Meera Jasmine once again with Kalaignar Karunanidhi

After playing an IPS officer in Pen Singam, National award winning actress Meera Jasmine is all set to play the heroine once again in a script penned by legendary writer and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi. The new film has been titled Ilainjan. Notably, this is Karunanidhi's 74th script. More details are awaited.

Meanwhile, Meera is busy with her two Malayalam projects titled Four Friends and Pattinte Palazhi. Four Friends is directed by Saji Surendran with Jayaram, Jayasurya and Kunchacko Boban in the lead roles, while Pattinte Palazhi is directed by Rajeev Anchal.

Movie Review: Pen Singam

Producer: S.P. Murugeshan
Cast : Uday Kiran, Meera Jasmine, Rambha, Vivek, Richard, Radha Ravi
Director: Bali Srirangham
Script: M. Karunanidhi
Cinematography: Vijay Ragav

Special screening of new Tamil films for VVIPs is a popular phenomenon in Kollywood. When this happens, it means the movie is of great importance! Director Bali Srirangham's new Uday Kiran-Meera Jasmine starrer Pen Singam is the latest to have such a special screening at Four Frame preview theatre in Chennai and you can surely guess why! The film is based on legendary writer and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi's novel 'Surulimalai'. Superstar Rajinikanth, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin were present at the special show and the superstar was all praise for the Pen Singam team, saying this film would surely roar at the box-office as it is all about a woman's fight for justice. This film has already evoked huge anticipation among moviegoers.

Who is in it?

Pen Singam, one of the much-awaited movies in 2010, has National award winning actress Meera Jasmine playing the role of an IPS officer for the first time in her career, while Uday Kiran enacts the role of a forest officer. Yesteryear heroine Rohini plays Uday Kiran's mother and a judge. Veteran Vivek handles the comedy. Richard and Radha Ravi are the villains. J.K. Riteesh and Rambha make cameo appearances, while Lakshmi Rai and Lawrence appear in an item number.

What is it about?

Pen Singam begins with Suriya (Uday Kiran) trying to escape from a jail. As we anticipate, he goes on a journey down memory lane. In the flashback, we see Suriya as a newly appointed forest officer with a mission to wipe out corruption from the forest department. Naturally, he faces threats from forest product smugglers, led by Simha Perumal (Radha Ravi) and a police officer Parasuraman, but he rides roughshod over them. Meghala (Meera Jasmine), a girl from a poor family, is a computer operator in Suriya's office and her dream is to become an IPS officer. Suriya and Meghala gradually fall in love. Meghala passes the IPS exam and goes for training.

Meanwhile, Suriya's intimate friend Nagendra (Richard), a young Tamil scholar, goes to a women's college to deliver a speech. With his stunning speech on the dignity of women and their rights, he impresses girls there, especially Prabha, daughter of a rich business man (Vagai Chandrasekhar). Moved by his character and ideology, Prabha proposes to Nagendra and gets married with the consent of her parents. Nagendra soon starts revealing his real character by demanding huge amounts as dowry and engaging in extramarital affairs. Prabha is unable to assimilate the reality, but to her surprise, the intoxicated Nagendra alleges a romantic link between Prabha and his friend Suriya. Irked by this, Suriya has a physical clash with Nagendra and in this fight, Prabha is shot dead. The top murder suspect is Suriya who is arrested. Now Meghala is back as an IPS officer. How she saves Suriya from the case foisted on him forms the rest of the film.

The Performances

Though Pen Singam is based on a novel by Karunanidhi, it offers little scope for the lead actors (including National award winner Meera Jasmine) to display their best performances. Uday Kiran's role is limited to mere romance and stunts, while Meera Jasmine excels only in the drama scenes as Veera Mangai Velu Nachiyar. She plays the role of an IPS officer for the first time in her career, but unfortunately, the role does not suit her. In the uniform, she looks too young and tiny. Vivek as Thirupathi is average. The film has two villains Richard and Radha Ravi, but they do not make any impact. J.K. Riteesh and Rambha make cameo appearances as an advocate and Parasuraman's wife respectively.

Final Verdict

Unlike his period film Uliyin Osai which released two years ago, Karunanidhi's Pen Singam is a contemporary movie, which features song sequences shot overseas. It has six songs by 'Thenisai thenral' Deva, but most of them are neither impressive nor foot-tapping. The makers have placed the six songs in the post interval section which extends to 1.5 hours, and this untimely placement has reduced the tempo and interest level. Though the title gives an impression that the film will be heroine-centric, in reality, it revolves mostly around Uday Kiran's character. There's nothing much to talk about the tech side. All in all, go and watch Pen Singam if you are a Karunanidhi fan.

Kamal Haasan says "No political strings”

This is what Kamal Haasan remarked about the Kalaignar in his recent address during Kalaignar’s movie Pen Singam’s audio release: "We don’t have to flatter Kalaignar; in fact he is the one who is well bathing us with his Tamil prowess."

Kamal added, “Whenever I address in any function connected to Kalaignar Karunanidhi, people who are his favorites ask: ‘Did you learn this oratorical skill from him?’ While others not in his good books remark: ‘Why do you have to flatter him?’ I deem it an honor to talk about Kalaignar,” declared Kamal. He requested that such things should not be politicized.

In fact, saying a few words in praise of Kalaignar during a talk should not be considered flattery. Kamal signed off by saying, “There is no necessity to flatter a person of Kalaignar's stature who in fact is well showering us with his Tamil wisdom.”

Lakshmi Rai and Lawrence dance for a song in Pen Singam

Pen Singam is a film which has story and dialogues by Chief Minister Karunanidhi. Udhay Kiran and Meera Jasmine are in the lead roles.

A dance featuring Lakshmi Rai and Raghav Lawrence for a song Adi Adi Asayum Iduppu was shot recently. The song was penned by Vaali. The music for the song was composed by Deva.

A huge set was erected in a big gowdown at Thirumaleesai near Chennai to shoot this song. The song was shot for four days.  Velu Nachiar’s mono acting was also shot for this film. Meera Jasmine donned the role of Velu Nachiar. This was shot in the auditorium of Nadigar Sangam.

A fiery fighting scene featuring Udhay Kiran and Radha Ravi was also recently shot. The song Aha, Veenail Ezhuvathu Venuganama written by Kalaignar Karunanidhi and the song Nee Sonanal written by Vairamuthu are to be shot in Switzerland.

After this shooting of t film will come to an end.  N Jayamurugan and Arumuganeri S P Murugesan are jointly producing this film under the banner J Nandhi Arts. P C Sriram’s assistant Vijay Raghav is handling the camera. Bali Srirangam is directing this film.

Pen Singam shooting is going to end

Pen Singam is a film which is the creation of Kalaignar Karunanidhi. The talkie portions of this film  are over and only song sequences are remaining to be shot. The songs are to be shot in Switzerland.

Director Bala Srirangam while speaking about this film said, “This film Pen Singam will be the most unforgettable film in my life time, because I had got the opportunity to direct a film which is the creation of Kalaignar. He has given his whole effort and motivated me by giving total freedom to direct this film. We have spoken about women’s liberation very strongly in this film. This film has also the ingredients of a commercial film.”

Udhay Kiran is doing the lead role while Meera Jasmine dons the role of a police officer. Richard is in the role of a Tamil orator. Sudarsana Sen is pairing with him. Radha Ravi, Thalaivasal Vijay, Vivek, Riteesh, Ramba, Mohini and Vaagai Chandrasekaran are doing important roles.

This is the first that Deva is composing music for Kalaignar’s film. The song sequences with the lines Veenail Ezhuvathu Venu Ganama written by Kalaignar and the song with the line Nee Sonnal Thei Pirai written by Vairamuthu is being shot in European countries.

This high budgeted film is being produced by J Nandini Arts N Jaya Murugan and Arumuganeri S P Murugesan.

Pen Singam adaptes from the novel Suruli Malai

Pen Singam is a film adapted from the novel Suruli Malai written by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. J Nandini Arts is producing this film which has Udhay Kiran and Meera Jasmine in the lead roles.
Sudarsana Sen and Vivek are also starring in this film. Bali Srirangam who is directing this film said,” This film will be an important one in Tamil cinema. The climax scene is shot in an innovative way in this film which speaks about the women liberation and rights.
The dialogues which appear in this film will suit the present trends. The song which Kalaignar wrote in 10 minutes will be a hit. Deva has composed the music. Though it is my first film, I have got the experience of working in 10 films.
Meera Jasmine and Udhay Kiran have competed well in acting. The talkie portions are completed and only one song and stunt scene is remaining to be shot.”