Annapurna Studios Incident: Manam Set Burnt To Ashes
A major fire has permanently wiped out the memories of ANR’s last film “Manam” if we have to say. The incident that occurred on Monday evening at Annapurna Studio premises in Road 2, Jubilee Hills, has reduced a set erected for Manam movie to ashes.
“In just three minutes span, the set got reduced to ashes. We have fire extinguishers and a fire engine as well in the studio premises, but even before they reached the spot, fire submerged the whole setup”, avered Nagarjuna, talking about the incident. It is heard that sparks ignited from an electric transformer caused the fire and the dried grass on the setting added more fuel to it.
Nagarjuna stated that it is quite fortunate that none got injured in the incident. Meanwhile he added, “I’m happy and at the same time I’m disappointed that dad’s memory perished this way as he spent most of his last days there”.
When quizzed about the value of property damaged, Nag added, “We erected this set five years ago and someone has extended it now. Maybe it would have cost around 2 crores, but that money is nothing before a life”.
“After all this is a set, what is it before life? Happy that we didn’t lose any life due”, said Nagarjuna, on a concluding note.
Who’s The Girl Next To Jagan?
A girl standing next to YS Jagan through out his Padayatra is hogging the limelight. The girl in question is none other than who works for Prashant Kishor.
The job of the girl is to assess the pulse of the crowd at Jagan’s yatra and send feedback to Prashant. She notes down the points of Jagan’s speech at which crowd are cheering. At the same time, she would also note where the crowd don’t respond much and tell honest feedback to Prashant.
Based on her observations, PK prepares and sends a honest report to Jagan which Jagan would use to improve himself and the points in his yatra. In fact, she was also there with Jagan during his recent media interactions.
However, there is a mixed response from YSRCP leaders, partymen over PK’s team accompanying their president Jagan all the time. While a few leaders have openly expressed their dissent to Jagan on this and alerted him that TDP would criticise him for this act, all those said to have fallen on the deaf ears of Jagan.
Whereas a few other leaders who don’t have guts are murmuring at yatra that what the girl would observe when she is an alien to Telugu. That is a point to be noted for sure. After suffering from back pain and attending CBI Court, PK team accompanying Jagan is considered as another drawback by the own party people. As usual, Jagan is not bothered about party people’s opinion at all.
Heroine Walks Out of Babu’s Film!
Fans of Hyderabad-born Bollywood actress Aditi Rao Hydari will have to wait for some more time to see her Telugu film debut as she will not be doing Sudheer Babu’s film, as reported earlier.
Hydari formally agreed to act in Sudheer babu’s new film, to be directed by noted filmmaker Indraganti Mohan Krishna, after she got impressed with the narration. The makers were excited as well since it would have been her first direct Telugu film. She however was dropped after she quoted Rs 50 lakhs remuneration.
Considering Hydari’s resume, her demand is not too unreasonable, but the producers couldn’t per such high amount since they were planning to make the film in small budget keeping Sudheer Babu’s market in mind. They are now looking for a replacement, a new face will most probably be roped in.
Hydari was last seen in Mani Ratnam’s “Cheliyaa”. She will be next seen in “Padmavati”.
No commitment from Govt for Hyd Metro cost overrun
Hyderabad: The Telangana government has not committed to bear the cost overrun of the Hyderabad Metro, whose first phase will be inaugurated later this month, a senior cabinet minister said on Monday.
Minister for Urban Development K.T. Rama Rao told the state legislative assembly that Larsen & Toubro (L&T) in its correspondence with the state government mentioned about the cost overrun.
He, however, said the government had not yet confirmed cost escalation or committed to bear the additional expenditure.
Billed as the world’s biggest metro rail project in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, it was taken up in 2012 at a cost of Rs 14,132 crore.
The minister did not give any figure but the revised project cost is estimated to be nearly Rs 19,000 crore. L&T has reportedly sought additional amount of Rs 3,756 crore from the state government.
The original construction period for the 71.16 km elevated metro ended in July this year but the project could not be completed due to various reasons and the developer was granted 17 month extension.
The entire project, barring 5 km stretch in the Old City and about 1 km stretch between Hitec city and Raidurg, is now likely to completed by the end of 2018.
The minister stated that the state government had allocated Rs 3,000 crore for land acquisition, shifting of utilities and other works relating the project and out of this Rs 2,240 crore was already spent.
The Centre is providing Rs 1,458 crore towards Viability Gap Funding (VGF) and out of this it has already released Rs 958 crore.
The first phase of 30 km is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 28.
“We are yet to receive confirmation from the Prime Minister’s Office but it is expected any moment,” said the minister.
The minister claimed that this would also be the first metro project in the country where 30-km stretch will be inaugurated in the first phase. He said no metro in the country began its operations with more than 11 km.
Rama Rao said a delegation of state government officials had recently visited Japan for the second phase of the Hyderabad Metro.
Sridevi: ‘I’m Sure Jhanvi Is Ready For It’
“Let me tell you, I feel like a newcomer,” Sridevi asserts, breaking into a giggle almost reminiscent from her ahead-of-times 1991 film “Lamhe”, even as she prepares to let her elder daughter loose in the Bollywood world. She says nothing comes easy in life, and she is sure Jhanvi is ready to face the challenges.
Jhanvi, who is frequently followed by the paparazzi in Mumbai, will reportedly foray into films with a remake of Marathi hit “Sairat”.
Steering clear of divulging details about Jhanvi’s debut, Sridevi told IANS over phone from Mumbai: “She has chosen this path and profession, and I have been in this industry for long. So I am mentally more prepared than her. She has been watching me, and knows what she is getting into.”
“Nothing is going to be a cakewalk in any profession. So you have to work hard, and there will be challenges. I’m sure she is ready for it.”
The charismatic actress made a powerful comeback of sorts with “Mom” earlier this year — five years after her delightful plain Jane avatar in “English Vinglish”.
As “Mom”, which will soon release in Russia, nears its world television premiere on &Pictures on Saturday, Sridevi — who also has daughter Khushi — spoke about her worries as a parent.
“I’m of course worried when they go out, but luckily, they know their limits and they are very responsible children. When you have responsible children, half the battle is over. So, you don’t have to worry. But you are concerned. The concern will never go, and you’ll always be conscious about them,” said the 54-year-old.
Sridevi has been a big screen delight since her Bollywood debut with the 1978 movie “Solva Sawan”. But acting is something she started when she was all of four. In Hindi cinema, “Himmatwala”, “Mr. India”, “Chandni”, “Sadma”, “Nagina”, “ChaalBaaz”, “Lamhe” and “Khuda Gawah” are some of the films which established her footing as a performer who took woman power seriously.
The trait has continued with “English Vinglish” and “Mom” — in both of which she played the strong role of a mother effectively.
While most women actors in India complain about lack of roles for older actresses, Sridevi retorted: “Let me tell you, I feel that my career has just started, haan (giggles). I feel like a newcomer, and I feel that my career is going to start now. It’s not finished, it’s going to start now.”
She is also unlike many others — even much younger actors — who are putting their life story into books.
“Arre, maine kuch achieve nai kiya (I haven’t achieved anything), where I write about my story or my book. There’s a long way to go. There’s nothing, nothing like this,” she said, sounding almost ignorant, but humble, of the fan followers of her emotive power and fluid dancing skills.
At this point, she is just enthused to deliver more.
“There are definitely two films that are coming up, but it’s too early to talk about it. (There’s) Nothing I can say right now,” she said.
Over the years, Sridevi has not just embraced the changes in Indian cinema, but also opened up herself to an environment where celebrities — as opposed to her own shy self in her earlier days — need to go all out to promote her projects.
“Look, with the time, I have definitely opened up. I am definitely introvert and shy, and have never been rude to… I’ve definitely been shy, but thanks to my children, I have opened up. Somewhere, you have to change with the time.
“You can’t be like what you were… It doesn’t work that way. And do that (change) within your comfort, not by going out of it.”
That besides, she says a positive frame of mind, helps her look forward to what life has to offer.
“Be in a positive frame of mind, be happy, fulfil your goals, work hard… It never goes waste.”
Will Trivikram Okay Rakul?
Rakul Preet Singh is desperate to sign another big movie in Tollywood as she is suddenly left with no offers, despite having acted in some big films in recent times.
Latest buzz in tinsel ville is that she has sent feelers to director Trivikram Srinivas to cast her in his next film with NTR Jr.
She shares good friendship with NTR as she acted with him in the successful film “Nannaku Prematho”. However, it is director Trivikram who decides the casting in his movies irrespective of the hero.
The director wants to pair NTR with a heroine who hasn’t been cast opposite him. Pooja Hegde and Anu Emmanuel are on the list for now. Meanwhile, since he hasn’t decided on a girl as yet, Rakul feels she still stands a chance.
On the other hand, Rakul is also trying for a role opposite Mahesh. Though her role was written off and called tiresome in Spyder, Rakul still hopes to bag a role.
Left with no big offers, she really needs to sign the dotted line for a biggie now. Though she had four big releases this year, only Rarandoy Veduka Chooddam was successful, rest flopped and impacted her career.
So, to regain her position, she is on the lookout for big films.
Director Reddy Has Gone Crazy!
Self-styled film maker Kethireddy Jagadheeshwar Reddy, who announced that he would make a film on Nandamuri Lakshmi Parvathi, widow of former chief minister and Telugu Desam Party founder late N T Rama Rao, seems to have gone crazy.
Kethireddy wants to prove that he will make the first film on NTR with focus on Lakshmi Parvathi’s background.
On Sunday, he enacted a big drama at NTR Ghat in the name of shooting the Muhurtham shot for his film Lakshmi’s Veeragrantham.
He tried to create ruckus there when the police and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority stopped shooting saying he had not taken any permission.
Everybody knows it is just a publicity stunt and Kethireddy was only trying to bluff the people with such dramas.
As if it is not enough, he made a crazy statement saying he would even approach Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai or even star of yester years Rekha to play the role of Lakshmi Parvathi.
In the past, too, Kethireddy claimed that he would approach Sunny Leone to do the role of Lakshmi Parvathi.
This is nothing but ridiculous, as everybody knows. Kethireddy is taking big names only to get some publicity in the media. Otherwise, it is completely a non-serious activity.
Who will believe him, since it is not so easy to get Aishwarya, the top heroine of Bollywood, to act in Telugu? And who knows Kethireddy in the industry?
It is better if he stops making such ridiculous statements!
Buzz: Ravi Teja Takes On PK and NBK!
With 2.0 moving away from Jan 25 slot, many producers are looking to cash in on Sankranthi festive period, the fruitful season for Telugu cinema. In recent years it has been proved that multiple films can survive during Sankranthi.
Even big films like Pawan Kalyan’s Agnathavasi and Balakrishna’s Jai Simha are not scaring away filmmakers that are hoping for a Sankranthi release.
There is Anushka’s Bhagamathi and Raj Tarun’s Rajugadu/Rangularatnam that are vying for a slot during Sankranthi festivities.
Buzz has it that Raviteja’s Touch Chesi Chudu also may join the Sankranthi race. Raviteja who recently bounced back with Raja The Great is likely to take on big films in coming January.
With Sankranthi hits like Krishna and Mirapakay to his credit, Raviteja has an impressive track record. So makers of Touch Chesi Chudu are planning for festival release.
Small Director Harassing Rakul?
Top actress Rakul Preet Singh, who is currently awaiting the release of Karthi-starrer “Khakee”, is allegedly being hounded by a small director. According to the buzz, the director was so relentless and demanding that Rakul had to warn him of legal consequences to keep him at bay.
Rakul had done a few small-medium budget Telugu films before she went on act opposite top heroes and eventually becoming a star heroine. The director of one of those early films starring Rakul, which sank at box office, has approached Rakul a few months ago with a heroine-oriented subject, and asked for her dates. This director, who doesn’t have a single credible film to his name, hoped that Rakul’s stardom will help him get investors.
Either because of the unimpressive script or her busy schedule or both, Rakul however subtly rejected the project. The director allegedly took an offence and continued to pressure her for signing the film. Rakul tolerated his dogmatic attitude for quite a long time because he was one of the first directors to sign her at the start of her career, but he continued to try coercing her into signing his film.
According to the buzz, he backed off only after Rakul had given him a warning recently.
Fire Accident At Annapurna Studios
In an unfortunate incident, today a film set at Annapurna Studios in Jubilee Hills got engulfed in flames. It is believed that a short circuit has caused fire and it spread in no time, bringing the whole set down to ashes. More details of the news is awaited.
Way back in 2011 and 2013 also, there were fire accidents at Annapurna Studios due to short circuits.
Where Are Vijay Devarakonda’s Fans Associations?
Just one film is enough as a leading hero and the stupendous success of that film will make the lead guy fetch huge fan-base. And those fanbases turn into dedicated admirers making that hero a big star.
With Arjun Reddy success, surely young hero Vijay Devarakonda got catapulted into a new league and it is likely that many fans associations will emerge for him. But no such association, neither any such meet-the-fans events are being seen when it comes to this hero. Wonder why?
Talk is that several fan groups have sprouted after the actor’s stupendous successes like Pelli Choopulu Arjun Reddy, and those people are approaching the actor to form registered associations and fan groups. But Vijay is said to be completely against such associations and gently turning down such requests.
By forming such groups, most fans look forward to a photo-op with Vijay such that they could print those pictures on flexis and post on Facebook. Instead of cashing in on the craze and make fan groups of his own, Vijay is maintaining a low-profile, which is a shocker of sorts.
Looks like, Vijay Devarakonda is yet again proving to be different in his own way by gently avoiding fans. Hope his decision fares well.
