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Showing posts from April, 2020

The cult of Chandramukhi

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The distance from Koramangala to RT Nagar in Bangalore is around 14 Kms over 25 mins at that time of the day, rather night. But the bike ride felt eternal. My skin under the full sleeves’ shirt was shivering like never before. My closest experience to something similar was during the early 1980s when I watched “My Dear Kuttichathan” at Devi Theatre in Chennai. Be it a graphically shot snake coming out of a chandelier or the evil-filled Raja Vettaiyan walking with his sticks screaming “Laka Laka Laka” or the Rajapalayam Dogs barking fiercely and of course the extraordinary eye movements of the ecstatic Chandramukhi showing off her jewels, the entire movie was a bit on the edge when I watched it for the first time on this day, 15 years back. I feel the same every time I watch this film till now – around 50+ times during the past 180 months. The scary ride was because I was returning back from PVR at Forum Mall after watching First Day Night Show and Bangalore’s lonely roads were infamous

When an OTT got Rajinified

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It was a yet another Monday for millions across the world. 23 rd  March 2020. But for some of us, it was a special day ahead. A day, Rajini Fans worldwide had marked in their Calendars as an important one. A few lucky of us would watch the Premier twice, others once. As I always wake up in the wee hours and prepare for a 4am “darshan” of Thalaivar at Kasi Theatre or Rohini Silverscreen at Chennai for an FDFS – First Day, First Show, I was all excited from the previous evening onwards. Just that I would be watching it all alone on my iPad in the confines of my favourite  chair at home, without the usual brouhaha outside and inside the theatre, save for the whistling, thumping and howling that I would anyway do all by myself. I would after all get to see “Thalaivar” in action with the wilderness on a small screen. The Discovery Plus App premiered at 6am and the Television premiered at 8pm. I was lucky to see both, one alone and the evening session with the family alongside Dinner.   It w

Vaanam Kottatum - Film Review

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Among the most awaited movies of 2020 was Vaanam Kottatum. In a typical Mani Ratnam style movie (story & script is by him, btw) with a star cast that’s been resplendent over the past few years in his movie, Director Dhana sends home a message of, duh. Actually nothing.   VK is a family drama, a non-gripping father-son story that also involves the lives of those around. As is the case of many of the ace Director’s films, the story is loose with many open ends and makes the viewer wonder why certain characters even appeared. Like MJ. Sriram who’s only purpose was to offer a drink to a stranger who ends up at his home while there’s an IT Raid going on (we don’t know what business he ran and why they were there) at his scenic ECR-styled bungalow. I sincerely hoped this movie to be a head turner for Vikram Prabhu and Shanthnu Bhagyaraj, a sort of coup with kids of two yesteryear heroes coming together. But that wasn’t the case to be, finally. Shanthnu barely gets to share screen spacer

Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal - Film Review

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Was eagerly awaiting to see this film on the OTT platform and finally found time yesterday. The title is from a song from the critically acclaimed “Thiruda Thiruda” which was a movie about a heist, a wild goose chase and romance intertwined. KKK is almost similar. Except that it is contemporary and is tuned to today’s times. Debutant Director Desingh Periyasamy has made a movie that resonates well with the current generation across many aspects of life – Money, Romance, overnight riches and everything in between. That the storyline is somewhat familiar to Thaana Serndha kootam is one thing; that there is no 15 minute preaching at the end of the movie to justify the crime is the best thing. Perhaps, why it ran for a few weeks to packed multiplexes in key metro cities.    Siddharth (Dulqueer Salman) is happy go-lucky guy along with his side-kick and friend Kallis (Rakshan). They do odd jobs and for the first 10 minutes in to the film, no one knows why they exist, especially the car chase