Oh traveler,
You shall go on.
Behold,
The beauty of this world,
Forget your sorrows,
Bask in the blossoming of that new flower,
And embrace the colors of this world.
This path now tells me,
Someone, somewhere is waiting for you,
Why this restlesness?
Whom shall I meet in this journey?
It might be that your destiny,
Is about to happen.
For that oh traveler,
You shall go on.
For life is a vehicle,
And time are the wheels.
The is a river of tears,
And a garden of joy,
The journey is yours to travel,
Oh traveler.
Whenever I gaze through and beyond these paths,
Colors flicker across my eyes.
There's a cool breeze that tells me to keep going,
And I wonder whose village may be beyond those terrains,
The clouds have moved apart,
I could only see the clear sky,
How far has my heart brought me- I wonder;
For with each new step, I beckon a new dream,
And the journey prolongs.
Every single dream does come true,
Oh traveler,
If only you lit every passion of yours with the ray of love,
And choose the path your heart points out to you.
Time is an oyster,
Travel with love,
Oh traveler,
And you shall find the pearls in every oyster there is
All by listening to your heart.
Why does my heart feel light?
As if the breeze has carried off with it all the burdens of distress,
As if I am once again a kid,
Untainted, Innocent,
Gasping at wonder at every new nook this world has to offer,
And finding answers for every little question I ask myself.
I am wet, fresh,
Dipped in pure water,
Cleansing myself with only the forthcoming journey beckoning me.
My heart has only excitement,
Bonds are renewed and ebbed,
Life feels new.
There's love in my life,
There's a song on my lips,
This is the only ingredient of victory,
Oh traveler,
For those who can love purely can conquer your paths.
Wherever you shall go,
Never shall you lose love.
Light the lamp of love,
And brighten every road you travel on,
For it will make your paths visible.
Oh traveler,
Who is there calling out to me?
I look at the river, the mountain, the lakes, the streams and the jungles,
All seem to signify a sign,
Whose signs are these?
What are they trying to tell me?
Go on,
Oh traveler,
Destiny beckons.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
All that She is.
She loves coffee.
She's hyperactive at late nights.
She hates chocolates.
A sucker for shoes.
A Gossip Girl freak.
She dies for Harry Potter and anything to do with it.
She reads Enid Blyton to pass a short leisure time.
She can 'ter'-sleep whenever she's on the bed.
Her nails are always polished with various colors.
She's obsessed with Anushka Sharma.
Milo is her diet drink, and also the only remote form of chocolate she consumes.
She tortures her roommates by singing to them.
She's a no.1 person.
If allowed, she'd stare at me the whole day.
Gulab Jamun- another one of her obsessions.
Penang is the best place in the world for her.
Hanuman is like her imaginary friend, at all times.
She says I make her heart smile.
Little things makes her happy.
She has the best smile in the whole freakin world.
She can go on and on and on, and I can listen and listen and listen, and never ask her to stop.
She can be utterly childish and amazingly adult at the same time.
She can write, but she doesn't.
She dislikes labs for one main reason- she has to cut her nails.
She loves to cross her legs.
She hardly drags her feet.
She has fears- fears that makes me take her in my arms.
She has strength- strength that makes me lean on her shoulders.
If nobody ever says a word against it, her whole room will end up flooded in pink.
Green are Red is what you will see associated with her when Pink is absent.
If you see a salon, then watch for her gaze.
Food is the main reason why she loves this country.
UK is where the fairytale future lies for her.
She'd sleep on a bed of tulips.
If there is a personality test, the teacher will suspect her of having copied me blatantly, even though we didn't sit beside each other.
She loves being hugged from behind.
She's a Vijay fan...duh
AND
She is what Love is all about.
She's hyperactive at late nights.
She hates chocolates.
A sucker for shoes.
A Gossip Girl freak.
She dies for Harry Potter and anything to do with it.
She reads Enid Blyton to pass a short leisure time.
She can 'ter'-sleep whenever she's on the bed.
Her nails are always polished with various colors.
She's obsessed with Anushka Sharma.
Milo is her diet drink, and also the only remote form of chocolate she consumes.
She tortures her roommates by singing to them.
She's a no.1 person.
If allowed, she'd stare at me the whole day.
Gulab Jamun- another one of her obsessions.
Penang is the best place in the world for her.
Hanuman is like her imaginary friend, at all times.
She says I make her heart smile.
Little things makes her happy.
She has the best smile in the whole freakin world.
She can go on and on and on, and I can listen and listen and listen, and never ask her to stop.
She can be utterly childish and amazingly adult at the same time.
She can write, but she doesn't.
She dislikes labs for one main reason- she has to cut her nails.
She loves to cross her legs.
She hardly drags her feet.
She has fears- fears that makes me take her in my arms.
She has strength- strength that makes me lean on her shoulders.
If nobody ever says a word against it, her whole room will end up flooded in pink.
Green are Red is what you will see associated with her when Pink is absent.
If you see a salon, then watch for her gaze.
Food is the main reason why she loves this country.
UK is where the fairytale future lies for her.
She'd sleep on a bed of tulips.
If there is a personality test, the teacher will suspect her of having copied me blatantly, even though we didn't sit beside each other.
She loves being hugged from behind.
She's a Vijay fan...duh
AND
She is what Love is all about.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Sai Thaman- young and vibrant
Let's admit it. Tamil cinema has had a fervent obsession in finding the next AR Rahman, at least for the last half decade. As if ARR's days in the industry are ever numbered, every flower that sprouted in the music arena in Kollywood has been tagged as the next big thing, and then settled into certain commonplace spheres. The best examples would be the sound rise of Yuvan Shankar Raja before he settled in becoming a composer on his own right, and also of ARR's own nephew GV Prakash, who has shown glimpses of brilliance so far. I am not excluded from the list of criminals who took some albums of young composers wanting to hear a next Rahman, only to half-meet expectations, the other measured by how far that composer has fared from Rahman's standards.
Thankfully, that trend has laid to a rest now (the Oscar and the Grammy probably made many realize gems like Rahman comes once in a lifetime and you don't simply find replacements in the nick of a finger). Before anyone reading this assumes it, I'm not on this to blabber about a next Rahman, but simply a composer who is showing much promise, and in my views, deserves greater opportunities to deliver on the large frame.
Ever remember the sexually mischievous plump boy who probably became the reason why many household parents (including mine) deem that Boys isn't a film appropriate for watching? Yes, that very boy is whom I am talking about- Sai Thaman. A product of the Shankar camp, he quickly faded after Boys, and has come back in a different avatar- that of a music composer.
He debuted last in year in Shankar's own home production- the subtle thriller 'Eeram' which featured much fresh, non-celebrity faces in the lead roles. Thaman's work was received with such accolades that grapevines had it that Kamal Hassan considered him to compose for his 'Yaavarum Kelir' (now re-titled as Karunyam)-- and I was probably the most dissapointed soul around when the Karunyam team, in an act that resembled false promise- went for typical instant churner Devi Sri Prasad instead. Not that DSP is a bad choice, but stars with big attractions ala Kamal are the ones who can really expose a slew of young musical talents in the offing for Kollywood. I'm not talking about Devi Sri Prasad or Srikanth Deva, or anyone in that melee, who attained fame with the fast-paced compositions. What about the composers who come in with striking quality compositions- melodious, heartfelt, yet your heart ache when you know they are not getting the attention they deserve for the supreme quality of their work. Given their age, people like Thaman show great promise, and even if they are not born gems- given the right opportunity, they can be honed into gems.
In a thriller like 'Eeram' where there was very minimal usage of music or songs for that matter, Thaman's 'Mazhaye Mazhaye' stood out as a musical statement for the entire film. The striking matter of this song is not only that its pleasing to the ear- but it really does bring the resemblance of rain/water when you listen to it. You can come almost feel the mist descending upon you, that's the aura and atmosphere that the song created, so fitting with the tone and the theme of the entire film. (He did do exceptional background score for the film as well).
And now you have 'Mudhinam Paartheney'. Of course, you might not even have heard of this film, but kudos to Thaman for staying off the music frame long enough, and comitting to a project like MDP. The film, made by a newcomer director with newcomers on the cover, has been receiving rave reviews since its release, and probably demonstrates Thaman's ability to choose films that can express his musical vistas. Again, the pity of the moment is that you probably have not heard MDP's songs- as they are not even aired on the radio channels frequently enough to attain the kind of exposure that it deserves. Instead, 'dappankuttu' or hardcore songs from low-budget, nonsensical, brainless movies get aired in order to beef popularity for that hopeless reel of 2 hours made without an ounce of creativity.
'Indre Indre' probably is the best melody of the year, second only to ARR's magical 'Hosanna' from VTV. The song is so soothing it left me cursing when I knew the length is just short of four minutes- too short for a song that leaves you asking for more. In fact, every song in MDP leaves a distinct variety about it- even though all of them are love songs, but Thaman brings out a different atmosphere with each of them- and all of them seemingly made to fit the narration- not one of them sound like they need to be taken out to Switzerland and be shot with lavish picturization. It's an art by itself to be able to convey the story and the theme of the film through its songs yet ensuring the songs remain catchy and pleasing to the ears. Every song in MDP conveys the urban romantic drama laced with realism that it is- and I could feel this even without watching a single motion of the film's promos to date.
'Manadhin Adiyil' is a combination of an urban journeyman song laced with classical fusion, another mark of Thaman's clear eye for creativity. The theme song reveals to us that Thaman sounds just like ARR. Does that tell us something? No, it doesn't. For once, let ARR be ARR, and Sai Thaman be Sai Thaman.
But it's time Kollywood grabs a blossoming young composer, and adorns him with opportunities of the highest to showcase his talents- not by composing mass-masala numbers for money-spinning heroes- but composing for fresh, off-the-trend films which still features big stars and big banners. Doing the former would only rust the apparent creativity Thaman has in himself. He'd do good to stamp his own forte before moving to mass-masala films where he would be allowed to experiment as he wishes to and bring different sounds without having to be rigid.
For once, I'm not hyping Sai Thaman's ability up. He has a long way to go. But he has made a textbook start to his career, and he needs to get noticed now. Let's hope that happens. Kollywood isn't hyping him up, which relieves great burden off his shoulders for once.
For a prospective career ahead.
Thankfully, that trend has laid to a rest now (the Oscar and the Grammy probably made many realize gems like Rahman comes once in a lifetime and you don't simply find replacements in the nick of a finger). Before anyone reading this assumes it, I'm not on this to blabber about a next Rahman, but simply a composer who is showing much promise, and in my views, deserves greater opportunities to deliver on the large frame.
Ever remember the sexually mischievous plump boy who probably became the reason why many household parents (including mine) deem that Boys isn't a film appropriate for watching? Yes, that very boy is whom I am talking about- Sai Thaman. A product of the Shankar camp, he quickly faded after Boys, and has come back in a different avatar- that of a music composer.
He debuted last in year in Shankar's own home production- the subtle thriller 'Eeram' which featured much fresh, non-celebrity faces in the lead roles. Thaman's work was received with such accolades that grapevines had it that Kamal Hassan considered him to compose for his 'Yaavarum Kelir' (now re-titled as Karunyam)-- and I was probably the most dissapointed soul around when the Karunyam team, in an act that resembled false promise- went for typical instant churner Devi Sri Prasad instead. Not that DSP is a bad choice, but stars with big attractions ala Kamal are the ones who can really expose a slew of young musical talents in the offing for Kollywood. I'm not talking about Devi Sri Prasad or Srikanth Deva, or anyone in that melee, who attained fame with the fast-paced compositions. What about the composers who come in with striking quality compositions- melodious, heartfelt, yet your heart ache when you know they are not getting the attention they deserve for the supreme quality of their work. Given their age, people like Thaman show great promise, and even if they are not born gems- given the right opportunity, they can be honed into gems.
In a thriller like 'Eeram' where there was very minimal usage of music or songs for that matter, Thaman's 'Mazhaye Mazhaye' stood out as a musical statement for the entire film. The striking matter of this song is not only that its pleasing to the ear- but it really does bring the resemblance of rain/water when you listen to it. You can come almost feel the mist descending upon you, that's the aura and atmosphere that the song created, so fitting with the tone and the theme of the entire film. (He did do exceptional background score for the film as well).
And now you have 'Mudhinam Paartheney'. Of course, you might not even have heard of this film, but kudos to Thaman for staying off the music frame long enough, and comitting to a project like MDP. The film, made by a newcomer director with newcomers on the cover, has been receiving rave reviews since its release, and probably demonstrates Thaman's ability to choose films that can express his musical vistas. Again, the pity of the moment is that you probably have not heard MDP's songs- as they are not even aired on the radio channels frequently enough to attain the kind of exposure that it deserves. Instead, 'dappankuttu' or hardcore songs from low-budget, nonsensical, brainless movies get aired in order to beef popularity for that hopeless reel of 2 hours made without an ounce of creativity.
'Indre Indre' probably is the best melody of the year, second only to ARR's magical 'Hosanna' from VTV. The song is so soothing it left me cursing when I knew the length is just short of four minutes- too short for a song that leaves you asking for more. In fact, every song in MDP leaves a distinct variety about it- even though all of them are love songs, but Thaman brings out a different atmosphere with each of them- and all of them seemingly made to fit the narration- not one of them sound like they need to be taken out to Switzerland and be shot with lavish picturization. It's an art by itself to be able to convey the story and the theme of the film through its songs yet ensuring the songs remain catchy and pleasing to the ears. Every song in MDP conveys the urban romantic drama laced with realism that it is- and I could feel this even without watching a single motion of the film's promos to date.
'Manadhin Adiyil' is a combination of an urban journeyman song laced with classical fusion, another mark of Thaman's clear eye for creativity. The theme song reveals to us that Thaman sounds just like ARR. Does that tell us something? No, it doesn't. For once, let ARR be ARR, and Sai Thaman be Sai Thaman.
But it's time Kollywood grabs a blossoming young composer, and adorns him with opportunities of the highest to showcase his talents- not by composing mass-masala numbers for money-spinning heroes- but composing for fresh, off-the-trend films which still features big stars and big banners. Doing the former would only rust the apparent creativity Thaman has in himself. He'd do good to stamp his own forte before moving to mass-masala films where he would be allowed to experiment as he wishes to and bring different sounds without having to be rigid.
For once, I'm not hyping Sai Thaman's ability up. He has a long way to go. But he has made a textbook start to his career, and he needs to get noticed now. Let's hope that happens. Kollywood isn't hyping him up, which relieves great burden off his shoulders for once.
For a prospective career ahead.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya- Movie Review
One a many had expected that Vinaaithandi.. would be Gautham's throwback days to Minnale, a winding up, feel good film with plenty of entertainment on offer, that doesn't take itself too seriously. But VTV definitely isn't a revisit of any kind towards Minnale, nor a throwback- Gautham tries to push another envelope forward in terms of his own accomplishments as a film-maker.
VTV, for the most part, is a films that resembles life in a poignant, unspectacular fashion. It's simple, not done with any over-the-top elements, extracts enaction of characters rather than performances. Gautham knows his characters like the back of his skin, and that translates onto the screen- he knows the story like the back of his skin, he knows what exactly he feels about the wafer-thin story, and tries to make the audience feel and experience the very same at the end of the movie. And he does succeed to a great extent.
The story, as mentioned, is wafer-thin. Yet without resorting to typical commercial fares to somehow pump excitement to a seemingly non-existent story, Gautham tries to appreciate the very subtleness and the thin story, and pay tribute to the tiny details of relationships, romance and love. The result would translate for some as slow and tedious, and for many as being nostalgic.
The story is not contained with good, bad archetypes of characters, that is so often portrayed as such in Tamil cinema; every character is adversely human. The male lead as someone who, despite his love and conviction, appears unable to force a happy ending to his see-saw love episode, the female lead as someone who is torn between loyalties, and tries to do what she thinks is the best for everybody- even the parents who fiercely oppose the relationship appear only as individuals is a cluster of pre-set notions and requirements that wouldn't be broken down with consummate ease. It's just the story about two individuals whose relationship did not work.
The film demonstrates quite effectively the complications that ensue through relationships, the psychological and mental delusion that follows when problems and fierce opposition starts knocking the door. It is a knock-down on the fairytale ingredient that we are so accustomed to seeing in Tamil cinema over the years- and thus, a fresh change.
Simbhu's performance is an acutely measured performance. Every minute detail is taken care of in his portrayal. Gautham ensured that his performance doesn't border on exaggeration- he behaves exactly the way a man at that young age, torn between a burgeoning desire to attain a woman he loves and his own career aspiration- would behave. Most of the sadness and pain taken intro stride within the character without any verbal expression, Simbhu fits the character, or its more fair to say the character was tailor made for him.
Trisha, though convincing at most parts, could have improvised more on her performance in comparison to the occasional stoic expression that is etched on her face.
VTV does fall at some places, with some scenes inducing a wonder as to whether the pace of the story will change anytime soon, and so on. With one too many songs crammed in the first half, that is another aspect that Gautham could have avoided. Manoj Paramahamsa's camerawork is a delight, as he captures the scenes in Kerala with consummate delight, while AR Rahman's fresh combination with Gautham results in a livelier and more varied BGM work, which can only get better with more films.
VTV, for the most part, is a films that resembles life in a poignant, unspectacular fashion. It's simple, not done with any over-the-top elements, extracts enaction of characters rather than performances. Gautham knows his characters like the back of his skin, and that translates onto the screen- he knows the story like the back of his skin, he knows what exactly he feels about the wafer-thin story, and tries to make the audience feel and experience the very same at the end of the movie. And he does succeed to a great extent.
The story, as mentioned, is wafer-thin. Yet without resorting to typical commercial fares to somehow pump excitement to a seemingly non-existent story, Gautham tries to appreciate the very subtleness and the thin story, and pay tribute to the tiny details of relationships, romance and love. The result would translate for some as slow and tedious, and for many as being nostalgic.
The story is not contained with good, bad archetypes of characters, that is so often portrayed as such in Tamil cinema; every character is adversely human. The male lead as someone who, despite his love and conviction, appears unable to force a happy ending to his see-saw love episode, the female lead as someone who is torn between loyalties, and tries to do what she thinks is the best for everybody- even the parents who fiercely oppose the relationship appear only as individuals is a cluster of pre-set notions and requirements that wouldn't be broken down with consummate ease. It's just the story about two individuals whose relationship did not work.
The film demonstrates quite effectively the complications that ensue through relationships, the psychological and mental delusion that follows when problems and fierce opposition starts knocking the door. It is a knock-down on the fairytale ingredient that we are so accustomed to seeing in Tamil cinema over the years- and thus, a fresh change.
Simbhu's performance is an acutely measured performance. Every minute detail is taken care of in his portrayal. Gautham ensured that his performance doesn't border on exaggeration- he behaves exactly the way a man at that young age, torn between a burgeoning desire to attain a woman he loves and his own career aspiration- would behave. Most of the sadness and pain taken intro stride within the character without any verbal expression, Simbhu fits the character, or its more fair to say the character was tailor made for him.
Trisha, though convincing at most parts, could have improvised more on her performance in comparison to the occasional stoic expression that is etched on her face.
VTV does fall at some places, with some scenes inducing a wonder as to whether the pace of the story will change anytime soon, and so on. With one too many songs crammed in the first half, that is another aspect that Gautham could have avoided. Manoj Paramahamsa's camerawork is a delight, as he captures the scenes in Kerala with consummate delight, while AR Rahman's fresh combination with Gautham results in a livelier and more varied BGM work, which can only get better with more films.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Eternal Ray of the Blossoming Minds
Love? Yes, that is important, but the warrior went about his ride, telling himself along the way that finding a princess who would understand his burning desires and passion to conquer uncharted mountains and beyond would be an arduous task. If he had set in a sole journey to find her, it would distract him from the quest of conquering mountains.
So he went about, perceiving that love will just not come anytime soon. But life throws you surprises, in a way that you could never expect. By chance, traveling through the zillions of cybernetic data s that get sent and received everyday, the warrior found a woman, a traveler on her own right- an amazing blend of boldness and talkativeness. He had met her before, long before his journey as a warrior started, when he was still a young prince with eons of dreams waiting to be set loose from a world of rigid education, he saw her- a little girl with a tail that crossed continents. From far he watched, smiled to himself, and continued the journey. And now he marveled, and soon realized that she was a good companion to travel with. A cordial meet turned into a burgeoning friendship. The tail has shrank, the woman blossomed, yet she retained a fierce uniqueness that had always set her apart from the many women he had witnessed in his life. He adored the qualities, and enjoyed her company.
The journey continued. Despite having the woman close by, the warrior's heart yearned for a different woman he had met not so long ago. He did not pursue, instead, allowed the journey to unfold in its own pace, but struggled as the desires of his heart held him back from reaching his dreams. He couldn't travel. The woman he had wanted was making him unable to travel. His sword rusted, his horse laid rest, the warrior seemed lost in a world where the way forward wasn't visible, where his current desire had swallowed him and destroyed the dreamer within. The unique woman had moved on- she found a suitor for herself. She was lost in her own world soon enough. She was back in her own fierce world, as the warrior drifted into a world of uncertainty.
But she did not go away. She came back occasionally, gave the warrior a helping hand, told him that he has to move on to reach his dreams. The warrior was still uncertain, but later on, circumstances allowed him to finally mount his horse once again. His sword took its own sweet time to lose its rust and shine glaringly once again. The unique woman had helped him out.
The warrior did not forget the unique woman since then. He was grateful, thankful. And later, the unique woman realized her suitor wasn't the right one. They were both back in parallel paths, and traveled together, giving each other company, not knowing what the future destination might be. The warrior did not think much. He felt great to have a companion, and used the presence of that companion to great effect. They grew closer.The unique woman had gotten cautious. She sensed the possibilities, so did the warrior. They were reaching a point in the journey where they can't just be companions anymore, instead they need to proclaim to hold each other's hands and prolong that journey together.
The unique woman took a break, she drifted away from that journey. She rested her horse, sat idle, and the warrior, bespectacled, looked upon wondering and pondering what drove her to drift away. The woman said she will be back soon. She will join him again. But the warrior had lost the passion that he had had for her company. When she did rejoin him, the distance was apparent. The warrior couldn't return to normalcy. But he did not want to journey without her, and so the distance shrank once again. Months later, the warrior and the unique woman reached the same point of no return again. This time, the warrior ceased to hesitate. He had to make the decision. He disembarked his horse, and asked for the unique woman's hand to travel with him for the rest of his journey; finding her destination along the way.
She hesitated- her fears and uncertainties clouded her, but warrior knew what his heart, and also her heart- had wanted. Rest were just waves of details, and the warrior knew that in order to reach the destination together, both of them needed to exorcise their demons. He was ready for that inner battle, and conveyed to her that he was.
And she finally dismounted and took his hand, as dawn was setting upon that one opaque day. Yet beyond that cloud, the warrior knew what the setting sun had wanted him to do, and as the last spray of light vanished from the sky, the unique woman became the first woman of his life.
The journey of the warrior and the unique woman together was already a long one. Having already overcome the bricks of difficulties and distractions, they still traveled together for more than a year, and now are set to do it for the rest of their lives, without the fear of getting too close to each other. When the desires of the heart can be conveyed to someone, the journey of life becomes all the more easier. For you know there's someone ready to hold your hand even when he or she is not near you.
When the absence of someone, can still be perceived as their very presence through your thoughts and actions at certain moments, you know magic has happened.
You know that is the love you'd been waiting for all along.
And the warrior has now made the unique woman his princess, and now is embarking on a journey where he would be able to make her the queen of the kingdom.
For my princess- Rathi Maithily :)
May you become my queen when we conquer the mountains and last forever with me.
So he went about, perceiving that love will just not come anytime soon. But life throws you surprises, in a way that you could never expect. By chance, traveling through the zillions of cybernetic data s that get sent and received everyday, the warrior found a woman, a traveler on her own right- an amazing blend of boldness and talkativeness. He had met her before, long before his journey as a warrior started, when he was still a young prince with eons of dreams waiting to be set loose from a world of rigid education, he saw her- a little girl with a tail that crossed continents. From far he watched, smiled to himself, and continued the journey. And now he marveled, and soon realized that she was a good companion to travel with. A cordial meet turned into a burgeoning friendship. The tail has shrank, the woman blossomed, yet she retained a fierce uniqueness that had always set her apart from the many women he had witnessed in his life. He adored the qualities, and enjoyed her company.
The journey continued. Despite having the woman close by, the warrior's heart yearned for a different woman he had met not so long ago. He did not pursue, instead, allowed the journey to unfold in its own pace, but struggled as the desires of his heart held him back from reaching his dreams. He couldn't travel. The woman he had wanted was making him unable to travel. His sword rusted, his horse laid rest, the warrior seemed lost in a world where the way forward wasn't visible, where his current desire had swallowed him and destroyed the dreamer within. The unique woman had moved on- she found a suitor for herself. She was lost in her own world soon enough. She was back in her own fierce world, as the warrior drifted into a world of uncertainty.
But she did not go away. She came back occasionally, gave the warrior a helping hand, told him that he has to move on to reach his dreams. The warrior was still uncertain, but later on, circumstances allowed him to finally mount his horse once again. His sword took its own sweet time to lose its rust and shine glaringly once again. The unique woman had helped him out.
The warrior did not forget the unique woman since then. He was grateful, thankful. And later, the unique woman realized her suitor wasn't the right one. They were both back in parallel paths, and traveled together, giving each other company, not knowing what the future destination might be. The warrior did not think much. He felt great to have a companion, and used the presence of that companion to great effect. They grew closer.The unique woman had gotten cautious. She sensed the possibilities, so did the warrior. They were reaching a point in the journey where they can't just be companions anymore, instead they need to proclaim to hold each other's hands and prolong that journey together.
The unique woman took a break, she drifted away from that journey. She rested her horse, sat idle, and the warrior, bespectacled, looked upon wondering and pondering what drove her to drift away. The woman said she will be back soon. She will join him again. But the warrior had lost the passion that he had had for her company. When she did rejoin him, the distance was apparent. The warrior couldn't return to normalcy. But he did not want to journey without her, and so the distance shrank once again. Months later, the warrior and the unique woman reached the same point of no return again. This time, the warrior ceased to hesitate. He had to make the decision. He disembarked his horse, and asked for the unique woman's hand to travel with him for the rest of his journey; finding her destination along the way.
She hesitated- her fears and uncertainties clouded her, but warrior knew what his heart, and also her heart- had wanted. Rest were just waves of details, and the warrior knew that in order to reach the destination together, both of them needed to exorcise their demons. He was ready for that inner battle, and conveyed to her that he was.
And she finally dismounted and took his hand, as dawn was setting upon that one opaque day. Yet beyond that cloud, the warrior knew what the setting sun had wanted him to do, and as the last spray of light vanished from the sky, the unique woman became the first woman of his life.
The journey of the warrior and the unique woman together was already a long one. Having already overcome the bricks of difficulties and distractions, they still traveled together for more than a year, and now are set to do it for the rest of their lives, without the fear of getting too close to each other. When the desires of the heart can be conveyed to someone, the journey of life becomes all the more easier. For you know there's someone ready to hold your hand even when he or she is not near you.
When the absence of someone, can still be perceived as their very presence through your thoughts and actions at certain moments, you know magic has happened.
You know that is the love you'd been waiting for all along.
And the warrior has now made the unique woman his princess, and now is embarking on a journey where he would be able to make her the queen of the kingdom.
For my princess- Rathi Maithily :)
May you become my queen when we conquer the mountains and last forever with me.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Deciphering The Thousandth Man
It is no secret that the current talk that is presiding over the tinsel town is definitely Selva Raghavan’s Aayirathil Oruvan. While many have given their take on the movie, and much has been said, written, praised and criticized about it, I feel the necessity to conjuncture my own views and understanding that I have derived in the film. This purpose of this article is mainly to aid viewers who might have missed out or may have had trouble comprehending some parts of the film; and to help them appreciate what I personally think is a landmark achievement in Tamil cinema.
My friends have mainly directed plenty of questions as to what they believe to be loose ends that exist in the film, and though all my answers may not be accurate, I do have a faint idea about all the ropes that ties the movie together, so here are my two cents.
The Cholans are NOT zombies.
This is like a popular myth that has been spreading among many who watched the movie in their first viewing, assuming that the Cholans in the film are zombies who had somehow defied logic and stayed alive for 800 years. The Cholans have extracted themselves to the isolated island back in 1279 pending invasion to their hometown of Tanjoor. But they are not the same generation. In a normal human cycle, they have gone through the regular cycle of life and death for many generations, hiding themselves in the caves. The only person who has remained alive all these years is the saint, who is the protector of the entire dynasty, protector of the King and the prince, who, in turn, are protectors of the people. Thus, they are not zombies.
Why then, are they so dark?
The reason is simple. The Cholans have lived their entire life in the caves, without any exposure to sunlight or rain. Plus, all of them are shown to be thin and barbaric because they are suffering from malnutrition. One scene where the woman touches Andrea’s breasts while she tried to converse to Parthiban shows the result of malnutrition- The Cholan women could not produce milk and only blood will flow from their breasts.
Why did they abandon the Cholan city which is so nearby and live in caves? Why they refuse to return to the city at least, when it is so near, and still protected by their curses?
As one can see, the archeologists pass by two monumental ruins before the caves. First is a grey stone ruin where they are attacked by snakes, and the second a more recent ruins of a city where they are struck by the madness curse. As history in the film reads, The Pandyas never gave up in their efforts to trace down the Cholas. Thus, the first ruin that they pass through is where the Cholans lived in the island when they arrived there first, but upon discovery by Pandyas, they retreat further to that deserted city, and place extra curses in the path. If one could remember the seven obstacles mentioned in the story, the quicksand by theory is the seventh and final obstacle. Thus the madness curse is possibly an eighth. Thus the seven obstacles are what the knowledge of previous pursuers have told; with no-one discovering that they have abandoned the small city, placed another curse upon it and retreated into the caves; which must have happened much more recently, possibly only one or two generations ago.
And they are not seeking to return to the ruins of the old city within the island itself, they are waiting for a messenger to come and guide them back to their original hometown of Tanjoor, which is where they extracted themselves from in the first place.
How did Reema Sen make the tiger symbol appear and disappear?
As Reema narrates her flashback and intentions, one could easily notice the part where she mentions she is thought how to use her body well. This is not only about the art of seduction, but also the art of black magic. The Pandyas are aware of the Cholan prophecy, and believe that the Cholan people will only come out from hiding if their prophecy is proved true. Thus, Reema uses this knowledge to deceive the Cholans.
What is with Karthik miraculously killing the attacker at the battle coliseum?
As one could observe in the film, Karthik simply refuses to die on many occasions. When a Red Indian comes close to killing him, his uncle sacrifices his life for him. When Reema shoots him after their confrontation in the forest, the loaded gun doesn’t release a bullet. When Reema does shoot him with a bullet during the madness curse, he still doesn’t die despite the bleeding. In the coliseum scene, the saint, who is now bedridden, telepathically transfers his powers to Karthik, having identified him as the genuine messenger. The powers enables Karthik to judge the movement of the chain ball, and also see all the audiences as mere skeletons (an allegory that people who take pleasure in watching a game of blood are mere skeletons), and thus enables him to easily evade distraction and concentrate on judging his opponent’s movements. It is Karthik’s destiny to be the messenger and he simply refuses to die.
Why Reema Sen refuses to let Karthik leave?
Well, this is the fishy part. Is Reema aware that he is the original messenger? Is she trying to get rid of him in some way? This parts are unexplained much but they remain fishy. A second viewing might enlighten some on this.
On an overall note, it is important to add that it is hard to find a Tamil movie in the vicinity that makes us think so much and ask for a second viewing. That being said however, some of our audiences might term the film as being obscure or badly made rather than appraising its effort and intelligence. AO is an important step forward for Tamil cinema; however, this effort will only reach global shores if we, the audiences and consumers of this industry, give it its due credit.
Aayirathil Oruvan- Movie Review
You don’t judge a film like Aayirathil Oruvan. You simply don’t. Allowing his imagination to bellow on us like a shadow, Selva Raghavan has simply stolen the thunder, to re-affirm that he is indeed one of the best film-makers in India today. In fact, you will not be chastised for saying he is the best based on this evidence.
AO floats beyond our judgement just because for the way Selva has made this film. It is already one big achievement of an Indian film-maker ventures into fantasy, but here Selva ventures into fiction, history, and also pulp fiction all at the same time. It is a combination that purists who teach the aesthetics of cinema would never fathom. It sounds that impossible on paper. But Aayirathil Oruvan isn’t a movie made on threads of scripts and intricate discussions on what will attract the audiences and what will not. But instead, it is made on the platform of Selva’s mind, his imagination, his vivid imageries, yet ultimately attaining an abstract meaning that makes ends meet, albeit also in an unconventional manner.
Archeologist Rajamouli (Pratap Pothen) is on the brink of discovering the lost civilization of the Cholan Dynasty, which went amiss back in 1279 after being conquered over by the Pandyan dynasty. However, he goes missing at his moment of glory, and thus the Indian Union Minister sends a professional team to track down Rajamouli, who is believed to be in a tiny unknown island located in the straits between Vietnam and Port Blair, where the lost civilization were believed to have extracted themselves to after being outcasted from their own home of Tanjoor. Anitha (Reema Sen) a bold, seductive, aggressive woman heads the team along with Lavanya (Andrea), who is Rajamouli’s daughter, and also an archeologist. Muthu (Karthik) heads a coolie group which is hired to help in the expedition with physical logistics.
The story centers on their expedition and their subsequent alarming discovery that the Cholan dynasty individuals are still alive, living in isolation inside a dark cave filled with wall paintings of their prophecy. What follows is a vivid unfolding of events that you can only find out if you watch it for yourself.
To begin with, performances in the film are top notch. Reema Sen makes you wonder if it is really her. Normally known more for her glamour than her acting; Reema manages to maintain unpredictable facial expressions throughout which makes you unable to gauge her true intentions. The story mostly centers around her attitude, and obsession, and she conveys the different facets of her character so well. In fact, she even seem to have been able to lip synch well enough while her character spoke Sangam Tamil.
Karthik seems to continue where he had left off in Paruthi Veeran, For most part, he is just a coolie with witty one-liners, and yet his facial expressions retain a tenderness about them especially in the second half when the story moves more and more towards him. Andrea Jeremiah is extremely likable, just as she was in her acting debut Pachaikili. She wasn’t given the scope to perform, but shares a cracking yet tender chemistry with Karthik, and the small, unadulterated love track between them is a pleasure to watch- though towards the end, she mostly wore a bewildered look as the whole story seem to take place around her but never participating her.
Selva obviously rates Azhagam Perumal as a calibre actor to play grey roles, as he had given him the role of an established politician in Pudhupettai, he plays his role as the obsessed, ignorant private army commando to almost perfection.
The only shortcoming on the technical side might be pointed to the graphics work of the film, as some of the graphics were laughable in terms of quality, which just shows Tamil films still have their wok cut out if they are to ever reach the graphic heights of Hollywood.
Otherwise, camerawork by Ramji is exceptional to say the least, but the real technical hero is GV Prakash. Apart from providing a good album, GV has stamped his authority all over the film with a stunning background score, which elevates every ordinary scene to extraordinary measures.
On the whole however, you can not inscribe this film to be everyone’s perfect idea of a good movie outing. Some hate it when films appear to be too intelligent for their grasping. Some hate to admit when a film is smart and downright bash it (like some critics in some websites have already done), and some will struggle with the Sangam Tamil and not fully comprehend it. Selva could, and should, have placed full English subtitles or added an extra scene to narrate in detail what has happened to the Cholans in order to enlighten those who have failed to grape the language.
The film, at the core shows that despite all of the so-called civilization progress, humans at the core retain a very barbaric nature, and that nothing much has changed since ancient civilizations. Yet the practices of ancient civilizations are shown to retain more tenderness than the greed that has consumed the current society. Sexual innuendos never go missing from Selva’s film, and this is no different. They provide a majority of the humor element for the film, and this might not please some parents. But these dialogues are common, and spoken a great deal among the public, thus they remain a realistic choice for the film.
Aayirathil Oruvan is one in a thousand. A stand-out Tamil film for all times. Watch it at least once so that you do not miss this experience. This is the film that will give some spring to the step that Tamil cinema wants to take to be noticed in world cinema. If the industry wants to be known for more than just routine heroism and dance around the tree songs, then films such as AO should be encouraged.
Kudos to Selva Raghavan! Please do bravely churn out a sequel!
AO floats beyond our judgement just because for the way Selva has made this film. It is already one big achievement of an Indian film-maker ventures into fantasy, but here Selva ventures into fiction, history, and also pulp fiction all at the same time. It is a combination that purists who teach the aesthetics of cinema would never fathom. It sounds that impossible on paper. But Aayirathil Oruvan isn’t a movie made on threads of scripts and intricate discussions on what will attract the audiences and what will not. But instead, it is made on the platform of Selva’s mind, his imagination, his vivid imageries, yet ultimately attaining an abstract meaning that makes ends meet, albeit also in an unconventional manner.
Archeologist Rajamouli (Pratap Pothen) is on the brink of discovering the lost civilization of the Cholan Dynasty, which went amiss back in 1279 after being conquered over by the Pandyan dynasty. However, he goes missing at his moment of glory, and thus the Indian Union Minister sends a professional team to track down Rajamouli, who is believed to be in a tiny unknown island located in the straits between Vietnam and Port Blair, where the lost civilization were believed to have extracted themselves to after being outcasted from their own home of Tanjoor. Anitha (Reema Sen) a bold, seductive, aggressive woman heads the team along with Lavanya (Andrea), who is Rajamouli’s daughter, and also an archeologist. Muthu (Karthik) heads a coolie group which is hired to help in the expedition with physical logistics.
The story centers on their expedition and their subsequent alarming discovery that the Cholan dynasty individuals are still alive, living in isolation inside a dark cave filled with wall paintings of their prophecy. What follows is a vivid unfolding of events that you can only find out if you watch it for yourself.
To begin with, performances in the film are top notch. Reema Sen makes you wonder if it is really her. Normally known more for her glamour than her acting; Reema manages to maintain unpredictable facial expressions throughout which makes you unable to gauge her true intentions. The story mostly centers around her attitude, and obsession, and she conveys the different facets of her character so well. In fact, she even seem to have been able to lip synch well enough while her character spoke Sangam Tamil.
Karthik seems to continue where he had left off in Paruthi Veeran, For most part, he is just a coolie with witty one-liners, and yet his facial expressions retain a tenderness about them especially in the second half when the story moves more and more towards him. Andrea Jeremiah is extremely likable, just as she was in her acting debut Pachaikili. She wasn’t given the scope to perform, but shares a cracking yet tender chemistry with Karthik, and the small, unadulterated love track between them is a pleasure to watch- though towards the end, she mostly wore a bewildered look as the whole story seem to take place around her but never participating her.
Selva obviously rates Azhagam Perumal as a calibre actor to play grey roles, as he had given him the role of an established politician in Pudhupettai, he plays his role as the obsessed, ignorant private army commando to almost perfection.
The only shortcoming on the technical side might be pointed to the graphics work of the film, as some of the graphics were laughable in terms of quality, which just shows Tamil films still have their wok cut out if they are to ever reach the graphic heights of Hollywood.
Otherwise, camerawork by Ramji is exceptional to say the least, but the real technical hero is GV Prakash. Apart from providing a good album, GV has stamped his authority all over the film with a stunning background score, which elevates every ordinary scene to extraordinary measures.
On the whole however, you can not inscribe this film to be everyone’s perfect idea of a good movie outing. Some hate it when films appear to be too intelligent for their grasping. Some hate to admit when a film is smart and downright bash it (like some critics in some websites have already done), and some will struggle with the Sangam Tamil and not fully comprehend it. Selva could, and should, have placed full English subtitles or added an extra scene to narrate in detail what has happened to the Cholans in order to enlighten those who have failed to grape the language.
The film, at the core shows that despite all of the so-called civilization progress, humans at the core retain a very barbaric nature, and that nothing much has changed since ancient civilizations. Yet the practices of ancient civilizations are shown to retain more tenderness than the greed that has consumed the current society. Sexual innuendos never go missing from Selva’s film, and this is no different. They provide a majority of the humor element for the film, and this might not please some parents. But these dialogues are common, and spoken a great deal among the public, thus they remain a realistic choice for the film.
Aayirathil Oruvan is one in a thousand. A stand-out Tamil film for all times. Watch it at least once so that you do not miss this experience. This is the film that will give some spring to the step that Tamil cinema wants to take to be noticed in world cinema. If the industry wants to be known for more than just routine heroism and dance around the tree songs, then films such as AO should be encouraged.
Kudos to Selva Raghavan! Please do bravely churn out a sequel!
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