Braingasm for the Sapiosexual - Steve Jobs, the movie

“People are different and they are different at different times”. This does hold good for celebrities and popular figures too right? We do not really expect a world renowned genius to be modest, humble, polite and courteous all the time, do we? Or if we actually do, whose fault is it anyways!

Whoever told us that celebrities should set an example in every aspect of their life? I never really understood the logic behind some people telling you that they like X, Y, Z as an actor because he is such a good human being. How does being a good human being have anything to do with his on screen abilities? The point I’m trying to drive home is that the ability to differentiate between the skill/competency of a person and his/her personality.

I haven’t blogged for ages and am a bit rustic at the moment. Having had a marathon 15 hours of back to back sessions at college (Welcome to B-School woes!), I get back to the hostel wanting to take a nap, but alas, it’s that time of the year wherein you try to catch on all the movies you have missed out on, before they give away the Oscars. I dunno why I do this though, just for the masochistic numbness derived when people you think deserved the award don’t end up winning.

I ended up watching Steve Jobs whose trailer I have seen a million times and having been following up on all that has been written about the depiction of Jobs in the film. There has been a lot written and said about the misrepresentation of the person that Jobs was. My favourite comment being “How can they make a film that shows Jobs as a condescending maniac when he isn’t alive to defend himself!” “The movie doesn’t even capture the most poignant moments of Jobs’ life”

People need to appreciate two different aspects of making a biopic. One that deals with capturing every moment of a legend’s life making the audience feel like they have had an overdose of Draught of Living Death. Very few 3 hour long biopics manage to hold one’s attention. Then there are the movies that revolve around a few specific moments of a celebrated person’s life. Jobs does the latter and smartly so. There cannot be a smarter movie for probably one of the smartest minds to have walked the planet. And that by itself is a fitting ode to the legend that Jobs was!

First, the casting is super awesome. Forgive me childish words of excitement. From the bang on performance of Fassbender to the maturity of Jeff Daniels (who manages to be noticed in a role that only exists to be ostracised) to the elegance of Kate Winslet in shifting from a marshmallow to an iron hammer within a fraction of a second to an inexplicable performance from Seth Rogen as a friend fighting to be considered on the same level as a legend. 

Second, it is based on a book that gave the Walter Isaacson access to the real Steve Jobs and people in his life. Danny Boyle was wise enough to pitch the film based on three important occasions in Jobs’ illustrious life. Just 3. Not the entire 26172391735232 moments beautifully entwining the professional with the personal. Third, it has the BRILLIANT Sorkin writing the dialogues. Nobody writes smart people the way Sorkin does, be it Mark Zuckerberg, Will McAvoy, Jed Bartlet or now Steve Jobs. The walking-and-talking style of his screenplay along with the terseness of the editing and directing always make sure that you are hooked on to every single word. In my case, multiple rewinds to relive a smartass moment-there are many of those, of course.

To me, a movie is as good as the number of people you want to make sure saw the movie. I have texted, called, cajoled, and coerced my friends into watching it, the traditional way. Now, I’m blogging after a really long tiring day, going digital as well.

To me, a movie is as good as the number of scenes/dialogues that you wanted to cheer for. This had at least half a dozen of those. The Beatles/Rainman/Pepsi references took wit to a whole new level. The Wozniack-Jobs, Lisa-Jobs and the multiple Hoffman-Jobs, confrontation scenes stand testimonial to the tautness of the script.

Jobs is portrayed as being arrogant, stubborn, antisocial and a tyrant but one cannot overlook the film’s portrayal of him as an absolute genius and that is why we remember him not because he was polite. He had a revolutionary vision not a humanitarian award. So do start watching movies for the right reason. The writer-director have specified that it is fictionalised fact, some of the dialogue did partake creative liberty to sound dramatic. It might be an exaggeration of real life events. But, you know what LIFE IS ALL ABOUT EXAGGERATION and cinema is a medium which is its posterboy.

This is my new favourite movie in sickness and in health, because of it being smart not being polite. There was another movie made loosely based on a real life person which faced much flak but now it is regarded the best movie ever made unanimously by all movie lists, though it did not use the person’s name. The movie is titled after the person in this case and it does live up to the things he was most known for. Go ahead and have a braingasm and do not delve too much into how Jobs is rolling in his grave. If you still want to complain, you deserve to watch Jobs starring Kutcher instead.

Mani Ratnam, Movies & the Mania

Yesterday, I happened to be watching a Talk Show in which Mani Ratnam and AR Rahman were the guests. That screeching voice and the feeling of excitement when you see that legendary man talking, yes, TALKING!!!

 I never knew how Mani Ratnam looked until I was 14 even though I had watched all his movies by then. The craze for his films is inexpressible. Here was finally, this one guy who made sensible films. I’m sure everyone who loves Tamil Cinema starts off by appreciating Mani Ratnam’s films, my generation, at least. He truly taught me to differentiate between the good and the bad movies. And, of course, he gave another living legend in AR Rahman.

My list of the absolute must watch Mani Ratnam films. You would definitely not find better films than these in Tamil cinema.

Mouna Raagam(1986):

Every language has this one love story that they worship in each generation. Bobby, Ek dujhe keliye, DDLJ for the Hindi speaking audiences; for those who speak Tamil, it definitely has to start with Mouna Raagam. It wasn’t a boy meets girl, charms her, makes her fall in love with, then they live happily ever after run-of-the-mill story. It addressed the pressing issue of arranged marriage that was omnipresent in the country- Marrying a stranger and its consequences. Wonderful portrayal by Revathi of a strong, independent woman, who is capable of taking her own decisions in & out of marriage (#herchoice :P) 

Mani Ratnam’s heroes have always made women go weak in their knees and Karthik in this movie just takes your breath away and all this, in under 15 minutes of screen time. If there is one thing that is amazing about Mani Ratnam’s movies, it is the fact that the songs and their lyrics make absolute sense to the story of the film. The beautifully written, “Mandram vandha thendral”, the lilting agony in “Nilave va” are classics. A movie is a classic when its descendents can relate to it and three generations of women in my family love this film.

 Nayagan(1987):

This is probably the best Tamil movie ever made. Directors like Karthik Subburaj, Gautam Menon have all said that they wanted to become filmmakers after watching this film. This movie is Mani Ratnam’s take on The Godfather. It chronicles the life of Varadarajan Mudaliar, who ran away from Tamil Nadu to Bombay and then became a powerful mafia Don.
Kamal Haasan had stated that he only did the film because the dates were given to the producer for another film and that didn’t take off, so Mani Ratnam was brought on to make some random movie so that Kamal’s dates do not go to waste. What are the odds that the most significant jewel in the treasury was minted by chance? In the book, “Conversations with Mani Ratnam”, Ratnam states that Kamal Haasan, (who was considered a legend, even then) didn’t think much of him, but as the shooting progressed he managed to earn some respect. Kamal recalls an incident on the sets when they were shooting for the “Naan sirithal deepavali” song where he had to give Janagaraj a filthy look and then turn away. Mani Ratnam walked up to him and said, “I guess that look seemed like you abused him in English. Like the F word or something. I want that look to be rustic.” 

The next take was satisfactory and Kamal walked up to the director and said, “Avana Tamil ketta vaarthaila thititen”. Kamal lamented that even at the beginning of his career, Mani Ratnam showed signs of a legend in making.

The movie pays homage to The Godfather on more than one occasion. The murder-funeral scene, bullet through the eye scene, the father seeking revenge for his daughter scene are all inspired from The Godfather. And that confrontation scene between Kamal and his daughter is definitely the best scene written in all of Tamil cinema. I take a moment to applaud that genius writing.

After this movie, there was no looking back. Anyone thinking about a career in the movies should definitely check this one out for its wonderful screenwriting. I still remember that ‘Goosebumps galore’ feeling when I saw Nayagan for the first time. Move it to No. 1 on your list if you haven’t already seen it. Thotta Tharani was said to have created the set for the Dharavi slums and it is as real as it can ever be. PC Sreeram’s cinematography and that haunting “Thenpaandi Seemaiyile” will withstand the test of time.

Anjali(1990):

You know a movie is cool if it has around 100 kids running around screaming and dancing and singing during the summer vacations. These aren’t those annoying kids with teenage issues like in High School musical or any of those nutty Disney movies. These are kids-Naughty, bratty kids. Most of the kids in the movie are now actors, directors, singers, music directors etc. (Venkat Prabhu, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Karthik Raja, Premji, Tarun, Shamili, Vishnuvardhan to name a few).

It follows the life of a happy family of four moving into a new apartment. Alas, the Dad has a secret though. What happens to Disneyland when Mickey has cerebral palsy? Revathi stands out in this movie - at first, as the judgemental, jealous wife and then as a vulnerable, weakling who doesn’t know what to do. It is definitely the most heart breaking feeling for a Mom to be rejected by her child. This movie deals with DABDA through Revathi’s eyes. She goes from denial to anger to bargaining to depression to acceptance (in reverse) though. Watch it for Revathi and the music. They have a Star Wars and E.T. tribute in the movie too. Now, how cool is that!!!!

(The movie is said to be loosely inspired from E.T. where you replace the alien with the child. The irony here is that children with mental disability are in fact treated like aliens in our country.)

Thalapathi (1991):

Thalaivar padam pa!!! How can I not write about it! The directors’ fondness for Mahabharta and inspired from the epic tale, this movie also is of epic proportions. It focuses on the Karna - Duryodhana friendship and on Kunti’s love of Karna. It also indicates that Draupadi might indeed have been in love with Karna and not Arjun.

The cinematography takes the story forward. The protagonist is Surya and most of the lighting, borders on the red tinge to the hue effects. 

There is a scene where Jayashankar reveals an enormous secret to Rajinikanth (with the sun in the background) and the latter’s face and the sun seem to merge in and out. (The sun-Surya, get it????) Mammootty, as the grey shaded, Deva complements Rajinikanth’s loyal Surya. A tale of friendship till death do us apart!!! Watch it for the terrific performance by frankly everyone in the film - Rajini, Mammootty, Shobana, Srividya and Jayashankar. It also was the debut of Arvind Swamy who went on to become a heartthrob later.

Roja (1992):

From Kanyakumari to Kashmir, quite literally too. Have you heard of the tale of Sathyavan-Savithri! If you had a grandmother like mine, chances are that you would have! This woman said to the God of the Death, “Not today” (Game of thrones style :P) and brought her husband back from the dead.

This is how the movie goes. Scenic beauty of the south of India- the waterfalls, forests etc. – Seductive music – Kashmir -  Snowfall – More seductive music – the plot of the movie – sad music – terrorism – patriotic music. You get the gist. This movie uses music to tell us a story that only when terrorism hits your home, do you realize its impact. Courage can be found in the unlikeliest of places and Madhubala portrays that unlikely person. But Nasser is terrific as the only person in the film who uses his head more than his heart. It marked the debut of AR Rahman who went on to win the National Award for Best Music and Roja’s soundtrack made it to BBC’s Top Five on best movie soundtracks of all time. Watch it for the cinematography, music and the underdog tale of love, lust and patriotism.

Bombay (1995):

The second movie in Ratnam’s Terrorism Trilogy. This focuses on the communal violence that shook streets of Bombay where Hindus-Muslims rioted and went on to kill each other after the demolition of Babri Masjid. The foundation is laid strongly when the first half deals with a Hindu-Muslim love story and then the action shifts to the macrocosm of a city and thereby a nation.

Tolerance begins at home. There are poignant scenes in the movie wherein a Hindu runs into a burning house to save the Quran, when a transgender proves she is more human than anyone else. But my favourite would be the scene where the child sitting on his Grand Dad’s shoulders, returning from a temple, sees a bunch a Muslims in the distance, immediately, he wipes the vibhuti from his forehead and his grandfathers’. If that isn’t poignant, I dunno what is. Manisha Koirala puts in one of tamil cinema’s most poignant performances. As the vulnerable, scared, soft spoken woman filled with grief, she makes your heart melt.

Dil Se (1998):

Whoever said Indian movies have too many songs that hinder the progress of the story should watch it; this movie has great songs; both the versions, Tamil and Hindi. Lyrics that reach out to you. My personal favourite is Satrangi Re/Ennuyire. 

In retrospection, this song tells you the entire story in like 5 minutes. Boy meets a mysterious girl, falls in love and if I write anything more, it would only spoil the experience. Definitely, a must watch. I can literally hear Dil Se Re….. play in the background while I type this. This concluded his Roja-Bombay-Dil Se terrorism trilogy.

Iruvar (1997):

I can’t decide what my favourite Mani Ratnam movie is - Nayagan or Iruvar. I’m sure every fan of Mani Ratnam’s has the same dilemma. It is a magnificent tale of friendship, loyalty, greed, jealousy, backstabbing, popularity and politics. Sounds like the trailer for The Social Network, right? Here the friends do not fight over a website but over a state. Inspired by two real life politicians, chronicles their rise to power and the subsequent fall.

As one of my friends rightly put it, this movie was banned by the people concerned from the theatres because it made those two people look way cooler than they actually were. This movie is a record of the growth of decades of Tamil cinema as well as the political scenario. It marked the debut of Aishwarya Rai in movies. Mohanlal is pitch perfect as the Mallu-kalandha-Tamil speaking politician. Prakash Raj, as the poet who is both romantic and patriotic to equal extent before becoming green with envy and doing all he could to jeopardize the others’ career. I heard this role was first offered to Kamal Haasan. Prakash Raj’s performance was so moving that he ended up winning a National Award for the film, but I can’t help but imagine those recitals in Kamal Haasan’s baritone. The Prakash Raj-Tabu love story and that “Unnodu Naan…” recited by Aravind Swamy as well as the death monologue are all stand out pieces of Tamil poetry. Vairamuthu deserves all the applause for writing poems for the most famous Tamil Poet of the modern times.

If you like this movie, you should also read the following blog dedicated to the genius of Mani Ratnam. http://www.jamuura.com/blog/iruvar-mani-ratnam-directorial-masterpiece/

Alaipayuthey (2000):

Maddy, Maddy, Oh Oh Maddy!!! I was a child when this released but I still remember my cousin who was in college then, fangirl so much about this movie and go watch it FDFS. Everybody loves Karthik-Shakti. It is a take on what happens after love translates into marriage. Is it happily ever after, in reality? Do you not grow to despise the one you once loved? It answers all these questions peppered with trains, rains, beaches, Madhavan’s smile and some wonderful music. Everyone, (except perhaps my Mom) thought this movie was charming. This was probably the last great love story in Tamil.

You know a movie has inspired life so much when, during a discussion on movies in class, you have everyone in that group know someone who have had an Alaipayuthey style wedding. Inspiration indeed!

Kannathil Muthamittal (2002):

So many movies made on the India-Pakistan rivalry, communal violence, Gujarat riots; but no one ever talks about the Lankan Tamil issue, not even the Central government, until recently. Hitler killed the Jews, Palestinians are being killed, but I’m not sure how many Indians even know about their own countrymen being massacred in a neighbouring country.

The movie sets to capture the Lankan Tamil strife through the eyes of an 8 year old who goes searching for her biological mother only to find out that she never will be a mother to her. Portrayals are of the finest caliber here. Madhavan, Simran and Keerthana as the child all prove their mettle as actors. This child is not one of those cutesy over-the-top characters we are so often used to seeing in films. She brings in a déjà-vu feeling to everything she does. She is that annoying child next door.  Nandita Das in the climax outshines everybody, as the mother with conflicted interests. 
Scenes to watch out for:

The birthday-beach scene where they tell the child; Rameshwaram beach scene where Madhavan promises her; Nandita Das climax. And the beautiful “Oru Deivam thanda Poove” male version in Jayachandran’s voice. Every daughter gets a lump in her throat while listening to the song. It won 6 National awards.(Twas a record until Aadukalam tied with it a few years back) Also, the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film festival. Please go watch this nature vs nurture debate in the backdrop of a war.

Guru (2007):

Inspired by the real life story of one of India’s biggest business tycoons. This movie showed us that Abhishek Bachchan CAN act when he is working with an able director. This movie is here on this list because of the confidence bordering on arrogance of the protagonist. The court scene climax reminded me of Roark’s speech at the end of The Fountainhead. Watch it because it was the last memorable movie of Mani Ratnam’s.

I’m hoping OK Kanmani would change that. Mani Ratnam might get either fan-mail or brickbats today. But I hope and pray that it turns out to be a Mani Ratnam styled film unlike Kadal which was frankly appalling. Regardless of the verdict for OKK, I’m a Mani Ratnam fan. FOREVER AND ALWAYS.  

Tribute to KB

Tribute to KB:

I have been meaning to write this for quite some time now but as they say life, by life - I mean, college work intervenes. Perks of doing Post graduation, should be! The motivating factor today (two days ago) turned out to be a conversation regarding old Balachander movies. Turns out people actually read my blog and watch the movies that I blog about. So, this is my long overdue tribute to KB, the man who made me appreciate the beauty of the middle-class mentality because that is what we are, in our true form, middle-class, anyways.

If Mani Ratnam thought me to differentiate good cinema from the bad; KB thought me how the script is the HERO of any film. It took me ages to actually discover his films. You do not always listen to your grandmother, do you! But how could you? She even watches Saroja Devi’s overacting movies.

Getting to the point, KB thought us to be proud of what we are. He had the guts to explore tabooed relationships, feelings that are banned and push the boundaries of the human mind. All these, he did in the 60s and 70s. Some of his movies belong in the 21^st century and even now his movies are new, young and refreshing. Here is my pick of ten must see KB films. I was introduced to KB because of a film loving family who took the effort to tell me his work is epic. I’m just passing on the favour. The movies are in chronological order.

Server Sundaram(1964):

Whenever my Dad talks about this movie, he states that KB had the guts to launch Nagesh as the lead in a movie which starred Muthuraaman and KR Vijaya, the then heartthrobs of Tamil cinema. Yes, he did have the guts to pick an actor who wasn’t the conventional hero. (Movies with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rajkumar Rao or Irrfan Khan as the lead work these days) Oh and in 1964!!!! This is a charming, naughty, mischievous waiter (or server as it was called those days) with a heart of gold. He falls in love, goes through heartbreak and also becomes an overnight movie star. Poignant relationship moments and Nagesh’s performance of this immensely lovable boy next door will make anyone root for him. Check out his moves in that “Avalukkena azhagiya mugam..” song

Bama Vijayam(1967):

What would you do if someone told you Rajinikanth was going to come visit you at home? I know my Mom would clean the house and make it shine, my Dad would probably tell everyone he knows about the arrival and I’d freak the hell out after someone revives me from my state of unconscious caused by the happiness of that news. Why would all this happen? Because he is a celebrity you adore. And we treat them like demi-gods. This movie goes on to showcase the monumental changes that occurs in a simple middle-class household when they are told that a movie star would come visit them. It explores human behaviour when faced with the arrival of a prestigious person, the pretentious attitudes and how people would go out of their way to please someone they hold superior to them. It also touched upon themes of hero-worshipping movie stars, the fan following, lack of privacy and how people want to earn others’ respect by a phony display of wealth. Loosely based on the short story The Diamond Necklace, this movie is a satirical take on human behaviour when they are to meet a celebrity. Relevant in our times, with all the fangirling-ness that is going on and especially the paparazzi that cannot even spell privacy. It has beautifully written “Varavu ettana…” song that is applicable to any era.

Ethirneechal(1968):

 Not the recent Sivakarthikeyan starrer, but the classic chronicles of “Maadi padi Maadhu” portrayed by the multi-talented Nagesh. This movie explores the relationships that exist between people who live in the same colony and how they treat the poor, orphan boy who lives under the stairs. Alas, this Harry Potter doesn’t have the luxury of magic and he literally has to swim against the tide to overcome his difficulties. This movie has a cult fan following and rightly so. Life is full of impediments, disappointments, judgmental remarks and the insane are saner than normal people. This movie captures middle-class life from the borrowing of coffee powder from the woman next door to gossiping about the unmarried girl who just got back from a psychiatric clinic to poking your nose in other people’s business. Nagesh melts your heart on multiple occasions. The most poignant being when he gleefully exclaims that if people wanted to make a fool out of him, he would much rather make a fool out of himself so as to feel better later. This movie belongs in the annals of cinematic history and I hope the sanctity of the movie is preserved.

Aval Oru Thodarkadhai(1974):

One more reason to love KB would be his respect for women and the way he portrayed the new age woman in the 70s. This movie is a feminists’ delight. The protagonist is an ARROGANT woman and her arrogance stems from the fact that she is adept, smart and intelligent and able to support her huge dysfunctional family. It explores themes like familial burden, responsibilities, sacrifices that have to be made and how having an excessive sense of self-respect can be misread as arrogance. It also touches upon themes of fidelity, pre-marital sex, patriarchic Indian society and that bane of being a woman in a man’s world. Sujatha is just terrific and wins because she makes you hate her, then love her and even in her most vulnerable moment never lets you pity her. This is the kind of woman you know would pick herself up and walk with her head held high regardless of the number of times the world brings her down to her knees. This movie also has two terrific songs by KJ Jesudas and SPB, “Deivam thandha veedu” and “Kadavul amaithu vaitha medai” respectively. This is maybe our very own version of “Taming of the Shrew” meets “Gone with the wind” in that Sujatha embodies the characteristics of both Kate and Scarlett respectively. This movie had Chapters way before Tarantino & Anurag Kashyap made it look cool!

Apoorva Raagangal(1975):

I’ve already included this in my list of ten best Tamil films of all time. I’m a die- hard Rajinikanth fan and of course, the reason I watched this film was that it was Thalaivar’s first film. But, it turned out that he had hardly 15 minutes screen time and the movie turned out be an-in-your-face-delight. Go for the hero and the story entices you. How I wish movies these days could be like that! An inter-generational love story of epic proportions. Saying anymore about the movie would spoil the fun of it. Just keep an open mind and the twist would stun you.

Avargal(1977):

Another classic on the plight of being a woman in India. Again, the protagonist is a terrific Sujatha. But what sets her apart in this movie is the vulnerability she brings in to her character. She portrays what millions of women in our country go through every day. It is about a young lady and three men in her life at three different points in time. It is her evolution from a naïve, meek, shy person to a self-thinking, independent woman capable of not letting her past overshadow her present or her future. Watch this movie for Rajinikanth’s portrayal as a suave, sophisticated, chauvinistic, misogynistic bastard with sociopathic tendencies. This is one of my favourite Rajinikanth performances. KB does bring out the best in his pupils.

Varumaiyin Niram Sigappu(1980):

Being your own true self in a world that is constantly trying to change you is not such an easy thing. Kamal Haasan goes through every trouble someone with integrity would face in a world where mediocrity is glorified and the talented are expected to be apologetic about their talent in the name of humility. A man with his own morals; one who isn’t willing to give them up even if that means eating an apple that fell into the drainage. Howard Roark in the Indian streets where unemployment and poverty prevail and it helps when it is portrayed by the best actor the country has ever produced. What stands out in this movie are some choke in your throat scenes! The scene where the friends pretend to have a good meal while Sridevi waits in the hall, the interview scene when Kamal loses his cool, the apple from the drainage scene, the climax showdown at the Salon. These days you would count yourself lucky if there was one memorable scene in a 3 hour long movie. This movie is seemed to be peppered with great screenwriting. The timely Bharathiyar recitals take the story forward. I remember my Mom telling me the story in a single line, “Epdi naalum vaazhazham gradhu vazhkai illa; ipdi dhan vazhanum gradhu dhan vazhkai”(Live isn’t something that can be lived in any which way, life is what is lived by some principles and morals.)

Thillu Mullu(1981):

This was the remake of Amol Palekar’s “Golmaal”. If you love Tamil cinema and especially the funny ones, this has to be on your priority list. There are well made remakes and there are those that spoil the original and make you cringe in your seats. This belongs to the former. Watch this movie for the impeccable comic timing by the Superstar as well as by Sowcar Janaki. This is a laugh riot. Thengai Seenivasan plays a pivotal role and this movie has a cult following. And it truly deserves it. This was the movie that brought out Rajinikanth’s adeptness in comic timing and changed his image from the angry young man. Humour became a major chunk in his later movies and continues to be so till date. You just cannot miss this movie.

Sindhu Bhairavi(1985):

Dull marriage. Ambition. A spark of new hope. An affair. Booze. Humiliation. Depression. Recovery. Music, Music and more Music. You name it and you have everything in this movie. The leads, Sivakumar and Suhasini live their roles with gusto. The other leads who contribute immensely to the movie are Yesudas who becomes the singing voice of Sivakumar and Ilaiyaraja’s music which ranges from carnatic to dapanguthu. Definitely a must watch. A true musical. Also touches on marital bonds and effects of alcoholism. Your heart reaches out to Sivakumar in that “ Thanni thotti” song.

Kaialavu Manasu:

I know I started this off as a movie blog but when someone says KB, I cannot sign off without mentioning this gem. Made for TV, Soap opera about a mother and her three children and follows their story across a span of about 3 decades. Wonderfully written. Real life people with real life problems that do not make you cringe with melodrama. Tender, heartwarming and explores themes like the independent woman who finds a life of her own even after she loses her family. Watch this for Geetha, the backbone of the show. And for the then future star-in-making, Prakash Raj who ably complements her. You know something is really good when I rememner watching this on TV when I was just 4. Also, the so called TV serial writers should take a cue from this on how to write for TV. Please! Oh Please! Show re-reruns on TV. Check out the title track. SPB Sir = <3 <3 <3

My other recommendations would include:

 Iru Kodugal:

There is a song in this movie that goes, ”Punnagai Mannan….”which encapsulates the entire movie. Another marital discord story on what happens to a married man when his past re-enters his life. I almost forgot to write about this and then I realize the beautiful LIFE-FILE scene and then I couldn’t.

Punnagai Mannan(1986): My mind is playing this movie’s theme as the BGM as I type this. Wonderful music. Tragic love story. The movie states that you can fall in love twice and the irony of what you want and what you get. And Kamal Haasan doing an impersonation of Charlie Chaplin, what else do you want? This movie has brilliant music and this gave us a singing sensation in Chitra. This movie is the personification of the phrase, “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings”

Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal(1989): Explores a loveless marriage, finding love elsewhere, only to return to your wife out of duty. Differentiates between loving someone and being in love with someone. It also highlights how people are obsessed with celebrities and how the media tears down their personal lives. Geetha is a treat to watch as the paranoid, bipolar wife, vulnerable and hateful at the same time.

Vaaname Ellai(1992): For the youth of the nation who believe that their life is unfair and are always cribbing about the injustices done to them. They are angry and rightly so. This is a bunch of youngsters who have given up on life, want to kill themselves only they decide to live together for a few days before they die and what happens thereafter. Brilliant poetical references and the scenic beauty of the place also add to your experience. The climax is a sure lump-in-your-throat stuff.

I’ve not seen Neerkumizhi, Major Chandrakanth or Thaneer Thaneer but these are widely characterized as true KB gems. So go ahead, try watching these films and do let me know if you liked any.

Hope this blog helps you experiment with your choice of movies. In memory of KB, thank you for these immortal gems.

“Alentine’s Ay”

I just read a FB status of a friend who said “Happy Alentine’s Ay to all those who can’t get a V or D” (That post indeed made my day xP) Followed by a Buzzfeed article on how HP was the cleverest book series ever. (And that choke-in-your-throat moment) So the V day did start off with some level of EPICness.

Rewind 24 hours, this classmate of mine walks up to me and says, “So Arun, what plans for tomorrow?” And there I’m wondering what the next day was. Not that it makes a big difference, then you realize you’re growing up when you do not even know the date and forgetting the entire colour-coded thingy that they do on V Day,( I completely forgot it and kinda makes you wonder if you’re growing up or growing old!!!) Both of which I do not greatly appreciate.

I sit in class and make notes in the corner of my book on some random idea for a movie script/short story. Of late, it has been the people around me and the conversations that I seem to be having with them. Some of those make it into a blog and some into a story.

Things change. People change. Situations change. Environments change. And the one that I inhabit currently is this huge Glasshouse where everyone knows what the other person is doing. That’s a residential MBA situated in a place miles away from the city for you.( Kinda like Hogwarts without the magic or anything cool for that matter)

I had two interesting conversations this past week. One was about PK. There was this dude who thought PK was brilliant and when they were discussing the film, all I could think of saying was how cute Sushant Singh Rajput was!!( Cuz, PK to me was a disappointment coming from the Rajkumar Hirani stable) And pat came the reply, “These girls, you know, all they care about is who looked cute and how cute he was” All because my idea of a classic wasn’t PK (I thought OMG was way better) and sure he meant it in jest and I’m supposed to laugh at my own silliness. What followed was a lecture on how I should watch a film for the script and the acting and not the looks of the leads.

The irony lies in the fact that Aaron Sorkin is my favourite scriptwriter and here was someone teaching me to appreciate writing when I’m sure he has no clue who that is. I’m not taking the intellectual high ground here, just that people should stop and think before jumping to conclusions and labelling a girl, and girls in general. Maybe I’m over-reacting but I just think that someone should.

The second piece of convo, much more interesting than the last was this discussion on what conversations between a guy and his girlfriend would be like. So after a few minutes these guys decided that it would be random nonsense on what you ate, class, what her dog did and you get the point!!!!!! So I said they could have intellectual conversations on topics ranging from literature to art to what would Raghuram Rajan be doing next(This was right after an economics class btw) What followed was hilarious laughter and bringing in more guys into the conversation for validation on how stupid my entire point of view was. I fail to see what is so funny about this entire thing.

You talk to your friend about the cricket score, Chinese economy and the latest Hollywood movie but why the girlfriend should be the girl with whom you’d have to lower your so-called-standards and have only meaningless conversation beats me. I’m not saying all guys think this way but just pointing out that many do. And this entire viewpoint disgusts me.

So ALL YOU SINGLE LADIES out there. You’re smart, independent, intelligent, witty, funny, quirky, and absolutely weird and THAT is what makes you so unique. It doesn’t matter if you’re hot, fat, anorexic, stubborn or adamant. If you’re high maintenance, wait for that one person who loves maintaining you(Chandler <3) One who would listen to you fangirl about Cumberbatch and still discuss the implications of Modi’s China visit. One who respects your intelligence and values your opinion. Remember to always have an opinion. You’re not a mannequin at a shopping mall. You’re made of flesh and blood. NEVER SETTLE for the one who taps on the window. Get a CAT instead xP 

Top 12 Thalaivar Moments

While I was a child, my parents took me to watch one movie a year. Yes, Just one movie a year. Same goes for my cousins too…. No prizes for guessing. It used to be a Rajini movie. This was a festival to us. Like Diwali or Pongal-but way more entertaining. The epitome of his greatness is the fact that my grandmother, my mother and I are all huge fans. And I know two year old kids who love his songs. He has entertained four generations and his work would inspire many more. He definitely is the greatest entertainer this country has seen.

If you’re Tamil or grew up in Tamil Nadu, the probability that you’re a Thalaivar fan is going to be pretty high. You might love him. You might hate him. But you just can’t resist his charisma. Be it a fan or a non-Rajini fan

, each and every person has their own Rajini moment. That split second in which he steals the show and makes your heart skip a beat. His songs are the best anti depressants. He makes you laugh, cry and tells you in his own unrealistic way that all it takes is a 5 minute song to melt your sorrows away and go from rags to riches : Rajini Style. What defines the magnitude of this man has to be the fact that he doesn’t mind walking around in public without a wig-And we don’t mind him romancing 20 year olds on screen. The mutual star-fan loyalty at its peak, I must say.

Here’s my pick of the best Thalaivar moments of all time. Those moments that gave you goosebumps/made you laugh/cry or just stayed with you even after years. My own special way of saying Happy Birthday and Thank You for everything.

12. Raja Chinna Roja Song:

You maybe a Pixar or Disney fan. But common, who doesn’t like this cute animated song that put a smile on all our faces. Made us jump up with joy, all the while teaching us a sweet lesson on morality. 

Also this movie had that “Supestaru yaarunu ketta china kuzhandhayum sollum”(Even a small child knows who the super star is!) song. Remember all the colourful confetti and bombs going off in the background?!?! Made you thank God for having a colour television in those days. They’ve moved onto motion capture with Kochadaiyaan, but I think we love this song more than that entire movie xP

 11. Johnny:

When you say Rajinikanth, what comes to your mind is his charisma, the way he walks, the way he talks and off course the way he runs. There have been numerous movies in which he’s made to run especially wearing a blazer. That’s got to be one of the most majestic sites. 

In movies we see him run to save a temple from blowing up or to catch a snake, but my pick of his “runs” would be him running towards his ladylove- the gorgeous Sridevi in Kaatril Enthan Geetham. What a lilting Ilaiyaraja classic and Janaki’s voice haunts you forever! And Indians are a sucker for romance in the rain and the drama of cops chasing Rajini. Should I go on? This is one of those stand out moments.

10. Shiva Sambo:

While on the topic of songs, all of us have a favourite Rajini song. Maybe we’ve even advised/motivated our friends with a few lines from his classics. “Vetri Nitchayam” “Vetri Kodi Kattu” “Oruvan Oruvan Mudhalaali” and all these are inspirational gems.

We’ve also probably grown up listening to stories of how KB decided to cast Rajini as a male lead after his “thuru thuru” antics in Ninaithaale Innikum, a movie where he shared screen space with probably the best actor the world has ever seen. Forget overshadowing, but to even get noticed in a movie starring Kamal Haasan is a huge achievement and he managed that. Testimony to this fact is this song.

9. Thillu Mullu:

The greatest quality to be admired in Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth is their ability to don the angry-young-man and the comic caper avatars and own both these roles. This movie is a laugh riot. Yes. It is indeed a remake of a Hindi classic but this is how classics should be remade with a hint of originality.

This scene wherein Thengai Sreenivasan interviews the Superstar sets the tone for the entire film. Ably directed by the legendary KB, this movie brought to us our Thalaivar who started his career doing negative roles in a full fledged comedy performance and how he won our hearts. Aiyyampettai Arivudai Nambi Kaliaperumal Chandru, you stay in our hearts forever <3

8. Arunachalam:

Nothing gets bigger and better than a Thalaivar film. Just imagine who could’ve pulled off a premise as silly as spend 3000 crores in 30 days? And that too, in such style! High octane drama ensues when Raghuvaran brings in a sum of 20,000 to be spent in 5 minutes and surprise, surprise he manages to!!!!!

That quick wit in paying his assistant and then beating up the thugs, “Aandavan solran, Arunachalam seiran” style with the lizard in the BGM. This is one of those moments you’d rewind again and again.

7. Polladhavan:

Not the best of movies, nor the most heroic. But I fixated with its title track. I love the Rajni-SPB-Rahman combo that started from Muthu and gave us blockbuster songs one after the other. The “Naan Polladhavan” track however is a different ballgame all together.

 This is raw attitude at display and the camera angles that focuses on a drunk Rajinikanth, the lyrics that personify “Who the hell gives a damn!” This is a rare gem. 
I like it better than “Raaman aandalum, Raavanan aandalum” which is hailed as an arrogant man’s anthem. Pay attention to the lyrics. This is better.

Now we’re halfway through the list. And if you’ve persisted thus far, you surely should be wondering why I’ve not touched upon those things that make Rajini, Rajini. Thus far it has been an ode to the quirky thalaivar moments. Henceforth, let’s get down to serious fangirl business.

6. Shivaji:

The director known for his larger than life movies meets the person who defined larger than life in our country. This is what happens when a tornado meets a volcano. And sparks flew in the theatre. Be it “Singam singlah dha varum” or that “Coin Toss”, this was a pucca mass masala movie. I love that Thee Thee song, a tribute to Rajinikanth.

 That scene where the bullet moves back on its own frightened by thalaivar stare, catches fire and falls down is sheer AWESOMENESS. You get kids to like you. That’s half the battle won. When this movie released, my then 5 year old cousin described this scene to my Mom and made her watch it. Can anyone ever beat that extent of love?

5. Moondru Mugam

“Naangellam Rajini padam posteraye moonu mani neram paapom. Moonu Rajini irundha kekava vennum”(We’d stare at a Rajini poster for three hours. Should you even ask about a movie with Rajini in a triple role!)

That walk in the police uniform. That policekaran arrogance and that epic “ Ashe kozhandha kitta poi Alex Pandian nu sonna Amma vaayayum sethu moodum”dialogue.  ENOUGH SAID!

4. Thalapathi:

The movie that defined class meets mass. Thalaivar in a Kadavul(God) film. Each scene is like a piece of sculpture. Sculpted to perfection. The scene where Jayshankar tells Rajini his parentage with the sun fading in and out of his face(He was called Surya in the move if you didn’t already know).

 But the scene that defined mass was that “Thodra paakalaam” scene in the police officer’s room. Thalaivar thalaiar dhaan. Also, don’t you think he looked smoking hot in this film!!!

3. Annamalai:

“nee epdi yen vita idichi….. indha naal un calendar la kurichi vachiko”

Please tell me you read that in Rajinikanth’s voice. That same way he says “epdi”. Generations of actors who are now stars in the industry have admitted that they auditioned for their movies using this monologue. Probably, the best monologue in Tamil cinema (I don’t really care for the Parashakti time monologues).

 Legend goes that he did movie for a total salary of a rupee. Says a lot his devotion to his guru whose company he saved from bankruptcy due to this gesture. And he was the coolest “Paalkaran” EVER. Watch closely. He wears a pair of Reebok shoes in the song “Vandhedaan paalkaran” xP

2. Padayappa:

Everybody loves this movie. Most diehard fans would consider this to be their most favourite Rajini movie amongst his commercial films. I like this film but wouldn’t put it on the pedestal. Yes. A self obsessed arrogant female lead, wonderfully portrayed by a super awesome Ramya Krishnan. But, come to think of it, all Rajini does in this movie is keep her at bay when she plays him like an instrument. Or that’s how I saw it.

 Being a feminist, thalaivar telling a woman her place isn’t my favourite form of art.

Having said that, “the oonjal scene” in this movie has got to be one the most heroic Rajini moments of all time. Followed by the, “Koodave porandhadhu eppovum pogadhu” dialogue. The salute. Style Quotient =BIG WIN.

                                         *drum rolls please*

1.Baasha:

This is the Bible of anyone who wants to make a mass masala movie that doesn’t insult the intelligence of the audience. The intermission scene has got to be the best intermission ever written in the history of Indian cinema. That lamb like auto driver transforms into a lion. From that classic “Ulle po” to that turn, stare, beat up all the thugs. I’ve seen this movie 37 times till date and make it a point to see it on every birthday. I still remember my parents taking me to this movie and considering I’d have just started school then, this is an example of subconscious love, awe and respect. 

No matter the number of times, my heart still skips a beat when he pulls that pipe out of the ground and says, “Oru dhadava sonna, nooru dhadava sonna madhiri” in the movie for the first time. This movie was India’s ode to organized crime, in all its swag. Blazers, sunglasses in the night and autodrivers wearing Nike. “Orey oru Baasha dha oorkellam”(Only one king to rule all the cities)  And that would be Thalaivar forever.

                                            HAPPY BIRTHDAY.            

                 My own way of paying my respects, love and admiration.