Wednesday, October 23, 2013

An Apple A Day !!!

Shalu is smiling - silly.
Yes. My birthday, which comes in the mid of November, is about 20 something days away - but I already have my first gift. Thus, the big cheesy smile.
It's an Apple iPad Mini. And - I am just deliriously happy.
I am a beginner. An Apple amateur. It's such a joy discovering the innumerable free apps that comes with this device. I am probing and prying - enthusiastically.
I already own a Fujitsu Laptop, an Acer Netbook and a Lenovo Ipad - but this, gives internet a whole new meaning. Really. I am not exaggerating. You will understand the feeling, when you own an Apple.   
So - a toast to more blogging. Fingers crossed. 
Deepavali is about a week plus plus away. Lets keep our hearts and lives - lighted, too.
Take care. God Bless.
p/s - No song for today. Bragging rights, only. LOL.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Aha Mazhaiyum Illai (Reprise) from Manadhil Maayam Seidhai

It is 12.4oam - here. Way, way pass my usual bedtime. Returned from the temple less than an hour ago. It was such an awesome feeling. Temple visits always amplify my faith. Love is abundant, there. 
Vijayadasami just bid goodbye. Today is Ekadasi. I am STILL vegetarian. Until the 17th October - the last day of Puratasi. The 30 days - is about to end. The month dedicated to Lord Vengadasalabathi. The One , I so revere. 
And, on the 18th, I have a BIG lunch date - a non-vege one - with a girlfriend. We planned this a month before, so I am truly looking forward to it. 
Great friends. They make the dullest day - shine !! She is from that category. 
Attached - today, in pictures. Captions attached.




I am going to bed. This song is playing softly. It is on replay. Something that I listen to quite regularly. I love the modern carnatic feel as well as the lovely lyrics. Semmaaaaaaaa.......
Good night. God Bless.
p/s - I am off to bed with a BIG smile. It was a WONDERFUL day !! 

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Pizza, the Movie, "Nadanthathu Yennanaa" & A face smudged with a solid smile.....

Hello everyone !!!
The weather is just awesome. Right now - it is cloudy. The freshness of the breeze is streaming into our home. What-A-Feeling !!!
I am writing today due to a couple of reasons. A regular reader of my blog, wrote to me on my declining taste for good Tamil movies. Ouch !!! The open fire was a little unexpected. Hey - but let's see the bright side of it. I am honest - in whatever I write. Some movies may tug our hearts. Some may not. Opinions differ. Dispositions diversify. Something of that sort.
Take Atlee Kumar's, "Raja Rani" for example. So much of hype over it. I was dragged to the theater to watch this, what I would call - a moderate entertainer. I went on a weekend and it was a full house. Here, in Sungai Petani, Kedah - a small town with a less than 30,000 population. At the end of the day, the truth is, movies achieve box office status due to mass preference. It is fair if the movie is watchable and totally uncalled for, if otherwise. 
I am also writing because my recent days have been wonderful. I have a smile smudged on my face for tangible reasons. You will know, when you reach my last sentence and listen to the song I have picked for today. Do I say more ?
Yes - and the last reason I am here, is to scribble my appreciation for Pizza, the Tamil horror movie starring Vijay Sethupathi. I read and heard lots of positive statements regarding it. And, after searching a couple of video stores around town, I finally managed to get hold of its original DVD. I watched it, alone, during, a late evening, with a cup of hot milk tea and some cinnamon biscuits. Never got up from my comfy couch until the movie ended. And, yes - there were times when I hid my eyes with my fingers and scrutinized the dining room for any mystifying sound. I found it as an awesome watch. Really. In fact, I want to watch again one of these days. Naah - not because of Vijay Sethupathi but for being one of those truly numbered good, hair raising Tamil horror movie. Pizza is directed by Karthik Subburaj, our new generation directors, that Naalaya Iyakunar has bred. In fact, Pizza 2 (The Villa) is in the making and I am eagerly looking forward to it. 
I have been recommended Moodar Koodam and Onaayum Aattukkuttiyum. Will watch them soon and whip up if they were good.
Well, wait. You have not reached my last sentence. Yet. Watch this YouTube Tamil short film from Naalaya Iyakunar's Nalan Kumarasamy - a program I am totaly engrossed with nowadays. I laughed a barrel watching this. What-An-Idea!!!! If you enjoy this as much as I do, we would make awesome coffee mates. SWS. SWS, by the way is "smile with a smirk", my urban dictionary style. 
And, Ta-Da-Dam-Dam....., I am now, about to reach my last sentence, minus my trademark phrase. "Angnyaade" means beloved. "பசுபுரனே மழுபுரனே சொதப்புரனெ... வரவர அடிகடி சிரிக்கிறேன் மனசில உன் நெனப்பே..... அங்க்ன்யாடே, அங்க்ன்யாடே......" There is life after love failure. There is love after love failure. Atlee-ku oru, "Ohhhhhh" :-)))))))))))))) 
This is my song of the day.

Sunday, October 6, 2013

My Pick - 11 Good Tamil Movies (2013) and the mindblowing Aasai Mugam by Anil Srinivasan & Sikkil Gurucharan

I am back - after the tiny interval. Please pardon me. No - not 'pardon me' Arya style in Boss Engira Baskaran. You see - days have been somewhat and to some extent, busy. There were days that I could have written a word or two. Unfortunately on those days - laziness got the better part me. Yes, there is, indeed, a small tinge of disappointment, in me due to the fact that I did not write for the whole of September 2013. It was an occupied and enjoyable month. 
October promises me the same. With Deepavali less than a month away - I have my hands full. Housekeeping, baking cookies and cakes, buying odds and ends, a Gala Dinner in KL city (two weeks from now), Navarathiri celebrations, the closure of Puratasi month and me being vegan (it was terribly hard this year around as I had so many lunch and dinner appointments), corresponding with my travel agents on tickets and itinerary for my soon to come vacation as well as other credible agendas that are not coming to mind, now. 
By the way, it is raining heavily outside. I can smell the freshness of soil seeping into my room. "Aasai Mugam" by Anil Srinivasan and Sikkil Gurucharan is playing in the background. What-A-Feeling !!! All I need is a cup of milk tea, and big bean bag in my balcony !!!!
I have watched plenty of Tamil movies lately. Yes - despite the busy days. As mentioned below BUT not in ranking. Give me until year end, for that. 

  1. Kadal by Mani Ratnam - Loved it to the core. It was one of the year's best movies. 
  2. Haridas by G. N. R. Kumaravelan - Another great movie. It is unfair how commendable ones like this go without applauds. 
  3. Vaatikuchi by Kinslin - So, so movie. Anjali steals the show. So will the outlandish ending. 
  4. Chennaiyil Oru Naal by Shaheed Kader - I was glued to my TV the entire duration. This is a Malayalam remake. Loved it. 
  5. Gauravam by Radha Mohan - With a majority of debutantes and good storyline, this is surely recommended. 
  6. Soodhu Kavvum by Nalan Kumarasamy - One of the new generation directors in Tamil Nadu. He is a Naalaya Iyakunar find, and thus, his ability to deliver a great comedy minus the big names in humour. This carries the 'black comedy' feel just like Nadula Konjum Pakatha Kaanum. Yes - I laughed my heart out. 
  7. Neram by Alphonse Putharen - My favourite comedy for the year. Bobby Simha, Nassar, John Vijay, Thambi Ramaiah, Manobala - this was side spliting hilarious. So, so loved the ending. What an idea, what a twist !!! Go watch on a day you want to plaster a big smile on your face. 
  8. Kutti Puli by Muthaiah - Sasikumar is an actor. There is no doubt about it. So is Lakshmi Menon. They are both good examples to show that glamour is unnecessary for a strong screenplay. I liked it despite its rustic background. 
  9. Maryan by Bharat Bala - Yes. My favourite hero. My favourite movie. And, my favourite song - Innum Konjum Neram. All against the backdrop of the sea - my favourite hangout. I watched this twice at the cinema. Dhanush deserves an award. From the first time you see him in the khaki uniform exchanging sweet nothings over the phone to his girlfriend to the drained and run down escapee - the transformation is just irrefutable. 
  10. Thanga Meengal by Ram - I am all for father-daughter movies. If you read my blog, you would know why. I expected a lot from Director Ram, so it was somehow a letdown. It teaches many good values, however. 
  11. Raja Rani by Atlee Kumar - Watched it yesterday night. There is life after love failure. There is love and love failure - the movie's caption goes. Atlee must have grown up watching lots of Maniratnam movies. You will find many similarities along the movie. It is an entertainer - nevertheless.

Off to make tea. I am pretty good at it. The weather is super duper cold. Reminds me of my days in Kodaikaanal. How I miss India - ALL THE TIME. 
Music soothes the soul. Like this one. Anil Srinivasan's piano recitation is stirring. And the vocal feel by Sikkil Gurucharan. This is a mind blower.
Have lots of good days ahead. When life gets down, think of the great things you have achieved and want to. Think of your Mom and God. The dreary moments will pass by. Believe me. Love transcends all.
Take care. God Bless. This is Shalu signing off.