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Rajinikanth in Kochadaiyaan

Having returned from Chennai after a whirlwind visit for the audio release of none other than South superhero Rajinikanth’s forthcoming film Kochadaiiyaan, one can’t help but wonder at the hysteria that surrounds stars down south and yes, Rajini in particular. The mood at Sathyam cinema where the event was to take place was electric to say the least, what with eager fans waiting for a glimpse and a few words from their matinee idol. In what is often described as his charismatic style, Rajini sir — as he is popularly referred to besides titles such as Thalaiva— summed it rather succinctly for his fans, expressing his delight at working in a film directed by none other than daughter Saundarya.
If during his last outing Enthiran – The Robot, he displayed his tongue-in-cheek humour recounting an incident when a senior gentleman was shocked to know that it was he, who was cast opposite the beauteous Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the film with the ease of seasoned raconteur, this time around he displayed disarming candour.
Expressing his delight at being able to be a part of the first ever motion capture film in India, he said that the new technology allowed him to do scenes which his health did not permit when they were planning the film, Rana — he had taken ill at the time. Well, for all the Rajini fans, Kochadaiiyaan, seems packed with impossible feats, action and drama should compensate for the long gap since his last outing in 2010. The mega-budget film is being presented on multiple platforms and in multiple languages. Given that his last film Enthiran – The Robot had broken all records, it would be interesting to watch the benchmark that Kochadaiiyaan might set. Watch this space for more.

Fit for a Queen

Back in Bollywood, Kangana Ranaut, our cover girl this week, is enjoying some well deserved appreciation from critics, the auds and the film fraternity. Queen, her recent outing about a small-town girl named Rani, who is jilted at the altar by her fiance has earned her rave reviews. Even Aamir Khan has expressed great admiration for her performance in the film, urging everyone to watch it.
Well, coming from the Mr Perfectionist, that’s certainly high praise. Ranaut, who started out with a great deal of promise-given her unconventional good looks and a stunning screen presence in Anurag Basu’s film, Gangster has finally arrived. She’s no stranger to praise what with films like Fashion, Tanu Weds Manu and Krrish 3, but with Queen, she has broken away from the neurotic, brooding self-destructive characters that one had grown accustomed to seeing her in. This one is light-hearted and sincere and comes like a breath of fresh air. In the ever changing showbiz rankings, it is commendable that Kangana, after a couple of forgettable performances has worked her way to the top echelon which so far, had remained out of bounds for her. Evidently, that’s no longer the case.
For the small-town girl who hails from Himachal Pradesh, winning unanimous accolades for her impeccable portrayal of a small town girl, life has sure come a full circle.