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Paiyya (also spelt as Paiya), starring Karthi and Tamannaah, will grace theatres on April 2. Paiyya is an urban story that depicts some interesting happenings in the lives of a pair of lovers. The movie was shot in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai. The music of this Karthi-Tamannaah starrer, released early in November, is already a runaway hit. The movie is directed by Lingusamy, who also assured that Karthi will appear in a never-seen-before look. Initially, the film was supposed to hit screens on Pongal day, but got delayed as Karthi's Aayirathil Oruvan was being released, then the film was postponed to February, and now again to April. There are also rumours that the delay is due to the financial problems of the producers. Dayanidhi Alagiri's Cloud Nine Pictures has bagged the release rights of the film recently. The film has bagged a clean 'U' certificate by the censors without any cuts.

The shooting of talented director Harish Shankar's (Shock fame) second movie titled Mirapakai, starring Ravi Teja once again, was officially commenced at Bellamkonda Suresh's office in Hyderabad. Prabhas switched on the camera, Venkatesh sounded the clapboard, and V.V. Vinayak rendered the first shot direction. The regular shoot will begin from May 8. The film is produced by Ramesh Puppala under the banner of Yellow Flowers. After Shock, I am once again coming under the direction of Harish Shankar. It is my third film with music by Taman. R.D. Rajasekhar is my favourite cinematographer. It is going to be a full-length entertainer, Ravi Teja said. Ramesh Puppala, Harish Shankar and Taman spoke during the occasion. Editing is by Goutham Raju and fights by Ram-Lakshman. The name of the heroine is yet to be revealed.

Tollywood actor Allu Arjun visited Ameen Peer Dargah and Sri Vijaya Durga Devi temple in Kadapa and offered prayers on Friday. Accompanied by Praja Rajyam district leaders, Allu Arjun offered a floral 'chadar' at Ameenullah Malik tomb. Arjun said his father Allu Aravind, who visited the Pedda Dargah recently, advised him to visit it and hence he came here before the release of his film Varudu. Dargah secretary Syed Ameer explained about the dargah's significance to the actor. The actor later offered prayers at Sri Vijaya Durga Devi temple nearby. Later, Arjun had breakfast at Praja Rajyam district president B. Hariprasad's residence and left by car to Renigunta, to fly back to Hyderabad.

Ilayathalapathi Vijay's 50th Tamil film Sura, being directed by S.P. Rajkumar, has reportedly finished its shooting schedule and is in its final stage. Sura is expected to grace theatres on April 14. This is the first time Vijay and Tamannaah come together in lead roles. Produced by Sangili Murugan, Sura is Ilayathalapathi Vijay's 50th film. Tamannaah has reportedly upped the glamour in this typical and proper masala movie. Sources reveals that Vijay will don the role of a fisherman in Sura which has music by Tollywood sensation Mani Sharma. The duo have worked together in Shahjahan, Youth, Pokkiri, Thirupachi and many more. Most of them were chart-busters, so let's hope Sura repeats the magic again.

Gaganam is said to be the title under consideration for the Telugu version of popular Tamil-Telugu director Radha Mohan's bilingual flick titled Payanam in Tamil. Notably, the Telugu version was earlier titled Wanted. Produced by Dil Raju (Telugu version) and Prakashraj (Tamil version), the film stars action hero Nagarjuna and National Award winning actor Prakashraj in the lead roles. Nagarjuna plays a police officer in this flick which is his first direct Tamil film after almost 14 years. Prakashraj plays a terrorist leader. The second schedule is currently on at the studio of actor Venkatesh in Hyderabad. The first schedule was completed in Kulu Manali. The third schedule will begin on April 10 at Ramoji Rao Film City. The film will grace screens in August.

In the few Tamil films she has done, Padmapriya has proved she is great eye-candy and an even better actress! Her biggest asset is her readiness to try different characters, irrespective of the lack of glamour or otherwise. While she had no qualms in the glam role in Pattiyal, she was equally happy to don the burkha in Pokkisham. Now the dusky beauty is back with her cowboy flick Irumbukottai Murattu Singham (Super Cowboy in Telugu). Quite different from the serious characters she gets to usually play in movies, popular actress Padmapriya is enacting a different role altogether, that of a village belle in this film directed by Simbudevan. I play the role of a Marshal's daughter in a village in this fantasy-action-cowboy movie. The movie is an entertainer. It has everything -- action, comedy, eroticism, she said to a leading English daily. Nowhere in the world will you find a cowboy speaking in Tamil. We shot in Vietnam for a song scene, she added. Padmapriya is one

Promising Malayalee actress Ayilya aka Ananya, who shot to fame with Samuthirakani's Naadodigal (Tamil), celebrated her birthday on the sets of her forthcoming Tamil film Seedan in Madurai on March 26. She cut a huge vanilla cake in the presence of crew members including Dhanush (who is playing a cameo) and director Subramaniyam Shiva. Though Seedan is a remake of the Malayalam blockbuster Nandanam, starring Prithviraj and Navya Nair, the director is expected to make script changes to suit Tamil audience tastes. It is said that Ananya's role in the original was actually a guest role, but the director has made some changes in the script to ensure that Ananya appears throughout the movie. Notably, Ananya recently made her debut in Telugu with fat guy Krishnudu's Amayakudu, directed by Bharathi Ganesh. She is now making a comeback in Malayalam with Oridathoru Postman directed by Shaji Azeez with Suresh Gopi as a postman. Ananya has also signed a Malayalam film to

Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi will be in Chennai on April 29 to promote his forthcoming Bollywood film Prince, being dubbed in Tamil and Telugu. According to sources, the actor will hold a press meet in Satyam Cinemas. Vivek Oberoi is a popular name in Tamil Nadu, particularly after he adopted Devanampattinam village near Cuddalore which was devastated by Tsunami in 2004. After Prince, Vivek Oberoi will also appear on Tamil screens along with Suriya in Ram Gopal Varma's Raktha Charitha. Directed by Kookie V. Gulati with Nandana Sen and Neeru Singh as heroines, Prince has Vivek playing a big-time thief. After committing the biggest heist of his life, he is wounded by a gunshot and wakes up next morning to realize that he doesn't remember anything. In a quest for his identity, he finds that his name is Prince. What happens next forms the rest of the plot.

Popular Kannada actor Sudeep, who debuted in Bollywood with Ram Gopal Varma's Phoonk (2008), then had a rold in Rann, the ongoing Phoonk 2 and the trilingual Rakta Charitra, alleged that actors from Karnataka and Kerala are totally sidelined by Hindi filmgoers. Somehow, I feel South Indian actors are not that well known in the Hindi belt. Tamil and Telugu actors have an upper hand. But Kannada and Kerala are totally sidelined by Hindi filmgoers. I don't want to blame anyone for this state of affairs. It's just that Kannada cinema hasn't grown. But let's be fair. There are filmmakers like Ramu (Ram Gopal Varma) to give us a chance. I didn't come to Mumbai looking for a career. I think it was basically Ramu's trust in my abilities that prompted me to get on that flight from Bangalore to Mumbai, the actor was quoted as saying. In Rakta Charitra, being made in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil with Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi and Tamil actor Suirya in lead ro

The Tamil and Telugu remakes of Kannada blockbuster Aptha Rakshaka (2010), a sequel to the 2004 blockbuster Apthamitra (remade in Tamil as Chandramukhi) are making headlines every now and then! A few days after we heard from reliable sources that reigning Tamil-Telugu heroine Anushka would be the heroine opposite Victory Venkatesh in the Telugu version, tentatively titled Chandramukhi 2, to be made by Bellamkonda Suresh of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Productions. Insiders now say that the makers have roped in four more heroines, including Priyamani, Sraddha Das and Sneha. According to reports, Bellamkonda Suresh is also planning to hire a palatial mansion in Bangkok to shoot this movie to be directed by P. Vasu, the original director. Popular music director Koti, who attended a special preview of Apta Rakshaka, has reportedly agreed to score music for this flick. Set in a horror backdrop, the film will start rolling in May.

It's an end of war for Sajid Khan and Ashutosh Gowariker. Ever since the infamous war of words that happened on stage in full public view a year back, the two filmmakers were said to be maintaining a cold distance from each other. However, as months passed by, the tempers also cooled down. So much so that now things are back to being friendly between the two friends who had seemingly parted for a little while. "The trouble earlier on was that media had blown this entire matter out of proportion. At the end of the day we are living in an age when media projects an issue bigger than it actually is", says Sajid who is now ready for the release of Housefull . However, Sajid is not willing to blame the media for the entire fiasco. "That's not the intent at all, why should I do that", questions Sajid, "I am not complaining though because people from film world also benefit when media is on their side. You have to be a part of the game and unde