Dec 27, 2014

Seven word stories by Lohithaksha





  • "He woke up but the nightmare continued."

  • " She left him but her thoughts didn't."

  • "Glances questionnaire; mentally prepares for supplementary exam."

  • "Movie ends. Should face real-life actors again."

  • "She: Enjoy dear! Her eyes: STFU &  stay!"

  • "Dilemma: Eat or not? Biriyani or diet?"

  • "Biriyani's aroma! Looks? who cares? Health first."

  • "Dad carried him, now it's his turn."

  • "Three scattered cops heard single fire shot."

  • "Date went well, until her pout pose."

  • "Hearty cry, an evil laugh. The end."

  • "I used to love you. Used to."

  • "What you gonna wear today? Fake smile."

  • "There is a life after education. Realise. "

  • "Facebook: 264 people like you bare back."

  • "Flash news: Facebook likes cured cancer patient."

  • "He was inherited with nothing but STD."

  • "Everything was a cliché except his mom."

  • "Six months rehearsal to say her Hello."

  • "Couldn't talk, so I started to stalk."

  • "Her voice added harmony to her smile."

  • "He learnt ample but failed to score."

  • "Society mutines for HER not for HIM."

  • "4 wheels' his destiny: Car, now wheelchair."

  • "New year's eve: Biking. New year: Stretcher.

  • "Before knowing what's sex, she was molested."

  •  "She proved love isn't just harmnoes' play."

  •  "She had countless scars for identification marks."

  •  "Ditched by loved one, accepted by stranger."

  •  "Rolling on floor laughing *impassive* hits enter."



 ©Lohithaksha Sreedharan (lohithaksha.s@gmail.com)

Nov 29, 2014

"In rendezvous with honourable Mr.madhan"



 I had got an opportunity through my college to take part in "Madhan Movie Matinee" (TV show) which will telecast tomorrow (30/Nov/2014) on Puthuyugam tv. The movie being reviewed tomorrow by Madhan sir (Film critic) is "Kaaviya Thalaivan" (Tamil,2014). Yesterday the college had booked tickets for the movie, I watched the show along with my few seniors. On 29/11/2014 I went to the studio along with my classmate, and few seniors. Director of the Movie Vasantha Balan sir had come to the show and we had a chance to express our views on the movie, discuss regarding the movie. 

Madhan sir being an author himself has a wide knowledge about Indian history, which is so clear in his book "Ki mu Ki pi" and he had lived in the generation where Drama was the only source of infotainment. He told us how Drama influenced Cinema, and why one shouldn't forget such a period. He made us more clear how the drama troop used to function day and night. I asked the producer of the show if she could allow me to ask a few personal questions to Madhan sir, and she arranged it :) After the shoot he humbly asked "Somebody said they want to talk with me" I raised my hand and said "Sir, yes it's me!". "Okay then after the shoot we'll talk" "Okay Sir I'll wait". 

This is the conversation we had with Madhan sir:


Me: From my preteen years I have been immensely influenced by your works in media which includes caricatures, film criticism and so on .My first acquaintance with you took place when my father used to read the tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan to me and that is how I came to know about you. My reverence for you increased by leaps and bounds after watching the film Anbe Sivam,in which you were delegated with the role of a dialogue writer .
1)  Why this long break after Madhan's Thiraipaarvai and Jaya tv?

Ans: I am a freelancer and I’m also working in designing cartoon calendars. After Vijay tv, I worked for Jaya tv. I don't think it is a big gap. In between this gap, I didn't get good offers as a freelancer. I couldn't impulsively accept the offers like hosting quiz shows like the cine quiz just for the sake of money. I lead my life in a simple way. I own a 3 bedroom flat and I'm happy. As I was waiting for a good offer, pudhiya thalaimurai opened doors for me to be a film critic again .I have been a film critic in Vijay tv and Jaya tv previously, hence reviewing films is not something unexplored for me. Watching cinema and telling their opinion, we all do it. Who isn't a film critic now? In this world everyone who comes out after watching a movie talks about cinema. I am doing it on screen. And there is not much differences between them.


2) Nowadays everyone has started to review movies using social media as a tool. Do you think movies are getting affected?

Ans: one may not know this. But they are worried from their own point of views because trivial stuffs arise.


3) nowadays a new trend has arose: a person who doesn’t personally like a genre, be it in movies or books, comments about it in such a way that it colours other’s opinions about it. 

Ans: In this case genre is totally off the table. See, at a certain age maturity is inevitable; the same thing applies even for reviewing. A person must not misuse social media like Facebook and Twitter, which nowadays tend to colour the feelings of the users in a very pervasive manner. For instance, take yourself, in near future you have made a movie. This movie you’ve made receives lukewarm response from the viewers. Because of this fiasco you are being denounced badly and as a result of this your career comes to a dead-end. Just give this a thought. Everyone over here is battling. We have to see it (movie/book) in a undogmatic perspective. Even myself, I can't censure movies severely. They (directors) have given their best. We have to say the good and the bad facets in a settled and subtle manner in a way that they won’t be offended. I have seen many people who criticize a lot. Mr.Bosskey, a very good friend of mine, reviews films in a very facetious manner. In a way we, the film critics are responsible for a person to watch or not watch a film. The thing is that, when my review comes to a close, a person will be able to decide on his own whether to watch the movie or not. I don't use explicit words like "Don't watch this movie" "Dragging plot".


4) Sir how was it writing dialogues for Anbe Sivam? Was working with the phenomenal actor kamal hasan and his tenet in atheism influence the dialogues?

Ans: Firstly, The dialogues were not coloured by concrete factors . They are not my ideologies. We, writers delve into the characters and write their ideologies as dialogues. Secondly, it is entirely Kamal hassan's encouragement. If you get closer to Kamal Hassan, he'll inspire in such way that you'll eventually start to write with enthusiasm. He gave me abysmal freedom. He is a very good friend of mine. One can bond with Kamal Hassan in the same way one bonds with his friends. Occasionally, He gave his own ideas. He also wrote a few.


5) The dialogues of Anbe Sivam were afresh and is still ineffaceable, is it because of Kamal Sir or the script?

Ans: After that, I didn't get many opportunities for writing dialogues in cinema.

Me:  Late recognition it is.

Madhan Sir: I could have got if I had written punch dialogues for that movie. But I didn't expect such chances to strike again.

My senior: Punch dialogues can be forgotten, but not these dialogues.

Madhan sir: As a matter of fact even Anbe Sivam had punch dialogues.


6) You have asserted on many convoluted ideologies like communism, atheism etc in Anbe Sivam. How is that, despite their intricacy, the dialogues were explicit as well as comprehensible so that even common audience can understand?

Ans: As a matter of fact, Tsunami was first mentioned in this movie. I read about this natural calamity in a book. Henceforth in the movie (anbe sivam), it was stated that Nalla Sivam's father faced death by tsunami.
Kamal asked me, if there was any chance that Tsunami could strike Chennai? I said wherever there is sea, Tsunami can manifest.
In the movie, the protagonist(kamal hassan) questions Madhavan, "Tsunami, have you heard about it?". "Yeah I know everything sir, the big wave” replies madhavan. After Tsunami struck Chennai everyone was perplexed about how Kamal Hassan knew about it beforehand? Kamal told me "Look you wrote it but I got the fame, I think that is our (an actor’s) power".


My senior: Even recently in Dasavatharam he had metioned about "Ebola virus".

Madhan sir: It is very malignant .If that virus gets into our body and develops. It multiplies to 2,1000,2000. Like cancer, it affects the brain.
       I don’t think we don't need someone like Raavanan anymore to destroy the humankind; just an inconspicuous virus is enough. We gleefully enjoy the waves near the shore in a beach. But the same wave can turn into a Killer wave. "Killer wave" is the phrase for the Japanese word Tsunami.


8)  Nowadays every film personality has a facebook or twitter account why haven’t you got one? And why aren’t you stepping into social media?

Ans: I don't have a facebook or twitter account because I don't have the knack to manage them. In fact I'm not familiar with the computers and I am not used to them. Moreover I was not born in the era when technology was much developed and I didn't attempt to learn using them. Even now I don't know to type, if I have to mail, I get help from either my friend or my daughter


9) Can we expect further books from you?

Ans: Yes there are 2 to 3 books yet to be published. Now I am working on "Kaadhal Vaazhga" a book based on love. Another book "Genius" is in printing stage and it is yet to be released soon. Look "a talented person is different from a genius". People like "Mozart" are genius. We misinterpret a talented person to be a genius. A genius doesn’t know anything else other than his own field of interest, and it is a wonderful thing. This book answers the question “who is a genius?”. This book provides the life histories of those geniuses too.


10) How come you are very much engrossed in history? Even in your book "Ki mu Ki pi" this very aspect of yours is evident.

Ans: first of all how come you all read Tamil books?

Me: *Laughing*


11) So can we expect you in the magnum opus project of kamal hassan “Marudhanyagam”?

Ans: The question is that “can one expect “Maradhanayagam” the movie itself?” You can't expect me in Marudhanayagam. The reason is the Kamal has already prepared everything.
My senior: There are many rumours about Marudhanayagam in social media. The one that caught my attention was that Kamal sir himself had said that his death in the movie will be shot after his natural death. Is that true?

Ans: No way. Kamal wouldn't utter such word. I know about him. What else can we do? 

Even I saw a facebook group in my name and I also got to know that another person is running my official page without my consent. That page even a section called Madhan’s 'Question and answers'. I fear that problems might arise due to this. Many film personalities have started to declare that they don't have any accounts in social media publicly. I am hoping to do the same.       
             
       It is slight difficult. Can we show Amitabh Bhachan as a college student now? *smiles*


12) Recently Tamil cinema has witnessed the advent of innumerable commercial films. How healthy is Tamil cinema now?

Ans: It is inevitable. The disadvantage is that many heroes have a compulsion to act in a certain type of movie. They rarely get chances in anti-cliché movies. One such example of anti-cliché movies in recent times is kaaviya thalaivan.
If an actor acts in an action movie, his rival will be forced to act in an action movie too. There is no friction between the actors themselves as there is between the fans. I myself have seen them in parties and so on. They talk jovially together and socialize.

My senior: do you have any words on Marudhanaygam?

Ans: There are hundreds of freedom fighters like Marudhanayagam himself. In fact my book "Vandhaargal Vendraargal" is about the mughals. Why couldn’t they adapt it into a film? Why haven’t they made films on Jahangir or akbar? There are many such prominent historical figures in india like Jhansi Rani, Kattabomman etc. Why can't they make a movie on Kattabomman again? Sivaji Ganesan’s version was more dramatic than factual. The truth is that kattabomman was a telgu speaker. He was not a tamilian but a naikar. As a matter of fact his real name was Veerapandiya Kattabomma Karuthayya Nayakkar(naidu).

My senior: Sir few words about Utthama Villain. Do you know anything about the film?
Ans: No, I don't know anything about the film.


13)In today’s scenario Tamil cinema is lacking realistic movies. Meanwhile glamour and humour have become an integral part of movies. Is there any way to bring out realistic cinema in Tamil?

Ans: Realistic movies are not obsolete yet. They have carved out a path for themselves. Both commercial and realistic films will flourish. I have said the same previously in an interview. And this will be the final question of your's
Me: *laughing* okay sir.
 If a big office is running successfully, everyone in that office are not responsible. In that office there will be 10 people in the higher level. They are the ones who will run it successfully. Likewise. If youa are in a group and the group is happy, everyone in that won't be responsible. It would be only because 2 or 3 people.
   Likewise in between so many Masala movies, or in between 50 directors. Few directors like Mani Ratnam, Vetrimaran or Vasantha Balan will seem different. They will give non-commercial films
   The thing is, while taking non-commercial films, you have to take in account of other movies which has been alongside with this.
   If we don't encourage non-commercial films, you'll find only these movies. As you think it is not he majority which leads, it’s the minority.


14) With the advent of myriad commercial movies, the periodical movies are getting affected. What would be the reason for this downfall? Are there any steps we could take?

Ans: The movies will definitely get affected but it has to overcome the perils. But movies of that genre will not halt in its progression. There is recourse to better the situation. As you (Viscom students) come to college, you will be introduced to film appreciation. Cinema is such a grandeur thing. Cinema has even given us Chief Ministers. Cinema rules! Why not cinema be introduced as a subject in school? Students can start to study cinema from 9th grade on. Once in every week, say, on Saturdays movies can be shown. These classes can be reserved only for cinema. Students have value education, sports etc and why not cinema as a subject? Appreciating films is a practise to critically analyse things that we see in daily life. You will eventually start to watch films, paying attention to the minuscule nuances. Okay! Let us see! Thankyou!

Me: Thankyou sir.

Madhan sir: All the best! God bless you!


© Lohithaksha Sreedharan (lohithaksha.s@gmail.com)

NOTE: This conversation was in Tamil, and I had to translate into English. If there is any mis-interpretations I am responsible.

Edited by: Nivetha Sivasamy ** Thanks a lot! You brought a whole new life to this. :) **

Thanks to my buddy Nazeer Hussain for letting me know about this :)


    

Oct 14, 2014

       People can't take law into their own hands

There was this post which was creating a buzz in social media after the Tiger attack post || Man has his PENIS cut off by angry mob after 'attempted rape' of teenager || 

There were plenty of posts regarding this saying it was the best punishment!  

And this was the article posted by "Logical Indians" on Facebook.

"The man reportedly attempted to have sex with the teenager in the city of Ganganagar, India, but locals found him down an alley, pinning the terrified girl to a wall.
The 40-year-old was then dragged away by the angry mob of vigilantes while they all decided what to do with him.
Unfortunately for the alleged attempted rapist, what they decided was to take him to a local butcher's shop where they apparently beat him with sticks for an hour and then hacked off his penis with a meat cleaver!"


But how can a verified page like "Logical Indians" put the photo of the guy who is a VICTIM not ACCUSED. There is no legal evidence that he has committed the crime. And as far as my knowledge I guess this was the only post by "Logical Indians" where they didn't say their opinion instead posed the question to the public.

But I couldn't feel to hit a like or share the post, there was something which prevented me to or neither argue about it in the 'comment box'. As I surfed through Facebook feeds, I found another post regarding this but this particular one provoked my senses. A post by "Indian quotes" on Facebook.




"A man accused by the crowd for attempting to rape a girl was assaulted and had his penis cut off by the crowd. Lot of celebrities have also shared this post supporting the behavior of the crowd.
In India, we have seen enough in public life, to know that the mob or the crowd is rarely correct and most of the time they impose their perception of what is right and what had happened on the world.
No one knows for sure what had happened. Currently only amateur news sites and bloggers are reporting the incident. Now let's assume what could have happened.

1) A hindu man could have attempted to speak or flirt with a muslim girl and the mob could have seen it as 'crossing-the-line' and decided to give a punishment.

2) A muslim man could have attempted to speak or flirt with a hindu girl and the mob could have seen him as a girl-thief and decided to send a message to his community.

3) Both the man and the girl could have been in love and the parents could have provoked the mob into believing that he is a rapist, to break their love"



Oh yes, Media doesn't always showcase you the truth and so does the crowd. As seen in many slapstick comedy sequences a person in the crowd has no idea what's going on but tell you whatever he assumes it to be the reason, and it goes on from mouth to mouth and creates a whole new Fantasy story. This may be a similar case, who knows? He would have tried to hold her hand and propose her or something(I ain't saying this is right or wrong). Thinking about this for a while, confused myself, sat with my newspaper and found this article on the Front Page of "The Hindu"



"Let me not talk about the conversion case here."

 Though I had not read about this case earlier, I understood that around 9 were accused of RAPE. But this a complete plot twist! The girl ran away from her house and approached the police, she denied gang rape or forcible conversion, and declared that she had gone with Kaleem, the man she had earlier accused as the main perpetrator, of her own free will.
 Remember the post by "Indian quotes" ? That is what has happened her!

What if the crowd had chopped off all these Men's genital part? 

Crowd would have committed sin. They would have ruined the life of innocent Men. And I don't know how Social Media hasn't created a single post about this! 

"If the guy had really attempted to rape and it was evident, then I agree it was the correct punishment, but I again disagree if the crowd had taken up the law into their hands. If the police give him this punishment, I am fine with it!" 

So before we act(share and like the post) let us think twice, know about the reason better, whether it is really true. And I am not saying this is right or wrong, just expressing my opinion and writing through my point of view.

-Lohithaksha Sreedharan


Aug 22, 2014

My nostalgic memories about Madras on its 375th birthday

Today Chennai celebrates its 375th birthday. And my 

memories about Chennai:



When I was a kid studying in b'lore, after vacations friends would ask wer did u spend ur vacations? I said proudly to my native "Chennai" and they mostly confuse with 'China' and lose their mind coz we were such kids not knowing the difference btw a city and country.
A week before leaving to Chennai I dream about it a lot, how I'd enjoy with my cousins and how carefree I'd roam around in the hot afternoons. As my parents hardly book the ticket in advance, there would always a be a hurry on catching the train. The early morning bus journey to Majestic(KBS) is the only mornign I'll look so refreshed.
The announcement in B'lore railway station "Lalbagh express will be arriving on bla bla bla" That lady's voice would give me the joy of my class teacher reading out the memo "Tomorrow will be an holiday!". After managing to get a seat in the train to Chennai and hear Tamil words all over and the vendors also yelling in tamil, I'd feel like I am already in Chennai. And I once took a book and pen with me to note down all the stations so that it'd be useful while playing "Name place animal thing"  And the most worse thing was when I get a peer and hearing from him that he has more no. of holidays than me 
My most dreadful journey would be from Basin Bridge Jn to Chennai Central station, I would have reached with 5 hours from Bangalore to Chennai and with that gaandu my mind voice would be "Dei na nadandhe poidren da".
After the train screeches at the Chennai central station and entering into that kind of a doom and the atmosphere with low light, those announcement in kannada would turn out to be in tamil  The coolie would take the luggages me and my mom used to carry in bitterness all the way Just Like That. He looks like the real Rajinikanth for me! And carries with the kindness of your blood relation and not uttering a word bout the money till he reaches the auto stand  And seeing any of my cousin to pick me up would be like that I'm coming from foreign country, that feel!
As the auto driver asks "enga ga ponum?" I'd reply him before my mom saying it. That feel you get when talking to auto driver our bus conductor in your mother tongue Tamil after a long time being in a completely diff place. Chancey illa! 
As I walk out of the station I admire the grandeur beauty of Central station It's architectural n the paint color so appealing though I knew nothing bout architectural stuffs. Something in a grandeur way with a clock in it was awesome for me. As in every tamil movie the hero reaches chennai first they show namma "Central station" Unma dhan ga adhu Chennai oda getthe adhan 
And the auto anna always cursing those going in cars, "Naadhari avangua appan road madhri otran paaru" and those paavam rickshaw thathas struggling to peddle with a huge marwadi aunty with her luggages  Gazing through the streets. And seeing all name boards and movie posters in tamil, though I couldn't read it. Was something creating a bliss. Share autos everywhere. It would like the autos are pregnant  As I reach the destination I get down when my mom's having a mouth fight about the fare, and not caring about the luggage
And getting into the house, first they provide water because of the scorching sun, all cousins gather inquiring about random stuffs, firstly about my sokka that I buy for my b'day. And wearing my cousin's pyjamas coz too lazy to open my luggage.
Roaming through the streets in the hot hot afternoon wearing my cousin's flip flops as I always forget to bring mine  Going to parks, drinking Neer moru, 1 ruba Ice with the begged money from grand parents. And showing off my cycle riding skills in 'vaadagai cycle'. And addressing every elderly as "anna/akka" though they maybe the age of my parents.
And people asking like "Thambi Bangalore la padikiriya pa?'. Bangalore was like a foreign country for them in those days.
Using Madras Baashai like "Gethu, scene, mass, chanc ey illa, weight u," which I can't use in any other city coz ppl won't understand it. Though few words are in English we have our meaning for it.
Marina would always be my first hangout in Chennai. And eating molaga bajji after playing with waves. Returning back with sand in your sandals, pants. Eww the irritating part. Visiting Egmore museum fondly called as "Setthupona museum". Trade fair in Island grounds, which looks like a modern oor Thiruvizha. VGP, statue thatha, golden beach  Abhirami Mega Mall the giant lady, watching movies there. Mahablaipuram just wow, as a kid, those days I was confused whether it was a temple or beach. These are all the places I primarily visited in Chennai. Nostalgia !!
Returning back to Bangalore, I always don't go the starting first week of school I'd still be in Chennai, postponing as much as possible. Crying to convince your relatives and grandparents. Leave with all the newly bought toys inside the luggage. Going back all the way to Central station with a depressed face. Finally boarding the train, after Bangarpet ppl start conversing in Kannada and the fresh breeze I get and realize that I'm gonna reach home soon. Now Majestic turns Pathetic to me. The place which had put a smile on my face a few weeks back would turn out to be the opposite.
First few weeks of the school would be so depressing thinking of when the next vacations would come. When will I grow up so that I'd travel on my own. And calling out neighbour's and friends with my cousins' name and take a week to cope up with it. And my friends would make me forget those stuffs in a few days.
-------
Now, After coming to Chennai and pursuing my studies here things have turned slightly vice-versa. Starting few months in Chennai had problems like the seating order for ladies in bus which was different from that from Bangalore's. Differentiating between deluxe, non deluxe bus was too tough. I'd give the bus conductor 20 rs in non deluxe and get abuses. Get confused with Chennai Central suburban and Chennai central. And hearing passengers saying the price of the ticket to the conductor instead of saying the stop. All passengers voluntarily buying tickets by going to the conductor's seat and him giving back the ticket with exact change were all a quite a shock to me.
Now in my college at SRM, students have come from different parts and can see them cursing Chennai of being so hot and other stuffs. I feel like "Bitch please, wait and watch Idhu Singara Chennai, you will definitely regret for what you said".
Chennai is more than a city, filled with more emotions, historical legacy. You can see from modern to cultured people here. Vandhaarai vaazha vaikum Chennai. Ending with this as a proud Chennaite though brought up in the culture of two.
Thankyou Chennai for giving me such memories  :')
‪#‎Madrasday‬ ‪#‎Madras375‬

PC: Digitally Inspired, Madras Memoirs

- Lohithaksha Sreedharan