CELEBS FACTORY

Mani Ratnam's next film has been entitled Kadal and will feature, Karthik's son Gautham and Radha's younger daughter, Thulasi. It will be remembered by Tamil cinema fans that Karthik and Radha made their debut with Bharathiraja's beloved film, Alaigal Oyvadillai and now their children will be making their entry into films together.

Mani also considered Akshara Haasan and R. Parthiepan's daughter, Keerthana who worked with Mani in Kannathil Muthamital. But finally it has been confirmed that Thulasi will be Mani's heroine. Arjun has also been roped in for this film.

Sherin Shringar of Thulluvadho Illamai fame is now busy with four films (two each in Tamil and telugu) but still wants to have a firm footing in Kollywood where she started her career.

"I don’t have a particular kind of movie or role in mind. I think the movie by itself should be good and I would like to be a part of it," said the hot damsel who was last seen in a cameo role as an item girl in the Chiyaan Vikram starrer 'Bheema'.

Sherin is currently busy with a Kannada film titled AK56 and mentioned that she is now getting meaty offers even from Kollywood expressing her desire to work in films of different genres.

"I've now signed up 3 different projects, One is a complete love story and another that is a in-and-out action thriller, the third one deals with drug addicts," said the actress mentioning of her future projects that are yet to be titled.

Kutty Radhika, the talented actor who is best known for her spell-binding performance in S.P Jananathan's Iyarkkai had faded into the oblivion after the rumors of her relationship with former Chief Minister of Karnataka Mr. H.D Kumaraswamy.

Radhika recently chose to emerge from a five-year break from the public eye with the surname Kumaraswamy, silencing all critics and speculations that has been abounding since she gave up acting in 2006. It has been a couple of years since she revealed of her relationship and the domestic bliss with H.D Kumarasamy and child Shamika that had put all rumors to rest.

Radhika Kumaraswamy's return to films this year has been as sudden as her decision to give it all up at the peak of her career. But she's elated to be back in showbiz, albeit as a producer, with her maiden venture Lucky starring Divya Spandana and Yash.

Following this, Radhika has decided that acting is still her passion and has agreed to face the arch lights once again despite having a family to look after.

One of Karthi’s upcoming film would have him romancing four ravishing ladies in front of the camera. This is for a film directed by Suraaj that is yet to titled.

Apart from the heroine Anushka, this commercial entertained has three other popular actresses like Nikitha Thukral, Megha Nair and Sanusha with each given reasonable screen space with Karthi.

While this is the first time for Anushka, Nikitha and Sanusha to share her screen space with Karthi, its quite the opposite for Megha Nair who had earlier worked with Karthi in ‘Siruthai’.

This film’s shoot is on at a fast pace and Suraaj has decided to ensure that it hits the screens this summer. The movie has action, romance, comedy and sentiments.

Director Lingusamy is looking to strike gold in Bollywood and he feels that Vettai would be his ticket.

The director is planning to remake Vettai in Hindi and talks are on with Salman Khan to essay the role played by Arya in Vettai.

If sources are to be believed this remake would mark the Bollywood debut of director Lingusamy and the pretty lady Amala Paul who may be considered for the lead role in the Hindi version as well. There would be an official confirmation on the cast once the stars for the roles played by Sameera Reddy and Madhavan are finalized.

Vettai starring Arya, Amala Paul, Madhavan and Sameera Reddy has music scored by Yuvan Shankar Raja and is slated for release this Pongal.

Looks like there couldn't have been a better start to the New Year for actor Nidhi Subbaiah, the Kannada heroine of Pancharangi fame who is to mark her Bollywood debut with Akshay Kumar for his home production.

Nidhi, who has been working on making inroads into Bollywood, has begun shooting for her debut film 'Oh My God' produced by Akshay Kumar, who will also play a vital role in the film.

A source says, "Nidhi's character is the only female element in this film, which has a bunch of very versatile actors in it. The cast includes Paresh Rawal, Om Puri and Mahesh Manjrekar." Nidhi began filming yesterday and supposedly shared her first shot with Paresh Rawal. About Akshay's association with the film, the source says, "Akshay is producing this film and will play the role of God in it."

The film is based upon the comic Gujarati play, Kanji Viruddh Kanji, which has been made famous as Krishan v/s Kanhaiya by Paresh. While Paresh will reprise the character that he essayed in the play, the rest of the cast has important roles in this laugh riot. When contacted, Nidhi about her role in 'Oh My God', the actress was quick enough to respond saying that she was not allowed to discuss the film.

While it was reported that Sonu Sood had bought the rights of the song "Appadi Podu" which he was planning to use in his forthcoming film, we now hear that Akshay Kumar has managed to convince Sonu and has bought the rights for the chartbuster, which he will be using in his upcoming film, "Naam Hai Boss".

"Sonu had bought the rights from the audio label but Akshay made a special request to Sonu and now has the rights for the song," says our sources from Bollywood.

Naam Hai Boss, the source adds, is a remake of the 2010 Malayalam blockbuster 'Pokkiri Raja', with Mammootty and Prithviraj in the lead.

While Akshay will be playing Mammootty's role, Prithviraj's role will be played by Pakistani model-turned-actor Imran Abbas. The film will be directed by Anthony D'Souza.

After hand-painting the poster of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Rowdy Rathore, the street painters hired by the filmmakers have now created a portrait of the film’s lead cast Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha.

According to an insider from the film set, the actors had to spent almost four hours standing still in the same position, so the artists could create the piece flawlessly.

“Four painters were hired for the job and they all worked simultaneously and presented four versions, all of which will be unveiled in due course of time,” said an insider.

The long-delayed Saif Ali Khan production venture Agent Vinod has been completed and the film will release on March 23, says director Sriram Raghavan.

Raghavan revealed that the celebrity couple - Saif and Kareena - shot for the last day of Agent Vinod on December 24.

"My shooting with Saif and Kareena is over. We are all done. Saif and Kareena did their last shooting for my film on December 24 and left for their holiday. We are now in post-production work. The release date is March 23," said the director known for making thrillers like Ek Hasina Thi and Johnny Gaddaar.

The Kareena-Saif wedding would follow in the last week of March or the first week of April.

The next schedule of Madhur Bhandarkar's Heroine has been advanced from the end of February to the middle of February to accommodate the promotion and release of Agent Vinod into Kareena's clogged schedule, followed by the wedding and honeymoon.

"After the release of Agent Vinod, the wedding will happen immediately. Kareena and Saif don't want to delay it any more," reported the source.

Just one film old and Sonakshi Sinha has shot for one item number already. What's more is the fact that the pretty lass seems to be aware of all the tricks which take a sizzling song to the top position. No wonder, for a raunchy number in her upcoming film Joker, the actress is aping the dance steps of Katrina Kaif in Chikni Chameli, which has already created waves all over.

'Dance Karle English Mein' is the title of the song which showcases Sonakshi in a village girl attire, something she carries off with no inhibitions. Wearing a fire colour chaniya choli and dancing away to glory with men around, Ms. Sinha surely reminds one of Chikni Chameli.

It will be interesting to wait and watch whether Dance Karle…too becomes a huge rage like Chikni…or falls flat just as a replica.

Leave the moving and grooving to Katrina Kaif for she knows her job best.

After a sizzling Sheila, bindass Bodyguard and Chikni Chameli, Katrina's only gotten better at it. But fame, as always, comes at a price.

Sources from Bollywood recently revealed that the shooting schedule for Katrina's Chikni Chameli song for Agneepath was rather demanding and stretched over long hours. So much so, that while shooting for the song, Katrina got blisters and her feet started bleeding. Worried about her condition, her staff asked the choreographer to stop the shoot.

Packing up for the day would have meant sending Hrithik Roshan and Sanjay Dutt home, too. But Katrina proved to be a thorough professional and insisted that the actors needn't worry about her.

Katrina resumed her dance in no time, and completed the shoot as planned. Looks like this Chameli gave it her 100 per cent, no aadha, pahua here!

The buzz is that Trisha will be playing Jiiva's heroine in his next film with director Ahmed of Vaamanan fame.

Touted as a light and frothy love story with music by Harris Jeyaraj, this yet to be titled film is scheduled to go on the floors in February.

Trisha is all set to make a strong comeback to Tamil films as she will be seen in Samaran opposite Vishal. Jiiva is currently one of the hottest stars in the South and the general opinion is that they will make a sizzling couple onscreen.

Four other heroines are also running for the heroines role but Ahmed's choice is Trisha and he is keeping his fingers crossed hoping that all goes well with this project.

The National Media Network has selected Vidya Balan as the best actress and will honor her with an award on January 21st in a grand event.

Vidya’s performance in The Dirty Picture has won her accolades from all quarters as she excelled in her role in the film.

This has fetched the actress the award for best acting. Further, the film, The Dirty Picture has also been adjudged as the best film. These awards will be distributed at the function on January 21st.

Richa’s Hindi debut is uncertain for now. The actress was signed up for Shortcut Romeo, to be directed by Susi Ganesan.

Shortcut Romeo is a remake of the Jeevan-Sonia Agarwal starrer Thiruttupayale.

Susi Ganesan, the director of the film is yet to begin the shooting and Richa is said to have declined the offer to star opposite Vijay in Thuppaki as she was set on making her Bollywood debut.

Shortcut Romeo, the Bollywood project of director Susi Ganesan that was to launch Richa is now likely to be shelved, say sources in the tinsel town. It is worth mentioning here that Richa would also be making her debut in the Bengali remake of Vikramarkudu.

Vadivelu may just make a re-entry with Mareesan, actor Dhanush’s next with director Simbu Devan.

The comedian was last seen in the Prashanth starrer Mambattiyan, that started rolling before the 2011 state assembly polls. However it may be recalled that the results of the poll gave no chance to the actor on signing up new projects.

The buzz now is that Vadivelu has been signed up for Mareesan, a Dhanush starrer that is to be directed by Simbu Devan. The director has given a hit film Imsai Arasan 23aam Pulikesi in which Vadivelu not only played the lead role but also appeared in dual roles.

Looks like Simbu Devan might give Vadivelu the much needed break at this time of his career with Dhanush having given his nod of consent already.

Kamal Haasan is very passionate about his new film Vishwaroopam, an upcoming bilingial spy thriller which he says is currently the biggest project in Tamil cinema.

"I was not getting any younger to just stand by and let the director waste anyone's time besides wasting his own," said Kamal Haasan on his decision to direct the film. It can be recalled that Selvaraghavan was supposed to direct this film before Kamal Haasan was forced to take over the responsibilities.

Kamal Haasan also mentioned of actress Sonakshi Sinha whose dates were also wasted being the original choice for the heroine's role that is now being played by Pooja Kumar. The actor conveyed his apologies to Sonakshi and parted ways hoping to work together in the future.

About the kind of films being made in India today, Kamal said that he appreciates the kind of films that Aamir Khan does and it is such films that keeps his interest in Bollywood movies going.