Jayapradha given vital role in Kamal's

Star actress and M.P. Jayapradha has joined the Kamal Haasan-led cast for "Dasavatharam" currently being shot at various locations in Tamil Nadu. She made a visit to Chennai recently in this connection. She is pairing with Kamal Haasan along with Asin and Mallika Sherawat as heroines.

Produced by Oscar Ravichandran of Oscar Films', the megabudget Tamil film "Dasavatharam" is directed by K.S Ravikumar. Kamal plays ten roles in the film.

The story spans a period of 500 years. Maha Vishnu, one of the Trimurthis of the Hindu Pantheon, took ten avatars to liquidate asuras, who represented the evil forces at the time and re-establish Dharma on the earth.

Similar is the story of "Dasavatharam" but tailored to the modern day social evils which ought to be put down. Ultimately, it falls on the lot of an atheist (non-believer in God) to fight forces masquerading as upholders of dharma and as guardians of the country's proud cultural heritage.

These charlatans mostly indulged in removing idols from ancient temples around the country and smuggling them abroad using their world-wide networks. The roles the atheist Kamal dons symbolize Maha Vishnu's ten avartars. Kamal takes on the modern day evil forces in ten different garbs and vanquishes them.

Asin and Sherawat have already started participating in the shooting of the film. Jayapradha will work from next month. It was 20 years ago that Jayapradha paired with Kamal in K. Viswanath's dance classical "Salangai Oli". She also played opposite Kamal in "Ninaithaale Inikkum".

The first phase of shooting, which began more than a month ago, ended last week at Uthandi near Chennai on the East Coast Road leading to Pondicherry . One of the locations in the first phase was "Anna Arivalayam", the DMK headquarters at Teynampet. Another location was Srirangam, near Tiruchi, on the banks of the Cauvery where the ancient Sri Ranganathaswamy temple is situated. Presently the shooting is continuing near Chengalpattu.

Excited about her role in "Dasavatharam" and teaming up with Kamal after a gap of two decades, Jayapradha said: "I feel very happy to be associated with a legend like Kamalji and a prestigious banner like Oscar Films. I play a vital role in the film and I also have a song. I will begin shooting from next month onwards."

MEETS CM KARUNANIDHI: When she was in Chennai, Jayapradha took the opportunity to call on the Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, and discussed her "dream project "Kannagi" with him. According to her spokesperson, the actress who had started her own production company, Jayapradha Films, expressed her strong desire to produce the film and sought to know whether the Government could grant a subsidy for her project. Incidentally Mr. Karunanidhi had written the screenplay and dialogue for "Poompuhar", the mythological film about Kannagi. His veneration for the character of Kannagi bordering on obsession propelled him to install a statue for Kannagi on the Marina beach.

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Dasavatharam