Latest news with #Manorama
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Shine Tom Chacko's father dies in a car accident, actor admitted to hospital: Report
Malayalam actor Shine Tom Chacko and his family met with a car accident near Tamil Nadu on Friday. His father, CP Chacko, died on the spot, while the actor has been admitted to a hospital. As per a report by Manorama, Shine Tom Chacko was travelling with his whole family at the time of the accident. The actor, along with his mother, brother, and driver, sustained injuries. They were rushed to the hospital soon after the crash. 'The accident took place around 7 am near Palakottai, close to Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu, while the family was travelling by car. According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle rammed into a lorry in front of them. All five occupants were injured in the incident,' stated the report. The family were in a car that was reportedly Bengaluru-bound. It was claimed that despite being taken to the hospital, CP Chacko succumbed to his injuries. At the moment, the family is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Palakottai. Several images claiming to be from the car crash have surfaced on social media. Further details about the accident are awaited. Chacko worked as an assistant director for almost a decade before making his acting debut with Gadamma in 2011. He has since appeared in prominent films like Chapters, Annayum Rasoolum, Masala Republic, and Jigarthanda DoubleX. Chacko was most recently seen in the Tamil film Good Bad Ugly. Recently, Vincy Aloshious alleged that Shine Tom Chacko used drugs and misbehaved with her on the sets of their upcoming Malayalam film Soothravakyam. It was later reported that he to Vincy Aloshious for alleged misconduct at an internal committee meeting held in Kochi. A Matrubhumi report claimed that he pointed out that it was his 'natural style' but tendered an apology because it offended Vincy.
India.com
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet actress, who featured in 1500 films in her 60 years career, worked with 5 chief ministers, real life was full of pain, she was…
In Indian cinema, where stars rise and fade, many artists have been there who left an unforgettable mark that not just created personal space for them but also became an example for upcoming generation that one must not think that life is like a cinema, enjoy it until you can. However, their real life had a completely different approach for them that only caused pain and sorrow. Today, we will be talking about one such actress, who wasn't just a performer, but also a powerhouse of talent. Let's read below! The Aachi Of Indian Cinema Here we are talking about Tamil comedian star Manorama , who was one of most renowned actresses from her time. The actress, with span of 60 years' career, acted in over 1,500 films and delivered more than 5,000 stage performances. Her comic timing and magnetic presence lit up screens across languages and generations. She earned a nickname from her ardent fans, Aachi , for often portraying powerful motherly roles that touched millions. The actress, born in lower lower-class family, made her debut in 1958 in GR Nathan's Maalayitta Mangai , which became a significant role for her career. Later, she featured in many highly acclaimed films, including Chinna Thambi, Maman Machan, Nattamai, Gemini, Saamy and many others. Later, after leaving significant mark in Tamil industry, actress tried her luck in Bollywood, which turned into a charm for her as she featured with actor Mehmood in Kunwara Baap . The film received positive response and became a box office hit. When Manorama Served With Renowned Ministers Like… The actress who primarily worked in Tamil cinema, also appeared in Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam films. In the 90s she also received Filmfare and National awards for her outstanding contribution to Indian Cinema. Later, during the 1996 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, she campaigned for the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), led by J. Jayalalithaa, which gave her a dynamic approach in the world of politics, too. In the upcoming years, she worked with five famous chief ministers that includes, C. N. Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, M. G. Ramachandran, J. Jayalalithaa and N. T. Rama Rao. The Real and Reel Life Difference of the Comedy Queen The personal life of Manorama, also known as the comedy queen , was filled with sorrow. Her mother, Kasi Clockudaiyar, raised her while working as a maid in other homes. As her mother's health deteriorated, she was forced to leave school at the age of 11 to work as a maid. When she was 12 years old, she joined a play troupe and began acting. Manorama, who progressed from theatre to film and eventually to top actress position, broke financial barriers and achieved enormous fame but, her personal life, however, remained buried in sorrow. The actress had a love marriage in 1964 with businessman S. M. Ramanathan , but in 1966, after the birth of her son Bhupathi , her spouse abandoned her due to an astrologer's prediction. In the year 2015, due to long-term illness and multiple organ failure, the comedy queen of Indian Cinema bid farewell to this world.
News18
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
She Faced Betrayal, Then Built A Legacy: The Immortal Manorama
1/9 Do you know which Tamil actress was abandoned by her husband just 11 days after giving birth to their first child? Despite this devastating blow, she rose to become one of the most powerful figures in Tamil cinema, celebrated for her comedic timing and commanding screen presence. That actress was none other than the legendary Manorama. 2/9 Manorama remains one of the most revered and influential actresses in Indian cinema. Known for her lifelike performances, she captured the hearts of millions. Her extraordinary career earned her prestigious honours, including the National Award, the Padma Shri, and an honorary doctorate. 3/9 She acted in over 1,500 films, securing a place in the Guinness World Records. Additionally, she featured in over 5,000 stage plays and contributed her voice as a playback singer in numerous songs. She proudly shared the screen with virtually every major actor in Tamil cinema. While Manorama made audiences laugh as the undisputed comedy queen of Tamil cinema, her personal life was marked by hardship. Born as Gopi Shantha, she was raised solely by her mother after her father walked out on the family. Her artistic journey began in theatre before transitioning to film. 5/9 Manorama fell in love with SM Ramanathan, a notable figure in the theatre company where she worked. The couple eloped, going against her mother's wishes. However, tragedy struck shortly after the birth of their son, when Ramanathan left her, allegedly based on an astrologer's prediction that his life would be in danger following the child's birth. Ironically, Manorama's father had abandoned her in a similar manner. Shattered but resilient, Manorama made the decision never to remarry and chose to raise her son, Bhoopathi, alone. She returned to the stage and soon found her way into cinema, adopting the screen name Manorama. She worked in theatre productions associated with prominent political leaders such as Annadurai and Karunanidhi and went on to act alongside cinematic icons like MG Ramachandran (MGR), Jayalalithaa, and NT Rama Rao (NTR).
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Supreme Court asks Noida to pay farmers full compensation in 30-year-old land case
Noida: The Supreme Court has asked Noida Authority to pay Rs 6 crore as compensation for 10,420 sqm acquired from farmers in Sector 82 three decades ago. The land was partially used for public infrastructure without completing the entire acquisition process. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The SC rejected Noida Authority's offer of partial compensation, which was upheld by the Allahabad High Court in a 2023 order. The top court said land ownership verification must be completed within two weeks, while the compensation should be paid within six weeks land parcel at Begampur village in Bhangel was purchased by the petitioner's mother, Manorama Kuchhal, in 1985-86. Of the 11,680 sqm that she had purchased, Manorama sold 1,260 sqm in 1989. Between 1989-90, Noida Authority initiated the process to acquire the land for infrastructure projects, including a bus terminal and roads, through notifications issued under the Land Acquisition Act, acquisition was challenged by Manorama's husband, JB Kuchhal, before the Allahabad High Court. Initially dismissed in 1997 for want of prosecution, the petition was revived in 2007. In Dec 19, 2016, the high court ruled in favour of the Kuchhal family and quashed the 1989-90 acquisition notifications. It directed Noida Authority to either compensate the landowners at double the market rate of the land, as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, within three months, or return the land after removing all non-compliance with the 2016 order, Manorama filed a contempt application in 2017 against the Authority and dthe istrict administration. She argued the Authority had deliberately reduced the compensable land area from 10,420 sqm, as per a 2012 Tehsildar report, to 8,636 sqm, claiming a bus terminal was constructed on their land without adequate Authority submitted the applicants' landholding was only 8,636 sqm after accounting for sales in 1989-90. The Authority stated that only 2,520 sqm were used for road construction, while 6,116 sqm remained vacant and available for return.A compensation of Rs 1.3 crore, calculated at Rs 5,280 per square metre, which was double the market rate of Rs 2,640, as assessed by a 2019 committee, was deposited in a nationalised bank after Manorama refused to take it, preferring commercial-rate compensation for the entire land, which was around Rs 315 crore. On July 21, 2023, the HC dismissed the contempt application, ruling that the Authority had complied with the 2016 order by offering compensation for the utilised 2,520 sqm and proposing to return the vacant 6,116 sqm. Before the HC order, Manorama died, and the case was pursued by her son, with the High Court's ruling, Suneil appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that Noida Authority misinterpreted the 2016 judgment, which mandated compensation for the entire land or its complete return. The Supreme Court, in its April 30, 2025, order, found no wilful disobedience by Noida Authority. The bench of Justices Surya Kant and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh, however, held that the high court, while hearing the contempt plea, erred in limiting compensation to a portion of the SC bench clarified that the 2016 judgment obligated the Authority to either return the entire land or pay compensation for all 10,420 sqm. Observing that the vacant 6,116 sqm, surrounded by the Authority's developed land, was unusable by the landowners, but valuable for Noida Authority's future development plans, the court ruled in favour of full court directed Noida Authority and the district administration to verify the total land area within two weeks of receiving the sale deeds and pay compensation at Rs 5,280 per sqm—Rs 2,640 base rate plus 100% solatium—as determined by a 2023 committee. "This rate was in fact offered to the appellant for land measuring 2,520 sqm, which was utilised for the construction of a public road. We, thus, deem it appropriate to direct that the same rate of compensation, along with all statutory benefits, shall be offered to the appellant for their entire land measuring 10,420 sqm, subject to the verification of the total area owned by them," read the court order. The payment, it said, must be completed within six weeks of verification.
Gulf News
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf News
Why the Malayalam film industry is bleeding money: Box office flops reveal a grim reality
Dubai: Ask any Malayalam movie fan and they'll tell you we're in a golden era — a phase of fearless storytelling, breakout talent, and creative highs. But speak to a producer or industry insider, and the mood quickly shifts. Behind the global acclaim and critical buzz lies a sobering truth: Malayalam cinema, for all its brilliance, is struggling to stay financially afloat. In March 2025, the harsh economics of the Kerala film industry came into sharp focus. According to reports, out of the 15 Malayalam films released last month in March, only one — L2: Empuraan, the high-octane Mohanlal–Prithviraj action thriller — managed to break even, let alone turn a profit. Mounted on a massive Rs1.75 billion, the film grossed Rs3.25 billion worldwide within its first month, standing out as a rare commercial outlier in an otherwise grim financial landscape, according to Malayalam news website Manorama. But what's ailing the Malayalam film industry? Gulf News tracked down Dubai-based producer Sophia Paul, known for backing landmark films like Bangalore Days and Minnal Murali, in Kerala and she offered a frank diagnosis of the situation. "It's simple. Content-wise, many of the films just weren't strong enough. Malayalam movies have never been iconic star-driven. Unlike Bollywood, big stars doesn't guarantee a hit anymore. Look at Tovino's Identity — such a huge film, but it didn't do well. Only for Mohanlal do stars still guarantee an opening," she told Gulf News. Plus, the audience's viewing habits have changed completely. "Earlier, there would be 200 people at a show; now it's different. People are reluctant to head into cinemas for every film and would rather wait till it lands on a web streaming platform. The reality is sobering because it's not easy for Malayalam films to be picked up by OTT platforms either," she added. Her observations reflect a wider industry crisis. Yet Empuraan is the exception, not the rule. Despite an exceptional year in 2024, when Malayalam cinema more than doubled its box office share from 5 per cent to 10 per cent and crossed the Rs10 billion gross box office collection milestone for the first time, the financial health of the industry remains precarious. According to a recent Ormax report, the industry saw over 100 per cent growth compared to 2023. Still, the reality is stark: even with this impressive growth, Malayalam cinema recorded losses amounting to between Rs6.6 billion to Rs 7 billion. Out of 204 films released in 2024 — which included 199 new titles and five remastered classics — only 26 emerged as box office successes. The Kerala Film Producers' Association (KFPA) reports that while production costs skyrocketed to Rs10 billion, less than 30 per cent was actually recovered. Skyrocketing actor fees and inflated production costs were identified by industry insiders as major culprits behind this grim financial scenario. Veteran producer Suresh Kumar also echoed similar concerns, recently challenging Malayalam stars to name even one film that consistently crossed the Rs 1billion mark at the box office, underscoring how fragile commercial success remains. Stakeholders agree that while Malayalam cinema continues to excel in terms of content and critical acclaim — often outperforming other Indian industries weighed down by formulaic storytelling — the industry must address its pressing challenges. Rising production budgets, shifting viewer habits, dwindling OTT support, and overreliance on star power have combined to create a perfect storm. Still, the phenomenal success of Empuraan offers a glimmer of hope. It proves that with smart planning, big-screen spectacle, and genuinely compelling content, Malayalam cinema can still command not just critical acclaim but major box office rewards. But unless there's serious introspection — and swift correction — the industry risks undermining its hard-earned global reputation.
