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Vivek Oberoi Talks About Shift to Business ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Every Bollywood fan is aware of the name Vivek Oberoi. Beginning his career in 2002, he was once known as among the industry’s most versatile actors. His debut in Company (2002) earned him critical acclaim, followed by outstanding performances in films like Saathiya, Shootout at Lokhandwala, and Yuva. He also transitioned seamlessly into a negative role, as proved in Krrish 3 and Vivegam. Despite his stacked filmography, Oberoi is no longer seen in Bollywood, and there is an excellent reason for this.

Vivek Oberoi has become a Business magnate. He is behind two companies, a real estate business in Dubai and an event management company, and is now counted among the wealthiest actors in the industry. In his business today, Oberoi feels independent, so he has shifted away from acting.

Vivek Oberoi could not have let a lobby decide his future.

Ajith Kumar, the Tamil superstar, is all set to begin the shooting of his upcoming film Vidaa Muyarchi, directed by Magizh Thirumeni. The film, which was announced on Ajith’s birthday on May 1, 2023, has been creating a lot of buzz among his fans and the media. The title of the film means determination in Tamil, and the tagline of the film is ‘Efforts Never Fail’12

According to sources, the crew members of Vidaa Muyarchi have already flown to Abu Dhabi on Sunday (September 24) for the preparation work. The rest of the cast will join them in a couple of days. The film will be shot extensively in Abu Dhabi and Azerbaijan, which are said to be the prime locations for the film34

The film is produced by Lyca Productions, which has previously bankrolled Ajith’s films such as Vivegam and Viswasam. The music for the film is composed by Anirudh Ravichander,...

Bollywood actor Bobby Deol has been roped in to play the villain in Kanguva, the upcoming Tamil action thriller starring Suriya in the lead role. The film, directed by Siruthai Siva and produced by Studio Green, is slated to release in early 2024.

A poster featuring Bobby Deol’s look in the film was also shared by some of the journalists on social media. The poster shows him wearing a black suit and sunglasses, with a menacing expression on his face. The journalists also reported that Bobby Deol’s portions will be shot in Bangkok by August.

Kanguva Glimpse

The film’s team has not officially confirmed the news yet, but it is expected that they will make an announcement soon. The film also stars Disha Patani as the female lead, who will join the Bangkok schedule along with Suriya and Bobby Deol.

The film’s first look and glimpse were released earlier this year,...

The upcoming Tamil movie Kanguva, starring Suriya and Disha Patani in the lead roles, has created a lot of buzz among the movie lovers and fans. The movie, directed by Siva and produced by Studio Green and Uv Creations, is a period action drama set in the 18th century.

The makers of the movie have been teasing the audience with posters and tweets, building up the anticipation for the glimpse of Kanguva, which is scheduled to release on 23rd July, 12:01 Am. The latest poster, released on Saturday, shows Suriya’s intense look as he holds a sword in his hand. The caption reads, “His eyes sharper than the sword! The King arrives”.

His eyes sharper than the sword!

The King arrives #GlimpseOfKanguva from 23rd July, 12:01 Am @Suriya_offl @DishPatani @directorsiva @ThisIsDSP @kegvraja @UV_Creations @saregamasouth @KanguvaTheMovie#Kanguva pic.twitter.com/nUQThOjHDe

— Studio Green (@StudioGreen2) July 22, 2023 Kanguva Poster

The...

KollywoodRajini was flying to Hyderabad along with the film’s cast and crew to resume the shooting for ‘Annaatthhe’.Tnm StaffAfter cutting the ‘Now or Never’ birthday cake, arranged by his youngest daughter Soundarya, actor Rajinikanth cut another cake that we now know of. The cast and crew of his upcoming Annaatthhe, which was flying to Hyderabad, arranged a chocolate cake for his birthday to be cut inside the flight. A video of it is being circulated online and shows the actor cutting the cake inside the flight. The actor, who is also working on launching his party in January 2021, is seen cutting the cake and thanking everyone with folded hands. Also seen in the video is his daughter Aishwarya, actor Nayanthara and other members from the film and flight’s crew. The actor turned 70 on Saturday. Flight crew and Film crew along with #Nayanthara celebrated @rajinikanth's birthday by cutting cake inside the flight.

KollywoodThis film is directed by Raja Ramamurthy, who directed the Zee 5 web series 'America Mappillai'.Digital NativeAkshara Haasan, who made her Tamil debut with Ajith’s Vivegam and was last seen on screen in Vikram’s Kadaram Kondan, will be next seen in upcoming Tamil yet-untitled coming-of-age drama which will be bankrolled by Trendloud. This film is directed by Raja Ramamurthy, who directed the web series America Mappillai, which was also backed by Trend Loud. The title and the first look of this film will be unveiled on September 14, according to a statement. The shoot of the film has already been completed but it’s yet unclear if the film will directly release on any Ott platform or wait for theatrical release. “This will be a coming-of-age-film, probably one of the first ones to explore the female gaze. It was a conscious decision to have a cast and crew with predominantly women,...

Exclusive: Gael García Bernal will don the mask and the tights of Cassandro, an independent feature from Oscar winning and two-time Emmy nominee filmmaker Roger Ross Williams.

Cassandro tells the true story of Saúl Armendáriz, a gay amateur wrestler from El Paso who rises to international stardom after he creates the “exotico” character Cassandro, the “Liberace of Lucha Libre,” and in the process upends not just the macho wrestling world but also his own life.

Armendáriz at the age of 15 quit school and began training for Lucha Libre, beginning his professional wrestling career in 1988 under the mask as Mister Romano. Ultimately he would abandon the character and take on the exotico character of Baby Sharon. Exoticos are male wrestlers who dress in drag.

Ultimately, Armendáriz would take the new ring name of Cassandro, from a Tijuana brothel keeper Cassandra whom he appreciated. In January 1991, after bad press that he was...

KollywoodSun Pictures made the announcement and also released a motion poster.Tnm StaffSuperstar Rajinikanth’s upcoming film Annaatthe with director Siva will be a pongal release in January 2021. The announcement was made by Sun Pictures on Tuesday through a motion poster. This film will be the actor’s 11th pongal release. His super hit film Baasha too, was a Pongal release. #AnnaatthePongal2021#அண்ணாத்தபொங்கல்2021@rajinikanth @directorsiva @immancomposer @KeerthyOfficial @prakashraaj @khushsundar @sooriofficial @actorsathish pic.twitter.com/PY5qldztmC — Sun Pictures (@sunpictures) May 12, 2020 So far, the cast announced by the production team includes Keerthy Suresh, Khushbu, Prakash Raj, Soori, Satish and others. According to reports, actor Meena is also playing a role in the film. Music for the film is by D Imman. 'Annaatthe' is a respectful way of addressing one’s superior and is considered to have its origins in the Madras dialect of the Tamil language.

KollywoodTouted to be an action entertainer, the film stars Arun Vijay, Vijay Anthony and Shalini Pandey in the lead roles.Digital NativeThe shooting of Agni Siragugal directed by Naveen of Moodar Koodam fame began earlier this year and has reached its final stages now. Reports say that the last schedule of this film is slated to begin in Moscow soon and the team is gearing up to fly there. After this schedule is wrapped up, the post-production will begin full swing and then the release date will be finalised. According to a press release issued by Naveen, the team will be shooting some breathtaking action sequences in the Moscow schedule. Touted to be an action entertainer, Agni Siragugal will have emotional content as well. The film has Arun Vijay and Vijay Anthony playing the lead roles with Shalini Pandey as the female lead. The others in the star cast include Jagapathi Babu,...

KollywoodThe film was premiered on Sun TV on May 1, to coincide with Ajith's birthday, and broke quite a few Trp records.Digital NativeAjith starrer Viswasam was out as a Pongal release earlier this year clashing with another biggie, Superstar Rajinikanth's Petta and was declared a blockbuster hit. The film's satellite rights were bagged by Sun TV even before its release for a whopping amount and had its world TV premiere was on May 1 to coincide with Ajith's birthday. The film broke quite a few Trp records. Viswasam recorded a Trp of 23.8 and viewership of 1,81,43,000 impressions racing ahead of all other recent Television premiers and creating a record. The makers took to Twitter to officially announce the same. #Viswasam sets a Record Breaking 18.1 Million viewership for a Tamil Film. Happy to be associated with @SunTV for #Viswasam @directorsiva @SureshChandraa @Actor_Vivek @immancomposer @AntonyLRuben @vetrivisuals @dhilipaction @DoneChannel1 pic.twitter.com/8SkVOUGLTK...

KollywoodAfter touring Eastern Europe in 'Vivegam', Siva brings Ajith back to Tamil Nadu and it proves to be a wise move.Sowmya RajendranFacebook/ ViswasamAfter touring Eastern Europe in Vivegam, which didn't go so well, Siva brings Ajith back to Tamil Nadu and reinstates him in a veshti-white shirt. It's a wise move, because Viswasam is familiar territory to the director and he appears more sure-footed of what he's doing than in his previous ambitious venture. One can even say that Siva has risen like his favourite phoenix bird from Vivegam. And flown to the land of Veeram and Vedalam which the bird knows all too well. Oh the elements are still there. The hero has a pack of yes-men around him whose primary duty is to hail every move of his. As in times of royalty when the king's arrival would be preceded by a minion reading out his titles and praises,...

KollywoodThe actor took to Twitter to slam "paid reviewers" and industry politics, which she claimed, had cost her film 'Echarikkai'.Tnm StaffActor Varalaxmi Sarathkumar has lashed out against "paid reviewers" and the politics in the film industry which reportedly makes it difficult for small films to survive. The actor was talking about her recent film Echarikkai, a thriller directed by debut filmmaker Sarjun, who'd made a name for himself with short films like Lakshmi and Maa. Alleging that certain people wrote "crappy reviews" if they were not paid and that there were others who worked only for certain actors, Varalaxmi said that Echarikkai was a small film on which the team had worked on with "great conviction". She further claimed that the film had not received good screens because of "the amount of politics that goes on between a small distributor and big ones". Stating that it was the public...

KollywoodThis spoof film, which does not have big names in the star cast, has had a great reception from the audience.Anjana ShekarIt is not often that a film outside the realm of superstars like Rajini, Kamal, Vijay, Ajith, Suriya, or Vikram gets an astounding opening but for Cs Amudhan’s Tamizh Padam 2 the response has been great since the word go. With multiple posters and promos leading up to its release, Tamizh Padam 2 was off to a good start, creating a pre-release craze among moviegoers. Starring Shiva and Iswarya Menon in lead roles, Tamizh Padam 2, which released on July 12, had its first show at 5.00 am in certain theatres in the city, a privilege usually reserved for the bigger stars. In addition to it, a few theatre owners also increased the number of shows on the first day following a good response. According to film writer Sreedhar Pillai, Tamizh Padam 2 released in over 350 theatres in the state, an enviable accomplishment for a film of its stature. A reliable source from the crew told Tnm that the film released in around 75 screens outside the south in India. What explains the hype? In recent times, many star-driven films like Bairavaa, Vivegam, Singam 3, etc. have had a lukewarm reception at the box office. Therefore, does Tamizh Padam 2, a spoof that takes a dig at star vehicles, getting such a huge response indicate a change in the mindset of people? “I would attribute it to the online campaign and the number of promos that the makers of this film did before its release. The campaign has worked well with the youth - their target audience. While Kadai Kutty Singam has targeted family audiences, Tamizh Padam 2 has focused on the youth. This equation has worked to the benefit of both the films,” says Sreedhar Pillai. Kadai Kutty Singam, starring Karthi and Sayyessha in the lead roles, released a day after Tamizh Padam 2. Talking about the film’s pre-release hype, a representative from Rohini Silver Screens in Chennai says, “The film had a good buzz even before its release, so we decided to open a 5.00 am show on its first day. Seeing a good response, we increased the number of shows on day one to 13. Almost all shows on the first three days were houseful.” The film’s solo release on a Thursday has also worked to its advantage, says Kaushik Lm, box office tracker. “Also the film’s prequel, Tamizh Padam, was well-received. All those who saw this film in 2010 were eager to catch up with its sequel. Additionally, the makers made sure their promos created interest among the present generation. They had their social media game on point,” says Kaushik. Kaushik goes on to add that while others spend heavily on social media campaigns, the makers of Tamizh Padam 2 seem to have perfected this game. “Their teaser, video song, posters were all unique and very well received and this is one of the most important reasons for the film doing so well.” Dodging bullets While Tamil cinema is well-known for its fan frenzy, how did a spoof film that parodies all the other popular stars’ movies gain the kind of acceptance that it has today? Actor Shiva in his interview to Tnm mentioned that nowhere else will the audience be so welcoming of a spoof film. “I’m not sure if the film would have had the same kind of reception if it were to release in Bombay,” he said. Does this perhaps indicate a change in the audience? That people are bored of watching mass, commercial films? “The reason could be because it is a spoof film. The genre itself is new and we haven't had a spoof in eight years. This is also a reason why it did well. Had there been four spoof films already, it might not have worked to this effect. Even if the makers of TP2 were to make one next year, I'm not sure how well it would be received,” says Kaushik. Sreedhar Pillai concurs and says that it is the uniqueness of the genre which has made it such a big hit among the audience. "I don't think this indicates a change in the mindset. It's all entertainment for the audience," he says. While many have been largely appreciative of the film, there have been a few fans who've objected to the film taking a jibe at their favourite stars. However, they are in a minority. The numbers game According to Kaushik, the film’s first day collections in Tamil Nadu is Rs 4.5 crores, which is a great number for a film that isn't star driven. The Tn collections for films which have top male actors is usually between 15 to 20 crores on the first day. However, the budget of these films is also likely to be much higher than Tamizh Padam 2. “In Chennai alone, the first-day collection of Tamizh Padam 2 has amounted to Rs 63 lakhs,” Kaushik says. The number doing the rounds for the first four days is a whopping Rs 12 to 13 crores in the state. Tamizh Padam 2, a sequel to Tamizh Padam that released in 2010, has a cult following in the state, thanks to the ingeniousness of the makers. The sequel, directed by Cs Amudhan, takes potshots at all the popular cop films and does not spare Tn politics either. Also Read: Cs Amudhan's 'Tamizh Padam 2' speaks the truth about female characters in Kollywood...

Film CommentaryFrom going after the loosu ponnu to taking on Gautham Menon's obsession with killing women, 'Tamizh Padam 2' exposes the misogyny in Tamil films. Spoilers ahead.Sowmya Rajendran*Spoilers ahead Cs Amudhan's Tamizh Padam 2, much like the first film, takes a dig at Kollywood trends and spares no mainstream film. This time around though, the director has also addressed how female characters are represented in Tamil cinema, especially the heroine, who has been reduced to a "loosu ponnu." Agila Ulaga Superstar Shiva's first wife, Priya (Disha Pandey), is killed off unceremoniously because this is a sequel and obviously, a sequel can never have the same heroine. Besides, Tamizh Padam 2 is a cop film and as guruji Gautham Menon has taught us over and over again, a police officer's sincerity to the job is inversely proportional to his wife's longevity. So, Priya dies and is replaced by Ramya (Iswarya Menon). How? Shiva's friend advises him to simply close his eyes and fall in love with the first woman he sees. Shiva has only two conditions – a. The girl must be the colour of maida b. She must be a 'loosu ponnu'. This may seem satirical to people who are not familiar with mainstream Tamil films, but it's actually an accurate description of the heroine in most of them. Amudhan goes one step ahead and breaks down the conditions that establish a "loosu ponnu" – she must chase a puppy, she must help blind people cross the road, and she must eat ice-cream in the rain. While film critics have been lamenting this annoying trope for eons now, it's refreshing to see someone from the industry spelling it out in neon. Ramya also wears a T-shirt that says "Mental manadhil" and gets into a bus for patients with mental health issues (one supposes that mental healthcare professionals won't be delighted by this) to seal the deal for Shiva. He's in love! Among the films that Amudhan takes a dig at is the horrendous Remo which romanticised stalking on a whole other level. When his friends advise him to torture the heroine into falling in love with him, Shiva asks if that would not be wrong. They, however, tell him that he's the hero and that he can go to any extent to make the woman fall for him. Santhana Bharathi, who appears as one of Shiva's friends, also dresses up as a female nurse – to make sure we don't miss the reference. Ramya is hilariously oblivious to the fact that the heavily bearded person in the nurse uniform is not a woman – well, she's a loosu ponnu after all. 'Adida avala' from Mayakkam Enna and 'Evandi unna petha' from Vaanam (by Dhanush and Simbu respectively, the kings of the soup song genre) get a rehaul with Ramya singing the woman's version of it when she's dumped by Shiva for a stupid reason. Although the song is meant to be funny, it has some poignant lines that hit home, especially given the spate of stalker related murders in Tamil Nadu. "Love failurenu solli acid adikkara neenga/ engakita enda kolaveri pathi maanamkettu pesureenga" (Those of you who say love failure and throw acid, why do you speak to us about murderous rage without any shame?) are lyrics that Kollywood will do well to remember next time directors are tempted to make the same-old "suffering" hero nonsense. There's plenty of good-natured humour about a plethora of films – Vivegam, Vikram-Vedha, Thupparivalan, Thuppaki, Pisasu, Kaththi, VIP, 24, 7aam Arrivu, Thevar Magan, 2.0, Kabali, Ms Dhoni, Baahubali, Irudhi Suttru, Villain, Veeram, Saamy – the list is super long. However, what's appreciable is how Amudhan has also gone after the misogyny present in the films of directors who are considered to be "classy", particularly Gautham Menon. Although Gautham Menon is usually credited with giving "sensible" women characters who are not the "loosu ponnu", they tend to die brutal deaths, especially in his cop films. The misogyny is not as glaring as it is in the average mainstream film, but it's all the more disturbing. In Tamizh Padam 2, Shiva stalks Ramya (his tenant - Vinnaithaandi Varuvaya) to the Us (Vaaranam Aayiram) and the heroine eventually dies. But then, she hilariously comes back as Gayathri (the proposal scene is straight out of Vettaiyadu Vilaiyaadu). The self-obsessed hero voice-overs that are present in every Gautham Menon cop film – Khaaka Khaaka, Yennai Arindhal, Achcham Yenbadhu Madamayada – are also unmistakable. By the end of the movie, Shiva, the sincere cop, has a wall full of pictures of dead wives – so much so that his long-suffering paati decides to kill him and put an end to it. And oh, Kasthuri does an "item" number in the middle of an investigation because that's how the "classy" directors show off their "massy" side to the audience. Tamizh Padam 2 is not without its issues. It is essentially a string of scenes from popular films and if you don't get the references, chances are that it will not make any sense to you. But Amudhan has dared to show Kollywood an aspect that is seldom discussed by people from within the industry seriously – why can't we have better female characters? Why can't our love stories treat women with more respect? And when will our heroines grow up and behave like adults?...

MollywoodHe was seen last year in Tamil playing the villain in the Ajith starrer 'Vivegam'. Digital NativeDigital NativeThe producer of Prithviraj’s directorial Lucifer, Anthony Perumbavoor has confirmed that Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi has been signed up to play an important role in the film. Mohanlal plays the lead role in this flick and reports are that Vivek may be seen as his brother. However, there is no official word on it yet. The star cast also includes Indrajith Sukumaran, Prithviraj’s brother and Manju Warrier in a pivotal role. With Vivek Oberoi inking the deal to star in Lucifer, it will mark his debut in the Malayalam film industry. The shooting of this film will begin on July 16. Vivek Oberoi was seen last year in Tamil playing the villain in the Ajith starrer Vivegam. Interestingly, it is not the first time Mohanlal and Vivek Oberoi will be seen sharing the screen space in a film as they had worked together in the Ram Gopal Varma directed Company way back in 2002. The film marked Vivek’s entry in the film industry and Mohanlal portrayed the much-acclaimed role Sreenivasan Ips. Antony Perumbavoor will be bankrolling Lucifer under the banner of Aashirvad films. The technical crew of the film includes Murali Gopi as the scriptwriter and Sujith Warrier as the cinematographer. There are also reports that Tovino Thomas and Saniya Iyappan have been roped in for the project. With a bevy of talented actors in the star cast, fans are waiting eagerly to know more about Lucifer. Prithviraj Sukumaran is an accomplished actor and producer. He has acted in several successful films and has bankrolled movies that went on to become blockbuster hits. He acting assignments needing his attention including Nine, a sci-fi thriller, Aadujeevitham, and Champ. His next film release will be Koode which is scheduled for release on July 14. Directed by Anjali Menon, Prithviraj shares the screen space with Nazriya in the film. They both play siblings in Koode and the story revolve around them. (Content provided by Digital Native)...

KollywoodHow many of these Tamil film references can you spot?Tnm StaffTwitter / Y Not StudiosThe teaser of Tamizh Padam 2, sequel to the howlarious parody film that came out in 2010 directed by Cs Amudhan, was released on Friday. The 40-second teaser is a laughter-fest, giving us a good idea of the films that have been handpicked by the makers to be parodied. But the cherry on the cake is the uncanny recreation of the swearing in ceremony of Deputy Cm O Panneerselvam after Jayalalithaa’s demise. And it only gets better. The sequel, being a parody of the cop genre, checks several of the cop films that have released in Tamil in recent years and includes some other blockbusters as well. There are references to Vishal’s Thupparivalan, Vijay’s Thuppaki and Mersal, Ajith’s Mankatha and Vivegam, and Vijay Sethupathi’s Vikram Vedha. The conspicuous absence of the Singam franchise makes one hope it has a special place in the main film, or perhaps the trailer. The filmmakers have also made the best use of all that has been happening in the state these past years. In December last year, they released a poster featuring actor Shiva, the star of the comedy franchise, pulling an O Panneerselvam. Dressed in a crisp white shirt and veshti. Shiva sits meditating in front of a memorial, while a host of photographers click pictures of him in the background. A few days before that, they released a poster taking a dig at Tamil Rockers, the notorious piracy website. Last week, the makers released yet another poster, this time a “first look of the press release regarding delay in the release of Tamizh Padam 2.O” taking a dig at Shankar's 2.O (among other films) which has been postponed several times. Director Venkat Prabhu tweeted the 'reason' behind the delay in Tamizh Padam 2.O's release. The 'press release' said that the delay was because the film requires extensive CGI work in order to make the lead actors look good. The film stars Shiva, Disha Pandey, and Iswarya Menon, and will hit the screens this July. Watch: Also Read: Nagarjuna to act in Dhanush directorial in Tamil?...

KollywoodThe shooting of the film, which was supposed to roll last month, has been delayed because of the protest in the industry.Digital NativeDigital NativeAjith Kumar's forthcoming film Viswasam already has a huge hype on social media. The shooting of the film, which was supposed to roll last month, has been delayed because of the protest in the industry. The principal shooting of the film is expected to finally commence this month in Hyderabad. The makers have planned a four-week-long schedule for which they have erected a huge set resembling a village in Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad. The film has been titled Viswasam that starts with the letter 'V' and it coincides the with the sentiment they’ve followed for their earlier collaborations. According to reports in the social media, it is being hinted that it might be a horror film, however, the producers have quashed the rumours and clarified that the film is a "commercial entertainer." The film is to be bankrolled by Sathya jyothi Thyagarajan under the banner Sathya Jyothi Films who bankrolled Ajith-Siva's last outing Vivegam. Ajith and Director Siruthai Siva are collaborating for the fourth time While many believed that after the debacle of Vivegam, Ajith and Siva might take a break and work on a different combination. Apparently, Ajith insisted that Siva works with him again on a rural-based script and it’ll feature Ajith in a brand new avatar. It is said that Ajith will dye his hair black and sport a new look for the film. His new look has already leaked online. The film has Nayanthara playing the leading lady, with actors Thambi Ramaiah, Yogi Babu, Bose Venkat and Robo Shankar in supporting roles and the film will have music by Imman. After working with Anirudh Ravichander in Vedalam and Vivegam, this is the first time Siva will join hands with D Imman. The project is gearing up for Diwali 2018 release and it is believed to clash with Vijay-Murugadoss film and Suriya’s next film with director Selvaraghavan at the box-office. If the three projects make it for Diwali, it’ll be the biggest clash the industry would have ever witnessed. (Content provided by Digital Native)...

CinemaTo be shot mostly in Hindi, the film will be a multi-lingual project and will feature actors across industries.Digital NativeDigital NativeIn January earlier this year, it was announced that actor Vikram will be part of Rs 300 magnum opus Karnan, to be directed by Rs Vimal, best known for helming Ennu Ninte Moideen. Soon after the announcement, Vikram took to Instagram to make the announcement and it was followed by a statement which confirmed the project will go on the floors from October this year and the release is planned for December 2019. To be shot mostly in Hindi, the film will be a multi-lingual project and will feature actors across industries. It has now been confirmed that will also be released in Tamil and it has been titled Mahaveer Karna. Originally planned with Prithviraj, the project was shelved last year after the producer opted out due to exorbitant budget. In a Times of India report, producer Venu was quoted saying: “When Karnan was announced, we planned to make it on a budget of Rs 60 crore. However, when we went forward with the film, I felt it would cost much more and that's the reason I withdrew.” The project has now been taken over by a New York-based company called United Film Kingdom which is ready to spend as much as it takes to get the film made. Vikram is currently shooting for Saamy Square, the sequel to his 2002 blockbuster Saamy. He also has Gautham Menon’s Dhruva Natchathiram in his kitty. The project will see him play a suave agent who is on the run for revenge. Vikram is also said to have signed a film in Kamal Haasan’s production, to be directed by Rajesh M Selva, which would go on the floors from the second half of the year. While not much is known about the genre of the film, the film will be a remake of a French flick. Akshara Haasan, last seen in Ajith’s Vivegam, has also been signed for this project. The rest of the cast is in the process of being finalized and the process will take a few months. Ghibran, who has worked with Haasan in films such as Vishwaroopam 2 and Uttama Villain, has been brought on board to compose the music. (Content provided by Digital Native)...

EntertainmentThe heroine for the Ajith-Siva collaboration has been finalised at last.Tnm StaffThe heroine for Ajith's next film with director Siva has been finalised at last. Nayanthara will play the woman lead in Viswasam. Names like Shraddha Srinath and Anushka Shetty were doing the rounds till it was revealed on Monday that Nayanthara has bagged the role. Viswasam is Ajith's fourth film with Siva after Veeram, Vedalam, and Vivegam. The 2017 film Vivegam, which also starred Kajal Aggarwal and Akshara Haasan, opened to great expectations but did not do so well at the box-office. A revenge thriller, Vivegam was set in East Europe but the poor script and screenplay proved to be the film's undoing. Following this, many expected that Ajith would take a break from working with Siva and do another director's film. However, the announcement that the two of them would work together again was made soon after the release of Vivegam. The makers have been tight-lipped about Viswasam so far. Though Yuvan Shankar Raja has been signed to do the music for the film, it is rumoured that he might be replaced by Anirudh Ravichander. Meanwhile, it was also announced on Monday that Nayanthara would play the lead role in director Sarjun's next film, produced by Kjr Studios. The film is supposedly a horror thriller. Nayanthara has had success with the genre previously, with Maya and Dora. The actor is looking to do films which center around her character even as she continues to do mainstream films like Viswasam.

KollywoodVaralaxmi Sarathkumar spoke openly about sexual harassment in the industry, Suchi Leaks led to a social media storm, and much more.Tnm Staff2017 was a year of ups and downs for the Tamil film industry. It was a year that saw several controversies rocking Kollywood and not all of them had to do with cinema. PETA vs Kollywood stars In January, as the jallikattu protests broke out in the state, many stars including Kamal Haasan, Vijay and Suriya, came forward to register their protest against the ban on the traditional sport. The animal rights organisation PETA came in the eye of the storm as the public turned their wrath towards it. When a tweet was posted from actor Trisha's Twitter page in support of PETA, all hell broke loose. Though the actor deleted the tweet and claimed that her account had been hacked, she was abused incessantly. The shoot of her film Garjanai was disrupted because of the protests.  Actor Vishal who has previously supported PETA causes also came under attack as an old video of his was circulated on social media. Vishal chose to get off Twitter. Actor Suriya took the legal route after PETA suggested that Suriya was campaigning against them because of his upcoming film Singam 3. PETA later issued the actor an official apology. Varalaxmi Sarathkumar blows the lid off sexual harassment The abduction and sexual assault of a prominent woman actor in the Malayalam film industry in February sent rumbles across the country. Following this, actor Varalaxmi Sarathkumar opened up about the "casting couch" culture in the Tamil film industry and said that she too had been subjected to such harassment. She also said that she would start the Save Shakti initiative to promote gender equality and security in the industry. Other women like Lekha Washington, Aishwarya Rajesh, Kasthuri, and Lakshmy Ramakrishnan also spoke about the issue and acknowledged that sexual harassment in the industry is real. Suchi Leaks March was a tumultuous time for the Tamil film industry as the Twitter account of singer and Rj Suchitra put out bizarre allegations against several people. Even as there was a lot of confusion on what was going on and who was actually tweeting from the account, a series of photographs and nude videos allegedly of celebrities were released. The "leaks" went viral instantly, dragging in the mud the names of several celebrities. Both Suchitra and her husband stand-up comedian Karthik claimed that the account had been hacked but no arrests were made in the case. Bigg Boss buzz The reality TV show generated a number of discussions and debates on social media ever since its premier in June. A relatively unknown starlet called Oviya became phenomenally popular in Tamil Nadu, beating the likes of actors like Harathi, Namitha, Vaiyapuri, Ganja Karuppu and Ganesh Venkatraman, who were all well-known to the audience. 'Jallikattu girl' Julie went from hero to villain as the show progressed and along with her, choreographer and director Gayathri Raguramm also came under a lot of flak. The show ran into several controversies but the one that really got people talking was when Oviya allegedly tried to commit suicide on the sets by drowning herself in the swimming pool. While some say that this was a publicity stunt by Bigg Boss, others say the actor was under real stress in the house. She chose to quit the show soon after. The show was also criticised for its portrayal of the mentally ill. Actor Kamal Haasan, who had been hinting that he would enter politics, dropped many a politically coloured statement using Bigg Boss as a platform. Ar Rahman's Wembley concert After several Hindi speakers slammed the Ar Rahman concert in the UK for having "too many Tamil songs" and staged a walk-out, there was much outraging on social media about the issue. While the Hindi speakers who'd walked out protested that they'd been "misled" by the ads, several asked why they could not listen to Tamil songs when it was well-known that Ar Rahman is from Tamil Nadu. The angst came not in the least because of the brewing anger against Hindi imposition in the south. The storm led to Ar Rahman deciding to have language-specific concerts for his fans in international concerts. Abusive fans Actor Vijay's self-proclaimed fans went after a journalist who'd tweeted that she had walked out of one of his films. This led to a huge social media storm and started conversations on how fans issue rape and death threats against those who say something critical about their favourite star's films. Singer Chinmayi also pitched in with her experiences in the past. Following this, actor Ajith issued a notice clearly stating that he did not want anyone to abuse other people in his name and that he would take legal action if necessary. Actor Vijay too pitched in, asking fans not to abuse anyone in his name. However, after reviewer Maran (known as 'Blue Sattai') ripped the Ajith film Vivegam, he was mercilessly abused and harassed by fans. Many industry insiders also lashed out against him for his review, adding fuel to the fire. Tr's behaviour at Vizhithiru meet T Rajendar humiliated actor Dhanshika at a press meet for Vizhithiru after she forgot to thank him onstage. Tr spoke to the actor derisively and reduced her to tears, even as other men onstage either laughed or did not intervene. Following this, Dhanshika spoke up about how lone women in the industry are treated poorly. This led to Vishal, the President of the Producers' Council, issuing a statement condemning Tr's behaviour. Since then, there have been attempts to rationalise Tr's behaviour but Dhanshika has stuck to her guns and termed it insulting. Strike against taxes The Producers' Council called for a sudden strike from October 6, protesting against the imposition of local body taxes. The government and the Producers' Council finally came to an agreement about ticket prices and taxes. However, the sudden strike led to resentment from directors whose films had been stalled. Actor Dhansika later spoke up about how small films were derailed while big ones like Mersal were given all the support. Mersal vs Bjp Vijay's Deepavali release struck a raw nerve in the Bharatiya Janata Party. The jibes against demonetisation and Gst in the film led to much outraging against the film. There was also opposition to a scene where the actor says the people should build a hospital instead of a temple in the village. The Bjp's H Raja made things worse by claiming that Vijay was attacking the Bjp government only because he is a Christian. He tweeted the actor's voter ID and letterpad which had his full name 'Joseph Vijay'. The attempt to communalise the issue badly backfired, with H Raja becoming a subject for comedy on social media and otherwise. Actor Vijay thanked everyone for their support and he wrote the letter on the same letterpad which had his name Joseph Vijay on it. Ashok Kumar suicide Producer Ashok Kumar, who is actor and director Sasikumar's cousin, committed suicide, alleging harassment from financier Anbu Chezhian. The death brought out skeletons from the cupboard and there were a few voices who spoke out against the politically powerful Anbu Chezhian. There were rumours about how the financier had sexually harassed a woman actor and held Kollywood in a vice-like grip. However, several prominent members from the industry like Vetrimaaran and Kalaipuli S Thanu backed Anbu Chezhian. Vishal's entry into politics The bitter battle in the Nadigar Sangam and Producers' Council elections have earned Vishal enough enemies in Kollywood. When the actor decided to contest in the Rk Nagar bye-elections as an independent candidate, there was much grumbling and resentment from industry insiders. However, the brewing controversy ended in an anti-climax as the actor's nomination was rejected for allegedly forging signatures. Vishal claimed that the whole thing was a sham but he was unable to contest in the elections.

EntertainmentVivek Oberoi’s first Telugu film was the Ram Gopal Varma directorial 'Raktha Charithra.'Digital Native Vivek_Digital_Native.jpgIf reports doing the rounds in Tollywood are to be believed, Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi may be roped in to play the villain in Ram Charan Teja’s upcoming film that will be helmed by director Boyapati Srinu. The ace director, well known for etching out the best villain characters in his films, has one such role to offer for Vivek and now the ball is in the actor’s court. It needs to be seen if he would accept the offer or not. It may be mentioned here that Vivek Oberoi was first approached by director Vv Vinayak to play the baddie in Chiranjeevi’s comeback film Khaidi No 150 but he turned it down citing date issues. The star then went on to share the screen space with Ajith in Vivegam. Vivek Oberoi’s first Telugu film was the Ram Gopal Varma directorial Raktha Charithra, which was release in 2010. He also played an important role in its sequel. He was last seen playing the baddie in the Telugu version of Vivegam. Boyapati Srinu is currently busy with the groundwork of his Ram Charan project and is assembling his star cast. Reports suggest that Ramya Krishnan has bagged a prominent role in the film. It is worth noting here that she had shared the screen space with Ram Charan’s dad Chiranjeevi in several movies earlier but this is the first time she will be seen in the young star’s movie. Anu Emmanuel has been roped in to play the female lead opposite Ram Charan in this untitled film. Reports also add that the project would go on to the floors later next year. Ram Charan is currently busy with the Sukumar directorial Rangasthalam and this film will hit the silver screens in March next year. Content by Digital Native. Enanble Notification: NoTNM Marquee: No...

A few weeks ago, news surfaced that Ajith’s next film would be directed by Siva yet again. The two have collaborated on three films – Veeram, Vedhalam and Vivegam – and Viswasam would be their fourth outing together.

Vivegam, an action entertainer that had Ajith playing the role of a military official, hit the screens in August this year and turned out to be one of the biggest hits, grossing Rs 100 crores at the box office. The film had Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi also playing a pivotal role in it.

Thala Ajith and director Siva are set to reunite for the fourth time and the project has been titled Viswasam. It is slated to go on the floors early next year. While many believed that after the debacle that Vivegam turned out to be, Ajith and Siva might take a break and work on a different combination. However, they’ve reunited once again to prove all those wrong who mocked the failure of Vivegam.

Actor Ajith and director Siruthai Siva are collaborating for the fourth time for 'Thala 58'. The project is going to be bankrolled by Sathya Jyothi Thyagarajan under the banner Sathya Jyothi Films, who also produced Ajith-Siva's last outing Vivegam.

Sai Siddharth of Sathya Jyothi Films had made the official announcement via his Twitter page.

Thala Ajith and director Siva are set to reunite for the fourth time and the untitled project is slated to go on the floors from early next year.

Many believed that after the debacle of Vivegam, Ajith and Siva might take a break and work on a different combination. However, they’ve united once again to prove all those who mocked Vivegam wrong.

Apparently, Ajith insisted that Siva works with him again on a rural-based script and it is rumoured to be the sequel to Veeram, which was a runaway hit.

Director Siva and Ajith may go on to team up again. According to the buzz, the director is working on a script which is most likely to be a sequel to Veeram. Siva first directed Ajith in Veeram, which was a massive hit and then wielded the megaphone for two other Ajith starrers Vedhalam and Vivegam.

Akshara Haasan, who made a splash with her presence as a hacker in Ajith’s Vivegam, is on the lookout for good opportunities and she hasn’t restricted herself to just films. Apparently, she is in talks for a web series and believes the platform will soon be taking over.

Vivegam, director Siva's third outing with Ajith, is more of a spectacle and less of a film. If you can accept that and stop worrying about the story and why you know so little about any of the characters, you might...just might...be able to sit through it.

Kajal Agarwal is riding high on success with her films doing well at the box office. The actor’s recent release, Nene Raju Nene Mantri, which had Rana Daggubati playing the lead role, has turned out to be a big hit.

In fact, Kajal had joined the promos to promote the film vigorously.

Kajal will also be seen starring opposite N Kalyanram in Mla, touted to hit the marquee later this year, along with two Tamil films – Ajith’s Vivegam and Vijay’s Mersal – in her kitty.

All eyes are on the highly anticipated Vivegam, due for release next week. The film marks the third collaboration of Ajith and Siva, who had already delivered two blockbusters, Veeram and Vedalam. It is believed that the collaboration will continue for the fourth time as the duo are set to team up again, according to sources close to Siva. ...

Hoping to cash in on the long Vinayagar Chathurthi weekend, the Ajith starrer Vivegam is one of the most awaited films of the year. Hollywood stuntman Serge Crozon, who had worked with Ajith in the film, was full of praises for the star. Revealing that Ajith did not use any body double for even the most challenging and daring stunt sequences, Crozon said that he was awed by his performance and dedication. The stuntman will be seen sharing the screen space with Ajith in a couple of fights in the film.

Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan’s younger daughter Akshara is making her Tamil debut with Ajith’s Vivegam, which is gearing up for release in August. Also starring Kajal Aggarwal and Vivek Oberoi as the antagonist, the film is tipped to be a spy-thriller made on a whopping budget of over Rs. 100 crore and on a never-before-seen scale. While Akshara’s role has been heavily guarded, she has however revealed that she learnt a lot from the experience.

The teaser for the first song from Ajith's highly anticipated Vivegam is out. Titled Surviva, the song has been sung by Yogi B and Anirudh Ravichander, who is also the film's music composer.

In the 34-second clip with English and Tamil lyrics, Anirudh sings his heart out in a studio, while Yogi B appears on a screen to accompany him. A smiling director Siva is also seen on the couch.

Expected to release in August this year, the spy thriller also features Vivek Oberoi, Kajal Aggarwal and Akshara Haasan in the star cast.