"I am a shy guy" says Mickey

A two time Nandi award winner in his six year career as a music director, Mickey J Meyer is all gearing up to recreate his magic combination with Shekhar Kammula in the upcoming movie 'Leader'. Mickey's music for Shekhar'a Happydays remained one of the biggest chartbusters in Telugu film industry.

About half a dozen movie albums old Mickey who is 'elated' working with Shekhar yet again says he doesn't mind being branded as a music director of a particular camp as long as he is being associated with top director. "Best of my music came from Shekhar Kammula's film.He hardly interfers in the music and only gives his final verdict on my compositions. He trusts my judgement and gives me the freedom. He is willing to sacrifice his liking for a certain kind of music if I feel my composition will work in the movie. With Shekhar, I am the boss.I don't mind if people say I am from a particular camp as long as I get to work with talented and top directors." Mickey quips. This 28 year old Hyderabadi who will debut in Bollywood soon with the Hindi remake of Happydays this year maintains a distance from publicity and media unlike other music composers who are even debuting as actors in movies.

Critics claim that his 'low profile' is a deterrant in bagging big offers. Mickey however says he is basically a shy guy and will let his music speak on his behalf. "I am a shy guy and it is natural for me to stay away from public appearances and publicity.There are music directors who can dance and sing on the stage for hours.It is not bad to market oneself by dancing and singing on the stage but it doesn't come naturally to me.I will allow my music to speak for itself" says Meyer who is gearing up to give stage shows soon aka A R Rahman.

Mickey who just finished composing music for 'Maro Charitra' in Telugu, is banking on Happydays remake for his entry into Bollywood, says he will compose music for the movies only if there is scope for it in the script."I will sign a movie only if the script has scope for music. Music should be able to carry the script along and there should be purpose for songs in movies. Otherwise having songs for the heck of it doesn't make sense to me" he declares. There is a serious allegation on the Tollywood music directors that they give better music to films they are paid more for.

Does he agree with that?"It is not true that we give better music to films that pay us more.It is just a matter of timing and creativity.For instance, the best of A R Rahman came with Maniratnam. So, the quality of music depends on the director and the script, but not on the money"

This young music composer from Trinity college of music attributes 'second guessing' attitude of Tollywood directors to lacklustre music in Telugu movies. "Most often directors here are bound by certain rules and second guess what audience like.Thankfully, I have done low key movies and had the flexibility to give my compositions without interferences.If it is a big star's movie, it would have been a problem. Directors here should not stick to their notions and start making music for the audience" Meyer opines.

Vishnu-Viranica's wedding to go on air today

Vishnu Manchu and his wife Viranica are set to be South India’s first couple to be featured in The Big Fat Indian Wedding series on NDTV Good Times this Tuesday. Their wedding generated huge interest on March 1, last year when they tied the knot at a function that was packed with guests from the political, film and bureaucratic world. The programme has taken a year to air since the channel decided to save it as a season opener.

The couple, touted as ‘Tollywood’s Abhi-Ash,’ have a strong pedigree. He is an actor and son of AP’s biggest star Mohanbabu, while she is the daughter of Y. S. Sudheekar Reddy, brother of former Chief Minister YSR. The programme will showcase the entire colourful package — from the shopping before the wedding, leading to the sangeet and finally the Hindu ceremony at Gachibowli stadium and the Christian wedding at CM Camp office.

Some 30 hours of footage shot by the television crew has been compressed into a one-hour slot. The coverage will be interspersed with interviews of guests, friends of the bride and groom and proud relatives. The programme will be telecast in 76 countries apart from India.
“We have been married close to a year. The channel wanted to begin this season of telecasting with our marriage, which is why they took some time. I look forward to watching our wedding on TV,” says Viranica.

Family sources confirm that several magazines approached the couple for coverage rights, but both were against selling them. They did however give their nod of approval to the channel due to its wide reach. The wedding was truly a ‘big fat’ one since about 36,000 pictures were taken by 25 photographers from the city and New York. There are also 12 DVDs of video coverage.
“When news broke about our wedding, the channel approached us and we agreed since they have a huge network. It was a big event because my family knew a lot of people and my in-laws too have a large number of friends,” explains Viranica.

The show will be telecast today at 8.30pm on NDTV good times.The repeat telecast is on Thursday(Feb 11) at 5 pm.

Shraddha Das nominated for International award!!

Shraddha Das, who has been playing second fiddle in her last few Tollywood movies, is now suddenly a name to reckon with in the international circuit. Being lauded for her riveting performance in her Bollywood debut, Lahore, Shraddha was even nominated for the best actress category at the Houston International film festival and Salento International film festival in Europe. The film, which was bought by Warner Brothers, has background score by Tollywood music director M.M. Keeravani, who is known as M.M. Kreem in Bollywood Shraddha played the role of a Pakistani girl in this film based on kickboxing and the relationship between India and Pakistan.

Directed by Sanjay Singh, it stars seasoned actors like Nafisa Ali, Farook Shaik, Aasish Vidyarthi and Sabyasachi Chakravarthy.Thrilled about the rave reviews she has been receiving, Shraddha says, “I shot for this movie about a year ago and totally forgot about it. I didn’t even know if it would release. I was completely taken aback with the response.”

The belle now has her eyes set on Bollywood. “It’s a perfect kickstart for my Hindi film career. Since my character was strong, I had a chance to showcase my acting abilities. Now that the film’s been nominated for awards, people in Bollywood have started taking me seriously,” says the actress, who hopes to visit Pakistan for the film’s preview there.

Telugu films shine in land of backwaters!!

The Malayalam film industry might pride itself on being one of the finest in India, but looks like it’s Tollywood, known for its ‘commercial’ movies, that is giving filmmakers from Kerala a run for their money. If the number of Telugu movies being dubbed in Malayalam is anything to go by, it can be said that Tollywood has found a new market.

Arundhati and Arya 2 are the latest movies that are being dubbed, after the success of releases like Happy Days, Parugu, Tulasi and Lakshmi. Shyam Prasad Reddy, producer of Arundhati is even contemplating roping in Malayali actors for future films. “I spent one month getting the right voices to dub for my movie. We are releasing the film in 30 theatres and I want to keep Kerala’s audience in mind, while casting for my next film.”
With Tollywood being a second home to many Malayali imports, like Nayantara, Sindhu Menon and Meera Jasmine, it’s easier for local films to reach out to the Malayali audience. “This trend has caught on like never before. Malayalam films fail to cater to the younger audiences. Telugu films, with more masala, fill that vacuum and are a hit with young movie-goers,” says a trade analyst from the Telugu film industry.
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llu Arjun’s growing fan base in Kerala is testimony to this trend. Arya 2, which is slated to release in 100 theatres in Kerala, has made a pre-release business of over Rs 2 crore and the dubbing rights of his upcoming movie Varudu, have already been sold for Rs 1 crore, according to sources. Calling himself “Mallu Arjun,” the actor on a recent visit to Kerala, told fans that he will shoot a few scenes in the state. “All my movies are being dubbed into Malayalam now as I have a huge fan base there. I observe the culture, the mannersims and the lifestyle of people there to emulate in my films,” says Allu Arjun.

It’s however, not easy to impress the audience there, says actor Nikhil, whose film, Happy Days, was a hit in Malayalam. “The audience doesn’t tolerate movies that lack in quality. My next film Kalavar King will also be dubbed in Malayalam.”

'Other heroines are half as talented as me' says Mamta Mohandas

Mamta Mohandas is one person who has earned more fame as a singer than as an actor despite being a part of movies like 'Yamadonga' and 'Homam'. The actor who is determined to make it big in Telugu film industry is now making a killer come back with 'Kedi' pairing with Nagarjuna. The actor says she was offered this role as she was 'disappointed' with her screen space in Nagarjuna's previous film 'King'.

"It is certainly a comeback for me. In Nag's previous movie 'King', I was narrated something and the output was something else. I expressed my dissapointment over this to Nagarjuna and so he offered me this role. That apart, there are very few heroines in the industry now who are typecasted for playing only grey shade roles or glamorous charecters. I am one of the very few who can balance both performance and glamour and so was the natural choice for the makers of 'Kedi' " Mamta flaunts.

The actor while admitting that she chose a few wrong movies after her debut in 'Yamadonga' is playing cards close to her heart and is very careful in chosing her script."For now I have four Malayalam movies in hand which will keep me busy until May. I will chose my next Telugu movie only after seeing how 'Kedi' is recieved by the audience. I don't want to commit any blunders hereafter " she quips.

A trained singer in classical music, Mamta delivered Tollywood's one of the biggest chartbusters like 'Aakalesthe Annam Pedatha..' for Chiranjeevi starrer Shankardada Zindabad and 'Rakhi Rakhi ' for NTR starrer Rakhi. The actor who has not lent her voice to any song since the past one year in Telugu says her 'priority' now is acting."Singing is my passion which is why I learnt it from my childhood. It is easy to sing than be a charecter I am acting in. But I feel I can sing even after I am done with my career as an actor which is why I am limiting myself on my role as a singer. For now, my priority is acting . I might sing if it is for a big project and the song interests me" Das declares.

The actor who played blink and miss roles and shared screen space with other heroines recently turned down an offer to act in a movie starring Balakrishna as it had two other heroines. Will she not act in movies which want her to share screen space with other actresses hereafter? "There are so many heroines in the industry who are half as talented as I am and are making it bigger here. I will not accept a movie which has other heroines unless I am signed first and the script allows me to perform.I have experimented enough and will not accept any offer that doesn't respect my capabilities as an actor"

Mamta , a mallu by birth who grew up abroad is all set to shift her base to Hyderabad soon. She says she relates herself more to this city than anyother place in South though she acted in all the South Indian languages.

"Hyderabad makes Tollywood special for me. For someone like me who has come from abroad, I feel it is easy to get along with Hyderabad than any other city in South.The best part about Telugu film industry is the actors are well educated and cinema is a family business here where everyone in the family is involved in making of the film. Telugu film industry is a class apart.The industry is next only to Bollywood interms of budget, market, distribution and movies being made. In other industries, people from various backgrounds enter and it is difficult for people like me to get someone of the same wavelength which is not the case in Tollywood. I will soon shift to Hyderabad" says the actress.

Despite being in the limelight for long, the actor says she is still waiting for the 'right' project that will make a mark in Telugu."I don't think it is about charging a crore and wearing a bikini or getting your Public relations well or looking just glamorous. I am waiting for the right script to rise to a different level as an actor. I am still waiting for that kind of a project from Telugu" she signs off.

TRS activists disrupt Roja's film shooting

Telangana Rashtra Samiti activists disrupted the film shooting of actor and former TD leader Ms Roja in the city on Monday. The activists tried to barge into the Rythu Bazaar in Kukatpally at about 11 am where Ms Roja was shooting for Golimaar. The film is being directed by Puri Jagannath and stars Priyamani and Gopichand in the lead roles.

Raising‘Jai Telangana’, the TRS activists demanded that Ms Roja withdraw her united Andhra stand and support Telangana’s cause. This resulted in arguments between Ms Roja and the TRS activists and the shooting was called off to avoid untoward incidents.
Ms Roja alleged that the TRS activists were behaving like goons and depriving people in the city freedom of expression.

“I have the constitutional right to express my views and work anywhere. TRS activists are threatening everyone and making a mockery of the rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The government should act tough and recover losses from law breakers. It is a shame that followers of K.Chandrasekhar Rao are resorting to such acts,” said Ms Roja .

The Kukatpally PS inspector, Mr Ch Lakshminarayana, however, said the film unit did not ask for permission for shooting. “A few vegetable vendors objected to the shooting. We have not booked any of the activists,” he said.

" Skin show is not glamour" says Sindhu Menon

Though less than half a dozen movies old in Telugu film industry, Mallu girl Sindhu Menon has earned critical acclaim for her performance. Known for her girl 'traditional' look many touted her as are placement to actor Soundharya. But ever since 'Siddham' released in 2008, her last in Telugu, Sindhu has had no release since an year in the industry now.

Currently working on 'Subhadra' and ' Prema Pilustondhi', Sindhu attributes absence from Telugu screen to her busy schedule in Tamil." 'Eeram', a Tamil movie kept me busy for close to two years. We had long shooting schedules and had to travel extensively for the movie. Though I had offers from Telugu, I couldn't take up due to lack of dates" she claims. Sindhu who is known for her 'family' look, agrees that she is missing out on big offers perhaps because she is not comfortable with skin show and has a lot of restrictions when it comes to costumes.

"I am strictly not comfortable with exposing. Looking glamorous and skin show are not synonymous. Actors like Revati and Suhasini were appreciated for their work and not for their skin. I want to be in that category. I tried skin show but I was not happy with it at all. When I face that discomfort with the costumes, it shows on the screen as it looks 'artificial' and so I stopped it completely. I guess it has affected my movie offers but I continue to put my foot down and reject what I don't want to do. Cinema is my passion and not business and so I don't regret turning down offers that want me to show my skin" Menon says.

Sindhu opines, that she gets more 'sensible' movie offers in Malayalam than in Telugu observes that the situation is gradually changing in Tollywood as the audience now give more importance to the script rather than the 'glam value' of the actress.

"Gone are the days when masala like fights, skimpy costume wearing heroine, five songs were imperative. The tastes of the audience have changed drastically over the years. Script is priority now and the making of the film, the story and acting is what draws the audience to theatres. But offlate, I see a change and thankfully, I am beginning to get such meaningful scripts from Telugu film makers that suit my acting abilities" says the actress who is also currently working on an untitled Indian English movie.

Filmnagar rumour mills tell us that actor and director of 'Siddham', J D Chakravarthy had issues with Sindhu and went public on ' lack of committement' from her end on the sets. Ask her if she had tough time working with JD?

"We had a communication gap. I guess he was not happy working with me. Till date I had no problem with any director and am known for my discipline on sets. It must be for publicity. I couldn't follow what he wants and used to take the help of Jagapati Babu to understand what JD wants from me in the shot. It is dissapointing to hear that he questions my committment despite the fact that I was well appreciated for my performance in that movie" she clairifies.

Menon who also launched her production house producing tv serials manages her education and career equally well. For now she says that all she expects from her two upcoming movies is ' sinciere appreciation' from the industry.

"If we compromise on certain aspects, we can earn money easily. But what I want is honest appreciation from the industry for my work. I don't expect hundred movie offers after these films release but more meaningful cinema to play roles in" she hopes