MGR returns!
A teaser released on the net on January 17 has attracted the attention of more than 2,000 MGR fans in a matter of just two days! (Check it out at
www.puratchithalaivan.com ) “We timed it to coincide with MGR’s birthday. Though the teaser per se has nothing to do with the animation film, ‘Puratchi Thalaivan’ we are working on, we wanted to know the pulse of the viewer. The feedback has been amazing,” smiles Sridevi Rao, its producer. Her Mayabhimbam Media (P) Ltd. had earlier made the full length animation film, ‘Ellamae Naanga Dhaan,’ (‘V4’).
It’s actually a husband-wife team that heads the production and making of ‘Puratchi Thalaivan.’ Sridevi’s husband Venky Babu has written the story and screenplay and is part of the technical crew too. “We are basically from the animation industry. We aim to make even those in villages realise that animation films are as interesting as regular features. ‘V4’ helped us achieve it to some extent. We are confident that ‘Puratchi Thalaivan’ will make us realise our goal completely.”
Has the lukewarm response to the maiden effort made her go in for a charismatic figure for her next project? “Commercially ‘V4’ didn’t do badly. The advantage of animation is that you can release it in several languages and recover the cost of production. We at Mayabhimbam wish to make wholesome family entertainers with messages for society at large. ‘V4’ had them too. But as we did not have popular personalities imparting the ideals, the messages did not percolate to every stratum. So we decided to go in for a famous figure this time. Who else can do it better than MGR himself?” is Sridevi’s contention.
The film will be in typical MGR format, with its quota of songs, dances, villains and stunts. So who’ll play the bad man? “We are working it out. But I assure you it will be someone who was a perfect foil for the hero during that era.” From Nambiar and M.R. Radha to Asokan and Manohar the options are aplenty. We’ll have to wait and see who the crew zeroes in on!
S.A. Rajkumar scores the music for ‘Puratchi Thalaivan.’ “He has worked for veteran M.S. Viswanathan himself. He’s an apt choice,” Sridevi avers.
As a screen pair the MGR-Saroja Devi combo was always a sell-out. The two will be seen together in the animation version also. “We’ve spoken to Saroja Devi and she’s very happy with the project,” says Sridevi. Will she dub for the ‘role’? “Her voice is still the same — youthful and vibrant. So we intend using it for ‘Puratchi Thalaivan.’”
January 17, 2010, has been envisaged as the release date of ‘Puratchi Thalaivan.’ “The entire team is working hard with the time frame in mind,” says Sridevi.
http://www.hindu.com/cp/2009/01/23/s...2350060300.htm
