Latest news with #KandukondainKandukondain
India.com
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet actor who worked with Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, romanced Aishwarya Rai, Tabu, lost all his money, became a taxi driver, mechanic, cleaned toilets, mopped floors for survival, he is…
The entertainment industry is full of talent, and none of them go underutilised. While making a film, the actor believes in giving his best performance every time. There has never been a time when an artist feels like his full potential is yet to be discovered. Talking about artists, many rise to instant fame while some take time to build their stardom over many years of working. On the other hand, there are sections of actors who lost fame over time as well and completely disappeared from the industry. It is hard for anybody to go through a tough time, but the actor whom we are talking about struggled a lot after his popularity in the entertainment business fell drastically. This actor cleaned toilets and mopped floors, he even became a part-time mechanic to meet his daily needs. This is the same actor who gave back-to-back blockbusters with Kamal Haasan, Tabu, and Rajinikanth. Still couldn't guess which actor we are talking about? The actor in question is none other than Actor Abbas. He now lives a private life somewhere in New Zealand after he went out of business in the film industry. Actor Abbas was once a popular name in the industry, where he even worked in different industries, including Bollywood and Tollywood. Abbas was a chocolate boy of South Industry, his popularity among the audience was so much that his films used to do great business. Now, actor Abbas has done multiple jobs, including working as a taxi driver, and even cleaning the toilets to meet his daily needs. You'll be surprised to know Abbas has shared screens with big names like Mammootty, Tabu, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. His journey to the film industry is interesting, the actor was an instant hit after his debut film. He went on to dominate the industry for two decades, and today nobody even recognises him. Coming from West Bengal, Abbas, during his prime, made a mark in the industry with his versatile performance alongside stalwarts like Kamal Haasan in Hey Ram and Rajinikanth in Paddyappa. He was even a part of blockbuster films like Kandukondain Kandukondain, Anandham, and Minnale, showcasing his immense talent. According to media reports, Abbas filed for bankruptcy, after which he failed to get a job in the industry, forcing him to look for odd jobs outside India.
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Kandukondain Kandukondain: a Tamil box-office hit rooted in Jane Austen novel
To dive into an English literary classic and flesh out a story with a Tamil heart is never easy. Rajiv Menon precisely did that through his Kandukondain Kandukondain, which rested its spine on Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. Taking a novel from 1811 and using its plot as the basic skeleton, Menon wove a splendid celluloid tale, which turned 25 on May 5. A re-release too is on the cards, while one of its key stars Ajith Kumar is nursing the afterglow of his latest box-office hit Good Bad Ugly. When Kandukondain Kandukondain was released in the summer of 2000, a few weeks after Menon's friend Mani Ratnam's Alaipayutheyhit the screens, there was a creative high in Kollywood. The two classy films, with their common thread of A.R. Rahman's music, raked in the money, besides being critically acclaimed. Searching for a foothold If Alaipayuthey was the quintessential Madras film, Kandukondain Kandukondain used Chettinad as its base before shifting base to Chennai. Menon revealed Chettiar mansions of a layered vintage and equally grappling with intrigue. Within this crucible, he placed women and men searching for a foothold, yearning for that ideal romance, slipping a bit while still nursing hopes. Menon wielded a massive star-cast, but made the characters relatable. Mammootty, Ajith, Tabu, Aishwarya Rai, and Abbas were part of the mix and even the supporting roles had a proper arc. This wasn't a film entirely about love, it was also a quest to raise difficult questions like the role of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka. At one point, Mammootty, all gravitas and depth, speaks about how being forgotten is the worst curse in life. As an ex-serviceman with a brooding memory, the Malayalam legend was excellent. Menon, with some dry wit, even held a mirror to his own film industry, while Ajith chased his creative dreams. This was also about Ajith being vulnerable in a lovely role; and with the film being released in Mumbai with English subtitles, the actor broadened his fan base. Chartbuster songs The enigmatic Tabu was brilliant as ever, and her internalisation of bad luck and superstition, before shedding those blinkers, was a high point. Aishwarya held her own within this galaxy of stars and the songs were all chartbusters. Kandukondain Kandukondain ran well in Chennai, in the rest of Tamil Nadu, and across India. Menon made Austen's theme centred around love accessible to all. There was a sensitivity to the film, a gentle tugging of the heart, that left viewers asking for more, just like how it was with his debut directorial flick Minsara Kanavu, which later became Sapney in Hindi.
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
A box-office hit that was rooted in a novel of Jane Austen
To dive into an English literary classic and flesh out a story with a Tamil heart is never easy. Rajiv Menon precisely did that through his Kandukondain Kandukondain, which rested its spine on Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. Taking a novel from 1811 and using its plot as the basic skeleton, Menon wove a splendid celluloid tale, which turned 25 on May 5. A re-release too is on the cards, while one of its key stars Ajith Kumar is nursing the afterglow of his latest box-office hit Good Bad Ugly. When Kandukondain Kandukondain was released in the summer of 2000, a few weeks after Menon's friend Mani Ratnam's Alaipayuthey hit the screens, there was a creative high in Kollywood. The two classy films, with their common thread of A.R. Rahman's music, raked in the money, besides being critically acclaimed. Searching for a foothold If Alaipayuthey was the quintessential Madras film, Kandukondain Kandukondain used Chettinad as its base before shifting base to Chennai. Menon revealed Chettiar mansions of a layered vintage and equally grappling with intrigue. Within this crucible, he placed women and men searching for a foothold, yearning for that ideal romance, slipping a bit while still nursing hopes. Menon wielded a massive star-cast, but made the characters relatable. Mammootty, Ajith, Tabu, Aishwarya Rai, and Abbas were part of the mix and even the supporting roles had a proper arc. This wasn't a film entirely about love, it was also a quest to raise difficult questions like the role of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka. At one point, Mammootty, all gravitas and depth, speaks about how being forgotten is the worst curse in life. As an ex-serviceman with a brooding memory, the Malayalam legend was excellent. Menon, with some dry wit, even held a mirror to his own film industry, while Ajith chased his creative dreams. This was also about Ajith being vulnerable in a lovely role; and with the film being released in Mumbai with English subtitles, the actor broadened his fan base. Chartbuster songs The enigmatic Tabu was brilliant as ever, and her internalisation of bad luck and superstition, before shedding those blinkers, was a high point. Aishwarya held her own within this galaxy of stars and the songs were all chartbusters. Kandukondain Kandukondain ran well in Chennai, in the rest of Tamil Nadu, and across India. Menon made Austen's theme centred around love accessible to all. There was a sensitivity to the film, a gentle tugging of the heart, that left viewers asking for more, just like how it was with his debut directorial flick Minsara Kanavu, which later became Sapney in Hindi.
