Vengayin Mainthan (வேங்கையின் மைந்தன்) – The Movie

It’s quite surprising that when we think about making a Tamil historical movie, we can’t think beyond Shivaji Ganesan. He was at his best in historical roles, be it Thiruvarutselvar, Appar, Raja Raja Cholan, Veerabagu or his multiple roles in Thiruvilayadal. It’s been a very long time since we’ve seen good serious Tamil historical movie. Imsai Arasan 23rd Pulikesi came as a surprise but that was a comedy. Even when someone thinks about making a historical movie, it’s quite difficult to think of a good star cast. Let’s take the case of Vengayin Mainthan.

The title character Rajendra Cholan carries with itself, respect and dignity. Kamal Hassan, Prakash Raj, Sathyaraj or Parthiban can carry the role.

Elango’s character is quite difficult to cast. But I think Eeram Aathi (with a toned up body and mesmerizing voice) could pull it off. Prithviraj can be a choice but his Malayalam accent lets him down.

Arulmozhi’s character, a stubborn princess who lets her eyes speak more than her mouth, could only be done by Sneha.

Rohini’s character is the most difficult one to cast. I thought about it but could not come up with a convincing answer. My thinking is a new comer with stunning looks and acting skills. But the only person who has the looks is the girl who compeers for Super Singer Junior in Vijay TV, Divya. She has the looks, especially with such expressive eyes but can’t say anything on acting.
Vallavarayar Vanthiyathevar is another difficult one to think of. More than the age, the mere mention of his name would bring memories of Ponniyin Selvan, so that makes the casting difficult than it actually is.

Kodumbalar Periya Velalar, Elango’s father and a fierce lieutenant of Rajendra Cholan could be enacted by Nasser.

Suggestions are welcome for the characters Veeramallan, King of Rohanam Mahindar, Mahindar’s Minister Keerthi and others. Suggestions are also welcome for my choice of actors given above.

Vengayin Mainthan (வேங்கையின் மைந்தன்) – A Review

One of my biggest regrets till date was that I knew very little about Tamil history. Four magnificent rulers in Chera, Chola, Pandya and Pallava claimed stronger hand in South India at various periods. They built such marvelous structures like the Brahadeesvarar Temple in Tanjavur, Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, The Shore Temples of Mahabalipuram to name a few. Tamil language and culture attained its peak at their time through times like the Tamil Sangam. Yet I had very little knowledge about them compared to what I knew about the Mughals or the British. It prompted me to start reading Tamil historical novels. Though essentially they are a work of fiction, the facts in them are taken from history books which add to their credibility. Ponniyin Selvan was the choice of so many people. I have heard so much about the book. But I settled down with Akilan’s Vengayin Mainthan. Generally this is read after Ponniyin Selvan but I kind of zeroed in on this.

The title character is Rajendra Cholan, son of Raja Raja Cholan. In his time Tamil Culture attained its peak when he conquered land up to the Ganges in the north to distant islands like Indonesia. He also built a new city, Gangai Konda Chola Puram to celebrate his victories. The novel’s central character however is not Rajendra Cholan, but one of his lieutenants, Elangovel. Elango, as he is called belongs to a small country under the Chola dynasty, Kodumbalur. His family has matrimonial exchange with the Cholas. Chola princess, Arulmozhi is in love with Elango, though she never shows it out. The novel starts with Rajendra Cholan’s quest to recapture Tamil Crown belongings from southern Ceylon, known as Rohanam. The novel revolves around the explosive love affair between Elango and Rohanam’s princess, Rohini. Each gives up secrets about their country in different circumstances which becomes both good and bad for Elango and Cholas. On the good side he is able to retrieve the lost property, able to know enemy’s plan and traps beforehand. On the other side, he almost leads his enemy destroy their new city and burn his Kodumbalur fort. How Elango thwarts their plan and marries both the beautiful ladies forms the climax.

The novel is expertly written with loads of history facts and imaginary characters which make us believe each and every part of it. The constant on off love affair between Elango and Rohini is the backbone of the novel. Rohini, though she belongs to the enemy camp, cannot ignore Elango because of her love. She is caught between her own loyalty towards her county & brother and saving her love, so many times in the novel. Elango is caught between his love and his duty, though for him, duty always comes first. The emotions that love can cause in a short period of time are beautifully imagined. On the other hand Arulmozhi’s character was scripted as an opposite of Rohini. Arulmozhi is very quiet woman, who hides her mind from others despite being in love with Elango, while Rohini is very expressive about her feelings.

Apart from the love triangle, what I loved the most in the novel is the way Akilan describes Tamil culture. Rajendra Cholan shows his broader side when he wants to make friends with his enemy kings, though he is never afraid of wars. In fact all his wars end in victories for him. Such was his army’s force and his command. Though his liberal policies were seen as a weakness, he has enough power and intelligence to overcome his enemies’ plan to use it. His and Vallavarayar Vanthiyathevar’s plan to allow Elango romance Rohini proves to be master strategy. The Tamil spirit prevails throughout the movie. Sundara Pandiyan who was defeated by Rajendra Cholan even goes as far to compliment his rival’s bravery and policies.

Vanthiyathevar, the hero of Ponniyin Selvan and arguably the most beloved Tamil fictional character, plays a smaller but significant character. He plays an elderly minister who is by the king’s side most of the times and takes care of Elango whenever Elango slips emotionally. Akilan created Elango’s character complimentary to Vanthiyathevar’s character in Ponniyin Selvan.

On the flip side, Rohini double sided loyalty baffled me at times. She repeatedly asks Elango for forgiveness after she had done things against him. It was understandable in the beginning, but in the later stages it bores the reader a bit. Also, the number of times a conversation was overheard by another person was a bit too much. I mean, coincidence doesn’t happen every day. Elango’s friend Veeramallan’s constant double crossing is also not so convincing.

But overall, a very enjoyable read. It was a valuable insight on the life of our great ancestors. It was a celebration of Tamil culture which arguably attained its peak during the reign of Rajendra Cholan.

Fed ‘Ace’ wins Wimbledon

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4 hours and 15 mins for a final with over 70 aces and most number of games played for a Wimbledon final. These were a few facts that sum up this year’s men’s final at SW19. But the real story was hidden. Let’s face it. Even a modest tennis fan would admit that Roger Federer did not play at the peak of his powers. Yet he managed to win his record breaking 15^th grand slam final.

One must admit that Andy Roddick played out of his skin. I was really amazed to see Andy play volleys this way. Previously he had a booming serve & inconsistent game. But his improved first serve percentage and much better volleys will no doubt shoot him up the table. Wimbledon 2009 was his 2^nd chance and will come a long way in erasing his reputation as a one slam wonder.

Over 70 aces for a championship final show how much of a power game it was. There weren’t many long volleys unlike a Federer vs. Nadal final. The quality of winners, however, was good.

On the flip side, Roddick wasn’t moving around the court so much and Federer had trouble in returning Roddick’s bullet serves.

The speed on Federer’s first serve was equal to Roddick’s second serve. Still Federer managed at least 15 aces more than Roddick. That’s an amazing quality but overall the Swiss master just did not bring his A Game. That he broke Andy’s serve only once in the entire match shows not just Andy’s rise as well as Fedy’s decline. With this kind of below par performance, Rafa would have steamrolled Fed Ex.

With the great Pete Sampras watching from the royal box, one would think Roger Federer would weave his magic around the center court. He had his moments, but this was just not his show.

Still 15 grand slams is no mean achievement. That he did it with a few good years left will argue well for him, for he wasn’t a burden for fans to see him complete it. As I see it, I honestly think it will take quite a long time to break his record.

Holy Memories - A look back at my School Days

School days are everybody’s first love. No many would forget their first day at school, crying at the sight of parents leaving. I’ve had an interesting 1^st day at school. All my school’s sisters gave is chocolates & off I go. I did return that day with 3 stitches dangerously close to my right eye, falling off a small wall. Majority of my schooling was at Holy Cross School where I studies from 1^st grade until higher secondary. 12 years in a school transforms into lots of memories. Our batch was widely regarded as the best & worst of the school’s history.

Most of my close friends are from School. Vivek tops the list with Anne, Raju & Ramya following suit not necessarily in that order. We had our share of controversies to be named the worst batch. The earliest I can remember was 4^th grade when yours truly was accused of writing a love letter to my best friend in her diary. Handwriting checks proved otherwise but imagine a 4^th grade love letter. We also became the only class to rebel against a Vice – Principal’s decision in boys vs. girls issue when the boys were unfairly punished. Boys stood together in a strike that lasted for 2 hours which ultimately ended in VP asking pardon for her incorrect decision.

Part of Holy Cross’ success is attributed to its teachers. My favorite was Thilak Mam. She thought Biology but she was best regarded as the best English teacher of the school. She was famous for pinching students in the ear. Murari might remember because his ear started bleeding after repeated pinching. Then there’s evergreen Mr. Munuswamy. He’s our Tamil teacher who apart from teaching well, also cracks frequent jokes & double meaning dialogues to make classes more interesting (Mayilum Illa.. Mayirum illa). And of course, very few will forget ‘Can u catch my point?’ Very few escaped from the stick of Kalaiselvi’s mam. A smart Mr. Kishore was girls’ favorite while Meenakshi mam was guys’ favorite.

Almost everyone took to extra coaching for higher secondary exams. Friends would remember me wearing an overcoat & riding a Hero Puch for the early morning math tuition. There were times when we used to lie to gather even on non tuition days at the early hours to play cricket.

Many of us experience 1^st love in school. There were quite a few love stories which I’ve known of in school but will refrain from writing. Mine though was a different one. It was my friends who wrote the story, screenplay, dialogue and directed a love story between me and a girl, which was immensely popular not just with students but teaching staffs too. But then, looking back it was quite a bit of fun.

When I look back, I must admit that my school life was as great as my college days. There was enough freedom for us to socialize but seldom crossed the limits. There were enough opportunities even for an average student like me to take part in career enriching activities. Friends would remember me taking part in various GK competitions. Sadly, Holy Cross School never really scaled greater heights after we left. Still, in my world it’s the best school (4^th best in the state in 2002), that thought me so many things within and outside the syllabus.

Vaaranam Aayiram - Love you Daddy

Gowtham Vasudev Menon’s attempt at meaningful cinema is a faithful adaptation of his real life relationship with his father who passed away when Gowtham was scripting the movie. The movie is about how a father a deep yet subtle role in defining his son’s character. He plays a significant hand in helping his son overcome different stages in his life thereby guiding him to greater heights yet preferring to stay in the background without being too proud about it. 

Surya as Krishnan (Dad) and Surya (Son) has given his best performance of his career. Tamil cinema is rest assured that the Kamal Hassan torch will be carried on by people like Surya in the future. Among the heroines, Simran has come up with one of her best performances as an understanding mother. Divya hasn’t had much to do but promises much in a small role. However Sameera Reddy takes us all as a whip of fresh air with her casual ways and beautiful looks. One can be rest assured of two things in Gowtham's movies. One, the romance part will be very good. Two, a heroine will die. The trend continues here. 

Music and Cinematography were pillars for the movie. Harris Jeyaraj has done exceptionally well in both songs and background score. Rathnavelu has done an inspiring job in giving the right mood through out the film. His contributions to the romance sequences are priceless. 

What Gowtham Vasudev Menon (Director) does here is, he did not try to make a soap opera out of the storyline but prefers a more subtle approach to it. The scene where the son calls his dad over the phone and cries for the death of his girl and also confessing that he and the girl made love shows the extent of understanding the dad has on his son. There are quite a few scenes where you will remember your dad or at least wish your dad was like the elder Surya. 

There will be criticism for the movie for its pace and for the fact that the movie shows more about the younger Surya than about the dad. To come to Gowtham’s aide, one has to understand that when a biography cannot be shown in any faster pace as that will affect the audience’s involvement in the film. We are also used to seeing movies like these as soaps where a dad’s contribution and sacrifice to a son was elobrated as a sentimental weapon to attract audience. This movie will not make you sit and cry, rather takes you on a nostalgic trip.

To like this movie you will have to get involved in it. If you are coming in just to have fun, don’t go for it. However, if u like your dad please watch this movie. If you don’t like your dad watch this movie, you will actually start loving him. 

The Nostalgia of Deepavali

India is THE country for festivals. If we do a rough calculation, almost everyday there is a festival being celebrated with importance by some community or the other. But the grand daddy of them all is Deepavali (I refer to it as Deepavali, not Diwali because of my Tamil roots). The whole day is so beautifully set up with Pooja, Sweets, Lights and of course Crackers. In modern times, Deepavali is also about special TV programmes and new movie releases. One thing that separates Deepavali from other Indian festivals is the buzz that it creates more than a month before it actually happens.

I still remember during my school days where new clothes bought weeks before were the biggest temptation as we were prohibited from wearing them before the festival day. The other irresistible stuff is the crackers. Once bought, crackers were spread in the terrace during sunshine for them to dry even more so as have the desired effect. We were not supposed to fire crackers until the final evening before Deepavali. Occasionally we were given 1 or 2 crackers to burn which gave us so much joy.

On the day of Deepavali is the real excitement. The normally late risers like me would wake up by 4am. The first thing that we would do is pick the most audible bomb from the box and burst it in front of the house. Kids have a competition on who would burst the first cracker of the community. Then oil bath and morning Pooja. Then kids would start with the crackers while parents begin their preparation for the grand lunch that would consists of at least 10 types of dishes. Until lunch, kids' attention is divided between the special TV programmes and the crackers. The excitement of bursting crackers never fades down till late afternoon. Crackers were burnt on various platforms like tins, pipes and even dog's tail. During late afternoon, sweets were distributed to friends, relatives, neighbors and for people in need. Children also share their crackers with less privileged children. By now its evening and the focus shifts from bombs to colorful crackers like flowerpots, rockets etc... The whole house is decorated with lights giving a real festival picture. So much happiness and so much goodwill in one day… Legend says that Deepavali is the day where good triumphed over evil. In modern times, Deepavali is the day where people share and spread love and brotherhood with others.

In a mechanical world that we live, there is a need for festivals like these for refreshment and to do a soul searching. After two years of celebrating Deepavali in the land of the British while mastering my technical skills, I’m going to be in my home for this year’s Deepavali. A childish excitement has embraced me again. The new clothes, the crackers and the sweets take me back in time to the good old days. I love this. Do u?

Buses, Roads and Marriage

Indian marriages are always a complicate affair. It involves a lot of processes and like its population, a whole lot of people. It is also about meeting new people and a chance to see your kin and kith in one place. So, I was naturally thrilled when a close friend invited for her marriage in Madanapalle, Andhra. A buzzing mind of mine soon had to think of a grueling journey ahead. 7 hours of drive by coach is the only form of transport. Since US of A took over our work timings, we (me and a friend) had to start in the morning from Chennai. As opposed to an already planned direct bus, we took a detour via Thirupati largely owing to the comfort of A/C coach to the temple town. The real problem started in Thirupati from where, there’s only a so called EXPRESS bus to Madanapalle. 4 hours of bone wrecking journey led us to our destination which quite literarily was situated in the middle of nowhere. The only highpoint of our visit is the marriage and the way we were treated by my friend’s family. Royal is the one appropriate word. This is a feature of Indian marriages. Every guest is treated with so much care, the naturally the newly weds receives a heartfelt wishes. In spite of the entire festive atmosphere, we were still having nightmares about the return journey. The town’s incompetence for basic amenities didn’t help our cause either. Old habits like card games surfaced to fight of the boredom of not getting sleep. After the marriage, we were again off on a demanding 7 hour trip back to Chennai to be in time for another day (rather night) at office. Simply put, that was one of the pain stalking journey that I’ve had for a long time. All my bones were off the hook as I landed in Chennai. Still our wishes for the couple remain intact. That’s the price I was willing to pay for such a sweet friend.