Friday, December 26, 2008

Marriage Blues

This is my only entry for the year I guess... :-)

Have been busy as hell, with a new problem compounding my already discombobulated life. My parents are scheming to end my bachelor bliss.
The marriage landscape seems to have changed tremendously since the 80's when truckloads of tearjekker films were inspired by it. In my honest opinion, the power imbalance between groom and bride's families has evened out to a large extent. Both now have an equal share of irrational demands and expectation. A goodwill gesture is mistaken for weakness and snobbishness is perceived as moral righteousness. Financial independence has resulted in chaotic wilderness rather than amalgamating prosperity with togetherness. The priorities being scavenged from a marriage seem to be headed downhill. The great institution of marriage is now embroiled in a cultural metamorphosis. Nevertheless, a new experience that is keeping me amused and humoured.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

...

there it lay yearning, waiting for that touch

riches of the world at its feet

the thirst for power setting its bait

the bonds of kin creeping for a hold

the mirage of bliss luring into its fold

but none lit a lamp to drive the darkness away

for the wick of love and the spark in life went missing

thus it lay yearning, waiting for the touch that would cure

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Back with musings from the Orange Country...

It's been quiet a long time since I have updated this blog owing to my work pressure. Anyway let me not get into that sad story now...

Life off late has been riding the monotony wave and a quick escapade was precisely what the Doctor ordered. Decided on a weekend trip to Coorg (Thadiyandamol in particular). So bundled up the members of iBC (Indiranagar Boys + Chikku... lol) into my Swift which was thirsting for some action and headed right for the newly upgraded Mysore Road on the early hours of a Saturday morning. Caught a glimpse of my college after a long time (R.V.C.E), the cheers and nostalgia flowed down as expected. Those days... (nope, not this time, will save it for another story). :-) The newly laid road was simply excellent and we coasted to the outskirts of Mysore in less than 2 hours where we took the bypass to Coorg. We stopped for Bfast and out came the delicious Aloo Parathas prepared by my friend's mom (thanx Noisy). It was finger licking good and consequently we had some canine company wishing to share the booty.
After replenishing our energy levels from the sumptuous snack, we moved on to the normal Indian roads and as expected, the my vehicles suspensions were tested to the fullest extent. The stretch from Mysore to Madikere is being re-laid and hence the journey is literally forced to move through rubble and debris. But more importantly, one thing that was sorely missed were proper signboards on the way. You are simply left to make enquiries at every point to remain on the right course. Midway, near Hunsur, we took a left towards Virajpet. Though the initial part of the road was pothole ridden, the forest range that you soon enter was exhilarating with the nature's bounty caressing the winds. Kau and Noise wanted to have a look at a muddy pond on the way and hence a break in the middle of the forest. Meanwhile Chikku's grinding machinery started rumbling and we were in the middle of nowhere. Soon the phenomenon spread to others as well but we firmly made a resolve to break bread {pun intended... sadly} only after reaching our destination (Palace Estate - Kakkabe). But little did we realise it wasn’t to be soon and what awaited us there was an anti-climax. The greenery to some extent assuaged our stomachs and we progressed through winding roads passing through small towns. After cruising through Virajpet, we finally went up to the deviation which would take us to Kakkabe. My Swift wearily treaded through the steep gradients that offered a scenic view of the mountains which we were to ascend. I suddenly happened to spot 2 huge jackfruits lying on the roadside. Greedily, we stopped to pick them up and burdened my fatigued Swift with these additional dead weights (the primary one being Chikku... just kidding). After grappling around, we finally headed towards our destination. Suddenly, everybody in the cars cheers in unison. Surprised I spotted the board on the right which they were pointing to. It said "Entrance - King's Cottage" and 'Palace Estate' in small letters below it. Triumphantly we turned left into an extremely narrow road with sloping plantation on the right and a steep drop on the left (without any protection at the edge). Our instincts pressed the panic button after travelling 100 mts and we stopped to enquire with some people who were busy at work. They enlightened us that we are on the wrong path and had to trace our path back. This was insane, how on Earth were supposed to take a U-turn there. Finally we decided to push the car up the ramp on the right and then try to turn around. The car now stood on the 70 degree incline and was moving backwards fast. When I finally stopped the car, the rear wheels were at the edge of the road with the prospect of a free fall looming behind (should have been some experience for the people at the rear). Anyway, we managed to make the turn without any causalities and drove back to the main road with a lot of curses in the air. After trotting uphill for another 5 kms we finally made it to the real 'Palace Estate'. And boy was it worth all the struggle, absolutely!!!
This was simply the best resort I have ever seen nested in such seclusion and splendour of Mother Nature. The resort built completely in wood stared at
us and all frown turned into smiles. The owner quickly made an appearance and welcomed us. With a blissful heart consoling a distraught stomach, we climbed the wooden steps while looking to attack anything edible on the table. We dropped our baggage into the cosy rooms with our eyes scanning for the dining room. But fate had different plans and the owner (Mr Prasad) confirmed that we were not expected for lunch and hence there was no food. Aghast, the greenery around us quickly turned into wilderness. Civilization was a good hour's drive away. Realising our predicament, Prasad offered to arrange for some salads (yuck, I hate them), bread and maybe some egg (thank God)! We happily nodded to his suggestion and soon the promised treasures appeared on the small table outside our rooms. We could finally envisage the ground realities behind Revolutions and Civil struggles in the history of mankind when there was literally a bloodbath to grab the, otherwise simple, offerings on the table. Multiple refilling ensued and finally the demons inside were tamed to some extent. Now with our senses restored to normalcy, we decided to explore the wilderness around. Prakash suggested that we start with a beautiful waterfall right behind our abode. So we started out in search of it after having been repeated assured that the dinner would be a much more elaborate affair. No sooner we reached the solemn waterfalls, the clouds above opened up to drench us to the hilt. Wet in the wild, we dragged ourselves back to the rooms with those bloody leaches feasting on our scarce resources. After a hot bath, we settled for a game of cards called 'Literature' (I was forced into playing that dumb game). Later in the evening we went down to explore a Palace beneath our resort. It only served the purpose of distracting out mind from supper. Finally, we trooped into the main room at 8:30 where the food was supposedly going to be served. When the plate was actually filled, we realised it was definitely a dampener on our expectations (priced at 110 bucks per head), anyway we filled our stomach, mindless of the contents.
After a good night's sleep, we woke up to a pleasant morning. Quickly we set out for a trek (or at least a semi-trek) to the peak. Kau and Noise equipped themselves with their ammunition (frail sticks.. what else). The climb starts with a narrow but an asphalted road and slowly moves into ravaged terrains that exercise every muscle that has been dormant while squatting away in front of the computer (sorry IT folks...). Steep climb, cool air, breathtaking scenery and of course, the leaches on the way made the hike truly memorable.

After heading back to ur rooms, we freshened and bid adieu to our host in the resort. Pangs of hunger, yet again, haunted us on our way to Talakaveri. We finally settled for a mediocre breakfast at Bagamandala (en-route Talakaveri). We reached the holy place where River Kaveri sprouts to life to begin her long journey to the bay (Bay of Bengal). The humble beginning (birth) of a river that grows with its passage through terrains (travails) and finally coalesces into the arms of the ocean (death) was a splendid parallel with human life.

After our horrendous struggle with bad food or the lack of it, we were finally blessed with a good meal in Madikeri (district HQ of Coorg). On our way back we also happened to visit the Buddhist Monastery (Tibetian settlement) near Kushalnagara. The return journey was without any untoward events and we sailed into the urban chaos of Bangalore at the late hours on a Sunday night. This trip made up for all my inaction in the past few months. Phew! A good one...

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

The future of 'computing' & the fate of our civilization

A brilliant article, must read:
Unto us the Machine is born

The author's perspective on where the future is headed was indeed amazing. On the same note, a simple realisation struck me. The genesis of our planet is widely speculated to be from a single atom or molecule. Now, after 4.5 billion years we are speculating a scenario wherein a "Collective Brain" concept would rule the Earth. The irony is simply astounding, we start from the most basic 'unary' entity and are finally moving towards a similar concept of 'oneness' but essentially made of a billion or trillion elements!!!
Is this advancement or shrouded pandemonium?

Monday, November 21, 2005

My prize winning entry for the "Story Board" competition


The dark shadows cluttered the ceiling with the rhythmic motion of breathing. It was a small room that just about wrapped around the five souls that inhibited it. Additionally to eat into the space was “Hamid”, the canine companion which shared our cozy space. It was the early hours of morning with darkness yet to remove its shroud. The soft snores filled the air and the clock added to the motion. This hazy feeling matched the state of the affairs in my life which seemed convoluted in all possible directions. There are certain phases of your life when your existence becomes a container of questions and puzzles that perplex your senses. It was the feeling of sitting on a cloud, ignorant to the discretion of whether the motion originated from the movement of the cloud or due to the spinning earth that housed the cloud. Lying beside me were people who were strangers, yet my only hope for any kind of accomplices who would standby me. Their physical complexion was dissimilar to mine, which was true of all Jewish people who inspite of being fair skinned had a touch of pinkness to their skin that made them stand out of the crowd. Me, being a true American gal, with a moon glass spectacles and tiny spots of pimple on my face, looked like a true misfit into this family. But I never was a part of their lives a fortnight ago, for I was amidst different surroundings; just that the exact memory of it fails me. My extreme efforts to recollect those thoughts go in vain with a splinter of a headache hurting my forehead. But of late, strange events had graced my otherwise obfuscated existence. My supportive ‘patrons’ had apprised me of my fleeting transitional states where I spoke as a different person and refused to recognize any of my present inmates. I also feigned a different gait in my motion. My benefactors had now concluded that I was a person who suffered memory loss during a tragic accident from which they had rescued my life. But these recurring flashes of memory, which I regained for a short period time of time was tough to explain. There wasn’t really a coherent pattern to the appearance of such flashes and the time period for which it persisted varied as well. My life now shuttled between these meta states refusing to settle the storm of questions raised in my mind. I eased back on my pillow trying to drown the queries in to my sleep. But, ironically, that evaded me as well. Just when I finally managed to conquer sleep, a weird pain hit my senses and I was falling into the memory pit, yet again…….

--------------------------------flash----------------------------------------

We are finally there. The snow capped mountains extending an icy invitation. Sharon was equally excited and jumpy on this Skiing trip. Our athletics coach, Mr. William, was busy mouthing out instructions on our accommodation and safety precautions to follow. This trip was a very different one considering the fact that we were about to be housed in “Hilton Ice” ski resort, courtesy a student’s father who was the Operational Executive for the Hilton chain of resorts, in this part of the world. This one time, we had managed to slip past the tyranny of the old wooden cabins and the discomfort that they oozed. My heart skipped a beat when I stood at the imposing foyer of the “Hilton Ice” which was easily the most impressive building structure I had witnessed in my entire life. Gray walls of steel glazed with reflective mirrors perched as windows was definitely a sight to behold. The blue clouds above admired themselves on these glass planes adding a touch of blue regal to the view. With gasped breath and awestruck eyes, I was dragged into the stranded elevator and the impatient operator waiting in it. Later in the warm interiors of the room, I sat beside the window admiring the towering peaks which had their tips covered white. What a beautiful sight…………..

--------------------------------flash----------------------------------------

It was day break at last. Was it a dream or just another fit of memory rushing back to me only for a small slice of time? Hahn, the loving patriarch of the family, chided me awake. He often caressed my head in an affectionate fashion. Streaks of sunlight were streaming into the room swashing it with brightness. It was a tiny deserted building in the corner of an US army base. Warriors fighting in Iraq were usually embarked on their flight to the troubled Arab country from this very base station. Men clad in grey uniforms were the most common sight to an onlooker in this place. Heavy trucks and tankers rolled in and out of the station at a brisk rate. The icy mountains of Andes were a good 100 miles away; the place where I was found in an unconscious state with minor injuries and bruises all over my body. The Jewish family, who were basically Nomads, took me along in their caravan and tended me back to health. I had begun to accept the present realities with nothing to really look back to, but the niggling memories troubled my peace and ignorance. Days passed into weeks and the latter into months. The war was at its peak with no respite or truce at sight, the latest developments were encouraging though. UN committee had intervened to bring about a ceasefire between the warring nations. A peace treaty was in the offing in the near future. The family I stayed with kept themselves busy by doing odd jobs and were content with their current settlement. Life was now pretty normal since my memory flash had not paid me a visit since quiet a few months now. I was mending a worn out tent cloth when the familiar pain came back to me and things started spinning out of control…………..

--------------------------------flash----------------------------------------

Clad in warm jacket and other winter clothing we carried across the skis to the lift. Sharon insisted that we start from the Bleak Curve which was track for advanced level skiing. Inspite of my worst fears, I put up my brave front to push aside all the foreboding augurs. But once we hit the snow on our sleek skis, the fear was replaced with torrid excitement which just drove me into action. After a couple of unsteady moves I gained confidence and gathered speed. Soon the trees and flags started zipping around me. I was thoroughly enjoying myself when I turned into a steep curve that just pushed up my momentum further. Slowly, I realised that everyone else was left far behind and I was on my own. My mother’s words of caution and grumble now started resounding in my ears. I, suddenly, felt left far away from home and looked back in desperation. At that very instant, I realised the track was ending into a high cliff jump end. All my efforts to steer away went in vain and I simply flew out of the edge. The fall in the air seemed to last forever when I suddenly hit the soft snow and rolled on to crash into an old tree. Fading sights engulfed my vision when………….

--------------------------------flash----------------------------------------

I realised I was screaming while sweating profusely. Hahn rushed to my side to comfort me. He was quick to realise that I had yet another memory reoccurrence. He helped me push some liquid into my throat and carried me home. Things now were much clearer to me. I was finally able to fit in the missing pieces of the puzzle to retrieve my past. I couldn’t really remember the specific people or names from the past, but the sequence of happenings that had traversed me into the present state had dawned on me. The fact that a family out there was fanatically searching for me or worse, mourning my death, was now slowly sinking in. I yearned to make contact with my roots and was hoping another memory ride would educate me on those facets. But alas it eluded me with a smirk and shoved me into the bandwagon of time.
I was woken up with shouts of joy; everybody seemed to be rejoicing over something. Amidst his euphoric outburst, Hahn managed to convey the news that the war had ended and peace was finally salvaged. The army post was buzzing with activity in the fervent anticipation of the homecoming for all the brave soldiers. All the fences and walls were plastered with the posters which depicted Uncle Sam shaking hands with the Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussien. It was quiet a comical sight but the final amicable outcome was most welcome. I sat on a stone near the air strip contemplating on what these happenings could possibly herald in my life. We had a couple of airships landing here since morning, ferrying jubilant and relived soldiers back to their home country, the Land of Opportunities, as they call it. I was longing for a similar kind of homecoming where I could rejoin my family. But I guess it would definitely be a strange sensation to meet my true parents whom I wouldn’t be able to recognize or relate to. Or maybe I would regain my memory when I do see them. Strange are the ways of GOD. Another copter now landed into the airstrip with a dozen soldiers huddled in it. They soon jumped out of their captivity and moved around to the thunderous welcome they got from the people in the army station. I continued watching them with idle curiosity when one of them stared at me for quiet a long time. The soldier soon started walking in my direction. I continued to gaze at him wondering what he would expect from a stranger like me. His face brightened with recognition as he walked closer and rushed to hug me. Bewildered I stood dazed not really knowing how to react. He gushed, “Jane, what on Earth are you doing out here. Don’t tell me you have travelled all the way here to welcome me back home. But wait, you wouldn’t possibly know that I would be back.” He face was brimming with joy, but the slight frown arising from his array of question was tough to hide. I continued to stand speechless and just stared back at him. The gleam disappeared on his face and he was shaking me coaxing me to speak. Thankfully, Hahn appeared there at the right moment accosting the soldier. They had a lengthy and confused argument from which I preferred to stay away.
Finally, the soldier whose name was Bill Thompson, as I learnt later, was a friend of mine who went to college with me. He was enrolled in the army as a supply civilian and had gone ahead to fight the war for America. He was able to put together pieces on my strange appearance here from the outputs of Hahn and my limited memory. He was going back home and volunteered to safely escort me back home. With no better option, I decided to go with him hoping I would be soon restored to my family and the link to my lost memory. My patrons reluctantly bid me farewell and promised to meet me soon.
As I drive away homebound in a train today with my friend Bill, I put these befuddled thoughts into paper hoping it will make sense to me someday. My jolts on paper matching up with those of the wheels on the tracks, hoping for the future to dawn facts about myself to me…………………

*************************End***********************

Maruti Suzuki Swift - impressions from the first 1000 kms


“Ok, waited long; both me and this review for the aurora”.
Well that was a bit of exaggeration in describing my wait for the Swift which was anything but ‘swift’. To move on, this is my honest opinion/review about my Swift which has now done close to 1000 kms on the ravaged tarmacs of Bangalore. I have not tried to be prejudiced for it being ‘my car’. Here we go,

Car specs
The hottest hatchback to hit our roads since Palio. The heap of bookings speak aloud, need I say more. Here is the general specs of this machine

Model: VXi
Color: Azure Grey

Engine: 1298 cc SOHC
Cylinders: 4
Number of Valves: 16
Maximum Power: 87bhp @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 113Nm @ 4500 rpm

Dimensions: 3695x1690x1530 mm
Tyres: 165/80R14
Boot Space: 232 ltrs (min)
368 ltrs (max)

Turning radius: 4.7 m
Ground Clearance: 170 mm
Top Speed: 160 kmph (IMO 165kmph)

Engine
There has been a lot of talk about Maruti plonking in an outdated engine. I will get to that later. Generally speaking, an old but tried and tested performer that churns out a good amount power while adhering to its frugal drinking habit. This old warhorse has been remapped and revived for duty on the Swift. There is absolutely nothing to complain about its performance and definitely lives up to the expectation. The additional weight that Swift imposes on it is felt but only slightly. Obviously, 85+ bhp/tonne is definitely a good figure.
There has been quiet a bit of outcry about the latest engine not being offered and so on. Lets get this straight, the VVt engine that’s offered in other countries would very simply push the price range by a minimum of 1 lakh pushing it into the same fate as Ford Fusion. The pricing of Swift in those countries, consequently, doesn’t make it a cheap hatchback either. You pay for what you get and it is as simple as that. In the same vein, if the history behind The Getz engine is dug up, then it would dawn on us that its roots go back to the same engine that did work on the older Accents. Remapping and reworking is a part of any engine’s life cycle and is inevitable. So I would not typecast an engine based on its age of existence. On the contrary, I believe it should be strictly based on its performance and reliability. The Swift’s engine scores high on both these parameters and is a peppy performer.

Ride & Handling
True to its sporty image, the car hits the road with a lot of zeal. One of my honest observations is that the car is very much under powered in the 3rd gear and is left gasping. But beyond 40 kmph mark on your speedometer it is different ball game. It just gallops ahead of competition with amazing ease. It could rival even the sedans on this frontier. But if you are trying to accelerate in city traffic it could leave you a trifle disappointed.
The suspensions have been engineered based on the feedback from the rally exploits of the Suzuki team and it is very much there to be seen. It has got a sporty feel to it and may not be as soft as you would expect it to be. But if it bad roads, this suspension is more than willing to handle it with élan. So it basically boils down to what you expect out of it.
The car has been solidly engineered unlike most of the other cars from the Maruti stable. The build is solid and the monster displays it on the road. The car is absolutely steady even at speeds exceeding 140. Having driven most of the other cars from the Maruti, let me assure you, this car is simply in a different zone and boy, do you feel safe in it – absolutely. The bigger wheel frame (14”) supports it well and the 185/70R14 on the ZXi is a real killer, terrific. But I have to content myself with its smaller sibling (165/80) for now. L

Looks
Ok, this is a highly subjective domain. But in my opinion, “Simply out of the world. A revelation on Indian roads”. The car’s looks definitely has a lot of character.

Interiors
I have read a lot of comments about the ‘cheap’ interiors of the Swift. But I beg to differ. It is a very neat and uncluttered console on the dashboard. The ergonomics in the design also scores high. The only shortcoming, IMO, is that the sideboards on the doors are highly bland. Ideally, would have preferred the fabric accented styling like in Esteem. But I guess everything can’t be perfect. Well, I have plans of painting certain parts of the sideboards with “Sparkling Silver”; that should enliven things to a good extent.
The Aircon is simply brilliant and works up real quick time. The power steering is also a joy in the city. But the EPS needs a bit ‘getting used to’ and sometimes may feel disconnected.

Serious Shortcomings
The “wrap around” design gives the interiors a dark effect.
The rear visibility is seriously hampered by the smallish window on the back. This would very much hurt the drivers in India who rarely use the mirrors while reversing unlike the counterparts in the foreign countries. The ‘Europe’ centric design shows here.
The boot space is nothing to write home about. But the consolation is that, it has got a deep boot and if it only bags, they can be stacked up in quiet large numbers.
If the driver is 6”+ in height then there are some serious problems for the rear seat passengers.
Waiting period definitely is a huge dampener. But there are assurances of increasing the production.

How does it stack up against competition?
Getz:
The Getz definitely offers better room in the rear and boot. But in every other department, Swift easily outsmarts it. Be it zippiness or road handling, Swift is definitely ahead. But if the car is for a family of 5 who require generous room and luggage space, then Getz scores. I think Getz is a very fine car but for its pricing.

Palio:
Truly a worthy competitor to the Swift. Though launched a good 4 years back, this car can truly match up on every frontier. But with the legendary Fiat ASS (After Sales Service), it is definitely a huge factor going against it.

Corsa Sail:
With a new pricing, Sail looks like a good alternative. But except for the boot space falls flat in every other department in comparison. Especially the aircon and front seating are absolutely mediocre.

Overall Summary
In simple words, the car is “Value For Money”. And coming with the ASS (After Sales Service) of Maruti, clearly makes it a winner. Have driven it for about 1000 kms and is now due for the first service. The FE (Fuel Economy) figures are very impressive. I got an overall average of around 15 kmpl for the first 900 k (55% on highway, 35% in the city, 10% in the ghat section). So basically it averages 13 kmpl in the city and 18 kmpl on the highway, both without AC. With the aircon ON, FE should drop by 1.0 or 1.5 kmpl. The dealer Bimal, Indiranagar also did a great job in the delivery though they made me wait for a good 3 months.
All in all, a nice product own and drive. Happy driving….

Friday, September 23, 2005

Flesh Trade Bias

Some serious thoughts on the outlook of our society about the so called "Sex workers". I happen to see that there is so much of hatred and prejudice against the females involved in the flesh trade. They are denounced and branded as the people of the lowest rung amonst human species. To begin with, I would like to question the moral basis of branding the female sex workers and absolving the men who indulge in this act as 'clients'. I understand that the women, most often, indulges in it for various reasons such as economical constraint, family or spouse pressure, or for some other factor. So there is some part of it that can be justified against the shouts decrying it. But why is the male counterpart who indulges in this act for the mere carnal pleasure of it, allowed to walk out of it with no scar. Is it the privelege of being a 'Guy'?
Another contrasting scenario is the one where the so called youth of today, indulge in pre-marital affairs and other wierd dating concepts (ok, I can hear many accusing me of being old fashioned). Well, technically speaking doesnt such events boil down to the same thing as described in the previous pharagraph :-) I am not talking about people going around (in other words, people in love, though I dont believe in that concept), it is more so about the ones who indulge in one night stands for the 'sheer thrill' of it.
Well, blog ur comments and bring it on me..........

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Anniyan Movie Review


Well to start with, I strongly dissuade people who believe in chaos, indiscipline and hooliganism as the way of life to refrain from reading this review. I have no arguments against insoluble ignorance and stupidity. For the rest of the sane ones: go right ahead and match your thoughts against mine.

This is undoubtedly a path breaking creation from a man who is very much expected to churn out such wonders. Please put your hands together for this brilliant director “Shankar” who like Mani Ratnam, has mastered the art of story telling in his own distinct style.

Now for the review………..

Since the story has been widely discussed, I will try to keep it brief. It is about a Brahmin, Ambi, who is a stickler for rules and a person filled is despair and anguish for the mindless ways of people. His constant efforts to awaken a sense of responsibility and accountability end up in vain and is constantly an object of ridicule. The mental stress that results from it gives rise to the creation of another character called “Anniyan” within him. His advances towards a childhood love, Sada, also ends in tears and expectedly, a suave supermodel, Remo, is born within his mind. The drama that results forms the crux of the story.

Story & Screenplay…………
As described above the story is quiet a clichéd one. What adds freshness to it is the concept of Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD) treated in a way never seen before on the Indian screens. The screenplay drags quiet a bit in the first half, but is very much made up for in the second half where the story zooms to stunning climax. Vivek provides the much needed lighter moments in the initial stages of the movie. But the pre-interval portions can definitely be trimmed to make it racier.

Actors……….
Well, Vikram takes it all. Undoubtedly a rare talent who with persistent efforts and perseverance has made it to the top and here in this movie, he shows why exactly he deserves it. One of the best actors to have graced the silver screens in this part of the world.
He simply excels himself in all the 3 roles. He couldn’t have asked for a better platform to bring out the very best in him and be rest assured, he hasn’t missed an ounce of it. The rapid change in the body language during the final interrogation scenes are mind boggling and extrudes applause from even the toughest critic to please. He can afford to rest on these laurels for the rest of his career. In one word, OUTSTANDING.


Stunt…………
We have all marvelled, the stunt technique in “Matrix”. Peter Hein and his team brings home this phenomenon. I read comments from a couple of people saying it was overdone and irrelevant in the present set-up. If those chimerical fights from a virtual concept makes so much sense then I cant find a better reason as to why it would not make sense in a scenario dealing with a weird mental disorder. Let us learn to applaud this effort which didn’t come amidst the seasoned technicians in Hollywood but from our very own studios in kollywood!!!

Music & Background score………..
Rehaman is definitely missed in this domain, but fear not, Harris comes to the rescue. His songs and background score add strength to the movie. And brilliant cinematography from the Ravi Varman and Manikandan duo has further complimented it. These guys are very much propelling the Indian cinema ahead.

Direction………….
Now, about the captain at helm. After the outrage against Boys, Shankar has picked up his threads and woven splendid feast to silence his critics (well almost….. some are irrevocably dumb). His efforts and commitment speak aloud in every frame of the movie. During the times, when everyone are resorting to sleaze and extra marital affair as a means of selling movie, here is a person who stands by his class and calibre to prove a point that innovation and efforts are all that is required to blast his way to success. His yearning for a more disciplined and successful country is visible all throughout the movie. If media can be described as a watch dog, then this man is it’s driving force. He did it with all his creations, from Gentleman to Anniyan. A tiring journey for sure but not quiet thankless and the rewards are there to be seen in the thoughtful faces that walk out of the halls. To entertain is goodness, but to enlighten while entertaining is GREATNESS.
To handle a clichéd concept and to come out all triumphs is a mark of this man. His brilliance lies in the fact that, inspite of handling a subject very similar to his previous creation (Indian, Gentleman and Muthalvan), and also reminding us of its glaring presence in almost 80% of the movie, he does an amazing turn around to shift the focus to the mental disorder in Vikram during the final stages of the movie.

All in all………..keep up the good work guys.

A start.....

Well I guess I have a been a late starter with the blogging concept, but nevertheless better late than never.........
Hope will have some regular stuff to put on which does make some sense to all netizens.....

Cheers......