A sleeper hit
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Rambha enjoys success at the box office while Vinod Raj returns after a break
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The year has sped by and the hit-flop ratio is lop-sided. You can count the number of hits on one hand while you'll need the limbs of a crowd to decide the disasters. The one genuine hit is Sudeep's directorial debut, My Autograph. The moderate successes are Chellata, Jothe Jotheyali and hold your breath, the recently released Rambha. Only one film boasts of a marquee name. Local filmmakers need to take giant steps where form and content is concerned. You can't blame theatre owners, nor can you blame audiences for seeking the cool confines of multiplexes. Rambha has completed a successful run of five weeks at the much sought after Aparna theatre. "Don't ask me why but the film has done well. We're removing the film this Friday only because of a prior commitment," says the manager. The film is shoddily shot, and technically tardier than a TV serial. Butchered by the censors, the sleazy film reminds us of the wave of vulgar Malayalam films that inundated us sometime ago. The film follows the female protagonist who stalks, seduces and blackmails the married hero. Actually the girl who plays the title role is not bad but thanks to this role she's branded for life. You can only hope this does not start a slew of such films.
Back with a bang
Vinod Raj is a mysterious character. He dodged the limelight even though his first film, Dance Raja Dance was a massive hit. Fans fell for his agility in the dance and fight sequences. Rumours abound about his antecedents and the circumstances leading to his hibernation. He resurfaced at Dr. Raj's funeral sporting a bald pate and singing praises of the departed actor. Anyway Vinod who says he was enjoying nature at his farm is back on the screen a good ten years later with Kannadadha Kanda. His mother Leelavathi is producing the film, which has Vinod as the dancing and bashing up the baddies hero. Let's hope he's lucky this time round.
Lofty plans
Hamsalekha is enjoying a morning stroll with his favourite director Ratnaja when you call him. They're savouring the salubrious Mysore weather while discussing their next project together. The music director's passion for culture and Kannada is well known. "I've earned enough to feed my family. I want to set up a forum that'll teach youngsters about our arts, crafts, music, filmmaking and also inculcate values," says the music director a little breathlessly. "Children should learn all this after PUC and not after graduation when they should be performing." Hamsalekha with likeminded friends are producing a film about the life of a villager to bedirected by Ratnaja.
One thing you can be assured of is clean entertainment with some lilting music.
S. SHIVA KUMAR
sshivu@yahoo.com
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