Less than a week after its release, the Tamil version of controversial political thriller "Madras Cafe" was pulled from two theatres here due to protests and poor ratings.

The movie, which was released across the world Friday, is based on the Sri Lankan civil war and also shows the 1991 assassination of former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Actor John Abraham, who has co-produced the film, also features as an Indian Army intelligence agent sent to Sri Lanka.

The film sparked protests across the world even before it got released as Tamil groups claimed that the film portrays the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in poor light.

In Canada, the movie was released in six theatres in Surrey, Montreal and Toronto.

Though the company representing the film claimed that it was being pulled from theatres in Canada due to protests, spokeswoman for Cineplex Entertainment, Pat Marshall, said that it was being pulled from only two Toronto theatres screening the Tamil version, the Vancouver Desi reported.

"It’s the way that our business works, it’s our guests who decide what movies stay on the screen and what movies come off by buying the ticket,” she was quoted as saying.

According to Marshall, the film was received well in four of the six theatres screening the Hindi version, while the two Toronto theatres screening the Tamil version could not work.

“The Hindi version opened well. The two locations in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), in the Tamil version, did not open well,” Marshall said.

“Of those six locations, given the performance, the two Tamil version movies will come off but the other four will continue on because they’ve done well,” she added.

A group of around 50 people protested outside Toronto’s Eglinton Town Centre theatre.

The movie, directed by Shoojit Sircar, also features Nargis Fakhri, Ajay Rathnam and Leena Maria Paul.

Though India's Central Board of Film Certification had passed the film, it has been pulled from some theatres in Britain and in Chennai in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

There were reports that Atul Agnohotri will rope in Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif for a song in the film, but the filmmaker says that he hasn't approached the latter yet.

"Ohh Teri" has newcomers in the cast and it will come out next year.

"It's too early right now as we are still working on the song track. We have not approached Katrina, but Salman has been involved with the project right from the beginning," Atul, who is married to Salman's sister Alvira, told IANS.

"If I can't justify somebody's participation, I will not cast them. Katrina has always been with us she is our well-wisher and a wonderful person, so let's see how thing shapes up," he said.

He had earlier directed Salman in "Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha" and "Hello".

"In 'Bodyguard', both of them looked good and it worked, so a person's participation should be justified," he said.

Director Prakash Jha Wednesday said his "Satyagraha" will hit the screens without any cuts as the censor board did not cut or ban any scene from the political thriller.

"They (censor board) said that you have made the film in a very sensitive way and there are parts we cannot cut. So, the film came out the same way we presented it," Jha told reporters here.

The 61-year-old also said that he doesn't want to define his films, saying: "I just try and make films and leave the definition to the audience."

Based on Gandhian principles and his (Mahatma Gandhi) ideology of non-violence, the film is about a father and his son, and Jha added that "he has tried to put his point in the content".

Talking about the song "Ragupati Raghav Raja Ram" in the film, which will be featured on Amitabh Bachchan, the National Award-winning director said the song suited the film well as it is Mahatma Gandhi's prayer, but they added some more expressions to it.

"We added new expression to the song because it suited today's generation. The song means that we won't bear any more and we will not sit quiet. We will fight for our rights and justice," he said.

"Satyagraha", slated to release Friday, reflects the uprising of the middle-class against a corrupt and unjust system. The film has an impressive star cast including Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Manoj Bajpayee and Amrita Rao.

Producer Jagadish Mishra, who produced "The Light: Swami Vivekananda" based on the life of Swami Vivekananda, says making a film like this is not a cakewalk.

"It is still very difficult to make a non-formula film without producing it. I hope it opens a trend where we don't have to follow a formula for a film to be successful," Mishra told IANS.

"In Bollywood, there is a myth that a project becomes economically viable only when you pick up a star, otherwise nobody will entertain you. This trend needs to change for quality films to come into light," he said.

It was his strong belief in the subject that motivated him to produce "The Light: Swami Vivekananda".

"People are not willing to take the risk on such subjects. The strong belief and conviction in the subject helped me overcome all obstacles in producing the film," he said.

He feels that the Rs.100 crore club trend undermines viewers' intelligence

"I think the audience is very unfairly projected through numbers game. It is insulting to presume audiences don't want to think while watching a film. They've always accepted change, innovative ideas and experiment in cinema," he said.

He is confident "The Light: Swami Vivekananda" will inspire the audience.

"Content is strong enough to influence audiences to watch and get inspired by the film. Moreover, as the movie has become tax free in several states, it will help reduce the cost for the audience," he said.

Journalist-columnist Nandita Puri, who filed a police complaint of domestic violence against her husband and actor Om Puri, Wednesday claimed he was lying when he said he was out of town when he allegedly beat her.

"All lies... He is lying and he was in Mumbai. After the incident, he left home and I think he stayed in some hotel. Factually, he is wrong. If you accuse someone, they deny it. He has accused the police force and judicial system. You can check his whereabouts, his phones, airline tickets... everything," Nandita told IANS.

Nandita lodged a complaint against him on Aug 23 at the Versova police station. On Tuesday, Om Puri denied the allegations, saying he was in Kolkata when he was alleged to have beaten her.

She added: "He didn't call me after the incident. He was wrong and he was absconding."

The couple had been facing problems in their relationship since Nandita come out with a biography on her husband - "Unlikely Hero: The Story Of Om Puri" in 2009 highlighting some of his most private sexual incidents.

The revelations in the book had upset the 62-year-old Padma Shri awardee, known for his work in films like "Aakrosh" and "Ardh Satya". He has also entertained viewers with his comic timing in "Hera Pheri".

Southern actors are breaking the linguistic barrier. They say the ability to talk fluently in other languages help migrating within filmdom, getting meaty roles and performing better.

Rahul Ravindran, Karthi Sivakumar and Naveen Chandra are some names making the best of their linguistic skills.

For Rahul, speaking in a local language earns the respect of audiences.

"Every actor should make an effort to learn the language they act in. Audiences like it when actors speak in the local language," Rahul told IANS.

"They treat them with respect and love. I believe learning a language is a hygiene factor and it definitely helps one perform better.

"When an actor is making efforts to learn a language, even directors and producers start taking him or her seriously. I remember, when I gave interviews for my debut Telugu film, I only mouthed few words of Telugu. But, today I can speak the language fluently. I'm dubbing in my own voice," he added.

Rahul, who started his cinematic career in Tamil romantic-drama "Moscowin Kavery", is equally active in Telugu films.

The actors whose films are being dubbed, they are also learning the languages too.

The case in point is Tamil actor Karthi, who has dubbed in Telugu for most of his Tamil films. Interestingly, he has earned a decent fan base in Telugu as well.

Naveen, who made his cinematic debut with S.S. Rajamouli's Telugu movie "Andala Rakshasi", believes learning a language helps in emoting.

"When you act, it's just the body involved in work but when you add voice to it, emotions come from the heart because one needs to understand the language to feel what he or she is saying through the dialogues," he said.

Fluent in Telugu, Tamil and Kannada, Naveen is currently shooting for two Tamil projects and has a Telugu film in the pipeline as well.

Other southern actors, who dub in their own voices in other languages include Mahat Raghavendra, Jagapati Babu, Vishal Krishna and Sai Kumar.

For Sundeep Kishan, an Andhrite born and raised in Chennai, it's his fluency in Tamil and Telugu that land him bi-lingual projects.

"Producers are keen to do bilinguals with me. I'm also happy to do bilinguals because as an actor both the industries are very important to me. It is definitely an added advantage to learn an extra language," said Sundeep, who had also acted in critically acclaimed Hindi film "Shor In The City".

Recently, Tamil actor Dhanush took a bigger leap, landed a role in Hindi movie "Raanjhanaa" and did more than just impressing viewers!

Following Dhanush's footsteps, Tamil actors Nassar and Bharat too forayed into Hindi films.

While Nassar featured in "D-Day" and dubbed in Hindi himself, Bharat is currently shooting for "Jackpot" with Naseerudin Shah.

Actresses are not far behind.

Malayalam actress Nithya Menon dubs in her own voice in Telugu. She has even crooned songs that turned out to be chartbusters in Telugu.

Filmmaker Prakash Jha took a break from being behind the scenes and faced the cameras for a scene in his forthcoming film "Satyagraha", which hits the screens Friday. He says it was an instinctive decision to feature in the scene.

"It is true I have done a cameo in the film. It's a crucial scene in the film and it was a purely instinctive decision on the sets to be a part of this scene. I had not planned it," Jha told IANS.

The filmmaker will be seen at a crucial point in the film when the characters essayed by Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan are shown in conflict over a miscommunication.

Jha plays a common man in the film. He will be seen discussing the state of affairs in a village where the 'revolution' begins

A socio-political thriller, "Satyagraha" also features Arjun Rampal, Manoj Bajpayee and Amrita Rao.

Film: "Satyagraha"; Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Manoj Bajpayee, Amrita Rao; Director: Prakash Jha; Rating: ****

Prakash Jha's "Satyagraha" bears no thematic relation to any of his earlier political dramas. It is certainly not a sequel to his "Raajneeti", as has been reported in some sections of the media. And yes, it is most certainly based on the movement that Anna Hazare started against corruption. To say that Mr. Bachchan's character Dwarka Anand in "Satyagraha", lovingly called Dadujee by one and all, and Dadujee's turbulent relationship with the go-getting NRI-turned-Gandhian-nationalist Maanav Raghvendra(Devgn) does not bear a resemblance to the Anna Hazare-Arvind Kejriwal equation, would be plain blindness.

What Jha and his very able astute and politically informed co-writer and long-time collaborator Anjum Rajabali have done, is to collect together the thematic threads of Anna Hazare's mass anti-corruption movement and weave it into a gripping, thoughtful, hard-hitting and inspirational drama which contains all the resonances of a newspaper headline, and wrap it up in the semantics of cinema with as little creative violence as possible even while addressing an inherently violent issue.

From the time Jha made his intensely political drama "Damul", there has been a constant strife between the director's personal political ideology and its rendition into cinematically interpreted language. Drama and emotions have always been Jha's bete noire. In his predominantly brutal domain of interpersonal politics, the human drama is played out austerely, often at the cost of squandering away the chance to draw the characters' innerscape in an elaborately-charted schem .

In Jha's "Aarakshan", we had seen that trademark emotional austerity in the way he portrayed Mr. Bachchan's relationship with his screen-daughter Deepika Padukone. In "Satyagraha", one feels the relationship between Mr. Bachchan's character and his widowed daughter-in-law (Amrita Rao) could have gone a little further. But then Mr. Bachchan is the kind of extraordinary actor who can say so much about his character's emotional environment in the most meagre playing-time. Here, he has that one moment with Amrita Rao when hearing her sob in the dead of the night, he goes into her room to console her... And we know the kind of deep bonding this powerful patriarch shares with his cruelly widowed Bahu.

There is little time for emotions in Jha's world of politics and national awakening. Dwarka Anand gets just one sequence to show how much he misses his son. It's the moment when he returns to the scene of his son's death... The father's anguish here is palpable, throbbing with unexpressed grief. And then before we can wallow in the moment, Jha's editor Santosh Mandal mercilessly tears us away from this poignant scene of a father's loss.

In my favourite sequence, Mr. Bachchan shares a son-like camaraderie with Devgn's character telling him how he would miss Devgn when he leaves the next day. It is a deeply contemplative moment where Devgn reacts to Mr. Bachchan's supple emotions with rare care and attention.

Hold on to these infrequent episodes of emotional expression in this turbulent tale of awakening the nation's conscience where there is no room for individual's self-indulgence. In fact, Devgn's growing fondness for the TV journalist Yasmin Ahmed(Kareena Kapoor, lighting up every frame) and the sudden burst of a acutely romantic song seems to belong to some other time-zone.

You see, there's the business of the country's future to be attended to. And who better at creating a cinema of socio-political reform than Prakash Jha? The director constantly wrenches away from his individuals' personal feelings to focus on the broader picture.

Jha's narration gets busy with the business of swooping down on huge crowds of anxious restless people looking for a way out of the country's scam-frozen destiny. It's a world built on the premise of socio-political reform that Mahatma Gandhi and Jayaprakash Narain dreamt of and Anna Hazare attempted to bring to fruition.

There's an abundance of references to mobilisation of youth power through the Internet and mobile. "Satyagraha" probes and questions the validity and motivation of any mass movement that is born out of an inividual's genuine passion for reform. The pitfalls of such a mass movement are brought into play with a vingery mixture of broad drama and subtle humour.

It is no coincidence that the film's arch-villain is a politiciam portrayed as a kind of evil clown. Manoj Bajpayee plays the scummy 'scammy' brazely corrupt politician with lipsmacking relish. His smirky villainous neta act works as a perfect foil to Mr. Bachchan's controlled never overdone messianic act.

Devgn, in the all important role of the ambitious entrepreneur who becomes a catalyst for social change, could have taken his character much further down the road of self-articulation. On the other hand, Arjun Rampal has limited scope as a goonda-turned-self-appointed youth leader. He has great fun sinking his teeth into the rustic accent and boorish body language.

While the three main actors play off with each other with supple grandeur, some other supporting actors and characters are played at much too broad a pitch to be effective. When a corrupt policeman takes off his uniform to join the mass movement, you feel the script is teetering dangerously towards over-idealism.

But the message must be, and is, loud and clear. It is time for the nation to chase away damnation before it's too late. Jha's film is a timely wakeup warning, a massive clarion call for the conscience, brilliantly manifested in Prasoon Joshi's title song which tells us enough is enough, and listen... getting Gandhian on the cancerous community of corrupt politicians is a symptom of cowardice.

"Satygraha" conveys the uncontrollable anger and energy of a nation on the brink. For telling it like it is and for creating a compelling film out of the raw material of present-day corruption, the film deserves a standing ovation.

Tamil actor Vishal Krishna Reddy, who turned 36 Thursday, celebrated his birthday on the sets of his upcoming film "Pandianadu" here.

"We threw a surprise party at midnight. We made Vishal sir cut a customised cake on this occasion, while the rest of the film's crew wished him with bouquet and garlands. Some fans from his fan club visited him on sets and wished him," a member from the film's unit told IANS.

Vishal turns producer with "Pandianadu", which he is producing under his home banner Vishal Film Factory. The film is being directed by Suseenthiran.

The film also stars Vikranth, Lakshmi Menon, Bharathiraja and Parota Soori. It has music by D. Imman and cinematography by Madhi.

Payal Pratap has her own brand and she is experienced too, but she always takes her husband and fellow designer Rajesh Pratap Singh's suggestions on her ensembles.

"We do discuss and take each others suggestions. It is always good to have someone who honestly critique my work," Payal, who recently opened her first flagship store in the capital, told IANS when asked if she takes suggestions from her husband.

The designer belongs to the 1994 batch of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT), Delhi, and her batchmates include her husband as well as ace designer Manish Arora.

Payal, who joined Rajesh as an assistant 1998, married him 15 years ago.

While working with Pratap, Payal dealt with the marketing part of his brand.

Payal, who showcased her collection for the first time on ramp at the spring-summer 2013 edition of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, says there was an immense pressure of living up to the expectations of the people.

"While it was inevitable to have an overload of pressure at the debut keeping the circumstances in mind, I tried to keep it in abeyance and instead focused my energies on the collection and showcasing my best, leaning on the years of experience that I already had while working over a decade with Rajesh," she said.

In 2010, she launched her own label "Payal Pratap" for the Indian woman who is modern, independent, yet deeply rooted in tradition.

The designer considers India as a canvas and her brand specialises in creating a modern Indian line in rich and vibrant colours for today's urban women.

And she is overwhelmed with her journey so far.

"The journey so far has been positively exhilarating. Every moment I am pregnant with new challenges and every collection is a new beginning. I have had a good response from customers and multibrand stores alike," she said.

With a deluge of new designers in the fashion world, Payal feels that having a formal training in designing and making of the garment can help in the long run.

"While technical knowledge definitely gives structure and a solid foundation to ones work, I think talent is something inherent. It also depends on how you use your knowledge in your business. I think fine detailing and eye to detail in any garment is very important and with proper training this comes to you," she said.

What next?

"I am working on a collaboration with Westside for an affordable premium range for the woman of today and it will make my designs more accessible," said Payal, who has also designed for the likes of Kareena Kapoor, Kiran Rao and Sonam Kapoor.

Akkineni Naga Chaitanya, son of Akkineni Nagarjuna, admits that he doesn't mind consulting his father about film projects whenever he is in doubt. However, he says he signs a film only once he is truly convinced about it.

"Dad has been my guiding force. Whenever I am confused about choosing a script, I discuss it with him. However, I have said 'no' to scripts he agreed to, while he has said 'yes' too for scripts I have turned down. We have this mutual understanding that works between us," Chaitanya told IANS.

"The reason sometimes I have said 'no' to scripts that were cleared by him is because I need to be convinced before I take up a project. I just can't do a film because my fans would love to see me in it," he added.

The 26-year old says the only advice he has received from his father is "do what you love".

"That's the only advice he has ever given me. I have been following it religiously. My father and my grandfather always watch my films and share their feedback with me. It helps me a lot in my own career," he added.

Chaitanya is currently working alongside his father and grandfather Akkineni Nageswara Rao in upcoming Telugu family comedy "Manam".

Meanwhile, he is awaiting the release of Telugu action-drama "Auto Nagar Surya". He also has two Telugu films in the offing.

Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar believes the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) should speak up for filmmakers when movies such as "Madras Cafe" get caught in controversies despite being cleared by the board.

Even as John Abraham's "Madras Cafe" has been appreciated by the audiences, it has also invited protest from certain groups leading to a no show in Tamil Nadu.

Akhtar said it is upto CBFC "to defend our interests, to fight for our interests because we are responsible to them and they are responsible to us".

"I would hope that they will also stand up and speak in our favour in these matters," the 39-year-old said here Wednesday at the unveiling of the latest issue of Star Week magazine featuring him on the cover.

Farhan stressed that once the censor board gives a green signal to a movie, it must be allowed to be screened.

"My stand on this is very clear. Once the censor board, who represents the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to us... once they have told us that we can go ahead and release our film, I feel we should be allowed to release our film, no matter where in the country, if the authority of the board applies in that state," Farhan said.

"It's unfortunate that films get caught up in the politics of our times," he added.

Shoojit Sircar-directed "Madras Cafe" had received a go ahead from the CBFC. However, theatre owners refrained from releasing it fearing protests from Tamil activists over its sensitive subject.

Set against the Sri Lankan civil war, the film also depicts scenes which resemble the 1991 assassination of former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. The film especially came under the scanner after Tamil activists alleged that it portrays the LTTE cadres as terrorists.

Actor Rana Daggubati is relieved at having successfully completed a marathon schedule for upcoming Telugu period-drama "Baahubali". He says on certain days, the team even shot nonstop for over 24 hours.

"(I) finished my marathon second schedule of 'Baahubali'. Day starting from 7 a.m. (to) all the way to 10 p.m. and the training till midnight," posted Rana on his Twitter page.

"And the one special weekend where we shot from Sunday morning 7 (to) all the way to Monday morning 8. An epic shoot little over 24 hours," he added.

He says it's because of this hectic schedule that he has not been active on Twitter.

Directed by S.S Rajamouli, "Baahubali" also features Prabhas Varma, Anushka Shetty, Ramya Krishnan, Sathyaraj, Nassar, Adivi Sesh and Kiccha Sudeep.

The film, co-produced by Shobu Yarlagadda, K. Raghavendra Rao and Prasad Devineni, is being simultaneously made in Telugu and Tamil.

Versatile actor Irrfan Khan, who has recieved acclaim and praise galore film after film, says he is currently jobless, and busy only reading scripts.

"I am jobless, and I don't have any projects... I'm just reading scripts right now," Irrfan told reporters here.

The actor, who has worked with directors of all kinds - veteran and newcomers included, says he doesn't enjoy Bollywood's 'camp business.

"I am fortunate that I could carry myself on my own. I didn't need anybody's help. Sometimes you have to do things which don't want to with these 'campgiris'. I don't enjoy that and this is my limitation actually," he added.

Irrfan is currently busy promoting "The Lunchbox", directed by debutant Ritesh Batra. The film has traversed international film festival.

The actor says there was a "sort of romance" in the film which attracted him towards it.

"I want to do romantic roles and romantic stories. In this film, there was a sort of romance. I am proud of this film," he said.

The movie also features Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui is upset with rumours of a cold war between him and "The Lunchbox" co-actor Irrfan. He says fighting with his "senior" is something he can't even think of.

"I don't understand from where these rumours come from. I am very disappointed. Irrfan is my senior. He is 10 years senior to me. I can't even think of fighting with him for any reason," Nawazuddin told IANS.

"I have learnt so much from him, and such rumours will only affect our relationship. I have immense respect for Irrfan," he added.

A reported rift between the two is said to have intensified recently when the makers of "The Lunchbox" asked Irrfan to supervise the international marketing campaign. Reportedly, even Nawazuddin feels he has his own popularity and could very well sell the film with his credentials.

Nawazuddin has rubbished it all.

He said: "I don't believe this. Irrfan is popular not only in India, but also at an international level. So, there was absolutely no fight on this. Besides, the film is about Irrfan and Nimrat (Kaur). I did this film only for Guneet (Monga), who is a very sweet friend and the producer of the film.

"The film has gone to Cannes International Film Festival and has been very well-received by the audience. I am proud to be associated with this product."

"The Lunchbox" is releasing in India Sep 20.

Farhan Akhtar's performance in "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" has been applauded by everyone, but a special moment of praise for him was when veteran actress Jaya Bachchan hugged him after watching the film.

"A moment that has stayed with me is when Jaya aunty saw the film and after she saw it, she gave me a really long hug," the 39-year-old said here Wednesday at the unveiling of the latest issue of Star Week magazine featuring him on the cover.

"Ever since I have been working, from 'Dil Chahta Hai', I have never seen her react like this to anything I have done. So that is really special," he added.

Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag", a biopic on ace athlete Milkha Singh, saw Farhan essay the title role.

Bollywood action director Tinnu Verma, who was absconding after allegedly attacking his step-brother Manohar, is now in police custody, police officials here confirmed Thursday.

When contacted by IANS, an official at Kurar Police Station in Malad East, where the case against Tinnu was registered, said: "Yes, Tinnu was arrested last night (Wednesday). But we can't reveal any further details more than this."

Jitendra, Manohar's real brother, too confirmed the news, saying: "I got a call from the police that they have arrested Tinnu last night and now he is in police custody."

Tinnu Verma is a popular stunt director, who has worked in films like "Gadar: Ek Prem Katha", "Krazzy 4", "Koi... Mil Gaya" and "Shootout at Wadala".

He went missing after allegedly assaulting his step-brother Manohar with a sword Aug 23.

Manohar is currently admitted to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital here where doctors said he was undergoing treatment for severe injuries. Both his legs were badly injured, and he suffered serious head injuries due to which he ended up having 21 stitches.

The episode is said to have been the fallout of their father's will and distribution of family property thereunder.

Popular Australian singer, songwriter and talent show judge, Dannii Minogue, has chosen a creation by Indian designer Amit Aggarwal to flaunt for the cover of her new album, "This Is It: The Very Best Of".

The 41-year-old has chosen to wear a metallic ensemble by the designer, said a statement

Aggarwal's pieces are known to be an amalgamation of modernity and a timeless appeal.

After graduating from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in 2002, the young designer showcased his collections through student competitions around the world. Thereafter, he worked with leading names such as Tarun Tahiliani, in the Indian fashion industry.

He then headed the design team of Creative Impex, part of the Creative Group, before launching his label Morphe in 2008.

In May 2012, he also launched a label by his name.

Film: "Ponmaalai Pozhudhu"; Cast: Aadhav Kannadasan, Gayathrie, Kishore, Anupama Kumar and Arul Dass; Director: A.C. Durai; Rating: **

Within a span of two weeks, Tamil cinema has witnessed two films -- "Aadhalal Kadhal Seiveer" (AKS) and "Ponmaalai Pozhudhu" (PP) -- addressing a more or less similar issue openly. The former was lauded for its swift screenplay and the sensitivity with which it handled a domestic issue, while the latter has earned stiff criticism for messing up a promising story in its execution.

Both the films pretty much deal about the attitude of modern-day youth in love, friendship, sex and their relationship with their parents.

"Ponmaalai Pozhudhu" is a lazy attempt on a theme that needed mature performances and equally good screenplay. Despite trying to not sound preachy, it fails to keep the audiences hooked due to its dragged narration.

The film highlights the thin line that divides infatuation and love. It highlights how an increasing number of today's youngsters consider infatuation and love as one and the same. Simultaneously, the film also focuses on the role of parents in their child's upbringing, especially their teenage sons and daughters.

I loved the fact that the film subtly gives more importance to parenting than merely focusing on the teenage romance of its protagonists. It points out that most youngsters resort to doing what they are not supposed to do since they have been opposed by their parents. It instantly reminds us of our days as youngsters and when we did things that were considered taboo by our parents.

To underline the importance of parenting, director Durai creates two extremely opposite father characters of the boy and girl, respectively. Aadhav's father is an understanding parent who satisfies every small need of his growing son, while Gayathrie's father doubts every action of his teenage daughter.

Unfortunately, PP lets its viewers down with a flawed execution. The time it spends to make its lead characters understand their emotions and come to terms with themselves, is a long wait and so not worth it. One wishes the film was shorter. The songs could have been done away with as they were not just a distraction, but a complete turn off.

Aadhav and Gayathrie hit it off as an aimless young pair, but miss the energy to create ripples with their performances. Kishore and Anupama Kumar as Aadhav's parents are the best characters in the entire film. Scenes between them were a treat to watch, while the scenes featuring Kishore and Aadhav, despite being melodramatic, were powerful.

Music by C. Sathya doesn't even qualify to be called average. The jarring background score only added to the woes of the viewers, who were already bored by the film's narration.

Sadly, "Ponmaalai Pozhudhu" would only be remembered for its flaws even though it has some plus points.

From exclusive shoes made by ace designer Ritu Kumar to enchanting pairs by brand Swati Modo - take your pick from a plethora of options available at the second edition of Shoe and Bag Festival, starting here Sep 4.

DLF Promenade, a mall in the Vasant Kunj area of south Delhi, is organising the extravaganza for those who love to make a statement with their footwear and handbags.

From trendsetting totes to glamorous stilettos, the month-long festival is expected tp take visitors on a trip into the world of designer footwear and bags, said a statement.

Also, interesting activities like pedicure and nail art will also be on offer during the festival.

The rejoicing doesn’t get over yet! Two lucky winners - a male and a female - stand a chance to win cash vouchers worth Rs.25,000 each from known brand Clarks and Woods.