Asal is out and out a commercial Masala with an half century old, cliched story line. But director Saran once again impressed the film buffs with his stylish making.

The story goes like this…

Ajith (Senior) is a big shot in illegal weapon trading. He has 3 sons (Sampath, Rajiv Krishna and Ajith) and among them Ajith (Junior) is born for his illegal wife. In an in-fight for capturing Senior Ajith’s assets and business empire, Sampath and Rajiv Krishna kills their own father. But in sudden developments, they caught in villain’s den in Mumbai. As usually Ajith Jr flies there for their rescue unwarrantably. After safely escaped from villan’s hand with the help of Ajith, Sampath and Rajiv Krishna tries to kill him in the same spot to get the properties fully.

How Ajith escapes from their target and closed their chapter is the remaining portion of the story. Meanwhile, Bhavana and Sameera Reddy have trying to attract Ajith but finally Ajith accepts Bhavana.

Bhavana, Sameera, Prabhu and Yuhi Sethu’s part are adding pep to the main story.

Ajith done his role with perfectly and his looks are more stylish than in Billa. Senior Ajith is really done well and his mannerisms are real treat to Thala fans.

Among the heroines, Bavana is having more scope and done her job well. Sameera is not impressive both in appearance as well as performance.

Sampath, Rajive Krishna and Suresh (another typical Tamil baddie who turned as a good man in the last reel!!) are the three main villains and done their part well and professional manner.

Prabhu is just appearing in a guest role which hasn’t any impact in the story.

The camera work is good, but Baradwaj’s music is not impressive, except the ‘Tottodaing…’ song.

Saran’s picturisation is excellent but the main drawback is lack of a solid story. It seems that in most of the scenes the director just leaves Ajith to walk here and there in the name of style. But we have experienced this kind of scenes in Billa itself!

Verdict: Mass Masala!

Cast: Ajith, Bavana, Sameera Reddy, Sampath, Prabhu

Music: Baradwaj

Direction: Saran

Producer: Sivaji Films

PRO: Diamond Babu

-BOS

One more member from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s family is entering Kollywood and this time it is Karunanidhi’s grand son MKT Arulnidhi who is debuting as hero.

Arulnidhi is MK Tamilarasu’s (Karunanidhi’s younger son) son doing his first film directed by Pandiraj, one of the promising directors in Kollywood of Pasanga fame.

Arulnidhi has made a smart move in making his debut with a Pandiraj film, atleast he will be noticed.

The unit of this untitled film led by Pandiraj called on the Chief Minister to seek his blessings. Also present were the film’s other debutants music director Taj Noor, cinematographer Magesh Muthusamy and others.

Science-fiction adventure “Avatar” and war movie “The Hurt Locker” on Tuesday earned nine Oscar nominations each, including best movie, to lead the field in the competition for the world’s highest film honours.

Other films among the 10 nominees for best motion picture include “Up in the Air,” “The Blind Side,” “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” and “District 9.”

Rounding out the list of best film nominees were animated movie “Up,” “A Serious Man,” “Inglourious Basterds” and “An Education.”

Nominations for best actor in a film went to Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart,” George Clooney for “Up in the Air,” Colin Firth in “A Single Man,” Morgan Freeman for “Invictus” and Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker.”

Best actress nominees were Sandra Bullock for “The Blind Side,” Helen Mirren in “The Last Station,” Carey Mulligan for “An Education,” Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious” and Meryl Streep for “Julie & Julia”.

Following is a list of the main Oscar contenders. The awards will be handed out in Hollywood on March 7.

BEST PICTURE

“Avatar”, “The Blind Side”, “District 9″, “An Education”, “The Hurt Locker”, “Inglourious Basterds”, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”, “A Serious Man” “Up” “Up in the Air”

BEST ACTOR

Jeff Bridges – “Crazy Heart”

George Clooney – “Up in the Air”

Colin Firth – “A Single Man”

Morgan Freeman – “Invictus”

Jeremy Renner – “The Hurt Locker”

BEST ACTRESS

Sandra Bullock – “The Blind Side”

Helen Mirren – “The Last Station”

Carey Mulligan – “An Education”

Gabourey Sidibe – “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Meryl Streep – “Julie & Julia”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Matt Damon – “Invictus”

Woody Harrelson – “The Messenger”

Christopher Plummer – “The Last Station”

Stanley Tucci – “The Lovely Bones”

Christoph Waltz – “Inglourious Basterds”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Penelope Cruz – “Nine”

Vera Farmiga – “Up in the Air”

Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”

Anna Kendrick – “Up in the Air”

Mo’Nique – “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

BEST DIRECTOR

James Cameron – “Avatar”

Kathryn Bigelow – “The Hurt Locker”

Quentin Tarantino – “Inglourious Basterds”

Lee Daniels – “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Jason Reitman – “Up in the Air”

As they rightly told Tamil Padam is the first full fledged spoof movie of Tamil cinema. Though Venkat Prabhu did the same treatment to all his scripts, CS Amuthan, the debutant, overtakes him and make comedy as a serious business and tastes his maiden hit.

Making a spoof on Tamil films, particularly the icons of Kollywood is not an easy thing. But Amuthan’s careful treatment and the background of the producer (Dayanidhi Azhagiri is the producer who is son of Union Minister M K Azhagiri and grand son of Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi!!) make it possible.

The film works to a large extent because Tamil cinema has more clichés than any other cinema in the world. The director hits out at our larger than life heroes who specialize in mass masala and their cardboard heroism.

‘Mirchi’ Shiva is suits to the role very aptly and carries the film to the victory with help of witty dialogues written by the director in excellent manner.

Hero Shiva (Mirchi Shiva) is born on a rainy day in a village and the new born speaks to his grandmother (Parvai Muniamma) that his dream is to go to Chennai to become a man for all seasons like a typical Tamil film hero. In Chennai, the boy pedals on a cycle and as years pass become a larger than life hero who takes on the evil things in the earth and became the savor of the world.

Like all Tamil heroes he goes to college and hangs around with his friends Nakul (MS Bhaskar), Siddharth (Manobala) and Bharath (Venniradai Moorthy) a dig at Tamil cinemas ageing comedians who pretend to be students.

Shiva falls in love with a classmate (Disha Pandey) and singing duet like an usual Tamil hero does to win the heroine in films like Kadhalukku Mariyathai, Mouna Ragam etc. When the heroine’s father says he will not allow his daughter to marry a poor man with no job, Shiva did some odd jobs like newspaper hawker, fruit seller and becomes a tycoon overnight just like what Rajinikanth did in Annamalai, Padyappa etc, etc.

Meanwhile it is revealed that he is an undercover cop who wants to exterminate the criminals in the city.

Shiva’s method of eliminating the criminals are far better than what Vijay did in Tirupachi and Pokkiri, Suriya in Ghajini and Khakka Khakka, Vikram in Anniyan and Kamal Hassan in Apoorva Sahodrakal. Even more hilarious is how Shiva goes back to his village in search of his father who abandoned him many years back. And the climax is when he discovers who runs the ‘D’ company is hilarious.

Some of the most enjoyable moments are Shiva’s classical dance piece to impress his girl friend and the happenings in Cinemakkaranpatti (the birth place of Shiva!) and the family song that helps to our hero to reunite with his parents.

When a newborn baby utters actor Vijay’s ‘punch-dialogues’, the audience appreciates the idea behind it.

When a 10-year old asks his grandmother when would he be old enough to fight injustice, she tells him to get on the top of a cycle. As the wheels roll on, the the 10-year-old turns into grown up guy within seconds.

Apart from Shiva, Venniradai Moorthy, Manobala, MS Baskar, Shanmugasundaram and Paravai Muniamma done their part excellently. As usually there is no scope for heroine in this ‘Tamil Padam’ too!

Nirav Shah’s camera and Kannan’s music add more strength to the film. Particularly the song O Maha Zeeya.. (Particularly when Shiva’s lip movement and body language when he pronounce Lalakku Dol Dappima!) makes our time most hilarious.

But the film is very enjoyable for those experienced with Tamil films in the past 3 decades!

Verdict: An enjoyable spoof!

Cast: Shiva, Disha Pandey, Venniradi Moorthy, Manobala, MS Baskar, Paravai Muniamma, Shanmugasundaram

Music: Kannan

Cinematography: Nirav Shah

Director: CS Amuthan

Producer: Dayanidhi Azhagiri

PRO: Nikil Murugan

First we must thank Venkat Prabhu for clearing a thing… This is not a movie, only his personal holiday experiences. He simply shot his personal diary notes (that too copying from others like American Pie and Dostana), instead of a solid story (whether it is strong or wafer thin!).

For those who booked the ticket earlier for this film have no other option and must be enjoyed your punishment, but for those who haven’t, there’s a big chance to escape from this annoying Venkat Prabhu ‘holiday’!

And we have a doubt also… whether Soundarya Rajini, the pride owner of Ocher Studio has heard the story properly? If not, definitely she is not suitable for film production, that too in Kodambakkam!

Swamikannu (Premji Amaran), Ramarajan (Jai) and Vinayagam (Vaibhav) are always mischeivious cum troublemakers in their village Pannaipuram. When they’re unable to bear the controlled traditions curbing down their freedom, they loot the local temple of its jewellery and set off initially to Madurai where they encounter a long lost friend who got married to a foreigner he met in Goa and is leaving for London!

And these guys are extremely surprised to see his below-average looking guy marrying a stunningly beautiful London girl. Now, they came to a decision, fly down to Goa, marry a foreign girl and get settled in a different country to enjoy lavish lifestyle.

But as they land in Goa, it’s a different situation for these boys as they encounter unexpected things after falling in love with girls.

the first 30 minutes scenes are really fantastic and shot in very relaxed style. But after that the film enters in to a ugly den and threw the mud in the faces of all the viewrs!

It is sure that Goa is nowhere near Venkat’s earlier films like the smartly packaged Chennai 28 and intersting thriller Saroja which relied on a sharp script to deliver.

The film rightly deserves an A certificate as it unwantedly enters to the gay’s world.

Among the three lead characters, the director has given the maximum screen space to his brother Premji, who has fully utilized it though some of his actions and punchlines are being repeated again. Jai pretends to be the savviest guy and speaks in a strange cocktail of Tamil and English and delivers a few genuinely gut busters.

Vaibhav is just ok. Among the three heroines, only Sneha is looking good. Yuvan’s music cannot save the film, though a couple of his tunes sounds catchy.

The director again using a popular number ‘Kangal Irandal…’ repeatedly to show the love at first sight. But it never workingout well!

We dont know how a guy who comes as a Goa police officer at interval point suddenly appears as a customs officer in the climax!

Goa – A Venkat Prabhu’s bitter holiday!

Cast: Premji Amaran, Jai, Vaibav, Sampath, Arvind Akash, Sneha, piyaa

Camera: Shakthi Saravanan

Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja

Director: Venkat Prabhu

Producer: Soundarya Rajinikanth

K S Ravikumar directed Jaggubai has been placed the headlines in the media for the past couple of weeks for its leakage online before the actual release. Due to this it created some expectation among the viewers… but the way the director create the film is poor and not fulfill the expectations.

As told by Rajinikanth, the film’s story is straightly lifted from the French movie Wasabi.

Jagannathan, (Sarath Kumar) alias ‘Jaggubhai’ is a Police Officer who always handles the bad elements with terrific and unconventional ways to clear the criminals in the City.

Jaggubhai is sent to Australia on an important mission to deal with anti social elements there. In Australia, Jaggubai meets Meena (Srisha) and they both fall in love with each other. Jaggubai fails in his mission for which he came to Australia and the brief romance with Meena also ends abruptly. Jaggubai returns to India as a dejected officer failing in his official duty as well as in personal life.

Twenty years later he gets a call from Australia stating that Meena is dead and has left him a will. He reaches Australia and is shocked to know that his romance with Meena caused for a daughter namely Monisha (Shriya), now a teenager.

Jaggubai realises that he has to take care of Monisha from the bad guy an international criminal Hamid Ansari, an old foe.

Jaggu now meets his former colleague Mani (Goundamani) in Australia. With his help he overcomes the crisis and eventually finds out why Meena left him and the reason for bringing him back into his daughter’s life.

Sarath Kumar really done his role perfectly. He gives authenticity through his way of handling the bad guys like an original police officer.

Goundamani rocks as a MIB cop in Australia!

Shriya tries to delivering things in right way. Srisha, the new comer is not perform up to the expectations.

The major plus point of the film is that it is only 2 hours, and the camera work of RD Rajasekhar is fantastic.

Rafee’s music is nothing much to say about. The action scenes are superbly choreographed especially the quick and fast movements of Sarath in the fight in the mall.

But the overdose of sentiment scenes that are really some two decades old, fails to workout well with the audience.

Verdict: Average

Cast: Sarath Kumar, Goundamani, Shriya

Music: Rafee

Camera: R D Rajasekar

Direction: K S Ravikumar

Producer: Radan-Zee

Sun Pictures today officially declared that it had acquired the release rights of Vijay starrer ‘Sura’. The film production and distribution arm of the Sun Television Network has also said it would release the film in April.

Directed by S P Rajakumar, Sura is the 50th film of Vijay and it is being made on a never before budget when compared to other movies of the actor. The shooting is currently on in and around the coastal villages near Puducherry, as Vijay is playing a fisherman.

After completing the current schedule in the Union Territory, the cast and crew of the movie would move to Tuticorin, where a stunt sequence had been planned near the harbour. The next destination would be foreign locales, where songs would be canned on the lead pair- Vijay and Tamannah.

Produced by Sangili Murugan, Sura has musical score by Mani Sharma. Cinematography is by Ekambaram.

The recent buzz in Kollywood is about Nayanthara’s temporary retirement from acting!

Yes… According to the sources, the actress has now decided to take away from film career for a year.

Nayanthara, the onetime top actress in South, had a very bad time for past couple of years as none of her films did well at box office and indeed fetched horrible critics for her bad show.

Naturally, it’s both in films and real life as well. Now it has become so constant that unnecessary rumors are raised on her though they’re factual ones.

The actress’ recent Telugu release –ADURS with NTR Jr has flunked terribly at box office and her Malayalam film ‘Body Guard’ has hit screens yesterday. But now with no big offers in Tamil, except ‘Boss Engira Bhaskaran’ and thusly has decided to fly back to her hometown for auyurvedic treatment.

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth and his co stars like Kamal Hassan have attended the premier of Jaggubhai yesterday at Satyam cine complex.

Never before has so many stars been seen at a premiere in Kollywood, showing the popularity of the ‘supreme star’ among his colleagues in the industry.

Take a look at those who attended the biggest ever star turnout for a premiere. Among the male actors there was Superstar Rajinikanth, Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan, Suriya, Arjun, Prabhu, Dhanush, Vadivel, Lawrence, Silambarasan, Sibiraj, Gautham Menon, Dharani, director Vikraman,Prasanna,Vivek, Pasupathi, Parthipan, Srikanth, Vijayakumar, Krish, Arun Vijay, Mirchi Shiva and others.

The ladies who came for the premiere were Trisha, Simran, Sangeetha, Sandhya, Sonia, Sanghvi, Andrea, Aiswarya Dhanush, Sangeeta Vijay and Varalaxmi.

However the stars of the evening were Sarath Kumar, director KS Ravikumar, producer Radhika, heroine Shriya and the rest of the cast and crew of the film.

Here is another B grade flick from Vijay’s factory of Mass Masala!

There is nothing new in this ‘action-revenge-average comedy’ flick and most of the scenes also dragged from his old movies like Pokkiri, Bagavathy, Thiruppachi etc…

Also Vijay is completely surrendered in front of the demigod of Kollywood, Rajinikanth. He almost copied the superstar’s style and mannerisms even in dialogue delivery.

So once again the actor proves that there is no place for originality in his films or his acting.

The story is as old as rock…

Ravi alias Police Ravi (Vijay), a Tuticurin based happy go lucky guy is attempting continuously to get promotion from his plus two exam. Ravi adores Devraj IPS, a dutiful police officer, as his guru and wishes to become a cop like him in his future.

‘Unexpectedly’ he passed his plus two exam and starts his trip to Chennai to get admission in a College!

He meets a lovely girl Suseela (Anushka) during his journey in the train and immediately fall in love with her and completing his quota of duet in dreams. but in real, Ravi earns his livelihood by driving auto after his college hours and continuous his studies and love.

One bad day, he meets Chella, a womanaiser and son of local don Vedanayagam (Salim Ghosh), who has control over entire Chennai.

Chella once raped Uma, classmate of Ravi which caused for a fierce fight between the heroes and baddies and finally Chella killed.

Vedhanayagan makes hard efforts to become a minister in the state cabinet and aims to kill Ravi through his power.

Meanwhile, Vijay come to know about a shocking fact that Devaraj IPS, his guru, has lost his career, eyesight and his family because of Vedanayagam.

Now, Ravi join hands with Devaraj and vows take a revenge of baddies and starts striking with his fists of actions that move in a much cliched way.

It is none other than a Perarasu type mass masala which mostly failed to grab the attention of the viewers in most of the scenes.

Vijay doing his role as usually with lot of aimless punches, stunts and dry comedy. Srinath, appearing as Vijay’s associate is irritating the viewers like an empty vessels noise.

The post interval part is so overdosed with gory elements.

Anushka reveals her glamour portions well. There is no scope to her to show her acting performance.

Though the narration of police officer Devraj role is remembering Nasser of Dhill, Sri Hari done it with his maximum input.

Gopinath’s cameras work is good. But it is Vijay Antony who failed to attract with good numbers in tunes as well as BGM.

There is notheing new in the film, including the promotional techniques of Sun Pictures.. So the hopes to make this film as a minimum hit is also very difficult to Vijay.

Hard times continues for Vijay.. better luck in Sura!

Cast & Crew

Cast: Vijay, Anushka, Salim Gouse, Sri Hari, Srinath

Music: Vijay Antony

Camera: Gopinath

Direction: Babu Sivan

Producer: AVM

Distributor: Sun Pictures