I'm attempting to write a very brief review on a recent Thamizh movie that I happened to see. It's going to be about "Pirivoam Santhippoam".
Before I saw the movie, the title of the movie had suggested to me that this was going to be some mushy-mushy story about 2 lovers ---- meeting once in a while, and then being put to situations that would keep them geographically away every now and then, and then getting relief from situations that would facilitate them to have some interspersed meetings, and then finally ending up tying the nuptial knot. It was good to discover that this movie was indeed different from so many of its predecessors that would satisfy the above description I've provided. How many more movies of the same kind could we take?! Luckily, this movie does provide a much needed break. :)
It's about an arranged marriage ---- involving a guy, who's just started working, and a girl, who's just getting done with college. The girl's parents and the guy's relatives are the ones who do the initial talking. The guy's family is a huge joint family. The guy's parents are no more, but the home always buzzes with activity and people. The girl is the only child to her parents and their home is always filled with her friends - combined studies, movies and TV during the night and all those non-stop talks.... :)
Cheran fits the role pretty well. This is indeed actor Cheran's best. There are not many scenes which expose the loopholes in Cheran's acting. (Cheran is, of course, a great director. He establishes a separate kingdom for himself with "Thavamaai Thavamirundhu".) Sneha is homely and appealing. She too delivers one of her best performances.
So, before we go into further details...., wouldn't we want to know what exactly the title suggests or signifies? The title talks about the couple having to go away from the joint family, due to Cheran's employment circumstances and then their coming back to live with the joint family.
Unlike all other joint family movies, there are no negative emotions that run here. The biggest highlight of this movie is that there is not a single character who intends harm to any other character. Everyone is good. It's just happiness and nothing else. Hence, this movie, certainly, is a feel-good movie. The normal course is altered only by situations and not by people. It's nice to not see any of those exaggerated characters you get to see in movies and more prominently in television soaps these days. You feel like you'd also want to be a member of either the girl's family or her circle of friends or of the guy's joint family. No one is shown as a bad person just to project some one else as a good person or as a "too good to be true" person.
All the artists have fit their corresponding characters very well. Oustanding examples of the many good performances in this movie's supporting cast are those by M. S. Bhaskar, a member of Cheran's joint family, and by Jayaram (surprised?) who appears in the setting when the couple move away from the joint family when Cheran gets a transfer. Jayaram plays a doctor and does it extra-ordinarily well to go along with what the movie and the director demand. More talk about his above-average acting skills is really not required since he's already been seen to have delivered a performance on par with the one delivered by Kamal Haasan in "Tenali". M. S. Bhaskar, after his portrayals of "Annaachchi" in "Azhagiya Theeyae" and "Professor Sir" in "Mozhi", does it again in this movie. Brilliant! All of these are portrayals of characters who seem so close to real life, and they're all very touching and brilliant portrayals. :)
After marriage, Sneha gets very quickly adapted to the settings in Cheran's joint family. Everyone likes her and she likes everyone. Soon, Cheran and Sneha have to go to a hill station, quite a distance away from their home, due to Cheran's transfer. Sneha is very reluctant to go, but they have to go.
The rest of the movie talks about all the loneliness and solitude that Sneha is subjected to, in her new home, when Cheran is away at work. Vinodhini makes a come-back. She's one of Sneha's neighbours in the hill station place. Jayaram, the doctor here, keeps helping around all the people in the neighbourhood. Sneha is so bored that she has to invite people home, making functioning equipment malfunction on purpose, just to have a chance to have some conversations with human beings.
"Ganja" Karuppu (courtesy: Pithaamagan) plays an electrician. Though he appears for just 3 to 4 scenes, he provides what he's brought for. The main highlight from among the Ganja Karuppu scenes is the one where he says his complexion is not "black" and that it is "chocolate brown". :)
Sneha's loneliness makes her insomniac. Apart from inviting people like electricians by making things malfunction on purpose, she records different sounds during the course of the entire day and keeps listening to them back to back. I wonder why the director did not think of giving her a computer with an internet connection. :) (You may probably be wondering as to whether there's a TV which you may suggest that Sneha may have wanted to watch. Yes, there's a TV, but it does not have anything interesting to offer Sneha after the first few days.)
So, finally, when it comes to a point where Sneha is subdued because of all this loneliness, and Jayaram, being a doctor, observes this and explains this to Cheran, Cheran has to make the move to get back to his home town again. The film ends with a scene showing all the members in Cheran's joint family welcoming the couple back home again, using an Aarti - the traditional Thamizh method of providing a welcome.
Almost all the songs in the movie are pleasant ones. Vidyasagar stands out with his background scores too. Karu Pazhaniyappan, the director, deserves a lot of credit for the hassle free narration. It is certainly a good piece of work that he has put forward and he has moved several strides ahead ---- after "Parthiban Kanavu". He needs to be applauded not only for his narration, but also for the character sketches.
Like I have already mentioned, this one is surely a feel-good movie. It deserves to be seen atleast once. I may want to see it a second time too. And, I'm not a person who really goes by numbers. So, I will not be rating this movie on 5 or on 10 or on 100 or based on its box office collections. "Hey Ram", the best Thamizh movie, according to me, is supposed to have made one of the poorest box office collections. So, would you still say that numbers do matter?! ;)
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Just Getting Back from a Game of Tennis....
I'm just getting back from a game of tennis.... It feels nice to have the sun shining on your face once again.... The warmth is special. The sun's caress feels like the touch of a baby's hand on your face....
It's nice to have been able to break out of the last 4 or 5 months of literal house arrest, imposed by the unforgiving climate.... I'm reminded of a scene from the well crafted movie "Bharathi" ---- a scene where Subramanya Bharathi comes home with a cart full of books, unpacks the sacks, picks out a book and reads P. B. Shelly's lines ---- "If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?", keeping himself totally out of his immediate physical surroundings and getting drowned in that piece by Shelly.... :) Oh! Subramanya Bharathi! What an admirer and what a creator!!!!
It was a good game of tennis - an engrossing singles 3-setter. It feels nice to be able to get the limbs to move again. It feels like you want to put into use all the theoretical observations you've made when you've followed all the French Open and Wimbledon tournaments during those good old summer holidays. One player, who all of a sudden seems to dominate the thoughts, is Jana Novotna ---- becuase of the beautiful serve and volley game that she used to put out there for everyone to see....
The good old days of badminton are always cherished.... The few days of tennis I've had so far in my life have been equally close to heart. These racquet games - badminton, tennis and table tennis - the only 3 of this category that I've tried - are pretty cool.
It's always a very special feeling to discover that you're picking up a new game decently well. It's like the feeling you get when you start floating in 6 feet or more of water on the 5th. or the 6th. day of your swimming classes.... You feel in such great harmony with the world. Some feelings are incomparable. They're like the nap that you go into when you put your head to rest on your grandmother's lap or on your mom's lap.
Every game has got a lot to teach. Each time you play the same game one more time, you learn something new, not only about that particular game, but about life in general. Each time you take to a new game, learn it and get used to it, you learn something - once again, towards life in general. You get a feeling similar to what Vasco Da Gama would have experienced when he first saw the Indian sub-continent.
This post is to celebrate the joy of having the opportunity to try my hands at a lovely game like tennis and for the spirit of sports in general.
I remember the following lines from an e-mail forward that I came across a couple of years ago. "How a man plays a game shows some of his character. How he loses it shows all of it."
It's nice to have been able to break out of the last 4 or 5 months of literal house arrest, imposed by the unforgiving climate.... I'm reminded of a scene from the well crafted movie "Bharathi" ---- a scene where Subramanya Bharathi comes home with a cart full of books, unpacks the sacks, picks out a book and reads P. B. Shelly's lines ---- "If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?", keeping himself totally out of his immediate physical surroundings and getting drowned in that piece by Shelly.... :) Oh! Subramanya Bharathi! What an admirer and what a creator!!!!
It was a good game of tennis - an engrossing singles 3-setter. It feels nice to be able to get the limbs to move again. It feels like you want to put into use all the theoretical observations you've made when you've followed all the French Open and Wimbledon tournaments during those good old summer holidays. One player, who all of a sudden seems to dominate the thoughts, is Jana Novotna ---- becuase of the beautiful serve and volley game that she used to put out there for everyone to see....
The good old days of badminton are always cherished.... The few days of tennis I've had so far in my life have been equally close to heart. These racquet games - badminton, tennis and table tennis - the only 3 of this category that I've tried - are pretty cool.
It's always a very special feeling to discover that you're picking up a new game decently well. It's like the feeling you get when you start floating in 6 feet or more of water on the 5th. or the 6th. day of your swimming classes.... You feel in such great harmony with the world. Some feelings are incomparable. They're like the nap that you go into when you put your head to rest on your grandmother's lap or on your mom's lap.
Every game has got a lot to teach. Each time you play the same game one more time, you learn something new, not only about that particular game, but about life in general. Each time you take to a new game, learn it and get used to it, you learn something - once again, towards life in general. You get a feeling similar to what Vasco Da Gama would have experienced when he first saw the Indian sub-continent.
This post is to celebrate the joy of having the opportunity to try my hands at a lovely game like tennis and for the spirit of sports in general.
I remember the following lines from an e-mail forward that I came across a couple of years ago. "How a man plays a game shows some of his character. How he loses it shows all of it."
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Refiner and Purifier of Silver
The following lines are ones I got from an e-mail forward. I want to have these posted here too.
Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot. Then, she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."
She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.
The man answered that he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"
He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy - when I see my image in it."
Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot. Then, she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."
She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.
The man answered that he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"
He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy - when I see my image in it."
Everlasting Support
The following lines by Mary Stevenson (1922-1999) are ones that will always remain close to my heart. Just wanted to have them posted here....
Footprints....
One night, a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life, there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it: "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."
The LORD replied: "My son, my precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
Footprints....
One night, a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life, there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it: "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."
The LORD replied: "My son, my precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Born for Cinema!
Like Raja is born for music and Lara is born for batting, this guy is born for cinema!!!! Who else could it be?
A classy scene from one of the classiest ever movies....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmOy6p87TWI&feature=related
There's no way you can't like this movie.
Now, check out and listen to each word in the letter handed over in the next one! Oh! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk62UuX3rHw
We all know about his acting. How come he's also a genius in writing screenplay?
"Virumaandi" must be fit to be a lesson if you're running a university that aims to teach screenplay writing.
Now, one from the all encompassing "Naayagan"....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t963z59MPYk
I was pretty small when I first saw this movie. My brother was still smaller. The theme song "Thenpaandi Seemaiyilae" was the first song he sang (in childish lingo - "Mazhalai Bhaashai" in Thamizh). He probably picked up this song much before he picked up a lot of the other common place words! :) I see at least a few scenes from this movie every now and then. I never seem to get bored of this movie.
How about one from "Aboorva Sagodharargal"? :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWiT1pmLgrk&feature=related
Come on.... I already told you he's a great actor. Take my word. The combination of Kamal in the foreground and Ilaiyaraja in the background is a dangerous one! This combination could easily pull out some lachrymal liquid out of your eyes even if you're trying hard not to succumb to emotion. The "Moondraam Pirai" climax is another terrific example.
I'm not satisfied that this is enough for me to pull the curtains on this post.
The angry young man....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYSbmA2olts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JtbYbnA1vU&NR=1
There was more than just Kamal to those scenes. Don't you see a lot of K. Balachander to them? :)
Could I afford to leave "Salangai Oli" out?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FRYyxIITD4
Jayapradha is a terrific actress too! I wouldn't mind defining BEAUTY as "Jayapradha in Salangai Oli". You could even take it that I some how have some sort of a secret crush on the character that she plays in this movie. :) Oops! Did I let the cat out of the bag?! ;)
And, with regard to that scene, please don't fail to give the due credits to Raja and to the director K. Vishwanath.
Are we done with "Salangai Oli"? Don't you want to see the dancer? I don't intend to put the first movie in the next clip here. Couldn't find one which had the "Salangai Oli" portion alone.... :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQwqjQSFbXM&feature=related
If you ask me what I'd consider the pinnacle of film making, I'd say it's the movie "Hey Ram". There's no way I'm going to put a period to this post without something from this movie.... For heaven's sake, don't miss the uncanny wit in the dialogue.... The dialogue is by Kamal himself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_nxg7xXGEc
Well.... That was just a tribute from an admirer to a great artist.... Hope you did enjoy every bit of it.... :)
I'm a fan of all forms of art. I'd really love to have a better chance to stay in closer touch with even those art forms that I do not practise myself. I'd just like to sit out there and listen to some quality music and watch some quality dance. So, do I practise any form of art myself? Yes! :) I do, and that's painting.
In one of the future posts, I'll try to splash you with some colourful experiences that I've had when I've worked on some of my paintings.
A classy scene from one of the classiest ever movies....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmOy6p87TWI&feature=related
There's no way you can't like this movie.
Now, check out and listen to each word in the letter handed over in the next one! Oh! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk62UuX3rHw
We all know about his acting. How come he's also a genius in writing screenplay?
"Virumaandi" must be fit to be a lesson if you're running a university that aims to teach screenplay writing.
Now, one from the all encompassing "Naayagan"....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t963z59MPYk
I was pretty small when I first saw this movie. My brother was still smaller. The theme song "Thenpaandi Seemaiyilae" was the first song he sang (in childish lingo - "Mazhalai Bhaashai" in Thamizh). He probably picked up this song much before he picked up a lot of the other common place words! :) I see at least a few scenes from this movie every now and then. I never seem to get bored of this movie.
How about one from "Aboorva Sagodharargal"? :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWiT1pmLgrk&feature=related
Come on.... I already told you he's a great actor. Take my word. The combination of Kamal in the foreground and Ilaiyaraja in the background is a dangerous one! This combination could easily pull out some lachrymal liquid out of your eyes even if you're trying hard not to succumb to emotion. The "Moondraam Pirai" climax is another terrific example.
I'm not satisfied that this is enough for me to pull the curtains on this post.
The angry young man....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYSbmA2olts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JtbYbnA1vU&NR=1
There was more than just Kamal to those scenes. Don't you see a lot of K. Balachander to them? :)
Could I afford to leave "Salangai Oli" out?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FRYyxIITD4
Jayapradha is a terrific actress too! I wouldn't mind defining BEAUTY as "Jayapradha in Salangai Oli". You could even take it that I some how have some sort of a secret crush on the character that she plays in this movie. :) Oops! Did I let the cat out of the bag?! ;)
And, with regard to that scene, please don't fail to give the due credits to Raja and to the director K. Vishwanath.
Are we done with "Salangai Oli"? Don't you want to see the dancer? I don't intend to put the first movie in the next clip here. Couldn't find one which had the "Salangai Oli" portion alone.... :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQwqjQSFbXM&feature=related
If you ask me what I'd consider the pinnacle of film making, I'd say it's the movie "Hey Ram". There's no way I'm going to put a period to this post without something from this movie.... For heaven's sake, don't miss the uncanny wit in the dialogue.... The dialogue is by Kamal himself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_nxg7xXGEc
Well.... That was just a tribute from an admirer to a great artist.... Hope you did enjoy every bit of it.... :)
I'm a fan of all forms of art. I'd really love to have a better chance to stay in closer touch with even those art forms that I do not practise myself. I'd just like to sit out there and listen to some quality music and watch some quality dance. So, do I practise any form of art myself? Yes! :) I do, and that's painting.
In one of the future posts, I'll try to splash you with some colourful experiences that I've had when I've worked on some of my paintings.
Time for Some Rajini Specials?
This is the Rajini that I like most.
A beautiful scene from the movie "Mullum Malarum".... Beautiful characterisation by Mahendran.... Do I like the scene for some other reason too? Is it that I feel the character somewhat resembles me?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R-eX6jJmyk
I admire the title of this movie 'cos I feel I could read its meaning 1 of 2 ways - "The Thorn and the Flower" (Rajini being the Thorn and Shobha being the Flower) or "The Thorn Will Also Bloom".... I'm sorry if the literal translations do not sound too good to the ears! ;) Between, how was Raja's stroke when Rajini gave everyone his surprise?
The next 2 are scenes from the movie "Johnny".... For a change, let's do the climax first and then go to what had happened much much before the climax.... :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yhlkotw2QY
That is one of the best BGMs I've ever heard and I'll ever hear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO8O5qInUsk
Well, that's Mahendran's way of weaving the scene. I find it beautiful. Do you too?
Now, are you game for Kamal Haasan? :)
A beautiful scene from the movie "Mullum Malarum".... Beautiful characterisation by Mahendran.... Do I like the scene for some other reason too? Is it that I feel the character somewhat resembles me?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R-eX6jJmyk
I admire the title of this movie 'cos I feel I could read its meaning 1 of 2 ways - "The Thorn and the Flower" (Rajini being the Thorn and Shobha being the Flower) or "The Thorn Will Also Bloom".... I'm sorry if the literal translations do not sound too good to the ears! ;) Between, how was Raja's stroke when Rajini gave everyone his surprise?
The next 2 are scenes from the movie "Johnny".... For a change, let's do the climax first and then go to what had happened much much before the climax.... :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yhlkotw2QY
That is one of the best BGMs I've ever heard and I'll ever hear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO8O5qInUsk
Well, that's Mahendran's way of weaving the scene. I find it beautiful. Do you too?
Now, are you game for Kamal Haasan? :)
So, what's it this time?
There are a lot of things that I want to write about. I really feel like posting something rightaway. But...., the words are just not flowing all that well currently.... I'm possibly in the same sitaution that Kamal Haasan was in when he had been in the caves (Guna). Just that I'm not writing or trying to write a love letter now.... So, what do I do?!
Being the movie freak that I'm, I wouldn't possibly or realistically go to the extent of thinking beyond cinema when I want to "try to" make some interesting talk.... Or, at least for now....
So, I just thought I'd put up some of my favourite scenes from some of my favourite movies. Howzzat?! :)
Believe me! I can talk pretty well about movies and you may even find out I may never stop if I do start talking about movies....
If you ask me who my 3 favourite cine personalities are, I will have to say the first one is Ilaiyaraja. Then, I wouldn't really want to put the second and the third on 2 different levels.... I would give a combined second place to Rajini and Kamal.... :)
My first tribute is to Raja. He's got many evergreen songs to his credit. I am, of course, a great fan of all his songs. But, more than all these songs, what I admire about his music are his background compositions. The tunes that speak when the words don't....
Check out this scene from the movie Pithaamagan. Rajini and Kamal specials to follow this post! :) And, a lot of those Rajini and Kamal specials will happen to be Raja specials again. :)
The following scene does have some lyrics to the tunes later on, but the beginning is just absolute instrumental magic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6rBGJE-JA4
Catch you soon in the next post! :)
Being the movie freak that I'm, I wouldn't possibly or realistically go to the extent of thinking beyond cinema when I want to "try to" make some interesting talk.... Or, at least for now....
So, I just thought I'd put up some of my favourite scenes from some of my favourite movies. Howzzat?! :)
Believe me! I can talk pretty well about movies and you may even find out I may never stop if I do start talking about movies....
If you ask me who my 3 favourite cine personalities are, I will have to say the first one is Ilaiyaraja. Then, I wouldn't really want to put the second and the third on 2 different levels.... I would give a combined second place to Rajini and Kamal.... :)
My first tribute is to Raja. He's got many evergreen songs to his credit. I am, of course, a great fan of all his songs. But, more than all these songs, what I admire about his music are his background compositions. The tunes that speak when the words don't....
Check out this scene from the movie Pithaamagan. Rajini and Kamal specials to follow this post! :) And, a lot of those Rajini and Kamal specials will happen to be Raja specials again. :)
The following scene does have some lyrics to the tunes later on, but the beginning is just absolute instrumental magic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6rBGJE-JA4
Catch you soon in the next post! :)
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