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Famous Stars With Multiple Marriages ( Photo Credit – Facebook; Instagram )

Multiple marriages have become common in the film industry. Many famous actors have tied the knot twice. However some have gone a step further and married three times. Who are these stars who have married three times? Let’s find out.

Marriages and divorces are frequent in the entertainment world. Many celebrities get married but when differences arise, they separate. Some remarry immediately. Others marry multiple times. Some actors and actresses have not just one or two marriages but three or even four. Here are some famous stars who have married three times.

Pawan Kalyan:

When discussing three marriages, Pawan Kalyan is the first name that comes to mind. His multiple marriages have been a major topic of discussion in his personal and political life. Pawan’s first marriage was to Nandini from Vizag. This happened before he entered the film industry.

coronavirusOn the work front, Mani Ratnam is gearing up for the release of his upcoming period drama ‘Ponniyin Selvan I’ which is slated to hit the big screens on September 30.Tnm StaffDigital NativeFIlmmaker Mani Ratnam was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai on Tuesday, July 19. Speaking to Tnm, the director’s publicist confirmed that the director was checked for coronavirus but has tested negative. Speaking to Tnm, the director’s publicist confirmed that the director was checked for coronavirus but has tested negative. An official statement pertaining to the health of the filmmaker is awaited from the hospital. The 66-year-old director had recently attended the funeral of actor and filmmaker Pratap Pothen, who died on July 15. Mani Ratnam had also taken part in the teaser launch of his upcoming period drama Ponniyin Selvan I, which was held on July 8 in the city. Speaking at the teaser launch about his magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan,...

TributeActor, director and ad man Pratap Pothen died of a heart attack at his Chennai apartment on July 15.CrisA day ago, Pratap Pothen was still writing posts on Facebook, taking digs at life and death with his trademark dark humour. "When you treat the symptoms of a problem without treating the root cause of it, then you will start to be dependent on the pharmacy," said one post. Quoting American comedian George Carlin, he wrote another, "Death is caused by swallowing small amounts of saliva over a long period of time." By the morning of July 15, Pratap was found dead in his sleep in his Chennai apartment. A heart attack in the middle of the night took the maverick actor and filmmaker's life. By then he was close to 70 years of age and had contributed much to films, Tamil and Malayalam most of all. Pratap was divided between the two languages,...

CinemaVeteran actor and filmmaker Pratap Pothen, who worked in over a hundred films in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi, passed away on July 15 in Chennai. Tnm StaffPratap Pothen/ Facebook Condolences poured in from all quarters following actor Pratap Pothen’s death on Friday, July 15. While fans and members from the film fraternity mourned his loss, many took to social media to revisit his notable movies as an actor, director and writer. Pratap started his acting journey with The Madras Players, the oldest English theatre collective in Chennai. Popular Malayalam director Bharathan, who enjoyed his performance in the play Androcles and the Lion, invited him to act in his film, Aaravam (1978). Pratap acted in over a hundred films, primarily in Malayalam and Tamil. He also appeared in several Telugu and Hindi movies. We bring to you a list of the actor’s memorable performances, ranging from the romantic hero in the...

TributeThe 69-year-old actor and filmmaker was found dead in his apartment in Chennai on July 15.Tnm StaffFaebook/ Pratap PothenVeteran actor and filmmaker Pratap Pothen passed away on Friday, July 15. As per reports, the 69-year-old was found dead in his apartment at Chennai’s Kilpauk. Condolences poured in from all quarters as members from the film fraternity and fans mourned his death. Pratap, who began his acting career in Malayalam cinema with the popular director Bharathan, has acted in over a hundred movies across Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi film industries. Sharing a photo of Pratap, Malayalam actor and filmmaker Prithviraj Sukumaran wrote, “Rest in peace uncle! I will miss you. #PrathapPothen.” Prithviraj has teamed up with Pratap for several films including the Lal Jose directorial Ayalum Njanum Thammil, Kanal (2015), the 2017 horror flick Ezra, and Mohanlal’s upcoming film Barroz, among others. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan paid his condolences to Pratap Pothen,...

DeathPratap Pothen was found dead in his Kilpauk apartment.Tnm StaffRenowned actor and filmmaker Pratap Pothen died in Chennai on Friday, July 15. According to reports, the 69-year-old actor was found dead in his apartment in the city’s Kilpauk. He has acted in over a hundred films in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. He began his acting career in Malayalam cinema with the legendary director Bharathan, through movies like Aavaram, Thakara and Lorry. Pratap became active in Tamil simultaneously with movies like Moodupani, Varumayin Niram Sivappu and Panneer Pushpangal. Pratap began directing films in the 1980s, with his first movie Meendum Oru Kathal Kathai winning the Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director. Vettri Vizhaa with Kamal Haasan, Oru Yathramozhi with Mohanlal in Malayalam are some of his other noted films. He has directed a total of 12 films in Malayalam and Tamil. Among the last films Pratap...

Mollywood ‘Her’ also stars Ramya Urvashi, Lijomol Jose, Prathap Pothen, Guru Somasundaram, and Rajesh Madhav in pivotal roles. Tnm StaffFacebook./ Ramya Nambeesan, Aishwarya Rajesh, Parvathy ThiruvothuActors Urvashi, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Aishwarya Rajesh, Ramya Nambeesan, and Lijomol Jose are teaming up for a new film titled Her. The announcement was made on Monday, May 2. Her is helmed by filmmaker Lijin Jose, who has previously directed the documentary 81/2. The ensemble cast also includes actors Prathap Pothen, Guru Somasundaram, and Rajesh Madhav in pivotal roles. Her is scripted by Archana Vasudev, while Chandru Selvaraj is on board as the cinematographer. Kiran Das has been roped in as the editor. Music composer Govind Vasantha is also part of the technical team. Sameera Sanesh has joined the crew as the costume designer. Sharing the announcement with fans, Parvathy Thiruvothu wrote, “Here is the title announcement of the first production from At Studio!“ Her “#hermalayalam Directed by Lijin Jose,...

KollywoodFrom its inception in 2009 till the latest season in 2019, the show has played a key role in introducing talent like Karthik Subbaraj, Vijay Sethupathi, Alphonse Puthren and others to Kollywood.Saradha Ucommons.wikimedia/ Silverscreen Media Inc/FacebookIn 2012, director Karthik Subbaraj and actor Vijay Sethupathi teamed up for the experimental horror film Pizza, which won critical acclaim and shot them both to fame. But this wasn’t the first time the director-actor duo had collaborated. Both of them had previously worked together in 2009 in the first season of the Tamil reality show, Naalaiya Iyakkunar in which Karthik was a participant. “It was a turning point. I had an interest in filmmaking when I was in college but I never pursued it. Participating in the show gave me the right push I needed to take up filmmaking seriously and if not for it, I might still be a software engineer,” director Karthik Subbaraj,...

MollywoodTouted to be a fantasy adventure film, ‘Barroz’ marks Mohanlal’s directorial debut. Tnm StaffTwitter/MohanlalMalayalam star Mohanlal, who is all set to make his directorial debut with Barroz: The Guardian of D’Gama’s Treasure has been sharing photos of the shoot from the sets of Barroz ever since the movie went on floors. In a recent update, Mohanlal shared a photo of himself and popular cinematographer Santosh Sivan. Donning white shirt, black pants and a vest coat, Mohanlal is seen watching the shoot, whereas cinematographer Santosh Sivan is seen cranking the camera. Mohanlal tagged Santosh Sivan and wrote, “#Barroz”, while tweeting the photo on Wednesday. #Barroz @santoshsivan pic.twitter.com/3FkFLbXZIK — Mohanlal (@Mohanlal) April 21, 2021 Earlier this month, actor Prithviraj Sukumaran joined the sets of Barroz and started shooting for his portions in the movie. Prithviraj will be seen in a pivotal role in the movie. The photo features...

MollywoodPrithviraj made his directorial debut with ‘Lucifer’, which starred Mohanlal in the lead role. Tnm StaffTwitter/Prithviraj SukumaranAfter enjoying Mohanlal’s performance as an actor, fans are now eager to watch Barroz: The Guardian of D’ Gama’s Treasure, which marks the directorial debut of the Mollywood star. Netizens were delighted to see photos from the sets of the movie, which were shared by Mohanlal on Twitter recently. And the Camera starts Rolling! First day of shoot Action! #Jijo @santoshsivan @antonypbvr @aashirvadcine #Barroz pic.twitter.com/HPp6DkHRjw — Mohanlal (@Mohanlal) March 31, 2021 Actor Prithviraj Sukumaran, who is playing a pivotal role in the movie, shared photos from the sets of Barroz. In the photo shared by Prithvi on Wednesday, we see Mohanlal talking to Prithviraj about a scene, while the latter is seated and is listening to Mohanlal. Both of them seem to be engaged in an intense conversation. Interestingly, Prithviraj...

MollywoodApart from directing ‘Barroz: The Guardian of D’ Gama’s Treasure’, Mohanlal will also play the lead role in the fantasy adventure.Tnm StaffTwitterMalayalam star Mohanlal will be making his directorial debut with Barroz: The Guardian of D’Gama’s Treasure. The actor took to Twitter to share with fans that the movie went on the floors on Wednesday. He also shared photos taken on the sets along with other crew members. “And the Camera starts Rolling! First day of shoot Action! #Jijo @santoshsivan @antonypbvr @aashirvadcine #Barroz,” he wrote. And the Camera starts Rolling! First day of shoot Action! #Jijo @santoshsivan @antonypbvr @aashirvadcine #Barroz pic.twitter.com/HPp6DkHRjw — Mohanlal (@Mohanlal) March 31, 2021 Earlier, the movie kickstarted with a star-studded launch event in Kochi. Photos of Prithviraj, Mammootty and Mohanlal taken at the event went viral. Other prominent personalities present included Priyadarshan, Sibi Malayil and Antony Perumbavoor, among others. Mohanlal’s...

MollywoodMohanlal’s debut directorial will go on floors in March with actors from various countries on board.Digital NativeActor-director Prathap Pothen has confirmed that he is a part of Mohanlal’s debut directorial venture Barroz. Putting out a message on his social media page, Prathap wrote: “With the best .. I am proud to be directed by a legend Mohanlal he is a rare talent a complete actor and a wonderful human being thank you for having me be a part of your maiden effort as a director ..I am blessed.. Baroz (sic).” Interestingly, Mohanlal played the lead along with late Tamil superstar Sivaji Ganesan in Prathap Pothen’s directorial Oru Yathamozhi in 1997. Barroz is all set to go on floors in March this year and the groundwork for the project is on. The film was supposed to start rolling early this year but had to be put off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Following the very popular genre mix of forensic/serial killer, Akhil Paul and Anas Khan co-write and co-direct “Forensic” a by-the-book whodunnit thriller who is currently available on the Netflix catalogue.

Scrupulous and workaholic chief investigating officer Rithika Xavier (Mamta Mohandas) is in charge of the murder investigation of an 8-year-old girl, vanished after a dance class and daughter of a middle-class local family, but when a second girl disappear, the hypothesis of a serial killer in town becomes a certainty. Rithika is determined to create a dedicated team for the purpose of capturing the killer as soon as possible, but the police force is too busy, and her boss can only allow her to borrow their medico-legal advisor Samuel John Kattukaran (Tovino Thomas). Not a good start as Rithika and Sam know each other from some past painful family issues and they are not very comfortable working as a team.

MollywoodThe film which will mark the directorial debut of Malayalam superstar Mohanlal will begin shooting early next year. Digital NativeMohanlal’s ambitious project Barroz, which will also mark his directorial debut, is all set to go on floors early next year. The film was supposed to start rolling early this year but had to be put off due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With the change in schedule, there are some changes in the cast and crew, we hear. While it was reported that Ku Mohanan was roped in to crank the camera for Barroz, it will now be Santosh Sivan doing the job. Sources in the know say that Ku Mohanan had to opt-out due to date issues. The film is based on Barroz, a Portuguese mythical figure, the guardian of Vasco da Gama’s valuable treasures for 400 years. Jijo Punnoose, who introduced 3D to the Indian film audiences with...

KollywoodFrom 'Sigappu Rojakkal' to 'Psycho', here's a list of serial killer films which have made a splash in Tamil cinema.Sowmya RajendranKeerthy Suresh's Penguin is up for release on June 19. Directed by Eashvar Karthic and produced by Karthik Subbaraj's Stone Bench Films, the promos so far have suggested a disturbing thriller about a serial killer. Within thrillers, serial killers have not been a popular sub-genre in Tamil cinema. It could be that these films -- which are likely to be violent and gory -- were thought to be unsuitable for the family audience, and would therefore not attract enough footfalls in theatres. In recent times, however, quite a few of these films have been made. The 1967 film Athey Kangal is often credited to be the first serial killer film in Tamil cinema. However, though the film revolves around multiple murders, the motive is revealed to be revenge.

ReviewJyotika is impressive as Venba, looking confident and in control of the situation at hand. Sowmya Rajendran2012 was the year when conversations about sexual violence in India took a distinct turn. There had been rape cases before that which gained national attention and even changed the course of the law, but the Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case was the tipping point. Though then too there were the usual victim blaming narratives, the voices opposing these grew louder. It became acceptable to say that it's never the victim's fault. Cinema, which has traditionally used rape as a plot device to pump up the hero's rage and machismo, too began to reflect this change gradually. Rape survivors were allowed to live on screen, without being killed off conveniently as "death by suicide".The hero no longer had exclusive rights on seeking revenge. Ponmagal Vandhal, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, and directed...

InterviewThe director talks about leaving behind his 10-day old baby, shooting in challenging circumstances and why he decided to make the film.Sowmya RajendranJJ Fredrick's baby was only 10 days old when he left to shoot Ponmagal Vandhal in Ooty. The director's debut film stars Jyotika in the lead and is on a difficult subject -- the sexual assault and murder of children. Incidentally, in that time period, Ooty received the highest rainfall in close to 80 years, making Fredrick's task even more challenging. Speaking to Tnm, Fredrick says, "It would keep raining all through the day. The only time it would stop is when we were on a lunch break!" Laughing at his luck, Fredrick adds that since he had a very supportive and cooperative cast, he managed to overcome the hurdles. Jyotika shot in the pouring rain and even developed a high fever, but she continued with the shoot. "My...

CinemaTwo Hindi films too are slated for direct Ott release.Tnm StaffAdapting to changing times and dealing with the uncertainty in the Indian cinema industry due to the lockdown necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic, a handful of film producers have decided to release their films directly on online streaming platforms. While Jyotika’s Ponmagal Vandhal dropped the news of direct Ott release last month, causing a controversy in the Tamil film industry, a total of seven films across five Indian languages will now be released on Amazon Prime Video streaming platform in the next three months. Ponmagal Vandhal (Tamil) from May 29: Starring Jyotika, Parthiban, Bhagyaraj, Prathap Pothen and Pandiarajan, the film was the first in the Tamil industry to announce its direct Ott release. It will now begin streaming on Amazon Prime from May 29. Produced by Suriya’s 2D Entertainment and Rajsekar Karpoorasundarapandian, Ponmagal Vandhal is a legal drama...

Following yesterday’s news that Amazon Prime Video India had made its biggest direct-to-service movie acquisition with the Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana comedy Gulabo Sitabo, the streamer has unveiled a further six local titles that will debut exclusively on the platform.

The six movies all would have been theatrical releases, were it not for the ongoing cinema closures in India due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, Amazon has stepped in to give them a home, and will premiere each title on its platform in 200 countries over the next three months.

The films span five Indian languages. They include Anu Menon’s mathematician biopic Shakuntala Devi starring Vidya Balan and produced by Abundantia Entertainment, legal drama Ponmagal Vandhal starring Jyothika (Chandramukhi), and Penguin starring Keerthy Suresh (Mahanati).

Last month, Deadline interviewed Shakuntala Devi producer Vikram Malhotra about how the Indian market is coping with the pandemic, during...

MollywoodThe two movies that caught the attention of Prathap were Fahadh’s 'Trance' and Suraj’s 'Android Kunjappan'.Digital NativeDigital NativeVeteran actor and filmmaker Prathap Pothen took to his Facebook page recently to shower accolades on two Malayalam film actors – Fahadh Faasil and Suraj Venjaramoodu. Both these actors have a good track record with their respective films doing well at the box office consistently. The two movies that caught the attention of Prathap were Fahadh’s Trance and Suraj’s Android Kunjappan. On getting to see both these films back to back, Prathap wrote, “Yesterday I saw two Malayalam films back to back the first was .. ….#Trance was indeed a trance like experience for me….its a well made film well staged and directed by #Anwar_rasheed ….the photography and the editing is top class but what got me by my …pardon the French …balls …was the high...

MollywoodThe two movies that caught the attention of Prathap were Fahadh’s 'Trance' and Suraj’s 'Android Kunjappan'.Digital NativeDigital NativeVeteran actor and filmmaker Prathap Pothen took to his Facebook page recently to shower accolades on two Malayalam film actors – Fahadh Faasil and Suraj Venjaramoodu. Both these actors have a good track record with their respective films doing well at the box office consistently. The two movies that caught the attention of Prathap were Fahadh’s Trance and Suraj’s Android Kunjappan. On getting to see both these films back to back, Prathap wrote, “Yesterday I saw two Malayalam films back to back the first was .. ….#Trance was indeed a trance like experience for me….its a well made film well staged and directed by #Anwar_rasheed ….the photography and the editing is top class but what got me by my …pardon the French …balls …was the high...

KollywoodThe film will be hitting the screens on March 27th.Digital NativeActor Jyothika, who had two releases in quick succession, is in no mood to slow down as she’s signing films left, right and center. The first look poster of Jyothika's new film with debutant director JJ Fredrick titled Ponmagal Vandhal has been unveiled on Monday by its makers. The first look poster was revealed by the actor's husband and producer of the film, Suriya via his Twitter handle. Suriya tweeted, "A film very special to Jo and us!! #PonmagalVandhalFL #PMVWorldwideMarch27th #Jyotika #KBhagyaraj @rparthiepan #Pandiarajan #PratapPothen #Thyagarajan @fredrickji @rajsekarpandian @ramji_ragebe1 @govind_vasantha @AntonyLRuben @2D_ENTPVTLTD @amaljos31158832 @SakthiFilmFctry" A film very special to Jo and us!!#PonmagalVandhalFL #PMVWorldwideMarch27th#Jyotika #KBhagyaraj @rparthiepan #Pandiarajan #PratapPothen #Thyagarajan@fredrickji @rajsekarpandian@ramji_ragebe1 @govind_vasantha @AntonyLRuben @2D_ENTPVTLTD @amaljos31158832 @SakthiFilmFctry pic.twitter.com/4LJHgktUOA — Suriya Sivakumar (@Suriya_offl) March 2, 2020 Pegged as a thriller In the film,...

KollywoodThe film will be hitting the screens on March 27th.Digital NativeActor Jyothika, who had two releases in quick succession, is in no mood to slow down as she’s signing films left, right and center. The first look poster of Jyothika's new film with debutant director JJ Fredrick titled Ponmagal Vandhal has been unveiled on Monday by its makers. The first look poster was revealed by the actor's husband and producer of the film, Suriya via his Twitter handle. Suriya tweeted, "A film very special to Jo and us!! #PonmagalVandhalFL #PMVWorldwideMarch27th #Jyotika #KBhagyaraj @rparthiepan #Pandiarajan #PratapPothen #Thyagarajan @fredrickji @rajsekarpandian @ramji_ragebe1 @govind_vasantha @AntonyLRuben @2D_ENTPVTLTD @amaljos31158832 @SakthiFilmFctry" A film very special to Jo and us!!#PonmagalVandhalFL #PMVWorldwideMarch27th#Jyotika #KBhagyaraj @rparthiepan #Pandiarajan #PratapPothen #Thyagarajan@fredrickji @rajsekarpandian@ramji_ragebe1 @govind_vasantha @AntonyLRuben @2D_ENTPVTLTD @amaljos31158832 @SakthiFilmFctry pic.twitter.com/4LJHgktUOA — Suriya Sivakumar (@Suriya_offl) March 2, 2020 Pegged as a thriller In the film,...

KollywoodTouted to be a mystery thriller, the film was announced by Chakri Toleti in November 2016 but faced several delays.Digital NativeLady Superstar Nayanthara's long-pending project Kolaiyuthir Kaalam, directed by Chakri Toleti finally gets a release date. The film is set to hit screens on July 26 and it marks Nayanthara's fourth release of the year. The film was earlier slated to release on June 14, but a stay was obtained by director Balaji Kumar, who filed a petition saying he had the rights to the title and had bought it from late writer Sujatha who published a Tamil novel by the same name in 1981. Following this, the Court issued a stay and asked the producers to respond to Balaji Kumar’s claims. Later last month the Madras High Court ordered the interim injunction to be lifted and cleared the film for release. Touted to be a mystery thriller, the film was...

CourtThe film’s producer Mathiyalagan confirmed to Tnm that the film will hit the screens this July.Tnm StaffThe title dispute in Nayanthara’s Kolayuthir Kaalam has been settled in court, and the film can now be expected to hit the screens soon. Kolayuthir Kaalam met with a roadblock prior to its June 14 release. This order comes as a relief to the long-delayed film that went into production in November 2016. On Friday, Justice Krishnan Ramasamy of the Madras High Court cancelled the stay order and allowed the film to be released. The film’s producer Mathiyalagan confirmed to Tnm that it will hit the screens this July. The Madras High Court on June 11 ordered an interim injunction on the film's release, and asked the film's producers to respond by June 21. The stay came after hearing a petition filed by director K Balaji Kumar earlier this month, in which he claimed...

KollywoodThe film is a crime thriller written and directed by Mu Maran of 'Iravukku Aayiram Kangal' fame.Digital NativeKannai Nambathey is an upcoming crime thriller written and directed by Mu Maran of Iravukku Aayiram Kangal fame. The film stars Udhayanidhi Stalin and Aathmika in the lead roles with Sathish roped in to offer comic relief. According to the latest reports, Bhumika Chawla is now signed up to play an important role in this flick. Post marriage, Bhumika has been very selective of her films and she has agreed to star in Kannai Nambathey due to its impressive script, say sources. Bhumika was on the sets of this film for 10 days and scenes involving her were canned. Reports are that 50 percent of the shooting has been completed and the rest will be wrapped up in a couple of months. The shooting of this film commenced in February this year but the...

KollywoodThe trailer of the movie shows Nayanthara playing a person with a speech disability, stuck in a haunted villa.Tnm StaffThe makers of Kolaiyuthir Kaalam, lady superstar Nayanthara’s upcoming flick, released the trailer of the movie on Saturday. Directed by Chakri Toleti, the movie is a supernatural thriller and has Nayanthara playing the role of a person with a speech disability, stuck in a haunted villa. The one minute 30 seconds long trailer takes us on a chilling ride through the bungalow where Nayanthara lives, far away in a foreign land. The trailer begins with the loud cry of a child, with a woman talking in English. Nayanthara is a new occupant at the bungalow and is seen exploring the huge palace, mysterious enough to set the mood of the movie. The sequences are bereft of dialogues but manage to send a shiver down the spine with the recurring chatter...

Mollywood The film which is directed by Manu Ashokan is the story of an acid attack victim. Tnm StaffThe much awaited first look of the Malayalam film Uyare starring Parvathy, Tovino Thomas and Asif Ali was released on Facebook on Wednesday. Interestingly, it was actor Manju Warrier who unveiled the first look poster of the movie - which is the story of an acid attack victim. Writing about her relationship with the cast of Uyare, Manju dedicated the unveiling to the 3rd death anniversary of late Indian director Rajesh Pillai who mentored Manu Ashokan, the director of Uyare. Manju Warrier had also played the lead role in the film Vetta, which was Rajesh Pillai's last film. "Three years ago on a February 27, we lost Rajesh Pillai, a precious artist. His last film, Vetta, had Manu Ashokan as the assistant director. Manu was like a brother to him. He had hoped...

MollywoodAnjali had last directed the Malayalam movie ‘Bangalore Days’, which released in 2014 and went on to become a big hit.Digital NativeDigital NativeAnjali Menon is back after a long hiatus. She had last directed the Malayalam movie Bangalore Days, which was a big hit. Released in 2014, the film had an ensemble star cast that included Nazriya Nazim, Nivin Pauly, Dulquer Salmaan, Fahadh Faasil, Isha Talwar, Parvathy and Nithya Menen. The film was not only a commercial success but also went on to win several awards, including three Kerala State Film Awards – Best Actor and Best Actress awards for Nivin Pauly and Nazriya Nazim respectively, and Best Screenplay for Anjali Menon. On her long break and upcoming film Koode, she recently told Manoramaonline in an interview, “My son had just turned two when I did Bangalore Days. So after the movie got over, I had to spend some time with him. Meanwhile, I had begun to write the screenplay for the movie which was to be directed by actor Prathap Pothen. But I stopped midway when I lost the interest in collaborating with him. Producer M Renjith who was supposed to finance that movie, however, offered to do a movie with me. That is how I began writing Koode one and a half years ago.” Apart from Anjali being back in the director’s robes for Koode, what has shot up the expectation levels for the film is that it will mark actor Nazriya’s comeback to movies after four years. The star cast of Koode also includes Prithviraj and Parvathy. With Anjali Menon coming up with an impressive script that deals with the emotional bond between a brother and sister, Nazriya reportedly decided to don the greasepaint again. Before going ahead with the shooting, Anjali Menon ensured that the entire cast and crew attended a 10-day camp in Ooty to understand the film and the roles each one had to play. She revealed that the camp was successfully spearheaded by theatre artist Vinu Francis. Also read: Kerala woman wants grandkids back, after daughter Rini died due to dowry harassment (Content provided by Digital Native)...

CinemaAhead of the release of Karthik Subbaraj's 'Mercury', we revisit 'Pesum Padam', made over 30 years ago.Anjana ShekarYoutube screengrabMost Indian films are made by the rule book - 4 songs, 3 fights. There are just a handful of exceptions that skip the duets and do away with the stunts. Post the silent era, not many Indian films without dialogues have been made. In fact, there has been just one that came out over 30 years ago, in the year 1987. Most times, we tend to go overboard with punch dialogues and gyaan-infused climax speeches, mostly delivered by the teary-eyed protagonist. With Karthik Subbaraj’s silent thriller, Mercury, slated for release this Friday, we revisit Singeetam Srinivasa Rao’s award-winning Pesum Padam that had no dialogues. This dark comedy is a rare film for many reasons. For one, it had no dialogues, songs or fight sequences. And second, the film took upon an important social issue that was widely prevalent in the '80s - unemployment - and spun a satire around it. Pesum Padam had a small set of characters played by Kamal Haasan, Amala, Tinnu Anand, Sameer Khakhar, Tl Narayana, Farida Jalal, Prathap Pothen, Loknath and Ks Ramesh. The characters in Pesum Padam have no names. We only identify them by their characterisation - the unemployed youth, the rich drunkard, the beautiful girl-next-door, the witty beggar. This, perhaps, is the reason why the film strikes a deeper chord with the audience. Uproot these characters and place them in any other city, in any other part of the world, they’d still be relatable. The film has a very simple and unsurprising story-line. A young man, hounded by poverty, finds an opportunity to live an opulent life. He takes it, finds love on the way, learns life’s most important lesson on money, and chooses to go back to his old life with a resolve to work hard and rise above. One could draw parallels with Mark Twain’s Prince and the Pauper. Except that here, there are no lookalikes and the switch is not mutually agreed upon. The film begins with the character played by Kamal. He lives in a small room on the terrace of an apartment complex that houses several families. The toilets are shared and the houses have little privacy. There are posters advertising job vacancies pinned to a pole, lines outside the toilets (whoever thought of including adavu music here needs a special mention) and shirts are laundered only around the armpits before being worn again. In one scene, when Kamal fills his tea glass with buttons and pins and a coin to make it rise up to the brim, we almost hope that he will offer it to the crow. But, obviously, we know who’s thirstier here. The character list in Pesum Padam is quite remarkable. We’ve got the young domestic worker who harbours a secret crush on Kamal, the wheelchair-bound hotel owner who has humble beginnings, the magician father whose tricks are almost believable and the squandering drunkard with a constipation problem. Then there’s the assassin who comes up with an ingenious weapon - a dagger made of ice. Sharp enough to kill, melts without a trace. Actually, why do they still use real knives to kill someone? And the best part is that he goes around with the ice-box in hand! The scene where Kamal tries to sneak into the queue for a temporary job with limited vacancies and the one where the beggar outsmarts him with his secret stash of crumpled notes are achingly sad yet funny. There are plenty of Chaplinesque sketches, especially when the killer trails him. Whoever came up with wrapping poop in huge gift boxes? Now why doesn't he flush them down the toilet like a normal person would? Remember shared toilets? The scene at the bus stand where the guy recognises Kamal and his ‘poop’ parcel is quite hilarious. Old habits die hard. While in the first night in the hotel room, he literally sleeps next to money, he’s unable to do so the next. The initial rush has died down and the quietness of the place is so alien to him that he sneaks back to his room to record the sounds of street dogs and kung-fu fights being played loud on TV. Later, he even wakes up to turn the side of the cassette. In every scene in which the telephone appears in the film, you almost expect the characters to speak. But these scenes are cleverly interrupted - calls are unanswered, the father picks up the call intended for his daughter or the rich man finds a note with an explanation. People knock on doors, clap to call out for someone or nod and smile mostly. In the scene in which the confrontation between the assassin, his employer and his lover (the rich man’s wife) takes place, we’re shut outside along with Kamal and we only get to peek in through a (sound-proof) glass door. Amala is quite brilliant in her role as the girl-next-door. There’s no head-over-heels love-at-first-sight here. The two hit it off very gradually, it is by chance that Kamal finds himself at the hotel where Amala is staying with her family. The scene where the two are seen watching a film together is the only place where dialogues are heard - through the film. The scene in which people rush and fight each other to pick up the notes on the road, while the beggar’s lifeless body is ignored for the moment, is a sharp wake-up call for Kamal. He understands that money is temperamental. The short-lived romance between him and Amala, too, withers away like a summer love. The first time she gives him a flower, he chooses to catch the flying notes (money) that slip from his hand but the second time, ironically, he picks up the flower and misses her note (letter). His brief period of luck drifts away with Amala and in the end, Kamal goes back to standing in lines outside buildings with vacancy boards. Nothing has changed, except that now, he’s willing to take the metaphorical stairs to succeed in life. The satire is admirable and at the end of the film, we’re left with a warm feeling for its characters and plenty of nostalgia. 1987/1988 was also the time when Kamal worked on films like Nayagan and Satya, the latter a drama on unemployment. Pesum Padam released in Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi under different names. The background score by L Vaithiyanathan fills the silences and complements the film perfectly. In 1987, it won Filmfare Award South for Best Film and in 1988 the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. The film also premiered at the International Film Festival of India and 1988 Cannes Film Festival in the International Critics' Week. The Kamal-Singeetam combination has given us plenty of great films including Raja Parvai, Apoorva Sagodharargal and the hilarious Michael Madhana Kamarajan. Pesum Padam is undoubtedly the silent jewel in the crown.

Dubai, May 11: Malayalam super star Mohanlal was among the list of personalities from the Malayalam film industry to receive awards at the inaugural Indian Movie Awards in Qatar (Imaq 2013) at a function in Qatar's capital, Doha

Others who received awards at the event Friday were actors Prathap K. Pothan, Biju Menon, Salim Kumar, T. G. Ravindranathan, music director M Jayachandran, upcoming talents Fahad Fazil, Reema Kallingal, Isha Talwar, Aju Varghese, Sekhar Menon, directors Lal Jose, Aashiq Abu, Anwar Rashid and Vineeth Sreenivasan, singers Vijay Yesudas and Zayanora Philip, reported Gulf Times, the media partner of the event, Saturday.

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Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 15: A game inspired by upcoming Malayalam film "3 Dots" has been launched for people active on digital platforms.

Actors Kunchacko Boban, Biju Menon and Prathap K. Pothan along with child artist Vivaswan launched the game in Munnar earlier this week during the third and last schedule of the shoot of the movie, directed by Sugeeth.

Facebook users can play the game on the social networking site and also stand a chance to win prizes. Players can choose to be avatars of characters essayed by Kunchacko, Biju or Prathap to collect points.

It can be played as many times as the player wants and they can submit.

Film: ‘Maro Charithra’ (Telugu); Cast: Varun Sandesh, Anita, Naresh, Pratap Pothen, Urvashi; Director: Ravi Yadav; Producer: Dil Raju; Music Director: Micky J. Meyers; Rating: * 1/2

Remaking a classic in the same language can be risky for the producer. Think of well-known Telugu producer like Dil Raju deciding to remake a classic like ‘Maro Charithra’ — immortalised by director K. Balachandar, legendary actor Kamal Haasan and talented Saritha and not to forget music maestro like M.S..

Veerasekaran is a film wherein art director Veerasamar is debuting as a hero. He is donning the role of a poor student who stays and studies in the cemetery due to his poverty. Veerasamar who comes from a village to study in Chennai stays in the cemetery with the help of cemetery caretaker due to his poverty. But a politician adopts him for his personal gains. He changes him as a murderer. Though there are continuous murders in this film, the violence has been kept under control.

Hence the Censor Board has granted this film a U certificate. Amala Paul is pairing with Veerasamar who is doing the lead role. Pratap Pothan is donning the role of a villain. M S Bhaskar, Manobala, Crane Manohar, Aarthi and Risha are also starring in this film. S V Ezhlil Selvan has handled the camera. Navi Sasikumar has written the story, screenplay and...