KISHORE KUMAR'S HANDWRITTEN NOTE TO HIS FANS!

Please click on the photograph to enlarge

Ilayaraja returns to Telugu films with Sri Ramarajyam

Sri Ramarajyam movie is based on Uttara Ramayanam, i.e., Lava Kusa. In which, Bala Krishna is going play lord Rama in a film and Nayantara will portray the role of Sitadevi.

While dialogues are being written by Mullapudi Venkata Ramana, Kamal Kannan, who won national award for his remarkable work in ‘Magadheera’, is going to handle visual effects, PRK Raju is the cinematographer, art director Ravindra will design the sets, editing will be done by GG Krishna Rao and the music is being scored by Ilayaraja. This is the 2nd film in Bapu and Ilayaraja combination, after the super duper hit film ‘Mantrigaari Viyyankudu’.

Isaignani Ilayaraja Ilayaraja's autograph on the cover of his "Ramanamaalai" CD as he presented to P. Susheela

I don't think about awards while composing: Ilayaraja

"

Legendary composer Ilayaraja, who bagged the National Award for the best background score for Malayalam film "Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja", says he never thinks about awards while composing music.

When asked whether he expected the award, he said: "I don't think about awards and such diversions. I think only about music."

Starring Mammootty, the film revolves around King Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja who revolted against the erstwhile British East India Company when they imposed high revenue policies upon the people of Kottayam kingdom.

Ilayaraja also thanked director Hariharan and production team executive Pravin for their support during the making of the film.

"I composed the score in 15 days and sent it to Budapest... We recorded it with a symphony orchestra, " he told reporters Wednesday after the 57th National Film Awards were announced.

Speaking about the art of composing music, he said: "Mere keyboard playing is not composing music. When I did this background score ('Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja'), I envisioned each shot, the story and how it was going to be executed on screen and felt the music and situation.

That is composing... when you create something, the feelings of the director should get translated into the music. This has happened in this ('Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja').

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Dear bloggers,

On 15th August 2011, India completes 64 years of freedom. We have indeed come a long way in these six decades. Increase in per capita income, better lifestyle, decrease in poverty, lower death rates, increased literacy etc.

However, a lot needs to be done. Every responsible Indian must extend his helping hand to uplift the downtrodden from poverty and illiteracy. Women should be treated with respect. It is our duty to uphold her dignity. Corruption must end. We should use our right to vote with responsibility and see to it that we choose only able and clean candidates as our representatives.

Only then can we see our motherland reach greater heights.

JAI HIND ! JAI HIND! JAI HIND!

-Nag

SHAMMI KAPOOR IS NO MORE

Veteran film actor Shammi Kapoor died at 5.15 am today. He was 79. The actor had been admitted to Breach Candy Hospital where he was undergoing treatment for Kidney failure and lung congestion.

He made his Bollywood debut with 'Jeevan Jyoti' in 1953 and ruled the silverscreen during the late 1950s and 1960s with his super-energetic performances. According to BBC, Shammi Kapoor was "one of the most popular actors of his generation, Kapoor starred in hits like Junglee, An Evening in Paris, Chinatown and Kashmir Ki Kali.

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan tweeted that with Kapoor's death the "flamboyance and joie de vivre of the industry lost".


Shammi Kapoor acted in more than 100 films. Fans called him the "Elvis Presley of India" for his frenetic and nifty dancing.

He developed a style of his own and moviegoers flocked to the theatres just to see Shammi Kapoor's antics and mannerisms."

With his infectious on-screen persona and energy, Shammi Kapoor was Bollywood's first real star, say correspondents. BBC also says that "The actor was also a keen internet buff and amongst the first Indians to have a website of his own.

When Yahoo opened its office in Mumbai (Bombay) several years ago he was invited by its co-founder Jerry Yang. As the launch, Kapoor was pleasantly surprised to hear the band playing his Yahoo song from the film Junglee [or Wild], made famous years before the internet existed, and so called for his famous cry of "Yahoo!".

Later, Mr Yang told him how inspired he was by the Yahoo song and the way the actor had used the word in his inimitable style in so many of his films. "It was all very flattering. Many of my relatives still call up and ask whether I own Yahoo," he told the BBC in an interview.

Shammi was married to actress Geeta Bali who he said was the love of his live. She died of small pox during the filming of Teesri Manzil.
They have two children - a son Aditya, and a daughter Kanchan. He later married Neela.