Trisha Krishnan's Role in Samaran!

The cute actress Trisha is playing as Maya, an Indian girl working in a foreign country, in ‘Samaran’, which has Vishal in the lead role. The film is being directed by Thiru, who earlier delivered ‘Theeradha Vilayattu Pillai’.

Speaking about the script Thiru says, “Trisha will give her own voice for Maya in Samaran. The story line goes on friendship of Vishal and Trisha that blossoms in to love in future.”

He adds: “Trisha will dub on her own for Samaran. There is one more heroine, Sunaina. She plays a girl from a rich family in Ooty. There is no connection between the characters of Trisha and Sunaina as per the script. But there are some interesting things.”

Vishal and team has completed some important scenes in Ooty, the cast and crew of Samaran are getting ready to fly, for canning songs and some action sequences in foreign locales, US and UK.

Amy Jackson's a Progressive Woman of Today

The pretty actress who made her debut in Kollywood now thinks of this country as home

The young actress, who was recently in Chennai, to unveil the first year anniversary issue of Femina issue, looked pretty as a rose in her pink dress. All smiles she described India as home and spoke of how the film industries here have welcomed her with open arms. And why was she chosen to grace the cover? Well, Amy being a progressive young woman of today seemed to fit the bill. She spoke highly of the magazine saying it was a friend, philosopher and guide to women. Looks like she's an avid reader too!

The British teen queen is currently doing a Tamil film with actor Vikram and has also signed on a few films in Bollywood. As for her supposed romance with her Ekk Deewana Tha co-star Prateik Babbar, her lips seem to be sealed.

Sachin Thanked Dhanush & Co.

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, the unforgettable Indian cricketer who has recently scored his 100th century, has thanked Dhanush and all the stars accompanied him for Sachin Anthem.

Speaking to media in Mumbai Sachin said, "I've seen the video and it's clear that, it was done with great heart and effort." "I could see a lot of energy in the track and their performance as well," he added.

"I was touched with the track that was done for me with such an effort that turned to be an Anthem today," concluded master blaster.

Amala Paul is not Paired up with Jayam Ravi

Amala Paul is on cloud nine after her same day released bilingual movie KSY with Siddharth and Adharva starrer MUK were instant hits and actress was busy signing new projects. The diva is unable to pair with Jayam Ravi in his upcoming flick Boologam that will be directed by a newbie N Kalyanakrishnan, due to date issues.

Makers are planning to choose a top actress to play Ravi’s love interest in this action adventure, which showcases Jayam Ravi as a kick-boxer. Boologam will start rolling soon, after the actor wraps up his ongoing film Aadhi Bhagavan with Ameer Sultan.

Hansika Motwani for a Cause

Hansika Motwani is one actress who wears her heart on her sleeve. The 20-year-old had earlier celebrated her birthday by adopting 20 street kids in Mumbai. Now the actress has been signed up as a brand ambassador for an old age home in Mumbai.

"I am very thrilled to be associated with this project. I always wanted to build an old-age-home myself, so I immediately jumped at this chance. We have a lot of old people in our country, who are left homeless. If I can use my celebrity status to make a difference to the lives of some needy people, I would be very pleased," says Hansika, who adds that she is planning to hold an exhibition of her paintings and donate the proceeds to the charity.

Samantha Turns a Safe Bet

Filmmakers believe that this actress has a strong market in Telugu and Tamil, though she hasn't delivered a hit here.

Samantha may not have single big release or hit to her credit in K-Town but she seems to be sought-after by filmmakers here. The actress started off her career in K-Town with small films like Baana Kathaadi and Moscowin Kaveri and with Neethane Enn Ponnvasantham, has attempted to move into the big league. The actress is currently working on this trilingual with Jiiva, Nani and Aditya Roy Kapur (for Tamil, Telugu and Hindi respectively). So what makes her so saleable? An industry insider says, "Samantha's last film in Telugu with Mahesh Babu, Dookudu, was a superhit. She has a strong market in Telugu and now with her signing on big films here, filmmakers think she is the best bet for movies that will be released in both markets."

As far as her remuneration goes, Samantha is reportedly currently charging 75 lakh in Tollywood per flick. Says a source, "Samantha is probably taking home a lesser salary in K-Town as she is yet to deliver a hit as the leading lady. Plus, she has worked with only smaller actors before. NEP will be a test of sorts for her." The actress is seen as more affordable than the two other popular Tollywood girls, Ileana and Anushka, in the south. Moreover, as everyone knows, both these actresses are also extremely choosy about their projects and don't sign on a flick easily -especially in Kollywood.

No hero roles right now: Santhanam

Despite receiving several offers to play the solo lead, Santhanam says that he is content playing a comedian

Despite most of his previous flicks being big blockbusters, comedian Santhanam says he's content doing what he's doing right now. While there many offers of playing a solo hero knocking on his doors, the comedian says that he would rather concentrate on his current projects right now.

"I am getting quite a lot of offers to do films as a hero but right now, I don't think I should take that route. There were even offers to do remakes of successful Telugu films like Maryada Ramanna.... They would have suited me, but I have been fairly successful playing a comedian and I would rather like to continue in this vein.

Also, I don't have the time right now to concentrate on a solo hero project," he explains. Santhanam is happy with the response to the teasers of Oru Kal Oru Kannadi (OKOK), his third collaboration with director Rajesh with whom he earlier worked for Siva Manasula Sakthi (SMS) and Boss Engira Baskaran (BEB). He says this film will show him funnier than the previous two collaborations.

"A couple of one-liners in SMS and BEB became a rage. There will be enough punchlines in this film as well. Like 'That is life...' (which appears in the teaser) and 'Fact, fact fact...', though I can't say which is going to ultimately click with fans."

Talking about his other projects, the actor says, "Each role is distinct from the other. For example, in Thaandavam, I play a taxi driver in the US, while in Gautham Menon's Neethane En Ponvasantham I appear as a college student in the first half and as a professional in the second half," he says.

Point out to him that it is only the second time that Gautam has opted for a comedian in his film and he says, "I play the friend of the hero who makes a witty comment or two now and then. But Gautham's films are quite classy and the comedy too will be subtle, reflecting his style," he says.

Amala Paul to Fire Her Manager Soon?

Actress Amala Paul is said to be not so happy with the ‘functioning’ of her manager who manages her call-sheet dates and fee, etc. in all her films. Usually, managers play an important role in the development and in helping to sustain the careers of most of the actresses; they are the ones who to go out and seek opportunities to lift the sagging careers of their bosses and also act as PR agents of those actresses.

In the instant case, though, Amala Paul is reportedly feeling dissatisfied with the performance of her manager. Some time back, Amala Paul was cast as the heroine opposite Dhanush in the film 3 directed by his wife Aishwarya. Soon enough, Amala Paul was ‘out of the project’ and pretty Shruti Hassan stepped in as the heroine opposite Dhanush. The super-hit song Why this Kolaveri di..., incidentally, is from the film 3.

Sources close to Amala Paul say that she recently had a spat with her manager over his ways of ‘managing’ her career. In fact, Amala Paul realized only after everything was over that she lost the opportunity to star in the film 3 only because of the goof-ups by her manager. Though the details are now clearly known as of now, it is rumoured that a ‘communication gap’ is what cost the film for Amala Paul.

What really caused the manager’s tenure untenable was that when the manager couldn’t get Amala Paul paired up opposite Vikram in his upcoming film Thandavam. The fact that Amala Paul and Vikram share the same manager makes it all the more baffling that the person failed (?!) to get them paired in the latter’s new film.

Considering the fact that Amala Paul was in reckoning to play the heroine’s role when the film was announced, the actress couldn’t digest the fact that she is not part of the film. Reports say that Anushka might be paired up opposite Vikram in Thandavam. Incidentally, both Anushka and Amala Paul starred with Vikram (not as heroines, though) in Deiva thirumagal which released a few months back.

Jeeva's Super Busy!

Jeeva is busy with the second schedule of the Gautham Menon film Neethane En Ponvasantham.

Touted to be a romantic entertainer from the director who did Vinnaithandi Varuvaaya, this film has him playing a college student.

The actor is much south-after post the success of his K V Anand-directed Ko and his decision to join hands with Gautham Menon is pleasant news for his fans. The film, meanwhile, is being done in three languages with Samantha playing the female lead in all the three.

Thuppakki is My Biggest Film, says Kajal Agarwal

The actress has just begun shooting for director A R Murugadoss's Thuppaki and she's super excited.

Kajal Aggarwal thinks that her new Tamil signing is one of the best things that could happen to her. The actress has just begun work on Thuppaki, which is A R Murugadoss's latest film, which will have her starring opposite Ilayathalapathy Vijay.

"It is my biggest film. I have always wanted to work with Murugadoss sir and Vijay. Now I get to be part of their first film together. What more could I ask for," gushes Kajal, who knows that she's bagged what was one of the most sought-after project by most heroines.

And she believes that the role she's playing in this film is tailor-made for her. "While it is a typical commercial entertainer, my role is just like who I am in real life. She's full of masti and completely bindaas. This is a very powerful role too, like all of Murugadoss sir's heroine's characters," says the actress, who began shooting for Thuppaki on Friday in Mumbai.

"It was a very nice feeling to be on the sets of the film. Murugadoss sir and Vijay made me feel at ease," says Kajal, who will be back in Chennai later this month. "This time, I will be coming to finish my work on the film with Suriya and K V Anand," she signs off.

Delhi Belly to be Remade in Tamil!

It's offical UTV's successful Hindi hit of the year Imran Khan's Delhi Belly is going to be remade in Tamil by director Kannan.

Kannan will be joining hands with director John Mahendran who will be writing dialogues for the film with an young rising star as the hero.

Kannan has made earlier Kanden Kathali the remake of Jab We Met. His last film as a director Vandhan Vendraan was a failure, so he is going back into the remake mode.

Delhi Belly remake will be shot with a Chennai milieu. Some hard Chennai swear words will be used in the film. As of now the producer of the film remains unknown and Kannan himself is not willing to talk.

Sonia Aggarwal’s Big Comeback Film

Actress Sonia Aggarwal's big comeback film, Oru Nadigayin Vakkumoolam, is nearing completion.

With the audio of the film being launched on November 28 and the film hitting the screens in the first week of December, looks like things are proving to be quite hectic for its director Rajkrishna.

He says, "This is a big project for me as my gurus, Vikraman, A Venkatesh, Rajkapoor and Manobala have acted in this film."

We hear Jithan Ramesh has also danced for a racy folk song for this film. "He comes as himself in this. For this song, I got in folk singers from Madurai, Karaikudi, Vathalagundu and Usilampatti to write the lyrics. It's a typical naatupura pattu and will be one of the highlights of the film," he insists.

Dhanush's Kolaveri a Rage!

The Superstar's son-in-law is proving his mettle as a singer as well.

The single from the movie 3 first made headlines because it was leaked online. Then actor Dhanush clarified saying that the song that was leaked was only two per cent of the original song. It was tweaked by young music director Anirudh and finally released as single a few days back. And no sooner had it been released it is already a rage among the youth in the city. Says youngster Ajay S, "The song is fab. Dhanush sure knows how to give youth songs that they like."

The National Award winning actor has also sung some songs in Mayakkam Enna, a movie directed by his brother Selvaraghavan, that will be released next week. Looks like the Superstar's son-in-law is now turning ac singer as well!

Kajal Bags the Lead in Vijay’s Next

Post his successful outing with Velayudham, Vijay is all geared up to start working on his next project with 7aum Arivu director A R Murugadoss.

According to an industry source, the heroine has been finalized and it's none other than Kajal Aggarwal! This will be the first time that the three will get together to work on a film. The actress has already proved her mettle in Kollywood and even in Bollywood with the success of Singham, the remake of the Tamil flick.

There was a buzz initially in Kollywood that Priyanka Chopra had been approached to play the lead in this movie which will be shot extensively in Mumbai. Vijay, who will also be working with the Ghajini director for the first time, is excited about this actionadventure flick.

Now with the cast settled, it looks like the movie will take off as planned at the earliest. It's rumoured that the movie will start off in Tiruchendur in Thoothukudi and then move along the coast to Mumbai.

Karthika Nair is Annakodi!

Veteran filmmaker Bharathiraja has chosen his protege Radha's daughter, Karthika, in his next titled Annakodiyum Kodiveeranum.

While Karthika, who is currently in Kerala, could not be reached, Radha confirmed the news and said, "Yes, Karthika is doing my guru's film. She will play the titular role." Apparently, the director was impressed with the young actress' performance in her debut film, K V Anand's Ko and decided that she would be apt for the lead role in his film.

"During a special screening of Ko for Bharathiraja sir, he appreciated Karthika for her matured performance. He could not believe that it was the same little girl he had seen 10 years ago. Karthika was shooting in Hyderabad for Dammu (starring NTR Jr and Trisha), when Sir called to tell me that he felt she would be apt for the role. So, I met him in Chennai and heard the story," says an overjoyed Radha, who was introduced by the filmmaker in Alaigal Oyvathillai.

Not revealing the exact nature of the role, the actress adds, "For a beginner like my daughter, the character offers a lot of scope for performance. It is a beautiful role with variations."

The film stars Parthepan and also has Iniya of Vaagai Sooda Vaa fame and actress Eswari Rao in a crucial role. G V Prakash is the composer for the film. While there were reports that actor Vinay has been signed, Bharathiraj's manager clarified that the actor had not even been approached.

"The director is looking at dusky people who will look the parts. He has cast newcomers Acchan and Nakshatra, who are the children of his friend. The plot is a period romance and will talk about how life was in an earlier era and how it is now. We will be officially starting the project on November 17 in Theni in a grand manner. Around 150 people from Kollywood including Mani Ratnam, K Balachander and Balu Mahendra are expected to attend the puja. The first schedule will go on for 20 days after which there will be a break as Parthepan requires two months to get lean and prepare for his role," he said.

Engaeyum Eppothum is Aiming for a Century

Engaeyum Eppothum, which marks the entry of the production giant Fox Star, into Kollywood has successfully completed 50 days at the BO.

It is interesting to note that the film, with its simple story and star cast, has stuck to its guns, in spite of the arrival of a slew of Deepavali releases, not just in Tamil, but in other languages like Hindi and Tamil too.

The film has reportedly received excellent reviews from both critics and audiences alike, thanks to its impressive screenplay and director Saravanans story. A hit among the masses, the film continues to shine at the box office.

The cast and crew of the film Engeyum Eppothum, including director AR Murugadoss, who co-produced the film with Hollywood production house Fox Star, director Saravanan, lead stars Jai, Anjali, Sarva, and Ananya are happy over the film reaching the 50th day which is continues to remain a landmark in the films journey.

According to trade sources, the film has grossed about 17 crores since its release. Looks like the film is all set to bat for a century now.

Velayudham Surpasses 7aam Arivu at UK Box Office

Vijay's Velayudham might be still lagging behind 7aam Arivu at the domestic Box Office but it has already beaten Surya's prestigious film at the UK Box Office. Jayam Raja directorial movie has collected £66,843 (Approximately Rs 52 lakhs), whereas AR Murugadoss' film raked in £55,602 (Rs 43 lakhs) in its first weekend.

While Velayudham features in 21st position at the UK Box Office, 7aam Arivu is at 23rd. Vijay starrer movie was released in 17 screens by Ayngaran International and Surya's multilingual film was released in 19 screens in the UK. However, good reviews and word-of-mouth have helped Jayam Raja's movie to surpass AR Murugadoss' movie, claims a trade source.

Velayudham, which stars Vijay, Genelia D'Souza and Hansika Motwani and 7aam Arivu featuring Surya and Shruti Hassan have reportedly crossed the Rs 40 crore mark at the worldwide Box Office in its five-day weekend.

7aam Arivu Gets Massive Response in AP

Despite getting mixed response in Tamil Nadu, Surya's 7th Sense, a dubbed version of Tamil movie 7aam Arivu, has got a massive response in Andhra Pradesh. The movie, which was released on October 26, has been well-accepted by the fans of Ghajini star.

According to trade reports, 7th Sense was released in 400 screens. In Nizam region alone, it hit with 150 plus screens that comprises 55 prints in Hyderabad. It is said that the actor and director AR Murgadoss' brand worked big time. The multilingual movie had 70-80 percent occupancy in most of the screens in metros. Especially, multiplexes were running into packed houses during weekends.

Trade analysts claim that as there were no big releases during Diwali, 7th Sense was able to encash on the long weekend. Though, Mahesh Babu's Dookudu and Junior NTR's Ooseravalli are still doing good business at the Box Office, Surya and Shruti Hassan starrer movie did not face any competition, as the above mentioned straight Telugu movies were released several weeks ago and most of the audience have already seen it, traders conclude.

Vijay Turns Spy for Gautham Menon's Yohan

Vijay was seen in the role of milkman-turned-vigilante in recently released Velayudham. The actor, who has received a good response from the critics as well as audience, is gearing up to don yet another new avatar. The Gilli star, who signed Gautham Menon's Yohan: Adhyayam Ondru a few months ago, will be enacting the role of James Bond in the forthcoming Tamil movie.

According to sources, Yohan is inspired by James Bond films. Vijay will be performing the role of a spy, says a source. It is reported that the movie is a remake of French movie Largo Winch and the first look of the film gave a clear indication about the upcoming movie being a copy of the 2008 film. It is also said that the Tamil movie will be shot in New York and Chennai.

Gautham Menon directorial Yohan has AR Rahman's music and Manoj Paramahamsa's cinematography. The forthcoming Tamil movie will hit the floors in mid-2012.

Ra.One Slows Down at Box Office Due to Velayudham, 7aam Arivu

The dubbed version of Shahrukh Khan's biggest-ever film, Ra.One got a decent opening at the Tamil Box Office. The collections of the multilingual film was slowed down due to other Kollywood releases like Vijay starrer Velayudham and Surya's 7aam Arivu.

The South Indian versions comprising Tamil and Telugu were released on October 26 with 250 prints. On its opening day, Ra.One approximately collected Rs 2 to 2.5 crore and fetched four crore in next 2 days totalling its net to Rs 6 crore in South India. The movie was largely affected by Velayudham and 7aam Arivu, as they occupied 400 screens in Tamil Nadu.

Trade analysts claim that the collections of the dubbed versions of Ra.One seem to be good, as it faced tough competitions from Vijay and Surya starrer films. They further added that Rajinikanth's cameo in the movie has become a major attraction for the South audience to watch the film.

However, Vijay's Velayudham is said to be topping the Tamil Box Office chart even after getting released in less number of theatres comparatively with 7aam Arivu.