Telugu star Ram Charan has tested negative for Covid-19. The actor, who was diagnosed with the virus at the end of December, tweeted his latest health update on Tuesday. “Tested negative! I’m back in action,” Ram Charan wrote.
The actor shared the happy news on Instagram with two pictures of him posing with a blue-and-yellow macaw. His cousin Varun Tej, who had also been suffering from coronavirus, commented, “Annnaaaaa! My fellow COVID warrior! Welcome back!” On Christmas eve, Varun, Charan, Allu Arjun, Niharika Konidela and several members of the Mega family had partied at home.
Ram Charan had shared the news of being diagnosed with coronavirus with a social media post on December 29, writing, “I have tested positive for Covid-19. No symptoms and quarantine at home. Hope to heal soon and come out stronger. Request all that have been around me in the past couple of days to get tested. More updates on my recovery soon.”
The actor will be next seen in the upcoming period drama “RRR”. The ambitious SS Rajamouli directorial also stars Jr. NTR, Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn and Olivia Morris. The highly anticipated film will be released in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada, besides other Indian languages.
Cast: R. Madhavan, Shraddha Srinath, Mouli, Padmavati Rao, Ssvidha
Maara (in Tamil) reminded me of a fable, a fairy tale, even a nonsense rhyme with a wide-eyed young woman going in search of a mystery man. Her travels take her to a variety of places – mostly in coastal Kerala – and to a myriad group of people who had all met him and experienced his warmth. Every story they have had to say gets her more and more curious, and her urge to meet him gets stronger. And, all the more so, because he seems such a good soul.
The woman is Paru (played by Shraddha Srinath with enormous feeling and such expressive eyes that it is a pleasure to watch her), and the man is Manimaran or Maara (a wonderful performance by R. Madhavan), the title character. Directed by Dhilip Kumar from the 2015 Malayalam movie, Charlie (with Dulquer Salman and Parvathy Thiruvothu), Maara begins rather innocuously on a bus journey with a very young Paru demanding a story from her grandmother. And the kid is not happy with whatever the elderly woman comes up with, till a co-passenger soothes Paru with the story of a soldier and how his soul lay inside a fish, which would rejoice every time it heard the sound of a conch, because it knew that he was safely back home after a battle.
Many, many years later, Paru unwilling to be tied down in marriage runs away from home on the pretext of an office assignment, and lands in Kerala where she is startled to find giant size paintings on every wall, and some of them tell the same tale that the woman on the bus had told her many moons ago. She learns that the painter is a man named Maara, but to catch him would be like trying to pin a cloud down ( am quoting the lyrics from a song in The Sound of Music). But when she by a stroke of luck finds accommodation in Maara’s empty home, a sprawling place filled with images and sculptures, she decides that she must somehow find him.
Her search leads her to many corners of the region and finally end in a home run by Vellaiya (Mouli). It has an assorted group, including a young doctor, Kani (Sshivda), whom Maara had saved from committing suicide. She had botched up her first surgery, and a 10-year-old child went. There is also a girl named Rani in the home, and Maara had saved her from the clutches of a child molester. Paru decides to stay on there, hoping to catch Maara, and the magical meeting happens right at the end, which also presents a surprising climax. Some may see it coming.
Kumar leaves his own stamp on the film, and while the hero in Charlie is an enigma, Maara is less so, maybe a ploy to make viewers feel good. It is also amazing how the movie uses a fish to connect Maara and Paru as well as Vellaiya and his long, lost love. A truly charismatic Madhavan and an unforgettable Srinath make Maara a great watch.
However, I would have preferred a longer screen time for Maara and Paru, which is quite short, because the film takes a while to weave into their relationship. The end may seem somewhat abrupt, even unconvincing, and there is this question that haunts me. We know that Paru is a nostalgic art restorer, but could that have been the lone reason for her to try so hard to find the man called Maara?
Despite these hiccups, Maara is certainly worth a watch.
Rating: 3/5
(Gautaman Bhaskaran is a movie critic and author of a biography of Adoor Gopalakrishnan)
Telugu star Varun Tej Konidela on Thursday shared the news with fans that that he has tested negative for Covid-19. He thanked everyone for their love and prayers.
Varun posted a note on Instagram that read, “Never thought a report saying ‘Negative’ would bring in so much joy to me. Yes I tested ‘Covid Negative’. Thank you very much for all the love and prayers.”
Varun tested positive for coronavirus in December and was quarantined at home. He had shared a health update on Instagram. “Earlier today I tested positive for Covid-19 with mild symptoms. I am currently quarantined at home taking the necessary precautions. I’ll be back soon. Thank you for all your love,” he wrote.
He had also uploaded a selfie on day 7 of his home quarantine.
Actor Ram Charan, who is Varun’s cousin, had also announced that he tested positive for Covid-19. The two of them had celebrated Christmas together at a party thrown by Varun’s sister and new bride Niharika Konidela.
The actor recently started preparing for his next film, F3. The film is a sequel of the comedy F2: Fun And Frustration, which was released last year. F3 also stars Tamannaah Bhatia, Venkatesh Daggubati and Mehreen Pirzadaa.
What I really liked about Kaagaz, now streaming on ZEE5, was Pankaj Tripathi’s performance. Honestly, I had been a tad bored with his style that had remained much the same in film after film: his soft dialogue delivery, his unassuming mannerisms and even his looks. Whether he played a villain or a parent, his tone and volume were uniformly the same. But in Kaagaz – helmed by Satish Kaushik (who also portrays a lawyer in the movie) – Tripathi’s Bharat Lal unleashes a wide gamut of emotions which range from the subtle and soft to the fiery. As a father of two children and husband (wife essayed by Monal Gajjar), he is sweet, but later on, when he stands cheated and helpless, he transforms into a man of steel with a never-say-die attitude; his dialogue delivery and demeanour matching this transformation.
Kaagaz is a satire narrated with sincerity and passion, and takes on the bureaucracy by its horns, so to say. The film is a movingly powerful reflection of how India’s poor continue to be treated even today – almost 74 years after the country won its independence from decades of foreign dominance, first by the Mughals and then British. In a way, India’s poor, most of whom live away from urban conglomerations, remain as poor as they were and still face the brunt of a largely unfeeling and corrupt administration.
Bharat Lal’s problems begin when he gets egged on by friends and wife to expand his small band outfit. The group plays different instruments at marriages and even funerals. So, Lal decides that he must add to his little shop, and goes to a bank seeking a loan. The bank is fine with granting him one, but he must produce some security. Lal remembers that he has a small piece of land adjoining his uncle’s at a distant village. But when he reaches his uncle’s place, he is shooed away and told that he has been declared long dead. On paper.!
This has been one of the biggest banes in India; people “bumping off” their relatives by getting a declaration from the local administrative office. A piece of paper (Kaagaz) that literally turns a man into a corpse!
And then begins, Lal’s tryst with his unbelievably shocking destiny. He bangs many doors, gets the media to write about his plight, even meets a politician (Mita Vashisht) and in the end forms a political party. All this while, and it takes years, his band gets disbanded, his income and savings hit rock bottom and his family suffers in silence.
Kaagaz looks at the way justice is meted out in this country, and how the poor and those without any political influence are relegated to a life of hurt and humiliation.
The movie does well in bringing this out, but where it falters is in the manner it seeks to narrate the story. It is so exaggerated that it begins to look silly. A greater control over the script may have made Kaagaz into something more authentic. It goes beyond the realm of parody, and a tighter leash on characterisations and scene conceptualisations could have gone a long way in turning Kaagaz into a more worthwhile watch.
Rating: 2.5/5
(Gautaman Bhaskaran is a movie critic and author of a biography of Adoor Gopalakrishnan)
Telugu actor Nithiin has shared the teaser of his new film Check, also starring actresses Rakul Preet Singh and Priya Prakash Varrier. The movie is directed by Chandra Sekhar Yeleti and the teaser sees Nithiin in an intense character as prisoner.
Sharing a glimpse of the film, Nithiin took to Twitter and treated fans with a teaser on New Year 2021. One can also see Rakul appear briefly in the teaser. Nithiin is seen as a prisoner who’s playing chess in his mind. As the teaser unfolds, we see his character being accused of being a terrorist, and Rakul Preet’s character claiming he’s innocent. Later we see Nithiin kicking and fighting in the prison.
The actor took to his social media and tweeted the link to the teaser, saying, “The wait is finally over. Here’s the 1st glimpse of #Check ! So excited! Hope you all like it.”
Interestingly, though Priya is not shown in it, the ‘Wink Girl’ started trending on Twitter again after the teaser was shared. Priya became an internet sensation in 2018 because of a clip showing her winking in her Malayalam debut film Oru Aadar Love.
Earlier, the makers had released the first poster of the film featuring Nithiin and Priya. Besides Check, Nithiin has Venky Atluri’s Rang De with Keerthy Suresh and the Telugu remake of Bollywood hit Andhadhun by Merlapaka Gandhi in the pipeline.
Vignesh Shivan has wished followers Happy New Year on Instagram by posting two photos with girlfriend Nayanthara. The ‘lady superstar’ is seen posing with Vignesh is a sequined blue dress, totally in the mood for New Year celebrations.
The two of them are seen affectionately looking at each other in the first photo. It looks like the couple rang in the New Year at a popular restaurant.
Sharing the pictures, Vignesh said, “From Me & Mine to You & Yours. Happy New year dear fellow survivors. Now that we have crossed a very memorable and unforgettable phase of life ! Let’s strive and drive ahead towards an eventful & memorable 2021! Wishing only the best of moments , success , happiness , good health , peace , satisfaction & love in abundance! Good luck to all of us for a wonderful 2021!”
The couple does not shy away from some PDA on social media. While Nayanthara doesn’t have a verified account, Vignesh keeps fans updated on their daily life.
Nayanthara and Vignesh recently returned to Chennai. The actress was in Hyderabad for the shooting of Annaatthe, while Vignesh was directing his film Kaathu Vaakula Rendu Kaadhal in the city.
The couple returned after the shoot of Annaatthe was halted as 4 crew members tested positive for Covid-19. The production house released a press note that the rest of the unit, including superstar Rajinikanth, has tested negative for coronavirus.
Mohanlal fans are in for a treat as the teaser of Malayalam thriller Drishyam 2 has been released by the film’s makers. Keeping excitement among fans at its peak ahead of its much-awaited release, superstar Mohanlal dropped the teaser of the film on January 1, 2021 after midnight.
Written and directed by Jeetu Joseph, Drishyam 2 stars Meena, Siddique, Asha Sharath, Murali Gopy, Ansiba, Esther, and Saikumar in pivotal roles. Drishyam 2 has been produced by Antony Perumbavoor under the banner of Aashirvad Cinemas. The film will globally premiere on Amazon Prime Video.
Drishyam 2 will begin from where the first film left off, and promises to raise the stakes with double the thrills. The teaser gives us a glimpse into the life of Georgekutty, played by Mohanlal, and his family and how they are coping with the fall-out on the fateful night. With the entire family harbouring a secret that could make or break them, the gripping teaser sets the premise of what lies in store.
Here’s the teaser:
Speaking about the film, Mohanlal said, “Drishyam was one-of-a-kind thriller, way ahead of its time, that was loved by all. With Drishyam 2, we are taking the story of Georgekutty and his family ahead from where we left it off. I am delighted to associate with Amazon Prime Video to release one of the most-awaited movies of the year. Prime Video has helped take some of the best stories of South Indian cinema to avid cinephiles not just in India, but across the world. We know viewers have waited patiently for the sequel – Drisyhayam 2 is a labour of love, we hope to rise to the expectations of our die-hard fans. So sit back and enjoy from the safety of your homes with your family and loved ones.”
Actor and filmmaker Ramesh Aravind’s daughter Niharika tied the knot with Akshay in an intimate ceremony on Monday morning. The wedding followed a week of celebrations at Aravind’s residence, where the family hosted several events as the run-up to the big day.
Ramesh had taken a week off from work to attend all ceremonies, which were held keeping all Covid-19 guidelines in mind. Ramesh’s wife Archana told TOI, “With the pandemic looming large, we could not have the big ceremony that we wanted, but we still ensured we had all the varied events. Ramesh, being the stickler for rules that he is, ensured that there were just the specified number of people as per BBMP guidelines at each event and ensured we had the guests rotating with each event.”
Niharika is a product manager while Akshay is a digital experience designer. Ramesh said, “Niharika and Akshay met as colleagues and we had a great time at the wedding that spanned nearly a week, where we mostly had youngsters partaking partaking in the celebrations.”
On Sunday evening, Ramesh and Archana, along with family and friends, danced at the sangeet. They have plans to host a bigger bash for his colleagues in the industry, if the guidelines permit it January.
Tamil film actor and comedian Yogi Babu and his wife Manju Bhargavi have become parents to a baby boy. Yogi Babu got married to Manju Bhargavi this year in February. The comedian tied the knot in a private ceremony at Murugan Temple in Thiruttani, Tamil Nadu.
While the wedding was a private ceremony with only family members in attendance, the couple had also planned a grand wedding reception for their friends from the industry which got cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Actor and director Mano Bala confirmed the news of the arrival of their newborn on his Twitter page, where he congratulated Yogi Babu. Following which the Tamil film industry has been sending in their wishes, as have fans of Yogi Babu, reported Pinkvilla.
Yogi Babu has shared screen space with many big names in the south, including Rajinikanth, Nayanthara and others. He was last seen on the big screen as Rajinikanth’s sidekick in the film Darbar.
He has already wrapped up the shooting of Dhanush’s Karnan, which directed by Maari Selvaraj. Reports say that Yogi Babu has a key role in Thala Ajith’s Valimai, too, but no official update has been made yet. He has a lot of other films in the pipeline, including Doctor with Sivakarthikeyan, Dikkiloona, Kadaisi Vivasayi, Pei Mama and Saloon.
‘Nail Polish’ is inspired, in parts, by ‘Psycho’ but relies on sincere performances to drive home the narrative.