GoT Season 6 Wrap up: The Rocket just started exploding at the Right Moment - Part 1

Disclaimer
As ever, the points below are my standpoints alone. No one is to be held accountable other than me.

"Why did Katappa kill Baahubali?" - This question transcended all boundaries - political, religious, caste and other yada yada yada - and was chanted like the sacred Gayatri Mantra by people from all walks of life who used their Sherlock Holmes' brains to decode this conundrum by placing themselves in the Director's shoes. I am still not sure.....whether his shoe size would have fit many! Overlooking my pathetic joke, I can see your confused faces through my screen as to what relevance does Baahubali has got to do with GoT. You will know the answer soon. 

An earthquake measuring on a Richter Scale of 20 shook the Internet to its very bare foundation in a positively disastrous manner when Snow was laid down on the snow as Season 5 drew to its gory close. All the survivors (Read:Fans!) screamed only a single question with one voice "Was Jon Snow really dead?". Just like the ubiquitous Katappa question was being hollered all over the net, Snow being alive or dead circled the world at a pace quicker than QuickSilver! Though the much agonizing wait for Jon's fate was revealed earlier this year, people are still waiting with bated breath for the other big thing. Rumors are that BB2 will be released on April 28, 2017. So, BB2 fans. Sorry for the inconvenience. You have to clench your teeth and scratch your head for some more time to get your riddle cracked. And Oh! You also got the reason why I brought up Baahubali's reference in the previous para. So, all's fine and dandy!  Let's get started with our important matter at hand.

Prior to the premiere of Season 6, there were reports that the budget for GoT had crossed $10 million dollars per episode. Personally, I did not find anything that grand or worthy for such a gargantuan expense to be incurred for the first 7 episodes. In fact, the show was heading towards a cataclysmic and irreparable disaster had it not been for the identity proclaiming "No One", the classy "The Battle of Bastards" and the simply lost-for-adjectives and indescribable "The Winds of Winter". The finale saved the sinking Titanic by helping her to reach the shores not only safely but also with galores of appreciation showered upon its captains and crews alike for stupendously steering this gigantic vessel intact and unharmed.

S6 E1 continued with the last thread left behind at the end of the last season. The resurrection of Kit Harington by Melisandre was no surprise at all as she was the only person who possessed the inexplicable and supernatural powers of the Lord of Light. The real question which was bothering me for one full year was "How soon?". The answer to that simple question was clarified in Episode 2 though it was really a sort of anti-climax in the way he was brought to life. In the blink of an eye, Jon opened his eyes and revived from his deep sleep by the Red Woman. What he does with his new life was answered quickly enough when he promptly executes those who assassinated him for treason and rallies for troops along with Sansa which ultimately culminated in "The Battle of Bastards" thus helping Sansa to reclaim the fallen Winterfell into their hands. It was truly a rejoicing moment for me when Winterfell's rightful Coat of Arms was raised up. Sansa should have the right mind atleast now to change the name of Winterfell to Wintergot! Once again apologising for my poor joke, on a more serious note, Oxford should consider rephrasing 'From Rags to Riches story' as 'From a Bastard to the King story' for Jon being accepted as the King in the North though he had a very timely help from an extremely unexpected person. I will cover that most important part later.

Being on the topic of "The Battle of Bastards", I am sure Ramsay Bolton would have realized by now that Karma is really a BITCH, literally! In one of the earlier episodes, he had his own half-brother to be savagely eaten by his blood-thirsty hounds. I was aghast on seeing such a heinous act though inherently I knew it was all an act! Ramsay was devil incarnation in human form and there had been many a day where I wanted to thump him for all his monstrous actions. It was indeed a fitting poetic justice when he was torn apart by his ravenous dogs at the episode's conclusion. Likewise, Wun Wun wonderfully won won my heart with his heroic sacrifice by breaking open the strong, sturdy and cannot-be-broken-heavy gates of Winterfell. "The Battle of Bastards" was legitimately wun, pun intended!

Discussing about dogs, The Hound made a sudden appearance like a sneaky subliminal ad and butchered those who brutally murdered his saviors.  After that, he vanished like a wisp of smoke. Just like how the vestigial organs in our body do not know for what purpose they exist, Rickon Stark is also one such character. I am still wondering why he did not swerve to his left or right when Rickon was running towards the riding Jon Snow before he was killed by one of Ramsay's arrows. Nevertheless, I am also wondering how many people actually pitied for Rickon's death other than Jon Snow even though Sansa foresaw her brother's death like Professor Trelawney!

But, what really opened up my limitless possibilities of endless thinking was the death of the gentle and highly loyal 'Hodor'. Bran's visions are constantly throughout the season including the hint of confirmation of the most popular R+L=J fan theory. During one of his visions, he unintentionally wargs a young Hodor when they are attacked by the White Walkers and the hordes of wights. I was over the moon when I saw the White Walkers once again in full action after a long time but this time even better and yes, Bitter too! The action sequence was visually spectacular and stretched close to fifteen minutes with the saddest part was that the only pure soul in the show finally succumbed to Bran's new powers. GoT is already teeming with Dragons, White Walkers, Lord of Light and other political developments that are literally happening everywhere. The last thing that we want on our plates is time travel to complicate the already densely complex story. With this, I tearfully bid adieu and say "Hodor Hodor Hodor" three times to commemorate the brave person because of whom Bran lives to fight another day.

                                        X------------------- End of Part 1---------------------X

The Curious Case of George R.R. Martin

Everything has to have a beginning. Even our universe has one though we are still figuring out how the mega event happened - at least in this dimension - to have a deeper understanding of the world we live in. Is it going to be a short primer on Astrophysics? Nay. 

4 years ago, my tryst with the famed and acclaimed Game of Thrones began when I watched the first few minutes of Season 1 Episode 1 where the almost immortal and dreaded White Walkers were shown and the epic theme music erupts like a fountain with the Da Vinci-esque settings announcing the cast. Like millions, I was not only glued to my seat but also hooked to it like the fisherman baiting a piscine with his fish hook. The arduous and fascinating journey commenced not only for the characters but also for me.

7 kingdoms. Plenty of kings, lords, knights and bastards. Magicians here and there. And the dazzling Dragons. GoT is indeed a perfect recipe for a very complex story from the mastermind GRRM. Though I have not yet read the books, I could still see shades of JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings kind of feel when it came to sketching out the extensive characters, several kingdoms and new languages to such an attention to detail. I was completely amazed and stunned by the spectacular level of intricacy he had given to each and every person, place and thing. 

Shredding the veil to pieces, GoT is nothing but a multi-layered and extremely complicated chess game where every individual tries to gain the upper hand by employing strategies and tactics to subvert their opposition - either single-handedly or by an alliance or by collusion to have a title shot at the Iron Throne using mostly (99.9999999%!) treacherous and deceitful means to satisfy and fulfill their objectives. But,one thing is rest assured. This is one chess tournament where Viswanathan Anand cannot even think to salvage a draw! The outright winner is.....No no no..It's neither Dany nor Snow but GRRM himself. More specifically, the victor ludorum has got to be the ultra bad GRRM present inside GRRM who is responsible for the wide spread butcheries and the rampant Butterfly effect prevalent in the GoT universe! Getting down to the brass tacks, it's like the Good GRRM tries to check mate the bad GRRM but the latter always has an ace up his sleeve to disturb the rhythm of the game.

Drugs. Booze. Incest. Rape. Nudity in all permutations and combinations - Frontal, Full-Frontal and Dorsal. Kids. Men. Girls. Ladies. Women. Not even old women and old men were spared when it came to explicitly bare their bodies onscreen. Likewise, only animal sex has not been shown in the series! Gays, Lesbians. What not! GoT is nothing short of free porn packaged with wars, conflicts and political schemings at the highest level!! Jokes apart. GoT is a classic example which can be shown as an useful learning tool to people to see the negative effects for themselves when a state or a country falls into a steep decadence of no return and how a society stinks to high heaven when lawlessness & power blind those who are in authority fixated only to their craving to holding on to their position instead of improving the lives of the people. I am not here to preach or lecture a moral lesson but the fact is that the majority people are usually like how the rulers are. When the head is not proper, you simply cannot complain about the tail!

As a kid, I had a strong inclination to beat Draco Malfoy black and blue whenever I used to devour HP. The same kind of feeling, if not magnified x100 times, I experienced when Joffrey strutted around the scenes like a prick and manhandled everything in sight. I felt the intense emotion to give him a tight hard slap that he would never forget in his life to blow off my steam. Luckily or unluckily for him, he was poisoned! 

As we are on the topic of poisoning, I am not sure what GRRM has with marriages. He is so obsessed with not giving us a proper wedding. It's either Red Wedding or Purple Wedding. The entire internet broke out into an unanimous frenzied tizzy when the only decent people on the show till then - The Starks were brutally murdered. I am waiting for the day when an episode would be titled "Happy Wedding" and an actual happy wedding takes place with no killings! 

Speaking of killings, none of the characters are spared - be it major or minor. Death wickedly smiles, laughs and patiently waits to embrace them at every step and turn the characters take. It seems like the sword of Damocles hangs above each and every one of them. Such is the extent of the deepest level of political subterfuge which has came out from the genius stables of GRRM. It was a really good thing that he wanted to be a writer. He would have given the cops a run for their money had he been a master criminal with such brains! 

Mentioning of master criminal, I am silently reminded of Sidney Sheldon. SS was not a fantasy writer but a fantastic weaver of fiction. When you analyze his writings, you could see a distinct pattern that will emerge from all of his books -Women are the protagonists. However, they are treated very cruelly and badly by men and the society. They are used as sex objects and ultimately become mentally and emotionally strong to rule the world! The pattern sounds familiar?? In GoT also, we find that the leading players are all women who were savagely toyed around by vicious and cold-blooded men as ragged doormats - be it the good Dany or the ruthless and merciless Cersei or the case hardened Stark kids. The chief hero of this epic saga could have been anyone amidst the many likes of machiavellian Little Finger, extremely logical and cool-headed Tyrion, King Slayer Jaime and our very beloved Jon Snow but GRRM focusses particularly on Cersei and Dany to sit on the coveted prize. However, it was really nauseatingly sickening and gut-churning moment for me when I had to watch Cersei (Yeah! She is extremely vile and bad) to take up the Walk of Atonement that literally lasted for eternity! with the Sept shouting 'Shame, Shame' with a tinkling of the bell. I was completely shell-shocked that the directors had given so much extra screen time for the scene to prolong to such an extent before Cersei was draped in her clothes when the same time could have been reserved for showcasing the dragons.

GRRM gives the magical touch by introducing the inhuman White Walkers and the fearsome Dragons as early as Season 1 to give us a sense of foreboding that the White Walkers would walk with their army of wights any time and also a strong bonding with the dragons who can decimate the wights with their fires. 'A Song of Ice and Fire' is indeed an apt title for the epic fantasy series that has really exploded like an active volcano ever since GoT had its first release in 2011. Conflicts, Violence, Cruelty, Barbarism, Revenge, Torture, Betrayal, Sex, Mind Games, Sorcery, Loyalty, Love, Friendship, Finding your Inner Strength - GRRM neatly packed a humdinger of a story that left everyone in tears and the whole social media to buzz like a busy bee for the next one year debating whether Snow was alive or dead when Jon Snow was snowed by his own brethren at the Night Watch when Season 5 ended on a dramatic note. Theories and speculations were travelling at a speed faster than light that would have left even Einstein scratching his head for the answer that was on the mental lips of the utterly shocked audience. Season 6 review is for another blog. So, I am not going to touch upon it now. 

With mega serial scripts like "Kolangal" and "Metti Oli" running for more than 1000 days, GoT is that prized picture perfect product by GRRM for any Indian Soap director to run the show not only for 1000 days but also for generations together without a break! I sincerely hope that GRRM doesn't sell his rights to any Indian mega serial producer but simply HODORS them!! 

Disclaimer

This blog is just my personal observation on the highly popular TV series GoT and its revered creator. All the opinions and perspectives are solely mine and mine alone with absolutely no intention whatsoever to defame anyone in anyway or any manner.  

Suicide Squad - Barking Karazieeee but a Complete Let Down

The expectations were sky high and as deep as the Mariana Trench when the first teaser of the Suicide Squad was released a year ago. Jared Leto was recognizably unrecognizable and stunningly indescribable along with his tattoos as The Clown Prince of Crime. With the subsequent tantalizing teasers and mind-blowing trailers, the anticipation for the movie was sprinting like an in form and red hot Usain Bolt and assured of an Olympic Gold Medal much before its screen openings. As with the colossal clash between the Batman and Superman proving to be a damp squib earlier in the year , Suicide Squad also commits a terrible suicide because of its inherent fundamental flaws.

Before delving deep into the fatal fractures that could have otherwise transformed this gang of worst people into something truly remarkable and extra ordinary,  let us see the positives. 

If Heath Ledger was the heart and soul of The Dark Knight as the devious and psychopathic Joker, then Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn really steals the limelight from Will Smith and everyone else. Her wacky mannerisms, uber cool attitude and rib-tickling nonchalant dialogue delivery are not only commendable but also clap-worthy. Suicide Squad would have been dull and boring affair without the pitch perfect casting of Margot Robbie as Quinn. She elevated the entire movie from the abyss of dismal hopelessness to a tolerable and wildly funny movie watching experience. Will Smith as Deadshot was bang on target, literally and figuratively, with his subdued nature as a caring father to his daughter and his penchant towards hitting the prey at WILL, pun intended! The rest of this wacko team were ably supported by El Diablo, Captain Boomerang and Killer Croc who had their roles justified with a meaningful purpose rather than being just another tag along. Oh...Wait...You did not tell us about our famed Joker. How can I forget THE JOKER? Unfortunately, David Ayer had forgotten him and Jared Leto's screen presence was barely noticeable for the efforts he had taken to make him as memorable as Heath Ledger. But, in the highly limited screen time, Jared Leto sizzled as the wild and deranged Joker who would go to any extremes to save his beloved Quinn from the obnoxious clutches of the blackmailing Waller.

So,what's not right with the movie?

Well. Suicide Squad is extremely decent in the first half but post-interval, it is complete mayhem. I know it's August but I still have to use only MAYhem here! Turning a blind eye to my poor joke again, be it the ostentatious and gaudy visual effects in the second half or the Enchantress's cacophonic plan to rule the world or the botched up screenplay, Suicide Squad was a disaster in making when it was being made. You really don't get to relate or feel for any of the characters - take for instance - El Diablo - His backdrop as to why he doesn't want to take part in the fight because of his past should have created a stirring effect in the audience but it simply fell flat. It was like a seeing a documentary where you are bombarded with facts and not emotions. In fact, the entire character introductions were simply "Here..I present to you.." kind of setting including how the Joker and Quinn became the Kind and the Queen of Gotham. It was rushed and hurried rather than the moment to set and settle for the scenes and characters to have a profound impact in the minds of the audience. It's not just that. The movie deals with a bunch of highly dangerous criminals who are forced to come together in case of any emergencies and all of a sudden, they are shown as Captain America! As good people. The transition is too fast to even think that they could be good people when it was briefly shown what they are actually capable of doing to the public prior to their arrests.  Also. not to mention were the deliberately placed hip songs which was constantly played in the background. For the first few minutes, it was perfectly jelling with the 'Karaziee' theme of the movie but later it became an ear sore and added to the already existing eye exasperation! 

Suicide Squad was extremely good in patches like the scene where Will Smith stood on a car and took upon the bad guys, pun intended again, single-handedly or the scene where he shoots on the dummy targets with precision that left the soldiers dumb founded. Maybe if they story had an solid foundation and not a run-of-the-mill treatment, Suicide Squad could have worked magic. Maybe, if the Joker had been given a substantial role to play after all the rave comments that were given of his performance prior to the film's release, Suicide Squad could have clicked well. It's all Maybes now.

 
PS:
I am not a Marvel advocate. You can check out my X-Men Apocalypse for further reference. I am a big time super hero movie fan who just wants good stories to be told by the timeless and exciting creations by the their creators.  

Foodie's World Tour Combo - A Visitor's Paradise!

Just when I thought of treating myself to a yet another luxuriant 'Delhi Highway' lunch @ a dirt cheap price of Rs. 199 , a bright green sign board caught my bespectacled eyes. New Yorker was offering their own lunch buffet. As I had already tried the delicious DH meal once, my tired legs automatically walked towards the entrance of New Yorker.

Since I have already been there at the New Yorker, I am taking the luxury to skip the lecture on their decor or the ambience or the service. My full focus is going to be only on the food and nothing but the food.

As I sat down in one of their twin-chaired table, the order taker promptly gave me the a la carte to cherry pick my dishes. I had already made up my mind that I was to shelve the menu card to the side on that particular day and taste their buffet menu for a change. In a matter of seconds, literally and figuratively, the waitperson brought me another menu card displaying the buffet options - Indian and World. It was a sit down buffet and there was a subset within them - Regular and Jain. 

Opting for a World Regular, I had the liberty to choose my dishes from the options available infront of me. Before placing the final order, I had requested the waiter to bring me the Mango Chilli Margarita.  

The soup variety had two choices and the server brought me Mexican Tomato Soup. Tortilla Chips were floating on the fairly good stimulant soup. In the mean time, my tangerine Mango Chilli Margarita also made a colourful entrance to the table. One sip was all it took to go bonkers over the drink. It was wickedly wonderful. The salt sprinkled at the brim of the cup and the lemon together with the chilli coupled with the mango taste was nothing short of heaven and left me craving for more of this nectar.

After thoroughly enjoying the drink, the 2 slices of Bruschetta along with Taco (it was a fight between Taco and Falafel and the former won the bout) were kept on the table. The Bruschetta was simply outstanding with its soft, cheesy base. The Taco was satisfactory. 

Once again, it was a battle of difficult choices as I had to choose between the 2 varieties of Pasta offered. I went in for The Pasta Supremo. Though the pasta did not quite live up to its name, the 2 mini slices of cute Pizza compensated for the Supremo's exquisiteness.  

My stomach was already delightfully swimming with the plethora of international cuisines when the waiter brought me a cup with a scoop of Vanilla icecream topped with rainbow sprinkles.

After a dizzy lunch @ a very reasonable and competent price, it was time for me to say "Hasta la Vista, Baby".  

Is Kabali that bad?

Disclaimer:

1. This is not a review of Kabali though it is due from my end. 

2. All the below observed points are mine and mine only. I am always open to discussions and get new insights from you if your thought process doesn't match mine.

When I went through the posts in FB, a common and recurring theme emerged - Kabali is not like Baasha or Padayyappa or any of his other earlier movies.

Point 1: Before the movie's release itself , Ranjith and even Rajnikanth had said very clearly to not expect Kabali to be like Baasha. If many went in with that kind of expectation despite their gentle word of reminder, is it Rajni's or Ranjith's fault??

Point 2: Yes. No celebrated Punchlines or his famous One-liners or the extreme Daredevil actions. That's what make Kabali soar high. For once, Rajni has appropriately acted matching his real age. Even in the romance scenes with Radhika Apte. I had the apprehension that it might become schmaltzy and cloyed. Fortunately, it's not overdone or under done but just perfect.

But one thing, Deii...If he does all those things like fighting in the air or jumping from the terrace also , you guys..and girls.. are going after him and yelling 'will he ever change?' and when he does something different, you are like 'where are his famous punches?'. Nothing to say more than this.

Point 3: Unlike his previous films where he is shown to be larger than life person who becomes rich and powerful in a song and with superhuman capabilities, Kabali is someone who is completely susceptible and vulnerable throughout the movie - be it in his emotions as a doting father when he jumps towards the door in the Le Royal scene or when Rajini makes a reference to Vadivelu's well-known comedy "Nanum periya rowdy dhan". How many films have we seen him referring to another person's dialogue when he always creates his own and delivers them in his Rajni-esque style?

Point 4: I respected Ranjith's thinking process for his penchant towards communism and attention to detail towards his love - the che guevara poster, reference to Ambedkar's suit, giving meaning to Rajni's coat through his wife and even the road where Valli lived - Dr. Ambedkar Road! Rajni is the big factor, obvious! But, Ranjith has also showed his knack when it came to expressing what he loved.

Point 5: When you strip away all your colossal expectations from your mind and see Kabali as Kabali alone without any comparisons to Baasha or Muthu or Padayappa Or Shivaji, the movie is surely be an enjoyable watch however flawed Kabali is - Just like our Superstar himself to show he is also a mortal. We need to understand that even Superman died on one fine day!

Point 6: I am not a Rajini fanatic who does "Paal Abhishegam or burst crackers". So, why the hell did I give all those pointers? Simple. as a person who has been thoroughly entertained by this indescribable phenomena for more than 2 decades, it was extremely sad seeing people going at his throat and saying stuffs like "he has lost his appeal, style etc" when he has given more than what he could for Kabali even at that age.

I am not here to correct anyone's views or stand points. Everyone is entitled to their own perspectives irrespective whether it's right or wrong and I, for one, respect your opinions.

I rest my case here.

The Night time Micro Adventure

Disclaimer:

All the characters below are real. Any resemblance to living beings is not at all coincidental.

The year was 2015.  This scary and terrifying incident happened to us prior to 2 months before the dawn of 2016. In the blink of an eye, we are only 5 months away from the birth of 2017. It seems like the Earth has put in extra shifts to move things faster! As usual, overlooking and forgiving my poor joke, Jatin (J), Narasimhan(N) and Vignesh(I/me/myself) had to face the brunt of this nerve racking episode after a delightful day marked with lots of joyousness and immense satisfaction.

After waving tsunami-like Tatas to DG Sir and Shobhana Mam at the chai shop, N, J and I boarded the badly maintained and battered Number 96 bus to Coimbatore Railway Station from Ettimadai to catch the Nilgiris Express @ 9pm. All 3 of us had arrived on Saturday morning to give our helping hands, enthusiastic energy and actionable support to make the Annual Diwali Party on Sunday to be a successful affair. 

To call it merely success was really an understatement for the stupendous collective effort and vibrant positive energy that was displayed by each and every individual who made the entire event a resounding and rollicking success. It was at this juncture that we had to bid adieu to DG Sir and Shobhana Mam after sipping upon the hot tea at the nearby chai shop around 6pm. Little did we know that Gods, the Master Players, were laughing to their heart's contents from their heavenly abodes.

Since we had sufficient time at our disposal, we headed towards Brookefields Mall to have our dinner. It was like any other Sunday evening. The mall was chock-a-block full and bustling with lot of events though hosted by disappointingly unenergetic hostesses. Taking the escalator at every level, N, J and I reached our destination to satisfy our grumbling stomachs.

Munching, gulping and casually chatting over our victuals, it was then the snake began to raise its hood! It was a timely call from Ashwin who asked us to leave the mall immediately and proceed to the railway station at the earliest if we hadn't started our proceeding to catch our train. He told us that as it was raining heavily, the roads have come to a stand still because of the stagnant waters under the subway. Our combined first reaction was "Is it raining?". Listening to the steadily increasing pitter-patter of the thunderous rains in the background over the call, we quickly ended our conversations, hurriedly finished our dinners  and hastened to the exit in the many blinks of an eye.  

What we saw made our skins to crawl with chill, literally and figuratively. It was not just raining cats and dogs but also cows, buffaloes and other domesticated animals! The cool AC shelter and the massive structure had literally subdued the riotous noise of Earth's sweet sweat. To make matters worse, there was a sea of people at the entrance with umbrellas as well as without umbrellas and  waiting for the continual pouring rain to give a brief respite so that everybody can make a quick escape towards their respective homes. Unfortunately, it was otherwise. Wadding through and stamping on almost everyone, N, J and I reached the farthest outside point of the mall from where we thought we could hire an auto and make a dash to the station. 

It was a sight like I have never seen in my 2 years stay at the Pump City. The traffic was akin to the famous scene in 'Mudhalvan'. The Pump City literally needed lots of pumps to pump the water out! We muttered our sincere thanks to Ashwin - our saviour - for warning us of the impending threat. I looked at my watch to see that the time read 730pm. We had a solid an hour and half to make it to the station. Under normal situations, it was a cake walk! Unfortunately for us, even a normal walk was difficult at that moment. Needless to say, we abandoned our idea to hire the auto.

Carefully skipping, hopping, jumping and leaping to all corners of the road to avoid the dangerous electric cables, wires, pot holes and the inch by inch moving traffic, we created our own way forward amidst the still lashing down rains and the still traffic. If Prabhu Deva had seen our precisely executed and well-balanced steps then, he would have been mighty pleased and proud with our dancing efforts! It was already 8pm and we were even nowhere near the subway but only to the traffic signal nearby the Mall. 

By God's grace, realization struck me like a lightning, pardon my pun here, that it was nearly an hour ago when Ashwin informed us of the heavy traffic near the subway because of the standing waters. There was no respite of the rains since then and I was sure the volume of water would have increased drastically to severely impend the movement of normal walking also. Asking the guys to hold on for a moment, I told them about the potential danger that we were in and the only way to overcome it is to take a short cut near the bridge to the station. The sharp-eyed Mr. N was quick to spot and tell me that the subway was the sole route and no other road existed. Fortunately or unfortunately, whenever I used to come to the city from the college by train, on one fine day, I decided to walk on and along the tracks. It was then I discovered that there was a broken wall adjacent to the tracks and I used to jump it to slowly walk towards the mall. We decided to execute our choreographed steps once again to make it to the broken wall but this time with even more experience!

It was a blood-curdling sight to see the sewer-mixed waters rushing with full intensity downwards the adjacent road to the subway much like the swirling river Ganges at Haridwar and Rishikesh. The train was due to leave in less than double the ten minutes. We had to cross the fraught with danger gushing water to make across the unmended wall. It was also virtually and really impossible for us to traverse through the waters under the subway and then catch the train in time. Despite the cold surrounding us, Mr. J and Mr. N were having a heated discussion as to whether to take the subway or cut across the violently flowing waters. We were losing valuable moments that would determine the train leaving with us or not. 

With the heart in my mouth, I just took the first step towards the blinding spurting spill. I knew that even one wrong step taken would result in a very bad injury - The worst case scenario being even death. Such was the ferocity and intensity with which Adam's Ale rushed through. There was simply and absolutely no room for error. We had got to do it right and do it right in our first attempt itself. Seeing me walking towards an inevitable doom alone, Mr. N and Mr. J, reluctantly and hesitantly followed me.

My slippers were all slippery and the fresh, icy cold waters made my legs numb as if someone had cast Petrificus Totalus curse on me!  I was more than cautious when I took each step. However, if it hadn't been for Mr. J's heroics, we would have been swept away off our feet by the raging mini flood. I was walking first followed by J and then N. J caught our hands with such force and strength that it was like having 2 bricks on my wrist. The way J managed to steady himself, balance and rock to and fro to counter the effects of the intensity of flowing water was simply pure physics in motion! After what seemed like eternity, we safely crossed the Waters of Death and then stravaiged on the tracks for a moment.

The 10 minute countdown began for the carriage on wheels to depart from the station. This is where N showed his admirable bravery. With no lights around and the rains still pelting upon us, N marched his way boldly on the tracks by being aware of all the dangers like loose ground, insects, snakes and the trains themselves. Whenever we heard a loud blaring horn, N immediately reassured us saying that the trains are very far and we could reach the platform in time. It was as if N had a special power to speak with trains! J and I were treading slowly behind N who was full of energy and giving us constant updates on the landscape so that nothing awry happened to any of us en route to the nearing station.

Just like a lost traveller getting excited on seeing the first person they encounter, we were over the moon (though there was no moon on that day!) on seeing the sloping ascent of the first platform. We were exactly a minute ahead of the departure time and was right on time to see the Nilgiris Express slowly chugging into the platform. Silently thanking Lord Ayyappa for extricating us from the intricate situation,  All waz well and I was also sure that because of the sudden rains the wells in Coimbatore were also swelled! 

PS:

Hadn't the benevolent and thoughtful Ashwin called us at the right moment and asked us to leave asap, we would have been idly chatting and left the train behind. No amount of Thank You can do justice for what you did, dude.

PS 2:

If the government had repaired the wall, we wouldn't have been able to board our trains. For once, I thanked the government for not doing their duty properly. 

Pattappa's Thaligai - A Cracker of a Lunch Buffet!!

It was a toss between Annalakshmi and Pattappa's Thaligai. The latter won the competition hands down even without the coin being flipped! My friend told me that it's a traditional and authentic TamBrahm Iyengar restaurant which serves outstanding meals. Is that the differentiating factor as Annalakshmi is also pure vegetarian? Price. And I will definitely talk about it later on in this review.

So, my friends and I dropped in at around 2pm. As I was completely new to RA Puram, I did not have an easy time in locating the place. But, to the local denizens, it's a walk in the park, literally and figuratively, as the restaurant is just opposite to Nageswara Rao Park. The restaurant was jam-packed even at that time and it took us some time to get seated in our allotted places.

We were so ravenous that the moment we got the bill from the counter and had a good look at the neat and clean place, we headed straight to the buffet section. The rule goes like this: Everyone has to compulsorily have their first course from the spread counters. Subsequently, the items will be served at the table by the polite staffs for your 2nd, 3rd, 4th till your 'n' and 'n+1'th filling.

So, the buffet began with a couple of Chapatis, Aviyal, Sambar rice, Tamarind rice, Payasam, Potato varuval and Vadagam. The Chapatis were the usual. No big difference compared to other places. But, the aviyal was going all bonkers and dancing to all tunes on my taste buds! It was exactly the way my mom used to prepare @ home. If I thought the Aviyal was the best thing since sliced bread, I was proved completely wrong until I tasted the Payasam. Sweetness Embodiment to the extent that I had to leave behind some payasam in the cup as it was too sugary. The hot Sambar Rice with the right kind of spicy Potato varuval was like the venn pongal they offer in Nanganallur Anjeyar Temple. It was heaven! The combo was so perfect that I could have ordered only the Sambar rice alone instead of the entire buffet! Likewise, the Tamarind Rice with the vadagam combo was equally good but it still fell short of the Sambar Rice! As ever, the Curd rice with Mormilaga and pickle was the ideal soothing agent for the stung tongue with the lingering stunning taste of the delicious Sambar Saadham.

The Buffet is priced @ Rs. 170. You cannot get such a terrific lunch which is exactly like how it is prepared at your homes. I was fondly remembered of my mom's and paati's sleight of hand when they create some culinary magic  - The strong happy emotions I felt when I dined here is something priceless!

The Always Irrepressibly Exuberant and Buoyant Diwali Bash

Ever since I stepped into the sprawling and verdant Amrita School of Business to pursue my MBA, there is only one thought that lingers and runs through my mind like the still waters of the  Amazon for the past 3 years whenever The Festival of Lights was around the corner - "When will we be having the gala Diwali fest @ the quaint and charming Ettimadai Village?".What's so special about this significant fiesta? EVERYTHING!!

For those who haven't been a part of this wonderful occasion, I would like to give a small and brief primer to get yourself acquainted with the history of this lively celebration. DG Sir and Shobhana Mam has been the cornerstone of this buzzing-with-lots-of-life evento by laying the foundation for The Outreach Programme to spread its magnanimous and wondrous wings to the underprivileged children of the neighbouring village which is very close to our college. We used to teach the children without fail on every Saturday despite our hectic case studies and presentations. DG Sir and Shobhana Mam took this initiative one step further by organizing a mega Diwali event where the volunteers can contribute whatever they could according to their wish - be it monetarily or by being physically present investing their own time and effort to make it a grand success. Punctuality personified Shobhana Mam always gives me the dates well in advance to book my tickets for this high octane and engaging celebration when I became an alumni. It is not only just for me but also for all the other volunteers who wants to be a part of this highly spirited affair. Shobhana Mam goes the extra mile by also arranging rooms for us in our hostels by cutting across the university's red tapes effortlessly.

DG Sir and Shobhana Mam are one of the most adored and respected professors in the campus for their down-to-earth personalities despite their highly regarded IIT-IIM and PhD degrees from world renowned universities like Berkeley besides their laudable work experiences in MNCs like Ponds. Without any infinitesimal iota of doubt, it is a taken corollary that a wave of volunteers are always attracted to this extravaganza like a moth to a bright flame just because of their persona and their immense respect towards them.

The pre-Diwali fest organizing is as exciting and fun-filled as the main picture itself. Before the D-Day, DG Sir, Shobhana Mam, Guna Anna, myself and whoever is interested and willing would march towards the streets and markets of Coimbatore to buy the goody bags for the kids as well as the prizes for the competitions that would be held on the action-packed day. It has always been a good learning experience by observation for me to learn the management ropes in real life from the Ponds perfectionist when he negotiates with the shrewd and case-hardened wholesale traders who tries to fleece their customers to pocket some extra cash in their kitties. The entire exercise, which goes very late into the evening, is extremely eventful when we hunt for the cheapest and the best shops that sells our required plenty-of-items-to purchase-in our list like soaps, oils, powder, tooth brushes etc. for all the children living in that reduced circumstances. Once when the shopping spree is done and dusted, we head to our resting and nesting place - DG Sir's home and his specialty cup of hot and steaming coffee!

Just like how we throng to a Rajnikanth's new release with full of life and gusto, the expressions on the children's faces are worth an infinite zillion dollars! So much enthusiasm, effervescence and the sparkle in their eyes when they show their ardent desire to display their talents in front of others and be deservedly appreciated for their efforts - You can actually feel a tremendous swell of emotions rising within yourself when you witness the happiness bouncing and gliding on their cute faces. The programme kick starts with the "Kadavul Vaazhthu" and the chain of events ranging from Tug of War to numerous Sports Competitions to the famous Murukku-hanging-eating contest. Separate events are held for both boys and girls catering to all ages. The kids also participate with such keenness and intensity that you can see their raw potential in its true unadulterated nature. The children also sing, dance and perform skits to exhibit their uninhibited talent and simply wow us with their performances.

As we are on the heels of songs and dance, the volunteers are not left far behind. They also give an exceptional display of foot-tapping peppy and melodious songs and  mesmerize the audience with their hypnotic singing abilities. Vidhya Sagar, Vishnu, Vaisakh, Kevin et al have simply blown away our heads with their dazzling renditions on the latest popular numbers which literally makes the kids go crazy with much agog and dance wildly to their mellifluous tunes. Our special set of photo experts, courtesy Gobi, Ashwin and of course, our very own DG Sir, capture all the candid moments with such precision that you can feel their clicks to laugh rambunctiously like the delightful frozen moments themselves.

With all the energy expended and exhausted from the various activities, the next obvious conclusion is Food, of course! Lunch is always an indispensable happening where the wolf-hungry children and adults alike are served with Veg Biryani, Curd Rice, Fryums and Sweet. The collective effort of each and every individual, who does their earnest best to quickly walk, run and hop from one place to another for ensuring that everyone has had to their heart's content, is indeed a sight to behold! At the other end of the spectrum, another bunch of bubbly volunteers actively involve themselves to see to it that none of the gifts that had been purchased the earlier day is missed out while packing the goody bags. It is an extremely time-consuming and arduous task as we had to pack up the long list of items without overlooking or missing out any single present for any child. With seamless integration from the patient collaboration of the energetic volunteers, the substantially complicated wrap ups are done smoothly and efficiently. In fact, the whole process is actually made to look rather simple though it is way far from that!

By the fag end of the day, though everyone is dog tired to death, the atmosphere is still highly contagious with fire and vigour to still do more than what has been done. It is really an immensely satisfying feel when you know that you have been able to light up joy in another person's life and when it is children, the feelings and the emotions are thoroughly overwhelming and flowing like the thunderous Niagara falls. It gives us the sense of purpose and outwardness that life is merely not just simply working and getting yourself a hefty salary at the end of every month but is something way beyond that - to return at least something to the nature and society for the plenty of things that we are really fortunate enough to be born with - in short to live an enriching and fulfilling lives.

Just like how the Blue Chips and other Enterprises give a sterling performance on a Q-o-Q and Y-o-Y basis, the participants for this mega Diwali drive is surely to only increase exponentially with the coming years. DG Sir and Shobhana Mam - Without your tireless and persistently tenacious effort, the dashing Diwali blast that is being continuously held all these years would have remained a distant dream and a muted blast.

On behalf of everyone who has been a part of this wonderful event, I would like to thank you and Shobhana Mam for the fantastic memories that you have given us till now and going to give us in the future. Thanks a ton, Sir. Thanks a ton, Mam.

PS:
I had always wanted to write about this cracking experience for a very long time. Unfortunately, in order to cover all the essential aspects, it required a lot of time from my end. Forgive my adequately inappropriate timing of this blog, Sir. I will ensure that it is done a lot quicker from next time just like your snappy and exquisite photographs.

  

Ice Age: Collision Course - Aesthetically Impactful !

Just because the garnishings decorating the Biriyani is colorful and an eye pleasant, unless and until the Biriyani is cooked well and has the right ingredients to make it tasty, the beautiful finishing touches are nothing but a waste of time and energy. 

Ice Age:Collision Course begins with our Scrat who flies an alien ship to outer space when he tries to bury his beloved acorn and inadvertently activates the flying saucer in the process. What follows is a series of reactions that sets in motion an asteroid to head towards the Earth. Scrat really sets ablaze, literally and figuratively, the screens with his usual intense desperation to have a go at the nut which started way back in the first Ice Age movie when it was released during 2002. In fact, it is Scrat and Buck who saves this film from being blown apart without the asteroid strike.

The movie is gorgeous and visually stunning especially the Geotopia scenes. The effect is further enhanced and simply wowed when viewed in 3D. Unfortunately, the presence of a weak script completely lets down all the commendable work done by the VFX team. You don't have anything to say except Buck has a plan to divert the course of the asteroid from wiping off the existence on Earth and others follow suit not only to save the planet but also save themselves and their dreams. 

In this vapid adventure, Manny is very busy attending his family problems concerning his daughter and her fiance. He has some action sequences in the end and agrees to his daughter's wedding with Julian once when the world is saved. OMG! That was so unpredictable!! Even Granny has more role to play in this movie than Diego! Diego and his lady love are just a part of the group and merely walks, runs or talks without any substantial role to offer. Though the film has lots of puns to tickle your funny bone, you tend to get a bit irritated sometimes with Sid's antics and particularly the goofy characters in Geotopia. Geotopia is the boon as well as the bane for Ice Age 5. It was really amazing and eye-catching when the colours in every scene was made to dance on the screens with such richness and pleasantness. However, the silliness of the characters especially Shangri Llama really got under the skin to the point that I was internally screaming When-will-this-nonsense-get over.

Scrat almost destroyed one planet at one instance and wipes off the face of the Earth or Mars! in another.

Ice Age 5 had the potential to be something big with the extraordinary set of characters and a major catastrophic event to hurt the Earth very badly but disappoints. Nevertheless, it is surely a good one-time pop-corn pass where you can laugh, enjoy, come out of the theatres and forget it.

PS:
I am sure you would have now understood as to why I used the Biriyani reference in the beginning of this review.

  

The Legend of Tarzan - The Swing is off the mark by a longggggggggg way

When there is something new in the market, obviously, a competitor will not be far enough. They will immediately jump on the bandwagon and ensure that the pie is divided for them also especially if the product is commercially successful. Among the many wild boy characters to have danced with the untamed and undomesticated animals in the jungle, Tarzan is also a person whose roots are predominantly influenced by Kipling's Mowgli. Numerous movies have been released under the eponymous character and The Legend of Tarzan is continuing the wild legacy now.

Disney's The Jungle Book was a highly successful visual triumph. The trailers of The Legend of Tarzan also promised a similar feast for the eyes. Does the promise set by the trailers satisfy the innate uninhibited and unrestrained free and true feelings of the audience?  

The elephant scene where Tarzan bows to a herd of crossing elephants is more than enough to say whether The Jungle Book or The Legend of Tarzan wins the battle of visual effects. The crowning glory goes to Disney's Jungle Book for their attention to detail and superior VFX. However, The Legend of Tarzan's only savior is their cinematography and CGI in an otherwise dismal film.

The background of Tarzan is assumed to be known to the audience and the story directly takes us to the plot where Tarzan is looking polished and refined in his suit considering his raw and feral nature when he was suited up only in his loins. Mbonga wants Tarzan's head on the platter as he killed his dear son. In a flashback, it is revealed that Mbonga's son kills Tarzan's mother, Kala and as an act of revenge, he kills the boy in a fit of rage. Samuel L Jackson wants to expose the slave trade in the region and accompanies Tarzan in his quest to protect the weak people. Unfortunately, SLJ is made a mockery in the movie and is reduced to a mere sidekick by providing Should-I-Laugh-for this scene humor. Similarly, Christopher Waltz, who has effortlessly reprised scintillating performances in his earlier films, has also played down in his role as Captain Rom. Two very talented actors' potential in the dumps. Even the romantic scenes between Tarzan and Jane did not evoke the intense love that was showed between them in the 1999 Disney version. There was no sense of even a remote feeling of sympathy or pity when the chief refused to be on his knees before he was brutally murdered or the tribal people captured as slaves and their villages burnt down though these two scenes should have been the gravitas of emotionally charged up scenes. It's pictured like "yeah..it happens..so what?" and makes totally uninvolved towards the characters at that point when it should have been otherwise.

Likewise, the legendary Tarzan swing, the highlight of the protagonist which should have been relished and devoured with gusto by the audience, was simply missing the He-nailed-it feeling and factor. It was like some Tom, Dick and Harry swaying through the trees. 

Overall, The Legend of Tarzan's trailer was way better than the movie itself.

The Jungle Book - A Tome of Endearing Memories

Before the advent and immense popularity of the Cable TV, Doordarshan was enjoying the liberty of being the sole monopoly as far as the TV channels were concerned. Without having an embarrassment of riches at our disposal, there was no choice but to watch what was being telecasted. Fortunately, there were really great shows that were showed to relieve the monotony in everyone's lives. One such awesome program was Rudyard Kipling's 'The Jungle Book' and his master creation 'Mowgli'. Growing up with Mowgli and the cubs along with Bagheera, Baloo, the troublesome Bandar Log and the minatory and blood thirsty Shere Khan, the Jungle Book was a tale of fearless escapades highlighting the core values of family,friendship, love and courage. When Disney announced that Jungle Book would be a live-action film and Jon Favreau to steer the ship, I was completely ecstatic and my expectations were over the moon. Does The Jungle Book live up to the expectations?

As you are already at home with The Jungle Book's storyline, it will be a completely boring and monotonous review if I were to narrate it even in a nutshell. So, looking past the narrative, The Jungle Book is nothing short of a mesmerizing visual extravaganza - the lush green forests and its rich landscape, the feral chases, the beautiful images of the animals so vividly and lifelike and the amazing steep climb to abandoned city and the city itself where King Louie resides - you just cannot single out a particular moment where the movie was dull as far as the VFX is concerned. It was so realistic to the core that when Shere Khan was doing one of his jumps, it felt like the murderous and scar-ridden tiger was springing on leaping on me - The power of 3D compounded infinity times because of the authentic and naturalistic setting.

The strength of a good animated movie is only as strong and good as its voice cast. Fortunately, The Jungle Book has got a tremendous set of performers who has literally unleashed a fresh breath of life into all the characters. Kingsley as the wise and protective Bagheera with his deep silky vocalization was mind-blowing. Idris Elba was more than menacing and frightening in his adaptation as Shere Khan. Lupita as Raksha made me to turn on the water works at places where she fiercely defended Mowgli out of her true love for him. Similarly, the rest of the characters had the apt voice cast to give a fantastic viewing and aural experience. But, it was Scarlett Johansson in her portrayal as Kaa that really cast a spell not only on Mowgli but also upon everyone just as the python's hypnotic ability. Though Kaa's role was very power-punching and highly effective even in the very minimal time, it could have been better if Kaa had been given some more screen presence so that the audience would have been immersed in the trancing expressions of Scarlett Johansson. 

Ever since its creation by Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book has been running wild through cartoons, animated pictures etc. for more than a century. This faithful adaptation to the novel was simply dazzling for the sheer amount of time and effort in bringing life to the characters by the VFX team and cinematography. Though the program was in Hindi and I couldn't understand the dialogues word for word, I still managed to sit through the show for its peppy title song and see Rudyard Kipling's creative brilliance in all its splendour. The Jungle Book made me to relive my childhood days where I used to sit hungrily in front of the TV and watch Mowgli's daring adventures and his final face off with Shere Khan. Everyone in the 80s and 90s era would feel the same. This Jungle Book is a spellbinding blast from the past experience.

The Secret Life of Pets - A Warm and Overt episode worth watching once

There are millions of Minion fans across the world and it was a fantastic marketing strategy on the part of Illumination Entertainment, the makers of our beloved Minions, to showcase a short film titled 'Mower Minions' just before The Secret Life of Pets began its obvious and frolicsome journey. The Minions created a laugh riot which was actually whacking hilarious than the actual movie despite their very short screen presence. It goes without saying that the Marketers had the intended and desired animal magnetism (Pun intended!) on the crowds for their latest venture by cleverly employing and taking full advantage of the gibberish-speaking and ludicrous yellow-coloured creatures.

The Secret Life of pets is no secret at all! At least for us and not for the pet owners in the movie. It shows us how the pets lead their lives once their caretakers step out of their homes to work in a very comical way. Max gets ruffled when his master, to be very precise - mistress, adopts and brings home a big brown dog named Duke. Like with every normal being, Max feels that Katie would be showering her love and affection on the newcomer rather than on him. Duke also intimidates the poor and small Max with his sheer size. Things doesn't go as expected when the 2 dogs share a mutual resentment and animosity that escalates into their capture by the Animal Control along with other stray animals. It is here that we are introduced to the apparently innocent but really adorable bunny, Snowball. Living in the sewers with countless discarded pets by human beings, Snowball and his crew are set out to have their revenge on the former masters for their betrayal and gross injustice by abandoning them when their masters felt that they were no longer necessary. Whether Snowball has his way, what happened to Max and Duke relationship is revealed in an entertaining manner by the director. 

There are no big twists and turns in the film but it has got plenty of laugh like a drain (Again, pun intended) moments - The Dachshund getting its back rubbed by an electric mixer, the gluttonous Chloe resisting and finally yielding to its food temptation from the refrigerator, a Poodle blaring hard core music and has a rave party in his home, animal puns along with the antics of Max's friends and Snowball's accomplices. The mother of all risibleness has got to be the scene where Chloe is shown on the gigantic screen on Youtube. 

The Secret Life of Pets is a good family weekend watch with kids especially if you love animals. You will relate even more if you had or are having a pet dog, cat etc., treating them with equal respect and considering them as your best friends. A tear or two would be definitely shed from your eyes when the last scene disappears from the screen.

Iraivi - An Earnest Ode to the Goddesses

Riding very high on the back to back successes of the supernatural-con 'Pizza' and the gangster- comedy 'Jigarthanda', Karthik Subbaraj's 'Iravi' was, undoubtedly, one of the hotly anticipated movies of 2016. He has carved a very fine niche for himself as an indie director who goes against the mainstream masala routines that regularly hits the theatres on every Friday and most of them doesn't even see the daylight, literally and figuratively, by Saturday morning! Does Karthik's 'Goddess' satisfy the hunger of her famished devotees for an objectively good film?  

With the exceptions of 'Vaali' and 'Khushi', SJ Suryah has been hurling himself headlong on the slope of steep descent especially after he chose himself to cast in his movies. By the end of 'Iraivi', I was like where-was-this-Sj Suryah-hiding-all this while. My God..Okay..Goddess! Beyond the shadow of modicum of a doubt, SJ Suryah, as the struggling and hard drunkard, is the show-stealer amidst a competitive showcase of fine acting display by all the major characters in this close to 180 minute very long story. Be it the scenes where he speaks with Yazhini or where he reforms into a teetotaler or the mind-blowing climax performance where he calls up Yazhini and says that he doesn't love her but only his drinks and goes on a soliloquy about the may-haves and could-haves, Suryah has given the performance of his lifetime by portraying and really living as a continual alcoholic who has his issues with his movie's producer and how it has deeply affected his relationship with his wife and others. His hysterical spectrum of pain and anger, his calm demeanour when he is reformed and the climax - Take a bow, Suryah, Ji !

As Michael, Vijay Sethupathi has rocked the scenes by being consistently unfaithful to his wife,Ponni, on more than one occasion - going behind her back to Pooja or sentenced to imprisonment for killing the producer in a fit of mad rage or his naivety for trusting Jagan or his reactions when his own daughter calls him 'uncle'. His confrontational scene with Jagan in the pre-climax sequence where he tremendously holds up his boiling anger and slowly walks towards the door but erupts uncontrollably when Jagan makes the slightest of threats to him to treat Ponni well which showed the intensity with which he had seen through the role as Michael. It was very much reminiscent of the famous 'Manmadhan' scene where 'Mottai' Madhan breaks open Seenu's head but here it is in a much more powerful and aggressive way. In Michael's case as well, we see he wants to get reformed after he is in jail and wants to spend quality time with his wife and kid but by certain quirk of fate, he is met with the sad end.

Just as I was thinking that the National Award winner Bobby Simha was being more than under utilized, Karthik Subbaraj gives us a meaty subplot in the second half. I was literally wowed and shell-shocked when he makes a reference to Kanagi during his college lecture. That was one of the most hard hitting dialogues I had encountered and which I am sure would have created a big disturbance in real life had such a highly forward and progressive dialogue been written 15 years ago. I was literally clapping hard for the barrage of tirade about how the women are being toyed, thrown around, oppressed and repressed by the men for centuries together when he was telling his mother for his justification that he intends to marry Ponni because she doesn't deserve a person as bad as Michael. As things get slowly unfurled at the fag of the film, it is revealed how he had schemed against Michael to be with Ponni and give her the life which she deserves but is pulled into the abyss of his own death through his own actions.

Hey..This is Iraivi...and You have spoken mostly about the douchebags in great detail....I can see, or hear, your mind voice magnified to infinity times! Yeah yeah...The last is always always and specially reserved for the best.

Persevering Patience. Exemplary Endurance. Gritty Grit. Dogged Determination. Fighting Fortitude. Resounding Resilience. Tremendous Tenacity but ultimately Total Betrayal. Dreams Shattered. Ambitions Broken and finally, Silent Resignation and Acceptance. Ponni's and Yazhini's life symbolizes the real and true life of millions of women across the world who are subjected to the atrocities of man's whims and fancies to satisfy their gigantic male ego. Anjali as Ponni has pulled the rabbit out of the hat through her stunning performance in this her complex character. Kamalini Mukherjee as Yazhini actually left me in tears at certain portions of the movie especially when Yazhini still loved Arul, trusted and hugged him tightly when he said he has turned a new leaf even on the day of her engagement. That showed her intense true love for him. Likewise, for Ponni, I was giving a resounding clap in the theatres when Vijay Sethupathi asks her whether she had slept with Jagan and the way she resolutely responds to his distrustful and distasteful doubt.

As we are on the topic of response, no one can take anything away from Pooja. She comes in for a very few scenes but leaves an impactful impression on the audience through her immodest, brazen and unflinching portrayal as Malar when she declares that she wanted Michael only for her own carnal pleasures and even had the gall to tell Vijay Sethupathi right in front of his face when he comes to ask her for alliance. Karthik Subbaraj has really created a very strong bold character for the Tamil audience - the likes of which has not been seen for quite some time.

The intelligence of the director is out there in the open when he beautifully used rain as recurring trope for freedom as well as for restriction from the point of view of the different women. Also, the way he showed the clapping monkey toy to tumble down to explain how the subsequent scenes were going to turn out really made me to sit in awe and admire Karthik Subbaraj's Iraivi though the movie was constantly punctuated with alcohol, profanity and blood.

In the end, this TRIDEVI saga really punches you in the face with a heavy message to the society in a very subtle manner.

PS:
Though the review is a bit overdue, I really wanted to pen ,sorry, type down my thoughts to wholeheartedly acknowledge and appreciate the gargantuan intellectual effort by Karthik Subbaraj.  

Did Shane Carruth borrow his brains from an alien bank?

Browsing for the best time travelling movies to have been released till date and the internet, melodiously and crystal clear loudly, sang the glory of 'Primer' in one voice. Touted as one of the best for the time travelling concept, it was said that Primer will make 'Inception' look dumb. This piqued my interest further as the 'Inception' was one of the most original and daring sci-fi film to have been ever made in recent times. With its never-heard cast and director, it was nothing short of blatant irreverence to say that an out-of-nowhere film as 'Primer' was a cut above the brainy masterpiece as Inception. However, it was only after watching the 60 minute odd debut movie by Shane Carruth that I understood as to why the tall claims that it is better than Inception was actually true and not mere claims. Needless to say that I had to chew my own personal belief when I watched Primer even for the second time and still couldn't make head or tail out of it.

Made on a shoestring budget, Primer is a straight forward heavily complex movie that will definitely give the non-linear narratives a run for their money. It's all about how 2 engineers accidentally discover a time anomaly and then build a machine to make themselves rich. Unfortunately, absolute power corrupts absolutely. The story becomes giddyingly ingenious, dizzyingly intricate and amazingly confusing that by the end of the movie, I felt like someone had kept a big boulder on top of my head and was breaking it to pieces with a hammer. As soon as Primer got over, my first reaction was to type in Wikipedia and understand what the hell I sat through for the one hour I was watching it. Regrettably, Wiki's explanation was again too much for this Vicky! Never have I explored the vast corners of the Internet to get some understanding on the matter at hand particularly for a film. But, yes. Primer deserves it. Close to 6 hours and the web was teeming with tons of information on the subject yet the overall picture was still hazy. Such is the level of labyrinthine complexity of the plot that it made not just my head to scratch but millions across the world to lose their sleep over and help people like me by shedding some light on this please-make-me-understand movie. There was actually a note in one of the websites that there is a real research paper written on Primer. I was not sure whether it was a grapevine but considering the amount of scientific jargons that were used in the first few minutes of the film to explain the technicalities, it could have been very well true too. By the end of it, there had been at least 9 timelines existed in Primer with the constant shuffling of the original and future Abes and Aarons. But, strictly speaking, only Shane Carruth would know for sure how many timelines were played out in Primer!

Just like Primer, his next venture 'Upstream Colour' was also written, directed, produced, edited and starred by Shane Carruth besides having control over the cinematography and background score. Though Upstream Colour is not as utterly baffling as Primer, the plot would still definitely make you to be all at sea if you don't watch and understand this wonderful sci-fi very closely in your first viewing. The colorful cinematography with its poignant BGM added the extra level to the story's intricacy of how a parasite's life cycle is traced, what are its effects on the people which makes them oblivion to the fact as to who they are and eventually culminates into a face-off at the end. I have ensured that there are absolutely no spoilers in this slow yet stupendous cerebral cinema outing. 

Steve Carruth is the rare breed of audaciously authentic thinkers in this age of mostly reboots, remakes, prequels and sequels in Hollywood. Considering the degree of complex density he has cleverly and tightly packed in his two day outs,The Modern Ocean is sure to be a cracker especially it is going to be Shane's first big budget film with top stars like Keanu Reeves, Daniel Radcliffe and Anne Hathaway. Awaiting the sail soon.

Little Italy - Always BIG in taste..!

Little Italy is one of my favorite ristorante whenever I have the feel and need to have the sumptuous Italian cuisine. The experience is consistently top notch on every occasion. I was near Anna Nagar when the alarm bells started to loudly honk in my tummy. Fortunately, there is a Little Italy and without any iota of hesitation, I simply went straight into the parking lot and up the lift to put the ringing bells at rest.

I wanted to try out their buffet to have a totally different ball game this time around. The spread included 2 welcome drinks - Musk Melon and Lemon Juices were available on that day. You have the liberty to replenish your glasses as many times and as much as possible with the welcome drinks to quench your parching throats with the healthy juices. There is an exclusive live salad counter where the choice of choosing the salad is yours. I left it to the food preparer to make my salad in the best possible way after painstakingly selecting the ingredients in my plate. Needless to say, it was really one of the awesomatic salads I had in my life.

The entrees included Soup, Garlic Bread, Bruschetta and Tortilla chips with Salsa. A special mention to the Garlic Bread - it was supremely fresh out of the oven, extremely soft, deliciously cheesy, gracefully melted like an ice in the mouth and will literally make you scream for more sticks.

I was already almost full by then itself when the cameriere gave me a many-a-page menu card to choose my main course. Little Italy has a separate a la carte for the normal dining and buffet. The Buffet menu template has a fixed assemblage of Pizzas, Risottos, Lasagnas, Pastas, Enchiladas and Quesadillas and we can maximum order two items from this set of diversified portfolio for the main meal. The White Pasta (I forgot its name) was extraordinarily rich and creamy that I couldn't eat more than half as the waiter brought in the Risotto as well. I just took some spoonfuls of the wonderfully looking and tasty Risotto and then I was like why-the-hell-did-I have-the appetizers-that much.

The desserts comprised of cakes, sweets and fruit cuts. In the end, I felt like a Kumbakarnan by having six months' worth of food in only one course!

Oh, by the way, you might think that the cost would be really expensive for such a tremendous spread of an immensely enjoyable buffet. On the contrary, it is very competitively priced @ Rs 499/, inclusive of all taxes, during the weekdays which is indeed a throwaway bargain for a place serving exceptional food and phenomenal service as Little Italy.

PS:
A word to  the wise: When you go as group of 4 or 6, you can easily try out the entire stack of their splendid scrumptious menu @ 499! 

Ciclo Cafe - Pedalling to a Palatable Ride

Seated in the comfy, well-lit and India's first cycle themed cafe, a flood of nostalgic memories struck me like Lord Krishna's Sudarshan Chakra! Until my food was served, I was transported to my childhood days where cycles were an integral part of my life - cycle races, commute to school in my first light roadster and go on long rides during the weekends by chatting to friends with the gentle wind blowing strongly in my unkempt hair. Ahh! Whooshhhh!! The waiter suddenly braked into my train or cycle! of sweet memories by spreading the cutleries on the table and serving the Bruschetta along with my Virgin Pina Colada. The strong whiff of the real tyres charmingly compensated for the borderline-okayish Bruschetta, which could have been a lot better, but the Pina Colada was smashing. 

I was more interested in the place than the food. The entire place was a cycle haven and it was indeed a heaven for all the avid cyclists. Ciclo cafe was delightfully pleasant to the eyes with their decor - right from the menu card which was extremely creatively in the form of a newspaper to the wall-mounted cycles, hangings of wheels, pictures, photos, gears etc. I was having a great time by visualizing the feel of cycling inside the cafe without the cycle! Once again, the waiter chose an inopportune moment to speed bump in my literal cycle of thoughts and feelings by bringing in the Arrabiata Penne Pasta.

Whenever I see the Penne Pasta, I have a mighty strong uncontrollable and insatiable urge to loudly sing Simbu's "Loosu PENNE" but due to Divine Interventions, I somehow manage to curb that ravenous desire to sing that dreadfully punny song! Overlooking the I-am-going-to-kill-you expression for the joke of a song, the Arrabiata Pasta was extremely good peppered with the right touch of piquancy. It certainly gave me the much needed zing to the other wise disappointing Bruschetta. The serving was well-timed as if they had a stop watch and a timer synchronized to keep track of their promptness! It is really good. It's only that the penchant for my long lost art of cycling which made me to feel that I was being rudely interrupted! I slowly turned the pages of the menu page for the dessert just as I used to turn my monster on wheels - with care and attentiveness. 

It was then I went on a Burj Khalifa-esque high! The Salted Caramel Cheese Cake simply blasted me out of my senses. With every bit of the bite, the Cheese Cake drove or pedalled! me into an insane mode of positive madness. I was like "Give me another of this gorgeous beauty for no charge". Despite the fact that even in an ideal world my wish will not be fulfilled, the Salted Caramel Cheese Cake was pure bliss and warms the cockles of your heart when you sink into the experience and savor every last piece of the mouth-watering glory.

Last but not the least, before signing off from this beautiful place, I went for a stroll in the ground floor and you can find all kinds of imported and premium brands like Bianchi, Schwinn,Cannondale etc. besides the accessories. The staffs were not shooting in the dark but were highly knowledgeable. In fact, they went to the extreme that they can possibly have a bespoke bike for my friend if I can give them his height accurately when I told them that my friend is looking for a Schwinn that would match his tallness. I know where to pitstop from next time whenever I feel the need to have a light snack. Do you?  . 

The Delish Battle of the Chinese

Okay. Fret not. Our descendants are neither having another big war lesson in the text books nor be in a complete state of catatonic comatose during the history classes as this battle is very different. It's a war of  taste. Tasty Chinese food to be precise!!

The encounter is between Mainland China Vs Flower Drum. May the best dish emerge victorious!

Some of my friends in TCS had recommended that Mainland China's buffet is really good. I have been wanting to try it for a long time. The opportunity got itself presented to me in a colorful platter! I stepped into one of the Mainland China's chain of restaurants at Phoenix Mall, Velachery. I was told by the hostess that they don't have the buffet in that particular place when I enquired them about the opening time of their lunch. I still went ahead to try out their other specialities only to be greeted by a vast space of empty chairs and a cheery Captain. The ambience was welcoming and had a good vibe on the overall mood of the restaurant. After comfortably settling in, the maitre d' hurried himself personally to cater to my starving stomach. In an unhurried manner, I ordered Chilly Teriyaki Potatoes and Exotic Vegetables Tofu. As I was completely unaware of the size of their portion, I decided to play the waiting game during the hunger time. The service was humongously prompt and courteous. The Chilly Teriyaki Potatoes were simply amazing sauted with the condiments. The Exotic vegetables & Tofu was equally good. The quantity was more for a single person and I had no other choice but to have it as a take it away. The dessert was indeed the icing on the cake! The Rambutan with ice-cream was fantastic especially with its presentation. It was smoking cool!  Though I couldn't go beyond the excellent starters sans the dessert, Mainland China is a place which I will definitely try again when I am on a voracious appetite.

Moving on to Flower Drum. Vegetarian and Chinese food are like the world famous Tom & Jerry. They don't go along with each other and fight a lot!  But, beneath the numerous tussles, there lies an intense love affair that is unspottable to the normal eyes. Fortunately, the big board on Prince Plaza can be seen amidst the heavy traffic on the Pantheon Road. I was super duper excited when my friend told me that there is an exclusive place for top class vegetarian Chinese cuisine. It was dimly lit and for a wednesday afternoon, the place was crowded. The order taker quietly brought in Tom Yum Soup and Kimchi followed by Khao Pad rice. The Kimchi and Pad Thai can actually serve 2 people very easily. I was not able to eat it fully and asked Jubie to pack away the remaining contents. Kindly do not order more than necessary and waste the delicious food. The service was prompt but not as efficient as Mainland China. But, the food was gorgeous. Finally, the dessert, which I couldn't spell and was more like a gibberish, - Kluay Buad Chee - translated as Bananas in Coconut Milk. It was nothing less than spectacular particularly the coconut milk. I was really reeling and dizzying under the heaviness of the dessert. The experience of having an authentic vegetarian Chinese made its worth in gold.

So, who is the winner? 

Both Mainland China and Flower Drum are unique in their own way with the exception that Mainland China has a wide repertoire of non vegetarian items as well. Though being a pure vegetarian and yes, MLC wins the bout hands down by virtue of their superior service.

PS:
The comparison is drawn only to the MLC @ Phoenix Mall and Flower Drum. As MLC is available across Chennai, the service might differ from place to place.

The Lobster - An Outrageous Disconcerting Beauty

By the end when the screen became black, I was petrified as if I had seen a Basilisk! The final shot of the movie left me thinking in circles as to what might have happened to David similar to the famous spinning top in The Inception. Beyond the bewildering ambiguous climax, The Lobster was by itself a bolt out of the blue film which dares not only to break but also to simply smash the hell out of the conventional beliefs held by the society.

It started with an innocuous discussion on Steve Carruth with my friend who suggested me to see The Lobster which actually led me to see this disturbing piece of amazing art in the first place. Why do I call it "disturbing" or "disconcerting"? You will know soon enough.

The first scene where a woman shoots a horse until it dies lays the foundation for what was to unravel in the next 120 minutes. In a certain place, all the single people are expected to find themselves a partner within 45 days of checking into the hotel else they would be turned into an animal of their choice just like David's brother who became a dog. The Manager further tells David that his unique animal selection to be a lobster is actually good because most of the people choose to be a dog and that's why the world is occupied with so many dogs! All the guests in the hotel are given lectures and skits to explain the advantages and benefits of having a partner. They go the extent that sexual stimulation is given in moderation to them by the Maid and masturbation is a punishable offence! Another eligibility condition to become partners is that both of them must have a distinct and common trait. With so many rules in place and limited time to find themselves a life long companion, the guests were in a soup.  After many twists and turns, David heads to the forests to join the loners where the rules are even more stringent and gruesome. Dance solo with electronic music.No romance. No flirting. No kissing. And the punishment for kissing is a "Red Kiss" where the lips are cut off and the offenders are made to kiss each other! The leader warns David that the punishment for anyone to indulge in sexual behavior is "Red Intercourse" and asks him to imagine it. The stars were shining upon David and he meets a short-sighted woman like himself and falls in love with her. What happens after that, I leave it to you to watch and find out for yourself.

Now, dissecting the movie into its naked form, The Lobster is based on the prevailing mores in the society that it is essential for everyone to have a partner and that it is imperative they have something in common so that they can lead a happy life. This is precisely what The Lobster tries to blast in a dark jet black satirical way. For a true open minded person, marriage is something which is a match of hearts and not based on common features or traits to lead a happy life. If the two people in question have a shared characteristic then it's just an additional bonus. For those who are truly in love with each other, they see beyond the mundane trivialities and it wouldn't matter to them one bit whether the common interests exist or not.

The Lobster really makes a tremendous mark in capturing the essence of the traditional stereotype to bundle and give it as a bitter syrup to all the pedestrians. However, the handling of the subject is so unsettling that at times you feel it's safe to close your media player rather than to watch it. Whenever I saw an animal in the forest, my first instinctive reaction was to think whether it's really an animal or a human transformation and when David kills and skins one of the rabbits for his lady love, I was more than horrified. The director has done an exceptional job by strongly implanting the beguiling idea of transformation in the mind during the early stages of the movie and does not bother to look at the road since then. This is where the genius and sheer brilliance of the movie lies as The Lobster could have been a stunning sci-fi had the director progressed and proceeded on the "transformation" route but instead he chooses to go astray from that genre into uncharted territories. The background score was equally comfortlessly ominous as the cinematography. Howmuch ever deeply destabilizing, ultimately, the curiosity in you wins the battle and makes you to eventually sit up right till the movie's double-edged conclusion.

Finding Dory - A Spellbinding Visual Hide N Seek!

What is it with Pixar movies and handkerchiefs? Someone should really do a regression analysis and establish the correlation between the 2 variables to explicitly show the strength of their relationship to this world! 16 films prior to Finding Dory and every single one of them had freely let my tear glands open up to cascade slowly and silently while watching the Pixar wonders. I went into the IMAX with a small bit of wish in me that Finding Dory would be Pixar's awry. But, that was not to be the case. When Dory reunites with her parents, I tasted something salty in my lips. No, it was not the tasty trail of the popcorn! I had no idea when and how my hot tears started to stream down my face. But, one thing that I realized was that my handkerchief was drenched beyond dryness and that I had to carry minimum two with me whenever I visit a Pixar wonder. Casting aside my emotionally tearful tryst with Finding Dory, without further ado, let us deep dive into the oceanic awe created by Stanton & Co.

Finding Dory swims from where the director had left Finding Nemo which was released 13 years ago. I was super excited when I read the news that Finding Dory was getting released and was completely over the moon when I saw the trailers. Such was the profound impact that Finding Nemo had on me when I saw it for the first time - be it the splendid visuals or the gorgeous screenplay - Pixar took the animation level to a different planet altogether. So, it was as easy as ABC that Finding Dory was again going to be nothing short of another visual spectacle. The real question to me was "How different is it going to be from Finding Nemo especially with Dory helming the reins of this second instalment and Nemo pushed alongside as the sidekick or is Finding Dory just another sequel to cash in on the immense popularity of its predecessor"?  Put on your oxygen masks and swim further to find out.

Dory's herculean memory stumbling block was a roar this time as well. For some time. Unfortunately, there were times when you were actually yawning! It was understandable too. As Dory is the captain of the ship and considering her special needs, the repeated amnesic jokes were making it difficult for the smiling muscles to smile! If it hadn't been for the bad-tempered yet good Hank, the Octopus or from Dory's perspective - a Septapus! - Finding Dory would have been truly forgettable! It was a master stroke on the part of the writers to use the real defence mechanisms of an octopus in the movie - like camouflaging, squirting ink or moving quickly instead of giving it unnatural super powers. We have had enough super hero stuffs in the last 2 months and the octopus would have been the latest addition to that list! Fortunately, sanity might have struck the writers and they had beautifully used the many-colored octopus and their numerous counter defences to help Dory in her quest to be with her parents so that he can gain his freedom by being safely in an enclosure. Marlin and Nemo do their parts with ample assistance from the crazy-eyed Becky in tracing out Dory when they were separated due to a giant squid attack. As luck would have had it, Fate brings Dory to be in touch again with her childhood WhaleShark friend, Destiny and a neighbouring echolocator Whale. How Dory reunites with her parents with the help of all her friends is told in a poignant and smart way that actually has a lot of learning lessons in real life. The most important of them all is that it is sometimes okay to be without any plans or rationalizing too much on a situation but doing things by simply having a leap of faith - The Dory Way!

Stanton would have scratched his head that the movie lacked an action sequence. So, he cleverly packed a spectacular truck-falling-off-the-bridge scene to free all the fishes, Hank and Dory. The good thing about the climax block was that the sequence did not seem like a fish out of the water! Forgive my dreadful pun, it was indeed a gorgeous delicacy to the eyes. The IMAX effect made sure that every penny spent on the expensive ticket is value for money.

Is Finding Dory that good? Finding Dory is not as good as Finding Nemo but is sure to be Oscar Nominated. So, will it go all the way? Disney's Zootopia is my hot contender for this year's top spot due to its outstanding satirical narration told lucidly in a very humorous manner.

But, Finding Dory is definitely worth a second time just for Baby Dory. OMG! Baby Dory literally broke the gates of heavens in my heart. And I am very much confident that you will also be head over heels in love with Baby Dory. Just head to the nearest IMAX theatre to indulge in some rich Pixar amazement to be madly in love and have fun with the fishes.