Showing posts with label Sukumar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sukumar. Show all posts
Shah Rukh Khan to play anti-hero in Pushpa fame Sukumar's rural political action drama?
9:55 AM
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan may be in talks with south director Sukumar for a rural political action drama, but is reportedly unavailable till 2027
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 17, 2025)
Shah Rukh Khan may add another name to the list of south Indian filmmakers with whom he has found favour. After successful collaborations with Mani Ratnam and Atlee, the badshah of Bollywood is said to be in discussion with Sukumar, the man behind the successful Pushpa franchise.
Rumours had previously suggested that the duo would join hands for a dark, intense, psychological thriller, but fresh buzz hints at something entirely different.
“King Khan will play an anti-hero, but this will be a rural political action drama that promises to show him in a raw, rustic, and desi avatar that blends his mass appeal with his global superstar image. It will also explore social issues like caste and class oppression,” a source tells mid-day.
However, eager fans may need to brace for a long lull before the film materializes, as both Khan and Sukumar are occupied with a slate of projects.
“While Sukumar has RC 17 with Ram Charan, Pushpa 3: The Rampage, and another romantic drama with Ram in the pipeline, SRK has King, and Pathaan 2 in his kitty. SRK has reportedly told filmmakers eager to work with him that they’ll have to wait for two years before he can consider their projects. King kicks off in May in a start-to-finish schedule.”
Atlee’s not letting go
Even though rumours suggest that Allu Arjun will replace Salman Khan in Jawan (2023) director Atlee’s next, the filmmaker, we hear, isn’t willing to miss an opportunity to join hands with Bollywood’s bhai. Atlee will reportedly approach Khan to play the parallel lead with Arjun in the mass action entertainer. Interestingly, Salman will be seen as the hero, and Arjun, as the anti-hero.
I had never seen this kind of praise for a dubbed film or the person who dubbed it-Shreyas Talpade
8:40 AM
Actor Shreyas Talpade reflects on the success of Pushpa franchise and the response to his Hindi dubbing of its titular character
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 16, 2024)
Actor Shreyas Talpade, who voiced Allu Arjun’s titular character in Hindi in both Pushpa: The Rise and the recently released sequel, Pushpa 2: The Rule, has received high praise for his dubbing.
Ask him how he feels about it, and he muses, “Many films are dubbed. And there are many artistes who do it on a daily basis. I haven’t been able to figure out how Pushpa is any different. But in my entire career, I had never seen this kind of praise for a dubbed film or the person who dubbed it.”
When asked what it was like for Talpade to lend his voice to actor Arjun’s character, Pushpa Raj, he reveals, “I have never met or interacted with Sukumar ji (director) or Allu ji. Someone from their team is there when I dub.”
Dwelling on his experience, he says, “I suggest sometimes ‘Yeh achha lagega’. But, at times, they want me to stick to what the director wants.”
The 48-year-old shares that his mother is a big fan of Arjun: “She watches almost all his films. A woman of a few words, she just said, ‘I liked it, and what you did,’ when she watched Pushpa Part 1. My wife, however, liked the second part more than the first one. She exclaimed loudly when she saw the teaser: ‘What have you done? It sounds so good!’”
Now that the third instalment in the franchise, Pushpa 3: The Rampage, has been announced, does the actor have any update? “Nothing has been told to me yet. Whenever they do, I will be there,” he ends.
Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna film new Pushpa 2 song 8 days before release
8:33 AM
With eight days to go for Pushpa 2’s release, Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna wrapped up the film yesterday; makers race against time to meet the deadline
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; November 27, 2024)
The countdown has begun as Pushpa 2 - The Rule is only eight days away from release. Usually in the last fortnight, the actors are busy city-hopping and promoting their upcoming film. But things are a little different with Allu Arjun’s mega release. Until yesterday, the superstar was busy shooting the action drama. mid-day has learnt that Arjun and leading lady Rashmika Mandanna filmed a romantic song in Hyderabad between November 23 and 26, following which director Sukumar called it a wrap on the movie.
That’s cutting it quite close. Sukumar’s ambitious sequel had begun with a test shoot in October 2022 and was originally slated to be an Independence Day 2024 offering. However, the makers later pushed its release to December 5. Now, it turns out days after launching Pushpa 2’s trailer in Patna on November 17, the leads rushed back to the set.
A source reveals, “After promoting their song Kissik in Chennai, Rashmika and Allu flew off to Hyderabad on November 21 to shoot the last romantic song. It has been composed by Devi Sri Prasad, and choreographed by Sekhar Vulli VJ and Ganesh Acharya. Filming began on November 23 with Allu sporting his flamboyant look and Rashmika dressed in a saree. After three days of shoot, the project was finally wrapped up on November 26.”
What made the makers keep the song for the last minute? The leading man’s busy date diary, we’re told. The insider explains, “The film’s principal photography was completed in late August. As per initial plans, this number was to be shot in early September. But Allu Arjun had to trim his beard and report to another movie’s shoot. As a result, the song kept getting pushed. Finally, this month, he grew his beard in keeping with his look in Pushpa 2 and faced the camera.”
There has been talk that Pushpa 2—also starring Fahadh Faasil—may not be able to meet its December 5 release considering the post-production is still on. But the source insists that the team is racing towards the goalpost. “Sukumar was working on the post-production simultaneously,” adds the source.
Pushpa 2 designer Sheetal Sharma decodes Allu Arjun’s look: "We created shirt with a bloodstained handprint"
9:20 AM
Pushpa 2 designer decodes Arjun’s look; says flamboyant clothes reflect character’s rise as international smuggler, jungle prints are a nod to his past
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; August 2, 2024)
Fiery, ruthless, ambitious— Allu Arjun’s character Pushpa Raj is anything but understated. His outfits in Pushpa: The Rise (2021) depicted that. Now, as the team is shooting the last leg of Pushpa 2: The Rule in Hyderabad, costume designer Sheetal Sharma says that he has created a distinct look for Arjun. Director Sukumar’s brief for the leading man’s avatar was simple: since the character has gone from a local sandalwood smuggler to an international force, his appearance should reflect the transition.
“I didn’t design costumes for Pushpa: The Rise. In the sequel, while his look remains rustic, Pushpa has become richer and more powerful as his smuggling has gone beyond India to Indonesia and Japan. So, his look now is more flamboyant, colourful and over-the-top. His wardrobe has become more expensive, but in a showy manner,” explains the designer.
While the sequel went on floors in October 2022, the costume department began its work in August that year. Right at the beginning, Sukumar made it known that the costumes had to reflect tidbits of the character’s journey in the first instalment.
“In Pushpa, we showed him patting his back with bloodied hands. From that, we got the idea to make a shirt [with a bloodstained handprint] for Pushpa 2. His shades have the axe motif, while his belt has a buckle with a rotating axe. His boots are made of fake snakeskin, as Allu Arjun is conscious about not using leather or animal-based products. His shirts have prints of wild animals and jungles to reflect that the protagonist comes from the forest.”
From the film’s first poster that was released in 2023, it was obvious that the makers didn’t believe in half-measures. It had Arjun sporting a look that borrowed heavily from avatars of Lord Shiva and Goddess Kali.
Sharma decodes it, stating, “From the colours [used] to his accessories, it was a look inspired by Kali-meets-Shiva. There is a Goddess called Gangamma, who is believed to have emerged from Shiva’s tandav. We drew inspiration from that.”
Also starring Fahadh Faasil and Rashmika Mandanna, the sequel is slated to release in December 2024. But before that, don’t be surprised if the makers roll out a special merchandise line. “Sukumar was clear that everything should be custom-made. The makers are planning to come up with a Pushpa clothing line, but it’s still in the discussion stage.”
I’ve never been to any Bollywood Diwali party; I’m curious to see how they celebrate it-Rashmika Mandanna
8:45 AM
Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; October 22, 2022)
Diwali 2022 is quite special for Rashmika Mandanna, who made her Bollywood debut this year. Taking a break for the festival, the actress will be flying back to her home in Hyderabad to spend time with her family. As she revisits the traditions, she is also left mesmerised by the way Bollywood folks ring in the festivities by hosting big fat Diwali bashes. Soon to begin shooting for Pushpa 2: The Rule, a franchise that made her immensely popular, Rashmika also opens up about teaming up with co-star Allu Arjun and getting back on the set.
Currently, you are working across film industries on a lineup of back-to-back projects. Amidst your hectic schedule, have you managed to take a break for Diwali?
What are the celebrations like this year? I have taken a day off on the 24th, and I will be going home to Hyderabad to celebrate Diwali. I am shooting for a song currently, and once I am done, I will be free to binge on Diwali sweets. Having lived in Karnataka and then making Hyderabad home, I can see the differences in the culture and traditions. But overall, the way the festival is celebrated, its vibe is the same all over. I am very excited as we do a puja at home, the entire family is together, and we all chat throughout the day. It all begins with Dhanteras. I have this habit which I have been following since way before I stepped into the industry. I buy some silver or gold during the New Year, or before I start a new project. I like doing this during auspicious and festive days too.
Mumbai, too, has become home to you now. What do you think of the Diwali celebrations here, especially B-Town’s big bashes and their celebrity hosts?
It is quite interesting how Diwali parties are hosted in Mumbai. In the South, the parties happen within the immediate family members. But it is so lovely to see how the film industry in Mumbai accommodates everyone and celebrates with one another, which is amazing. I have never been to any of these parties in Mumbai, and I am curious to see how they celebrate it (smiles).
This has been a special year for you, it’s like you have struck gold. You have received so much love from the Hindi-speaking audience, too, and suddenly, you are a name that’s known across industries.
See, my dad always said that my sister and I are the Laxmi of the house (smiles). It makes me happy to see the kind of love that has been showered upon me and that today I am a part of people’s lives through multiple mediums. I feel like a part of their family, and it feels good to make each one of them happy and bring a smile to their faces. It is all thanks to my directors, co-actors and the films that I chose. My endeavour has always been to pick the best of films that will help me connect with people and touch their hearts.
When you made a foray into the Hindi film industry, you were already a prominent name down south and enjoyed much fame and success. Was it tough to set sail in a new industry that functions differently on various levels?
I started off as an actor in the Kannada film industry. My films got a lot of love from the audience, and soon, I had the Telugu-speaking people asking me to do some work in their film industry. So, I did that, and then, I was approached by filmmakers from the Tamil film industry. Likewise, people began saying that I should try my hand at Bollywood, so that’s how it all happened. See, the name and fame that you are talking about did not happen overnight. It took me good five-six years of gruelling hard work to reach where I am today. I have just started off in Bollywood, and so, it is going to take many films to actually get there. But the insane amount of love that’s (already) pouring in makes me feel special. I am just glad about the kind of films that are coming my way. I want to do massy, masala films here. I want to be a part of biopics and period dramas, too, and basically all sorts of cinema that will win me a tremendous amount of experience.
You will soon begin shooting for Pushpa 2 - The Rule, a film franchise that catapulted your popularity to a different level. Does that put some pressure on you to match up to the benchmark set by Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01?
I think it is the opposite. I am super excited because we know the world of Pushpa now. When we began shooting for the first film, we didn’t know much about that world. We have watched Pushpa: The Rule we have established Pushpa Raj and Srivalli. So, going forward, I have far more clarity about the world we are stepping into. During the first part, I was very nervous, but with the second part, I am genuinely excited. People have loved Srivalli and Pushpa Raj already; now they just need to go back and enjoy watching them in their world. As entertainers, we will give our best, and I hope people will love us (again). From our director Sukumar sir to my co-star Allu Arjun and other members of the team, we all have been in touch through all this time and are very excited to reunite on set.
When I saw Junaid act, I thought mera chance gaya-Aamir Khan
8:31 AM
Ready with 'Laal Singh Chaddha' after four years, Aamir reveals that son Junaid was initially considered to lead the film until the writer suggested otherwise
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; August 2, 2022)
It’s difficult to imagine any other actor in a role essayed by Aamir Khan. Such is his ability to make every character his own. But things are different with 'Laal Singh Chaddha'. With director Advait Chandan’s adaptation of 'Forrest Gump' (1994), Khan steps into a role immortalised by Tom Hanks. The scrutiny, then, will be more intense — a fact that the superstar was aware of as he dedicated the last four years giving shape to his passion project. Today, he sits content with his creation, as the film is barely 10 days away from release.
The past few years were admittedly not easy on Khan. “To play this character, I had to get into his mind. I am 57, and had to play a 22-year-old. I had [to depict] the different stages of his life. To get that innocence [of youth] was tough,” he begins.
His obvious point of reference to play the endearing protagonist was Hanks in the original film. But the superstar surprises us when he says that he found another source of inspiration — son Junaid Khan. “Since it was a tricky film, I told Advait that I wanted to see a test shoot. I suggested that he shoot seven to eight scenes with Junaid. When Kiran [Rao, producer] and I saw the test shoot, we were blown away by Junaid’s performance. He had become Laal. I thought mera toh chance gaya,” he laughs.
The actor then showed the 20-minute test shoot to his friends in the industry, trying to gauge whether Junaid would be a better fit than him. “Almost 98 per cent of them said, ‘You should take Junaid for the role.’ So, I shaved my beard that I had grown for six months. We decided to make the film with him. But Atul [Kulkarni, writer] and Adi [Chopra] said no to the idea. [They reasoned] that it’s not a plot-heavy film; since it’s an episodic film, a newcomer won’t be able to carry it. Junaid too said, ‘Your budget is high. You can’t cast a newcomer like me.’ So, I was back on the project. But in those eight scenes, Junaid had picked the sur. I got the film’s sur from him.”
The drama, also starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, will be released in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. Recently, the actor-producer held a special screening for S S Rajamouli, Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna and Sukumar in Hyderabad. Khan says their feedback was enlightening. “They liked it. In fact, all of them had a common [input]. We made the change, and realised that the change was very important.”
Is 2022 finishing the North-South cine divide?
8:47 AM
As films from regional industries go pan-India, the film frat wonders whether it is time to do away with all the ‘woods’ and normalize the term ‘Indian film industry’
Sunayana Suresh (BOMBAY TIMES; April 23, 2022)
While hosting the trailer launch event of KGF - Chapter 2 in Bengaluru recently, Karan Johar, said, “It’s high time we do away with all the ‘woods’ and look at the Indian film industry as one. ” He was clearly referring to big wide divide that has always existed between Bollywood – the grand daddy of Indian film industry – and all the other regional film industries in India.
What Karan said is just a rearticulation of what the Indian movie audience has already decided to do — to move on from just Bollywood and watch any cinema that entertains and engages them; never mind if it’s from Tollywood, Mollywood, Kollywood or Sandalwood, or any other self-styled ‘wood’. They have, in that sense, already done away with the so-called ‘woods’.
Film industries across the country may have been operating in silos, making their own kind of films, for their own kind of people. But the audience has made it clear that they’ll exercise their choice. And they’ve chosen good content that cuts across linguistic, cultural, and geographical barriers.
STRONG CONTENT WORKS UNIVERSALLY, LANGUAGE NO BAR
The Indian cinema lover no longer cares where the story is set, or where the star is from. Content is truly king. What else would explain the craze for Allu Arjun’s Pushpa: The Rise - Part 01? The tale of a tribal boy from rural Andhra Pradesh smuggling sandalwood to eke out a living while protecting his oppressed tribesmen is finding resonance across the nation.
Pushpa’s director Sukumar confesses that he had faith in the story and the format in which he told that story, but even he couldn’t have anticipated the love it received nationwide. “This just goes to show that no matter what language the film is made in, if you have strong content, it will resonate universally. Pushpa may seem like a story rooted in the place it’s set in; but the emotions it evokes are universal, and that is what is finding resonance across the nation,” reckons Sukumar.
‘THAI, KOREAN AND CHINESE FILMS CROSSED NATIONAL BORDERS LONG AGO’
Kichcha Sudeep, who is gearing up for the release of his pan-Indian 3D film, Vikrant Rona, points out that Thai, Korean and Chinese films managed to cross national borders and found an audience internationally long ago.
“Thai, Korean and Chinese films crossed these boundaries years ago. Jackie Chan became a name in Hollywood decades back, while China produced the Academy Award-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” says Sudeep, who is confident that Indian cinema is on its way to getting there.
GOOD FILMS = GREAT BUSINESS,NO MATTER WHERE
A film that resonates with the audiences also means big bucks, as Visakh Subramaniam, who sold three-language remake rights for his production Hridayam to Karan Johar, recently discovered. “Hridayam may be a Malayalam film, but it has run for more than 60 days in Chennai. Pushpa is a story about a Telugu boy made in Telugu primarily, but it did good business in Mumbai, where it ran for 100 days in some places. KGF Chapter 2 and Vijay’s Beast both had early-morning fan shows planned in Kerala. So, there are definitely no barriers for good entertainers,” he says.
RISE OF THE PAN-INDIA STARS
If the audience is looking beyond boundaries of language and region, then who are stars to say they’ll not take the leap and cross over? Hindi cinema is now welcoming actors from regional cinema with open arms. Raveena Tandon, who is returning to south Indian films after two decades, shares, “I’m so glad to see crossovers and multi-lingual films being made. The audience has always been open to it, and now, their needs are being met too. I think it’s about time we all came together to make one strong Indian film industry.”
Interestingly, ‘Indian film fraternity’ is a term that’s crept into the lexicon of stars all over the country of late. Following the massive success of RRR, Jr NTR spoke about a united film industry that can “revive the glory days of Indian cinema.”
NTR’s emphatic statement and the conversation around ‘Indian cinema’ embodies the fact that we have come a long way from an era where actors from the South were cast as side characters in big Bollywood potboilers.
“I remember a time when South actors were cast as bad guys in most Hindi films, or, roped in for some special appearances at best,” says director Raj Nidimoru of the famous Raj and DK duo. “Not anymore. Actors like Priyamani, Samantha, Neeraj Madhav and Vijay Sethupathi have all been reintroduced to Indian audiences via their work that’s cutting across regional barriers now,” says Raj.
THE STARTING POINT
Filmmakers agree that Baahubali and KGF catalysed audiences to sit up and take note of films beyond Bollywood. Lead actor Prabhas said, “I think our films should be categorized first as Indian films, and not language-wise.”
OTT: A MASSIVE UNITING FORCE
Actor Rana Daggubati is quick to point out that the digital format played a big part in uniting Indian cinema. “It all started with OTT, in a way. Commercial cinema was always made for the box office, because it costs a lot of money to release a film in theatres and to market it to audiences. Traditionally, there’s only so much you could do, only so many screens you could take it to. But with OTT, these films started reaching the drawing rooms of people across the country. Now, more than the language, the audience started connecting to the emotions of the characters; the story; the storytelling. Once they got the taste of it, they wanted more,” says Rana.
The pandemic only reinforced the power of the digital format, and worked especially well for smaller film industries like Malayalam, which never got their due despite the great talent and legacy of good
films. The Great Indian Kitchen, for instance, was made on a modest budget, but had content that resonated nationally that made the whole nation sit up and take notice.
Analysing the trend, director Jeo Baby says, “During the lockdowns, people sat at home and watched everything that came their way… Well, the fact remains that even today, it is hard to reach a platform that can give you access to a national audience, especially if you aren’t that big a name.”
But once you get there, your work will get the kind of eyeballs and the kind of creative freedom you could have never dreamt of, say filmmakers. As Raj Nidimoru points out, “In The Family Man, Samantha, who played a pivotal role, doesn’t speak a word of Hindi. Yet, it’s a series made in Hindi. Almost 50% of Season 2 of The Family Man was in Tamil. We didn’t care. We knew people would get over the subtitle reservation. This kind of freedom to tell a story the way it should be told was unthinkable even a few years ago. For us filmmakers and actors and technicians, there hasn’t been a better time to be here, in Indian cinema.”
SOUTH FILMS THAT SLAYED ON OTT PLATFORMS
- Soorarai Pottru
- Jai Bhim
- The Great Indian Kitchen
- Minnal Murali
- Drishyam 2
- Cinema Bandi
- Kala
- Sarpatta Parambarai
- Karnan
- Super Deluxe
Baahubali writer K V Vijayendra Prasad moves to another period drama
5:10 AM
Vijayendra Prasad is set to work exclusively with a production house and mentor their young talent
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 26, 2018)
After penning his son SS Rajamouli’s National Award winning 2015 epic action film Baahubali: The Beginning, it’s 2017 sequel and Kabir Khan’s Indo-Pak drama Bajrangi Bhaijaan, veteran Telugu screen writer K V Vijayendra Prasad is tying up with Eros International to develop scripts, mentor projects and produce and distribute films across Hindi, Telugu and Tamil languages.
After wrapping up prior commitments, Prasad will start working
exclusively with the production house that had also produced Bajrangi
Bhaijaan. “I am writing and producing many projects for them which are
presently in the developing stages. I have always believed that content
is king, stars and everything else come later, an opinion that the
production house also shares. Which is why I thought it’s the right
platform to showcase my talent,” asserts Prasad, who has already written
10 stories that will take shape under the partnership.
The projects will be made on budgets between Rs 1 crore to Rs 100 crore, and one of them is a period-drama on a large scale. But the first film to roll out will be Telugu filmmaker Sukumar’s Hindi debut, a family action thriller that Prasad will be mentoring. “His last film Rangasthalam, featuring Ram Charan and Samantha Akkineni, had done really well,” he informs. He will also write Rajamouli’s cousin S S Kanchi’s Tamil and Telugu thriller The Accountant, and his own assistant Sriman’s Hindi directorial debut.
Sunil Lulla, Managing Director of Eros International, added that it is an honour to collaborate with Vijayendra Prasad. “His stories coupled with the vision of some of the best directors in the country will strengthen our position as the destination for the finest cinematic experience. Our aim is also to constantly create lasting IPs (Intellectual Properties) by collaborating with leading talent across Hindi and regional industries.”
Meanwhile, Prasad reveals that while there is no plan to further the Baahubali franchise as of now, he is happy with the way the upcoming Krish directorial featuring Kangana Ranaut, Manikarnika - The Queen of Jhansi, which he has written, has shaped up. Commenting on the moving of its release to next year, the veteran writer clarifies, “It hasn’t been delayed. There is a lot of CGI (Computer-generated imagery) work left which is why we are now coming out on January 25.”
Salman Khan to be a part of Rajshri Productions' first ever action flick?
8:14 AM
Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; May 23, 2016)
Earlier this year, Sooraj Barjatya had announced about teaming up with Salman Khan again and while it was speculated that their next collaboration would be an out and out actioner, the filmmaker had dismissed the buzz. However, trade sources reveal that the venture is predominantly an action flick, but Barjatya won’t helm it. While his banner, Rajshri Productions, will be involved in its making, a South director will helm it.
A source says, “The project will be directed by Sukumar, who is a popular name in the Telugu industry, and it is likely to be a remake of a South film. So, it is no wonder that it will have some hardcore action sequences. Barjatya has decided decided to be on board just as the producer.”
Salman reunited with the filmmaker for Prem Ratan Dhan Payo last year, over a decade and half after Hum Saath Saath Hai. Barjatya remained unavailable for comment. Another source in the know reveals that the upcoming film will be produced jointly by Barjatya’s Rajshri Productions and Fox Star Studios. “This will be the first time that Barjatya’s banner will make an actioner. Once things are finalised, they will go ahead with an official announcement,” adds a source close to the production house.
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