Moser Baer has launched the DVD of their Jayaram- Padmapriya Onam (Sep 4 release) film Kana Kanmani, 26 days after its theatrical release.

It has created shockwaves in the placid Malayalam film world where normal DVD release window is 100 days after theatrical release.

The bold and daring move has to be appreciated as it is keeping with international and Bollywood standards where the release window has come down.

Says G Dhananjayan, CEO of Moser Baer Entertainment: “The film has not done well at the box-office and it made better sense for us to release it on DVD, as it will prevent piracy.

Shorter release windows on DVD means the producer will be able to recoup some of his losses if the film fails at the box-office.”

Meanwhile producers and theatre owners in Kerala are perturbed that films are getting into DVD format officially faster than ever before.

Says a prominent distributor and theatre owner: “ If DVD is released so fast how can the film get money from theatre run from B and C centers? We will be taking up the issue at our general body meeting next week.”

Mamta Mohandas has walked out of Dileep’s new untitled film to be directed by Kamal.

The shooting of the film was to start at Ooty from Aug 21, but has now been postponed.

The grapevine is abuzz that Mamta backed out of the project after hearing news that Aishwarya Rai had flu which she contacted while shooting for Mani Ratnam’s Raavan in Ooty.

Mamta’s mother had told the producers that she is suffering from “severe fever” and is not in a position to come for the shoot.

Mamta had recently made waves in Malayalam with her Passenger, where she played Dileep’s wife and an investigative television reporter. The film was a hit and Kamal wanted to repeat the pair.

Namitha becomes a costly Shakila in Malluwood!

The first schedule of Pramod Pappan’s Black stallion was completed in Kochi. It is an erotic thriller, spiced with liberal doses of the necessary masala.

Namitha is rumoured to have taken home a whopping Rs 25 lakhs forher role in the film. The Kollywood bombshell plays Laura Singh, a bar dancer.

According to the script there are few hot bed room scenes also shot with Namitha.

She wears a thin satin cloth that exposing her hot parts well in those scenes!

Malayalam actor Kalabhavan Mani plays the lead role in the flick.

MACTA and Mammootty have been playing the cat and mouse game for some time. Time and again accusations have hurled at, press conferences and reconciliatory meetings have been held, but to no avail.

Malayalam Cine Technicians Association Federation (MACTA) has come up with yet another series of allegations and has targeted superstar Mammootty. If that was not all, protests and demonstartions are being conducted to tarnish both the actor’s and the director Sibi Malayil’s image in public. Mammootty has been reportedly shooting for Daddy Cool in Kakkanad, when demonstrations were carried out and even effigies of the actor were burnt.

It has been alleged by director Vinayan, the president of MACTA, that Mammootty has been the mastermind behind depriving many technicians and workers of their jobs, especially those associated with MACTA. He also cited the cases of editor Murali who was thrown out of the movie Kadha Samvidhanam Kunchako and dubbing artiste Sreeja from Banaras.

Sibi Malayil, chairman of FEFKA (Film Employees’ Federation of Kerala) has affirmed that MACTA’s protests are not an issue of grave concern. However in a land where actors are role models and icons of change, these incidents reveal the stark side of the otherwise glitzy film world.

What does the title of the new Dilip-Joshiy mega-hit film Twenty 20 signify? Most probably the racy fireworks format of the film. For, in its formulaic compulsions to rope in and pander to the fans and fanatics of all the super stars, the film tries to do an incredible balancing act in its narrative to provide equally important roles to all the big men of Malayalam cinema.

Obviously, it has succeeded in that. The formula seems to have worked well with the film audience (read male) in Kerala, who seem to be desperately clinging to a passing era of stardom, which they yearn to bring back in all its former glory. Twenty 20 once again places at the top the super stars who control everything in the narrative. They are the big brothers who look after, control and manage all the eventualities and take away all the spoils.

In the process, all the others are sidelined, made into younger brothers or pushed to the margins. The film is a celebration of their domination and omnipotence, and naturally, all the others are all ‘accompanists’. In this great super race of all times in Malayalam cinema, the upcoming actors are all sidekicks and ‘also-rans’ – many of the major young talents form the background of an item song. If the fate of the younger brothers and minions is a sorry one, in the case of female characters/ actresses, it is even more miserable. In this all male kingdom, they are either glossy item numbers (Nayantara), crafty small timers (Sukumari, Kavya, Kalpana), rape victims (Bhavana) or mere shadows in the background cowering in the presence of the macho, patriarchal figures who dominate the stage.

Look at the representations of the subaltern figures, those whose skin is not ‘fair’. They are thieves and crooks (Harisree Asokan, Kochin Haneefa etc), killers and goons (Mani) or corrupt, gullible police officers (Salim Kumar, Srinivasan). In this celebration of the ‘fair’ heroes where all the others are ‘unfair’, time seems to stand still for Malayalam cinema. Is it just an accident, or does it in a way sumup the age of super stars in our cinema?

If Twenty 20 is a big hit, it only proves that our filmgoers – even of the new generation – are caught in a time warp.

Though her onscreen performances critically acclaimed, her off screen behaviours never been appreciated by anyone in the south film industry!

She is none other than Meera Jasmine, one of the talented actresses of South film world. Very recently she has thrown out from a film titled Ananthapurathu Veedu, a film produced by Director Shankar for his S pictures.

Directed by Naga, the shooting of the film has started earlier this month. Meera was signed for the lead role against a new male lead.

In the initial days Meera attended the shoot regularly, but slowly she has showed her real face to the director.

Shocked by her unusual delay and ridiculous absence at the time of important scenes shoot, the director has decided to drop her from the crew. After consulting with his producer, who is currently in the shoot of Rajini’s never ever mega venture Enthiran in Peru, Naga sacked Meera and informed the same to the actors association too. Now he is searching a suitable face to the role.

If you think each and every person in Kerala today is busy celebrating Onam, the ultimate festival for all Malayalees all over the world, you are mistaken! Of course, there will be many who cannot participate in the colourful celebrations due to many reasons, mainly physical. But what do you say if superstar Mammootty does not join the celebrations due to an avoidable, petty reason: too busy schedule shooting! We can only say, “Alas!”

Mammootty, who is now busy shooting for his upcoming venture Maya Bazaar, says that he has so much work that he can’t think of taking a break during this festive season. “Yes, I am on the Ramzan fast, but I just cannot afford to sit idle on this pretext. Even on Friday, which is Thiru Onam day, the most important day for all Keralites, I am busy shooting,” Mammootty said.

Mammootty, who turned 55 last Sunday, was able to spend time with his family, only because the shooting of the film was taking place in his hometown. Don’t you think that is a little too much?

Apart from Maya Bazaar (directed by Thomas Sebastian) scheduled to release for Ramzan on October 1 or 2, Mammootty is also busy shooting for internationally-acclaimed director Shaji N. Karun’s Kuttyshranku and his much-anticipated magnum opus Pazhassi Raja, a historical film about Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, being directed by Hariharan. Mammootty’s other projects include Rafi-Mecartin duo’s Love in Singapore and debutant director Aashiq Abu’s Daddy Cool.