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Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Raavanan - Plunges

Enough has been said about Ravan and Raavanan... from Big B to behindwoods everybody has lauded, raved and critiqued. So my review is going to be crisp...

Thumbs-Up
  • Vikram, Vikram and Vikram: He shines throughout the movie. The effort, portrayal and passion is flawless. The entire movie rides on his wide shoulders and when he plunges everything goes down with him. Makes me wonder if Abhishek would fit the bill...
  • Cinematography - Breathtaking visuals and never-seen-before angles. Applause to Santhosh sivan & Manikandan
  • Priyamani - She eludes strength and almost goes unnoticed, but deserves credit. Perfect, clean shot.
  • Rohini - Dubbing for Ash... its was not very easy for her but you win even when ash fails.
Thumbs-Down: (needless to say this is going to be long)
  • Story & Screenplay - Weak.. which is very surprising for Mani Ratnam as a director. He was the one who gave us everyday lives with finesse and conviction, made us beleive in the protoganists, perfect air-tight scripts. A big let-down.
  • Dialogues - For heaven's sake Suhasini, please let us be... go do your talkies or something else....
  • Prithvi - Mani Ratnam movie was a feather on his cap but his role gets nothing but a big yawn.
  • Aishwarya - No expectations to begin with, except for her eyes, i can think of a handful of heroines who would have essayed her character 10 times better. Mani look beyond the bachan clan... there is talent, beleive me.
  • Costumes - Even i could have dressed up aishwarya better. She is a dancer but what is with the giant skirt salwars and 50s hair style? Nalini Sriram would have been a better pick.
  • Stellar Scenes - S-O-R-R-Y(Roja), Kambili poochi uruthu(Mouna Ragam), Thundering(Agni Natchathiram), Nee azhaga irukenu nenaikala...,Neenga nallavara Kettavara, En Devava konutiyeda.. No such scenes. SIGH.. Double and Triple SIGH!!!!
I could not categorize the music in either cases, BGM was good but songs do not mesmerize you except for a couple of them - Usure Poguthey and Veera. Partly to blame, is the humongous burden of expectation which Mani did not stand up to while picturizing them.

Lets hope next time around Mani takes the time to read my blog before directing a movie. WINK!!!WINK!!!

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

What's in a name?

Ok.. am opening Pandora's box now!!!
It all starts when you get married... for many its not an option, for some its an inconvinience and for some its a required hindarance... ofcourse am talking about the SURNAME fiasco!

Some of us change our surnames without worrying too much about it, others have nightmares about it and worry that our identity would undergo a massive destruction at the face of such a change.

So what's in a name? For years you are called using a certain surname and then to change it in the middle, would you start feeling like a different person.. should you feel like a different person? Is that the whole logic behind such an illogical fiasco? Why does society, legal entities demand such an ill-possessed change? Or am i the only person who ponders in vain for such small changes in letters?

That being said, there is sense in having a family name... something that unites the members like that of a league or a club name. Society was predominantly a male oriented community since they were the earning members(once upon a time) but with so much that has changed should we start making a change with surnames too? Or should we let it be, since this is least of the problems which we have amidst us?

Now if you are wondering what i did with mine... i will not appease your curiosity that easily :):)