Stupidity.

I was bit surprised when i found a fork and spoon in my plate along with poori.Not only this, i find many folks wrestling with rava dosa by using spoons.Just coz of this,i think of-late most of the servers are placing the spoons in plates before u ask.Eating with hands or spoon doesn’t matter, its one’s own choice.But there’s a basic criteria what all the foods are meant for spoons and what all for hands.Struggling with rava dosa or poori by using spoon is utter stupidity.Why we use spoons, jus coz some foods aren’t comfortable with hands,but when the spoon itself becoming a burden then why the hell we need to use?

Malare Malare Ullasam….

With just two days to go for Maestro’s Birthday i would like to revive some of his rare classics with visuals.Lets start with an amazing solo number sung by Janaki from the movie Un Kaneel Neer Vazhinthaal.Though the movie was a disaster,it had an interesting combo for the first (and ofcourse last time too) Rajini + Balumahendra.Probably many might have seen this movie in Raj Tv.The song is a typical Balu’s duet shot in his favt ooty locations with the mesmerizing janaki’s voice @ the backdrop.How come ooty looks so refreshing only under the lens of Balu ?

Thalapathy… a Maniratnam Masterpiece.

Though i have seen Thalapathy n number of times i failed to realise its amazing Technical Brilliance hidden under its shell.All these years jus i have enjoyed the movie as an entertainer without much stressing on technical details.But i was totally blown away when i watched it in a DVD few months back.In technical aspects i wud say Thalapathy is Mani’s Masterstroke.Agreed all his movies has technical brilliance,but Thalapathy is something special, Thanks to Santhosh Sivan’s breathtaking Fotography,Maestro’s scintillating BGM+Songs and above all Mani’s execution of Scenes & Characterisations makes one of the best in the industry.Since Thalapathy has its adaptation from the epic Mahabharatha,both the scenes and characters has shades of Mahabharatha.To Start off with

 

Titles : Mani movies never had Titles in Maroon color(usually come in White fonts in Black Background) but in Thalapathy Titles come in Maroon color or Brick red color since Rajini’s character is ditto Karna in Mahabharatha who is a Son of Sun,which is maroon or brick red color.Needless to say Rajni’s name in Thalapathy is Surya.This is the reason, Rajni’s Costume wud be Maroon Colored Shirt in most of the scenes.

• In many Scenes u can see the Sun Rays joining with Rajni.
• When Srividya and Rajni unites u can see the Sun Rising.
• Also the whole movie wud have a Maroonish color tone (as like Sethu’s Paandi Madam Green tone in the second half) since the story demands it.

Characterisation: See how beautifully Mani portrays the Shobana’s Characterisation.Please do watch the portion before the song starts.

Here Shobana cries but when Rajini asks the reason for crying, she has no answer to say.Mani has made this jus to show Shobana is too soft in nature so that she can’t even bear a shouting @ her.

• Shobana wud always starts from ” Yamunai aatrile Eera Kaatrile Kananodu thaan Aaada” but once the love is broken she starts from ” Aayarpadiyil Kannan Illayo “.
• The Backdrop location wud be a Kovil – Theppakulam when both Rajini – Shobana were in Love.But the backdrop wud be a ruined fort with no trees or shrubs, the scene where Shobana comes to Rajini to say that she gonna get married with Arvindswamy.
• Also during the break-up scene of Shobana – Rajini u can see the sun trying to set.

Songs: Now we shall look into Mani’s Magic in the songs.Picturising songs is an art which not comes to all directors, even the biggies Bharathiraja,Balachandar limps when coming to Song Picturisation.(Who can forget the hilarious White angels,Clapping of hands,Sunflowers of Bharathiraja) But for Mani Jus a room is enuf, he will do things in a brilliant manner.(Eg.Ninnukori Varnam).Since Rajini’s Characterisation is similiar to a warrior who goes for frequent fights, Mani had picturised the song in such a way.What’s more beauty in this song is  many wud have heard in olden days, War won’t happen after 6 jus to nurse the injured soldiers. The same here too once shobana lit the lamps, Mani won’t show the war instead rajini wud be there with horses resting aside him.

Ilaiyaraaja aka BGM: Can’t even imagine anyother music director for this classic,Thank God!!! Mani - Raja parted their ways away after this movie else Thalapathy wud have been turned into a damp squib.Lets See Raja’s Magic.

• Whenever Srividya thinks of Rajini, BGM wud be Train’s Siren.Amazing  isnt’it?
• In Sundari kannal oru Sethi When Rajni goes for war u can hear the Police March Fast BGM.

Some amazing BGM portions in Thalapathy.

• Rajini – Shobana Break up scene.
• Rajini – Mammootty first Meeting & Uniting scene.

• When Rajini stands in a small hill i.e exactly before Amrish puri enters into the scene.
• See Maestro’s Magic,u can hear the Temple – Bell Ringing sound in the BGM when Shobana lies her head in Rajini’s lap & When Mammootty hugs Rajini in the staircases of Rajini’s House.(This is jus to show,as people say good things gonna happen when anyone heard the Temple-bell ringing sound.)

Ayan.

Ayan proves 2 points clearly:

• Even a small piece of news can be crafted in celluloid, only the director should have the guts and caliber in presenting it with a style.
• There are hell  lot of fresh themes are running around us,but only few find the plot in it.

Kudos to  KV.Anand for his fresh treatment and a racy Screenplay,as a result movie jus flying from the first scene till Interval.(Eg.Brilliant Stunt Sequences in Congo with an awesome BGM(Harris) & Fotography.(M.S.Prabhu)).But in the Post-Interval Ayan tests our patience with its length and unwanted songs.If the movie have been trimmed  by 30 mts, it wud have become  an action extravaganza.Still i wud say it’s a Terrific Entertainer. Go for it with minimal expectations.

Ayan – Hitech Ghillie.

Recession.

எந்த நேரத்துல இந்த படம் வந்துச்சோ now the total IT is in shatters,Thanks to the Recession.

P.S : Remembering a dialog in Puthupettai,Dhanush says ” காலைல எந்த‌ரிச்சு களுத்த தொட்டு பாத்தாதான் தெரியும்…உசுர் இருக்கா இல்லையான்னு ” . Same for Techies too : Company poi ID Card Swipe panna thaaan theriyum Velai irukaaa,Illayannu…

Why this much hoopla over IPL?

Due to the lack of para-military forces, security was declined for the IPL matches and the govt asked the IPL organisers to postpone the matches.But the board members were reluctant for the procrastination(Since the dates wud clash with international matches.)and shifted the venue to South Africa.With this kinda scenario its needless to say how the parties will do their maximum efforts in politicising the issue for their political gains Esp.When  the elections are round the corner.Adding to this IPL organisers too expressed their disappointment over the rejection of security.And everyone created a scene as if conducting IPL matches in the subcontinent is a matter of  national pride.Claiming security for 52 matches in the midst of Gen.Elecs is not an easy thing.(Even the Gen.Elecs are conducted in multiple phases jus coz of the lack of numbers in police forces.)To be more precise its not even a much significant World cup or Asian games which involves many countries,so that to seek for para-military forces.Then why this much fuss for a Local County cricket tournament? This IPL episode clearly shows cricket in India taking too much privilege over other sports.What will happen if the IPL matches are conducted frequently in the coming years? Do the security people don’t have any other job than guarding these over hyped county tournaments?

Situation Matters.

Lets deal with a classic song from one of the Best combo in Tamil Cinema K.Balachandar – Ilaiyaraaja – Vaalee – SPB.What’s so special abt this song to write off ? Its the situation matters.A duet or a peppy or even a pathos won’t do justice for this kinda situation.First lets see the situation b4 going to the song.

Situation:

With total frustration,Rahman goes on a journey without knowing the destination.On the way he gets introduced to Sithara,a nice relationship blossoms between them which makes Rahman on top of the world Esp.when he is yearning for a person with whom he could share his past life burdens.

At this type  of scenario the song has to reflect Rahman’s state of mind i.e.a blend of his present happiness and past bitterness instead of usual duet or pathos.That’s what done by the amazing trio KB – Raja – Vaalee in an amazing style.See the Raja’s Magic here,the song wud have poignancy but @ the same time it won’t have complete pathos feel like Oorai Therinchukitten Or Raaja Enbaar Manithiri Enbaar and here we also need to mention Vaalee’s Lyrics which captures the Rahman’s Life in jus two lines

நான் போட்ட பூமாலை மணம் சேர்க்கவில்லை

நீ தானே எனக்காக மடல் பூத்த முல்லை!!!

And here comes the classic and my most favt lines

நீங்காத பாரம் என் நெஞ்சோடு தான்

நான் தேடும் சுமைதாங்கி நீ அல்லவா!!

நான் வாடும் நேரம் உன் மார்போடுதான்

நீ என்னை தாலாட்டும் தாய்யல்லவா!!!

Chemistry has to be beautiful as follows:

One of my most favt AD in the recent times.(Thanks a ton to the one who uploaded in Utube.) Raima sen eyes doing enuf damage in my heart than her looks.

Naan Kadavul – Bala is the Hero.

I’m sick of the Nonsense Phrase ”Tamil Cinema has gone to the next level” ( a default statement we wud have seen either in the magazine or online portal reviews of all offbeat movies.) Also i’m really scared, how long this gonna continue and when will tamil cinema stop going to next level.The reason to quote here is jus with some rare exceptions like Naan Kadavul hitting the theatres once in a blue moon along with usual utter craps makes no difference to tamil cinema.Coming to Naan Kadavul, to sum up in a single line,the champion of the movie is Bala.With trailers and promo stills showing  Aarya’s acrobatic positions and amazing stunt sequences in Kaasi,its needless to say people wud have entered the cinema hall expecting a roller coaster ride.But things were different in the movie as soon as pichai paathiram starts.If making a movie with downtrodden people of the society isn’t a easy thing,more tuf  is to extract the performances from the actors(Esp.Those who haven’t seen the camera before).But Bala had done the both things in an amazing style,as a result each and every character haunts even after coming out of the theatre.The main asset of the movie is its rawness in portraying the lifestyle of physically challenged beggars without any cinematic compromises.Another best part is, movie isn’t made as a mere tear-jerker or No-Nonsense sympathy creating portions.Contrary to the theme there are typical Baala’ish (sarcastical) lighter moments are there with down to earth dialogs.(But this time Jeyamohan is the dialog writer.)

Few Egs.

மாட்டுக்கறி தின்னாலும் மலையாளத்தான் மூளையே மூளைதான்டா!!!

நெருப்புலு ஏதுடா சுத்தம் அசுத்தம்!!!

But even with all these things its tuf to declare Naan Kadavul a classic.The problem with the movie is Aarya and his confused Aghori concepts which fails to blend with the main plot.Esp When Aarya is on the way to his home town,Pichai paathiram song starts abruptly which breaks the movie in two lines leaving the viewers confused.Also it seems like Bala is still in the hang over of Pithamagan.Aarya’s Character has many shades of ” Sithan “Vikram.(Eg.Few Scenes,When people getting scared on seeing Aarya,Police Station Scenes, resemble ditto pithamagan.).Even i wasn’t much impressed with Isaignani’s BGM.Barring Interval and climax scene other scenes dint have Maestro’s stamp.But he compensates with Om Shivo Hum Track.The Starting Chants with all Pujaris showing the Deeparadhana is a terrific experience to watch it in theatre.Atleast for this song i wish to see it in Sathyam Cinemas.

Naan Kadavul – Finally a breather for Tamil Cinema in 2009.

There’s No More Sip between the cup & the lip.

Though Bangalore is famous for 2B’s (Babes and Booze),there’s a set of crowd  who opt for Indian Coffee House in the weekends.Thanks to its Old-Fashioned Ceilings,Museum Styled Fans,Turban Clad Servers Serving Coffee in China Clay Cup & Saucers.Thus creating a Vintage Ambience which takes us to  Late 70’s – 80’s[i.e.No-Nonsense IT Era].This homely atmosphere creates the difference and makes ICH stand ahead of Baristas and Coffee Days.But all these special moments are jus for another 12 days,Yes!!! Indian Coffee House gonna close down its shutters by the end of this month.Though  i dunno the reason for the closure,i was bit depressed and shocked ever since i read the news in outlook,Coz i have no other choice in MG Road.Jus being there 15 – 30 mts with glancing a book by sipping a steamy cup of coffee makes more special than in any other outlets in Bangalore.Infact many a times i had bought a book from Higginbothams jus to leaf over there with a cup of coffee.Adding to this gals too join with us for a coffee in the Opp.Seat(but sadly with their boyfriends.)Dunno where i have to look for all these things from next month?