Priyanka Chopra’s production house to back regional cinema

January 15, 2016

Mumbai: Priyanka Chopra’s production house, Purple Pebble Pictures (PPP), today announced its foray into regional cinema, outlining details for three projects that will release in 2016. The vision of her company is to create a platform for great stories to be told, irrespective of their genre and language, and also to provide a solid platform for new talent not just in acting but also across all other areas including direction, scriptwriting etc.

Purple Pebble Pictures lineup includes films in Bhojpuri, Punjabi and Marathi. “Today entertainment has a wide canvas which is not restricted by language or medium. At Purple Pebble Pictures, we are aspiring to erase boundaries and create an environment where the content of the story is the hero,” Priyanka said in a statement here.

“We are a country filled with exceptional young talent and our endeavor is to provide a platform for talent across the entertainment business to showcase their abilities,” she added. The three films include “Bam Bam Bol Raha Hai Kashi” (Bhojpuri) is written and directed by Santosh Mishra. It is the classic love story featuring Bhojpuri superstar Nirahau and Amrapali Dubey. The film begins shooting this month and will release in the summer of 2016. The second project is “Ventilator” (Marathi). The film is directed by Rajesh Mapuskar of “Ferrari Ki Sawaari” fame. This film will have several veteran Marathi film and theatre actors. The film begins shoot in February and releases during Ganpati festival this year.

The third one is “Ek Onkar” (Punjabi)? directed by Karan Guliani. This film is the coming of age story of a young NRI returning to find his roots. The shooting will start from March and it will release around Gurunanak Jayanti this year. “We are storytellers and that is only enhanced by being able to tell stories in varied languages. Regional cinema in India has such amazing depth and great cinematic talent,” Priyanka said. “Its been long cherished dream to be able to tell stories in various languages. There is a huge audience for these films. I am very excited to be a part of these three amazing projects.”

Jagapati Babu Interview on Nannaku Prematho

January 15, 2016

Raja Cheyyi Vesthe Motion Poster

January 15, 2016

Watch Raja Cheyyi Vesthe Motion Poster

Sankranthi Special Interview with “Dictator” Team !

January 15, 2016

Jaish Chief Masood Azhar In ‘Protective Custody’: Pakistan Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan

January 15, 2016

pak
Watch Jaish Chief Masood Azhar In ‘Protective Custody’: Pakistan Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan

Ranbir – Katrina’s relationship on the rocks?

January 15, 2016

Mumbai: For a while, there have been speculations about Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif’s relationship hitting a rough patch, especially post Ranbir’s last outing ‘Tamasha’ with his ex-flame Deepika Padukone. Gossip mills are abuzz with the news that all is not well between the two and they have decided to part ways. According to a report in Spotboye, Ranbir has shifted base from his love-nest to Wilson Apartments in Bandra, a property he brought in 2014. Ranbir’s parents Rishi and Neetu are also expected to move into the same building shortly. According to a security guard at the premises, the family has performed a pooja and Ranbir has also shifted his belongings.

Ranbir and Katrina recently put up a united front when they made a joint appearance at the Kapoors’ Christmas bash. Later, a picture of them kissing on their balcony was captured by a leading daily. Last year, Katrina Kaif, who is always tight-lipped about her personal life made few candid confessions in an interview. She said that her greatest fear, when it comes to marriage, is that when she’s standing at the altar, her partner might not love her completely and be unsure of his decision of marriage. She further added that the anticipation of a heartbreak is her only fear.

Kartina had also admitted that she is not as close to Ranbir’s family as she would like to be and said that she would like to hang out with them more often. On the work front, the two will be seen romancing each other on the big screen after almost six years in Anurag Basu’s ‘Jagga Jasoos’. The film had hit troubled waters last year and had been delayed several times. Ranbir even went on to say that he would be ruined if the film didn’t release in 2016. However, the trailer of the film is expected to release mid-April, while the 15 songs from the film will release in the weeks rounding up to the film’s June 2016 release.

Class Vs Mass

January 15, 2016

The Nandamuri family is having a nail-biting Sankranti this time with two major films — from Jr NTR and uncle Balakrishna — hitting the screens at the same time. Though released with much hype and fanfare, Jr NTR’s Nannaku Prematho is not going smooth on Day 2, if sources are to be believed, whereas, Balakrishna’s Dictator is getting good response in single screens. Dictator, which was released in 750 to 800 theatres in both the states on Thursday, is expected to be a crowd-puller. “I am getting good responses and I am confident that this is going to be a big one among Sankranti releases. The expectations are very high,” says Srivaas, director and producer of the film.

On the other hand, Nannaku Prematho, which came out with mixed response, has sent waves of panic in the Jr NTR turf as the fans are learnt to be disappointed due to too much mathematics in the film. “I agree that there is a mixed response, but the film is doing well at multiplexes,” says Abhishek Nama, the distributor of the Nizam area. He added that it collected nearly `3.7 crore in Nizam alone on the first day. “Now, we cut nearly 100 screens for the release of other films. We expect a good crowd in the coming holidays,” says Abhishek.

Balakrishna, however, says that his films are not meant for multiplexes as he had a strong support at ‘B’ and ‘C’ centres. “I spoke to Balakrishna today morning and he is every excited about the results. He is watching the film at Tirupathi,” says Srivaas. Though it’s quite early to talk about the outcome, it seems that Balakrishna has a slight edge over his nephew!

It’s strictly for Balayya’s fans

January 15, 2016

Another Sankranti release, Nandamuri Balakrishna’s Dictator has created a buzz — firstly because this is his 99th film and secondly, all his festival releases so far have been super hits. Directed by Srivaas, the film stars Anjali and Sonal Chauhan as the leading ladies. Chandrasekhar aka Chandu (Balakrishna) is a meek guy working in a supermarket. He meets Indu (Sonal), an aspiring actress, who is harassed by some goons who are after her brother (Rajiv Kanakala), a witness to a murder attempted by them.

Indu shares her problems with Chandu, who vows to help her and kills all the goons. Meanwhile, Chandu’s colleague steals Rs 5 lakh for her daughter’s marriage, but Chandu takes the blame when police arrives. Soon, it is revealed that Chandu is not the soft-spoken guy seen till now and why he chose to lead a supermarket employee’s life becomes one of the big twists in the movie. In his first movie with Balakrishna, Srivaas chooses the regular script with the regular formula, eyeing Balakrishna fans. The typical Balakrishna dialogues, action scenes and regular masala are aimed at hardcore Balayya fans.

The first half is very interesting with some really good scenes, but when it comes to the second half, the director loses his grip on the story. Also, the first half of the film and one of the action episodes has been copied from The Equilizer that stars Denzel Washington. Instead of going with stronger villains against Balakrishna, the director chose a wrong person —Rati Agnihotri. Performance-wise, Balakrishna is at his usual best histrionics. The two-shaded character is safe in his hands. Even at this age, the actor shows a lot of energy and grace, especially, in action and dance sequences.

Sonal Chauhan in the first half adds to the glamour and Anjali’s meaty role in the second half too blends well with the story. The only miscast was Rati Agnihotri, who didn’t exactly fit as a lady villain. Prudhvi, Hema and Shakalaka Shankar evoked a few laughs. Nasser, Suman, Shayaji Shinde and Posani played their parts well. Thaman’s music was good and Ratnam’s dialogues had the typical Balakrishna punches.Writers Kona Venkat and Gopi Mohan, who were also part of the screenplay, delivered a regular entertainer, nothing new. The makers, too, during promotions, said that the film has nothing extraordinary in it. However, Dictator is a complete mass entertainer with all the masala, strictly for Balakrishna fans!

Rajamouli Not to Direct ‘Magadheera 2’?

January 15, 2016

It has been being speculated in social media for the past few days that that ace director Rajamouli may be directing the sequel of Mega Power Star Ram Charan’s ‘Magadheera’. Analysts, however, felt these speculations are just aired stories the project might not get materialized.

According to the analysts, ‘Magadheera’ was a nice mix of heroism and directorial skills. But then, Rajamouli’s fans wish their favourite director should get full credit as a director for any movie which he directs as such ‘Magadheera 2’ may not get materialized. Whatever it is, we should not go for any assumptions unless this gossip is proved right.

Meanwhile, Rajamouli’s ‘Baahubali 2’ is right now on a brisk pace of its shoot. Ensemble star cast who include Young Rebel Star Prabhas, Rana, Anushka and Tamannah are playing the lead roles of the movie. MM Keeravani scores the music of the movie. The movie is the product of Arka Media Works.

Yevade Subramanyam Actor Dies of Heart Attack

January 15, 2016

Popular TV and film actor Rajesh Vivek Upadhyay passed away in Hyderabad on Thursday. He was 66 year old. Rajesh suffered heart attack on Thursday afternoon at around 3.30 PM while he was shooting for a regional film in Hyderabad. He succumbed to the stroke.

Rajesh was well-known for his role Guran, an astrologer, in Aamir Khan’s Oscar nominated movie Lagaan. Rajesh later acted in SRK’s Swades as a postman. Despite brief roles, Rajesh carved a niche for himself. He was recently seen in Telugu movie Yevade Subramanyam.

Before making a mark on silver screen, Rajesh was part of several iconic TV shows like Bharat Ki Khoj, Mahabharat and Ighori to name a few. He was first indtroduced by Shyam Benegal in his film Junoon in 1978 and since then he never looked back. His last rites are going to be performed today in Mumbai.

Microsoft to roll out its own SIM card

January 15, 2016

Tech giant Microsoft is on a verge to surprise their users as it is making their own LTE (Long-Term Evolution) a mode of wireless communication which is easier to access with its own SIM card.

Recently a free app called ‘cellular data’ was published to the Microsoft store and since then there are rumors going as to what it will offer. According to reports, the software giant is currently checking a cellular data app that would allow Windows 10 devices to connect to other networks without any contract.

However, the company has not specified any details of the SIM card yet but has decided to sell the data through their Windows store.

‘Nannaku Prematho’: Great ideas, not so great film

January 15, 2016

On paper, the concepts we’re introduced to in Sukumar’s “Nannaku Prematho”, like the Butterfly Effect and Trigonometry might totally catch you off-guard. However, you don’t even feel remotely close to being surprised when you watch the film. This is because all the lofty ideas don’t quite do justice to the story which makes the whole experience underwhelming.

“Nannaku Prematho”, despite being a decent experimental film, fails miserably due to the way it has been executed. Take the scene where NTR saves Rakul in a car yard, for instance. He’s unaware of her location initially, but somehow manages to track her down with the help of some clues. A fight ensues, and in the middle of it, he pauses for a few seconds to calculate the speed at which a man is running towards him and foresees the outcome if he slips. The scene pans out the way he mathematically visualises it. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the scene; it is likeable, but it’s just a little too much for regular Telugu audiences.

At the core, the film is your regular revenge drama – a son has to fulfill his dying father’s last wish – and it’s topped with all the quintessential elements of a star vehicle. When you look beyond all this, what you get is the kind of writing we don’t see often in Telugu cinema. And the concepts used very efficiently succeed in eliciting some curiosity. Unfortunately, these good ideas don’t quite leave an impact as the film ends on a very predictable note and that’s a clear indication of running out of ideas. The spurts of creativity don’t last long enough and that’s so disappointing.

While NTR is at his usual best as always, this film belongs to Sukumar, even though it means in parts. NTR, particularly, needs to be lauded for not playing to the gallery and choosing to work with a director who isn’t afraid to go against the tide. This is precisely why you want to appreciate Sukumar, who, by all means, could have safely made a regular commercial potboiler. But he didn’t, and that’s what differentiates him from other filmmakers. “Nannaku Prematho”, on the whole, isn’t a bad film. Only, one wishes it was made even more sensibly. (IANS)

Telugu States Celebrate Sankranti With Pomp

January 15, 2016

Hyderabad: Makar Sankranti, the colourful Hindu festival, was celebrated with pomp and gaiety across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on Friday. On the second day of the three-day festival, the countryside in both the Telugu states wore a festive look with decorated houses, kite-flying, cockfights, bull-fights and other rural sports. Villages in both the states came alive with Sankranti, considered as one of the major festivals. It was time for the families to take a break and come together in their natives towns and villages.

People from different parts of the country and even abroad joined their near and dear ones for the festival. Attired in their best, men, women and children thronged the temples to offer prayers since early morning. Lakhs of people from Hyderabad left for their homes in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for the celebrations, leaving the city’s roads almost deserted. Authorities operated hundreds of special buses and trains from Hyderabad to various destinations in the two states over last couple of days to clear the festival rush. For children of those settled in cities and abroad, it is an occasion to have a feel of life in the countryside. They visit the fields and participate in various rural sports.

The houses were decorated with marigold flowers and mango leaves. Womenfolk decked the front-yard of houses with Rangoli. They set cow-dung balls called as ‘Gobbemma’ and placed among the Rangoli patterns and also put fresh harvest of rice, turmeric and sugarcane. The women also prepared ‘chakkara pongal’ or rice kheer, a special dish made of new rice, jaggery and milk. The dish is allowed to boil over which symbolises abundance. In Hyderabad and other towns in both the states, the sky was dotted with colourful kites. Popular Hindi and Telugu chartbusters blared from speakers as youngsters flew the kites from rooftops. ‘Haridasus’ and ‘Basvannas’, the uniquely attired alm-seekers with ornately decorated oxen, made rounds of villages to seek alms.

The farmers also decorated bullocks and worshipped them for their contribution to the harvest. Despite the court orders banning cock-fights, the bloody sport was organised openly in parts of coastal Andhra. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu celebrated Sankranti with his family members at his native Naravaripalle village in Chittoor district. He received greetings from the villagers. Naidu’s brother-in-law and popular actor Balakrishna and other family members too joined the celebrations. Naidu and his Telangana counterpart K. Chandrasekhar Rao and governor of the two states E. S. L. Narasimhan greeted people on the occasion of Sankranti.

Lavanya Tripathi Special Chit Chat – Soggade Chinni Nayana

January 15, 2016

Lavanya Tripathi Special Chit Chat – Soggade Chinni Nayana

Anushka’s Surprise Treat In Soggade

January 15, 2016

Over the past few days, Nagarjuna, in all his promotional interviews for Soggade Chinni Nayana, kept hyping up about one particular character named Krishna Kumari in the film. However, Nag maintained suspense about the actress who played the character.

Finally, Soggade Chinni Nayana released this morning and those who watched the film were in for a huge surprise seeing none other than Sweety Anushka in Krishna Kumari’s role. Anushka looked like a traditional village belle as she appeared in a saree for a brief time in a song and needles to say, impressed the fans.

Anushka made her acting debut in Nagarjuna’s Super way back in 2005. The actress shares a close rapport with Nag and romanced him in films like Ragada, Dhamarukam, Don, King and Kedi etc.

Nara-Nandamuri Clash In Raja Cheyyi Vesthe

January 15, 2016

The first look and the motion poster of Nara Rohith’s next film Raja Cheyyi Vesthe has been released a while ago as a Sankranthi special. The poster reveals the Nara and Nandamuri heroes, Nara Rohith and Tarakaratna, looking all rugged an intense. Especially, Tarakaratna looks strikingly menacing with an image makeover.

Tarakaratna will be seen in a negative role in the film. Raja Cheyyi Vesthe is being directed by debutant Pradeep and produced by Sai Korrapati, who signed a two film deal with the Nara hero. The film stars Isha Talwar of Gunde Jaari Gallanthayyinde fame as Nara Rohith’s love interest.

Mahesh Babu to launch KGVPG Audio

January 15, 2016

Actor Nani’s next, Krishna Gadi Veera Prema Gadha will have its audio launch event on 18th of this month at Shilpa Kalavedhika. Superstar Mahesh Babu is the Chief Guest for this audio launch. Producers of the film, 14 Reels Entertainment, previously produced Mahesh’s Dookudu, 1-Nenokkadine and Aagadu and so he immediately agreed to grace the event.

The makers have recently released their first look poster of the film and it managed to impress everyone. The makers are planning to release the movie in the first week of February. They say the actor will be seen as Anantapur Balakrishna fans president in the film and will be sporting ‘Jai Balayya’ tattoo on his arm.

Andhala Rakshasi fame Hanu Raghavapudi is directing the film. 14 Reels Entertainments which recently tasted flops like Aagadu and 1-Nenokkadine is producing the film. Vishal Chandrasekhar who belongs to AR Rahman school, composed music for the film.

SCN Movie Review – 3.25/5

January 15, 2016

Story :

Soggade Chinni Nayana is the story of a father and son (Nagarjuna in dual role), Bangarraju and Ramu. Bangarraju is killed and later sent back to Earth as Ghost who will be visible only to his wife (Ramya Krishna). On the other side, Ramu has a struggling marital life. REst of the story is all about how Bangarraju saves the marriage life of his son and also avenge those behind his death.

Performances:

Soggade Chinni Nayana is Nagarjuna’s show right from the start to the end. He is seen in two entirely different roles but executed both of them with ease. Ramya Krishna is apt fit to the role and she did very well. The yesteryear actress is doing some interesting roles in her second innings. Lavanya is good as well. There are several supporting artistes – Brahmanandham, Nazar, Sampath, Posani, Anasuya and Sapthagiri are of them are adequate. Anushka is seen in a little cameo and she is good.

Technical Performances:

The debut director Kalyan Krishna got a winner with his first project itself. The first half of the film is enjoyable with Bangarraju evoking good laughter. The second half is slighter on a slower side but ends with a solid climax. Comedy is fine and romance worked out well. The supernatural elements in the film have their own share of flaws but are interesting.

Anoop Rubens’ music is a big plus and rerecording is equally good. The camera work is fine while the editing is decent. The action sequences are over the top at times but are okay. Production Values are appropriate.

Plus Points:

1. 2 Songs.
2. Bangarraju`s Histrionics.
3. Hair Raising Climax.
4. Nagarjuna.
5. Music.

Minus Points:

1. Lag in the second half.

Final Say:

Soggade Chinni Nayana is a perfect festival film which has ingredients which will cater to the needs of all the audience. The movie carries more weight of all the festival release. You can watch with with all your family.

Mahesh Babu to Launch Krishna Gadi Veera Prema Gadha’s Audio!

January 15, 2016

Nani starrer Kirshna Gadi Veera Prema Gadha is gearing up for a grand audio launch. The movie, directed by Hanu Raghavapudi and produced under the 14 Reels Entertainment banner, has released its first look and teaser to a great positive audience response.

The audio launch, which is to be held on the 20th of January, at Shilpakala Vedika is going to be a grand affair, with the who’s who of Tollywood industry said to be attending the function.

The audio will be launched by Super Star Mahesh Babu. The music for this movie is scored by Vishal Chandrashekar, and the movie is all set to be released on the 5th of February.

Movie Schedule Clashes With GHMC

January 15, 2016

The shooting of Pawan Kalyan’s ‘Sardar Gabbar Singh’ is going on in Hyderabad. A holiday has been given for the unit for the Sankranthi festival after which the shooting will resume.

The schedule of the shoot will collide with the GHMC polls and it is unlikely that Pawan Kalyan will campaign for the TDP-BJP combine. Only a direct order from Chandrababu will probably make him do it. Pawan campaigning for the TDP will definitely work out to Naidu’s advantage because it will be the star actor who will take any pot shots at the TRS and KCR.

Any brickbats in return will be directed at Pawan and not the TDP or Naidu. Thus Naidu’s new found bonhomie with KCR will be intact. There will be no section 8 in Hyderabad and the Revanth Reddy case will be put to rest forever.

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