Fazhil’s malayalam superhit Manichitrathazhu becomes Chandramukhi in tamil. What could be a more welcoming move than this ?

If Manichitrathazhu can be judged as one of the best yester-year classic, it’s adaptation should be sized-up more than it. This is second Fazhil‘s film being adapted for Rajini, the first one being Thenmaavin Kombathu which was re-made as Muthu, a few years back.

I have often wondered why Manichitrathazhu, was never re-made into tamil. Mohanlal‘s psychiatrist role can feed Kamalhassan‘s quest for better roles. Now, when it is adapted for Rajini, it would probably change to acknowledge Rajini’s image in Tamil Nadu but we can be sure it will be outright entertainer. Finally, a Rajini fan’s wish for a full-time comedy movie is met. Happy.

[Pic: hindu.com]

Shyam Benegal‘s interview to Business-Standard is one of the best interview columns I’ve read in the near past. It’s as refreshing as the energy he holds.

With his latest grand movie Netaji Subhash: The Last Hero, set to hit the screens soon, he talks about his admirations towards Indian cinema and it’s film makers. He admires many of his contemporaries and also the new comers in the same level. From Satyajit Ray to Gurinder ‘Beckam’ Chadha to the mushy mushy Karan Johar, his admiration levels shows his broad spectrum of liking towards Indian Cinema. He was very right when saying about Mani Ratnam, “He is an intelligent filmmaker, with a good control over the medium, and Nayakan is my favourite”. And expectedly he has so much to say on Ritwick Ghatak.

“Younger directors,” he continues, “are looking at cinema in a entirely different way. Their attitude is different.” How so? “For the older filmmakers, tradition was not be touched and whatever you did, ultimately you had to accept tradition. This is particularly true of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. But the younger lot grapple with tradition, much like they did before Independence.” Good he said that and now wait for the arguments to suffice from the oldies. It’s Engrossing. I would have expected that such an sweeping interview would happen with the filmy magazines. He finally opened up with the Business-Standard. Film magazines can go dump themselves. But you read ahead.

Informatica proves yet again !! – Informatica, the Data Integration Software giant along with CNA, Wins DM Review’s 2004 World Class Solutions Award for its successful implementation of Informatica’s market-leading data integration software. The World Class Solution Awards are symbols of excellence within the business intelligence and data warehousing industry. This piece of news reassures Informatica’s presence among the top notch Data Integration software providers. Cool news guys.

Seven Reasons Why Businesses Should Blog Now. Makes Sense.

You’re right. It’s that same Abirami who did a great role as Annalakshmi in Virumandi. With the kind of rave reviews she got with the media, one would assume that she would mint millions in the years to come. But what happened was very common to kollywood. Guess ?

Apart from the reviews it was a lifetime role for her. She did an amazing job competing in the acting dept with Kamalhassan in Virumandi. A rare thing these heroines do with Kamal. Exceptions include SriDevi, Oorvasi and few others. Since then, she hasn’t been seen in any of the so-called BIG movies. Worse, not even in the small movies. I think she has completely forgotten how to drive to AVM studios. The last she was seen was on the Vijay TV’s Starudan Oru Naal show. One more. Remember PithaMahan. Sangeetha did play a decent part there. Result, nothing. I believe she hasn’t had a movie since then.

Kollywood has a flamboyant history of dumping down the talented. After a good film, either these talented don’t show away or they get stuck in a primetime tele serial. With the fate of the talented being this in kollywood, the news reports say, that Rajini’s Chandramukhi might have Simran /Jothika. You know what would be a better bet.

My Digi Darling has gone bonkers. I’ve been using this Canon Powershot A60 for quite a while. Last week when I had been to Vailankanni, I had shot extensively with it. Today when I switched it on, the images in the LCD panel looks blurred and distorted badly. I have no idea how it happened.

While I’m looking around to get my digital camera back to shape, any thoughts/places to refer for a good service of canon cameras in chennai are welcome. Would dedicate a blog post to you if your referral works. Deal.

You may say Im a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you’ll join us,
And the world will live as one
– John Lennon

John Lennon who penned these lines in his masterpiece Imagine is a legend. Some fans of John Lennon across the world are vowing to take action on Mark Chapman who gunned down John Lennon in 1980, after his release. It’s close to 24 years since Lennon was shot and these retribution vows talk about the love on Lennon and why Mark should have never shot him.

However, twenty four long years is too much for any dude to go through the guilt over and over again behind the bars. And its time there should be some time and space for Mark Chapman to live in this world.

I knew whom Vaikom Muhammed Basheer was. He was a well known Malayalam writer of yesteryears. But I had no idea that he was such a great dude. If the Magic Lantern group’s play named Moonshine and Skytoffee had a standing ovation, one significant part of the applause goes to the writer Vaikkom Mohammed Basheer. Basheer’s two short stories, Love Letter [Premalekhanam, 1943] and The Cardsharp’s Daughter [Muchcheettukaikkaarantaey Makal, 1951] were intelligently combined together into one play and they both had bold themes. If he could be such a radical thinker then, I am sure his works must make a worthy read.

While I hate to re-tell the story in a review, this one should be an exception for not many may get a chance to see the play for themselves. Moonshine and Skytoffee revolves around the lives of two pairs of lovers and father of a bride. The story is set in Kerala during the 1940′s. Kesavan Nair[Bala], a 20ish geeky guy falls in love with his house owner’s daughter Saramma[Aparna]. While Saramma is a christian, Kesavan Nair is a Hindu. Similarly, in their neighbourhood, in a Chai shop, Zainaba[Taruna] a Muslim girl, falls in love with a pickpocket ‘Mandan’ Muthapa [Jagan a.k.a Vijay TV fame Nandu]. Zainaba’s dad ‘OttaKannan’ Pokker is a street juggler who fools people into his three card poker game and makes a living with that.

While Kesavan Nair hesitates and finally pleads to Saramma to love him, Saramma makes a deal of twenty rupees a month to love him. Kesavan Nair who is deeply in love with her agrees to the deal. His salary being just 40 bucks a month. Saramma seems to question him too much about their lifestyle if they are married and also extracts the huge sum of twenty bucks without any consideration to Kesavan Nair’s financial trouble. She challenges the concept of love. Meanwhile, ‘Mandan’ Muthapa who is a sidekick of ‘OttaKannan’ Pokker turns back on him one day challenging his three card trick and also vows to marry his daughter Zainaba. What happens finally for both these lovers is told in a rib tickling manner that would make you feel good for the rest of the day.

Everyone has convincingly become the character themselves and it really amazes me to see such talented actors not getting noticed in the Kollywood. I am simply stuck to mention any one of the character first. If I wish to mention Aparna as Saramma as the best, I recollect Hans Koushik as ‘OttaKannan’ Pokker , not to mention the versatile Bala and multi-faceted Jagan. These guys are simply at their best. Be it the way Saramma asks for a Dungudoo bag or how Kesavan Nair gets frenzy over the name Skytoffee or how Mandan (meaning Idiot) displays the pickpocketing technique or even the first act where OttaKannan Pokker teaches Muthapa to smoke with the nostrils the actors executed the job well. The best part was the play was so grippingly comical that two hours rolled over so easily.

Hats of Rajiv Krishnan who has directed this play. Rajiv has done a lot of research and good work to weave both these stories together into a play. He deserves to be noted. Also the slick simple sets that brought out the rural Kerala as it was in the 1940′s was a big plus. Just a tea shop and cardboard which wad made into the lead actor’s house were the only sets in the play.

This is one monster of a humor play. A must watch if you are Chennai, because rarely we get such nice stuff like this.

P.S : This play is on stage in Alliance Francaise, College Road. The last shows are at today. With popular demand, they might have it going for a few more weeks. If you need to get in touch with the play troupe, here’s the number, Rajiv 98410 99435 and Surya 98840 37938.

[Pic : rajinifans.com]

With speculations all over, that Jaggubhai will start on the Vijayadasami day, Rajini’s fans were all set to make that day a big event. Now, with a turn of events, the news of Rajini starring in Sivaji Films Chandramukhi, starting on October 1st, will have them in a state of euphoria. Jaggubhai which was set to be directed by KS Ravikumar gets shelved amidst all this hungama.

The news reports say, on the event of Sivaji Films celebrating, 50 years, Chandramukhi has been planned. Chandramukhi will be directed by P.Vasu. Vasu has already directed Rajinikanth‘s silver jubilee flick Mannan produced by the Sivaji films itself.

Be it what, Rajini is back and thats enough for his fans around. Not to mention the media who will appoint special chandramukhi correspondents whose job will be get news, insights and insider news on Chandramukhi. So the next few months everything is Chandramukhi in Kollywood. I am not sure if it is Chandramugi or Chandramikhi. BTW, expected the news report doesn’t say who will tune for the movie. I hope it will be Illayaraja. A R Rahman is on a different plane and may not go well with this crew.

P.S : The above image was from Rajini’s 70′s hit Bhairavi. It was Rajini’s first film as a hero and took Rajini’s career to different heights. Like Bhairavi, this Chandramukhi also comes with a female name in the title. Should that tell you something ?.

Night Shyamalan‘s Village has finally arrived last week to Chennai. Probably thats one film that I would have expected to release parallel to its hollywood release given the proven audience for Night’s films.

Steven Speilberg’s The Terminal which has won accolades around the world is yet to release in Chennai. Or has it released and gone out of theatres without my knowledge. Can’t comment on that, anything is possible. A similar thing did happen to Steven Spielberg’s Amistad. It released and on the first weekend, less than 20 odd people were found themselves aloof inside the theatre. If that’s funny, here’s more. The 1996 Oscar winner, The English Patient, is yet to release in Chennai. Why would someone release it when you have such a small audience for good films. Blame it on the audience and they blame it back on the distributors.

If Shyamalan’s Village could get kollywood audience amused, we will have some more Shock movies in Tamil. Can’t stand those bad adaptations.

Update : Latha has some nice things to say on herself and also on bloggers [Indian Bloggers especially] in the Guest Blog. Read her blogpost – I, Me, Myself.

[ by Latha (lathsmail@gmail.com) ]

Hey Latha, here’s to u. Way to go dear, a pat on my back. Well, no one can blame me for respecting myself now, can u? Here pals, hold my hand and I shall lead to this wonderful world of self realization. I am a best eg for puliya paarthu poonai soodu pottu kondathu. Inspired by the enormous creativity of bloggers all around, the schizo in me jumped awake and said that I can do it too after all isn’t all talents hidden initially. Armed with a laptop and so called self proclaimed hidden talent, I started (or is it ended?) to pen my thoughts into words. Starting from the stuff that I don’t like (isn’t it comparatively easier to vent out our frustrations and dislikes). I guess all of us are just waiting for an opportunity to take it out on someone what better place to do that than in a blog. But first, tried to check the latest posts of all fellow bloggers(?!)- (hey, come on, I have started to write, so the guys who are presently writing are my fellow bloggers, surely, I can claim that). Feeling inwardly happy that Maximus is a little out of form and what aNti writes about goes only 20000 feet above my head (he isn’t in my league, u see), and since is KG is busy scaring people out of their wits with his flashy antics and Anand having chosen specific subjects to write about. I thought that I will definitely have my share of readers. The huge looming threat seemed to come only from a jujubi one time Indiblog winner Lazy Geek, but me thinks I can charm him into stop writing about simple things in life and getting into some other hobbies like maybe deep sea diving or bungee jumping or something less adventurous like traveling by PTC footboard on Monday morning, when his only focus wud be on hanging on to the window rod and not drooling over Sonia Agarwal over Kodambakkam bridge. Hey, come one, give me a big hand. I did manage to write so much now, didnt I?

Now, I dedicate this piece of my writing to my earlier attempt(the first, actually hee hee hee) at writing something which I presumed would make the world sit up and look at me with respect (and a little weirdly too). This writeup is inspired by the reaction I got for my previous article. Profound silence! Isn’t silence supposed to be gold and talk silver and all of u know that I cant be anyone else than a typical Indian girl who knows the true value of gold. Well, I should say that my dogged determination (read arrogance) to make my fellow bloggers and readers(?!) life miserable is also inspired by my all time fav Kamal Hassan who cant be anything but himself at any point of time. Trust me guys, Narcissm helps atleast it definitely doesnt harm.. if we cant blow our own trumpets then how will we even be able to the tell the world that we have trumpet in the first place. Well, this logic cant be beaten now, can it?

In addition to dedicating this piece to myself (hey, only I read what I write), this also goes to all those people whose talents are trying to break free to set the world right, and those who are basking in the glory of their skills. 3 cheers to all you bloggers out there for enlightening ignoramasus like me about this world’s achievers and dreamers, the explored and unexplored, interesting trivia’s, right up to bringing back nostalgic memories of pleasant yesteryears, lightening speed todays and positively wild tomorrows.

A special note of thanks to Lazy Geek. For identifying the writing bone in me, its ok lazy, relax everyone is allowed to make one mistake in life and you made yours :-)

On Kamalhassan‘s Thenaali tone, if I have to say, these Deiva Machaans, Sergey Brin and Larry Page of Google, are awarded with the highest award in engineering. These googles guys are selected for the 2004 Marconi International Fellowship Award at Columbia University. Read More.

[Pic: tribuneindia.com]

Barkha is highly impressive with a mike in her hand. The comparable Christiane Amonpour of India. One of the stalwarts of NDTV and also a household name in Indian news. For the kind of fabulous reporting she does on NDTV she can just walk away with the best news correspondent award every year.

I’ve been a fan of her talk show We The People for a couple of years. We the People focuses on the hot topics of the contemporary political and social scene in India. She manages to get the best of minds appropriate to the topic selected and she definitely does a good job in forking the time/space between the opposites in the show. Its a show that will grow on you and you would even street fight with your folks to get hold of the remote on Sunday evenings. The same time Kushboo does the Jackpot show on Jaya TV and hence the street fight.

Last week, the topic on the hottest and very concerning topic of Reservation of Jobs in Private Sector. Thats enough to rake up the show. From Dalit activists to sociology professors, there were more than enough chief guests carefully selected to deal this rather very sensitive topic.While the group churned out some nice points on both sides[for/against reservation], I loved what GurCharan Das had to say.

GurCharan Das, the former CEO of Procter & Gamble, also a leading columnist in Times of India, answered to a query of giving away 2% of all the private companies profits to backward caste students, thereby enabling the government to start more schools for the backward castes. GurCharan remarked, why would the backward caste guys get public education even when the private sector contribute so much to the education. He said the private sector would surely give away more than 2% of their profits and those students who are from backward classes should be allowed to study in any school they feel like. Be it the Dhoon school to the Don Bosco they should be given the best of education. A reply with lots of foresight. He is certainly one visionary.

Back to point, Barkha Dutt seems to be too bothered about the time running away and literally cuts short some interesting conversations between the guests. That seems to be dull side of the show. If a guest comes over to the show, he should be given ample time to convey his ideas and also he needs time to talk against his counterparts ideas. Rather it seems like Barkha conducts a GD interview and the one who interrupts at the right time with the right stuff gets full scores. With the show being such a hit on NDTV why would those guys at NDTV crib so much to extend the show to an hour and half. Instead of the same news getting repeated every half hour, this one is better alternative. Would Barkha/NDTV get it done ?

More:
Barkha Dutt – A Profile.
Her Interview to The Tribune.

[Pic: thehindu.com]

Kamalhassan, in his interview to The Hindu, makes a mention of Hey Ram‘s english version called Confessions of the Assassin. He leaves it to the assumption if it’s a remake or a dubbed version. But to read between/upon/downunder the lines, it looks like its a re-make. I hate to make this assumption because it could very well be a dubbed version. However, he says it been made on a limited budget and he is in agreement that Hey Ram should have been made on a shoestring budget.

Personally, I think, Hey Ram is one of the most stupendous movies he ever made. It had to it many abstract theologies that he advocated without being obvious and he did a good job of making it in big budget. Just because the movie failed in the box-office none[including him] can think it could have been made with a tight budget. Kamal along with Bharath Shah[who produced it in Hindi] did spend a huge lump of money for Hey Ram. However, the portrait of Sagetharam which he weaved so lavishly was definetly worth it.

Hey Ram had some superb talent to it. Be it Kamalhassan himself, Illayaraja who orchestrated the music for Hey Ram in Hungary, Thiru who did a great camera work, Shahrukh, Rani and many more.

If this Confessions of the Assassin could get a good notice in Hollywood, like Bend it like Beckham, Kamal’s long term dream of Marudhanayagam has chance to get a re-birth.

Incidentally, he also mentions Marudhanayagam while saying, It is a nice movie that has to be released in Tamil, English and French. My investment of Rs. eight crore is totally blocked. It should happen very soon. Read more from his interview, No stopping him.

Today’s Hindu spotlights on Chennai Bloggers and their Blogs in an article named Here, the possibilities are mind-blogging. Karthik Subramanian writes – The proliferation of broadband brings good tidings for the future, bloggers say. There will be voice blogs, video blogs … the possibilities are mind-boggling. Or should we say “mind-blogging”.

Kribs and Chandra Choodan alongwith others get a warm mention. Read More.

Last evening, while me and my friend were yapping on tamil cinema, we stumbled over a question on good title songs in tamil cinema. While it’s no more a fad to have songs in the title, we have had many good numbers as title songs in the yester years. Both of us, spontaneously, could recollect only four good title songs. The first was the good Illayaraaja number Katha Kelu from Michael Madana Kama Rajan then it was Kaathal Kasakuthaiya Indiran Vandadum Chandiran Vandadum from Pandiyarajan’s Aan Paavam, Amman Koil Kezhakaaley from Sakalakala Vallavan and finally A R Rahman‘s Vellai Pookal from Kannathil Muthamittal.

Though there were few more like the one in Panakaaran, Manithan and other MGR/Sivaji stuff, these four were the ones that came to our mind without much thought. If only you can re-collect three good title songs from tamil cinema, thanks for that. No Googling, no Raaga no nothing. Sheer memory.

P.S – If only you can get three, you get a gmail invite. Hey, I hear you whispering THODAA. But guys, if not for the invite, be game and give it a shot.