Other Topics : Art Culture - Fashion - Tourism

Latest & Hot Malluwood Film News : * hourly updation

Back to Malluwood Current News Section

Paris Hilton in Indian director's 'Mother Teresa'?
By Sanu George, Indo-Asian News Service

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 12 (IANS) Well known Malayalam director T. Rajeevnath, scouting for a suitable actress to play the title role in his film on Nobel Peace laureate Mother Teresa, has sent feelers to American actress Paris Hilton.
   

  

"My agents in California have contacted Paris Hilton," Rajeevnath told IANS.

The director said he was impressed when he read a report sometime ago in which the hotel heiress said she had refused to pose nude in Playboy magazine and decided then to shortlist her.

The English film will be mostly shot in West Bengal and in several foreign countries.

"The preliminary script has been readied with help from scriptwriter John Paul," the director said.

Rajeevnath, 54, has won a national award for direction, besides quite a few international awards. His popular films include "Moksham", "Janani" and "Thannal".

"Mother Teresa" will be his 11th commercial film and he has already sold this idea to a few international production houses including the US-based First Serve International. 

"I am leaving for the US early next month to finalise the producer. A few production houses have evinced interest in producing this film. The budget is expected to be in the range of Rs.500 million ($11.3 million) to Rs.600 million," he said.

"Although there are several actresses willing to play the role of Mother Teresa, the most widely respected and loved person, the history of the actress who is finally chosen for the role would have to be analysed thoroughly before she is chosen," said Rajeevnath. 

"All those whom I have contacted have agreed to do their bit to help me in this film. The cast includes Mithun Chakravarthy, Kamal Haasan, Mohanlal and several others. Veteran cameraman Santosh Sivan has also been roped in. The Ramoji Rao Film city has pledged full support for the venture," added the veteran director. 

Among the specialties of the film would be the character of former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu, whose association with Mother Teresa is well known. 

"The proceeds of the film would go to the Missionaries of Charity. By June this year, the groundwork for the film would be complete and I propose to begin shooting in early 2007," said the director. 

Rajeevnath expects to get the blessings of the Pope for the film and also hopes to sign in sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar as music director.
   
Kerala director to make film on Indian diaspora
By Sanu George, Indo-Asian News Service

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 13 (IANS) Film director T. Rajeevnath is to make a documentary showcasing the success stories of the Indian diaspora in America.

The first scene of the 90-minute film titled "Desi US" will be shot in Delhi with Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi by February-end, said Rajeevnath, a Kerala resident who has won national and international awards. The documentary will be released by June.

"This is a film produced by the US State Department and US-based First Serve International. The film tells the success story of several Indians in the US and is about the peaceful co-existence of Indians in the US," Rajeevnath told IANS.

Ravi Candadai, chief of public affairs at the US consulate in Chennai, and Greg Franklin, chief of public affairs of the US State Department in Washington, are "the livewires" behind the film, besides Munish Gupta, CEO of First Serve International, he said.

"The shooting in the US will begin in March and we plan to shoot for three weeks at various locations there," said Rajeevnath.

Interviewees will include filmmaker Manoj Night Shyamalan, writer Salman Rushdie, US senator Hillary Clinton and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

"We are also hoping to meet US President George Bush for the film," said Rajeevnath, 54, whose popular films include "Moksham", "Janani" and "Thannal".

Post-production work will be done in India. "We expect to release the film by June. It will be dubbed in several languages and will also be shown on Doordarshan," he said.

  
'Paris Hilton excited about playing Mother Teresa'
Indo-Asian News Service

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 22 (IANS) Socialite and hotel heiress Paris Hilton is excited at the thought of playing Mother Teresa in a film on the Nobel laureate, says well-known Malayalam director T. Rajeevnath.

Rajeevnath, who is scouting for a suitable actress, said a friend of his called up from the US to say that Hilton, in a late night television interview, expressed her delight at being short-listed for the title role. 

"What made me more happy was that she said she would try to convince me that she could handle the role. This certainly is good news because I am leaving for the US early next month and my agents are working out a time slot for a meeting with her," said Rajeevnath. 

Since news surfaced about the film, Rajeevnath has been approached by several international production houses. 

"I have had a mail from the agents of Warner Brothers and several others, including from South Africa and Kenya, expressing their desire to associate with the proposed film," said Rajeevnath. 

The English film will be mostly shot in West Bengal, where Mother Teresa spent most of her life serving the poor, and in several foreign countries.

The preliminary script has been readied with the help of scriptwriter John Paul. 

Rajeevnath, 54, has won a national award for direction, besides quite a few international awards. His popular films include "Moksham", "Janani" and "Thannal". 

"Mother Teresa" will be his 11th commercial film. By June this year, the director expects to finish the groundwork for the film and the shooting is slated to begin in early 2007. 

"My three-week stay in the US next month would be crucial as far as this project is concerned and a clear picture would emerge during that time," he said.

The budget is expected to be around Rs.500 million ($11.3 million). Among those who have already pledged full cooperation in the film are actors Mithun Chakraborty, Kamal Haasan and Mohanlal. 

Veteran cameraman Santosh Sivan has also been roped in, so has Ramoji Rao Film City who are keen to support the venture. The director has already said that the proceeds of the film would go to the Missionaries of Charity, which Mother Teresa founded. 

Among the specialties of the film would be the character of former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu whose association with Mother Teresa is well known.