Friday Review
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Holding on their own
Y. SUNITA CHOWDHARY
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Women-centric roles bring the heroines of Telugu cinema to the fore.
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It has been a great year for Tabu in Hindi films and she continues to be estimable and well respected performer in Telugu films
Leading ladies (Clockwise from top): Tabu, Bhumika Chawla, Charmee.
Popular notion holds that the appearance of stars is crucial for the film’s commercial appeal: The greater the star’s stature, the better the film’s chances for a strong standing at the box-office. But, is their presence a sufficien
t condition for such success now? What about the heroines? How crucial are they to the box-office appeal of their films? A sobering look at the leading heroines in Telugu cinema whose films are due for release soon reveals some interesting patterns about stars and their relative commercial appeal.
Charmee stormed Telugu cinema with a few inane characters but got noticed with Mass and Rakhi as the second heroine. Her claim to fame was Anukokunda Oka Roju which won critical acclaim and the film’s ultimate effectiveness depended on, as much to the script as to her tour de force performance. She is coming back as ‘Mantra’ and ‘Bapu bomma’ in Sundarakanda.
It has been a great year for Tabu in Hindi films and she continues to be estimable and well respected performer here despite her last appearances in Chennakesava Reddy and Andarivaadu a very long time ago.
The actor is coming back in Chandra Siddardha’s Idi Sangati. The director says, “She shares screen space with Abbas.
All characters in the movie, including Tabu, has a grey side (she plays a middle class wife who wants to lead a better life with her journalist husband) to them but you don’t hate them.”
Anushka is appealing and though Super, her debut film didn’t offer her much she groomed and polished her craft with Vikramarkudu. She is probably the only actress who has handful of films that are waiting to hit the bull’s eye soon.
She is working in Arundhati as the main lead, in Nagarjuna-starrer Don, Y.V.S. Chowdhary’s Okka Mogaadu, Dasarath directed Swagatam and finally a film with Sumant too.
Mamta Mohandas is the centre of attraction who’s made her mark with her voice first (in Rakhi) and then with her work in Yamadonga.
She is currently working in P. Vasu’s Krishnaarjuna and J.D. Chekravarty’s Homam.
Comeback for Illeana
Ileana who was the hot property after Pokiri and Rakhi slided with Aata, Munna and Khatarnak. She is coming back with Tarun in the remake of the Hindi film Bunty Aur Babli.
Shreya disappeared after Chatrapati and Bagiradha and has been appearing in item numbers only after Sivaji. She is pinning hopes on a bilingual film Mallanna from Kandaswamy’s stable.
Trisha proved that heroines can’t salvage uninteresting films like Sainikudu but hopes to strike back with Bheema a bilingual and Bujjigadu..made in Chennai with Prabhas and another film with Ravi Teja.
Parvati Melton has shown interest in working in a non commercial venture Buddha where she gets to show her forte - as Amrapalli the dancer.
Nayanatara recuperated after Boss and is doing well indeed with the silent winner Thulasi and at the moment hasn’t announced any fresh projects.
Priyamani made her mark in Yamadonga and has bounced back with Navavasantham.
Finally it’s Bhumika who will be testing her fortune post marriage with Swagatham and Anasuya.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
