Monday, January 28, 2013

SC Bose’s body guard dies in Nowshera

ust a day after the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Subash Chander Bose, his body guard, a retired Havaldar Kahan Dass, 91, passed away at Nowshera, last evening.
Soldier of Azad Hind Fouj and body guard of Subash Chander Bose who fought Second World War in 1945 in Britain, Baghdad, Malaysia and Singapore, he died of cardiac arrest last evening. The body was cremated amid presence of hundreds of people here today.
Kahan Singh was born in village Baliwale tehsil Palendri now in Pakistan and was presently living in village Bagnoti tehsil Nowshera. 
While expressing shock over the death of soldier, social worker Pardeep Sharma criticised the army for not giving guard of honour to the freedom fighter who fought for freedom of India to get rid of 150 years of British rule.

Tickets from Jan 30 for 'Kadal'


February is  really expected month of this year. And the major reason for that is because of Mani Ratnam's 'Kadal' and Bejoy Manbiar's 'David' which are scheduled to be released on the 1st of February. Both the films are widely expected among the audience while the audio has already gone viral among the youngsters. And especially with AR Rahman for 'Kadal', the songs have already topped the chart busters.
Newspapers of Jan 28 has advertised about the advance booking for Kadal which is to be open from the 30th of Jan.
On the other hand, the distributors of Kadal are facing hard times for booking theaters as most of them have Vishwaroopam at big screens. Resultantly, 'Kadal' has been offered with smaller screens. Even single screens in Tamil Nadu also do not seem to have confirmed any screens.  'Kadal' will be facing problems unless there are clarifications for 'Vishwaroopam'.

Thulasi Nair is superb and Gautham is a born actor...


In an interview to a leading magazine, the lead pair of Mani Ratnam’s Kadal, Gautham Karthik and Thulasi Nair sang praises of each other. While the young lady, who is still in her teens, said that Gautham is born to be an actor, the son of Karthik claims Thulasi Nair is just superb.

Adding more spice to his statement, Karthik Jr. recollects that Thulasi used to bring out her humour sense every time he was in stress and it seems the pretty girl even took care of Gautham when he was a bit sick.
 
Kadal will hit the screens on the 1st of February alongside, Mani Ratnam’s own assistant, Bejoy Nambiar’s film, David starring Vikram, Jiiva, Tabu, Isha Sharvani and Nassar.

I didn’t know Thulasi was going to kiss me- Gautham


The young leads of Mani Ratnam’s Kadal, Gautham Karthik and Thulasi Nair are extremely busy, not because of their shooting schedules, but busy giving away interviews to all the media houses. In one such interview the leads opened up about the romantic smooch that is seen in the trailer.

Gautham Karthik claims that he didn’t know that Thulasi was going to kiss him. “That was between Mani sir and Thulasi,” adds Gautham. He turned white with shock when the bubbly lasso kissed her and Mani Ratnam was pretty happy with the stumped look in Gautham’s face, as that was what the director was expecting.

Thevar Book Centre


Thevar Book Centre, Netaji Road, Madurai

Phone: 0452 - 6527911
127 
Netaji RoadMadurai -625001
Area: Netaji Road

Devar TV - New Tamil Channel coming Soon

[Image: DEVAR-TV-fbad.png]

Devar TV - New Tamil Channel coming Soon. The pooja for the channel launch was held on jan 24th and the channel will be started soon according to news on their site.

By banning 'Vishwaroopam', we're risking ban against all creators: P Bharathiraja


The ban on Kamal Haasan's 'Vishwaroopam' could very likely pull away other creators from going forward freely, says veteran Tamil filmmaker P. Bharathiraja.
"The problem Kamal is facing today is not just his own, but may very likely become a problem for all other creators of this country. This only proves that there is no unity between us," Bharathiraja said in a statement Saturday.
The Tamil and Telugu versions of 'Vishwaroopam', which deals with the adversities of war, was scheduled to release Friday, but the Tamil Nadu government Wednesday imposed curbs on it following protests from Muslim groups.
By banning 'Vishwaroopam', we're risking ban against all creators: P Bharathiraja
"At this juncture, Kamal needs our support and wants us to help him fight for justice. We should lend a helping hand," added Bharathiraja, who was one among the few to have watched the film even before its release in a private screening.
"It is sad to see such kind of reaction from a small section of the people. I've watched the film and I know for a fact that Kamal has made a Tamil film on par with Hollywood standards. We should celebrate such a rare feat than opposing it", added the 71-year-old.
'Vishwaroopam' was banned by the state government for two weeks when around 25 Muslim organisations objected to the film on the ground that it portrays the community in bad light.
A day later, the Madras High Court restricted the film's release till Jan 28. A judge will see the movie Saturday and decided on its fate.
Following the ban, actors such as Rajinikanth and Ajith Kumar opposed the ban against the film and urged Muslim outfits to allow peaceful release of the film.
On Friday, superstar Rajinikanth had said: "Kamal and I have been friends for over 40 years and I know personally for a fact that he wouldn't hurt the sentiments of anybody let alone Muslims".
Rajinikanth made the above statement after Haasan screened the film few days back for some members from the Muslim organisations.
Ajith, in favour of the movie's release, said, "Don't we respect the words secularism and democracy anymore or these words have merely become adjectives for our nation?"
'Vishwaroopam', in Tamil and Telugu was scheduled to release Friday, but was only released in places like Kerala and few parts of Hyderabad.
The film, which also features Pooja Kumar, Andrea Jeremiah, Rahul Bose, Shekhar Kapur and Jaideep Ahlawat, was also banned in Andhra Pradesh Friday by the state government.
Its Hindi version 'Vishwaroop' is slated to release Feb 1.

A classic recall


The Tamil film Maragatham was made in 1959 by S.M. Sriramulu Naidu at Pakshiraja Studios, a jewel in the crown of cinema in Coimbatore
Kungumapoovey konjupuravey… sings Chandrababu. He likens his sweet heart to kungumapoo (saffron) and the peace-loving konjupuravey (a dove). The song from Tamil film Maragatham is remembered by film lovers even today. So is Chandrababu’s singing, and his extraordinary dance ‘stunts’. Maragatham — Karunkuyil Kunrathu Kolai made by movie mogul, S.M. Sriramulu Naidu at his Pakshiraja Studios is based on a crime novel by T.S.D. Sami in the 1920s. Sivaji Ganesan, Padmini and Sandhya (Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s mother) acted in it. The film recalls a time when cinema thrived in Coimbatore. “The song kept the film alive,” says Pon. Chandran of Konangal. ‘Kungamapoovey’ has a modern touch and Chandrababu renders the song in bass style which in itself is a revolution, he adds.
In Maragatham, a zamindar is murdered and his innocent brother (Balachandar) and his wife (Sandhya) are blamed. Sivaji Ganesan plays a prince, and Padmini, his lover. The lovers get separated and reunite when the murderer is revealed. “The film, made 50 years ago, has a gripping narration style and is engaging even today. It runs for two hours and 70 minutes. But, we enjoy it because of the treatment of the subject, and its presentation,” Says Chandran. He rates Maragatham as one of the fine examples of an adaptation of a pulp fiction.
The film, shot at Pakshiraja Studios, also features some iconic buildings of Coimbatore. One of them is Ratnalaya, located on the North-East corner of Race Course, adjacent to Abdul Rahim Road. It is named after Ratnammal, mother of A.T. Devaraj Mudaliar, who owned the building. “It appears in the film as the house of the British resident,” says film enthusiast Rajesh Govindarajulu. “An art deco bungalow, it has two floors, a lift, a palatial verandah, and beautiful door frames that exist even today.”
One of the zamindari palaces shown in the film is the Rajalakshmi Mills bungalow in Singanallur. “It happens to be the house of B. Rangasamy Naidu, the founder of Rajalakshmi Mills. He also purchased the Central Studios in 1939. The house had the best of furniture and utilities in those days,” Rajesh adds. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University also appears in the film. “TNAU is existent from 1910, the Race Course bungalow belongs to the 1920s and the Rajalakshmi bungalow was built in 1940. They feature in the film and are heritage structures.”
Preview shows
In the 50s, a number of eminent people were invited by S.M. Sriramulu Naidu to watch films at the preview theatre in the studio. “Renowned textile scientist V.R. Sivakumar watched the film with his grandfather R.K. Venkatachalam. My father K. Govindarajulu, recalls going to the studios to watch shoots of Maragatham and the song ‘Kungumapoovey’,” Rajesh shares.
D. Ratnavel of Royal Theatre also watched the film at the preview theatre. He recalls it as being a long film, but one that was well made. “R. Rammohan, grandson of R.K. Ramakrishnan who founded Central Studios also recalls watching the shooting for Maragatham. Rammohan is over 60 years old. He named his dog ‘Frank’ after the tiger which featured in Sabaramalai Ayyappan, the first ever film on Ayyappan made in Pakshiraja Studios. He remembers playing with the tiger,” recounts Rajesh.
Murasoli Maran was the dialogue writer and much-feted for his work in the film. “Chandrababu was at his zenith . He always appeared with the main actors in lead roles. His style of comedy and body language has inspired a generation of actors, including Nagesh, Thengaai Srinivasan, and Suruli Rajan who came much later,” he adds.
Rajesh says Maragatham is a period film. “For example, the horse-drawn coaches were shown with vensaamarai, big hand-held fans to provide breeze to the zamindaars.” Sandhya fit the role of a zamindari woman with finesse and elegance. She was always well-dressed with flowers in her hair. Padmini, at the peak of her career, gave a superlative performance. And, Sivaji Ganesan was extraordinary. “He was all of 32 years and portrayed romance subtly. The romance between Sivaji Ganesan and Padmini, the yearning, the separation and the reunion was tastefully portrayed. It highlighted trust in love.”
The title also deserves a mention. Maragatham, the green stone is colourful, attractive, expensive, delicate and considered a natural accompaniment to diamonds. “We enjoy the subtle and calmness of the film with all the elements of suspense even today. That is why it is a classic.” The film was screened as part of Coimabtore Vizha at DJ Conference Hall, CII building, that is located near the Pakshiraja Studios where the film was shot. It is called Vignesh Mahal now.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Subhas Chandra Bose (Profile)

Born: January 23, 1897

Place: Cuttack, Orissa

Nationality: Indian

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in an Indian freedom fighter.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose studied at Stewart School, Cuttack.

Graduation: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose persuaded his B.A. in philosophy in 1918 from Scottish Church College affiliated with University of Calcutta.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose became general secretary of the Congress party in the year 1927. 

Netaji became the Mayor of Calcutta in 1930.

Netaji originated All India Forward Bloc on January 22, 1939.

On 4 July 1944, Bose's most famous quote was "Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom!" In this, he urged the people of India to join him in his fight against the British rulers.

Azad Hind Fauj was founded on September 1, 1942.

Indian National Army was organized by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

On August 18, 1945, it is to be believed that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was died in a plane crash at Taiwan while going to Tokyo and then the Soviet Union.

Subhash Chandra Bose's driver to get freedom fighter status Read more at: http://news.oneindia.in/2013/01/23/netajis-driver-to-get-freedom-fighter-status-1135940.html

The wait for 107-year-old Nizamuddin, who claims to be a close aide, guard and driver of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, could well be over as district administration has now initiated the process of giving him the status of freedom fighter. Born in Dhakwa village of Mubarkpur area in 1901, 'Colonel' Nizamuddin was honoured today by the District Magistrate Azamgarh on the occasion of Netaji's Jayanti. The DM Pranjal Yadav said the documents available with Col Nizamuddin are enough to help him get the status of freedom fighter and with the completion of some formalities "it would be done at the earliest". According to Nizamuddin, his father Imam Ali used to run a canteen in Singapore and at the age of around 24-25, he fled from his native village here to the country. At that time, Netaji was recruiting youngsters for his Azad Hind Fauj in Singapore and he also joined it, said Nizamuddin. Netaji was impressed with my dedication and later appointed me as his personal guard and driver and for the next 10 years I remained with him, Nizamuddin claimed. Wherever he went, be it Tokio, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia or Singapore or planned his moves against the British rulers Nizamuddin remained by his side. The close aide of Netaji claimed that as the British had launched a manhunt to nab Bose, he undertook most of his trips via sea route travelling in submarines. "If required, he also travelled by a 12-cylinder vehicle, a gift, driven by me," Nizamuddin claimed. "I reached Dum Dum airport from Rangoon in 1950 and also visited his Kolkata residence and tried to look for Netaji but to no avail after which I returned to Burma," he claimed. Nizamuddin said that he returned to his native village in Azamgarh along with his family on June 5, 1969 and started living there. Later in 2001, Nizamuddin disclosed his identity but had to wait for another 12 years for the administration and government to acknowledge it.

WB govt, Subhas Chandra Bose's party clash on Netaji's birth anniversary


The Mamata Banerjee government courted controversy on the 116th birth anniversary celebrations ofNetaji Subhas Chandra Bose on Wednesday by changing the traditional venue and proposing to erect a monument to him, which was slammed by the AIFB, the party founded by the great patriot.
"We will erect a monument in Netaji's name on 4-5 kothas of land whatever is available," Banerjee said at the official programme which was shifted to Netaji Bhavan from Netaji's statue on the Maidan.
She said besides the monument at Kodalia in South 24 Parganas, Netaji's house there, which was in bad shape, would be restored and given heritage status with the work expected to be completed by January 22 next year.
All India Forward Bloc state secretary octogenarian Ashok Ghosh strongly condemned the decision to shift the traditional venue and erect a monument to Netaji.
"Former chief minister BC Roy had offered to build a monument in memory of Netaji, but our party leader late Hemanta Basu opposed the idea on the ground that there was no evidence or proof of Netaji's death," Ghosh told reporters.
"Our party's opposition still stands," he said.
Party leader HA Sairani said "the chief minister has announced to build a monument to Netaji, but the onus is on her to prove that he died."
Slamming the state government, Ghosh said "There was no need to change the venue of Netaji's birthday celebrations. Why did they do it? Why did you (chief minister) not attend this programme? Whom did you insult?"
The Forward Bloc leader said that Left Front chairman Biman Bose recently wrote a letter to the chief minister suggesting a joint programme by the government and the Netaji Janmotsav Committee to celebrate Netaji's birthday, but there was no response from her.
"The chief minister did not bother to discuss with us. I am shocked. By shifting the venue of Netaji birthday programme she has created a precedence," Ghosh said.
Sairani alleged that no arrangement was made at the traditional venue and Ghosh had to personally to supervise arrangements at the last moment yesterday.

Remembering the proud son of India, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary


“ Tum Mujhe Khoon Do, Mai Tumhe Aazadi Doonga 


Dear Friends,
These were not ordinary words but these were words that energized an entire nation! With the call of “Give me your blood and I will give you freedom” one man challenged the might of an empire and inspired a nation to join hands to free itself from the shackles of ImperialismThis man was none other than Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, to whom we pay our richest tributes on his birth anniversary today.
When we remember the glorious history of India’s freedom struggle, the name of Netaji Bose is marked in golden letters. His name is edged in the hearts and minds of every Indian. The nation remembers Subhash Babu as a brave soldier who devoted his entire life to his country, so that his fellow brothers and sisters breathe the air of freedom, liberty and dignity. Netaji’s organizational skills and leadership qualities were impeccable. He has the distinction of both working with Mahatma Gandhi as well as embracing revolutionary nationalism through armed struggle.
Once again, I pay my heartfelt tributes to Subhash Babu on his birth anniversary. Subhash Babu’s patriotic spirit continues to inspire generations of Indians across the length and breadth of our Motherland.

Collecting Subhash Chandra Bose memorabilia is a passion for this lawyer


Rare photographs of Subhash Chandra Bose have been collected painstakingly for over three decades by a lawyer who idolises Netaji since childhood and has turned his home into a private museum at Badahaat area in this town in Odisha's Kendrapara district.
The great leader shaking hands with Adolf Hitler, his broadcast to the nation, his visit to the infamous Cellular jail in the Andamans, Rash Behari Bose handing over the baton of the Indian National Congress president ship to him and sharing private moments with his family, figure in the collection of 45-year-old Mohammad Mustaque.
"Children adore Bollywood heroes, but since childhood I was a fan of Netaji. His magnetic personality drew me to know more and more about him. Later on, I began to collect everything on him that I could possibly lay my hands on," Mustaque said.
"It was quite a task to collect the photographs. I had to part with hard earned money. From bookshops at College street in Kolkata to various individuals in the state, my search for Netaji memorabilia still continues. I feel my labour has been worth it," he said proudly.
Besides photographs, his collect

100s of secret documents related to Subhash Chandra Bose laying in PMO


Hundreds of declassified documents related to the death of netaji Subhash Chandra Bose  are laying in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and various spy agencies in India, allegdes the family of Netaji and researchers.
The family is demanding to make these documents- laying in the shelves of government offices- to be made available to public, so that everyone can come to know the real reason behind the death of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
Researcher and author, Anuj Dhar said that there could be over 100s of document laying with the government, which could shed some light on the reason behind the death of the revolutionary.
He said that over 33 files are laying with the PMO, where as the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has unknown number of documents containing facts about the death.
He countered that if government believes that Netaji died in 1945, why is the government not revealing these documents.
The Mukherjee commission set up to investigate the death of Netaji denied that the ashes kept in the Japanese temple are that of Netaji.
Meanwhile, the only daughter of Netaji, Anita Pfaff believes that Netaji was not granted the right place in history. She said that many people were jealous of Netaji. She felt that Netaji was sidelined and 'personal jealousy' could be a major reason this.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was born on January 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa. He was one of the most prominent Indian nationalist leaders who attempted to gain India's independence from British rule by force during the waning years of World War II with the help of the Axis powers.
It was reported that Bose died soon thereafter from third degree burns received after attempting to escape in an overloaded Japanese plane which crashed in Taiwan.
On the occasion of his 116th birth anniversary, the entire nation is paying its tribute to one of the greatest leaders in modern India.

Govt not willing to solve mystery of Subhas Chandra Bose's death: MM Joshi


BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi on Wednesday said the government was not willing to solve the mystery surroundingNetaji Subhas Chandra Bose's death and there was no proof that he had died in the 1942 air crash.
"The situation in which his (Netaji) death took place is still wrapped in mysteries... I can say with complete responsibility that there is no proof that Netaji died in that plane crash. We have proof for that," Joshi said here.
He was delivering the Seventh Netaji Subhash Memorial Lecture in New Delhi at FICCI on the occasion of his birth anniversary.
"People in Taipei (site of the air crash) say no such plane crash took place and no such person was admitted in their hospital and there was no such cremation. But government is repeatedly saying that these are his (Netaji's) ashes," he said.
He also said the country has the right to know what happened toNetaji if he did not die in that plane crash.
"There is no full-proof evidence of Netaji dying in that plane crash and the question as to what happened to him after that remains there. The country has the right to know what happened to him after that. Where did he go after that and what did Government of India do to find him," Joshi said.
The lecture was organised by a society founded by veterans of Indian National Army (INA).
"No country insults its freedom fighters the way this country is doing with Netaji... They (government) are not ready to conduct any test, not ready to go ahead of Mongolia. They are not ready to correspond and get letters from Russian archaeologists," Joshi claimed.
Recalling the efforts of Netaji, he said, "He had founded the first government of undivided India in exile but the country is always shy of honouring his achievements."
Netaji allegedly died in a plane crash at Taihoku in (Taipei), Taiwan, in August 1945 while en route to Tokyo and then Soviet Union.

Kamal Haasan's Vishwaroopam release stopped in Tamil Nadu as Muslim protests rage


Kamal Haasan’s much-aw­a­i­ted, and controversial, Vishwaroopam will not be released as promised this Friday.
 
The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday decided to ‘suspend’ its re­lease by a fortnight fearing violent backlash from Mus­lim outfits that alleged it portrayed their community as one breeding terror and demanded its ban.
 
Understanding the gravity of the issue, chief minister J. Jayalalithaa rushed to the secretariat almost im­m­ediately after returning from Kodanadu and held a high-level meeting with senior ministers and top police and law officers. 
 
So­urces said officers brie­fed her about the angry demonstrations by some Muslim outfits in Chennai and elsewhere in the state demanding ban on Viswaroopam; there was a special reference to the violent attack by Muslims on the U.S. Consulate General in the city in September last year protesting against an American short-documentary called ‘Innocence of Muslim’ which allegedly portrayed the Prophet in poor light.
 
Following this meeting, sources said the government decided to suspend the screening of Vishwa­ro­opam by two weeks. Orders would be issued by the various district collectors and police commissioners to reach the movie halls Thurs­day.
 
“We have not received any official communication about the suspension of Viswaroopam’s release, so we cannot commentt”, a spokesperson for Kamal Haasan said.
 
Kamal movies get negative publicity
 
Controversy might as well be his middle name. Kamal Haasan, well known for being a creator par excellence is also famous for triggering controversies in his movies.
 
While he aspires to give path-breaking movies, controversy seems determined to tag along. The list kicks off with Devar Magan, continues with Hey Ram and Virumaandi and now Vishwaroopam is in news for the wrong reasons. 
 
 In 1992, while Thevar Magan got into trouble for allegedly portraying the ‘Thevar’ community, a dominant caste in South Tamil Nadu, and identifying them with glorified violence, Virumaandi in 2004 was embroiled in controversy for similar reasons. The film, which was originally titled ‘Sandiyar’, drew flack and the team was forced to change it to ‘ Virumaandi’. 
 
The title, with its connotations of heroism of the Thevar clan, prompted protests by dalit organisations. The film was talked about for its controversial theme. The film even had problems while Kamal began shooting for it as he was denied police protection to shoot in Theni, a district infamous for its caste clashes between Thevar-dalit castes. 
 
Even before its release in theatres, Hey Ram, Kamal Haasan’s ambitious venture in 2000 came under serious criticism, especially by the Congress party for reportedly hurting public sentiment and showing Mahatma Gandhi in bad light. Protests were held throughout the country, screens were burnt down or pelted with stones and even the audience was attacked in places.
 
In the case of Vishwaroopam, several Muslim organisations in the city have pushed for banning the movie as they feel it would affect the 'social harmony of the state'. It may be noted that even earlier, Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Associ­ation (TNTOA) and Tamil Nadu Film Distributors Federation decided to cancel the screening of the film because Kamal wanted to release the film in Direct-To-Home (DTH) first.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

State to get first Kallar reclamation school for girls

 The city is all set to get its first kallar reclamation school exclusively for girl students. State officials have already begun work to start the construction of the building in the precincts of the existing Government Kallar Higher Secondary School in rural Checkanurani. 

"Chief minister J Jayalalithaa has allocated Rs 2.02 crore for construction of the building and an additional Rs 20 lakh for the lab facility and for the purchase of sport equipment," said S Chellam, joint director of kallar reclamation. 

Though there are more than 280 kallar reclamation schools already functioning in the three districts of Madurai, Theni and Dindigul, this is the first time a kallar reclamation school exclusively for girls will be constructed in the state. 

Talking about the first girls' school, Chellam said, "We expect at least 500 girls would be enrolled in the school in the first year after the completion of the building. In the following years, the number would gradually increase. The 376 girl students studying at the Government Kallar Higher Secondary School would be shifted to the new school," she said. 

The order has been issued to encourage the enrolment of girl students in government school in Checkanurani area. In total, there are 27 kallar higher secondary schools, 25 middle schools, 25 high schools and as many as 207 primary schools in all the three districts. 

These schools are unique in a sense and have a long history from the time of the colonial rule. In 1919, during the British rule here, a Criminal Tribes Act was enforced, according to which a male from piramalai kallar community has to submit his thumb impression at the respective police stations and stay there for the night, said P Theenan, district secretary, Tamil Nadu primary school teachers federation (Kallarpalli). 

A protest against the Act resulted in a carnage as 16 persons, including a woman were killed as police opened fire against the protesting persons. The incidents took place at Perungamanallur in 1920, he said. In a bid to provide education to kallar children, the British established the kallar reclamation schools in 1921, Theenan added.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose wanted to learn Marathi


2 letters from Bose, expressing his desire to learn Marathi and be interviewed are displayed at Tilak Museum
Freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose, whose 116th birth anniversary falls on Wednesday, had a desire to learn Marathi, a little-known fact.
In 1936, when he was lodged in Yerawada Jail in Pune from April 13 to May 16, Bose, popularly known as Netaji, had expressed his wish to learn Marathi and had sought material from the then editor of Kesari, DV Divekar. His wish to learn Marathi, however, was cut short when the then British rulers who incarcerated him shifted him to Darjeeling Jail.
“I would like to pick up a little Marathi while I am here. I have tried but have failed to get a bilingual book for beginners..,” Bose said in a letter requesting the editor to arrange some Anglo-Marathi books to learn the regional language during his confinement as a political prisoner.
The correspondence between Bose and Divekar in the form of two rare letters are in possession of the Lokmanya Tilak museum in Kesariwada, Pune.
One letter dated April 27, 1936, also reveals Bose’s desire to get his interview published in Kesari, a daily founded in 1881 by freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak. “I do not know if the (jail) authorities would allow you or any other friends to interview me. The best course would be to apply to the superintendent and see what reply you ultimately get from the government..,” Bose told Divekar in the letter.
eepak Tilak, the great-grandson of Lokmanya Tilak and a trustee of Kesari Mahratta Trust, said Bose and Tilak could never meet but Netaji had high regard for his great-grandfather and his associates. “It was out of pure trust and regard Bose is believed to have written letters to the then Kesari editor,” he told Newsline on Tuesday.
Bose, at the end of his three-page letter to Divekar says, “I am afraid it is beyond your power to make my life in Yerawada comfortable. But I am sure that your kindly thoughts can do more in this direction than earthly convenience...”
Publications on research into Maratha history, particularly on the causes of downfall of Maratha power in India, and books dealing with land revenue system in India were other books Bose had sought from Divekar, apparently unaware he was to be shifted to Darjeeling.
Yet another letter by Bose to Divekar written before his incarceration at Yerawada Jail, dated March 1933, is too yellowed to read clearly. The four-page finds a mention of Bose’s courtesy acknowledgement of a parcel of fruits he had received from his friends in Pune.
The Tilak Museum managed by Kesari Maratha Trust and the Tilak family, also has a photocopy of correspondence between Bose and Tilak’s follower VG Bhat, among other treasures.

Lack of basic facilities force students to leave kallar schools

The teaching community is concerned over the dwindling number of studentsin the kallar reclamation schools in all the three districts. At present, there are only 36,000 students in the total 284 kallar reclamation schools, compared to 44,000 students during the 2011-2012 academic year. The alarming decrease is due to inadequate teaching staff and poor maintenance of the hostels in the schools, says P Theenan, district secretary, primary school teachers' federation, ( kallar schools). 

Parents are concerned over the absence of headmasters and inadequate teachers in the kallar reclamation schools. The schools have become a secondary choice due to the mushrooming private schools. Unless the authorities act fast and fill up the existing vacancies and take measures to better maintenance of the hostels, the number would drastically reduce, Theenan warned. 

Talking about the vacancies, he said, "24 posts for high school and primary headmasters are vacant for the last four years. Although Right to Education Act stresses that no school can function with a single teacher, as many as 37 primary schools are functioning with just one teacher," he said. 

As many as 48 postgraduate, 34 UG and 100 secondary grade teacher positions are vacant for many years and they are yet to be filled. The students receive poor encouragement from the schools in sports. It is quite evident from the number of permanent physical education teachers available as only eight teachers are available for the entire 36,000 students, said another member from the association. 

Poor hostel maintenance also leads to the dwindling of students say members of the Kallar Reclamation School Hostel Wardens Association. The dire state of the hostels drive away the students back home. The students do not even get the basic sanitation facilities in the hostels. The situation is the same in all the 52 hostels, they say. 

The 94-odd students staying in the boys' hostel of the Government Kallar School in Checkanurani are also deprived of basic facilities such as toilet and drinking water. The toilet is locked due to unavailability of water and the consequence - the students are forced to go for open defecation. It is a nightmarish experience for them to go out at night in the open space in fear of the anti-social elements, the students said. 

Most of the time they eat even without a guzzle of water as there is no drinking water facility available. They have to walk at least 100m to reach the school to quench their thirst. 

When contacted, S Chellam, joint director, kallar reclamation said "We have taken measures to fill the vacant posts. We have filled 20 teaching and non-teaching posts recently." She also said that priority would be given to the hostels and maintenance works of the hospital would be started shortly, she said.

Bharathiraja felicitated

3

Bharathirajafelicitated, Bharathiraja felicitated
Who's who of Tamil cinema gathered in Madurai for the audio launch of Annakodiyum Kodiveeranum, directed by Bharathiraja. on Sunday. 

It has music by G V Prakash. The highlight of the event was maestro Ilayaraja presiding over the celebrations and honouring Bharathiraja.

Filmmakers including Mahendran, Balu Mahendra, Bhagiyaraj, Suseenthiran, Vasanth, S S Stanley, Vikraman, actors Sathyaraj, Lakshman and actresses Radhika, Saranya Ponvannan, Karthika took part. All the speakers on the occasion hailed Bharathiraja's contribution to Tamil cinema and expressed confidence that Annakodiyum Kodiveeranum will also make it big.
Speaking on the occasion, Bharathiraja said, ' I took pains to take cinema to villages from the sets. I take this opportunity to thank all those who contributed their best in my cinema journey'.
Happy and elated to release the audio of my 50th film in my home town, he added,

Mani Ratnam sees to it all


Mani Ratnam is a well known director, mainly for his unique style and depth in movies. He is a professional who wants perfection in his works of art which we eventually see on screen.
Mani Ratnam stays throughout the post production, and nothing passes on to the film without his nod. Such dedication is surely praiseworthy. He and AR Rahman have been busy holed up in the AR Rahman's studio finishing the re-recording of "Kadal". Mani Ratnam is also busy running about for the last minute release issues of the same film. We hope he sees the best of the release on the 1st of February for all this hard work.

Monday, January 21, 2013

TAMILAGHA ARASIYAL MAGAZINE

THANKS TO

இரா.ச.இமலாதித்தன் AND 
Tambaram Pasumpon Sevai Sangam

Chandamama: Foot-tapping numbers


What it is about…
Classic Cinema’s Chandamama is produced by Murali and directed by R. Radhakrishnan, who has also written the story and the screenplay. The audio CD was recently released by director Vinayanan and received by producer Thanu. The cast comprises Karunas, Swetha Basu, Harish Kalyan, M.S. Bhaskar, R. Sundarrajan, Ilavarasu, Sujatha, Mohan Ram, Maran and Ragasiya. Vairamuthu has penned the songs which have been set to tune by Srikanth Deva.Chandamama revolves around a man named Santhana Krishnan who dreams of becoming a novelist. Whether he is able to realise his dream and whether he faces any problems along the way forms the crux of the plot.
Music highlights
There are four songs in the film. ‘Koyambedu Silk Akka’ is a fast-paced ‘kuthu’ number sung by Karunas. ‘Yarodi,’ sung by Aalaap Raju and Madhumitha, is melodious. ‘Kandene,’ written by Kanniappan, has been sung well by newcomer Sooraj. The last in the album is an interesting song, ‘Narayana Narayana,’ sung by T.L. Maharajan, M.C. Vickey and Akku.
What they say…
Producer Murali: I am a businessman who works in the construction industry. But when I heard the story from Radhakrishnan I liked it so much that I said yes to the project instantly. I am happy with the way the film has shaped up.
Director R. Radhakrishnan: Actor Karunas is a good friend of mine. I have worked with some of the directors here and was waiting in the wings to get the right break. When producer Murali liked my storyline, his production executive Unnikrishnan gave me a list of actors who can be cast in the film. Karunas has done a fantastic job; he can easily make the audience laugh and cry. I am sureChandamama will be a hit at the box office.
Hero Karunas: It was director Vadivudaiyan who introduced me to director Radhakrishnan and wanted him to work with me. I am happy to be part of this project. I feel we have a hit on our hands.
Srikanth Deva: I have scored the music for a majority of films in which Karunas has played the hero. I must thank him for the opportunity. After Ragalaipuram, we are doing Chandamama together. A laugh riot in the first half, the second half will present a different Karunas and the audience will like him. The re-recording has also come out well.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's speech inspired me to draft mine: Pranab Mukherjee


President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday said Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's 1938 speech as Congress President had inspired him to draft his own acceptance speech on becoming the head of state. "When I drafted my acceptance speech on being elected as the President of the Republic - and that is one speech which I had to draft myself.. what struck me first.. please
let me go through the address of Subhash Chandra Bose as Congress President. And there I got the inspiration," Pranab said at a function to commemorate Netaji's 116th birth anniversary.
Pranab credited several important features of our constitutional system as part of Bose's vision. He said the Directive Principles of State Policy, which are now a part of our Constitution and the concept of Five-Year plans, were a part of the freedom fighter's vision for governance of India after Independence. "Subhash Chandra Bose gave the clarion call and laid the basic foundation about the responsibilities and duties of independent India 10 years before the actual liberation. The concept of planning, the directive principles of the state,
planned economic development.." he said.

Gautham Karthik and Thulasi Nair not so nervous about their first film


KADAL movie stills: Gautham Karthik and Thulasi Nair not so nervous about their first film
Daughter of yesteryear actor Radha Nair, Thulasi is playing the lead opposite Gautham Karthik in the film, written, produced and directed by Mani Ratnam.
Thulasi Nair faced the camera for the first time for forthcoming Tamil romantic-drama Kadal and didn’t experience any butterflies in her stomach. “This may be my first appearance in front of the camera but I had no problem facing it because it was just an object for me”, said Thulasi.
Talking about her association with Ratnam, she said: “Mani sir helped me to bring the out the character which was already hidden within me and since acting runs in my genes, it wasn’t difficult.” on the other hand, Tamil actor Karthik says he knew his son Gautham Karthik, was in safe hands. “The day my son (Gautham) was cast in Mani sir’s film, I knew he was in safe hands. I didn’t have to worry at all. In fact, being a father, I didn’t even visit my son on the sets because Mani sir whom I also consider a father-like figure was taking care of him,” said Karthik.
The movie has received a U certificate by the censor boards. AR Rahman has composed the music for the film, which also stars Arvind Swamy, Arjun, Lakshmi Manchu and Thambi Ramaiah. It is releasing on February 1.
Apparently, Thulasi has already bagged another project Yaan opposite Jiiva and is currently busy shooting for the Tamil romantic-drama. We wish the debutantes good luck for their first movie.

Kollywood biggies come together for Bharathiraja!

Annokodiyum Kodiveeranum is an upcoming fil directed by Bharathiraja featuring his son Manoj and Karthika of Ko fame in the lead roles. The audio launch of the film is all set to happen at the Railway Grounds at Madurai on January 20. Some of Kollywood biggies have been invited to make their presence felt at the event. While Mani Ratnam and Ilaiyaraaja will be launching the audio, it will be received by Balu Mahendra. The trailor of the film will also be released at the event by Bhagyaraj, Gangai Amaran and Vikraman, while it will be received by Vadivelu and Radha. With So many legends comings together, the event is sure to be a grand one. Bharathiraja himself has produced the film under Manoj Creations and music has been composed by GV Prakash. Lyrics have been penne down by Gangai Amaran and Vairamuthu.

Rajinikanth was supposed to be present at this launch but he won’t be able to make it. Instead his video message would be relayed at the event to please the Madurai fans that are expected to flock the venue. He is expected to wish the entire team of the movie through his message.

A master and his student go head to head

Mani Ratnam’s ‘Kadal’ and Bejoy Nambiar’s ‘David’ will both release on 1 February


Family members and master and student will clash at the box office in Tamil Nadu on 1 February with the release of Mani Ratnam’s highly anticipated Kadal and Bejoy Nambiar’s David.
Kadal, which stars veteran actors Arjun and Arvind Swamyalongside newcomers Gautham Karthik and Thulasi Nair, will be released on the same day as the Hindi-Tamil bilingual David, a movie produced by Ratnam’s cousin Sharada Trilok and directed by Ratnam’s former assistant Bejoy Nambiar.
Kadal will be released a week after Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam. Kamal Haasan, who is the director, producer and lead actor of the movie, is the uncle of Ratnam’s wife, actor and filmmaker Suhasini.
Speculation over Kadal’s release date was laid to rest after advertisements for the film appeared in Chennai newspapers over the weekend. It will be difficult to move around David, whose release was announced several weeks in advance.
Nambiar, who directed the crime drama Shaitan in 2011, has made David simultaneously in Hindi and Tamil with some changes in the cast (Jiiva appears in the role played by Vinay Virmani in the Hindi version). The Tamil version has also been dubbed into Telugu. “When you do a film in two languages, you have to look at what works best in terms of a release for both languages,” said Sanjeev Lamba, chief executive of Reliance Entertainment, which is one of David’s producers and its distributor. “You can’t separate the films.”
Officials from Madras Talkies, Ratnam’s production company, and Gemini Circuit, which has also produced Kadal, didn’t respond to requests for information. T. Mannan, whose Mannan Films has acquired Kadal’s distribution rights for Tamil Nadu, said he was unperturbed by the clash.
Kadal’s audience is different from David’s,” said Mannan, who recently distributed Kumki, a film about a mahout and his elephant. “Kadal, being a Mani Ratnam film, is a big release.” Mannan Films will place Kadal in 300 theatres in the state. “In any case, cinema is sometimes a gamble,” Mannan said. “Kumkihas turned out to be a jumbo hit. Kadal too will be a super-duper hit movie. The director has made a cheerful film after many years and the songs are a hit.”
Despite the competition, 1 February is a good date to target filmgoers, said Sreedhar Pillai, Chennai-based critic and trade analyst. Since school examinations will be held in the state at the end of February, the 1-22 February period offers the best possible release window, he said.
Besides, there is a “huge buzz” around Kadal because of its music, casting and the reputation of its director, said Pillai.
Set in a fishing village on the Tamil Nadu coast, the movie is about a young man, Thomas, who gets embroiled in a good-versus-evil battle between Arvind Swamy’s priest and Arjun’s gangster. Thomas is played by Gautham Karthik, whose father, eighties star Karthik, made his debut opposite Thulasi Nair’s mother, Radha, in Alaigal Oivathillai in 1981.
“Mani Ratnam is doing his first real Tamil film after many years,” Pillai said. “His last few films were bilinguals, neither here nor there, and subsequently fell between two stools. He wants to come back to his core audience, the Tamil audiences, who have treated him with respect.”
Kadal’s release won’t be restricted to Ratnam’s home turf—the movie will be dubbed in Telugu (asKadali) and shown with English subtitles in other cities.
Over the years, movies made in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada have followed in the footsteps of migrants from the southern states to other parts of India. Prakhar Joshi, programming head at PVR Cinemas, said films from the south get regularly screened at places like Mumbai, Delhi, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, and Surat.
The audiences for such films are relatively small but highly dedicated, Joshi said. “Films produced by the studios and big producers tend to have English subtitles,” he added, which helps expand the film’s appeal beyond its linguistic-regional base. Individual distributors tend to pick up the films for a release, said Joshi, which explains why they are often poorly promoted outside their home markets and rely heavily on word-of-mouth publicity to stay afloat in cinemas.
Audience goodwill tremendously helped a mid-budget film like Kanna Laddu Thinna Aasaiya get a 29-screen release outside Tamil Nadu, said a Hindi film industry professional who helped the comedy’s co-producer in his distribution strategy. Kanna... was released with subtitles in such cities as Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Bharuch.
“The world is a very small place and people from everywhere are working everywhere,” said the professional on the condition of anonymity. “Kanna came with strong word of mouth. It was released on 13 January, a Sunday, in Tamil Nadu and everywhere else on 18 January. The movie has got its fair share of response.”
Southern films used to travel in their original, non-subtitled state to cities in the north and west even in the pre-multiplex days. The movies of A-list filmmakers from Hyderabad and Chennai, such as Mani Ratnam, would be regularly screened at matinee shows in Mumbai’s single screen cinemas.
Nambi Rajan, who operates the cinema hall Aurora in Mumbai and who distributes films through his company Ganesh Films, has brought such titles as RojaThiruda Thiruda and May Madham to Tamil-speaking Mumbaiites over the years. “The audiences were too small to release the films in a normal way, so we used to book morning shows,” Rajan said. “The moment the bookings would open, the shows would get full.”
Reliance’s Lamba predicted that “more and more regional films will be shown all over as we get more and more sophisticated about our distribution methods. There are migrant pockets all over the country, which will appreciate movies in their local languages.”