Telugu Film News 09-06-2007

Preparations for NBK's birthday bash

Everything is set for grand celebrations of Nandamuri Balakrishna's birthday on June 10th at Rajahmundry. Balakrishna who is shooting for Okkamagadu at Pudipalli village near Rajahmundry is celebrating this birthday with his fans at a public place in a grand scale. Fans from all over the state especially from Coastal Andhra districts are expected to come to Rajahmundry.

Director YVS, fans and Telugu Desam party members in Rajahmundry have already arrangements for the birthday bash.

Sumanth's diary is full

Hero Sumanth's diary is full this year. He has already signed two films – one for his uncle Nagarjuna and the other for a new production company. Nagarjuna will produce Sumanth's immediate film on his Annapurna Studios banner. Kajal is his heroine in this film. He has also signed another film for another new director Raj Pippala, an ad filmmaker.

Raj Pippalla's recent work includes a Liril Ad, shot in iceland and an Adidas Ad shot in Morocco. Ramana Gogula joins the creative team with his melodies.

Shivaji to release with 700 prints

Rajnikanth's Shivaji is going to set a new record for a regional movie. Shivaji that was made with a huge budget over Rs 50 Crores will release with 700 prints all over the world on June 15 th. This is a record for a regional film. Only few Bollywood films like Krrish, Dhoom -2 released with over 700 prints in India so far. Rajnikanth's box-office power is beyond one state and there is lot of hype surrounding it. So the production house, AVM, is planning to pump in with more prints.

Pawan Kalyan's Hungama!
*ing... Pawan Kalyan, Iliyana
Director : Trivikram
Producer : Allu Aravind
Music : Devi Sree Prasad
Banner : Geetha Arts



PAATA Audio CD Released!
*ing... Madhu Sudhan, Jyothi Krishana, Poonam Singar



Mumaith, Parvathi Melton in Kannada films

Item girl Mumaith Khan too is entering into Kannada films. As she has already tasted success in Telugu, Mumaith is in much demand in other language films.

Particularly Kannada film makers are making beeline to her. Parvathi Melton also joins the club of heroines who are migrating to Kannada film world. She has signed two films there.

Shilpa to open a restaurant in London

YORKSHIRE: She’s already proclaimed her love for the country that revived her career, and now Shilpa Shetty is all set to cash in on her fame in the UK. After a string of acting offers, including a broadway show, and talk show appearances the actress now plans to open a restaurant in central London in September.

“I haven’t finalised the name of the restaurant as yet. Authentic Indian food will be served there as I love Indian food,” she said.

Shilpa’s trip to Yorkshire has been full of mishaps - first she lost her baggage and then developed a crick in the neck. “I have taken shots to be here,” she revealed. However, that has not stopped her from working up a lot of exciting plans for future.

“First there is the launch of my perfume called S2, which is a mix between Jasmine and citrus. I am glad that the super drug stores here have volunteered to promote it for a month,” she said.

And then, she’s excited about the broadway show, which she says will be taken to London and Germany. “Nothing has been finalised yet, except that Ganesh Hegde will be choreographing the show,” she informed.

Yesterday night, British MP Keith Vaz and Wizcraft threw a birthday party for Shilpa. “I’m loving all the attention that I’m getting here,” she said.

Before rushing off for her various assignments, Shilpa did let one big cat out of the bag. “I have been offered this fantastic British movie. I can’t tell you much about it, but I’m most probably doing it.”

Bipasha likes to be different!

Actress Bipasha Basu is living out of her suitcase, so it’s not very often that we get to catch up with her. But we did recently, and our conversation gradually led to boyfriend John Abraham’s new look — short hair and all! “I prefer him in short hair. He looks so good!” says the actress. About her own tresses, they seem to have grown longer than her last bob-cut look. “Oh, I keep doing something or the other to my hair. That’s why every time you see me, you’ll think I look different!” explains Bips. Well, that’s quite the ‘long and short’ of it.

Behind The Scene: Paul makes Babu sleepless!

International evangelist KA Paul made Babu go without sleep. Paul, who is currently in Hyderabad, made some sensational allegations against AICC chief Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy much to the chagrin of the Congress leaders and to the delight of the Telugu Desam. The TD leadership does not want to let go the opportunity. It wanted to derive the maximum mileage out of the allegation, without of course, bothering to find out whether the charges were true or motivated.

Immediately after making the wild allegations, Paul sought an appointment with Chandrababu Naidu. Babu agreed only to fall in a dilemma a few moments later. TD leaders told Chandrababu Naidu that Paul is facing charges of child abuse back home in the US. The TD leaders, were, however not sure about the charges. They wanted to know whether the Paul who is facing child abuse charges is the same Paul who has sought appointment with Chandrababu Naidu.

This led to frantic telephone calls to TD sympathisers in the US and journalists in Hyderabad. If Babu meets Paul, it will give a tool into the hands of the Congress to launch a scathing attack on the Telugu Desam leader, in case the charges of child abuse were true. This made Babu and other TD leaders go without sleep literally.

City consultant held for visa fraud

Delhi police have arrested the managing director of the city-based overseas educational consultancy Apriori Solutions for visa fraud. The arrest of Santosh Reddy blows the lid off another major visa racket using fraudulent documents and follows the unmasking of a similar racket run with the help of MLAs and MPs.

Chanakyapuri police were acting on a complaint lodged by the US Embassy after a student, Edulakanti Ranadeep Kumar, 25, a resident of Vidyaranyapuri in Hanumakonda, was caught red handed trying to get an F1 visa with fake documents.

Based on his confession, cops raided Apriori Solutions at Sripuram Colony in Malakpet and arrested the MD, Santosh Reddy, a resident of Moosarambagh. He was produced in court and will be taken to Delhi.

In its complaint, the US Embassy alleged that Ranadeep stuck a deal with Santosh Reddy to pay Rs 20,000 for supplying the support documents for visa application. He paid Rs 11,000 as first instalment and agreed to pay Rs 9,000 after getting the visa. But he was caught by Embassy officials during the interview on June 4.

Ranadeep, who was trying to get admission to Stanford University, produced an ID card, pay slip of Damco Company, IT Returns of his relatives E. Venkata Sudha Shiva Reddy and E. Sabita and three affidavits fraudulently obtained by Santosh Reddy.

Apart from this, he also submitted a certificate and bank statement of Andhra Bank, property and land valuation certificate of the AP government and other documents.

Police confiscated the experience letter of Suphala IT Services after Embassy officials alleged that it looked dubious. They suspect that the firm may have sent several other students on F1 visa obtained by fraudulent documents. G. Rajashekar, a former partner of the company, said that all the documents provided by Santosh seemed to be genuine. "Ranadheer may have submitted fake documents but how can the consultancy be held responsible for that?" he asked.

Santosh Reddy refused to talk to the media when he was produced at the Nampally Criminal Court. US consulate general said recently that his officials would work closely with Indian police to prosecute the perpetrators.

Bhagyaraja's Talk About His Daughter

Bhagya Raja is a renowned Tamil film maker and actor who was very active during 80s. He made the films like 'Chinna Illu' those turned popular in Telugu as well. Now he is again becoming active both in Tamil and Telugu by penning scripts and making films.

Now Bhagya Raja's daughter turned an actress in Tamil recently. It is a known fact that many film celebrities introduce their sons in films but keep away in the matter of daughters.

When the same impression was kept before Bhagya Raja with reference to her daughter, he said, "In a Tabloid interview I said that my son is inclined in acting but my daughter is not interested. Reading that my daughter asked me why I told so. She said that she is willing to prove her talent as actress. That's why I gave green signal for her to become an actress. She acted in Tamil film 'Parijatam'".

Bhagya Raja is known for practical approach and thinking. He is known for soft porn dialogues and themes in his films. But can Bhagya Raja digest that if his daughter also acts in such soft erotic comedy films? We have to wait and see.