Off to Pondy - Roadies set the road ablaze...

After months of meticulous planning, persistent persuasions and unsolicited dilly-dallying, we would be finally setting-off to Pondy in just about 15 mins. As am writing this, I could suddenly see, adrenalin pumping hard and suddenly rushing through ...Am doubly excited about the fun and frolic associated with back-breaking 300 Km long ride... The plans are well chalked out and hope we discover something new in Pondy... Will post a descriptive blog at once after am back! Signing off! Vrooooommmmmmmmmmmm……

Anjadhey - Movie Review!

It's an ace form Mysskin! Exactly two years back, he sprung a surprise-hit with Chithiram Pesuthedi! He's back again with a bang! With the same team re-grouping, success only had a slim chance to elude them… Anjadhey has been declared a critically-acclaimed movie and can be easily cherry-picked as the best movie of the year so far.

Mysskin has intricately woven a plot based on a famous storytelling technique called twist-of-fate. The story is set in the backdrop of a police colony and revolves around two pivotal characters Sathya (Naren) and Kirupa (Ajmal) who share a very good relationship with each other. Kirupa aspires to be a SI (Sub Inspector) and slogs tirelessly in pursuit of his dream. Sathya cools his heels as a hooligan often engaging in petty brawls.

Relentless pestering from his friend Kirupa and mordant words of his father (M S Bhaskar), conspires Sathya to appear for the SI interview and by crook means, he lands up with the job. Kirupa is denied of the SI job and he accounts Sathya as responsible for snatching the job from him and develops hatred towards Sathya. Kirupa seeks redemption in life and becomes a hoodlum. This sudden twist-of-fate which sees an exchange-of-ends in character feeds the rest of the movie and makes it a compelling watch.

Naren and Ajmal have played their role to perfection. Naren's mannerism while he engages for each fight is riveting. Ajmal has handled two extreme natures of good and evil diligently. Two surprise packages in the movie are the villains. Kudos to Mysskin for casting Prasanna, chocolate-boy of Kanda Naal Mudhal as Casanova and Pandirajan ( Kadhanayagan fame) in negative shades, who once ruled the roost with his comic prowess. Prasanna as Daya with his weird-hairdo had essayed a different role and has challenged himself and succeeded. M S Bhaskar, as Naren's father has stunned with his sublime acting. Other casting accolades include Ponnvannan, Livingston, Kuruvi and Vijayalakskmi (Chennai - 600028 fame).

Sundar C Babu has done an impeccable job as a Music Director. He haunts with his BGM, a perfect coup for a thriller. Talents such as Sundar C Babu ought to be given more chances. There is a fine thread between 'Dabban Gotthu' and Folk and Babu has walked meticulously on that fine thread with élan. 'Kannadhasan Karaikudi’, 'Kathazha Kannalae' are fine examples. The dream sequence song 'Manasukkul' was quite captivating as well. Theme music was pulsating.

Mahesh Muthusami has done a fabulous job with the camera. His effort to foster the eerie mood of the film is evidently visible in the big screen. The climax shot at Karumbu Thottam which must have gobbled-up incredible lengths of film role certainly praise-worthy and a feather in the cap for the lens men. Certain angles were really extraordinary and songs were well shot. Sadagopan Ramesh has done a crispy work with his scissors.

Minuses include Ponvannan's dubbing (done by someone else or he had a sore throat?), Confession of Kirupa in the climax which seemed totally illogical and lastly the unbearable length of the movie. I must confess I don't mind watching a movie even 4-hr-long, but industry doesn't work that way. Mysskin has failed to understand in spite of bearing the brunt on the last occasion with the pre-mature fate of Chithiram Pesuthedi. Box office declared CP a failure, not before Oscar Ravichandran intervened. He edited out close to 20 mins and re-released the film which ran to packed houses. I wonder what the fate has in store for Anjadhey?

But take nothing from this talented director, Mysskin. He arrived with Chithiram Pesuthedi and he is here to stay with Anjadhey!

Kamal Hassan - The unsung singer!

Kamal Hassan, is very well known as a multi-faceted actor, hell-bent film-maker, and an avid dancer. But few people must have adored Kamal Hassan as a singer. It might raise an eyebrow, if I were to tell you that Kamal has sung close to 75 tracks, and as it turned out be, most of the songs were runaway hits. Lot of the people though denigrate Kamal, accusing him that, he forcibly persuades music directors to have him sing at least a track in films he's casted on. But people, fail to understand Kamal is qualified enough to do the singing himself(occasionally). Why???

Kamal under the tutelage of Dr Balamurali Krishna has practiced carnatic music and Mr. Krishna was so impressed with Kamal, that he asked for 2 and a half years while Kamal continued with him, and he would make sure to get Kamal on stage with him. Kamal engrossed with movies couldn’t really afford the time! Dr. Krishna was so fond of Kamal, in the Miley Sur Mera Tumhara short film, he wanted Kamal to sit next with him on the Tanpura, but Kamal humbly declined saying it'd be unfair.

Ilaiyaraaja was the first MD to spot the singer in Kamal and gave him ample opportunities to sing all-along in their long term illustrious association. Memorable films include Aboorva Sagotharargal, MMKR, Virumaandi and the recent Mumbai Express. Kamal has also sung for other music directors which includes ARR, Karthik Raja, Bharadwaj, Vidya Sagar, Yuvan Shankar Raja…

I thought it’d only be befitting a post to come out with a compilation of my personal favorites

Kamal has sung for Ilaiyaraaja and other Music Directors…

So here it goes for the ultimate connoisseur of music!

• Vizhiyorathu Kanavum - Raja Paarvai
• Vikram...Vikram… - Vikram
• Ammammamma Vandadhingae - Per Sollum Pillai
• Potta Padiyudhu - Sathya
• Raja Kayya Vecha - Apoorva Sahodarargal
• Sundari Neeyum - Michael Madhana Kamarajan
• Kanmani Anboda - Guna
• Inchi Iduppazhaka - Thevar Magan
• Thanmanam Ulla Nenjam - Mahanadhi
• Ram Ram Salaam - Hey Ram
• Sanyaas Mantra - Hey Ram
• Unnai vida - Virumaandi
• Maada Vilakke - Virumaandi
• Ninaivo Oru Paravai - Sigappu Rojakkal
• Yaar Yaar Sivam - Anbe Sivam
• Alwarpettai Aazhuda - Vasool Raja MBBS
• Muththe Muththammah - Ullasam
• Peek Into Assasin's Life: Neruppu Vaayinil - Pudhupettai
• Kadhal piriyathu kavidhai - Pancha Thanthiram
• Injirango Injirango - Thenaali
• Kadavul Paadhi - Aalavandan

A funny incident!

After a grueling day at work, I came down to Tidel Park to board my 7.30 PM bus to reach home. As usual, Rajiv Gandhi Salai was bustling with traffic, where bikers define their own rules, pedestrians cross the roads at will, overcrowded MTC buses defy gravity and the share auto(the mangled remains of a crashed Auto Rickshaw, when rehashed gives birth to a strange thing called Share Auto ) wallas beckon the tagged gentlemen and women for one-helluva-ride!

It was 8PM, I was still waiting with bated breath, wondering whether the bus had already left! When the clock ticked 5 min past 8, bus finally arrived and I puffed away a huge sigh of relief. People (fellow employees) took-off like a bat out of hell, to ensure they got seat. I was the last to board the bus, and fortunately I got a window seat. Moments later, I noticed that the person who was sitting in the front seat was a Mobileaholic,a conclusively proven fact, for he was talking ever since I had reached the bus stop, CUG was doing the trick, I guess. 'He is a non-stop-non-sense' I thought to myself. His antics were irritating me… And what surprises me the most is, these are the same people( both men and women) who notch a vociferous 110 Decibel while a striking normal conversation, and invariably drop down to a feeble 30 Db, while talking to their special-someone. This is a trick, these people posses up their sleeve. And I wonder what these people talk all the time, all day long…

Coming back to the story, The trip sheet which is normally passed in the bus, is supposed to be filled-in by every associate which captures the basic details like Associate ID, Destination et al, and this gentleman, seated at the front did not care to fill it when it was passed to him, nor did he care to pass it to me. I was waiting patiently for my turn to fill it up, and I would then doze-off happily. I was closely monitoring him, he would just go about start filling-in, and then be immersed in the conversation doing all sorts of non-verbal gimmicks. He would then again have a look at the trip sheet, start filling-in and again would get lost in the conversation. Finally he made up his mind and started filling-in something concrete and just when I thought he was done with it, he puts aside the trip sheet pad and again started talking. I got enraged and by the time the bus reached Guindy, I totally lost my cool and said 'Boss are you going to pass that trip sheet or not' and he responded saying ' The pen doesn't write'!

I sheepishly smiled and curled up in my seat…