I am not there in Asal: Simbu

There is a news doing the rounds especially on Internet that Silambarasan is doing a special appearance in Ajit’s Asal.

The reports say that the young actor who is a big fan of the ultimate star is doing an item song for which he has crooned!

A peeved Simbu told Sify.com: “I’m not doing anything of this sort. Everyone knows that I am a huge fan of Ajit sir. It is an honour for me, if I get a chance to work with him. But the irony of it is that, I have not even been contacted by the producer or the actor to sing or act in Asal".

Simbu also says that the fans of Ajit who also love him should not be misled by such false rumours doing the rounds.

Jayam Ravi's Peranmai censored!

Ayngaran International’s big budget action extravaganza Peranmai featuring Jayam Ravi and five new girls has been censored. The film has been given a U/A certificate.

Peranmai, directed by Jananadhan is Jayam Ravi’s costliest production at Rs 18 crores and he has gone for a total image change in the film.

Ravi who had a romantic chocolate boy hero image is turning into a ‘Rambo’ like action hero. There are five new girls Dhansika, Maha, Liasri, Saranya and Vasundhara who play NCC cadets training under the tribal forest guard played by Ravi, who takes on Roland Kickinger, the Terminator 4, Hollywood action star who plays the villain.

S P Jananathan, has made decent entertainers like Iyarkai and E. It is said to be an action packed entertainer which has music by Vidyasagar.

Nayanthara has the last laugh

Nayanthara can heave a sigh of relief as Bipasha Basu who grabbed the role that she rejected in Mani Ratnam’sRaavan, has ended up with egg on her face !Poor Bips who gave priority 20 days for Mani under the hope that her resume will have a Mani Ratnam film, is now upset about this last minute change.

Bips had rushed from Karaikudi where she was shooting for Priyadarshan’s film to Mani location near Panvel in Mumbai to be told that it is not happening.Remember that the ace director’s wife Suhasini had contacted Nayanthara, shooting for Aadhavan in Europe and requested her to do the all-important role of Mandodari. But the actress could not dole out continuous dates and politely refused.

Later Bipasha was roped in to play Raavan’s (Vikram) wife Mandodari.Sources close to the Raavan unit say that the Mandodari’s character when written will outshine the two other female characters played by Aishwarya Rai and Priyamani, in the movie. However, Bipasha is not happy about this last minute change as she had taken a lot of effort to get into the skin of role.However, the director’s publicist says that he did not want to any injustice to her role and he would see that Bipasha will do another Mani Ratnam film in future. Meanwhile Nayan is having the last laugh.

Suriya speaks on Aadhavan

The worldwide gross box-office collections of Suriya’s films in the last five years, place the actor on a different level. He does every kind of cinema and is extremely versatile. He doesn’t want to be slotted in any image trap and if anyone had doubts about his pulling power at the box-office, Ayan silenced them all. Now the actor is tensed as a lot is riding on Aadhavan, his Diwali release has been sold at all areas for a rumoured Rs 40 crore, the highest in his career. In a brief chat with the media the Badshah of Box-office speaks. Excerpts

Ravi surviving Kuala Lumpur scare

Recently, Khushbu had a nerve-wracking experience at Pulau Redang Island where a huge tidal wave rocked the hotel where she was staying in with her husband Sundar C. and two daighters. Now it is heard that Jeyam Ravi and Tamannaah also had a similar experience. Maintaining his cheerful disposition, Ravi said that the unit of Thillalangadi ran to safety when an earthquake shook the luxury hotel in Kuala Lumpur where the unit was staying.

We felt that it was a routine feature till the hotel staff explained in detail the earthquake proof facilities at the hotel, said Ravi. Did the whole unit run out of the hotel as reported in the media? "The way some of us ran would have made an Olympic gold medallist proud," said Ravi in his usual humorous style.

'Jai Ho' tickets

Ticket booking of Oscar winner A.R. Rahman's live show 'Jai Ho' to be held at the GMR Arena, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Complex in Hyderabad on October 24, has commenced. Tickets can be booked online through www.bookmyshow.com.

The website has a call centre to clarify details pertaining to the event and also provide home delivery of tickets. The number for home delivery is 040-39895050. The tickets are priced at Rs. 25,000, Rs. 12,500, Rs. 7,500, Rs. 4,000, Rs. 2,500, Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 500. Tickets will also be available at Odyssey bookstores.

Kalanidhi Maran: India's highest paid executive

India's largest media and entertainment company Sun TV Network's chairman and managing director Kalanidhi Maran, along with this wife and joint managing director of the company Kavery Kalanidhi, are ranked as the highest-paid executives in India, earning Rs. 37.08 crore each as salary during FY09, a leading business daily reported. Notably, Maran has ranked among India's highest paid executives in 2007 and 2008 as well.

The report came a day after the corporate affairs minister Salman Khurshid warned firms against paying 'vulgar salaries' to executives. It said that the couple overtook India's leading industrialists Reliance Communication's Anil Ambani, former Ranbaxy CEO Malvinder Singh, Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal and Hero Honda's Brijmohan and Pawan Munjal. For the year ended 31 March 2009, Sun TV posted net sales of Rs. 1,039.3 crore and a net profit of Rs. 340 crore. Sun TV paid 7.13% of its net sales or 21.8% of its net profit as salaries to the two executives. In comparison, Reliance Communications, which posted net sales of Rs. 22,250.5 crore and a net profit of Rs. 6,248 crore for the year ended 31 March 2009, paid chairman Anil Ambani Rs. 30.02 crore in salary.

Bal Ganesh sequel coming on October 23

Bal Ganesh 2, a sequel to much-acclaimed animation movie Bal Ganesh (2007) directed by Pankaj Sharma, will have its nation-wide release on October 23 with 200 prints including digital under the banner of Shemaroo Entertainment and Astute Media Vision, said a press release. A heroic tale of Lord Ganesh as a child, Bal Ganesh 2 will see baby Lord Ganesh battle with wicked and powerful demons like Gajamukhasur, and compete with the Maharshi Vyasa. The overwhelming response to Bal Ganesh prompted us to consider a sequel and here it is.

We have been consistently delivering strong animation content and we are glad that Bal Ganesh 2 is the first Indian animation release of 2009. said Smita Maroo, vice president (animation), Shemaroo Entertainment. Director Pankaj Sharma said that the movie will be a visual delight for people of all ages. There are quite a few pleasant surprises awaiting all Bal Ganesh fans. We had great fun working on this film. We are certain that kids and families will enjoy watching this film. The movie has vocals by known names like Sukhwinder Singh, Suresh Wadkar and Neeraj Sridhar. Music is composed by Shamir Tandon.

Rajinikanth releases book on SPM

Superstar Rajinikanth has a special bond with director S.P. Muthuraman. The two have come togehter to churn out many hits in their 25-film association. Fittingly, Rajinikanth released the first copy of the book on Muthuraman penned by Ranimaindhan from the publishing house of Vikatan.

The function held at Rajinikanth's Poes Garden residence on Tuesday was presided over by well-known producer AVM Saravanan. Incidentally, Muthuraman began his career in the famed production house of AVM. Starting in the editorial department, SPM, as he is affectionately known, graduated to assistant director and then held his own as a director of repute. The 384-page book titled AVM Thandha SPM, priced at Rs. 125 is sprinkled with many photos.

Nayantara forays into Kannada

Nayantara may not be having the best of times in Kollywood, on and off screen. But that has not come in the way of her foraying into Kannada. The debut venture of Nayantara with well known producer-actor-director V. Ravichandran is titled Kichadu. The other significant aspect in this movie produced by Munirathna is that Jayapradha will act for the first time in a Ravichandran movie. Story and screenplay isare by actor-director Mohan.

Prithviraj-Mohanlal come together

Just a few days after reports came that after playing a crazy fan of Mammootty in One Ticket (2008), Prithviraj will once again share screen space with Mammootty in Pokkiri Raja. It is now rumoured that Prithviraj will alse be seen alongside reigning Mohanlal in director Lal Jose's Cousins. Produced by Gopan Chennithala under the banner of Bhagya Chitra, Cousins will start rolling in 2010. This is the first film with Mohanlal and Prithviraj coming together. Meanwhile, in Pokkiri Raja, Prithviraj plays the role of Mammootty's younger brother. According to sources, one of the brothers runs away from home and becomes a big 'dada', while the other stays at home and turns into a local 'dada'. Years later, the two dadas meet in a big city and sparks fly as they do not know that they are brothers! The film will start rolling in January.

Silambarasan sings for Renigunta

Renigunta, the movie starring Johnny with quite a lot of new faces, has Ganesh Raghavendra composing the music. The audio was launched yesterday. The surprise package of the music is the song 'Thallakulam', a peppy number sung by none other than Silambarasan. Simbhu is excited about the song and is sure that it would be one of his biggest hits. He had also recently sung a song with Devi Sri Prasad for James Vasanthan in S.P. Charan's Naanayam.

Vishnuvardhan seeks success

Mega actor Vishnuvardhan is nearing his 200th film to be directed by Peethambaram Vasu. Before that, the veteran star is keen to make up for the debacle of Nam Yajamanru.

The actor's 199th film Ballari Nagar is due for release this Friday all over Karnataka. What has made expectations soar? The coming together of Vishnuvardhan and ace cinematographer Dinesh Baboo. The earlier hits of the duo were Suprabhata and Laali. Prominent among the support cast are Avinash, Manasi, Chitra Shenoy and Lakshmi Hegde.