Sun TV and AVM deny the Sivaji deal!!

Reports that the Sun Network group has bought the overseas and televisions rights of the yet to be completed Sivaji has raised a storm in the motion picture trade circles.

Both the Sun TV and the Producers, AVM, came out quickly to deny the reports. In a joint statement issued by Hansraj Saxena, Sun TV’s Programme Director, and M Saravanan and MS Guhan of AVM Productions, they have said that there has never been such a deal. “Sivaji business process is yet to start. The movie has not even been completed. There is no truth behind the rumours,” said both the parties.

In this context it must be remembered that Chandramukhi satellite rights were grabbed by Sun TV group at a whopping amount just to out do their rival, the Jaya TV. On screen or on television, Rajini’s movies are a gold mine. His movies do extremely well in countries as diverse as South Africa and Australia. Chandramukhi did a record business of $2.5 million in overseas market alone. At an interview, speaking about the Indian film industry waking up to global market, famous Bollywood filmmaker Ramesh Sippy said that Chandramukhi would hit the Japanese screens in August and European screens by November. In Japan, Rajini has a large fan following and the movie is expected to do well. With Rajini’s global presence, it is no wonder that his movies are making business even before they are completed. If Sun TV and AVM have made a joint statement, it looks like they are into it together already!

http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news/june-06-04/27-06-06-sun-tv.html

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Superstar's New Record for Sivaji - Maalai Mursau

Please click below to see the scan copy from Maalai Murasu. You need to be member of RajinifansDiscussions Yahoo group to see the copy.

 

http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/RajinifansDiscussions/files/Sivaji/Superstar_record.jpg

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Rahman brings in Pa Vijay for a song in Sivaji! June 23, 2006

In Shankar's films, one can be sure of songs oozing with fun. The
theme song would definitely carry a strong message but others are just
rollicking ones. Sivaji's songs were shot in Hyderabad and Chennai.
Vairamuthu had penned the songs and we all know how he comes up with
unbelievably youthful lyrics. A.R. Rahman has set them to foot tapping
music. Besides, recently ARR has asked Pa Vijay to ready a song for
Sivaji. This song has also been set to tune and would soon be shot.



Pa Vijay earlier wrote for Shankar's Boyz. Pa Vijay won the National
award for best song writer for Autograph. It goes to prove his
versatility as a writer because he could come up with staid songs and
fizzy ones.

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`Sivaji` � Rajni�s comedy act!

AVM’s Sivaji is a mass Rajnikanth film with all essential ingredients to back up the star’s image. Comedy scenes are a major highlight of a Rajnikanth film, in fact a lot of people believe that Vadivel-Rajni comedy scenes in Chandramukhi was one of the major reason for the film to click.

 

In Sivaji Rajni is paired with Vivek and Shankar’s style is more subtle comedy. Now the latest we hear is that last Saturday a rollicking Rajni style item comedy scene was shot at AVM studio. Rajni had three different get-up’s - take-off on MGR, Sivaji and Kamal!

 

Rajni donned MGR get-up of Rickshakaran and sang the popular “Azhagiya Tamizh magal…” song tuned by M.S.Viswanathan and sung by T.M.Sounderajan and Susheela. This was continued by the famous song “Mayakka Menna….” from Sivaji Ganesan’s Vasantha Malagai tuned by K.V.Mahadevan and sung by T.M Sounderajan. And finally the scene ends with the rocking Nethu Rathiri Yamma… song of Kamal Hassan’s Sakalakalavallan sung by SPB and Janaki.

Rajni-Shankar combination is sure going to rock!

 

http://sify.com/movies/tamil/fullstory.php?id=14230612

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Rajini � Shreya marriage!!

Okay, we know that you figured out that it is for Sivaji. Rajini’s next film Sivaji is taking shape in a brisk fashion. Shooting has been held in Chennai, Hyderabad and Spain. Manivannan and Vadivukkarasi play Rajini’s parents while noted speaker Raja and Sun TV Uma Padmanaban play Shreya’s parents. Veteran adjudicator in pattimandrams and Tamil scholar, Solomon Bapiah is Rajini’s neighbour.

The Venkatachalapathy Kalyana Mandapam in Tiruverkadu in the suburbs of Chennai was abuzz on Friday. The marriage scene was picturized and K.V. Anand captured the moments on camera.

While the lead actors and their supporting artistes were present, the novelty about the scene was that there was no traditional pundit who is a constant fixture in all such scenes. No homams, kumbams, etc. The marriage was solemnized with Tamil verses recited by Solomon Bapiah. It should be interesting to watch on screen. Shankar who seemed quite stretched during the scene later shifted the unit to Prasad Studios where a homecoming scene with Rajini was shot in the Blue matt format.

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Thalaivar at Frankfurt

Here is a very recent photo of our superstar



Thalaivar along with Ajay.K at Frankfurt!

Dear friends

A meeting of a lifetime with a real legend who is totally down to earth….. meeting went on for 15 mins…… one of the greatest experience in my life….. really a dream come true at frankfurt…..

Sun TV distribute Sivaji?

Sun Network, that owns Sun TV, the most successful media house in South India, entered the publishing industry last year. And according to the sources it has made a mark by acquiring the Dinakaran group in a deal costing around 100 crores.
SUN TV

Now, Sun Network has decided to step into the film distribution system as well. For this purpose, it is said, that an office has already been opened in Trichy, and the new company is being christened Sun Movies Enterprises. The motto of this new office is to distribute only top grade films with star actors and directors only. Though they are yet to begin work officially, sources reveal that they are zealously aiming to rope in the film Sivaji as their first project. It is said that they are ready to pay any amount to AVM to acquire the distribution rights.
Within the industry however, for many theatres, distributors and media bigwigs, acquiring the distribution of the film Sivaji has become quite the prestige issue, and prices are shooting up unconditionally.

In Chennai city, many frontline theatres are trying very hard with AVM for Sivaji rights, and AVM Saravanan is busy sorting out the issue.

http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-news/june-06-02/13-06-06-sun-tv.html

Sivaji Productions and Chandramukhi moneybag!!

	Chandramukhi is undoubtedly the biggest block buster in the history of south Indian cinema. It was produced at a cost of 5 crores (excluding Rajini’s salary of course!) and till now, the film has made more than a 100 crores! The money has helped the Sivaji family end all their financial crunches, and also mark a definitive full stop to their problematic land deal in Mumbai. What’s more, Ramkumar has plans of setting up a state-of-the-art post production studio in Chennai, that will exude international standards.
Work relating to this high-class studio is already underway. Even the mini theatre in Shanthi, called Manashanthi, is nearing completion, and looks like it will be all set to welcome Rajni’s next film, Sivaji.
Apart from this, they have also managed to sell Sivaji Gardens (recall the first fight sequence in the film which was shot here), to GK Shetty constructions for a whopping amount of 66 crores. The land is several acres long near Ramavaram, though the Sivaji family has retained a few acres as well for future use. But GK Shetty sure does have a strong business sense as it sold that property to a Mumbai firm for 140 crores! Now the area is being leveled, with a host of lorries and trucks busy at work. Looks like either a large software, industrial or amusement park might come up.
With Sivaji Productions also investing in a few acres near the boat club area worth several crores, looks like the going is certainly good and we wish the family best of luck!

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Sivaji team ready to go New York!

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Who is Rajini in Sivaji?

Sivaji! When are you going to appear?

The question on every movie goer's lips in Tamil Nadu these days is this: when will 'Sivaji' get released? Will it get released before this year end?

After Rajini's phenomenally successful 'Chandramukhi' and Shankar's multi state hit 'Anniyan', expectations from the fans and industry watchers alike have hit the roof. With the release of each photo and each sample bit of music, the 'Sivaji' fever is only going up a degree higher. Normally, Rajini's movies get finished fast but this time around - the film being made by Shankar who is a stickler for details - there is bound to be some delay. Right from the beginning, Rajini and AVM have given a free hand to Shankar – in matters relating to budget, casting and release – and they are not likely to fasten the pace of shooting now.

Shankar, the perfectionist known for crafting each frame, is painting the big picture slowly but steadily. A R Rahman too has been given some freedom to come up with peppy numbers to please the fans.

Rahman only knows too well that when you're composing songs for a star like Rajini, you just can't afford to take chances. Especially with his fans. ( A small music sample from the theme song is already doing the rounds in the Net driving the fans deliriously happy.) Three songs have been shot and one more to be shot in Spain again, may be at a different location. Also to be filmed are the scenes involving the Super Star at Manhattan, with the Statue of Liberty as a backdrop.

Even if the remaining 50 percent gets completed before this year, Shankar will surely spend a few months in graphics and post production, fine-tuning, refining and enhancing each frame of the film.

Originally scheduled as a 2006 Diwali release, 'Sivaji' in all likelihood will not hit theatres this year. Most probably the movie would get released on the 2007 Tamil New Near. According to industry sources, many theatres in Coimbatore district including the ones in the Ragam complex have been told by AVM not to commit any film during that particular period.

Remember, the blockbuster 'Chandramukhi' too was a Tamil New Year release and this sentiment will surely figure in the minds of the filmmakers in the coming days. With all the excitement around, the fans of the 'Thalaivar' still do not mind waiting for some more time to see their matinee idol in a different avatar in the next summer season. All they know is that they do want is another 'Chandramukhi'. Shankar too is aware that he is making no ordinary film but a Rajini film. With so much sentiment and business at stake, Shankar and his team is justified if they hurry up slowly!

 

Source : http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-articles/movies-02/06-06-06-sivaji-rajini.html

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Rajini in ring of security

While Rajini is busy shooting for `Sivaji' in various places, Latha
Rajini has created a security ring for him.
After shooting schedules in Chennai and Hyderabad, the `Sivaji' unit
shot a song sequence in Spain. Now they are getting ready to fly to
New Zealand. Since Rajini is on the move, Latha has arranged for a
medical team to accompany him everywhere to take care of his health.


A dietician and general physician are with Rajini always. According to
the climate, the two of them fix the menu for Rajini. In the name of
health, the superstar could be having a tough time!

Is Shankar crippling Sivaji?

Superstar Rajinikanth usually gives a break of at least a year between two films. But this time, he chose to announce Sivaji even when Chandramukhi was chugging along nicely in the race to box office success. While this raised many eyebrows, Rajini's close sources stated that he did so to mainly pacify his fans. The fans wanted him to make an announcement about his political intentions especially after Vijayakanth launched his own party. But, when thalaivar postponed the decision, they were vexed. So, he declared the film just as some consolation to the fans. While it did have the desired effect, it seems that Rajini who always knows the pulse of his fans and does everything to keep them happy, has turned away this time on another issue.

Fans unaware of the proceedings From the day of announcement itself, fans have started discussing about Sivaji. Their discussions centred around the story, cast, songs and the looks of their thalaivar. Sivaji has been generating such curiosity ever since it was announced. Besides superstar himself, the big banner, big ticket director and other hot shot technicians of Tamil cinema are associated with the film and therefore all eyes are on the project. Every minute move with respect to the film has been avidly followed.

Right from the choice of the team down to the locations, there was widespread speculation among fans at every stage. Such speculations were floating around mainly because not much was being divulged to the press and other media persons. After the first set of launch stills and a promo ad the Sivaji unit closed the doors to the outside world. Shooting is progressing at brisk pace and fans are restless because they do not know what is going on.

First leak When Sivaji shooting was held at Chennai Central station a few months ago, an eveninger carried the shooting spot photographs which created tremors in the production house. As a result, security at the shooting spot was tightened up and the director and the producer had put in strict measures to prevent any kind of personal recording by individuals who stood as bystanders during shooting here. Even mobile phones were banned at the spot. In such a scenario, another set of shooting stills were leaked and we were the first to provide those image gallery photos. But when AVM Productions requested us, we removed those images immediately. Many magazines later published those stills and the producers requested that no further stills from the movie should be published in any form.

Exposed Spain episode Now an interesting incident has happened during the unit's recent visit to Spain for shooting a song. Rajini was quite relaxed as he was not being mobbed by hysteric fans. He did not have hordes of people jostling about to get a glimpse of him. At the location, there was a crowd of pedestrians watching the shooting. For them, it was their first experience of how an Indian film song is shot. Some of them shot the scenes on their mobile phone cameras.

One gentleman took in scenes that were shot that day on his personal camera which showed Rajini's personal style statement for the film. He also took a photograph of him and Rajini together.

He uploaded it on his personal blog site and lo and behold, it received unprecedented hits that day. Rajini's fans site also carried the images which spread like wild fire or should we say Spanish bull in a china shop? Fans just lapped up the stills that they were yearning to see. When news reached Chennai about this development, the producers did nothing. Fans site was requested to remove all the images it had uploaded and given links. And one of the assistant directors of Sivaji was made to contact the Spanish gentleman and he was also requested to remove the stills from his blog.

He was quite surprised about all the ado surrounding the issue. He heeded to the request of the Sivaji unit. He raised a valid point by saying that any film gets publicity only when people know how it is being made and what are the things that go into the movie. There is no need to maintain suspense and even if the producer and director want the surprise element, just a few stills do not make much difference. People do not stay away from a film merely because of its stills.

It is another story that the news hungry film journals in Tamil Nadu are carrying those images now and come up with exclusive cover stories on those stills.

For whom is the Sivaji being made? The question that fans are raising is: for whom is the film being made? It is the fans who make or mar a film. In the case of Rajini, expectations about his new look and style are high especially after the runaway hit of Chandramuki. They point out that during the making of Chandramukhi, there were friendly vibes and the media was not shunned. The producers did keep certain things under wraps even then.

But this time, the producers and director have joined hands in forbidding the media. In that case, the fans are furious that the film is probably meant only for Shankar and AVM. Would it be enough if they alone watched the movie? Would it be fine if the people forgot about the film and at the time of release there was just enough enthusiasm? Besides, in Chennai their controls could work but once they step out of the country, such silly attempts do not work. Fans need to know the latest development on the film especially because Tamilians now live in all corners of the world and a majority of them are die-hard Rajini fans. Would it not be rude on them to deprive them of this happiness?

Boss is not there At the time of the launch itself, Sujatha who is also the dialogue writer for the film had suggested launching a website to give wide coverage to the happenings in the making of the film. The site is still in making and frustrates those who try to log on ( www.sivajitheboss.com). If the site was launched but not updated what is the use? There is also another thought that Shankar and the AVM family would have planned a grand marketing blitzkrieg once the film reaches near completion.

Then, the press and other media would be feted and treated to all inside information. This suspense would then be built up at the time of release. It is the ploy used by marketing gurus called the 'teasers' technique.

Shankar – too cautious? There is also the fact that Shankar is a tech-savvy director and he could have some dazzling technical elements in the film. He could be wary about how the fans would react to such a thing, if they felt that it overshadowed their thalaivar? He could be keeping everything under wraps just to keep everyone guessing. The producers have handed over all the responsibilities to the director and they are only keen on the production side. This probably made Shankar doubly cautious about his responsibilities in the project?

Ok for X. Not for Rajini We have already said this and we do not mind saying it again. As long as it does not disrupt or disturb the film's making and within the confines of responsible reporting, the public needs to know how a film is being made. In Hollywood, several short strips on the making of a film are made regularly. Why even Kamal Hassan makes sure that his movie stills are given enough to media each time and a separate cd is given to each publishing and media house.

Therefore, this attempt to maintain secrecy about Sivaji is quite surprising especially in this age of rapid communication. Many contend that it is the will of director Shankar that it should be this way. Maintaining secrecy about some x actors' film can be positive. But it is not wise in a Rajini's movie since it is being discussed by millions daily. Shankar believes in maintaining exclusivity but Rajini fans think of their thalaivar as one of their own. So, fans complain that Shankar's stubborn attitude in this regard could backfire. Relax, Mr. Shankar, we would definitely back you. So, please give positive consideration to the murmur heard in media circles over your stubborn attitude. If you stretched a rubber band too much, it would snap. Remember the Baba fiasco?

Architect Rajini: in Spain with love!!

Remember that it was reported here that the Sivaji crew had visited
Spain? The crew is once again in Spain, shooting a song for the movie on 25th
and 26th of this month. Earlier than had gone there looking for a good location
and the shooting took place only this month. Shankar had selected two well-known
spots for the song-Euskalduno Congress Centre and the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum.
Sivaji is the first Indian movie to be shot at these places and the Spanish
media carried it as news piece, this filming of Sivaji song at these two places.



       When Shankar shoots, you know there ought to be grandeur and this time it
was no less. 40 dancers had flown from London to participate in the song. The
Indian crew included Rajini, Shreya, Shankar, K V Anand, Choreographer Prabhu
Deva and Rajini's make-up artiste Banu. A number of cranes were operated to
shoot the dance from various angles. For the Rajini watchers here is a piece of
news: If the superstar was a doctor in Chandramukhi, in Sivaji he is an
architect.

Shreya is Rajini's fan

Shreya, who is currently shooting for Sivaji in Spain,  feels very lucky to be part of such a grand project. Before leaving for Spain, Shreya, said, "I consider myself to be lucky to be part of Sivaji, which has big names like Rajinikanth, director Shankar and the AVM  Productions".

Shreya, an ardent fan of Rajinikanth, said, "I have  seen a lot of his movies. His Chandramukhi was a great entertainer and I loved it very much". Heaping more praise on Rajinikanth, Shreya, said, "He  has a great screen presence. I need to learn more from  him as I consider him a legend in his own way". A fan who is an heroine. That is Shreya's story in  Sivaji.