Crazy Diaries

                                                                                                          (art courtesy : Neil Gaiman) இந்த வாழ்க்கை வாழ்ந்து வாழ்ந்து அலுத்து விட்டது காலை நான்கு மணிக்கு  அலார சத்தத்தின்  விகார முகத்தில் விழித்து  முனுசாமி டீக்கடைக்கு  முதல் போணியாகி  பாடங்களைப்  படித்து  படித்ததை மறந்து  மறுபடியும் மறப்பதற்காக படித்து ... இந்த வாழ்க்கை வாழ்ந்து வாழ்ந்து அலுத்து விட்டது . (கல்லூரி ஆண்டு மலருக்காக எழுதியது -1994)

                                          Another Iranian family drama; a graceful movie, which revolves around two children. I would prefer to call this as a children’s movie; a rare genre, especially in our country. Indian film maker-Priyadharsan- tired of remaking Fazil’s Malayalam classics into Hindi commercials, adopted this story officially (!!!) to make - Bumm Bumm Bole. I did not have enough courage (and trust) to watch it after reading the negative reviews. ( ஐயா சாமி , மறுபடியுமா -போனவாரம் தானே கோட் கோபின்னு டயலாக்லாம் விட்டே? Stop... Stop... ) Okay …Okay... Majid Majidi wrote the script and directed this movie .  It was released in 1997; nominated for Academy awards in the Best foreign film category (lost to “The life of other”). Following that nomination, it participated in many international film festivals and won awards. It was remade in few oth...

I felt like coat-Gopinath (boot – Buddhan!), because of my sardonic approach towards Indian/Tamil film makers, perhaps gone a bit overboard. Like every one of us, they are too entitled to have excuses and justifications. Many directors became emotional when they met me to explain their hitches (in my dreams!). Past history is not supporting them to make altruistic movies; many disappeared with just one film (Aval appadithan?); many dreams, careers and lives have been shattered; many families have been pulled to the streets. The stakes are high in the film industries. Crores of money is involved. Producers are businessmen; want to make profit; can’t expect them to change the system or the society. Hence, lack of talent is not the hindrance for creating good films (sathiyama lanjam vangala- kanavila kooda!). With so many loops around their neck- risk of imminent strangulation, only few film makers are able to make responsible, sensible movies over a period of time. ...

While choosing a film to review this week, I got confused a bit. Wanted a crime thriller – as some of you (obviously, bored with my choices) warned me of dire consequences, otherwise (received threat messages too)! Till now I have been writing about the movies I had watched few months back, apparently my top layer of favorite movies got exhausted; I have been pushed to second tier now. Downloaded few new films; thought about some old movies and finally zeroed in on a Holy wood thriller “Drive”. It received overall good reviews and won few awards too; which made me to watch. Even though it is a critically acclaimed film, I felt something was missing. As Tamil director Mahendran says “the measure of a good movie is how long it stays in your heart after watching it”. . Drive- did not affect me; did not stay in me at all, though it was a decent thriller. Thus, I decided not to write and waste my time on that movie. Then I realized, compared to a professional movi...

This is a very different film (Ippadi edavadhu build up thevaipaduthe!).  I don’t know what genre it belongs to. I have not seen a movie like this before, perhaps none of you. It’s a sad story about an unsuccessful young Man (so no more  humor , shankara- be serious!). No one wants to tell or hear a story about failures. Everyone likes successful fairy tales (at least to see success on big screens?!). It’s not that the protagonist in this movie tries to achieve extraordinary things in life. He tries to live a simple normal life; yet, fails miserably in his attempts. We fail to notice or totally unaware of certain sections of our society; extreme poor, criminals, drug- addicts, prostitutes, prisoners and many more marginalized people. Feel shocked in disbelief, when we realize their struggle for basic needs. Quotes about failures as stepping stones or raising from fall are always impressive. But how many get up from fall? One in hundr...

Being monotonous can be really boring. Some days, suddenly you would like to break free, and look for something different; like a dieting person craves for junk food.   Amidst these art, serious movies the same thing happened to me; the result is, this week’s movie suggestion/review, bollywood masala entertainer- Kaminey! We were all born and brought up in a masala rich society, which is being reflected everywhere from birth to death; the kind of food we eat, the way we celebrate marriage, functions, even our funeral ceremony is different. Thus, no movie satisfies us as our local masala flavored movie does. However, this crime thriller differs from other clichéd formula based bollywood/kollywood films. Sets a perfect example, for an ideal entertainment movie. More importantly it is an original film, not copied from any international movies (as far as I know/heard!). Vishal Bharadwaj, is one of the two Indian contemporary film makers, I respec...

Nothing can be matched with the magical aroma of south Indian filter kaapi.  It diffuses into the air, grasps you, enters your blood circulation reaches every cell and  tells something your brain without your knowledge.  No wonder you go crazy! This is true. Do you know, it can cause withdrawal symptoms? (kaapi withdrawal syndrome – delirium tremens!) I was not fortunate enough to be born in a filter kaapi drinking family. My first love (for coffee) started in 1991, when I joined college. It was love at first smell and taste. Whenever we visited Saravana Bhavan, opposite Salem new bus stand, I started noticing the aroma and taste of kaapi. On the contrary, in the hostel we used get some hot brown colored liquid (!?), many times you would get confused whether that was coffee, tea or mix of both. Even many restaurants do not serve a perfect filter kaapi. So my first love was blind (as it happens always!), on-and-off and short lived. Before ...