Vikram wants to be ‘Captain of the Ship’

‘Kanthaswamy’ – Vikram's big film of the year has finally released with a record breaking ticket sales. The film is getting great reviews. We catch up with Chiyan Vikram who talks about his movie Kanthaswamy, his dream of working with Mani Ratnam and more...  Tell us about Kanthaswamy?  Vikram: It’s the earnest hard work of the entire team that had really urged me to put more and more efforts for perfection. For sure, this would be a special film for all the Tamil Cinema buffs.  Looks like your dream of working with Mani Ratnam has come true?  Vikram: Definitely, it’s a blessing to work with such filmmakers. Mani Ratnam and Bala are the best in tinsel town, who don’t compromise with certain things at any extent. Working with Mani Ratnam was a blissful moment. We shot across locales of Ooty, dense forests of Kerala, thickly-populated areas of Kolkata and cold-climatic area of Madhya Pradesh.  Your experience of shooting for ‘Raavan’...  Vikram: Mani Ratnam can be best ennobled as a warrior on battle ground, when he’s on the shooting spots. He has everything pre-planned in his mind and knows the limit of reality to be delivered on the screens. He never allows exaggeration to preponderate in the final take. Abhishek and Aishwarya were contrastive in their nature. Abhishek was so jovial who would remain on the sets even after his portions are finished. When it comes to Aishwarya Rai, she’s so professional and encouraging.  How do you manage to portray the all the different characters in your films with such excellence?  Vikram: I inhale the traits of every character I perform in each film. I live deeply under the skin of characterization even during non-shooting periods. That precisely helps me out in elevating the roles’ traits.  How about your Bollywood dreams?  Vikram: Many say that Language isn’t a barrier. Possibly, I would say an actor must understand the language first and that would alone get them right into the feel. All my focus is in South Indian films as I have good linguistic skills in all the languages.  We hear you are planning to get into direction soon?  Vikram: Naturally, I am very interested in direction. Every actor has his dreams of achieving the designation of ‘Captain of the Ship’. Working with so many filmmakers Shankar, Bala, Mani Ratnam, I have gained unique experience. Within next 5 years, I am sure to direct a flick.  Tamil film industry is hero-oriented. What’s your take?  Vikram: Maybe, but according to me, I solely believe and act as per the director’s taste and requests.  What will be your dream role?  Vikram: I am performing a role that is close-to-my-heart in Selvaraghavan’s next film. I am curiously waiting for the film’s shooting to commence.  Are you an ardent believer of God?  Vikram: Definitely, I put all my trust in God and he has gifted me with success. Hope, he makes me an actor in next birth as well.

Courtesy: indiaglitz.com

Kandhasamy betters Sivaji, in 18 city theatres

Vikram-Shriya starrer Kandhasamy, it seems like, has overtaken the opening collection and release records that the superstar set with 'Sivaji The Boss'.

'Kandhasamy', which finally hit screens on Friday, created a record in Tamil cinema by being released in 18 theatres in Chennai alone. It also had a huge international release, covering over 900 theatres world-over (in Tamil and Telugu)!

Such a theatrical release, coupled with the overwhelming opening revenues it has generated, has so far remained the preserve only of Rajinikanth. It is for the first time that a Vikram film, despite the actor not having delivered a hit after 'Anniyan' in 2005, has received such a response. Produced by Dhanu’s V Creations, 'Kandhaswamy' is a superhero flick directed by 'Thiruttu Payale' fame Susi Ganeshan.

“For the first time in Tamil cinema’s history, a film has been released in 18 theatres in the city. The film which came closest to this was Rajini’s blockbuster 'Sivaji The Boss', which was released in 17 theatres in Chennai,” says popular distributor Abirami Ramanathan, who has bagged the city distribution rights for the film at a whopping Rs 4 crore. He had earlier bought the rights of 'Sivaji The Boss' as well, which also starred 'Kandhasamy’s heroine Shriya, along with Rajinikanth. 'Kandhasamy', which is being released extensively abroad as well, in Malyasia, USA, Dubai and Sri Lanka (in that order of importance), has been released with an eye to quickly retrieve the money spent on it.

Speaking to Express, producer Dhanu says “The distribution pattern is such that we can recover our production amount in two-and-a-half weeks.” Ask him for the money spent on making the film, and he says “It is definitely a higher budget film that Rajini’s 'Sivaji The Boss', where biggies like Rajinikanth, Shankar and AR Rahman were involved. We didn’t spend so much on the cast or technicians, but the film has been shot lavishly in Mexico,” Industry sources say the film has been made at a budget of over Rs 40 crore.

For Vikram fans, who’ve been a disappointed lot with no hit from him after 'Anniyan', it was a red lettered day. Though their actor couldn’t make it to Chennai at the time of the release, the fans let their adulation known by creating a record in the advance booking. “We opened bookings on Sunday for the film and in the next 12 hours, 1,40,000 tickets were sold, generating Rs 95 lakh. This is also a record in Chennai,” Ramanathan says. But the similarity and comparison with Sivaji seem to have extended to the audience too, who thought 'Kandhasamy' was pretty much like Sivaji, the story of a hero playing Robinhood.

For the producer, who says the film has been booked for a week, the next project is on: to release the film in Spanish, Italian and English, after trimming the movie to 1.5 hours.


Courtesy: expressbuzz.com

Abhishek amazed by Vikram

Mani Ratnam is a busy man these days sweating it out in Kolkata, directing a host of well established actors and talents in the Indian film industry. The scenes that are being shot now are those of Vikram and Abishek Bachchan. Sources close to the film crew say that the two actors have bonded well during the shoots. Bachchan Jr., reportedly saw a few of the Kanthaswamy stills of Vikram and was amazed by the

two get-ups he had donned for the movie – a woman and old man. It is said that Abishek showered his praises on Vikram for the perfect look that he was able to bring out in the stills.

Courtesy: behindwoods.com