Actress Gautami Tadimalla, who made a smashing comeback to acting after 19 years with last year’s Tamil drama Papanasam, says she never felt disassociated from the industry as she was constantly in touch as a designer.
“Even though I was out of action as an actor, I was very much connected with the industry via my work as a designer. I never felt cut off or disassociated, thanks to my designing assignments.
“Since the 2010 Tamil film Dasavatharam, I’ve been working as a designer,” Gautami, who mostly works as a costume designer on Kamal Haasan’s films, told IANS.
Calling it the best phase of her career, Gautami is really looking forward to do the kind of films she always wanted to. “People say this is my second innings. But I think I’m in my prime now because I get to do what I always wanted to do. There was a phase where I did several films in just seven years. I don’t have to worry about doing so many films at this stage of my career. I want to do one film at a time and enjoy the process,” she said.
Excited about her forthcoming Telugu release Manamantha, she says her role in the film was exclusively written for her. The film, which hits the screens on Friday, also releases in Tamil as Namathu, and in Malayalam as Vismayam.
“When director Chandra Sekhar Yeleti approached me with the offer, he said he had worked on the script for two years, keeping me in mind for the role of Gayatri. I was bowled over by the script and immediately gave my consent to be part of it,” she said.
Talking about the film, Gautami said, “It’s an anthology of four stories. There’s a lot of isolation in today’s world and four completely distinct lives are woven together through this film. You may call it the Butterfly or Domino effect. There is no link between the characters but it blends seamlessly through the course of the film.”
The film also stars Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, and she says nothing has changed about her Iruvar co-star. “Nothing has changed about him. He is always chilled-out and so much fun to work with. Both of us had a lot of catching up to do on the sets,” she said.
Asked if she considers herself to be lucky to be paired with stars such as Kamal Haasan and Mohanlal even after so many years, she said that it doesn’t matter to her whom she works with. “As much as I’m happy to be working with Kamal and Lal, I look forward to working with a great team. I’m more interested in working with new talent, directors who are willing to experiment and push boundaries,” she said.
When not designing costumes or donning the greasepaint, Gautami is busy working for Life Again, a foundation which she co-founded to create awareness about cancer. “The whole purpose of the foundation is to find a better way of living life to the fullest. Most of the health issues we face today are due to the lifestyle we follow.
“There are several methodologies to overcome the negativity and it worked for me big time. I have actively been practising this for almost seven years in my life and it is very effective,” said Gautami, who is a breast cancer survivor. — IANS


Benedict Cumberbatch to star in, 
produce Rogue Male adaptation


British actor Benedict Cumberbatch is set to star in and produce the adaptation of the classic British novel Rogue Male for Fox Searchlight. He will produce the project with Lloyd, Levin Branwen Prestwood Smith and Beatriz Levin of Black Sheep Pictures. Also producing it will be Adam Ackland of SunnyMarch, Cumberbatch’s production company, reports variety.com.
Michael Lesslie has been hired to write the screenplay for the thriller, which is about a hunter who attempts to assassinate a dictator but is caught, tortured and left for dead. When he escapes back home to England, he must hide out in a harsh, rural countryside while enemy agents and the police are in hot pursuit.
The book was published in 1939 and the author, Geoffrey Household, said the dictator was intended to be a stand-in for Adolf Hitler. — IANS


Channing Tatum to play merman in Splash remake


Actor Channing Tatum has signed up for the lead role in Disney’s Splash remake. He will be playing a mermaid. But not really — only the male version of mermaid. Tatum will join his 22 Jump Street co-star Jillian Bell for the remake of the 1984 film, which originally featured Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah, reports eonline.com.
The original film followed the story of a young man (Allen) who reunites with a mermaid (Madison) who saved him from drowning as a boy. He ends up falling in love with her, not knowing who or what she is. However, in the remake, Tatum will play merman — a male version of the mermaid, and Bell will play a female version of Allen.
The film is in the early stages of development. Marja-Lewis Ryan is writing the script, while Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, who directed and produced the original film, will produce it along with Tatum, Reid Carolin and Peter Kieran. — IANS




Kunal Jaisingh wants to 
learn painting for real


Actor Kunal Jaisingh, who is seen essaying role of an artist in TV show Ishqbaaaz, hopes to master the art of painting. He wants to paint a picture of his father and gift it to him.
Kunal, known as Omkara Singh Oberoi of the Star Plus show, is already working on his artistic skills. “I’ve shot for various scenes that show me working in solitude on my idols. Going by the scenes, I actually wish to pursue painting along with my other hobbies. We anyway have an artist-cum-sculptor on the set who helps me with the scenes.
“In between shots or after lunch, I go up to him (to learn) and I am gearing up to start painting a picture of my father and gift it to him,” Kunal said in a statement. The actor also said his father Sunil Jaisingh is his biggest fan and critic.
“Every night I go back home after pack up, our dinner table conversations are only about the show. After my entry was shot in the first episode, I remember him telling me how he would love to have a painting done by me hanging on the wall at home. That was when I knew I have to get down to business and paint a picture of him, just for him.”
Ishqbaaaz tells the story of three brothers — Shivaaay (Nakuul Mehta), Omkara (Kunal) and Rudra (Leenesh Mattoo). — IANS