Dasavatharam - Not quite bang on target!

Being an ardent Kamal fan, i just couldn't wait any longer to watch his 'magnum opus' Dasavatharam. The hype surrounding the movie was incredible, I would say much more than Sivaji! i grabbed my opening weekend tickets and rushed off to witness the spectacle in NJ. The opening scenes of the movie set in the 12th century had me drooling for more. But what followed didn't have me spellbound! Well, I did enjoy the fast paced movie, but certainly didn't think it was a masterpiece worth the hype. The movie did not have a complex intriguing story line. A few characters of Kamal (tall muslim, grandma, Avtar singh, japanese) either reminded me of Avvai Shanmugi or looked like a facial plastic surgery gone terribly wrong. Totally unnecessary! The much talked about graphics component, touted as hollywood-esque, maybe be better than some Indian movies but just not top notch. More important than any of this, the movie lacked that powerful drive home point! Too many messages inundated with kamal's now tiring atheist tirades with none making an impact on the viewer. 'Anbe Sivam' was much subtler but just rammed it's message straight into your heart. It happens very few times that I return from a movie and just don't know what opinion to form of it. Kamal's body language especially as the menacing Fletcher and the hilarious Balram Naidu were exceptional. The stunt sequences were remarkably choreographed. The 12th century piece was visually captivating. It was thoroughly enjoyable as a commercial entertainer but failed as a landmark Kamal movie. You would expect his movies (except his comedy capers) to seize you into the moment , silence you, torment you, enlighten you & elate you! You expect them to shake your very elementary bearings! But sadly nothing of that sort happened. No doubt, Kamal has gone through strenuous efforts to make this movie, be it exorbitant make-up or encompassing extreme characters. But at the end of the movie, u feel that maybe a less superlative effort would have still yielded the same result. Believe me , i would prefer Anbe Sivam's injury deformed asymmetric face any day to khalif's molten face! The 'Chaos Theory'/'Butterfly effect' concept are trend setting in Indian Cinema. But they were better portrayed i thought in the Ashton Kutcher movie 'The Butterfly Effect' though in a lighter sense. The Ranganthan idol causing the Tsunami sounds pretty lame even though that is the intent of the theory, that insignificant actions may cause extreme reactions. ATleast that is what most people think loudly on their blogs. Infact lot of people have gone through great pains to delve into less known abstract concepts to explain the movie! I tried deducing the movie from a positive perspective and this is what i got:

I think it is safe to assume that parallels are drawn between the 12th century priest Rangaraja Nambi and the modern day scientist Govindaraja Naicker. They are the main protagonists. Similarly we can do the same to link the antagonists. We have king Kulothunga Chola from the past and the institution behind Fletcher or the US government headed by Bush. Both Rangaraja and Govind have strong beliefs of their own. While Rangaraja believes that Lord Vishnu is the divine power who guides everything on earth, Govind believes science is something which should be used to serve humanity rather than creating weapons of destruction. Both antagonists differed with these beliefs. While Kulothunga believed there is no other divine power other than Shiva and his forms, Bush believed science could be used to destroy human life if it is considered a threat. Now Rangaraja perishes in his quest to preserve his belief while Govind succeeds in proving his. Rangaraja is a man who believes in a supreme form (God) while Govind believes in a supreme power (nature)! The essence of the film might be what is evident in the climax. Nature , symbolized by the Tsunami, suppressed the human actions and declared it's supremacy over us mortals! While it dumped tons of NaCl to negate the bio weapon, it also returned the 12th century idol to the land where it belongs! Thus it culminated both good protagonists' efforts to counter the antagonists' evil designs. The 'Chaos theory' concept not only existed within the modern times which involved the various characters and their effects on each other leading to a series of events. It is also signified by the correlation and hence implicit interaction between events separated by centuries of time. The cycle of life is also emphasized!

Phew! That was the best i could do! At the end of the movie, the dumb felicitaion function, KS Ravikumar's dance, Bullets taking cancer cells with them, Govind's stale rants against superstitions/castes, too many messages relating to religious, humane and environmental spheres, partially awful make-up/ cheap graphics and a blatantly immodest song singing Kamal's praises spoiled the entire experience! What could have been a landmark effort by the legendary thespian, fell short and just managed to be a decent commercial entertainer! Hope 'Marmayogi' really quenches our creative thirsts! BTW , i still remain a die hard Kamalian, despite Aazhavanthan, Mumbai Express & Dasavataram!;)!

Cricket fever - 100 degrees and rising...

back to blogging after a long break! wonder how guys in the movies maintain huge red diaries with every day of their 'colorful' lives captured complete with special effects, fights , duets and those deadly secrets including their most heinous crimes described in graphic detail!!! Well over the past couple of months, one thing which has ruled my body and soul (outside of family ofcourse ;)) has been CRICKET! The IPL mania was well worth the wait with spellbinding action. And it was doubly sweet since Chennai Supper Kings, the team i rooted for, made the finals. Rajasthan were definitely the deserving winners though. When i watch the MLB or NFL over here in the US, i always used to wonder how nice it would be to see this sports bar/office talk/jersey touting back in India. IPL did just that. Local rivalries are actually cool. For example, how many times would u meet pakistanis and trash talk cricket with them? Now imagine how many opportunities u'll get bust chops with a mumbaikar or bangalorean! Movie stars, Beers at the pavilion, short games, prime TV coverage and explosive cricket ....what more do ya want? ICL took the first step, but thanks to childish checkmates made by the BCCI, was unable to generate the kind of hype and excitement it's 'official' cousin did. Nevertheless, no cricket fan would complain. the re-emergence of oldies like Jayasuriya and stunning new talent like Shaun Marsh & Yusuf Pathan was unbelievable. My PSBB schoolmate Badri did himself good with a couple of match winning knocks. Also heartening was the way bowlers fought back in this extreme version of a batsman's game.

My highlight picks would be:

* Yusuf Pathan's clinical agression
* Badri's adjustments for T20
* Underdog Rajasthan's resurgence
* Chennai's passionate but extremely sporting crowds
* Gony's amazing bowling
* McCullum's 'Kuthuvizhakku' innings!
* Chepauk's fascinating outfield patterns
* CHEERLEADERSSSSSSSSS..........THEY JUST ROCKED!

Coming out of IPL fever , i walked right into our NJ cricket league one! Sunday cricket with all the elaborate equipment , is the closest we can come to a national team spot contention!:)! But phew, let me tell you something. The IPL guys sure make it look extremely simple. Boy, after 80 overs of heat, i wish there were some cheerleaders to re energize us!!!

Chennai - Growing Pains?

Back after a visit to the hometown.Hmmm,...i saw a lot of things which didn't really please me. Maybe it is the bane of development. Horrific traffic , roads dug all over, places like T Nagar crowded like hell, construction of fly overs all over the city adding to the traffic woes. The city always known as a small town in the garb of a metro, was really proving to be just that. It is not able to handle the tremendous influx of migrant workers and their families and the sudden spurt in better infrastructure needs. I just wonder how much thought the governing bodies gave to the building of flyovers. Why can't they do it in phases? it is almost like every area in the city has been touched and is non pliable. Usman road especially is a rotten mess, with the crowds for silk saree and jewelery super stores not subsiding a bit. The flyover near the airport is still dragging along, causing a major headache to the scores of fliers commuting. labor and time could have been focussed here as this is more or less the gateway to the city. The airport itself has to improve a lot in terms of access from the plane to the interior lobbies and also passengers service filing in for departure. I was shocked to see the crowds at the airport. It reminded me of kaanum pongal at the Marina! The airport desperately needs expansion and a fresh whiff of beautification, considering the ever rising number of business travelers and tourists. Right now it is immensely clogged and choking to death.On the bright side, the duty free shops with a variety of imported liquor are a welcome addition. :)! Cleanliness also has deteriorated. We have always had trouble areas, but they have increased now. Lack of Civic sense and proper govt. maintained public toilets have made the city one of the largest rest rooms in the country. Political banners, posters and cutouts have besieged the city. I still can't understand the publicity crazed politicians. The once well known green caper in the city has dwindled alarmingly. The most amazing thing I noticed is how once popular restaurants and hangouts are in terrible shape, both ambiance & food wise, thanks to lackluster maintenance. I love local 'kai yendhi bhavans' and fast food stalls, but they have multiplied faster than mosquitoes. Fueling the spurt, are the local wine shops ever brimming with men of all ages right from the crack of dawn. More than the 11pm limit on bars and wine shops, i would prefer say a 'open after 4pm' restriction. This will at least help prevent luring the men from their jobs and necessary daily routines. After maturing over the years from a reckless bike driving college guy to a safe car driving working professional, I realise how much of nuisance, scatter brained, civic sense devoid motorists are. No wonder, a majority of people in the city are suffering from hypertension, stress, respiratory problems and body aches. It is almost like each and everyone is in a hurry somewhere. We should learn from the microscopic brained ants , how to travel in a straight line in order. I know that every city has it's share of woes, but it pains to see the city going downhill. When i was thinking these aloud, many said i was now a spoilt US based brat always looking down upon my country. It is definitely not that. I question why we can't behave like fellow good humans in other better off countries and why we can't emulate our own Indian cities like Hyderabad and Chandigarh which have walked right past us. Hope Chennai's rebellious adolescence phase gets over soon.

Sydney Sickness after the Melbourne Massacre!

Every Indian cricket fan knows how tough an Australian tour is! Every time you hope the Indian team performs better than last time. But in reality, you are actually bracing yourself for an inevitable super storm. The worst of fears were confirmed in Melbourne. India always has this starting problem on away tours, practice or no practice. It was no different in the first test. A well oiled Australian juggernaut (though less intimidating than the Steve Waugh band of soldiers), ran over the Indian side. Our inexperienced bowling attack was not expected to bother the aussies anyway. But the famed batting lineup folded meekly. The thumping defeat raised fears of a lopsided tour ! But then i remembered...the next venue was Sydney! A favorite hunting ground for Indians, especially Sachin and Laxman. As Dravid continued to bury his head in the ground, Jaffer & Yuvraj were 'guest appearances' at the pitch. But Laxman and Sachin, the SCG darlings, led the Indian resurgence and fought with gumption. Saurav didnt make a ton, but made fighting contributions. But alas, a victory was not to be. Apparently Bucknor and benson, the 2 umpires, flipped a coin and decided to side with the aussies. The circus began:

1. Symonds given not out after a huge nick.
2. Ponting given after not out after another huge one.
3. Ponting given LBW after a huge inside edge.
4. Symonds given not out by the third umpire!@#$%, after a perfect stumping.
5. Symonds stumping not referred to 3rd umpire.
6. Jaffer bowled off a no ball.
7. Symonds given not out again twice.
8. Hussey given not out twice.
9. Dravid given out when bat was no where near ball.
10. laxman given not out when he was plumb in front.
11. Ganguly given out for a grassed catch.

Hmmmmm.....! Umpires are humans and they err sometimes. But these were morons who sometimes get it right. Add to this the 'tough but fair' aussies claim dubious catches and appeal for everything. Wasn't this the very team which cautioned India's excessive appealing once? Harbhajan was reported for calling Symonds a 'monkey'! India countered by reporting Brad Hogg for terming Indians 'bastards'! The shameless aussies say what Hogg said was harmless sledging banter in good humor, while what bhajji said was an extremely personal and demeaning racist slur. Well, if 'bastard' is not personal then i don't know what is. For heaven's sake, against england some time ago, they commented on atherton's wife while he was batting. Thats not abusing. Thats that famous aussie humor! Yeah right! Bhajji got banned for 3 tests despite of no video/audio evidence and umpires having heard anything (but i personally think they were deaf anyway, it didnt matter to them - nicks or abuses!!). How is it that the aussie abuses are always harmless sledging & their excessive appealing is playing tough? They still are the best cricketing side currently. But they definitely are not the 'Angels' of the game, as they perceive themselves to be. India was robbed of atleast a draw, with atleast 300 runs gifted and maybe about 150 runs snatched thanks to umpiring guffaws. Almost all the Australian players claimed it was a great victory despite the 'minor controversies'! 11 horrible decisions - minor? The umpire referring to Ricky Ponting for giving Ganguly out caught - A stroke of genius I must say! How would out justice system be if the scenario was such?

JUDGE: Did u commit the crime?
CRIMINAL: absolutely no.
JUDGE: Taking into consideration the accused's testimony, i declare him to be free! 'JUSTICE IS A GENTLEMAN'S GAME'!

And i almost burst out laughing amidst my furious disappointment, when Ponting said after the game 'I never thought about the 16 in a row record until you mentioned it'! ROTFL!

Being an Indian 2

From wrongfully venting anger by some to peeing in the pants by others! The Taslima Nasreen issue is truly an embarrassment for the UPA government. "A secular state is a state or country that is officially neutral in matters of religion, neither supporting nor opposing any particular religious beliefs or practices. A secular state also treats all its citizens equally regardless of religion, and does not give preferential treatment for a citizen from a particular religion over other religions." But this government seems to bend to every whimper that a particular organization , claiming to represent a minority, produces. I would have expected the government to stand up to the insane protests by certain biased groups, and assert it's initial move to keep and protect Taslima in Calcutta. But it is evident from recent developments that this is just another spineless bunch of politicians! She is not a terrorist! She is not a criminal! She wrote some anti-islamic stuff( which i think is mere personal opinion - applaud it or condemn it - don't run around hunting for her blood!)! She has also retracted some portions of her book after incessant protests over the years! And she can't lead a normal life in a free democratic country like India? What utter nonsense. Are we really the great democratic nation where everybody's rights (not their outrageous wishes) are respected and protected? Add to this the violent protests and innumerable court cases against actresses expressing their personal opinion about pre-marital sex! it is like we have the freedom of speech as long as we say what some people want to hear! condemning a statement is perfectly fine! But all this effigy burning, violent rallies, lawsuits, 'fatwas' etc? Maybe Saddam's regime was fairer?

Being an Indian

I was always proud to be an Indian. It always fascinated how such a heterogeneous society survives as a nation despite all differences in language, religion and views! But of late, i've got my doubts if India is the happy 'Unity in Diversity' nation that has always been projected in our textbooks. We have so much hatred in our country! North vs South, Hindu vs Muslim, Tamil vs Kannada, Upper Caste vs Lower Caste and many others! Every nation has it's differences.But the differences in India seem to always cross the words sphere and spill out onto the streets and affect the common man. Politics is not an easy job. Governing a group of people,be it of any size, is a momentous task. But many politicians seem to play petty mud slinging games to garner votes. They don't understand the horrific implications of their words and actions. The Godhra incident is one such example. A train full of innocent people was burnt. It was full of hindus! Till today nobody has effectively proved who did it. But since the victims were Hindus, it was assumed the perpetrators were muslims. Then all hell broke loose. The handful of miscreants , muslim or any other, might still be roaming the earth. But hundreds of innocents had no idea what was going to hit them when an politician brain washed army of saffron came and slaughtered them. Many politicians and educated youth, till date, shamelessly support this action as a fitting reply to the Godhra incident. They think this will silence the islamic militants once for all! What they don't understand is that while the actual terrorists have not been punished , they have successfully turned hordes of innocent people into extremists. They have just played another bloody episode of the vicious circle of violence! We might have to witness many more of these insane retaliations and counter retaliations which will result in huge human casualties. I don't know how the hindutva feel they are any different from blood mongering terrorists like Al Qaeda! The biggest shame is that the people who participated in this crime, are considered to be true guardian angels of Hinduism! Is this what they learnt from the Bhagvad Gita? I think a murderer in any guise is still a criminal! Let him be Hindu or Muslim! I salute all the doctors who save lives regardless of caste, creed, race or religion! Taking lives is very easy. Saving a life is extremely difficult. When you lose respect for a fellow human being's life your religious beliefs & education come to a naught and you cease to exist as a human. Today in our country, we're so busy defending our religion, caste, race, language, community, that we have lost any sense of Indianess! God, whom we don't see, is able evoke such emotions in us which are not stirred a bit looking at our fellow human beings who are very much visible! Why? Like in the movie , 'Apocalypto', THE END OF A CIVILIZATION DOES NOT COME FROM OUTSIDE BUT FROM WITHIN! We have supposedly the most learned civilization on earth! But witnessing these horrors, I'm afraid our golden ages are over!

Sights & Sounds of Deepavali

Well, it is my 7th straight deepavali in the US! And yes it has never matched the kind of fervor we experience back in India. Every year i crib having missed the New York south seaport fireworks. This year was no exception. Stuffing myself with sweets, i tried to celebrate the festival as much as possible. And of all the things to do, i had to choose Vijay's ATM to watch on the big screen. Unlike in the movie's plot, i did not need the gift of ESP to predict a terrible movie experience. I took the risk anyway and my fears were confirmed. In a way it was funny with all those outrageous stunts and stuff. At the end of the movie, it was like a 10000 wala had just finished bursting inside my head! So there you go, fireworks sans pollution but seriously harmful to your mental health. After this debacle, I slept most of the weekend with the satisfaction of having contributed very little towards global warming by not getting out.