Rajni's short and sweet gift for 2008... and its not 'Robot'

The media went rabid last week. Just as they unerringly go bonkers everytime Thalaivar's new project is announced,but this time around, the surprise quotient was up a couple of notches. Surprise for the fact that Shankar's darling idea, destined for a place way back in his "idea cupboard",destined to sleep among mothballs after having got the ceremonious boot from SRK and Aamir Khan suddenly found its place back, right in the middle of media circus. All thanks to Rajnikanth.With Thalaivar in the picture, literally and figuratively, production executives and distributors are back to dreaming Dollars, and the production budget just went out of the back window, never to return and worry the Director anymore and everyone is back to dreaming in Crores now. The signs are healthy. Good.And close to the heels of ROBOT, Rajnikanth announced something else that in the end is going to give him, more creative satisfaction than his next Million Dollar Project.This little note,my dear Constant Viewer,is about that little gesture. Rajnikanth is going to remake Katha Parayumbol, a Malayalam movie now running to packed houses and rave critical acclaim in Kerala, written by Srinivasan,Director/Storyteller Extraordinaire' under the Kavithalaya banner, owned by Rajni's mentor, the famed K.Balachander. And he plans it to be released by June/July before the shooting for Robot gets underway.Katha Prayumbol is the heartwarming story of a deeply cherished friendship between a village barber and the reigning Movie Superstar who comes to shoot for a movie in the quaint village where the barber lives a step above poverty with his wife and daughters. Its a poignant, bitter-sweet and heartwarming tale laced with subtle yet scalding doses of self-deprecating humor that can only come form the talented hands of Srinivasan. Anyone who has been an ardent follower of his movies can watch out for the famed Srini's Sarcasm that usually has the- powers -that -be squirming in their seats. It was Srinivasan's acclaimed Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam that Priyadarshan remade to Yeh Tera Ghar, Yeh Mera Ghar some pirated years ago.The original roles of the barber, played by Srinivasan and the Superstar played by Mammootty will be reprised by Pasupathy and Thalaivar in its Tamil avatar. And he has roped in P.Vasu to direct this movie, and have it released by mid -2008. Music is handled by Vidyasagar.P.Vasu is no stranger to remaking classics from Malayalam, and that too with Rajnikanth in the lead role. The last one he did was Chandramukhi. Enough said. Even if he customizes it to the regional flavor,hopefully much wouldn't be lost in the spirit of the movie as its such a simple,warm movie.The climax of the movie is being touted as one of the best in the Malayalam movie history and it revolves around the Superstar. Rajnikanth zeroed in on the potential of a remake after watching the preview with Srinivasan, who was his junior in Film Institute, and is said to have embraced him, choking for words of appreciation.For all of Thalaivar's fans whose world now has found a new Sun called Robot to revolve around till its release might be in for a little disappointment on the visibly 'small' scale of the movie.May it be. But, a Rajnikanth's movie is always a healthy sign for the economics of the industry. They dont' call him a one-man industry for nothing.But even Rajnikanth loves to take a break from the usual Rajni movies.This, my dear Constant Rajni Fan, will be one of them !!!