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Ambareesh returns to silver screen

Kannada film star M.H. Ambareesh, who is also minister of state for information and broadcasting, is all set to make a comeback on the silver screen with "Preethi Eke Bhoomi Melidhe".
 
Narayana Murthy, wife compliment Sudeep's film
Kannada actor-director Sudeep is on cloud nine after Infosys chief mentor N.R. Narayana Murthy and his wife Sudha complimented him for his film "73, Shanthi Nivasa". They said the movie propagates the values of good fam

 
A Ganesh fortnight in Kannada cinema
Bangalore, It has been a glittering fortnight for Kannada star Ganesh, two of whose films are ruling the box office.

The top five Kannada films are:


2. "Cheluvina Chiththaara" - This is another Ganesh starrer whose collections have surpassed all expectations. Directed by S. Narayan, this movie is a remake of the Tamil
hit "Kaadal".

4. "Santha" - Though the Shivraj Kumar-starrer is not a big hit in the interiors, the collections in urban centres have been fantastic. It has proved to be a profitable movie for
producers and the distributors.

5. "Sathyavaan Saavithri" - This trendy and glamorous comedy has become a favourite with the young and family audience in urban centres like Bangalore and Mysore.
 
'Mungaru Male' brings bonanza for director and hero
The phenomenal success of "Mungaru Male" has spelt a record fee hike for its hero and director in the forthcoming Kannada film "Gali Pata". Yogaraj Bhat, director of "Mungaru Male", will be wielding the megaphone in "Gali Pata" for an unprecedented remuneration of Rs.11.5 million.
 
Apex court directive may help non-Kannada films
Bangalore, A Supreme Court judgement calling for uniform entertainment tax for feature films in Andhra Pradesh may have far reaching box-office consequences for Kannada and non-Kannada films.
 
'Mungaru Male' album a huge hit among listeners
By R.G. Vijayasarathy

Bangalore, The catchy music of the album of "Mungaru Male" film has caught the fancy of the listeners in the state and has become a huge hit.

1. "Mungaru Male": "Anisuthide Yaako Eno" tops the charts on every radio and television channel. This is the biggest hit so far for music director Mano Murthy.

2. "Duniya": The album is still being lapped up by the masses even though the film has completed 100 days of screening at theatres. V. Manohar has made a big comeback as a music director. "Kariya I Love You" and "Saala Maadiyaadroo Thuppa Thinnu" have become runaway hits.

3. "Hudugaata": The album has become a bigger hit than the film. Jessie Gift, the well-known music director of Malayalam cinema, has created an impact. "Stylo Stylo", "Lajjawatiye" and "Eko Onthara" are very catchy.

4. "Cheluvina Chiththaara": The Ganesh-Mano combination has made this a hot album.

5. "Santha": The album is gaining ground mainly because the film has also done well at the box office. Music director Guru Kiran's "Shiva Shiva" is a particularly popular number.
 
Unstoppable march for 'Mungaru Male'
By R.G. Vijayasarathy

Bangalore, "Mungaru Male", which has completed its silver jubilee at the theatres, is still the number one Kannada film this fortnight.

1. "Mungaru Male": The film is still running in over 120 theatres. It has created a record by grossing over Rs.350 million.

2. "Duniya": Despite stiff competition from "Mungaru Male", the film, directed by Soori, has been able to do good business at the box office. The film has completed 100 days in 20 centres.

3. "Santha": The film was able to recover its production cost in just three weeks but it may not have a long run in many centres.

4. "Hudugaata": Into its third week, the film faces competition from "Cheluvina Chiththaara", as both feature the same hero Ganesh. The collections of "Hudugaata" will certainly dip, but the film's huge opening has proved to be a big profit for the producer and a safe investment decision for the distributors.

5. "Cheluvina Chiththaara": The film, released last week, is a remake of Tamil superhit "Kaadal". It has got a good opening mainly because it features the popular actor Ganesh.
 

'Mungaru Male' is the hottest Kannada album
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore,  The album of "Mungaru Male" is selling like hot cakes and it is expected to create a record very soon. This is one album in which all the songs are hit numbers.

The top five Kannada albums are:

1. "Mungaru Male" - To say that the audio sales have broken records may be an understatement. The sales of audio cassettes and CDs have been so brisk that even NRI Kannadigas are queuing up for it. The sales records of this Mano Murthy creation may be difficult to beat. Even now "Anisuthide yaako eno" is topping countdown shows on radio and television channels.

2. "Duniya" - The film's box office success is now translating into a big audio market. "Kariya I Love You" and "Saala maadiyaadroo" are the top songs in this album. V. Manohar is the music director of this film.

3. "Hudugaata" - The audio of the film was released three weeks ago and is still creating waves. "Stylo Stylo", "Lajjawatiye" and "Eko onthara" are well picturised and shown frequently on television channels. The music is by Malayalam music director Jassi Gift.

4. "Santha" - The producers are organising a platinum disc function to celebrate the film's audio success in Hubli. The film has been well received and Guru Kiran's music is a major attraction. "Shiva Shiva" is extremely popular.

5. "73, Shanti Nivasa" - The film is directed by actor Sudeep who also features in the lead role. Since his earlier film "My Autograph" was a musical hit, there is some interest in buying the film's audio cassettes and CDs. Bharadwaj is the music director. "Thirugo Bhoomi" is the top song in this album. Sudeep has a good following among the younger audience and they have liked the music too.
 

Dentist's dilemma in 'Sathyavan Savithri'

Multilingual actor Ramesh Arvind's second directorial venture "Sathyavan Savithri" will be released in June.Ramesh made his directorial debut with the huge hit "Rama Shama Bhama", which enabled him to join the select band of successful actors-turned-directors like 'Crazy Star'
Ravichandran and Sudeep.

'Kaada Beladingalu' - a film with a novel theme
Bangalore, Moviegoers in Karnataka eagerly await the release of director B.S. Lingadevaru's Kannada film "Kaada Beladingalu". This is perhaps the first film that focuses on the impact of globalisation on rural India and its people. It seeks to reveal rural reality through the eyes of a young woman journalist, Sudheshne, who is assigned to investigate a murder in her native village.
A special show of the film was held recently and many literary personalities and film artistes such as Jnanpith award-winner U.R. Anantha Murthy, renowned director Girish Kasaravalli, actress and tele-serial director Vaishali Kasaravalli, directors P. Sheshadri and Ramadasa Naidu and well-known critic Manu Chakravarthy attended. Commenting upon the film, Murthy said it brings out the danger of excessive globalisation, which is downgrading agriculture and promoting consumerism. He also said that the film highlights the rising threat of naxalism in Malnad, Karnataka.Kasaravalli said that though the film started on an investigative note, it moved on to chronicle the tragedy of the elderly population living in deserted villages."Kaada Beladingalu" highlights the devastating impact of rapid globalisation and economic reforms on a vibrant rural life. In the film, old people refuse to cut off connections with the place they have lived in for decades. It is produced by Bengalooru Company, which has social activists, journalists, writers, artistes and film directors on its board, and is directed by B.S. Lingadevaru, who earlier made "Mouni".

 
Fans following Raj Kumar's footsteps, pledging eyes
Legendary Kannada actor Raj Kumar has made a major posthumous contribution to the cause of voluntary eye donations in Karnataka. The first death anniversary of Raj Kumar April 12 was observed on a massive scale across the state, followed by a similar statewide celebration of his 79th birth anniversary on April 24. Eye donations were an important part of the charitable activities performed by the thespian's fans and well-wishers. "Before the death of the star, we used to have about 50 people signing the eye donation pledge per year in the Nethralaya (eye hospital). But in the last one year, the number has increased by over 400 percent. Over 240 people have agreed to donate their eyes during this period," said Bhujanga Shetty, chief executive officer of the Narayana Nethralaya and the Rajkumar Eye Bank here.

 
'Mungaru Mule' leads Kannada audio race
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore, Like the film, the album of "Mungaru Mule" is topping the Kannada audio chart this fortnight.

The top five Kannada albums are:

1. "Mungaru Male" - "Anisuthidhe yaako Eno", "Onde Ondu Saari", "Araluitidhe" and "Mungaru Maleye" are top hits. Over 300,000 audiocassettes and CDs have been sold already. The album has made a star of music director Mano Murthy.

2. "Duniya" - The album is slowly gaining popularity. "Kariya I love you" and "Duniya" are now on top of the charts. With the film, music director V. Manohar has made an impressive comeback. This is the first big hit for the Akshaya Audio.

3. "Jothe Jotheyali" - Though the film was removed from the main theatres after it completed 25 weeks, the songs, composed by Harikrishna, still stay on the list. "Gunavantha" and "Barthaare" are the most popular tracks.

4. "Arasu" - The album owes its appeal to the charisma of the film's hero Puneet Raj Kumar. Joshua Sridhar's music is just above average and the audio is on the list solely because others albums failed.

5. "Soundarya" - Hamsalekha has scored music for this Ramesh Sakshi Shivanand film. The album is doing well because the songs are being regularly shown on TV channels.

 
Away from campaigning, Jayaprada works in 'Ee Bhandhana'
Bangalore, Kannada cinema is providing actress-politician Jayaprada a much-needed break from her hectic election campaign in Uttar Pradesh.
   

Kannada star to marry a police officer's daughter
Bangalore, Kannada star Vijaya Raghavendra is getting ready to tie the knot with Spandana, the daughter of a senior police officer B.K. Shivaram, April 20. "I took an instant liking for Spandana and told my father about it," said Vijaya who met Spandana at a party where he is reported to have fallen in love with her. Vijaya's father S.A. Chinne Gowda, a veteran producer, is a close friend of Shivaram. While playing the role of an encounter specialist in "Raajeeva", Vijaya received tips from Shivaram.After the success of "Sevanthi Sevanthi" in 2006, Vijaya has become one of the busiest Kannada actors.

   
Thousands pay homage to thespian Rajkumar
Bangalore, Thousands of people thronged the Kanteerva studio here Thursday to pay homage to thespian Rajkumar on his first death anniversary.Amid tight security and the presence of hundreds of policemen, people from all walks of life made a beeline to the studio where the shrine (tomb) of their "annavaru" (big brother) is located under a canopy.The film fraternity, including popular cine stars Vishnuvardhan, B. Saroja Devi and Jayanti, paid floral tributes to the celluloid hero who straddled the Kannada film industry for over six decades.Rajkumar's family, led by his widow Parvathamma, sons, daughters, grandchildren and relatives, were the first to reach the shrine to conduct the anniversary rituals amid chanting of Vedic hymns and invocations by priests.
State Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, a couple of his cabinet colleagues and scores of political leaders also came to pay their respects. "The love and respect appaji (Rajkumar) commands among millions of his fans even a year after his sad demise is heartening. We are touched by their devotion and emotional attachment to him," Rajkumar's eldest son and cine star Shiva Rajkumar told reporters. About 6,000 people were served food at the venue as part of the function held across the city in Rajkumar's memory. The Indian Disabled League Foundation comprising blind singers released a CD of songs in which Rajkumar figures prominently.
A memorial function was also held at the Karnataka Film Chambers of Commerce where producers, directors, distributors and scores of cine artistes recalled their fond association with Rajkumar. Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy has directed the state culture department officials to build a dream memorial at the burial spot as a tribute to Rajkumar.The Rs.100 million memorial will have a garden, a theatre and a film library. The state government has allocated Rs.30 million for the project in the budget for this fiscal."We will build a memorial to give Rajkumar a fitting tribute," Kumaraswamy said, playing down a row over the delay in building the memorial. "My government will spare no effort in honouring one of Karnataka's great icons," he added.Parvathama, however, said the family was unhappy with the government's handling of the memorial issue. "The statue is not yet ready. It is over a year since the government had promised to install one," she lamented.
City Police Commissioner Achyut Rao said the presence of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the deployment of a large number of policemen had ensured a peaceful anniversary. Large-scale violence had rocked the city during the funeral of the actor, leaving eight dead and scores injured, besides damage to buses and public property.
 
'Mungaru Male' tops Kannada audio charts
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore, Like the film, the album of "Mungaru Male" is also setting new records and leads Kannada audio charts:

1) "Mungaru Male": The songs of the film have become a rage among the youth. "Anisuthidhe" rendered by Sonu Nigam and "Onde ondu saari" by Kunal Ganjawala are
already topping the charts.

2) "Duniya": The music of this film by V. Manohar has been savoured for its melody and for being trendy. As the film is becoming a big blockbuster, the audio too is proving
a big hit. "Kariya, I love you" and the melodious title song are quite popular.

3) "Preethi Eke Bhoomi Melidhe": The film's audio and the CD were released on the Ugadi day. The tunes come from R.P. Patnayak, who scored music for Prem's "Excuse
Me". The title song and the folk song "Sulle sullu" have become popular.

4) "Thimma": The audio is selling for one song, "Uyaale uyaale". The other folksy tunes may also gain acceptance.

5) "Preethigaagi": Though the film is not gaining popularity, the audio sales are improving. The film is a remake of Tamil hit "Kaadalukku Mariyaadhai" and the tunes have
been mostly lifted from the original film.

 
'Mungaru Male' breaks records, stays on top
Bangalore, "Mungaru Male" has already proved to be the biggest hit of the past three years in Kannada cinema, with more box-office collections to its credit
than blockbusters like "Aaptha Mithra" and "Jogi".

Here are the top five films:

1) "Mungaru Male": The film has been attracting such huge crowds during examination time and the World Cup cricket that its march appears unstoppable.

2) "Duniya": The film started off well only in the main centres, but is now doing brisk business in all parts of Karnataka. Tamil super-star Rajnikanth is said to have liked the
film, and his testimony is being used to promote the film.

3) "Arasu": This Puneet Raj Kumar film may not be a big hit like his "Appu" and "Akaash", but nevertheless has been able to get fairly good collections. The film may
complete 100 days in some centres.

4) "Ekadhantha": The film was released when India was to start its World Cup campaign and when the examination fever was running high. It did not get the expected
opening. But now that India is well and truly out of the tournament and examinations are over for primary and secondary school students, the critically well-received film is
getting good collections.

5) "Preethigaagi": The film started off on a dull note, but is gaining ground because of the popularity of its songs.

Two Kannada choreographers turn film directors
Bangalore, In keeping with the trend in Telugu cinema, a couple of known Kannada choreographers are turning to film direction. Popular dance director Harsha is directing "Geleya" with Prajwal Devaraj, son of veteran actor Devaraj, in the lead role. Harsha has choreographed many dance sequences for top stars Puneet Raj Kumar, Upendra, Sudeep and Darshan. He has also composed songs for the blockbuster "Mungaru Male". Choreographer 'Five-Star' Ganesh is also turning to film direction. He has discussed several scripts with leading heroes like Upendra and Darshan. Ganesh says he hopes to be "backed by a good producer".

 
Anirudhdh hurt during fight scene
Young Kannada actor Anirudhdh fractured his right hand while doing a fight sequence for "Nagu Nagutha Nali". The doctors have recommended six weeks of rest. Anirudhdh, who was shooting for the film in Kelagur estate in Karnataka's Chikmagalur district, said the accident occurred due to the lack of coordination while canning the shot.

  
Rakshtiha turns producer
Kannada actress Rakshitha plans to produce a film titled "Preethi Eke Bhoomi Melidhe" in which her fiancee's brother Arun will play the main lead.

Arun is the younger brother of director Prem, whom Rakshitha will marry March 9.

She has openly announced that "Preethi Eke Bhoomi Melidhe", to be directed by Prem, will be her last film and that she will be associated with cinema only as a producer.
 
More on Upendra in negative roles

Upendra has already completed director Priyadharhsini Ramareddy's Telugu film, "Toss, Bomma Burasa", in which his role has negative shades.

Now the charismatic star is all set to sign a new Kannada film with Tamil star Vishal as the hero. In this film, too, he will play a negative role.

Upendra says he hasn't yet decided on the role but added: "I have heard the story, and it is powerful."
 
Jassie Gift to debut in Kannada cinema
Bangalore, After acquiring instant stardom with his path breaking music for the hugely successful Malayalam film "4 the People", Jassie Gift is set to carve a niche for himself in Kannada films with "Hudugaata". To be directed by Sanjay, the film will star Ganesh, whose "Mungaru Male" is breaking all the records of Kannada cinema. And Rekha is playing the female lead in "Hudugaata", which went on floors on Valentine's Day. Jassie is also a popular singer with a different voice, but it is not known whether he will be sing for his first Kannada film. He is director Jayaraj's discovery. Jayaraj spotted him while he was singing in a hotel and gave him a chance to score background music for his Hindi film "Bheebats". Jassie, however, shot to fame as a singer and music director with the song "Lajjavathiye" in "4 the People". He also scored music for Tamil version of "4 the People" and "Sambu". He gave his voice for the song "Andamkaakka kondaikkari" in Vikram-starrer "Anniyan". Apart from that he has sung several popular Telugu numbers also.
 
'Mungaru Male' may break Kannada cinema records
Bangalore, "Mungaru Male" is proving to be one of Kannada cinema's mega hits.

The top five Kannada films are:

3. "Arasu" - The star-studded film had a good opening and is doing well in major centres. But it is not running as well as expected in interior areas.

4. "Bhoopathy" - The Darshan-starrer, premiered last week, has opened well as it was released on a holiday. Darshan's films normally enjoy a better draw initially, but this one may not retain its appeal for long.

5. "Sixer" - The film is into its sixth week in major centres. This medium-budget production of Ramoji Rao of Usha Kiron Movies was the launch pad of Prajwal Devaraj, son of Kannada actor Devaraj. The film is attracting college students.
 
Kannada actress Rakshita to tie the knot in March
Bangalore, Popular Kannada actress Rakshita is set to tie the knot with director Prem here March 9. Talking to the media here, along with her would-be husband, Rakshita said they got engaged March 16 last year, without much publicity. The wedding will take place at the Mahalakshmi Kalyana Mantap in the city's Rajarajeshwari Nagar. She acted in several Kannada, Telugu and Tamil films with top stars like Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna, Vijay, Mahesh Babu, Puneet Raj Kumar, Darshan, Sudeep and Ravi Teja.
 
Upendra accepts negative roles in non-Kannada films
Bangalore, Kannada cinema's evergreen hero Upendra is all ready to do negative roles in Telugu and Tamil films. "Doing negative roles is a great challenge for an actor. It does not harm his career and provides opportunities to showcase his talent. But he has to be careful in accepting such roles because it all depends on how the actor is projected," Upendra told . For the Telugu movie, he teams up with director Rami Reddy, who had earlier won the Nandi Award for a film in which Upendra played a special role. Uday Kiran is the film's hero. And Rajashekhar will direct Upendra's Tamil film titled "Sathya". While Vishaal, the film's hero, will play a tough cop, Upendra has interesting role with negative shades, said sources close to the Kannada star.

 
Kannada film stars hail Shilpa's win
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore, The Karnataka film industry has hailed the "Big Brother" win by Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, whose father hails from the state. Shilpa, whose father is from the Dakshina Kannada district, has taken part in many Bunt - the Hindu community to which she belongs - conferences in Bangalore and  Mangalore. "I am really happy for Shilpa. While working with her, I found her to be a positive-thinking individual. The final voting has not come as a surprise to me. In the few clippings I watched on the channel, I thought she really represented the spirit of a young Indian trying to achieve something big," actor Upendra told IANS. Another actor, Ravichandran, said: "Shilpa did not lose her self-confidence even when she was being attacked unfairly by her competitors. I think she showed tremendous  guts and patience throughout the show. That must have made her the darling of the viewers." Shilpa acted with Ravichandran in two Kannada films - "Preethsod Thappa" and "Ondagona Baa" - and Upendra in "Auto Shankar". She has also expressed a desire to act  in more Kannada films. D. Rajendra Babu, who directed Shilpa in "Auto Shankar" and "Rockline", has congratulated her for her win in the reality TV show, which was in the news for alleged racist slurs against her. Producers Venkatesh and Ramu, who worked with her in two of their films, are also "pleased" with Shilpa's achievement.
  
Kannada film takes up car row
Bangalore, The row over takeover of farm land in West Bengal for a car project will soon find an echo in award winning Kannada director Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar's next film "Mathaad Mathaad Mallige".
 
'Jothe Jotheyalli' faces no challenge from new releases
"Jothe Jotheyalli" has completed 100 days in 12 centres and is the top Kannada film of the fortnight.

The top five Kannada films are:

2. "Mungaru Male" - This film has become a surprise hit, with the youth making a beeline for it. The film features Ganesh, a popular television anchor, in a pivotal role.

3. "Neelakanta" - The film is running into its fourth week, but the response has been mixed. While the film has been declared a big hit in north Karnataka, its performance
has not been impressive in Bangalore and Mysore. The songs and actress Namitha are its major attractions.

5. "Sixer" - The film, released in the first week of 2007, has opened well much to the surprise of trade circles. Produced by Ramoji Rao, it launched a new star, Prajwal
Devaraj, son of actor Devaraj.
 
Youth response keeps 'Jothe...' album on top
"Jothe Jotheyalli" is Harikrishna's first outing as music director and his compositions are making waves and topping music charts.

The top five Kannada albums are:
 

2 "Mungaru Male" - The audio was doing well, even before the film's release and NRI composer Mano Murthy has become the toast of youngsters. "Anisuthidhe", "Onde
Ondu Saari" and "Araluthiru" have become quite popular.

4. "Neelakanta" - 'Crazy Star' Ravichandran has composed music for this film, which is doing a good business much to the relief of its producer and the distributors. The
audio was received well. "Malla Malla" and "Ammammammo' have become big hits.

5. "Ekadhantha" - The audio is slowly climbing up the charts, thanks to its racy numbers. Guru Kiran's music and beautiful lyrics have contributed to its success.
 
Sudeep, Ramya are top Kannada stars of 2006
Bangalore, While Sudeep was the top Kannada film actor of 2006, Ramya topped the heroines' list. Both Sudeep and Ramya churned out two box-office hits during the year. While Ramya sizzled in "Tothwe Jotheyalli" and "Sevanthi Sevanthi", Sudeep proved his mettle in "My Autograph" and "Hubballi". Ramya is now working in Gowtham Menon's Tamil film, in which she is paired with Surya.

 
'Jothe...' beats 'Hubballi' at Kannada box office
Bangalore, "Jothe Jotheyalli", marching on towards its 100th day, is leading the pack of Kannada films this fortnight.

The top five Kannada films:

1. "Jothe Jotheyali" - The film is attracting youngsters and family audiences. "Jothe Jotheyali" is expected to make huge profits for actor-producer Darshan who has
launched his brother Dinakar as a director with the movie.

2. "Hubballi" - The film starring Sudeep had a good start. In the first two weeks, box office collections created some records for the film. The collections started dropping
later, but it will not affect the film's business in the rural centres.

4. "Tenali Rama" - Featuring Ramesh Arvind and Jaggesh, the film is an out-and-out comedy and has opened to a wonderful response.
 
Dream success for debut Kannada album
Bangalore, It has been a great debut for music director V. Harikrishna with his album "Jothe Jotheyalli" occupying the top slot in this list.

The top five Kannada albums are:

1. "Jothe Jotheyalli" - The film's songs are a hit with the youth. "Oh, Gunavantha", "Barthaare barthaare" and the title song have proved particularly popular.

3. "Mungaaru Male" - The film has not been released yet, but the audio has become the toast of the town. Music director Mano Murthy, who lives in the US and comes to
Bangalore only to record the songs, has been consistent in delivering hits. "Onde ondu daari" is a catchy number.
 
My role in 'Tananam Tananam' was challenging, says Ramya
Bangalore, Well-known Kannada actress Ramya describes her role in the musical "Tananam Tananam" as a "little complex". "I had a somewhat easy time shooting the first half of the film. It shows me as a bubbly, naughty girl who teases the hero. But what I did in the second half was more challenging. "I had to hide my real identity from the blind hero and also had to accept his attraction to another girl. That was the most difficult part of my role. But, I think, I have done justice to the role" Ramya told IANS. The actress received rave reviews for her performance in the film, which was premiered at the 37th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. She wants to balance her acting career by working in different types of films. "I am currently working in a film called 'Arasu' with top hero Puneet Raj Kumar. I got my first break in 'Appu', which had Puneet in the lead. It was a commercial film with good story.

 
'Hubballi' is Kannada hit of the year
Bangalore, "Hubballi" is turning out to be the biggest Kannada box-office hit of the year, going by the collections in the first two weeks.

"Hubballi": Though critics are panning the action film, it is making a fast buck in theatres. With Sudeep, who had a big hit in "My Autograph" in the beginning of the year, in the lead, "Hubballi" is expected to gross over Rs.10 million in Bangalore in just three weeks.
 
"Kannadadha Kanda": The film, which opened on the last Friday of November, attracted huge crowds on the opening day. Its performance, however, has to be watched.
  
Sudeep to star in 'Maathadu Maathadu Mallige'

Kannada actor Sudeep is set to play an important role in award winning director Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar's "Maathadu Maathadu Mallige".
 

'Tananam Tananam' to premiere in Goa fest
Bangalore, Kannada director Kavitha Lankesh's film "Tananam Tananam" is set to premiere Friday at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.  Girish Kasaravalli's "Naayi Neralu" - selected in the Indian Panorama - will also be shown at the IFFI. The festival officials are also planning to invite the film's producer N.M. Suresh, Lankesh and L. Subramaniam, the word-renowned violin maestro who has lent classical instrumental music to the film. The film, screened in 18 international film festivals so far, stars Ramya, Rakshitha, Girish Karnad and Bharathi Vishnuvardhan.

 
Ambareesh remembers Raj Kumar

At his first public function after becoming union minister of state for information and broadcasting, popular Kannada film actor M.H. Ambareesh remembered legendary actor Raj Kumar, saying he would have loved to have the matinee idol as well as his parents on the dais."My parents had always considered me a good-for-nothing, though my mother saw the progress I made in films. But Dr. Raj Kumar always asked me when I would become a minister. His question is answered today, but he is not with us," said Ambareesh in a choked voice. The function was organised by the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee and attended by a large number of film dignitaries.

Devaraj chosen to play Ravana on screen
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore, Nov 12 Veteran versatile actor Devaraj will play his dream role of demon king Ravana in the forthcoming Kannada film, "Prachanda Ravana", after an audience poll chose him for the part.

A group of IT software engineers, headed by Ramesh, is producing the film based on a well-known play. "Prachanda Ravana" is one of the most popular theatre productions that have had over 10,000 shows throughout Karnataka.

Popular screen villain Vajramuni played the lead role in the play written and directed by late Kanagal Prabhakara Shastry.

The choice of Devaraj was made in an unusual manner. The producers wanted the people to make a right choice and called for suggestions to be sent by SMS. The majority of the messages received in response named Devaraj.

Devaraj says it is "a great honour" for him to play the role of Ravana.

Sirivantha Preview

Vishnu to star in new Desai film

Director Kumar Desai has staged a casting coup by including veteran star Vishnuvardhan in his new film "Kshana Kshanam".

Vishnu plays the role of a police officer in the film, which features Audithya in the lead role and also has Kiran Rathod and Sridevika.

Desai, known for his taut thrillers, has already made three films with Vishnu. Of these, "Nishkarsha" is considered the director's masterpiece.
 
'Naayi Neralu' selected for international film fests
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore, Noted Kannada director Girish Kasaravalli's "Naayi Neralu", which won the Karnataka award for best film, has been selected for six international film festivals.

Now that "Naayi Neralu", which was screened at the Third Eye festival in Mumbai, has been selected for the Indian Panorama, it will be showcased at the International Film Festival of India beginning in Goa on Nov 23.

Kasaravalli had earlier said that the film's producer has to bear the costs of entry and participation at European festivals, but the Indian government bears the cost if it is selected for the Indian Panorama.

"Naayi Neralu" has also gained entry in the Rotterdam Festival of Holland, which had a retrospective of Kasaravalli films a few years ago.

Apart from that, the film has also been selected for the Karachi International Film Festival, the US Palm Spring Festival and Bangkok Film Festival.

Earlier, the Directorate of Film Festivals had sent Kasaravalli's National Award winning film "Haseena" to Berlin's Asia-Pacific Film Festival.
 
Ambareesh - a rebel star rises in Delhi durbar
By Fakir Balaji,

Bangalore, Oct 25 The induction of M.H. Ambareesh as union minister of state for information and broadcasting has turned out to be a belated reward for the Congress MP from Karnataka who once straddled the Kannada film industry as a rebel star.

The 55-year-old three-time Lok Sabha member from Mandya in the old Mysore region has been waiting in the wings to fill the void of his dominant Vokkaliga community's representation from the state in the Manmohan Singh ministry.

The news of Ambareesh becoming union minister was greeted by jubilant crowds in Mandya, about 100 km from here, and heralded nightlong celebrations, including bursting of crackers and visit to the temples.

"This is a double whammy, coming as it does as a Diwali and Eid gift to the people of Mandya, especially the thousands of Ambareesh fans across the state," farmer Thippe Gowda said over the phone.

Though three of his party MPs from the state - M.V. Rajashekaran, K.H. Muniyappa and Oscar Fernandes - have been part of the union government for the last two years, the elevation of Ambareesh to the ministerial post has come as a short-in-the-arm for the Congress in the state.

Grandson of Carnatic musician T. Chowdaiah, Ambareesh strayed into the hotbed of Karnataka politics in the mid-1990s by joining the erstwhile Janata Dal (JD) after a long career in the Kannada celluloid world during which he acted in about 200 films, portraying diverse roles such as angry young man, villain and comedian.

In spite of his star power, Ambareesh's political innings began on a sour note when he was defeated in the Ramanagaram assembly by-election in early 1997 by C.M. Lingappa of the Congress.

In the 1998 mid-term poll, Ambareesh contested as a JD candidate from the Mandya parliamentary constituency and won for the first time to enter the Lok Sabha.

Switching over to the Congress the following year, he again got elected to the 13th Lok Sabha in the 1999 snap poll and scored a hat-trick by winning in the 2004 general elections from the same parliamentary constituency.

Observers say Ambareesh has been made central minister with an eye on the upcoming Chamundeshwari assembly by-election in Mysore district, where former state deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah will be re-contesting after quitting the JD-S and joining the Congress recently.

"With H.D. Kumaraswamy, who is also a Vokkaliga, facing the first by-election after becoming the chief minister in February, the Chamundeshwari contest is being seen as a referendum of sorts for the nine-month JD-S-BJP coalition government that has been embroiled in a mire of controversies from corruption charges to lack of performance," said a senior Congress leader.

Though Siddaramaiah belongs to the backward classes (Kuruba community), the large presence of Vokkaliga electorate and the farmers' lobby in the assembly segment could be a decisive factor in the battle royale, the leader added.

Popularly known as "Mandya the Gandu" (man of Mandya), Ambareesh was part of the troika, with matinee idol Rajkumar and superstar Vishnuvardhan, that dominated the Kannada film world over three decades from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Long-time friend and fan K. Venkatesh recalled Ambareesh's humble beginnings in a family whose main occupation was agriculture.

"Ambareesh began with small roles and went to don even negative characters in films like 'Nagara Havu'. He was introduced to filmdom by late director Puttanna Kanagal and continued to act in many of the latter's movies like 'Ranganayaki'.

"Many of his roles were tailored to give him an image of an angry young man who was the victim of the corrupt system. His roles portrayed rebellion against the system. Of late, he has been playing character roles in Kannada films," Venkatesh told IANS.

While some of Ambareesh films like "Antha", "Tony", "Rani Maharani" and "Mannina Doni" were silver jubilee hits, running to full houses for months in the pre-television era, his major box office hit was "Yelu Suttinna Kote".

Ambareesh married actress Sumalatha in 1992 and has a son Abhishek.
 

To know latest and hot news about Kannada actors, actress, singers, directors, producers visit our latest cinema Kannada section

 
'Sirivantha' secures top spot among Kannada films
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore, Oct 22 'Sirivantha', which released on the eve of Dussehra, climbed to the top of this list on the eve of Diwali.

The top five Kannada films are:

1. "Sirivantha": The film did not have a great opening, but has steadily improved its collections and is now on top of this list. The Vishnuvardhan-starrer is proving to be a big hit with the female audience.

2. "Aishwarya": The film is still on top in the city centres, while it is not doing so well in the B and C centres. The collections have exceeded Rs.10 million in the Bangalore distribution area. Deepika's glamour and Upendra's performance are the film's main attractions.

3. "Jothe Jotheyalli": The film has become a surprise hit in Bangalore and Mysore. The collections continue to be good even in the fourth week of the film that features Prem and Ramya.

4. "Sevanthi Sevanthi": The film has completed a silver-jubilee run, and has now shifted to the B and C centres where it is attracting crowds. It is a winner all the way. Yet another hit for Ramya, the film has given a new lease of life to Vijaya Raghavendra.

5. "Ravi Shastry": This film is a remake of K. Bhagyaraj's "Idhu Namma Aalu", released over a decade ago. Despite boasting of a big star cast, including Ravichandran and Sneha, the film has not done well enough.

 
'Aishwarya' leads Kannada audio race
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

 
Bangalore, Oct 22  The "Aishwarya" album continues to lead the Kannada audio race with brisk sales in major markets like Bangalore and Mysore.

The top five Kannada albums are:

1. "Aishwarya": This is a big hit for music director Rajesh Ramanath. "Ella Ok, Maduve Yaake" and the title song are chartbusters.

2. "Sevanthi Sevanthi": The music of this silver-jubilee film, composed by

S.A. Raj Kumar, are extremely popular, especially "Jaaji Mallige Hoovu". The songs have a folk flavour to them.

3. "Thananam Thananam": Lyricist K. Kalyan, who scored wonderful music for

"Chandramukhi Pranasakhi", is back with a bang in this film. "Kande Kande Gopalana", "Cheluvantha" and "Thananam" are popular.

4. "Jothe Jotheyalli": The album, composed by new music director V.

Harikrishna, has been received well mainly because of its variety. The catchy songs include "Oh, Gunavantha" and "Barthaare Barthaare".

5."Sirivantha": The lyrics by director S. Narayan and the music by S.A. Raj
 
Kumar are quite appealing. "Megha Megha" rendered by Shankar Mahadevan is popular, though the song has not been included in the film. "Yaaro Yaaro Aa Nalvaru" and "Badiyithu Sidilu" sung by S.P. Balasubramanyam have touched a chord among listeners.
 
Shivaraj, Rakshita to star in Narayan's next film (PREVIEW)
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore, Producer-director S. Narayan is busy shooting for his next film titled "Thayiya Madilu".

The film features Shivaraj Kumar and Rakshitha in the lead roles while multilingual actress Jayasudha plays the mother's role.

Narayan says the title (meaning "in the mother's lap") may make it sound like a tearjerker.

"But the film has place for entertaining commercial elements," he adds.
 

Even Ramya cannot redeem insipid 'Jothe Jotheyalli' (REVIEW)
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

 
Film: "Jothe Jotheyalli"; Cast: Prem, Ramya, Dwarakish, Thulasi Shivamani, Sharan, Bullet Pakash and others; Director: Dinakar Darshan; Music: V. Harikrishna

"Jothe Jotheyalli" was expected to be a realistic and musically focused film made with a young cast and assisted by a talented crew.
 
'Aishwarya' tops the Kannada audio list
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore, Oct 7 The "Aishwarya" album tops the charts. And the recent raids at the shops selling pirated albums in the state have increased sales by eight to 10 percent.

3. "Jothe Jotheyali" - The film's music, scored by debutant V. Harikrishna, has been received well mainly because of its variety. "Oh, gunavantha" and "Barthaare barthaare" are catchy.

4. "Sirivantha" - The album was doing well even before the film's release. The lyrics by the film's director, S. Narayan, have enhanced the appeal of S.A. Raj Kumar's music. "Megha megha" rendered by Shankar Mahadevan is quite popular, but the song has not been included in the film. "Yaaro Yaaro Aa Nalvaru" sung by S.P. Balasubramanyam has touched a chord among listeners.

5. "Ekadhantha" - Guru Kiran has scored music for the film starring Vishnuvardhan. The combination worked wonders in "Aaptha Mithra". "Ganpathi Bappa Moriya" and "Bandal badaayi maadeva" have become popular.
 

 
'Aishwarya' is fortnight's top Kannada film
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore, Oct 7 "Aishwarya" tops the list this fortnight with box office collections crossing the Rs.10 million mark in Bangalore.

The top five Kannada films are:

4. "Sirivantha" - The film has been getting high praise from the media and people who have seen it and seems headed for the number one position. However, initial collections have not been on expected lines because it was released before the festival period. Now, collections are improving and family audiences are visiting the theatres in large numbers.

5. "Mohini 9886088888" - The film had a good opening, but the collections have not been satisfactory from the third week onwards.
 

I was not excited about awards, says Kishan (INTERVIEW)
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore, Sep 30  Ten-year-old Master Kishan, said to be the world youngest film director, created history by winning two of the recently announced Karnataka State
film awards for his "Care of Footpath".
 

Upendra launches a studio-hotel complex
Sep 26,
Kannada film star Upendra has launched a studio-holiday-resort complex.

The complex, called Uppi's Resorts and Hotel, is located on a 28-acre plot of land, which is a few kilometres away from the big banyan tree of Ramohalli, a well-known
tourist attraction near Bangalore.

The complex was launched on his birthday Sep 18. Also launched on the day were two websites - www.realstar.com designed for the actor and www.uppifans.com for his fans.

'Nenapirali' team comes together again
Bangalore, Sep 18 The winning team of the Kannada film "Nenapirali", which won five Filmfare awards, has come together again for a fresh project.

Director Rathnaja, producer Ajay Gowda and composer Hamsalekha are set to repeat the magic of their first film together with "Aparoopa" but they have decided to go for an
entirely new cast.

-*-

Sneha's Kannada debut

Sneha, already a star of Tamil and Telugu screens, has completed her first Kannada film "Ravi Shastri".

She teams up with Ravichandran in the film, which is a remake of Tamil flick "Idhu Namma Aalu".

Produced by Sandesh Nagaraj, "Ravi Shastri" is directed by veteran M.S. Rajashekhar.
 
 
'Aishwarya' leads Kannada audio race

By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore, Sep 7 (IANS) The album of "Aishwarya" has climbed to the top of this list even before the film's release.

The top five Kannada albums are:

1. "Aishwarya": The innovative publicity for the film's songs on television channels, along with the quality of music, has made the album a big hit. "Ella Ok, Maduve Yaake" and the title song composed by music director Rajesh Ramanath are chartbusters.

4. "Sirivantha": Ashwini Audio released the album just recently and initial sales reports are highly satisfactory. "Megha Megha' rendered by Shankar Mahadevan and "Yaaro Yaaro Aa Nalvaru" by S.P. Balasubramanyam have really touched a chord in the hearts of listeners.

5. "Odahuttidavalu": The music scored by R.P. Patnayak has yet to catch on.
 
'Sevanthi...' still the top Kannada film
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore, Sep 7"Sevanthi Sevanthi" continues its winning march, keeping ahead of other Kannada films this fortnight.

The top five Kannada films are:

1. "Sevanthi Sevanthi": The film has worked wonders at the box-office. It has already completed 100 days in major centres and is well poised to make it to the silver-jubilee run in at least some parts of Karnataka. The film, directed by S. Narayan, has given a fresh lease of life to actor Vijaya Raghavendra.

4. "Ganda Hendathi": This A-certificate film did attract young crowds in the first few weeks but is now showing a drop in collections. A remake of Hindi hit "Murder", it has done well in all major centres. However, trade pundits doubt its acceptability in the interiors.

5. "Honeymoon Express": The Jaggesh-S. Narayan combo in this comedy has clicked reasonably well.

 
I wanted to promote 'Aishwarya' in alien territory: Indrajith (INTERVIEW)
By R.G. Vijayasarathy,

Bangalore, Sep 2 (IANS) "I am making a fashion statement," says director-journalist Indrajith Lankesh about his clean-shaven head, which has become his trademark.

Lankesh indeed looks more like a fashion guru than a serious and committed filmmaker or a media person. He dresses well, is highly media-savvy and flouts his big connections with much pride.

Recently, he was seen walking the ramp with some models, including brand ambassadors Deepika Padukone and Daisy Bopanna and superstar Upendra, in a nightclub in the Bangalore Cantonment.

The function was organised by Indrajith himself to promote his next film "Aishwarya" starring Deepika and Upendra.
 
'Sevanthi...' scores a century, and stays on
By R.G. Vijayasarathy, Indo-Asian News Service

Bangalore, Aug 24 (IANS) "Sevanthi Sevanthi", which has completed 100 days in major centres, is the leading Kannada film of the fortnight.

The top five Kannada films are:

3. "Neenello Naanalle" - The film's collections have not declined appreciably even in its fourth week. Since the film has a lot of commercial elements, it may do well in the
rural and semi-urban centres where it will hit theatres during the Ganesha festival.

4. "Ganda Hendathi" - The remake of the Hindi hit "Murder" has an 'A' certificate. Though family audiences are shunning the film, it is getting good response from
youngsters.

5. "Honeymoon Express" - Jaggesh and S. Narayan may be middle-aged heroes, but their combination has clicked. The film is doing well in Bangalore and some other
centres.
 
'Sevanthi...' still the unchallenged Kannada album
By R.G. Vijayasarathy, Indo-Asian News Service

Bangalore, Aug 24 (IANS) With historical extravaganza "Kumara Rama" sinking without a trace at the box office, the audio of "Sevanthi Sevanthi" remains unchallenged at
the top of the chartbusters list.

The top five Kannada albums are:

1. "Sevanthi Sevanthi" - Sales of the film's audio are constantly increasing. Ashwini Ram Prasad of Ashwini Audio, which has released the album, says that the audio will
stay on top for another five to six weeks. Music director S.A. Raj Kumar has done a great job in setting popular folk songs to fresh tunes.

Apart from title song "Hudugi Hudugi" sung by Kunal Ganjawala, "Manmatha" by Anoushka and "Ella OK Maduve Yaake" by Upendra have also become hits. Upendra has
written the lyrics for "Dhoni Dhoni", which has become popular as well.

3. "Neenello Naanalle" - The tunes of five of the six songs in this remake have been lifted from Telugu original "Nuvvasthaanante Nenoddantaana". Music director Ramesh
Krishna has composed only one song. "Something something", "Akaasha Bhoomi" and "Sankranthi" have become popular.

4. "Mohini 9886788888" - The album was doing well even before the film's release. The music, scored by Hamsalekha, offers variety. "Ranga ranga dingara ranga" and
"Preethiyalli naanu lucky kane" are the top hits in this album.

5. "Odahuttidavalu" - The tune of one of the songs of this remake film has been lifted from Tamil original "Porkkaalam". All the other songs are melodious. The album has
been doing well so far.
 

Kumara Rama, and Aishwarya Kannada films and Mohini 9886788888

The top five Kannada albums are:

3. "Aishwarya" - Upendra's new film "Aishwarya" is yet to be released but the music scored by Rajesh Ramanath has already hit it off with audiences. 

The film's CD and audio are selling briskly. The title song and "Ella ok, maduve yaake", sung by Upendra, are particularly catchy numbers.
 

"Ranga ranga dingara ranga bandha biligirige" by Udit Narayan and Kavitha Krishnamurthy and "Preethiyalli naanu lucky kane", set to music by veteran Hamsalekha, are the most popular.

5. "Kumara Rama" - Guru Kiran has scored music for this big-budget historical film with Shivaraj Kumar in the lead. The album may become a hit after the film releases on Aug 4.  

Folksy 'Sevanthi' top Kannada film of the fortnight

Bangalore, "Sevanthi Sevanthi" is the film of the fortnight. It has scored over other films by successfully penetrating into semi-urban and rural centres.

The top five Kannada films are:

2. "Datta" - The Darshan-Ramya starrer will soon complete 50 days in many centres. The film, which had a good opening, has stabilised its collections in city centres.

5. "Tirupati" - This Sudeep-starrer has had a good opening, but the collections are going down in the second week. The film's huge opening was expected because Sudeep was playing a cop for the first time. The action film may recover the cost for its producer, but more was expected from Shivamani who has directed it.

IPFF: coming soon to a portable device near you

Bangalore, Forget all the high-flying, glitzy international film festivals. Here's one that you can watch "absolutely free" and is "completely portable". The International Portable Film Festival (IPFF) calls itself the world's first completely portable film festival, existing exclusively for portable video devices including iPods, 3G phones, PlayStation Portables and other devices.

( Read full news )

'Sevanthi Sevanthi' leads Kannada audio race
Bangalore, "Sevanthi Sevanthi" rules the Kannada audio market, though it may face a challenge from the new releases in the market. 

The top five Kannada albums are: 

3. "Nenapirali": Hamsalekha's music hits a high in this album. After Ashwini Audio has taken over the audio's distribution from Kalpana Audio, it is doing even better. The title song and "Kukkarahalli Kere" are very popular. 

5. "Aajay": Puneet Raj Kumar's "Aajay" was a hugely anticipated film for the audio market. The album, however, has not matched the fans' expectations. "Hare Rama Hare Krishna' is the catchiest tune of the audio.   ( Read full news )
 
Darshan's 'Datta' the top Kannada film
Bangalore, "Datta", the Darshan hit directed by Guru Datt, is the top Kannada film of the fortnight.

The top five Kannada films are: 

1. "Datta": The film has Ramya teaming up with Darshan for the first time, though it is Komal's comedy that creates a laugh riot in the theatres. The film has collected Rs.6 million in Bangalore alone in the first week. 

4. "Honeymoon Express": This is another comedy to have enjoyed a good opening. But it is starting to slide back at the box office. 

5. "Chellaata": The film has already completed 50 days and is still running in centres like Bangalore and Mysore. This well made comedy film, despite not boasting a big star cast, has found an appreciative audience  ( Read full news )

Prem and I shall marry by year-end: Rakshitha
Bangalore, Actress Rakshitha, who is making waves in the Kannada film industry, is planning to marry director Prem by the end of the year. "I believe in destiny and god's will. I think I am destined to marry early and I am happy to get the right person," Rakshitha told IANS.  "I have to finish my working schedules for the films I have signed and Prem should finish his work for 'Preethi Eke Bhoomi Melidhe' (PEBM), which is also launching him as a hero. We may marry after the release of PEBM," said Rakshitha, adding she was bowled over by Prem's honesty and simplicity. "Prem comes from a rural background. He is simple and straightforward. My life has been revolving around artificiality, but here is a person who is gentle and has his foot firmly rooted in the ground. It was instant liking and we shared a good rapport from the beginning."

Miss California Review : 
'Miss California' - unimpressive fare about NRIs
Film: "Miss California"; Cast: Janu, Diganth, Sowmya, Sarath Babu, Geetha, Dattanna and Jayanthi; Director: Kodlu Ramakrishna; Producer: Mallika Dattatreya; Music director: Ravi Dattatreya