Cinema, Karam, Kapi

Superstar Rajinikanth has donned the role of a Policeman only a few times over the past 44 years in tinsel town. The most memorable one remains his uncanny performance as Alex Pandian in the film Moondru Mugam while the 90s’ Pandiyan and Kodi Parakkudhu were forgettable ones. Ever since, Thalaivar has stayed away from police characters for reasons best known to him. So, when it was announced last year that Darbar was on the anvil, fans were frenzied to see our action hero as a toughie-roughie cop. And we are not disappointed one bit. The film’s worth for his ardent fans is almost over in the first 15 minutes which is a treat to watch – the opening fight, thrashing goons with his policeman charisma and swag, threatening NHRC Officers in his inimitable style followed by the Chumma Kizhi song. As a hardcore fan for 4 decades, I said, “Ok, the reason I came is over. I got what I want”. Darbar is a tribute to Thalaivar and his fans by a Director who has always yearned to portray h

The much-awaited Music Album of Darbar feat. Superstar Rajinikanth was released amidst much fanfare on Saturday 7 th  Dec. 2019 at Nehru Indoor Stadium, Chennai with an array of Film Stars and Technicians heaping praise on Thalaivar even as he is playing hide and seek with Media and Politicians across parties about his much anticipated announcement of forming a Political Party ahead of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Elections slated in 2021. Much to everyone’s surprise (and to many people’s disappointment), the Man didn’t speak a single word about Politics during his finale speech at the Event and thanked his fans and supporters as he celebrates his 70 th  Birthday on 12 Dec. 2019.  The film to be released in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi is produced by Lyca and Directed by AR Murugadoss and has Music composed by Anirudh Ravichander who is the Superstar’s nephew and is doing back to back Thalaivar films after the much successful 2018 release Petta.  On 27 th  Nov. 201

A group of Madrasi residents led by PC Bala, Author of several Books and a Management Consultant who are also cinema enthusiasts gathered on 30th August 2019 at Cream Centre RA Puram to discuss about Madras and Movies as part of Madras’s 380th Founding day Celebrations.  Actor Raja Krishnamurthy, popularly known as Kitty joined the movie buffs over samosas and coffee. He was quizzed by me on his film career, early days of associating with his junior from college who went on to make iconic films like Roja & Thalapathy and of course about Kitty’s acting stints with Superstar Rajinikanth without whom Madras is incomplete.  Kitty shared about how specific scenes in films like Thalapathy and Baasha turned out during the shooting while also narrating various other crunchies about Thalaivar including his Spiritual bent as well as his views on the socio-political environment.  Kitty, born and raised in Mumbai, completed his MBA at Jamnalal Bajaj and moved to Chennai t

Chinathai, aval petra Rajave, Mullil thondriya chinna rosaave! While there are so many songs composed by Maestro Illayaraja who celebrates his 76th Birthday today, my most loved one eulogising the legend is this song from Thalapathy sung by KS Chitra.  My abundant love for film music to which I've been addicted for over 4 decades is only because of Illayaraja's songs which I have grown listening to, all my life. So much so, that during my growing up years I had to have some music in the background for me to even study! Nothing much has changed even today - there's always background music even when I am working on something very important, while travelling driving and even when going to sleep. Over the years, I have collected hundreds of cassettes and later CDs and had downloaded thousands of songs during the last 20 years. In the past few years though, I have stopped downloading and have been listening to Music on the Go through apps such as Raaga, Gaana, Saav

Most of you who’ve seen Petta can resonate with many of Superstar’s movies over the past 40 years. Some are quite obvious, some are hidden gems. Am listing my few favourites here. The film starts with Thalaivar uttering the first dialogue - “Naan Veezhven endru ninaithayo!”. I could immediately connect with the opening scene of Muthu where he wishes the best for everyone, breaks the coconut and just when the horses scream - “Oruvan Oruvan Mudalali” song begins. Am sure Karthik Subburaj had this inspiration as well. All the more for Petta, since Kabali and Kaala were not up to the expectations of his hardcore fans, so KS had to ensure not only he delivers a blockbuster but also make Thalaivar say this dialogue, which is also something he openly mentioned in the 150th day celebrations of Chandramukhi where he mentioned he is not an Elephant, rather a horse and would get up just like that. Whattay fanboy moment when the film begins! The sarcasm that Kaali, the hostel warde

The first dialogue Superstar Rajinikanth utters in Petta is “Naan Veezhven enduru ninaithayo” after bludgeoning a few bad guys in his inimitable style. One cannot but remember the golden words of Neelambari “Vayasanalum un stylum azhagum  innum  pogale” - except that she actually said that 20 years back when Thalaivar was 49 years young. From this scene which is 4 minutes after the film reels on till the last scene - where Thalaivar ends with a pistol shot, its Superstar galore for over 150 minutes. Every fan who came out after watching the film has only one thing to say about Director Karthik Subburaj - “Only someone who has consumed Rajinikanth in every vein, muscle, blood and brain can create such a screenplay” - so true. KS has literally “Rajinified” the viewers with such a strong and gripping storyline which is a potpourri of Superstar’s antics for 40 years which most of his  ardent fans have enjoyed every bit and byte, literally . Kaali joins a convent in a hill sta