Variety is the spice of life

Consider this scene from a recent movie: There is one guy who has been kidnapped and is being held at knife point, threatened with death and is being coerced for ransom. The lead character in that movie, I hate to term it hero for its hard core negative characterisation, suggests the kidnapper to use gun instead of knife, for its the "in" thing. By mistake the gun goes off and the victim gets shot. Blood spatters. If you guess the audience being mortified by this you couldn't be more wrong. What follows is peals of laughter and guffaws!!! Consider this another scene from same movie: The so called villain is about to kill a guy by chopping off his neck. Both the guys are screaming away to glory while the audience rolls around laughing!! True. If you look at the entire movie, after almost 3 hours, you get to know the reason behind the above situations. It may or may not be still funny, which depends on betting your sense of humour versus social consciousness. I'...

Its not for nothing we are called sentimental fools. We get stirred emotionally for all the wrong things. One just need to learn how to coin a few words rhythmically correct and presto!! he has  a mad rush behind him in the form of followers. Be it a sadhu sanyaasi or a politician or any wannabe actor or even a sportsman with a decent form, every one has a fanatic group behind them. Success always is endowed with so many relatives while failures or orphans. But in these cases, even when their so called idol fails or is caught doing wrong, even then their die hard fans don't give up on them and continue to hold cudgels on their behalf. How can someone be so wrong and still command so much support?!! Its so obvious for any third party that their leader is so wrong. Yet for the die hard fanatics, their idol couldn't have been more wronged!! Their sentimental values obstruct judicial views and even when they themselves have been victims of the swindle, they conveniently ignore it a...

Very rarely does a song does full justice to its tune. Songs are like rasam. It has to be a perfect blend of all ingredients. Don't ask me for recipe. I neither know it from the music side nor from culinary section. But being an ardent foodie, I can vouch for those that enthral my taste buds. This particular song from Ai - Pookalay satru oivedungal, fit right into all the right sections. A typical ARR song after a really long time. Tunewise its a mix of "Kaathal anukkal" from Enthiran and "Khamoshi raath" from Thakshak, both credited to ARR who has done a Harris jeyaraj with this song ala rehashing his own hits. Since both songs are some of his best compositions, it doesn't hurt to hear the same again with different lyrics this time. After listening to "Mersalaaitten" in Ai movie, I really did became "Mersal"!!(??). Now that one think of it, almost all of ARR's songs have been of excellent language quality when it comes to lyrics. B...

Again, Neeya Naana takes credit for the theme of this post. Few weeks back, the team didn't just open the Pandora's box, but set it on fire when they raised the question of unnecessary master health check ups amidst a group of doctors with the antagonists in victimised public. Hell hath no fury than a bunch of doctors scorned. They took to every form of media available to pour their ire on the show, host and its director. I happened to watch that episode, which actually had a poignant moment, when a poor couple had brought their blind kid, blinded by negligence shown by the very doctors. The premise of the show, to examine the real reason and motive behind the numerous health check-ups ordained by doctors got lost in due course when people started preaching about the goodness of the medical profession and how holier than thou they are as compared against their colleagues from other work streams. They kept quoting Hippocratic oath in various versions of it, than spelling o...

Neeyaa Naana is my favourite hunting haunt for blog topics. Usually me a big fan of debates, especially the tamil ones like pattimanram. Neeya Naana is a modernised version of pattimanram except that its biased to the core by its anchor Gopinath. He wouldn't allow any thought process against his own view and perception and makes sure the show is always unidirectional. But at times, it raises above its mediocrity, courtesy some really good speakers, who manage to sneak in their point, right under his nose. Recent one on "How to identify Nallavan" was one such topic that caught fancy. It was a dumb show by any standards considering that the speakers were competing with the anchor in bringing the script down to the extent possible. It was a callously handled attempt to such a wonderful topic. The very first question posed to one section of the audience was an interesting one that failed to live up to its potential - "define nallavan". Every single one of the spea...

The hills may be alive with the sound of music...but if you've to stay alive after "start meejic" better rush to the hills!!! Nunal should be the closest to appavi thangamani's of husband world. For like them, they also vaayal kedum. Ipdi thaan paarunga, one fine day, after finishing all household chores Rangamani (aka) Mrs. Thangamani..was sleeping super tired. Appavi Thangamani was busy checking new movies on torrents when he suddenly heard that. Ennada ithu re-recordingla illama pudusa oru tune varuthaynu he heard hard, wondering probably it was that nuisance neighbour at it again, Mr.Faultist Flautist. He started swaying his hands ala Zubin Mehta conducting a choir to compose a soliloquy symphony. His gyrating movements must've triggered of electrifying pulses on the air waves, for suddenly Rangamani was up and awake. "enna pannindurukkel" "ushhh....listen" "ennaachu" "Usshhh..." "*silently..with a scary v...

Yaay...I still remember the password for logging into this site!! :) Ethana saga bloggers post marriage kaanama poitaanga sollitu ithey blogla polambirukken..Didn't realise en caseum athey pola aagumnu :D Apdi onnum perusa vetti murikara velai illai, obviously :) Simpla solanumna Somberithanam saaasthiaaiduthu. Ipolam all polambals in Facebook itself. So blog pakkam vara vela kammmi aaidichi. Lets see how long the second innings lasts :D Hope it extends little longer than India's stint in England!!

Another Saturday at Ram's house "Priyaaaa....I am leaving" shooouts Ram as he packs his kit. "Ram...Ram..Ram....inniki oru naal un cricketukku leave vida koodatha" "Sorrypa..already anga groundla enakkaga ellarum waiting..enga ponaalum latea pogarennu erkanavay ellarum thitraanga..." "Daily nee veetuku varathukkay nadu raathiri aaiduthu...weekend aana cricket velayaada odidra..enga kooda time spend panrathay illa" "sorry chellam..intha oru vaaram poren..adutha vaarathulenthu veetta vittu velila poga maaten" "engala vida unakku cricket mukkiyama poiduthula" "huh..ilama..corporate tournament varuthu sonnenla..athuku thaan enga office team makkaloda practice porom" "micha perlaam bachelor pasanga..veedu vaasal kelvi ketpaar illa..unakken intha veen velailaam" Ram's fone rings at that very instant. "Dei...oru inningsay mudia pogthu...innum kelamabalaya neee" his friend shout...

Having yet unable to come to terms with his untimely death, every time my friends smiley face come to my mind, his haunting voice kept disturbing. Worst, when mom heard of his demise, she could not sleep the whole night and was mentally disturbed. The next day morning, she was suddenly missing and came after an hour. Later I realised, she had gone to worship the family deity of my friend on a nearby madhva temple to pray for peace and strength for his parents to bear his loss. It was another instance when my mom's action stunned me. She has this amazing quality of taking other's loss as her own and suffer for them. I would never be as selfless as her and even if I try hard its an impossible feat to match.I really needed to take my mind off the loss and indulged in binge movie watch. Oru kanniyum moonu kalavaanigalum - I am big fan of simbudevan. All his movies, right from 23rd pulikesi, aria enn 365il kadavul, irumbu koattai murattu singam every single movie of his has...

Dear Ananth, I remember the first time I met you in office. I though what a haughty guy!! You sounded arrogant and had an all assuming air about you. Within matter of days I kicked myself correct. To be honest, I've never met such an innocent and chirpy person in my career, who is not only strong on knowledge but also such a versatile person. Our volleyball team owes a lot to you for that huge trophy that adorns our unit. Every single day, we all await you to join us during lunch, just to rob the pakoda plate, you buy in canteen. And on those days you go to client site, we always talk about the missing pakoda more than you ofcourse :) Our team was the extended family which made office an home away from home. Despite all this, why did you decide to leave us all? I don't know if anyone deserves to die. But I can put my life in front and claim that yours was definitely not one to be lost. Why did you travel today without helmet? Why did the ill-fated bus mow you down? Why didn...

Click here for previous part பூ மறுத்த வண்டு குழி வெறுத்த நண்டு ஆண் மறுத்த பெண்டு கண்டதில்லை வெகுநாள் மீண்டு...   ஆடிக்காற்றில் அம்மியாய்.. அசைந்தான் கௌசிகன்.. புவி ஈர்ப்பின் விதி வென்றவன் -பூ விழி ஈர்ப்பில் மதி மறந்தான்.. உற்ற நெறி துறந்தான்..   சேலையுள் நூலாய்.. நூலின் நிறமாய்.. நிறத்தின் தன்மை யாய்.. இருவரும் கலந்தனர்... மனம் ஒன்றி புணர்ந்தனர்...   இன்னாவும் இனியாவும் நாப்பது அறிந்து உணர்ந்தவன்... ஆசை முப் ப தும் மோக அறுவதையும் கடந்தான்... வேறென்ன..இனி முழு பிறவி கடன் தான்....   நெஞ்சக வலையல்ல நஞ்சுக இந்திரனின் வஞ்சக வலை என்றுணர்ந்தான்.. விட்ட பணி தொடர விரைந்தான்.. மேனகை முன்னின்று மறைந்தான்...   முனி சுமந்த மங்கை கரு சுமந்து நின்றாள்.. பத்தரைக்கு மேல் மாற்று தங்கமாய் பத்து மாதம் பின்னர் பிறந்தது ஒரு மழலை அவளே சகுந்தலை

Previous part padikka ingay clickkavum கௌசிகன் .. சகல கலா ரசிகன் மக்கள் போற்றும் மானசீகன் குடிகள் போற்றும் கோமகன் வானம் பொய்த்து பயிர்கள் உய்த்ததால் ஞானம் மொய்த்திட அடைந்தான் வசிட்டனிடம் தஞ்சம் அவன் நந்தினி போக்கினாள் மக்களின் பஞ்சம் கேட்டதை தரும் கலியுக காமதேனு இது ஒரு முனிவனிடம் இருப்பது கஞ்சம் மக்கள் தேவை போக நிறைய மிஞ்சும் அது போதும் முனிவனுக்கு என எண்ணியது அவன் நெஞ்சம்   போர் முனை பல வென்ற வீரன் வெற்றியை மாலையாய் சூடிய தீரன் மக்களின் பசி போக்க முனிவனிடம் மண்டியிட இனங்கினான் தன் விண்னப்பத்தை வணக்கத்துடன் தொடங்கினான்   முக்கால விதி அறிந்த வசித்தன் கௌசிக னின் வேண்டுதலை மறுத்தான் பிறர் வாழ பிச்சை கெட்ட பேரரசன் ஒரு புறம் தான் வாழவே பிச்சை கேட்கும் முனிவன் மறுபுறம் நன் தீனி நெருங்கி இருந்தாலும் செய்வதறியாது நொந்தினி ஆனால் நந்தினி   பார் வெல்ல போர் புரிந்தவன் சோறு அள்ள போர் தொடங்கினான் வசித்தனின் குடில் மேல் வீரர்களை ஏவினான்   பார்வைக்கு பசுவானது பாய்ச்சலில் புலி ஆனது வீரம் வரத்தின் முன் தோற்றத...

I the back. Found some gasping time amidst the rush rush schedule and here I am back to my "Bad donkey small wall" blog. "How is your kannaala vazhkkai" has been the question from everyone and everywhere. To quote 13B hindi movie in tamil "yaavarum nalam". Athukaga horror thrillera nu yosikaatheenga. Learning the tricks of trade with each passing day is nothing short of an experience on any thrill ride. Read in some mokka vikatan joke - wifeys are like theepavali pattaasu. Eppo vedipaanga eppo bussnu irupaangannu teriaathu. Thought it was a joke but athula evlo karuthu irukungarathu kalyaanam aana thaaan teriuthu!!! Ipdi thaan paarunga...supermarket poren, unakkenna soap vaangitu varattumnu ammani ketaanga. Ada paravalaye...husbandkkaga shopping poreengalaanu oray the fullarichings me. Normalavay namakku eppovum sukkaran Sikkim state mathiri indiakka chinaakkaanu izhu parila irukkum. Annikinu paathu uchathula irunthrukum pola. Antha veena pona soap peru...

In about 60 hours time, I am about to witness one of the most important changes in anyone life. This post, in that sense, is more like the meteorological department warning of impeding weather. I have always been the curious cat who can never savour a mystery and will jump to know the result. And this time its is no different either. There are so many thoughts running through mind. So many changes beckons. A whole new lifestyle. A whole new personality awaits. A whole new routine waiting on the wings. A whole new life itself just around the corner. Hopefully blogging should be one thing I can continue :) See you all on other side of February.

A guy n a gal were friends Both had partners who initially were unmindful of their friendship But as they still indulged in each others life much to their chagrin of their partners, always having stories and anecdotes and little secrets to share and laugh and often enjoying within themselves, it all came down to whose affection was stronger. one fine day their partners having enough of this relation, which they couldnt quite agree as "just friends" gave them an ultimatum - to choose between the relations They felt insecure on a relationship quadrangle where they also wanted to be part on equal footing They demanded time for their own, so that they will also have stories to share They wanted the undivided attention of their spouses They wanted to be the first person in their love list The friends realised the logic on their request and decided to take a break from each other They wanted the world to realise that even if they stay away f...

Every time I walk on the madaveethis of Mylapore, I feel the anniyan in me boiling with rage. Wish I have a bulldozer handy so that I can run over all the encroachments. By which I mean, every single store that has set shop, their free parking customers, on-vehicle bargainers, mid of the road pookadais and vegetable kadais, autowalas who abandon their VMD(vehicle of mass destruction) anywhere they care to urinate at any place of their want -be it school compound or temple or even garbage dump. The world is the urinal for them. The shops on the other side, jewellery section, are no saints either. Being the richer lot, they've extended their rule in concrete by stretching their stories right onto the sidewalks. The day is not far when they take over the entire stretch as their own and the paithiakaara poor pedestrians might be banned as trespassers on their own pathways. Every time I cringe when I am ordered out of the footpath on to the main road. And every time I crib her...

Possibly my third or fourth post on similar topic in past 8 years :) Guess every 2.5 years I get bored with my way of life. Especially with my career. The moment I feel that I am getting very comfortable with what I am doing I simply cut off all the safety nets and rush headfirst into the unknown. All this bravado might suit someone who is really onto being such a rebel. But unknowns scare me crazy and every single bone in my almost 6 ft body is triple coated lazy. I am not someone who likes change. I would rather prefer steady state forever in my life. But the sheer weight of boredom far outweighs the fear of change and every time I force the change myself. Probably this is one main reason why i'vent made rapid strides up the ladder as compared to my patient friends :) Those who started their career with me are at an embarrassingly higher rank :) I could very well be the Indiana jones of IT. Not for his bravado but we share a common trait in going ...

For a long time I've been trying to write a story for children. Whenever I sit to frame a theme for them, I am stumped for one. I have a mental framework about how the story should be, based on the in numerous Tinkles, Champaks, Jataka tales to Ambulimama, Balamitra and Ratna bala. All those stories will have a basic setup -be it village or city. A simpleton or a greedy person or a miser or a lazy bone or a good Samaritan (an extremely good person in current days world) would be the central character. Mostly they would be either dim-witted or brilliant and the entire story would revolve around them. Their life would be so peaceful. In a span of few boxes of cartoons an entire life span would've been explained. IMHO Tinkle is the most under rated of all books. The kind of morals and values it imparts in the form those simple stories are nothing short of phenomenal. I wish Anu club gets included in science syllabus for school kids. Till date I remember that story I read in that a...

For long I've been reading numerous articles, be it blog posts or news paper clippings mocking the madisar maami or the so called typical Aiyar slang or the customs that are performed by Brahmins. It was the case in movies, where any leading hero from the time of MGR till date has donned the role of a Brahmin character to mock the community and its ways to achieve box office success. Its been one community that has often been ridiculed by anyone and everyone who wants to garner attention and like a meek goat that never bites back at people who throw stones on it, there has never been any violent protests or road rokos and not even a bandh call that I am aware of. Not that I am a "know-all" nor do I follow the pre and post activities of any such controversy. Just the way, the so called "intellectuals" who mock the community to their personal glory, I am also generalising now with the above statement. It often irks me when people criticise out loud any custom or...

Boring. That's how I feel to write posts nowadays and also that's what I felt after watching the movie. Same old stunts, same old villain , same old tricks, same old hero worshipping crowd and really old Ajith. Ageing gracefully is one thing, but repeating the same get up movie after movie is blehhh. The USP of the movie was Ajith in rural role. He does look majestic on vella vetti vella sattai, with his trademark dapaanguthu dance steps for saavu melams. Whistle sound must've blasted many an ear drums on theaters. There are several pakka masss scenes written for target audience. Especially the tender quotation scene and the one in swing. Apart from those two, nothing else is noticeable in the movie. Tamanna..avvvv....ennachu antha kozhanthaikku. She looks whiter than before in a dumber than ever role of her career. Ajith's brother quadrants make up for the slots usually donned by friend gumbal in city based stories. And the story itself is almost 30 40 years old. I...

"Hey..show me her photo...phonela vachirukalla?" "Pazham thinnatha korangu...panam vaangatha politician..fiancée foto vachukaatha fiancé..chaancey illa" "Dei Adangariyaa..." "Photo kaetta edhuku phoneai noandittu irukka" "Its all in facebook..wait...here ..." "Mmmmm...She looks so chamathu..epdida unkitta maatikitta..ohh.sorry..Maatikitaanga" "She is one Santoshi Subramani..appa sol thattaathu...ivan usuala podra nalla pulla bitta vachu avanga appava correct ponna ushaar panitaan" "Poraama poraama" "Aaaamaaaa...apdiyee naanga poraama pattutaalum...ithana naala thaan enga kooda mokka pottutu iruntha..ippo thaan intha kodumaiya anubavikka aal arranged la..poi anga mokka podama innum ennada pannitrukka" "Yen nelama..neengalaam kalaikara alavuku iruku. Avanga veetla orthodox..cardiodox..neurodox. Intha kaalathula ipdi oru paradox. Number dial pannavay neram paakranga..." "Nera...

If wishes were horses...well I would've lot of stable full of horses. That many wishes I got. First in the list is AAP. ada..aappu ileengo..Aam admy party. The word aadmi has been purpose fully misspelt. I am a staunch believer that India would be better served only under dictatorship. And that should be me is an open hidden agenda:D:D We need to be ruled. Sorry. One correction. We yearn to be ruled. We need someone to spell out things for us. We need heroes to protect us from disease to demons. We always look up for some messiah and have hopelessly high expectations on them. We forget and forgive the scoundrel leaders and would give up on them and their misdeeds quicker than the number of chances that we give for scrupulously clean common people. Our aam aadmis are always "adimai"s and wouldnt allow the yoke to be lifted off them. And this is where AAP's role is going to face its biggest challenge. More than Congress and BJP trying to topple it, its detractors knew...

I had actually started with my year end roundup much ahead of schedule only to post it in new year. That pretty much sums up my blogging year. Been very lazy and reluctant to post for no reason. Anyways, an year back, on the last week of 2013, I embarked on the longest vacation of my life and probably the most exciting one. I didn't realise it much then, but when I look back now, I am awe struck with wonder. I've recorded all those days much in detail on this very blog. As I re-read those posts each time, I am super thrilled and feel blessed. Agreed there was a bitter event on the very new year's eve that resulted in many a major decision in my life. As I look back to that event, it ties back to the conversation I had with my ex manager few weeks back on my personality. I am still sensitive and expect a lot out of everyone to behave the way I feel its correct. And I still take a long time to get over negative things. But the positives have always overshadowed the negati...