Vicky Knight

Vicky Knight (also previously known as Vicky Chaundy) is an English film actress and hospital healthcare assistant. She has starred in "Too Ugly For Love" (2014) and "Dirty God" (2019). Knight debuted as an actress from Sacha Polak's "Dirty God", where she played an acid attack victim. Her role in "Dirty God" was met with critical acclaim.
Knight received burns to 33 per cent of her body from a 2003 fire in her grandfather's pub. Her two cousins died from the fire. She was saved by a local plumber, who later died from the injuries he received. The cause of the fire was arson. She was treated at Broomfield Hospital in Essex, where she now works as a healthcare assistant. If she receives no acting roles in films, Knight will continue to work in the hospital. She started a charity named "Scar Quality" to help others who have experienced burns improve their self-esteem. At her school, Knight participated in a sponsored 28 mi (45 km) walk, where she raised £1,000 for charity. Afterwards, she was named Student of the Year by Association of Colleges.
Her accolades include British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) for Breakthrough Brits, British Independent Film Awards for Best Performance by an Actress, British Independent Film Awards for Most Promising Newcomer, and Stars of Tomorrow by "Screen International".
2003 fire.
On the evening of 27 July 2003, eight-year-old Knight, daughter of Kim Knight, was staying with four cousins in a flat above the Prince of Wales pub in Stoke Newington, London, which had been owned by her grandfather, and was run by her uncle, her mother's brother, Kevin Knight and his wife Kate. After the children had gone to sleep, a fire started in the pub. The cause was arson. Kate Knight, whose two sons aged 4 and 10 died from the fire, was accused of starting the fire after having a dispute with her husband. She was cleared of the charges after a two-week trial at the Old Bailey. Vicky and her female cousin were saved by plumber Ronnie Springer, a regular customer at the pub, who entered the fire to save them. Springer later died from the injuries he received. Kate Knight's third son, Joe, survived the fire but was badly burned. Vicky Knight received burns to 33 per cent of her body and was left severely disfigured. She tried to conceal her scars as she was badly bullied at school and called a "monster". Knight was abused verbally and physically at school; Knight recalled "I got lighters in my face, fags waved around near me. I got beaten up. I’ve been called Freddy Krueger I don't know how many times".
Career.
In 2014, Knight appeared in an episode of the British dating television show "Too Ugly For Love". She later stated that she was deceived into appearing on the programme as the producers initially told her it would focus on the everyday realities of her life as a burns survivor. Although Knight is gay, she had to pretend to date a straight man for the show. Her appearance on the TV show received mixed reviews from the audience. After the episode went live, Knight was trolled on the internet. When she complained to the production company about the trolling, she was invited to take part in the British matchmaking TV programme "The Undateables".
In 2019, she had her debut role, playing the lead in the Dutch film director Sacha Polak's film "Dirty God". The plot of the film centres around the character Jade, who is trying to recover from an acid attack. Her role in the film was praised by critics. Tara Brady of "The Irish Times" wrote, "Knight delivers a terrific performance that is as complex as the sometimes maddening, frequently stupid, and always sympathetic character that she plays." Writing for "Variety", Jay Weissberg wrote, "a stand-out performance from newcomer Vicky Knight and an unflinching portrait of a strong-willed yet immature protagonist facing a radical change in how the world looks at her as well as how she sees herself." Playing the role was emotionally difficult for Knight, who said in an interview "I had quite a few breakdowns on set so all the tears that you see are real". Knight stated "Dirty God" changed her life entirely in helping her to cope with her burn scars. For her performance in the film, she was nominated for the British Independent Film Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a British Independent Film, and Most Promising Newcomer.
The same year she was nominated for the Breakthrough Brits Award by the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA). She was nominated alongside actor Chance Perdomo and screenwriter Laurie Nunn. After Knight heard she was nominated for Breakthrough Brits she started to "cry" and "screaming". She further added "["Dirty God"] It's my first ever film and I thought I already had my dream, honestly. I am going to take every opportunity I can get". She was named "Stars of Tomorrow" by the film magazine "Screen International".
Personal life.
Knight was previously known as Vicky Chaundy. Knight added she finds it difficult to enter the emotions concerning her scars "[I] Emailed doctors in India and Turkey, asking them to help me". She also revealed she has had suicidal ideation, she said "I was self-harming and self-neglecting. I was a mess, I hit rock bottom. This has given me the opportunity to save my own life. My scars have actually helped me, and something good has come out of something bad".
She attended Robert Clack School, followed by Barking and Dagenham College in Essex, England, where she studied Health and Social Care. In 2013 Knight was named "Student of the Year" by the Association of Colleges. Knight set up a charity, "Scar Quality", in 2013, to help those who have experienced burns improve their self-esteem. She has participated in a sponsored walk, raising £1,000 for the charity. After winning the "Student of the Year" title, she said "It's amazing to win, I really can't describe it. My scars are something I have to live with every day, but by setting up the charity I can help others. It was hard work, but it's amazing".
Knight also works as a healthcare assistant at Broomfield Hospital in Essex, England. Her interest in health care began in 2003, when she was being treated in Broomfield Hospital following the pub fire. In the event she receives no more roles in films, she has said she will continue to work as a healthcare assistant. In an interview with the National Health Service (NHS), Knight revealed that she would like to author a book about herself.


Raja Thakur

Raja Thakur (1923–1975) was an Indian film director predominantly working in the Marathi film industry. He is best known for his films "Me Tulas Tujhya Angani" (1960), "Rangalya Ratree Ashya" (1962), "Ektee" (1968), "Mumbaicha Jawai" (1970), "Gharkul" (1971) and "Jawai Vikat Ghene Aahe" (1972); for which he won National and State-level awards.
Career.
Thakur was born in 1923 in Phonda near Kolhapur, Maharashtra. He started his film career as assistant to Master Vinayak and Raja Paranjape and directed various films in the 1960s based on storylines of middle-class Maharashtrian people. This genre was a repeated feature in directorial works of Thakur and Rajdutt, who dominated the industry then before the comedies of Dada Kondke became popular in the 1970s. He also produced films under his banner "Nav Chitra".
The 1955 released social film "Me Tulas Tujhya Angani" was produced under his banner Nav Chitra and had Hindustani classical music-based songs sung by Bhimsen Joshi. The film won the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film at the 3rd National Film Awards. In continuation to the film adaptations of works written by Damuanna Malvankar and V. S. Jog which Master Vinayak made, Thakur directed the 1957 comedy "Gharcha Jhala Thoda".
The 1962 "Rangalya Ratree Ashya" was a musical film based on the story written by author Ranjit Desai and starring Arun Sarnaik as a talented drummer who falls in love with a courtesan. The film won Thakur another President's Silver Medal at the 10th National Film Awards. Starring Kashinath Ghanekar, Thakur achieved his third National Film Award for "Ektee" (1968) at the 16th National Film Awards.
The 1970s directorial venture "Mumbaicha Jawai" was a depiction of cosmopolitan Mumbai and how a newly married couple embrace the social values while living in the crowded "chawl". The film was also released in the Soviet Union and was later adapted into a Hindi film by Basu Chatterjee as "Piya Ka Ghar". The film won the fourth National Film Award presented at the 18th National Film Awards and also the "Best Film" award at the Maharashtra State Film Awards. He went on to bag the Maharashtra State Film Award, presented by the State Government of Maharashtra, consecutively for the next two years for "Gharkul" (1971) and "Jawai Vikat Ghene Aahe" (1972).
In 1975 Thakur directed his first Hindi film "Zakhmee". Produced by Tahir Hussain, the film had a star cast of Sunil Dutt, Rakesh Roshan and Asha Parekh. In 1976 his Hindi film "Raeeszada" was released. Produced by V. L. Khare, the film starred Vikram, Zarina Wahab, Rakesh Roshan, Shriram Lagoo and Helen. In 1972 he had also directed an English film "Birbal My Brother".
Filmography.
Thakur directed the following films:
Awards and recognition.
Thakur's four directorial pursuits won the National Film Award in the Best Feature Film in Marathi category. He made a hat-trick by winning the Maharashtra State Film Awards in Best Film category from 1970 to 1972 and is the only director to do so.
In 2013, the Marathi-weekly magazine "Lokprabha" of the "Indian Express Group" included "Me Tulas Tujhya Angani" and "Mumbaicha Jawai" in their "Must Watch 40 Marathi Films" list.
References.
Bibliography


The Gunsaulus Mystery

The Gunsaulus Mystery is a 1921 American silent race film directed, produced, and written by Oscar Micheaux. The film was inspired by events and figures in the 1913-1915 trial of Leo Frank for the murder of Mary Phagan. The film is now believed to be lost.
Plot.
The body of Myrtle Gunsaulus, a young African-American girl, is discovered in the basement of a New York City factory. Arthur Gilpin, the African-American janitor who discovered the body, is arrested and charged with her murder.
Arthur’s sister Ida May (Evelyn Preer) contacts her former boyfriend, the attorney Sidney Wyeth (Lawrence Chenault), to defend Gilpin in court. During the trial, Wyeth redirects attention for the murder away from Gilpin to Anthony Brisbane, a white man with a history of sexual deviancy. Gilpin is exonerated while Brisbane is revealed as Myrtle Gunsaulus's killer.
Production.
Oscar Micheaux, the most prolific African-American filmmaker of the race film genre, had previously addressed the issue of violence by whites against blacks in his 1920 feature "Within Our Gates", which aroused controversy. That film’s storyline, which included a portrayal of racial lynching and the sexual attack by a white man against a black woman, resulted in censorship rulings in Atlanta and other major cities throughout the U.S.
Micheaux tackled another controversial subject with his 1921 "The Gunsaulus Mystery". The plot was based on the 1913 murder of Mary Phagan and the trial of Leo Frank. After an African American was first interrogated, police attention turned to Frank, the Jewish-American manager of the factory. He was prosecuted and convicted of the crime. After appeals had failed, he received commutation of his death sentence, but Frank was kidnapped and lynched on August 17, 1915.
Micheaux shot "The Gunsaulus Mystery" at the Estee Studios in New York City and distributed the film through his Micheaux Film Corporation. Evelyn Preer, the star of "Within Our Gates", also starred in this production.
Micheaux revisited the subject again in 1935 with a sound remake, which was released under the titles "Murder in Harlem" and "Lem Hawkins' Confession". Especially in this version, Micheaux used the conventions of the detective story to introduce differing narratives and rework the binary nature of the trial, in which an African-American man and Jewish-American man had testified against each other.
No print of "The Gunsaulus Mystery" is known to exist in any archive or private collection, and it is considered to be a lost film. Events of the Mary Phagan murder would be covered in detail in the 1988 four-hour TV miniseries "The Murder of Mary Phagan".


Hou De Jarasa Ushir

Hou De Jarasa Ushir (, "Let There Be A Little Delay") is an Indian Marathi film directed by Wasim Maner, Produced by Tahir Maner under Biroba Films and distributed by Abhijit Gholap of Devisha Films]. "Hou De Jarasa Ushir" is the first Marathi film to be selected among top 282 films for a nomination in Best Film Category for Oscars. The film's screenplay has already been preserved by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences library for research purposes.
Plot.
Hou De Jarasa Ushir (Let There Be A Little Delay) is the story of three people working at a software company. Every morning, they travel to work together in the same cab. HDJU paints a single day in their life where the journey from their homes to the office makes them to look at the world quite differently.
Release.
"Hou De Jarasa Ushir" is released on 18 January 2013 all over Maharashtra. It was released in California United States on 23 November 2012.
Music.
Music of "Hou De Jarasa Ushir" is composed by Nakul Shirish Jogdeo and lyrics are written by Rahul Gautam Ovhal.


Mu Ramaswamy

Mu Ramaswamy is an Indian theatre artist, professor of drama, and actor best known for his dramas "Durgira Avalam", a Tamil adaptation of Sophocles' "Antigone", and "Kalagakkarar Thozhar Periyar", a biography of the life of Periyar. He later moved on to playing major roles in Tamil films starting with "Joker" (2016) and "K.D." (2019).
Career.
Theatrical career.
Ramaswamy began his career by pursuing a Ph.D in theatrical drama. He created the theatrical group ‘Nija Nataka Iyakkam' (‘Real Theatre Movement') and staged several plays. His interest in acting has led him to stage several plays in Tamil including Durgira Avalam and Kalagakkarar Thozhar Periyar. Ramaswamy has also translated several dramas into Tamil due to his love for Tamil, which resulted from him growing up during the Dravidian movement. Some of the plays that he has translated includes plays by G. Sankara Pillai and Bertolt Brecht.
Film career.
Nassar noticed his stage talent and offered Ramaswamy supporting roles in his films "Devathai" and "Maayan". After playing supporting roles in several films, Ramaswamy started playing major roles starting with "Joker" and "K.D." .


Asian Film Festival of Dallas

The Asian Film Festival of Dallas (AFFD) is a film festival held annually in July or August in Dallas, Texas. The festival programming consists of international films from Asia as well as Asian-American features and shorts. The festival is held primarily at Landmark Theatres' Magnolia Theatre in the West Village, Dallas, Texas. With a typical slate of 25-30 feature films and 20 short films, the week-long festival is the largest Asian-themed film festival in the southwestern United States.
The festival presents jury prizes for best short and feature films entered in competition, as well as an Audience Award.
History.
The Asian Film Festival of Dallas began in March 2002 as a four-day-long curated festival presenting 12 features from 5 countries. Films screened in the first year included the Dallas premiere of Battle Royale (film) and repertory screenings of classic Asian films, such as Raise the Red Lantern and Seven Samurai. The festival was founded by Dallas local and aspiring filmmaker Mye Hoang as a way to share Asian films with Dallas audiences.
The festival expanded to a week-long event in 2003 and added a juried competition.


Pradeep Kalipurayath

Pradeep Kalipurayath is an Indian advertising director, cinematographer, filmmaker known for his work predominantly in south Indian advertisements and corporate films. His first taste of fame came with having produced and directed a music video featuring India’s first Malayalam rock band ‘Avial’ in 2005 who moved on to be quite the sensation across the world. It was one of the first YouTube videos that had become popular in India. Ad films, documentaries and television shows have been made under the banner of Poorman Productions since 2006.
His initial pieces of work as a cinematographer included Independent Indian English films like ‘I Just Don't Get It’, ‘That Four Letter Word’ and ‘Good Night, Good Morning. His first Tamil feature film as a cinematographer is ‘Saithan, a Vijay Antony Film Corporation Production, which was scheduled to be released in 2016.
Kalipurayath’s first directorial venture ‘Strange’ is an English short feature film in the Under 40-minute Category. The movie is presently getting ready for release at film festivals. In addition to directing the film, he also wrote the story and screenplay for the film. Pradeep Kalipurayath has set up Poorman Productions primarily to promote independent artistes and music bands and to help them reach limelight through music videos. Poorman Productions provides international production support with strategic tie-ups in the UAE, Oman, USA and Australia. Producing and directing documentaries, advertising films and line production for international productions are the prime business.
Early life.
Pradeep was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu to Ramakrishnan Nallur and Renuka Kalipurayath from Palakkad, Kerala. His interest in arts and photography from a young age stems from his father who was a photography hobbyist. He completed his schooling from Union Christian School, Chennai. He later joined SRM Arts and Science College, Chennai, affiliated to the University of Madras, to study BSc Visual Communications. A chance meeting with a man named Sharat Haridasan inspired him to become an ad film maker. He started off as a freelance assistant director to ad film makers like Jabbar Kallarakkal. However, he got his major breakthrough as a Producer/Director for Avial, the Malayalam rock band.
Advertising career.
Inspired by the works of Rajeev Menon from college days, Kalipurayath started associating with Rajeev Menon Productions for all his post-production needs. His editor Praveen Prabhakaran helped him edit "Nada Nada" a music video that gave him the confidence to start out as an Independent ad film maker. Pradeep Kalipurayath moved on to take small corporate films and ad films for the regional market. Kalipurayath did his first national advertisement with SPIC 20 20 fertilizer, which was played in all rural theatres across Tamil Nadu.
Poorman Productions’ corporate identity was conceptualized by Tribe 10 Advertising, which won them a Bronze Award at the Advertisement Club Awards of 2007 in Chennai.
Pradeep Kalipurayath’s production house is set up in Chennai and his agency clients range from Dentzu, Ogilvy & Mather, Tribe 10, to direct clients like Surana & Surana International Attorneys, Audio Media Inc., AAT and Rohit Jayakaran Productions.
Television Works.
Pradeep Kalipurayath has a notable career in the television industry. He has directed more than 50 television snippets for Doordarshan ‘Nalam Kaane’, a show featuring home remedies and tips by renowned doctors specializing in various types of medical practices. He has also worked at SS music as an Executive Producer.
Pradeep Kalipurayath has been Creative head at Kosmic Studios in 2007 where they independent music artists and bands and helped with a breakthrough into the entertainment industry.
In 2008, Pradeep Kalipurayath met N. Thirumurugan from Media Magic. Their friendship and partnership has fetched innumerable projects from the manufacturing market in the form of corporate films. They went on to produce and directs corporate films for Henkel, ICICI, Salakorn, Taj Mahal Agro industries and many more. They have also collaborated to direct shows like ‘Sokkuthey Manam’, a musical show on Jaya TV, an external production that garnered a huge following at the time. Old soundtracks from Tamil films were recreated and sung on stage by renowned singer Priya Subramanyam.
Kalipurayath turned director for many popular TV shows in south India like Vivel Active Fair Big Break and Supervising Producer for Ningalkum Aagam Kodeeshwaran (KBC MALAYALAM) Season One.
Imagine Movies, a Dubai-based television channel’s maiden show, City Dil Se invited Pradeep Kalipurayath to direct 13 episodes on the lifestyle of Dubai. The RJ’s from City 1016 were the hosts on the show. The program was aired repeatedly for over a year and the RJ-turned-host won many awards and endorsements through the show.
Non Film Works.
His recent work includes a story through photographs made for a coffee-table book ‘Metamorphosis’ made in collaboration with contemporary dancer Aparna Nagesh and her all girls dance ensemble, High Kicks. The book brings out the life and journey of a contemporary female dancer in India with photographs presented in great print quality clicked over the span of five years. The photographs are clicked by Pradeep Kalipurayath and this is the first book to showcase him as a photographer.
Filmography.
Director [edit]
Strange (Short Film)
Safe - 2019
Cinematography[edit]
2007 - I Just Don't Get It
2008 - That Four Letter Word
2015 - Touch
2016 - Saithan
As Producer.
2006 - Nada Nada - Malayalam rock single featuring Avial: John. P.Varky, Tony, Rex Vijayan Anand and Joffey
2010 – Prana, The Band
2012- Rahlaap- Rahul Nambiar and Aalap Raju.
As Freelancer.
2008 - Good Hair (Behind-the-scenes photography)
2009 - Manchadikuru (Behind-the-scenes filmmaking)
2009 - Good Night, Good Morning (Additional Cinematography)
2014 - Shastram Trailer (Cinematography & Line Producer)


Kedar Shinde

Kedar Shinde (born 16 January 1973) is an Indian film director and writer from Mumbai, India.
Personal life and family.
Kedar Shinde was born on 16 January 1973 in Mumbai, India. Shinde completed his school education in Mumbai. He is the maternal grandson of noted Marathi Folk Singer "Shahir Sable". His maternal aunt – Charusheela Sable is a Marathi actor of repute
Shinde got to married to Bela Shinde in 1996. The couple has a daughter, Sana Shinde (born 1998).
Career.
He had started his career with Maharashtrachi Lokdhara (Folk dances of Maharashtra) – Maharashtrachi Lokadhara had performed all over India as a renowned troupe formed by Shahir Sable showcasing all native dance forms of Maharashtra.


Mahana (film)

Mahana is a 2016 New Zealand drama film directed by Lee Tamahori, and written by John Collee, based on the novel "Bulibasha: King of the Gypsies" by Witi Ihimaera. It was released as The Patriarch outside New Zealand.
Plot.
The film tells the story of two Māori families, the Mahanas and the Poatas, who are bitter rivals. The enmity purportedly dates back to Tamihana Mahana falling in love with Ramona and rescuing her from her betrothed, Rupeni Poata, who she did not want to marry. By the late 1950s, Tamihana is the patriarch of the Mahana clan and runs a successful sheep shearing family business in the Gisborne District, while his headstrong grandson Simeon chafes under Tamihana's authoritarian rule.
As punishment for making snide remarks during the family's dinner prayer, Tamihana assigns Simeon household chores. While cleaning his grandmother's study, Simeon discovers a photograph of Ramona and Rupeni as a couple. Later, Simeon shows the photo to his mother Huria and his aunts. Huria chides her son for digging into family history and claims that his grandmother could not stand Rupeni. Simeon later asks his grandmother about the photograph, who is reluctant to talk about the matter but remarks that "men fight for what they want".
The following day, Tamihana assigns Simeon the task of transporting a slain sheep to his family at a distant shearing station. On the way, Simeon discovers Ramona's abandoned homestead. At the shearing station, Simeon learns that the Mahana shearers have sufficient meat supplies and that his grandfather sent him on a pointless errand. When Simeon vents his resentment towards his grandfather, his mother reminds him that Tamihana is the source of their livelihood.
Tamihana later allows Simeon and the other Mahana grandchildren to watch the Western film "" at the local cinema in town, but the screening is disrupted when a local youth, Mihaere Poata, rides his horse into the theatre. Chaos erupts, and Simeon takes the opportunity to kiss Poppy Poata amidst the frenzy. The next day, Simeon and his class visit the local courthouse as part of a school trip. (At the time, the Māori language was not permitted to be spoken in courtrooms, among other places.) One of the defendants is Mihaere Poata, who is sentenced to two years in prison for criminal mischief. Simeon is asked by his teacher, Mr. McKenzie, to address the judge on behalf of his class; however, rather than thank the judge for allowing the class to witness the proceedings of the New Zealand legal system, Simeon gives a moving speech criticizing Mihaere's overly harsh treatment and the ban on the Māori language. Outside the courthouse, Simeon is praised by both Mr McKenzie and Rupeni Poata for his courage.
Back at the Mahana family home, Tamihana, already displeased with Simeon for associating with Rupeni, attempts to punish his grandson by forcibly giving him a haircut when Simeon protests Tamihana's decree that the children are no longer allowed to attend the cinema. Simeon's father Joshua rushes to his son's defense and accidentally strikes Tamihana. As punishment, an enraged Tamihana disinherits Joshua, Huria, and their children, exiling them from the farm. Ramona intervenes and, over her husband's protests, bequeaths her house and land to Joshua and his family. Simeon and his family work hard to restore the dilapidated house. Ramona also visits Simeon's family to provide them with moral support. Simeon's aunt Miriam and her lover Pani later join Simeon's family when they are similarly banished.
One night while trying to repair a leak in their roof during a storm, Joshua falls to the ground and breaks his leg. Huria tells Simeon to get help from Tamihana; knowing his hard-hearted grandfather will not come, Simeon instead seeks help from Rupeni, who outfits Joshua with a Thomas splint. Joshua's injury forces Simeon and the rest of his family to seek the district's seasonal shearing contract in order to make enough money to survive, which usually goes to Tamihana's crews; this causes further friction between Joshua and Tamihana's respective families, but Joshua's family is eventually given the contract.
Some time later, at a local sheep-shearing competition in which Joshua, Simeon and Pani are entered in as contestants, Tamihana suddenly becomes gravely ill, and Ramona privately reveals to Simeon that Tamihana has terminal bowel cancer. Ramona also tells him the truth behind the Mahana-Poata rivalry; that she truly loved Rupeni and that Tamihana did not rescue her as most people believe, but actually forced himself on her, and that she, pregnant with Tamihana's child, was made by the family elders to marry him according to the traditions of the time. That night, on his deathbed, Tamihana reaches an understanding with his grandson, and gives him a letter hidden in a drawer; he passes away soon after. During Tamihana's funeral, the Poata clan, led by Rupeni, arrive unannounced. Before a fight can break out, Simeon stands up and reveals the contents of Tamihana's letter, which admitted his misdeed and also contained a written agreement between Tamihana and Ramona that she could return to Rupeni following his death. After some debate, Ramona speaks up for her grandson and confesses that she never loved Tamihana. The Mahanas and Poatas reconcile, and Rupeni praises Simeon for bringing peace to their two families. Rupeni and Ramona leave together, and Simeon begins dating Poppy.
Production.
"Mahana" was produced by the New Zealand-based production company Jump Film and Television. The movie was funded by several parties including the New Zealand Film Commission, New Zealand On Air, Māori Television, Entertainment One, Wild Bunch, and several private equity investors. In addition, "Mahana" was the first New Zealand film to be funded through the Snowball Effect equity crowdfunding platform. While the source novel "Bulibasha: King of the Gypsies" is set in New Zealand's Gisborne District, filming for "Mahana" took place in the countryside outside Auckland, the country's largest city.
Release and reception.
"Mahana" has received positive reviews from critics. The movie received an 85% rating on the film review website Rotten Tomatoes. The movie was first screened at the 2016 Berlin Film Festival on February 13, 2016, prior to its New Zealand debut on March 3, 2016. "The Guardian" reviewer Henry Barnes awarded the film three out of five stars. Despite its simplistic and romantic storyline, Barnes described "Mahana" as a story that could apply to every family "whose male leader forgets that his role is to offer support, love and security—not hard-hearted rule." "The Hollywood Reporter" Dave Rooney described "Mahana" as an old-fashioned family saga with conflicting impulses. He criticized John Collee's script-writing, commenting that the "on-the-nose dialogue, ripe melodrama and preprogrammed emotional responses will test all but the most forgiving viewers".
"Stuff.co.nz" reviewer Graeme Tuckett praised the film, describing it as "having all its pieces present and correct". Tuckett also likened "Mahana" to Lee Tamahori's 1994 film "Once Were Warriors" and praised Ginni Loane's incorporation of landscapes and interior shots into the cinematography. However, Tuckett criticized the film for its predictable and melodramatic storyline. Newshub reviewer Kate Rodger awarded the film three out of five stars; praising the performance of the main cast including Temuera Morrison, Nancy Brunning, and Akuhata Keefe. Rodger also praised Loane's cinematography for immersing the viewer "entirely in the back blocks of New Zealand's rich farming heritage and lending a very tangible and convincing authenticity to the story." "The New Zealand Herald" reviewer described "Mahana" as a "Māori story with universal appeal" and credited the screenwriter John Collee for adapting Witi Ihimaera's novel "Bulibasha: King of the Gypsies" into a "tight family saga of promises broken and secrets kept."
"The Sydney Morning Herald" reviewer Paul Byrnes praised "Mahana" as a landmark film in Māori cinematography, describing it "as an engrossing narrative on a grand scale about quotidian lives." Byrnes also opined that the film dealt with manhood, masculinity, and feminine power within families.


My Last Day Without You

My Last Day Without You is an independent feature film starring Nicole Beharie and Ken Duken, and directed by Stefan Schaefer. It was written by Schaefer and Christoph Silber, and produced by Diane Crespo, Silber and Schaefer and their companies Cicala Filmworks and Silver Shepherd.
Festival screenings include, among others: Brooklyn International Film Festival, Oldenburg International Film Festival, Heartland Film Festival, Hawaii International Film Festival, Lone Star Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, Sedona International Film Festival, and Langston Hughes African American Film Festival.
The film opened in the US on Oct. 4th, 2013 in AMC Theatres, and had its cable premiere on April 21, 2014 on Up TV. It released in theaters, on TV and via VOD in many international territories, handled by Mission Pictures International. DVD and VOD release in the United States was December 1, 2014.
This film was co-produced by Klaus Popa and Matthias Muller, and was licensed by Stimme der Hoffnung e.V. It screened in German-speaking territories on HOPE Channel TV and in a number of cinemas in Germany and other countries.
Plot.
On a one-day business trip to New York, a German business executive (Ken Duken) falls in love with a singer-songwriter (Nicole Beharie) who exposes him to her Brooklyn world and emotions he has never experienced before.
Cast.
The cast includes Ken Duken, Nicole Beharie, Marlene Forte, Laith Nakli, Robert Clohessy, and Reg E. Cathey.
Soundtrack.
Lead actress Nicole Beharie performs five original songs in the film. The songs are written by Scott Jacoby (producer), Stefan Schaefer, and Christoph Silber. The soundtrack also features three Grammy nominated artists. It was released for digital download and streaming via Google Play, Amazon.com, iTunes, and Spotify on November 5, 2013.


Sarojini Devi Award for a Film on National Integration

The Nandi Award for Sarojini Award Film on National Integration was commissioned since 1999:


Kuralarasan

Kuralarasan is an Indian actor and film composer who works in Tamil-language films. He has collaborated with his father, T. Rajender, and his brother, Silambarasan, in all his films to date.
Personal life.
Kuralarasan is the younger son of father T. Rajender and mother Usha, and younger brother of Tamil actor Silambarasan.
On February 2019, his video of shahada (proclamation of faith) embracing Islam with the presence of his parents in a Masjid in Annasalai, Chennai had become viral. His father T. Rajender in the press interview stated that Kuralarasan since young years had been passionate about Islam and completely embraced Islam through that proclamation event. Kuralarasan stated that out of his own will being attracted to the principles of Islam had embraced it. He requested to keep his father T. Rajender and brother Silambarasan away from social-media religious hate trolling on his religious conversion.
Career.
He began his career as a child artist and garnered acclaim for his role in "Sonnal Thaan Kaadhala" (2001). He made his debut as a music composer with his father's production "Idhu Namma Aalu" (2016) starring his brother, Silambarasan. He wrote the lyrics for all the songs in addition to rendering his voice for the song "King Kong". He went on to compose an independent album with US-based artists and is working on several Hindi films.


Bhet

Bhet is a 2002 Marathi language film co-produced and directed by Chandrakant Kulkarni.
Soundtrack.
The music has been directed by Ashok Patki, while the lyrics were written by Vinayak Rahatekar.
Awards.
Atul Kulkarni won the Maharashtra State Government Award for Best Actor in Supporting Role.


Typist Gopu

Gopalarathnam, known by his stage name Typist Gopu, was an Indian actor known for comedy and supporting roles. He acted in over 600 stage plays and 400 films.
Career.
A native of Manakkal, Lalgudi in Trichy district, Gopalarathnam was active in college dramas during his B. Com from Vivekananda College, Chennai and got introduced to the stage through his friend Nagesh in his drama troupe in 1955. In the 1959 play "Nenje Nee Vaazhga," he played the role of a typist, which was praised and he got his name "Typist" Gopu. In 1965, he made his film debut in K. Balachandar's movie "Naanal" and went on to act alongside major actors in the period. He later joined Y. G. Mahendran's United Amateur Artists. He received Kalaimamani in 2002. He also acted on comedy television serials after acting opportunities ceased to come.
Filmography.
This is partial filmography. you can expand it.


Ramesh Deo

Ramesh Deo (born 30 January 1926) is an Indian film and television actor who has worked in more than 285 Hindi films, 190 Marathi films and 30 Marathi dramas with over 200 showings in his long career. He has also produced feature films, television serials and over 250 ad films. He has also directed a number of films, documentaries and television serials. He has received many state and national awards for his work.
Early life.
Ramesh Deo was born in Amravati, Maharashtra. His ancestral roots are from Jodhpur in Rajasthan. His father was a judge of Kolhapur.
His ancestors shifted to Kolhapur as his great grandfather and grandfather were both engineers. They had built the Jodhpur Palace. They were called by Chatrapati Shahu Maharaja to build the city of Kolhapur. His grandfather came down to become the chief engineer to Shahu Maharaj, and his father was his legal advisor.
Career.
His debut came in the form of a cameo in the 1951 Marathi film "Paatlaachi Por". Ramesh Deo started his film career in the Marathi movie "Andhala Magto Ek Dola" (1956), directed by Raja Paranjape. He started off as a villain. His first Hindi film was Rajshree Production's "Aarti" (1962). In his long career, he has provided able support to stars like Amitabh Bachchan ("Anand"), Rajesh Khanna ("Aap Ki Kasam"), Shatrughan Sinha ("Mere Apne") and many more.
In January 2013, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 11th Pune International Film Festival (PIFF).
he worked in "Nivdung", a Marathi serial in the year 2006.
Personal life.
He is married to noted actor Seema Deo (formerly known as Nalini Saraf). His sons are Ajinkya Deo - noted Marathi actor & Abhinay Deo - noted Indian film director - "Delhi Belly" (2011).


Aan Devathai

Aan Dhevathai () is a 2018 Indian Tamil family drama film written and directed by Thamira and produced by Fakrudeen. The film features Samuthirakani, Ramya Pandian, Kavin, and Monica in the lead roles, while Radha Ravi, Ilavarasu, Kaali Venkat, Abhishek Vinod, Hareesh Peradi, and Suja Varunee play pivotal and supporting roles. The film features music composed by Ghibran, cinematography by Vijay Milton, and editing by Kasi Viswanathan. The venture began production in September 2017 and released on 12 October 2018 to average reviews from critics.
Plot.
Elango (Samuthirakani) falls in love with Jessy (Ramya Pandian), and both get married. Elango is employed as a medical sales representative, and both of them have no parents/relatives. Jessy also secures a software job and life runs smoothly. They are gifted with twins – Agaran (Kavin) and Aathira (Monica). Jessy is more career-oriented, aspiring to achieve greater heights. Elango, on the other hand, thinks family is the at-most preference and feels that they are unable to spend quality time with their children. As Jessy earns more than Elango, the latter decides to quit his job and stay at home taking care of their children and household activities. Jessy is against this decision as she dreams of leading a luxurious life if both could earn.
Jessy is impressed seeing her colleague Belita (Suja Varunee), who leads a lavish lifestyle owning a villa and a BMW car. Much against Elango’s advice, Jessy books an apartment which is under construction. She also buys a BMW car despite Elango warning her about the problems associated with increased bank loans and EMI. Roy (Abhishek Vinod) is Jessy’s boss who has an eye on her. Arguments arise frequently between Elango and Jessy, which leads to Elango leaving the house as Jessy keeps insulting him for being a stay-at-home father. Aathira also goes out with Elango, while Agaran stays with Jessy. Elango finds shelter with the help of Bullet Thatha (Radha Ravi), a kindhearted man who meets Agaran once in a while.
To Jessy's shock, Belita commits suicide as she felt humiliated by a few goons who were employed by the bank to recover her unpaid loans. Jessy realizes the problems associated with too much bank loans. Roy tries to enter into a physical relationship with Jessy for which she does not cooperate, leading him to fire her as a means of revenge. Jessy is devastated as she has lost her job and could not pay her EMIs. Goons arrive at Jessy’s home to recover loans. Knowing this, Elango arrives and requests the goons to give him some time, so that they can repay the loans. Jessy realizes her mistake leading to her transformation and understands Elango. They both patch up and Elango starts going to a job again, thereby starting to lead a humble but joyful life.
Production.
The film was announced and began production during September 2017, with director Thamira making a comeback to films after previously making "Rettaisuzhi" (2010). He also announced he would produce the film under the newly launched Sigaram Cinemas, while Samuthirakani and "Joker" fame Ramya Pandiyan were selected to play the lead roles. Vijay Milton and Ghibran were consequently selected to be the cinematographer and music composer for the project. "Aan Devathai" was revealed to revolve around the impact of globalisation, marital relationships and the challenges of raising a kid in the modern times.
Soundtrack.
The soundtrack was composed by Ghibran.
Release.
The film which was initially slated to release in August was released in October 2018. The satellite rights of the film were sold to Zee Tamil.
Critical reception.
"Times of India" wrote "Though this family drama has a tried-and-tested screenplay, with only a few engaging scenes, it is less preachy when compared to some of Samuthirakani’s earlier films." "Deccan Chronicle" called it "Just an average drama". "India Today" wrote "Thamira's tries to address the struggles of nuclear families in the fast-paced urban society, but like his one-dimensional characters, the solution he arrives at is also shallow and problematic."


N. Trivikrama Rao

N. Trivikrama Rao (born Trivikrama Rao) was an Indian film producer, director and screen writer in Telugu cinema. He was the younger brother of, N. T. Rama Rao, and his son Nandamuri Kalyan Chakravarthi, 80s film actor and the co-owner of National Art Theatre, Madras, a production house under which he has co-produced 40 feature films alongside N. T. Rama Rao. He has received four National Film Awards, three Andhra Pradesh state Nandi Awards and two Filmfare Awards South.


Sivamani

Sivamani (1 December 1959), commonly known by his stage name Drums Sivamani, is an Indian percussionist and music director. He plays many instruments including drums, octoban, darbuka, udukai, ghatam and kanjira. He performed drumming during the IPL Championships in 2008 and 2010. He is affiliated with the Chennai Super Kings team, but gained recognition through his role as A. R. Rahman's lead percussionist. They have been close friends since childhood. In 2019, he was conferred with Padma Shri.
Career.
Sivamani is a Chennai-based percussionist. He began drumming at the age of seven. Sivamani started his musical career at the age of 11, and later shifted to Mumbai. He was inspired by Noel Grant and Billy Cobham. He has played for M.S.Viswanathan, Illayaraja, A R Rahman and others. In 1990, he shared the stage with Billy Cobham at Mumbai's Rang Bhavan. He has stated that S. P. Balasubrahmanyam is his godfather.
Sivamani's earliest experiments with music were with Carnatic maestros including Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, T. V. Gopalakrishnan, Valliyapatti Subramaniam and Pazhanivel, and L. Shankar. During the early stage of his career, he collaborated with T. Rajendar for many of his music compositions. Sivamani also appeared on screen for the song " Dhinam Dhinam Un Mugam" alongside Actor Anand Babu for the movie "Thangaikkor Geetham" directed by T. Rajendar. The tabla player Zakir Hussain invited him to share the stage with himself and Trilok Gurtu at a fusion concert in Mumbai. Sivamani has since collaborated with several musicians including Louis Banks. He has done world tours with A. R. Rahman and collaborated with him for "Bombay Dreams". He has also been a part of a musical group called "Shraddha" which comprises Shankar Mahadevan, Hariharan, U. Srinivas and Loy Mendonsa.
sivamani has a band called "Asia Electrik" with Niladri Kumar, Louiz Banks and Ravi Chari. He also plays at another world music band named "Silk & Shrada."
sivamani has played drums for many film score composers hailing from Tamil Nadu. He has played drums for many Indian films including "Roja," "Rang De Basanti","Swades", "Taal", "Lagaan", "Dil Se..", "Guru","Kabul Express" and "Rockstar" . Some of the songs that he has contributed to include "Kadhal Rojave," "Pudhu Vellai Malai" "Chaiya Chaiya" and "Nadaan Parinde".
sivamani has also acted in two Telugu films: "Padamati Sandhya Ragam" and "Sirivennela". He has also acted in the Hindi film "Madaari" (2016).
sivamani has performed in Dubai, Moscow, New York, Doha and Toronto. During the Mumbai Festival 2005, Coca-Cola India invited him to perform at the Limca Fresh Face 2005 event, where he created melody from Limca bottles. He has also worked on "Galli Galli Sim Sim", an educational series on Pogo and Cartoon Network. He also composed music for the ZEE5 original film "Atkan Chatkan" (2020) where he worked alongside AR Rahman.
Awards.
In 2009, Sivamani was conferred upon with the title of ‘Kalaimamani’ by the Tamil Nadu Government, which is the highest State Honour in the field of arts. In 2015, he was honoured with the ‘Best Instrumental Act’ at the prestigious Live Quotients Awards (LQA 2015).
In 2019, Sivamani was conferred upon with the title of "Padma Shri" by the Government of India.


Dreams (2006 film)

Dreams ( ("Ahlaam") ) is a 2006 Iraqi film directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji. It was Iraq's submission to the 79th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee.
About.
Mohamed Al-Daradji returned to Iraq shortly after the American invasion of Baghdad. There he found psychiatric patients wandering on the streets as the hospitals were being destroyed by the bombings. The experience served as the germ for what would be Mohamed's first feature film, Ahlaam, and the second Iraqi feature produced since the fall of Saddam Hussein. It was filmed on location in Baghdad in 2004. "I would like to bring the subject very close to the audience with an artistic point of view" he said.
During the time when Ahlaam was filmed was when the insurgency was most dangerous in Iraq. Al-Daradji and his crew took many risks while filming Ahlaam: Al-Daradji was captured twice and tortured by rival insurgents while his cast and crew came under fire from both militias and US troops. Al-Daradji commented "As Iraqi filmmakers, we must stay in our own country and make our films, even with all the dangers...We must show the Iraqi point of view. You don't know how important it is for us to tell our stories." Two years after Ahlaam's international premiere, it was shown in Mohammed's home country of Iraq at the Baghdad National Theatre. Despite 200 people being killed that day following a surge of attacks across Baghdad, 1,000 people made their way to the screening.
Synopsis.
The film begins with a shot of Baghdad in 2003, two days before the fall of Saddam's regime. It is nighttime, and the city is ablaze with fire and smoke. Two of the main characters call out the names of their loved ones from within the psychiatric ward of a Baghdad hospital, against a backdrop of explosions and gunfire. The film then cuts to five years prior in Baghdad, 1998. The three main characters, Mehdi Ali Al-Lam, Ali Hussein Araheif, and Ahlaam Mohamed Al-Saadi, are in the midst of every-day life. Ahlaam is attending University, Mehdi is getting ready to take his exam for medical school, and Ali is working as a soldier in the Iraqi military. As the movie progresses each character is faced with a turning point in their lives. For Ali, his turning point is Operation Desert Fox. He is stationed with his best friend Hasan when they are hit by the American and British bombing of Iraq in December, 1998. Hasan sustains fatal injuries, and Ali attempts to carry him to a hospital. Ali crosses a border while carrying his friend and is picked up by a van and sent to the army jail. In the army jail, he is charged as a deserter and sentenced to have his ear cut off and to incarceration in a mental asylum. For Ahlaam, the turning point is her wedding day. She is getting ready to marry her betrothed, Ahmed, when he is arrested by Saddam's men. The next time she appears in the movie, she is a patient in the same mental asylum as Ali, calling out Ahmed's name and being treated with shock therapy. For Mehdi, the turning point is when he discovers he will have to join the military rather than become a doctor as planned because his father was a communist, and thus Mehdi does not have the proper connections to achieve his goal and avoid military service. After explaining how the three main characters all arrive to the psychiatric institution, the movie cuts back to Baghdad in 2003, back to the opening scene. After serving in the military for one year, Mehdi became a doctor. In 2003, he happens to be the new doctor at the mental asylum holding Ali and Ahlaam. Presently, the mental asylum is hit by a bomb. Many of the patients, including Ahlaam, escape into Baghdad. Dr. Mehdi enlists the help of Ali to round up the patients and bring them back. The film follows Ali, Ahlaam, and Mehdi as they wander around an empty Baghdad. Ali works to recover lost patients and help bring them to safety, while Ahlaam wanders confused and lost; she is taken advantage of by a man who she thinks is Ahmed. Ali is fatally shot as he is trying to help return patients. Ahlaam runs away into an abandoned building; as Mehdi and her family try to enter to find bring her back to safety, they are blocked by American forces who don't understand the situation and answer with force. The final shot of the film shows her standing on top of the building, looking at Baghdad.


Chi Va Chi Sau Ka

Chi Va Chi Sau Ka () is a 2017 Indian Marathi-language romantic comedy-drama film produced by Zee Studios and directed by Paresh Mokashi. It stars Lalit Prabhakar and Mrinmayee Godbole. It includes Pushkar Lonarkar, Jyoti Subhash, Supriya Pathare, Pradeep Joshi, Sunil Abhyankar and Purnima Talwalkar in supporting roles. Film had its theatrical release on 19 May 2017 in India.
Film trailer is released on 30 April 2017. The film was remade in Gujarati as "Sharato Lagu".
Story.
The main characters are Savitri and Satyaprakash. Savitri is a vegan who works as a veterinarian at an animal shelter and Satyaprakash is an engineer who manufactures products related to solar energy. They are introduced to each other as prospective marriage partners by their parents, having met earlier at the wedding of common friends. The film charts their journey from their first formal meeting to their eventual marriage. This film differs from a traditional plot as it is frequently interrupted by a narrating character that breaks the fourth wall and outlines the recently passed events.
Synopsis.
The film is a satire on the institute of marriage in the current changing world of values. Protagonist of the film, Savitri an obsessive vegan girl who is Veterinary doctor and ardent animal lover wherein, Satyaprakash is Electrical engineer who implements solar energy projects and staunch environmentalist. Both of them are worlds apart. Their families want them to marry each other. Satyaprakash and Savitri learn that their friends who were madly in love with each other cannot succeed their marriage beyond one month. Hence Satyaprakash and Savitri take a decision which creates chaos in their families.
Release.
"Chi Va Chi Sau Ka" released on 19 May 2017 with English subtitles in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Soundtrack.
The songs for the film are composed by Narendra Bhide and lyrics by Paresh Mokashi.
Reception.
The film was released in 19 May 2017 all over Maharashtra and received good reception. The film received a huge response at the box office. It completed 100 days run in many centres of Maharashtra.
Critical reception.
Ganesh Matkari of Pune Mirror gave the film a rating of 2 out of 5 and said that, "this is not Paresh Mokashi’s best work till date." The critic concluded his review saying that, "the film is not without it’s moments. It is reasonably amusing for most part." Shalaka Nalawade of The Times of India gave the film a rating of 4 out of 5 and said that the film is not without any weak points but the reasons to watch it outnumber the loopholes in the story. Keyur Seta of "Cinestaan" gave the film a rating of 2 out of 5 saying that, "Paresh Mokashi's film, though loud in parts, does have its moments. Overall, Chi Va Chi Sau Ka is a decent family entertainer." Ulhas Shirke of "Marathi Movie World" gave the film a rating of 2 out of 5 saying that, "Performances from the artistes are just fine, but all of them are too loud and quarreling with each other most of the time, which has taken away the interest from the subject of ‘Chi Va Chi Sau Ka‘ film." Aditya Savnal of "Marathi Stars" gave the film a rating of 3 out of 5 saying that, "Despite its shortcomings, Chi Ka Va Sau Ka has several enjoyable and laugh out loud moments."
Remake.
The film was remade in 2018 Gujarati film "Sharato Lagu".


Arjun Chidambaram

Arjun Chidambaram is an Indian film actor, who has appeared in Tamil language films. He made his debut as an actor in "Moone Moonu Varthai" (2015). He made a breakthrough appearing in "Nerkonda Paarvai" (2019). He has since appeared in leading and supporting roles in films.
Career.
Arjun is a theatre artist who acts in plays. Arjun himself wrote plays such as First Day, First Show. Arjun worked with the Evam and Stray Factory. He got the opportunity as the protagonist of S. P. B. Charan's production, "Moone Moonu Varthai". In 2017, he signed onto "Rum" where he played a deaf and mute hacker.
Arjun got his break through role as Adhik in H. Vinoth's "Nerkonda Paarvai" alongside Ajith Kumar. He played the antagonist of the film who attempts to abuse a woman and takes revenge once she refused. Arjun took the role as it will set an example of how men should not be and the film opens up discussion about sexual violence and consent. Arjun has been officially cast in Mani Ratnam's "Ponniyin Selvan".


Pragathi Guruprasad

Pragathi Guruprasad is a Singaporean-born American playback singer who has worked in Tamil language films. Brought up in Fremont, California, she finished as a runner-up in the third season of the reality-based singing competition "Airtel Super Singer Junior" in 2012.
Personal life.
Pragathi Guruprasad was born to Guruprasad and Kanaka on 14 September 1997 in Singapore, and she has an elder sister, Saiprithvi. In Singapore, her father taught Carnatic lessons, and since at the age of five, Pragathi had also begun training in carnatic music. Her family subsequently relocated to Fremont, California where she continued learning Carnatic and Hindustani music from both her father at first and then from a teacher, Sangeetha Swaminathan, a disciple of Sudha Raghunathan.
Career.
In July 2014, she signed on to make her acting debut by portraying a supporting role in Bala's "Tharai Thappattai" (2016), but later opted out owing to her college commitments. In September 2016, Bala later announced that she would portray the lead role in his next project starring actor Yuvan. However the film was eventually shelved before production began.
In 2020, she made an appearance in a small role in the American comedy drama "Never Have I Ever".
Pragathi sang the popular Tamil Sangam poetry 'Yayum Ngayum' for the album by Composer Rajan Somasundaram, which in July 2020, was featured in Amazon's Top#10 International Music albums.


Adaikalam

Adaikalam () (English: Shelter) is a 2006 Indian Tamil family drama film directed by Bhuvanaraja and produced by N. Sri Narayanathas for Kaladas Creations. The movie features Prashanth, Uma, Thiagarajan and Saranya in the leading roles while Radharavi, Ravichandran and Nalini play other supporting roles. The film's score is composed by Sabesh-Murali and the venture had a low profile release on 29 December 2006 but won positive reviews from film critics.
Plot.
Anbu (Prashanth) is a doctor and also a lovable brother of Thamizh (Uma), who are the son and daughter of Kasthuri (Saranya). Somasundaram (Radharavi), is Anbu's uncle who takes care of Thamizh and her family. One day Anbu comes to know about Thamizh's love and arranges for the marriage. During wedding preparations unexpectedly, Kasthuri dies out of shock. Hence Somasundaram calls Anbu's father Sathyamurthy (Thiagarajan), who was separated from Kasthuri long years back. Anbu gets furious and argues with Somasundaram not to allow Sathyamurthy to conduct the funeral and rituals. Sathyamurthy gets snubbed by his children on many occasions repeatedly; unperturbed by their ill-treatments, he stays quietly with his family bearing this agony. As story moves on, Sathyamurthy feels sad and shares his story to Somasundaram. Somasundaram narrates the flashback to Anbu and Thamizh and make them know about their father's real story.
16 years back, Sathyamurthy and Kasthuri, with their two children, were living happily. When Kasthuri gets pregnant for the third time, Sathyamurthy requests her to abort the baby on doctors' advice. But Kasthuri was adamant to continue bearing the child, so she quarrels with her husband, leaves him abruptly, walks away with her children, and spends the rest of her life with her brother. After finishing the flashback, Somasundaram says that all their financial needs and wants were fulfilled indirectly by Sathyamurthy from their childhood and for their education also. At last Anbu and Thamizh realize the truth. Whether they both accept Sathyamurthy and unite or not is the climax.
Production.
Production for the film began in August 2004 with Prashanth and Uma signed on to play a brother and sister in the film. The film was revealed to be produced by Kaladass Creations, who had earlier produced Balu Mahendra's off-beat film "Veedu" (1988), while it would be directed by debutant Bhuvanaraja. Bhuvanaraja had earlier narrated two different scripts to Prashanth and by chance mentioned a partial storyline for a third, with the actor impressed with the final one. Unlike most other Tamil language films, "Adaikalam" did not feature a romantic sub-plot for the lead character and Prashanth appreciated that he had accepted to work on the film purely for its strong script and screenplay. He cast Prashanth's real life father, Thiagarajan, in a pivotal role while actress Nalini worked on the film free of charge after being impressed with the film's story. The shoot for the film continued throughout regions in Kanyakumari in October 2004.
The film was reported to be ready for release in April 2005. Once the film was completed, the release was delayed after the producer became caught up with business commitments abroad. The film was further delayed as they did not want to clash with other films with similar themes such as Cheran's "Thavamai Thavamirundhu" (2005) and Thirumurugan's "Emmtan-Magan" (2006). A press-meet was held in November 2006, where the makers revealed that all production hurdles had been passed and subsequently released a trailer for the film.
Release.
The film opened on 29 December 2006 to positive reviews from critics, with Malathi Rangarajan of The Hindu writing "'Adaikkalam' is for those who look for a reasonable amount of reality in cinema. Bhuvanaraja has waited long enough for the film to see the light of day. Now that it has, more such breaks ought to follow. The maker deserves it." Indiaglitz.com gave the film a positive review mentioning "director Bhuvanaraja can be appreciated for the fact that he has not taken recourse to the many short ways. He has stuck to the simple path and delivered a good cinema. It maybe slow in places, but it doesn't pull a fast one on you. That's where Adaikalam is different." Another reviewer also praised the film adding "the movie also has a glacial pace, especially in the first half, that threatens to — but fortunately doesn't — overcome all its good points."
Soundtrack.
The film score and the soundtrack were composed by film composers Sabesh-Murali. The soundtrack, released on 4 August 2006, features 5 tracks.


M. V. S. Haranatha Rao

M. V. S. Haranatha Rao (27 July 1948 – 9 October 2017) was a noted Telugu playwright, script writer and actor. He wrote dialogues for more than 150 films. His notable films include "Pratighatana", "Anna", and "Ammayi Kapuram", for which he received Nandi Awards.
M.V. S. Haranatha Rao entered the cine field through noted film maker T. Krishna. He worked as a story and dialogue writer for such award-winning films as "Swayamkrushi", and "Sutradharulu". He also played significant roles in "Rakshasudu" and "Swayamkrushi". Most of his dialogues are progressive in nature and for the betterment of the society.
Personal life.
M.V. S. Haranatha Rao studied in Guntur. He was interested in theater arts since his childhood. He started acting in stage dramas since his third standard. His father Rangacharyulu was a clerk and mother was a carnatic music professional.
He used to go to mythological dramas along with his father. When his mother got transferred to Ongole, Haranatha Rao also went there and joined Sarma College.
He was married to Koteswari who is a Govt school teacher in Ongole. Haranatha Rao used to travel from Ongole to Chennai/Hyderabad to have a good work life balance. Koteswari supported Haranatha Rao in every aspect of life. They have three children (two sons and a daughter).
Theater.
The first play he wrote was "Rakta Bali" (Blood sacrifice). He was a good friend of T. Krishna from his college days. They both used to work together on stage plays. After they witnessed dramas in Vijayawada as part of stage celebrations, he was inspired to do a thorough research and wrote a play called "Jagannatha Ratha Chakralu" (The wheels of chariot of Lord Jagannatha). This novel is about the philosophical existence of god. He got a critical response from people like Kodavatiganti, Gora, and Athreya. He also got invitation to enter into film world, but he did not go.
His play "Kanya Vara sulkam" has won the best drama award of the Andhra Pradesh Cultural Affairs Department. "Kshira Sagara Mathanam" (Churning of mythological ocean) got him Sahitya academy award. In addition to writing the plays, he also directed and composed music for some of the plays.
In 1980, when "Andhra Nataka Parishat", Rajamandri conducted competitions for stage plays and his four plays won 20 out of 25 awards.
Filmography.
He wrote dialogues for more than 150 films. He received four Nandi Awards for the films Pratighatana, Bharata Nari, Anna, Ammayi Kapuram, "Idaa Prapancham" for his story/dialogues. He also acted in more than 30 films.


V. Manikandan

V. Manikandan is a leading cinematographer hailing from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. He has worked as the cinematographer for a number of major box office hits in Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam. He is an ad film cinematographer with more than 3000 ad films to his credit. He won the Best Cinematographer award [filmfare award] for the movie "Anniyan". His debut movie was "Atharmam" (Tamil) in 1994. He has worked with directors Priyadarshan, Mani Ratnam and S. Shankar. In a function Mani Ratnam said "Yes - he is one of the good cinematographers in India". V. Manikandan was nominated for Asia Pacific Cine Awards(ASPA) for his work in Raavanan/Raavan in 2010 for Best Cinematography. He has won Apsara award for best cinematography for Raavan in 2011. He is the younger brother of Artist V. Jeevananthan, A National Awardee for his Book On Cinema 'Thiraicheelai' in the National film Awards 2010.


Lowriders (film)

Lowriders is a 2016 American drama film directed by Ricardo de Montreuil, written by Elgin James and Cheo Hodari Coker, and starring Demián Bichir, Gabriel Chavarria, Theo Rossi, Melissa Benoist, Tony Revolori and Eva Longoria. It was released on May 12, 2017. The film received mixed reviews from critics and has grossed $6 million.
Plot.
Danny is a talented but troubled graffiti artist. His mother is dead, and his father, Miguel, would rather have Danny working in the family auto shop, helping to make the coveted lowriders that are so important in their East L.A. Latino culture. Their relationship is further strained when Danny is arrested for tagging a bridge and must be bailed out.
Danny's older brother Francisco, nicknamed "Ghost", is released from a long prison stint. His relationship with his father is also strained, due to Miguel's past drinking problem, the way he treated their mother and the fact that he didn't go visit him while he was in prison. Danny enters into a relationship with a young photographer, Lorelei, that exposes him to a different avenue to share his graffiti skills. Ghost and Danny decide to enter their own car in the big Elysian Park lowrider competition, against their father's legendary "Green Poison."
When Miguel's car wins, Ghost sends his crew to destroy the car and in the ensuing confrontation Miguel gets shot. He survives and Danny visits his father at the hospital where he encounters his crying stepmother who informs him that his father needs to see him. Danny dedicates his time in fixing another lowrider which he names "Marisol", after his mother, and showing at the El Chele exclusive invitation only car show.
The trials and tribulations everyone faces leads Danny to decide his life's true direction, Miguel to come to terms with the consequences of all his life's actions and a family to unite within the confines of a lowrider culture that is unique, special and little understood.
Production.
Casting.
On May 21, 2015, Melissa Benoist joined the cast, replacing Lily Collins and Nicola Peltz. On June 1, 2015, Gabriel Chavarria joined the cast.
Filming.
Principal photography on the film began in Los Angeles on May 27, 2015. Filming was taking place in a cafe on June 4, 2015 in East Los Angeles.
Reception.
Box office.
The film was released in the United States on May 12, 2017, alongside with "Snatched" and "", and was expected to gross around $1 million from 295 theaters. It ended up debuting to $2.4 million, finishing 8th at the box office.
Critical response.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 57% based on 20 reviews, with an average rating of 5.8/10. On Metacritic, the film has a score 57 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". PostTrak reported that 82% of audience members gave the film a rating of either "excellent" or "very good".
Huffington Post contributor Dwight Brown wrote: "They’ve created a compelling story with deeply drawn characters and heart-felt drama, which is perfectly dispensed and measured throughout the film. Andrés Sánchez’s camera makes the colors of the retro, lowrider autos saturated and vibrant. Interior scenes in East LA jump off the screen because of Melanie Jones’ production design and Karuna Karmarkar’s set decoration. The art direction, by Hunter Brown and Eve McCarney, keeps the palette in the earth tones or bright primary colors that symbolize the culture and the locale. Mirren Gordon-Crozier takes great pains to make the clothes look real, like they belong to the characters and not the wardrobe department. Editors Billy Fox (Straight Outta Compton) and Kiran Pallegadda (American Heist) put their foot on the gas pedal and don’t let up until the final credits come after 98 judiciously chosen minutes of footage. Overall, the film’s consistent feel and tone is the product of director Ricardo de Montreuil, who uses his background in film TV, advertising and print to make each set visually appealing. Every scene is racked with emotion and every performance is as resolved as possible. Montreuil gives audiences an intimate look at a car culture and a Latino/American experience that had become the lifeblood of Southern California."


Baban (film)

Baban is a 2018 Indian Marathi-language comedy-drama film directed by bhaurao karhade
Plot.
In an endeavor to convert the traditional business into a big one, ambitious Baban strives hard to fulfill his dreams of prosperity. But the circumstances lead him elsewhere, which in-turn gives rise to a storm.
Production.
After the release, Karhade decided to change the end of the film from a strong negative response from audience members.
Reception.
"Baban" received criticism from critics, Ganesh Matkari of Pune Mirror called "The narrative keeps hitting and missing alternately throughout the duration of "Baban," finally concluding on an unsatisfactory note". according to lokmat "Baban does not satisfies the audience expectations"
The film collected in its opening weekend and in 10 days. The film collected around in its 50-day run.


Ellis R. Dungan

Ellis Roderick Dungan (May 11, 1909 – December 1, 2001) was an American film director, who was well known for working in Indian films, predominantly in Tamil cinema, from 1936 to 1950. He was an alumnus of the University of Southern California and moved to India in 1935. During his film career in South India, Dungan directed the debut films of several popular Tamil film actors, such as M. G. Ramachandran in "Sathi Leelavathi", T. S. Balaiya, Kali N.Ratnam and N. S. Krishnan.
Biography.
Early life.
An Irish-American, Dungan was born in Barton, Ohio, USA on May 11, 1909. He attended St. Clairsville High School in St. Clairsville, where he played quarterback on the school football team. He bought his first box camera to take pictures for the school yearbook, for which he was editor-in-chief. He later enrolled at the University of Southern California in 1932 in the newly established Cinema Department.
Career.
In 1935, he came to India with his college mate Michael Ormalev at the invitation of another USC student - Manik Lal Tandon of Bombay. Tandon's family was then planning to enter the film industry. When those plans did not take off, Tandon invited them to Calcutta where he was directing the Tamil film "Nandanar". There Tandon introduced them to A. N. Marudhachalam Chettiar, a film producer who was making the film "Sathi Leelavathi" and recommended Dungan be hired to direct the film as he himself was busy directing "Nandanar". Thus Dungan made his directing debut with "Sathi Leelavathi" which was also the first film of future-Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. G. Ramachandran. During 1936-50, Dungan made a number of Tamil films and one Hindi film - "Meera" (1947). Dungan had no knowledge of Indian languages, a problem which never affected his career as a director of films in Indian languages, especially Tamil. He introduced many new techniques to Indian cinema despite the technical limitations of that period. Many of his movies were based on the mythical characters of the Hindu religion and he had to shoot them in Hindu temples where non-Hindus were not allowed in those days. Dungan filmed his movies in the temples by passing himself off as a Kashmiri pundit. Dungan is credited with introducing modern make-up, the mobile camera and cabaret dance numbers to Tamil Cinema and moving it away from the influence of stage plays. For his introduction of intimate love scenes in "Ponmudi" (1950), Dungan was criticized by the press for introducing "vulgar" scenes and for "corrupting the population with American ways".
His last Tamil film was "Manthiri Kumari" in 1950. He returned to America and settled in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1958. There he started his company - "Ellis Dungan productions" and for the next thirty years made documentary movies for the Hollywood producer Duke Goldstone.
Death.
Dungan died in Wheeling on December 1, 2001 at the age of 92.
Legacy.
Dungan is credited with having revolutionized Indian cinema and introduced western innovations. In 2013, American film maker Karan Bali made a one-hour documentary on Dungan titled "An American in Madras" by consulting West Virginia State Archives and interviewing people who had known Dungan.


Dada Kondke

Krishna "Dada" Kondke (8 August 1932 – 14 March 1998) was an Indian actor and film producer. He was one of the most renowned personalities in Marathi film industry, famous for his double entendre dialogues in movies.
Kondke was born into a family owning a grocery shop and owners of chawls in Morbaug area of Mumbai which were let out. His family members were also foreman handling millworkers of Bombay Dyeing. Dada Kondke was entered in the "Guinness Book of World Records" for the highest number of films (nine) that achieved silver jubilee (running for 25 consecutive weeks). Kondke was called "Dada", an honorific Marathi term meaning "elder brother", which led to his popular name Dada Kondke. He was credited with introducing the genre of sex comedy to Marathi cinema and Indian cinema.
Early life.
Kondke was a born to and raised in a family of cotton-mill workers in a chawl in Naigaon, near Lalbaug, Mumbai. His family originally hailed from the village of Ingavali which was in the erstwhile Bhor State near Pune. Kondke and his migrant family retained close connections to their rural roots.
As a youngster, Kondke was a rough kid who later on took up job in a local grocery retail chain called "Apna Bazaar". He lost most of his immediate family to unfortunate events and the grieving process changed him profoundly. These events made him focus more on the lighter side of life and make people laugh. Kondke started his entertainment career with a band and then worked as a stage actor. While working for the drama companies, Kondke toured throughout Maharashtra which helped him understand the local population's taste in entertainment.
Career.
Stage career.
Kondke was involved in cultural activities of Seva Dal, a Congress party volunteers organization, where he started working in dramas. During this period came in contact with various Marathi stage personalities including writer, Vasant Sabnis. Later, Kondke started his own theatre company, and approached Sabnis to compose a drama script for him. Sabnis appreciated Dada's performance in "Khankhanpurcha Raja" (literal translation, bankrupt king), and agreed to write a modern Marathi language Tamasha or loknatya (folk play) ("Loknatya"). The drama was named "Vichha Majhi Puri Kara" (literal translation, fulfill my wish). The drama went on to play over 1500 shows all over Maharashtra and made Dada a star.
Film career.
"Vichha Majhi Puri Kara" brought Kondke into spotlight and in 1969, he debuted in Marathi movies through a role in Bhalji Pendharkar's movie "Tambdi Maati" which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi. He then turned producer with "Songadya" in 1971. "Songadya" was based on a story written by Vasant Sabnis, and was directed by Govind Kulkarni. He cast himself as Namya, the simpleton who falls for the glamour of Kalavati (played by Usha Chavan) who is a dancer. Some of the other people who played major characters in this movie were Nilu Phule, Ganpat Patil, Sampat Nikam and Ratnamala. Kondke retained his team from "Songadya" and delivered his next hit Eakta Jeev Sadashiv. Kondke's story-lines were always based on the simpleton engaged in lower level occupations. For example, Kondke portrayed himself as a "Dhobi" (Laundry Man) in "Aali Angavar", Poor Farmer in "Songadya", and a Police Constable in "Pandu Havaldar". Kondke is known for using the same team of actors, technicians and playback singers to repeat the formula for success that he believed he had got from his debut film. Many of his movies, produced under the "Kamakshi Pictures" banner, had Usha Chavan as the lead actress, Rajesh Mujumdar as screen play writer (from "Pandu Hawaldar" onward), Raam Laxman as music director, Jayawant Kulkarni and later Mahendra Kapoor as the male playback singer, Usha Mangeshkar as the female playback singer, and Bal Mohite as the chief assistant. Kondke often employed the veteran actor-dancer, Bhagwan Dada in dancing sequences in his films such as "Aali Angavar", "Hyoch Navra Pahije", "Bot Lavin Tithe Gudgulya", and "Ram Ram Gangaram".
Featured songs.
As a lyricist he wrote multiple songs on animals
Bhajans
Political career.
Balasaheb Thackeray helped Kondke with screenings of "Songadya", when Dev Anand’s film, Tere Mere Sapne, released by Navketan Production House happened to replace a popular, and successfully-running Marathi film at Kohinoor theatre — Dada Kondke’s Songadya. The move angered Marathi-speaking moviegoers, as many were eager to watch the film. The news of the replacement reached the Sena Bhavan, and after a meeting, party members and locals marched to the theatre to protest the move. Thackeray's justification for supporting Kondke was that he was a Marathi "manoos" (man). In return, Kondke, with Gajanan Shirke, helped found the "Chitrapat Shakha'.
Dada Kondake was impressed with Balasaheb Thackeray's charisma and had toured Maharashtra to set up the roots of Shiv Sena, political party lead by Thackeray. Kondke was very active Shiv sainik and was able to influence many areas of rural Maharashtra due to his popularity and way of making fiery speeches to impress the masses.
Personal life.
He was married to Nalini but they later got divorced. He did not remarry. On 14 March 1998, Kondke suffered a heart attack at his residence Rama Niwas in Dadar, Mumbai. He was rushed to Shushrusha Nursing Home, where he was declared dead on admission. At the time, Kondke was working on the film "Jaraa Dheer Dhara" with Usha Chavan.


Aada Vandha Deivam

Aada Vandha Deivam () is a 1960 Indian Tamil-language romantic dance film directed by P. Neelakantan and written by Era. Shanmugam. The film was an adaptation of the Tamil novel "Ghaleer Ghaleer", written by LRV. It stars T. R. Mahalingam, M. R. Radha, Anjali Devi and E. V. Saroja. The film was released on 1 April 1960 and emerged a commercial success.
Plot.
"Mittadar" Anandan is a wealthy landowner and fan of fine arts including music, dancing, painting and sculpting. While on a nature study in the hills, he is injured in an accident caused by an explosion. He seeks refuge in a hut owned by Bhairavi, a street-smart dancer who lives alone to assert her independence. Unaware of his identity, she tends to his injuries and they both fall in love. After he recovers, Anandan returns home where he meets his dancer cousin Kalyani, who becomes attached to him. Her father, Singaram Pillai, becomes bankrupt and is to be arrested for not being able to pay his debts. As a result, he seeks refuge in the house of his sister, who is Anandan's widowed mother. Meanwhile, another of Anandan's uncles, Malaiyappan, lusts for Anandan's estate and Kalyani. She escapes from Malaiyappan and meets Bhairavi. The two women become friends, but after realising that Bhairavi is in love with Anandan, Kalyani voluntarily sacrifices her love. She agrees to marry Malaiyappan, but at the wedding ceremony consumes poison and collapses during her final dance performance.
Cast.
Adapted from the song book and "The Hindu":
Production.
"Aada Vandha Deivam" is an adaption of "Ghaleer Ghaleer", a Tamil novel written by LRV. Majestic Studios produced the film adaptation with the backing of Muthukaruppa Reddiar, who owned the studio. Indrani Film presented the film. While the screenplay was written by Era. Shanmugam, the dialogues were written by Viruthai Ramaswami, Murasoli K. Sornam and Guruswami.
Soundtrack.
The music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan. The lyrics were by A. Maruthakasi. Many of the songs became popular, one of which was "Sottu Sottunu Sottuthu Paru".
Release and reception.
"Aada Vandha Deivam" was released on 1 April 1960, and distributed by Sri Rama Films. The film emerged a commercial success.


B. Saroja Devi

Bhairappa Saroja Devi
popularly known as B. Saroja Devi (born 7 January 1938), is an Indian actress who has acted in Kannada,Tamil, Telugu and Hindi movies. She acted in around 200 films in over six decades. She is known by the epithets ""Abhinaya Saraswathi" (Saraswathi of acting) in Kannada and "Kannadathu Paingili"" (Kannada's Parrot) in Tamil.
At the age of 17, Saroja Devi got her big break with her movie, the Kannada film "Mahakavi Kalidasa" (1955). In Telugu cinema, she made her debut with "Panduranga Mahatyam" (1959), and starred in a number of successful films until the late 1970s. The Tamil film "Nadodi Mannan" (1958) made her one of the top actresses in Tamil cinema. After her marriage in 1967, she continued to be the second in demand actress in Tamil films till 1974, but she continued to be one of the top actresses in Telugu and Kannada cinema from 1958 until the 1980s. She also starred in Hindi films until the mid-1960s, starting with "Paigham" (1959).
She played the lead heroine in 161 consecutive films in 29 years between 1955 and 1984. Saroja Devi received the Padma Sri, the fourth-highest civilian honour, in 1969 and Padma Bhushan, third highest civilian award, in 1992 from the Government of India, honorary doctorate from Bangalore University and Kalaimamani award from Tamil Nadu.
Early life.
Saroja Devi was born in Bangalore, Kingdom of Mysore (now Bengaluru, Karnataka) on 7 January 1938. Her father Bhairappa worked for the police department, and her mother Rudramma was a homemaker. She was their fourth daughter. Bhairappa asked her to learn dancing, and encouraged her to take up acting as a career. A young Saroja Devi was accompanied often by her father to studios and he would patiently tie on her salangais and massage her swollen feet after her dancing stints. Her mother gave her a strict dress code: no swimsuits and no sleeveless blouses, which she followed for the rest of her career. She was first spotted by B.R. Krishnamurthy when she was singing at a function at the age of 13, but she declined the film offer.
Career.
Rise to stardom.
Saroja Devi's debut movie and also her first major success was Honnappa Bhagavatar's Kannada film "Mahakavi Kalidasa" (1955), in which she played a supporting role. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada. Next, she acted in B. R. Panthulu's Tamil film "Thangamalai Ragasiyam" (1957), in which she performed a dance sequence.
Subsequently, she was noted by M. G. Ramachandran (MGR), who cast her as the female lead in "Nadodi Mannan" (1958), the movie that made her one of the most popular actresses in Tamil Nadu. She was then signed up for the Hindi film "Paigham" (1959), in which her co-stars included Dilip Kumar. She went on to work in other leading Hindi actors, including Rajendra Kumar in "Sasural" (1961), Sunil Dutt in "Beti Bete" (1964) and Shammi Kapoor in "Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya" (1963). She also shot a few scenes with Raj Kapoor for "Nazrana" (1961), but was replaced by Vyjayanthimala after a conflict with the director C. V. Sridhar.
Following the success of "Nadodi Mannan", she was also cast opposite the leading Tamil actors of that time: with Gemini Ganesan in "Kalyana Parisu" (1959), with Sivaji Ganesan in "Bhaaga Pirivinai" (1959) and again with MGR in "Thirudadhe" (1961). Her involvement in Tamil films also continued with superhits like "Palum Pazhamum" (1961), "Vazhkai Vazhvatharke" (1964), "Aalayamani" (1962), "Periya Idathu Penn" (1963), "Puthiya Paravai" (1964), "Panakkara Kudumbam" (1964), "Enga Veetu Pillai" (1965) and "Anbe Vaa" (1966). She came to be known as a "lucky mascot" for MGR films and acted with him in 26 films.
Her early successes in Kannada cinema included "Chintamani" (1957), "School Master" (1958) and "Jagajyothi Basveshwara" (1959). Her role as a patriotic anti-British queen in the Kannada "Kittooru Rani Chennamma" (1961) was widely acclaimed. In 1964, she and Kalyan Kumar acted in the first full-fledged Kannada colour movie "Amarashilpi Jakanachaari".
Saroja Devi also achieved success in Telugu films, starring opposite N. T. Rama Rao in "Seetarama Kalyanam" (1961), "Jagadeka Veeruni Katha" (1961) and "Daagudu Moothalu" (1964). "Amara Shilpi Jakkanna" (1964, remake of Kannada film) and "Rahasyam", her film "Pelli Kaanuka" (1960) with Akkineni Nageswara Rao, were also successful. The first Telugu film featured dubbing; wherein, Krishna Kumari dubbed her voice in "Panduranga Mahatyam" (1957). But in the subsequent years, Saroja Devi learnt Telugu language. Her Hindi films included "Sasural" (1960), "Opera House" (1961), "Pareeksha", "Hong Kong" (1962) and "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya" (1963), which became successful. In 1962 she was crowned "Chaturbhaasha Taare", because of her popularity in these four languages.
The pair of MGR-Saroja Devi gave 26 back-to-back hit films together, which included 1: "Nadodi Mannan" (1958), 2: "Thirudathe" (1961), 3: "Thaai Sollai Thattadhe" (1961), 4: "Paasam" (1962), 5: "Kudumba Thalaivan" (1962), 6: "Maadappura" (1962), 7: "Thayai Katha Thanayan" (1963), 8: "Dharmam Thalai Kaakkum" (1963), 9: "Needhikkuppin Paasam" (1963), 10: "Dheiva Thaai" (1964), 11: "Padagotti" (1964), 12: "Aasai Mugam" (1965), 13: "Nadodi" (1966), 14: "Thali Bhagyam" (1966), 15: "Naan Aanaiyittal" (1966), 16: "Petralthan Pillaiya" (1966) and 17: "Arasa Kattalai" (1967). Her best performances opposite MGR were the "rich girl" roles: 18: "Panathottam" (1963), 19: "Periya Idathu Penn" (1963), 20: "Panakkara Kudumbam" (1964), 21: "En Kadamai" (1964), 22: "Thaayin Madiyil" (1964), 23: "Enga Veettu Pillai" (1965), 24: "Kalangarai Vilakkam" (1965), 25: "Anbe Vaa" (1966) and 26: "Parakkum Paavai" (1966). The women adored her dressing sense and her saris and blouses, ornaments, hairstyles were copied by girls and women.
In the 1960s, Saroja Devi became a fashion icon among the South Indian women, who mimicked her saris, blouses, jewellery, hairstyles and mannerisms. In particular, her saris and jewellery from the Tamil movies "Enga Veettu Pillai" (1965) and "Anbe Vaa" (1966) were popularized widely in magazines.
The pairing of Sivaji Ganesan and Saroja Devi gave 22 back-to-back hit movies: 1: "Thangamalai Ragasiyam" (1957), 2: "Sabaash Meena" (1958), 3: "Engal Kudumbam Perisu" (1958), 4: "Bhaaga Pirivinai" (1959), 5: "School Master (Hindi)" (1959), 6: "Irumbu Thirai" (1960), 7: "Vidivelli" (1960), 8: "Palum Pazhamum" (1961), 9: "Paarthaal Pasi Theerum" (1962), 10: "Valar Pirai" (1962), 11: "Aalayamani" (1962), 12: "Kulamagal Radhai" (1963), 13: "Iruvar Ullam" (1963), 14: "Kalyaniyin Kanavan" (1963) and 15: "Puthiya Paravai" (1964)
Post-marriage career.
After 1968, Saroja Devi's career in Tamil cinema gradually declined, and she became more active in Kannada movies. With her marriage in 1967 and the rise of younger heroines like K. R. Vijaya and Jayalalithaa producers stopped pairing her opposite MGR. Her last film with MGR was "Arasa Kattalai" (1967), which also starred Jayalalithaa. She continued starring in Tamil movies opposite Sivaji Ganesan after her marriage: 16: "En Thambi" (1968), 17: Anbalippu (1969), 18: Anjal Petti 520 (1969), 19: Arunodhayam (1971), 20: Thenum Paalum (1971), 21: Paarambariyam (1993) and 22: "Once More" (1997).
She worked with Gemini Ganesan in "Pen Endral Pen" (1967), "Panama Pasama" (1968), "Thamarai Nenjam" (1968), "Ainthu Latcham" (1969), "Thanga Malar" (1969), "Kula Vilakku" (1969), "Malathi" (1970) and "Kann Malar" (1970).
With Ravichandran she acted in the successful films "Odum Nadhi" (1969), "Snegithi" (1970), "Malathi" (1970), and "Pathu Matha Bandham" (1974).
With R. Muthuraman, she starred in "Arunodhayam" (1971), "Uyir" (1971) and "Pathu Matha Bandham" (1974), which was her last Tamil film as a lead actor until 1985.
She continued to be among the highest-paid actresses in Kannada and Telugu films. She was cast opposite the leading actor Dr. Rajkumar in several Kannada films, including "Mallammana Pavada" (1969), "Nyayave Devaru" (1971), "Sri Srinivasa Kalyana" (1974), "Babruvahana" (1977) and "Bhagyavantharu" (1977). Her other successful films from this period include "Thande Makkalu" (1971), "Papa Punya" (1971), "Gunavanthudu" (1975), "Katha Sangama" (1976), "Sri Renukadevi Mahathme" (1977), with Chiranjeevi, then with Vishnuvardhan in "Shani Prabhava" (1977) and "Rudranaga" (1984).
In Telugu cinema, she was cast opposite N. T. Rama Rao in films like "Bhagyachakram" (1968), "Uma Chandi Gowri Sankarula Katha" (1968), "Vijayam Manade" (1970), "Mayani Mamatha" (1970), Shakuntala and "Daana Veera Soora Karna" (1979).
In her long career she chiefly opted for romantic films only in the 1960s and later sentimental and socially relevant films right from the late 1960s to the 1980s. "Sri Renukadevi Mahathme", a Kannada film released in 1977 was Saroja Devi's 150th film in her career and by 1984, she had completed 161 films as the main lead heroine, without ever playing supporting roles. Yarivanu, in Kannada, was the 161st film, in which she played the main lead heroine.
After husband's death.
Saroja Devi signed up for the film "Ladies Hostel" in 1985, but stopped shooting after her husband fell ill. He subsequently died in 1986, and she resumed shooting only in 1987. The film was successful, but Saroja Devi refused to sign up for any more films. She completed the 8 films that she had accepted before 1986, and these films were released during 1987–1990. These included "Thaimel Aanai" (1988) and "Dharma Devan" (1989).
She returned to acting on insistence by film producers and her fans. She starred opposite Sivaji Ganesan in "Parambariyam" (1993), and then performed a few roles as a supporting actress. In Kannada films, her notable supporting performances included her roles in "Anuraga Sangama" (1995) and "Agni IPS" (1997). She and Sivaji Ganesan acted in the Tamil film "Once More" (1997), which also includes scenes from their 1963 film "Iruvar Ullam". Her latest film in Tamil was the film "Aadhavan" (2009), in which she played a judge's mother.
Twice in 1998 and 2005, Saroja Devi chaired 45th National Film Awards and 53rd National Film Awards jury. She served as the vice-president of Kannada Chalanchitra Sangha, and as a member of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams's local advisory committee. She runs a successful business. She also served as the Chairperson of the Karnataka Film Development Corporation, which had been set up as a private limited company by her and a few other film personalities in 1972.
Saroja Devi is now settled in Bangalore, where she is involved in social work. She has organized many donation camps in the name of her husband and her mother. She is also involved with charitable trusts, rehabilitation centers and health programs.
Her most recent work is "Natasaarvabhowma", which released in 2019.
Personal life.
Saroja Devi had an arranged marriage with Sri Harsha, a Bharat Electronics engineer, on 1 March 1967. At that time, she was facing a financial crisis and income tax troubles. Her husband helped her overcome these problems, and taught her how to manage her finances.
When she was asked in an interview as to how she did not discontinue acting due to her mother's insistence after 1967, she quoted: "Dilip Kumar once said he has asked Saira Banu to not to stop acting profession. The same thing was mentioned by Rajesh Khanna to my husband Sri Harsha not to stop me from acting.". Her husband hence encouraged her to continue acting from 1970, and their marriage lasted till his death in 1986.
Saroja Devi's children included her daughter Bhuvaneshwari and two grandchildren Indira and Gautam. Bhuvaneshwari was her niece, and had been adopted by her. Bhuvaneshwari died young, and Saroja Devi sponsors the "Bhuvaneshwari Award" for literature in her memory.
Awards and honors.
National awards
State awards
Other awards
B. Saroja Devi National Award.
In 2010, "Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan" instituted Padma Bhushan B. Saroja Devi National Award, a lifetime achievement award to honour artists in the field of performing arts, annually. The recipients of the award including K. J. Yesudas, Vyjayantimala, Anjali Devi, Ambareesh, Jayanthi and others.


Adhagappattathu Magajanangalay

Adhagappattathu Magajanangalay is a 2017 Indian Tamil comedy thriller film written and directed by Inbasekhar. The film features newcomers Umapathy Ramaiah and Reshma Rathore in the lead roles, while Karunakaran and Pandiarajan play supporting roles. Featuring music composed by D. Imman, the film began production in early 2015.
Production.
In late 2014, Thambi Ramaiah announced plans to introduce his son Umapathy Ramaiah as a leading actor, and helped find his son a chance to act in the film, "Adhagappattathu Magajanangalay", directed by Inbasekhar and produced by Rameshkumar. Reshma Rathore, who had appeared in Malayalam films, signed on to play the lead female role and scenes were subsequently shot in and around Chennai during the middle of 2015. D. Imman was signed on to compose the film's music, while an ensemble cast of Karunakaran, Pandiarajan and Aadukalam Naren were added to play supporting roles. By August 2015, the film was revealed to be close to completion and awaiting a release date.
Soundtrack.
D. Imman has scored the original score and soundtrack for the film. Sony Music has acquired the audio rights. There are seven tracks in the album including two instrumentals. The film's soundtrack and trailer launched on 7 October.


Kandula Mallikarjuna Rao

Kandula Mallikharjuna Rao, better known as Mallik (1921–1996) was popular music composer and singer. He was born to K. Venkatachalam and Lakshmi Narasamma. He was born in Machilipatnam, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh. He received initial training in music from late Krovi Satyanarayana. He worked as a music composer and singer at All India Radio, Madras for 30 years. He later transferred to All India Radio, Vijayawada. While working at Akashvani, he composed for many songs, dance dramas, Bhakthi Ranjani songs and folk songs. He was the first composer of many reputed Tallapaka Annamacharya Keerthanas. Examples of such include "Adigo Alladigo", "Thandhanana Aahi", and "Narayanathae Namo Namo". He also composed the famous Raja Rajeshwari Astakam, Hanuman Manjari. Dr.Vempati Chinna Satyam's Kuchipudi Dance Drama "Chandalika" for which music was composed by Mallik became a hit all over the world for its superb musical score.
In addition to being a composer, he was also a playback singer for Telugu movies, including the films "Sampoorna Ramayanam", "Charana Daasi", "Bhagya Rekha" (1957), and "Bangaru Papa".
He was awarded Nada Kaumudi by ex-Prime Minister P. V. Narsimha Rao and ex-Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao for his excellence.
He accompanied as a singer for many dance ballays for Sri Vempati Chinna Satyam, Smt. Shobha Naidu, and Smt. Raja Sulochana. He also performed many individual programs.
He participated in T.T.D. Brahmotsavams for 50 years.