Ponniyin Selvan 1 Review – Pure Love

When it was announced that the most beloved novel in modern Tamil Literature is going to be made into a movie, 70 years and endless pursuits by countless others, most notably MGR & Kamal Hassan, more than being elated, I was actually relieved. With no disrespects to anyone who tried before, there could be no one better than Manirathnam and no time better than now. Being one of the biggest fans of the novel, he lets Kalki’s vision flow like Ponni at her peak. And that can be seen in every frame of the movie. To put it simply, it is India’s answer to the Lord of the Rings in the sense that it is the most faithful adaptation of an epic novel.

For the few who have not read the books or know what it is about, PS-I tells the story of Chola Empire just before their biggest boom period. It is a complex political drama of Raja Raja Chozhan’s ascendency to the throne and the many plots to make sure that does not happen.

Vallavarayan Vanthiyadevan is not just the main protagonist of the books but he is written in the most envious way ever. He is charming, he is brave, he is slippery, he is virtuous, he is funny and he is fierce. The whole story is seen through his eyes which can only exacerbate the one selected to play it. But Karthi takes it all on and brings about an array of emotions that only a gifted natural actor like him can. Arunmozhi Varman’s poise and might are renowned and Jayam Ravi with his understated acting has managed to bring just that. There could not be a better choice for Adita Karikalan than Vikram and given what is going to happen in the second part, I feel excited about how his take on the upcoming events are going to be. All the seniors have played their part to perfection but the stand out is obviously Jayaram as Azhwarkadiyan Nambi. You will know from reading the books how difficult this casting was going to be but the veteran knocks it out of the park. Nambi & Vanthiyadevan’s chemistry is a strong point of the books and is the same for the movie.

Right! Now for the most important casting choices. Because the men may be the brawn of the story but the brains are most certainly the women, especially the two forces which are both unstoppable and immovable. I was critical of Trisha’s casting as Kunthavai but watching her on the screen was the happiest surprise. Because Kalki’s women are never frail or afraid. They are brilliant, brave, measured and mature. She is all that and carries herself with so much grace and dignity. Trisha’s performance needed to be all of that because of who she is going against, both as an actor and as a character. Shobita Dhulapia as Vaanathi and Aishwarya Lekshmi as Poonguzhali have done justice to their part. But for all that, there is one who stands out. Aishwarya Rai is such an inspired choice for Nandhini that absolutely no one who could have played the role better. She spoke in the promotions about discovering the character during the course of the shoot. Of course, those who have read the book knows how difficult that is. Nandhini is a mystery even for those who have read the book multiple times. She is a cornucopia of human emotions. The way Kalki wrote about her, you cannot define her as anything in particular. Is she the antagonist? Is she evil? Does she use her beauty to get her way? Does she have reasons for certain decisions she makes? Was she right in her own way? Does she really want to bring down the Chola empire? I can go on but that would mean I spoil part 2 for you. The point is, she is all of that and none of that. Kalki’s brilliance lay in how he left her undefined and for us to imagine. Aishwarya Rai is such a tour de force in this part that she too lets you pick and choose. And in whatever way you go, you are justified. Or you’ll simply be enchanted by her beauty like how Vanthiyadevan was in that amazingly shot scene when he sees her through the closing door in her palace. “Don’t get mesmerised by the golden treasures on the way” tells Nandhini to Vanthiyadevan. She looks at her and replies “Why would I be since I have already seen a diamond mine!” Indeed!

Manirathnam! What is there to say about this master and PS is most precious masterpiece. What I loved about him is how much love, care and affection he gave to the original story. There is so much actual history in this fiction. Even most of the character names and titles existed in real life and so are the places. Reference points are in abundance and so is the wrath of the passionate millions who have read the book and are ready pounce on any cues of over indulgence. Thankfully Mani being one of them simply decides that the original story is enough. And thank God for that. There is a sense that scenes were rushed in the beginning but everything falls into place eventually for even non-readers to grasp the context. By the time Vanthiyadevan leaves for Sri Lanka we are in the clear. Manirathnam has poured all of his 4-decade long experience in Ponniyin Selvan that is visible in every frame. The vision, the sets, the locations, the planning, the casting and most importantly the writing are all at the apex as he weaves a magic while crafting this masterpiece.

The technical team is the industry’s highest standards with A R Rahman, Ravi Varman and Sreekar Prasad being the obvious standouts. While Kalki himself wrote songs in the book as ornamental pieces, here they are used to progress the story.

I can see why this movie may not work for a section of audience. It would have been so much easier to take the Baahubali route and make it more fantasy with lots of mass scenes. There is great scope for that in the story. But with all due respects to Baahubali whose success is one of the main reasons why PS got greenlit, this isn’t that. This is more about the brain than about the brawn. There were times by the end of book 4, you wonder how in the world would Kalki finish the book because of how complicated it becomes. But he does, beautifully in the end while also leaving us plenty to think about. Mani has already given a cliff hanger of a finish to PS-I. Given I know the book, I can say for sure that PS-II is going to be 5 times as good as PS-I. It is only going to become more convoluted without being confusing. But it will all make sense in the end.

Having seen countless screen versions of novels that I have read and created my own worlds of it and seen most of them crumble, I can only say this about PS-1. Watching PS-I was like reading the book all over again. And that was the most unique of experiences.

Clear & Obvious: How VAR’s tagline became Liverpool’s marching tone for a historic season

Image Source: LFC Twitter Handle

“This was built on Kenny’s soul and Steven’s legs “, remarked Jurgen Klopp on Sky after Willian’s goal, this time, won the league for Liverpool Football Club. That is why Liverpool are Champions of England. Time and again, Managers have come and gone who, on that unbearable weight of expectation, tried to sway the team away from the city and its character. Then comes a guy who was not from around here, not only stamps his own character on the team but also embodies everything the club and the city stands for. A hard working and passionate set of people who lives and dies by their football club, both sets of colours included. In the modern era it is such a refreshing thing to say that the manager is the best signing the club has made. This was no 198-million-pound signing that was going to change the footballing world. It was an affable German (if ever there was one) who simply asked the fans to believe and pleaded for time to improve. He then set out to do that one giant step at a time. Doing it the right way is one thing. It needs a much bigger term to define what Jurgen Klopp has built at Liverpool. It was methodical, it was ruthless at times and the progress was there to see every step of the way. A cup final here, a big win there, there was hope again for the faithful. Then one night in Kiev changed the footballing world on its head. A Sergio Ramos wrestling match for a final and a supposedly concussed but still worthless otherwise disaster of a goalkeeping performance later, Klopp manages to see the golden sky at the end of the storm. Alisson Becker’s world record move for a goalkeeper becomes the final piece in the jigsaw that was solved for the most part by the then world record move for a defender by Virgil Van Dijk. Then the 40 point swing happens and here we are, notwithstanding the worst pandemic the world has ever seen in a while and all the calls by a certain Null and Void FC, the holy grail that the club could only smell but never touch it is theirs with a 23 point lead with 7 games still to play. No team can ever manage 100 points in a season they said. Here we are after the most heroic of failures at 97 points, at the cusp of a 107-point season. When you haven’t won the league in 30 years, may be this is how you do it. Not scramble over the line but smash it over the park. From doubters to believers to Champions of Europe to Champions of the World to the Champions of England. Liverpool Football Club. Take a bow!

What amazes about this club is how you cannot pick an individual player or a moment as the reason why Liverpool were crowned champions. There is no Aguerooooooh moment, no Vardy party, no signing just for the sake of winning a title for the season as Van Persie’s and no 30-goal striker to define a season. But perhaps the most definitive reason for Liverpool’s title charge was embodied by the captain himself. A scrappy 2-1 win against Spurs and you could see how visibly angry he was at the final whistle barking at his teammates and acknowledging to his gaffer how terrible that performance was, not minding taking this into the dressing room. That was the level demanded by the men in charge and for the most part you can’t define who was in charge either. What a redemption story his has been! On the cusp of joining Fulham as a bit part to bring in Clint Dempsey (That’s right!), to succeeding Steven Gerrard as Captain (That’s right!), his has been a true warrior’s story of blood, sweat and tears. Redemption is a dish best served with trophies. Four in a year should do it doesn’t it?! Henderson, Milner, Van Dijk, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Alisson were all leaders on and off the pitch which explains being mentality monsters came easy for this lot. In an era of over exposed youngsters and twitter feuds and late-night pubs and disciplinary actions, you could not hear a peep about these fellas. There were no shenanigans. Just professionals going about their business. The only other manager who made this sort of environment possible won 13 titles. Le Professeur never regained it after the Vieira era. This is just old school football where the club comes first, and its manager is the final authority on anything and everything.

The gaffer’s penchant not to tinker too much with the first team and a refusal to indulge in individual brilliance means the entirety of that lot takes the plaudits for ribbons turning red on the trophy. Because for Sadio Mane and Mo Salah, there is their conductor in chief Roberto Firmino. For all the accolades the full backs would rightfully receive for their assists and creativity there are the nuclear-powered work horses of the much-maligned midfield. And then there are the Van Dijk and Alisson who have Joel Matip and later Joe Gomez to thank for keeping their lofty standards alive. The bench came good too with Origi, Lallana and Adrian with the most noticeable contributions. So, who is the hero then? Oh, there is that booming laugh from the side lines. That’s who!

For all the records that were and going to be broken during the season, can this side be cast among the greatest of the division? Most certainly not! Because for all the accolades, this team has still only won as many titles as Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City. Yes, this team is certainly is the finished product right now. So much so that they could afford to lose a player as talented and as keen as Timo Werner to their direct rivals and still do not see a par competition next season than currently dethroned champions of England. A forced 100-day break to the much travelled, much accomplished but a much weary team of the past year can now take it easy. Aim to break City 100, bed in the likes of Neco Williams, Curtis Jones, Ki Jana Hover, Harvey Elliot and Takumi Minanino and another freshen up time of a month later, they should be raring to go again without too much of an addition to their well settled squad. But until they at least do an Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester City, they would simply be a one season wonder. May be Michael Edward can provide the swoop of the century and bring in Kevin De Bruyne if Manchester City loses in the Court of Arbitration. Then Liverpool can close their eyes and quadruple their way into history. I am just thinking out loud. But then, WE JUST WON THE LEAGUE! Give us that much! And, the gaffer just made us believe, made us dream, made us Champions. So what do we know!

Petta Review: Here is our Thaialivar!

Rajinikanth’s first dialogue in the movie was “Naan Veezhven Endru Ninaithaayo!” meaning, do you think I will fall? Thalaiva! You never will. There is good reason to it. Just go and see the movie.! If at 69 he can put this much time and effort into a movie, why shouldn’t he be the superstar? In an era of endless battle between Thala and Thalapathy, this is Thalaivar showing why he is the king of the mountain. Because, behind the punch dialogues and style statements is  an honest, hardworking man who cares very much about giving his fans the best entertainment he can. And boy were we entertained! Frame to frame Petta is a celebration of the Rajini we all know and love.

Petta tells the story of a hostel warden who wins everyone’s heart with his charisma and yet there is a mystery around this stranger whose past has come back to haunt him. Behind the romantic, music loving, playful and cheerful warden lies a dark secret and endless sorrow. What would happen if he decides to embrace that side again? If the Plot of Petta sounds similar to Baasha then the entire movie is a tribute to the great Rajini movies we celebrate even today. But where Karthik Subburaj succeeds is everything falls in line with the script and feels fresh which doesn’t reduce this movie as a glorified tribute show.

How do you manage to look this fresh even at 69? Every adulation that his co stars tell him in the movie feels genuine. He sings, he dances, he fights, he delivers punch dialogues, he romances and most importantly, he entertains. In a movie that has a lot of seasoned actors Rajinikanth simply stands tall . He is pretty much in every frame but it never feels like it is too much. The crowd scream at every dialogue, every gesture and everything in between. This is Rajinikanth at his imperious best. Forget the vengeful action part, such was his performance in the scenes with Simran that I am now craving for a full length Romantic Comedy with him at the lead. That would be something.

There is much less space for any other actor  to shine in this Rajini extravaganza. Nawazuddin Siddique and Vijay Sethupathi are two of the finest actors in the country right now. So there is a sense of injustice that this movie does nothing to showcase their enormous talent. Nawazuddin Siddique’s Singhar Singh may not be a Mark Antony but he does manage to carve a niche for himself as vengeful, calculating and sneaky. That performance at the end of his sister’s baby shower shows all you need to know about the man that the whole of India celebrates as their best character actor. Vijay Sethupati would have done this role with his eyes closed. There are flashes of his acting here and there but his fans will feel right to have been let down. But watch the movie closely and you will see how much Rajini admires Vijay Sethupathi. Of the heroines it’s Simran who manages more footage and their chemistry shines bright.

If Iraivi was his finest directorial movie, then this movie should project Karthick Subburaj into the big leagues. If Shankar was more about trying to utilize Rajini’s marketability and Pa Ranjith’s was all about trying to get the actor out of a superstar, then Karthick’s is the perfect cocktail. There is an intelligent film maker inside a massive Rajini fan. He doesn’t just capture Rajinism but serves it to us in a 7 course meal. He is unfazed by the challenge of trying to handle the superstar’s enormous stardom. Better yet, he utilises it as a vehicle to make a ride that Rajini fans 20 years for (Padayappa, the last quintessential Thalaivar movie was released in 1999). The inevitable Karthik Subburaj twist happens in the climax and when it happens, you would not have seen it coming. Some double cross that and by who!!! The technical team is excellent too and especially Anirudh and Thiru.

If I have a bone to pick with then it has got to be about the little surprises and potentials that the directors never really explored in the movie. Be it the romance of Rajini and Simran or having Rajini and Vijay Sethupathi in the same screen or the Rajini and Nawazuddin Siddique coming face to face, there was so much potential to be explored. But everything was swept aside in the Thalaivar Wave. As a fan it is not really a complaint but if handled a little better the movie would have been a true critic choice masterpiece.

Why do I care? I went for a Superstar movie and I got one. I came back happy. Isn’t that all we want? Isn’t that his No 1 motive. To entertain his fans? His final dialogue in the movie was “Indha attam poduma kozhandai?” meaning, is this enough? No Thalaiva.! Our hunger is now greater than ever. You have showed that there is no bad time to be Rajinified. Please don’t stop now!

Chekka Chevantha Vaanam Review: Mani Rathnam returns to his masterful best in this intense and densely populated gangster flick

As the old adage goes, you can write the story of this movie behind a movie ticket. A don is on his death bed following an attack on his life and his three sons fight for his place. But Mani Rathnam, the master that he is, weaves a screenplay (along with Siva Ananth)  so dense that he doesn’t let you settle into a character or hang on to a moment throughout the movie. Only in the end would you be able to sit back and think about the hows and whys. By that time you are thoroughly entertained especially by the performances of its lead cast and some stunning cinematography by another master of his trade, Santhosh Sivan.

The way Mani chose to handle the power struggle within the three sons was through violence. But you couldn’t but help think about similar power struggles happening in business and political families throughout the country. In here, the writer in him wakes up to portray the complexities in relationships within those families and their friends. Personal gains take precedence over family and how it affects the whole family was shown through the women in the movie. The mother of the warring brothers is helpless to prevent it from happening while the wives take the brunt of their husband’s greed. Mani Rathnam doesn’t shy away from showing the women as weak bystanders to the men’s power struggle because he isn’t showing something that is not happening in that society. Simply showing them as strong also won’t make any sense. Among the women in the movie it is Jyothika who comes up with the strongest performance.

A multi starrer cast can be detrimental to its own good if not handled properly. But this is where Mani Rathnam comes to the fore. Of the four central characters none of them seems to have come out the stronger or the weaker. They have all had equal importance and all four had delivered performances worthy of it. Why Aravind Swamy remains the go to man for Mani Rathnam is reflected in every movie he does with him. From Collector Arjun to Varadha he has been an epitome of a typical Mani Rathnam characterization who reflects the story rather than hogging the limelight. That confession scene to Jyothika in the hospital is enough to write about his performance. Arun Vijay is an honest actor ready for the big time and it doesn’t get any bigger than Mani Rathnam. In a role which was supposed to be done by Fahad Fasil he comes up trumps with his flair. Great to see him get a level role which he has justified. Despite the frustrations that one might have with Silambarasan and his choices as an actor and a not so famous temperament, it is easy to see why he is still held in high regard. There is a great character actor in Silambarasan behind the star that is STR and this is his best performance since Vinnaithandi Varuvaya. The scenes with his mother and the climax is where he hits top form. There aren’t many actors like Vijay Sethupathi. In fact in Tamil Cinema he is the one and the only actor who could fit into any role. And it’s not like he is all method. He simply lets his personality slip through any character he plays and lets us travel with him because he reminds us of someone we know. There are not stars to him. To be honest this is not even his best work, but he is so effortless and easy on the eye that I wish the great Balachander was alive today because if he was, he would have loved to write great characters for this remarkable actor. Prakashraj is also at ease in his role as the don, a role he could have done it with his eyes closed.

Of the technicians the true standout is Santhosh Sivan with some stunning visceral work, be it the grandeur of Dubai, the beauty of Serbia or the dustiness of Chennai, Aditi’s and Vijay Sethupathi’s house and capping it all in the climax at Gandikota, the backdrop perfect for what unfolded in the end. A.R. Rahman is at his best while working with Mani Rathnam and this is yet another example. Sreekar Prasad has also done a great job in putting the scenes together not letting the galaxy of actors get to our minds.

Despite staying honest to its core of three brothers and their power struggle some of the questions regarding the women in the family remains a mystery especially of Jyothika’s fate and the killing of Silambarasan’s young wife. Also, it doesn’t escape the fact that you can still hear the sound of bullets after coming out of the theatre. Mani Rathnam is known to travel deep into his characters and yet in Chekka Chevantha Vanam it feels like he has let the guns do the talking. May be he is balancing it out as a commercial director (his own admission as one) from the previous critically acclaimed but box office duds in Raavan, Kadal, OK Kanmani and Katru Veliyidai. But despite all that he has stamped his class throughout the movie which separates it from just another gangster movie.

Avengers Infinity War Review: Marvel’s Superherogasm ticks the right boxes.

There are reasons why DC Fans don’t look too kindly at Marvel. Too non serious for their liking. But even the most ardent of DC fans have to acknowledge the fact that this Marvel’s Superhero extravaganza is a true masterpiece in how to contextualize what has been an enthralling first 10 years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Avengers – Infinity War is the best directed Marvel movie till date behind Captain America Civil War and it is not a surprise that both are directed by Joe and Anthony Russo.

Staying true to its title, Infinity war is quite literally the war for the 6 infinity gems that which put in an Infinity Gauntlet can destroy the Universe and one of select few who can wield it, Thanos is in procession of it and on his way to earth along with his black order to retrieve the remaining gems. Standing in his way are the Avengers, fresh from feuding with themselves and scattered with no trace of each other. Will the Mad Titan succeed or will the heroes put aside their differences and stand together against the man hell bent on destroying half the universe.

It is not every day that a performance review begins with a movie’s villain. But such was Thanos’ belligerence that there is no other place he goes but to the top. What an inspired casting. The first time his name was revealed as the actor playing the mad titan a lot of fans went “Meh”. No disrespects to the academy award nominee but the news didn’t exactly set the internet on fire. But the way he has managed to understand the depth of the character giving it layers for us fans to explore is just magical. His quest does not come across as simply madness but a method behind it and an unassailable belief in what he is trying to do. It is clear that every other actor has grown into their roles so effectively that it is just a treat to see them play off each other so well. The clusters of Iron Man-Dr Strange-Spiderman, Thor and the Guardians and finally the rest of them in Wakanda is worked out to perfection. In a ensemble as large as this, it would have been forgiven if someone was forgotten in the shuffle but everybody feel important and that’s largely possible because of how well its written.

What is impressive about the Russo brothers is they kept their belief on the fans’ knowledge of the MCU and by refusing to spoon feed they have really gone for the kill in exploiting the depth of each character arcs and infusing a much needed darkness to the series. The comedy is well blend in and does not take out the seriousness of the plot unlike Thor Ragnarok which completely lost it in my opinion. The movie also gloriously stays away from being forced into it for the sake of it (Cue: Game of Thrones Season 7) There may be a lot of confused casual fans but I think it is ultimately a good thing because the thickness of the plot would only make them watch the previous movies more.

There aren’t really much to pick with what they could have done better but certainly Peter Dinklage’s Eitri is certainly one of them. The guy is so versatile that he feels a bit wasted. Also Red Skull’s role as the guardian of the soul stone feels more like a moment to make us excited for that second. Also, why waste Vision? I get it that they wanted to extract the mind stone without destroying him but it felt out of place to see one of the most powerful avenger there is not a part of the great war especially with how it all transpires for him in the end. Perhaps the biggest of them all is the climax and what happens with Thanos’ purpose. If they wanted us to believe in it a little more they really shouldn’t have gone with the way they did with which avengers they picked as victims. Even a casual fan knows that all of them has a sequel coming up and it is really not rocket science to know the plot of Avengers 4. Where have they all gone is a more mysterious one but in my opinion most likely in the space within the soul gem where Thanos meets a young Gamora just before the snap. Tell me Avengers 4 is not about the original Avengers with the help of Eitri re-forging the infinity gauntlet which now looks destroyed in Thanos’ hand to recreate the events and reclaim their younger mates in an epic battle where Captain Marvel, Thanos’ arch nemesis destroys him and restores the Universe to its rightful place. I dare you!

But where Avengers Infinity War stands out is how well the character arch’s of almost all of their central characters has been utilized, the rightful reliance of audience knowledge thereby making the plot more intriguing and proving a platform for how to finish a journey on a high.

Thor – Ragnarok Review: Marvel’s emphasis on moments over script will hurt them

There is a scene in the movie where Thor and Hulk try to identify themselves onboard the Quinjet with the word “Strongest Avenger”. I think henceforth The Hulk must be called the “Funniest Avenger”. It was funny when The Hulk smashed Loki like washing clothes in the Avengers. It is funnier when he does the same to Thor but it does begs the question, is Marvel looking to create more moments than a gripping and engaging script. It’s funny and some of the 3D work is stunning but if Marvel continue to make laughing stock out of their super heroes then The Infinity Wars will not be a landmark as it is supposed to be.

Thor Ragnarok is an extravagant journey from start to finish about the prophecy that destroys Asgard. Thor’s elder sister Hela, the goddess of death comes back to extract revenge on her father who banished her and literally covered up all her traces under the Odin treasure room. On top of that Odin is missing and Loki is blamed for it. That itself is a compelling plot with a lot of family history and two of the greatest actors of our generation in Anthony Hopkins (Odin) and Kate Blanchett (Hela) with a potential face off that could have become a signature moment, not just in the movie but also in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with Odin’s dark side to the fore and establishing Hela as a villain with a cause. But what should have been compelling storytelling turned into moments that stands out here and there but stitch them together and it becomes a dud.

Chris Hemsworth seems to grow into the character of Thor but it takes the character’s depth away when he decided to play it with a comic undertone especially after the death of his father, a vengeful sister and the prophecy to wipe out Asgard for good. Tom Hiddleston is brilliant as usual as Loki. His character has so many shades to it that it’s hard to imagine anyone doing it better than the Brit. I think the reason why Cate Blanchett decided to play Hela is that she wanted to have some fun. This double Oscar winner never seems to break a sweat and sweeps the role with ease. Anthony Hopkins seems to be at ease as Odin, so is idris Elba as Heimdall. Jeff Goldblum has made the Grandmaster character his own, pouring his unique style into the role. Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk feels like there is more to the character than just an enraged monster. Tessa Thompson is a refreshing addition to the MCU as the badass Valkyrie while Karl Urban does what is required of Skurge. There are delightful cameos from Benedict Cumberbatch, Sam Neil, Luke Hemsworth and Matt Damon who is making it a habit of surprising cameos after Interstellar.

It remains to be seen what the MCU is trying to achieve with this not so serious treatment of an otherwise engaging story. Taika Waititi, the New Zealand director has sprinkled the movie with special and memorable moments. I thought Doctor Strange was refreshing and the next step in the MCU but this I feel, although refreshing in other ways, does not suit the heavy core of the movie. But stunning visuals and delightful performances will make Thor: Ragnarok a must watch and Marvel fans will watch it out of habit and for continuity since 2008’s Iron man if not for anything else.  

Katru Veliyidai Review: Mani Rathnam buries his plot in the Himalayan ice and lets us search for it

Pic Courtesy: Google

It is ironical that the greatest screen writer-filmmaker of our generation is also, in his own words, a commercial movie director. Mani Rathnam never hides that. In fact he embraces it. His characters always comes across as suave and sophisticated and yet after this particular offering, one wonders if he ever thought that his audience could be the same. Beyond the breathtaking visuals, poetic music, Bharathiyar and all the love is a plot that Mani buries deep in the snow and we end up wandering the barren tundra searching for it.

Set in the back drop of the mighty Himalayas during the Kargil War of 1999, Katru Veliyidai follows the love story of Varun, a life taking fighter pilot and Leela, a life saving doctor. The opposites doesn’t end there. He is narcissistic while she bats for treating women equality or at the very least, recognition. They argue at every level and yet couldn’t shake off their love for each other. All this make up for a fascinating story that could have been told with arguments that would shake up the very make up of this society. But Mani lets everything loose with an unpredictable screenplay that changes like the Kashmiri weather.

In a world where the line between black and white is increasingly blurry, Mani is able to conceive a ‘hero’ who in the words of his girl “either treats me like a princess or walk over me”. Yet, he does recognize what is making him less of a man and wants to make amends. But how many chances will he get from a girl who is stunning, confident and intense. She falls for his charm but is mature enough to understand his flaws and yet couldn’t control herself from falling in love with him over and over again. Does she take his promises to change blindly? There is strength in her character but for how long? How is she able to forgive his abusive manners just like that? In the end, the answer is Love. However old the notion sounds, there is no other tangible explanation for both behaving the way they do and yet end up they way they did. It is in fact Love where, along with the other plot carrier War, everything is fair.

For an actor of Karthi’s talents this isn’t the most difficult character to pull off but after Paruthiveeran and Madras, this is his finest performance. However, the real revelation is Aditi Rao Hydari. The struggling Bollywood actress could have permanently sealed a place in the south putting her heart and soul to a role that could very well add some trophies to her cabinet during the next award season. R J Balaji’s role was pretty close to his one word summary of his meeting with Mani Rathnam for the part, “Nice”.

You could see why Mani chose Kashmir and Kargil as his conduits to tell this story, The ever changing landscape of the region and the circumstances of war makes for the perfect metaphor. Yet in some ways, it also lets you forget the fundamental flaws in the movie’s writing. You get a sense of climbing Mt. Everest and yet had to return before the Hillary step. So Close! Ravi Varman’s cinematography blends so closely with the story and Rahman is as majestic with his music as the mountain itself.

Why Mani Rathnam left the questions unanswered is anybody’s guess. But the impact those questions have on you could very well be what he intended. And therein lies his genius. Leaving some things to audience’s interpretation is what any intelligent director would do but the desired effect happens only if the plot is thick and the writing strong. It is those areas that Katru Veliyidai falls short. The air is thin as you climb. Again, a metaphor!

Wrestlemania 33 Reaction & The Road Ahead: What were you thinking Vince?

Vince Mcmahon, Oh you demented arsehole.! I know Vince can be an ass sometimes with his bookings (Remember the Invasion!) but this must be his greatest failure yet. How would you explain retiring the one person most synonymous with your greatest show in that fashion. Oh that's right! Put him against a guy who has been a massive failure in your attempts to baby face him and clearly can't work a proper match with an ageing superstar. And what's up with a two week (no) build up to that retirement? You Goddamn Maniac! The Undertaker's loss to Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 33 is the most clearest of all indications that WWE has completely lost it in the way they book matches in a night filled with so many mis-matches. With not a single 5 star match on the card and part time wrestlers made to look great, this could be the beginning of the end of WWE if they don't learn from what is one of the worst Wrestlemanias ever. 

Vince's success lies with the arrogance that we as fans would still be watching any bullcrap he is making us do because there is no alternative. TNA is alright but never the level of competition WCW posed to the then WWF during the monday night wars. And so he thought he would put Roman Reigns against the Undertaker with two weeks of build up in what would be Taker's last bloddy mania match. The match itself was so bad and not even close to main event material. Mark Calloway is old and clearly cannot do any of the heavy duty stuff that he is known for which is why you need an opponent who knows how to carry the other person. Cena, HHH, AJ Styles could all be better candidates than Roman 'Boring' Reigns. When Jim Ross walked out to commentate it was pretty sure that this could be it but atleast give him a match worthy of an exit. Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels did not have to have to put over anyone and ended up with the most memorable farewell matches ever. Undertaker deserved that after all he did for the company.

The rest of the match card failed even before it even began. Except for the return of the Hardy Boys which was mental, none of the matches felt like Mania worthy. Sure the fatal four way for the women's title was alright along with HHH Vs Seth Rollins and so was Kevin Owen's vs Chris Jericho but if WWE has to move forward then they have to start giving their goddamn title matches more importance. Lesner Vs Goldberg could have happened even without the title on the line and Randy winning it was expected. But title matches ending in less than 15 minutes combined for both is just plain bollocks. They wasted AJ Styles and John Cena in unwanted matches. There was no underdog moment that makes for a great Wrestlemania Moment like Bryan's crowning glory at Mania 30 or Chris Benoit and Eddie Gurrero hugging at the end of Wrestlemania 20. There were no technical masterpieces like Michaels vs Angle at Mania 21 or the sheer showmanship and story telling of Micheals vs Taker or Taker vs HHH, the end of an era match. 

It now begs the question on how WWE is going to promote their brand now? More part timers stealing the show from the ones who bust their ass day in and day out? Despite being the last genuine attraction in the WWE, Brock Lesner needs to out the title down even if it is against Roman Reigns if he is still going to be a part timer. A champion needs to be there for every Raw. AJ Styles needs to be back in the title hunt. Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn, Finn Balor, Samoa Joe are all exciting and so is Shinsuke Nakamura who needs to come to smackdown in my opinion and restart his great rivalry with Styles. WWE has some very exciting talents in store but evil Vince or any of his halfwit writers needs to step it up. Strong story lines, great storytelling and memorable matches were their thing. Now they have to start all over again.

The Jayalalitha That I Will Miss

It's hard not to shed a tear or two when a personality of this magnitude passes. You may not see eye to eye on everything, but there is respect that goes far beyond the differences. I had hated Jayalalitha's merriment when her comrades, irrespective of gender and age falling at her feet. I had criticized her arrogance on certain decisions, specially her attempt to convert what is South Asia's biggest library into a hospital just because it was M.K Stalin's Brain Child. It was annoying whenever I saw kilometers of posters of her all along the while going to secretariat or party office. But beyond all that when I had tears rolling down my cheeks as I watch one news channel after another, it was pretty clear. She was a colossus who defied every odd that was thrown against her and strolled head high as the iron willed lady in an era of politics that was defined by male chauvinism. Her loss will be felt even more in the near future when that chauvinist disease comes creeping back and you find nobody in the vicinity who could fight it the way she did. On top of it, she was a Kannadiga Brahmin women who took the reigns of a Pro-Dravidian party not because of influence but because every one their supporters wanted her to do so. Oh the inside battles that she won!

It wasn't that she rose to the highest post in the state by virtue of her own effort. She did have the support of the great Mr. MGR, nurtured by him and took over the party that he left behind. But her political legacy lies in the way she fought the countless obstacles that came her way. From being thrown off MGR's funeral convoy to be taken in a similar convoy and laid next to his mentor, she conquered everything. It's hard to imagine anyone, gender irrelevant, who could have survived and had the will to continue after what she went through. The spat with V.N. Janaki, the saree grabbing incident in the secretariat in '89, the 48 cases lodged after the error-ridden reign of '91-'95, The Tansi Case & the recent property cases would take anyone's breath away, literally. She broke all that didn't she! Put aside the political gimmicks that are inevitable part of the modern day political landscape, some of the schemes of her's deserve special mention. The Cradle scheme in '91 that arrested the rampant female foeticide, Rain water harvesting in '01, Amma Unavagam in 2011, Including the Supreme Court's decision to release Cauvery water in Governement Gazette  stands out as her best work. 

But my admiration for Ammu goes beyond her political achievements. It's J. Jayalalitha, the person that fascinated me. While serving the people has always been one of her ambitions, inside her was a child that longed for something else. A brilliant student, a trained singer and an excellent dancer, she wanted to pursue a career in all forms of arts. All she wanted was to be with her mom when she was gowing up and yet Sandhya was so busy making a living for a young Jaya that she never had the time for her daughter. She started acting against her wishes and thrust into politics against her will. I guess more than anything it's her struggles that made her what she is. if not for them she would have quit being a politician long time back. With every struggle came the determination to prove herself and get on top of that situation and life had a way of throwing one situation after another at her. Eventually she made her life as one of defying struggles and died a fighter. But is this what she really wanted? Not Really! All she craved for was a family but never had a chance for one. It's the one thought that kept coming to me. If she had a family, they could have fought harder for her because although she was ill for 75 days the timing just does not seem right. There was a sense of incompleteness that gripped my heart when I saw the last ride.

We all know the strong willed personality that she is but few know that gentle beating heart inside her. You could see that when she visited her best friend Cho Ramasamy who passed away as I was writing this. The video that showed her saying "It's gonna be alright" to him may be the most simplest thing but it showed a side we haven't seen in a while. We saw her in her most relaxed during M.S Vishwanathan's tribute. There was a moment when somebody joked and she had that candid, beautiful smile on her face that I will remember forever. She has a library of 10000 books in her house and used to kick back with a book every night after a hard day's work. There are stories of how she used to test drive cars in her Kodanad estate. She was a bad patient, just like us you know. She had an enormous liking for sweets and cashews and refused to not eat them even after being diagnosed with Diabetes. You could see the child, stubborn, adamant and stupid. If only there was a family to whack the child, we could have seen more of her. But the thng that I admire the most apart from her beauty is her command over the English languauge which just like her beauty was flawless and effortless. Bishop Cotton and Church Park! The old Matriculation Standard! As a child, her speeches in English were a true inspiration for me to love the language the way I do now. Thanks Ammu for that!

it's so heartening to see that the best of tributes for her came from none other than their arch rivals DMK. Years of battle back and forth and some bitter moments and yet, the respect in the end. Here is what one of them wrote, a truly fitting tribute this.

"Even though you stood against us, we were proud that we were facing a lioness.
We always wanted you to not rule but never wished for you to not live!"

R.I.P Ammu!

My Captain And What He Means To Me

It's 3.30 in the morning. It's my wife's birthday. I am sitting in the living room with her and a bunch of her friends who had travelled a great deal to be with her on her day. It's an absolutely wonderful atmosphere filled with love and laughter. I log in to facebook to see updates that her friends had posted for her and yet I coudn't but notice that my newsfeed is filled with one name, Steven Gerrard. I had a few rounds of my favorite Scotch Whiskey on the rocks, I am a little high but I coudn't help but pen this piece on my captain. Honestly I don't want to be left out when all my friends supporting the great Liverpool Football Club is writing their tributes for their recently retired talisman even though he hung up his boots some thousand miles away from his home at Anfield. That's what my captain means to me. No matter the situation my captain makes me to write about him. My captain, the great Steven Gerrard. The laughter in my living room is not a distraction, not even close. I am in my own world now. My wife is in her own world and she doesn't mind either. 

Growing up in a country in an era that idolises individuals rather than the team, it was academic for me to follow a superstar when I first started following football. To be frank, it wasn't Steven Gerrard of Liverpool that captivated me, but that smiling assasin and the coolest and the greatest striker to have ever played, Alan Shearer. The knack for goal even with his back turned and that raised hand celebration simply captivated me. My first hero in Liverpool wasn't the all action midfielder either, it was another smiling albeit a bit selfish assasin, Michael Owen. How can a player be so cool when surrounded by 5 other opposition players in the box, I asked myself. Yet beyond all the fascination rose a man who did something to me that even those two greats couldn't do! He made me follow the beautiful game for the rest of my life. That you Steven Geroge Gerrard. He is my hero, my captain, my leader, my inspiration and he epitomized everything that I come to love about Football.

Enough was said about THAT Champions League campaign which included the oh so repeated Olymiakos goal, HIS FA Cup final at Cardiff and his loyalty to his boyhood club. But beyond all this I have come to love a man whose earliest memory of him that I had was a celebration after scoring a goal against that had him ignore his teammates and point towards himself as if to make a point that he is the man. I asked myself, who is this arrogant and selfish guy? Little did I know!!! 

I was fortunate enough to see Tendulkar play, bailing India out of a situation day in and day out. I had never imagined another sports person who was as dedicated to the sport and team he played for and that too in a sport as team oriented as football. It just so happened that he played in a team like Liverpool, that most family like club that you would ever see. It just fits. A club like family and a homegrown player to lead them out of the tunnel. Looking back now and there is only one fitting explanation for his brief flirtation with Chelsea, that he is human after all. Perhaps England would have benefitted from the two icons forming a formidable partnership both at Stamford Bridge and Wembley. But the legend was well and truly born when he told Rick Parry to remove the release clause from his contract after much media speculation that put an ever so small dent on that glorious return from Istanbul. 

He was there you know, pretty much everywhere. He was there with that spectacular goal against Manchester United. He was there with THAT celebration against Everton so early in his career that put them in their place. He didn't want to wake up in the Europa League, so he was there with "Gerraaaaard! What the hit son, What a hit!". "European Champions and this time it's for keeps" happened because he rose against everybody to head in that captain's goal. He had no energy but still conjured a "Gerrard Oh! Ohhhhhh!" to pull an absolute rabbit out of the hat and a celebration that made us say "We know the name Son!" Steven Gerrard and Andy Gray (An Evertonian of all people!) are football's version of Sachin Tendulkar and Tony Grieg. They made each other's carrers in more ways than one.

That he managed to do all this for 19 years with only three years of world class teams around him in the treble winning season, the title chasing teams lead by the brilliance of Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez makes his that more special. Not to reign on his parade but I wonder how much Frank Lampard would have dragged and achieved with an underachieving Chelsea team. Perhaps Zizu was right after all! He must just be up there with those two aliens who are playing in Spain right now. 

It is heartening to see that despite giving his life for the club, there is more he wants to offer for the club in a managerial role. Some people just don't know when to stop, do they! I really can't put a finger to why I support this great club. But I am greatful I did because I got to follow a man who continues to inspire me as a leader, even in my obscure job officiating a bank branch in a small town in northern Tamilnadu. The lives he can touch! Purely on a footballing perspective we may never find another Gerrard, Carragher. Totti, Maldini, Terry, Scholes, Giggs and the likes. Perhaps Harry Kane if Tottenham can keep up. It was a pleasure to have watched football during their times. The time of Men rather than the "brace my hair and I will fall down holding my knee and crying like a baby" footballers of today.

When I used to frequent a self-order cafe, I used to always pick token no 8 whenever it is available because it is his jersey number. Then for a birthday, a friend of mine made a puzzle that answer for which the answer is No 8 and the gift was with the cafe manager who was holding the token. That's how I rememeber my captain. By talking about him even to non football loving people. I will remember him everytime I type in my password. I will remember Steven Gerrard, for the rest of my life as the best footballer I have ever witnessed. And I will make sure that in all the footballing conversations that I will ever have, I will hold that thought. That will be my tribute to him.

Movie Review: Doctor Strange – Has Soul Searching Marvel Found Their Key to Survival?

Every movie franchise needs a rebirth at some point. Christopher Nolan’s storytelling changed the way we look at superhero movies forever with that kind of conflict that rips our understanding of right and wrong. DC may have done the reverse of it with the utterly terrible Batman Vs Superman, Dawn of Justice. But Marvel seems to have turned a page from their formulaic action extravaganzas to formulaic magical extravaganzas. I use the word formulaic because despite the soul searching that the franchise undergoes along with Dr Strange, it is the writing that lets it down.

Doctor Strange follows that life of Dr Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) an arrogant but brilliant neurosurgeon who loses his way after a terrible accident. In search of an eastern cure, he unwittingly falls into the hands of the Ancient One (Tilda Swindon) who along with Master Mondo (Chiwetel Edjiafor) transforms Dr Strange into a universe saving sorcerer by introducing him to dimensions that defy time and space. And when the inevitable threat comes to earth it was up to the trio to save it from falling into darkness.

Robert Downey Jr must be pissing himself at the sight of Benedict Cumberbatch. If he though he nailed the role of World’s famous detective, out came Cumberbatch with his version of Sherlock Holmes that blew the audience away. Now Downey Jr’s title as the best Marvel Cast member might be at threat with Englishman stealing the show as Dr Strange with an arrogant, narcissistic yet lovable, goofy and funny portrayal. There may be shades of Sherlock to it but only just. He mesmerizes us with a performance that shifts from self-centred arrogance to a world saver without essentially losing the soul upon which the character is developed. And yes, that smile! How long before he stars in a timeless romantic flick?

Though originally not conceived in the comics as a Celtic sorcerer, Tilda Swinton as the ancient one steals the show with a measured performance that resonates with the very purpose of the movie. Chiwetel Edgiafor has done far more challenging roles so this is a cake walk for the talented actor. Mads Mikkelson doesn’t do a lot of mainstream Hollywood movies but when he does it stands out like the Bond Villain in Casino Royale, the series Hannibal and now as Caesillius. Benedict Wong and Rachel McAdams has limited screen space but that does not stop from leaving an impression.

Doctor Strange might just be the template upon which Marvel could continue its cinematic existence. Here they have moved into a darker territory and the sort of concepts that stimulates the modern movie going geeks. There is humour that goes extremely well written for the characters and doesn’t look forced. Originally conceived in the 60’s, the writers have done well to introduce modern concepts of physics to enchant the modern intellect and enough spiritual material to appeal to the family audience. The special effects stay close to the movie’s time and space bending concepts. Yet there are some inevitable flaws that they could not correct. The screenplay follows an extremely tried and tested path and sometimes overbearing of CGI that could take the focus off storytelling. There is an instant comparison to Nolan’s Batman Begins that follows a similar trajectory of a talented lost man in search for his soul in the orient and Inception inspired CGI although others may argue that Nolan stole the original idea from the comic itself.

Marvel after Infinity Wars could have been a stretch given the orgy of stars and that sort of final battle that could make a successful movie franchise and force their audience into submission. But with an alternative look to its thinking, Marvel might have found a way beyond that with Doctor Strange. 

Match Report: Liverpool Vs Manchester United, Barclays Premier League, Anfield

Ah you Mourinho! It is in these fixtures that he lightens up to become the party pooper. He set it up and he delivered spectacularly. The moment United went into the break not able to score after all their pressing, it was quite clear he will order a shutdown and his players executed it all so well. Make no mistake, it wasn’t a boring draw and it’s not like Liverpool played badly. If you look at the game from a defensive perspective, it was an excellent game for both the team’s defenders except perhaps Lorius Karius who looked pretty suspect. David De Gea is the best goalkeeper in the world by a country mile. The fact that he chose to stay without Champions League football only increases my respects for him. And one midfielder controlled the game and that was Ander Herrera who wasn’t exactly playing in his best position. But a great performance from the Spaniard and a deserved Man of the match.

Enough of United, where did we make the mistakes? Well, they were not bad but United stifled Liverpool so effectively that one man was missed more than ever. Adam Lallana’s introduction galvanised the team so much that one only wonders what would have happened had he started. I might be going on a limb here but Klopp really needs a couple of more players who should be in tune with that midfield to not miss a player. Emre Can did not particularly have a good game losing the ball a lot and a lot of defensive passes that got into the Anfield crowd’s nerves. But the biggest disappointment of the night was Sadio Mane. Again, Mourinho and his instructions were very clear to Daley Blind. Don’t lose Mane and he did just that. Too many slips and misplaced passes. Klopp was right in his post-match comments that Liverpool were not calm enough.

There is one case that is very puzzling these days and that’s one of Daniel Sturridge. He had an excellent game against Leicester despite not scoring a goal, making the right runs and creating chances for others. But these days he just seems too moody. Either him or Klopp needs to realize that he needs a change of attitude or this could very well be his last season. Title chasing teams cannot afford players who are on and off. It’s one thing that Liverpool did not find him enough but he is not a Balotelli or a Benteke isn’t he? He needs to be more involved too when he does not have the ball.

From a defensive perspective, it was a pretty good game with Matip and Lovren more than handling the threat of Ibrahimovic, Rashford and Pogba. But Karius still looks very suspect. I guess Klopp gave this start not to dent his confidence and the clean sheet should springboard him for better performances. 

Tactically, it’s a game that United won fair and square. For Liverpool it should feel like a loss but there is no need for dropping shoulders because now that Liverpool has played the big teams except Manchester City, it should not hurt them as much. But Jurgen Klopp should deal with the exact same problem I mentioned after the Burnley and Swansea game when teams counter Liverpool in their own game. It just seems like a perfect template to stop Liverpool attacks. That would determine where Liverpool finish in the league.

5 Years a Banker – The Story of a misfit who flourished

Sometimes in life, it just happens. There are no explanations, not even a warning signal. About 5 years ago, a slightly nervous yet excited young man stared at the “Allahabad Bank – Vellore Branch” board for a full minute before walking into the manager’s cabin. It was his first day at work as a probationary officer. He was not related in any way to the field to have chosen it as a career path (Expect that his dad was a banker), having graduated it Bioinformatics and worked in a corporate giant like Wipro (albeit for a few months). Yet somehow it all just clicked for no reason at all. This is not just my story but could be related to any of the hundreds and thousands of youngsters who join this grand old industry.

Part of the reason why I joined a mid-tier bank like mine despite having offers from two other highly ranked banks is what I thought would be a moderately good working culture. And boy was I right! Especially with the kind of people I got to work with and more specifically my fellow officers. I have never called myself as a complete banker, probably never will. And a lot of my fellow mates have been more surprised than the people who recruited me on why I am in this field. It’s true that I am bit of a misfit in this industry not only because of my background but also because of my interests that could vary from writing to making a movie (all of which my job allowed me to do). But two things made me stay put and enjoy my work. One is that I have always done what my heart told me to and second is undoubtedly my fellow officers. You see, it can be mildly frustrating (to put it mildly) to answer basic doubts from a fellow officer who has been here for more than 3 years. But that’s what I did. God knows how frustrating it can be. But they all had a smile on their face and a willingness to help me no matter what. That’s not easy to find and I am incredibly lucky that way. And it’s not every day that you sit down with your managers at the end of a hard day’s work and talk travel, literature and exchange books. That’s dream if you ask me.

It frustrates me when sometimes people look down of a bank job but it also amuses me on how less people know how good it can be. Yes, there is pressure and yes there is work and lots of it and every branch is always under staffed. But the greatest thing that being a banker had done to me is that I never had a phobia of Mondays. It just doesn’t make any sense to me when I see people post about Mondays because there had not been a single time where I thought “Oh My God! It’s a Monday!” The fact that I am writing this on a Monday evening says a lot. There is a lot of work but it’s never monotonous. There is pressure but there is also satisfaction. The sense of achievement that you get when you make some stranger’s life better is unparalleled. This is say despite working exclusively as an urban banker. It multiplies exponentially if you are a rural banker. This is a field where its personnel actually make a difference to the society. It’s not a “Facebook will pay 1 dollar for every like” world. This is the real deal and it’s tremendously satisfying to be an agent of actual change.

It just felt right to write this because my friends in banking proved me wrong you know. I never thought I will find these many good folks in my line of work given that I work in an office that has 10 people. There is great camaraderie and respect. There is hardly any rivalry even when appearing for promotions together and a genuine sense of happiness when a fellow officer is promoted and a responsibility to get everyone up to the next level. I mean, name one corporate where you can find mates like this. I may not end up retiring as a banker but whatever time that I spend here will most definitely be some of the most special years of my life and I have my mates to thank for. 

The Revenant – Welcome to Hell, on Paradise

Very few movies provide its audience one particular experience that can only be given by a book, getting lost into it. While other movies let us watch the story unfold, these select few let us be part of it. We struggled to differentiate reality and a dream state (Inception), we felt grateful to have touched the soil after passing enormous hardships to get back to ground from outer space (Gravity). Likewise, we have now felt pain, hunger, anger and solitude in a barren tundra and know what it is like to be left to die alone. There have been a lot of Man Vs Nature movies before but none have left us this beaten and bruised as Alejandro Innaritu’s exceptionally shot, The Revenant.

Legendary Rocky Mountain Frontiersmen Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) is injured in a vicious bear attack while guiding a fur trapping expedition in the northern Missouri river. Left for dead by members of his hunting team, he needs to find extraordinary skills of survival to stay alive and extract revenge on John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) who had done him great wrong.

In what is essentially a simple tale of revenge, Alejandro Innaritu manages to create an unforgiving masterpiece of grit, determination and survival so raw that you can even smell the breath of the characters. The intimacy of the work is such that you wonder if what’s giving you the chills, is the air conditioning of the movie hall or the landscape depicted in the movie come to life. It is minute-after-minute of arrow stricken men, butchered animals and ghastly moments that are downright visceral and can leave you with a disturbed gut but it is also of visual brilliance and great acting. While you could literally feel the drooping saliva of the grizzly, you can also taste the water when Glass sticks his tongue out to drink water from the falling sleet.

Eddie Redmayne’s reaction when Julianne Moore declared the winner of best actor at this year’s Academy awards perhaps encapsulates just how much the World wanted to see Leonardo DiCaprio lift the Oscar statuette. Some might question the choice given that there were two other power packed performances last year from Bryan Cranston (Trumbo) and Redmayne himself (The Danish Girl) but perhaps its poetic justice and a culmination of all his previous nominations that tipped the favour towards DiCaprio and now the World has one less thing to worry about. The performance itself resonated with his Oscar misgivings: Beaten, Bruised and left in the cold, he eventually crawls and fights his way to get his revenge.

Mark Rylance’s phenomenal work as the captive US spy in Bridge of Spies was the only thing that stood between Tom Hardy and a first academy award as he spits venom in his role as John Fitzgerald who is as cold and unforgiving as the landscape of the movie itself. Tasked with a role that is more challenging than DiCaprio’s, Hardy captivates the audience with so much of dark side that you are forgiven to have missed the humanity in it. How much he communicates through those powerful eyes! The premise of his character is not new to him specially after The Dark Knight Rises, Warrior and Legend but he brings something fresh to it every time he laces up his boots as a Villain. This complex, power packed performer will be one of the best performers of this era.

Alejandro Innaritu’s vision is a testament on how to convert what in essence an art house making into a commercial blockbuster. The Revenant is grand, brilliant and spell binding but ultimately exhausting. In an attempt to elevate the movie from a simple revenge tale Innaritu poses a lot of questions from race to climate change to humanity to a brutal system that helped build a nation. But he leaves no attempt to answer them but simply lets his characters be victims of all these problems. In doing so he has left a sense of incompleteness which is akin to Glass’ final moments in the movie, a long stare into the emptiness. Is that the point of it all?

It is not customary to finish a review with a take on a movie’s cinematographer. But Emmanuel Lubezki’s work is so captivating that you really wonder what this feature would be without this triple Oscar winner and multiple time nominee. His work in the Revenant is not just visual but also the way he lets the audience feel the movie or in his own words, immersive. Shot exclusively in natural light which is limited in the terrain where they shot the movie (Canada and Argentina), Lubezki brings us every sunrise, frozen plants, shooting stars, frozen waterfalls, every wound in Glass’ body and the fear in the men’s eyes. What could be equally or more challenging than shooting landscapes is capturing human emotions in its micro detail. So, the idea a movie like this involves the camera to be more emotional than mechanical and that is exactly what Lubezki achieved. Shooting for this movie was termed hellacious by the cast filled with unnatural hardships but the end product is heaven. The movie itself is a grand statement of what happens when the director and cinematographer works perfectly in sync with each other.

While the Revenant falters on content and grace, it more than makes it up with its unique style of moviemaking that’s brutal and awkward to watch but ultimately manages to floor you with knock out performances and out of the world cinematography. 

The Conjuring 2 Review – The Sequel that does just enough

I don’t watch a lot of horror movies, simply because I am scared of them. I remember watching Darkness Falls back in the day and keeping a torch next to my bed for a week because the ghost, Matilda is afraid of light. But then, that’s what they are supposed to do aren’t they! I remember watching Conjuring and thought to myself, this is the sort of horror movies that I want to watch! Good investigative storyline, no over the top acting or short & wet dresses and really good light and sound effects. But then Annabelle happened and ruined it for me. I mean what kind of horror movie was that predictable. But when they announced The Conjuring 2, I started hoping again and I have to say that they did not disappoint although that is another way of saying, they did only just enough.

Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) are back, this time in England to investigate the supernatural incidents happening to a family of single mom and 4 young children. The Warrens themselves experience strange visions not necessarily relating to this event. How they manage to solve both (In an extremely well thought out twist in the end) forms the crux of the movie. The template doesn’t change at all. A family experiencing strange and horrifying incidents during the night, a resident ghost who just won’t leave and finding a medium to fulfil its demonic wishes. Then comes the warrens who investigate the matter, collect proof of demonic activity and with the help of the church manages to get rid of the resident evil. Same old same old, but what separates the Conjuring series with other horror movies is how they have managed to convince human powers to fight a higher evil. It is like how Gandalf explains in the Lord of Rings Trilogy that it’s not great power but the everyday act of kindness from simple folk that keeps darkness in bay. While in the first part it was the love of a mother that fought the demon inside her, here it is a family sticking together. This concept makes the Conjuring series more endearing to all audience alike.

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga has forged a simple yet formidable chemistry between them that it’s impossible to think of another pair doing a better job at it. Their simple acts of kindness like Wilson fixing the poor family’s household items or the Elvis song that puts a smile on the much affected family’s faces. But the breakout star of the movie is Madison Wolfe as Janet Hodgson who is used by the ghost as a medium. There is an underlying sadness in her eyes that lets her go through the sheer range of expressions the character demanded with aplomb. Like I said earlier, the movie steers clear from predictable horror movie stereotypes and therein lies their success. The fact that they used real haunted locations and simple engineering mechanics to create the horror scenes and not relying too much on CGI makes the movie that much more authentic.

The movie has got its moments, quite a lot actually. But it isn’t the scariest that I have seen and it definitely does not get you to the edge of the seat all that frequently. Although the reason why Lorraine could not sense anything in the house is revealed in an exciting climax twist, the climax itself was a bit of a let-down. But what it quietly does is, let you travel with the Warrens and experience demons in an unassuming way that you actually feel relieved for yourself as much as for the Hodgsons. It’s not the most riveting but it is not a franchise killer either. I am already expecting a third part, only this time a bit scarier.  

You can finish that book now Sujatha Sir

Heaven must be overloaded with geniuses by now, especially in the last year or so. Writer Sujatha left a few years ago, creating a void that may not be filled. The triple shockers from the film industry happened next, with Balu, KB and MSV. And now, the man who inspired a nation to make its own missiles, rockets and even atom bombs is no more. Despite the achievements his biggest inspiration was not in science after all. It’s in the minds of the youth of India where Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam sowed the seeds of a better India. In a country as diverse as ours in every sense of word and its people who had given up on the very leaders they had so emphatically voted for power, it needed a miracle man to unite them all in self belief. And along came Kalam. How could a man,  quiet, soft spoken with the most genial smile and all of five feet five with no political background manage to do that? 

As a nation, we have witnessed for the past so many years, two faced leaders who would beg for power and crush the very people who put them there. The problem with diversity and large population is that, any reform that can and should happen almost never happens. Vote bank politics has managed to divide the nation more than what the British ever did. So how did Kalam manage to get through all these barriers? Truth! A man who lives by the very principles he preachers is endangered in this era. Plus, he was clear where his teaching must reach. Not the politically brainwashed seniors and middle age men whose very ambition is family and just that (not that I find fault in that) but it is in the uncluttered minds of the youth is where he found the path to a better India. Which is what made him write books, made him travel all across the country and take up presidency when it was offered. To him it was not a seat of power or a route for personal wealth, like how a certain lady showed later, but a chance to reach out to more people and elevate their minds. Although for the most part, he was nothing more than a glorious final signature, he did manage to stamp his authority in various areas without being public about it. His legacy as a president was not in the documents but the change he made in the minds of people either by his speeches or by his sheer personality (Remember his refusal to shed his locks after he became president!). One look and you know that here is a man I can believe and follow. 

Although I am deeply moved and happy for all the posts that bombarded the whole nation in social media since last evening, I am deeply worried about what is going to happen next. In a time where news reporting is so dramatized and everybody is looking for the next big incident to talk about, are we going to let the memory of this great man slip away from us like any other news? We talk about it for two days frenetically and move on to the next Bollywood controversy. How long before this gets boring? He told us to dream. He himself dreamt of a nation, strong, just and powerful. Are we going to keep dreaming or we going to make his dream and vision come alive? India 2020 is not viable anymore, not at the rate we are travelling. But sooner, rather than later, we can all make it happen. That is what we can do to the man who rejected the idea of family and liaisons just so he can work on his vision. “Unlike the political leaders, we are his heirs.” It is in what we do for our nation and humanity that will make him rest in peace. 

Writer Sujatha, who was a classmate of Dr. Kalam during his St. Joseph’s days, recalls in his memoir “Katradum Petradum” the times he shared with the great man. He recalls how Sujatha and his friends, apart from their studies, would indulge in movies, dramas, cricket and stuff while he was always about work and learning more. He also recalls an incident in the Russian Consulate in New Delhi where Kalam was offered Vodka by the Russians. Unable to refuse the drink as it might seem rude, he accepts the drink, secretly pours all the drink in Sujatha’s glass and poses instead with a glass of water. Needless to say, our writer was not himself that night! They were planning to write books on various topics including the nation and ways to make it a superpower. Now wouldn’t that be a masterpiece! Every time they met to discuss, either of them would become busy with some work or the other. Now, safely aboard in heaven and far away from the magnificent chaos that is India, you can finish that book now Sujatha Sir. Just find a way to drop it on to us.