Samantha on the star track

Actress Samantha may not have made her mark in Kollywood yet, but the petite lass has two of K’town’s most anticipated films in her kitty. The buzz created by Neethane En Ponvasantham and Kadal indicates the perfect setting for Samantha to cash in and change her fortunes. Speaking to DC, where she is currently shooting for Autonagar Surya opposite Naga Chaitanya, Samantha couldn’t be more ready for a dream innings in tinsel town.

The actress says, “I had a ‘dream debut’ in Tollywood and received good offers there. My films have done well and I’m very blessed with the love, affection and opportunities I have received there.” Samantha acknowledges, however, that she hasn’t met with the same success in Kollywood. “My first two films in Tamil didn’t do too well. But I hope to get that elusive break here soon.” And, why won’t she? Now, that she is set to star in a Mani Ratnam movie. “I auditioned for the role in Kadal and only God knows how many people auditioned for it too! I can’t wait for the shooting, which has been delayed by the strike. Anybody would love to work with Mr Mani Ratnam,” she says.

We will, however, see Samantha in Neethane En Ponvasantham before Kadal. “The film is in its last stages and it has been quote a challenge,” concedes Samantha, who had to shoot for the trilingual simultaneously. “I’ve invested quite a bit into the film and I hope the effort pays off,” she says. While the Tamil version stars Jiiva in the lead, Samantha will be seen opposite Nani and Aditya Roy Kapoor in the Telugu and Hindi versions respectively.

 http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/showbiz/tollywood/samantha-star-track-30

Tamanna stays loyal to Tollywood

Fair and Lovely Tamanna is currently one of the busiest actresses in Tollywood. Three of her films are awaiting release in this summer. Racha will be her first release which would be followed by Endukante Premanta and Rebel.

Tamanna is too busy in Tollywood to take up films from other languages. She has great fan following in Tamilnadu and that is the reason why she is always flooded with offers from Kollywood. But Tamanna has been rejecting all the offers as she is finding it tough to adjust her dates between the Telugu films itself.

Tamanna declined an offer from a Bollywood producer because of the same reason. Also the beautiful lady says that she is happy and content in Tollywood now, so she doesn’t have any plans to enter Bollywood.

http://www.supergoodmovies.com/40351/tollywood/tamanna-stays-loyal-to-tollywood-news-details

Kulraj Randhawa to try her luck in Tollywood

Actress Kulraj Randhawa ventured into the film industry with Punjabi movies and then progressed to Bollywood. Now she is again changing gears and intends to do films down South.

The 28-year-old TV actress made her full fledged debut on the big screen in 2006 with the Punjabi film 'Mannat' opposite Jimmy Shergill and later did a Hindi film 'Chintuji' (2009) alongside veteran actor Rishi Kapoor.

The actress, who played Bobby Deol's love interest in the hit, 'Yamla Pagla Deewana', now wants to try her luck in Tollywood.

"I had been receiving offers from the South film industry for quite some time. But earlier nothing interested me much. There are a couple of projects in the pipeline. I have offers from Hindi, Punjabi and South film industry," the actress said.

"The offers are mostly for Telugu films and I should do a film this year," she said.

"It will be difficult and would take time for me to pick up the language but it would happen gradually. But then I would take up classes during the course of the film. At least for sometime I would see if someone can dub for me till the time I get the language right," she said.

She will next be seen opposite Tusshar Kapoor in 'Char Din Ki Chandni' that releases on March 9.

 http://www.indianexpress.com/news/kulraj-randhawa-to-try-her-luck-in-tollywood/917758/

Two fresh cases of swine flu reported in Andhra Pradesh

Two fresh cases of swine flu have been reported from two private hospitals here, a top health official said on Tuesday. 

"Two H1N1 positive cases have been identified and they include a male and a female. The patients are admitted in private hospitals and their condition is stable," Andhra Pradesh State Coordinator for Swine Flu Dr Subhakar told PTI today. 

Allaying the concerns, Subhakar said there was no need to panic as such sporadic cases are reported intermittently. 

"There is no hazard for transmission of such cases and that the situation is well under control," he added.

Digging for treasure in Andhra

Digging up a school for suspected treasure that may be buried beneath may sound bizarre, but the search for hidden treasure is an annual ritual in many parts of Andhra Pradesh.

Every monsoon, hundreds of people in Kurnool, Krishna and Visakhapatnam districts search riverbeds and hill slopes for diamonds and precious stones that the rains may have unearthed.

Treasure hunters down the ages have dug up almost everything that had even the remotest association with treasure troves. From graves to old trees, palaces to temples, abandoned houses to forest tracts, drains to tunnels, and riverbeds to hill slopes - all have been the target of treasure seekers in Andhra Pradesh.

The chances of finding the treasure is said to be four in 100 attempts.

The search for elusive treasure is not entirely without reason. Historically and geologically, Andhra Pradesh has the second largest mineral resource in India and the State can boast of producing seven of the world’s top 10 diamonds including the Kohinoor.

The last ruler of the erstwhile Hyderabad State was the richest man of his times. The empires of
Vijayanagar, Kakatiya, Golconda, and Kondaveedu in the more recent past, as also the Satavahanas,
Vishnukundinis and Chalukyas in the distant past, were known for their vast treasures and wealth.

"A treasure hunt is often triggered by a folk tale. There have been hundreds of cases of vandalism in and around Hyderabad with organised gangs of treasure seekers digging up even ancient graves.

Unlike other States, Andhra Pradesh sits on a treasure trove of natural resources and those left
by its rich and magnificent rulers. Several palaces had special vaults where treasure was stored.

Unfortunately, they were stolen by family members and servants after the fall of the kingdoms,” says Hyderabad city historian Dr Muhammad Safiullah.

Incidentally, even as the archaeology department was digging up the premises of Vidyaranya school
in Hyderabad, a few hundred kilometres away, in Tirupati, about 40 diamond experts from around the
world, including South Africa and the UK, were participating in a GSI Geological Survey of India
meeting as part of the national diamond project to unearth diamonds.

The GSI has found 53 kimberlite formations in Rayalaseema region.

Andhra Pradesh has a special tribe whose members search for treasure in municipal drains, sieving
the sludge. A day-long search in the sewerage yields them money just sufficient to buy food for the family.

The National Mineral Development Corporation, the Geological Survey of India and multinational diamond majors search for diamonds and precious stones using modern technology, but the common man uses simple metal detectors and ground scanners and depends on local folklore to zero in on the treasure.

The family of the Nizams, erstwhile rulers of the State, are said to be still searching for the missing Nizam diamond, which is believed to be worth Rs 1000 crore in the international market. The
Nizam's diamond was last seen 60 years ago in the State treasury of the then Hyderabad State.

It went missing in mysterious circumstances just before the Indian Army annexed the State in 1948.
The diamond weighs 277 carats and the World Diamond Council lists it as one of the 'mysterious precious stones' of historical importance.

It is the second largest diamond ever mined from the Krishna valley (Golconda mines) after the Great Moghul diamond.

Accidental finds of treasure have been a regular affair in the State. Coins found during ploughing
of fields and renovation of old houses now number over six lakh. The State Archaeology Museum has
thousands of gold coins, which together weigh about 130 kg. Their antiquity value is almost ten times more than their metal value.

According to Dr P. Channa Reddy, State Treasure Trove officer, several locations in and around
Hyderabad are said to harbour treasures. Hyderabad had several secret air ducts, chambers and tunnels where money and valuable jewellery were stored.

It is believed that the city had in fact two underground palaces near the Chowk abutting Charminar
locality. Called the Dad Mahal and Moti Mahal, the underground palaces were reportedly built by
the Qutub Shahis for protection from the invading Moghuls. These palaces, now lost, reportedly
contained several valuables.

The precious stones and diamonds collected during the rainy season along the river Krishna and its
tributaries and on hill slopes are secretly sold in Vijayawada, Hyderabad and Adhoni in Kurnool
district.

The spots said to yield treasures during the monsoon include Adhoni, Alur, Holigonda, Aspari and Pathikonda in Kurnool district, Vajrakarur and Vuravakonda in Anantapur, and Jaggaiahpet, Paritala
and Ramannapet in Krishna district. Precious and coloured stones are found in the Agency areas of
Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.

Andhra Pradesh has been the favourite hunting ground of treasure searchers for several centuries.
Treasure hunting gangs armed with metal detectors and scanners have vandalised several places in and around Hyderabad.

They believe that the person in charge of the treasury of Tana Shah, the last of the Qutub Shahi kings, fled with the Qutub Shahi jewels from the invading Moghul army and the treasure was
hidden somewhere around Golconda.

In the last 15 years, the State’s diamond resources grew by 350 times to 20 lakh carats, as teams from the GSI, NGRI and other organisations studied new areas for the presence of diamonds.

Andhra Pradesh is rich in 48 minerals and it stands second in value of mineral production, contributing eight per cent (Rs 4857 crore) of the country's mineral value production of Rs 59, 509 crore.

It earns foreign exchange of Rs 634 crore. Gold occurs in 11 districts and diamonds are found over 50,000 sq km spread over nine districts.

Power crisis hits industries in Andhra Pradesh

 A major industrial crisis is staring at Andhra Pradesh with the small and medium industrial units threatening a lock-out following the decision of the power utilities to force the industrial sector to observe, what is effectively, a 17-day power holiday in a month. This is in view of the worsening power crisis. 

The power utilities have issued notices to about 1.61 lakh small and micro industrial units effective Wednesday (February 29), that they should observe 2-day power holiday in a week along with the regular weekly off. Apart from this, they have been told that no power would be supplied between 6 pm and 10 pm everyday in the name of peak load adjustment. Along with the 12 days forced by the three-day a week power closure, the four-hour shutdown between 6 pm and 10 pm would translate into 120 hours of closure or another 5 days of holiday in a month. As a result, the industrial units can work for only 13 days in a month! 

On Monday, representatives of 17 small and medium industrial units in and around Hyderabad served lock-out notices to joint labour commissioner Ravi Bhushan Rao stating that the power crisis and the holidays imposed on them is virtually sounding the death knell for them even as other units across the state prepared to follow suit. "We are forced to close for 17 days in a month. We cannot survive under these circumstances," said APK Reddy, president of small and medium industrial units association. Many other industrial units have decided to announce lay-offs so that they can save on salaries. "I will bring the issue to the notice of the state government as the power cuts issue does not fall under the purview of the labour department," Ravi Bhushan Rao told TOI. 

Nearly 6,000 units located in and around Hyderabad have decided to go for 15-day lock-out in a month so that they need not pay full salary to the workers. Nearly 13 lakh workers are employed in these units and they are set to receive only half the monthly salary from March onwards. "With only half the month's salary, how does one expect the worker to survive in this metro city," asked a trade union leader in Miyapur industrial estate. 

In all, 37 lakh workers are employed in the 1.61 lakh small and micro industrial units across the state. Thanks to the power crisis and the power holiday, the unemployment rate is set to drastically increase in the coming months due to the lock-outs and lay-offs. Industrial units in Chittoor, Kadapa, Anantapur, Warangal, Karimnagar, Nizamabad and Medak are also planning to go for lock-out in order to minimise their losses as the production in their units has come down to less than 50%. 

The unprecedented industrial power cuts saw a reversal of the industrial growth in the state which had touched an all-time high in the 2007-08 financial year when there were no power cuts or power holidays in the industrial sector. 

"Normally, we take up extra production in January and February as there would not be any power cuts in these months. But because of the 17-day power holiday, we would not be able to meet the production targets this year," said a company owner in Jeedimetal industrial estate. 

Ironically, it is the political decision of free power to the agricultural sector that has triggered the power crisis in the state as the dole meant to keep the farmers happy accounts for 40% of the total power consumed in the state. "At present, we are not in a position to give any relief to the industrial sector as the Rabi season is at a crucial period. Any shortage of power to agriculture would adversely result in crop damage," said a senior energy department official. 

Even as many small and medium industrial units face closure due to the unprecedented power crisis, chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is promising to provide 15 lakh jobs in the private sector during the next three years under Rajiv Yuva Kiranalu. "The state government is taking away jobs on the one hand and is promising jobs on the other. Isn't there a bigger irony," said one official.

Bandh call evokes mixed response in Andhra Pradesh

 The strike called by 11 major trade unions evoked a mixed response in Andhra Pradesh. While the public sector banks remain paralysed, the bus services were also affected. However the life was normal in Hyderabad and other major cities.

The State leaders of CPI(M) and CPI(M) BV Raghavulu and Dr K Narayana and the other prominent leaders of trade unions were arrested when they tried to take out the rallies in different parts of the State and enforce the strike.

Raghavulu and Narayana were arrested in the busy Kothi area of Hyderabad where they participated in a rally of the trade union workers. Tension prevailed in Secunderabad railway station area where the trade unions took out a major rally. As the police tried to prevent the rally and take the leaders in to custody, there were squabbling between the two sides.

Dr K Narayana said that the Government had made the life of common man miserable by increasing the taxes and failing to control the prices of the essential commodities. “The time has come for all the people to rise against the wrong policies of the Government,” he said.

Former CPI(M) member of Rajya Sabha P Madhu, who tried to block the path of the buses at the Mahatma Gandhi Bus station in Hyderabad, was taken into custody. The trade union workers also stopped the buses in the other major cities including Vijaywada, Visakhapatanam, Karimnagar and Tirupati.

While private banks operated normally, the public sector banks were closed in Hyderabad and other parts of the State. Work was also affected in many industrial units in Visakhapatanam, a major industrial hub in Andhra Pradesh. The main Opposition Telugu Desam and the YSR Congress had also declared their support to the bandh called to protest against the anti-worker and anti-farmer policies of the Central Government.

The farmers’ cells of almost all the political parties had also called the farmers to take part in the strike by bringing their bullock carts and the cattle on to the roads to block the traffic.

Dharnas and public meetings were also organised as part of the strike at several places. Work was also affected in the coal mines of Singareni companies with a section of miners staying away from the work.

In the State Assembly, the Telugu Desam and the left parties staged a walk out in protest against the anti-farmer policies of the State Government. They demanded lifting of ban on the export of rice to the other States to help the farmers. The BJP members also staged a walk out on the same issue.

name change from Mr Nokia to Mr Nookayya

After a name change from Mr Nokia to Mr Nookayya, the release date of the movie was also deferred. Now Mr. Nookayya is said to be released on March 8.

The post production work for the Manchu Manoj-starrer is going on at a brisk pace.

The picture was earlier slated for a March 2nb release. The audio of this film was released in January. Yuvan Shankar Raja has scored music for this youthful entertainer, directed by Ani Kanneganti. Kriti Kharbanda and Sana Khan are the female leads in this film, produced by D.S. Rao under the Shailendra Movies banner.

Freida strips for sexiest photoshoot ever

Freida Pinto is lauded as one of the best dressed and often features on the ‘most beautiful women in the world’ lists. But in a glossy new photoshoot, the 27-year-old Indian actor has revealed her rarely seen sexy side as she posed suggestively in a vest and panties for the April issue of men’s magazine Esquire.

Sonia Gandhi again goes US for mysterious check-up

Domains Sale at GoDaddy

THE IRON LADY

Dhanush & anushka anthem about sachin