According to the current procedure, the film producer should get permission from the Directorate of Information and Public relations to shoot a film at a public place. After getting the permission from DIPR, the filmmakers have to get the permission from the police department. Unfortunately, we have no timing regulations on film shooting like cities have. But we have now decided not to allow any  shooting on busy roads during daytime. As in the city, we will give permission for shooting only from 11 pm to 6 am,” a senior police official said.

The whole team of Shankar’s ‘Endhiran’ was in Rajalakshmi College, Madhuravoil from 10th of November to 12th.

A risky stunt sequence choreographed by stunt master Peter Haynes was shot on a magnificent set. A scene in which robot Rajini’s car being burnt was also shot inside the college campus.

Director Shankar happened to see an over bridge that is under construction in Maduravoil ring road near Mugappair. That is the Chennai High Speed Circular Transportation Corridor, an urban road transit in the form of elevated concentric beltway planned for Chennai. This particular over bridge is being designed so well that it looks like some foreign location. So the director had planned to shoot the car chase of ‘Endhiran’ in this location.

The shoot of the car chasing is being canned there from yesterday. We hear that many of Superstar’s fans who reside in nearby areas got to know about this and crowded the shooting spot. Looks like the crowd created a traffic jam in the bypass road causing difficulties. Moreover many fans tried to take pictures of Rajinikanth with the cameras in their cell phones. The private security guards who were there tried to stop it, but in vain.

The shoot will go on there for few more days and the next schedule is planned in the beautiful East Coast Road.

Praising his esteemed colleague Kamal Haasan, Mohanlal said: The industry is proud to have an actor who could be looked upon as a fitting role model for upcoming heroes. Choreographer-actor-turned-director Prabhu Deva, his father Sundaram, Bharatanatyam dancer-actress Shobana and students of John Britto dance school presented dance items during the occasion, while Vivek, Parthiban and Jayaram took their turns to compere the show along with Gopinath. Radikaa Sarathkumar organized an interactive session where Kamal chatted with yesteryears actresses Gautami, Revathi, Rohini, Jaya Chitra, Lissy, Tabu, Urvasi and Meena. ‘Kamal unplugged’, a music performance by Hariharan and S.P. Balasubramaniam, was also presented at the occasion.

It was followed by Kamal’s daughter Shruti Haasan’s performance. Oscar winner A.R. Rahman, producer A.V.M. Saravanan, veteran actress Saroja Devi, directors Balachandar, Balu Mahendra, S.P. Muthuraman, Dharani, Mysskin, A.R. Murugadoss were present among others.

Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan would get State awards soon, the Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced that the two top stars of Tamil cinema had been adjudged the best actors of 2007 and 2008, respectively.

The awards also saw Chief Minister M Karunanidhi win a prize for the dialogues for ‘Uliyin Osai’ (2008). While Rajini was adjudged the best actor for ‘Sivaji’, Kamal was selected for ‘Dasavatharam’.

There are 31 awards announced for 2007 and 34 for 2008. Technicians, singers, comedians and character actors have also been nominated. Awards have also been announced for students of the Film and Television Institute. ‘Sivaji’ bagged five awards in 2007- best film, best villain – Suman, best comedian – Vivek, best female playback singer – Chinmayee, and best art director – Thotta Tharani.

Vidyasagar was named the best music director for ‘Mozhi’. Jyothika won the best actress award for her role in the same film, which also won the second best film award for 2007. The award for the third best film for that year was given to ‘Pallikoodam’ and Thankar Bachchan, who directed the film, was adjudged the best director. In 2007, the special prize went to ‘Periyar’.

Vairamuthu won the best lyricist award for ‘Periyar’ and other films, and the best cinematographer was Nirav Shah for his work in ‘Billa’.

Besides being selected as the best film of 2008, ‘Dasavatharam’ bagged two more awards, with Vaali getting the best lyricist award and Michael Westmore and Kothandapani jointly taking the best make-up artist award.

Sneha got the best actress award for the year 2008 for her performance in ‘Pirivom Santhippom’. Special awards were also given to male and female actors for each year. For 2007, the special prize went to Sathyaraj for his role as ‘Periyar’ and Padmapriya for her role in ‘Mirugam.’ For 2008, the awards went to Suriya for ‘Varanam Aayiram’ and Trisha for ‘Abhiyum Naanum’.

Recently, a crew from a popular Magazine and A Channel visited the Himalayas to throw more light on the mystical caves through their investigative show. A close friend of Rajinikanth also joined the team and took them to the path that leads to the Baba caves, narrating many interesting anecdotes en route.

The shooting of Shankar’s ‘Endhiran’ is fast approaching its climax! Currently the team is busy in putting its heart and sweat into the making of the movie’s climax.

Being the significant part of the movie, the scene features a fire bursting out of a scientist’s laboratory. This is said to be only a 4-min scene, however an elaborate set has been erected in the city’s Prasad Studios.

The production team has specially flown down few Hollywood visual effects companies to supervise this fire scene. This expertise will decide as to how and where special effects would be applicable while editing later.

Now, did you know that this is something new and done for the first time in our Indian cinema? Well, this method was earlier followed by a famous American filmmaker George Lucas in several Hollywood flicks of his times. Shankar had recently highlighted the importance of special effects and graphics in movies.

A dedicated man he is, our Superstar has insisted on staying on the sets, to see the shooting; although he has no role to play in it.

Hmm, now if such interesting things are happening on the sets, one would be really thrilled to experience the happenings live! Right?

The Sirucheri SIPCOT industrial estate is the area in which our robot Rajini is right now! The team of Shankar’s ‘Endhiran’ is working busily in the location to complete an important scene of the film out there.

We hear that Shankar has brought in an extremely strange Volvo bus in to the sets. Birdies say that the director has transformed a normal Volvo bus into a satellite remote sensing lab. This makeover process of the bus has cost a whooping 50 lakhs!

A scene in which a morph gang attacks the robot Rajini, who is inside this satellite remote sensing lab, is being filmed. The blow of the news is that our superstar is not in the shooting spot at all. It’s a stunt artist who is masked as the robot Rajini.

Superstar Rajinikanth met with his fans on 3^rd November at Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam and answered their questions. When he made his entry around 10.05 a.m. on Monday, Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam thundered in applause and cheer with the fans screaming “Thalaivaa…!” and “Nalaiya Mudalvar.” The meet opened with questions about Rajinikanth’s entry into politics to which the stalwart replied that Endhiran is his focus at present and he has no idea of entering politics after completing this film as popularly believed by his fans. But he added that if entering politics is what Almighty’s wish is, then he will definitely do that! He urged everyone to concentrate on their career, to take care of their families, and not to involve in activities like opening up a political party on his behalf, etc. Following are the questions asked by fans and the star’s response to them:

Question: Would you meet fans in the future too?

Answer: Provisions have been made at this Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam to communicate with you: new phone lines have been installed, which will always be open to you all. You can call at these numbers anytime. If it is a very important issue, I will definitely call you back.

Question: How will Endhiran be?

Answer: It will be remembered as one of India’s best movies. It will bring in laurels to our nation.

Question: Will you use your fan club for philanthropic purposes.

Answer: To this question, he replied in his typical style that money coupled with fan following will lead to politics. The thespian said, “I shall help anyone who is in dire need of help.”

Question: Would you arrange for a fan club for every district?

Answer: Yes.

Question: You have stopped your social work in the recent times. Why?

Answer: I built free community halls in 30 districts. I stopped it as I felt it was not necessary anymore. But if need should arise, I will definitely continue with it.

Question: Will you continue to act in films?

Answer: I will not act for making money or gaining fame. I would like to do good roles. If a film maker deems that only I can do a role, then I shall accept that.

Question: The fan club president Sathyanarayana is not participating in many of the fan club activities these days and is also not organizing as many events as he did a few years ago. Why?

Answer: He is not doing well.

Question: Will you build a memorial for your parents at Nachi, Krishnagiri (superstar’s native)?

Answer: (Before answering this question Rajni wanted to know who asked this question to which a young man raised his hand and said he is Karthik from Krishnagiri). I shall think about this. It is good of you to have raised this question.

Question: Many reporters termed you as a confused man. It hurt us.

Answer: (Laughs) You come out with that in front of reporters! Well, I agree that sometimes my actions are confusing. I just speak my mind out. But perspective varies and different people take my ideas in different ways. Some want to be confused. I cannot help them! And I have never been selfish. I never manipulate the press or society for my own good.

Question: Did you apologize because of the Hogennekal issue? Please explain?

Answer: I wish to move forward, but you ask me to regress. Well, it is good for us if we leave this issue and move forward. But since you have asked, I shall speak about it. Why would I have hatred against Kannadigas? Tamilnadu and Karnataka are like my eyes. Following Hogennekal issue, I said that all those who were involved in vandalizing theatres screening Tamil films should be beaten up, meaning, should be punished. But everyone misconstrued my idea and misquoted me. Later I apologized for not being clear in my statements. I do agree that my statements were quite confusing. I am sorry for that.

Question: You have been a top actor of Asia for the past 30 years. Please give your comments about this.

Answer: The reason for all this fame is my fans. I shall always be indebted to them for this.

Question: Will you meet your fans on your birthday?

Answer: (Smiles) It is a day of introspection for me. On this day, I sit down and contemplate why I was born. I spend my birthdays all alone – not even my family disturbs me on this day.

Finally, the actor said he would later meet fans at exclusive meetings for fans from each district and promised to take photographs with them individually. He would organize such meetings with fans every year from now, he added. “Remember that it is always your family first. Perform your duties well and expect appropriate returns,” he said.

A section of fans who expected major announcements from their ‘Thalaivar’ seemed a little disappointed that none was made.

“Anyway, we got to see him and be with him for nearly an hour. I can’t ask for more. He will tell us what to do at the right time,” said D. Rajini Selvam, a fan from Chennai.

A few others proceeded to the stage after the actor left and took photographs with the chair he sat on. “I could not take a picture with him. Let me at least take one with his chair,” said another ardent fan.