7 aum Arivu

 Director Muruga doss must be complimented for his forward outlook and courage to make a movie by linking history with DNA research which is something new to the Tamil  audience.  The  film takes dates  back to 6th century A D depicting a super natural human in Bodhi Dharman, a decedent of Pallava dynasty who goes to China to preach and teach the art of self defence coupled with medical science and treatments for unknown dreaded, epidemic diseases from out of herbs and personal skills and goes on to become a respected  human and eventually to attain the status of a god amongst the people of China.  The statue of Bodhi Dharman is offered  prayers even today in the temples of Shaolin.  However, the claim of Bodhi dharman being a Tamil and a deity of Shaolin temple raises the eyebrows of viewers  in disbelief as there is no resemblance or shade of any Indian origin in those sculptures and statues.  The film jumps to the modern day and the story of the modern Surya takes birth.
The Chinese are ready to wage a Biological warfare over India and the only hurdle seems to be a young scientist in Shruti Hasan who is into research and DNA analysis who is hell bent to find the descendants of Bodhi Verman, successfully finds out the best matched DNA descendant in Arvind(Surya) who is employed in a circus and  is able to activate the Sleeping DNA cells in him  to fight and defeat the Chinese plans to conquer India!    The fight sequences are quite elaborate with the hero and the villain flying up in the air and exchanging kicks and blows that could break a wall or pierce through glass windows and doors!  The audience is amused and partly happy to see the humans fly in the air and fight while they are unable to even get up from the seats after a session of pop-corns and hot samosas that are served in the hall itself?  The Chinese villain Dong Lee is as handsome and impressive as Surya and justifies his character role.  The action scenes where motorists and trucks, whose brains  come under the control of the Chinese villain trying to ram their vehicles on Surya and Shruthi are quite brilliantly taken and can be easily compared to that of a Hollywood action movie!  

Actor Surya looks smashing often showing off his 6 pack module while Sruti Hasan looks pretty.  Bodhi Dharman's  ability to make the dust and leaves rise out of the ground and directing them towards the opponent shows the skill of the camera person rather than the actor?  However, Surya makes up in showing his acting skills in the second half romancing Shruti Hasan with a couple of duets scored by Harris Jayaraj who seems to have lost his composition skills and dwells on repetitive tunes lifted from earlier songs.  The opening song which has some awkward, unheard sounding phrases quietly passes on to be Chinese and neither the lyricist nor the music director have any role in turning out the song as it sounds totally alien with hardly a few Tamil words in it!   The last frame fight between the hero and the Chinese villain is too stretched and only full of dry leaves, mud and shrubs which triggers Asthma in those who are prone!  The eventual killing of the villain is disappointing considering so much of efforts and trick shots that were formed  to boost the climax to make the audience sit on the edge of their seats.  The final dialogue spoken by Surya is meaningful and sends a message to one and all to cite science as a reason for many of our beliefs rather than traditions and to embrace the olden ways of medical science that were available  for the present day ailments and fitness.  One thing the director should have also asked Surya to speak is to pronounce Tamizh as Tamizh and not kill the language with the present day music and singers!  Shruti also has to learn Tamizh from her father to anchor her presence in the Tamil film world. Her skills prevail when she prefers to speak in Tamizh in the meeting of scientists assembled to discuss about a Tamilian and takes them all single handedly and walks out in a huff.  The difference in characters portrayed by Surya as Bodhi Dharman and as a circus artiste has given Surya a wider scope to prove his mettle in acting.   The pair does well in the romantic scenes as well and are impressive.

The picture can be watched with interest once despite the boos and hoots the audience gives during the film looking at things which are beyond digestion?  Director Muruga Doss has induced dialogues speaking about the glory of Tamils in many scenes and has brought in shades of politics in supporting the slain Tamizh rebel leader and the burning of Tamil library etc.. which are unwarranted for this movie.  As the news goes, this film has been released in Srilanka duly censored by the authorities which defeats the very purpose of these dialogues. These heroic Tamil dialogues are heard only in Tamilnadu for the locals to hear and fan their ego!
The opening credits in the film  are shown in such speed that one requires 8 aum arivu to read them super fast!!

The Cool Captain of Indian Cricket- Dhoni

I had the opportunity to travel with Dhoni, the Indian Cricket team captain on a King Fisher flight to Delhi from Chennai.  There was a hustle-bustle when Dhoni entered the plane along with his wife Sakshi and many people were rushing in to greet them and shake hands with Dhoni.  I mustered courage to introduce myself as a friend of Srikkanth, the chairman of the selection team and requested him for a photograph if it was  not inconvenient?  Dhoni was ever smiling and said we can do it at the T3 terminal after we land.  To my surprise, he remembered to oblige me by posing for a picture at the T3 terminal at Delhi.  I was happy enough to bless him and wish him many more laurels and credits to his fame!!

He started sprinting towards his wife who was already near the exit gate with his back-pack  when many more fans thronged him for photographs at the terminal.  There was not a shade of regret on his face as he had lost the IPL Chalenger series only the previous evening at Chennai.

School friends meet@ Bangalore

                                           (Diwakar and Raju at Cafe coffee day, Palamner)
There is always a good sense of happiness and enthusiasm meeting friends and it is more when you meet your childhood friends who have studied together in school right from day one!  I was going to Bangalore on October 21st, 2011 when my another classmate Diwakar expressed his willingness to join me to spend a couple of days together at Bangalore.  Sensing our plans, our another classmate Raghu from Mumbai said he has some official work on the 21st and would join us in the evening for a get-to-gether!  Yet another surprise to all of us was when another classmate N H Subramanian who lives in Bangalore announced his 60th Birthday falling on the same date and wanted to meet us and host a party.  Thus, we were four of us who got-to-gether without any pre-planning to celebrate the 60th birthday of N H Subramanaian. All of us lived in Karol Bagh and went to the same school in Pusa Road.

                                             (Raju,Diwakar,Raghu & N H Subramanaian)

                                                      (Diwakar & NH)
As I do puja on Friday to goddess Lalithambigai and Sri Raja Rajeshwari, my friends joined me quietly at my son's house in whitefield to be with me while participating in the puja activities. I t was on Saturday when all of us proceeded to Phoenix Mall on the whitefield Road which was opened only the previous day to spend some quality time being together.  We spent about an hour and a half and proceed to a restaurant called Jalsa where  our friend NH hosted a grand lunch for all of us.  Lunch was more interesting as we talked so many things from our golden  past reminding each other of the ways and manners that each of us had while schooling!  There was never a dull moment as we cracked jokes after jokes and some jokes on the teachers about their mannerisms.  The lunch never tasted as good as on that day while we were fondly recalling our school days and the well spent time of our childhood days!

The evening welcomed us to a cool weather combined with some good Karaoke singing session supported by good scotch whisky to pep up the whole evening!  Karaoke singing is one contagious element which invites even those who have never sung in their whole life?  The magic of music coupled with singing brought in rains of happiness cooling the weather further and pushing our energy levels to much higher plains!!  The Farmaish for Shammi kapoor's songs and Dev Anand's songs were the highlight of the evening which counted at least 30 to 35 songs being sung by all of us who had gathered.  The old friend's meet has its own charm and delight.

                                            (Raju, Diwakar, Raghu & NH)

                                                   (Raghu,NH & Diwakar)
The friend from Mumbai Raghu left on Sunday noon after lunch and Diwakar left on Monday morning by train to Chennai.  I returned with my wife on 25th morning by car back to Chennai to celebrate Diwali @home in Chennai.

                                            (Shatabdhi Exp going past Whitefield to Chennai)

The magic of friendship brought in cheers to the hearts and everything is god's grace and blessings!!

Ra-one with NO-one to watch!!

The much talked about and hyped movie of Sharukh Khan is released and so is the hidden humour of even those who are serious in life!  Science fiction, imagined beyond imagination tickles and makes your heart light as you have nothing but to laugh at yourself for having spent so much money on a Diwali day but feel heartened enough  to laugh throughout the movie!

Shahrukh as a Tamilian brain in Shekar Subramanian invents a new super video game to please his son Pratik  who asks his dad as to why the villains in the game are conquered by the hero and why not otherwise?  Now, the brilliant Tamil in Sharukh gets into the making of a super villain  RA-one but of course, with one last tool that could eventually kill the villain and allow the hero to be a hero for all times!  The idea is lifted from Terminator !

The opening shot is a typical video game shot where the female lover (Priyanka chopra) is captured by the villain(Sanjay Dutt) and the hero (Shah rukh) comes to rescue the lover on his motor cycle riding many ups and downs of the narrow hill.  Priyanka chopra is tied to ropes and hung from a height yelling for help and I thought the role best suited her!  Shahrukh does some wheelie stunts on the motor cycle and eventually rescues his lover and wakes his son up from his dreamy sleep!  The stunts which are done by shahrukh will push many youngsters to emulate and end up risking their lives and body parts.  I also fail to understand why a son sees only his dad as a super hero and not his mom as evident in his dreams where he pairs his dad with Priyanka and not with Kareena who is his mother?

Anyways, the magnum opus of Rs 195 crores(is the I-Tax listening?) goes about showing  Indian cinematography at its best and comparable to Hollywood movies.  Prateek  plays the game on the computer and leaves the game at level 3 where the RA-one gets angry and asks the child not to leave the game in the middle but to go on with the fight.  The mad Ra-one (Arjun Rampal) is angry with Prateek and comes out of the game alive to kill him.  The huge fire balls that RA-one and the G-one throws at each other reminds you of 'Bowling game' with ease!  The cars and other obstacles fly up and up in the air and falls all around except on the persons on whom it is intended!!  The emerging of Ra-one from the 10 headed Ravan who is on fire during the Dussera and saying a dialogue- "why would we kill the same person year after year if there was any truth in his killing" makes sense for all our mythological believers.   Yes, you feel like a 5th standard kid watching this and a special thanks to Shahrukh for making us feel like adolescent boys waiting to go home and switch on the computers hoping "Some-one" will come out for a talk or a walk??  As the night nears, I made sure that the computers were unplugged lest a RA-one emerges and urges me to fight disturbing my precious sleep and dreams!!

Shahrukh, the G-one feels that the life of Kareena and Prateek(his wife and son) are in danger and decides to go with them to Mumbai for safety.  The virtual hero passes the tests of immigration! The security check scene is cheap humour as he opens his clothes from the top for each security bleep and goes right down to open his pants for the Gay officer who is in awe!

There is an unnecessary fight at the Mumbai  airport when the three land running for cover from RA-one. The comical humour played on Tamilians at the beginning of the film where Shahrukh khan as a Tamil is shown eating Noodles with curd and with his hand is rectified for the sake of safety of film release all over the south of India by showing the Super star Rajini who comes to the rescue of G-one and tosses all the rowdies and villains like Masala-Pappads!!  The audience at the theatre go frenzy seeing their super hero who appears as a saviour just for a couple of minutes.  The film also tries to assuage the feelings of Tamils and fans their pride for their super hero when Kareena acknowledges "super hero-star" by patting her cheeks with both the hands and pulling her dupatta over her head in absolute respect for Rajini- the super star!!  Our audience is quietened and appreciates the Northern acknowledgement with cheers!

The hero G-one makes a mockery of this self produced,  science-fiction movie when he stops the train with his bare hands!  In another scene, Kareena is made to pull out some metallic wires from his nose and was disgusting!  Kareena Kapoor as Sonia is so full of energy in the film.  Be it acting, dancing or the sense of dressing and the body language, Kareena excels in the entire film and is a big source of strength for the movie to run its best!

Shahrukh looks fit enough to be a perfect G-one hero with his pre-fabricated Torso and his skills in dancing.  His ego hits the roof when he says in one of his dialogues that all the girls are made after him!!
The film has only 3 known characters namely Shahrukh himself, Kareena and Arjun Rampal out of which Shahrukh would have eaten the Lion's share of money followed by Kareena and Arjun.  The trumpeting of Rs 195 crores does not make any sense to me and is envisaged as a marketing strategy or stunt for that matter.  

Finally, the G-one kills RA_one and destroys himself.  The triumph of good over evil at all times!!

The picture is worth watching if you do not have any expectations!!

Otherwise, the picture is good for its publicity and run as the thrill of video game will push all children to pester their parents to take them for this movie!!  The parents, as in their homes, will keep going  out in the middle for their pop corns or to look at  posters of other films stuck in the theatres!!

The 2 songs Chammak Challo and dildhara  picturised on Kareena and Shahrukh is a treat to the eyes considering the numerous steps that they perform!  The latest trend being mix Hindi with Tamil to give it a different sound of music!   The music compositions easily surpass the legendary A R Rehman in all ways and is a treat to hear and watch them perform on the video again and again!!
Keep it up Vishal-shekar!! Your music is A-one!!!

Mayoral elections in Chennai

The elections for electing the Mayor of Chennai is scheduled to be held on Monday,17th October, 2011.  The key contestants are arch rivals in AIDMK and the DMK represented by Saidai Doraisamy and the sitting Mayor M P Subramanian.  The Hindu newspaper of date reports both the candidates opposed to each other in all matters of public interest.  The Metro rail project which is half way complete is condemned by the AIADMK candidate saying that it will take long years to complete and supporting a Mono rail project which has not even commenced.  Even if it commences in the near future, it will take the same period as the existing one as the infra structural parameters are all the same!  Both the parties do not see the interests of the people or the benefits that will accrue to the people by the completion of Metro rail project which is expected to transport at least 40,000 commuters across the city.  The ruling party should be magnanimous in accepting the project that is half finished and complete it within the stipulated time frame to earn respect and good will amongst the public who have elected them to rule the state.  It is time that the leaders bury their personal differences and work for the welfare of the people. Similarly, the new secretariat which is ready for occupation and functioning has been abandoned by the ruling CM just because it was conceived and built by the arch rival DMK to whom the government does not want to give any credit.  The recent announcement by the government that it would be made into a multi speciality hospital will not find any popular support and will always be viewed as wastage of public money?
The irony is that the political parties do not seem to bother about public interests and welfare and are only vying to put down the other at the available opportunity by citing one reason or the other.  The right to reject call made by team Anna Hazare should be seriously considered by the Centre and the Election Commission so that people can clearly say what they do not want from these political parties.
Hope the people of Tamilnadu would be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel?
Jai Hind!!

S Ganesh, a brilliant student of our DTEA, Mandir Marg(1967) graduated out of I I T, Delhi. He had great flair for music and played many musical instruments with ease. Piano-Accordion is the one which is closest to his heart. This musical instrument is known to have originated from Spain and became popular all over Europe. This musical instrument when played using the fingers in both the hands created magic spell of happiness amongst the listeners and pushed even those who never danced to dancing!! The right hand fingers played the notes and the left hand fingers supported the notes with chords which was like decorating the music with ornaments within a spectrum and which also created a feeling of tempo  for the song. Thus, this instrument, if played properly can manifest itself as a full fledged orchestra to entertain people! Ganesh does that exactly and in these days of electronic sounds and sequencing of music, it is rare to find a person of such artistic calibre as in Ganesh whose fingers run on the instrument with such ease to make the reeds long for such soft and gentle touch of bonding! The expansion of the Bellow to breathe in air and the exhalation of air in the form of music rightly controlled through the fingers giving the right pressure on the reeds and the support of chords with the fingers on the left side leaves lessons for the vocal singers and teaches how to conserve the breath and sustain enough to make use of the inhaled oxygen and to maximise the usage of such inhalation for  optimum throw of voice.  This is also called "Voice culture".

Shankar-Jaikishen, the duo music director of all times had a very special soft corner for this instrument that they used it in many of their compositions that became super hits and remembered even today. Mera Jhootha hai Japani, Har dil jo payar karega, the songs from Evening in Paris, Bramchari and many such hits had the mesmerising effects cast through this instrument and remembered and sung at all stages and functions. Other Music directors both in Bollywood and in Tamil cinemas have also used this instrument to make the songs sound more appealing to the audience.

After his graduation from the I I T, Ganesh was picked up by Advani-oerlikon and later by semi-conductors, Pune where he invented the electronic organ which is known as the Key-board now. He was also the first person to introduce Western beats like waltz/Samba/Swing/roll etc that came with the organ those days.

I was associated with Ganesh and his troupe of orchestra in the 70s and together we have performed several shows in and around Delhi. Our forte was restricted to Hindi film music. In the year 1971, Ganesh and his troupe entertained the wounded Jawans of the Indo-Pak war at the Delhi Cantt hospital for more than 3 hours! It is heartening to see Ganesh back with his magic fingers on his accordion!  Ganesh still lives in the same place where he lived 54 years back, at Connaught place. I overheard him singing "Jeena Yahan, Marna Yahan, iske siva Jaana kahan..  Jee chahe humko aawaz do, hum hain wahin hum the jahan"!!

Dhoni the Cool guy!

I was travelling from Chennai  to Delhi on the 6th October, 2011 by King Fisher Airlines.  I was pleasantly in for a surprise when the Indian Cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his wife walked in to occupy the seats besides!  As a matter of courtesy, we exchanged smiles and a nod of head.  I could not resist to send out an SMS to my son Capt Neeraj who is a commander with King Fisher airlines to tell about Dhoni's presence in the cabin!  He encouraged me to take a picture with the celebrity.  I mustered enough courage to turn to him and talk about cricket and the ongoing T 20 Champions League without going too deep as Dhoni as the captain of Chennai Super Kings had lost the match the previous night and the team was out of the tournament!  Both Dhoni and his wife Sakshi were engrossed in playing cards and were happily smiling and playful.  With much reservation, I requested him and asked if he would like to pose for a picture with me for which he politely replied "after a little while".  I left the topic at that and the journey continued till Delhi.  When the flight landed and passengers were ready to disembark, there was a small crowd of about a dozen from within the plane who surrounded the Cool Dhoni , requested and took photographs with him.  I was quite amused and happy when Dhoni looked at me and signalled to come forward and have a photograph!  I thanked Mr Cool and wished him many more laurels and achievements in the years to come!  After he took the picture with me, he refused further photography as his wife Saakshi was way ahead near the exit gate at the T3 terminal!  He sprinted to join his spouse which was more like a Sixer bouncing out of his Bat during the cricket matches!!  The experience was unique and worth sharing!!