Latest news with #EthirNeechal
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Sumo' actress Priya Anand drops a sizzling bikini video, sets social media abuzz
Actress Priya Anand , known for her girl-next-door charm and graceful on-screen presence, has once again captured public attention—this time through a bold social media post. Having made her Tamil debut with 'Vaamanan', quickly rose to fame with a loyal fan following thanks to her performances in films like 'Ethir Neechal,' 'Vanakkam Chennai,' and 'LKG.' Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With a career spanning multiple languages, including Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi, she has built a reputation for taking on versatile roles without leaning heavily on glamour. Priya Anand's bikini video sparks surprise among fans In a surprising shift from her usually modest public image, Priya Anand recently shared a bikini video on her Instagram handle, which has since gone viral. The video showcases her in a chic beachwear look, confidently embracing a new side of herself. Fans were both shocked and intrigued, as Priya Anand has typically steered away from overt glamour in her film roles. The sudden change has sparked lively discussions on social media, with many praising her confidence while others expressed surprise at the transformation. Career choices and missed opportunities Though Priya Anand has been part of the industry for over 15 years, she has rarely been cast opposite top-tier leading men—a fact that fans have often lamented. Despite her acting talent and screen presence, she has mostly appeared in medium-budget films or in supporting roles. Her long-delayed film 'Sumo' finally saw a release recently, though it didn't make much of an impact at the box office. A new chapter ahead? Now at 38, Priya Anand seems to be exploring new dimensions of her public persona. Her latest post might signal a shift in how she positions herself in the industry and among audiences. Whether this bold move leads to new opportunities in cinema or digital content, one thing is clear: Priya Anand remains a name that sparks interest and conversation.
The Hindu
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Going back in time to fix the location of a film song in Madras
Long long ago, so long ago, nobody knows how long ago, as Nagesh said in (I think) Ethir Neechal, my dear friend Mohan V. Raman, the actor, made a presentation during Madras Week on the city as seen in old Tamil films. The programme was a hit and since then, Mohan has been a fixture at the Madras Musings Lecture Series each year. 'Let us start with his name,' fellow-organiser Sushila Ravindranath will say. 'He will come up with something new.' And he has, each year. The reason I bring that up is that ever since that presentation, it has been a hobby of mine to view old Tamil films and try and identify where in the city certain portions were shot. And in that, one of my favourites is the song Azhagiya Mithilai Nagarinile from the film Annai (AVM, 1962). While much of the film is dominated by P. Bhanumathi and Sowcar Janaki, the song (lyrics Kannadasan, music R. Sudarsanam, voices P. Susheela and P.B. Srinivas) is picturised on Sacchu and Harinath driving about the beach, Poonamallee High Road, NSC Bose Road, and Rajaji Salai. In the background is a complete pageant of the colonial buildings of the city. I have counted up to 18 monuments, including statues, in all. I don't think this record is bettered by any other film song. Which brings to mind another song from the same film, O Bak Bak Bak Bakum Bakum Mada Pura (voice P. Susheela), picturised on Sacchu, Harinath, and J.P. Chandrababu on the rooftop of what is clearly a garden bungalow of the city. The song itself incidentally is a straight lift, tune, situation and all, from a Bengali favourite of mine, O Bakum Bakum Payra, sung by Sandhya Mukherjee for the 1960 film Maya Mriga. For that matter, Annai itself is based on the same film. I always wondered as to which house it was in which the Tamil song was shot. Even as Sacchu and Chandrababu dance as only they could with a dovecote in the foreground, the camera takes in quite a bit of the neighbourhood. The house itself seems to be of colonial vintage, with a two-level terrace, a wooden stairway, and across the garden is a neighbouring bungalow, which has clearly seen better days. And rising ominously at the rear, as a sign of things to come, is a block of flats, still under construction. Last week, I casually asked Mohan as to where this song was shot. He immediately swung into action, messaging Sacchu herself and then M. Kumaran, A.V. Meyyappa Chettiar's son. The answer was swift — it was the residence of A. Nagappa Chettiar, on Spurtank Road. And so, the block of flats to the rear was the RBI Quarters on Poonamallee High Road. The mention of Nagappa Chettiar had me looking up J. Prasad Davids' biography on this businessman who was known as the leather king in his time. In it is featured a photo of the residence, Uma Bhavanam. But what surprised me was that this was very much an art deco bungalow, the kind that was popular in the 1960s while the house in the song is clearly a colonial structure. Did Nagappa Chettiar make structural alterations to the building after 1962 and give it an art deco façade? The house, incidentally, still survives, lovingly tended to by the family. Annai was made in Hindi as Ladla, which unlike the original, was a failure. It is, however very interesting, to see a film shot with a lot of Madras where everyone speaks Hindi! (V. Sriram is a writer and historian.)
