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Ash's dil maange... film with Rajnikanth!

Rajnikanth readies for his next film. And it's K S Ravi Kumar -- who helmed his previous superhit, Padayappa -- who will do the directorial honours in this film as well.

While details of the story are yet to be released, there is strong indication that Aishwarya Rai will be his costar. Ash Rai had, in fact, publicly expressed a desire to work with the Tamil superstar. She was even considered for his previous project, but non-availability of dates made that team-up out of the question.

This time round, the issue of dates is expected to be resolved, though the dotted line hasn't been signed on yet.

Ravi Kumar will begin work on the new project as soon as his ongoing film, Kamal Hassan-starrer Thenali is wrapped. Two songs remain to be shot for the film expected to hit the marquee on Diwali day.

Meanwhile, Rajnikanth, too, is waiting. For the release of his good friend Rajakumar, from the clutches of Veerappan. That, he says, has to happen before he takes the floors again.

To the same beat!
First it was A R Rahman. Now it's Dina's turn to make his musical bow in a Mani Ratnam film.

The similarities continue -- like Rahman, Dina's curriculum vitae is comprised some very catch advertising jingles for the small screen. And Mani does have an eye on the idiot box -- earlier, he had introduced Aravind Swamy in Dalapathy, on the strength of a coffee commercial.

This time round, though, Mani Ratnam will not be directing. Dum Dum Dum -- yeah, that is what he is calling his next -- will be helmed by his erstwhile assistant, Azhagar Perumal.

Leading the cast is Madhavan, who clicked in Mani Ratnam's previous offering, Alai Paayudhey.

Two is company!
Prabhu Deva seems to be specialising in two-hero movies of late. Thus, after Kaadhala Kaadhala (Kamal Hassan), James Paandu (Parthiban), and the superhit Vaanathei Pole (Vijaykanth), he now teams up with Karthik for a film to be directed by C Sundar.

Anjala Zaveri has been signed on for the lead -- but it is yet to be decided which hero she will star opposite. Anjala, who had earlier done Pagaivan in Tamil and a handful of Telugu movies, is also due for an early Malayalam release with Dubai, co-starring Mammootty.

Of bilingual bombs
Houseful didn't do too well at the BO, but Parthiban got plaudits for the film set entirely in a movie-theatre, and dealing with a bomb threat.

The film, incidentally, went on to win a national award for best Tamil film in the year of its release.

The BO failure appears to have been shrugged off, as the film gets dubbed in Telugu for an early release, under the title Bharati Talkiesilu Bomb.

Interestingly, the producers in their publicity vehicles are hyping the Roja factor, though she has a very small role in the film, as the journalist through whose eyes the story unfolds.

Gopi Krishna, who is producing the film in Telugu, believes that bomb threats have universal relevance and appeal -- factors that will ensure that the Telugu version does better than the Tamil one.

Second wind
And while on dubbing, Avalude Raavugal, the I V Sasi-helmed trendsetter, starring Seema is due to be dubbed for the Tamil audience.

Interestingly, the film, originally released 23 years ago, is now enjoying a second lease of life in Kerala theatres and doing very well, indeed.

The story of a young girl who is forced by circumstances into prostitution was a huge hit at the time of its initial release. And though the film had a good storyline, narration and acting to recommend it, it was the soft-porn element that gave it legs at the BO. The film also triggered off a wave of soft-porn films that deluged the Kerala marquee in the months and years following its release.

Interestingly, it was with this film that Sasi introduced Seema to the screen. And by the time the movie was up and running, they were married.

Back to 70mm
K Balachander, that doyen of Tamil directors, has, for some time now, focused on teleserials, even acting in one of them.

But he is due back on the big screen, with his first feature film in a while. Word has it that Madhavan will lead the star cast

-- Rajitha