Thursday, December 12, 2013

Understanding Law, Life and Love: 377

There has been a lot of talk of the now famous number '377' and the lashing taken out on Judges and the Supreme Court and even on India in general.

I am worried about this frenzy that (social) media creates in our lives today. Not many of us often know the real picture. So I had a talk with Arun Arnala about all this brouhaha. I read a major part of the judgement along with him and understood for myself what it is all about. Arun was gracious enough to explain the legalese.
From what I understand, Section 377 is a law that was made more than 100 years ago to protect victims of homosexual/sexual violence through abnormal acts.This is a good law in general. But the problem lies in the fact that it does not mention anywhere point blank that homosexual orientation itself is an offence. It is obvious because such things were unheard of, rather unspoken a 100 years ago. Why, no one wants to talk about it after all these years too!

So, we definitely need a change but it has be made in the Parliament, by way of an amendment. That is the way our constitution works. Scrapping 377 itself is dangerous and not correct, what with the crime rate on an upswing in recent times.

Well, what I wish the SC could have done is, it could have probably passed an interim order (?) saying consensual acts of homosexuality is not a crime by itself. Thus, clearing the misunderstanding about homosexuality in the minds of the average Indian. And the SC could have also given a time period to the Government of India to amend the Section. Well, I am really not sure of the powers of Judiciary vis a vis the Government of India.

Now it is for us to get the politicians to get moving and thinking about the country and not just the elections. Till then, can I request my Indian friends not to insult our country or its people in public forums please? Every country, just like every family has its own idiosyncrasies and ways of functioning. If our country has come this far, it can go further too. Keep the faith.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Quiz # 1-Topic: Chennai

Know-your-Chennai quiz: What do these things mean? 
a) patchworked potholes 
b) squeaky clean roads 
c) circular designs of disinfectant on the both sides of the road made to look like Rangoli 
d) sudden disappearance of over-flowing dustbins leading to a sudden appearance of footpaths

Sunday, October 27, 2013

My World: Any time, yoga time!

My World: Any time, yoga time!: I ignored my little one when she squarely looked me in the eye and asked if there's a baby in my tummy. I ignored my friends who 'l...

Any time, yoga time!

I ignored my little one when she squarely looked me in the eye and asked if there's a baby in my tummy. I ignored my friends who 'liked' my pics on FB and posted comments like "congratulations" but I have suddenly started taking it seriously ever since the elderly lady in the bus got up and offered me a seat and said "paathu okkaru ma, jaagradhey" (please be careful, have a seat) looking at my (jelly) belly. The word "jaagrathey" echoed several times in my ear and I have been trying to be 'careful'. I'm really trying.

Please don't think I'm giving out excuses but there are so many genuine reasons for not being able to practice yoga. Here are some. 
1. I forget to wake up early enough 
2. I don't own any smart, branded track pants with matching yoga mats 
3. There are times when I am really keen but I am stopped by severe health conditions like digitoonychofractura, (broken nail in the little finger on the right hand.) 

Even if I try to battle all these reasons and I actually start doing Yoga, I am sure you will understand that one really can't concentrate on breathing when you are sitting on all fours and your little thinks you are ready to take her on a piggy back ride or has fun crawling under the 'bridge' when you are trying to hold the adhomukha svanansana or the downward dog pose.
Then, one fine day I had this moment of epiphany. I realised I actually practice yoga all day - I don't have to take out a separate time. See for yourself.



I start my day with the most difficult movements-reaching for that persistent alarm, trying to turn it off and finally giving in.



Picking up the hubby's socks and baby's toys after them.







Trying to use the office loo without infecting myself.


                                              


Back home, begging the little one to do homework/eat dinner.



                                                                                                                                                        






                                                                                 
               End  of day.







See how Yoga's become an intrinsic part of my day?

PS: These 'stickmen' are only a diagrammatic representation and bear no semblance to the author of this post. 

Pictures courtesy: Yoga Stickmen

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Love leads the way


True love - is it an old fashioned concept?

I don't know but Bharat Bala at least doesn't think so. I appreciate him for that. In perhaps his first attempt at directing a full length commercial film, Bharat Bala comes across as this honest artist who still believes in the good things in life, true love for instance.

Maryaan is the story of a young braveheart from a coastal village in Tamilnadu, who is forced by circumstances to seek a job in a foreign land, hundreds of miles away from two things closest to his heart-the sea and his girl. What leads him to go that far is one half of the story and a terrible incident that happens while he is there, forms the second half.

As always Dhanush, is brilliant but the leading lady Parvati is a huge surprise. Just not a pretty Malayali actress with large doe-like eyes and luscious hair but also loads of talent. She matches her on-screen lover in almost every sigh and every stolen glance.

And Dhanush. I don't know if he moulds his roles into the cast of his body or if his physique moulds itself around his characters. Whatever it is, he knows how to use his eyes, voice and body, even his hands. The director has completely depended on Dhanush to give this character the much needed conviction and push. And Dhanush hasn't failed in his duty. I must say Dhanush picks up his roles with care. He obviously can't do a superhero or a nattamai. Aadukalam, 3 and now Maryan. I'm curious to see how he's going to further his career graph from now.

Coming back to the film, there are many beautifully thought out scenes, like the imaginary feast Maryan lays out for his friend, the hallucination scene and the cute church scene. Oh yes, and the way Maryan reacts when he all of a sudden 'sees the sea'. Then, the scene where the heroine instinctively knows her lover is safe and goes off into a state of trance as if she were drugged. I will linger a little longer here because these are moments when a director strikes a chord with his viewers. Extremely well played by Parvati with the aid of some great camera work. Yes, there must be this thing between  lovers - soul connection, and of course there are still people who believe that love is a drug that makes one blind to any impending danger. Throughout the movie, there is so much emotion happening but there's no melodrama, right up to the last scene in the way Panimalar (that's the heroine's lyrical name in this film) registers her lover's presence next to her.

The story line might drag a little here and there. There isn't much for the audience to do when there isn't much happening on screen itself - there are no bad guys to fight with, there is no one to even say a word to...for a while, nothing much really happens. Fortunately, the story picks up tempo and the audience sits up too, guessing what might happen next.

A R Rahman. Hmm...must have had a great time working with his good old friend. The most striking thing about the music of this film is the simplicity. I am sure it takes a lot of effort to be simple. No complicated harmonies. Just a few simple instruments put together. The inspirational chartburster Nenje Ezhu, thankfully has been picturised well. O ye, oyelle has this strange mix of folk and pop which doesn't sound great on first hearing. The song that makes you sit up is Innum Konjam Neram. This song has a beautiful old-world feel to it-the lyrics as well as the tune. Sakthishree Gopalan was so good in Kadal that he had to give her another shot with the haunting Enge Pone Raasa. The background score is very good in parts. After all how much creative can you get when every villain in every movie HAS to have his own personalized 'theme score'. Rahman still achieves the desired effect. The score for the scenes between the lovers is kept simple...as simple as the lovers themselves.

Just like how the music felt like vintage ARR, the film in general had this vintage Mani Ratnam feel to it.

There are parts where the movie could have been better. I wish the poor girl was not bashed up so much, at least by her lover. Its just not right. Then, the heroine's voice, rather the diction. Not sure if she has dubbed herself, but her voice sounds too urban for a village belle. Her English words sound totally convent educated. Notice the way Dhanush says 'yemty graundu' and the way she repeats it later. Like I said, the pace and the wrapping up could have been much better. It reminds me of my Fiction paper in my degree examination where I would luxuriate in the first 2.5 hours, elaborately quoting, analyzing, imagining  and delving deep into the littlest detail. Suddenly I would be jolted out of my dream by the stern examiner's unemotional voice "10 minutes more" and I would go into panic mode, realising there's so much more to write and so little time. My essays would end up looking like short answers! That's what happened to the ending of the movie.

Last word: If you believe that love is Mariyaan (one without death), go and watch it. If you are going to snigger at those who do believe, stay at home.




 

Sunday, July 21, 2013

The Palace of Illusions

The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakarunni. I had heard a lot about this book and was lucky to have been gifted a copy by a dear friend. I could read (and re-read certain portions) it at my own pace.
Now, it is the same story of the Mahabharata but becomes very interesting because it is told from Draupadi's point of view. Some look at her as a hero and some as a selfish go-getter - both of which are true. But what the book also conveys is that whoever you are, ultimately there is this thing called Destiny that controls our lives, right from the way we are born to whom we marry, right up to the way we die. Its all pre-written.

I loved the book for its honest and bold approach. It goes where normal Indian writing doesn't dare to. The Krishna-Draupadi friendship makes for a very interesting read. Their exchanges are full of humour, wit, philosophy and there is also a touch-and-go spiritual angle. It sometimes even makes the reader envious to see that Draupadi has this wonderful relationship, that too with a man like Krishna! And Karna. I think enough has been spoken and written about this brave warrior for him to secure a warm place in our hearts. My heart really went out to him. Probably hundreds have shed tears at his tragedy but I never thought I would. My reasons were more than one. For those who don't know already, it might be spoiler if I talk about it here but the Karna angle to this book is extremely moving and touching. Very beautifully written.
I must mention here about Chitra Banerjee's use of language. Though her story is based on mythology, the language she has used is almost contemporary. This makes the characters strike a chord with the reader. The characters are suddenly not alien or from a different time. They become someone who talks the same language as you do and feel the same feelings that you do. A very clever technique I must say. Notice particularly Draupadi's and Krishna's dialogues from the beginning right up to the end. They are sure to make you smile.

Draupadi herself according to the book is not a regular woman but she goes through the thoughts and feelings of a normal woman, only perhaps in epic proportions (pardon the pun). She dares to be different. She acts in haste. She has a bundle of regrets. She loves. She cares. She is often confused.
She dressing up and doing up her home. She even nags like a regular woman would do. It becomes very easy to identify with the character and feel everything she feels through out the book.

The story of the Mahabharata is a heavy one and so this book does drag in places. Parts of the exile get  slightly dull and repetitive. Also as can be the risk with any story spoken in the first person, one almost gets tired of how self-absorbed the protagonist can get. The pace gets faster once the exile is over, just like how the life of Draupadi and the Pandavas catches momentum at that stage. And you can't put the book down from this point on. The last portion of the story is extremely soulful and creatively executed.

I wondered why so little is being spoken of the Pandavas themselves, especially Arjuna, but I understood only later, the aim of the author in doing so. A lot is conveyed about things that are not spoken about.

I would recommend this book those who enjoy emotional-sentimental drama and for those who would like to understand the role of the women characters in the Mahabharata (the author talks of each one of them in quite a detail). But for those who are not familiar with the epic, this is definitely not a good point to start off at. There are many casual references to sub-plots which need a basic familiarity with the story. Read up elsewhere, understand the story and pick this one up. It was very thoughtful of the editor/author to start off the book with a family tree which I found myself referring to, quite often.

I recently came across an article that mentioned this story told from Bhima's point of view, by a Malayalam writer. I must look it up. I am keen especially after reading The Palace of Illusions.

Friday, July 12, 2013

I wonder why they say.....



  I wonder why they say HyDRABAD and not HyDHrabaaDH...
I know that city has terrible water problems.

    I wonder why they say NaCKpur and not  NAAGpur...
guess it takes a knack for people to get these names right.

    I wonder why they say TatkaLL and not  TathkAAl...
ticket kabhi nahin milega...kal aaj aur kal.

    I wonder why they say Bank of Mejura... 
and not  Bank  of MaDHura..now that's a major problem.

    I wonder why they say ClAArk and not ClErk...
that guy must be keeping a log of his bribes.

    I wonder why they say SAAmBHar and not SaamBAAR...
oh deer, that would make an Iyer-maaama's staple pyoor veg meal item not only impyoor  but also illegal! 
(shiva shiva!)

Sunday, June 09, 2013

A philosophical and sentimental journey

(Another article I wrote in 2010 about Vinnai Thaandi Vruvaya)

Image result for vinnaithandi varuvaya

Got to watch a love story after ages and man! what a love story it was!
Not the sugary DDLJ type and not the tragic Titanic style. This is truly something else!
I found myself crying in most portions of the movie - not sure if it was for the music, the lyrics, the dialogue or the story itself. I think it is the beautiful amalgamation of all these elements that moved me.
This is a simple plot about a boy madly in love with this  pretty lass who is just not able to make up her mind. When I say "simple" perhaps I am using the wrong word because it is really not that simple. We’ve only heard stories about love stories having a happy ending or a sad one. But no one really paused to talk about what goes on in the minds of either of the lovers - except perhaps those who have actually experienced it. Quite complicated and very interesting actually - two lovers of such contrasting natures.
Gautam Vasudev Menon (GVM) seems to have understood the psyche of a woman really, really well - I’m tempted to think if this story is autobiographical. What else can explain so much intensity? Gautam Menon comes across as a sensitive writer but a very intelligent film-maker in the way he has played around not only with the script but with our minds as well.I am actually angry with him for making the movie so close to reality but that’s the most endearing thing about the movie. Every situation, every character, most dialogues are so true to life. Particularly a few situations like when Karthik (Simbu) is working hard in Goa and is unable to take Jesse’s calls. The those SMSes that they send each other (right from the train scene until the end)...I’m sure everyone has sent or received such messages at some point! Even the swear words that Karthik uses - so natural for a guy as frustrated as him. Most of all, atleast 1 in 10 women can identify with Jesse and her angst. The place when they are in a restaurant and she begs him for them to be just friends because its so much more easier....that is the anxiety of any woman who doesn’t want to lose a dear person in her life but at the same time be rid of the guilt of hurting others.  I loved the parts when Karthik’s friend, Ganesh is worried about the immediate practical problems but all Karthik can think of is his girl, with a sparkle in his eye (making us smile, shake our heads and say, this guy is a goner!!)
All through the movie, the director grips you by the heart-strings and leads you along. Don’t even mention the sudden twist at the end...it was too much for a die hard romantic like me to take!
GVM has taken a bold step in casting Silambarasan (Simbu) and he has done a great job in turning a rather brash, uncouth often vulgar street kid into this cute, lovable boy-next-door with honest dreams and aspirations. Any girl would flip for such a boy! Can you believe it? I have actually started thinking he is really cute and nice. Finally, he looks and behaves his age. I really wish he packs off his vague scripts and obeys the directions of people like GVM, Maniratnam and the like. But he still needs to work on his diction - though his English is okay, his Tamil is slightly jarring to the ear.Trisha....lucky girl. She has more to do than just look pretty.  One solid role only after Nuvvosthey Ne Oddhantana (telugu - Santhosh Subramaniam in Tamil) and Abhiyum Naanum. The southern film industry can take pride in the number of (honestly)
woman-centric themes compared to the Hindi film industry. So Trisha, you’ve made the money. Now is the time to make a Name!! :)
The music of the movie? I have to write a separate article about it!! If we thought Harris Jayaraj and GVM had a great understanding of each other’s thoughts, AR Rahman and GVM have too much of it.  GVM must be a great communicator and ARR is blessed with a deep insight into the director’s mind. The songs and the background score are too good. Thinking back, I think it is the background score that moved me to tears in many parts. And Omana Penney...how much I cried...and it was out of excitement...the situation, the way it leads to the song, the hope created and most of all the song itself. What a song! There’s no limit to how creative our darling ARR can get. And then Aaromale - wow! so apt to trace Karthik’s development into a mature filmmaker from a love-lorn boy.
Gautam Vasudev Menon, a great movie and a big hug to you for making it! Just a little thing, please, we don’t want to see the group dancers the next time. You have your fans and we will watch your movies even without those dance(r)s - you don’t need them anymore. You still retain the freshness and charm of Minnale but we expect you to dispense with the group dancing ritual. And God knows about your New York fixation! Please globe trot a bit and take us along with you just like you take us with you on your sentimental journeys! 

A true Musical

(An article I wrote in 2010 - picked it out from Mouthshut.com)
These days you have a lot of movies being promoted as "a musical". They don’t understand what a "musical" actually is. Though VTV doesn’t claim itself to be a "musical", I guess it gets very close to being one.
Each song tells a story. Listen to the songs after watching the movie and you will remember every frame. This indeed is a rarity. Though poetic, the lyrics are not pompous.

And ARR, what can I say? After watching VTV, I am actually glad that our movies in India have so many songs. Or else how would get to listen to such compositions?

Aaromale ... I have never heard anything like this before. So stylish, mature and intense. ARR has used the Blues Genre so well. So much a "Rock-band" material. It kind of makes up for Indi-pop almost being absent these days. If not for this movie, would we have got to listen to something like this? And Gautam Menon has used it so aptly - the hero hits the road on his bike, camps alone, writes in solitude...and ends on an auspicious note...swasti sawsti subha muhurtam...Hats off Rahman, Hats off Gautam Menon!

And Omane Penne ...my heart jumps with joy everytime I listen to it. The very beginning of the song with the simple keys of the keyboard itself is so exciting. And what vocals! Those gamakams - if Benny Dayal is doing them on his own, he is damn lucky and if ARR is doing it for him - he is still lucky!! All Mallu girls - rejoice! Imagine this song to be an ode to each one of you!

Hosanna : Vijay Prakash - what a strong voice - before I looked it up, it thought it was Shankar Mahadevan for a while. If you look up the meaning of Hosanna, you will love the song even more. The boy is requesting the girl to save him! And Rahman is any day great at using Reggae. Remember he was the first one to bring it into Indian music, that too in a song with a rural setting - yes, I am talking about Chinna Chinna Aasai.
The feeling I got when I first heard Roja’s music keeps coming back when I listen to Albums like Delhi 6, VTV etc. So fresh, so original.

Anbil Avan : An extremely chirpy and happy number. Very clever use of the Wedding March and Hindu wedding music. You feel so charged and pepped up after listening to this.

Vinnaithaandi Varuvayaa : Real life Karthik singing for Reel life Karthik! I have to concentrate to actually pick out the 100s of nuances in this song. Such a difficult composition. Brilliant. It evokes so many thoughts about life, romance and the like. And I have always been a big fan of Karthik (the singer!) for treating even very difficult songs with ease.

Kannukul Kannai : He is charged up. He accuses. He loves dearly. All in one amazing number.

Mannipaaya : Sigh! That’s all I can do when I think of this song. What is it about Rahman’s voice - is it the passion? Is the devotion? And Shreya Ghoshal - she never lets you down. Be it a romantic Munbe Vaa or a seductive Majaa Majaa or a haunting Mannipaaya.

Though the music itself takes the cake, we need to give due credit to Gautam Menon for insisting on to sensible, meaningful http://lyrics. And a big round of applause to Thaamarai for doing such a beautiful job. This is perhaps like modern poetry - you don’t need to keep a dictionary next to you, yet so passionate!
Great album - please buy and don’t do a free download!! There’s a lot of hard-work gone in there!
(I have had the Title track of Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na as my Hello Tune for a long, long time for lack of suitable alternatives. But now, I am not able to choose!! ) :)

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Mouna Ragam


Right from the time I got back home from office this evening I'd been wanting to watch a good movie. With the day's chores done, I was browsing channels and I caught a very familiar montage music and visuals of black and white photographs of a little girl growing up to be a lovely young woman. With a determined and satisfied smile. I made myself comfortable in front of the TV and settled down to savour every bit of Mounaragam - once again.
As I watch it, I notice there are so many timeless and unforgettable things about this classic. 1) The music of course. A background score to die for 2) Revathi. 3) Mohan as a complete surprise package that a lot of us still can't believe. 4) Karthik the unforgettable charmer.          5) The set - I must say looks stunning even today after nearly 25 years. That house with the floor seating, pebbled drive way, a little music player in the kitchen is still my dream house.
Well, coming to the theme. I, who have been an ardent Mani Ratnam fan was shocked recently when someoone shared with me an opinion that the women in his movies are shown as rather weak and fragile characters. That's something I cannot make up mind about - Roja is  a strong headed girl who is quite convinced that her sister's been cheated until she comes to know the truth. Developing a change of heart, she comes around to making her husband the most important thing in her life. Shobana in Dalapati is again a practical woman. She is quite clear in her head and has her priorities right. It is the men in MR's movies that are more to be emotional and sentimental! Divya in Mouna Ragam is still not over her first love at the time of marriage. She protests. She throws tantrums. To use a cliche I hate, she eventually 'moves on'. What's a character without progression?
Yes, while watching Mouna Ragam today, I could sense a few 'flaws' if I may call them so. I cringed when the lawyer advices Divya to reconsider the divorce because it is difficult for a woman to live without a man. Why counsel only her when the husband clearly states 'mutual consent' as the reason for divorce? (Perhaps today even Mani Ratnam might rethink that scene and make both of them sit for a counselling session!) And then why does the Sita Travels guy deliver 2 tickets at the end? There are 2 of those oldworlde carboard train tickets  shown quite clearly. (Was one of them a platform ticket for GK?)
One thing missing was the lack of depth in Revathy's portrayal - how does she develop feelings for Mohan? Is it gradual or sudden? Perhaps 30-40 days are good enough a time for a girl to make up her mind about a man! (Well, that's a topic for another discussion!) Another way of looking at it could be that when GK gives in to Divya's tantrums and actually arranges for the divorce, she's caught off guard. So, was it intended to be an overnight change. I only felt the flow of time could have been shown better.
But then there is work to do. We need an important event as a catalyst and we also need to show somewhere that Mohan is a self-respecting man. In fact, surprisingly, I felt the movie was quite short or atleast there wasn't any place that I felt it drag.

Which brings me to point #6 of the timelessness. The handling of the theme. While the theme is all drama, emotion and sentiments, there is negligible melodrama. If I feel that way now, I can imagine what a pathbreaker of an approach it would have been way back then. People were still experiencing over the Vietnam Veedu hangover and dealing with Kamal Hassan's I-can-do-everything persona. No one speaks above a certain decibel ("Poda dei" was perhaps the loudest dialogue in the entire movie). No long dialogues. Eyes do most of the talking with the help of a little trickle of a tear or two. Like I said at the very beginning, the background music is simply exceptional. There is just one basic theme music which has around 4-5 amazing variations depending on the mood of the moment. I don't know if anyone can match Ilayaraja's genius in handling background score.
Everything about the treatment of  Mouna Ragam is subtle. I still smile to myself as I think that this movie that deals with a man-woman relationship does not have a single 'duet song'. All songs are solos - basically dealing with an individual's thoughts and state of mind at a given point in time. Except for Pani Vizhum Nilavu. Kudos Mani Ratnam! Very brave even for today's standards.
Sadly Raj TV, the famous Video guys of the 80s don't own a good copy of the film. I ended up used the brightness option on the TV set for the first time in years! For most part it was just a dark blur.  And there were some cuts like the wonderful scene of Divya re-arranging the house and cooking merrily. But then, such a satisfying watch it was. I hit the sack with a smile pasted on my lips, thinking of the happy ending and the theme music ringng in my ears. Good night!



Tuesday, April 30, 2013

musical nightmare!


I had the strangest dream-rather, a nightmare. And I hope it never, ever comes true.It went like this.
I'm listening to songs from some new A R Rahman movie with a group of friends (it must only be a dream). One song sounds so much like "Tu hi tu satrangi re" from Dil Se. On close hearing it is actually the very same song with just a few changes. Disappointed and angry, I should out "Rahman, I REALLY, REALLY LOVE YOU BUT PLEASE RETIRE !"

I woke up with a shudder, relieved that its just a dream. :)

Thursday, February 07, 2013

Cinema lover, which group are you in - Arts, Commerce or Science?


A tiny debate with Arun Arnala last evening: Stemmed from the bad/not so good reviews that Kadal has been getting.
While both of us felt bad that Maniratnam's movies are not doing as well as those of his earlier gems like Nayagan, Mounaragam etc, Arun's worry was more about the commercial aspect of the movie while mine was the artistic. His sympathies was with the producers of such movies who invest crores of rupees only 'trusting' of these directors to give them good returns. While he agrees that no director makes movies just for the fun of it, directors should be more careful in balancing out the commercial aspect of the movie too. (Probably it was empathy too, having a lost a lot of time and energy in a similar pursuit - just for the love of cinema.)

My point: Why can't we look at the artistic value of the movies? Why can't you look at it like, say, an artist's painting? (Wasn't Ravan(an) like that anyway? A moving, singing painting)

Him: That's because a painter invests only his energy, time and a bit of money for the canvas and paints. But that's not the case for movies.  The supposedly 'big' directors want 'big' technicians as well - which is where most of the money goes. They won't work without their Rahmans, Resul Pookuttys, Rajiv Menons and Thotta Tharinis. So when such big bucks are spent, directors should be more careful about the biggest job which is screenplay and story. Because if that fails, everything else fails. A case in point, Director Shankar has been very careful till date, about all of this. Take Bharathiraja, Balachander..whatever's happened to them? There's no point in investing a million bucks on them anymore.

Me: But these directors need good music and cinematography for a complete package. Can't these directors make art-house movies with the same technicians?

Him: There is a commitee in the High Court wherein middle income groups are helped in availing the services of highly experienced and senior lawyers at very nominal fees . Similarly there should be a system where bigwigs of movies should get together and say, okay we will cut our fees by half and we will make movies just for the sake of art. Perhaps Balumahendra is already doing it.

I think that's a great idea! So here's my request, "The movie biggies - Maniratnam, Bharathiraja., Rahman, Kamal Hassan, Gautham Menon, Rajinikanth and many more, we love cinema as an art, we've loved your work and will always respect you. We are sure you love movies as much as we do (in fact even more). So why don't you put money in the back burner for just a while and gives good pieces of art?"

Why not make small but brilliant movies just for the sake of the art? Why not take the multiplex route? Like Kahaani perhaps? Only those who really care will come and watch the movie. At least we won't have those catcallers sitting in all the 4 corners of the theater and shouting "Ayyo, bore pa." "thala valikkudhu" and so on, much to the annoyance of 'snobs' like me! If the movie does well in the theaters good for you, if not, there's always the DTH operators to fall back upon! At least, the producer gets his money.

Just because their movies don't do as well, I don't want to believe that our veteran/Class A directors have no talent left? ( That's anyway been a long time rant of mine.)  There's still so much to discuss about their movies. Raavan(an) still intrigues me (gosh I love talking about this movie).

Surgical Strike

"Just imagine", they said, "how free you are going to be." Everybody pep-talked me. "You are not sick. You are only...