Super Star RAJINIKANTH IN AS Kochadaiyaan || ARR|| Directed by Soundarya Rajnikanth

[tamizharasan]

This movie I still think will recover its cost in the worst possible scenario, if sold properly. But that is not going to happen. Distributors are greedy and they will go for big amount.

[easygoer]

Brand Rajnikant to move beyond cinemas, think business over film & acting careers

CHENNAI: Rajnikant, the movie star who has never lent his name to any commercial activity so far, will do so for the first time with Anjana Reddy, part of the family that owns the Deccan Chronicle group. Anjana's celebrity commerce firm Collectabillia, which is already working on brand tie-ups for Rajnikanth's upcoming 3-D movie Kochadaiyaan, will extend the Ranjni brand beyond the realms of entertainment.

The appeal of Rajinikanth, 61, the Bangalore-born bus conductor-turned- hero, goes beyond the boundaries of his adopted home Tamil Nadu and the Tamil film industry. He keeps a very low public profile and has never endorsed any brand.

Collectabillia, founded only a few months ago, has tied up with cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar and India's number one woman tennis player Sania Mirza on a similar mandate, Anjana, 24, said.

"We are working on extending their brands beyond their respective careers. This doesn't include endorsements," she told ET.

In perhaps Rajnikant's first deal, Karbonn Mobiles will launch an exclusive range called Rajinikanth Kochadaiyaan mobile phones, which will hit the market when the film is released. A Karbonn spokesperson confirmed that the Indian mobile handset maker plans to sell about five lakh Rajinikanth Kochadaiyaan mobile phones.

Anjana, who holds a masters degree in finance from the University of Illinois, is the vice-president for business development at Deccan Chronicle. She is the daughter of Vinayak Ravi Reddy, the vice chairman of Deccan Chronicle that has defaulted on its debt and seen its short-term borrowings being downgraded by CARE earlier this month.

Over a 35-year career and 150 films, Rajnikanth's reach spans thousands of fan clubs from the remotest parts of Tamil Nadu to Japan. On the internet, his mannerisms and style have triggered a huge collection of outlandish factoids, much like for American actor Chuck Norris.

"An example of what we are doing is what the Olsen twins with professional help from Beanstalk have been able to achieve. They have set up a billion dollar business which hasn't got anything to do with their movies or acting careers," Anjana said.

Part of the Omnicom group, Beanstalk is known for its work on brand extensions, including developing actors Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's lifestyle programmes and extending a consumer brand into the restaurant space with the Harley-Davidson Cafe.

The idea has its genesis in Anjana's meeting with Rajinikanth a few months ago regarding Kochadaiyaan. "Rajni sir put me on to (his daughter) Soundarya. That's when this branding idea sparked we wanted to do something different which hasn't been done in the market so far," she said. "Rajni is a global brand and I am looking at global sales. He has a market everywhere right from India, to the Middle East to North America."

Soundarya is directing the movie, which is slated for a December release. In the West, celebrity-branded products have been around for decades. In the early 1990s, Elizabeth Taylor lent her name to the 'White Diamonds' perfume of Elizabeth Arden. Recent examples include rapper 50 Cent lending his name for a vitamin-water brand, former NBA star Yao Min's launch of his own wine label and Lady Gaga's association with the Fame perfume brand.

In India, however, it's still early days for celebrity commerce. Brand consultant Harish Bijoor said there are some efforts on "but most of them turn out to be celebrity managers who swear by their own celebs and can force-fit any brand offering onto them."

[easygoer]

Thrilled and honored to work with the stereoscopic team of Avengers,Thor,Titanic 3d,Avatar to name a few, STEREO D for Kochadaiyaan...@sound_a_rajini

[easygoer]

We are looking opportunities in gaming, comic book: Dr J Murali Manohar, Director, Media One Global Entertainment Ltd

The makers of Kochadaiyaan, the upcoming flick of Tamil Superstar Rajinikanth, are eyeing opportunities in gaming and even comic books. The film, India’s first to be based on the motion capture technology that has been earlier used in Hollywood movies such as Avatar, is looking at record overseas collections, said Dr J Murali Manohar, Director of Media One Global Entertainment Ltd. His company is co-producing the movie along with Eros Entertainment. Edited excerpts:

What about gaming opportunities?

Right from day one Soundarya (Rajini’s daughter who is directing the movie) was clear that this has a great gaming potential. It could be a trendsetter for the gaming and film industry. In a major way, this is the first Rajini film to get into gaming. There are no other authorised, copyright versions. We are in talks with top gaming companies. It’s too premature to say more about it now. All international companies have approached us.

Is there a publishing opportunity as well?

Yes and I have an offer too. There are people who want to make comic book out of this. The best comic book companies in India are also enquiring. We are going about this slowly.

What are the plans for Japan, where Rajinikanth has quite a following?

We have a Japanese version. We will have the audio launch in Tokyo. Rajini is one person who has a great fan base there. The movie Muthu was a great hit in Japan and they showed more than 1,500 shows of Robot (what was Endhiran in Tamil). All shows were full. Robot was released in Japan a year-and-a-half after the India release but see the phenomenal response!

How does Japan look as a market for Rajini movies when compared to Hollywood movies?

I don’t want to compare but I can say it’s huge. Already close to a million dollar. The number we are quoting is comparable to any international film.

Is Japan going to be the biggest overseas market?

No. Apart from Japan, US and the Middle East are predominant the market for Tamil movies. Tamil is also predominant in Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. This film could set a different benchmark in the overseas market. I can visualise it breaking records. Endhiran did Rs 20 crore in overseas market.

What about branding tie-ups?

We have had a deal with Karbonn mobiles for a customised Kochadaiyaan phone. We have got offers from every brand that you see on television. They all want to be on the poster somewhere because of the visibility factor. But we want the fill the poster with Kochadaiyaan details and not brands. We will make money out of the box office.

How do you plan to deal with the piracy issue?

Piracy is a major issue. But this movie is 3D, so it would take time to crack it. Piracy happens across the country. But it’s huge in South because in Tamil there are lot of IT professionals who are clued on to the net.

Still, how are you going to keep content secure?

Soundarya keeps a tab on this. She has put everything in place, right from tracking who is coming in and going out of the studio. We have a huge server put up to track what’s happening. People can’t walk into the studio just like that. The Kochadaiyaan team has been given special access cards. And you can only load details into the computer but cannot download anything. And if anything has to be downloaded Soundarya has to give the authorisation code. You can’t take anything on CD or pen drives.

[SoftSword]

mods, plis to lock this thread.

[tamizharasan]

mods, plis to lock this thread.

Why lock?
A2A Just now I saw your PM and replied to it.

[Avadi to America]

mods, plis to lock this thread.

I second the motion. intha padam first trailer vidurappa (sultaan-2007) ennaku kalyanam kuda agala.... ippa ennaku 1.5 vaysula oru paiyyan irrukann...... innum padatha mudikala .....Enna koduma thaliva idhu

[Nerd]

I second the motion. intha padam first trailer vidurappa (sultaan-2007) ennaku kalyanam kuda agala.... ippa ennaku 1.5 vaysula oru paiyyan irrukann...... innum padatha mudikala .....Enna koduma thaliva idhu

kalyaaNam aachchaa illaiyaa?

[Avadi to America]

kalyaaNam aachchaa illaiyaa?

yaa... atlast someone lost her life....

[easygoer]

Rajinikanth, Deepika to visit Japan for Kochadaiyaan premiere

While the release date in December for Rajinikanth’s eagerly-awaited opus Kochadaiyaan is being worked out, it’s quite clear that this is no run-of-the-mill release for a Rajinikanth starrer.

All stops are being pulled out to ensure Kochadaiyaan is a historical event for the superstar’s fans.

The film is expected to have a four-city world premiere tour, with Rajinikanth and his heroine Deepika Padukone [ Images ].

One of the cities he will visit is Tokyo.

Rajinikanth, who has a huge fan following in Japan [ Images ], has been planning a visit to the country ever since the Tsunami earthquake earlier this year.

Says a source close to the project, “All the dynamics of a Japanese premiere for Kochadaiyaan are being worked out. Deepika and Rajni Sir are expected to be in Tokyo in December for the premiere.”

The actor’s health issues have been worked out, and he has been declared fit to travel by his doctors.

When contacted, the film’s producer Murli Manohar said, “We’re looking at a gigantic release. The film will be released in separate languages in different parts. We’re planning to give Rajini’s fans a treat.”

Apparently, Rajinikanth is brushing up his Japanese for the special visit.

“He will not be able to dub his own lines in the Japanese version of Kochadaiyaan but he will be able to converse with his fans,” says our source.

---Rediff