Namitha, breaking all taboos

Namitha has been in the Tamil industry for less than a decade but she has stacked up a great many hits in this short span. Be it her very first role in Engal Anna or that of the vamp Lisa in Billa, she's proved that it's not just her sex appeal that backs her up but her acting prowess as well.

It's not easy to meet the expectations of oneself and the audience, but Namitha's got her loyalists twisted around her li'l finger. While she unfailingly sizzles for her ardent fans, she also throws in some surprising acts in meaty roles.

Her rather in-yer-face, unabashed approach to 'skin show' makes even the most conservative cine-goer give her their grudging respect. There's no denying that Namitha's brazen act is here to stay.

Here are exclusive images of the star who owns oomph!

Tips to Buy Quality Gold Jewelry Pearls And Pearl Jewelry:

Having a gold jewelry is really fashionable and symbol of richness as gold is one of the most precious metals in the world. Quality of good gold makes it classier. So before buying gold or gold made jewelry, you need to learn some tips and advices.

First of all choose any good jewelry shop for buying gold or gold jewelry.

If you are planning to buy gold as fixed assets, then pick purest quality of gold. You can choose some less pure gold for making jewelry.

Check quality of gold. Gold purity is noticeable with karat quality marks. 24k gold is purest form of gold. And in 22k, 23k or 21k there are some impurity of other metals. So check carefully about gold mark as well as trademark on gold jewellery.

If you are planning to buy gold jewelry having stones like diamond and other metal, then check quality of both. Check the weight of gold in that jewelry.

Never buy gold plated jewellery as it contains negligible quantity of gold.

Always ask for receipt of jewellery you bought and make sure that the invoice you received has printed the karat quality of gold.

 

Gold has always been treasured for its value, both as a metal and in the form of ornaments. We all buy gold for both of these reasons, directly or indirectly. If you’re buying gold as an investment, go for the purest form that you can buy. If buying simply for ornamentation, you may opt to choose a less pure form.

The purity of gold is displayed in karats: 10, 12, 18 and 24 karat gold. The number indicates purity. 18k gold is comprised of 18 parts of gold and 6 parts of other metals. 12K gold contains 12 parts of gold out of 24 and 10K gold would contain 12 parts of other metals. 24K gold is the purest and does not contain any other metal.

Gold jewelry uses gold of one or the other karats. Always ask about the purity of the gold used in the jewelry you buy. Very versatile, gold can be shaped into different forms: wires, flat sheets, rings or poured into a mold for custom shapes. This is why gold is widely used in jewelry.

If buying gold jewelry with stone insets like diamonds, rubies, emeralds or any other gemstones, always ask about the quality and purity of the stones used. The jeweler should be able to provide you with a certificate of authenticity of the gemstone, preferably from the GIA, Gemological Institute of America or the AGS American Gem Society.

You may have heard of White Gold. White gold is a gold alloy containing a percentage of nickel or platinum. Some people experience allergic reactions to white gold. Jewelers are now shifting to palladium as the other metal used in white gold since it does not create allergic reactions. Always ask for gold mixed with palladium when you buy white gold.

Avoid gold "plated" jewelry, unless you plan on infrequent use. Gold plating usually consists of a very fine layer of gold. The thinner the plating, the faster it will wear off and begin to look tarnished and worn out.

Buying quality pearls and pearl jewelry is as important as buying any other types of jewelry items. One needs to know few useful tips that can help you get the right type of jewelry at right price.

 

Unlike diamonds that are evaluated on four factors: Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat popularly known as 4 Cs among diamond jewelers, pearls are graded from A to AAA depending upon the followings key factors:                              

 

 

1.Pearl luster - a combination of surface brilliance and inner glow. A very good luster means it has higher pearl value.

 

2.Pearl Size - Pearls are commonly measured in millimeters (mm) in their diameter. Large size pearls carry higher prices. Even 1 mm makes the difference. 80 % of the pearls sold in international market are between 6mm to 8mm. Small sizes often preferred by young girls.

 

3. Pearl Nacre - The iridescent internal layer of a mollusk shell. It is a natural substance that pearl oysters secrete to protect their sensitive flesh. The thin nacre is very prone to peeling and chipping whereas thicker layer means good high nacre and obviously will command higher price.

 

4.Pearl Surface - Outer surface should be absolutely clean and shining. That means no blemishes on the surface. Higher quality of pearls have mirror like finish and without any blemishes on its surface.

 

5.Pearl Color - Body color or Surface color. Most irradiated or dyed pearls have surface colors. The natural pearl colors are white, black, champagne, green, gray, aqua and gold. Again within each category there are common overtones. White pearls with rose overtones look great especially on fair skin and the cream or the golden overtones look fabulous on darker complexions. Most important is woman's own personal taste and preference.

 

6.Pearl Shape - The perfect round shape pearls command higher price than near or off round shape. Pearl jewelry is not restricted to round shape pearls only and other shapes like tear drop, pear, potato, coin and irregular baroque shape pearls are equally popular for variety of reasons.

 

7. Price - Finally the price. There are four types of pearls; Freshwater pearls, Akoya Seawater pearls, Tahitian Pearls and South Sea pearls. Each of these types comes with different price tags. The most affordable are freshwater and then comes the akoya.

Adhinetha Movie Review

The idea of entering politics has always been for those who have some political connections or family background. But here is one man who rises from the people and this common man becomes the Chief Minister and tries to do his bit to bring a change in the society. But it is not before he has to make few sacrifices and face enemies. How does he do that, let us see. Story Suryanarayana (Jagapathi) is a failed graduate who is basically jobless but then he is one man who stands first when it comes to helping others and bashing the baddies. Worried by his nature, his parents (Annapurna, Chalapathi Rao) decide to speak to the local MLA Sri Ramulu (Paruchuri) and he recommends Suri to the CM (Ahuti Prasad). However, Suri gets to see the level of corruption that is currently on including the CM who takes money. Meanwhile, Suri meets Rajeshwari (Shraddha) and falls in love with her but as destiny would have it, his life takes a turn when Sri Ramulu is killed by the villains (Anand Raj, Supreeth etc) including the CM. Sri Ramulu is more like the godfather for Suri and before he dies, he takes a word from Suri that he would enter politics. true to his word, Suri becomes an independent MLA and with a twist of change, he ends up becoming the CM. Here, he assigns the police inspector Hamsa (Hamsa Nandini) for a special task and even she gets killed. Meanwhile, the former CM begins his plans to oust Suri. How all this is resolved forms the rest of the story. Performances Jagapathi Babu came across with a neat performance and though he is still struggling with his dance and swift movements during fights, his voice and expressions make up for his presence. Shraddha Das looked a bit different given her non-urban role but she has to work on her dance and expressions. Hamsa looked neat and she has enough oomph in her. Ahuti Prasad was effective, Anandraj was standard, Chalapathi Rao and Annapurna did their bit with grace, Krishna Bhagawan’s comedy was okay. The others came and went. Technical aspects The narrative has not been that great and even the presentation was just average. The dialogues failed to capture the audience except twice or thrice. The script was written lengthily and the screenplay was quite haphazard. Music failed to impress as most of the songs looked taken from other tunes and the cinematography was not able to capture the locales or get the moments correctly. Even the angling of the cameras was not apt. editing was curt and it was not smooth and in sync with the sequence. Costumes and art department could have been better. Director’s portrayal The director attempted to come up with a political thriller and his focus was to create an awareness among the audience. He also wanted to show that politics is something that requires service oriented people and the entire system has gone corrupt so it is time to get some fresh blood. Not stopping at that, he has also shown some satires on the existing parties that are currently in the state. But then he should have focused on keeping the script under tight grip and also cut short the length. Even the dialogues required punch since it was a political genre and such movies run only on dialogues and not on glamour. He still needs to work on improvising few basics if he is looking at making movies. Critic’s view The film wanted to show that a common man can also become a Chief Minister but then it lacked the depth or the gravity that could convince the audience. Few scenes were uncalled for and it was an unnecessary drag on the length. The first half of the film was quite stale and things like rugby in village with a coconut and making Jagapathi Babu stand for almost 20 minutes and deliver a long lecture after being shot in the heart and slit by a sword is something the makers should learn to come out of. The sequence and arrangement of the storyline was not smooth and there were few patches that came in between drifting the audience away from the plot. The good side is the masses will have something to relish given the glamour songs and also some scenes from Jagapathi Babu. Otherwise, there is nothing much in it. Verdict Nothing interesting, just average and very lengthy. Cast: Jagapathi Babu, Shraddha Das, Hamsa Nandini, Neelima, Ahuti Prasad, Anand Raj, Paruchuri Gopalakrishna, Chalapathi Rao, Annapurna, Sivaparvathi, Krishna Bhagawan etc CREDITS: Banner: Sri Satya Sai Arts Music: Srikanth Deva Camera: Prasad Babu Director: V Samudra Producer: K K Radhamohan Release date: 24/04/2009

Barah Aana Movie Review

On the buttons, final take for ‘Barah Aana’ is that it’s a flick meant strictly for few amongst miniscule groups. Well, there aren’t many chances for single screens to fill their sacs with profits. Incisively, Raja Menon can be praised for his most adept efforts of delivering a piece of out-of-box. Picking the characterizations of a driver, a watchman and a waiter, (categories of people who face the hardest things in Maxim City of Mumbai), the filmmaker weaves a tale of drama that’s enjoyable in few parts. Certainly, not everyone would love to watch this film for it’s the kind of genre that Raja has worked on. Merely not everything is laudable when it comes to screenplay and other narrative vistas.

Take a glimpse on this synopsis and let’s get through a clear-cut analysis…

Barah Aana is a comedy of real life set in today's Mumbai. The story revolves around three unlikely friends: a driver (Naseeruddin Shah), a watchman (Vijay Raaz) and a waiter (Arjun Mathur). The driver is an older man, stoic but dependable. The watchman, in his 30's, is a pushover at work but otherwise mischievous. The waiter is a young, swaggering chap, brimming with ambition. Living together, their different attitudes make for an interesting banter.

At some point, misfortune befalls the watchman, and due to a series of chance events, he stumbles into a crime. Striking upon a seemingly low-risk way to make good money, and discovering a new sense of self-confidence, he tries to entice the others to join him in a series of such crimes. Cat and mouse games ensue between the three as personalities change, but events soon spiral out of control, leading them in a direction that none of them had ever wanted to take...

Getting on with these three actors, they’ve strongly depicted the characterization of most complicated jobs of a chauffeur, night watchman and waiter. Fine, for sure you’ll have those residents in apartments and posh colonies getting through such kind toughest encounters faced in reality. The first half goes flimsy very the filmmaker brims it all plainly with establishing characters. But on the pars, things gets-goes in the latter part and to a higher degree, the kidnap mission of the trio is really interesting. 

Indeed, Naseeruddin Shah’s pictorial in the past films A Wednesday and this week release in ‘Firaaq’ have been terrific. Over there, you don’t watch him articulating more and more words, but his gestures and actions takes us for a great fascination. Possibly, Arjun Mathur who could’ve felt bit unconvinced with his ‘Luck By Chance’ show in minor role has reasons to rejoice. It’s a commendable effort rendered by him. Vijay Raaz is extremely decorous in enacting his role.

Apart from cinematography, Director Raja should’ve tried for getting other technical aspects on the screens with finesse.

Certainly, as the verdict is written right over the top, the film goes close to title that’s been named uniquely. But such an unparalleled comedy-drama wouldn’t savor to everyone’s tastes.

Verdict: Watch it good efforts.

Rating :**½

Videsh Movie Review

Hop-skipping through contrasocio themes, Deepa Mehta strikes with yet another flick that flavours with a strong feminism. Precisely, the film’s female protagonist has many similarities with Aishwarya’s role in The Provoked… Indian brides battered black and blue in soul and body – these similarities tags them together. Of course, scenarios go straight on the same lines where families are prone to ‘Devil-may-care’ motive of barging their daughters in foreign countries after their marriage.

Vibrant and irrepressibly alive, Chand (Preity Zinta) is a young bride leaving her home in Ludhiana, India, for the cavernous landscape of Brampton, Ontario, where her husband Rocky (Vansh Bhardwaj) and his very traditional family await her arrival. Everything is new to Chand everything is unfamiliar including the quiet and shy Rocky who she meets for the first time at the Arrivals level of Pearson Airport. Chand approaches her new life and her new land with equanimity and grace, and at times the wide-eyed optimism of hope-her first snowfall is a tiny miracle of beauty, and the roar of Niagara Falls creates the excitement of new beginnings.

But soon optimism turns to isolation as the family she has inherited struggles beneath the weight of unspoken words, their collective frustration becoming palpable. No one feels the pressure more than Rocky, weighed down by familial obligations. A controlling mother, who can't let him go, a sweet but ineffectual father, and a sister whose two children and unemployed husband are also a burden, all live with Rocky and Chand in a two-bedroom house in the suburbs of Toronto. To make matters worse, Rocky is expected to find the money to bring his extended family to Canada. Unable to express his anger, he finds other ways to release it and it's Chand who bears the brunt of his repressed rage. 

Trapped in a world she cannot comprehend and unable to please her husband, Chand is desperate. Hope comes in the form of Rosa (Yanna McIntosh), a tough and savvy Jamaican woman who works alongside Chand in a factory where immigrant women from all over the world clean and press dirty hotel laundry. Rosa sees past the make-up that covers Chand's bruised face. Realizing Chand has nowhere to turn, Rosa gives her a magical root advising her "to put it in whatever the bastard drinks." The root is supposed to seduce the one who takes it, making them fall hopelessly in love with the person who gives it to them. Chand's attempts with the magic root lead to surreal incidents and her life gradually begins to mirror an Indian fable involving a King Cobra. As the lines between fantasy and reality converge, Chand and Rocky come face to face with each other and themselves. 

It’s as the famous saying goes, ‘One step away from striking Gold’, Deepa Mehta stops halfway… An auteur who established extraordinary versions of substantial women-oriented scripts, this is quite an absurd one.  Ever imagined a socio-drama coalesced with fantasy. A rare cocktail that was supposed to be churned in early 70s; Deepa! You’re too late with this show. Possibly, an ardent film researcher may pick this one to be his case study while for others; they may feel uncomfortable with fantasy barging in through ‘Cobra Ka Khel’…

Pertaining to onscreen performance, doubtlessly it’s Preity Zinta who has trenchantly spelled her characterization. Getting to watch a bubbly missy who often glued herself to glamorous appeals on contrastive grounds is mind-boggling. Nothing much to mark on other star-casts as Preity herself eclipses everyone around…

Giles Nuttegen’s cinematography is honky-dory of its kind. Especially, in the frames where we get to watch the shots placed within the confined walls of Toronto’s house is top-notching. Giles has been so keen on filling the screens with specified tones adapting to scenarios. Moreover, he treads applying the psychological-aspects of getting viewers adhered to screens.  Nothing else to do with other technical aspects as musical scores could’ve been furthermore better; editing is simple sans innovativeness.

Deepa deserves a grand round of applause for her yet another approach towards feminism. But what stops us from getting ahead of appreciating her is dropping an inappropriate idea of fancy into a serious subject.

Certainly, it would have worked if Deepa had set out of her box and adapted some fantasy-based stories like Cinderella. Why not? ‘Alice in the Wonderland’ and ‘Cinderella’ haps to be carrying strong female personas…

Verdict: A slight disappointment from Deepa

Rating : **

Ek - The Power of One - Strictly for ‘Masala’ buffs

It isn’t all the same this weekend. Three films with different genres hitting screens should be a real fiesta for all film buffs… If Aa Dekhen Zara is about ‘Supernatural Thriller’ and Deepa Mehta’s ‘Videsh’ a dramatic theme, Ek – The Power of One is a well-tailored commercial cinema for B and C Centres. Yeah! For those who had missed a hero skipping from air-to-grounds, running faster than a bullet train, cracking down at least 25 bullies and more, here’s a perfect kickshaw.

‘Ek – The Power of One’ is a faithful remake of Mahesh Babu’s Telugu film ‘Athadu’ which can be best regarded to be a different version of ‘Tom and Jerry’. A cop with sense of humor chasing a gangster who’s dwelling with hidden identity… It has a perfect mix of action, here-and-there humors, lots of sentiments, a long-time love story and an inexcusable traitor.    

Appropriately, this isn’t a gonzo flick… as you would’ve frequently seen such movies in Bollywood before couple of decades.

Nandu (Bobby Deol) an orphaned gangster is hired by opposition party leader Anna Mahatre (Sachin Khedekar) to carry through a political gimmick. Nandu had to barge the bullets close to the politician during a public meet, which will win him sympathy votes. Isn’t that a smart move? Well, much before Nandu could set his focus from a rooftop, he’s blown of waters to witness the politician’s assassination. With no options left, Nandu runs into a train where he meets Puran (Akshay Kapoor). He’s a boy from Punjab heading to meet his relatives after long time of his childhood. Meanwhile, cops have reached the next station where train will have its arrival. Turn the tables, there’s a cop who loses his focus on Nandu and bumps off Puran instead. Much before cops could reach the train, Nandu has vanished.

To convey the news about the innocent’s death, Nandu reaches Puran’s ghar only to be misidentified. Aye! The family members assume Nandu to be Puran and emotions take over everyone as each one comes forward to meet him. Drenched in pains of being an orphan and gangster, Nandu for the first time tastes the sweet pangs of love and care from the family. Nandu sees the hidden pain in this family and yet the strength with which Puran's grandfather has held the family till date. His decides to remain there as Puran. 

Thus Nandu now Puran starts living within the family as its own member. He experiences, love, care, pain and goes through a lot many emotions as he is showered by so much love from all within the family. He bonds the most with the grandfather and the eldest bhua. Gradually he also starts falling in love with Preet. Nandu has forgotten his past and becomes Puran, helping the family in all its needs as if the family is his very own. 

In the interim, case pertaining to assassination of Anna Mahatre is handed to CBI Inspector Rane (Nana Patekar)… Fine! He’s a brilliant guy cracking jokes to his best and on the pars close on tracks of Nandu’s hidden place. When time urges both to encounter each other, Nandu has to gear up for his own investigations of raveling the mysterious death of Anna…

Will Nandu be able to come out of the crisis? Will Puran's family find out the truth? Who is the real killer of Anna Mahatre? 

Sangeeth Sivan, who dangled with comedy entertainers jaise ‘Kyaa Kool Hai Hum’ aur ‘Apna Sapna Money Money’, goes for a bold attempt. Hats off to Sangeeth!! In this era where ‘A Wednesday’ and ‘Rock On’ kind of films are topping, Sangeeth presents an old-fashioned masala in a complete new package. As it goes, ‘An Old Same SIM Card in a new mobile’ (polished take on ‘Old Wine in New Bottle’), he has embellished the clichéd tale with stylish technical aspects. Be it Peter Hein’s spellbinding stunts or the sleek editing that enhances the powerful feels of thriller: they’re fantastic.

Bobby has a fair comeback with his adept show. Nana Patekar steals the show with his witty behavior. ‘Awarappan’ and ‘Mission Istanbul’ could’ve disappointed Shriya, but the desolated girl has a convincing approach. Perhaps, she could’ve made it yet more impressive… Alongside, Sangeeth could’ve conceived something more innovative on delineating romantic sequences between Bobby and Shriya. He seems to have simply copycatted the Telugu versioned style. Pradeep enacting Bobby’s friend does a superb performance and he can expect best offers in tinsel town. Jackie Shroff and Zareen Wahah dash down our hopes to a greater extreme… Again, Chunky Pandey slips out from this list by few marks.

The film goes flawless expect mawkish factors overloaded in tons. Every family member seems to be over-emotional. Again, the Telugu style could’ve been reworked for the adaption of Bollywood style.

Valuating ‘Ek – The Power of One’, the film is sure to make it big across B and C centres while miniscule audiences may term it to be ‘absurd’. But that wouldn’t stop the good business of this film…

Verdict: Ek – Dekho Ek Bar, Agar Tum Chaho    

Rating:**1/2

8x10 Tasveer Movie Review

Well, here’s another new genre of ‘Supernatural Thriller’ persistently hitting screens sans a pause. Glimpse through previous weeks’ releases. ‘13b’ dealt with a phenomenal idiot box, ‘Aa Dekhen Zara’ – about a mysterious camera unveiling future’. Here goes, ‘8 X 10 Tasveer’ right on similar notes. This time it’s all about a ‘photograph’ that will unravel the frizzled scenario.

It’s really surprising to watch Nagesh Kukunoor taking up a new avatar of treating an unparalleled script – ‘Murder-Mystery’.  He takes off with a perfect narration all throughout the show and naturally holds onto a perfect climax. What else should a film possess to carry the label of best verdicts? Obviously, Nagesh seems to have focused more on technical aspects that helps a lot for a positive approach on audiences.

Perfect cinematography – sleek editing – dazing locales of foreign countries; here’s the mantra of delighting audiences with a visual treat.

But the film stops an inch from reaching the destination of triumph. It all goes with a slight stumble in the latter part and the reasons justified for murders. Nagesh Kukunoor sports himself bounded with amateurishness on dropping such motifs on the screen.

‘8X10 Tasveer’ is a story about young man named Jai Puri, (Akshay Kumar), who possesses supernatural powers. Jai is of Indian origin who works as a forest ranger in Canada. His life is shattered by the loss of a very important person in his life, his father (Benjamin Gilani). This personal tragedy leads him to use his unique supernatural power to unravel the mystery behind the murder. ‘8x10’ is a supernatural thriller with a nail-biting finish to come up with startling answers.

Getting on with performance, Akshay Kumar excels with his decent show. Perhaps, if you ever felt that Akki had overdone acting in many of his previous flicks, here’s something that proves his adeptness. Be the sequences, where he’s woe-stricken by his father’s loss or the part where he shares elated moments with his sweetheart, he’s cool. Ayesha Taakia goes about with her middling act and Nagesh could’ve depicted her characterization that would’ve had a better impact. Man who steals the show is Javed Jaffrey. He’s sure about sparkling smiles on your faces when he says ‘My name is Happy… Happy without ‘I’ and you are pulled in more with his witty mannerisms, particularly ‘Aaj Mera Happy Birthday Hai’ quotient works out well. Sharmila Tagore, Benjamin Gilani, Ananth Mahadevan and Rushaad Rana score 5/5 for their best take. Credit goes to Nagesh for a perfect casting.

Vikas Sivaraman’s cinematography is scintillating. As mentioned earlier, his works on the stunning locales are sure to carry your senses straight to those places. Songs are quite mediocre and it could’ve been done better while the background score by Salim Sulaiman has been done stylishly.

On the terms of scripting and narration, Nagesh excels with extraordinary skills. Of course, you are bounded with so much of suspense that you’ll really get mystified about the murderer. But then, if you’re really a wizard, the mystery is disentangled right before the intermission.

On the whole, ‘8 x 10 Tasveer’ is all about a faultless thriller that should get you hooked for a couple of hours. If few garbled vistas were pulled out from the reels, then the film is worthy getting ennobled as a ‘Best Thriller’.

Verdict: A gratifying entertainer.

Rating : ***

Aa Dekhen Zara Movie Review

Obviously, very few auteurs composed unique fictions on the supernatural thriller genre. Well, none presumed to go for the most speculative take on such genres. Perhaps the raise of new filmmakers inspired by western flicks is coming to the forefront with groundbreaking motifs.  Aye! You know something…. It all started when the Japanese filmmaker Tsuruta Norio’s ‘Yogen’ (Premonition) topped the charts of World Box Office. If you’re all guessing what this plotline is all about, it’s there right in the title. A Newspaper carries stories that would happen the very next second once read.  Japanese flicks never left anyone getting inspired, even Hollywood.  Things got more exemplified with ‘Grudge’, ‘Ring’ and more that were marked coherent factors sans absurdities that we often notice in other films.

If ‘Yogen’ was all about newspapers, Ring - ‘A Video Tape’, ‘13B’ about TV Series, how about a phenomenal camera exposing future. Quite interesting, isn’t? Befittingly, the film top-notches with a brilliant script unforeseen ever in Indian film scenarios as it treads interesting parts.

‘Aa Dekhen Zara’ goes far-fetched with powerful characterizations and substantial screenplay, though it stumbles at few points.

Not all wildlife photographers do become Mohit Chauhan who’s prone to ‘Thrills’ n ‘Chills’ across every moment. Surely, his famous statement “a wildlife photographer in India, being charged by a tiger sometime in your life is almost a certainty” hasn’t got anything to do for a guy like Ray Acharya (Neil Nithin Mukesh).

Ray Acharya is a struggling wild life photographer who finds ‘misfortunes’ right on his shoulders. The guy hasn’t got a single paisa to run around for his every need until his grandpa dies passing on an extraordinary camera. Nevertheless, Ray who isn’t aware about the supernatural powers of this photo-cam clicks it haphazardly on Simi (Bipasha Basu), an aphrodisiac DJ who resides in the opposite apartment (this guy has been drenched with peeping-tom mania into her Kidkiyaan…). Ah! He’s stuck in appalling waters as one of the photographs depicts herself getting shot at a bar. It’s almost like Ray’s fortune gushing through boundlessly. Not just does he save his girlfriend’s life, but also turns into a millionaire overnight as he clicks at the lottery ticket, race horses to auspicate the right one.

Meanwhile, you’ve the worst baddies in town knocking his door for grabbing the sorcerous camera.  In some manner, he sorts out things through hand-to-hand combat. Wait! This isn’t a happy ending for the lad. He’s topsy-turvily frizzled with the most awful situation, where camera starts prognosticating his awful future.

When previous week’s releases catered to specified groups: either multiplex or single screen audiences, ‘Aa Dekhen Zara’ savors to the best for all… Possibly, for those buffs of ‘Final Destination Series’, it may not exceed your expectations. But, pace dropping off in the latter part adds to the negative traits though loaded with finest songs, it eclipses those diminishing factors.

Neil Nithin Mukesh is simply his best as Ray. The actor had proved his adept skills with in his debut ‘Johnny Gaddar’. He doesn’t strain himself overreacting to the riskiest situations in the frame.  Neil is cool striking limelight with a naturalistic appeal. Totting up is his elegant looks and gestures that draws commendable conclusions. Scrumptious Bipasha shares best chemistry with Neil. Rahul Dev as the baddie does a laudable performance. Musical score by Gourov and Pritham are pleasant to the ears though the camera could’ve been far better. 

Jehangir goes proficient with an unparalleled film. As mentioned, fine screenplay and powerful characters (including the strange camera) grounds the film on best remarks.

‘Aa Dekhen Zara’ - Zaroor Dekhna  Hai… At box office, the film is sure to sustain for next couple of weeks. It’s a doubtless statement, that we can ensure.

Verdict: Don’t miss it.

Rating:*** ½

Dashavatar Movie Review > Hindhi

By all odds, Kamal Haasan has been universally acclaimed as ‘Jacks of all trades in tinsel town. Watching this fantastic actor over on a show of grandeur isn’t something off-the-wall. On the dots, there doesn’t need to be an illustration for his record-breaking attempts for that would be a cliché. But, donning 10 roles isn’t a history-breaking record of this. If you’re an ardent buff of World Cinema, then you wouldn’t have missed the flicks made in ancient times.  Who can forget Rolf Leslie who appeared in 27 different looks in LIFE STORY OF QUEEN VICTORIA (1913)? On the pars, Lupino Lane donning 24 roles in Only Me (1929), Joseph Henabery – with 14 characterizations in BIRTH OF A NATION. More than all, Robert Hirsch picking 11 roles in NO QUESTIONS ON SATURDAY will remain cherished in the pages of World Cinema forever. Certainly, that isn’t an end to the list of actors who’ve created history with multiple roles. It keeps going on and on including Eddie Murphy and our own Sivaji Ganeshan.

Well, looks like it would turn to be an exclusive rather than a review. Let’s put a full stop and get on scrutinizing Kamal Haasan’s brilliant attempt with 10 different roles.

You can whole-heartedly appreciate this man who has stridden marking his best efforts. Nevertheless, not do all 10 roles impress you. For sure, the characterization of Fletcher – Ex CIA Agent was really an outstanding piece of recital. Watch these portions; he has distinctly picked the mannerisms of ALGORE, United States’ most stylish politician.

On the other side, what’s really disappointing with this film? Again, it’s all about Kamal Haasan’s 11th Avatar – Screenwriter. You’ve to be more noetic to grasp what’s actually being presented on the screens, especially for the first 30mins. Looks like both screenwriter and filmmaker were both perplexed in designing particular sequences. Joining the list of absurd factors is unwanted characterizations and situations that coalesces them.

The film opens at the backdrops of 12th century where Vishnu Rangaraja Nambi (Kamal Haasan) is thrown into deep oceans tied to God’s statue. The phase shifts over to 21st Century where you notice Govind (Kamal Haasan), an intellectual scientist excogitating a bombastic biological weapon in the form of a computer chip. When US President Bush (Again played by Kamal Haasan) are appreciating his feat, there happens to be another team trying to grab it illegally. Of course, they’re ready to pay Govind figure of 100Crores. Here begins the ride of roller-coaster thriller where Govind has to get back the Chip that’s been accidentally couriered by himself to Chennai. Rest of the film is all about what happens in next 4 days before horrible accident of Tsunami had grudged thousands of lives…

As mentioned earlier, Kamal Haasan deserves appreciations for his adeptness in endeavoring through the speculative project. But, things would’ve been better if more prominence was thrown on narrative aspects too. Well, that’s the problem when it comes to dubbing films as the tastes vary from Kollywood to Bollywood. That includes comedy tracks too… However, Kamal’s smart move is so blatant with unparallel intonation of RAW Investigation Officer. Surely, you’ll have lots of grand humorous stuffs from him.

When it comes to other star-casts, Asin’s characterization as a Brahmin girl is really ludicrous. This missy had spelled a glorious performance in her debut ‘Ghajini’ and this doesn’t actually elevate anything in Asin’s graph… Mallika Sherawat steals the show with her alluring and sleek looks steals the show. Don’t miss her stunning dance in ‘Black Ya White’. Jayapradha hardly appears not more than 15mins and she could’ve been depicted with yet more importance.

Technically, the film goes extraordinarily sumptuous. In particular, the opulent visuals during climax part are mind-boggling. Ravi Varman’s cinematography is quite impressive but unneeded Jimmy-jib shots really annoy the most. Musical score by Himesh Reshammiya goes middling on certain numbers. The song that has appraisals on Kamal Haasan during final credits is commendable while ‘Mukundha’ is feet-tapping.

On the whole, Dashavatar is all about experiencing a passable show for 185mins brimmed with excellent factors that go in hand with more absurdities too.  It would’ve been better if Kamal Haasan had attempted for a separate version for Bollywood rather than merely dubbing it. In box office, the film has little chances of sustaining for few weeks as there aren’t any big releases on the race.

Verdict: watch it for Kamal’s speculative show 

Rating : **

Mariyadhai Movie Review

What happens when people of contrasting style come together for a film? Vikraman, the director known for his melodrama and Vijayakanth, who made a name for himself for his action-packed ventures team up to render an emotional drama loaded with a strong message. It’s more a ‘Vikraman movie’ with his typical sentimental dialogues and feel good characters.

Seemingly an extension of Vikraman - Vijayakanth’s earlier outing Vanathai Polae, Marriyadhai too has ‘Captain’ playing a dual role – that of a father and son. As expected the senior shares more screen space and leaves a strong impression.

Vikraman has not deviated a bit from his formula films of the past. The story is as old as that of  ‘Adam and Eve’. Vikraman has woven the script around a happy and a most respected family in the village, which counters troubles. Eventually the male protagonist overcomes all challenges and rise up in life. It is all well that ends well.

At a time when the grammar of filmmaking has touched new heights and technology has overtaken all departments of the industry, Vikraman still firmly believes that the best way to attract womenfolk to theatres is by churning out a cocktail of emotions and sentiments. Marriyadhai, which has all essential aspects of a melodrama, sadly looks a bit outdated and Vikraman ends up standing in an alien land. It is artificial and clichéd right from the first frame.

The story unfolds in a small village near Pollachi. Annamalai (senior Vijayakanth) leads a contended life with his wife Alamelu (Ambika), his daughter Sumathy (Ammu) and his son Pichai (senior Vijayakanth). A caring a loving father, he even allows his son to change his name from Pichai to Raja, when he is made fun of by his friends when he was very young.

A respectable man in the village for his philanthropic activities, Annamalai gives enough liberties and freedom to his son Raja, who emerges out as an agriculture graduate. All troubles begin when Raja loses money by cultivating dates in the barren land owned by his father. Meanwhile an industrialist eyes the land for setting up chemical factory which is resisted by bother father and son. But Raja comes across Radha (Meena), a music teacher and he falls for her immediately. Raja’s wedding is arranged with Radha by elders of both the families.

Couple of days before their wedding after Raja gives up his property to Radha only to bail her out of trouble little realizing that it was a conspiracy hatched by Radha to take away his land. Their wedding gets stopped. Raja vows to get back the land. Enters Chandra (Meera Jasmine) in Raja’s life. She comes to know of his bad past and vows to change his heart and marry him. Eventually it’s how Raja comes up in his life and marry Chandra.

Vikraman can be appreciated has stressed the need for alternate farming in rural Tamilnadu which is facing water shortage and also there are enough barren lands. Unfortunately the pace in which the movie progresses and outdated characters in the movie are its major eyesore.

Vijayakanth hogs the limelight as father and a lovable son. It's a meaty role for Ambika after she chose to make a comeback recently. Meena looks totally alien in a negative role, while Ramesh Khanna tries to tickle the funny bone in vain. Sampath has been wasted in the role of villain. Meera Jasmine's dignified portrayal and natural expressions impresses.

Vikaraman has brought outs A Rajkumar from ’Nakka Mukka’ man Vijay Anthony. Half-a-dozen ‘Vikraman type’ melody finds it place in the movie with the exception being the remix of Idhayakani song (Inbamae).

Produced by T Siva of Amma Creations and presented by Raj Television network, Marriyadhai is for ardent Vijayakanth fans.

Choosing an Air Conditioner Complete Review

Summers are approaching,therefore its the time to rush to the nearest dealer to get the best deal in airconditioners.but the question arises,which a/c would best suit the budget and the requirement?

My review consists of a few guide lines which may help prospective buyers looking for an airconditioner.i have categorised splits and windows as seperate entities with pros and cons of each.

WINDOW AIRCONDITIONERS-

window airconditioners are the simplest airconditioning machinery having all the part assembled in a compact unit.window airconditioners are best suited for places with an exposed wall or if you have a balcony attached to the room you want to aircondition.window acs are easy to install and are the most common in the indian market,though splits are catching up.

REMEMBER-acs are not only about aesthetics,cooling is the first priority.

points to be noted before buying a window ac-

1.EER(ENERGY EFFICIENCY RATIO)- always look for this prior to all ur requirements.acs with eer higher than 10 are the best.

2.CFM(AIRFLOW IN CUBIC FT MTR.)- this is the most important aspect of a windor ac.acs with more airflow would be the best in energy efficiency too.you would definitely not want to sweat with the ac on.the higher the cfm,the better the cooling too.cfm should be between 500 to 550.

3.POWER INPUT(WATTS)-window acs generally consume more power than splits ,but then again,selecting a unit with the least power consumption is useful.windows generally consume between 1800-1900 watts.leave out any ac which consumes more power,it will burn ur pocket and would turn out to be more expensive than the machine itself.

4.DURABLE CONDENSER FINS(BACKSIDE)- remember to check it out yourself at the shop by pressing the fins urself.it might seem awkward to the people around u,but its ur money,they wont pay for it! those acs where the fins twist easily are the worst,the harder the fins,the more durable the machine.dont be fooled by gold fins and blue fins. they all turn black within a years time.

5.COMPRESSOR- rotory compressors are the best suited for indian climate.dont go for reciprocating ones,they are noisier.

6.BTU(COOLING)-leave the ac with less btu.18000 and above is favorable in 1.5 tr category.(19789 for ogeneral)

performance coupled with looks would be invited for sure.features are secondry,but timers and dry mode are important.

PROS-

cost effective,easy to install,easy to maintain,fresh air intake.

CONS-

wear and tear increases with time, become noisier after a few years,start consuming more power if not maintained,dont last long(brand dependant).

good window ac brands are- OGENERAL(25990),HITACHI(25990-26990),CARRIER(19000-22000),WHIRLPOOL(16000-21000)

.rest are all the same.(1.5 tr prices)

SPLIT AIRCONDITIONERS-

split airconditioners have the evaporator inside and the rest of the machinery outside.they are best suited for the place where aesthetics are the prime concern or there is no exposed wall.splits are a bit expensive,but they tend to save a lot in the long run.they dont produce noise(though its brand dependant)at all.in splits ,inverter models are good which save 40%of power by decreasing the rate of compression of gas,and hence requiring less power than to switch the compressor on and off,as in coventional splits.

points before buying splits are-

1.LAMBDA COIL-this being the latest in design,saves upto 30% of indoor shape and increase the cooling too.

2.LENGTH OF CONNECTING PIPE-should sopport upto 25mts.if the length is less than that,its not worth buying.

3.SIZE OF THE OUTDOOR UNIT-though u may not find outdoor units on display anywhere in the market, its the main factor to consider.the lager the unit,the bigger the condender coil,the better the cooling.

4.CFM(AIRFLOW)- VERY IMPORTANT INCASE OF SPLITS,BECAUSE AS SUCH SPLITS HAVE LESS AIRFLOW.cfm more than 450 is desirable.

5. GAS COLLECTION SWITCH-thoug very few might be having it,but its very useful feature as it doesnt require the ac to be charged with gas ,when u shift ur residence.

6.POWER INPUT-ranges between as low as 1600 to 1900 watts.if more than this,look out for the other model.

7.BTU(COOLING)-FOR 1.5 TR, anything between 18000 to 20400 is good.20400 is for hitachi star.

8. ANTI CORROSION TREATEMENT ON THE OUTDORR UNIT-should be preferable ,as the life of the ac is dependant on the outdoor unit.

9. NOISE LEVEL-since its a split,it should be taken into consideration.22db -39 db is good.

splits also mean looks.go for the flat panels(dont make it the only guiding point!).they are easy to clean and maintain.

good brands of split ac are- DAIKIN,OGENERAL,HITACHI,PANASONIC,MITSUBISHI,CARRIER,TOSHIBA and VOLTAS to some extent.rest are the same.

pros-

good looking,low noise level,last long(brand dependant),better cooling,lower power consumption

cons-cant be shifted to new locations easily,inappropriate piping can ruin the ac,inapt drainage can give you nightmares,not installing the outdoor unit on a firm platform can disbalance the compressor and the fan motor.require professional maintenance.,no fresh air intake.

also its to be noted that the airconditioner,be it a split or a window, should be of the appropriate tonnage,higher tonnage would result in frequent compressor on offs,increased wear and tear and reduced level of humidity.on the contrary,lower tonnage wouldnt cool the room properly and would increase the load on the unit.

to conclude,atlast its the brand that matters .i have 2 ogeneral and 2 hitachi acs,they havent given me a chance of complaint.u dont buy an ac every year,so make a sensible purchase.

Happy buying! 

MARIA SHARAPOVA TOP TENNIS PLAYER

Name : Maria Sharapova

Birthdate : April 19, 1987

Birthplace : Nyagan, Russia (Siberian Region)

Height : 6’ (1.83 m)

Weight : 130 lbs. (59 kg)

Nationality : Russia

Plays : Right-handed

Career Prize Money : $23,800

Best Known As : 17-year-old singles champion of Wimbledon 2004

PARIS HILTON DISPLAYS HER TEDDY BEAR

SHRIYA SARAN WONDERFUL PICTURES

Shriya Saran, (born 11th September 1982) is an actress in the Tamil and Telugu film industries. She is known for her glamorous and beautiful roles in movies.Shriya Saran was born as second child to Neeraja and Pushpendra Saran. She was brought up in Ranipur, a small town in north India, a few miles from the holy city of Haridwar. She has an elder brother Abhiroop, who recently got married. She has completed her schooling from DPS (Delhi Public School). She has done B.A. (Literature) from Lady Sri Ram College(LSR). She has a serious interest in classical dancing, and is an accomplished Kathak dancer.

She started her career as an aspiring model. This led to roles in music albums and advertisements.Shriya started her movie acting career with the Telugu film Ishtam (2001), produced by Usha Kiran Movies. This first film didn’t fare too well at the box office, but she was noticed by many Telugu producers and directors. Soon she signed for Nagarjuna’s Santosham (2002), which was a major hit and she didn’t have to turn back since then. She was among the top divas of Tollywood. Her later movies, such as Nuvve Nuvve and Bhageeratha, earned her many accolades. She had one of the biggest hits in her career with Chatrapati opposite Prabhas.

BEAUTY OF NAMITHA

HRITHIK ROSAN Warm

Kate Winslet with daughter Mia in New York City

Oscar winner Kate Winslet was on a girls’ day out with 8-year-old daughter Mia Honey on Friday, April 17. Photo Credit: Splash News

April 17, 2009, (Sawf News) - Oscar winner Kate Winslet was on a girls’ day out with 8-year-old daughter Mia Honey on Friday, April 17.

The girls appeared to be returning from a shopping trip with mama Kate carrying a Scoop boutique shopping bag.

Kate layered her dark blue dress with a matching long black crocheted cardigan that had elbow length sleeves. She accessorized with black and nude belle flats, turquoise blue satchel bag, sunglasses, a gold necklace and a gold bangle in her right arm. Her hair was tied in a pony tail at the back and she wore pink lip color.

Adorable Mia was born on 12 October 2000 in London to Kate and her first husband, director Jim Threapleton. The couple was married from 1998-2001.

Mia wore a blue striped cardigan atop her light blue dress, grey cycle tights and brown sports shoes. She carried a polka dot backpack.

Having won her first Oscar from six nominations for her performance as Hanna Schmitz in The Reader, Kate is now happily back to Mommy duties.

At the age of 22, Kate became the youngest actress to receive two Oscar nominations; at age 33, she is now the youngest actor of either sex to receive six nominations.

Brooke Hogan defends father Hulk Hogan

Brooke Hogan has defended her father Hulk Hogan’s rant in a ‘Rolling Stone’ interview likening his frustration over the divorce with wife Linda Hogan to how OJ Simpson may have felt. Photocredit: VH1

April 17, 2009, (Sawf News) - Brooke Hogan has defended her father Hulk Hogan’s rant in a Rolling Stone interview likening his frustration over the divorce with wife Linda Hogan to how OJ Simpson may have felt.

"I cannot believe how blown out of proportion one small part of a seven-page article has become," Brooke says. "It's a classic case of a quote being taken out of context. I look up to my father in every way. He has been through so much and has taken the high road through it all. The idea that he would condone the O.J. situation is just outrageous."

Brooke, an aspiring singer and TV artiste who featured in the 2005 reality TV series Hogan Knows Best, which focused on her family, has been at loggerheads with her father in the past. She once signed an affidavit that accused Hulk of abusing her mother Linda, but later apologized for signing it.

In the magazine interview Hulk had said:

"I could've turned everything into a crime scene, like O.J. (Simpson), cutting everybody's throat. You see a 19-year-old boy driving your Escalade, sleeping in your bed, with your wife. I mean, I totally understand O.J."

Hulk’s wife lashed out at him in a statement through her rep Gary Smith:

"Hulk thinks he can do whatever he wants, to whomever he wants, whenever he wants. He is your classic narcissist who demands total control and will go to ANY extent necessary to get it. His violent and scary mood swings have been my nightmare for too many years. I hope for the sake of our kids that he gets the psychological help for himself and the safety of others."

In a statement to ET on Wednesday, Hulk’s rep clarified:

"Hulk in no way condones the O.J. situation. As part of a larger conversation, he referred to it to exemplify his frustration with his own situation."

Slumdog star Rubina Ali's father offers to sell her!

‘Slumdog Millionaire’ child star Rubina Ali’s father, Rafiq Qureshi, negotiated to sell her for Rs 20 million ($400,000) to a reporter disguised as a Arab Sheikh. Photo Credit: Splash News

April 18, 2009, (Sawf News) - Slumdog Millionaire child star Rubina Ali’s father, Rafiq Quereshi, negotiated to sell her for Rs 20 million ($400,000) to a reporter disguised as a Arab Sheikh.

The offer was made by Qureshi in the absence of Rubina’s mother during a sting operation by the British weekly, News of the World, to expose child exploitation in Mumbai. Rubina’s uncle, Rajan More, was present at the meeting.

Rubina Ali, who played younger Latika in Slumdog Millionaire, lives in Mumbai’s Dharavi slum with her family.

‘Slumdog Millionaire’ child star Rubina Ali’s father, Rafiq Qureshi, negotiated to sell her for Rs 20 million ($400,000) to a reporter disguised as a Arab Sheikh. Photo Credit: News of The World

The tabloid was tipped of Qureshi’s intent to sell Rubina by a concerned inhabitant of the squalid slum in the heart of Mumbai at the beginning of March.

The News of the World rejected the offer and alerted Save the Children.

While negotiating the sale of his daughter, Qureshi told the fake sheikh:

“I have to consider what's best for me, my family and Rubina's future.

"We live in one room, seven of us sleep on the floor. I earn between 300 Rupees ($6) and Rs 500 ($10) a day, but since all this film thing I haven't even worked. We have got nothing out of this film, they have given us nothing," he said.