Looks like the shooting for Ajith’s ‘Asal’ has finally begun. The movie is being directed by Saran, and the crew has already headed to Malaysia for the first schedule.

The film has the Ultimate Star in the lead, and he will be paired with Sameera Reddy and Bhavana. The three lead actors left for Malaysia last night, and shoot for the first schedule is expected to go on for a good two months.

It may be recalled that Ajith had earlier gone to Malaysia for his ‘Billa’, which went on to become a blockbuster. Following this, the actor, it is said, had expressed his desire to work there. A few songs, apart from action and sentiment sequences will be canned in Malaysia. Plans are also on to have a special schedule in Turkey, where a song in ‘Chandramukhi’ was shot. It may be recalled that ‘Asal’ is the next production venture of Sivaji Films after ‘Chandramukhi’.

Bharadwaj scores the music for this film, which is the Ultimate Star’s 49th film.

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Cast : Nakul, Sunaina, MS Bhaskar, Santhanam
Music : D.Imman
Director : R.N.R.Manohar

The age old formula in Tamil cinema is given a new coat of paint with R.N.R Manohar’s Masilamani. Don’t expect anything great, just sit back and watch the film as a mass masala entertainer meant strictly for a particular section of the audiences.

The film is plain silly at the same time funny in parts. It’s etched from various earlier films, and at times it looks like a sequel to the lead pair’s earlier film Kathalil Vizhunthen . The opening Nakul introduction song itself look similar to the famous Nakku Mukka…, even in picturisation and sets.

The wafer thin storyline is straightforward. Massi (Nakul) an orphan lives in a lower middle class colony, where everybody dotes on him. He is a mass hero who you see only in Tamil films- a popular guy in his colony who takes up local issues, fights for them, and has a heart of gold though those who don’t know him thinks he is a rowdy.

Massi falls in love at first sight with Divya (Sunaina), a rich upper middle class girl who is a dance instructor. She thinks that Massi is a rowdy and a creep and will not fall for him under any circumstances. Urged by his friends (Santhanam & Srinath) Massi becomes Mani, the soft spoken sophisticated guy with the clean look. He wins over her large family (Delhi Ganesh and others), due to his smooth talking and winning ways.

Though initially, Divya refuses to believe that he is Mani, a look alike of Massi the rowdy, soon he has her eating out of his hands. Enter Bhoopathy, the local corrupt Sub Inspector, with an eye on Divya and a determination to prove that Mani is none other than Massi, the rowdy. All this leads to a twist in the tale climax.

The film has all mass elements like larger than life hero, his introductory song, duets in foreign locations, sentiments, comedy and a predictable action scene inside a go-down. The comedy track of MS Bhaskar and Karunas where they pay tribute to all larger than life Tamil superstars and mass films is hilarious. D.Imman, after a long time has come out with some peppy music with Dora, Dora… being the pick of the lot.

Nakul is a fine dancer but has a long way to go to become a mass hero, while Sunaina proves she has it in her to make it big with a performance where grace and maturity are the keywords. On the downside, the film moves at a leisurely pace in the first half devoted mostly to songs and comedy tracks. The second half the film slowly picks up speed as the story unfolds leading to a thrilling climax.