We are elated in passing this message that Music Director Vijay Antony’s stunning piece of musical hit ‘Naaka Mukka’ has turned the spotlights during International Advertising Festival at Cannes. Aye! The song has been felicitated with ‘Best Use of Music’. The song ‘Naaka Mukka’ was used by Times of India Campaign, Chennai Edition that has the day in life of Chennai depicted. The visual promo was nominated in three different categories; Publications, Media Sub-Category and Best Use of Music.

The TV commercial was created by JWT Advertising Agency that was based on a day in the life of Chennai.

The TV commercial, created by JWT Chennai, is a satire on a day in the life of Chennai. It traces the journey of an actor-cum-politician and the ups and downs of his life in a day. It’s a 24-hour biography, and a cut out character has been used as a metaphor for this person. It highlights the dirty party-hopping track that most actor/politicians employ every day.

Kollywood Today congratulates Vijay Antony for the greatest musical score…

Rajini and Kamal may join again in a film?

Here is the extract of Director K.S. Ravikumar's interview from Ananda Vikatan. If Rajini and Kamal act together in a film, there should be a producer who can manage the film budget without any financial strain. There might be a chance for both of them to act together. They will not think about acting together but we need someone to stimulate them. But i am not going to request them to act together as they might think that i want to make money through them. Therefore, i have not thought of it at all. Before that, director Maniratnam tried to engage Rajini and Kamal in a film but both Rajini …. more … »

I am shocked at the untimely passing away of Michael Jackson, one of the greatest musicians of our time.

MJ, for most of our generation was an icon who made uncompromising music. He pushed the milestone of Pop music to unbelievable levels through the 8os and 90s. I am yet to find an artist with that energy, perfection and vision.

I met him personally after the Oscars in Los Angeles and we vibed very well. He said that he loved India and the Indian people. He said he heard good things about me and he was praising the chord progression of Jai Ho’s chorus.

He was bursting with energy and told me that every dance move he did, came from his soul and did a five second stunning example. It was like a lightning strike

He was concerned about developmental issues such as Global Warming and about wars and its damages to the human community.

He asked me to compose a unity anthem on the likes of “We are the World ” for him. I nodded in awe …!

He introduced me to his three lovely bright Kids. The kids told him “I love you dad” and he replied “I love you more” as a proud father. I wished him well for his concerts and he said “God Bless you”.

After hearing the shocking news I wished it was another rumor which would fade away soon. It took me time to believe that he is no more.

I remember, my late sound engineer Sridhar had brought me a video of the premiere of “Remember the Time” when I was recording “Kadal Rojave” for my first movie Roja. Seeing it inspired all of us that afternoon.

Now, there is no Sridhar and no Jackson anymore.

I hope all of us value people’s existence more and respect them when they are alive.

LIFE IS SHORT…! Artists and their art live for ever. Jai Ho, MJ !

We love you for your music, regardless of all the controversies!

A.R.Rahman
25 June, 2009.

Star-casts: Akil, Meera Nandan, Shruthi Nair, Gopi and many others.
Banner: Vikatan Talkies
Production: Srinivasan
Direction: Ananda Narayanan
Music: Maestro Ilayaraja
Cinematography: N. Azhagappan
Editing: V.T. Vijayan

Can you get away with the series of blunders you’ve committed throughout your life? Definitely, but it goes with the hardest price to pay. This has been the central theme of ‘Vaalmiki’ that revolves on the fictitious characterization of Pandi and many surrounding him. Don’t presume this to be a usual story that a petty thief and series of flaws he commits and a girl transforming him. Of course, the story moves ahead on these quotients and yet deviates with shocks and surprisals.

Director Ananda Narayana working with Shankar has inherited the social theme and projected right on his debut. On the pars, he has chosen good star-casts and got the best out of them. Akil who made a middling start with ‘Kalloori’ has spelled crème de la crème right on his second film. He has improved a lot on his part and doesn’t move away from winning sure appraisals from audiences.

Okay! What’s the story of Vaalmiki? So simple as mentioned earlier…

Pandi (Akil) is a jail warden who’s going through the registering the list of criminals and petty thieves adhered with properties they’ve stolen. A kind of puzzling motif strikes once Pandi is thrown with a statement that the petty thief standing before him has got Vandana’s gold chain. The film moves back to flashback sequences of Pandi and his close associates involved in fraudulent acts of cutpurse acts and more like commencing fake production film companies. There is whole lot of innocents suffered by him. Indeed an innocent girl who came to Chennai with dreams of becoming a heroine cheated by him financially. Out of vex, she turns to be a sex worker and gets affected with incurable diseases. Merely, there’s a flower vendor (Shruthi Nair) who refuses him and marries another person unbearable to his dirty nature. But there’s Vandana (Meera Nandan) Who mends his ways and finally turns him into a good responsible youngster. Alas! Nature has its destiny fixing an unexpected fate for him. It’s really shocking for the audiences indeed.

Meera Nandan from Kerala does a good job as well the other missy Shruthi Nair. Meera suits the role of an innocent girl while Shruthi as a local flower vendor excels with her vocalism and slang. On the pars, the other guys enacting Akil associates’ roles are good enough with their style.

Musical score by Ilayaraja is commendable and yet there are no need for certain songs in the film. Background score is good adding more flavors to the film’s pace. Azhagappan’s cinematography is embellishing the screens.

Screenplay is quite middling on certain points and Ananda Narayanan should’ve corrected them.

On the whole, the film has probabilities of fetching good reviews from down-south audiences and by word of mouth will have a slow pick-up.

Bottom – Line : Passably good

Verdict : Decent Attempt by Ananda Narayanan.

A.R. Rahman pays tribute to Michael Jackson on his loss. Here is what he had to say about the phenomenal Pop King who has a special space in everyones heart…

It was Shriya Saran and now it is Soundarya Rajinikanth. The next guest lecturer on the ‘Times Avenues’ list was the Superstar’s daughter, to give a special lecture on her favourite topic and also her career field – animation…

And with this day the world of Pop music is freezed with an abrupt halt… A spell has come over, wrapping the music lovers in a shallow doom. The shock is so unexpected, so unreal that there are mixed reactions from everywhere…

It was Shriya Saran and now it is Soundarya Rajinikanth. The next guest lecturer on the ‘Times Avenues’ list was the Superstar’s daughter, to give a special lecture on her favourite topic and also her career field – animation…