Publication Date : Monday 17th of March 2008 at 02:21:11 AM
Modification Date : Monday 17th of March 2008 at 02:21:12 AM
The most awaited movie of the year 2008, DASAVATHARAM’s audio is to be released by non other than Jackie Chan on April 2. Audiences are keen to see their favorite actor Kamal Haasan in 10 avatars (incarnations)….

The story goes like this. ” Sanjan (Pawan Kalyan), who has a love failure with Kamalini Mukharjee has lost faith in love and turns in to love guru in Hitch style but the difference is that while Hitch helps the couples to fall in love, Sanjay keeps suggesting his customers not to fall in love. Bhagyamathi (Ileana) is enters into Sanjay’s life as customer but soon falls in love with him. Soon they fall in love with each other. Bhagymathi’s friend (Parvathi Melton) never wants to Bhagyamathi to fall in love with Sanjay and start creating problems in Sanjay-Bhagamathi’s love life. When Bhagyamathi’s father denies accepting her love with Sanjay, in Bommarillu style Sanjay becomes Bhagyamathis’ family member to proove that he is a nice guy? How will Sanjay convince her parents are the rest of the story? Then what about the action part? According to the gossip. The action plot is completely different. They’re a bad man (Mukhesh Rishi), with whom Sanjay has some issues.

Definalty no one expects such a thin story from Trivikram-Pawan Kalyan. If this entire story is generated by gossipmongers its okay or else, Trivikram must have something special in his narration to make this story a big hit. Jalsa is hitting theatres all over the world on 28th March.

Trust me, my way is definitely better than their way.

Abbasbhai and Mustanbhai are veteran practitioners of the fatafat produced thriller, but this — their biggest budget effort by far — tries to be slick and stylish while actually trying to cling on to a plot. Therefore we have pointless, and constant, changes of direction to the story, at every given opportunity. There’s nothing wrong with unpredictability, but it needs to be thought through. A-M bhailog, these many twists suit jalebiwallahs better than filmmakers.

Our film opens with horse races, but aside from having a few whinnying stallions in the background every now and then — largely to frame a shirtless Saif — there’s really not much about that world in this film save for a couple of races, fixed with painful, amateurish obviousness. This is Durban and our top horse owners are archrivals Saif and Dalip Tahil, the latter again forced into an inconsequential, villain-caricature role.

Anyway, Saif plays a gruff and stubbly millionaire not given to much emotional expression, hiding most of them behind his big sunglasses. He does, however, intensely love his stepbrother Akshaye, a good-for-nothing drunk with a hipflask surgically attached to his palm.

Saif’s sexy secretary Katrina is in love with him, we are informed by Anil Kapoor’s voice in the sort of inconsistent know-it-all narrative that smells fishy, rather like scarlet herrings. Kapoor also tells us that Saif is quite hot and heavy with Bipasha, who models Provogue garments for South Africa.

And now begins the carnival of twists, with each character stripped bare to show money-lust where some shred of morality would usually lie. Here, it is only the characters that lie, throughout the film.

And while it’s perfectly acceptable for a thriller to be dark and cynical and let the characters chart their own sordid course, it is vital to either a) have somebody in the whole film who actually has a code of ethics, or b) create characters compelling enough to root for, despite their hardcore darkness.

Here, the directors take route ‘c,’ the one that presumably stands for the all-important word ‘commercial.’ This is a simple route: it asks to focus on the stunts and the skirts, and let the twists lie there just for impact. Unfortunately, unlike the Dhoom 2 [Images] that this film is desperately craving to be, Race can’t go all the way into the insubstantial and gets caught up in actually trying to tell a story — and it’s a helluva loopy tale. And it’s nowhere near as slick as it needs to be.

Saif Ali Khan is completely wasted in the film, his apparent preparation for the character being not to shave for a while, and to perhaps trim a few kilos so that the immense suspension of disbelief doesn’t seem as abrupt. Not that it helps. He grunts mannequin-like through the motions, mostly looking like he wandered on the sets from another film.

Akshaye Khanna has the film’s main role, and while his smirk and his shrug manage a couple of lines alright, this really isn’t a performance to talk about. Never convincing, the otherwise competent Khanna too seems to be phoning in this role, more at ease grimacing behind the wheel than actually delivering his constant, overwritten punchlines.

The girls? Bipasha Basu looks visibly uncomfortable in the part, squirming from one inappropriate costume to another, and really needs to work on her ‘casual’ English. Katrina Kaif looks significantly hot dressed in raunchy secretary gear, but the more she’s kept away from the dialogues the better. Sameera Reddy plays Kapoor’s bimbette assistant, and perpetually wears the disbelieving grin of a girl who can’t believe she’s getting to share screen space with Saif and Anil.

Kapoor, despite being armed with nothing but fruits and groan-provoking lines, emerges as the only character to like in this vague mess. Not only does the actor carry off a horseshoe moustache like it’s nobody’s business, but his post-interval entry into the film injects some life into the random ‘thrills.’

All in all, it’s a rank amateur effort. The actors do their bit, but they too are mostly detachedly going through the motions hoping the camera and the cool moments would carry them through. They don’t. This is a boringly shot, shabbily edited film, and it’s hard to imagine anyone watching it and actually feeling the twists without laughing at them.

Watch it if you must; it’s not objectionably bad. But there really is nothing at all good about this Race either. Heck, even the horses seem sleepy.

While there was no word from the superstar, sources close to him say the exercise has begun to elicit views from people from various walks of life as a precursor to his foray into politics.

The actor is believed to have made up his mind to take the plunge and is likely annouce his decision after Sankranti fesival in January.

Chiru, as the actor is affectionately called by his fans and film industry, has been keeping the cards close to his chest about his political plans.

The leaders of powerful Kapu community, to which the star belongs, have been trying to persuade him to enter politics and end the domination of the two major castes — Kamma and Reddy — in the state.

However, Chiranjeevi who has a massive fan following across the communities, is said to be wary of being projected as a Kapu leader.

But he is expected to fill the leadership vaccum being felt among the numerically strong yet politically marginalised backward classes, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and minorities.

Of late, there have been efforts by Left parties to project Chiranjeevi, who has acted in 148 films, as a rallying point for weaker sections and leader of a possible Third Front as an alternative to the ruling Congress and main opposition Telugu Desam Party.

The Left parties, particularly the Communist Party of India, have been in the forefront of efforts to forge a Third Front by roping in Chiranjeevi.

Media reports also suggested that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party was keen on working with the actor.

Chirnajeevi’s fans have been rooting for his foray into politics and are confident that he can repeat the magic of the late N T Rama Rao who had stormed to power within nine months of floating the TDP and ended Congress monopoly in the state in 1983.

Though speculation about his entry into politics has been surfacing on and off for the last 15 years, the actor maintained a stoic silence.

However, in recent times he is said to be holding parleys with his aides and well-wishers in a bid to assess the political situation.

Chiranjeevi, a Padma Bhushan awardee, has been active in social work and philanthropic activity through the Chiranjeevi Blood Bank and Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust he floated couple of years ago.

The reports of his possible political plunge evoked enthusiastic response from his fans who organised rallies across the state and burst into celebrations in anticipation of their leader donning the political mantle.

The major political parties reacted guardedly to the fresh buzz about Chiranjeevi’s political entry.

While Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said he would welcome any one joining politics and “more so” Chiranjeevi, the TDP leaders said they would rather wait for the actor to announce his decision.

“In a democracy, anybody can join politics. Chiranjeevi is yet to announce his decision. Why should we comment before that?” senior TDP leader and former minister K Vidyadhara Rao said.

Echoing similar views, the state CPI secretary K Narayana said there was no clear-cut statement from the actor so far about his political plans.

CPI-M politburo member and state secretary B V Raghavulu said it was not the individual but the policies that matter.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi Member of Parliament K Vinod Kumar said the present political situation was completely different from the one that had prevailed when NTR launched a political party.

The 52-year-old actor was born in Mogalturu in West Godavari district and made his debut in 1977 with Mana Voori Pandavulu directed by noted Telugu director Bapu.

His younger daughter Srija had recently hit the headlines when she married her boyfriend against her parents’ wishes.

She sought police protection from the Delhi high court fearing threat from her father’s fans.

Altogether 150 prints will be shown in multiplexes and single screen cinemas, which is an unprecedented record for a dubbed movie.

“Though Rajnikanth has stopped acting in Bollywood films because of his preoccupations in his home state, his magical popularity outside South India has not yet diminished. The Hindi film audiences still remember his acting style and dialogue delivery. I am sure, they will like him in Chandramukhi,” which was a big hit in the south,” Dhanwani said.

In anticipation of the release, Mumbai has already been plastered with 30-feet cutouts of the actor in full regalia, looking at Mumbaikars at strategic points all over the metropolis.

It remains to be seen if the ageing south Indian star manages to cast his spell on the new generation of Hindi movie audience grown on movies featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and other Khans. But Dhanwani is confident about the Tamil superstar’s pull at the box-office, despite the fact that Akshay Kumar starrer Bhool Bhulaiyaa was loosely based on the movie.

The film also casts Jyothika, Nayanthara, Vineeth and Malvika in key roles. Written and directed by P. Vasu, the original Tamil movie has been produced by Ramkumar Ganeshan and was released in Tamil Nadu in 2005.

It ran for three years before it was voluntarily withdrawn from cinemas recently to make way for other movies waiting to be released.

Made on a budget of Rs.220 million, the Tamil version grossed Rs. 1.5 billion (Rs.150 crore) in Tamil Nadu and it also bagged five National Awards in 2006. The movie has some fast numbers composed by Vidyasagar.

The Tamil version of Chandramukhi in fact, is based on a Kannada movie called Apthamitra which again is based on Manichitrathazham in Malayalam. Chandramukhi was earlier dubbed in Telugu and also in German. The movie also had a Bengali version called Rajmahal starring Prasenjit Chatterjee.

“The film will show how the civic authorities come up with hilarious but novel ideas to educate the masses,” Shetty told Reuters.

“Despite repeated requests from the authorities, we forget to keep our city clean - a city from which we take so much but forget to give back anything,” he said.

The project, to be produced by Shetty, aims to raise civic awareness in the city of 19 million people but steers clear of being a documentary.

“Subjects like this cannot get preachy, people will not watch the film and our effort of sensitising people will go to a waste,” the 48-year-old actor said.

“She has insulted actors and should tender an apology within 48 hours,” said veteran filmmaker L.V. Prasad, addressing a press conference here with other members of his fraternity.

Mayawati ruffled more than a few feathers Sunday at a public meeting here when she snubbed film actors planning to join politics. Though she did not name Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi, who is planning to enter Andhra Pradesh politics, she said actors could “only sing and dance”.

“Film actors don’t do social service, but can only sing and dance,” she said, making it clear that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) would not admit film actors into its fold.

Her comment came against the backdrop of reports that Chiranjeevi was planning a political party or joining hands with the BSP. His younger brother, actor Pavan Kalyan, had also reportedly met some state leaders of the BSP.

Chiranjeevi’s fans are also angry with Mayawati. His fans’ association, which is demanding an early decision by the actor, pointed out that he was already doing social service in terms of running blood banks and eye banks

“My attitude to my career remains unchanged. I remain the same. It’s people around me who imagine I’ve become a different person. They insist on portraying me the way they perceive me in their minds,” Aishwarya said.

“Never mind if they’re way off the mark. One report says I’ll be performing a salsa in a soap-sponsored event. Does that look anything like me?” she added.

A source close to her said, “Even about Pink Panther she wasn’t sure, with Mrs. Teji Bachchan being so critically ill. Aishwarya didn’t want any distraction from her family duties. It was Abhishek who urged her to take up the offer. Now she’s ready to sign a couple of films. But she will choose very carefully.”

Producer Rohan Sippy’s film, which is supposed to bring the never-before pair of John Abraham and Aishwarya together, is awaiting the leading lady’s approval.

Though director Sriram Raghavan has started the shooting for the untitled love story with John, Aishwarya’s nod is still awaited. And the only reason why she hasn’t given the green signal is because the director hasn’t come up with the script yet.

“Ash has always been very close to producer Rohan Sippy. After all she met and got to know Abhishek on the sets of Rohan’s Kuch Naa Kaho. Since then she and Rohan have always been close.When this project with Sriram Raghavan came up, Aishwarya’s dates were a problem. Rohan flew down to Boston where she was shooting for her Pink Panther to convince her. Touched by Rohan’s sincerity she immediately said yes. However, she made it clear that she would like to see the script,” said another source close to the project.

However, months have passed, no script has reached her because Raghavan was busy finishing Johnny Gaddar and then sorting his future projects.

“Though Ash has heard Sriram’s idea and loves it, she has always insisted on a script. Remember, how years ago Indra Kumar was angry with her because she had asked for a script before saying yes? Ash remains unchanged in her professionalism. Whether it’s a completely professional arrangement with Indra Kumar or a friendly producer like Rohan Sippy, she wants the script,” added the source.

Poohpoohing stories of how she was distracted on the sets of Jodhaa Akbar, the source said, “Ash is today even more professional than she used to be before marriage. Forget about causing distractions by bringing guests to Karjat where Ashutosh was shooting, or not giving Hrithik Roshan his cues while he was emoting, Ash wouldn’t even speak to her husband on the phone while shooting.”

Raghavan’s film is crucial to Ash because after Jodhaa Akbar and Pink Panther, this would be the only film she’s signing.

“Some people are suggesting that Aishwarya’s dates for Raghavan’s film are uncertain. Not true. She has already set aside a large chunk in the first quarter of 2008 for the film. The problem is the script. She’s still waiting for it,” said the source.