Farewell my R-dent loser

Farewell my R-dent loser

We’ve been through every single thing two people can ever go through in just a matter of two years, and right now all I want is closure!
I will not thank you for coming into my life, ‘cause you screwed me up more than I could ever imagine and all the while I confused my own emotions for love.
I don’t even think you know what love could possibly mean, but I am curious to know why you were so ‘in love’ when it all began.
Please don’t even think of saying that I approached you, for that never is the case, and that never will be – at least not with someone I have no interest in, and believe me you were FAR from interesting when I first met you.
But then, let bygone’s be bygone’s and I don’t regret using a cliché, for you have been nothing else but one.
Funny how you keep assuming you can slather behind my back to people who are genuinely concerned and even assume that it wont reach my attention.
Funnier still that you continue to do so, and if by chance you do so, on purpose, then oh convoluted mind, free thyself of burden, for it will not affect me – at least not anymore.
I regret every inch of myself that I offered to you, for you were not worthy of anything humanely palpable or conceivable. You might have been worthy of the love of a few, but I wonder why they’ve moved on too?
Heaven forbid you are dating that other misfortunate one, and I pray god spares at least one life from your wicked mimicking ways before it’s too late.
Why are you so excessively self-indulgent? Why can’t you learn to be considerate to those who hurt you? It isn’t surprising that people who mattered to you labelled you juvenile – for you are nothing else! I don’t know what did more harm, the drugs or the religion, but whatever they did do, they did bad.
Nobody can afford to be so inhumanely dumb and so proudly numb. You hurt everyone who cares, by either putting up an act of being submissive and hurt others even more by just being who you are – which is much worse, by the way.
You are not evil, get over yourself, and far from evil, all you can be termed right now is stupid. Sit down and think of all that you’ve forfeited on your own account just because you couldn’t mend you deviant ways.
Nobody needs to love you, and you don’t need to either. Most probably you will end up being treated worse by someone else, and purely for the sake of you learning a lesson, I hope that happens.
Make amends before you’ve lost yourself in your own defecations to such an extent that an asylum might seem a little to lenient for you.
There is still hope. Try and change and next time around play around with someone your own size. Don’t aim for the stars, there are times stars stop shining and you better get used to yours flickering out. There’s hardly any matter left in you to burn up. You’re wasted!

Dasavathaaram – a page from history

An ode to the Vaishnava faith
Dasavathaaram – a page from history

How Dasavathaaram fares at the box office remains for the audiences to decide, but the fact that the movie uncovers many hidden and hardly talked about pages from history will remain something that will keep it in our memories for some time to come.
The history
The movie begins with an episode that re-creates the tale of a Vaishnava Brahmin (Iyengar) who lives in the town of Chidambaram in 12 Century AD. Tamilnadu at this point of time was a purely Hindu country extensively ruled by the Chozhas. Vaishnava and Shaiva politics were in vogue and the Chozhas being vehemently strong Shaivaites obviously supported the Shaiva Brahmins (Iyers). Kamal Hassan plays the role of a Vaishnava Brahmin who refuses to give up his faith in Vishnu and agree to the king’s wishes of a total Shaivic state religion that proclaims Shiva as the prime deity.

What actually happened?
What can be called an inquisition of sorts occurred all over deltaic Tamilnadu and Vishnu or Perumaal temples were often broken into, destroyed or damaged and Shiva was usually re-instated as the prime deity. Many Iyengars fled to other parts of Southern India, a huge number to Karnataka where the Hoysalas and other kingdoms were still quite unbiased. The population that chose to remain were tortured and recently discovered proof even claims that as severe punishments as impaling were prevalent.
The characterisation
The character played by Kamal Hassan is given the option to renounce his faith or be drowned with the reclining idol of Vishnu that was being shifted out of the temple in Chidambaram. He chooses the latter and is drowned alive after his son is forced to perform the last rites. The film ends the narrative at the drowning, but the Vaishnavic tendencies re-emerge at the end when the Tsunami and the re-emergence of the reclining Vishnu kind of re-emphasize the image of Vishnu as the protector. Asin’s character has also been unabashedly based on the life of Andal, the much romanticized other spouse of Vishnu also known as Ranganaayaki, and the fact that she plays a role quite similar to folk portrayals of Andal and is also called Andal in the film is something that cannot miss the attention of any culturophile.
Did Kamal Hassan decide to portray his Vaishnava faith in the film, which is why these influences cannot go unnoticed, or was this just a recreation of history? No one can answer this other than him, but we’re impressed with the guts of the screenplay writer, who has brought back the attention to this forgotten page of South India’s history. Where we come from and who we are, is something no one should ever forget, however bloody our history has been.

தசாவதாரம்

தசாவதாரம்

The much publicized Dasavathaaram finally hit screens today, and even though the hype created about the movie and its making did enough PR for the film, the film passes of as as a mediocre movie on the whole.
A brilliant screenplay that somehow manages to convincingly connect the ten roles of Kamal Hassan is put to waste with the utter chaos in how the film was made. The music was not very impressive, especially when one considers Himesh Reshammiya was paid a crore per song, and while you do get carried away by the gripping narrative and in-numerous twists, the final over all ‘feel’ is not very convincing.
We were impressed immensely by the 12 Century part of the film, where the well researched storyline and brilliant graphics created one of the most outstandingly convincing portrayals of the period. Be it the language, the costume or the emotions expressed, this small glimpse into a bloody episode in South Indian history deserves all the accolades it can receive. Asin was also quite the refresher and her portrayal of a young Iyengar girl in both her roles was a pleasure to watch. The acting isn’t bad, and the story definitely doesn’t suck, it’s the fake graphics and complete chaos in the otherwise brilliant film that acts as the biggest spoiler.
The film has some of the best comedy and action sequences we’ve ever seen, and Kamal Hassan in his Telegu avatar is irrepressible! Watch out for an extremely cute looking Japanese character who manages to pull of her accented Tamil with an incomparable panache. Guest appearances by old timers all through the film, including several directors do add to all the excitement, but the over emphasis on what we can only call Vaishnava-glorifying is something that cannot be ignored. If Sivaji has an overtone of hidden political messages, this one is unabashedly open about its religious inclinations.
The movie is worth one watch and all we’ll say is don’t have too many expectations and prepare to be amusingly surprised!

Asin as Andaal in Dasaavathaaram

Watch out for!
Kamal Hassan, he is the ‘ulaga-nayakan’ (universal hero) for a reason and the bits of maddening comedy all through the film

Don’t watch out for!
A scary background score that does no justice whatsoever and graphics that will make you snigger all through the movie.

Verdict
A definite one-time watch. You will be entertained, just don’t hope to take too much back home.

As a kid I grew up on very healthy diet of Tamizh Programming on TV thanks to Doordarshan Madras Kendra, this particular ad, however has seemed to have etched a permanent place in my mind and today the ad makes so much more sense...

இந்து டீயில் நிறம் இல்லை

Indha Tea-il Niram Illai
(This Tea has no colour)

சுவை இல்லை, மனம் இல்லை

Suvai Illai, Mannam Illai
(No taste and no smell)

எனது டியில் இந்து மூன்று குணம் இர்ருக்கும்?

Yendhuh Tea-il Indhuh Moonuh-gunam Irrukkum?

(In which brand of Tea will I find all these attributes?)

Today my life seems to be like that! I never seemed to be satisfied, and nothing seems to be working out right... Is it just me or is everyone like me so dis-satisfied in life?

Is it right to be considered wrong when you're actually right?

Or be wronged just beacuse you have a lot of 'right' coming your way?

Why are people so cruel when they can have an equal chance, if only they tried!

Will I ever find something completely satisfying?

Or will I always continue to be in this state of perpetual unhappiness...

I wonder on!

I wish life was as simple as the right brand of Tea!