Interview with Nandhini JS
The growth and popularity of OTT platforms has led to the creation of new markets for good quality serials that go way beyond the soap operas of most Chennai-based TVchannels. I spoke to Nandhini, JS, a film director who made her big screen debut with the romantic comedy Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru (2009) and was […]
Interview with Gautham Vasudev Menon
I got to chat to Gautham Vasudev Menon in the week in which he launched his first original song, Mutha Pitchai in which he sang the vocals to original music which he composed. In South Africa, the song went on to reach Number 1 on the Tamil top 20, a position it held for two […]
Why MR Radha shot MGR – A Quest for the Truth
On 12 January 1967 shortly after 16h00, actor MR Radha walked into MGR’s house and shot him at point blank range before turning the gun on himself in an attempted suicide. Miraculously, both survived, but the truth behind the curious incident has remained a mystery. There are many versions of the incident, but the truth […]
Musings of a film critic
Being a movie critic has its obvious perks, including watching all the latest movies, occasionally before the general public get to see them– but I often ask myself: Of what relevance really is the opinion of a film critic? How is the opinion of a film critic more important than any other film fan? I […]
MOHAM MUPPATHU VARUSHAM review
The Indian weekly magazine Ananda Vikatan is one of Tamil Nadu’s most popular weekly magazines. A popular feature in the magazine is the serialised version of various locally-written stories. The Rajinikanth- Sri Devi starrer, Priya, was an example of one such story being made into a movie. For the film Moham Puppathu Varusham, the debut […]
SALANGAI OLI review
K.Vishwanath’s Purnodhayaa Movie Creations is the production house behind the landmark film, Salangai Oli. Kamalhassan, Jayapradha and Sarathbabu share the lead roles, along with S.P.Sailaja – the younger sister of S.P.Balasubramanyam – making her acting debut. Others in the cast are Arunkumar, Saakshi Rungarao, V.Sathyanaraayanan, Krishnan Chaitanyaa, Premesvara Rao, Misro and Y.S.R.Moorthy. The film also […]
ULAGAM SUTTRUM VALIBAN
Ulagam Suttrum Vaaliban is a lavish production from MGR Pictures (MGR’s own production company), filmed on location in India, Singapore, Japan, Hong Kong and Thailan. The film has a huge star cast with MGR in a dual role opposite four lead ladies; Manjulla, Latha, Chandhrakalaa and Metaa Roongrath of Thailand. Also in the cast are […]
THANGA PATHAKKAM review
One of the biggest blockbusters of 1974 was a film from Sivaji Ganesan’s own production company, Sivaji Films. The film was the multi-award winner, Thanga Pathakkam, a tense family drama from master story teller Mahendran. Thanga Pathakkam starred Sivaji Ganesan, K.R.Vijaya, Shrikanth, Premilla, Major Sunderrajan, Cho, V.K. Ramasamy and others. Constable S.P. Choudhry (Sivaji Ganesan) […]
KAADHALIKKA NERAMILLAI review
Shridhar’s home production company, Chithraalaya is behind the landmark movie, Kaadhalikka Neramillai – the first Indian movie about young love, played by young actors and written and directed by a youngster. R.Muthuraamanm shares the lead role with a very young Ravichandhran, making his acting debut. They are supported by Nagesh, Raajashri and another debutante, actress […]
PILOT PREMNATH review
Pilot Premnath is a lavish Indo-Sri Lanka co-production with Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan in the lead role opposite Sri Lankan actress, Malini Fonseka. They are supported by Sri Devi, Vijayakumar, Jai Ganesh, Jayachithra, Thengaai Srinivassan, Major Sunderarajan and Prem Anand. Others in the cast are Manorama, Sathyapriya and Sri Lankan stars Manimegalai, Abraham, Maaraa Sinsaa, […]