Baahubali 2 Goes Bigger In North America
Baahubali 2, the most awaited Indian film of the decade is going to have a mammoth release in North America.
The film’s distributor has confirmed that the Telugu, Hindi and Tamil versions of the film will put together be released in over 1050 screens in the US and Canada. 150 screens have been confirmed in Canada and the remaining 900+ screens (400 will play Telugu version, 300-Hindi and 200-Tamil) in the US.
The Telugu and Hindi versions will be released in original IMAX format in 40-45 major locations in each territory. In some locations, high-end specialty screens XD, RPX and Dolby have been booked to show maximum visual brilliance to audiences.
Premiers will start on 27th April from 3PM EST and the online ticket booking facility will be available from 21st April.
Brahmi's Silence Will Be Much Better
After that episode of Meelo Evaru Koteeswarudu on Star MAA where Brahmanandam was hosted by Chiranjeevi, comments on late director Jandhyala didn’t go well with the director’s wife Annapurna. She objected to Brahmi’s comments and also informed the media that she even called up Brahmi on phone to clarify her stand.
However, Brahmi is quite unhappy with the whole episode and he expressed that he didn’t insult Jandhyala nor commented on his alcohol habits. Speaking with a media, Brahmi stated that he just gave an example of Jandhyala’s character but nothing else. “Actually when someone commented about Jandhyala’s drinking, the late director made fun of it as well. That’s the thing I’ve said, but not made comments on his drinking habits”, said Brahmi.
But experts believe that Brahmi should have maintained silence on the whole issue as that would look dignified. Firstly, the present generation doesn’t even know about Jandhyala so Brahmi need not worry much. And then the ace comedian’s career is not going well at the moment so any comments and clarifications by him would like attention grabbing stuff.
Meanwhile, he’s enjoying the newly given grandfather status as his son Gautham was blessed with a baby boy couple of days ago.
Samantha plays a journalist in Savitri’s biopic
Ever since it was announced that Samantha would be part of the biopic of legendary actress Savitri, there have been several speculations about her role in the film. While initial assumptions were that she’d play the actress herself, we have now reliably learnt that the actress is set to play a journalist in the film, whereas Keerthy Suresh will play Savitri.
“Her character is like the eyes of the film, because it is from her perspective that the story is narrated. Revealing more details would be unfair to the film. I can only tell you that her character is based in the 80s,” shares a source in the know, adding, “Samantha was so excited about the role because this was something she hasn’t done earlier.” While the entire film is a period drama, a lot of research is being done to suit the character of the times, a source reveals that the actress herself is doing quite a lot of homework.
“She wants to look her part, and live in the character of a reporter from those times. While she has interacted a great deal with present day journalists, she is aware that the scenario back then was totally different. She doesn’t want to leave anything to chance,” adds the source. Meanwhile, the film’s casting is still on and the makers are in talks with several actors for other key roles in the film, especially those of Savitri’s contemporaries. Mickey J. Meyer is scoring the film’s tunes.
Watch: Prabhas-Rana's Arm Wrestling!
Prabhas and Rana Daggubati landed in Chandigarh to promote ‘Baahubali: The Conclusion’. When they visited the Chandigarh University on the eve of Baisakhi festival Today, Baahubali Stars engaged in the arm wrestling much to the delight of the students. Youth who witnessed the clash of Baahubali and Bhallaladeva off the screen kept cheering for them.
KCR and Chandrababu Naidu to meet to resolve bifurcation issues
Hyderabad: After a long gap, Chief Ministers of the two Telugu states K. Chandrasekhar Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu, will attend a meeting with Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan on Monday, and discuss several pending issues related to state bifurcation apart from handing over of AP Secretariat buildings and Assembly buildings located in Hyderabad to the TS government.
According to sources, the two CMs are likely to discuss the sharing of properties and liabilities of institutions listed in Schedules IX and X, apart from division of power and Secretariat employees.
Mr Narasimhan has held discussions on these issues with ministers of both the states thrice in the past. The ministers of both states left the final decision on these issues to the CMs of their respective states. Keeping this in view, the Governor is holding a meeting with both the CMs.
Though three years have passed since bifurcation of AP, there are still several issues that are unresolved. Regarding sharing of assets and liabilities of Schedule IX and X institutions, the Central government held discussions with representatives of both the states several times but the two states could not reach an agreement.
Regarding the AP Secretariat and Assembly buildings and official quarters allotted to the AP government after state bifurcation, they now lie vacant as the AP Secretariat and Heads of the Department have shifted to AP capital region from Hyderabad.
The TS government has requested the AP government to hand over the AP Secretariat and other buildings but AP government is linking these issues with sharing of assets of Schedules IX and X institutions.
Both CMs have publicly announced that they will cooperate and resolve these issues. However, when it comes to implementation, the two CMs are taking opposing stands.
On the power issue AP is demanding TS government to pay about Rs 3,000 crore arrears for the power it has supplied. TS is making a counter demand, saying that the AP government has to clear the arrears it owes to Singareni Collieries for supplying coal for AP’s thermal power plants.
Lagadapati Meets Chandrababu. What's Up?
Former Congress MP from Vijayawada and Samaikyandhra-crusader Lagadapati Rajagopal, who had ‘quit’ politics after the division of Telugu states, has met AP CM Chandrababu Naidu on Friday at AP Secretariat in Velagapudi. This is now triggering speculations in political circuits.
The meeting gained significance in the TDP and especially in the Vijayawada Lok Sabha constituency which he represented earlier. Currently, TDP MP Kesineni Nani is representing the same constituency who has earned good fame, base in the constituency.
While it’s not clear whether Lagadapati would make a comeback into politics, but his meeting with Naidu is certainly the talking point. Although Lagadapati had clearly ruled-out his re-entry into politics several times, many are suspecting that the businessman-turned-politician could had changed his mind.
However, this is not the first-time, Lagadapati has met Naidu. Earlier in Sep 2015, he had met Naidu in Delhi. Well, let’s wait and watch. Only time will tell.
30 Crores Profit? Thanks To Jr NTR
For the first time in his production house, definitely, Kalyan Ram will be seeing huge profits coming his way. As most of his films ended up as flops and only Pataas gave him some respite in the recent times, he made an ulterior move now.
Apparently Jr NTR’s latest movie “Jai Lav Kusa” is being produced by Kalyan Ram on his NTR Arts banner. Directed by KS Ravindra, the film has NTR playing triple roles and Kalyan Ram is making sure that budget of the movie is under tight control. We hear that they are wrapping the movie at 50 crores budgets and will not be going more than that. And then, the film got 80 crores range business offers already in the form of theatrical rights and satellite deals.
In all ways possible, Jr NTR will bring nearly 30 crores profits to the table for his brother Kalyan Ram as his remuneration was also included in the above 50 crore package. Definitely, that will help the struggling hero fill all his losses that were incurred due to the poor show of his own films at box office.
As Kalyan Ram is getting cleared off his debts, we’re hearing that he wants to produce more films with other heroes as well in the coming days such that business will be on the profitable side always. Hope he will not end up making something like a Kick 2.
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Roja Can't Teach Lessons To NTR Grandson!
Firebrand YSR Congress party legislator R K Roja’s attack on TDP general secretary and IT minister Nara Lokesh, describing him as ‘pappu’ and ridiculing his oratorical skills in Telugu have not gone down well with the Telugu Desam Party.
TDP women legislators V Anitha and Anuradha came down heavily on Roja for lacking decency and culture in her criticism.
“There is no need for Lokesh Babu to learn lessons in Telugu from a film actress like Roja. He is the grandson of N T Rama Rao who upheld the prestige of Telugus and had eloquence in Telugu. Lokesh can speak a fluent Telugu, compared to Roja,” they said.
The TDP legislators said unlike Roja or for that matter her boss Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, Lokesh was well-educated and cultured.
“His Telugu pronunciation is much better than that of Roja or her party leader,” they said.
They also found fault with the YSRC legislator for her unsavoury comments on TDP president and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on the construction of his new house at Jubilee Hills.
“What is wrong in constructing a new house with his own money? He has renovated his old house as it was not convenient for a growing family. And there is no rule that he should not have a house in Hyderabad. Anybody can stay anywhere in India,” they argued.
KCR Has Some More Sops In His Pocket!
Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has stunned the opposition parties in the state by coming out with an attractive incentive for farmers – payment of Rs 4,000 per acre to each farmer, irrespective of the land holding, towards purchase of fertilisers.
Cleverly, KCR announced that the scheme would come into implementation with effect from next financial year so that the TRS would get the political advantage in the elections scheduled for the subsequent year.
It is a big setback for the Congress party which has not so far come out with any plan to attract the farmers or any other sections.
Now, the party is forced to welcome the announcement and all that the Congress leaders are doing now is to question as to why KCR had been silent on farmers’ welfare all these years.
Now, according to sources, KCR has some more sops in his pocket to attract other sections as well. One such sop is payment of unemployment allowance to the jobless youth.
For quite some time, KCR has been incurring the wrath of youth for not filling up job vacancies as promised by him during the elections. There is growing unrest among the youth and the opposition parties, particularly the Telangana Joint Action Committee, tried to cash in on it to attack the TRS government.
Now, if KCR comes out with this unemployment allowance sop, it is definitely going to turn the tide in favour of the TRS. Though this sop also might face implementation hurdles, but since it will be announced from next financial year, KCR will be able to attract the youth in a big way.
Let us and wait see how many other weapons KCR will bring out from his armoury!
Pic Talk: Sexy Lioness Tamanna
Milky beauty Tamannah Bhatia, who has no credible film except Baahubali 2 in the offing, has done a stylish photo shoot, in which she looks a ravishing beauty in a designer saffron color gown.
Posing alongside a lion, the radiating beauty looks like a sexy lioness who is ready to pounce on the hearts of beauty lovers and her ardent fans.
The sexy lady hopes that Baahubali 2 will revive her fortunes and land a handful of films in her kitty.
Sai Dharam Tej Keen On Kalyanam
For sometime, hero Sai Dharam Tej got associated with producer Dil Raju and starred in a couple of hit films too. But later he moved to other production houses only to be welcomed by flops. Whether this is the reason or anything else, he’s re-joining this marriage camp now.
Actually, for the super hit “Satamanam Bhavathi” that was directed by Satish Vegesna, the original choice to play the hero is Sai Dharam Tej after which they have considered Raj Tarun before finally moving to Sharwanand. And everyone knows how much big a hit this Satamanam is. Dealing with sensibilities in a family and talking about marriage and bonding, the film got immensely liked by family audiences.
As director Satish chalked another such marriage-centric family drama, tentatively titled Srinivasa Kalyanam, he’s on the lookout for heroes ever since some big heroes rejected the story. We hear that Sai Dharam Tej agreed to join this marriage-bonding-values camp.
Currently working on writer BVS Ravi’s second directorial “Jawan”, it seems like Sai Dharam realised that family films will bring him some big hits while mass films are going for a toss. Probably after scoring two flops, this is a right step to make.
