ラジニニューススクラップ 2001 December

わなっかん！
ラジニカーントのニュース、web拾い読みの2001年12月版です。

2001.Dec.　Will Rajini stand up and speak?　MSN India

Rajnikanth is a riddle wrapped in mystery, or whatever it is that Winston Churchill might have said about Russia. Anyway, he is not only as unpredictable as the weather, but also is as inscrutable as the weatherman.

For nearly two years after his blockbuster Padaiyappa, the superstar has kept the entire Tamil Nadu wondering about his next move.
One day there would be a report that he was going to do a film with Shankar (or is it K S Ravikumar?). The next day another report would come saying that he would definitely take the plunge into politics. The third day the mystery would deepen with denials in some regional language newspapers!

Though it is fair to say that some of these news items were just throwing darts in the darkness, the fact of the matter is Rajnikanth has been keeping others guessing regularly. He has left too many blanks for others to fill. Whether a popular actor like him should be doing that is a point of debate amongst his fans and critics alike.

Take the case of his recent surprise visit to a small hamlet near Palakkad in Kerala. First it was said that he had gone to the popular healing spot in Perunkodu for rejuvenation. It was also said that he was there at the behest of his Malayalam counterpart Mohan Lal. As it happens, his trusted friend and Telugu actor Mohan Babu had accompanied Rajnikanth.

According to the news that trickled out (as usual Rajnikanth did not speak to the press), the actor was there in Palakkad to get him refreshed and get rid of some niggling health worries.

Everything was okay to start with, but now it is different. The grapevine is working overtime. Every report is attributing newer and newer reason for his visit to the famous healing place. The vernacular rag sheets are going to town with what they call as ‘sensational scoops’ on Rajini’s health.

One of them is saying is that Rajnikanth is having a severe nervous problem, and the visit to the Namboodiri’s retreat was to cure that. There were a lot of takers to the story simply because Rajnikanth has had a famous nervous breakdown in his life before. Of course, that was before he became the superstar that he is now.

Another news item said that Rajnikanth has had lot of stress in his life recently (the relationship between him and his wife is described as icy by these rags) and he is known to be a chain smoker and drinker. The stress has had a severe effect on his mental faculties, the report added.

Industry wags claim that the actor was having psychological problems and he was being treated for some mental malfunction. If this was grave, a few other reports talked out weird afflictions.

It is more than clear that the rumour mongers are having a field day. And the main reason for that is Rajnikanth’s silence. Sources close to him indicate that a rest and recuperation was essential for the actor though they stoutly deny any other reason for the trip. “This Ayurveda clinic is visited by many of the top people in India for its great massage and oil treatment. Why the fuss when Rajnikanth goes?” asks one of the star’s close confidants.

While one tends to pooh-pooh most of the reports that appear about the ‘star illness’, it must be said that unless Rajnikanth breaks the silence says something, a lot of trash will continue to be written about him.

That is neither good for him or for the Tamil film industry that looks up to him as almost a god.

Time for him to stand up and be heard Padayappa!
(source: India Syndicate)

2001.Dec.22 Rajnikanth stays mum　rediff.com

Speculations can now be put to rest.

Rajnikanth‘s birthday has come and gone, and there is still no announcement from the superstar about a film with hotshot director Shankar, or anyone else for that matter.

Rajnikanth is content, seemingly, to remain in hibernation. Shankar, however, is moving on.

He was originally supposed to do a sci-fi film, Robot, with Kamal Hassan but that project has been shelved following the non-performance of Abhay (Aalavandaan, in Tamil) at the box office.

Then came the news that talks were on with Rajnikanth — but that, too, has been scotched with the buzz being that Shankar wanted AM Rathnam (who last teamed with the director on the Anil Kapoor-starrer Nayak) as his producer while Rajnikanth preferred to work with others.

So Shankar is moving on with Boys, a film featuring five boys and a girl, all fresh faces in the industry. The film is supposed to be young, and romantic, and that is all he is saying for now.

And yes, A M Rathnam will produce this one.

【ラジニカーントは何も語らない】

　噂はやはり噂だったのかもしれない。

ラジニカーントの誕生日はもう過ぎてしまったけれども、やり手の監督シャンカル、あるいは他の監督と映画を撮るというような、スーパースターの発表は依然としてない。
ラジニはお休みを満喫しているようだけれども、シャンカルは動きだした。

もともとシャンカルは、カマルハーサンとSF映画『ロボット』を撮ろうと思っていたが、カマルハーサンの映画『Abhay』（タミルでは『Aalavandaan』）のヒットにより、その計画は棚上げになったままであった。
その後、シャンカルはラジニと映画を撮る話があったけれども、その話はある噂によりつぶれてしまった。その噂とは、シャンカルがA.M.Rathnamをプロデューサーにしたいと思っていたが、（アニル・カプール主演の『Nayak』で二人は一緒に仕事をしている）ラジニは別の人をプロデューサーにしたいと思っていた、というものだ。

そこで、シャンカルは、全員新人の少年5人と少女1人が主演する映画『Boys』にとりかかることにした。『Boys』について、シャンカルが今のところ語っていることは、この映画は若々しくてロマンティックなものになるだろう、ということである。
もちろん、A.M.Rathnamがプロデューサーである。

2001.Dec. Bloodstone becomes Virus　Galatta.com

All die hard Rajini fans will surely remember his first Hollywood movie Bloodstone produced by the Amritraj brothers. And now Bloodstone is being remade as Virus in Tamil after all these years. Ilayaraja scores the music and the movie is being shot under the production banner of Excellent Movies. Another film that is being remade in Hindi is Simran-Vijay hit movie Thullatha Manamum Thullum.

【『ブラッドストーンの謎』のリメイク版～『Virus』】

熱心なラジニファンなら誰もが、アムリタ・ラージ兄弟により制作された、ラジニの最初のハリウッド映画『ブラッドストーンの謎』のことを覚えているだろう。『ブラッドストーンの謎』は、何年か後に『Virus』というタイトルで、タミル語でリメイクされる予定である。

イライヤラージャーが音楽を担当し、Excellent Moviesの制作で撮影される予定。さらに、シムランとヴィジャイのヒット作『Thullatha Manamum Thullum』もヒンディー語でリメイクされる予定。

2001.Dec.14 Rajanikant’s no to politics　Screen

Tamil superstar Rajanikant has set to rest speculation in the media that he was about to enter politics. “I known only about movies and the film industry is my home. I know nothing about politics,” said Rajanikant to journalists in Kuttanad (Kerala) where he was on a vacation. This comes close on the heels of the announcement from Kamal Haasan who said that he would come to politics with a message of peace and love.

The superstar said that his next film was not yet finalised because the director and story were not ready yet.

Annamalai is his favourite film and fish curry prepared in Thiruvananthapuram style brings him to Kerala often. “It’s true that I go and meditate in Hrishikesh for mental peace” said Rajanikant.

【ラジニカーントの政界入りはなし】

タミルのスーパースター・ラジニカーントは、休暇で訪れているケーララ州のKuttanadで、記者に次のように語り、まもなく政界入りするのではないかというマスコミの推測を否定した。
「私が知っているのは映画だけ。映画界こそが自分のいるべき場所。政治のことなど何も分からない。」
『平和と愛』というメッセージを掲げて政界入りするとカマルハーサンが発表した直後に、ラジニのこのコメントは出された。

彼は更に次のように語った。
「監督も決まっていないし、ストーリーも準備できていない。だから次の映画については未定だ。」

彼のお気に入りの映画は『アンナーマライ』、そしてThiruvananthapuramスタイルのフィッシュカレーが好きで、しばしばケーララ州を訪れているという。
「心の安らぎを得るために、リシケシュに行って瞑想にふけるというのは本当だよ」

2001.Dec.10 The next mega move Chennai Online

A little town in Palghat, Kerala, was a hub of activity recently
when the Tamil superstar accompanied by his good friend Telugu actor Mohan Babu went to a health-and-care institution for improving his body fitness. Naturally the Malayalm press swooped down on the place to the irritation of the guests. ‘We’ll go away if our privacy is intruded in any way,’ the superstar is said to have told the chief there. But what can be done, with fame comes such types of irritation too? The superstar is scheduled to return with some big news. This body-fitness programme may well be a prelude to his announcing his new film when he returns home.
Who should be the lucky one who gets to direct his new film?
Some say it is to be Shanker. Meanwhile his favourite director K.S.Ravikumar was also noticed visiting the superstar at his place.

Rasika

【次の超大作】

最近はケーララ州のPalghatの小さな町を活動の拠点として、タミルのスーパースターは親友であるテルグ俳優モーハンバブと一緒に、体調を整えるためにヘルス・ケアー・センターに通っていた。当然のごとくマラヤーラムの新聞がその小さな町に押しかけるので、センターの宿泊者たちはいらいらする。

「ここのプライバシーがちょっとでも害されるなら、私たちは立ち去るけど…」
とスーパースターはセンターの所長に話した。しかし、どうしてそんなことができよう？プライバシーが侵害されたとしても、（ラジニが滞在していれば）このセンターが有名になるというのに。
スーパースターはビッグニュースを持ち帰るだろう。このセンターでの健康管理プログラムは、彼がチェンナイに戻って新作発表する前ぶれとなるかもしれない。
スーパースターの新作を監督する幸運な人は誰だ？ある人はシャンカルだという。だけど、ラジニのお気に入りの監督であるK.S.ラヴィクマールだって、スーパースターがケーララを訪れていることを知らされているのだ。