Category Archives: General
Vision 2030, Kerala to have a new face!
Sam Pitroda, who has taken up the role of mentor of the state, has called for Kerala to focus on ten core areas to put the state on a fast development track. Sam Pitroda is an Adviser to Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovations and Chairman of a High Level Committee on Railways. The meeting was held at Thiruvananthapuram with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy inaugurating the function. The meeting was presided over by KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala. MPs Shashi Tharoor and P J Kurian, Nafeesath Beevi and RGIDS director Prof G Balchandran also attended the meeting. Sam Pitroda, who held discussions with Oomen Chandy, the Chief Minister of Kerala, on various development initiatives.He suggested that the state should take Public Private Participation route to attract capital investments in the state for development projects.
DMRC handed Kochi Metro Railway Project
The long time waiting Kochi Metro Railway project is finally heading for a green signal. The Kerala Government has entrusted the project to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) under the leadership of E. Sreedharan, the former Chief of the DMRC. The State Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that reports of any difference between the Government and E. Sreedharan are baseless. The press conference was called for after a full board meeting of the State Planning Board at Thiruvananthapuram. E. Sreedharan is a full time member of the State Planning Board. The project had been going through controversies when there were reports about the State planning to call for global tender for the 5,200-crore Kochi Metro Rail project. All has been sorted out now.
Flower Show @ Kottayam
Three day long flower show organized by Agri-horticultural society has started at Kottayam. The show is taking place at Nagambadom Municipal playground. The show started on 12thJanuary 2012 and will be end on January 15. The event showcases varieties of flowers and medicinal plants. Wide range of flower and medicinal plants from 27 plant nurseries will be the most attraction of the fest. Air conditioned 40,000 sq. ft.shed with modern facilities has set up for the flower fest. And it is the largest flower fest in mid-Kerala. The fest is organized by horticulture society and is sponsored by Malabar Gold group.
ONAM SPECIAL TV PROGRAMS
With the Onam festival at our doors, the various TV channels have announced the list of Onam special programs to be broadcasted for the coming days. Almost all the channels have already started telecasting many of them. The main attraction of the programs is the Onam special film festivals telecasted by the channels as ever.
Many Channels have managed to present a handful of new and never before telecasted films for the audience. Chat shows with the favorite stars, Onam cookery programs, the Onam nostalgia of eminent personalities, tribute to those names who recently left this world and Onam travelogues also lead the list of the special programs.
Let’s have short look at the most attractive programs of the leading channels:
Amrita TV
8/9/2011:Uthradam
9.00 am – 12.00 pm : Chaverpada [Movie]
Bala, Jagathy, Arun, Manikkuttan
12.00 pm – 12.30 pm : Saumithram: Mithra Kurien
12.30 pm – 01.00 pm : Onam Releases
01.30 pm – 02.00 pm : Archana & You: Archna Kavi
02.00 pm – 05.00 pm : Doubles [Movie]
Mammotty, Nadiya Moidu, Tapsee
06.30 pm – 07.00 pm : Hello Asif
07.00 pm – 07.30 pm : Chiri Mazha Pole: Interview with Jayaprada
07.30pm- 08.00 pm : Rachanayum Sangeethavum:Shibu/Ousepachan
08.00 pm – 08.30 pm : Onakkazhcha:Rima and Shyamaprasad
08.30 pm – 09.00 pm : Madhuram:Interview with Akhila
09.00 pm – 09.30 pm : Pranayam:Interview with Mohan Lal
9/9/2011 : Thiruvonam
09.00 am – 01.00 pm : Vande Mataram [Movie]
Mammootty, Arjun, Sneha
01.30 pm – 02.00 pm : Saumyam, Shaleenum: Samvrutha Sunil
02.00 pm – 06.00 pm : Shikkar [Movie]
Mohan Lal, Sneha, Ananya
06.30 pm – 07.00 pm : Abhinaya Kalayude Ekalavyan Suresh Gopi
07.00 pm – 07.30 pm : Abhinaya kavyabhangi:Kavya Madhavan
07.30 pm – 08.00 pm : Alapanathinte Amarapatham: Yesudas
08.00 pm – 08.30 pm : Nritha Mayooram: Sudha Chandran
10/9/2011:Avittam
09.00 am – 01.00 pm : Mummy And Me [Movie]
Archana kavi, Urvasi, Kunchako Boban
01.30 pm – 02.00 pm : Ananyam Ee Charutha
02.00 pm – 05.30 pm : Koottukar [Movie]
Sathyan, Prem Nazeer
05.30 pm – 06.00 pm : Gopika Vasantham: Interview with Lakshmi
Gopalaswami
Asianet
8/9/2011: Uthradam
09.00 am – 12.00 pm : Kudumbasree Travels [Movie]
Jayaram, Bhavana, Jagathy Sreekumar
12.30 pm – 03.00 pm : De Maveli Kompath
03.00 pm – 06.00 pm : Traffic [Movie]
Sreenivasan, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Kunchako
Boban, Asif Ali
06.00 pm – 09.30 pm : Four Friends [Movie]
Kamal Hassan, Jayaram, Meera Jasmine
11.00 pm – 01.30 pm : Robinhood [Movie]
Prithviraj, Narain, Jayasurya, Bhavana
9/9/2011:Thiruvonam
03.30 am – 05.45 am : Kancheepurathe Kalyanam [Movie]
Suresh Gopi, Mukhtha George, Harisree
Ashokan, Innocent, Indrans
Soorya TV
8/9/2011:Uthradam
08.00 am – 08.30 am : Onakkodi:Ananya and Kaviyoor Ponnamma
08.30 am – 09.00 am : Malayalathinte Nivedyam:Bhama
09.00 am – 12.00 pm : Race [Movie]
Kunchako Boban, Mamta Mohandas
12.00 pm – 12.30 pm : Soundaryathinte Samvrutha Karyam
12.30 pm – 01.00 pm : Rasikarajan:Suraj Venjaramood
02.00 pm – 05.00 pm : Ithu Nammude Katha [Movie]
Asif Ali, Nishan, Abhishek, Ananya
05.30 pm – 09.00 pm : Arjunan Sakshi [Movie]
Prithviraj, Ann Augustine, Nedumudi Venu
11.10 pm – 01.30 am : Love In Singapore [Movie]
Mammootty, Lala Alex, Salimkumar
Kairali
8/9/2011:Uthradam
10.30 am – 11.00 am : Navyayude Onam:Navya Nair
11.00 am – 11.30 am : Prithviyude Visheshangal:Prithviraj
03.30 pm – 04.00 pm : Onakusruthi:Jayaram and Family
MAMTA READY FOR MARRIAGE
Another celebrity marriage on the cards..! And this time it’s Actor-Singer Mamta Mohandas who is going to enter wedlock next year. This news might break a few hearts. Mamta is in a hurry completing all her assignments to which she is committed. Mamta had earlier revealed that her parents were on the lookout for an ideal match. Looks like they have finally hunted down her Mr. Right. He is an entrepreneur in Bahrain and both are childhood friends. Mamta says that theirs is not a filmy romance and it’s actually kind of an arranged one. She also added that their affection had been built through years and her future hubby and she have a strong bond between them.
Mamta has been a part of several hits in many Malayalam movies and currently is on top of her acting career. Mamta made her debut in a Malayalam movie named ‘Mayoogham’. Though the movie was not a notable one, young Mamta did get noticed and was acclaimed by the critics for her performance. Her major hits include ‘Anwar’ and ‘Big B’ both directed by Amal Neerad. Lined up for release is ‘Nayika’ directed by Jayaraj, in which she stars with veteran actor Sarada. She has also sung in the film which will be released this Onam. Besides, there is KK Rajeev’s ‘Njaanum Ente Familyum’ and Shyama Prasad’s ‘Nuna’ in which she plays major roles. Her next film in Tamil is ‘Thadayira Thakka.’
But this youngster was not just made for the acting; she is a talented singer as well. She has lent her voice for many songs and many of them proved to be big hits. She first sang in a telugu movie named ‘Rakhi’ in Devi Sri Prasad’s composition. She got her her first Filmfare award for this song. She then sang some songs in Tamil, both featuring her alongside Benny Dayal. Her first song in Malayalam was in the movie Anwar in which was paired alongside Prithviraj. The song also featured Prithviraj as a singer and the song was a super hit in the charts.
The Bahrain-born and raised Indian actress survived cancer and has undergone surgery last year. She was first diagnosed with the condition two years ago and underwent intense therapy as part of the treatment. She says that she has gone through the toughest and is happy to be a successful actress. Mamta believes that marriage is an integral part of life and that she is not willing to waste her youth on the glamor world. She also believes she had a great film career and she has proved herself as an actress and now is willing to settle down in life and start a family.
Here’s wishing you good luck, Mamta!
VAYALA VASUDEVAN PILLAI WALKS INTO MEMORIES
Dr. Vayala Vasudevan Pillai, who enriched the field of drama with his invaluable contributions passed away yesterday. He was suffering from prolonged illness for the past few months. He was 67 years old and was undergoing the treatment for cancer at a private hospital in Kochi.
He earlier worked as the director of the school of drama at Thrissur and was a disciple of G. Sankara Pillai. He contributed to the field as a playwright, scholar and director. He is credited with the title of starting a new spatial concept in modern theatres. Taking into account his great contributions to the Malayalam theatre, he was awarded with the Kendra Sangeet Nataka Akademi Award in 2009.
Pillai did his masters in English literature and a PhD in theatre. Then he headed to complete a post graduate diploma in modern theatre from the university of Rome in 1981. He also attended a training in Japanese theatre in 1996 at Meji university in Tokyo.
He is the author of several well known plays like Agni, Varavelpu, Tulasivanam, Oru Pakshikkunjinte Maranam and Swarnakokkukal. The book, Malayala Nataka Sahitya Charitram is also the work from his pen tip. The book tells the history of Malayalam Theatre.
The first play of vayala Vasudevan Pillai was published in 1975 and it was named Viswa Darshanam. Vasudevan Pillai also floated a theatre troupe at the time while he was in Trivandrum. It was an avant grade troupe and staged a good number of plays. The name of the troupe was Suvarnarekha. The well known film star Jagadish, Sreelata and Alex Kadavil are some of the prominent personalities who worked in the troupe. The directorial attempt of Dr. Vayala Vasudevan Pillai has given around 40 plays to the Malayalam Theatre. These include the plays by Shakesphere, Sophocles, Ibsen, Tagore and Bhasa.
He worked with the scool of drama of Thrissur which is under Calicut University for more than two decades. Pillai retired as the director of the institution in 2005. His professional carrer also carries the name plate of the Professor of English at Mar Ivanios College in Trivandrum.
He is one of the experts on the artistic life and plays of the famous Irish playwright J M Synge. The Italian government respected him with the theatre’s fellowship in 1980- 81. Rangasabha and Yatra are also among the famous works of Dr. Pillai. The cremation is to be held in Cheruthuruthy today.
ONAM: THE SEASON OF OFFERS
As the month of September is about to arrive, we, all the Keralites are ready for another season of joy, another season that reminds of a prosperous history we had, another season that urge the sparks of the nostalgia of our childhood.. Yes we are ready to welcome another Onam season to our homes. There is hardly any other festival that has got as much importance as Onam has in our lives. Every native of Kerala irrespective of being abroad or home waits keenly for the occasion.
For those abroad it is the time to return home and be in their land and for those who are here, the season becomes an occasion of reunion of the family. In every aspect it is our festival.
The importance of Onam is not just limited to our emotions or memories. It is also a season that contributes much to our economy. Every small and big names of the market too are eagerly waiting for its arrival. They are ready with many attractive and interesting offers with their products. It is a trend that started a long time before by the companies to include the customers too in their celebrations. And as in the case of the last year, every brand has came up with their most popular packages.
The list starts right from the BSNL in the government sector to mobile companies including the recently launched ones.
BSNL has announced HAPPY ONAM with their unique schemes on free 2G mobile prepaid connections with unlimited free calls and free GPRS browsing to its customers in Kerala.
Aircel which stepped into the Kerala market a few years ago also introduced a one year scheme with a unique and attractive one year scheme with a single recharge over unlimited pocket internet, sms, local calling and Gulf calling pack.
The big names in the textile and fabric industries have also announced the unveiling of their new stocks with the coming Onam season.
The Parthas textiles is running a ‘Be Special’ lucky dip contest operational from August 28th to September 4 and 8 special customers were gifted LCD television sets and satellite connections for free.
The Emmanuel silks announced a discount up to 10% cash back on every purchases foreseeing the coming season of celebration.
Videocon group also announced their special promotional scratch and win offer which promises to gift a Nano car, LCD tv, washing machine etc for the oncoming season.
The most popular news papers too have modified their editions or even doubled it to join the crowd. In short everyone, every industry, every field and everything here is impatiently awaiting the arrival of the prosperous Onam season.
We too wish you the advance warm and joyful wishes of the arriving ONAM season.
