An update on what's cooking in the Tamil film industry.

After the highly acclaimed Tamil film Pokkisham, National Award winning director Cheran is coming out with his new project, Muran. It is his production house Dream Theatres that is presenting Muran. Natrajan Pazhani is the executive producer.

Muran stars Cheran and Prasanna in the lead roles, and two newcomers as heroines while Jayaprakash plays a major role.

Wielding the megaphone is Rajjan Madhav, son of Malayalam music composer, the late Raveendran. Raveendran had scored music for well known films like His Highness Abdullah, Bharatham and Vaddakunathan.

Rajjan Madhav has worked as co-director to Mysskin in Anjathae Nandhalala and Yudhan Sei. Story, screenplay and dialogue are also by Rajjan Madhav.

Scoring the film's music would be Rajjan's brother Sajjan Madhav.

The shooting of the film will go on from August to November, and will be released in Januray 2011.

It was while applying for the UK visa for the shoot of his forthcoming film Vaanam in London that Simbu (as he is known) was asked to expand his initials.

When expanded, his name is Silambarasan Thesingu Rajendran.

Seeing this, one of the officials suggested that he changed his name to STR as it sounds like MGR and NTR. Impressed with the suggestion, the actor now wants his fans and peers to call him STR!

Gautham Vasudev Menon's production house, Photon Factory has acquired the rights to remake Kalavani in all the Indian languages. The production house is currently involved in the making of Veppam and Nadunisi Naaigal.

Photon factory had successfully co-produced several hits like Kamal Haasan starrer Vettaiyadu Vilayadu, Suriya's Khaakha Khaakha, Venkatesh's Telugu film Gharashana, and Pachaikili Muthusaram featuring Sarath Kumar and Jyothika.

Kalavani, directed by Sargunam, Kalavani featuring Pasanga fame Vimal, Oviya, Ilavarasan and Saranya in lead roles, is one of the sleeper hits of 2010.