Cricketer's bizzare ways of sidelining themselves...

Chris Lewis
Lewis' career was never dull but he also failed to achieve as much as many had expected. The first signs that all was not well came in the West Indies in 1993-94, when Lewis decided to shave his head on arrival. Nothing wrong there, except that he then opted to practice without a sun hat. Inevitably, he succumbed to the Caribbean sun. "Chris Lewis baldly went where no other cricketer has gone before," noted the Sun, "and the prat without a hat spent two days in bed with sunstroke. Just as you would expect, the ideal covering for an all-rounder suffering from sunstroke, as diagnosed by our own doctor, is… a bowler." Quite.

Arthur Dolphin
During a game against Middlesex at Lord's, Yorkshire wicketkeeper Dolphin fell off a chair in the dressing room as he reached for his clothes and broke his wrist, missing the remainder of the summer. It was a bad month for Yorkshiremen. A team-mate of Dolphin's in that game, Abe Waddington, had been giving Arthur Morton of Derbyshire a ride on his new motorcycle one evening during a match between the two counties when they crashed. Waddington escaped unharmed and resumed the next day. Morton broke ribs and was out for eight weeks, his absence not helping as Derbyshire were bowled out for 23.

Matthew Hayden
Sidelined after breaking a finger at the start of the 2006-07 season, Hayden decided to keep fit by going for a leisurely jog. Unfortunately, while running he was set on by a local dog and had to be taken to hospital with a 5cm gash in his ankle. "It was a vicious attack," he said. "I was just out for a leisurely run. You are always a bit shocked by that sort of thing, but I was more disappointed than anything. It just hasn't been my week."

Ted Dexter
In normal circumstances, being run down by a car would invoke sympathy. Not in Dexter's case, however, because the car was his own. When his Jaguar ran out of petrol on the Great West Road in Brentford in June 1965, Dexter decided to push it to the nearest garage. Unfortunately, he lost control and it ended up pinning him to a factory gate, breaking his right leg. "The hero lay there with blood pouring out of his leg while other drivers rushed by" is how Matthew Engel described the incident.

Ian Greig
Clearly, Greig was not meant to be a housebreaker. On arriving home after the first day of Sussex's Championship match against Kent in June 1983, he snapped his key in the lock. Taking what seemed like the easy option, he then scaled the side of the house to try to climb in through an open window, fell 18 feet and broke an ankle. Four years later, while being X-rayed after being hit on the hand in his third match as Surrey captain, he stood up, banged his head on the machine and had to have two stitches.

Trevor Franklin
One of the most serious of all the accidents here, Franklin was mown down by a motorised luggage trolley at London's Gatwick airport at the end of New Zealand's tour in 1986 (during which he broke a thumb) and suffered multiple fractures of his leg. He was out of the game for 18 months, and when he did return he was handicapped by never being able to run at full speed again. Despite this, and being what Wisden described as "unspectacular but effective", he made a hundred in the Lord's Test four years later. However, when he faced England in 1991-92, he had his forearm broken by David Lawrence.

Jimmy Adams
After 19 hours of negotiations at a London hotel, the 1998-99 West Indies tour of South Africa finally got the go-ahead - at one stage the whole thing looked like being scrapped following a dispute over payments. On the flight to Johannesburg, Adams managed to slice through the tendons of his right hand while cutting some far-from-fresh bread. "There was an announcement seeking the services of a doctor," Dr Ali Bacher, a mediator during the crisis, said. "I answered the call to find Adams lying unconscious with blood pouring out of his hand. A young doctor appeared. She stitched the wound up while I assisted. I gave up being a doctor in 1979." Adams missed the tour, as well as the post-meal coffee. A similar fate befell Mark Boucher in Australia in 2000 when he sliced through his hand rather than meat, forcing Andrew Hall to keep wicket.

Don Topley
Journeyman cricketers supplement their income with a variety of jobs in the off season. In Topley's case that meant working as a postman. However, shortly before the start of a new season he tried to post a letter through a door but the spring-loaded letterbox snapped back on his fingers, sending him off to the local Accident and Emergency department.

Bruce French
Proof that when you are having an off day, nothing goes your way. In Lahore during England's wretched 1987-88 tour of Pakistan, French was minding his own business in the nets when he was hit on the head by a throw from a spectator returning a stray ball. He was taken to hospital, where he was struck by a car outside the main entrance. He had his wound stitched without incident, only to crack his head on a low-hanging light fitting as he got up to leave.

Derek Pringle
As he sorted out complimentary tickets for the 1982 Headingley Test, Pringle leaned back on his chair, which collapsed, dumping him on the floor and leaving him with shooting pains between the shoulder blades. The myth soon arose that he had injured himself writing letters, something he attributed to Bernard Thomas. "The Machiavellian little man told the press I'd done my back in writing a letter - presumably his attempt to toughen me up with some cod psychology."

Chris Old
Old was a fine quick bowler who would undoubtedly have achieved more but for his tendency to acquire injuries on the eve of matches. He once pulled out of a Test match when he sneezed and damaged a rib. Frank Keating once wrote of him: "Ask that engaging hypochondriac how he is keeping and the answer, as ever, takes a full half-hour." It was reported that the first bowling machine installed at Lord's was nicknamed Chris Old ... because it kept breaking down so often.

And the nominees for 81st Oscar's are....

Performance by an actor in a leading role

* Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films)
* Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)
* Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)
* Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

* Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features)
* Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
* Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)
* Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)

Performance by an actress in a leading role

* Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal)
* Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

* Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)
* Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

Best animated feature film of the year

* “Bolt” (Walt Disney), Chris Williams and Byron Howard
* “Kung Fu Panda” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount), John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Andrew Stanton

Achievement in art direction

* “Changeling” (Universal), Art Direction: James J. Murakami, Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt, Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Peter Lando
* “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Art Direction: Michael Carlin, Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
* “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Art Direction: Kristi Zea, Set Decoration: Debra Schutt

Achievement in cinematography

* “Changeling” (Universal), Tom Stern
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Claudio Miranda
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Wally Pfister
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Anthony Dod Mantle

Achievement in costume design

* “Australia” (20th Century Fox), Catherine Martin
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Jacqueline West
* “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Michael O’Connor
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Glicker
* “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Albert Wolsky

Achievement in directing

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Fincher
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Ron Howard
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Stephen Daldry
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Danny Boyle

Best documentary feature

* “The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)” (Cinema Guild), A Pandinlao Films Production, Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
* “Encounters at the End of the World” (THINKFilm and Image Entertainment), A Creative Differences Production, Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser
* “The Garden” A Black Valley Films Production, Scott Hamilton Kennedy
* “Man on Wire” (Magnolia Pictures), A Wall to Wall in association with Red Box Films Production, James Marsh and Simon Chinn
* “Trouble the Water” (Zeitgeist Films), An Elsewhere Films Production, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal

Best documentary short subject

* “The Conscience of Nhem En” A Farallon Films Production, Steven Okazaki
* “The Final Inch” A Vermilion Films Production, Irene Taylor Brodsky and Tom Grant
* “Smile Pinki” A Principe Production, Megan Mylan
* “The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306” A Rock Paper Scissors Production, Adam Pertofsky and Margaret Hyde

Achievement in film editing

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lee Smith
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Elliot Graham
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Chris Dickens

Best foreign language film of the year

* “The Baader Meinhof Complex” A Constantin Film Production, Germany
* “The Class” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haut et Court Production, France
* “Departures” (Regent Releasing), A Departures Film Partners Production, Japan
* “Revanche” (Janus Films), A Prisma Film/Fernseh Production, Austria
* “Waltz with Bashir” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Bridgit Folman Film Gang Production, Israel

Achievement in makeup

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Greg Cannom
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O’Sullivan
* “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” (Universal), Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Alexandre Desplat
* “Defiance” (Paramount Vantage), James Newton Howard
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Elfman
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A.R. Rahman
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Thomas Newman

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

* “Down to Earth” from “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, Lyric by Peter Gabriel
* “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
* “O Saya” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam

Best motion picture of the year

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), A Kennedy/Marshall Production, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), A Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and Working Title Production, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Eric Fellner, Producers
* “Milk” (Focus Features), A Groundswell and Jinks/Cohen Company Production, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, Producers
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), A Mirage Enterprises and Neunte Babelsberg Film GmbH Production, Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack, Donna Gigliotti and Redmond Morris, Producers
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A Celador Films Production, Christian Colson, Producer

Best animated short film

* “La Maison en Petits Cubes” A Robot Communications Production, Kunio Kato
* “Lavatory - Lovestory” A Melnitsa Animation Studio and CTB Film Company Production, Konstantin Bronzit
* “Oktapodi” (Talantis Films), A Gobelins, L’école de l’image Production, Emud Mokhberi and Thierry Marchand
* “Presto” (Walt Disney), A Pixar Animation Studios Production, Doug Sweetland
* “This Way Up” A Nexus Production, Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes

Best live action short film

* “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” (Hamburg Shortfilmagency), An Academy of Media Arts Cologne Production, Reto Caffi
* “Manon on the Asphalt” (La Luna Productions), A La Luna Production, Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont
* “New Boy” (Network Ireland Television), A Zanzibar Films Production, Steph Green and Tamara Anghie
* “The Pig” An M & M Production, Tivi Magnusson and Dorte Høgh
* “Spielzeugland (Toyland)” A Mephisto Film Production, Jochen Alexander Freydank

Achievement in sound editing

* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Richard King
* “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Glenn Freemantle and Tom Sayers
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
* “Wanted” (Universal), Wylie Stateman

Achievement in sound mixing

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
* “Wanted” (Universal), Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt

Achievement in visual effects

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
* “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan

Adapted screenplay

* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
* “Doubt” (Miramax), Written by John Patrick Shanley
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Hare
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy

Original screenplay

* “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Courtney Hunt
* “Happy-Go-Lucky” (Miramax), Written by Mike Leigh
* “In Bruges” (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter

Nostalgia - Vintage Ilayaraja

In the rush of new movies and music, many gems are either lost or forgotten. No one can be blamed for this happening; it is just the way the world is, the old making way for the new. Here, we attempt to bring back to you memory some wonderful pieces of art, some of them worth the label of vintage classics which got lost in the madding crowd. You might not be able to instantly reconnect to the long forgotten number, but give it some time and the magic might begin to work again. Though the song has been reviewed, more importantly this is a look back at the fascinating way in which Tamil cinema evolved, with a touch of nostalgia. Hope you enjoy it.

This charming number from the movie Kavikkuyil starring Sivakumar and Sridevi is an evergreen Ilayaraja piece. The song cleverly uses both the top and bass flute notes to start and carry the song forward as the song itself centers on the Radha-Krishna imagery. The yearning search for the beloved by the man is accompanied by soft lyrics that touch upon a myriad dreams. The very opening salvo shows off the Rithigowla raga so well, when the flute goes' ni ni saa-;ni sa ga sa; ni-sa-ni;ga ma pa ma ga ri saa.' Then you have a gentle cascade of notes with the guitar, violin and what feels like santoor, adding to the 'dreamy' feel. what is special about the whole song itself is that the flute articulates each line at the beginning of the pallavi and the charanams.' sa ga ri ga ma ni ni saa ;ni dha ma paa; saa ni dha ma pa; ga ma pa ma pa ma pa ma pa ma ga ma pa ma ga ri sa nii' goes the flute. And Dr. Balamuralikrishna follows up with the words 'Chinna Kannan Azhaikkiraan; raadhayai, Poongodhaiyai, Aval manam konda ragasiya raagatthai paadi'--- in his delectable voice. It is the 'pa ma pa ma pa ma' repetition that adds a whole new dimension to the aesthetic appeal of this song. Just close your eyes and savor the emotion conveyed in the line 'kangal solginra kavidhai' which line starts at the top 'sa' note. Though Ilayaraja has stuck to traditional sangatis, he brings in a dramatic note two and a half minutes into the song where the flute wails 'ni ri ri sa---' .There is a sense of urgency now in calling out. Please note how the percussion sound (tabla mainly) is smooth and subdued right through the song which therefore preserves the mood of the whole piece so well!

The Satyam scandal

Stake Holders: Satyam Computers, investors, India’s IT and outsourcing industry

Background:

· Admitting to the biggest scam ever to hit India’s IT sector, B Ramalinga Raju, Chairman of Satyam Computers, resigned from the board.

· A shell-shocked country watched as Satyam stock fell dramatically by 72% and the sensex, which had been showing some signs of recovery, plummeted 749 points.

· India’s IT sector, which had been thriving on good will, suffered a massive blow to its reputation. At a time when the world is battling an economic crisis, India may find it difficult to re-establish its image.

Key points:

· In his letter to the board of directors, Ramalinga Raju admitted to doctoring the company’s balance sheets to show an inflated amount of Rs. 5,361 crore at the end of September 2008. This was over 300 crore more than the actual amount.

· The balance sheet falsely showed that the company had received Rs. 376 crore as accrued interest.

· A fund of Rs. 1,230 crore, which the Chairman arranged by pledging promoter shares, found no mention in the account books.

· It claimed that debtors owed Satyam Rs. 2,651 crore, which was Rs. 490 crore more than the actual amount.

· The September 2008 results were inflated to Rs. 2,700 crore from the actual value of 2,112 crore, resulting in an imaginary cash balance of Rs. 588 crore.

· The operating margin, which was only Rs. 61 crore, was projected as Rs. 649 crore. The operating margin tells investors how much of a company’s revenue will eventually become its profit.

· Apparently, the fraud had been going on for years. Having started off as a marginal gap between the actual and reported operating profit, it had become unmanageable as the company expanded.

· Many attempts, such as the Maytas deal, had been made to plug the gap. But they were all in vain.

About the Maytas deal

· Satyam Computers announced its intention of buying Maytas Properties for $ 1.3 billion & 51% stake in Maytas Infra for $ 0.3 billion.

· The two companies were into real estate and Ramalinga Raju’s family had big stakes in both companies.

· Why a software company would want to diversify into the real estate market, especially when the market was doing poorly, raised a lot of doubts.

· The decision caused Satyam shares to plummet.

· The deal was called off when it was widely criticized by shareholders.

· Only after Raju confessed to the scam did it become clear that the proposed acquisition was a last ditch effort to plug the gaps in the Satyam balance sheets.

How the scam affected employees and share holders

· Satyam employs nearly 53,000 people, all of whom face an uncertain future now. Following the confession of the Chairman, many of them put up their resumes, seeking jobs in other companies.

· The sharp fall in the price of Satyam shares also seriously affected investors. Many speculators who had backed the company are now left with shares that cost about Rs.10 per share.

How the scam could affect the IT industry

· Coming at a time when the IT industry is experiencing a slow down, the scam is like a kick in its guts.

· Prospective clients would be more cautious, ask more questions and need more assurances.

· The scam does not reflect the nature of business in the IT industry. There is no reason to assume that frauds such as this are a trend in the industry.

· Before outsourcing work to a company, clients do a thorough research on its credibility and its work history. Any irregular activity on part of a vendor is enough to scare clients off. Following the scam, Indian companies will have to work harder to retain the faith of clients.

· There is very little doubt that Satyam will lose a sizeable number of its clientele. This, however, may not be bad news for other companies, who could capitalize on the situation and net some of these clients.

· The exodus of clients from Satyam to other companies may not, however, be very smooth. Clients will now pay more attention to the exit clause in their contracts with Indian companies.

· The more stringent checks that are likely will cause inevitable delays in awarding contracts.

Is the Chairman telling the complete story?

· Ramalinga Raju claims that though he did inflate the balance sheets, he did not personally profit from the venture.

· The balance sheets were probably tampered with to keep the stock price of Satyam up.

· But independent analysts as well as the employees of Satyam find it difficult to believe that the operating margin of the company was only Rs. 61 crore, a mere 3% of revenue.

· This has led to speculation in some circles that the profit was higher than the amount the Chairman projected, but a part of it was siphoned off.

The impact of 26/11 on Indian economy

Before analyzing the impact of the Mumbai terror attacks on India’s economy, we must understand how 26/11 was different from any other terror attack on the country.

· There is no denying that the attacks were the most audacious of its kind ever in India. But this assessment of the tragedy is based more on the way it was executed, than on the actual number of victims it claimed.

· If you jog your memory back to the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, 1993, where about 250 people were killed, you will realize that the city has witnessed tragedies of this magnitude before.

· However, the attacks were unique, in a rather dubious way, as it was perhaps the first instance where a small group of highly motivated terrorists held an entire nation and its defence forces to ransom for over three days.

· Coming at a time when the world was experiencing economic turbulence, it triggered fears that the Indian economy would be adversely affected.

The last point is of particular significance in these difficult times. Should an atrocity like 26/11 essentially have a negative impact on the economy? As it turns out, this is not the case.

The impact could have been termed negative, had the following cases been true:

· First Case: There was heavy foreign investment in India in the months before the attacks.

· Second Case: Foreign investment showed a dramatic decline following the tragedy.

Let us examine the first case:

· The first case is certainly not true. In the wake of the global economic crisis, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were tripping over each other in their hurry to pull money out from the Indian markets in the months before the terrorist attacks.

· In the process, they pulled the rug from under the feet of the sensex, sending it crashing nearly 12,000 points in eleven months.

Let us now examine the second case:

· Even as the attacks were unfolding in Mumbai, the markets were witnessing something totally unexpected. Instead of a massive outflow of funds from the Indian markets, money was actually flowing in. So, the second case is also not true.

As you can see, the impact was actually favourable. But how did this miracle happen? As S.A.Aiyar points out in his column in the Times of India, the answer is fairly simple. The FIIs saw a big opportunity to buy shares and invest in equities when the market was low. When the markets reopened a couple of days later, the sensex actually registered a gain. It has kept up this trend ever since.

The events worked in India’s favour in other ways too. US intervention has forced Pakistan to crack down on terror outfits operating out of its territory. With the possibility of a confrontation between India and Pakistan waning, this can only have a positive effect on the Indian economy.

Anyone who hoped to shake the foundations of the Indian economy with this act of terror must be feeling very foolish indeed.

However, it would be wrong to say that the attacks had no impact whatsoever on the Indian economy.

· It affected tourism and hotels, with many tourists cancelling bookings.

· The global economic crisis had already hit tourism and 26/11 only made things worse.

But tourism contributes a very small part of the GDP. It is not something that will seriously impair the progress of the economy.

The most talked about movie

A recent hollywood flick is revolving around the globe causing a big impact. With a fine script off of a great Indian novel, an immaculate direction and a very strong talented cast; this movie is one of the most talked about films in the world. It is titled "Slumdog Millionaire". This extraordinary film went on win five American Critics Choice Awards, four Golden Globe Awards including Best picture in both. Predictions are this film's name may also be inked on the list of nominees on the world renowned Academy Awards, possible categories are Best Picture, Director, Screenplay and Actor. Not to mention this movie was a gateway to bring India its first Critics choice award and Golden Globe. Ofcourse by India's biggest music director at present, A.R. Rahman. The only thing we are forgetting is that we are trying to take credits for a film that was not even made by the Indian Film Industry. Articles have been written about this film stating how it is another feather on the hats of Indian cinema when this film is produced by Fox, directed by England's Danny boyle and written by England's Simon Beaufoy. Like I've mentioned above, this film is an adaptation of a great novel Q and A by Vikas Swarup. It is also co-directed by Loveleen Tandan who has done several Indian based hollywood films. Our one and only Anil Kapoor has cherished the movie with his presence. Eventhough the novel was written by Vikas Swarup, Indian Film Industry did not churn out Slumdog Millionaire. I am proud that stories from India with a full Indian cast is carried on to such great heights but I do not think it is right to take credits for something we did not even create. No matter what the awards and credits are going to be given to producers from Fox, Danny boyle and Simon Beaufoy for creating the movie. Lagaan was a pure Indian achievement along with Mother India(1957) and Salaam Bombay(1988), the only Indian films nominated for the Oscars.Great movies are created in India for example Hum apke hain koun, nayagan, maro charithra, thalapathi and so on. Recent movies like Mozhi, A Wednesday, Okkadu, Vaaranam Ayiram were all proofs of elite Indian movie making with excellent acting, directing and music display. While we have so many good talents flourishing out of India I honestly do not know why we should take credits for somebody else's work. Our own film products make us much more than proud and the world has a lot to learn from Indian cinema.

To be a part of Almighty's art

Oh! How one longs, to be a part
Of Almighty’s work of art;
The vast canvas with shades of green,
Hills serene, the Golden Sun between.

Fragrance in air, rapids under feet bare
I lie in Nature’s lap without a care;
Could I please give the city a miss
And forever experience this bliss!

If only I could shirk, all that work
Hence, in my thoughts I’m lost.
The beep of my cell breaks the trance with a jerk
That’s when I recollect Frost:

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep. “

Two days we should not worry

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry,
two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is Yesterday with all its mistakes and cares,
its faults and blunders, its aches and pains.

Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back Yesterday.

We cannot undo a single act we performed;
we cannot erase a single word we said.
Yesterday is gone forever.

The other day we should not worry about is Tomorrow
with all its possible adversities, its burdens,
its large promise and its poor performance;
Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.

Tomorrow's sun will rise,
either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise.
Until it does, we have no stake in Tomorrow,
for it is yet to be born.

This leaves only one day, Today.
Any person can fight the battle of just one day.
It is when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities
Yesterday and Tomorrow that we break down.

It is not the experience of Today that drives a person mad,
it is the remorse or bitterness of something which happened Yesterday
and the dread of what Tomorrow may bring.

Let us, therefore, Live but one day at a time.

Life @ DAV

This place made me what I am today.

This place located in Gopalapuram in the dream place for all the parents who wants their children to make big.When I joined this school, I was reserved and an introvert. But “X C” changed my life forever.Right from my first day in this school , it was enjoyment all along.Shyam,Vasu,Naresh,Rajesh,Ramji,Aditya ,Bharadwaj , Pankaj and much more.Coming to the staff’s its Mr.Vincent Louis who took mathematics for us. He was a very hardworking man who from his heart wants everybody from our class to get very good marks.His dialogues always evokes laughter in the class and making fun of him is daily activity in our class.He categorized the mathematics Questions into SKILLED QUESTIONS,SILLY QUESTION,REPEATED BOARD QUESTION. But we guys used it for other fantastic and useful purposes(All who studied with me in X would say Amen to this).But all said,he remains one of my favourite and he is the one who really ares for his students. THANK U VERY MUCH SIR..

The next interesting this is our drawing class.We used to have this period in Saturdays.

Again the Staff Mr.Govindarajan is another kind of funny guy.Me & Shyam and few more guys used to sit in the last bench and will be dicussing about QUESTIONS.

Another interesting thing is the Language class.Mr.Varadarajan.He is one of the coooooooolest person on earth.But once he starts hitting out the guys,he is a terror.I had many enjoyable moments with him.He was the one who removed the shyness of public speaking from me.The best Class teacher.His timely comedies are always a instant hit among the students..

Next in the list is Chentamaraikannan..His famous quote “shoe kaalala midichichuduven”.His class also sometimes be entertaining.Once I slept in his class while he was teaching and I got nicely from him..

The only man the whole school is afraid of is the Principal Mr. Satish.All the students were afraid of him and even the staff are no exception.His big moustache is his identity.

But It was this place which brought out the best in me and made me.But it was just a trailer.The main picture was during my 11th and 12th in D.A.V (Matric) that has more memorable incidents .

Life in 4 Pictures

First Pic

Break of Dawn -- New lease of life, Embarking upon a New Voyage......
A Child Flyin Kite -- Young Blood, Aspiring to Fly High with Enormous Zest n Zeal..coz U Know, Sky is The Limit......
A Small Tree -- Need to Nurture..... ..
Two Birds Hovering Above -- There r People Around to Take Ample Care of You, You r Actually Carefree.... ...

Second Pic

Daylight -- You r Almost Halfway Through in This Voyage Called Life.....
Couple -- You Hav a Betterhalf of Yours to Lean Upon n Speak Your Heart Out to......
Grown-up Tree -- You Hav Been Nurtured Profusely to Stand Tall n Rigidly in The Storms That May, Otherwise, Let U Down.........
A Small Tree -- You, Together With Your Betterhalf, Hav Given A New Lease of Life to Another Breaking Dawn (Your Child)...... ...
One Bird Hovering Above -- There r Comparitively Less People Around You to Take Care of You, Unlike During Your Wonder Childhood Years.......

Third Pic

Fall of Dusk -- Twilight is Setting Upon, Life Has Come a Full Circle....
An Old Man -- It's a Race Against Time Now On, It's The Begining of The End of The Voyage......
Ageing Tree -- Signifies The Above Two Things, Second One Being The Personification of This........
Grown Tree -- Your Kins Hav Grown Up, It's High Time You Start Supporting Them With Tender Care Rather Than Clashes..... .....
One Bird -- Self Explanatory, I Guess???
Grave -- In Course of The Voyage You Hav Lost Luved Ones n You Also Start to Anticipate Your Ultimate Fate n Destiny..... .....

Fourth Pic

Nightfall -- Voyage is Over, Darkness is Looming Over, High Time to Say Good Bye....
Starry Sky -- There's Still Happiness Around, Thanks to The Aesthetic Memories Left by You n The Good Work Done Too......
Grown-up Tree -- Your Kins r Walkin in Your Shoes now, It's For Them to Follow Your Footsteps Drawin Inspiration From Your Exemplary Life..
Grave With Two Crosses -- You r United With Your Soulmates n RIP

Tongue Twisters

1. If you understand, say "understand" . If you don't understand, say " don't understand". But if you understand and say "don't understand". How do I understand that you understand? Understand!

2.I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish, but if you wish the wish the witch wishes, I won't wish the wish you wish to wish.

3. Sounding by sound is a sound method of sounding sounds.

4 .A sailor went to sea to see, what he could see. And all he could see was sea, sea, sea.

5 . Purple Paper People, Purple Paper People, Purple Paper People

6 .If two witches were watching two watches, which witch would watch which watch?

7 .I thought a thought.But the thought I thought wasn't the thought I thought I thought. If the thought I thought I thought had been the thought I thought, I wouldn't have thought so much.

8 .Once a fellow met a fellow In a field of beans. Said a fellow to a fellow, "If a fellow asks a fellow, Can a fellow tell a fellow What a fellow means?"

9.Mr Inside went over to see Mr Outside. Mr Inside stood outside and called to MrOutside inside.
Mr Outside answered Mr Inside from inside and Told Mr Inside to come inside. Mr Inside said "NO", and told Mr Outside to come outside.

Mr Outside and Mr Inside argued from inside and outside about going outside or coming inside. Finally, Mr Outside coaxed Mr Inside to come inside, then both Mr Outside and Mr Inside went outside to the riverside.

10.SHE SELLS SEA SHELLS ON THE SEA SHORE , BUT THE SEA SHELLS THAT SHE SELLS, ON THE SEA SHORE ARE NOT THE REAL ONES

11. The owner of the inside inn was inside his inside inn with his inside outside his inside inn.

12.If one doctor doctors another doctor does the doctor who doctors the doctor doctor the doctor the way the doctor he is doctoring doctors? Or does the doctor doctor the way the doctor who doctors doctors?

"When a doctor falls ill another doctor doctor's the doctor. Does the doctor doctoring the doctor doctor the doctor in his own way or does the doctor doctoring the doctor doctors the doctor in the doctor's way"

13.We surely shall see the sun shine shortly. Whether the weather be fine, Or whether the weather be not, Whether the weather be cold Or whether the weather be hot, We'll weather the weather Whatever the weather, Whether we like it or not. Watch? Whether the weather is hot.

Whether the weather is cold. Whether the weather is either or not. It is whether we like it or not.

14.Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely .

15 .A flea and a fly in a flue Said the fly "Oh what should we do" Said the flea" Let us fly Said the fly"Let us flee" So they flew through a flaw in the flue

16.If you tell Tom to tell a tongue-twister his tongue will be twisted as tongue-twister twists tongues.

17.Mr. See owned a saw.And Mr. Soar owned a seesaw. Now See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw Before Soar saw See, Which made Soar sore.Had Soar seen See's saw Before See sawed Soar's seesaw, See's saw would not have sawed Soar's seesaw. So See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw.But it was sad to see Soar so sore Just because See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw .....

My Favorite songs of 2008

THENDRULUKU NI

A typical Vidyasagar number. He knows the knack of coming up with a touchy melody in his albums. The song has all ingredients to top the charts for it has melody written all over it. An 'alap' in the middle is sweet to listen to. Karthik is at his usual best, while Swetha Mohan is an interesting prospect to watch out.

KALLAI MATTUM

The pick of the album. It is a spiritualistic number penned well by Vaali. Begins with Om namo Narayana chanting and the sound of temple bells, it is a high energy song which sets the mood for the movie.
With Hariharan at his usual best, Himesh has produced good music that takes us back to the 13 th century.
The instrumentation and the synchronization for the song are catchy and attractive.

ULAGANAYANE

What better words can Vairamuthu write to describe Kamal Haasan. A perfect number to shake the legs, the songs has a good tune. The catchy orchestration and the lyrics of Vairamuthu describing Kamal Haasan's rare feats and the honor that awaits him in future would go down well with Kamal Haasan fans.

ANBE EN ANBE

Harris starts off with a melody. No better person that Harish Raghvendra has rendered his vocals. A classy song, it has melody written all over it.
With a catchy interlude and typical Harris style of humming, the song sticks to our heart immediately.

SAKHIYE

The song of the album. Harris is at his best oozing with great energy in the number. Krish in the company of Jayashree elevates the listeners to new world.
Watch out for the musical interludes.

KANGAL IRANDAL

A catchy classical melody this is. Lyricist Thamarai lends grace to the song with her lyrics. The song set on a classical raaga has western interludes in between. James Vasanthan's delectable use of the vocals and rhythm work out wonders. The good use of flute in between is noteworthy.

CHELLAMMA

A melodious song that sounds pleasant and sweet. The simple lyrics and soft instrumentation does the trick. The piano interlude by Prakash shows his maturity as a music composer. Hariharan's voice cool as a cucumber coupled with Sujatha's sweet rendition takes the song on a higher plane. This is a song that will find its place in audio charts for a long time.

TAXI TAXI

A perfect song for those who love to shake their legs. It is full of energy and vigor. Blaaze starts off in style, while Benny and Vion give him the right company. This is a typical youth chartbuster that should be heard all over Chennai in a few days. The peppy beats and open-throated voice of the singers give a unique feel.

DOST BADA DOST

It's long since a song on friendship had come in Tamil cinema. Musthafa Musthafa by Rahman in Kadhal Desam was perhaps the last that created magic on screen. Yuvan joins the league of Rahman with this song. It is certain that this song which cherishes friendship gets lapped up by students. Valee's lyrics is the other major highlight. The trio of Haricharan, Rahul Nambiar and Naveen does a good show.

CHELLAME CHELLAM

A typical Harris number, 'Chellamae Chellamae' has Harris' favorite singer Bombay Jayashree at her best. A melodious number, the song has a lot of sheen thanks to Jayashree's classical touch. Naveen joins the party later and excels at what he does best. A soothing melody, which has become a rarity these days, 'Chellamae' is a song that's like a fresh evening breeze on a sunny day. Chinese preludes and interludes work well with this song.

ADIYE KOLLUTHE

A perfect beginning with electrifying guitar that sets up the right memento for the anticipated flick. It is more a kind of a song played at rock band with a touch of melody in the middle. Shruthi Haasan has rendered her voice for the number which has Krish and Benny Dayal at their best.
Shruthi's open-throated vocal as interlude and the additional percussion in the song are a delight to listen to.

NENJUKKUL PEIDIDHUM

It is a soft melody. Providing one a feel of listening to Eric Clapton's number, the song sticks to our heart at the very first time. The soft melody which is laced with romantic lyrics by Thamarai, is very youthful. Though soft, it is very vibrant. Seemingly inspired by pop songs of 1980s, the song has Hariharan stamping his class all through.
Devan and V Prasanna gives him the right company. Thanks to Harris for the composition which has very less instrumentation and more of good lyrics.

OH SHANTHI

A faster version of 'Nenjukkul Peidhidum' number rendered to add up. This time SPB Charan and Clinton renders the song which has right pace sans electrifying instruments. Harris Jeyaraj has given the right western touch to the pacey number but has ensured that the essential melody in it is not lost. The beautiful vocal in the interlude is worth listening to.

MUNDINAM PARTHENE

A romantic song in which, the lover describes the beauty of his beloved in the most artistic manner. The lyrics are staged in the center. The blending of the guitar and the vocals of Naresh Iyer is the highlight of the song. A feel-good pop number, it is sure to become the craze of youngsters. The husky voice of Prashanthini sounds new.

ORU OREY OORILE

We have grown up hearing the stories narrated by our grand moms of the yesteryear. The song is typically set on a story telling mode. Kailah Kher's in an open throated voice renders the number. The song seems to be setting a momentum for the movie. It introduces all characters in the movie - father, mother and their daughter. Vairamuthu's simple but enchanting lyrics are amazing to listen.

VAA VAA

Madhu Balakrishnan seems to be the preferred voice of Vidyasagar. A regular in his albums these days, Madhu Balakrishnan's soft voice (resembling K J Yesudoss) is soul-stirring. Perfectly fits the melody numbers.
Vairamuthu's lyrics lift up the song. Patterned beats and soft music which doesn't dominate the lyrics is the hallmark of the number. Vairamuthu recalls the emotions of a proud father over his daughter's accomplishments well.

HAAN TU HAIN

‘Haan Tu Hain’ begins very much the cliché filmy manner but eventually drifts into the Qawali terrain. KK renders to this track and unlike the previous numbers the track isn’t a driving force for the film .The track is plainly average and the future of it depends on its picturisation and promotional element.

DIL HAARA HAI

‘Dil Haara’a rock cum folksy affair rendered by Sukwinder Singh. The lyrics have been penned by Piyush Sharma and the track has some motivating phrases. The pumping elements in the form of “oo-aah” signature and the electric guitars enhance Sukhwinder’s vocals. But, the track fails to really make it as one of those numbers that either sink into you or make you hum it and sounds quite familiar to various tracks done in the past be it from Omkara and the works. Yet the track seems to be doing well with its picturisation on Saif Ali Khan doing the rounds.

JOGI MAHI

‘Jogi Mahi’ has a certain narration of a story. The track takes off with Shekar Rajvijiani and soon Sukhwinder Singh is drawn in. The typical Yash Chopra number which has all the necessary ‘desi ‘beats will surely call for some great visuals. Himani Kapoor the Himesh Reshammiya favourite too lends her bit.

ROCK ON

The title track ‘Rock On!’ comes in with the pulsating theme of ‘Lakshya’. The tune has become more of the identity of ‘Excel Entertianment’. The track is a free-spirited rock number that speaks about life at a single glance and the concept of the second chance that life offers.This one is truly rocking and is soon headed to become the chant of generation next.

HAULE HAULE

Well, promos should've got your nerves loosened out on heeding to this tune. Indeed, it's worth listening for simple 'n' transfixing melody. A grand round of applause for Jaideep Sahni; lyrics are so grasping to your minds with an ease. Looks like it's time for 'Sukwinder Mania' in Bollywood. With his recent 'Fashion Ka Jalwa' quivering in audio markets, here comes a beauteous stroke with a different style (Remember, Shah Rukh and Sukwinder combo for 'Chaiya Chaiya' - 'Dil Se' was persuaded). Vaibhavi Merchant's spellbinding choreography is sure to turn entire spotlights on this number. How about rhythmic beats? 'Simple-free-and-easy' (sounds clichéd as zillion-times-heard-before). …

TUJHME RAB DIKTA HAI

And again, a pretty-pretty lyric penned by Jaideep Sahni takes on. Well, interlude starts off with mesmerizing notes on 'Santoor' pulling you in. Ab-initio, Roop Kumar's voice fleets fabulously well, but drifts down all of sudden in following parts. Things would've worked well, if a style-mark vocalist was offered to render his voice. Preludes are off just mediocre and once more, the musicians should've focused on these vistas. Possibly, these blatant flaws could get diminished if visuals go picturesque. Simple beats on percussions, running chords on slow-strings and flute played for preludes make it sound better.

BEKHA

And again, the teasers are sure to have got the tunes lined in your minds. Bekha seems to be appearing on the screens as young lad falls for the beauteous missy. As the courtesy goes, couple of samples on rhythmic tunes seems to have been picked from samples4.com. Martin's booming saxophone adds rich colors to the tango-typed rhythms. The entire song is about Karthik's ostentatious modulations on tongue-twisting words that have been fabulously enunciated. Saxophone, trombones, strings and piano keeps flowing simultaneously for the complete 5mins. Yeah! Getting to watch Aamir Khan in 6 different stylish get-ups should again make it more pop.

GUZARISH

Perhaps, with the sensational promos continually screened all over, 'Guzarish' should've really grabbed everyone's senses much before audio hitting the markets. All praises for Javed Ali as he turns entire glares with huskily-toned voice. Right from alpha; with his mesmerizing hum, Javed carries off the entire song with his plushy intonations. Well, does the song possesses Rahman's USPs? Obviously, synthesized-beats aren't so catchy. But don't miss the fantastic vistas of transfixing vocals filled-in and mandolin played by Seenu. Overall, it's a song that'll go straight into everyone's stereos and Ipods undeleted for long time.

Terrorism Vs India

Indian Commandos have been able to defeat the terrorists. Kudos to them! The Government of India never tried to negotiate with the terrorists unlike on previous few occasions. It was befitting reply that terrorism cannot be negotiated. Our commandos have done a tremendous job. But would our government and civil society now be able to eradicate the terrorism from our nation ? I hope for the best but do not like to believe that people are capable of challenging the terror. .The main reason is that our beloved country is a fragmented nation and is full of dichotomy. Neither our social leaders nor our political leaders can get united to voice in unison against terrorism. Everyone has his own axe to grind.

Has any group from our country said, irrespective of caste,creed and religion ,that we will never allow the terrorists to overcome us whether it is in India, Israel, Thailand or America or any part of the world? None ? Even our leaders have to think twice to demonstrate an united face even at the time of national catastrophe like terrorism. No two religions will also combine to even loudly protest. Hindus would think of Krishna, Christian reaches for God and Muslims seek asylum in Islam before even words of condemnation are uttered against terrorism .

Terrorism had started at first as an ideology to win over control of geographical area. Now terrorism have become a profession.Terrorists have no caste creed or religion .They are killers. Incidentally they pursue a religion. They would not even spare any person of their own religion when they pursue the blind attack. Should terrorism in Bombay be taken as an isolated case? Or is it a part of the grand design of terrorism all over the world? How do we challenge the terrorism? If all sensible human do not combine it would impossible to contain terrorism in the civilized world. Do anyone have any answer how to deal with terrorism?? If we sleep over the problem today there would be no tomorrow for all of us. Do You agree ??

Many people all over the countries responding to the discussions initiated by me in the google blog wrote back to me as under;"The thing about Mumbai terror attacks is that no one knows exactly what the terrorists want. Not trying to be judgemental or anything, but Indian constitution, and the Indian system, is one of the most liberal ones, and no one is being discriminated against, at least not on the basis of religion".

If there is someone who is being discriminated against, it is the common man...The terrorist come out and kill him, The government regulations will affect him, and his life is made difficult by so many other ways.

The Mumbai attacks are not an isolated case, as recently Delhi underwent a series of blasts, in which many people were killed.

Terrorism has to be dealt with an iron hand, and that is the only way to deal with it. For the first time in India, the authorities refused to negotiate with the terrorists and that is a good thing. In the past the terrorists had managed to bargain and thus get many hardcore prisoners released. At least this time no such thing happened.

But the most important points out of our discussions emerged that until almost all the educated citizens come out openly against the act of terrorism boldly ,with anguish ,always people from outside the nation would take advantage of the society. The terrorist have no love for the country and society where act is perpetuated. Today terrorist are not always foreigner. Without convince of local people they can cannot take up venture of terrorism repeatedly. So Sealing of borders, sealing of sea route must be the top priority. Raising of internal security ministry perhaps would be the foremost duty. The entire contingency plan to deal with terrorism must be taken up with right earnestness under an independent commission headed by person of the status of a General. He should report directly to the Internal security Advisor. The raising of a Commando force and stationing it in the capital is farcical. It should be stationed in the border areas and sea bordering towns and land lock areas where terrorism are actively pursued or there are probability of pursuing. Intelligence and infrastructure need to be improved a lot. What is the possible reason that Europe especially France, Germany and Britain have been able to contain terrorism? It is for the people of those countries who believed in the golden dictum that "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty".The civil society of those countries raised their voice against terror and forced the government to actively put the mechanism on place to tackle terrorism. Those countries gave more importance to intelligence system than the guns. It is the civil society who became the active agents against terror. That made it impossible for terrorist to mount sustained attacks. Perhaps the same thing would be required for our country too. This kind of awareness in some of the workers of the tea gardens once made it impossible for terrorist to penetrate the tea garden after initial hiccup. Danger is not only from outsiders it is equally required to confront insiders. If the society can evolve solid understanding then no power in the world would be able to penetrate terrorism into our society. Commando would then stand by like in Britain, France, Japan and Germany only in readiness!

For the first time the Government of India did not try to negotiate with the terrorist this time. Of course on many occasions it is a tactics for gaining time ,to understand the environment, situation and strength. In case of Mufti Muhammad Sayeed( when he was Home Minister)the Government succumbed very fast to release the political pawn. That was bad. I do not know if there was no political heavy weight in the present Bombay siege. Commandos have defeated terrorists today but would we be able to kill the very base of terrorism? How?

Do we think merely with guns terrorism can be contained? Do we believe that the conviction of civil society can root out terrorism? Have we stopped behaving like a selfish entity? Have we tried to become more humane? Has intelligence improved? Are anyone there to answer us???How can we stop terrorism?

My Favorite movies of 2008

ANJATHEY

Very rarely we do come across such engrossing and engaging entertainer on Tamil screen. Anjathey, director Mysskin's second venture can be considered among the outstanding entertainers.

Anjathey is all about two friends, whose roles in the life are swapped in a sudden change of fortunes. Sathyanathan (Narain) and Krupakaran (Ajmal) are sons of police constables living in a police colony. They remain close friends despite having divergent attitudes. Krupa wants to become a sub inspector and works meticulously to get selected. Aimless Sathya, a street rowdy, is always humiliated by his father (M.S. Bhaskar) because of his irresponsible attitude.

ARAI EN 305il KADAVUL

Director Simbhudevan has pulled it off. Expectations would be normally high on directors on their next when they render a blockbuster in their first. Many had faltered before. Only a handful has made it. Simbhudevan has managed to render a movie that is convincing and appealing.

‘Arai En 305il Kadavul’, produced by Shankar's S Pictures, is totally a different one from Simbhudevan's maiden venture (Imsai Arasan). While Imsai...was loaded with comedy and one-liner, Arai En is sentimental, emotional and conveys a strong message.
Simbhudevan has taken a complex theme and tried his best to make it crisper and easily understood by the common man. He has partially managed to win the battle.

DASAVATHARAM


One striking feature that hits you in the face once you have watched ‘Dasavatharam’ is Kamal Haasan's passion for filmmaking. All the ten roles he has essayed have been meticulously planned right from the body language to dialogue delivery. Be it the American president George Bush, the Vaishnavite priest of the 12th century or Fletcher, the American baddie.

The narration then makes sure most of the characters played by Kamal get into close proximity in terms of geography. The stunt sequences are quite professional with its share of thrilling moments, but then there are too many coincidences consistently. The protagonist and his slowly, but surely falling-in-love lady companion seem to be jumping off just about everything. Soft landing seems to be a predictable option at most times.

SAROJA


Fun, frolic and mayhem were in abundance in Venkat Prabhu's first directorial venture 'Chennai 600028'. With his second film 'Saroja' the director dutifully follows the same pattern despite having the backdrop of a thriller featuring a kidnap, gun totting desperados and characters with malicious intent.

Even with a no-way-out situation that four friends get themselves into, and with the events unfolding in a real time sequential order, there is still scope for laughs. Premji Amaran's good-for-nothing attitude in the film amalgamated with silly remarks, 'Mirchi' Siva's ever so casual comic remarks, the intense demeanor of Sampath as a bad guy, Prakash Raj as the doting father of a kidnapped daughter, Vega as the kidnapped girl Saroja and Jayaram as the Assistant Commissioner of Police impress in their respective roles. One of the movie's strengths is that all these characters are introduced quickly in such a way that audiences easily understand the roles played by them except when the twists in the film happen.

Major strengths for 'Saroja' are in the form of some breathtaking and spectacular background score from Yuvan Shankar Raja (probably one of his bests so far), slick editing from Praveen K. L and Srikanth N. B (they have a long way to go) and excellent cinematography by Sakthi Saravanan.

SUBRAMANIAPURAM


Can a movie be made in an interesting and crisp format in spite of a boasting of a huge star cast?

Director Sasikumar, who had his tutelage under Bala and Ameer, has proved that a quality entertainer can be made with less-known faces provided the movie has interesting storyline with the right amount of twists.

Designed in a retro classic style, Sasikumar portrays Madurai in a different color and with a new perspective. As the title suggests, the entire movie is set in Subramaniapuram, a hamlet in Madurai.

The story, set in the 80s, takes place in Madurai Subramaniapuram, a suburb of the city. Movies like Palaivana Cholai dwelt around four friends. Perhaps Sasikumar impressed by such classics, has made an attempt of chronicling the life of a group of friends.


POI SOLLA POROM


All credits to director Vijay for faithfully remaking Khosla Ka Ghosla.
Dealing about land sharks in a busy city like Chennai, the movie has comical touch all through entertaining the audience.

Vijay has recreated the magic of Jaideep Sahini's original well to suit the Tamil audience. The movie starts with a funny scene and what is commendable is that the fun continues throughout. Talented stars like Nedumudi Venu, Cochin Haneefa, Nasser and Mouli have been ably supported by the young brigade.

VAARANAM AAYIRAM

The film designed as a tribute to Gautham Vasudev Menon's father comes across as emotions spelt out in a reserved manner and thereby proves to be a tame affair. One can understand the director's angst at losing a parent, and trying to make a film about the loss, but then the man's (father) enigma never takes center stage throughout the film. Probably the biggest drawback of the film.

The narration of the film has been designed to follow a 'classic approach'. Unfortunately, all the ingredients that go into the making of a classic are missing thereby making the screenplay stagnate at times to irritable proportions. All films that have been successful in being called classics portray enduring human emotions that can be related with instantaneously. Gautham has most definitely missed the plot with 'Varanam Aayiram' giving more emphasis to incidents rather than connecting them well. The story follows the lead characters (the protagonist and his father) through decades. Much effort has been taken to bring out authenticity to the 'period' effect which is praiseworthy.

ABHIYUM NAANUM


What when a director, who knows the art of narrating human emotions in a gripping manner, a skilled actor, who can do any role with ease and a talented actress, who combines performance and great looks, come together? A quality entertainer.

Director Radha Mohan, actor Prakashraj and actress Trisha have teamed up to come out with Abhiyum Nanum, which is sure to move every heart as it narrates the tale of a caring father and his beloved daughter. Radha Mohan chronicles the journey of a father, who showers boundless love on his daughter. The bondage between a father and his daughter, always considered very special, has been captured well by Radha Mohan. All credit to the director for providing a movie which is a whiff of air amidst clichéd run-of-the-mill stuff, specially at a time when a female child is still considered a burden in many families in rural parts of our country.

Movies on family values have become a rarity and such themes have been left for the mega-serial directors to handle. But Radha Mohan seems to have taken it a challenge and delivers a movie, which is entertaining, engrossing and makes us sit up and watch in the theatre. The emotions and the joy a man undergoes when he gets a daughter has been brought out well by the director through Raghu Raman played by Prakash Raj.


JAANE TU YA JAANE NA

Aamir Khan who has known to be an ace when it comes to selecting scripts and venturing into production, provides his nephew Imran the much awaited launch. Jaane Tu… also marks the directorial debut of screenplay and dialogue writer Abbas Tyrewala.

Jaane Tu … definitely comes in with an air of freshness with the likes of Genelia and Imran. The film dips post interal but still has its moments. It’s sure to impress at least the youth. As for Genelia and Imran , they have left behind their footprints in Bollywood.

SINGH IS KING


There has been a lot riding on this flick and why not when you have one of the hottest pairs Akshay and Katrina who return yet again after ‘Namastey London’. All the more hype when you have Anees Bazmee heading the ship. Bazmee’s track record at the box office says it all- Tremendous success with his previous ‘Welcome’ creating a box office record.

Now here we are with ‘Singh is Kinng’, with Vipul Amrutlal Shah who enjoyed much success with Akshay’s ‘Waqt’ taking his place as producer.
Akshay does well but the film is much below expectations and why not when the title’s got the word ‘King’ attached to it. Akshay is no doubt a great performer but with this film lacks the true persona of the ‘King’ and there’s still a lot more to get to that ‘King’ status. So for now , Khan is still King.

A WEDNESDAY


From the debutant Director Neeraj Pandey: Two men more challenging: an unrecorded event, spine-chilling thriller ride for 100 minutes with unexpected twists and turns. Cinematic purgatory, right?

Yippee! This is something unexpected, indeed a great surprise and a resurgence of pure cinema in the pages of Bollywood. It's off been awestricken gesture of tasting something unique amidst of feculent flicks that should have really annoyed us. Perhaps, A Wednesday entitles Neeraj Pandey as the finest gifted auteur of Indian Cinema. Truculent characterizations designed on stupendous actors and a rattling screenplay opening with a silent ambience and then an edge-seated thriller with nail-biting sequences: These ascribe the film to be the most estimable start by Neeraj.

RAB NE BANA DI JODI



Well, to start off with, Aditya Chopra spells yet another poignant dimension of pure love as in his previous ventures with SRK; DDLJ and Mohabattein. Yeah! These tales were retentive impressing everyone from 8-80yrs old men and women. Of course, we fell in love getting imbibed with those spellbinding personations in these flicks. So, guess what about Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi – a film that brings back sensational pair SRK-Aditya together after 8yrs? Does the film exceed everyone's expectations on 'Love' n 'Entertainment' factors? Or merely conks out dashing down our hopes?
Hats off to Aditya Chopra! An awesome motif of delineating a touching story of romance...

Have you ever stopped to think if the most ordinary, uninteresting, unobtrusive man you might see on the road or around you might have a love story to tell?
Maybe not! How can an ordinary man have a breathtaking, goose flesh igniting, awe inspiring love story of all things to tell?

But guess what - love does not differentiate between the ordinary and exceptional, the uninteresting and interesting, the unattractive and attractive. Because love knows no distinction. It can happen to anyone and once it does it engulfs us into it completely and gives us those heaven-sent experiences that only love can yield.


GHAJINI


And at the end of this year, there's a bedazing blockbuster in Indian Box office. Here comes our maestro of perfection swaying on with a different genre from his previous ventures. Merely, producers wouldn't have considered Ghajini as an 'Empaling Speculation' for enormous reasons. Well, when you've South India's top-charting Director, Bollywood's superstar, Musical Maestro and versatile technicians teaming up, undoubtedly results are off grandeur. On the buttons, 'Ghajini' is so tremendous on all panoramas of narration and technical aspects. The film had raised everyone's expectations across far-flung corners as Tamil and its Telugu dubbed version had walloping critical acclaims.

So, what's special about Aamir's Ghajini? Thank God! It isn't a copycat of Christopher Nolan's 'Memento' and carries more divergence from Tamil version in latter half. Well, even for those who had soundly watched Tamil version, they're gonna experience an enhanced spirit on emotions. Of course, tho' it's an action-packed thriller, emotions are boundless….