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His double win at the Oscars has been celebrated and talked about. But not many know that A R Rahman had a close shave while rehearsing for his performance at the Academy Awards - a chandelier came crashing down seconds after the music maestro moved away from the spot.

"I really don't know what happened. Two days before the Oscars we were rehearsing at one of the theatres for the Oscars, the Jay Leno Show and the Oprah Winfrey Show when a massive chandelier, covering a portion of the ceiling, crashed to the spot just a split second after I moved away," said Rahman told, recalling the nerve-wracking experience.

"If I hadn't moved way I'd have become history in no time at all. The chandelier crashed exactly at the spot I was standing just seconds before. It left me shaken but not terrified. I guess it was god's warning not to take any of the good things that are happening to me too seriously," he said.

The musician, who won two Oscars for his work in British filmmaker Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire, said the accident could have proved to be catastrophic.

"I think the love and prayers of all those who love me saved me. As I walked from the left side of the stage to the right I could feel (something) heavy drop from the air, like water rushing down from a height of 30 to 40 feet. So with the good came the rude reminder of how quickly it can all be snatched away," Rahman said in hindsight.

"When I did Oprah Winfrey's show for the Oscars she asked me what Jai ho meant. I said it meant, 'May victory be yours'. She wished the same back for me and I could see she meant it. It's the best wishes from the world over that saved my life that day," he added.

Rahman said he isn't scared of death as it is inevitable.

"What has to happen will happen. I believe one is constantly walking hand-in-hand with death. Death is like a constant companion. But let's not go into dark spaces right now," he said.

Rahman won two golden statuettes for Slumdog Millionaire for best original score and best original song for Jai Ho. They were among the eight Academy Awards bagged by rags-to-riches story set in Mumbai.

Spending five hours with convicts at a prison as preparation for a film role has changed his perspective of life, says Neil Nitin Mukesh. The young actor adds that he came across "faces and voices in there which I'll never forget".

"It was the most life-changing day of my life. So much of what we take for granted seemed so vital and unreachable in there," said Neil after visiting the Thane jail.

The original motive for the visit - as a preparation to play a convict in Madhur Bhandarkar's Jail - was completely forgotten as Neil came face to face with people serving long prison terms.

"These are people who have built a universe within the prison. They cook, they do carpentry, make beautiful meals and artefacts. They pray, study and even watch films. We sat and ate their food. And I must say it was very good," Neil said.

The interaction with prisoners has left a deep impact on him. "There are faces and voices in there which I'll never forget. Unfortunately we couldn't meet prisoners on death row. But the rest of the inmates were there for us to interact with."

He added: "It's hard to believe some of these inmates are considered dangerous, more to themselves than people from the outside. We were not allowed to take belts, coins or any hard objects because any of this could be used by prisoners as harmful weapons."

The actor noticed that the prison inmates had become dark-skinned over time. "That's because they spend most of the time locked away from the sun," he said. Neil, who is the grandson of legendary singer Mukesh, now intends to get himself a "jail pallor".

"It's not a skin complexion that I can get on the beach. It will be through under-exposure from the sun," he explained. Neil visited the jail along with Bhandarkar and writer Manoj Tyagi. Leading lady Mugdha Godse, who was also expected to accompany them, chose to stay away at the last minute.

"We were told there would be an added security problem if she (Mugdha) came along," he said. Jail is about a middle-class family boy working in the corporate sector and how, after one sudden incident, he goes to jail.

For the Slumdog Millionaire Oscar-fame kid Azharuddin, it was like a bolt from the blue - a slap from his father for refusing an interview to a foreign journalist.

Azharuddin, 10, who returned from Los Angeles on Thursday, along with his co-star Rubina Ashfaq Ali Qureshi and four other children, was weary with the constant media attention and wanted to rest, their neighbour Yakub Abdul Sheikh said.

However, Sheikh said, his father Ismail Mohammed had already committed time to a foreign journalist. "When Azharuddin refused to oblige, he slapped him (Friday), but later was full of remorse," said Sheikh.

Another resident, Dildar Bandarkar said the poor slum-dwellers are not used to the sudden international media glare and do not know how to behave.

"They are their usual old self, but small actions like this get blown out of proportion," he said.

The incident invited sharp reaction from Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury on Saturday. "The incident is reflection of sadness of our system. That is why exactly we have National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). We will definitely look into the matter and will take it with the commission," Chowdhury told reporters on sidelines of a function in Delhi.

"Our society is too used to slapping children. Many parents don't realise the harm they do. In the particular case, we hope we can counsel the father and will see what can be done," she said.

However, Sheikh said Azharuddin attempted to protect his father - who is suffering from tuberculosis since 20 years, and even wife Shamim rushed to defend him.

Both Azharuddin and his mother Shamim dismissed the incident, saying he was being naughty and so his father slapped him - "but we all love him very much," she said.

In fact, both Sheikh and Bandarkar said that after the initial curiosity, now the slum-dwellers of Garib Nagar in Bandra east were getting tired of the constant flow of mediapersons to the area since over a week.

"The area is very congested, with narrow lanes and media vans virtually block access to the area, inconveniencing the people here," Sheikh said, adding that even now, mediapersons continue to come there, though in dwindling numbers.

Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle and producer Christian Colson have promised to help move Azharuddin and fellow star Rubina Ali, 9, out of the Mumbai slums where the movie is based.

The children play the younger versions of two of the film's main characters, Salim and Latika.

Rahul Dev, the model turned villain who has done a lot of Hindi and Telugu films as villain is going to play the bad man in Rajinikanth’s Sultan The Warrior, produced and directed by his daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth.

Rahul Dev, who was in Chennai to unveil the new collection of Bollywood designer Narendra Kumar, at Studio Saks, the upmarket designer store said: “Who would not like to play the villain opposite the living legend of Indian cinema Rajinikanth? He is truly an icon and I have to thank Soundarya for offering me the role of the villain in Sultan The Warrior. For the first time an animated film is being made on an Indian actor and I’m honoured to be part of it.”

The handsome hunk has been a very popular villain in Telugu films and has also played the bad man in three Tamil films- Mazhai, Muni, Arasangam. Now his chance to be paired opposite the superstar, gives Rahul an opportunity to be seen by a larger section of the audiences.

The live telecast of the cliffhanger at Wellington on Friday, the second Twenty 20 match between India and New Zealand has eaten into Tamilnadu box-office.

The Chennai multiplexes reported an all time seasonal low of 45 to 55 percent for Friday Noon Show and Matinee, but picked up considerably for the evening and night shows.

The single screens were the worst effected due to the television coverage and some of them reported 20 to 30 percent for opening day Friday collections.
It is a clear indication that on T20 and forthcoming ODI’s collections are going to nosedive across the state, and even multiplexes are hit by the cricket fever.

The industry is in a bad state, and the second edition of the IPL season (April 10 to May 29), during prime time summer releases is definitely going to go for a six

Ilayathalapathy Vijay has been signed as brand ambassador for the Coco Cola brand in Tamil Nadu.

A spokesperson of Coco Cola India said: “We zeroed in on Vijay because he is huge in the state. The star would be seen in the latest Open Happiness campaign for brand Coca-Cola in Tamilnadu"

Vijay was earlier associated with the brand from 2000 to 2003, when Rajiv Menon created a campaign which became very popular with the masses.

For a brief period in 2005 the company had signed up Vikram, but it was only for a year. The company, which saw no need for a brand ambassador till 2008 as the "market was growing on its own" then, seems to be relying on the mass appeal of Vijay to fortify the brand's share in rural markets.

According to a Chennai based advertising guru: “ It’s a smart move by coke, as Mr.Vijay according to market survey has the best reach among the B & C segments in small towns and villages. He has recall value and star power, two things which the cola giant can piggyback ride”

Sources estimate that the deal has been signed between Rs 2 to Rs 4 crore. As per the deal Vijay would appear in TV commercials and be available for public interaction.

Now the big question being asked in the ad world is – “Who will be arch rival Pepsi’s brand ambassador in Tamilnadu?” Remember Pepsi has discontinued their association with Surya from 2008, and are on the lookout for a younger star for their ‘Youngistan’ campaign.

The market buzz is that they are looking at Dhanush, Arya or Silambarasan, and will take a call shortly.

Six years after it was completed Kalabhavan Mani's Aayirathil Oruvan

will see the light of the day , as it will be released this Friday(Feb 20) all over Kerala!

The film is directed by noted director Sibi Malayil and written by T.A Razak who incidentally a few years back got a Kerala State Award for the script of the film which was never released!

In the film Mani plays the common man and a good guy who is a ration shop owner in the village who everybody likes and respects. For his sister's marriage he borrows money from a 'Blade' (moneylender who charges cut-throat interest), and is unable to pay back creating the twist in this family entertainer.

Aayirathil Oruvan is good opportunity for Sibi Malayil a man who has made some great films to redeem his standing in the industry and bounce back. The film produced by veteran producer Siyad Kokker is a sentimental feel-good family entertainer with superb performance by Mani and the rest of the cast comprising of Janardanan, Salim Kumar, K.P.A.C Lalitha, Sujatha and Tamil comedian Senthil.

Mohanlal sang a song for one of his films. He has sung for Blessy's new film Bhramaram. The song was recorded at Mohanlal's new recording studio in Kochi.

In the film Mohanlal plays a lorry driver who takes cargo from Coimbatore to the high ranges of Idukki. Bhoomika is the heroine in the film which also has Lakshmi Gopalasamy.

The song written by Anil Pachooran and tuned by Mohan Sithara is a melodious folk song- "Annarkanna Vaa, Poovala Changatham Koodan Vaa….". and will be picturised on Mohanlal himself.


Last week the famous dance master Prabhu Deva came to Kottayam and choreographed a dance for Siddique's Bodyguard. The song featured Dileep and Nayanthara.

Remember Prabhudeva is a full fledged film director who had recently done the Vijay- Nayanthara Tamil film Villu. He is also doing the Hindi film Wanted with Salman Khan and Ayesha Takia.

Prabudeva has off late stopped doing choreography and even in Villu he has not done choreography for any of the songs. But in the case of Bodyguard he made an exemption, as Nayan is one of his favourite heroines.

The last time Prabhudeva choreographed a song in Malayalam was some 18 years back when he did Jayaraj's Johnnywalker!

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