Hollywood Box Office for the week of August 23-29, 2008

The summer movie season winds down this Labor Day weekend with five new nationwide releases. Sci-fi action picture 'Babylon A.D.' has the largest launch with approximately 3,600 screens at 3,390 theaters, followed by spoof 'Disaster Movie' with around 2,750 screens at 2,642 theaters. Comedy 'College' hits 2,123 theaters, and thriller 'Traitor,' which opened modestly on Wednesday, strikes 2,054. Comedy 'Hamlet 2' expanded nationwide on Wednesday to weak results and plays 1,597 venues this weekend. 'Tropic Thunder' remains the biggest release with over 3,800 screens at 3,473 theaters.
Average 4-day weekend predictions of 510 players:
1. 'Babylon A.D.' - $18.1 million 2. 'Disaster Movie' - $13.6 million
3. 'Tropic Thunder' - $12.6 million

4. 'The Dark Knight' - $10.1 million

5. 'The House Bunny' - $9.4 million

6. 'Death Race' - $7.8 million

7. 'College' - $7.2 million

8. 'Traitor' - $6.9 million

9. 'Hamlet 2' - $4.7 million

10. 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' - $3.6 million

Pyramid Saimira presents the third story of ‘Simran Marupurani Kathalu’- “Navashakthi”

‘Simran Marupurani Kathalu’ enters its third story in the month of August with a spiritualistic storyline. This mini-mega is telecast on Maa TV from Monday to Thursday during the 3.00P.M slot. Fittingly titled “Navashakthi” this is a story that revolves around the extraordinary powers of the Almighty.

It is written in scriptures that the whole universe is conjoined by the forces an unsurpassable energy in the form of Shakthi. The mother of all humanity, Annai Adhiparasahkthi, unites the good and evil deeds of this world safeguarding the interests of human beings. As she fights for justice she instills spiritual faith in them, this would be the underlying tone of “Navashakthi”.


In “Navashakthi” a mortal man aspires to procure the energies of Shakthi by unleashing heavenly secrets. Realizing the effects it would create on earth, Annai induces her devotees Uma Maheshwari and Gayathri Devi to fight the negative and egoistic mortal man whose desire to control the world reaches a zenith point. Amman shows her prowess at every juncture by adorning new avatars, to teach the mortal a good lesson.

This is a story that comes to enlighten and instill the power of spiritual forces in this corrupt world of “Kaliyug”. “Navashakthi” is packed with mystery, mythology and divinity.

Simran as usual gives a splendid performance, essaying more than 14 characters, that would definitely ear mark her as the one and only all-rounder in the Television Industry.

Along with Simran this mini-mega has Poovilangu Mohan, O.A.K. Sundar, Anuradha Krishnamoorthy and Subbulaxmi.

Story, Screenplay : Selva Paandi
Dialogue : Vennilakanti
Cinematography : Azaad
Direction : Aravindhraj
Creative Head : Subhaa Venkat

Chiru launches his party office at midnight

Megastar Chiranjeevi added to the intrigue surrounding his political entry by inaugurating the headquarters of his proposed party in relative secrecy in the dead of the night. The actor’s penchant for building up suspense about his plans and his secretive ways are getting on the nerves of senior leaders who quit other parties to follow him.

Keeping the script under wraps may be good in tinsel town, but does not really impress those in the political arena, where going public is the name of the game. Chiranjeevi inaugurated his party office on Road No. 46 of Jubilee Hills here in a discreet manner at 00.55 am on Monday.

It was a totally family affair. Even his fans were not aware of the programme until it commenced and was telecast live on TV. Pujas were performed in the presence of Chiranjeevi’s mother, wife Surekha, brothers and film actors Nagendra Babu, Pawan Kalyan, and son Ravi Charan Teja.

Brother-in-law Allu Arvind and close aides Dr Mitra and K.S.R. Murthy were also present at the ceremony. The Congress MP, Mr Ch. Harirama Jogaiah, and the former TD leader, Mr K. Vidyadhara Rao, were bystanders. Mr Jogaiah said he would quit the Congress on August 17.

Even after opening the party office, the superstar was not willing to reveal anything about the date of launch of his party, its name and agenda. The only thing he was ready to disclose was that he was entering politics. "I will announce the new political outfit in a week and place before the people its name, shape and agenda," was all that he said.

Apparently, the actor has not revealed anything to the senior leaders who defected from other parties either. "Chiranjeevi is keeping his cards close to his chest," said a senior leader. "Though we meet him often, he doesn’t discuss his political plans with us. Everyone is kept in the dark."

Meanwhile, the Chiran-jeevi camp intensified its efforts to pull in more prospective leaders from the Congress and the Telugu Desam. The actor also asked his followers and fans to take part in the relief and rehabilitation measures in flood hit areas across the state.

Sources said Chiranjeevi would be performing a two-day Chandi Homam at Goddess Kamakshi temple in Kancheepuram near Chennai on August 21 and 22.

Hyderabad Saimira: http://www.hyderabadsaimira.com/News/NewsItem.aspx?newsid=4454

Hollywood top five weekend collections (August 8-10, 2008)

1. The Dark Knight (Warner Bros.): $441.5 million
2. Pineapple Express (Sony / Columbia): $40.5 million

3. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (Universal): $70.7 million

4. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (Warner Bros.): $19.7 million

5. Step Brothers (Sony / Columbia): $80.9 million

Pyramid Saimira presents the third story of ‘Simran Marupurani Kathalu’- “Navashakthi”

‘Simran Marupurani Kathalu’ enters its third story in the month of August with a spiritualistic storyline. This mini-mega is telecast on Maa TV from Monday to Thursday during the 8.30P.M slot. Fittingly titled “Navashakthi” this is a story that revolves around the extraordinary powers of the Almighty.

It is written in scriptures that the whole universe is conjoined by the forces an unsurpassable energy in the form of Shakthi. The mother of all humanity, Annai Adhiparasahkthi, unites the good and evil deeds of this world safeguarding the interests of human beings. As she fights for justice she instills spiritual faith in them, this would be the underlying tone of “Navashakthi”.


In “Navashakthi” a mortal man aspires to procure the energies of Shakthi by unleashing heavenly secrets. Realizing the effects it would create on earth, Annai induces her devotees Uma Maheshwari and Gayathri Devi to fight the negative and egoistic mortal man whose desire to control the world reaches a zenith point. Amman shows her prowess at every juncture by adorning new avatars, to teach the mortal a good lesson.

This is a story that comes to enlighten and instill the power of spiritual forces in this corrupt world of “Kaliyug”. “Navashakthi” is packed with mystery, mythology and divinity.

Simran as usual gives a splendid performance, essaying more than 14 characters, that would definitely ear mark her as the one and only all-rounder in the Television Industry.

Along with Simran this mini-mega has Poovilangu Mohan, O.A.K. Sundar, Anuradha Krishnamoorthy and Subbulaxmi.

Story, Screenplay : Selva Paandi
Dialogue : Vennilakanti
Cinematography : Azaad
Direction : Aravindhraj
Creative Head : Subhaa Venkat

Newsreelindia launches AP website

http://www.newsreelindia.in/ brings you another exciting website - www.hyderabadsaimira.com - which is a portal providing you info and services on everything about Andhra Pradesh.

This is a portal dedicated to the sweet Telugu language, the glorious culture of Andhra Pradesh, its language, art, lifestyle, movies, music and what-have-you.

This is yet another website from the stable of the Pyramid Saimira group with a view to provide info, news, services, events - in short, everything you wanted to know about Andhra Pradesh.

The site went live with the click of the mouse by T K Vibhaker, president, Operations, Saimira Access Technologies Ltd, in the presence of R Venkatakrishnan, COO.

The site will provide 24-hour live news updates related to Andhra Pradesh and Telugus living all over the world. This is the next best thing to living in Hyderabad.

Videos, audio, photos of events would be brought to you, giving you an exciting and vibrant feel of Andhra Pradesh irrespective of which part of the world you live in.

So, stay in touch with hyderabadsaimira.com and stay in touch with Andhra Pradesh.
http://www.hyderabadsaimira.com/ This is the url to watch out for and to share with Telugu-speaking people all over the world.

http://www.hyderabadsaimira.com/ comes to you close on the heels of chennaisaimira.com going live.

Hollywood's ‘Death Race’ begins in this August

Death Race is an upcoming action film written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. The film is a remake of the 1975 film Death Race 2000 and stars Jason Statham in the lead role. The remake had been in development since 2002, though production was delayed by disapproval of early screenplays then placed in turnaround following a dispute between Paramount Pictures and the producer duo Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner. Death Race was acquired by Universal Studios, and Anderson re-joined the project to write and direct. Filming began in Montreal in August 2007, and Death Race is slated for a release on August 22, 2008.
Premise
In a future America, prison inmates are forced to compete against each other in a driving arena. The prison warden (Joan Allen) coerces a prisoner with only weeks before his release (Jason Statham) into becoming a driver. The prisoner becomes a crowd favorite known as Frankenstein.
Featuring
Jason Statham as a prisoner, Jensen Ames coerced to drive in the arena, becoming famously known as Frankenstein.
Tyrese Gibson as Machine Gun Joe, a sociopathic racer who looks to escape from prison.
Joan Allen as the prison warden.
Ian McShane as a coach.
Natalie Martinez as Case, Frankenstein's navigator.

Pyramid Saimira presents Simran Thirai - “Kannamoochchi Re Re”

The sixth story of “Simran Thirai”, interestingly titled “Kannamoochi Re Re” will begin its innings in the month of August on Jaya TV after the successful completion of “Navavelli” which transported the audience through a spiritual sojourn during the month of July.

Strictly adhering to the concept of mini-mega this sixth story also promises to be crisp, and condensed in its format.

The protagonist, Simran, this time plays the role of an innocent unassuming young woman whose beauty magnetizes her brother-in-law ‘Sathyan’s attention. She is caught between the vicious Sathyan’s advances on whom she is dependent and her own sister’s happily married life. She has two choices in hand to control the situation- either share him along with her sister or runaway from home, which obviously would result in risking her sister’s life to her monster brother-in-law.

As desires grow and domestic life sours for Sathyan, every individual’s life takes a swerve. Simran loses her memory and gets lost in the city, her aged father goes in to a deep coma and her sister is found murdered. The culprit behind all the problems Sathyan roams around as a free man longing to get back his object of desire-Simran. Will Simran fall prey to his trap? Will her sister’s murder be avenged? As memory plays hide-and-seek in this milieu only “Kannamoochi Re Re” will have all the answers.