Student of the year - Glossy

What do you expect in Karan Johar film - Swanky cars, Uber rich lads, designer wears ranging from Savile row, Prada, Gucci, Armani, and Louis vitton, stilletto heeled ladies, english speaking parents, picturesque locations, words like Khaandaan, farz, Mohabbat, Ishq, Dosti etc etc. All these items were present in Student of the Year, the latest offering from Dharma Productions. His first film without SRK and no leading lady or gentleman from Bollywood Khandaan for that matter save that 5 seconds appearance of Kajol. Never look at a serious plot like Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, or Tear jerker like kabhi kushi kabhi gham, or enthralling Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in Student of the Year. It is just a campus story and what a campus it was..Girls with tanker tops, shortest of the shorts, Micro minis, Boys with well chiseled body wearing designer wear from Scarves, Jackets, trunks, drive in Ferraris and Audis. The set up a magnificent looking campus where from Auditorium to Classrooms and Swimming pools to Stadium provides a stamp of class. The story is about a contest about winning the title student of the year from the school St Theresas winning various competitions. The love, friendships, betrayals, disappointments, sacrifices, back biting all explained by friends of the leading cast Sidharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan, and Alia Bhatt. Karan Johar himself has not taken this film a serious one directed it sportively. Whatelse he can do if the films premise itself based on various sports. The students play volleyball, Basket Ball, and a Triathlon and what else is left with a liberal dosage of dancing and prancing strewn all over. Go with an empty mind for some un adulterated school boyish entertainment you will not be disappointed and will cheer a lot. Parents just for once let the kids do the watching you do the act which you are naturally designed for...care taking...its meant ONLY for them...For the elders await the announcement from Karan Johar with next Shah Rukh Khan movie. A bright debut for the three lead actors with Alia shows much promise for a future heartthrob, with a bikini act and a liplock in the very first movie..Her height may be an obstacle. The other two guys shows promise will go some heights with proper selection of movies. Afterall all movies could not be directed by the man with a midas touch Karan Johar.

Mayakkam Enna - A visual Delight

One thing that impresses most about Mayakkam Enna is the whole film apart from Dhanush the lead actor, is the unintrusive and splendid photography ( Ramji ) and the haunting but captivating music score ( both the songs and the bgm ) of G V Prakash kumar. Well done GV, even silence is some times music, we heard that.

From the frame one to the last, the film moves at various speeds, break neck in the first half, hopping in the first of the second half, again ran to its length when it enters the climax.

The characters, picturisation, dialogues, songs all have a distinct selvaraghavan imprint being the foul languages, change of heart, the speaking silence, Betrayal, a bit of crude humour and the ever distinct psycological behaviours of the lead actors.

The film is about an aspiring wild life photographer Karthik ( Danush ) and his friends that is all. Enters Yamini a date or girl friend of one of the friend Sundar ( sundar - a good show by him looks like jithan ramesh ) naturally fell in love with ever moody karthik. Married to him and suffers all the pain and agony due to an accident to Karthik. How she bring life to him and make him a success form the rest of the story.

Performance wise Dhanush stands tall on all aspects. The shock, love, tears, hatred, emotions, and thirst all are evident. He reflected the thirst of a photographer though his body language suggested a bit far fetched for a photographer. But his eyes do a great job. Watch out for the scene he enacted infront of an ace photographer for an assistants job. Good going Danush. He is talent.

Richa the new find as a love interest of Dhanush supported well mostly. But her bubbly face has not given her a chance to emote well in certain scenes. She manages with her big eyes however. a very understanding wife, friend, her character a bit topsy turvy earlier became solid after some point of time. A good find.

The other characters especially the close friend essayed by Sundar worth mentioning. He understood his love interest fallen to his friend. Though he arranged for her marriage his humourous bragging brings out the desired laughter.

It is out and out a technical movie all the way. The cinematography by Ramji, Music by G V Prakash Kumar, editing by Kola baskar helmed by Selvaraghavan all gave their best. Kaadhal en kaadhal, oda oda thooram theriyala, naan sonnathum mazhai vanthuchcha all the songs were hit already and a rage among todays youth beautifully picturised. For a change Selva has given an end and allow the movie watchers come out with a smile.. His earlier movies are different in that aspect either we turn out a bit disturbed or a bit confused.

The movie has its own flaws. a bit dragging second half, the unpredictable mood swings of the hero and heroine, the hero's inability to even raise a voice for the injustice done to him, top of it all a psycho like attitude of hero a selvaragavan staple. A decisive pruning in the second half would have made the film terse and perfect.

Dont allow these flaws stop watching this movie. Just go for an entertaining episode in a photographers life. Certainly you will not return disappointed. After a supremely hyped 7 aam arivu and commercial pot boiler Velayudham this one is indeed refreshing. Both the big names relieved they have not compared and competed with this one.

பிரிவும் காதலும்

பிரிவும் காதலும்


தலைப்பை பார்
பிரிவும் காதலும்
இரண்டும் ஒன்றா வெவ்வேறா
ஒன்றிருந்தால் ஒன்றிருக்கும்
பிரிதலில் காதலின் வலி இருக்கும்
காதலில் பிரிதலின் பயம் இருக்கும்
காதலும் பிரிதலும் ஒன்றேன்றானபின்
காதலும் பிரிதலும் ஒன்றுதான்


பார்க்காமல் போகிறாயே கல் நெஞ்சக்காரா
என்றாள்
பார்க்கையில் நெஞ்சு பனிக்கட்டியானது
எனக்கல்லவா தெரியும்


இருள் கவ்வுகையில் அவள் தன இதழ்களைப் பொத்தினாள்
நான் கை பிடித்து பத்திரம் என்றதும்
அவள் கண்ணில் படர்ந்தது
என்ன உணர்வு?


அவளின் பார்வையில்
நான் கூட அழகானேன்
ஆனால் நான் அழக் காரணம்
அவளானாள்
அப்போதும் அவள் அழகே தான்.


கண்கள் பேசும் கைகள் பார்க்கும்
நெஞ்சம் ஏங்கும
ஆனால் வலி மட்டும்
இருவருக்கும். இது காதலான நாடகமா
இல்லை பிரிவிற்கான ஒத்திகையா


அவளை பார்த்த பின் என் சட்டை மட்டும் நிறம் மாறவில்லை
என் மனம் முழுதும் மாறி விட்டது
என்னை பார்த்த நாள் நினைவில்லை என்றாள்
ஆனால் என்னை காதலிக்க ஆரம்பித்தது அன்று தான் என்றாள்


கனவுகள் என்னை விட்டு விலக ஆரம்பித்து விட்டது அன்பா
ஏனெனில் உன்னால் நான் உறங்குவதே இல்லையே
என்ற என்னவளின் வார்த்தை கேட்ட நாள்
எனது கனவுகளும் என்னுடன் சண்டையிட்டு
பிரிந்து விட்டன.
கடைசீயில் சேர்ந்தது கனவுகள் மட்டுமே...


பார்த்த நாள் மறவேன்
பழகிய நாள் மறவேன்
பசித்த நாள் மறவேன்
அவளை ரசித்த நாள் மறவேன்
நினைத்த நாள் மறவேன்
ஆனால் மறக்க நினைக்கிறேன்
நாங்கள்
பிரிந்த நாளை


என்னை வர்ணிக்க முடியுமா
என என்னை அவள் கேட்ட பொழுது
ஏன் முடியாது
என ஒற்றை வார்த்தையில்
சொன்னேன்
அவள் பெயரை...


அடப் பாவி என்னை பெண்ணாய் பார்க்க சொன்னால்
நானாகப் பார்த்து விட்டாயே
என்ற அவள் சிரிப்பில் தெரிந்தது அவளின்
ரசனை


எல்லாப் பெண்களும் நீயாக முடியாது
ஏனெனில் நான் உன்னை மட்டுமே பெண்ணாகப்
பார்த்து விட்டேன்.
நினைவெங்கும் நீயே இருப்பதால்
நான் நீயாக மாறி ஆகிப் போனது
பல காலம்.


இவ்வளவு காதல் எனக்குரித்தா என்றால்
அது போல் நான் இல்லை என்றாள்
காதலை மட்டுமே தரும் உனக்கு
அதை மட்டுமே நான் திருப்பி தருவேன்
என ஏனடா நம்பினாய்.


உன்னை பிரிந்தால்
என் வலி உன் அளவில்லை
என்றாள்
பைத்தியக் காரி அந்த நொடியில்
என் வலி உணர வில்லையடி நீ
என எப்படி நான் சொல்ல.


பிரிவும் காதலும்
வெவ்வேறல்ல
அவை இரண்டின்
அருஞ்சொற்பொருள்கள் ஒன்று தான்
காதல் எனில் பிரிவு
பிரிவென்றால் காதல்.


பிரிவின் காரணம்
பல நீ சொன்னாலும்
எனக்கதில் ஒப்புதல் இல்லை.
நானறிந்த ஒரே காரணம்

காதல்.

கவிதை

பெண்ணாய் நீயும்
கவிதைக்கு கரு தந்தாய்
பிரசவித்ததால்
ஆணானாலும்
தாயானேன்.
நம் மனம் புணர்தலின்
குழந்தை
கவிதை

7aam arivu – expectations satisfied but not fully.

Udayanithi Stalin must be a relieved man by now as his over aggressive promotional tactics have made people look forward for something extra-ordinary in the history of Tamil cinema has been paid off though not handsomely but some what near to that. I wonder why every hero and director talks about his every film as a mile stone film of his career. Both surya and a r murugadoss maintain that this is one of the films which are going to elevate them to the next platform. Seriously I don’t think that’s a fair claim.

Bodhidharman has become a household name by now, thanks to 7th sense in a way it is amazing and heartening to know a Tamil hand in the development of kung fu and shaolin temple. History buried is history forgotten. Thanks to Murugadoss we come to know that peace of information every tamilian should be proud of. He unearthed the life and style of Bodhidharman in the first 20 minutes of the film. Bodhidharman an ancient pallava ruler leaving tamilnadu to china (for what) heeding the order of rajmatha (who) where he could able to save a village from the clutches of a killer disease and a bunch of hooligans. After became a god father of the village he happily consumes poison on the interest of villagers to be dead (what happened to his mission?) and buried in the village so that his super natural powers save the village forever. The events happened 1600 years ago transferred to the present day with a deadly Chinese assassin Dong Li, (Johnny Tri Nguyen a nice portrayal by him ) to kill a bio technologist Suba Srinivasan ( Shruti haasan – welcome shruti ) who is on a mission to resurrect Bodhidharma through her researches. Enters Aravind a full time circus artiste the genetic residue of Bodhidharman fell in love with her first sight helped her experiments to become modern day bodhi dharma. What happened then and after forms the movie?

Clearly it is surya's show altogether but we have seen a better of him. He breathes life to the character of Bodhidharma and his well toned body with a six pack ( kollywoods salman khan ) matches well with the action sequences that too with a matching and menacing Dong Li. The Aravind character never gave any chance to act, for him he playfully prancing around Shruti with the company of bakru and other circus volunteers. He shines only in the beginning and at the end in climax. The handsome looking surya is what we miss now a days as the directors play havoc with his hairstyle and looks which he better should watch out. Shruti has nothing much to do but explaining the DNA concepts in her broken Tamil (at least she spoke with a good diction, slow though) to surya and bodhi resurrection.

The person who steals the show is undoubtedly the villain who doesn’t have more than 10 lines to utter the whole movie, with a hypnotic look, agile body is a real treat to the tamil audience. The clap he garners in the cinema halls is an apt example that he has played his part well.

On the other side technically we have seen better movies than this for sure. Be it cinematography or editing or graphics nothing much to hover about. One single assassin to sabotage the entire India, he do most of the killings by hypnotizing hapless public and cops and doesn’t do much himself. The road sequence where scores of bikes and cars flew over the lead pair is really exasperating. By hypnotizing he can change their attitude right, but can he hypnotize people and taught them martial arts with a single sight….sorry I am lost there. The climax fight beautifully choreographed by Peter Hayne and captured well by ravi k chandran. The scores of photographers assisted in the project spoke ravi has lost interest in midway or busy in bollywood flicks.

First day of the movie, one song fully chopped ( amma amma kaathal kannamma ) two songs ( damos and innum enna thozha ) being in the background half way Harris jayaraj is not at his best for 7 aam arivu. Ellelamma is the sole exception. Mun anthi saaralil is clearly a smoker’s delight. What’s the point in 1000s of dancers in a single song even your hero gets lost in the melee? In the name of grandeur people try very odd things.

My one point of concern is murugadoss could have dwelt more on Bodhidharman aspect of the movie which is an eye opener for tamilians. A passing reference of interviewing people about their ignorance on one of the master of the martial hearts won’t suffice. Why bodhi dharman left India to serve China, even agree to kill himself for the people of china forgetting his native land, lots and lots of questions linger when you come out…

Never mind… 7 aam arivu has certainly not lived up to the expectations it has generated in the past 15 days and number of screens it occupied on the diwali day pushing the equally powerful Vijay starrer Velayudham to the back stage. But it is worth a watch just for the Hero and the Villain.


Ra One : I have already wasted 2 and half hours watching the movie and dont want to spend more time on reviewing a DUD. SRK talked about a Rajanikanth Cameo..it is an insult to the super star as a purely graphical representation mar the only scene i have been looking for besides Kareena's chammak challo number.

பிடித்தமா

என் உள்ளங்கை வியர்வையை
உன் விரல்களுக்கு மாற்றுதல்
பிடித்தமா

உடல் சூட்டை இதழேற்றி
நுதல் சேர்த்தல்
பிடித்தமா

இடம் பார்த்து வலம் பார்த்து
முகம் பார்த்தல்
பிடித்தமா

பேசியும் பேசாமல் இருத்தல்
பிடித்தமா
பேசாமல் பேசுதல்
பிடித்தமா

கண்ணின் கருவிழி
பிடித்தமா
அதை மூடிய இரு இமை
பிடித்தமா

கண் சிரிக்கும் பொய் கோபம்
பிடித்தமா
அகம் நொறுக்கும் ஆங்காரம்
பிடித்தமா

இடுப்போரம் இரு விரல்
பிடித்தமா
இரு கன்னம் இரு கைகள்
பிடித்தமா

சாலையோர சந்தடிகள்
பிடித்தமா
பூங்காக்களின் மறைவிடங்கள்
பிடித்தமா

காத்திருக்கும் தவிப்பனைத்தும்
பிடித்தமா
தவிக்க வைக்கும் காத்திருப்பு
பிடித்தமா

அகம் நனைக்கும் அவன் காதல்
பிடித்தமா
முகம் மலர்ந்த அவன் நினைவு
பிடித்தமா

தினம் நூறு கேள்வி
தான்
கேட்க பிடித்தமா
பதில் இன்றி
தான்
தவிக்க பிடித்தமா

உன் நினைவு அவன் நினைவாய்
இருந்து விடல்
பிடித்தமா
இரு நினைவும் ஒன்றென்றே
உணர்ந்து விடல்
பிடித்தமா

அவனின்றி உலகில்லை
என்பதில் பிடித்தமா
அவனில்லை என்றுணர்ந்து
மாய்ந்து போதல் பிடித்தமா

Mankatha – A treat for Ajith Fans

First of all I should declare that I am not a great fan of Ajithkumar. Of the 50 I loved select films like Amarkkalam, Vaali, Dheena, Amaravathi, mugavari and some others. I hate some of the movies like Aegan, Aasal, Attagaasam, and his recent movies excluding the glossy BILLA.

What will happen when a true ajith fan gets an opportunity to direct his movie? Really want to have a blast. Isn’t it? Venkat Prabu a self proclaimed Ajith Fan did just that. Literally and pictorially it is a visual blast and treat.

The biggest opening generated by Ajith next to one and only Rajinikanth fizzled out the second day in the past. The selection of directors, choice of scripts and Ajiths’ own performances played spoil sport. That might be the only reason he left his 50th to be directed by a young team immensely talented and takes movie making as a part of entertainment and do it jolly well.

Mankatha is a hide and seek game between cops and swindlers, robbery and heist, friends and traitors, gambling and betting, love and lust, songs and fights. Interestingly, you find all the characters are negative in this film save Trisha and Anjali. But being negative, the way the characters are being shaped and handle themselves sets the film on a different platform. Sure this kind of Robbery, backstabbing, treason are often well presented in some of the Bollywood movies like Race etc. But in a Tamil movie it is a different game altogether. Venkat Prabu needs to be applauded for the bold treatment.

The film opens on a grand scale with a bulky ajith (vinayak mahadeven) clad in khakis out of a police vehicle sporting a stylish raybon walk slo-mo as he walks in other previous movies, fights dozens of goons and cops to save one hapless goon Aravind Aakash. In the melee he shots most of them including cops and got suspended. Nice setting to the title song Vilayadu Mankatha with Vivacious Laxmi Rai as partner who inevitably landed in his bed for the night. Enters Trisha the lovely lover of Vinayak dumb and beautiful inexplicably fallen for a 40 + cop and trust him blindly.

The story is plotted around the gambling in Mumbai, hawala transactions, betting in cricket especially IPL and the consequences of this kind of money laundering. A fabulous four Vaibhav, Magath, Aswin, and Premji amaren, plotted a plan to loot Rs.500 crores of betting money transferred from across the globe to Mumbai for ipl final. The money is to be handled by Jayaprakash to whom Vaibhav and Aravind Aakash works. While the four friends planned for the loot enters the maniacal vinayak to make the team fantastic five. Being an ex cop with a cunning mind he soon masters the rest to his side and lead the heist they have planned. After successful completion of the task the money was hoarded in a secured place electronically locked.

Circumstances changes so fast as Prithviraj (Arjun) ACP special task force smell the rats and always on the toes of the team to get the money back. The avaricious Vinayak never the one who trusted people even for a second try to get his share at the earliest got a rude shock when realized Premji and magath eloped with the money. Partners in crime turned hunter and hunted. What happens when all of them met, in a single meeting point forms the climax.

Performance wise it is one of the easiest Ajith would have essayed. He needs to do nothing but smoke, drink, smile, grin, guffaw and dealing heaviest of body blows to everyone in the movie. Sorry he speaks occasionally but only MONEY MONEY AND MY FUCKING GAME. But his screen presence is awesome. Probably the younger lot who were in awe about ajith all the time didn’t have time even to get acclimatize with him. That was very evident by their body language when he is around. From his point ajith has done what his director wanted him to do after a long time. Never minding about the salt and pepper hair, and stubble, his tummy he just essayed the role with comfort fully trusting the team. Veteran Arjun also does a neat job fully aware that being an Ajiths 50th movie the focus would be on him. But he shared the screen space with him equally and not compromised on his performance.

Technically the film has a lot to cheer about with Sakthi Saravanan’s Cinematography and Yuvan Shankar Rajas music stands out. The non linear narration, frequent updation of flash backs, fast paced editing, and well choreographed action sequences all deserves to be mentioned. A single shot where Vinayak’s working pattern gets established, with a dozen Ajith doing different things and the duet of Ajith and Trisha is an example.

It is not a flawless film altogether (especially the relationship between Ajith and Arjun) you can find so many on your second viewing which you do it anyway. All the characters in the movie have a chance to try their hands at guns, revolvers but never shot right from a distance. Ofcourse Ajith and Arjun took care of that part. They kill, kill, kill and kill again who ever crosses. Lots of Expletives were used which could have well been avoided especially Ajiths rendering the word on Laxmi Rai though beeped even a normal movie goer would have deciphered the words so easily.

Whatever don’t miss the beginning and climax end credits first is for the song and second is for the twist. You have plenty of time to smoke, message, update facebook , and eat your snacks during other songs. Venkats’ team members got two new additions by magath and ashwin. Sampath raj is the lone miss here.

Come on guys. Go for it just for the making. When THALA cheers Arjun as ACTION KING I AM IMPRESSED why not you and me.

N.Mathusuthanan