Here are the top stories of the week!
The truth about sexual exploitation in Tollywood reared its ugly head again after the US investigating agencies busted an international prostitution racket run by a couple of Indian origin in Chicago. The news of Kishan and his wife Chandra Kala Modugumudi’s organized prostitution racket in the US has, however, shocked no one in the industry.
Read full story: Tollywood Sex Racket: Here’s How The Chicago-Based Couple Ran The Operation
An army of Vijay fans online and offline make the names of his movies trend all day through relentless tweeting, advertise every little social service the actor engages in, and take on anyone who dares to speak against their “Anna”. But, what drives fans to do so much for Vijay? On his birthday, Silverscreen talks to a young Thalapathy fan in an effort to understand the makings of a typical Vijay fan.
Read full story: Ilayathalapathy Birthday: The Makings Of A Vijay Fanboy
CS Amudhan carved a place for himself with the release of Tamizh Padam, a full-length spoof that took every popular trope in Tamizh cinema, turned it on its head, and made you even forget the original! With the release of its sequel set for July, the team is waiting to see how the world will react to the spoof at a time when the internet is bursting with memes and the world is a far different place than 2010.
Read full interview: CS Amudhan Interview: ‘I Don’t Dream Of Directing Big Stars And Moving To The Next Level’
It was in Mumbai that Kalidasa, the first talking motion picture in Tamil, was born. The 1931 film was shot in Mumbai, on sets made for Alam Ara, and ever since then, Tamil cinema has had a long-standing love for Maximum City. The city has charmed many Tamil filmmakers, who have gone on to make it a backdrop or a character in their creations.
Here’s a look at some of the Tamil films that showed the city at its best and worst.
Read full story: From Nayagan To Baasha And Kaala: Kollywood’s Long-Standing Love For Mumbai Is Undeniable
Post-ceremony and the screening of Cinema Travellers, an acclaimed documentary by Shirley Abraham and Amit Madheshiya about Western rural India’s travelling talkie culture, Girish Kasaravalli sat in the lobby, and braving end-of-the-day fatigue, spoke at length about cinema as an art, the Kannada new wave, his admiration for contemporary Malayalam cinema, and his journey as a filmmaker.
Recommended
Read full interview: Girish Kasaravalli Interview: ‘Art Can Only Sensitise A Society, Not Solve Issues’
Getting the viewer to not just observe the privilege of caste but its helplessness too is part of the filmmaker’s ultimate objective. Will Dhadak, which is set in Rajasthan, no stranger to honour killings and caste struggles, go beyond manicured nails, coiffed hair, and the carefully-inserted regional slang to get to the heart of Sairat? That love can surmount geography, but rarely can it rise above the narrow divisions of caste.
Read full story: Caste In Cinema: Looking At The Elephant In The Room