CELEBS FACTORY

Actress Sameera Reddy has all praise for director Gautam Menon, who gave her a big break in Tamil with his Vaaranam Ayiram. The actress has once again joined hands with him for the film Nadunisi Naaygal. She says that he has the quality to make actors shine. So she trusts him with her life.

Gautam Menon's latest movie Nadunisi Naaygal deals with the story of a psycho killer. It is all about what happens during a night out on the ECR Road, Chennai. Film has no music and is said to be less than two hours. Sameera Reddy is playing first heroine opposite newcomer Veera in it.

In an interview, Sameera admired Goutham's talent. She said, "He has the quality to make actors shine. I trust him with my life. He takes the actor out of you, and lets the character evolve naturally." The actress has lot of love and respect for Tamil audience too. She said, "It is gratifying, the amount of love and respect they give me here."

Nadunisi Naaygal is releasing across the state tomorrow (18th February). And Sameera is pinning lots of hope on it. However, she has several important projects in her hands. She is starring in Prabhu Deva's next film, Lingusamy's Vettai, Priyadarshan's Tez. Nagesh Kukunoor's Yeh Hausla.

He couldn't have asked for more. An onscreen debut in a Gautham Menon film and that too, in the role of an assistant commissioner of police (ACP)!

Needless to say, actor Deva is thrilled beyond words. The actor, who was an assistant to Gautham Menon, has debuted with his Nadunisi Naaygal (NN).

"I worked with Gautham in Vaaranam Aayiram. I took a break when he started work on Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa. One night, he called me to his place and narrated the script of NN. I had told him earlier that I'd like to try my hand at acting. So, I was surprised when he remembered that and asked me to do the role of the ACP," begins Deva.

"I was shocked when Gautham narrated the script to me. The story was blatant and at the same time, gripping. I was a little apprehensive about doing a cop's role because actors like Kamal Haasan and Suriya have played the role to perfection. But Gautham had full confidence in me and said he knew what he was doing. So, I started hitting the gym and started preparing for my role," he says.

Deva admits it was easier for him to work with Gautham. "He never gets angry, and he gives an actor a lot of freedom to experiment. As a newcomer, I was lucky to work with him," he says.

Deva says that his family and friends are happy with his performance. "They always thought I would do a love story, but never expected me to play a cop! My sister, actress Maheswari, and aunt Sridevi, and her husband Boney Kapoor, praised me for my work. I called up Gautham to thank him for giving me this break," he answers.

Currently, Deva is busy listening to scripts. "I joined Gautham as an assistant to learn about filmmaking. But acting has always been my passion. Gautham might start work on

Chennaiyil Oru Mazhaikkalam and he's told me he would like to cast me as one of the leads," he signs off.

Gautham Vasudev Menon's Nadunisi Naaygal has been torn by the critics, but the film went on to take a good opening.

NN made on a shoe string budget , as per trade sources will get a share around Rs 1.10 crore from releasing centres in Tamil Nadu in its first week! Meanwhile last Sunday, Gautham Menon left for an exotic foreign locale to complete the script of his new film in Tamil.

The film will start rolling in July with a big star. As per sources it will be a typical Gautham genre, romantic musical film laced with action. Meanwhile Gautham Menon is embarking on a new mission, to make his VTV in Hindi with Prateik Babar, Omy Vaidya and Amy Jackson.

AR Rahman has handed over all the seven songs for the Hindi remake which has dialogues by Javed Akthar.

The shooting of the film will start March middle and it will be completed in one single schedule.

Kajal Agarwal, having consolidated her position as one of the most sought-after contemporary heroines, is now moving towards Bollywood.

After a constant watch for the right chance, she has accepted a role opposite Ajay Devgn for the remake of Suriya`s Tamil hit Singam (dubbed in Telugu as Yamudu). The film will be directed by Rohith Shetty.

Anushka was initially chosen but after she denied the role they moved on to Kajal.

Interestingly, many heroines from South, Shriya, Trisha, Asin and Priyamani, have tried their luck in Bollywood, but they had to make a U-turn at the very initial stage, with just one or two films. Let us wait and see how Kajal wades through the high-voltage competition there.

Ilayathalapathy is a busy bee these days as he is apparently managing his acting and political career. Vijay is currently working in director Raja's superhero subject 'Velayutham' and Shankar's '3 Idiots' remake movie, 'Nanban'.

Vijay has also revived his project with director Seeman, which was considered to be shelved due to the imprisonment of the latter. Director Seeman, after his jail sentence, has started the ground works for the film titled 'Pagalavan'.

As per the initial reports, some of the big technicians are being signed for this project. Seeman is good at making power packed movies in which the protagonist delivers a strong message to the society. Considering this fact, Vijay must be highly involved in this project to exploit it for his political career.

As of now the confirmed list of technicians are Padma Shri award winning art director Thotta Tharani, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Devi Sri Prasad and K.V Anand's favorite script writer Vivega. The film will go on floors after completing 'Nanban' and 'Velayutham'. Pagalavan will be produced by Kalaipuli S Thanu under V creations banner.

When we hear the word Thriller movies, one would definitely think about English movies. Thriller movies in Indian cinema have not reached great heights yet. However there are many attempts made to match the international standard in the Thriller genre.

Goutham Vasudev Menon is back yet another trend setting script Nadunisi Naigal. Nadunisi Naigal will be a psychological thriller which is expected not to have any music in it. There is no need for a music director because Nadunisi Naigal will not even feature background score. The lead roles will be played by Sameera Reddy and Veera.

As Nadunisi Naigal will be screened without the support of music, the cinematography and other technical parts are given high importance. Cinematography is handled by Manoj Paramahamsa. The stunts are done by Selva and Gautham Menon's most reliable editor Antony is taking care of the editing part.

Nadunisi Naigal star cast:

Veera as Samar, Veera (hero), Sameera Reddy as Sukanya (Heroine), Ashwin as Arjun, Karthik as Vijay

Nadunisi Naigal technical crew:

Director – Gautham Menon

Producer – Kumar Jayaraman

Cinematography – Manoj Paramahamsa

Editing – Anthony

Gautham Menon's experimental offbeat film Nadunisi Naigal is said to be a psychological thriller film which bags Sameera Reddy and Gautham's associate Veera in lead roles. Gautham Menon, who is quite good in making stylish films has tried his hands in a new genre film which is a rare sight in Tamil cinema.

Nadunisi Naigal storyline:

Nadunisi Naigal is based on a true story in which a psychopath inflicts terror in women at night. The main theme of the story is said to be compulsive love and lust which makes men to indulge in violence. Gautham Menon who is well known for filming song sequences in stylish manner has given no room for music in Nadunisi Naigal.

The movie will go on for 90 minutes without any background scores too. All the sounds have been recorded live and the editing part is said to be a challenging task it is said. Besides Veera and Sameera Reddy Ashwin plays an important in this movie.

Since Nadunisi Naigal is an experimental movie Gautham Menon has planned to release it in limited number of theaters. The multiplex movie theaters will be the first target, says sources. Earlier rumors stated that Nadunisi Naigal is based on Bharathi Raja's Sigappu Rokjakkal, but Gautham Menon has rubbished such rumors.

Gautham Menon has produced Nadunisi Naigal under his home production house Photon Kathaas in collaboration with R. S. Infotainment. The movie is expected to be a trend setter in Tamil cinema and surely will trigger a thought for other directors to try out something different.

It is a dream for each and every actress to share the screen space with Superstar Rajinikanth at least once. Sameera Reddy is not an exception from this list. The actress has openly confessed her admiration towards the actor in her interviews to small screen.

Sameera Reddy has done a direct confession to Rajinikanth when she happened to meet him in a function (we guess it would've happened during the 40th directors union celebration event). The tall beauty has directly approached Rajinikanth and said, “Sir I Want to work with you”. Rajinikanth with a polite smile has said “Ok” for it, says sources.

It is a known fact that Rajinikanth is a man of his words. For instance, Rajinikanth while working with Sonu Sood in 'Chandranukhi' has promised to give a meaty role in one of his future projects. As said earlier Rajinikanth has offered the villain role in his next flick 'Rana'. So this fact suggest that Rajinikanth might be romancing Sameera Reddy in one of his future projects.

Even superstars have bad hair days.

When Shah Rukh Khan launched a documentary on K Asif's classic Mughal-e-Azam, he was obviously facing a hair crisis, thanks to his new Don 2 look.

"I respect women," Shah Rukh said. "I am suffering since the time I put on these (hair) extensions. Now I understand how tough it is for a woman to manage her hair. I respect them even more. I am waiting for the Don 2 shoot to get over to get rid of my messy look."

He also joked that she wanted to give him a bath. "The other day Suhana told me I looked very bad and desperately needed a bath! She was ready to give me one," he said.

We’re very close as a family but I don’t talk to him (Ranbir) about things like his break-up or who he’s dating. He’s old enough to handle all that on his own,” says actor Kareena Kapoor, 30, about her cousin, actor Ranbir Kapoor who seems to have become a permanent fixture in gossip columns and blogs thanks to his constant link-ups and break-ups. “People can speculate all they want. But at the end it’s his life,” she adds.

Talk to her about her curvy new avatar and Kareena immediately lights up. “Personally, I quite like being voluptuous than skinny. I think my fans, filmmakers and even Saif prefer me like this,” she says. But, at one time she was the poster child for all things size zero, even drawing flak for being too thin. She says, “I might have been skinny but I was still exceptionally fit. And now I’m fit and have an amazing body. So, being fit is far more important.”

Ask her if she’ll ever shed her curves for a film, Kareena, who’s on the cover of film glossy Stardust’s March issue as ‘Bollywood’s sexiest woman’ says, “In all my upcoming releases you’ll see me as I am.” However, she’s most excited about her film Agent Vinod, with beau Saif Ali Khan. “Out of all films, this is probably my most anticipated as it’s an exceptional story with the right mix of thrills and a story.” Looks like Kareena has her favourite Khan chosen for now. “They’re all exceptio-nal actors in their own right, so pickings one is really not fair,” she says.

On being asked if she will make her much-anticipated debut on Twitter, Kapoor says, “I prefer to connect to my fans by my films or I’d rather meet them in person. Besides Twitter often leads to unnecessary controversies,” she says with a giggle.

She promises to be seen more often with Saif this year. “Later this year you’ll see us together a lot more in public. Our schedules are jam packed for now. But next year I’ll make sure it’s not like this,” she says. Suggest her that perhaps 2012 will be free enough for wedding bells to toll and she just laughs.

Kareena speaks...

On Ranbir Kapoor

I don’t talk to him (Ranbir) about things like his break-up or who he’s dating. He’s old enough to handle all that on his own. People can speculate all they want.

On never joining Twitter

I prefer to connect with my fans through my films or I’d rather meet them in person. Besides Twitter, too often leads to unnecessary controversies.

On her curvy new body

I have an amazing body and I quite like being voluptuous than being skinny. I think even my

fans, producers, director and even Saif prefers me like this.

Veena Malik is back in yet another Indian cricket-based reality TV show, ‘Bigg Toss’, and this time, her dance number is possibly longer than her previous appearances on Bigg Boss.

According to the video description, 12 contestants will be pitted against each other to “cash in on the World Cup fever” with the centre of attraction being “television hotties, Veena Malik and Bollywood item girl Rakhi Sawant.”

With such star power and a few more dance numbers, this show is likely to be yet another major hit. We can definitely expect thousands of eager, perhaps mortified Pakistanis to be scouring through YouTube for more clips of Malik as the show progresses.

Rakhi Sawant has stirred the hornet’s nest again. Not long after she was in the dock for allegedly driving a young man to suicide after she called him impotent, the starlet, 32, has been accused of molesting a Delhi-based guru, Swami Arvind, giving him a panic attack that landed him in hospital. The two were part of a reality show on India TV — Bigg Toss — loosely based on Bigg Boss, which makes contestants stay together in a villa in Noida.

“I have left the show because Rakhi, whom I treated like my daughter, sat on my lap and made me do a close dance with her. I kept on saying, ‘for God’s sake, leave me, I am not here to do these cheap and obscene acts’, but she did not listen and humiliated me in front of so many viewers. I was shocked to see a woman molesting a man like this,” says the 48-year-old. The Shraddha channel show host was admitted to the Geeta Gupta Nursing Home in Shahdara last week after he suffered an angina attack and his blood pressure shot up.

Sawant, however, denies the allegations. “By accusing me of molesting him, he is only gaining mileage in my name. Rakhi Sawant ke saath naam juda toh popular ho jayega (If you get linked with me, you will get popular),” she says, adding, “He was not fit for the show. Main us dhongi-paakhandi baba ka asli chehra saamne laayi hun (I have ripped the mask off that fraudulent priest). Why did he not raise the issue while he was in the house?”

Some are sure that it’s just another publicity gimmick. “It’s a new show and it’s Rakhi Sawant, so it’s obviously all a tamasha,” says Nitesh Singh, 21, a viewer of the show. “Rakhi Sawant can go to any extent to gain attention. But if the priest is indeed in hospital, this is just not on,” says Bobby Darling, former Bigg Boss contestant.

The cute dimple lad Shahid Kapoor’s 30th birthday bash that was held at the Olive Club in Mumbai on Feb.25 got off to a rosy start, but the celebration, with close friends, did not end on a cherry note.

Reportedly, people residing near the club were not impressed with the loud music and noise coming from the pub past midnight, and hence, some of the locals lodged a police complaint.

And so, the police played a spoilsport for the ‘Kaminey’ actor’s celebration. The police personnel held the event organizers responsible for ignoring the norms pertaining to late night parties.

While no arrests were made, the party mood was killed. But a mature Shahid Kapoor remained calm throughout the police episode and so, no scene was created.

Numerologist Bhavikk Sangghvi predicts the year for Shahid:

As Shahid turns 30, numerologist Bhavikk Sangghvi predicts 2011 as a good year for the most-eligible bachelor, both on the professional and personal front.

“Shahid was born on 25th February, 1981 which makes him a Number 7 person in numerology. Being a Number 7, Shahid is very creative but also very moody. He can be soft spoken and family-loving, but at the same time very temperamental and aggressive,” Bhavikk informs.

“His next film Mausam being directed by none other than his father Pankaj Kapoor, will work well for Shahid as his performance will garner great reviews and even the film would do well at the box office,” the numerologist added.

However, Bhavikk cautions the actor to be a little less vocal about his secrets and avoid taking hasty decisions, to progress in life.

What about Shahid and Priyanka?

Well, though Shahid and Priyanka share a blow-hot-blow-cold love life and Priyanka also gave a skip to Shahid’s birthday bash, the two may still have chances of getting together again.

Bhavik said that Shahid needed to gear up to handle his love interest, Priyanka Chopra’s tantrums and her stubborn nature as deep down even she is a loving and caring person.

We hope to see the couple back in action soon and here’s wishing Shahid a belated Happy Birthday!

In a fiercely fought finale on Friday night, television and film actor Kushal Punjabi emerged winner on NDTV Imagine's controversial reality show Zor Ka Jhatka. Punjabi who has appeared on several other reality shows, defeated his nearest rival German-Polish model Claudia Ciesla.

Though the water-stunts were shot in Buenos Aires last month, the end-game bits of Zor Ka Jhatka finals were shot with anchor Shah Rukh Khan at the Yash Raj Studios on Friday evening.

Claudia was seen on Bigg Boss last year and was also seen as the glamorous face of Zor Ka Jhatka. However, Kushal was seen to have an edge over all the contestants in terms of agility and control over the tasks allotted to the contestants.

Minutes after winning Kushal said, "Ah, it feels great to have won. More so, since my closest rival was a lady. I am just so pleased to emerge on top in a competition where the contestants were some notable athletes as well. When I agreed to do the show I wasn't aware of whom my competitors were. When I reached Buenos Aires I saw what I was up against. Now it feels good to be the winner when the competition is impressive."

She wowed fans with her mast mast antics on the silver screen before taking a sabbatical. But now, Raveena Tandon is set for a ‘comeback’. “Comeback has become a keyword in my life,” laughs Tandon. “Over the past year or so, I’ve made many comebacks with Aap Ke Liye Hum and a Bengali film, Laboratory (2010).”

This time, Raveena is geared up for a fresh outing in Bollywood with the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Buddah. The Satta actor, last spotted in Sandwich (2006), will play Big B’s love interest in Puri Jagannath’s film, also starring Hema Malini and Sonu Sood. Interestingly, she will be the third female actor – after Jiah Khan in Nishabd (2007) and Tabu in Cheeni Kum (2007) – to be paired opposite an older Bachchan. But Tandon insists she won’t be seen doing anything similar.

“I’ve always had strict rules about my portrayal on screen. I’ve been clear about not doing things I’m uncomfortable with,” says Tandon. “So, my set of principles and my laxman rekha (boundaries) will continue. In fact, I’ve to follow my principles more strictly now. I don’t want my kids (Rasha and Ranbir) to ask, ‘Mom, what were you thinking?’”

Tandon says she turned down Darr (1993) and Prem Qaid (’91) because she was not comfortable with certain sultry sequences. As for Buddah, the actor gushes, “It’s an amazingly funny script. My character has a huge crush on Big B. I’m very excited because in Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (’98), I had played his sister while Aks (2001) saw him more obsessed with Manoj Bajpai.”

Tandon insists she’s open to sharing screen space with all male actors, including former flame Akshay Kumar. “If I get a good script, I’d love to work with him again. I’m not waiting with a dagger to attack Akki,” she laughs.

There’s been much hype around the title track of Rohan Sippy’s Dum Maro Dum featuring the sizzling Deepika Padukone. Only Dev Anand, in whose Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971) the song first appeared, is unimpressed. “My Dum maro dum… is an eternal phenomenon thanks to the RD Burman-Asha Bhonsle magic. How could they just take away my song on the basis of some clause in the contract? It disturbed me for days and I even wrote an open letter to the producers. I don’t want to stir up faltu ka (unnecessary) controversies. If you can write original stuff, then why would you need to copy someone else’s work?” grouses the veteran actor-producer-director.

Dev Anand, whose 1961 black-and-white classic released in colour as Hum Dono Rangeen recently, has been working on half-a-dozen scripts, including Hare Rama Hare Krishna Aaj.

“It’s too premature to disclose much. All I can say is that the new Hare Rama Hare Krishna will showcase today’s issues just like the earlier film, touched on the decadence of the hippie culture and the dangers of drug abuse,”says Anand.

He was inspired to make the original Hare Rama Hare Krishna after coming across some hippes in Kathmandu where he had retreated following the furore over Prem Pujari (1970).

The earlier film had starred Dev Anand and Mumtaz, with Zeenat Aman in a supporting role as a sister who died in the film but was immortalised as an actor. “The new film will have different characters and younger actors. But who knows I may be able to bring Zeenat back in a different role,” says the 86-year-old.

“Perhaps I will go back to Nepal to shoot it. There’s so much left to do. But one thing’s for sure, I will never borrow from anyone. I may have been inspired but I’ve never imitated. Every Dev Anand film is an original,” concludes Anand.