Chennai: There are no longer absolute black or white roles for lead actors in south Indian cinema. More and more artists are happy to embrace an opportunity to experiment and walk the tightrope between hero and villain to display their creativity and versatility.
From superstar Kiccha Sudeep to actors such as Jagapathi Babu, Sundeep Kishan, Ganesh Venkatraman and Mahat Raghavendra have stepped in to play negative roles.
Why this sudden urge?
"Versatility is the key to survival today in this very competitive industry. As an actor it's very important to be open to different roles, even if it means playing a negative or even a totally unconventional character if needed," Ganesh Venkatraman, who didn't hesitate to play a Sardar in his Tamil debut 'Abhiyum Naanum', told IANS....
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12:01 PM, Jun 08, 2013
Chennai: Popular Tamil TV actor Vijay Adhiraj, who has been in the industry for over two decades, has turned director with upcoming Tamil entertainer 'Puthagam'. He says he is keen on making films suitable for family viewing. "'Puthagam' can be tagged as a complete family entertainer, and the reason I call it the same is because I always wanted to make films that I can watch with my entire family,"...
04:15 PM, Nov 16, 2012
Popular film personality Vijay Aadiraj, who has done many TV shows in Tamil TV channels is moving to the silver screen. He will turn director with his debut film 'Puthagam'. The film will have newcomers Sathya and Rakul Preet Singh in the lead roles and also include more established faces like Jagapathi Babu, Crazy Mohan, Santhana Bharathi and Uma Padmanabhan in the team. "The film is a commercial entertainer with...
01:31 PM, Sep 29, 2012
Having gotten an early chance to see 'Thaandavam', I was all excited when i reached the Sathyam Cinemas parking lot. I was greeted by a large crowd and even a band of blind artists performing at the entrance. It's hard not to say that the expectations were huge for this one. Especially after the way things went with 'Deiva Thirumagal', I had real high hopes for 'Thaandavam'. 'Thaandavam' features Vikram...
05:22 PM, Sep 28, 2012
Director Vijay, whose 'Thaandavam' has hit the screens today, came out with a detailed statement on September 27, urging Ameer to reconsider his decision to resign from the post of Directors Association's secretary. In the statement, he said that the film is hitting the screens with the permission of the court. He also denied the charge that Ameer acted in his favour when an director filed a complaint that he...
12:57 PM, Sep 28, 2012
Directed by Vijay, 'Thaandavam' stars Vikram in the lead role. Vikram's character has been inspired by a real individual Daniel Kish, who lives in the United States. While Jagapathi Babu is playing an important role in this romantic-action film, Anushka is the main female lead. Amy Jackson and Lakshmi Rai have important roles. The film has a music by GV Prakash and it's his 25th film. ...
10:50 AM, Sep 27, 2012
Has the release date of 'Shiva Thandavam' been postponed by a week's time? Our sources say that the film may not be ready for Sep 28 release due to some unavoidable reasons related to the dubbing part. This definitely comes as a disappointment for those waiting to watch this ensemble cast film, and not just Vikram's fans. While Jagapathi Babu is playing an important role in this romantic-action film, Anushka...
01:40 PM, Sep 26, 2012
Vikram's next 'Thaandavam', which is slated to hit the screens on September 28, has been cleared by the Censor Board with a clean U certificate. This means there will be no age restrictions to watch the film. Meanwhile, producers' UTV Motion Pictures are making elaborate arrangements to ensure that the movie releases in as many screens as possible. Directed by AL Vijay, who had earlier worked with Vikram in 'Deiva...
11:19 AM, Sep 21, 2012
Debutant director Dr K Srikanth Iyengar is getting ready with his first Telugu flick, 'April Fool', starring Jagapathi Babu, Bhumika Chawla and Gulshan Grover. A socio-fantasy film in absurd comedy, Iyengar says the film will not only keep audiences on the edge of their seats but also make them think. "It was a conscious attempt to project the film in a one-of-its-kind way. We have been working on it since...
11:24 AM, Aug 17, 2012
Jagapathi Babu and Bhumika Chawla are playing a lawyer and a journalist, respectively, in April Fool. The movie is described by producer Seema Azaruddin as an absurd comedy-cum-socio fantasy. "The story revolves around five characters. Gulshan Grover is playing the role of a land-grabber. Ranadhir (Happy Days fame) and Srushti are playing the other couple," the director says. Krishnaswamy Srikanth Iyyengar is debuting as the director. The film went on...
01:03 PM, Jul 22, 2012
The music album of Vikram's next 'Thaandavam', which will hit the stores soon, will come with a special English track. Music composer GV Prakash Kumar confirmed this on his microblogging page, stating: "There is a special English track in 'Thandavam' called 'will u b there?' sung by alyssa and maria." It is said Prakash has tried something different for 'Thaandavam', as the film's subject itself is different from the regular...
01:05 PM, Jul 20, 2012
Making movies simultaneously in Tamil and Telugu has almost become a trend. Three such movies have hit the screens in the past three weeks and they are 'Saguni', 'Naan Ee' and 'Billa 2'. Be it bilinguals or a dubbed version, the line between these two film industries is fast diminishing. Following the suit is 'Thaandavam'. The Vijay directed Vikram starrer will simultaneously hit Andhra Pradesh screens as 'Sivathandavam'. It will...
10:23 PM, Jul 13, 2012
Director Srikanth Iyyengar's April Fool, starring Jagapathi Babu and Bhumika Chawla, was Pressmeet today. The event was attended by Ramesh Prasad, Lakshmi Manchu, Gulshan Grover, Bharath Thakur (Bhumika's husband), Tammareddy and others. Ramesh Prasad wished that Seema Azaruddin (producer) will achieve all the success in Tollywood. "I was stunned to watch Bhumika's performance in Gandhi - My Father. She is a great actress," he said. C Kalyan said, "I am...
05:07 PM, Jul 05, 2012
Vikram's fully toned body will be shown to the audience for the first time, as the actor will appear without a shirt in one of the crucial scenes of his forthcoming film, 'Thaandavam'. "The scene was recently shot in London during which Vikram was required to flaunt his physique in front of the camera. Braving the heavy cold, he performed the sequence without any complaints," sources say. Stating that the...
02:20 PM, Jun 22, 2012
Here is an offbeat film for those wanting cerebral entertainment. Rajendra Prasad's next film is set to release on June 22. Titled as 'Onamalu', the film is directed by debutante Kranthi Madhav. The film is feel-good, going by the tag line, Manchi gnapakam lanti cinema. Rajendra will be seen as a retired teacher in this film, which sees him paired with Kalyani. Having seen her opposite the likes of Venkatesh...
12:20 PM, Jun 16, 2012
'April Fool', in the description of its makers, is a socio-fantasy, absurd comedy. The film stars Jagapathi Babu and Bhumika Chawla in the lead roles. Gulshan Grover and Randhir are playing two other important characters. Krishnaswamy Srikanth Iyyengar, a documentary film maker, is turning a director with this one. Produced by GL Sreenivas and Seema Azaruddin, this film will be shot in Hyderabad in two schedules (totalling 45 days) and...
11:22 AM, Jun 06, 2012
Chiyaan Vikram's 'Thaandavam' is taking shape in fast pace in foreign locales. A song featuring Vikram and Amy Jackson was canned in the scenic Thames river recently. It's a romantic number between the duo composed by GV Prakash. Prior to the shoot Amy wrote on her microblogging page, "Vikram & I are shooting the song sequences today. GV Prakash has done a super duper job once again! Takes after his...
08:14 PM, May 20, 2012
The 'Thaandavam' crew, which is currently shooting in the UK, has been pulling out all stops to finish the schedule on time. But sources have it that rain has played spoilsport, making things difficult for the team. The rains were not expected at this time of the year. The crew is having a hard time shooting in this situation, but at the same time, is determined to complete the work...
10:24 AM, May 20, 2012
Do you remember the young raw Jagapathi Babu playing the local don in perhaps what has been his best role till date? Does Urmila Mantondar shaking her leg with Uthej in that unforgettable ‘Nizam Pori’ song come to your mind? Can you recall Kota Srinivas Rao delivering a superb performance as ‘Guru Narayana’ with his Telangana dialect and his unique mannerisms? None of the Telugu movie fans can ever forget...
05:15 PM, Sep 14, 2010
