Soorarai Pottru

Nedumaaran is a former air force captain who wants to start an airline company that’s affordable to all at a very low price. He derives his inspiration from Paresh Goswami the owner of Jaz airlines, who started his career as a middle-class man and then rose to great heights through his hard-work in airlines business. Nedumaaran meets Sundari through an alliance proposal and proposes to her but she initially rejects him as he has vested interests only in flights and airlines which arouses doubts in her mind if he could be the “husband stuff”. Moreover she feels that her bakery business might get affected through this relationship. However when they meet a few years later, Nedumaaran manages to convince her and they both agree to support each other’s interests and finally get married. In the meantime, Nedumaaran and his friends plan schemes to start their business and with great difficulty manage to get an appointment with Paresh. However, Nedumaaran gets disappointed after knowing the negative vested interests of Paresh that would hinder his growth as he considers Nedumaaran his rival. After facing stiff competition from other airline rivals including that of Paresh and after challenging all the hurdles set by them, Nedumaaran and his team of former air force captains finally manage to pull over the tide and launch their airline company- ‘Deccan air’. They are being helped in this endeavour by their village people, their family members and by certain like minded good businessmen who are dedicated to do service for the society. The ways and means by which Nedumaaran manages to launch his airlines company despite the odds forms the central theme of the story which is quite thrilling and emotional to watch.

3 Idiots

Two friends [Madhavan and Sharman Joshi] embark on a quest for a lost buddy. On this journey, they encounter a long forgotten bet, a wedding they must crash, and a funeral that goes impossibly out of control. As they make their way through the perilous landscape, another journey begins: their inner journey through memory lane and the story of their friend–the irrepressible free-thinker Rancho [Aamir Khan], who in his unique way, touched and changed their lives. It’s a story of their hostel days that swings between Rancho’s romance with the spirited Pia [Kareena Kapoor], and his clash with an oppressive mentor, Viru Sahastrabudhhe [Boman Irani]. And then one day, suddenly, Rancho vanished… Who was he? Where did he come from? Why did he leave? The friend who influenced and inspired them to think creatively and independently, even as the conformist world called them three idiots. Where is the original idiot now? Finally, in misty mountains of unparalleled beauty, the friends find the key to the secret. Three Idiots is a comedy of ideas that is as provocative as it is funny, as wildly entertaining as it is insightful. A laugh-riot that talks about the most important of human pursuits: self-actualization.

Publicity Designer:
Rahul Nanda, Himanshu Nanda
Story Writer:
Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Abhijit Joshi
Director:
Rajkumar Hirani
Producer:
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Banner:
Vidhu Vinod Chopra Productions

Music Director:
Shantanu Moitra

Playback Singer:

Shreya Ghoshal,Shantanu Moitra,Suraj Jagan,Sharman Joshi,Shaan ,Swanand Kirkire,Sonu Nigam

Lyricist:

Swanand Kirkire

Music Company:

T-Series

Audi A3 TDI is ‘Green Car’ of the year

Green and performance luxury needn’t be mutually exclusive concepts. That’s a core belief at Audi. Today, that philosophy paid off with the all-new A3 TDI earning the prestigious title of 2010 Green Car of the Year at the Los Angeles Auto show.

The 2010 Audi A3 TDI arrived at U.S. dealerships last month and initial sales have been promising. The A3 TDI is the latest example of the fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions benefits provided by the critically acclaimed TDI clean diesel product line, following the wildly popular Q7 TDI, which launched in June 2009.

The revolutionary TDI 2.0 engine available in the A3 delivers 140 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, yet achieves an EPA-estimated 42 mpg highway fuel economy that is the best of any luxury car sold in America. That means the Audi A3 TDI achieve 50 per cent better fuel economy than a comparable gasoline engine.

TDI clean diesel technology was first developed by Audi 20 years ago and has come to signify the brand’s commitment to trailblazing automotive performance executed in an environmentally responsible way. In addition to setting the new industry standard in fuel efficiency, the 2010 A3 TDI remains a stylistic pacesetter as well.

Toyota Motor Corp’s market-leading hybrid was widely seen as the front-runner for the prize by virtue of its huge commercial success and its status as the most fuel-efficient mass-market sedan on the road. But Ron Cogan, editor of Green Car, said jurors were impressed that the Audi A3 with TDI, which stands for turbo diesel direct injection, achieved “50 percent better fuel efficiency than the gasoline-engine (A3 model) without sacrificing anything.” “The Audi A3 TDI really defines what a ‘green’ car should be,” added Cogan.

Wheels galore at LA Auto Show

As the automobile industry is aiming to sell affordability and environmentalism in an attempt to recuperate from more than a year of economic crisis, the Los Angeles Auto Show kicks off Friday with an unspoken theme: Less is More.

In Photo: The 2011 Mazda 2 debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009.

The Audi e-tron concept car is showcased at the Auto Show in Los Angeles.

A 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing is seen on display during a preview at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles.

The latest concept hybrid vehicle from Lexus, the LF-Ch, is showcased at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles.

Subaru America presents its Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept car at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles.

Buick introduces the new 2010 Buick Enclave at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles.

A Porsche 718/8 W-RS Spyder is shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles.

The 2011 Kia Sorento is showcased at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles.

The 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles.

The 2011 Ford Fiesta debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009.

Paa 13-year-old boy

Auro [Amitabh Bachchan] is an intelligent, witty 13-year-old boy with an extremely rare genetic defect that causes accelerated ageing. He suffers from progeria. Mentally, he is 13, very normal, but physically he looks five times older.

Inspite of his condition, Auro is a happy boy. He lives with his mother Vidya [Vidya Balan], a gynaecologist, but is completely clueless of his father’s identity. Till he meets him, Amol [Abhishek Bachchan], who is a full of ideals politician.

Okay, let’s not disrespect Balki by calling PAA a rip-off of THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON or JACK. It’s not! PAA looks at the varied relationships so minutely. It may’ve been publicized as a father-son film, but the women – mother and granny – play equally pivotal parts.

The first hour of PAA grips you in patches. The introduction of Auro is brilliant, but the moment the story focuses on the politician and his arch rival’s sub-plot, it goes off-track. Sure, there are some interesting sequences, but the impact isn’t mesmeric.

But the post-interval portions take the film to dizzy heights and camouflages the defects. The father-son bonding and the penultimate 25 minutes raise the bar. The emotional quotient is tremendous. Get ready to overhear a lot of sniffs and see a lot of moist eyes once the lights are switched on.

Note the two sequences in the climax, when Auro reveals what his father’s first mistake was and the pheras towards the end. Also recall the scene when the girl Auro detests for a certain reason shows up with a sketch of Auro. It moves you completely.

But let’s not mistaken PAA to be a rona-dhona movie. It’s a positive film with funny/light moments in plenty. The conversation between Auro and his best friend, on various occasions, are superb. Also, not once does PAA show Auro as ‘different’. He’s one among the kids and there’s no discrimination whatsoever, which is remarkable.

Director R. Balki deserves a salute for thinking out of the box and also presenting Amitabh Bachchan like never before. The writing may be erratic, but his handling of the emotional moments is exemplary. Note this, he would be a force to reckon with after PAA. Ilaiyaraaja’s music is soothing. P.C. Sreeram’s cinematography is incredible.

It would be a blunder if one missed out the contribution of the makeup artists. Transforming the veteran actor into a kid must’ve been an arduous task and Christien Tinsley and Domini Till deserve to be complimented for making Auro look so real.

That doesn’t mean that the remaining performances get dwarfed by Auro. Sure, PAA belongs to Auro, but not once does Abhishek Bachchan dither from his position or seems less inferior. This is the hallmark of a tremendous actor, which Abhishek is. Vidya is another surprise of PAA. She takes giant strides as an actor and proves yet again that given the right roles, she can match up to the best in the business.

Paresh Rawal is effective. Arundhati Naag is amazing. So is the kid, Pratik, enacting the role of Auro’s best buddy. His telephonic conversation with Auro is superb. Jaya Bachchan’s presence is lovely.

On the whole, PAA is an amazing experience. It makes you realize two things. One, the Hindi film industry is also capable of narrating fresh stories. Two, Amitabh Bachchan is truly the most accomplished actor this side of the Atlantic.

Talking from the business point of view, PAA has been made in a sensible and reasonable budget [approx. Rs. 17 crores, including P & A expenses], which should easily be recovered from multiplexes alone.

In the final tally, here’s a film that should win awards [for Auro] and also box-office rewards, given its low costs. A film that should strike a chord with every paa, maa… just about everyone with a heart!