Double whammy for Mukesh

The recent strike in the Malayalam industry has affected shooting schedules and release dates quite badly. Some high-profile projects like Mammootty's Venice Ile Vyaapaari and Mohanlal's Arabeem Ottakom P Madhavan Nair Um In Oru Marubhoomikkatha will now hit theatres in the second half of December.

Small budget films are vying to get into the theatres before the big rush and this includes two films with Mukesh as the hero. Director Tulasi Das's Killadi Raman and debutant Hari Amaravila's Happy Durbar have been scheduled for this weekend.

"It's really tough for the producers to wait for some more weeks and we have no option but to release both the films on the same day," says Mukesh.

In fact, he is doing an important role in Arabeem Ottakom..., which will be his third release this month!

Jishnu, son of yesteryear actor Raghavan had made a sensational entry into Malayalam films with Kamal's Nammal in 2002. After doing a few more films, his attention shifted to business.

"I was actually planning to manage both business and acting together, but the responsibilities forced me to take a break from films. My idea was to stay away from films only for one or two years, but it took more time than I had expected. In between, I did Chakkaramuthu and Yugapurushan. Now I am back and I would like to contribute to this industry which I have been part of all along," says Jishnu.

Jishnu is currently shooting for Siddharth Bharathan's Nidra and has completed Sugeeth's Ordinary.

Sonia Agarwal, who shot to fame playing the heroine in ex-husband Selvaraghavan's Tamil films Kaadhal Kondein and 7G Rainbow Colony, is trying her luck in Malayalam films now. She is playing Mukesh's wife in Grahanathan, the shooting of which is currently going on in Kochi.

Grahanathan is being directed by Mohan Kupleri and Sonia plays a housewife who has to manage things on her own after her husband loses his job.

She is all set to make her comeback in films with a bang and has pinned her hopes on her forthcoming Tamil release Oru Nadigayin Vakku Moolam.

 "Of course I am ready to do more films in Malayalam if good offers come my way," says Sonia.