HIT OR MISS: REPORT CARD OF SUCCESS K'wood

HIT OR MISS: REPORT CARD OF SUCCESS

Kollywood directors may be hot property in Mumbai but how have they fared up north?

Lata Srinivasan

It all started with Ghajini and A R Murugadoss in 2005. The Tamil film was a hit and very soon, the reticent director was headed to Mumbai to remake the movie with Aamir Khan. The end result — a Hindi blockbuster! Though his next, 7aum Arivu, was a damp squib, Bollywood is still eager to see how his Shah Rukh Khan movie, a reported remake of Ramana, will turn out.
But he's not the only south director who's the toast of Bollywood today. While numerous Kollywood directors are making steady inroads into Mumbai and are sought-after, they often come with an A+ report card in B-Town and an A- in K-Town.
Gautham Menon, for instance, made his entry into B-Town with the Hindi remake of his hit movie Minnale years back but Rehna Hain Tere Dil Mein
fizzled at the box office. Now his attempt at remaking his hit Vinnaithandi Varuvaaya as Ekk Deewana Tha has raised the question has the movie got him a new lease in B-Town? Desperate as always for talent, Hindi film corporations are already talking of him remaking Vettaiyadu Vilayadu with a Bollywood superstar.
Prabhu Deva is also another wanted man in Mumbai. His film Wanted with Salman Khan was one of the biggest blockbusters in Hindi cinema. However, his two consecutive Tamil releases, Engeyum Kadhal and Vedi in 2011, left Kollywood cold. But Prabhu continues to be seen as a safe bet in Hindi. Great hopes are pinned on Rowdy Rathore that should come out in June 2012. Let's hope India's choreographerturned-filmmaker really gives Bollywood something to celebrate about.
Another director who's trying to make it in Bollywood is Susi Ganesh. Though he had a dismal Kandhaswamy with Vikram, he's currently remaking his hit film Thiruttu Payale in Hindi with Neil Nitin Mukesh. Lingusamy's Vettai has been declared a hit and he's now keen on remaking Paiyaa in Hindi possibly with Deepika and Ranbir.
And one has to mention Siddique's Bodyguard which in Hindi broke BO records. However, down South it was at best an average. But, of course, as we said earlier in Bollywood, you are as good as your last hit. So Siddique it is for some other Hindi superstar. Let's watch this space to see where he takes us next.

A still from 7aum Arivu

A still from Ekk Deewana Tha

A still from
Wanted