Thursday, December 31, 2009

Epilogue 2009

Epilogue 2009

Yep! another year in everyone's life...
Remembering the past always swarms enormous moments to cherish.
And there is no 'present' or 'future' without the the history.
My 2009 had everything.. like a Bell curve..
My age incremented by 1. My first B-School interview. My first Six string. Started This blog. Also to mention..there were huge hiccups, mixups and mishaps :) .

The larking incidents and the amorous endeavours,completely offended and pissed off times,loneliness,emptiness. Anyway.. its always cool to overcome any tough situations and making both ends meet at the end of the day.

Dear 2009, U gave me the greatest get2gdr of all time with my college pals having maverick moments in Goa, the vegas of India. I will never forget that .. u bet on it !. U always been with me sharing all the happiest moments and lending shoulders in the toughest of the tough situations. So here we go buddy.. its over..and today is ur last day.
'Today is the first day of the rest of my life'. Sorry dear 2009. This wont be applicable for u from tomo . :-)
Sometimes u had been so horrible. I will take revenge on u with the help of 2010. I just cant blame u alone ..coz u are just a box and watver happened to me were just because of me.
Anyway buddy.. I am gonna miss u .. so lets hugg for this last one day..!

Something inside us will always tell that..All those jittery moments will leave u to get a quintessential thought. The best way to live happy is to believe on a thing and continue the pursuit to reach the destiny. U made me understood this concrete stuff.
When 2010 ushering me into the unexplored happy/tough days, the hope i received from you giving me the chutzpah to overcome everything and continue the pursuit to destiny.
'Hope is the good thing..Indeed, the best of the things..And no good thing dies' - The Shawshank Redemption
I always tried to be a reveller throughout ..for u 2009. I might have failed u many a times.
But some times u also had been a total bitch to me.. Its Ok. :-)
I will miss u..
Bye 2009 .. Foutre Vous 2009 :-)
And Happy happy New year to all. May all ur wishes come true !!.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Avatar - Movie Review

I dont know how the world could even imagine a war scene if ppl like Michael Bay , James Cameron dont exist. The hype created on the movie was too much. I thought of giving a shot, got the tickets for paid preview and yeah..on board to visit the Pandora. To be said in a single line, the movie has very little storyline, huge special effects, excellent 3D experience ( whole movie), lotsa desi movie look alike scenes , and completely aimed at first week box office gross.

The story starts somewhere in 2154 AD. . The corporate finds huge deposits of Unobtainium (?) in a natural satellite of another planet. There is a place called Pandora over there and a clan called Na-vi survives there. They have a Hometree and underneath it, lays the huge deposits of Unobtainum.Now they need to get it coz it can be sold at 20 million per kg. But its really hard to go over there to the oxygen-less Pandora and to fight with the clan and get the job done. So they work on a "AVATAR" program and make blue colored na-vi look alikes to intrude into the clan.

Jake, the hero who is an ex US Marine , who got wounded and paralyzed below the waist line, dejected and put on a wheel chair. He joins the program thinking that he can feel his legs back. His nearly 8 feet avatar been created with his DNA. He goes to Pandora and there meets a gal Neytiri and as usual..love at first sight , gets into amorous bonding and then all those bollywood stuff follows. Dr.Grace (Sigourney Weaver) mentors Jack and helps him through out his ordeal to give the message to the na-vi clan that the hometree gonna be blown off soon The rest of the story tells how he becomes one of them and fight with his own human clan to preserve the ecology of Na-vi and the ppl.He should be attending the Copenhagen conf. :P

So thats it.. this is wat the plot i could ascertain from the 2hr 40 mins movie ( Why Me? ). The story really failed to strike the chord. The whole movie is a 3D eye feast. Please dont waste ur valuable money on this movie, if its not in 3D. The top notch special effects can be experienced properly only in 3D. If its in IMAX, then bingo.. the movie is really worth it. There are some unbelievable visual 3D effects scenes, at the same time , there are some 'unbelievable' superstitious scenes also. Its a colorful movie. Believe it. The birds, animals, and watver u call it, everything had a rainbow over it. Nice to see it on 3D.

Why the Na-vi speak middle-east english.? (History been pronounced as 'his-tho-ry'). I dont know about the fantasy-fairy tale loving ppl, U guys will enjoy it. And the ardent novel readers will view the movie in another perspective. I am sure they will be keen on noticing the mythical creatures, their names etc been shown in the movie. It was lil bit tiresome to watch ppl snarling at each other and the heroine screech like a vixen all the time. I remembered billie jean on seeing the illuminating footpaths when the hero gets into Pandora for the first time. The movie ends with a 20 min long climax fight scene. Michael Rodriguez looks super hot in the movie!!. That was the only consoling factor :P

The movie holds a very thin love story also. But failed to create impact like the one in titanic. I really liked the trailers of 'Toy story 3' and 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. They kickass in 3D. So its upto you to give a shot to this movie. ! And in the end, there is a kinda titanic dialog.."Jake,...My Jake". . hehe. Its a nice 3D experience and I wish u become kids too when seeing those colorful fauna and flora of Pandora on screen. !

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Paa - Movie Review

Well, I went for watching this movie..fearing that it shudn be a 'Button' in Hindi. Everyone likes to go for a weekend movie to keep their mind and soul free from the 5 days work and get rejuvenated. But my intention on going for a movie is completely different. Ok lets review the movie ..

Actually I dont really like Amitabh per se. I can hear some 'booo' s.. Come on.. Dont I have an opinion.? Amitabh is a good actor. I agree.. But seeing him on all the commercials he endorses ranging from tooth powder to cement powder.. James bond suits to hair oils... Well I am sorry Amitabh ji.. But just give a break to them. And I still have great confidence that u can just catch all the audiences even at ur 68 yrs of age with ur professional acting. To be frank, the movie PAA belongs to Auro.. :). The movie starts with a happy violin music and Jaya bachan reading out the credits and credentials.. Nice one indeed.

The word 'Paa' comes only once in the movie. Can u believe it ? :) . Hmmm that too at the climax only. Abhishek bachan and Vidya balan were studying in Cambridge and they get to know each other ..and end up in making love without using a ..u know wat :) . And Abhishek never wanted to get into huge responsibility of having the baby and family and he s keen on getting into politics and become a visionary. So he asks Vidya to abort the fetus. She gets pissed off and leaves him, but goes ahead with her pregnancy and gives birth to Auro. Meanwhile she studies and become a gynecologist. Later, she comes to know that Auro suffers from Progeria . And from that , the movie is totally a Mom-Son true warm love story.

Auro's intro to the movie with the music accompanied it...was too gud. Auro , 12 yr old kid, but having the physique and health problems of a 60 yr old. He hates kichdi, coz thats the only food , he is allowed to eat. He never asks him mom about his dad. Abishek becomes MP and then he meets Auro in a school function. From then on, the friendly relationship goes on between him and Auro. Vidya comes to know this , but she never asks Auro to stop it. Coz..she still loves Abhishek. All the dialogues of Auro's are one liners making u to laugh like hell. Some dialogues were really stretched a bit like the one happens in delhi metro train btw him and Abishek. And some looked silly also. Anyway..it shud be viewed from a 12 yr old's perspective.

The movie goes good till the interval by carefully giving life to all the characters. Vidya's mom did good in her acting too. Auro calls her 'bum' coz she has a bigger one ! :). Funny !. Amitabh has done a really great work in dubbing his voice also...giving a nasal accent. [Dont think abt Himesh please ]. Some scenes on Politics were really not needed for the movie. Perhaps ..not cleverly done. Auro turns 13. But he gets ill and admitted in the hospital. Its really disheartening to see someone celebrating his/her birthday in a hospital. Vidya opens the Pandora's box and tells that MP Abishek is his 'PAA'. Thats the interval ..

Abishek promises Auro to take him to Rashtrapathi bavan. Nice sentimental cum funny scenes follows after that. Some times it makes to shell out few drops of tears also. Vidya balan is at her best. Really. The 31 yr old had no flaws in her acting. Except that why she is trying to get size zero.? Happened to see the trailer of ISHQYA. The next big one for Vidya...chk for the ChuSO4 in the clip. But i felt deceived at some scenes. The one where Abhishek and Vidya meet after 13 years. Could ve been made little more sentimental. P C Sreeram's camera pictured the aesthetic beauty of Cambridge as well as showed Amitabh really like a child. Vidya looked really beautiful when she carries Auro in her stomach. I dont know why woman look really beautiful at those times. ! Paresh Rawal performed as Abhishek's father, a retired politician. Nice to see him acting in movies other than Priyadarshan's. Balki has given a really nice movie. Good use of all the technicians and actors.

If all the above are the parts of the story.. the thing which connects all these and gives a life to it.. is nothing but Ilayaraja's music. One of the best BGM i had ever come across. The classic Ilayaraja's use of 'silence' as a BGM followed by a piano solo. Great to feel it. The violin solo when Auro utters the word 'PAA' really made to cry. There are several versions of PAA theme inside the movie. I wud say this movie will be a critically acclaimed one. This movie has got 3 stars from Rajeev Masand. Good one. But "Rab ne banadi jodi' also got 3. Now its little fishy ! Isn't it ? !

I feel the movie must have been named "MAA" coz its a Mom-Son story. And I loved it from that perspective only. The one dialogue needed to be looked upon. "There is nothing more hurtful, than hurting a person again & again who did hurt you sometimes back ! ". Auro makes his Mom to forgive his Paa and and.... please watch the movie :)

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

How to name it !

இசைந்தால்.. நம் இருவரின் ஸ்வரமும் நமதாகும்!!
திசை வேறானாலும்..ஆழிசேர் ஆறுகள் முகிலாய்
மழயாய் பொழிவது போல்...
இசை.. நம் இசை.... !

இசை நம் வாழ்வோடு கலந்த ஒன்று.. like oxygen. சில நேரங்களில் 24 மணிநேரமும் தொடர்ச்சியாக பாடல் கேட்பவர்களும் உண்டு. ஒரு ரயில் பயணத்தை எடுத்துக் கொள்ளுங்கள்.. இசை பற்றியும் இசைஅமைப்பாளர் பற்றியும் பேச தொடங்கினால்.. சுற்றி இருக்கும் அனைவரும் அந்த discussion இல் பங்கு கொள்வர் :) . அந்த அளவுக்கு அனைவருக்கும் உடைமையானது இசை.

தமிழ் சினிமாவில் இசைப் புரட்சி மூன்று முறை நடந்தது என்று சொல்லலாம்.
இளையராஜா , ஏ ஆர் ரஹ்மான் , ஹாரிஸ் ஜெயராஜ்.

இதில் நான் மிகவும் ரசிக்கும் , வணங்கும்
இசை கடவுள்.. திரு. இளையராஜா. அவருக்கு இந்த post ஒரு சிறு சமர்ப்பணம்.

ராஜா என்றால் ஆளப் பிறந்தவன். தன் இசையால் 3 decades dominate செய்து.. இன்றும் நம்மால் அவரது இசை பிடியில் இருந்து வெளியே விட வில்லை .
அன்னக்கிளியில் ஆரம்பித்து இன்று வரை.. சங்கீத ஞானமே சினிமாவுக்குள்வந்து தான் கற்று கொண்டார் என்று கேள்வி பட்டேன். ஆனால் 'சிந்து பைரவி' , 'உன்னால் முடியும் தம்பி' போன்ற carnatic music centered படங்களை பார்த்த பொது.. அவரை கை கூப்பி வணங்கலாயினேன்.
மானிடர் ஊனம் இல்லாமல் பிறப்பது பெரிய புண்ணியம் என்று என்னவள் சொல்வதுண்டு . அத்தகைய மனிதர் இத்தகைய மாபெரும் ஞானத்துடன் பிறப்பது என்பது மிகவும் அரிது.

ஒருவன் 'மது, மாது' வழியாக உச்சத்தை அடையலாம். இதனுடன் இசைவழியாகவும் அதனை அடையலாம் என்று எனக்கு கற்பித்தது அவர் பாடல்கள். சோக சமயங்களில் கேட்பதற்காகவே 'How to name it?' , 'Mood Kaapi'. அவர் எந்தஅளவு இசையை ஆட்சி செய்கிறார் என்பது 'Three in One' கேட்டால் புரிந்து போகும்.

இன்றைய youth ராஜாவின் 'ஏப்ரல் மேயிலே ' , 'ராஜா ராஜாதி ராஜன்' போன்ற பாடல்களால் மேலும்
மேலும் புத்துணர்வு அடைகிறார்கள்.
"திருவாசகத்துக்கு உருகாதார் ஒரு வாசகத்துக்கும் உருகார்..". ஆனால் எவராய் இருந்தாலும் இளையராஜாவின் 'திருவாசகம்' கேட்டு உருகி போவார்.

தனிமை மற்றும் காதலில் காத்திருத்தலை அழகான வயலின் இசையால் தடவி சொல்வர்.
'நான் உன்னை நீங்க மாட்டேன்.. நீங்கினால் தூங்க மாட்டேன்' என்னும் வரிகளுக்கு உயிர் கொடுத்தவர். அவரது படங்களில் வரும் பின்னணி இசையை மிஞ்சும் வகையில் எவரும்
இதுவரை அமைத்தது இல்லை. 'நாயகன்', 'மௌன ராகம்' போன்ற படங்களை நான் BGM- காகவே பார்த்தது உண்டு :) .

இசையை தவிர இவருக்கு இன்னொரு முகமும் இருக்கிறது. 'பாடலாசிரியர்
' .
'தென்றல் வந்து தீண்டும் பொது என்ன வண்ணமோ'.. பாடல் எழுதி, இசையும்அமைத்து, பாடியும் கொடுத்து நம்மை உச்சத்துக்கு கொண்டு செல்பவர். அவருடைய தமிழ் மொழி மேல் உள்ள பக்தி மற்றும் வல்லமையை கவிஞர் வாலிக்கு வழங்கிய வாழ்த்துரையில் காணலாம். பிரம்மித்து போன ஜீவன்களுள் நானும்ஒன்று.

'நீ பார்த்த பார்வை', 'கல்யாண மாலை' , 'கண்ணே கலை மானே
' கேட்டு கண்ணீர் வடிக்காத கண்கள் இல்லை இங்கே. அதே நேரம் 'எடுத்து நான் விடவா' , 'தண்ணி தொட்டி' கேட்டு ஆடாத கால்களும் இல்லை :) .

How to make several version out of a single tune? He has the answer !
http://www.musicquencher.com/blog/2009/08/25/multiple-versions-of-a-single-tune/

TMS (Thiyagarajar, Muthusamy theetchidar, Shyama Shastry) இசை வளர்த்தமூவேந்தர்கள். இவர்களுக்கு பின் இளையராஜாவின் பெயர் பொறிக்க படவேண்டும் என்பது என் ஆசை.
Contribute please : http://www.petitiononline.com/raaja/

ஒன்று கூறி முடித்து கொள்கிறேன்...
"உயிர்கள் அனைத்தும் இசைக்கு அடிமை...
ஆனால் உமக்கோ ... இசை அடிமை... !"

தங்கள் இசையால் மேலும் எங்களை ஆள்வீராக !



Song of the day : Muthamizhae - Raman Abdullah ( SPB , Chitra )

Sunday, November 15, 2009

2012 - The Review

Roland Emmerich destroys the world again. This time, at the cost of 200 million USD. Personally I really don’t like zombie movies and the world-coming-to-an-end movies where US will be shown as the soul savior for the whole world. The same continues here again.

Cast: Global Warming, Mayan Prophecy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, John Cusack, Amanda Peet, and ppl from all over the world.

The movie is based on the Mayan calendar which predicted that the expiry date for the earth is 21 December 2012. The film starts somewhere in Mumbai, 2009 where an Indian astrophysicist finds that the earth’s crust undergoing displacements and the deluge gonna come in 2012. Adrian, an American Scientist gets this information and reports to the US Prez. The fist black president in a Hollywood movie, I think. Then the Presidents of all the nations are summoned and given a warning that 2012 gonna be the last year for the mankind. Meanwhile, all the nations also plan to survive the deluge which gonna come. So they build huge ships like Noah’s ARK, somewhere in the Himalayas.

Now the hero, John Cusack gets introduced. He is a novelist turned limousine driver. He has 2 kids, but his wife (Amanda) lives with her new boyfriend. John goes on a usual weekend visit and takes the kids to Yellow Stone National park for camping. There he sees a weirdo..perhaps he should be called a prophet. He knows that the government has a warning signal but hiding those from the civilians. He tells John Cusack that the apocalypse is approaching and the govt is building a huge ship ( like the machine in Digital Fortress) to survive. The 7 yr gal kid is so cute and lovable, who still uses her baby nappies :)

The same night, LA suffers a minor earthquake and Amanda freaks out over phone and ask John Cusack to bring back her kids immediately. He reaches LA and mom and the kids hug each other. Our hero doesn’t get a hug. Poor guy !. Meanwhile he comes to know from the kids of the Russian millionaire, whom John works for ,that a major disaster gonna come . He rushes back to Amanda and the kids. Takes them in the limo and head for the small plane which he had hired to escape from the disaster. Uptill this , the movie looked good. But it turned out to be complete Special effects treat and unbelievable computer animation stunts that completely didn make any sense.

The cracking boulevards and fly overs. Buildings falling like a pack of cards. Earth splitting and showing grand canyon underneath. Runways getting amputated. Too much of special effects. Amanda’s boyfriend Gordon, is a very funny guy. Its like , there will be a scene in all such movies , where one guy will get killed unnecessarily, rather a sacrifice !! Heehehe. I immediately guessed that.. Oh yeah..He is the one..Lets wait how he gets nailed at the end!!. John rushes to yellow stone park to see the prophet to get the map which leads to the ship. At that time, the volcano in the park erupts and throws fire balls. But its really lame to see they dodge all the fire balls, falling buildings, debris using their small plane. Ripley’s believe it or not !

The other part of the story, where the US whitehouse folks always gather up and then make video conf with other nation’s presidents and drafting an action plan. Chiwetel Ejiofor gives lengthy lectures with a constipated feeling on his face. Thandane Newton plays as the Prez’s daughter. The Prez refuse to board the Airforce One to go to the Himalayas. He gets killed by an earthquake followed by a giant Tsunami. The same time, the other parts of the world also gets into destruction. Vatican, Jesus, the redeemer in Rio, Eiffel, White House everything vanishes in seconds.. Coz of the huge seismic activity measuring more than 10 on Richter scale. Vegas turns out to be land covered with lava. People who were able to bay 1 billion EURO for a ticket, were allowed to board the ship. Govt makes money even in such conditions. So John Cusack has to find another way to get into the ship to save his kids and wife. They somehow managed to get a Russian millionaire Yuri’s bigger cargo plane carrying his Bentleys and Lamborghinis. Gordon, who always says that he cant fly the thing.. but he ends up in flying everything. Wat a stupid dumbo. Ok anyway it’s a character, however gonna get killed. Hehehe

They reach Himalyas and managed to get to the ship also. And then its hella lota time waited for the movie to get ended. I literally started yawning. Damn it , I went for 10:35 PM show..thinking that I can leave from the theatre by 12 and try get some sleep. But it’s a fking 2 hr 40 mins movie :( with just spl effects. Some dialogues were really good. One such is when the scientist Adrian tells about where the real ‘humanity’ getting lost. But still it didn add any stuff to the movie. Since he still had the same constipated look when he uttered those. Many scenes were predictable , like that Russian chic showing middle finger to Yuri. And dialogues like.."Oh my God, Its comingggggg". Hilarious. I like to watch the making of those scenes and laugh like hell.

The earth’s crust displacement makes the earth change its polarity. South pole goes to Winconsin, US. Giant Tsunamis of 1500 ft comes from both the sides and hit the Himalayas. And some Hollywood /bollywood drama and dialogues at the end and they are on board safely in the ship, after killing Gordon, who gets crushed between wheel gears of the ship’s side anchor door ! Some amount people, some animals, invaluable paintings etc survives the deluge.The same story as that of Noah’s Ark and Manu in Hindu mythology.

The thing doesn stop there. The waters start receding in just 27 days and the survived ppl gets ready to re populate the earth. Aarrrrrrrrrrgggghhh ! Come on! How could such huge amount of ocean water recede in just 27 day when John Cusack’s black suit didn’t get crumple till the movie gets over.?. The sequel to this movie has been made already. Its nothing but 'WALL-E' !

But still, the stuff , Emerich coming to say is really valuable. That the world is coming to an end soon. Of course I knew it when the movies like RACE, Rab Ne Banadi Jodi, Sawariya got released.. Hahaha. Truly guys !! Enjoy the movie. There are zillion of special effects. And don’t say like Rajeev Masand , ‘ I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I still want my ticket money back !’ . Heheh. Lets wait for Dec 21, 2012 to bring an end. Happy Children's Day !! :)

Friday, November 13, 2009

November Rain

Two days of wonderful rainfall.
Raining in November..that too in Mumbai is really strange. Thanks to Global Warming. I enjoyed the November rain. As I always say..Rains are the second thing I love the most in this world. The 7th ODI got washed out. Hope I get my ticket money back. Listening to “November Rain” during November rains is really fascinating!. Anyway it lasted for just 2 days. Nothing lasts for ever..even cold November rain :( . Mumbai always gets cleaned whenever there are showers. The roads get cleaned and the Red Pan stains get washed away. The BEST buses also take a complete water wash. Its always nice to see the kids playing on the stagnant muddy waters and the lovebirds getting wrapped under a single umbrella!. Hmmmm.. I am panting. I just miss someone now ! :-) .

2 Days of nice weather came to an end. The sun said ‘Good morning’. I generally don’t like light entering my room. I felt totally pissed of at the sun for illuminating my room early in the morning itself. I showed a middle finger to it and then drawn the curtains. It showed its wrath back giving a very very hot day after 2 days of its house arrest by the rainy clouds. A cyclone alert after 50 yrs in Mumbai. Many crazy ppl went to sea front to have a look at it. But the cyclone Phyan deceived everyone and disappeared. Thanks to Global Warming once again. Hehe. If u are out there and enjoying rains.. just take some videos and photos of it. And show it to your children and grand children in future. I guess, there wont be any rain at all after some years. I just used the opportunity to get drenched at night while returning from office.

Today, its Friday the 13th. WOW. Its the third time this year. Its spooky spooky day all over. Yeah. Try to go out in the midnight and search for Jason. The movie ‘2012’ getting released today. Getting released on Friday the 13th adds additional significance to this movie. I am planning to go for the movie today to see the world’s destruction on the very first day of the release. I hope the prophecies and the conspiracies related to 2012 come true. "We were Warned", "Apocalypse" , "Its Over". Nice taglines for the movie. If u want some really horror flick for this Friday the 13th, please go ahead with ‘Paranormal Activity’.


November is really a sweet month. While coming to office today, I noticed each and every ppl. How happy they are.?. Teens taking to their boy friends and girl friends. Office goers having a mocking conversation on their managers. Me just sat in the auto looking at all these and closed my eyes..with “Iris” going on in my earphone. I flipped my phone to read some messages and just made my mind to make it happen wat I am wishing for. After all, a promise is a promise. I haven’t thought that playing hide and seek would be such painful. There is always a silence after a storm. Any way, lots to continue on Goa blogs. The next one will be surely more entertaining. Will post this weekend.

Monday, November 9, 2009

And the saga continues..

I dont know whether its a curse or something that India is facing since last decade. They perform well throughout the tournament, but they fail to clinch the series. It happened again..And this time , its in the homeland. Really painful. Sunday's match was a disaster. Indian's top order didn survive even for 1.5 hrs. Hmmm I thought they hired a cab or something and went to Tawang to get the glimpse of Dalai Lama. :). Anyway Dhoni tried to play a responsible innings, but he failed to keep the scorebooard ticking. And yeah..we really miss the WALL. Bring him back.

The indian innings ended with Pravin kumar's finest knock. This person muscling the ball over the boundaries, is really happy to watch. The another person like him is , Dr. Venugopal Rao of Deccan Chargers.. hehe Hitter mania !!. So the Aussies did well on their part and achieved the target. Afterall aussies are not aholes to lose , that too chasing a meagre score of 170. Well, watver happened is happened !. No remorse. The next match will be a really fun to watch.

After the match, I just felt ...'Oh..did i waste a sunday?'. I had a plan of travelling on mumbai local trains throught the day and to take photos at each raillway station name board. Funny huh ?. But still, I dont have a choice !! :).Will make it up in the next week. I had a nostradamus that India will not win the series. But It shouldn have happened in the penultimate match of the series itself. But i personally think such loses will make the BCCI to think before selecting the team for a series. Also the players will realize how important to win a ODI or a TEST series and to climb up the rankings table. Lest we forget this loss. Hope Indians smash the aussies in the final ODI. Nov 11. Nerul Stadium. Here I come !! :).