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Showing posts from September 28, 2008

KARUNANIDHI REPLIES TO SUN TV PRODUCERS

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today said district Collectors and Police officials were directed to take action against those trying to stop screening of the Sun Pictures’ Kadhalil Vizhunden in Madurai and its surrounding areas. Reacting to Marans charge, Karunanidhi, replying to a set of questions, denied that neither theatre owners nor the distributors of Ramanathapuram and Madurai were threatened. "If Sun Pictures has any proof or evidence to show that the theatre owners were threatened, it should hand it over to authorities concerned for taking swift action" he said. "Instead of just faxing a complaint to Home Secretary and saying that no action had been taken, Sun Pictures should file a direct complaint with Police and the Collector and submit the necessary evidence to substantiate their charge",he said. Alleging that Sun Pictures was trying to gain political mileage and to win the sympathy from the film world, he said "their charge that the gov

MARAN’S FILM RELEASED IN AZHAGIRI’S STRONG HOLD

The maiden venture of Sun Group’s new arm Sun Pictures, Kathalil Vizhunden (falling in love), has finally been released in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu, after a delay that once seemed indefinite due to pressure from M K Azhagiri, son of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. The romantic flick, according to the producers, was ‘banned’ from being released in Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Dindigul, Theni and Sivaganga districts. It is said that the rivalry between Azhagiri and the Maran brothers - Kalanidhi and Dayanidhi - who head the Sun Group. Theatre owners had abandoned their plans of releasing the film last Friday after being allegedly threatened by DMK cadres. The exhibitors claimed that they did not want to be caught in between the two warring groups. Sun Pictures had faxed a letter to the Home Secretary requesting police protection for theatres screening the movie. The group also telecast clippings through its Sun TV and Sun News channels and published reports in its Dinakaran and Tam

RELATIONS SOUR BETWEEN MARAN AND DMK

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CHENNAI: The tussle between the Maran brothers and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi worsened further on Saturday. The provocation this time was the alleged prevention of screening of Maran brothers-owned Sun Pictures’ movie Kathalil Vizhunthen in the southern districts on Friday. Most theatre owners in these districts were reportedly warned by DMK men not to screen the movie on the opening day on Friday. Incidentally, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s Madurai-based son and DMK strongman M K Azhagiri calls the shots in the southern districts. The war of words between the two families began on Saturday with Karunanidhi making an oblique reference to Sun Pictures’ movie at a film function in the city by saying that he had never obstructed the release of films, even those which expressed views opposing him. In its news bulletin on Friday, Sun TV narrated the difficulties faced by Sun Pictures in releasing Kathalil Vizhunthen, while Tamil Murasu and Dinakaran, the Tamil dailies owned by Maran brot

LATA MANGESH CELEBRATES HER BIRTHDAY IN PUNE

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World's most revered singer Melody Queen Lata Mangeshkar who mesmerised music lovers with her celestial voice for over 60 years celebrated her 79th birthday with her family members in her Pune home. Didi as she is fondly called by family,fans and admirers is never in Mumbai on her birthday. She stays put in her Kolhapur or Pune residence. She was last heard in Vikram Bhatt's 1920 where she shared playback credits with Pandit Jasraj and Asha Bhosale. On her 75th birthday, Lata was in Mumbai as her nephew Adinath had organised a concert where other singers sang her classic songs. The function was attended by Sharad Pawar, L K Advani among others. Lata's brother Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar organised a musical concert Didi ani mi (Didi and I) at the Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir in Pune in her honour. The legendary singer was introduced to intricacies of classical music by her father master Dinanath Mangeshkar. After his demise, the entire responsibility of looking after the famil