‘Maanja Velu’ Wins The Race

After receiving an overwhelming response, the ‘Maanja Velu’ team will tour all the important towns and cities in Tamil Nadu to thank the audience.

The acknowledgement tour will start from Madurai this 29th and continue till all the major areas are covered. The team comprising of hero Arun Vijay, director Venkatesh and a few members of the cast and crew will thank the audience at the theatres in various parts of Tamil Nadu where ‘Maanja Velu’ is running.

It is also learnt that Karthik who is making a come back through this movie, will also be part of the team to certain places to thank the audience.

In the long list of releases, ‘Maanja Velu’ seems to be at the top of the charts with families enjoying the comedy and the action in the movie. Besides Mani Sharma's music, Arun Vijay’s explosive action and Karthik’s classy performance are highlights of the movie.

Raavanan crew share their experiences

What can one expect from a movie that is a concoction of gripping storyline, racy direction, tight editing and immaculate performances of top-slot actors? Mani Ratnam's Raavanan would precisely answer the question, when it hits the screen next month.

At a glitzy promotional event organised at Mutha Venkata Subbarao Hall at Lady Andal Higher Secondary School here on Friday, people behind the making of the film spoke on their experiences.

Singer Karthik kick-started the event with his mellifluous ‘Usire Pogudhe.' Actor Karthik, for whom this is the third project with Mani Ratnam, brought the event alive with his impromptu wit. “Both Agni Nakshatram and Mouna Raagam gave me such a push in the industry. This film will be even better,” he said.

Actors Prithviraj and Priyamani joined him to speak about the director's distinctive style of filmmaking and their co-actors' performances. “Mani Ratnam led us by example. When we were grappling with freezing cold and struggling to trek through rocky surfaces, he was at his professional best, unaffected by all this,” said actor Prabhu. Trailers of songs ‘Veera,' ‘Kodu Potta,' ‘Kalvare,' and ‘Usire Pogudhe' were sandwiched between the live performances by A.R. Rahman and Karthik. With a mud-smeared face and sporting a sinister look to depict his character, actor Vikram gave a dance performance on stage.

The stage, with the deft work of art director Rajeevan, revealed the essence of the film — a forest set-up with a dominating grey tone. Mani Ratnam got on to the stage to congratulate the team.

KARTHIK - FIRST LOOK OF RAAVANAN

Karthik's skit for 'Raavanan'

Even as the final countdown for 'Raavanan' promo meet has started, there are a lot of buzzes surrounding the much-awaited event, which is scheduled in Chennai on May 14. We already heard that lead stars of the Mani Ratnam's film Vikram and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan would perform on stage for a song set to tune by music maestro A R Rahman, besides some colourful programmes from other stars. And now, sources have it that yesteryear hero Karthik, who is making a comeback with this movie, will stage a skit on the occasion. "The skit is based on a script related to the film and will be so hilarious," say sources close to Madras Talkies. The promo meet will be attended by Mani Ratnam and Rahman, apart from other prominent faces of Tamil film industry. Produced jointly by Reliance Big Pictures and Madras Talkies, 'Raavanan' will be released in June

Chronicling cultures

The Hindu Dinakaran Jai, Documentary film Maker. Photo:S. James

Not a professionally trained person and unperturbed by the struggles and travails in his life, documentary maker Dinakaran Jai has learnt and refined his skills on his own

PRODUCER'S TAKE

This dusky young man's sunny smile is quite infectious. Even after two hours of gruelling photo shoot in open fields with the sun beating down, he retains his cheerfulness.

There is absolutely no trace of fatigue much like his never-say-die attitude towards his work. In less than five years he has churned out 40 documentaries. And he is just 29, all set to tie the nuptial knot on April 18.

An opportunity to watch a series of documentaries on Indian freedom fighters, titled ‘Kaalam', brought me closer to docu-maker Dinakaran Jai.

“I wanted to document the chronicles of those who laid their lives for the country's freedom for the benefit of the future generation. I am also focussing on recording the richness of our culture and tradition in my next endeavour,” the no-nonsense filmmaker kickstarts his conversation with me.

Self learnt

Not a professionally trained person and unperturbed by the struggles and travails in his life, Dinakaran has learnt and refined his skills on his own.

“Succeeding in this field without any proper professional training takes considerable amount of time. What matters the most is how interested you are in your chosen field. The thirst for knowledge propels your further and passion becomes the driving force behind any successful venture. Without going to any film institute, people like Satyajit Ray made an impact in the industry. Such people are self-learnt. I follow them. I am also fortunate in having a Godfather in businessman C. Deenathayalapandian. He unflinchingly supports all my endeavours and has enabled me to scale greater heights,” he shares.

Focus on arts

Born in a not-so-affluent family Dinakaran had his job cut out from the beginning. It was in his genes to focus on arts as his father Lakshmana Thevar, a member of Netaji Bose's Indian National Army, was also a renowned stage artist and an integral part of Sankaradas Swamigal theatre group.

It took Dinakaran some time to pursue his dormant trait. Aimless wandering after graduation in pursuit of a suitable career option enriched his understanding of life.

“I learnt a lot during this period. I even took to spirituality and became a disciple to a sage and roamed around in the Kodaikanal hills with him. Realisation came only when the sage pointed out that it was not my cup of tea and asked me to leave,” he recalls.

His wish

His long time wish to become a journalist came true when he soon after started writing short stories and articles for literary journals and magazines. This helped him whet his writing skills. A meeting with film director Mahendran for an interview drew him to films.

“It was a revelation of sorts. He changed my focus and ignited interest in filmmaking. During the same time I was reading literary works of La.Sa. Ramamirtham, Mouni, Jayakanthan and Jayamohan for an article titled ‘Desiyathin Tharkolai'. While collecting details, I stumbled upon a book, ‘Military Reminiscences' by British Military Commander James Wells. It dwelt on Indian Freedom Struggle. I happened to read impressive history about Maruthu brothers, Kings of Sivaganga, which raised several questions in me,” he recounts.

A chance meeting with Mr. Deenathayalapandian changed his course of life as it could not have come at a better time. Just when he was contemplating to film the history of Maruthu brothers, like-minded Mr. Deenathayalapandian lent his unconditional financial support for Jai's venture.

“I learnt acting theory from reading Constantin Sergeyevich Stanislavski's writings and developed an interest in world cinema. I am a keen follower of Akira Kurosawa's movies. I still follow the making style of Ritwik Ghatak and consider him as my ‘manaseega' guru,” he admits.

His documentaries

Dinakaran's first project was ‘Maruthiruvar' in 2005. The 42-minute documentary, produced by Jegamathi Kalaikoodam, took six months.

Two years of intense research culminated in ‘Rehai'. The 43-minute critically acclaimed documentary discussed the plight of those branded as criminal tribes by the British Government. It was screened in Moscow and Hyderabad international film festivals.

Buoyed up by the acknowledgement and also taking a lead from his maiden venture, Dinakaran Jai embarked on the mega project of ‘Kaalam', wherein he talks about personalities and public contributions to Indian Freedom Movement. It is a collection of documentaries under 38 titles.

“It was truly a rewarding experience for me. I spent more than two and a half years exclusively on this project. Each title runs for about 30 minutes,” he says.

At present he is working on his next venture tentatively named “Othigai”.

“Our ancestors talk about 64 art forms. It is an exploration to ascertain the veracity behind this claim,” he informs.

His inquisitiveness has fetched him a berth in the short-term film appreciation course in Pune. He has delivered guest lectures on film language and script writing for the students of Journalism and Mass Communication of the Madurai Kamaraj University.

He is also working on a book titled “Kaatchi Mozhiyum Thiraikathai Ulaviyalum”.

“Lack of records on historical events has been the talking point for long. Our main objective is an attempt towards developing authentic documentary evidence,” he asserts.

Thevar's political vision

T. RAMAKRISHNAN

---

The volumes cover a wide range of issues, as seen and discussed by THEVAR

---

1949-PASUMPON THEVARIN SARVADESA ARASIYAL PARVAI:

1952-PASUMPON THEVARIN ARASIYAL MUZHAKKAM: Speeches and writings of U. Muthuramalinga Thevar: Compiled and edited by G. Bhoopathi Raja, Pasumpon Thevar Anmiga Manithaneya Nala Sangam, 14, Andavar Nagar II Street, Kodambakkam, Chennai-600024. Rs. 300 each.

One of the iconic leaders of Tamil Nadu, U. Muthuramalinga Thevar (1908-1963) hailed from the Ramanathapuram district. Drawn into the national movement, he became a devout follower of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. When Netaji visited the State immediately after the formation of the Forward Bloc in 1939, it was Thevar who played the key role in arranging a rousing reception in Madurai. He belonged to that school of Netaji followers which refused to believe that its leader died in an air crash in Taihoku in August 1945.

One of the founding members of the Forward Bloc, Muthuramalinga Thevar was a fierce critic of the Congress party and a political adversary of Kamaraj and also of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam founder, C.N. Annadurai, the two prominent leaders who shaped the destiny of the State for many years. Implicated in a murder case in 1957, he was, two years later, acquitted. But Thevar never gave up his antagonism vis-a-vis the Congress; nor did his attitude towards Kamaraj change.

The books under review cover a wide range of issues, as seen and discussed by Thevar. An interesting piece of information is that he ran a magazine, called ‘Netaji,' for some years, starting from January 1949. The editorials, written by him in the magazine and reproduced in the first book, reveal his deep understanding of the complexities and nuances of international politics. To cite a few instances: His concern for the plight of the people of Indian origin in Myanmar; his steadfast support to Mao and the Chinese revolution; his analysis of foreign policies of the United States and the United Kingdom; and his advice to the Indian government not to join the Western camp.

Critic of Congress

If there is a common theme running through the collection of Thevar's political speeches, it is the criticism of the Congress party's politics. His call for the unity of the Scheduled Castes and criticism of the public distribution system are as relevant now as they were during his time. That he was a strong supporter of the reorganisation of States on linguistic basis comes across from his article where he accuses the Congress of delaying the process.

One may or may not agree with the Forward Bloc leader's views on the different subjects covered in these two volumes. But any dispassionate student of contemporary history of Tamil Nadu will have a lot to gain by reading them. In compiling and editing the articles written and the speeches made over 50 years ago, Bhoopathi Raja has done his best to be faithful to the original.

FRUIT

EATING FRUIT... It's long but very informative � We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It's not as easy as you think. It's important to know how and when to eat. � What is the correct way of eating fruits? � IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS! * FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH. � If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities. � FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD. Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so. � In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.... � So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals! You have heard people complaining - every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet etc - actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat! � Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes all these will NOT happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach. � There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight. � When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins. � But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look! � KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fibre. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange. � APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke. � STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals. � ORANGE : Sweetest medicine. Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer. � WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher.. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium. � GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes. � Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer! Can u believe this?? For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal. � A serious note about heart attacks HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE': (THIS IS NOT A JOKE!) Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting.. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack . Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.. Sixty percent of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive...

PULI VESHAM MOVIE

http://www.tamilkey.com/watch-karthik-on-puli-vesham-video-clip.html

Arun Vijay’s Maanja Velu audio launched!

Arun Vijay is back with Feather Touch Entertainment’s Maanja Velu and its audio was launched in style at a popular multiplex on Sunday (March 14) morning.

Muthukuda, the decorative Kerala style umbrellas welcomed for a long list of Kollywood invitees. The guests at the function included Rama Narayan, Vaali, KS Ravikumar, Karthik ( who returns to Tamil films with this movie), Sivasakthi Pandian, Sakti Cidambaram, Shyam, Sibi, Srikant, Jai, Udaya, Amudhan, LM Swaminathan, Sundar C, Vijaykumar, director of the film,A Venkatesh, its producer M Hemant and Mani Sharma who has composed the music.

Three songs and a short trailer were screened. One song was a kuthu paattu with the hero, while the other was a comic song involving hero Arun Vijay and Dhansikaa shot abroad. The third was a duet shot in colorful rural backdrops. What caught the audiences’ attention was the climax fight sequence showing a bald Arun Vijay in chains and how he beats up the cops in a scintillating, power packed action block by Kanal Kannan.

Later Sivasakthi Pandian said on stage, “After seeing this action block I thought of taking up distribution of two territories for this film.” And this sentiment of appreciation was on the lips of most guests on the dais during the function”.

An emotional Shyam said, “Arun is a real hero not only on screen since he has been preparing for the screen and keeping himself fit and ready always, and has kept an even head through success and failure. However much his father in law may invest in his films, ultimately the credit goes to Arun for the way he has done the fights, dances and performance in his film.”

Karthik reiterated, “I know Arun will be a success. I felt that the very first time I saw him in his first film. I was in awe of his dancing prowess and saw a bright future for him. Though I have played his brother in the film, I feel like he is my son. I think after Malai Malai’s success, this will be a Himaya Malai success for him.”

Sundar C praised director A Venkatesh for his work, “He is one of the few successful directors who constantly upgrades his knowledge in the latest in the technical fronts of film making.”

Vaali paid huge compliments to the hero and to Karthik and kept the audience in splits with his witticisms and one liners. “Everyone treats me like a senior but its I who wrote all the vulgar songs in the film,’ he said tongue in cheek. He added, “Arun Vijay is destined for success. Till today he has never let failure go to his heart or success to his head. Karthik is one of the finest actors we have. Every actor has some traces of Sivaji’s acting in them but I feel that Karthik is one actor who has no trace of Sivaji Ganesan’s at all. I have told Kamal this and he nodded in agreement.”

The camerawork is by A Venkatesh while VT Vijayan edits. The event was followed by a huge 100 day felication event for the unit’s previous production Malai Malai, at a city hotel. It was attended by AVM Saravanan, Parthiban, SP Muthuraman and unit members. Distributors and exhibitors were handed shields as well.

Vijaykumar announced that the same unit will be making Kaavalthurai, their next film soon.

Jayalalithaa contests MK’s claim on memorials

CHENNAI: Rubbishing Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s claim that the DMK was the only party that created memorials for freedom fighters, AIADMK party general secretary J Jayalalithaa on Thursday said the previous government, headed by her, had created several “manimandapams” in honour of great leaders in the State.In a statement, the opposition leader listed out the memorials created by her government. In Tirunelveli, a memorial was erected for Kappalottiya Tamizhan V O Chidambaranar at a cost of Rs 75 lakh. At Krishnagiri district, oneacre plot was identified for the Rajaji memorial. In Erode, three hectares of land was acquired at a cost of Rs 19.67 lakh for a memorial for Dheeran Chinnamalai.Steps were taken to build a memorial for Dalit leader Rettaimalai Srinivasan and convert the house of Muthuramalinga Thevar into a memorial at Madurai. A foundation stone was laid for a memorial pillar at a cost Rs 14 lakh for former chief minister Kamaraj in Virudhunagar.Taking a dig at Karunanidhi, Jayalalithaa said credit should go him for getting a portrait of former Union minister Murasoli Maran installed in Parliament, without any request from any quarters.On Karunanidhi’s announcement on building a memorial for Omandurar Ramaswamy Reddiar at a public meeting in Villupuram, Jayalalithaa reminded the DMK chief that the previous government, headed by her, had in 2004 acquired 0.48 hectares of land and allotted Rs 75 lakh for building a memorial for Omandurar in Villupuram. But there was a change in government in 2006 and the DMK regime took over.Jayalalithaa pointed out that the PWD chief engineer (buildings) sent a note to the government regarding the memorial for Omandurar for which the government had replied “your request will not be considered at present.” The AIADMK leader wanted to know whether the chief minister was speaking out of ignorance or was he under the impression that he could get away with anything without his statements being challenged.