Film festival to be held in Kozhikode

The Kerala State Chalachithra Academy will be organizing the sixth edition of the National Film Festival in Kozhikode from August 3 to 6. It will be inaugurated at the Tagore Centenary Hall by Minister for Culture M.A. Baby at 6.30 p.m.

16 films will be screened in three categories: Malayalam Cinema, NFDC section and Indian Cinema. Major attractions of the festival will be Firaaq by Nandita Das, Gulabi Talkies by Girish Kasaravalli, Bhoomi Malayalam by T.V. Chandran and Bioscope by K.M. Madhusudhan

Saranya Mohan is back

Saranya Mohan, the charming petite actress, is back with Chemistry. She made her debut as child artist in Fazil's Aniyathipravu and then made quite an impression with her supporting role in Yaradi Nee Mohini (Tamil). After a string of Tamil films like Jayam Kondaan, Vennila Kabadi Kuchu and Mahesh Saranya Mattrum Palar, she went back her home town to complete her education. And now, she is back in front of the camera. The young actress, very cautious while choosing her films, is now getting set to make a mark in Viji Thanmpy's Malayalam movie Chemistry in a prominent role. The shooting is progressing at Angamaly. Bhimlee Kabaddi Jattu, a Telugu film, is next on her platter.

Swantham Lekhakan: First schedule completed

Cinematographer-turned-director P. Sukumaran's Swantham Lekhakan is progressing fast. Gopila makes her comeback opposite Dileep. The film is scripted by Kalavoor Ravikumar and produced under the Colour Factory banner.

Dileep plays a journalist working for a newspaper and leading a happy life with his wife Gopika. Dileep's simple happy life gets complicated after he reports the death of a famous writer. The film is being shot in the main locations of Thodupuzha. Gopika has almost completed her parts in the movie and will soon be returning to Ireland (where she now lives with her husband).

I’m not just an art filmmaker: Adoor Gopalakrishnan

Award winning Malayalam director Adoor Gopalakrishnan refuses to accept that he only makes art films.
“I’m in the middle of a mainstream movie so it is wrong to say that I only make art films. This is an absolutely wrong statement,” Adoor told reporters here Thursday after the preview of his movie “Oru Pennun Randu Annum”.

This is Adoor’s 11th film, which has four separate chapters, each based on independent short stories written by master storyteller late Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai.

“The central theme about crime, which is narrated in different contexts and situations, progresses from one to the other and it is complete when one sees the last chapter. From the response that I have received, the story is just not relevant to Kerala, it has a universal appeal,” said the 69-year-old.

Film’s leading actors, who were also present there, were all praise for their director.

Character artiste and popular comedian Jagadeesh, who plays a lawyer in the film, was also present there. He said that Adoor is a perfectionist.

“The discipline that is there on Adoor’s set is unimaginable and his greatness is that he never makes any adverse comments on one’s acting style. He is a total perfectionist in all aspects of filmmaking,” said Jagadeesh.

M.R. Gopakumar and Ravi Vallathol, who are playing important roles in the film, also said the director gives absolute freedom to his actors.

Ramba produces a Malayalam film

Ramba was a leading actress those days. She produced her film Three Roses sine there was no offers. But this film also did not do well at the box office.

She had incurred heavy losses because of this. After this she was lying low. Now she is producing a Malayalam film in which she is doing the lead role. Prakash Raj, Riaz Khan and Mumaith Khan are also starring in this film. The shooting of the film is taking place in Sri Lanka. This film is not yet been titled. Ramba is planning to release this film for Onam Festival.

Malayalam Actor Rajan P. Dev died

Veteran Malayalam character actor Rajan P. Dev died here early Wednesday following brief illness, family sources said. He was 58.

Dev died at a private hospital, where he had been undergoing treatment for a liver disorder.

The funeral will take place at St. Xavier’s church in Angamaly, about 40 km from here, Thursday morning.

Born in Chertala in Alappuzha district, Dev began his film career in 1980 with small roles. He soon became popular as a villain.

In a career spanning close to three decades, he acted in about 180 films, including those in Tamil, Telegu and Kannada.

Dev also immortalised the character Kochu Vava in the hit play “Kattukuthira” that was staged over a thousand times across Kerala.

However, when the drama was made into a film with the same name, the role was played by another veteran actor Thilakan.

“Malayalam films will be poorer with Dev’s death but his characters will live for a long time,” Thilakan told IANS.

Dev’s last film was “Ee Patanathil Bhootham”, starring superstar Mammootty, which is currently running in theatres.

Rajan P. Dev Movies as Actor
Karthik Anita (2009) - Krishnamurthy
Naalai Namathe (2009) - Maha Ganapathy
Kalidasu (2008)
Lakshmi Putrudu (2008) - Ayurveda specialist
Yogi (2007)
Aathi (2006)
Sukran (2005)
Bunny (2005)
Balu (2005)
Bharathchandran I.P.S (2005) - Pookkoyi
Thaskara Veeran (2005) - Arakkalam Kuttappan
Thommanum Makkalum (2005) - Thomman
Aparichithan (2004) - Police Officer
Arya (2004) - Avataram
C.I. Mahadevan 5 Adi 4 Inchu (2004) - Nambyar
Gudumba Shankar (2004)
Natturajavu (2004) - Captain Menon
Sethurama Iyer CBI (2004) - Bahuleyan
Thekkekara Super Fast (2004) - Philipose
Vajram (2004) - Father Varghese
Vamanapuram Bus Route (2004) - Ousepp
Vellinakshatram (2004)
Okkadu (2003) - Home Minister
Swantham Malavika (2003)
Aadi (2002) - Shiva Reddy
Jagathi Jagathish in Town (2002) - Vishwanathan
Kaiyethum Doorath (2002) - Sadasivan
Oomappenninu Uriyadappayyan (2002) - Chellappa Chettiar
Karumadikkuttan (2001) - Neelakantan
Nakshathragal Parayathirunnathu (2001) - Rajashekharan
Rakshasa Rajav (2001)
Sharja To Sharja (2001) - Karunan Kappithan
Vakkalathu Narayanankutty (2001)
Kushi (2000) - Shanti's father
Cover Story (2000)
Dada Sahib (2000) - Skaraia Sachariah
Aakasha Ganga (1999)
Crime File (1999)
Deepasthambham Mahascharyam (1999)
Ezhupunna Tharakan (1999) - Kumbanadan Lasar
Independence (1999)
Panchapandavar (1999)
Swastham Grihabaranam (1999)
Chhota Chetan (1998) - Biology teacher
Kallu Kondoru Pennu (1998)
Vismayam (1998) - Thumpasseri Kurup
Janathipathyam (1997) - Pillai
Junior Mandrake (1997)
Varnapakittu (1997)
Mr. Clean (1996) - Madhavan Thampi
Aniyan Bava Chetan Bava (1995) - Kunjan Bava (Aniyan Bava)
Oru Abihibhashakante Case Diary (1995) - Sugunapal
Puthukottyile Puthu Manavalan (1995) - Govindan
Spadikam (1995)
The King (1995) - Govinda Menon
Tom & Jerry (1995) - Krishnadas
Appu (1990) - Varma
Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku (1983) - Thomas George

Filmography as director
Achante Kochumolku (2003) - director
Achammakuttiyude Achayan (1998) - director

Priyamani waiting to dub her films in her own voice

She lost Kerala state government best actress award for “Tirakatha” because she didn’t dub it in her own voice. Southern actress Priyamani doesn’t regret it, but at the same time she is keen to dub in her own voice.
The prestigious award eluded her because the jury refused to consider her as she hadn’t dubbed for the film herself and eventually the trophy went to Priyanka.

“I have been craving to dub in my own voice in my films, but it is up to the director to use my voice. I know I could not dub for ‘Tirakatha’ because I was little busy and the film unit was not able to wait for me to finish the dubbing work. And I don’t feel sorry for missing the award also because if I was destined to get the award, I would have got it even otherwise,” Priyamani told IANS.

“I don’t act in films to get awards. I never expected that I would be getting a National Award for my Tamil film ‘Paruthiveeran’. I think, it is all part of destiny and I would accept these minor setbacks as occupational hazards in my career,” Priyamani said.

Priyamani, who is now shooting for her Telugu film in Hyderabad, says she has not dubbed for any Telugu films so far.

“I have not dubbed even for my first Kannada film ‘Raam’ where I am working with Puneet Raj Kumar. Many directors feel that my voice doesn’t suit the characters that I have been playing. But many top Hindi actresses like Rani Mukerji are dubbing in their own voices despite having a screechy voice like me,” she said.

“It is now up to the film directors to use my voice or not. I cannot force them to use my voice because ultimately it is the director or producer’s discretion to use voices that suit the characters,” said Priyamani.

“Raam” producer Audithya Babu says Priyamani speaks in Kannada perfectly, but they could not use her voice because of the needs of the character.

“Priyamani has a base voice. And director Maadesh felt that a better voice could be used… Priyamani plays the role of a naughty, prankster born to a rich family who falls in love with a fun loving commoner. We did not want a hard voice for that character. We spoke to Priyamani and she was convinced with our argument,” said Audithya Babu.