Monday, August 30, 2004

Ghilli victory tour

Indiaglitz
[Monday, August 30, 2004]

AM Ratthinam and the Ghilli team along with Vijay and Trisha will go on a weeklong tour. The team will visit the theatres in Nellai and Chennai where the film is running past 100 days. Vijay who is shooting for Thirupachi felt happy for the success and said that Ghilli and Madurey which had scenes shot in Meenakshi temple in Madurai were hits and hence every film would have a shot in the temple.

He expressed happiness on hearing that Vikram got the award and added that he never did a film with an eye on awards and instead looked at the subject with an eye of a commoner.

Saturday, August 28, 2004

Madurey, Aug 27th, 2004

http://www.chennaionline.com/film/Moviereviews/tammov366.asp

Director: R Madhesh
Cast: Vijay, Sonia Agarwal, Rakshita, Pasupati, Vadivel, Sita.

The narration shuttles between Madurai and Chennai. It opens in Madurai, where villain K T R performs last rites, throws hero Madurey's photo in the fire and exclaims, "He haunted me while alive, I don't want him haunting me as a ghost!"

The scene shifts to Chennai where the supposedly 'dead' Madurey is shown, indulging in his expected 'heroic' acts, fighting with the local rowdies, rescuing damsels in distress, singing dream songs with his two sexy neighbours (Rakshita-Tejashri), who vie with one another, not only for maximum attention from Madurey but also for baring the maximum skin!

Madurey chooses the more buxom one to fall in love with. There being not much passion or intensity in his wooing, one suspects Madurey just chose whom he felt was the better of the two!
Truth has to come out and time for a flashback. H. Maduravel, the duty-conscious collector of Madurai, takes on the might of local rowdy K T R, using his fists and legs rather than his brain, and the advantages of his post. Helping Maduravel is his pretty assistant Susheela (Sonia), who, however, maintains a stoic expression whatever the goings on.

Susheela's sneaking into K T R's den is one of the more ridiculous scenes of the film. The whole Maduravel-episode is very loosely etched, the director not much bothered about the seriousness or dignity of the post of collector. Some research here would have helped.

Pasupati makes the most of his role, more controlled here than in his earlier films. The saving grace of the film is hero Vijay. He goes through his role with perfect composure and confidence, the loose script not much bothering him. In fact, Vijay here is more outgoing and expressive, infusing his performance with subtle nuances. The only jarring part is when he repeats his punchline, 'Ithu Echarikka Ille, Kattale'.

It's Madhesh's debut as director after an apprenticeship with Shanker. Producing, scripting and directing it, he seems to have concentrated more on the glamour and the frills, alternating action with dance numbers, and missing out on a coherent script.

Friday, August 13, 2004

Tips from cousin Vijay

IndiaGlitz
[Friday, August 13, 2004]

He looks like a shy cousin of Vijay (a shinier star after ‘Gilli’). And he is. Vikranth, son of Vijay’s aunt, is making his debut as the hero in ‘Karka Kasadara’.

Asked if Vijay gave him any tips, Vikrant says: "Yes, he asked me not to ignore even minor expressions. He also advised me to pay attention to all departments like ‘action’ and romance." The hero in the making promises to live up to the reputation of his better-known ‘big brother’.

Diya and Lakshmi Roy are Vikranth’s two heroines in the film under the R. V. Udayakumar, who has also written its story, screenplay and lyrics.

Friday, August 06, 2004

Interview with Actor Vijay

IndiaGlitz.com
Friday, August 06, 2004
A string of failures put a question mark about his career. Yet, actor Vijay turned his fortunes around after the success of Thirumalai last year and the stupendous run of Ghilli (remake of Telugu blockbuster Okkadu).Two successive hits have given a new lease of life to the actor and he has now re-established himself in the Tamil film industry as a name to be reckoned with.

Flush with success, Vijay has a few offers lined up and is awaiting the release of his next film Madurey, produced and directed by Madhesh.The actor who has been in the show biz industry for more than a decade now, says the success of Ghilli brings with it greater responsibility as fans would be expecting greater things from him now."I was confident that Ghilli would make it big. But the success entails more responsibility for me to keep continuing the good run", he adds.

"My forthcoming movies Madurey and Thirupachi have different story lines with a mix of action and humor", Vijay says.
On Ghilli's big success.

I was confident that Ghilli would make it big among the masses. The movie produced by A M Rathnam and directed by Dharani was a pulsating action film with a romantic base. Even the songs and stunts in the movie appealed to the masses. The success of Ghilli has made me more responsible now. I have to choose the right scripts and work in order to sustain the good run.

You evince keen interest on working in action-oriented movies.

Today, in Tamil filmdom, action-packed movies are the order of the day. Hence, keeping in line with the trend, I am working on action films. Once the trend changes, I will think of doing different films. Thirumalai, Ghilli and the forthcoming release Madurey too have stunt sequences that would appeal to action-lovers.

You have developed a liking to work in Telugu remakes...

Yes, all my film which were remakes from Telugu have done well here. I don't thing it is wrong. Even now, I have zeroed in on a couple of recent Telugu hits. I might venture to do one of them.

On your forthcoming films

Madurey will be released in the third week of August. Sonia Agrawal and Rakshitha are the leading ladies in the film. Produced and directed by Madhesh,Madurey is a story that revolves around a happy-go-lucky-youngster (which I portray). The movie has come out very well. Ever since Madhesh narrated the script to me, I was impressed with the story line that I gave the go-ahead to the project. I am confident that Madurey will appeal to people of all age-groups. I am also acting in a movie titled Tirupachi, produced by R B Choudhary and directed by Perarasu.

Vijay turns producer

IndiaGlitz
[Friday, August 06, 2004]

Vijay is soon to launch his own production company. Named after his son Jason Sanjay the first film will be directed by Ramana. Ramana directed him in Thirumalai, which was a comeback film for Vijay. Despite Ramana giving a flop with Sullan, Vijay has decided to give the director a major break.

Meanwhile Vijay’s Madurey is likely to be released only by August end since they do not want to clash with Vasool Raja MBBS scheduled for August 12.