Clicked this while looking for wall hangings. Another one here. What you see is not what you get !!

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By Latha

"Sir, Naan oru piravi kurudan, paarvai endraal ennavenre theriyadhu, neengal oru ezhuthaalar dhaane? Oru kelvikku badhil solkireergala. Varnam endraal enna? Enakku varniyungal, varnam enbadhu enna? "

Paarvai, a short story by Sujatha, written sometime in 1972, gives us a 'glimpse' of the blind's world and their 'view points'. A train journey, one (two?!) blind man. One groping in the dark and the other in brightness. Both trying to explain the seamless thoughts of their mind to the other. Sujatha, as usual, stands a class apart in his narration of this story, a sweet tinge of bitterness in the blind man's character and a non-grudging envy of a normal man towards the blind man. The little nuances and razor sharp functioning of the other sensory organs, except the eyes of the blind man is expressed with a touch of nonchalance, yet strikingly visible to the mind's eye.

When the blind man says "Ungalai 'sandhithadhil' mikka maghizchi", the writer observes "sandhithadhil... Kann therindha ulagathin vaarthai". The story leaves the reader with a feeling of incompleteness, a helplessness that a six-sense person feels when he is unable to explain something to a person who lacks one sense. Maybe Ashok Banker's Mahabharatha has answers. Ashok's odyssey of Mahabharatha starts with "As the blind king watched... ". Ironical, isn't it?

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I only wish, I can get back to my early blogging days. Raw, naive and unfettered.

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It starts like DDLJ's Thujey dekha to hai jaana sanam and becomes a best qawwali I've heard in recent times. Ofcourse, I'm not a hunter of qawwalis but this was truly a magic. On many more hearings, I am not sure if this is can be classified as a qawwali or a dance-katha song, mujra. Some might say, every time Rahman excels in the Sufi music but I think it isn't intentional. I knew Kavitha Subramaniam could sing well but not so well. With those distant claps accompanying, the tabla setting the perfect tone alongwith the semi-frequent strings, Rahman's Main Vari Vari could be in the race for the best song of the year. I know there are number of them but this one just grabs a place for itself. As Main Vari Vari lines is repeated a number of times, the ending is just so blissful. Listen, Listen and Listen.

For once there is something modern about this period film. Rasiya has a very modern tune to it. Rasiya rendered by Richa Sharma and Bonnie Chakraborthy. I think it is Richa Sharma's voice that has a good depth and gives a fantastic feel. At once, I thought it was the Choli Ke Peeche types but as it proceeds I understand it's just Richa's voice that was mis-leading me. It starts with just too many instruments and becomes a nice melody.

Rahman seems to be on a singing trip. His recent vocal renditions are exciting like never before. Al Maddath Maula has similar feel and Sufi singing in the background like Alahhoo of Bose. Though Rahman layering vocals one upon another and starting on high pitch has started a bore a little, the song has sensational moments.

I started to like the dhumchik dhumchik Takey Takey rendered by Sukhwinder Singh but not any more. After listening to it and Holi Re, I'm starting to like the Holi number. Though somewhere in the middle, the tune of Holi Re reminds of Dhandiya Attam from Kadhalar Dhinam and ends predictably, Holi Re can be enjoyed just for the spirit of the song. Mangal Mangal song has three version with enough variations to each other. I like the Aatma version sung by Kailash Kher is my choice. Similar to the Vaanam Thottu Pona of Devar Mahan this song resembles the death of a hero and has ironically a 'soulful' number.

Rising songs may not be commercially viable but proves yet again the versataility of Rahman to provide rich variations in songs. The Rising will be one of the best bets for this year but the unsettled anger is still there somewhere.

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Nilavin Nagalaai Araikkul Mazhaiyaay
Elumichai Manamaai Irukkanumae
Innoru Nizhalaay Iraval Uyiraay
Irubadhu Viralaay Irukkanumae...!!

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In the latest Vikatan coulmn, Sujatha writes on existentialism and Jean Paul Sartre, a popular philosopher of existentialism. He also mentions G Nagarajan's Naalai Matrumoru Naaley as the first tamil novel based on existentialism. Incidentally, existentialism was something that I was attracted to. I have to say I was attracted to a 'theory'. I had mentioned some of the best books of Sartre and Nagarajan's in my book tagging post. More than a theory, existentialism enables you see life with a different perspective. Stop. With this hyped up definition of existentialism if you frantically google or grab a book by Sartre, you would come to kill me. Like many ...isms, existentialism has its own influences. There are critics who argue that existentialism is nothing but nonsense. After reading a couple of books on the subject, I don't agree with them. Stop, again.

Now when Sujatha goes on explain existentialism in a popular magazine like Vikatan, I immediately send the link to a friend who introduced me to Saatre. I knew by diluting the heavy existentialist theory, Sujatha will be cursed by those who know about it. It happened. Ravi Srinivaas, in his blog, writes a letter to Vikatan editor that Sujatha has mis-guided people on the theory and has blacked-out some facts on existentialism. Following him, Venkat, in his blog mentions that Sujatha has been doing this for long and makes a mock of future Katrathum Petrathum column. Though I'm not sure if Venkat agrees with existentialist values but if Srinivaas does, given the way he details on the theory and how Sujatha has mis-quoted it, he wouldn't have wrote that letter to Vikatan. That's what existentialism[assumes that people are entirely free and thus responsible for what they make of themselves is] all about.

Sujatha has been consistent since Kanayaazhi days in demystifying such grand intellectual /scientific theories that were possessions of the high-browed. Through his many columns and books [like Thalami Seyalagam] he has done this diluting to reach more people and not allowing the knowledge to be in the hold of a few. I personally feel this time with existentialism, his explanation was diluted and would certainly mislead many but also it might induce many to read more on the unheard word called existentialism. Having seen previous assaults on Sujatha, I have to say both Ravi and Venkat have thrown spite on Sujatha, many a times and it makes me feel this is one of those times, they got a better chance to do it.

On a related note, I've read Chaaru Nivedhita's columns and I firmly believe many of his writings are written just to go six inches above your head. His recent review of Chandramukhi was a good better one. He compares the Baba failure and Chandramukhi's success of Rajini and goes on to say that Rajini's recent trip to Himalayaas was just a stunt. While I could agree to some of them [ the so called vulgar jokes in Chandramukhi], I cannot agree that Rajini is having a pleasure trip to himalayaas. But even before laundry listing such vulgarities in Chandramukhi, he probably should be re-reading his novels and Konal Pakkangal. I can atleast spot a dozen silly stuff there like his list of Chandramukhi blunders. I may not because, I reverberate, that's what existentialism[assumes that people are entirely free and thus responsible for what they make of themselves is] all about. Thanks Ragu for the pointer.

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Oh !! It feels so nice to say that. Isn't it ? To be a part of the immense, ever expanding, never ending, pastures of web, is definitely a cool thing. Think about the web and it's infinte possiblities, you will have be jiving. If not, you will not be reading this weblog. Atleast, I wouldn't be writing it. I enjoy the web. And it roughly 10 years since it started to be used widely.

The next Wired magazine [Aug], has a special feature that reflects the grand past of the internet, the current and an interesting peek into the future of the net. I subscribe to the offline magazine so I got my copy today. These articles aren't online yet but would eventually be in the next couple of days. 10 Years that changed the world, the special feature, starts from the point of Netscape's IPO in 1995 and tracks the interesting fads and happenings of the web until now.

John Battelle, author of Search Blog writes a special column on The Birth of Google. Though this has been beaten to death several times, it is never boring to read interesting stories on Google.

We also have pages on Marc Anderssen, whom we forgot to salute for his Mosaic browser, Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs and even Wonkette - the political blogger. Did they leave blogging ? No way. A special note on the blogs of war that talks about the US soldiers who blog from Iraq.

BTW, Blogger is 9th fad in the Top 10 Web Fads listed by CNet. It's no more a fad. A way of life for some.

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Without knowing that this was a spoof, I was truly surprised to see the world's smallest IPOD, iFlea. I realised half the way that all of this iFlea was a spoof. So I replayed the Ad and was LMAO !!. Truly funny given Apple's IPOD dominance and the way Apple uses to cash in profits.

Must watch it. Via Kottke.

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Aararai Kodi Paerkalil Oruvan
Adiyen Thamizhan Naan Ungal Nanban
Aana Neengal Aavanna Naan Thaan
Neengal Illamal, Naan Ingu Illai.....Illai

Naam Iruvarum Saerum Samayam
Nam Kaikaliley Varum Imayam
Naam Thottathu Ethuvum Amayum
Ithu Anbaal Innaindha Idhayam

Enn Anbe Aaruyirey......

Vaali's 'tamizh' lyrics. Rahman on keys and vocals. Just mesmerizing !!

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Shankar - "Enna Sollareenga, Rahman !!"
Rahman - "Panalaam. Kandippa Pannalaam"

These were the last lines overheard from Shankar and Rahman's conversation, during the audio launch of S J Suryaa's NEW film, Ah Aah !![Anbe Aaruyirey]. You are free to imagine/share the rest of the discussion.

I hate this kind of a gossip post. But then after the Anniyan mishap, I am forced to. Sometimes it's fun, like this one.

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Newspapers became -> Blogs becoming -> Newspapers. We are pretty much 'there' and the cycle will continue. Just a borrowed thought/truth. No revelation here.

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[Pic - Obviously India Glitz]

With Rajinikanth clearing-off his political intentions, I was hoping that kollywood and politics will be dis-jointed in the near future. If only it happened, it would have been a welcoming move for the kollywood fans. We would have less of camera facing dialogues and more of story oriented scripts. Vijay and Simbhu types would talk less to camera and more as characters. We wouldn't have movies being released under tremendous pressure during their release times because of the political air running across, like what happened with Rajini's Muthu.

As Vijaykanth gets ready kickstart his party on September 14 at Madurai, those dreams are slowly turning into nightmares. Vijayakanth kept his word and has to appreciated for that. Only that he delayed his entry into politics, he kept the words to his fans on forming a political party. For the starters, last year he promised to enter politics with a party of his own on April 14th. The decision stayed but the dates got shifted by another 5 months.

What else should we say except, times have changed since MGR and we have seen the extreme moodswings with Tamil Nadu voters. Good Luck !!

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[Pic - gonemovies.com]

Every time I want to write on film released long back, I fall short. To think about it, I realize that it's the hesitation that one goes through in re-hashing stuff that has been already said and analysed. So when I wanted to write on Anjali, Unnal Mudhiyum Thambi or even Sridhar's Kathalikka Neramillai, I was unable to. Either I compulsorily procrastinate or I consciously forget to write about it. The same isn't true with The Shining. This is the 25th year of The Shining's release. Watching it even now on a 27" inch screen, which is nothing close to a movie screen, I was awestruck. I was stunned and floored. A stream of thoughts and emotions ran across as I watched the film and it is still disturbing me after two days. Not many films have disturbed me as Kubrick's movies. First it was Mahanadhi, second it was Hey Ram and ofcourse Schindler's List.

Based on Stephen King's third published novel, The Shining is regarded as an epic of modern horror films. While in school, I had stayed awake to read the scariest of Stephen King's stories. My favorite of them being IT. The Shining isn't even close to 'IT' in terms of the storyline. Its just the way how Stanley Kubrick has fancied it, has made it into a prodigious flick.

The premise of shining comprises of three primary characters and a grand hotel. Jack Nicholson, a man suffering from mid-age crisis takes up a job as the winter caretaker in far-flung hotel near Denver. When he, his wife and his kid Danny re-locate to the hotel for pursuing his job, the hotel gets closed for the winter season. The family gets stuck in an improbable situation that makes them undergo sheer terror, hardship and loss. With just these characters Kubrick terrifies the audience thoroughly.

I watched The Clockwork Orange and was amazed by Kubrick's flamboyant manner of film-making. He is probably the first director to understand the grammar of the big screen. His sense of imagery and colors are thought provoking beyond doubt. Having watched few other older films, I had my expectations set for haunting images and mesmerizing music in this one. My assumptions were blown-away, for good. The images and the background music are nothing close to description. You have to watch it to believe it. Even as the logo of Warner Bros fades away in the first shot, the movie opens into a huge land of wilderness. The water and a strip of mountains around stay still as the camera, from the helicopter, locates a volkswagen travelling on the mountain road. The camera[from the helicopter] starts to zoom in on the car and also starts to descend, it cuts through the road and flies back in air over the water. With a movie like Shining, one would expect a dark start but this one is just out-of-the-world experience. I could easily vote that this is one of the best opening shot of any film ever made.

Through out the movie, there are all types of horror. We see the 'ghosts' briefly, we await the unknown, we listen to some outrageous background noises that scares your spirits, we go on a horror-and-seek in a maze of snow. This is probably one of the success formula for the movie. Kubrick has used all types of horror to make this a pilot for horror films. As Shelley Duvall, the wife of Jack Nicholson, in the movie, scans the bundles of paper types by Jack throughout the day time. She sees nothing but All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. The BGM and the slow camera pan during this scene affrights even the unscared. The hotel with it's grandeur and technicolor restrooms plays it's own part in increasing heartbeat. The use of mirror in the movie enormous. Kubrick surprises with the mirror shots and also scares you at the same time.

Jack Nicholson with his eyebrows lifted gives peculiar stare and shouts, Here's Johnny. It's been written and written again that Jack is one of the finest actors of previous generation. Proves it with ease even from the first scene. Danny Lloyd as the kid is brilliant. It's been said that Kubrick scanned through 5000 kids for the casting of Danny's character. The effort didn't go for a toss. Danny delivers and even as the camera is stuck very closely in his face, his expressions show the mature actor in him. As we watch The Making of Shining we know how Kubrick, with his loud shouts during filming made acting a cake walk for Danny. A performance to remember for ever and ever and ever(watch the movie to see the significance of this line). Shelley Duvall starts out unassumingly and as her character grows, tries to vanquish Jack himself.

Though the motifs and the ending of The Shining has in debate over the years by Kubrick's fans but for a normal unassuming viewer its nothing more than a top-class horror flick. No one is complaining. For each of the audience gets what he is upto. The Shining isn't one of those b-grade Hollywood horror flicks made in shoestring budget. Kubrick stresses on the fact that a movie needs the grandeur it demands. His lavish spending on the sets and the art hasn't gone waste. Even when you are making a horror movie, make it as the best of the genre. It's Kubrick's philosophy on film-making, as he quotes, "One man writes a novel. One man writes a Symphony. It's essential for one man to make a movie". For he is undoubtedly, THE ONE.

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My mobile camera just bumped out of my pocket and started clicking pictures of everyday Seattle. To encourage it's enthusiasm, I decided to create a photoblog on Flickr. Go Seattle !! will be shot with my mobile camera and will have pictures from this lovely city of Seattle.

From buses to downtown avenues to grocery stores to interesting marketing captions, there are some nice moments which I've missed to capture. Not anymore. I'm taking snaps and sending them to flickr instantly through my mobile phone. So if you find a new picture that was pretty much taken few hours back.

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Here you go. My first blogcast/podcast whatever you want to name it. Blogger's own Audioblogger, allows you to call a US number and leave a message which is then converted into a mp3 file[approx 1k/per second], named as audioblog. I took a quick spin with registering my mobile and heck it was done within seconds.

Basically I've done a quick review of Anniyan followed by a commentary on Page 3 recieving the national award for Best Picture. For those who are regular to this silly space, will know (!!) what my reactions are. For others, I'm strictly warning not to listen and develop an instant enmity. Proceed no further.

If you have listened to that lazycast and still reading this, apologize for that. Wasn't a joke played on you but on myself. Only after the sign-up, when I listened to my voice on the PC, I had second thoughts and hence this. Jokes apart, and my intentions on podcast left apart, I will posting audio blogs here at lazycast(e?).

If you are in US, try Audio Blogger.

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I think we are on the threshold of development. Today, a lot more films are made for an international audience. Technology will play a big role with the growth of the digital medium. Filmmaking will become a lot more personal. It will become like writing. Anybody will be able to make a film.

Those are words of Mani Ratnam in a short interview to Deccan Herald. Interesting observtion. Rest of the interview, has already appeared on print before, in some form or other.

With the way things are exponentially progressing, what Mani says will happen sooner than expected. Like blogging, anyone will be able to make a film. By then, most of us would be already standing with a Sony movie handycam and loads of ideas. Ofcourse, rehearsing the script within ourselves. mylazymovie.com !!

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This morning, with Yej Jo Des Hai Tera looping in my ears, I took a long stroll until Microsoft. I came back home.

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I came back home even before the book was released. But it was all fun @ Barnes and Noble. Check out some pictures of Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince book release party. Thanks to my mobile camera !!

Looks like the book is already out in UK. I have ordered the book from the library. Yeah, Harry Potter - Book One.

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So they actually gave PAGE 3, the national award for the best film ? God save the Indian film industry.

I couldn't believe, Swades lost out to Rituparno Ghosh's Raincoat on the award for the best hindi film. While I just saw Raincoat and liked it, I still think Swades was one of the best hindi films in the last couple of years. Virumandi was released in 2004 and Aayitha Ezhuthu / Yuva rocked in 2004. What happened to those ?

I know why mature directors still day-dream Oscars. Because we have such screwed up ways to judge ourselves, they have started looking else where for proper recognition. No wonder !!

P.S - I didn't want to open up yet another comment war but someone posted a comment in the previous blogpost looking for this. Neyar Viruppam.

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Three months of wait before iCon Steve Jobs finally arrived from library. After the long wait for the book, when I had my hand on it, I lost interest in reading it. Just browsing through the book gives me a feeling that it's just a re-hash of The Second Coming of Steve Jobs. I'm yet to read it to confirm my assumption.

The other books that I am reading[reading, reading and reading] are Rushdie's Imaginary Homelands, Lavanya Sankaran's The Red Carpet : Bangalore Stories and Suketu Mehta's Maximum City : Bombay Lost and Found.

Offlate, more than fiction, I'm liking to read non-fiction though I hate to loose the kid in me. But non-fiction, especially by famous fiction writers is always amusing. Imaginary Homelands is collection of essays/criticism written by Rushdie during the 80's. The essays have a different tone compared to the celebrity writer tone, offlate. In the preface, Rushdie writes about how he managed to get writing jobs for small magazines and how he finally settled in 'writing-for-food'. The criticism on Attenborough's Gandhi was a riveting read. For once, I could say, the review of a movie was riveting. It sure was.

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[click for a bigger image]

I'm not in this race for I haven't read a single Harry Potter as of date. I have watched the movies but somehow I missed on reading Harry Potter series and The Lord of the Rings. Having a Barnes and Noble just across the street, and such enthusiasm picking -up, I'm becoming curious. I'm planning to stay until friday midnight in Barnes and Noble to enjoy the release party of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Will catch some crazy emotions during the release through my mobile camera. The picture above was shot using the mobile cam, so excuse the quality. BTW, I might buy the book too.

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We're Not Afraid, a website created by London web designer Alfie Dennan, is creating waves. The website, in structure of a blog, has pictures of people from London and notes that displays, we are not afraid. Via BBC.

Users are being urged to enter a number in their phone's memory under the heading ICE - In Case of Emergency. Via BBC.

Odeo is open to public, now. I stongly guess that this quick move is to balance the competition from Apple's iTunes. Try it out.

Free SkypeOut Days. Yesterday was one of them and I got 10 skypeout minutes, free. BTW, I'm skyping, for the last couple of months @ guruwho. Catch me there.

Gillmour Gang's podcast on Gnomedex '05 was interesting. Gave good insight into the adoption of RSS by Microsoft for Longhorn. Must listen.

A decade of Amazon; a best-seller of it's own. Also, Amazon's Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, this is the time you should be reading this. Tell me if you understood the link.

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Arindum Ariyaamalum - Hugely inspired from Mani Ratnam Flicks. Arya shines. Heroine couldn't act. Yet again, Yuvan delivers. If only the climax wasn't cliched...good watch.

Rear Window - A Photographer, a broken leg, a rear window and a homicide. Hitchcockian thriller. Engrossing.

The Ring - Urban Legend. Happens in Seattle. Good Screenplay, reminds me of a Stephen King book.

Rituparno Ghosh's Raincoat is hanging on the stand. Yet to see !!

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"Etho oru sunday, naamalum lungiya madichhu kattikittu, samachiduvom. Athu Nallavum vandudum. Athukaaga..." says Arjun in Muthalvan. That's exactly what I did yesterday.

Armed with lungi/kathrikka and tons of 'experience', I logged into the kitchen with the idea of cooking some exotic meals. A few hours later..... I was running for a glass of water, hot spicy saambar.

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The newest version of iTunes has a section for Podcasts. iTunes 4.9 was released a week ago and within two days more than a million customers subscribed to the Podcasts content. While this may sound a welcoming break for iTunes users, start-ups like Odeo might have stiff competition. Odeo essentially does the same thing of accumulating a common place for Podcasts. It also allows Podcasts to be created and published. While iTunes allows you to publish, it doesn't feature Podcast creation software.

With Apple joining the Podcast fray, not only will Podcasts gain attention, new & fresh podcasts will come to light. The online/print media wouldn't want to miss the happenings of Podcast movement like what they did for blogging, in early days. Every second article on the technology forum of mainstream online media is on Podcasting. Just be aware of the media hype created here.

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Aithayum Mamanum Soagam Thaana
Aathula Meenum Soagam Thaana
Aithayum Mamanum Soagam Thaana
Aathula Meenum Soagam Thaana
Annamey Onnayum Ennayum Thooki Valaththa
Thinnayum Sugam Thaana...

The water droplets from the top of the glass window, in the bus, were sliding down. On the way down, as they were accumulating other droplets and enlarging themselves in size, it was this Rahman classic that was vocalizing in my ears. Was as energizing as the rainy day.

My player was on the shuffle mode. Guess what was the next song....Themmaangu Paadikondey Silu Siluvendru Sinduthamma Thooral, Muthu Thooral. IntelliShuffle !!

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The Beta version of Google Toolbar for Firefox has been released. Not just that, there are also other firefox extensions by Google. Enjoy.

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[Thanks Srkriz]

The venues are set, dates fixed and promos are in full swing. All this and more for Rahman's latest world tour, Rahman - The 3rd Dimension Tour. Looks like its the first 3d concert. So you have to sit there and wear 3D glasses [like My Dear Kuttichathaan] and Rahman will be singing the high pitched, Alahoo, a few feet away. Here's what they say -

In The History of Live Entertainment, for the 1st time a Live 3D Concert...

A concert where you can reach out and Touch your stars...

The Virtual Reality, embraces the Live format and brings the enigma of euphoria...All you have to do is sit back and look cool while you wear your 3D glasses...and enjoy the concert.. For those who have Spectacles, you can wear these glasses over the spectacles...

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tribute
noun
1. An expression of admiration or congratulation: commendation, compliment, congratulation (often used in plural), praise. See praise/blame.
2. A formal token of appreciation and admiration for a person's high achievements: salute, salvo, testimonial.

screw up
verb
To harm irreparably through inept handling; make a mess: ball up, blunder, boggle, botch, bungle, foul up, fumble, gum up, mess up, mishandle, mismanage, muddle, muff, spoil. Informal bollix up, muck up. Slang blow1, goof up, louse up, snafu. Idioms: make a muck of.

Sometimes tributes end up as screw-ups. Though being inspired and inspired again by his movies, Shankar fails poorly to display his tact in handling social subjects with proficient ease. Anniyan ends up being a bad exercise in execution and is undoubtedly a defective tribute to his own classics. I was sold even during the first 15 minutes of the movie. After that, just like a bad one day cricket match, the movie treads into an unrealistic path with a face mask of realism, only to bore you and me to the core.

Coming from the S A Chandrasekhar factory, Shankar has always stuck chord with problems dodging the society and has delivered escapist fantasy flicks with earnestness in story-telling. Boys was his first full-length realistic movie with little exaggerations sprinkled throughout. With the entire Tamil Nadu taking a holy dip to remain virgins by making Boys a super-dooper flop, this is what they did to a human called Shankar, whose directing career graph, until then, knew no south-pole bends. I can perfectly sympathize Shankar for being hurt with the hungama made with Boys at the box-office. At the same time, one would also expect a mature director to rebound from the fall, make a movie that would be applauded by the same crowd which made his previous gem a failure. Instead, Shankar goes on a remix mode and loses the artistic credibility, what kollywood had on him.

Anniyan had a much better message storyline than Indian or Muthalvan. It calls for a root cause analysis of social issues and not harvesting weeds in the bureaucracy. This probably should have been the first of Shankar's movies as it shouts for a bigger attention than the reformation to education department, like in Gentleman. While I strongly believe in the philosophy of watching a movie as presented instead of suggesting changes to someone who conceived it, Anniyan made me cross the rule. If made appropriate changes to the basic story-line, Anniyan would become a classic. It ends a sore interlude in a beautiful symphony. If only...If only the MPD wasn't used and misused, Anniyan would emerge as a winner of sorts.

There are logically unanswered questions, poor characterization, terribly bad screenplay and of course some hyped acting in abundance, throughout the movie. While the protagonist, Ambi has a truly admirable character his alter egos are preferred to be forgotten as nightmares. Contrary to popular belief, in my opinion, Ambi aka 'Rules' Ramanujam isn't a loser. He is one of the stalwarts of this society. As we see hundreds of social blunders happening within our vicinity, most of us escape from the scenario. Ambi at least has this innocent confidence to fight out the blunders right at that spot. Though being dishonored by others, Ambi is a true citizen of this society. If we were take a poll, as to how many of us would engage in questioning a dada molesting a girl in the pallavan bus, Ambi would win hands-down. Ambi is an Anniyan in this country for that matter. With a country full of escapists and hypocrites of various degrees, who can just make passing comments on social issues while traveling bus or writing about what should happen to the politics in blogs, like us, Ambis are rare breed of brave heroes. Aayitha Ezhuthu's Michael Vasant and Anniyan Ambi have similar milestones, only that they choose different ways to reach there.

Vikram was a huge let-down. While his body language was nearly perfect to the 'timid' Ambi character, his intonation as Remo and Anniyan were unbearable. Vikram portrays Anniyan's killing-of-the-bad with only a revengeful attitude and not with a fierceness of achieving a goal. By just rolling the eyes and blowing air like Arjun, I don't think the characterization of Anniyan was complete. I only wished Vikram to have understood the subtle fierceness, Kamalhassan displayed as Indian Thatha. Even the thatha had fire in him to cleanse the society and it was brought out in a manner, with a devastatingly underplayed role. While I'm not comparing Kamal Hassan to Vikram, Vikram might need good directors to help him with true-to-life characters.

Prakashraj's character not only ends up a bad joke but also helps in bringing down the interest in the movie. While Vivek provides some good escape from the boredom, Sada disappoints as the heroine. Acknowledged artists like Nasser, Prakash Raj, Nedumudi Venu, Cochin Haniffa, Kalabavan Mani are wasted with tiny unimportant characters. The Thiruvayaaru festival ends up as a hyped up marketing effort.

It's a little annoying to sit through a movie with bad continuation and screenplay. The minute you have Anniyan executing Garuda Puranam type punishments, you know you are heading in the wrong direction. Garuda Puranam has a good mythology behind it. And I think it wasn't presented well on screen. The loosely hanging strands of hair in-front of the camera, made me hate the man called Anniyan. It's so amateurish to have shots like that. I only doubt if Shankar and Sujatha ever saw the movie before it released to public. While I believe they have a good eye for detail, how could they ever compromise on such bad shots and characterization of Anniyan? Yet again, childish graphics end up as villains for Shankar movies. With so much talked about technology involved in making movies, I can't believe shots of Anniyan website having such poor quality graphics which any local graphic artistic can make.

Harris Jayaraj disappoints even more than Shankar and Vikram. And one is forced to think the impact of having Rahman for a movie like this. The BGMs are nearly missing while songs are a mediocre effort by Harris who has some good numbers before. I loved the Kaadhal Yaanai song but bad picturisation made me avoid it. Even the similar Muthalvan's Shakalaka Baby had some nice picturisation. I'm unable to distinguish between Mani Kandan and Ravi Varman's splendid cinematography. It's lovely to have two good cameramen for the same movie. Camera ramping has become a sort of Shankar trademark and I just love the way he uses it at right place of the movie to speed it up without having to edit them.

Sujatha's dialogues not only help in setting up the movie, it helps to ground the movie and make it relatable to the audience. It's a potent combination to have such realistic dialogues with a fantasy story. Only that Anniyan had overdone the fantasy part. But I wasn't for comparing Singapore to India. It wasn't comparing apples and apples.

Anniyan isn't certainly a movie; Shankar could be proud making it. I would only expect a sensible director like Shankar to bounce back and raise his own bar, instead of getting crippled to the joint discouraging effort of the media and public for his Boys. He probably should be making small budget flicks of his own taste instead of such big budget movies like this, to escape out of the image he has created amidst the public. Not only would we get a classy director Shankar who can make movie watching a thorough experience, it would also allow him to pursue his endeavors. Whatsoever, Anniyan would remain as a biggest blooper of recent times.

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Was camping over the long weekend in Dash Point with Ram and few other friends. No electricity, No cable/DVD, No internet. Just the nature. Though the cold weather made me shudder in the wee hours of the morning, it was a good break from the routine.

I came back this afternoon to see many mails and many more spam comments. I was oblivious to the Mahabharata/Mani Ratnam/LOTR fact/prank until I read the mails from some friends. Someone tell me it was a prank and I would love it. Not that I hate the idea of Mani filming Mahabharata. Just that I am not sure how it will turn up or probably I'm too sleepy to make myself believe the fact.

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It wasn't exactly filled with hemangioma simplex[strawberry]. Though it had shops selling special strawberry products like Strawberry Shortcake and Strawberry lolipops, it was a cultural gathering and a grand display of vintage cars.

From the previous episode, you know that I ain't a car freak but even for me it was a fascinating line-up of Mustangs, Chevys and Volkswagens of yester years. Catch pictures of Bellevue Strawberry Festival / Vintage Cars line-up on the Seattle photoblog.

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