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SandalwoodTouted to be an action drama, ‘James’ marks the first-time collaboration between Puneeth Rajkumar and director Chethan Kumar.Tnm StaffTwitter/ JamesTheMovie1With the government easing lockdown restrictions, many films have resumed shooting. Sandalwood star Puneeth Rajkumar’s upcoming film James will also be resuming shooting from July 5. The makers announced the news with fans via the official Twitter handle of the movie. Sharing actor Puneeth Rajkumar’s new still from the film, the tweet from the Twitter handle of James read, “Powerstar will be joining #James sets to resume shoot from July 5th with a Jaw-dropping Action Sequence designed by Fight Masters, Ram-Laxman! (sic).” Shot against a rustic backdrop that appears to be an underground tunnel, the new still features Puneeth striking a stylish pose seated on a motorbike. He sports a casual and dapper look in a navy blue tee, checked shirt and blue jeans. The makers also added...

SandalwoodThe Santhosh Ananddram directorial will be released in both Telugu and Kannada languages.Tnm StaffScreengrab/YouTubeThe makers of upcoming film Yuvarathnaa starring Puneeth Rajkumar, released the trailer of the movie on Saturday. Puneeth Rajkumar, popularly known as power star in Sandalwood, plays the titular role in the movie. His performance in the trailer promises a power- packed actioner. The plot explores the loopholes in the education system. The visuals from the trailer indicate that the movie will explore corrupt educational officials and systemic incompetency of the education system in detail. Towards the end of the trailer, we see Puneet taking control of things in an attempt to put an end to the malpractices. Watch the trailer of Yuvarathnaa here: Actor Sayyeshaa plays the role of Vandana and stars opposite Puneeth in the movie. Yuvarathnaa marks Sayyeshaa’s Kannada and Telugu debut. Glimpses from romantic sequences between the duo have been featured in the trailer.

SandalwoodDirected by Chethan Kumar, the film is set to resume shooting on November 25.Digital NativeDigital NativeThe Puneeth Rajkumar starrer James, directed by Chethan Kumar, is currently under progress. According to an update, we hear that Bollywood actor Mukesh Rishi has been roped in to play an important role in the film. The shooting for James was halted due to the Covid-19 lockdown and will resume on November 25. Bankrolled by Kishore Pathikonda, James will be a complete entertainer with all the massy elements included, say sources. Recently, it was revealed that Tollywood stunt master duo, Ram-Lakshman will be handling the special stunt sequences in James. Touted to be a complete actioner, this film will also have stunts choreographed by stunt master Ravi Varma. With reports about ace stuntmen onboard for the project doing the rounds, fans are waiting eagerly for James to make it to the silver screens to see their star perform some gravity-defying stunts.

SandalwoodDirected by Santosh Ananddram, the film has Sayyesha playing the female lead.Digital NativeA poster with a new look of star Puneeth Rajkumar in his upcoming Yuva Rathnaa was released on the occasion of Dussehra. The star is seen with an intense, raw look standing amidst heavy chains, which has his fans waiting in anticipation to know more about the film. Reports say that he will be seen in a macho avatar in the film. The shooting of Yuva Rathnaa was wrapped up recently and the team is busy with the post-production. The film is directed by Santosh Ananddram, who had collaborated with Puneeth to deliver the smash hit Rajakumaraa. The film is bankrolled by Vijay Kiragandur under the banner Hombale Films. It has Sayyesha playing the female lead and this is her first film in the Kannada film industry. The rest of the star cast includes Dhananjaya, Diganth, Sonu Gowda,...

SandalwoodThe sets are for ‘Pogaru Annaige Pogaru’, the title track that will feature hero Dhruva along with a group of dancers.Digital NativeDigital NativeKannada film Pogaru was scheduled for release on April 24, but with the lockdown due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, it was postponed. The latest reports say that the makers of the film will be erecting a grand set at Hmt in Bengaluru for shooting a song sequence. Sources say that the set will cost the makers close to Rs 1.5 crore, making it one of the most expensive in Sandalwood in recent times. Apparently, the sets are for the song ‘Pogaru Annaige Pogaru’, the title track that will feature the film’s lead star Dhruva Sarja along with a group of dancers. The song, which will be shot in a six-day schedule, will be choreographed by Murali master. Incidentally, the ‘Karabuu’ song in Pogaru released earlier...

SandalwoodThe film is being directed by Chandramouli with debutant Ram playing the lead role.Digital NativeDigital NativeVeteran actor Sai Kumar will be seen playing the baddie in the upcoming Kannada movie Dilmaar. On getting Sai Kumar on board Dilmaar, we hear that the director was keen on having him do the role because only he can pull it off with ease and élan. The film is being directed by Chandramouli with debutant Ram playing the lead role and it has Dimple Yahathi and Aditi Prabhudeva as heroines. Nagaraj Bhadravathi and Mahesha K are bankrolling the film under his banner S V Cinemas. The technical crew of this film includes Radhan for music and Girish R Gowda for cinematography. Dilmaar is under production and it is expected to hit the silver screens later this year. Sai Kumar’s last film in Sandalwood was Bharaate, which released last year. Written and directed by Chethan Kumar,...

SandalwoodMeanwhile, following the massive outbreak of coronavirus, Puneet has called off his birthday celebrations and has appealed to his fans not to celebrate or visit him.Digital NativeTuesday marks Sandalwood Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar’s birthday, and his fans are in for a big treat. The dialogue teaser from the star’s upcoming film Yuva Rathna has been unveiled as a part of the celebrations. This Santosh Anandram directorial is reaching the final stages and there are just a few song sequences to be canned. The title Yuva Rathna comes with the tagline ‘Power of Youth’ which gave an indication that it would have a political touch. However, the teaser released some time ago did not have anything connected to politics. Meanwhile, following the massive outbreak of coronavirus, Puneet has called off his birthday celebrations and has appealed to his fans not to celebrate or visit him on his birthday,...

SandalwoodPuneeth Rajkumar will be appearing in a cameo role in a song in the movie. Digital NativeLegendary singer Sp Balasubrahmanyam will be singing a song in Puneeth Rajkumar’s production venture Maya Bazaar. Maya Bazaar is the second movie Puneeth is producing under his banner Prk Productions. Puneeth Rajkumar will be doing a cameo appearance in a song and that track will be sung by Sp Balasubrahmanyam. The song will be choreographed by Harsha A. Puneeth has allotted a couple of days from his busy schedule to be complete the shooting. The film stars Raj B Shetty in the lead role along with Prakash Raj and Vashista Simha in pivotal roles. Besides Maya Bazaar, Puneeth also has a film titled Yuva Rathnaa in the works. The movie, that comes with the tagline ‘Power of Youth’, indicates that it would have a political touch. Yuva Rathnaa is directed by Santosh Ananddram...

SandalwoodThe film is directed by Santosh Ananddram who had collaborated with Puneeth to deliver the smash hit film 'Rajakumaraa'.Digital NativePuneeth Rajkumar’s look in the upcoming film Yuva Rathnaa is out. The star is seen tugging a skeleton behind his back while there's a skeleton of a dinosaur in the background. There are various speculations about Puneeth’s role in Yuva Rathnaa but the filmmakers are tight-lipped about it. Wishing everyone a very #HappyNewYear from team #Yuvarathnaa#YuvarathnaaNewLook @PuneethRajkumar @SanthoshAnand15 @VKiragandur @hombalefilms @MusicThaman @sayyeshaa @Karthik1423 @diganthmanchale @Dhananjayaka pic.twitter.com/B18yKmeNDM — Hombale Films (@hombalefilms) January 1, 2020 The film is directed by Santosh Ananddram who had collaborated with Puneeth to deliver the smash hit film Rajakumaraa and it is bankrolled under the banner Hombale Films. Sayyeshaa is playing the female lead in it and this is her first film in the Kannada film industry. S Thaman is composing music for...

SandalwoodBoth films are slated for release on September 27.Digital NativeDigital NativeIt is going to be a big box-office clash in Sandalwood on the 27th of September this year! Two of the most-awaited films – Bharaate and Geetha – will be hitting the marquee on the same date. The makers of Bharaate had finalised the date much earlier while team Geetha also decided on the same date and made the announcement recently. Bharaate, starring Srimurali in the lead and directed by Chethan Kumar, will have nine villains. With the story requiring nine baddies to fight it out with the hero, the makers picked out some of the best actors from the industry. While it is said that the film will be a family entertainer, reports about the nine villains has raised the curiosity levels among movie buffs. Produced by Supreeth under his banner, the film has Sreeleela playing the female lead. The star cast also includes Saikumar,...

SandalwoodDirected by Santosh Ananddram, the film has Sayyesha playing the female lead.Digital NativePuneeth Rajkumar’s Yuva Ratna is progressing well, with the team recommencing the shooting in Mysuru recently. Actor Triveni Rao, who has seen in the Shiva Rajkumar starrer Tagaru, is playing an important role in this film apart from Mamatha Sanathkumar, the popular woman bodybuilder from Karnataka. On joining the sets of Yuva Ratna, Triveni posted a pic on Facebook and wrote, “Shooting with Appu (Puneeth Rajkumar) for Yuvarathnaa movie shoot at Mysore, wait for my role.” (sic) According to reports, scenes involving Puneeth Rajkumar will be shot in various colleges around Karnataka. It may be noted here that Puneeth will be appearing as a college student after nearly a decade with this Santosh Ananddram directorial. The title Yuva Ratna comes with the tagline ‘Power of Youth’ which gives an indication that the film might have a political touch.

SandalwoodDirected by Santosh Ananddram, the film has Sayyeshaa playing the lead opposite Puneeth.Digital NativeDigital NativeKannada Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar is currently busy shooting for Yuva Ratna, in which he plays the lead role. The shooting for the film has been going on for quite some time now and we hear that the next schedule is slated to happen in June. The team is gearing up for it and according to reports, scenes involving Puneeth Rajkumar will be shot in various colleges in Karnataka. Puneeth will be appearing as a college student after nearly a decade with this Santosh Ananddram directorial. The title Yuva Ratna comes with the tagline ‘Power of Youth’, which gives an indication that the film will have a political touch. There are reports that Yuva Ratna will be out in theatres in mid 2019 and the release date is expected to be announced soon. The film is...

SandalwoodDirected by Vijay Kiran, ‘Singa’ stars Chiranjeevi Sarja and Aditi Prabhudeva in the lead roles.Digital NativeDigital NativeKannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar will be releasing a song from the upcoming film Singa on April 25 at 5 pm. The song Putta Putta Aase, which has been penned by Chethan Kumar and rendered by Vijay Prakash, will be unveiled by the star and music buffs are eagerly waiting for the D Day to arrive. A single from the album has already been released to a good response and expectations are now high on this song too. Starring Chiranjeevi Sarja and Aditi Prabhudeva in the lead roles, Singa is directed by Vijay Kiran. Uday Mehta is bankrolling the film under his banner. Chiranjeevi’s last release was Amma I Love You, which was the remake of the hit Tamil movie Pichaikaran starring Vijay Anthony. With this film, he has had three movie releases last year.

SandalwoodDirected by Santosh Ananddram, Puneeth will be seen playing the role of a college student in the movie.Digital NativeIt is not new for the Bollywood stars to appear in south Indian films. Several actors have done it in the past and there is one more in the pipeline. Puneeth Rajkumar’s upcoming film Yuva Ratna will have an interesting addition to the star cast. It is none other than the Bollywood actor Boman Irani. Reports are that he will be playing the role of a college principal in the film. Expectations are high on Yuva Ratna, as it brings back the winning combination – Puneeth Rajkumar and director Santosh Ananddram. The duo had worked together in Rajakumara which was a big hit. Yuva Ratna is being bankrolled under the banner Hombale Films. It may be noted here that Puneeth will be appearing as a college student after nearly a decade with this Santosh Ananddram directorial.

SandalwoodThe video for 'Shivanandi' was released for Sankranti.Tnm StaffThe lyric video of 'Shivanandi', a song in Darshan-starrer Yajamana gave Darshan fans another reason to celebrate Sankranti. The video received a massive response and has already amassed 2 million views on YouTube. It is currently trending in India and creating interest in the upcoming film. The Yajamana album marks the 25th association of Darshan and music director V Hari Krishna. He has not only composed the music for the film but has also been credited for working with director Pon Kumaran to pen the story for the film. “Every time I compose music for Darshan’s films, I keep two things in mind — his personality and his audience connect. For me, he represents the masses. We create tracks keeping in mind his aura and fame,” V Hari Krishna told The New Indian Express. The album will have five tracks and is...

SandalwoodDirected by Pon Kumaran, the film stars Rashmika Mandanna and Tanya Hope alongside Darshan.Digital NativeDigital NativeThis Sankranthi, Darshan’s fans will have an extra reason to celebrate! Yes, the intro song for his upcoming film Yajamana will be out on the festival day. Also, this album is very special as it marks the association of Darshan and music director V Hari Krishna for the 25th time. On the intro song, the film’s producer Shylaja Nag had said in a media statement, “We have not gone with the usual idea of introducing a mass hero,” indicating that there is something special in it. Director Chethan Kumar, known for penning some of the best intro song lyrics, is the lyricist for this song. Well, now fans can indeed watch out for this special number. Yajamana is nearing completion and the film in the post-production mode. While Darshan plays the lead role in the film,...

SandalwoodThe Power Star's late father used to be addressed by the title.Digital NativeDigital NativeThe makers of Puneeth Rajkumar’s upcoming film, Nata Sarvabhouma, released a 51-second first look teaser to commemorate the star’s birthday on March 17 and it went viral as expected. As the title suggests, Nata Sarvabhouma means 'emperor of acting' and it looks like the Power Star plays one in the movie. Incidentally, it is one of the titles bestowed upon his late father, the legendary actor Raj Kumar. Nata Sarvabhouma, directed by Pawan Wadeyar is bankrolled by Rockline Venkatesh under his banner Rockline Entertainments Pvt Ltd., on a huge budget. This film will be the Power Star’s 28th project as the hero. On playing the lead role in Nata Sarvabhouma, Puneeth Rajkumar is reported to have said, "I am proud and nervous to do a film with this title. Hopefully, we do a good job. We will definitely strive towards it and the audience are sure to love it.” The first look teaser of the film is impressive indeed with Puneeth Rajkumar surrounded by a hoard of clicking cameras, as he wears his shades to smile for the shutterbugs. From what we got to see in the first look teaser and the title, we can decipher that Puneeth Rajkumar plays an actor in the film. The shooting of Nata Sarvabhouma is currently on and more details about this project are expected to be out soon. It may be mentioned here that the Power Star began the year with the release of Humble Politician Nograj, in which he appeared in a guest role. While Nata Sarvabhouma will be his first film as hero this year, he has a bunch of films such as the Shahshak directorial and the Chethan Kumar directorial which will probably release later this year. Watch: (Content provided by Digital Native)...

Films While Sandesh Nagaraj, noted Kannada film producer, has come forward to invest on Abhishek’s debut film, they are scouting for a director. Digital NativeImage courtesy DNRebel star Ambareesh’s son Abhishek is the new star kid on the block. Star couple Ambareesh and Sumalatha’s son Abhishkek Gowda is all set to follow the footsteps of his parents and don the greasepaint. News about his debut in the Kannada film industry surfaced a few months ago but there is nothing concrete so far. There were reports that either director Pawan Wadeyar or Chethan Kumar would be wielding the megaphone for Abhishek’s debut film. Many weeks ago, reports surfaced that Pawan Wadeyar was chosen to direct the film. He opted out however, when he got the opportunity to direct the Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar. The shooting of this film is currently underway. Then came the news that Chethan Kumar will be helming the affairs as the director for Abhishek’s debut film. But now the buzz is that he has opted out too. Enquiries revealed that Chethan isn’t comfortable directing a movie that has been penned by others. Ambareesh’s best friend Sandesh Nagaraj, noted producer of Kannada films and politician, has come forward to invest on Abhishek’s debut film. He is however, scouting for a suitable director. According to reports, the youngster’s father Ambareesh, an illustrious actor and politician, wants no stone unturned to ensure that his son’s debut turns out to be a mega hit. Sources in the know say that the producer is looking to sign up a well-established and experienced filmmaker and he is expected to make an announcement soon. In the meantime, Abhishek is busy preparing himself for his debut. He has undergone rigorous training in acting, martial arts and dance. (Content by Digital Native)...

SandalwoodTitled ‘Panju’, the film’s shooting began on Wednesday.Digital NativeDigital NativePuneeth Rajkumar is teaming up with director Pavan Wadeyar and the groundwork for the project is currently on. According to the latest reports, the heroine for the film has been finalised. The actor signed up opposite Puneeth Rajkumar is Priyanka Jawalkar. Priyanka Jawalkar will be making her debut with the Vijay Devarakonda starrer Taxiwala, which is slated to hit the silver screens on May 18. And now it is confirmed that she will be foraying into the Kannada film industry with the Puneeth Rajkumar starrer. Touted to be a magnum opus, the film is being bankrolled by Rockline Venkatesh under his banner Rockline Productions. Reports say that the team was looking to sign a fresh face to play Puneeth Rajkumar’s leading lady and finally zeroed in on Priyanka Jawalkar. The film, which has been titled Panju, also has Ravi Shankar playing a pivotal role. D Imman is composing the music for this venture with Vijay roped in to crank the camera. Puneeth Rajkumar, who was last seen making a cameo appearance in Humble Politician Nograj earlier this year, has a bunch of movies needing his attention, which include a film each with director Shashank and Santhosh Ananddram, and James with Chethan Kumar. Director Pavan Wadeyar made his directorial debut with the 2012 release Govindaya Namaha and then went on to direct films such as Rana Vikrama, Googly, Nataraja Service and Jessie. In 2015, he directed Puneeth Rajkumar in Rana Vikrama and the film went on to become a huge hit. With the winning combo getting back together for a new film, fans are eagerly waiting to know more about it. According to reports doing the rounds in Sandalwood, the film’s shooting will begin from Wednesday onwards. (Content provided by Digital Native)...

SandalwoodAfter ‘Kavalu Daari’, Prk Productions’ second venture will have Raj B Shetty playing the lead role.Digital NativePuneeth Rajkumar rolled out his own production house Prk Productions last year and is currently producing Kavalu Daari, which is being written and directed by Hemanth M Rao. Kavalu Daari, starring the veteran Anant Nag in a pivotal role, has Rishi playing the lead role. The star cast also includes Suman Ranganathan, Achyuth Kumar, Roshni Prakash, Siddharth Maadhyamika and Siri Ravikumar. The film’s shooting is said to be in the final stages and the release is scheduled for May. While his maiden production venture is still in the making, Puneeth Rajkumar is getting ready to take his next to the floors. Reports indicate that the film will commence on January 24 and has been titled Maya Bazaar. Raj B Shetty has been roped in to play the lead role in this film; it will also star Prakash Raj and Vashista Simha in pivotal roles. Raj B Shetty made his debut with Ondu Motteya Kathe last year and the film went on to become a big hit. His star status is now sure to go up with his next being bankrolled by Puneeth. Puneeth Rajkumar is known for promoting other films by attending the music and trailer launch events or singing a song for the album. It is indeed a good gesture by the star to produce films, thereby giving an opportunity for young artistes to showcase their skills. Puneeth Rajkumar’s last release as hero was Anjani Putra. The star began this year at the box office with Humble Politician Nograj, in which he made a cameo appearance. He has a slew of films lined up for release this year, including the Shanshank directorial, Santhosh Anandram directorial and Chethan Kumar directorial. While the first two films haven’t been titled yet, the Chethan Kumar directorial has been titled James. The three films are in various stages of production. Content provided by Digital Native.

Sandalwood The film will be bankrolled by top producer Rockline Vekatesh under his home banner, sources say.Digital NativeDirector Pavan Wadeyar is on a roll having bagged some prestigious projects. The director had announced just a few days ago that he would be wielding the megaphone for Abhishek Ambareesh’s debut venture and the project will start rolling out soon. And now, we hear that the filmmaker has bagged another prestigious venture. Yes, he has been roped in to direct Puneeth Rajkumar’s upcoming venture as well. It may be mentioned here that Pavan and Puneeth has teamed up for Ranavikrama which did well at the office and this is their second outing together. Reports are that top producer Rockline Venkatesh will be bankrolling the film under his home banner. Incidentally, the producer had bankrolled Puneeth’s films such as Mourya and Ajay earlier. According to reports doing rounds, the film is expected to go on to the floors in March this year and the director is busy assembling his star cast and crew. Details about the project may be revealed in a couple of weeks, add sources. It may be mentioned here that Puneeth has a slew of films in his kitty including a directorial by Shashank which the actor will be producing under his home banner. Pavan Wadeyar made his debut with the 2012 release Govindaya Namaha and had directed movies like Potugadu, Googly, Rana Vikrama, Jessie and Nataraj Service. Puneeth’s last outing as hero was with Anjani Putra and he was seen in a cameo in the Humble Politician Nograj recently. He has slew of films lined up with leading directors such as Shashank, Vetrimaran, Chethan Kumar and Santhosh Ananddram. With news that Pavan Wadeyar and Puneeth Rajkumar will be teaming up for a movie that will be produced by Rockline Venkatesh, movie buffs are waiting eagerly to know more. Well, we need to wait for more information on it.

Following the controversy over the inclusion of a scene about the Goods and Services Tax (Gst) in the Vijay starrer ‘Mersal’, celebs from the Kannada film industry including Kiccha Sudeep, Sanjana Galrani, B Suresh, and Chetan have raised their voices.