Kama Of Kingstone

Noted Tamil film director, Sridhar, a trend setter in modern Tamil cinema, here on Monday of a cardiac arrest, family sources said.

Sridhar (73), paralysed for the past few years and confined to the wheel-chair, is survived by hiswife, a son and a daughter.

The man with the midas touch, Sridhar churned out some of the best romantic comedies in Tamil like "Thenilavu" starring Gemini Ganesan and Vyjayanthi Mala Bali and the first Tamil film to be shot in Jammu and Kashmir, "Kadhalikka Neramillai" -- a cult classic, and others like "Ooty Varai Uravu," starring Tamil icon the late Sivaji Ganesan in the lead.

Known for his penchant for new faces, Sridhar had to his credit introducing various top yesteryear actors such as AIADMK leader J Jayalalithaa, airhostess-turned-actor Kanchana and actor Ravichandran, among others.

While the director's debut film "Kalyana Parisu" was a runaway hit, he is best remembered for his "Kadalikaa Neramillai," a light-hearted movie on impersonation.

Ultimate Star Ajith Kumar had called for a press interaction a week ahead of his Aegan’s release. The actor, however, refused to speak to the media on official terms, calling the meeting just an occasion to meet his friends from the media. Here’s the trifle we could make of that evening:


-That Ajith refuses to talk to the media just doesn’t make him the over-the-head arrogant actor. In fact, the actor, who still doesn’t seem to have given up his Billa black suit, walked about and shook hands with every member in the hall, be it camera assistants or the hotel’s service crew. “It’s a pleasure meeting you. I hope you’re staying with me for dinner,” he said, relentlessly to every person in the hall.

Despite looking every bit a dapper, young man, he is seriously working out a way to shed the kilos he won’t need. “I’m actually on a diet now, and all that I could have here is soup,” the actor said, as he is busy finalizing the script with Gautham Vasudev Menon and beginning his work for the movie tentatively titled Suraangani. -The movie is said to be a racy, action movie on the lines of Kaakha Kaakha, and the Ultimate Star is said to be a don in the movie. Is it just shedding kilos or is he to join the six pack sizzlers, we don’t know!

Ajith likes black. And that it makes him look like the smartest actor in town is no reason for it. We’ve rarely seen him in colour clothes these days. The reason? “To be honest, I wear black because it’s the official colour to wear for any event. I doubt you’d see me in colour clothes because I like to adhere to the rules of a formal gathering,” he says.

If there’s something that can, perhaps, really bring a broad smile on Ajith’s place, it’s got to be the mention of his daughter Anoushka. “She has just begun talking now and speaks a smattering of Tamil,” he says. The proud father that he is, he informs that his daughter has finally begun calling him 'appa’.

When asked why he wasn’t talking to the media, Ajith had one reason to give a scribe. “I hadn’t spoken for four years to the media, and then Billa happened. It was such a blockbuster and I did give interviews then, which will, probably, last for four more years. So, no interviews now, please!”

Great grandfather of musicians and the man who is yet to be honoured with the title of Kalaimamani by the Tamil Nadu government at long last was recognised by our Indian people living in Dubai.

It was an evening of entertainment with a cause when expatriate Malayalis packed an auditorium here to pay tribute to the living legend of south Indian music, V. Dakshinamoorthi, who has carved a niche for himself in the music direction for over 125 films was honoured by 'Hridayasarassile' (In the Heart), organised by Kalabhavan Dubai.Malayalam films' best singers of the Malayalam film industry performing in fully packed to Sheikh Rashid Auditorium here Friday night.

The event was organised as a charity to collect donations for the Cochin Cancer Society (CCS).Playback singers P. Suseela, P. Jayachandran, Vijay Yesudas, Madhu Balakrishnan and Shwetha Mohan performed some of the music director's best numbers.

The evening started with Dakshinamoorthi invoking god's blessings by saying that music is one form of worshipping god.

The 89-year-old doyen then sang the evening's title song "Hridayasarassile", with Vijay Yesudas, son of acclaimed singer K.J. Yesudas.

Dakshinamoorthi's works now span three generations of music lovers as he had composed music for Vijay Yesudas's father as well as grandfather K.J. Augustine.

Well-known Malayalam lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi, who was also present on the occasion, recounted his long association with Dakshinamoorthi.

As the evening progressed, Susheela, who described Dakshinamoorthi as her 'appa' (father), Jayachandran, Vijay, Balakrishnan and Shwetha sang some of the musician's evergreen numbers before an audience listening with rapt attention.

Vijay and Swetha, who had won a Kerala state award last year for their song "Kolakuzhal" in the film "Nivedayam", also sang a couple of duets.

"This is the third such event we have organised this year," Suresh Krishnan of Kalabhavan Dubai told IANS.

"All our events are linked to a cause," he added.

Friday's function saw CCS president V.B. Gangadharan accepting cheques of Rs.200,000 from Dubai-based businessman N.M. Panicker and Rs.25,000 from Wisemen's club.

Thanking the donors, Gangadharan said that the money would be used for the treatment of poor cancer patients.

"This money will go only to treat cancer patients from poor sections of the society," he promised.

CCS, which was established three years ago, is a charitable group which provides financial aid to poor cancer patients in Kerala through donations and medicines. It also provides counselling for patients and family members.

Affiliated to Kalabhavan Kochi, Kalabhavan Dubai is run by the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based business group Countach. With two centres in this west Asian metropolis, Kalabhavan Dubai offers courses in instrumental music, classical dances, vocal music and art.

"We also formed a new Kalabhavan Arts Club last year to create an elite music lovers' club," Krishnan said.

The club, he said, would endeavour to bring high quality programmes, each linked to a worthwhile charity, from India to the UAE.

"We are planning a fourth show later this year comprising Carnatic music and classical dances," he said.

Earlier in the evening, India's Consul General Venu Rajamony lit the traditional lamp to inaugurate the function. He also accorded a traditional felicitation to Dakshinamoorthi.

Countach managing director Unni Bhaskar, welcoming the audience, said that music was one way of treating cancer.

"Everybody of us have cancerous cells in our body. Living a stress-free life is one way of not allowing these to multiply. Music is one such medium," he said

BY N.THYAGARAJAN

Not many who knew about Sandhya who did a role in the Tamil film Kaadhal would soon realise the talents of the actress through yet to be released Tamil film Nootrukku Nooru. It is the remake of the Tamil film with the very same title which was produced three decades ago with Jai Shankar and Sri Vidya. Sandhaya is doing the role of Sri Vidya who passed away two years ago.

Kadhal Sandhya when talking to this Blog said, that she had seen the old Tamil film on several times and was moved by the character of Sri Vidya. The entire shooting of the film was over, she said and she expected a good reception from the public.

The story is based on the English novel One man is waiting to Kill which was a popular story book sold several lakhs of copies in those days.