Six new films and good times ahead for cineastes

or lovers of cinema, the next few weeks mean a lot of activity because six films are lined up for release. And big names associated with all of them.

They include a stylish Nagarjuna in ‘Rummy’, Allu Arjun in ‘Arya 2’ and NTR in a mass entertainer ‘Adurs’. Shekar Kammula will come out with his ‘Leader’, a socio-political film, while Madan, with ‘Pravarakhyudu’ starring Jagapati Babu is touted as ‘re-defining the understanding of love’.

Then there is Y.V.S. Chowdary’s ‘Saleem’. The business is valued at over a whopping Rs. 100 crore. ‘Arya 2’, a sequel to an earlier film, is slated for release on November 27, followed by ‘Pravarakhyudu’. Director Chowdary says ‘Saleem’ was showcased as a slick and snazzy film, while ‘Arya 2’ is all about finding love in its purest form, with hero Allu Arjun sporting a ‘classy look’, according to its director Sukumar.

NTR must have his fingers crossed, hoping that ‘Adurs’ will become a hit and shake the box office, repeating the Adikesava Reddy magic. Director V.V. Vinayak too has not tasted success for a while now and he must be desperate too. ‘Saleem’ stars Manchu Vishnu and produced by Manchu Mohan Babu. “Ileana really sizzles”, a fan says, of this very romantic love story.

There were several innovations in the promotion of this film with a Hyderabad city-centric stance too. People were bombarded with short messages on their phones and emails, not to talk of the filmmakers utilising ‘Facebook’ the social networking site to its best.

In Mr. Kammula’s ‘Leader’, people are waiting to see a tall debutant Rana Daggupati as the hero. Though it is produced under the prestigious AVM banner, it would not have generated attention in the print and electronic attention if it did not have the hotshot director of ‘Happy Days’ fame wielding the megaphone.

Interestingly, everyone associated with ‘Leader’ has been tight-lipped about what the film is all about. Only during the release of its music on Sunday, the director said it was a film with a political backdrop. “There will not be a single fight in the movie and yet there will be heroism, sans a single drop of blood”, he declared.

Daggupati’s ‘Leader’ is expected to compete with Akkineni’s ‘Rummy’ and people who know the industry well confirm that there will be some competition!