Modern Threaters, Salem’s erstwhile dream factory

MK Kamalam, the heroine of the first Malayalam talkie film ‘Balan’ died on the 20^th of this month. She was 87. The report about her demise mentioned that ‘Balan’ was produced at Modern Theatres Ltd., Salem in 1938.

That reminded me of two things....

Apur Sansar

... was a visual treat. Each frame was thought out carefully and in black and white - it was really sensational. The debut of both Soumitra Chatterjee and Sharmila Tagore,..More

A filmy reality

She and people of her ilk -- who are, whether we like it or not, invaluable players in a democrartic society -- should be perceptive about, focus on and act on -- not lines of film songs but -- matters of far wider import and impact, that have a beairng on people's aspirations, livelihood and comfort...More...

Get Real, Arshad Warsi; This Isn't Reality TV

Skinheads and hoot-and-run scumbags are almost everywhere. You could report to the police. I reckon Britain has a law against racial abuse. But then you can’t legislate against racial mentality, can you ?...More...

B and a Malayalam song

SK,worried that Vayalar had not written the lyrics yet, went across to the bar where the poet was and requested him to speed up. Perhaps, Vayalar was irritated at being chased. He asked for a piece of paper and sitting on the bar stool, wrote ‘Chakravarthini’....More...

Actor Satyaraj in a double-act

Sathyaraj, 54, son of Dr. Subbiah, is from an affluent family of Coimbatore. When the family objected to him joining the film industry, he just ran away to Chennai. And once he was involved in the movies, it was a procession of success after success. The one who ran away from wealth making good – theme for a cinema?...More...

Abe Tharakan talks movies

Mohanlal once said words to the effect that Mammootty wanted to be an actor and tried hard to be one, but he (Mohanlal) happened to become an actor by chance. Mammootty seems to have more professionalism. I wonder if either of them could have emulated the performance of PJ Antony in Nirmalyam...More...

Lakshmi's take on Akeelah and the Bee

For those of you who loved Iqbal, Black or Chak De, this is just the right movie for you....it preaches the same philosophy--that achievement is overcoming problems--and you don't have to be a super-hero to achieve. . .More. . .

Heyy Baby

For those of you who are not serious students of cinema, I suggest less painful avenues of entertainment such as dancing on a bed of nails, going over the Niagara falls in a barrel or, god bless my soul, even watching "Kyun ki Saas Bhi kabhi Bahu Thi". . .More. . .

Bangalore weekend filmcamp

This event,first of its kind,is happening at the PG Department of Communication, SBMJC Center for Management Studies, Bangalore.Where independent Indie film makers o showcase their works to other film-makers and critics.The best part would be to discuss, the +ves, the –ves, the lessons learnt, the encyclopedisms, the critical reviews, the point blank views, etc...More...

Tribute to a film critic and friend

He was pampered by most Bollywood busybodies; and many held him in high regard. But no one who was anyone in Bollywood those days could afford to ignore Shamim...More...

On hockey and Chak De India

It can change people like my friend, who watched in 10 times along with her coach and the movie has renewed her interest in softball...After listening to classmates recounting the entire story a countless times—a scene to scene description in Algebra class, discussing Komal’s hockey movies more than any sane person should, I thought I should watch the movie, no matter what...More...

Everybody loves Mungaru Male

A film print is doing the rounds in the US Kannada Sangha circuit. It is said that Mungaru Male producer Krishnappa initially sent a copy to a friend and sangha activist in Florida. It was then borrowed by a Kannada cultural organization in New Jersey for screening. A chunk of the proceeds goes to good causes. . .More. . .

Karachi blogger's tribute to Kishore Kumar

Adnan’s mamoo and dad were Kishore fans; they rarely missed the Akashvani programme playing old film songs. Adnan recalled he got initiated to Kishore songs when he heard Kumar Sanu on cassette singing Kishore songs. . .More. . .

Harimohan on Arabikatha

The Kerala brand of Marx and Engels has specially been different and it is this that is exposed in this movie . . . life of a kerala workers(in the Gulf) is depicted nicely and their hardship and comradery goes beyond parties. . .More. . .

Mungaru Male : Magic in its music

Not since the ‘Bandhana’ songs (and Dr Rajkumar’s ‘Belathigalagi Baa’) has a collection enthralled me like the songs from ‘Mungaru Male’ - the present rage in Karnataka and a shining feather in Kannadiga caps…Mungaru male means Pre monsoon showers. . .More on its music. . .

Guru Dutt’s cameraman

Cinematographer V K Murthy has in him a book or two; and it is time an enterprising publisher talked to him into writing them. . . . Mr Murthy who gave up his schooling in Mysore and violin lessons to go to Bombay in search of work in visual media was with Guru Dutt for much of his career. . .More. . .