Symmetry in relationships

It’s been ages since my last post and that fact makes me wonder what happened to that tornadoes of thoughts that used to stir up my mind so often. It feels weird now to even type out a post – I feel almost self conscious not because it is like making a speech but more so because it feels like a soliloquy. People often say that they do things for their own satisfaction and it’s quite true.  but what isn’t true is when they say they don’t really care whether or not people like what they do – most things we do are attention grabbers and we want that appreciation- we crave for it no matter whether we acknowledge it or not.  I am not a great blogger and never have been – blogs work with few rules that are a bit hard to follow – you gotta update them often and with the trendy topics if you want to get people to read them. Or they should be funny and humorous (almost satirical as if the blog writer is the perfectionist pudungi). Or they should contain articles that are of use to other people like the procedure to do this or that. They could be a review blog where they post reviews of movies/books/gadgets/anything under the sun. And the least popular ones are the personal blogs – like this one. They become popular if written by celebrities or by someone with a gift of fine writing. But to hope for an ordinary personal blog with random sporadic posts and incomprehensible junk philosophy with a heavy pessimism laced into the words to be popular and read by many is a pipe dream. I am not naive enough to think that people are interested in reading my thoughts about different things – but still I blog. The reason is that personally I love to read up my old posts, to relive the chain of thoughts that led to that verbal outburst. But more so because thoughts by themselves are difficult to deal with – sometimes we wait eternally for one of them to shape to a comprehensible idea or an action and yet they remain hazy like nebulous form without a boundary. But when I decide I am going to put it all down in writing, that semblance of a muse in me starts speaking out the words, the thoughts seem to solidify to interesting ideas that are easier to understand. And this, in addition to every individual’s primitive urge to express and to be heard, I start this post about symmetry in relationships.

“Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You” says the bible. Though I don’t know if it means what I think it does, the way I interpret it is that the world is like a mirror – If you want to be treated in some particular way, you should treat others the same way. When applied to relationships especially friendships – this can be taken to mean that your friends will treat you the same way as you treat them right? WRONG.

We look for symmetry in everything – symmetry makes us feel secure and we find justice in its equality. All structures around us follow some form of symmetry – from our bodies to the earth and the stars all are somehow symmetrical to some extent (though there are exceptions). Maybe that’s why everything is in pair – to counter the problem of symmetry. Maybe the talk about parallel universe is true too. For if there is only one universe with one sun and only one set of billion plus stars, the symmetry will be lost. And so, being forever surrounded by this stark illusion of symmetry, we tend to apply it to everything.

For instance there is the feminists’ argument which is kinda outdated now that men and women are EQUAL. Thankfully they’re not SIMILAR and symmetrical to one another for that would have made creation and sustenance too tough a chore. Even when it comes to the thoughts, there is a marked difference between the two genders which is kinda good for the show to go on as it has. But then this post is not about relationships as in romantic relationships. And I am not exactly proficient or interested in discussing women for I don’t understand them much. Add to it the fact that I am no longer a teen who goes dreamy at the mention of the word ‘girl’ – though that doesn’t mean I have ‘turned’ or whatever you call that It is just that  subjects of girls, romance, sex etc doesn’t carry the same fanciful appeal any longer and appear as much lame things (and in the reverse order).

Friends are often the most vital part of our lives and the reason why we get along with them better than with most relatives and family is that they come without labels and without strings. We chose them in a sub conscious way. Each of us have sometimes wondered how in the name of God did we ever become friends with that person who is so damn opposite to what we are – again sometimes, some of our friends seem to be our mental and emotional twins. Though we claim there are no reason why we become friends with our friends there are more often than not some patterns to it. One such pattern is the asymmetric friendship. I always believe that friends we get when we’re young are the truer ones we’ll stick to for a longer time. But unfortunately, though I have had wonderful friends at every point of time, with time I have lost touch with each of them – maybe that’s the vital difference between relatives and friends – you can never really dissociate yourself from relatives (and each of us have that list of relatives we so badly wanna never see again ) . It’s a paradox that we keep in touch with such relatives more often than those long lost friends who were once our bestest pal. Again I am only digressing from the topic as always. Without much further ado, let me define what I call asymmetric friends – they’re the ones whom you talk to first thing when you have something to share – they’re the ones whose faces comes to your mind when people say the word ‘friends’ and yet they are the ones who do not treat you the same way – they are your best pal but you can never hope to be their best pal – you get the picture? NO? You never had such friends? Then stop reading! I have had many of them and in the past I have been such a friend too.

[I stopped the post here and spent the weekend in wayanad with 10 other college friends! Post on that will be coming soon though I will have to decide how much of it I should share .no mood to finish this now. I will continue on how asymmetry is beautiful in a relationship some other time - if I still feel that is relevant .]

Recurrent Dream

I have had this dream (not to be confused with  goal etc) from childhood that I get stuck in an elevator which is shooting upwards through the building, out through roof and goes up to the skies. I am not into reading dreams. But suddenly  I got reminded of this dream today and what it could possible mean. I was thinking today morning that ‘this is not who I am . . nor will this be who i will be. Someday I will blossom to who I really am…’  though the thought itself sounded good, I could not decipher what I have been feeling. There is some thing missing. Something is not what it used to be. It is like seeing your best friend after a few years and knowing he is not an iota of  what he used to be – it could be shocking and sad and yet no body else will understand what you go through – especially people who were always around the person would never have felt much of a difference as the change would have been gradual. I get the same feeling now. Now if we feel so disappointed about a friend changing and not being who he used to be, think of the shock one would have to face, to wake up and find that his own self is not what he thought it was. It is like seeing mirror after years to see your face seems like a stranger to you (stranger in the mirror haha).  And you’re so desperate to get back to who you were, maybe because you felt good about yourself then or maybe because you’re too used to thinking of yourself as that person and your mind just cannot accept the violation of an axiomatic truth. Pressing the button
Pressing the button in an elevator is an idempotent operation (haha pressing the button to summon an elevator is  what our teacher gave as example once when we studying idempotent operations in computer science – any operation which when repeated many times has same effect as it would had it been done once). But when I was a kid, I used to keep pressing the elevator button, as if it would accelerate to that floor understanding my urgency if I pressed the button hard many times. I have seen many people do it. And think of it this wat, if it indeed did accelerate whenever you pressed the button and suppose you were inside the elevator and were pressing the top floor’s button many times to get to that floor fast and then it shoots out through the roof – that’s what happens in my dream I guess. Maybe we’re really stuck in an elevator (But I guess considering the metaphorical context, it would be better to call it a car, say a rope car or something as an elevator takes you up and down whereas in life, there is no real ‘up’ or ‘down’. There are only different places )  we’ve been pressing the button too hard for far too long and the elevator has shot out of control! And now we realise that we did not want to go to that floor in the first place! what a tragic thing elevators can be . And now assume our mind is such elevator or cable car or what ever and we’ve been pushing the button to go faster each time a desire popped up in our mind – Everything begins as a desire – it can metamorphose to a pipe dream, a goal, a temptation, a sin, a service, an achievement, an accomplishment (now don’t ask me what’s the difference between the two, such statements need to be long and so  I add many words ;P), a tragedy, a play, a deceit and many other things. But there is an unnamed feeling when it arises in mind and it is plain desire. Many psychologists tell us  the mind works on only two motives – desire and fear. Anything we ever do is either out of desire to get something or out of fear of something and in an effort to avoid the fearful possibility (have read this in many books especially in Unleash The Giant Within by Anthony Robbins).  So  we have kept pressing too hard and the cable car or elevator car is one without a steering wheel! And so you cannot direct where it is going (true for the hypothetical horror elevator of my dreams) but you can make it move faster to wherever it is going. It’s like a car with only accelerator – no brakes or steering wheel. And we did not know the full deal when we walked into this elevator.   And now what if you wanted to stop the elevator and you desperately want to get out, if you want to go to the floor where you got in, is there a way out? Can you break open the elevator? Can you wake yourself up from the nightmare or should you get used to the interiors of elevators knowing it is going to be forever? Phew! So much for a simple, claustrophobic elevator! P.S. Don’t ask me ‘ithunaala nee enna solla vara?’ I firmly believe conclusions are over rated. Only thoughts matter P.P.S. Please comment about font size and type and readbility.

வங்க கடலும், மாம்பழ சாரும்

வங்க கடலும், மாம்பழ சாரும்

முக்யமான விஷயத்த மறந்துட்டேன் போன போஸ்ட் போட்டப்போ . ரெண்டு வாரம் முன்னாடி சென்னை போயிருந்தப்போ தனியா பீச்கு போயிருந்தேன். அது ஒரு செம experience . வானத்ல சோகமே உருவா ஒரு அர குற நிலா, சண்டேந்கர்துனால பீச் fulla மக்கள் கூட்டம். தாகமா  இருந்துச்சு நு ஒரு maaza பாட்டில் வாங்கிகிட்டு போய் கடலோரம உக்காந்தேன். கடல் மெல்ல மெல்ல வெட்கம் போய்  என் பக்கத்ல வந்து அலை அடிச்சுது. கால் நனைச்சு என்ன கூப்டுச்சு என் கூட வந்துடு நு. எந்த ஒரு எடத்ல இயற்கை தன்னோட முழூ அழகோடும் பிராமண்டதொடும் இருக்கோ, அங்கெல்லாம் ஒரு அழைப்பு இருக்கு. என் கூட சேர்ந்துடு நு. அது நால தானோ என்னவோ, ஒரு மலையோட உச்சத்ளையும் சேரி , கடலோட அலைளையும் சேரி, ஒரு ஈர்ப்பு சக்தி இருக்கு. ஏதோ புரியாத ஒரு தாகத்த  உண்டு பண்ணுது. தெரியாத ஒரு ஆசை, அந்த ஆசையின் நிறைவு அப்டி இயற்கையோட கலந்துடர்துல தான் இருக்கு நு தோணும் அப்போலாம். இத நீங்களும் உணர்துர்கலம் . நெறையா பேர் விளையாட்ட சொல்லுவாங்க, ரொம்ப அழகான இடங்களுக்கு போய் பாக்கும்போது இங்கயே உயிர் போனா கூட சந்தோஷம் தான்னு (இதையே சில பசங்க வேற ஒரு விஷயத்ள சொல்லுவாங்க – “மச்சி அவளோட ஒரு நாள் இருந்தா  போதும்  அதுக்கப்றோம் சேத்தா கூட பரவா இல்ல” – பெண்ணும் இயைற்கையின் அந்த ஈர்ப்பு சக்தி உச்சியில் இருக்கும் ஒரு பொருள் தான் (Feminists excuse – நோ offence  )). அப்டி ஒரு ஈர்ப்பு சக்தி அந்த வங்க  கடலுக்கும் நெறைய வே இருக்கு.

வந்திர்த்த  கூட்டத்ல எவ்ளோ விதமான பேர். சிலர் friends  கூட வந்துர்ந்தாங்க. சிலர் family  கூட. பலர் ஜோடி ஜோடியா வந்துர்ந்தாங்க – அதுலயும் எவ்ளோவோ விதம் – சிலர் வெட்க  பட்டுகிட்டு விரலோட விரல் கோர்த்து நடந்தாங்க. சிலர் ஓர கண்ணால ஒருத்தர ஒருத்தர் பாத்துக்கிட்டு, கடல் அலையோட சந்கீதத்ள அப்டியே லயிசுட்டாங்க. (இவளவும் எனக்கு எப்டி தெரியும்னு கேக்காதீங்க.. வேடிக்க பாக்கறதுla நம்மலாம் expert) . இன்னும் சிலர் கூட்டிட்டு வந்த பொண்ண  இடுப்போட சேர்த்து கட்டிகிட்டே நடந்தாங்க, அத பார்த்த சிலர் ‘culture  ‘ எப்டி கெடுக்கராங்க  பாரு இவங்கன்னு சொல்ற மாறி மூஞ்சிய கோவமா வெச்சுகிட்டு அவங்களையே உத்து பாத்தாங்க. இன்னும் அங்க கடலை விக்கற பசங்க, பிச்சை எடுக்கற கேளவி , ஜோசியம் சொல்றேன்னு நச்சரிக்கற ஒரு பொம்பள , சொன் பப்டி விக்கற வண்டி அதுல மாட்டிர்கர மணி சத்தம், வர கொஞ்ச நஞ்சகாத்துல பட்டம் விட்டுற்றுகர பொடியங்க, பல்லூன் சுடர சத்தம், ஏதோ சோகத்துல கடலையே வெருச்சு பாக்கற சில பேர் – இதுக்கு நடுல அந்த maaza  ல இருந்த மாம்பழ ரசம் , ரொம்ப ஒரு நல்ல அனுபவமா இருந்துது. கொஞ்சம் அலைகள் படர எடத்துல பொய் ஆச தீர நனைஞ்சேன்.

இவ்ளோ மக்கள் – அவங்களோட ஆசைகள் காதல்கள் கண்ணீர்கள் புன்னகைகள் புண்கள் புதிர்கள் புண்ணியங்கள் சோகங்கள் தாபங்கள் ஏக்கங்கள் எண்ணங்கள் இவள்வேயும் அந்த கடல் உள்வாங்கிகிட்டு தான் இப்டி கொந்தளிக்கிதோ நு தோணிச்சு. கடல் இல்லாத ஊர் ல இருக்கவே கூடாது நு கூட தோணிச்சு. இயற்கையின் அழகின் உச்சகட்டம் இந்த கடல்களும் மலைகளும் தான்.

எனக்கு ஒரு ஆசை – ரொம்ப பெரிய விஷயம்லாம் இல்ல. நடு  கடல்ல போய், நிலமே தெரியாத இடத்துல கொஞ்ச நாள் இருக்கணும். அந்த நீல நிற உலகம் எப்டி இருக்கும் நு பார்க்கணும். கரைலேயே இவ்ளோ seductive a இருக்கற அந்த கடல் , நுடுல இன்னும் எவ்ளோ ஈர்போட இருக்கும் .

travel  சில பேர்க்கு பிடிக்கும். நானும் எவ்ளோ தான் journey பத்தி  அலுதடுகிட்டாலும் அப்டி இந்த பரண்ட பூமில ஒரு எடத்லேர்ந்து இன்னொரு இடம் போகும் பொது ஒரு பிரமிப்பு ஏற்படுது  – ஆகா எவ்ளோ பெரிசு இந்த உலகம். இதபார்க்காம  நம்ம வீடு வீதின்னு வாழ்க முழுசா இருக்கறவங்க  எவ்ளவு பேர். ஆனா திரும்பி பஸ் காக வந்து காதுற்றுக்கற போ அதே கடல் நீர் தந்த பரிசான அந்த ஈர மணல் பிசு பிசு நு ஓட்ட ஒரு irritation – திரும்பி normal  mood கு வந்துட்டோம் நு உணர்தித்து. வங்க கன்னிக்கு எந்தன் வணக்கங்கள்.

chumma chumma

ஏதோ தமிழ் ல பேசலாம்னு தோணிச்சு. அதுக்காக சுத்த தமிழ்லாம் பேச தெரியாது. ரொம்ப நாள் ஆச்சு ப்ளாக் அப்டேட் பண்ணி. அப்டி உண்ணும் பெருசா பிஸி lam இல்லை. சும்மா ஏதோ சில விஷயங்கள்ல got too engrossed அவ்ளோ தான். தினம் பேசற பாஷய்ள ப்ளாக் பண்றது தான் இன்னும் natural a இருக்கு. சேரி . விஷயம்னு பெருசா இல்லாட்டியும் நான் வெட்டி பேச்சை ஆரம்பிக்கறேன்.

முந்தாநாள் அங்காடி தெரு படம் பார்த்தேன். நல்லா இருந்துச்சு. கொஞ்சம் over tragedy. ஆனா நல்லா தான் இருந்துச்சு, overall அப்றோம் recent event நாக graduation day பத்தி தான் சொல்லணும். மதியானம் நண்பர்கள் கூட பொய் லஞ்ச் சாப்டோம் ஒரு நல்ல (read costly ) restaurant ல. friends எல்லாரையும் பாக்க முடுஞ்சுது அப்றோம் ஒரு 100 போட்டோ எடுக்க முடுஞ்சுடு. மிச்ச படி ஏதாவது மெடல் கிடல் வாங்கிர்ந்த நல்லா இருந்திற்கும். ஆனா அது மாறி grad டே அன்னிக்கி தோணினா பத்தாது. முதல் நாள் காலேஜ் லேயே தொநிர்கனும். சேரி அத விடுங்க கழுத போயிட்டு போர்த்து. போனதுக்கு ஒரு வேள சாப்பாடு போட்ருக்கலாம். . அதான் கஷ்டமா இருந்துச்சு. புதுசா நெறைய lights போட்ருக்காங்க college ல. வழக்கமா தேங்கி நாரிகிட்ட்ருக்கற fountain லாம் on பண்ணி வேசுர்ந்தாங்க. அழகா இருந்து நம்ம red building .

கொஞ்ச நாலா ஏதாவது புது activity ஆரம்பிக்கணும்னு ஆசையா இருக்கு. like swimming . ஆனா சொம்பெரிதனமாவும் இருக்கு. நாள் fulla ஆபீஸ் ல கம்ப்யூட்டர் முன்னாடி உக்காந்துட்டு(note : வெறும் உக்காந்துட்டு not வேலபாதுட்டு) , வீட்லயும் பொய் நெட் ல உக்கார்றது எதோ lifeless எ தோணுது. காலேஜ் days ல நம்ம நெறையா பெற தெனோம் பாப்போம், வெட்டி பேச்சு பேசுவோம், சுத்துவோம். அதெல்லாம் ரொம்ப miss பண்றேன். எனக்கு தான் இப்டி தோணுதா நு தெரில ஆனா ஏதோ எல்லாரும் இப்போல்லாம் தானுண்டு தன் வேல உண்டு நு இருக்கற மாறி இருக்கு.

நெறையா புக்ஸ் படுசேன் recent a . ப்ளாக் ல review போற்றுன்தேனே . கேடசியா கல்கியின் அலை ஓசையும்
ஜெயமோகனின் கன்னியாகுமரியும் படுசேன். அலை ஓசை எண்டிங் ரொம்ப கேவலமா இருந்துது. மத படி liked ஆல் தி characters . கன்னியாகுமரி உண்மைய சொல்லணும் நா எனக்கு புரிய வே இல்லை .

தமிழ் ல type பண்றது ரொம்ப கஷ்டமா இருக்கு still ட்ரை பண்றேன். ஏதாவது சொல்ல இருந்தா தான் பேசணுமா? இல்லை சும்மா தான் கேக்கறேன். பேசறதுங்கறது நம்ம thoughts எ வெளி படுத்த செய்ற ஒரு விஷயம் மட்டும் தானா? எவ்ளோ வாடி நம்ம சும்மா தெரிஞ்ச விஷயங்களையே, சொன்ன jokes ஏ திருப்பி திருப்பி சொல்றோம். உதரணத்துக்கு காதலர்கள எடுத்துக்கோங்க – ஒரு நாளைக்கு 100 தரவ “I love you ” சொல்றாங்க (சொமேடிமேஸ் வெவ்வேற பொண்ணுங்களுக்கு ), 200 times “I hate you ” சொல்றாங்க *Not from personal experience*. அப்போ சில விஷயங்கள சொல்றதுல வெறும் communication மட்டும் நோக்கம் இல்லை. பேச்சு ஒரு கருவியா இருக்கு போர் few things in life . அதே மாறி தான் நான் ப்ளாக் எழுதறதும். நான் உண்ணும் உபயோகமாவோ புதுசாவோ சொல்ல போறதில்ல. அதே பழைய கத தான். ஆனா ஏதோ பேசணும்னு தோணுது. ராபின்சன் crusoe அப்டின்னு ஒரு புகழ் பெற்ற நோவேல் உண்டு. அதுல வர ஆளு ஒரு தனி தீவு ல மாடின்றுவான். சூட ஒருத்தனும் இருக்க மாடன். அவன் அங்கேயே பல வருஷம் வாழ்வான். இத inspiration வெச்சு தான் காஸ்ட் அவே படம் எடுத்தாங்க. அது மாறி ஒருத்தன் தனியா இருந்தா கூட தனக்கு தானே பெசிப்பன்னு தான் தோணுது. ஏன பெசுங்கர்த்து வெறும் என்னங்கள வெளி படுதர்துக்கு இல்லை நு எனக்கு தோணுது. பேசி என்னங்கள மாத்தவும் , உருவாக்கவும் சக்தி இருக்கு. நம்ம ரொம்ப பயப்ற இல்லை வருத்த படர ஒரு விஷயத்த பத்தி யார்டியாவ்து சொல்லிட்ட ஒரு relief கிடைக்குதே. அது நாலா தானோ என்னமோ, கேட்டதே பேசாதே positive a பேசு நு சொல்றாங்க. சேரி ஓவர் philosophy பேச மாட்டேன்.

ஓகே. இதோட முடிசுக்கரின். தமிழ் ல ஒரு கத எழுதலாம் நு இருக்கேன். படுச்சு எப்டி இருக்கு நு சொல்லுங்க. பாப்போம் bye .

The Hurt Locker – Review

The review I totally agree with is http://www.behindthehype.com/movie-reviews/action-review/the-hurt-locker/

Having said that, I think it’s a case of the ‘popular’ movie not getting the oscars this time too. Just because this movie doesn’t not entertain you, do not assume it has some subtle message or plot that doesn’t meet the eye – most probably it doesn’t. It feels like a very elongated demo run of Countert strike. I ‘ve read reviews comparing this movie to Saving Private Ryan(SPR). Nothing could be more absurd – there is such a human element, so much of soul in SPR. But here we have three characters whom we don’t get to know much about except one single scene where they even talk and then we have an infinite loop of disarming bombs – most of them very similar and boring. And there is nothing specific about Iraq even – it could have been anywhere -  Iam not saying its universal – just that it seems to be a copied from a hundred war films. Movies should entertain. Period. There can be no exceptions. Even the supposed art films would evoke some interest in that it portrays a reality so vividly – some aspect of reality. For instance, Forrest Gump doesn’t have a very great story or plot – but every frame of the movie is a poem about life – those are the off beat movies that do not follow the formulas of popular movies and reach classic status for their beauty – BTW all such classics are immensely entertaining and carry a subtle message which you may or may not even understand and still you would be able to appreciate the movie. This movie is a depiction of reality alright – of bombs and some dilapidated buildings – but it lacks a soul.

Parthiban Kanavu

Maybe one shouldn’t start this story immediately after Sivagamiyin Sabatham. There was not much plot or passion in the story as right from the beginning we know that Narasimma Varma himself supports Parthiban’s dream. The love sequence between Kundavi Devi(not to confuse with our PS kundavi) and Vikrama seems artificial and repetitive. Unlike SS, there is not much passion and emotions and unlike PS, there is not some very complex plot. It is shown that Narasimma Varma is the Sivanadiyaar right from the beginning and there is no suspense element because of it and the characters’ dilemma about the identity of the character is tiring. The only social element of the time portrayed is the emergence of human sacrifice. The villain is our same old Naganandhi from  SS and there is no suspense in that regard either. There is not much internal conflict that the characters suffer which makes SS and PS so beautiful. The description of places is picturesque at times. I was disappointed and angry to know that Narasimma varma’s wife died soon after Vatapi war and yet Sivagami (who is mentioned in only one chapter) did not marry the king and the author kills her off soon too – but so many characters like even Sivagami’s aunt are still alive. This seems to be a stereotypical device to eliminate the character so that the plot here need not involve her. The character of Siruthondar (our Paranjothi from SS) comes as a character without much role. I started reading this mostly to know the fate of the characters in SS and to relive the setting and the times of SS. Other than Naganandhi and Narasimma varma himself (who now resembles his father Mahendran in almost all manners like disguises, cleverness etc), no other character from SS plays important role here. I guess after reading PS and SS, this fades a bit in comparison and did not leave be dazed like the other books did.

p.s: I have started reading Alai Osai and am loving it so far. Will post review once I am done.

Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya – Poem on celluloid

Had heard that this movie is loved by people in love and others find it too boring. I loved this movie (implies what – nothing). Any form of good Art is like magic – it is tough to point out what ingredient makes it that beautiful – every individual thing has got to be right and in addition they should come together in the perfect form and this is what this movie has turned out to be. Gautam is definitely one of the best directors with his unique and beautiful style of movie-making. ARR’s songs are too beautiful adds to the poetic feel of the movie – the song ‘aaromale’ is out of the world, ‘mannipaaya’  conveys the emotional conflict of the entire movie, ‘Hosanna’ is love incarnate in music (Yen idhayam udaithai, norungavae!? En maru idhayam, tharuvaen nee udaikavae!…. Hosanah, En meethu anbu kolla Hosanah, Ennodu serndhu sella -ARR + Thamarai is too good a combination! ).The inconsistency in Jessie’s character and the cycles of confusion she experiences was very realistically portrayed – instead of prototyping it as the ‘uncomitted’ bad girl (in theatre some guy muttered “intha ponnungalay ipdi thaaan ejamaan (if you didn’t know, it is a line from the movie Sigappu Rojakkal)” ), the respect and admiration for the character only grows with the confusion and her eventual decision.

Trisha is poetically beautiful and delivers her all time best performance and the surprise is SIMBU! It’s difficult to believe it’s the same guy who was pelting out non sense dialogues and doing idiotic mannerisms – He has fully matured and comes out with a well controlled performance. His acting in the climax scene in park is just awesome!

The dialogues brim with honesty especially the Karthik’s where Jessie suggests they be just friends . The physical aspect in love was honestly, yet aesthetically captured (the train scene, the kisses). The ending is light and subtle and not an emotional upheaval expected out of such a story. Though it’s too early and I have seen this only once, I feel it is a ‘classic’ about love. And I am waiting to watch it once more!

Books – Jan last week

All books that win booker are need not be good for everyone. I realised this when I tried to read The Road by Comac McArthy. I have had a overdose of post apocalypse fiction. Still, this book has pages and pages of nothingness and a weird (original?) writing style. The father and the son keep walking. The father protects the son. This is all that happened for the first half and I got fed up with it. It is one of the few novels I have left in between (Usually I feel time is like money and since I”ve invested so much time reading half a novel, we tend to finish it just for that). There is nothing happening and I think even the most literary of novels should have plot and story and I hate the static stagnant stories which is exactly what this was – the characters, setting, plot never changed from page 1 to 150.

At last read William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Loved it. It is a story of how the thin veil of civilization deteriorates. Each character represents one facet of us and yet it isn’t the too much philosophy little story type of literary fiction. It’s about how people are influenced and how leaders are born and how they use the basic desires and fears and manipulate them. It’s a master piece about human psychology.

Watched the movie ‘The Mist’ (based on book by Stephen King) which is again about what people will do when they turn afraid and how scared people are so easily manipulated. The ending was awesome and definitely unexpected.

I have bought Sivagaamiyin Sabatham (by the best author ever  ) and Kanniyakumari (by Jeyamohan whom I’ve read loads about. The one who wrote the story on which Naan Kadavul movie is based). Waiting to read them.

IR —- My favourites

Disclaimer: I have limited knowledge of music. Limited to listening to it with my ears and heart open and shutting off my mind:) So don’t expect any musical technicalities in here:). Read tfm pages if you want such details. This is not who is better or who is worse. This is about what I like and what I don’t.

I am a hardcore IR fan. And I was and still am an ARR fan too (much of the former though). I read loads of stuff posted online comparing the two legends. The only commonality between them is that both are musical genuises. Other than that fact and the fact that each of them revolutioned and changed people’s taste and have a musical expression for any thing any story teller could give them and an eternal, perenneial well of creativity. Other than these aspects they are, imho poles apart. This post isn’t about comparing these legends. I am much happier enjoying the marvels they produce wihtout sounding cocky and trying to measure their genius. I guess only people in their league can compare and tell who is better and such people never do that for they know one true art piece cannot be matched against another let alone the artists. This is just my humble post about why I like IR’s music.

* The first aspect I really admire is that IR’s music is mostly Indian and Tamil. The regional flavor isn’t a limitation. Any art form should have an identity(imho as always). One thing I don’t like about ARR is that he sticks to his Hi-fi instruments and sounds even in rural and karnatic songs (both of which are rarities anyways in his music).

*He composed western based songs too but added so much of indian flavour to it, which became his signature for songs like Ilaya Nila pozhigirathu (Listen to this on your Ipod at night, sitting on the beach, watching the sea and the moon!). He composed Carnatic raga based songs and even attempted so many succesful experiments like the aarohanam only song Kalaivaniye (breathtaking! All songs in this movie Sindhu Bairavi are absolute classics), Rural folk songs like Machana paatheengala (his first song!) or rual love song like Inji iduppazhagi (which I was listening to when I started writing the post:). I love the simple, rustic tune. So simple lines, so much of love expressed so beautifully with all the fervour of Tamil folk still intact- beautiful lyrics- esp ‘ponna vanaththinilae paeda kuyil koovayilae unnudaya vedhanaya naan arinchen’ (Can the longing for the loved one be expressed more beautifully!) – Was amazed to know that IR was inspired by a SD Burman tune for this song! He openly declared he was going to do a song with that tune it seems. Turning a bollywood song to a tamil folk!)

* Instead of simply listing the genres, I want to share my favourite songs for the various themes and emotions (Along with my ARR fav for few theme too):

• Mother’s love – I guess this is IR’s favourite theme. I like the universal favourite Amma endrazhaikkatha (kudos to Yesudas too! ). But my favourites in this theme from IR are: Chinna Thaai aval from Thalabathy – Mani Ratnam picturises it so beautifully in B & W and the places where it comes as BG moves one to tears. Wonderful lyrics too. And there was a movie made named  Guna, one of the best that was ever made and one of the most underrated classics ever. And in that movie there is a song -’Unnai Naan Ariven‘. Though only a minor portion of it is sung by the mother character in the movie, it is too moving. Karpoora Bommai Onru from Keladi Kanmani – Susheela’s voice makes it more beautiful. And my ARR favourites in this category are: Uyirum Neeye (What a rendering by Unnikrish!) and Azhagu Nilave from Pavithra. These are rare ARR songs in the sense that he uses mostly the voices and not instruments.
• Tragedy – There could be so many sub categories. But I have clubbed them to this. Will Nayagan have ever been a the same without IR’s voice singing the theme ‘Then pandi cheemayile‘. Kamal’s version of the song is evocative too. Some IR fans say they hear his sad songs when they’re depressed and it is so soothing. He has composed loads of them. I remember only few now. ‘Sangeetha Jaadhi mullai‘ (He uses SPB for all the toughest of his songs  and SPB delivers each time! I wish this combo would continue to produce more songs together, though it’s been years since IR used SPB) . Yenge Sellum Intha Paathai is equally poignant. Poo malai vaangi vanthal is about the fall of a famous man – tragedy beautifully expressed. Kalyana maalai is a song which is so  sad in a subtle way. Vaanam thottu ponaa from Devar magan. Thagida thajimi from Salangai oli.
• Intoxication over the Female Form – I have given funny name for this genre . It’s my most favourite IR tune which is his favourite too as he has remade it in four languages including Gum Sum Gumm in Paa. It is the beautiful Sangathil Paadatha Kavidhai (it’s Mallu version Thumbi Vaa which is a happy happy song showing a family with two kids is the sweeter form of this intoxicating number). Lyrics (by Vaali?) are the best of its kind, being so sensuous without becoming vulgar. eg: ‘Aadai yen un meni azhagai aathikkam seikindrathu. Naalaikkay aananda viduthalai kaanattum kaanatha uravai’. The so called lyricists of today with their lewd vulgar double meanings should learn the art of subtlety.

• Disillusioned – Ooratherunchikkitteyn – one of the most philosophical Thalaivar number.
• Love – Young Love - Kaadhal Oviam, Aananda Raagam Kaetkum Kaalam, Unakku Piditha paadal (Though the song comes without context in the movie), Oliyili therivathu
• Love – The Beloved - Kanne Kalaimane, Nee Paartha Paarvaikoru , Nee Paadhi Naan Paadhi, Endan Nenjil Neeengatha, En iniya pon nilaave
• Love – The Lost Love – Unna Ninachen Paattu Paduchen, Putham Puthu poothatho, Un kuthama
• Love- The Lost Beloved – Anbe vaa arugile
• Love – The Dream - Ninaivo Oru Paravai, Senorita, Kanmaniye kaadhal enbathu, Senthoorappove, Kodiyile Malliga poo, Vaa vennila unnaithane, Oh Butterfly, Andhi mazhai pozhigirathu, Thogai Ilamayil (very different kind of song), Valaiosai, Innum ennai enna seyya
  
• Love – The Celebration – Poongathave Thaal Thiravaai (From Nizhalgal – again full of good songs), Poo malaiyae thol serava (Superb Lyrics, lovely melody with his signature counterpoints and of course IR’s voice!), Nee Oru Kaadhal Sangeetham (What a movie! What a song!), Pani Vizhum malarvanam, Idhazhil Kadhai Ezhuthum Neram, Kannukkul Nooru Nilava, Thendral vanthu ennai thodum, Adi aathadi ila manasonnu, Sippi Irukuthu , Yae paadal onru
• Love – The Yearning - Rasaathi Unna Kaanadha Nenju (All time Fav! Beautiful voice, female version is equally good. Most songs in this movie are fabulous. Visuals are horrible! ), Kaatril en Geetham (From Johnny which is the my most favourite album ever!), Manram vantha thendralukku , Yamunai aatrile , Mannil intha kaadhal andri, Kaadhalin Deepam onru, Enna satham intha neram (wow!), Poova eduthu oru malai, Oorusanam, Poongatru Thirumbumaa
• Love – The Intimate - Meendum Meendum Vaa, Aasaiya Kaathulla Thoothuvittu (Don’t know if this comes under this category. It’s more of item number), Maasi maasam aalana (Deva copied the beats for kattipudi kattipudida)
• Lullaby – Thooliyile aada vantha, Oh Paapa Laali (its sung to put the lover to sleep).
• Love – The Despair – Oh Priya Priya.
• Love – Rustic – Inji Idupazhagi. Maanguyile Poonguyile. ARR’s good ones in this genre are Raasathi (from thiruda thiruda) and Aathangara Maramey.
• Love – Sweet – Sundari Neeyum, Unna Vida (from Virumaandi), Kanmani anbodu, Nee thoongum Nerathil
• Love – The Kiss – Om Namaha song from Idhayathai Thirudathey – He uses heart beat like rhythm and beautiful picturisation by Mani ratnam.
• Nature - Ithu Oru pon Maalai Pozhuthu, Ilaya Nila Pozhigirathu, Kodai kaala kaatre,
  
• Joy – Fountain of Youth – Oh oh Megam Vanthatho , Rojappoo , Aathadi Ammadi Thaen Mottu- (All three are heroine introduction songs in mani ratnam movies:)), Ithu oru nila kaalam, Raja Rajathi Rajan Intha Raja, Vidiya Vidiya. Megam kottattum, Ilamai Itho itho
  
• ‘Item’ Numbers – Aasai Nooru Vagai (Best of the genre ever), Nila Adhu Vaanathu Melay – Again great lyrics – ‘Pasikithu Pasikithu Thinam Thinam thaan thinna pasi athu neengedutha’ . Rakkamma Kaiyya Thattu – Can anyone else put a classical piece into an item number?:), Aattama, Chinna Rasave, Nethu Raathiri, En jodi manja kuruvi (his version of Jewish Hava nagila)
• Life – Meaning – Isaiyil Thodanguthamma (from Hey Ram. Simply awesome. Mesmerising! Sung by Pt. Ajoy Chakraborthy), Appanendrum Ammai yendrum (From Guna), Pichai Paathiram (Bala is my favourite director and this song moves anyone to tears)
• The Playboy – Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai from Netrikan (maybe one of Rajni’s most memorable roles) – He makes the song convey the excessive naughtiness,  sung by SPB.
• Bacchanalian Orgy - Namma Singari Sarakku, Thanni Thotti Thedi vantha (Though it’s also tragedy),
• I have missed out thousands. These are simply ones that came to my mind now. Please add your own IR favourite in comment.

Books in recent months

Have not been updating here about the books I’ve been reading. Very short reviews of the ones I have read in past few months:

• Life of Pi – Yann Martel — Magical writing, a story of hope and miracles. I thought it got bit sluggish in places and a bit depressing, but I guess they’re part and parcel of any survival novel. There is a part about an algae island which was just did not connect with rest of the story. The character is supposedly a Tamilian and there are so many absurdities in the setting that I observed when it came to the regional aspects – for instance I don’t know even one tamil guy who has the name Patel.   Still  It’s a mesmerizing read. Some interesting info about the name Richard Parker – Click here
• Two States – Chetan Bhagat- The man in news often in recent times has penned down an exaggerated and obviously masala added version of what could have been his own story. He is often criticised for being too masala type with not much literary merit. But  I think he is achieving what so many Indian writers before him failed : He is compelling people to read novels – a habit so lacking in most of us Indians. We’re too stuck with movies and maybe that’s why this guy writes stories that play in your mind just like movies. It was a joyous read and in places you’re sure to have a loud laugh (if you won’t be offended by his digs at Tamils and Punjabis). Entertainment should be the prime aspect of fiction and in that this book delivers 100 %. His low pricing also alleviates the need to buy pirated copies or beg friends who have bought the book (which is what I used to do for most other books before I joined a lending library)
• Lisey’s story- Stephen King- Of course for reasons I cannot understand, I am so addicted to his writing. If you have never read him I would suggest NOT to start with this one. It is immensely slow and repetitive and sluggish for around 250 pages. It took all my patience to keep reading. The events are ‘remembered’ so many times by the main character (Lisey) who is the wife of a famous author Scott Landon. But patience did pay off. This is a tender love story at its heart. ‘Can there be such a strong love?’ I pondered at places. But do not expect the mushy, happily ever after from the master of horror. Maybe he took a vow that he would include horror in all his books. This one has a lot of it: the ‘monsters’ and mysteries of Booya Moon, though well thought out aren’t scary, but what happens in Scott’s childhood, to him, his brother and father, that is dark horror. He succeeds in making us hate his father and love him at the same time. Characterisation as I always say is King’s forte. All characters live with you long after you finish reading the novel. This novel addresses so many emotions: grief, loss, love and yes lots of love. But Scott is dead right from first chapter and this fact takes some chunk of interest in few parts of the story. Scott’s narration about his childhood is the best part, the most horrific, yet it’s King at his best when he narrates the story of a kid making sense of an endless tragedy, a kid living through things we cannot dream of and there also there is so much love beneath the horror. Apart from the fact that this novel should have had 300 lesser pages, this is a good story.

Now I want to list few books I am thinking of reading in the following months(hopefully).  Most of the books as you will notice are by Kalki. I can go on and on about this magical writer. I have read his Ponniyin Selvan which is his most popular work. His writing style is very simple and yet is rich in the sense that he paints the scene so vividly in our minds, using simple language which never hinders the flow of the story. The characters are so memorable and realistic : Vanthiyadevan, Kundavi, Nandhini, Arulmozhivarman, Sundara cholan and Pazhavettaraiyar (You’ll get used to the name as you read the story:)). The story revolves around themes like friendship, patriotism, love, revenge, duty. I will challenge anyone to read just the first book of this 2500 page epic and leave it at that. It is almost addictive and I remember how sad I felt when I finished reading for beyond a point, you’d want to spend time there with the characters in the picturesque chola empire. Each dialogue is so beautifully crafted especially those between Vanthiyadevan and Kundavi Devi. I could go on and on about the series spoiling so many surprises for you. But I urge you to read it to understand and relish its beauty. Please don’t go for the English translation for most of the beauty is in Kalki’s choice of words which are simple yet beautiful and satisfying. The language is very easy to follow (I never learnt Tamil as a language in school and was able to read through the 2500 pages So trust me).

My want to read list goes like this:

• Sivagamiyin Sabadham, Paarthiban Kanavu, Alai Osai by Kalki

• Lord of the Flies - William Golding (have read so much about it. Waiting to read it)
• Shataram
• The Lost Symbol (You gotta read Dan Brown or appear foolish cos the whole world reads him . I appreciate all the research he does for his books and his interesting plots)
• Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand – It was rated the best novel of the century in so many lists. It’s ideas became established philosophy.
• few more of Stephen King

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Parker_(shipwrecked)