Ajmal Ameer's back to Kollywood

A doctor-turned-actor, Ajmal Ameer never imagined that he would be pursuing a career in films one day. Hailing from Kerala, the actor got his first break with the Tamil blockbuster film Anjathey, followed by movies like Thiru Thiru Thuru Thuru and TN 07 AL 4777, which however didn’t ring too well at the box-office. The actor is back again, this time with his film Ko that also stars Jiiva, Karthika and Piaa Bajpayee. Ko, post its release has been receiving rave reviews, especially for Ajmal’s performance and the actor is obviously elated.

“I am so happy, that I don’t have words to describe the feeling. I’ve been getting calls every 10 minutes from fans and well-wishers about my performance. This is something I just didn’t imagine... all thanks director K V Anand,” he gushes.

In the film, Ajmal plays the role of a young and energetic politician. Talking about the work that went into the role, he says, “When KV Anand narrated the script, I knew this would become a blockbuster. Since, I was playing the role of a politician, I took cues from real time leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Sachin Pilot and Barack Obama. I observed their style of dressing and their attitude, the way they carry themselves. I added some nuances from my end, and put everything together, to bring about a fresh perspective to the role I essayed.”

After the success of Ko, the actor is now flooded with offers. But he is in no hurry to sign them, says Ajmal. “I’ve been listening to a lot of scripts lately, but I am yet to commit to a new project. Right now, I am working on two films, Kathirvel and Karupampatti. My characters in both these films are different and pretty interesting. In Kaupampatti, I play a dual role — of the father and a son,” he offers. The actor who has stayed away from the Malayalam film industry, in spite of his big debut with the film Pranayakalam says he wants to focus on Kollywood for now. “I find Kollywood the place to be. The reach and kind of exposure we get as actors is much better. I am rather proud to be called a Kollywood actor, than from anywhere else,” he adds.

Ameer and Neetu Chandra

 

Ameer and Neetu Chandra’s friendship is the hot topic for discussion in Kollywood. The bonding between the director and actress certainly has some tongues wagging about their relationship. When Neetu was questioned about this, she replied that Ameer is a good friend of hers and nothing more.

Neetu says that she is never disturbed by gossips and takes everything in her stride. The actress adds that she enjoys a good rapport with Ameer’s wife and whenever she is in the city it is the director’s wife who cooks meals for her.

Telugu Heros are in great demand

 

With big Tamil films being put on the back-burner and their releases delayed in Tamil Nadu due to the unexpected early announcement of elections as well as the all-pervasive cricket mania, a new trend has emerged in Kollywood.

Most of the screens in the state are occupied by either straight Telugu flicks or their dubbed versions. If you look at the recent theatrical releases in TN, the films of young Telugu superstars like Jr N.T.R., Allu Arjun, Mahesh Babu and Ram Charan Tej are receiving a good response.

Jr N.T.R.’s mass masala film Om Shakti was simultaneously released in AP and in TN, in its direct as well as its dubbed version recently. While the telugufilm was released in 12 city theatres, the dubbed version had 70 screens.

Comments Murali Ramanarayanan, who distributed Om Shakti in TN, “Dubbed versions of big stars like Nagarjuna, Venkatesh, Rajashekar and Siddharth enjoy a good market in the city. In some of the big towns like Madurai, Coimbatore and Salem, direct releases of Telugu flicks of Gen-N actors like Allu Arjun, Jr N.T.R., Ram Charan and Mahesh Babu, are a safer bet for us. Even if they run for a week, we collect our money.”

Close on the heels of Om Shakti’s success, another Jr N.T.R. starrer, the three-year-old blockbuster Kantri, directed by Meher Ramesh, dubbed as Pookiri Paiya, will be released soon. An added advantage for its producer Sharada Reddy is that Kantri features Hansika Motwani in the lead, who is a hot sensation in Tamil now.

Producer Prabhu, who is releasing the Mahesh Babu starrer Kaleja in Tamil as Bathra in 70 screens in the state, is confident that it will do well. “Since the making style in Tamil and Telugu is almost the same, Tamil audiences are able to relate to and enjoy the mass masala movies which are made on a grand scale. The added advantage is that there is more glitz and glamour in T’town movies.”

Nagarjuna’s recent hit Ragada is also being dubbed as Vambhu and will be released in May in 75 theatres. Vambhu has been given an A certification by the regional censor.

Ram Charan Teja’s record-breaking hit Maghadheera, which had Kajal Aggarwal in the female lead, is now releasing in Tamil as Maaveeran.

Abirami Ramanathan, president, Chennai exhibitors’ association opines, “It’s a stopgap arrangement. More than dubbed Telugu films, it’s the straight films which are doing good business in my theatres.”

Meanwhile, one hears that Teen Maar, the T’Wood movie starring Pawan Kalyan and Trisha, will hit screens this Friday in eight city theatres.