K. Balachander: Not an ordinary mortal

The Legacy of your life is your work. A man who worked for nearly 50 years and directed 100 movies. Prolific work indeed.

For a man who used the power of cinema to help an ordinary man think beyond himself and spare some thoughts for the society, KB stands tall. 

Much as he attempted at creating societal impact, I think his hundred movies must have contributed to the best music the film industry will ever produced.

While he did introduce quite a few stars, we must be eternally thankful for helping us to savor the best of Nagesh!!!! Could have there been a greater blessing in our lives?

And I will eternally be grateful to KB for adapting or remaking “Satyakam” into “Punnagai”,  a movie of timeless relevance.

Unless a man is at peace with himself, he could never be so productive. You have earned it KB. Rest in Joy!!!!

As a lay man, here are my top ten favourites which will have KB enshrined in my memory forever

1. Punnagai

2. EthirNeechal

3. Thaneer Thaneer

4. Achamillai Achamillai

5. Apoorva Ragangal

6. Sindhu Bhairavi

7. Unnal Mudiyum Thambi/Rudra Veena

8. Vaname Ellai

9. Azhagan

10. Maro Charitra

Pisasu(Ghost), Tamil Film: A horrific making of a horrorless horror film

We have come so much to expect from Myskin, that it is very difficult to dissociate expectations before watching his movies.

As the first twenty minutes unfold, you get a feeling you are going to see the best work of Myskin so far. You are spell bound about everything, including the lone song and specifically the violins in the background have you in vice like grip elevating you into a trance and you do get to levitate for a brief period.

And then Myskin unfolds the recipe of how to make a horror less film infusing predictability with extraordinary zeal. You can be rest assured that Pisasu has all the ingredients to be in Guiness Book of records for successfully eliminating even an iota of surprise leave alone a trace of tension and fear.

Every director, who make horror films want to play around with the viewer spring a surprise in the most unpredictable situation and then have the whole theater come on to their feet. Successful horror films have audiences make strange noises trying to scare the wits out of fellow audiences or neutralize their own fear.

Myskin carves out the first “Whatchamacalitit”(What(ever) you may (want to) call it) genre, toggling between supernatural, lament, comedy, revenge, love, sentiment, kids and martial arts. Well it would be a crime if Tony(Leung) is not imported all the way from Hong Kong( Looks like Bala has deep pockets) to showcase a rehash of his stunt choreography which seem to fall into the category of “Shabbah”( A Tamil slang of extremely clichéd and tiresome).

Myskin also has you guessing who the Pisasu is since the protagonist face is almost invisible(A one eyed hero?? The face is perpetually in a downward tilt with the other eye covered, “Pirate of Kodambakkam?”) or is he the antagonist?

I would still give it to Myskin and Bala(the producer) for an experiment that may have gone awry rather than rehashing the same formula for three or four decades for the fear of loosing money(Shiva Sambo!!!)

Given their eccentricity, audacity and intellectual arrogance, I am sure Myskin(and Bala) will try new things, but Sir, can we have the blind people, the protagonist and/or his cohorts springing like sprinters as soon as they decide to walk, flower vendor or the basket of flowers, the mandatory martial arts fight all take a vacation at least for a few films.

Despite your comical interludes, I am not giving up on you and I hope to catch up watching your next film on the first day night show.

P.S:  Radha Ravi was brilliant, reminding Nagesh in Nammavar.

Why I am giving Lingaa a miss?

Why does a die-hard Rajini fan like me for nearly forty years, since his debut, decide to give Lingaa a miss?

While Rajini seems to be invested in his Producers what about true fans like me who reserve the goosebumps only for him and have endorsed him all these years. Fans like me who have traveled far and wide to urine infested bylanes in B and C centre theatres to catch a glimpse of him on the first day(just because tickets were not available in Chennai), jumped queues as a teenager braving the lathi charges of not only Chennai but also in my later days in Dubai. Yes, on the first day night show, at Al Nasr in Dubai, there was a Lathi Charge for "veera" and so much so far Baasha as well. As a student in Delhi, I travelled all the way to Paschim Vihar(a long way from my home in Delhi ) to catch up a stupid movie like Meri Adalat(I am not sure even if Rajini remembers that he acted in it).

If Sivaji Ganesan, as an actor was abused and improperly used by the industry, Rajini should pass of as the most underutilized actor abused by the industry. I think for the love and affection that he has enjoyed, he has a responsibility to the fans like me who still stay invested in him all our life. Maybe Rajini's risk averse nature may also have contributed to it.

There are roles. Would love to see Rajini, taking up roles, suiting his age, like Grand Torino or Buddha Hoga there Baap, or may be an adaptation of "Its a wonderful Life" as the eldest brother of the family.

There is money. Money is more easily available then ever it was is the history of the earth.

Thalaiva, in a world of crowd funding, Lucia, I understand is crowdfunded production, with a brand like yours, you do not need RockLine Venkatesh.

You are so good at packaging yourself and carrying yourself

And you have been constantly preaching that money itself is not very important.

And is it not true that you have been also preaching that you should not like to forget the past and the people who have supported you in your journey.

Then you must reciprocate the love of Fans, the art, Cinema which has contributed to all your glory by acting in some meaningful roles and cinema.

If money is not everything in life you must take risks. With so much of love and affection does "Risk" really exist?

I am giving Lingaa a miss, as mark of protest for taking the audience for granted.

I was converted into a full fledged fan(atic) when I saw Kali, in Mullum Malarum. I hope you hear, the desire the demands on an ardent fan(atic) and satisfy us with roles like Kali, that can bring the real Rajini that all of us want to savour.

We want some more!! We want some more!!!

On Raj Kapoor's Birthday: A Slice of Unforgettable Magic

While so much of Raj Kapoor's work can be discussed in great detail, for me the turmoils of the adolescent  Rishi Kapoor, his crush for his teacher Simi Garewal , her dilemma and the ensuing approach of her fiance Manoj Kumar in the first story of Mera Naam Joker stand out.

Adolescence could not have been understood and dealt with so much of sensitivity. 

A most beautiful lesson for all parents and teachers.

Highly recommended.

We remember you Raj Saab!!!!

P.S: Incidentally I have not seen the rest of Mera Naam Joker, my recommendation is only the first story which may last for about first half hour(Last viewing was in 2000, so unable to recollect the duration)

Exodus: Gods and Kings: Moses is Human, Ridley is Divine

The story of the brothers has been made by a brother, Ridley Scott for his brother Tony Scott.

For those of you who are familiar with the opulent, colorful and grandiose Ten Commandments, you would be advised to remove any of those images from the farthest corner of your brain, should you decide to see the movie. Ridley has gone the extra mile to make sure that there is not an iota of resemblance of Ten Commandments. The imposing Nile and the magnificent pyramids that are symbolic of Egypt though betray him.

Bright Colors that were resplendent in Ten Commandment take a back seat, the conflict to ascension of the throne is a non-issue, Nefreteri’s love for Moses seem to be non-existent,  The standoff between Moses and Rameses is muted, all elements of conflict and drama in Ten Commandments seem to take a backseat. The Red Sea does not part but recedes!!! And there is right for the messiah to disagree with the Ten Commandments before it is rolled out!!!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Why then is Ridley’s work fascinating?

For his ability to conjure an edgy, restless, dark, and thought provoking work(without any resemblance to TC), the amount of thinking that has gone into the making, must have been mind boggling. It certainly does not make for easy viewing.

The setting is dark, Ridley ensures that there is a perpetual haze and liberal doses of dark fumes that keep adorning the skyline of Egypt. The choice of colors are dull. The Slave workers live in pathetic conditions. A sense of realism in creating the environment in which the Hebrews lived adds a definite authenticity to the narrative.

Moses is more human, a rationalist, and acts more as a call from within like Siddartha. Moses, bereft of his staff(unlike Ten Commandments) takes on the mighty Rameses and his empire like a Freedom Fighter, struggling to find a way to liberate this brethren. It is then left to God  to unleash the wrath and hurtle Egypt and Rameses into abyss before Rameses finally relents.

It would have been nice to see Moses identify himself with his Hebrew brothers and their problems. He seem to be more attached to his Egyptian brothers. This could have significantly added to the experience. And Rameses seems to be not such a bad guy at all!!! The conflict quotient between Moses and Rameses made up for absorbing drama in TC. Nefreteri had a fair share in the drama, especially driving Rameses to chase Egyptians before the Red Sea parted in Ten Commandments. Exodus could have done better with better characterization of the principal characters.

Back to Exodus, I particularly liked the way the Ten Commandments was introduced symbolically. And the discretion given to Moses to agree or disagree with the Ten Commandments!!!

This is movie is certainly for the discerning viewer.

A lovely way to dedicate a film for a brother.  Ridley, Tony would certainly have approved of your effort.