Azhagar Samiyin Kudhirai

It's been so long since I had watched a 'keep it short and silly' movie. Recollecting such movie is...well forget it! Suseendran, the director of Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu and Naan Mahan Alla, shows some versatility in the genres. It's a good show by an upcoming director not to fall in the same league. In fact, though Vennila Kabadi Kuzhu was good, I was disappointed with the climax as I felt it was forced tragedy. And I had some similar expectation in ASK as well. But I never expected the climax to be so simple and especially the antagonist.

 I can try to make the story much simpler in two lines. A village follows the traditional way of celebrating a festival for rain, God's vaaganam is stolen, a connector comes into the picture via the Protagonist, Climax with a neat finish. Ain't that simple? But I bet you, to make such simpler plot is not that easy because it leaves to the audience's taste. One may hate or love such movies. I mean, it can make someone to feel very bore or it can make someone to glue.

Suseendran has described the characters cleverly depicting them with an introduction and of course following a traditional village life characters. You will have an absolutely nothing president, smart young literate men, love between different caste, mamool Inspector is alone an exception here.

Protagonist, appu kutty, is a smart choice for the character Azhagar Samy and I am very surprised to see Saranya accepting to be pair for appu kutty. Appu Kutty has done his part very well utilizing to the fullest what he can. In fact, the entire casting has been really apt except for the annoying Samiyaar part.

Though the director kept everything simple and smart; including the flashback of Appu Kutty who wanted to get the horse desperately back to his place, the Background score elevates the movie in several places. The scene were Appu Kutty sees Saranya and walks out to talk to the horse, the background score in that place gives us a feel of what the character wants to convey. Photography is another thing which gives a feel green to the movie.

Job neatly done! Go for it!

A Pleasant Journey

One who was waiting in the bus stop for years for the right bus to come and eventually when the right bus came to the bus stop, he couldn't board the bus on time! But this special bus did not wait for him and made him to wait for another week or so to get the ride. Yes! that was my situation with respect to watching Nandalala. I nearly anticipated the movie to hit the screen much earlier and waited for a long time and eventually, when the movie hit the screens, I was unable to grab the first ride of the movie and at last somehow, I managed to watch this Travelogue.

I went literally overbore in praising Mysskin's earlier works. Chitthiram Pesudhadi didn't unveil in depth before I met Mysskin to speak about Nandalala and Anjadhey during the shoot of Nandalala. Anjadhey, during its release didn't either create a big impression before I completed watching the movie. After its release, it was vice versa on my view about the director. That's how came the hype and expectation for Nandalala in me which made me to wait for years, very eagerly!

Mysskin, here has started to kick off at the very moment the movie starts with the title card itself. As soon as the title rolls, we could see the musical genius name 'Ilayaraja' to indicate the importance of his work in this special movie and the title 'Nandalala' carries equal importance to the subject of the movie. It's about a journey of two children, who wants to meet their mother with two different reasons. I said two children as they both though physically of two leagues, mentally one and the same. Each and every scene until the first 20 mins will have equal ratio distribution for the two lead characters in the movie namely Baskar Mani (mentally ill person residing in an Asylum) and Aggi (10 year old student under the guidance of his grandmother). With the given 20 mins until when the two lead characters meet each other, the director has given a beautiful description about the character and their motto and the reason for the journey and the instances that motivates them to see their mother.

Aggi

* Everyone returns from school with their parents but he is left alone standing in front of the school.
* He never likes to be kissed by others even though it's real love.
* He likes MOTHER, be it whatsoever.
* An incident triggers him to see his mother.
* Excursion in his school gives him a chance.

Basker Mani

* Never likes MOTHER.
* Never likes if someone addresses him as Mental.
* He doesn't like to be in Asylum as he thinks he is alright.
* An incident triggers to him to meet his mother.
* He manages to escape from the Asylum.

This is when the two characters meet each other to take the journey with both being selfish in the beginning to meet their mother but later getting convinced due various incidents that occur during their journey. When their journey becomes difficult because of shortage of money, they decide to walk along to depend on the people who pass by. They eventually meet many people with different personalities and fall under different situations. With almost every strangers being important, there are many who steals our heart. I am not going explain each and every situations as it end by typing the whole story. But the director introduces a prostitute on their journey played by Snigdha, who in turn turns out to be an important character for the movie.

The director has cleverly bisected the movie into perfect halves with routing the screenplay with enough evidences. With incidents that introduce more characters, the director increases the pace of the movie in their journey. I could remember a few clichés in the movie. When the lead meets a physically disabled person who directs them a route, Baskar Mani calls him 'Nondi' which then the person ceases to help them. It's a fantastic scene after which the disabled person goes to help another woman who was in the verge of getting raped by two persons. I also loved the scene when Baskar Mani utters where Aggi's mother is when Aggi urges him to tell where his mother is. The shot was composed beautifully allowing Baskar Mani to think for a while and utters 'Thaaivaasal'. The climax scene needs no explanation which has been composed excellently well. The scene when he kneels down in front of his mother and Aggi runs towards Baskar Mani is simply magnificent. With that scene, he explains how Baskar Mani's mind has changed as his intention on the visit is to slap his mother on not coming to see him during his stay in the Asylum. Also, the boy, who kisses the prostitute on seeing his real mother, is top notch.

The strangers have done pure justice to their role and each one of them has been used in the right scene and their synchronisation is clever, where they were utilized in the later part of the movie. Mysskin as an actor is yet another brilliant debut by a director-actor trend and hope it could continue whenever it's required alone. The boy has got a great calibre and will run places. The item girl, Snigdha who was used for an item song has done good justice for a character role.

Mahesh Muthusami's camerawork continues to speak and stand alone in this Mysskin movie as well. The amount of hard work involved in handling the camera is evident in many scenes where the cameraman literally has to run/walk/crawl/roll along with the lead characters to make it a real look. His closes up shots, semi-shots, long shots were cleverly advised by the director to make it come real. The entire journey wouldn't have been so realistic without his intense work behind the camera.

The journey would be incomplete or rather wouldn't have even started without the Third lead character in the movie, the Musical genius Ilayaraja. One would know in the end, why HIS name came first in the title card with HIS top notch terrific background score. If the scenes were composed by the director, Ilayaraja's music elevates those scenes with his background score to give the audience the feel of the character and the scene. The songs literally give you goose bumps and ideal usage of silence yet again proved the power of silence. As I said, the movie would have looked like a trash without the Maestro's magical work.

Mysskin, as a director, scores again and in every movie, he goes a step ahead and sure to go places with his upcoming movies.

Verdict - Tamil Cinema needs such movies more frequently! Please watch it!

And the name is Ilayaraja

This article doesn’t talk about the great work of the Maestro and one cannot summarize praising his works in a single article as the MAN has achieved something that easily touches the sky. This article is about the Love, the Madness, and the Respect I have for the Genius ‘Isaignani’ Ilayaraja.

Sir, I feel privileged to live in your era. I can proudly tell my grand children that I lived in the period where one of the world’s greatest composers lived. I can even tell them the magic you have in your music, which is always unique, and I am sure your music will still haunt them and their future generations to come. And I also wish you be there at their period as well. And that’s probably one of the reasons why I don’t want your birthday come every year!

Sir, every individual will feel happy when they have a unique identity. Of course, I am no exception. But I will feel happier if someone addresses me as Ilayaraja’s Fanatic. Likewise Sir, everyone will definitely feel flying high when someone praises him or her. I will fly high when I hear people wishing you, praising you, talking about you and even when your name is heard. The happiness at that moment is seriously incomparable Sir and I feel standing tall and punch my cheeks when people chant you.

Sir, I was not born Atheist. But I practiced atheism as I grew. But still, I worship you Sir! These are not just phrases, I mean it Sir. And I am sure there are a lot of atheists turned into theists after 1976, with your divine music! My bad luck Sir, I was born a bit late in the 80s to get converted. I never had the habit of chanting Mantras or prayers Sir, but these vanished when I heard your Thiruvasagam. Do you know Sir, since the age I can recollect and remember, no single day I have been without listening to Janani Janani Song from Thaai Mookambigai. I seriously don’t know Sir, whenever I hear this song, I tend to forget everything what I am doing and dedicate myself to the song. Is it because of your divine voice Sir? Likewise how many songs should I name Sir? If one talks about getting Goosebumps whenever they hear a song, I think it’s solely belong to you and the magic in your voice! I couldn’t even imagine if someone can be in a normal state of mind when they hear ‘Poovar Senni Mannan’ from Thiruvasagam. This particular song haunted me for years and even now Sir.

Sir, why didn’t you go to Bollywood Sir? I have no other cheap thoughts but honestly Sir, if you were at Bollywood, I couldn’t even imagine the number of laurels and awards and honors that you would have got! Is it because of the fact that you were doing close to 50 films a year Sir? Sir, I would like to stress that statistical fact that a year consists of 52 weeks. I know Sir, during 80s and early 90s, you did 40+ movies a year and 99.9% turning out to be chartbusters and evergreen hits. Or is it because the musicians in Bollywood couldn’t match your pace Sir? I remember what SPB told in your concert Sir. When you went to Bombay for composing Thalapathy songs, the musicians and technicians over there couldn’t play for your composition and politely told you not to come to Bollywood. Is it true Sir? I know Sir, apart from all these things, the love you have for your mother and your motherland is the kernel factor. Still Sir, I am very angry on the awards and honors you got Sir. I was thinking Sir, a MAN who has 800+ movies with everlasting evergreen numbers, has got just 3 National Awards and no international awards? Later I came to know the rules and criteria for the National Awards Sir. They cannot give 40+ awards for Best Music Director in a year isn’t it?

How many singers have you introduced Sir? How many directors and how many music directors you have introduced sir? More than that, how many lead heroes earned name because of your song Sir? Will Tamil Cinema remember actors like Mohan, Murali, Ramarajan, etc., sans Ilayaraja? Music be it in any form, the technicians will pick at least one of your song as their favorite and difficult composition.

‘Pudhu Raagam Padaippadhaaley Neeyum Iraivane’ isn’t it Sir? How much have you explored in music Sir? How many ragas have you introduced and invented and redefined? Recently, you composed a song with just 3 swaras ‘Sa’ ‘Ri’ ‘Ga’. I am truly amazed! I don’t know proper music Sir, nor I have learnt carnatic. But still your experiments surprise me and make me astonish. I am just trying to imagine what will happen to people who learnt proper music. How many renovations have you made from your own songs? And how many music directors said you are their inspiration! Retuned songs from Paa and Cheeni Kum made Bollywood to praise your great evergreen hits! How many dimensions have you given to a single song? You did something, which no other music director has ever done. You went to Hungary and Budapest and did Symphony. Doing a Symphony is something a lifetime ambition and dream for many music directors but you surpassed everything Sir.

Finally, as Odysseus says in Troy, If they ever tell my story let them say I listened to great musicians. Let them say I lived in the time of Ilayaraja!

Naan Kadavul - Aham Brahmaasmi

I ain't eligible enough to review this master piece, but as a fan, as a lover of good cinema, I would like to thank Bala for giving this wonderful movie. Just sharing a few of my thoughts about the movie. I will defintely come back with a thesis about the movie after watching more number of times.

I am not gonna talk about the story, as I feel even that will spoil the curiousity of the viewers who haven't seen the movie. Honestly speaking, the movie took three years to release. But the active days involved in the shooting is not all the three years, but it would certainly be a year or so. This proves the amount hard work and home work and research involved in the movie. The only man behind the scene is none other than the great Bala.

Who on earth could make the physically and mentally challenged people to ACT? Who on earth could make the same people to dubb their own voice? HATS OFF is just two simple words to describe the talent and homework he has done. Imagine how he could have caught those physically challenged people from different cities. Ah! man, this thought itself makes me to ask for the director's cut.

He not only describes the lives of the forced beggers, but also exposes their inner character in the form of dark humour. Even though they were forced to beg, they live united teasing amongst themselves. One should witness the dialogue rendered by the beggers especially those sarcastic ones. They keep their knowledge about the news updated. Quite strange, but listening knowledge.

Aarya's pain. Though he doesn't have much screen presence when compared to other cast, he has done a fabulous job. It's again purely because of the mentor who could get what he wanted from Aarya. No doubt the amount of hard work and pain that he has to undergo in order to practise and live like an Aghori. The voice modulation with an arrogance amplitude modulation. The way he inhales dope, chew pan, practise aasanas, fearsome look, brave walk....what not?

Pooja occupying more screen presence is a welcome change and hardly very few directors does this. A few areas of hers could have been cleverly done, but other than that she completely gave us a treat. Special mention to the scene where the Villian beats her and the climax. One should also know that she dubbed her own voice but she could have also sung the songs in the scenes. I predict she could fetch a few laurels to her name.

Editing was not perfect in the movie. Wonder if we need to blame the Censor board or is it because of poor editing? I had to partially accept the fact that the movie has various jump in editing, but later I had to convince that the jump was present in each reel. Probably a different technique being used. But this has affected the continuity of the movie in some places.

Censor is another major contributor in this movie. This guy has earned a bunch full of abuses from most of the audience for each and every censor sound in the movie. Many scenes were trimmed or joined. Had given an 'A' certificate and included those scenes, I would have been even more happier as the movie length would have increased by 15-20 mins.

I was not happy with Arthur Wilson being the cinematographer before watching the movie. I expected Thiru or Rathnavelu to be a part of this master piece. But the first scene showing the banks of Ganges, WITH NO COLOR correction, no light effect and no CG, he has given a natural feeling. If he had given a color correction, I am sure the scenes shot at Kasi would have no meaning. Don't whose idea it was, but it was just a great and clever thought and sensible camera work. Even the dark godown where the beggers were dumped, had a slight light effect which no one could predict it as artificial. The bird eye shot of the Village and the Villian's begger dump area was catchy.

Art direction is yet another area where immense care has been taken to portray the real nature of the place. The temple stair path was amazingly a strange and real feel with the shops and also the waste papers and used bottles and 'Dhonnai' loitered in the path way. I am not sure, if they have shown the real people in Kasi or have they erected sets? But Art direction needs a special credit.

Dialogues were amazingly unique, hard hitting in a few instances, controversial, sarcastic, humourous, powerful. As I mentioned earlier, the dialogues rendered by the beggers were ultimate. Aarya had a few controversial and hard hitting dialogues. They should have also followed the exact rudras and the mantras.

Bala, without Ilayaraja is an incomplete man. I am angry on Bala, that he should have used 'Maadha Un Kovil' song in a demanding scene, which was replaced by some other known earlier track and made the scene to look artificial. But still, his Ramana Maalai could easily move any person. A perfect apt song for the situation and a perfect choice from his Ramana Malai. Madhu Balakrishnan's voice added more energy to the song. The opening song was a perfect for the role he portrayed. I can see lot of heroism in that song, especially for the intro aaasana posture. And the most important part, BGM. As usual, HE rocked the movie. Interestingly, silence was chosen as the BGM and a double base or Sangu or Udukkai to get a goosebump effect among the audience. The climax left me dumbstruck as I was wiping my hands for 15 mins to avoid goosebump.

Last but not least. The man behind all of them, Bala, the dumb guy(with respect) who makes his audience dumb. Creators of tamil cinema, please learn to direct a movie from this GENIUS.

Verdict : Defintely, brilliant movie from the Macho Man Bala!