so much. He is a natural and working with him definitely helped me to understand the genre better," she added. 

Allari Naresh is known for some of the highly successful Telugu comedies "Sudigadu", "Seema Sastri" and "Bendu Apparao RMP" among others. 

Naresh is a supportive co-actor as well. 

"I'm still learning Telugu, therefore, I find it difficult to follow most words. Thanks to Naresh, I didn't have any problem on the sets because in almost all scenes he would take effort to explain to me before we shot it," she said. 

"Not all actors take time and effort to help their co-stars, but Naresh is an exception. I thoroughly enjoyed working with him," said Sharmila. 

"Kevvu Keka", directed by Devi Prasad, is produced by Boppana Chandrasekhar. It has music by Bheems and Chinni Charan. 

"It's one of those films you can sit back and enjoy. I play a comical character called Mahalakshmi who has the habit of blurting out things to everyone because of her innocence. It's a role I haven't played before," she said. 

Queried if she enjoys comedy, Sharmila said: "Absolutely. I love watching comedy flicks whenever I find time. Of course, there have been times, I have watched serious films as well, but mostly I enjoy watching films with good amount of humour". 

The film, which is currently in post-production, is coming out in the second week of May. 

Sharmila Mandre is on the verge of signing another Telugu film.

Telugu actress Karthika rubbishes rumours on sister's behalf

Chennai: Southern actress Karthika Nair has rubbished rumours that her sister Thulasi is cast opposite veteran actor Vijaykanth's son in an upcoming Tamil film.

"Guys, the recent issue of Ananda Vikadan magazine said that Thulasi is acting with Vijaykanth sir's son is false," Karthika said in her tweet.

It was reported that Thulasi has been roped in with Shanmuga Pandian, youngest son of veteran actor-turned-politician Vijaykanth.

Thulasi recently finished shooting for upcoming Tamil action 'Yaan' alongside Jiiva, while Karthika is busy shooting for 'Brindavana', Kannada remake of Telugu blockbuster 'Brindavanam'.

Thulasi and Karthika are daughters of yesteryear Tamil actress Radha Nair.

Hansika excited and nervous!

With just a day to go by for the release of her film 'Settai' also starring Arya, Santhanam, Premji and Anjali, Hansika is very excited and at the same time nervous about the film's release on Friday (April 5). This remake of Delhi Belly is touted to be a laughter riot directed by Kannan.

The excited bubbly actress Hansika tweeted "So one more day to go for my 1st release of 2013 ! Meter rising up. And butterflies flying high ..phewwwww."

Settai's soundtrack comprises of six tracks composed by S Thaman and penned by Na Muthukumar, Thamari and Madhan Karky. The film is produced by Ronnie Screwvala and Siddharth Roy Kapoor for UTV Motion Pictures. The film will be dubbed in Telugu as Naughty Boys.

Gabbar Singh 2 will be Directed Pawan Kalyan?

Tollywood Power Star Pawan Kalyan will begin shooting for Gabbar Singh 2 from August. It is a sequel to Gabbar Singhwhich stood as block buster of the year for the year 2011.  The film will be produced byPawan Kalyan on the banner of Pawan Kalyan Creative Works and also he is the script writer the film. More details on the film are awaited.

There is a buzz that may this film will be directed by Pawan Kalyan itself. SinceHarish Shankar who directed Gabbar Singh, is busy with his current commitments directing a film with NTR. Gabbar Singh 2 will hit the floors from the month of August.

Pawan Kalyan is now busy with the shooting schedules of Trivikram Srinivas directorial in BVSN Prasad production being made on SVCC Cinema banner. Samantha and Praneetha are the heroines.

Anushka Shetty's sisters in Rani Rudramadev

Hyderabad: Much has been written and spoken about director Gunasekhar's forthcoming movie Rudramadevi 3D, which is still in the pre-production stage. The latest buzz is that actresses Nathalia Kaur and Hamsa Nandini will essay the roles of sisters of Anushka Shetty, who is playing the title role in the film. Now, experts in the T-Town are surprised to hear the news as the pages of history hardly have any hint about them. It is well-known that the film Rudramadevi 3D revolves around the story of Rudramadevi, who was the revered queen of the Kakatiya dynasty in 13th century. There are no clue about Rudramadevi's sisters in the history, but the makers say that this queen had two cousins named Annambika and Madanika, and their movie throws light on their characters too. Reports suggest that Gunasekhar had recently held auditions for the roles of Annambika and Madanika in Rudramadevi 3D and 20 popular heroines from Tollywood had taken part in it. The director finalised Nathalia Kaur and Hamsa Nandini for these roles. Nathalia will play Annambika, while Hamsa appears as Madanika. These two actresses are all excited to be part of this mega-budget period drama. However, Anushka Shetty will be seen as Rudhramadevi in this 3D bilingual historic film, which is produced and directed by Gunasekhar. Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj and Krishnam Raju will play other supporting roles. Ilaiyaraaja will compose soundtrack and background score for the film, which will have Thotta Tharani's art direction and Neeta Lulla's costumes.

Busy Shruti Haasan skips dad Kamal's film

Chennai,Apr 2:Southern actress Shruti Haasan, daughter of actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan, is so busy with multiple projects that she had to forgo an opportunity to act with her father in his upcoming Tamil directorial venture Bitter Chocolate."Right now I'm a part of six films super busy and working away! Will let you all know myself when I sign or confirm a film as I always have. I'm not a part of Bitter Chocolate with my father I'm both sad and happy to say I have no dates at the moment," Shruti Haasan posted on her Twitter page.

The actress is currently busy filming for Telugu films Balupu, Yevadu, Race Gurram and untitled project with director Harish Shankar.

She recently completed shooting for Hindi films D-Day and Ramaiya Vasta Vaiya, Hindi remake of Telugu blockbuster Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana.

Older heroes romancing younger actresses

It seems like the leading men of Bollywood have stopped to age after all. This can be credited to the fact that their leading ladies are growing younger in every film. The critics have not been kind to this trend, but it seems to be working fine in Bollywood.

Shah Rukh Khan with Deepika Padukone

He played the leading man opposite her in ‘Om Shaani Om’. It can be noted that she was just 9 years old when his super hit, ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayege’ released in 1995.

Shah Rukh Khan with Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif

In Yash Chopra’s last directorial, ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’, he romanced both these beauties. This film was an apt example of age has got nothing to do with our leading men. When questioned about the same, Shah Rukh Khan was heard saying, “The young girls like me and I like older women. See I have the best.... guys just joking.”

Salman Khan with Sonakshi Sinha

In ‘Dabanng’ and ‘Dabanng 2’, the two sizzled quite a bit on screen. When Salman’s debut film, ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’ released, Sonakshi Sinha was just 2 years old. The actress went on to say that she would have been beaten up had she ever resorted to calling him Uncle.

Aamir Khan with Anushka Sharma

Filming for their upcoming, ‘Peekay’, the age difference between them will surely take you by surprise. When he started shooting for his blockbuster hit, ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ in 1988, Anushka Sharma was not even born.

Rajnikanth with Deepika Padukone

The 26 year old Deepika has been cast opposite the 62 year old Rajnikanth in ‘Kochadaiyaan’, directed by his daughter Soundarya. However, it is being said that Rajnikanth was not too comfortable with this setting, and expressed his discomfort while shooting for the romantic song alongside her.

Akshay Kumar with Parineeti Chopra

He is 45, while she is 24. Akshay Kumar has never shied away from working with actresses from any age group. Although she was just 4 years old during the release of his breakthrough film, ‘Khiladi’, the two will be seen opposite each other in the “Thupakki” remake.

Ajay Devgn with Tamannah

Seen together in the recently released “Himmalwata”, the actress is just 23 years old and Ajay is almost 44 years. Although she is a star in the Tollywood Industry, this only her second Bollywood release.

It definitely appears that the leading men of tinsel town enjoy working with the young actresses, and this trend is here to stay.

Wicked Trailer For ZANJEER/THOOFAN With Tollywood Golden Child Ram Charan!

Indian masala will never die!

I've been a bit lax in posting new Indian films here recently, but, honestly, it's mostly because not much has moved me. That is, until now. I've been following the Zanjeer/Thoofan since it was announced. 

There are several reasons for this. First of all, the film is a remake of '70s Bollywood classic,Zanjeer, starring the archetypal "angry young man", Amitabh Bachchan in his ass-kicking prime. Secondly, the film is the Bollywood debut of one of Tollywood's biggest stars and scions, Ram Charan, son of Megastar Chiranjeevi. Cherry's second appearance on film was as the star of SS Rajamouli's (Eega) Magadheera a few years back and recently had a huge Telugu language hit on his hands with Naayak. Those two factors alone are enough to guarantee my ass in a seat on opening night!

Relatively little is known about the details of the plot, but that's common for Indian films. What is known is that the film has been shot in both Hindi and Telugu (we have the Telugu version of the trailer here, under its alternate title Thoofan), and has quite a cast of stars attached to support Ram Charan. Starring in both the Hindi and Telugu language versions are Priyanka Chopra (7 Khoon Maaf, Barfi!) and Prakash Raj (Singham, Dabanng 2, and pretty much every other Indian film in any language in need of a heavy). There is a pivotal villain role in the film, Pathan Sher Khan, that is played by Sanjay Dutt (Khalnayak, Agneepath, Munnabhai) in the Hindi version and Sri Hari (Magadheera, Brindavanam, Don Seenu).

The trailer is VERY masala heavy, which works for Ram Charan's style and is certain to hit a sweet spot for Tollywood audiences, but I am curious how it will look to the Bollywood crowd, who tend to want a bit more realism in their films. I think it looks like a lot of fun and cannot wait to check it out, but I'm a sucker for that stuff.  You decide, check out the first theatrical trailer for Zanjeer/Thoofan

Anjali opposite Venky again in Tollywood

The latest buzz in the industry is that Anjali has signed on to be part of the Telugu remake of Bol Bachchan. The actress will be seen opposite Venkatesh in the film, said to be directed by Vijay Bhaskar.

While Anjali was unavailable for comment as she was shooting, her mother confirms, "She is part of the remake of Bol Bachchan, and she has already started shooting for the film in Hyderabad. She is paired opposite Venkatesh in the film, and she's excited to be working with him again after Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu."

While Venkatesh and Ram will reprise the roles played by Ajay Devgn and Abhishekh Bachchan, we hear that the Kanimozhi girl Shahzahn Padamsee has been got on board to play the other female lead.

Prakash Raj, happy birthday!

The National Film Award-winning actor-producer-director turns 48 today

Prakash Raj was born on March 26, 1965. This versatile and hugely talented actor has acted in close to 300 films, since his debut first in Kannada cinema and getting a break in K Balachander’s Duet in 1994.

He’s grown as a performer with every film, covering the gamut from menacing, but subtle villain to endearing character roles in films such as Abhiyum Naanum, which he also produced. Prakash Raj’s talent for comedy is also remarkable and was showcased to best effect in movies like Mozhi.

Proof of his amazing ability as a natural actor are the many awards that line his shelves. He won a National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1998 for Mani Ratnam‘s Iruvar and a National Film Award for Best Actor in 2009 for his role in Kanchivaram, directed by Priyadarshan.

His roles in the Telugu films like Anthapuram, Khadgam, Nuvve Nuvve, Gangotri, Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi, Tagore and Bommarilu have won him various awards. In Tamil cinema, his award-winning performances have been in Vaanavil, Anniyan, Ghilli and Sivakasi, among others.

In Bollywood, he has played the baddie in movies like Singham, Dabangg 2 and Wanted. His upcoming films include Zanjeer and Singh Saheb The Great.

Prakash Raj has also established his credentials as a director with the Kannada movie Naanu Nanna Kanasu and Dhoni in Tamil. He’s also working on Un Samayal Arayil and Ulavacharu Biryani in Tollywood. As a producer, Prakash Raj has made a dozen films, including Mozhi and Payanam.

At present, he’s also working on Madha Gaja Raja, Boologam and the Hindi-Telugu bilingual, Zanjeer. You’d think that’ll keep him fully tied up, but Prakash Raj is also currently hosting Neengalum Vellalam Oru Kodi, the Tamil version of KBC.

Here’s wishing this super actor-director a very happy birthday!

Hollywood Hero Mahesh Babu

Tollywood Super Star Prince Mahesh Babu who is in top position in industry after hat trick hit of Dookudu, Businessman and SVSC. After Mahesh khaleja Mahesh Babu chaged his mannerism, way of talking, looks, etc in his films.

Presently Mahesh is busy shooting for his upcoming untitled film under Sukumar’s direction. Here is the latest report thatMahesh is working on body building to show 6pack body in the film. Mahesh appointedKris Gethin as his fitness trainer, for thisMahesh is paying literally 50 lakhs to Kris. Kris Gethin is fitness trainer of Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan.

Till day has Mahesh was called as Hollywood handsome hero but now on wards he is trying to appear as Hollywood action hero. Sukumar’s untitled project has started its second schedule from March 24th. Hope in this flick Mahesh will appears as Hollywood hero. 

Thoofan's First Look will be Launched Today

Ram Charan’s bollywood debut filmZanjeer which is directed by Apoorva Lakhia in bilingual version Hindi and Telugu. The title of the Telugu version of Zanjeer is Thoofan. The first look of Thoofan is going to be launched in a grand way on March 25 in Hyderabad.

Priyanka Chopra is playing Ram Charan’s romantic interest in this revenge drama andRam Charan is playing the role of a young and sincere police officer. Srihari is playing an important role in Thoofan and few weeks ago he replaced Sonu Sood in the film, who had to opt out due to an injury. Prakash Raj has been cast as the villain.

The film will mark the debut of Ram Charan in Bollywood and there’s a lot of buzz about him already. If Zanjeer’s remake turns out to be a hit, it will surely have an impact on Ram Charan’s career in Hindi and he’ll be flooded with plenty of offers. The film’s shooting is fast nearing completion and it’s expected to release later this summer. Yogi is supervising the Telugu version and Devi Sri Prasad is scoring the music. 

YVS Chowdhary Spent Rs 1 Crore on The Song

YVS Chowdhary’s upcoming film is ReyChiranjeevi’s nephew Sai Dharam Tej is making his debut as a hero with this film and it also stars Saiyami Kher andShraddha Das in lead roles. YVS Chowdhary is also producing this film under Bommarillu Vari banner.

 The film is fast nearing completion. Except for a song and some patch work, the rest of the film’s shooting has been completed. The film’s post production is also going on full swing and it has already completed editing. Currently, the dubbing process is underway.

Recently, a song was shot on Sai Dharam Tej and Saiyami Kher in Ramoji Film City and YVS Chowdhary reportedly spent Rs 1 crore on the song alone! Talking about the song, YVS Chowdhary said, “The song comes at a crucial juncture in the film and it was shot on Sai Dharam Tej, Saiyami Kher, 50 dancers and over 200 junior artists for 10 days. Brinda master was the choreographer. Art director Raghu Kulkarnai erected a beautiful set for the song.” Chakri has scored the music. The film is expected to hit the screens in May.

Venkatesh 'Shadow' to release on Ugadi

Tollywood Christopher Nolan Mehar Ramesh forth coming flick is shadowstarrer Victory Venkatesh and Taapsee in lead roles. The movie produced byParuchuri Kireeti under United Movies banner. The movie’s script was penned by Gopimohan and Kona Venkat. Shyam K. Naidu handled the cinematography.

It is a high budget movie in Venkatesh’s career till date. Movie shooting part was completed and Post production activities are still underway. This action entertainer is getting ready for a release this summer. The production team is making all efforts to release the film on Ugadi day, April 11th. The news about the release date was communicated by the production team.

Meher Ramesh has directed this movie and he has given Venkatesh a totally new look for ‘shadow’. The music of this film has been composed by Thaman.

Deepika Padukone finally got Salman Khan's attention

She began her Bollywood journey with Shah Rukh Khan in 'Om Shanti Om' but it is actor Salman Khan, who has been on the wish list of Deepika Padukone.

The actress has expressed keen interest to work with Salman in his next project 'Kick'. And guess what, after considering many female leads, it is confirmed that Sajid Nadiadwala has finally signed Deepika Padukone in the Salman Khan starrer.

Finally some hard work from Deepika paid off!

Deepika has sent several feelers and text messages to Salman trying to bag the role in his film ‘Kick’.

The actress is not shying away from the fact that working with Salman Khan is on her priority list. She has gone on record saying she wants to work with Salman.  The dedicated actress is ready to shuffle her dates to be a part of the movie.

Producer Sajid wants Deepika to block four months (from August-November) for 'Kick', but due to her other commitments, she can only offer dates in slots of 10 to 15 days at a time.

Currently Deepika is tied up with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film ‘Ram Leela’ and Rohit Shetty's 'Chennai Express' with SRK. Her 'Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani' with Ranbir is in the promotional leg now.

Earlier Priyanka Chopra's name was floating to star opposite Salman in 'Kick'. Though Priyanka is close to Salman's sister, she is also close to arch rival Shah Rukh Khan. And Salman would never dream of renewing his friendship with anyone who is close to Shah Rukh.

So there’s no project happening with Salman and Priyanka in the lead.

Other than Priyanka Chopra, ‘Barfi!’ girl Ileana D’Cruz who played the lead in the Telugu original of ‘Kick’ opposite Ravi Teja, was also being considered for sharing screen space with the ‘Dabangg’ Salman Khan.

Even producer Sajid Nadiadwala felt Ileana would fit the bill in the Hindi version, but Salman was quite keen to rope in Padukone for the film.

Deepika's athletic background and fitness regime helped her bag the role as the leadinig lady might have to perform some heavy duty martial arts and stunts.

Hamsa Nandini special song in Nag's Bhai

Hamsa Nandini

Looks like actress Hamsa Nandini is on a "special song" spree. After sizzling in the title track of the Prabhas starrer Mirchi recently, the dusky siren is all set to shimmy and shake in a special song for Nagarjuna's forthcoming film, Bhai. "I always dreamt of sharing screen space with Nag. So when the makers of Bhai approached me for the song, I was more than happy to be a part of it," shares the actress who has been shooting for the number in the city for the last couple of days.

"It's a peppy wedding number, composed by Devi Sri Prasad. I make a small appearance during a wedding episode in the movie," reveals Hamsa Nandini. Veerabhadram is directing the movie, which stars Nagarjuna and Richa Gangopadhyay in the lead roles.

Cops catch Naveen with ‘AK 47’

• 
  Naveen Chandra.

He was born in Hyderabad and has lived in Karnataka, but his mother tongue is Tamil. The youngster, who debuted with Palaniappa Kalloori in Tamil, went on to make a name for himself in Tollywood with Andala Rakshasi (AR). Now Naveen Chandra is back with a bilingual titled Koottam, where he plays a Naxalite.

So real was Naveen’s Naxal look in the film that, at one point, the police caught his car at a check post along with his dummy AK 47, thinking he was a real Naxalite! It was only when the unit car came to his rescue that he was let off!

Speaking to CE, Naveen discloses, “I always wanted to be part of Tamil films because more realistic films are made here. I am so glad I got this opportunity to work with Jeevan Reddy in Koottam. I play a Naxalite who returns to the city, and the problems he faces is the story.” The film is based on real life incidents from the 90s, when a group of seven Naxalites returned to the city.

Though the entry was easy, the role was tough. Naveen shot in Naxal-infested areas for 21 days. “At one point, we learnt that the real Naxals had been observing our shoot from close quarters! They revealed that they had apprehensions about how they were being portrayed, but were satisfied after watching our shoot! That was a scary moment,” recalls Naveen.

Coffee shops have had a huge role to play in Naveen’s life. The opportunity to act in AR, with which he became a acclaimed hero, first came to him at a coffee shop. He grins, “I was at a coffee shop when the writer of the film spotted me. He liked my rugged looks and beard, which were apt for the role. My acting entry into Tollywood was that much easier.” As luck would have it, during the final day of shoot for AR, Naveen was sipping coffee at the Irani Tea Café when director Jeevan Reddy spotted him. “I kept going there regularly for five days and Jeevan had observed my body language without my knowledge and felt I would suit the Naxal character. So that’s how the offer came to me for Koottam,” grins Naveen.

-->

Ramana Gogula turns a lyricist

Ramana Gogula

Some technicians are quite popular in Tollywood for their films and association with Powerstar Pawan Kalyan. The likes of director Karunakaran, and compose Ramana Gogulacome under this category. Here is a talk about them. 

After a brief hiatus, composer Ramana Gogula is coming back to Tollywood to score music. Everyone thought that this will happen through Pawan's movie, but director Teja is the first one to help Ramana Gogula start his second innings. For the upcoming '1000 Abaddalu' movie, Gogula is composing tunes and not stopping there he is also writing a song in that movie. Many say that his lyrics are really beautiful and soon he might get few song writing opportunities in Tollywood. 

Ramana Gogula however looks quite excited to say that he is waiting for Powerstar to call him. If he could bag an opportunity for Pawan's upcoming movie, then Tollywood might get a chance to listen to his wonderful compositions again.

Tollywood Manmadhudu as Bhai

Nagarjuna in and as Bhai which is directed by Veerabhadram Chowdary. The progress of shooting is at a rapid pace and a wedding set is erected at Annapurna seven acres for canning the important scenes of the film as per the tollywood buzz.

Nagarjuna himself is the producer of this comedy entertainer with mafia backdrop under the banner of Annapurna Studios with musical scores by Devi Sri Prasad. Cinematography by Sameer Reddy. Bhai is likely to reach the entertainment levels ofHello Brother film which is a hilarious entertainer.

Nagarjuna is pairing up for the first time with actress Richa Gangopadhyaya in Bhai. While Sonu Sood is playing the negative lead, Nathalia Kaur is sizzling for a special song.

Tamanaah refuses to don a bikini for Himmatwala!

Mumbai: South star Tamanaah, who has been roped in for Himmatwala opposite Ajay Devgn, has reportedly denied donning bikini for a scene. The gorgeous beauty has made some limits for her and she remains constraint into it.

Locking lips, doing sex scenes or wearing skimpy attire like bikini is now common in Bollywood films but for Tamannah, doing such bold acts are like breaching the boundaries.

The mega budget film Himmatwala is the remake of Hindi film with the same name. 

Tamanaah has few Tollywood projects in her hand and she will commence it after wrapping up the shoot for Himmatwala.

Tamanaah will be seen in Telugu remake of Tamil film Vettai and will also play lead in a Tamil film with Ajith.


First look: Jwala Gutta in debut film

Badminton player Jwala Gutta has switched gears and is ready for her first film stint! Here's the first look of her Tollywood movie Gunde Jaari Gallanthayyinde, where she is dolled up for a special song. The song is scheduled to release next month. Jwala Gutta will be seen opposite actor Nithin Reddy in the film. 

The pictures show the ace Badminton player shaking a leg with the lead actor. The 29-year-old is looks stunning in a short blue dress and it seems that she has the right attitude too!

About Jwala Gutta
Jwala Gutta is a left-handed Indian badminton player of mixed Indian and Chinese descent who has won the National Badminton Championships thirteen times until 2010. She is a doubles badminton player who has partnered with Shruti Kurien and later Ashwini Ponnappa. She was the wife of Chetan Anand, an Arjuna Awardee; however, the two divorced in 2011.

Pawan Kalyan brings great intensity to the screen: Pranitha

A Kannadiga by origin, her first brush withTollywood came in 2010, when she saw Mahesh Babu's Pokiri. Pranitha was incidentally, poised to play the lead in the Kannada remake of the movie, titled Poriki. "I have this special connect with Tollywood, some kind of a Karmic connection. When I saw the original for reference, little did I know then that I'd be acting in a Telugu film next, that too playing a village belle, dressed in a langa voni all the time. It was great fun," recalls Pranitha, who broke in to Tollywood with Em Pillo Em Pillado followed by Baava soon after.

It was however, a rather forgettable start to her Tollywood innings as both the movies turned out to be BO duds, but she doesn't look at it that way. "I signed onto a microblogging site recently and to my surprise, most of my followers are Telugu fans. They still remember me as the girl in Baava. It's nice to know people remember my performance," she says.

If her next Telugu movie lives up to its blockbuster billing, the chances are, Pranitha's stocks in T-town would hit roof. She's paired opposite Pawan Kalyan in director Trivikram Srinivas's next, and is all gung ho about it. "It's one of those once in a lifetime opportunities for me to be sharing the screen with a star of the stature of Pawan Kalyan, and I jumped at it. The intensity that he brings to the screen is incredible, he's a phenomenal performer," she says.

Pranitha adds, "It's a complete family entertainer and I am playing a very sweet, girl-next-door character in the movie." This movie is just one of the four films that she's acting in currently.

She is shooting simultaneously for three Kannada films as well. "I've been getting a lot of offers from the Tamil film industry as well, but I have put them on hold to complete my present commitments," says Pranitha who claims to be fluent in all three languages — Telugu, Tamil and Kannada. "Being a south Indian, I think it was easier for me to pick-up the languages on the go. I think proficiency in language helps greatly with acting," she says. Being the only daughter of her parents (both doctors), acting began as "a summer vacation thing," for her.

"My parents weren't very excited about the idea, to say the least. They never even watched movies. But I convinced them to let me try it just once. It was summer vacation time and they agreed. It turned out to be a great experience and they have turned into big movie buffs now," she shares.

Movie offers forced her to discontinue college, but she's pursuing her graduation through distance education. However, she's not very comfortable talking about it. "Please don't mention this. It's a very age-revealing thing you see," quips the 20-something actress.

Double whammy for Eega

SS Rajamouli’s Eega won two National awards which were dominated by Hindi, Malayalam and Marathi cinema this year.

S S Rajamouli’s Eega has ended the four year drought for Telugu cinema at National Awards in the ‘Best Feature Film in Telugu’ category. Narasimha Nandi’s 1940 Lo Oka Gramam was the last Telugu film to win an award in this category back in 2008 and after a long gap, Eega has been acknowledged as the Best Feature Film in Telugu. The icing on the cake, for Eega, was winning an award for ‘Best Special Effects’. Makuta VFX, headed by Pete Draper, had supervised the visual effects in the film. Incidentally, this is the second film in SS Rajamouli’s career to have won the Best Special Effects award after Magadheera.

Over the past few years, except for one or two awards once in a while, Telugu films have hardly won any awards at national level. Last year, not a single film won an award and in 2010, only Advaitham and Pistulya had won awards in Best Educational film and Best First non-feature film categories. Although Eega is the only Telugu film to have won awards this year, the fact that it was one of the most popular films of 2012 has brought a big smile on everyone’s faces. Pete Draper, who’s currently in England, tweeted, “Makuta wins National Award for VFX for “Eega”! Congrats to all of our guys & gals and all of the external suppliers who worked on it  (sic).” Few other actors, critics and filmmakers applauded Rajamouli and his team before adding that the film deserved more awards. “Eega deserved many more national awards…having said that, hats off to the cgi guys for doing such an amazing job. Well deserved. Proud!(sic),” Siddharth said, whereas Nani, who played one of the roles in Eega, tweeted, “Best special effects and best regional film … Very happy  ..but u deserve more Captain !(sic).” Popular film critic Rajeev Masand came out in support for Eega saying, “National Awards: Thrilled that ‘Eega’ won Best Telugu film and Best Special Effects. Deserved more if you ask me! (sic)”

The 60th National Awards, which were announced yesterday, were completely dominated by Hindi, Malayalam and Marathi films. Paan Singh Tomar won the Best Feature Film Award and Vicky Donor, Usthad Hotel (Malayalam) won the Best Film for Wholesome Entertainment awards. Irrfan Khan and Vikram Gokhale shared the Best Actor award for their performances in Paan Singh Tomar in Hindi and Anmati in Marathi respectively. Shivaji Lotan Patil won the Best Director award for Dhaag and Usha Jhaadav won the Best Actress award for the same Marathi film. Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam won couple of awards including Best Choreography and Best Production design. India’s Oscar entry Barfi! was completely snubbed.

Interestingly, there was no clear consensus in several categories and several categories had joint winners. On the whole Malayalam films won 11, Marathi films bagged eight awards and Hindi films won 21 awards out of the 31 categories.

Not even water for fans...

In film-crazy Andhra Pradesh, there have been several untoward incidents over the years on the first day of a film. But it’s the first time a fan has died during the audio launch of a film.

Poor Raju had travelled for miles, only to lose his life trying to get a glimpse of his favourite stars. The event was the audio launch of Baadshah — attended by industry icons including director Rajamouli.

What is the reason behind such chaotic scenes at functions involving film stars? Is it the growing number of fan clubs, or are producers, who want big turnouts at all events, to blame? Also, are stars themselves responsible?

And let the world not pretend the functions were easy for thousands of onlookers. There were signs of alarm all along. Crowd management was a problem at a function of Seethmma Vakitlo, but nothing untoward happened. Then there was a near stampede at a Mirchi event. Finally, at the Baadshah function, a fan died while trying to force his entry into the venue.

“It’s the carelessness of top producers that causes such overcrowding. They ask us to bring 500 fans from each district but on the day of the event, the producer gives us just 50 to 100 passes. Many fans are stranded outside the venue.  What do you expect them to do, go back?” asked Swamy Naidu, president of Chiranjeevi Fans Association.

Interestingly, Andhra Pradesh has the highest number of fan clubs in the country — hundreds more than the next film-crazy state, Tamil Nadu.

Chiranjeevi family itself has over 7,500 clubs, whereas, there are more than 5,500 clubs for the Nandamuris, Mahesh Babu has 4,000 clubs and Prabhas has 1,000. Hence, the demand for passes to events is very high and the producers are unable to meet that particular demand, or even security at the events. 

Even as messages of regret trickle in, producers seem to be confused about what to do.

“We truly regret the death of the fans, but sometimes a huge turnout makes things very difficult. Seating everywhere is limited hence it’s difficult to let in more people than the venue’s capacity,” said producer Bandla Ganesh.

“It’s due to the organisers’ negligence,” claimed Kasim, president of the Nandamuri Fans Association. “Fans get excited when they are told that the star has invited them. We spend money and time to reach venue but most times, the poor treatment meted out to us pains us. I personally advice fans to stay back at home or be sure about their safety if they want to attend such functions.”

“Producers don’t even arrange for water for the fans. They put us in open enclosures and we have to stand for four-five hours to watch the event and cheer. Producers show no respect to the fans, who make their events a grand success,” said an office-bearer of a star fan club who declined to be named.

Also, it has been rumored that police is  mulling a stop on such events. Wonder what the future holds for the most hardcore moviegoers — the ones spending the money.