Upcoming Movies

Vijay and Richa team together in ‘Shahjahan’ produced by R.B. Choudhary of Supergood films. The Vijay-Choudhary teaming had earlier given a big hit in ‘Poove Unakkaga’, a film that helped change Vijay’s action hero image to that of a sensitive performer. For Richa, this is the second film she has signed after ‘Alli Arjuna’, but it may well be her first release, what with ‘Alli Arjuna’, being stalled for some reason or the other. Vivek, Devan, Balaji, Kovai Sarala, and Fatima Babu play the supporting cast.

The film introduces a new director Ravi. The debutant, who had assisted directors like Ramgopal Varma and Ravichandran, also pens the story-screenplay for the film. The film has editing by Vijay Shanker, lyrics by Vairamuthu and music by Mani Sharma. Mani Sharma, who is Chennai-based and a composer of jingles, got his footing into the feature film scene through Telugu films. One of the most popular music directors of Telugu films today, he has got some state awards too. It is only with ‘Narasimha’, the Vijaykant starrer, that he got his entry into Tamil cinema and he has a few Tamil films in hand now. Artwork is by M. Prabhakaran and stunt choreography by Jaguar Thangam. Arthur Wilson cranks the camera.

Meena partnering Vijay does a single dance number in the film. The duo has never teamed together earlier. The situation which leads to the dance sequence in the story had Vijay and ‘Pasi’ Sathya taking part. Vijay plays Ashok who is always ready to help anyone in distress. One day when Ashok learns that the cops have taken away a couple-in-love for interrogation, he rushes to the police station and tries to persuade them to let go the innocent couple. His friendliness and glib talking impresses the cops enough to make them release the couple. A flowerseller, watching this incident, remarks that if she had a daughter she would have loved to get her married to someone like Ashok. “Where is your daughter?” asks Ashok. “She got lost at a temple festival some years back. If she were alive today, she would look like this girl on the poster here,” says the woman pointing to actress Meena’s poster on the wall.

Ashok fantasises about Meena and she appears in his dream where the duo sing a song. While Vijay played Ashok, Sathya played the flowerseller and Meena played herself. Fifty dancers were present on the scene, while dance master Lawrence choreographed their movements. The song was shot on a lavish set erected at a cost of about Rs.20 lakhs. ‘Shahjahan’ is slated for a Deepavali release.