A R Rahman.

Rhythm, directed by Vasanth who made hits like Keladi Kanmani, Nee Paadhi Naan Paadhi, Aasai, and the recent Nerukku Ner (the last two films for Mani Ratnam's Madras Talkies banner) stars Arjun (Gentleman) and Meena. Vasanth, who is a movie buff, has even named his second son Ritwik after the legendary director, Ritwik Ghatak. Vasanth's wife is cinematographer Jeeva's sister. Music for Rhythm has been scored by A R Rahman, their first time together -- and the buzz is that it is a brilliant score.

Supposedly, it was Rahman who came up with the title of the film as well -- figures, given that ARR is known for his complex rhythm structures. Does that signal a musical? We'll know, come the Festival of Lights.

Ah Taj!

ATaj Mahal on the shores of the Bay of Bengal? Yeah, right -- this one built not by Shah Jehan for his beloved Mumtaz, but by art director Ananthasai for the under-production film Anandamazhai.

Interestingly, before making this set -- which he has situated in Mahabalipuram -- the architect had not seen the original, on the banks of the Yamuna.

The film is being helmed by director Karunakaran, who earlier assisted Kadhir, whose credits include the Vineet-Abbas-Tabu starrer Kaadhal Desam.

Anandamazhai's talking points will include the Tamil debut of a certain Pavan Kalyan -- Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi's younger brother. In Telugu land, they call the Big C 'Cyclone Chiranjeevi' -- presumably for the way his films storm the box office. We reckon Pavan -- a gentle breeze, if you translate his name from the Hindi -- will want to emulate his elder brother, and whip up a bit of a storm on the Mollywood marquee.

The female interest in the film is Bangalore belle Keerthi Reddy. Remember her? The svelte city girl from Dubai who flashes back into her earlier lifetime as a princess, in the film Devadai, directed by Nasser.

Family Plot

We've been looking at how films, down south, is becoming something of a family business -- so here's another add-on to earlier items in that vein.

T Rajendar -- the hirsute guy with a penchant for responding in perfect rhyme to even an innocent question about the weather -- is now working on a film called Monisha.

For which, hold your breath, the man writes story, screenplay and dialogue, directs, and also handles the camera. Talk about a one-man army!

Then there is wife Usha, who designs costumes for the film. And son Silambarasan, who has earlier made his celluloid bow, now adds to the growing number of young composers, taking the baton for a few of the songs.

Between them, the TR family appear to have covered all the bases, huh?

Rajni returns!