Mumbai Indians thrashes Delhi Daredevils

A splendid half-century by skipper Sachin Tendulkar, helped his Mumbai Indians to score a huge 98-run win over table toppers Delhi Daredevils in Match 9 of the IPL 2010 at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium. The Mumbai Indians posted a massive 218/7 in 20 overs, which incidentally is their highest score in the IPL thus far.

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In their defense Delhi Daredevils, did suffer a huge setback when their skipper Gautam Gambhir pulled a hamstring and did not bat. This incidentally was the first first defeat for the Delhi Daredevils in three outings in IPL 2010, while Mumbai Indians recorded their second consecutive win to be placed at the top of the leader board. Delhi Daredevils batting fell apart once T Dilshan and Virender Sehwag were back in the pavilion in the seventh over. Dilshan was done in by a slower one by Lasith Malinga to be bowled. Then the dangerous Sehwag, after hitting a typical 16-ball 26, was caught in the deep off medium pacer Dwayne Bravo. The tricky Bravo scalped his second wicket in the same over by bowling AB de Villiers, which pretty much took the wind out of Delhi’s sails. Bravo and Kieron Pollard, who did not get enough opportunity with the bat, made their presence felt with the ball Earlier, Tendulkar was in full flow. He cracked 11 dazzling fours to give the Mumbai Indians just the sort of start they needed. He drove and pulled on his way to a blazing 50 which came off only 23 deliveries, which saw the Mumbai Indians gallop to 50 in just 4.3 overs. Tendulkar’s innings came to an end when substitute fielder Yogesh Nagar, who came in place of the injured Gamhir, held a low catch off leg spinner Amit Mishra. Nagar had earlier pulled off a spectacular catch at mid-off to dismiss the Matara mauler and left-handed Mumbai Indian opener Sanath Jayasuriya, leaping high in the air to take a spectacular one-handed catch. After Tendulkar’s departure, the tall Saurabh Tiwary and the impressive Ambati Rayudu were involved in some lusty hitting. The fourth wicket pair stitched 71 runs in 34 deliveries before Rayudu was superbly snapped at long-on by Dilshan. However, the left-handed Tiwary completed his second successive 50, which came off only 31 deliveries. The dismissal of Rayudu (34, 21 balls, 1x4, 3x6) brought in the IPL’s costliest player Kieron Pollard to the crease for his IPL debut. The hard-hitting West Indian batsman was greeted by a dangerous beamer from left-arm Delhi Daredevils seamer Dirk Nannes and the next ball Pollard had a narrow escape when Mishra failed to hold a low catch at long on. Tiwary was run out in the 19th over for 37-ball 61 (4x4, 3x6). Leg spinner Sarabjit Ladda brought some cheers to Delhi Daredevils by dismissing the two West Indians Dwayne Bravo and Keiron Pollard in the last over. Farveez Maharoof, Pradeep Sangwan, Ladda and Mishra went for more than 40 runs. Dirk Nannes, the Aussie though was the best bowler for the Delhi Daredevils, conceding only 35 runs. The Mumbai Indians now take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore back home in Mumbai on March 20th, which should make for a mouth watering prospect, given the form of both the teams.

Police station gets modern building

Chennai police Commissioner T Rajendran today inaugurated a new, modernised premises for the Kotturpuram police station constructed at a cost of Rs 27 lakh on Gandhi Mandapam Road.

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The building to house the Kotturpuram police station was constructed by the Tamilnadu Police Housing Corporation early last year. Earlier, the police station was functioning from a building owned by the Tamilnadu Housing Board in the midst of a residential housing complex on Gandhi Mandapam Road. The new facility has a built-up area of 8,000 sq ft with ultra-modern facilities including a focus lamp at the two lock-up cells. Inaugurating the new building, Rajendran said the government had constructed a permanent building for it as part of the drive towards modernisation of the police force. He said the Kotturpuram police station was functioning from 1980. Since important institutions like Anna University, IIT, Central Leather Research Institute, Cancer hospital and Anna Memorial library fall under the (police) station limit, police personnel would also focus their attention on providing adequate security cover. Queried about film director Aravind’s case, he said with complaints pouring in against the person in question, the case is expected to be transferred to the CCB soon. Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shakeel Akthar, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ravi, Joint Commissioner Shakthivel and Deputy Commissioner Senthamaraikannan also participated.

Govt bus overturns, falls on passengers

three women and a teenage boy were crushed to death and 14 others injured when a lorry rammed into a stationary bus that overturned and fell on them under the impact. The accident took place at Koovathur on the East Coast Road in the wee hours of today, police said.

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The Nagapattinam-bound Tamilnadu State Express Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus from Chennai was parked on the roadside after it ran out of fuel near Kalpakkam. Thirty-three passengers were travelling in it. As the driver boarded a passing bus to fetch diesel, the passengers in the stationary bus alighted from it and were sitting on the roadside when the Puducherry-bound lorry from Chennai rammed into their bus. The impact was such that the bus overturned and fell on the people sitting on the roadside. The deceased were identified as Banu (21), hailing from Nagapattiam, Rama (45) and her son Ranjith Kumar (17), both from Wallajahpet in Vellore district, and Lalitha (35) from Mangadu near Chennai. In all, 14 people, including those sitting on the road and those in the bus, sustained injuries. They were admitted to a private hospital at Kelambakkam on the OMR and at Government Chengalpet Hospital.

Gautham plans for a thriller before directing Ajith

At a time when many are of the idea that Goutham Vasudev Menon is busy with the preparatory work for the landmark 50th movie of Ajith, the filmmaker has cleared the air saying his next will not be an Ajit-starrer but a thriller starring newcomer Veera and Sameera Reddy in lead roles.

“It will be a quickie and a low budget thriller that will be over in 90 minutes. It's about the happenings in one particular night. Sameera and Veera will be the protagonists in the film. After completing this film, I will start the project with Ajit. It will be an wholesome commercial film catering to the taste of Ajit’s fans and regular movie-goers.”

Goutham, basking in the success of 'Vinnaithandi Varuvaya' and in particular delighted with a 3-page appreciation letter of the film received from veteran director K. Balachander, assures that the audience would get to see a 'different' Ajith in his film. He would sport a different look and would be admired by one and all, says Menon.

On the success of 'VTV', he says, “I had a little hesitation when I penned the script. There was some doubt in my mind as to whether audience would accept a full-length romantic film. Once the movie released and I started getting feedbacks, I felt overwhelmed by the response.”

Simbu to kick-start 'Vaaliban'

Actor Simbu is a very happy man nowadays. The actor, who had long been criticized for using his ‘fingers’ rather than facial expressions and body language to emote and act, has come in for wholesome praise from almost all quarters for his portrayal of a lover boy in his latest film ‘Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya’ opposite Trisha and directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon.

Simbu’s subdued yet appropriate performance has surprised many including him. In an effort at being humble, Simbu dedicates all that appreciation to Gautham Menon and says that he simply carried out what he was told by the director. The success of VTV appears to have rejuvenated Simbu who talks about launching his directorial venture ‘Vaaliban’ in the near future.

The sudden change which resulted in his opting out of K.V. Anand’s ‘Ko’ and the subsequent promotional work of VTV had kept him quite busy for the past month or so. Simbu now informs that he would very soon be launching his ‘Vaaliban’, which would be a romantic story with a patriotic twist to the proceedings. “There would be a subtle but distinct message for today’s youths,” he assures.

Either Varalakshmi Sarathkumar or Sruti Haasan or both of them would be booked as heroine(s), Simbu revealed and added that he was yet to finalize the cast. His friend and ‘Junior Maestro’ Yuvan Shanka Raja would be scoring the music of the film.

‘Vaaliban’ would be going to the floors by this month end and would be hitting the big screens on the eve of Deepavali, Simbu says.

Simbu croons for ‘Jeyam’ Ravi in Thillalangadi

The next film from the family of ‘Jeyam’ Ravi would be ‘Thillalangadi’, which would again be a remake of a Telugu film (titled ‘Kick’). The film, as usual, would be produced by ‘Jeyam’ Ravi’s father ‘Editor’ Mohan and would be directed by his elder brother Raja. The film pits the talented Ravi opposite the beautiful Tamannaah.

Incidentally, this would be the fifth film from the brothers, after their highly successful ventures in ‘Jeyam’, ‘M. Kumaran, S/o Mahalaxmi’, Something Something’ and ‘Santosh Subramaniam’. ‘Thillalangadi’ has Shaam, who has been playing only the hero’s roles, playing a ‘negative’ role for the first time in Tamil films.

Check Out : Thillalangadi Movie Gallery | Actor Shaam In Thillalangadi

Others in the cast include Vadivelu, Santhanam, Mansoor Ali Khan, Manobala, Livingston, ‘Kadhal’ Dhandapani, Latha Rao and Chandra Lakshman. While Radharavi appears in a guest role, Prabhu plays the significant role of Ravi’s father inthe film. Yuvan Shankar Raja would be the music director of the film and it would be the first time he would be working with ‘Jeyam’ Raja in a film.

One of the songs in the film, a fast-paced duet, has been sung by Simbu for Ravi. It was Ravi, who incidentally proposed Simbu’s name as the singer and as Simbu and Yuvan are already great friends, the recording went off smoothly. This song was penned by Naa. Muthukumar. The song sequence would be shot soon in the coming week, one learns.

‘Thillalangadi’ is set to hit the screens on Tamil New Year eve on 14th April!

Are you ready for the Anushka wave?

Actress Anoushka is the most sought-after actress in Tamil and Telugu films at present. Producers and directors are said to be queuing up outside the actress’ residence to book her for their films, as she has earned the tag of a ‘lucky’ actress, a trait which is of foremost need in the film industry.

Anoushka has three Telugu films on hand presently with Mahesh Babu, Allu Arjun and Manoj. She has also committed to doing a film for V. Samuthra which has been tentatively titled ‘Panchakshari’. She has also agreed to play the lead role in ‘Kanchana’ which would be directed by Raghava Lawrence. The script is said to be a heroine-oriented one on the lines of Anoushka’s earlier film ‘Arundhati’.

In Tamil, she plays the lead role in ‘Singam’ opposite Suriya. Though she’s been approached by many Tamil film directors, they are said to be put off by her above-normal height which makes it tough for the heroes. There are, of course, some producers and directors who are ready to bring in high-heeled slippers and shoes for their heroes to ‘qualify’ them to star opposite the sexy yoga trainer-turned-actress Anoushka!