Trends

The year was the best year for tamil cinema. The long lost smile returned and the entire film industry celebrated. It was good movies and people's taste which won. Vikram gave three big hits and was quoted as the next super star. Dhanush became a sensation. Success followed hard work.Be it action movies like SAAMY, KAAKA KAAKA, THIRUMALAI and DHOOL or a family film like PAARTHIBAN KANAVU or different approaches like KAADHA KONDEIN and PITHAMAGAN our audiences received them well. Then what do we call this year as? The answer: "The Year of Rising Stars".

The no of tamil movies has increased again!!! And this time it is a record 100+ tamil films

For the second year, direct tamil film numbers have gone up. After 1986, the number has crossed 100 movies in a year. In terms of total tamil movies (direct+dubbed), the number has crossed 200 for the first time. The trend continues. Dubbed english films are doing extremely well and almost all hollywood releases were dubbed in tamil.

Hits of 2003

The year was indeed a golden year for the Tamil film industry. Out of 102 direct Tamil films released in 2003, there were three Silver Jubilee Film (175 Days plus), three 150 day film and six 100 day films. Three Diwali and post Diwali releases are doing well.

The number of hits may be in similar lines of last year but most movies this year fared well and the hit movies were real big ones. The top 6 movies made their producers and distributors rich by a few crores!

How They Fared

Tit Bits

Simran signed off from tamil cinema while at peak of her career. After being linked with Kamal for major part of the year, Simran finally got married to a delhi based businessman, Deepak.

Notable film producer G.Venkateswaran (GV) committed suicide due to financial problems. GV was the elder brother of director Manirathnam and had produced hits such as MOUNARAAGAM, NAYAGAN, AGNI NATCHATHIRAM, ANJALI and many more. GV Films Limited, was the first Indian film company to go public. His recent failure movies, SOKKATHANGAM and THAMIZHAN contributed to his financial problems.

Vineetha's (heroine of VIYETNAM COLONY, KATTABOMMAN,...) arrest for prostitution, shocked the industry and film fans. The year also saw many leading tv actresses and little known film heroines brought under police custody for similar reasons.

Gouthami who left the industry after her marriage, returned to India and divorced her husband.

The romance between Kamal and Simran ended for reasons not known to the industry. Kamal found a new companion in Gouthami.Sarika figued in a song sequence in PUNNAGAI POOVEY. In a interview, she gave the typical heroine statement: "Open for any role as long as it is glamourous but not obscene".

Seetha was even bolder. She declared that Parthiban had an affair with most of his heroines. Seetha was linked with a TV actor. Post her split with actor Parthiban, she did a lot of movies this year in telugu and tamil. Some of these movies had some intimate scenes which she had refused to act even when she was not married (Maybe she wants to send some message across!)

Raghuvaran and Rohini were another star couple who filed for divorce this year. Rohini says that his drug habits were the prime reason. Raghuvaran accepted his mistakes and openly pleaded for a second chance. Efforts to bring them together is still on.

While on the same not so good topic, Revathi and Suresh Menon split too. Though they have declared that they are no longer husband and wife, they continue to be partners in their film company - Telefoto Films. They have planned to combinedly direct a hinglish film.Industry sources say that they are acting as if they have split for some astrological reasons!

Now for some better news (definitely not for me). Actresses, Soundarya, Ramya Krishnan and Priyanka Trivedi got married this year. Ramya married telugu director Krishna Vamsi and Priyanka married kannada actor/director Upendra. Dance master, Raju Sundaram who was earlier in love with simran, got married to some college girl.

Kamal launched the film SANDIYAR and this immediately went into rough waves. A little known politician opposed the title and said that this movie would create troubles down south. Not able to gain support from the chief minister, Kamal changed the title to VIRUMAANDI and shot the entire film in Chennai.

A R Rehman created history by scoring music for the chinese film,WARRIORS OF THE HEAVEN & EARTH.The film was big hit in the mandarin regions and is being dubbed in english.