Mariyaan - A Brilliant film in all respects

 

Mariyaan - A Review

Having heard mixed reactions, I was a bit skeptical about watching this film because i chose Mariyaan over Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. I walked out happily having watched one of the best tamil films i had seen in a long time. It is hard to choose a winner here between  Mark Koninckx's Cinematography, Bharat Bala's direction, Dhanush's performance and Rahman's music. But still i feel cinematography is slightly ahead, each and every frame could be made out into a beautiful portrait. If there is something missing from the film it could be the slightly weaker screenplay in the second half, the terrorists could have been more detailed.

Coming to performances, Dhanush again proves the fact that he is in a league of his own when it comes to acting. Though Aadukalam won him the national award for best actor,  I always felt that Mayakkam Enna has been his best work. Mariyaan is where he raises the bar and stuns everyone yet again. Rarely does small built actors succeed at portraying characters with heroism, Dhanush does it with ease and grace. He is setting his standards high with each film, I wish he manages to live up to the expectations in films to come. Parvati was the apt girl for the role of Panimalar, beautiful, talented and sensuous. She manages to perform almost on par with the two national award winners. The chemistry between Mariyan and Panimalar is brilliant. Salim Kumar's as Panimalar's father had very little to do, but has made an impression for sure. The dubbing for Salim Kumar though falls short, maybe we feel this because we have been listening  to his original voice over the past decade. Vinayakan also performs at his best playing one of the antagonists. The rest of the cast fails to make an impression on the viewer. 

Bharat Bala, When the film was announced i felt I knew this name. I Google-ed and found out that he was the one who directed AR Rahman's famous Vande Mataram video. I wonder what took him such long time to direct his first film in mother tongue.  He is brilliant as the director but falls slightly short as a screenplay writer. Bharat Bala is a gem of a director and is truly a gift to Indian Cinema. Eagerly waiting for his next directorial venture. The cinematography is what the film is all about, I haven't seen such a visually pleasing film in years. You would agree once you watch the film.  Vivek Harshan's editing is brilliant and lives up to his name. 

AR Rahman is back to his best with Mariyaan. The BGM's were top notch, but at times the cinematography, direction and performances are so intense that you might miss the beautiful score by ARR in the background. For the first time i felt that the direction and cinematography of songs is on par with AR Rahman's beautiful music, which is no simple feat. When the album was released i loved just three songs 'Netru aval', 'Nenje Yezhu', and 'Innum konjam', after watching the film you will fall in love with all the songs. 

If you are expecting an out and out survival-hostage-escape genre film, chances are that you will be disappointed, Mariyaan is more a love story, a beautiful one indeed. If it hadn't been for the mediocre performances from the cast that played the terrorists, who couldn't match up to Dhanush's brilliance, and a slightly less detailed screenplay in the second half Maryan could have ended up a flawless film. I would love to write more on the film, but it would just spoil the fun you have while watching the film. I suggest you watch the film as a viewer and a not as a critic, you will end up loving it. Being a critic is fine if you ask me, but never be a Rajeev Masand.

Bottomline: Go for it ! Don't Hesistate. Because if you miss it, chances are that you will regret not having watched it at a theater after the DVD is released.

' It's a Wonderful Life ' - another James Stewart classic

James Stewart as 'George Bailey' in It's a Wonderful Life.

It was recently that i happened to watch two brilliant Alfred Hitchcock classics, Vertigo and Rear Window both starring James Stewart as the protagonist. While Vertigo and Rear Window are Hitchcock masterpieces, one can't simply ignore James Stewart's brilliant performances in the lead roles. He took the films to another level and it is hard to imagine any other actor reprising those characters. It was my attempt to watch more James Stewart movies that made me watch It's a wonderful life(1946) , a film by Frank Capra. 

Films are the director's brainchild, but this film I feel is an out and out James Stewart classic. He as George Bailey is perfect, note the maturity he brings to the role at each stage of George's life from his teens to being a middle aged family man. I still consider Vertigo and Rear Window to be several notches above It's a wonderful life, and if it wasn't for Stewart's exceptional performance as George the film would never have received such recognition.

The film is about a middle aged family man on the verge of committing suicide because he faces money debt and is tired of living a life that he never wanted. A guardian angel is being sent from heaven to save George from giving up his life and to make him understand it's value. The film paces slowly showing George's life from his childhood to the day he decides to give up his life. Over his life he has influenced the lives of many people around him. George longs to go places, dreams of making buildings and getting far away from Bedford falls as possible. 'I am shaking the dust off this crummy little town off my feet' he says at one instance. George's father dies and he has to take up the responsibility of 'Bailey Bros Building & Loan Association' and save it from going to the wrong hands. George who still longs to go after his dreams, sends his brother to college hoping that he could pass the baton to his brother after he returns back from college. George again finds himself in a state of distress when his brother returns married and already engaged with another job. He is frustrated, but keeps it within himself. George falls in love and marries Mary and they have kids. He repeatedly tries to leave Bedford many times but fails. Meanwhile he helps a lot of people in Bedford, builds and lends them money to build houses. 

George soon finds himself in a situation where his uncle misplaces 8000$ of the company. George is frustrated and he starts to show his frustration to his children and the people around him.  He tries to seek help from Potter, a rich landlord and the antagonist in the film. Potter denies to help, and George decides to commit suicide in order to pay the debt the company faces from the insurance amount his family receives. This is when the guardian angel sent from heaven, Clarence appears and saves him from suicide and later shows him what life in Bedford would have been if George hadn't existed. The rest of the film is just brilliant, Clarence shows what George meant to the people around him and how he has touched the lives of many. It is this part of the film that takes it to another level. 

We all plan our lives, and very rarely it goes as planned. Blessed are those who get all they had wished for, and often we get frustrated when things don't go as planned. Life is a precious gift, You have to respect and value it. People who have been successful in life have always courageously faced challenges. This is the perfect film to watch when you are down. The last line of the film is what i loved the most.

No man is a failure who has friends.

I am glad that i watched It's a Wonderful Life. Vertigo and Rear Window could be the best films he acted in. But this film is where the actor in him overpowers the screenplay and the direction. This is strictly my opinion. If you haven't watched it yet, i suggest you do soon. God bless YIFY. :)

Prithviraj - An actor who has earned and deserves your respect

Prithviraj

I thought of writing an article on Prithviraj, and how he has evolved over the years after I was done watching Mumbai Police. The way he has shed his alleged arrogant image, the way he is now an ambassador of Malayalam cinema in India, the maturity in choosing scripts and the guts to take up roles that some actors would stay away from. The Prithviraj we know today is an educated, handsome, intelligent, talented and successful actor who has a very vast and fruitful acting career ahead of him. I wouldn't say Prithvi is the best young actor in Malayalam cinema at present, but he is someone who has over the years understood what his strengths are and has successfully used it to best results.

The first movie I watched of Prithvi was 'Nandanam', He was perfect for the role and showed maturity in portraying someone older than him at the age of 20. I felt even greater respect for Prithvi after I happened to watch Unni Mukundan enact the same role in the tamil remake of the film 'Seedan', the difference was like day and night. Nandanam, a female protagonist film was widely accepted by family and female audience. The film won many accolades including the state award for best actress for Navya Nair. Prithvi's talent though not lauded was noticed by other film makers. Suddenly Malayalam cinema had a young handsome hero other than Kunchakko Boban, directors and producers decided to cash in and Prithvi signed quite a few films. The films that followed bombed at the box office and most of them were made by mediocre filmmakers like Vinayan and AK Sajan. Prithvi finally got some recognition with 'Swapnakoodu', where he played the lead as an arrogant Casanova. The film was a hit but the success was credited mostly to the cast that included  Prithvi, Kunchakko Boban, Meera Jasmine, Jayasurya and Bhavana.

After 'Swapnakoodu', came a really good film 'Ammakilikoodu' starring Prithviraj in the lead role directed by then debutant M.Padmakumar. I still consider this as one of Prithvi's best performances taking in consideration his age at that time. The film failed to impress moviegoers, which i feel is because of the new director tag that came with the film and the quality of Malayalam cinema at the time. After Ammakilikkoodu came Lohitadas directed 'Chakram', a film initially scripted for Mohanlal in the lead, and even a few scenes were shot with Mohanlal, Dileep and Vidya Balan. The project was dropped after some differences between the cast and the director, It was later that Lohitadas choose Prithvi to fill into Mohanlal's shoes. The move failed and the film though good bombed at the box office. After Chakram a series of bad films followed after Prithvi started doing films with directors like Vinayan more often than before. 2005 started good for Prithvi as his debut in tamil as villain in 'Kanakanden' was widely appreciated. Later that year came more good films like Ananthabhadram and a cameo appearance in 'Achanurangatha veedu'. Though most of his films did decent business, people still didn't consider him a bankable star. 

2006 was the year fortunes changed for Prithvi, with Laljose directed 'Classmates'. I was in school back then and i still remember preferring to watch Keerthichakra over Classmates, while few of my friends took the dare and went for Classmates, a film with mostly newcomers. They later told us the film was brilliant and that there were very few people at Cinemas on the first day. Word of mouth publicity helped the film and soon theatres were packed with crowds. Many people had to return without tickets. The film was the first blockbuster of Prithvi's career. Still people credited the success to the vibrant cast of the film. Prithvi also did Vargam the same year, a modern day adaptation of IV Sasi-Ranjith-Mohanlal classic 'Devasuram'. The film opened upto mixed responses with many people claiming it to be a bad adaptation of the classic, while some lauded the attempt by M Padmakumar. Then again later that year came 'Vaasthavam' which is one of his best works till date. The film fetched him the state best actor award for his portrayal of Balachandran, a corrupt politician. In 2007 Prithvi started off with 'Mozhi' in tamil, which starred him opposite Jyothika and the film was a super-hit, Prithvi received praise for his role as a happy-go-lucky musician in the film. Prithvi soon formed a bond with Prakash Raj who later casted in his productions like Abhiyum Naanum and Vellithirai. 2007 was a year to forget for Prithvi except for Chocolate, which saw good collections from theatres across the state. 2008 started off with the role of Naxal Joseph in 'Thalappavu', directed by actor turned director Madhupal. Prithvi did justice to his role in the film, but was overshadowed by Lal as constable Nanukuttan Pillai, who won the state award for the role that year. 2008 was also the year that Prithvi rejoined with Ranjith after a gap of 6 years for 'Thirakkadha', where he played second fiddle in a film that had Anoop Menon in the lead role. 

2009 was a year of flops and only Puthiyamugham and Kerala Cafe managed to do good business. Puthiyamugham posters during it's run came with a tagline 'Superstar Prithviraj', which didn't go well with the masses. This was also the time that Prithvi was highly criticized for his interviews. I remember seeing him in a lot of interviews, His confidence and outspoken answers were often mistook for arrogance and disrespect to senior actors in the film industry. People started labeling him as an arrogant actor, soon more people followed and a majority of people criticized him and the media added fuel to the fire. Having seen a few of his interviews, i never felt him to be arrogant instead i felt that he was being frank with the questions being asked to him. We malayalees are really cruel when it comes to making fun of others, we always find someone to pick on,  make fun at and find joy doing so. Once we had Prithvi, then we had Sreesanth, then came Silsila Harishankar and at present we have a Santosh Pandit. Sadly Prithvi was once at the receiving end of all this and faced a lot of abuse over social media. Everything he said or did was judged against him. Having said that i have felt Prithvi to be a bit more cautious and diplomatic while giving interviews in other language medias. Prithvi in a few interviews have spoken how people asked him to change the way he spoke, the way behaved and the way he conducted himself before others. I find this to be very cruel, it is like asking someone to lose their identity, and whoever in the industry it maybe who asked him to do so should feel ashamed.

Coming back to his career, 2010 again wasn't a lucky year for him when films like Thanthonni released, which did little good to his image off screen with him playing an arrogant and spoilt youth. Then came Pokkiri Raja, which i consider to be a crap though it did collect quite a few. The latter part of 2010 bought luck to him as he was cast in one of the lead roles of a Mani Rathnam movie which had Vikram as the protagonist and Prithvi as his antagonist. The film had Aishwarya Rai playing the female lead opposite him and Prithvi's character though short was appreciated by the critics.

2011 was a very important year in Prithvi's career. It was the year that he got married and he ventured into producing films. The year started off with 'Arjunan Sakshi', a film from Passenger director 'Ranjith Shankar'. Arjunan Sakshi opened up to mixed reviews, but having watched it i found it to be good enough. Then came 'Urumi' directed by Santosh Sivan and produced by August Cinemas, a production house by Prithviraj and Shaji Nadesan. The film is touted as the second most expensive movie in Malayalam cinema and managed to receive profits upon release. Then came the best film of the year that Prithvi starred in, City of God by Lijo Jose Pellissery. I am not sure how the movie fared, but little of it was heard during the time of release, i watched it when it came on TV. Veetilekulla vazhi, a national award winning film and Indian Rupee, two good films made sure that 2011 was fruitful for Prithvi. Prithvi also produced by Ranjith's Indian rupee which was awarded the national award for best producer. His marriage also happened the same year and was a very private affair and was known only to very close relatives. The media came to know about the marriage only after it was over. The private marriage function also made some media people and critics unhappy, again Prithvi was the center of attention, the epitome of arrogance. The famous Brittas interview also happened the same year, sadly for Prithvi something his wife said about him speaking English fluently was again credited to his so called arrogant behavior. 

Prithviraj happened to be part of a National award winning Malayalam film 'Manjadikuru' by Anjali Menon in 2012. I suggest you watch Manjadikuru as soon as possible, if you haven't yet. Then came Aakashathinte niram, a film i am yet to see which received many accolades and was shortlisted for an academy award nomination. Two good short roles in Bachelor Party and Molly Aunty Rocks was followed by his bollywood debut 'Aiyyaa', a film that i wished he hadn't done. 'Aiyyaa' also starred Rani Mukherjee and was a disaster at the box office. But bollywood had already recognized the talent in Prithvi and was signed by Yashraj films for 'Aurangazeb' which released recently.

Ultimately it was the last quarter of 2012 and this year that made my respect for him grow manifold. Starting from Ayalum Njanum Thammil, Celluloid and Mumbai Police with three good directors. Each film bettering the previous one. Prithvi slowly is choosing scripts carefully and is also directing the remake of 'Ayalum Njanum Thammil' in Bollywood and it is rumored that Amitabh Bachchan might do the role of Prathap Pothen in the original. From doctor Ravi Tharaken to JC Daniel to Antony Mosses, they all have been unique and different. These three characters have earned him a place in my heart. 

So what i intend to say is that, it is high time that we start respecting this actor. He has rightly earned respect and is giving his best to the films he is working on. Let us put an end to the nicknames, the jokes and start giving him the respect he rightly deserves. I hope Prithvi stays the same being the confident and outspoken actor who doesn't sacrifice his identity just because some people want him to.

Five AR Rahman tracks i could listen all day

AR Rahman

As AR Rahman celebrates another birthday, i feel blessed to have been born in an era where he lived and composed music. I have come up with five ARR tracks that i love the most. 

1)  ' Luka Chuppi ' - Rang De Basanti

    Artists: Lata Mangeshkar and AR Rahman

     Lyrics: Javed Akthar

This is for me the best ARR composition ever. A slow melody you can call it, The vocals of Lata Mangeshkar and AR Rahman stands out in this song. The song symbolizes the relationship between a mother and her son, the lyrics by Javed Akthar is simply brilliant and adds to the charm of this song. I feel that this is the best among songs that have been sung by Rahman himself.

2) ' Idayam Idam Mariyathe ' - Jodhaa Akbar(Tamil)
      Artist: Karthik and KS Chitra
      Lyrics: Na Muthukumar

 'In Lamhon Ke Daman Mein' is my favorite track in Jodha Akbar and it was on Youtube that i came across the Tamil version of this song sung by Karthik and KS Chitra. Felt like i was listening to a whole new song and the lyrics by Na Muthukumar is stunning. The lyrics no doubt is the winner here, Karthik and Chitra's vocals takes it to yet another level.  It is really sad that this song went unnoticed, a very few people know that this song exist. Just listen once and you will instantly fall in love with it.

3) 'Newyork Nagaram' - Sillunu oru Kadhal

     Artist: AR Rahman
     Lyrics: Vaali

Most people would prefer 'Munbe Va' over 'Newyork Nagaram' when it comes to the album 'Sillunu oru Kadhal', definitely not me. I was once so addicted to this song that i would listen to it for hours everyday. AR Rahman's voice again adds magic to this song, Just can't imagine anyone else singing this song. Vaali's lyrics is awesome and is in par with the music. I found an English translation of this beautiful song's lyrics.

4)  'Nadhiye Nadhiye' - Rythm
      Artist: Unni Menon
      Lyrics: Vairamuthu

Rythm is one of the best albums ever from AR Rahman, every song is unique and stands out in it's own charm. Whenever Unni Menon and AR Rahman joins for a song, magic happens. 'Nadhiye Nadhiye' is one among those wonders from AR Rahman and Unni Menon. Vairamuthu is at his best here.

Rythm - Nadhiye Nadhiye

5) ' Arziyan '- Delhi 6
    Artist: Javed Ali, Kailash Kher
   

A devotional number from Delhi 6 sung by Kailash Kher and Javed Ali. Never been a big admirer of Kailash Kher's voice but this changed all. I just love this song, even being 8 minutes and 40 seconds long, It is one of the most played in my iPod.



A few other songs that came close are 'Ay Hairathe Aashiqui' - Guru , 'Yeh Jo Des' - Swades, Sandana Thendralai - Kandukondaen Kandukondaen. 

The Kariavattom Outdoor Stadium - What to expect ?

My love for 'Trivandrum' is well known among my friends and relatives. There has been occasions when i have got into arguments with friends who spoke ill of my city. That is how much i love Trivandrum, a place where history and development respects each other. You have to be a Trivandrumite to know that.

The design of the upcoming Greenfield outdoor stadium at Karivattom

I just came across a few articles on the upcoming outdoor stadium at Kariavattom and was mighty impressed with what is on offer. I have been searching every nook and corner of the Internet to gather what i have now. The commencement of work of the Stadium was inaugurated by Chief Minister in September last year. Spread across 37 acres it will be the most advanced outdoor stadium in the country when work is completed in December 2013. The stadium happens to be the first stadium in India to be based on BOT('Build, Operate, and Transfer') policy and is being buily by IL&FS. I feel that Karivattom is the most ideal place in the city for this project as it is just 10kms away from the International Airport, 12Km away from Central Railway Station, KSRTC Bus stand, easily accessible from within the city and the sub-urban area outside the city. Another advantage is that Technopark is just a Kilometre away, Techies will flock in if there is something big happening and i believe the stadium will see packed crowds if there is some International event happening. 

The stadium is being built to both ICC(International Cricket Council) and FIFA(Fédération Internationale de Football Association) standards, which means that it is an ideal venue for International Cricket and Football matches. The stadium will have 3 pitches for Cricket and will be made under guidance of renowned International curators. The stadium has a seating capacity of 50,000 and 50% of it will be roofed. 1% of the total capacity will be wheel chair friendly and will be evenly distributed among the seats. It will have two VIP Gallery's, one which has 20 seats meant for VVIP/Corporates and another section with 1000 seats meant for VIP's. A press gallery will also be available for press personnel. The stadium is capable of providing parking to around 2000 cars and will have a four lane road to avoid traffic issues.

  A 3D Illustration of the Stadium.
If you thought that is it, then you are wrong !. Outside the outdoor stadium lies even more. A mall with close to 1,00,000 Sq Ft area which provides space for Retail/ Sports Complexes and Sports Clubs. Gym's and Spa's are also a part of the mall. There is also Indoor sports facilities just outside the stadium and will have,

• 12 Badminton courts.
• 20 Table Tennis courts.
• 3 Basketball courts.
• 2 Volleyball courts.
• 2 Handball courts.

Which means it will be open to people who are interested in playing these sports and will also have matches being conducted. Another major attraction is an Olympic Swimming pool made to Olympic standards along with an aquatic center. A convention center which can pack 2000 people and guest suites are added attractions.

This definitely is an exciting project and i am so proud and happy that it is going to be just 5 KM's away from my home. Negligence is something our city has faced over the years, be it the metro rail project or the development of the Vizhinjam port. One can only hope and pray that this project sees no road blocks on it's way. 

Source: The minimum design guideline and specifications for the Karyavattom outdoor stadium.

Kony 2012: A boon or a curse ?

Ever heard the name ' Joseph Kony ' ?, It was after watching 'Machine Gun Preacher' that i came to know about this deadly Rebel leader of Sudan. It has been 25 long years since the civil war began in Sudan, Ever since Kony and his men known as the LRA(Lord's rebel army) has been killing, torturing, and making children slaves and soldiers. 


 Today i happened to watch the 'Oprah Winfrey' show and came across three people who started the 'Invisible Children' a non-profit organization that aims at collecting funds to build schools and rehabilitation centers for children in Uganda. Even though there have been issues that the money isn't spend entirely on charity, am happy that atleast an effort is being made. Hope this 'Kony 2012' campaign doesn't bring any negative fame to Joseph Kony and LRA, who now is less active in the country. I just wanted you all to know who this dreaded criminal is and to pray for all the needy kids in Uganda, not out of sympathy but as a friend / well wisher.

 Kony 2012 : The Documentary

This movement known as the 'Kony 2012' could bring negative fame for Joseph Kony and Nations worldwide could force their troops to hunt him down, Which might make Kony become more active in Sudan as he would want more soldiers in his LRA army. This could lead him to make more child abductions to add to the strength of his LRA army. If the US troops land on Sudanese soil on a hunt for Joseph Kony, we might happen to see another Iraq or an Afghanistan. I learned from a few news websites that the LRA activities in Sudan have reduced over the past years and one could only hope this campaign doesn't bring anything bad again to the children and people of Sudan.

Let God almighty bless the people of Sudan and let peace prevail. 

Mayakkam Enna - Dhanush and Selvaraghavan's best till date

Dhanush and Richa in Mayakkam Enna

Well as soon as i finished watching the film on my laptop, i cursed myself for not watching it earlier at cinemas. But i did have my excuses in prepartion for semester exams. Well everything about the film moved me.

Photography for some people is a passion, for some it is just a hobby. Karthik Swaminathan(Dhanush) is a serious freelance photographer whose interest is portraits and wildlife photography, Photography is his passion and his life. He aims to make it big and hopes to become an assistant to Madesh Krishnaswamy a very well known proffessional photographer. Karthik is usually seen with his friends in a care free attittude, but when it comes to photography he gets damn serious. Sunder is his best buddy from childhood and it was Sunder's father along with friends who took care of Karthik and his sister Ramya after the death of their parents. Yamini comes to the scene as Sunder's date, Karthik falls for her with time. Yamini too starts to care for him and they soon fall in love. Later Sunder finds out and their friendship goes for a toss, which is saved by Sunder's father and Yamini and Karthik gets married. Meanwhile Madhesh asks Karthik to take some wildlife photos so that he could consider appointing him as an assistant. Karthik is shattered when Madhesh says his photos are waste and he should give up photography. Karthik is hurt, but moves on. Later he finds out that one of the photos he submitted to Madhesh wins the National award with all credit going to him. Karthik soon moves into an abnormal state and Yamini, who now his wife cares for him. Karthik finally gets his break and wins an international photography award beating Madesh Krishnaswamy as well. This forms the plot of the film.

All credit of the film goes to Selvaraghavan, Dhanush and GV Prakash Kumar,they made the film an outstanding piece of Cinema. I appreciate Selvaraghavan for a theme never before tried. Emotions flow through out, and every relation is given due respect, from friendship to love. The guts Selva showed in portraying the love between bestfriend and girlfriend of Sunder deserves mention, and the way Sunder and Karthik patches up after Sunder finds out is too good. Another thing as good as Selva's direction is GV Prakash Kumar's music and background scores, i was totally moved by the bgm's in some scenes. Dhanush as usual comes up with a performance which explains why he deserved the National Award for Aadukalam, If you ask me i would give another one for him as i believe he was at his best in this film. Richa Ganopadhay's character is another one you would fall in love with, One would feel that she ain't all that nice after she loves the friend of her boyfriend, her character and acting skills come out in the second half and especially in the song 'Pirai Thedum'.

There are a few scenes in the film which deserves mention and the first one being Karthik going into the wild to shoot photos, and the joy he receives is portrayed in a scene with no dialogues beautifully and this scene alone describes the film for you, Simply Elegant.

                                 Dhanush Wildlife Photography scene from Mayakkam Enna

Another scene is the one where Yamini feels that Karthik should give up photography and tells him he is not good at it, dejected Karthik walks back home when he meets an old lady and the photographer inside him wakes up. The way he spreads a smile to the old lady and husband, and the way he replies to Yamini is a treat.

                                                Karthik photographs an old lady

There are plenty of other scenes which stands out like the one where Yamini washes blood stains of the floor and Karthik apologizing to her. The final speech Karthik delivers at the International photography award ceremony and few more as well.

Well, to sum it up, This is one of the best Tamil films i saw in life and i am really sad that the film hasn't received its deserved credit. This is the kind of film which moves you and at the same time inspires you to take  up photography and give respect to photographers. If you still haven't watched this film, then i request you to.

Kan Vizhithal / Shauk Hai - An unheard gem from ARR

Madhavan and Vidya Balan in Guru

I recently watched Guru, crafted beautifully by Mani Ratnam. Released back in 2007, I faintly remember watching it in theatre alone. I am not here to write about the film but about a song which featured in the film as a  background score and not in the audio release. The song appears as a background score in a scene where Madhavan's character proposes to Vidya Balan's character. I had heard the hindi version 'Shauk Hai' a long time before and  have it already in my playlist, little did I know that this gem had a tamil version to it. Listen to 'Kan Vizhithal'(still listening as I type this post) , pure bliss.

 

This adds to songs like 'Idhayam Idam'(Jodhaa Akbar), 'Unthan Desathin'(Swades) which are equally good if not better versions of the originals.