After tying knots with Surya, Jothika gave birth to a healthy girl at a private hospital at 09-25 p.m. Friday evening.

After the eventful wedding between ‘Sillunu Oru Jodi’ Suriya and Jyotika, they have always been in the news.

Suriya and Jothika, the most loved couple in the Tamil film industry, today became proud parents of a baby girl. With the doctors marking today as the ‘due date’ and widely reported in the media too, there was little surprise.

Today being an Aadi Velli, an auspicious day in Tamil calendar, it was doubly special for Suriya, whose career is on a big high. Suriya and Jothika, after a fairytale romance, got married last year. It was one of the famous weddings in Kollywood.

Suriya had given up his shooting time to be present beside her wife at the time of the delivery of their child.

Malayalam superstars come under criticism
Indo-Asian News Service

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 13 (IANS) Malayalam film superstars Mammootty and Mohanlal came in for criticism Thursday by two leading film personalities, who accused the stars of dictating the kind of films being made, thereby diluting the aesthetic value of Malayalam films.

Speaking at a discussion on Malayalam films organised by the state information and public relation department, veteran film director and chairman of the state-owned Kerala State Film Development Corporation, K.G. George said the superstars have an iron grip on the industry and this does not augur well.

“There is nothing wrong with them, but for the last 25 years they have ruled the roost and this trend is not good. There are times when films are made according to the whims and fancies of these superstars. Over the years the aesthetic value of Malayalam films has been lost out to pure commercialization,” said George who through his film “Yavanika” in the early 80s made Mammootty a superstar.

Producer Sureshkumar also said that the remuneration of the two superstars is simply not affordable today.

“Today the stage has come that the entire remuneration aspect alone accounts for a staggering 65 percent of the total cost of the film. Quite a number of producers and theatre owners have decided to join hands and we have decided to produce films with new faces and the cost of these films would be kept under Rs.15 million. The theatre owners have agreed that they would show these films for a minimum period of two weeks,” said Sureshkumar who has produced more than a dozen blockbuster films of Mohanlal.

Mohanlal and Sureshkumar are contemporaries and began their film careers together more than three decades ago.

‘Dhoom 2′ being remade in Kannada
Indo-Asian News Service

Mumbai, Nov 21 (IANS) Yash Raj Films’ super hit action thriller “Dhoom 2″ is being made in Kannada and Aryan Vaid will play Hrithik Roshan’s part in the ‘unofficial’ remake.

It is unofficial because “Dubai Babu”, the Kannada version of “Dhoom 2″, has neither sought not got an official go-ahead from Yash Raj Films. The film is being directed by Naganna.

“My character is as flamboyant, but much meaner and far more cold-blooded than Hrithik’s. Ash’s character is played by Nikita, while Uday Chopra’s character is played by a Kannada actor called Kumar Govind. These are fairly well-known names of the Kannada film industry while Upendra, of course, is superstar and the director Naganna is top name in the Kannada industry,” Aryan told IANS.

Aryan, replicating Hrithik’s penchant for masquerades, will be go through a series of disguises in the film.

“My get-ups are almost identical to Hrithik’s. They signed me because they wanted a good-looking villain, like Hrithik in ‘Dhoom 2′,” he added.

This isn’t the first “Dhoom 2″ rip off in the South. In Telugu, they made it as “Dubai Seenu”.

‘Ganga Cauvery’ - another ordinary love triangle (Kannada Film Review)
Indo-Asian News Service

Film: “Ganga Cauvery”
Director: Vishnukanth
Cast: Akshay, Mallika Kapoor, Mahi, Tara, Anant Nag, Ramesh Bhat, Roopa Devi and Sharan
Music: K. Kalyan
Rating: **

“Ganga Cauvery” is a love triangle featuring debutant Akshay and two model-turned-actresses Mallika Kapoor and Mahi. The story as such does not have any fresh elements, but what separates the film from the ordinary fare is the brilliant technical work done by veterans like cinematographer H.C. Venu, lyricist-music director K. Kalyan and dialogue writer B.A. Madhu.

The film, however, fails to make a big mark mainly because the narration is not up to the mark and most actors give ordinary performances. Akshay is found wanting in the emotional sequences of the film. It is only veteran actor Anant Nag who has done justice to his part.

Director Vishnukanth has taken on too many responsibilities, but fails on all counts. He seems thoroughly ill-equipped to narrate an ordinary story in an engaging manner. “Ganga Cauvery” is reduced to being an ordinary film without a soul.

Akshay plays Arjun, a fashion photographer from the picturesque Madikeri region who goes to the Himalayas to capture some photographs of nature. There he meets Ganga who belongs to a village in Uttarakhand. Arjun’s interactions with Ganga leads him to promise her marriage, though he is already engaged to childhood friend Kaveri.

Arjun comes to Madikeri to seek his parents nod for marriage with Ganga, but finds that his ill father is fighting for life. And by the climax, audiences will only be relieved that the boredom has finally ended.

While Akshay is unable to show the emotional side of the character, Mahi is impressive as one of the two heroines. Mallika Kapoor just seems to be giggling in most parts.

However, H.C. Venu is brilliant behind camera and the songs shot in the foothills of the Himalayas are truly spectacular. K. Kalyan has written beautiful lyrics for the title song and “Ambara ambaradaage”.

Despite its many technical high points, “Ganga Cauvery” turns out to be just another ordinary fare.

‘Bidda’ - an illogical story worth avoiding
Indo-Asian News Service

Film: “Bidda”
Director: Vishwa
Cast: Adi Lokesh, Yaamini Sharma, Umashri, Rangayana Raghu and Sharath Lohithashwa
Music Director: Venkat-Narayan
Rating: *

Adi Lokesh made a big name through the blockbuster film “Jogi” directed by Prem in which he played the role of a gangster Bidda. Director Vishwa thought of catching on his popularity in Bidda’s role and scripted this film, which also introduced Adi as the hero.

With an illogical story and nonsensical narration, Vishwa has made another cheap and perverse film. The gory elements in the film were expected because of the ‘A’ certificate but violence seen in the film is certainly sickening. And the so called message that comes across the film from beginning to the end is utterly laughable and shows the bankruptcy of commonsense in the writer-director of the film.

“Bidda” may well compete with the worst gangster films made in Kannada. While most of the so called gangster films made in Kannada are below-ordinary fares, this one takes the cake for being nonsensical too. How can you explain this sequence? The young boy who wants to pursue studies is advised by elders that he commits some juvenile crime to get free education from a government-owned remand home. And the young person commits the crime also.

The dialogues of the film are cheap and are a real nightmare. Even many sequences are narrated in bad taste.

Bidda is brought up by a labourer who finds it difficult to admit him to school. He commits a crime and grows to become a gangster. And then follows mindless mayhem with lot of gangsters and his opponents getting killed. His lover, however, wants him to be reformed. He reforms, but finally meets his end when he is killed by an unknown person trying to avenge the death of his father.

Adi Lokesh uses underworld lingo in his dialogues, but fails to deliver goods otherwise. Yaamini Sharma proves that she is a non-performing actress. Rangayana Raghu is theatrical. Except for veterans like Umashri and Jai Jagadish who have portrayed their roles tolerably, all the other artistes are totally ineffective.

Neither Venkat-Narayan’s music nor Manohar’s camera work qualify for any appreciation. A thoroughly incompetent venture which can be avoided.