Nalam Vaazha Ennaalum

Balu Mahendra might have said to his assistants, “We have to shoot the entire song in small room or a living room”, I’m sure they might have been surprised by his thought. With little space to work and only a handful of shots, they went on to weave a good picturization of the Illayaraja song.

The song is set in Aravind Swamy (Gowri Shankar) house, it is a big building, but this song is boxed to a small room. Revathi (Thulasi) is invited for a dinner, it’s her birthday. Just before the song, in the prior scene Nizalgal Ravi (Murali Krishna) her husband meets her and asks to sign the divorce papers, which she reluctantly agrees.

Starting of the song

Revathi knocks the door; the partially opened door reveals the darkness inside the house, only to be lite when a voice greets her “Happy Birthday”. Aravind stands inside with the guitar in his hands. Revathi gives a shocking reaction by seeing the lights, flowers, balloons, birthday signboard.. Aravind goes on to play the prelude of the song in the guitar.

Camera is a point-of-view shot from Revathi’ end, as if we are outside the room. From Aravind view, Revathi is little close for us to catch her expressions. Revathi has to see the full scape of the room (she misses the cake, which she realizes later).

Aravind starts to sing the first line of the song.

Nalam Vaazha Ennaalum En Vaazhthukkal

Thamizh Koorum Pallaandu En Vaarthaigal

The camera slowly zooms onto him. We cut back to Revathi- she enters through the door.

Ilavaenil Un Vaasal Vanthaadum

Ilanthenral Un Meethu Panpaadum

Surprising and shocking moments are over, now she has to appreciate the arrangements. Aravind smiles as he sings, she acknowledges back with a nervous smile. There she closes the door. Why?

Maybe she wants to close or shun out her bad memories which she had with her husband!

As we see Aravind playing the guitar, possibly a bad hand coordination for the tune! The two face each other. Now she had acknowledged everything, she moves to the nearby furniture to keep the bag. 

As she moves, the BGM as they call in the song picks up a flute. Then the shot is cut to show Aravind- he too moves towards Revathi, with violin in background. Now watch\listen carefully, it's like two instruments talking to each other. Aravind stands next to her. Revathi turns her head slowly (flute picks up). The both then walk towards the other end of the room (Aravind to lead, which is violin in background). She sees the cake and gives a reaction- “what is this? Or why you need this do?”- The flute is questioning in background, he just shrugs his shoulder, as if he is saying “this is nothing” (By this time the flute and violin are playing in unison).

She walks away from the cake towards the wall, thinking she doesn’t deserve it. The lyrics go like this..

Manithargal Silaneram Thadam Maaralaam

Manangalum Avar Gunangalum Niram Maaralaam

Ilakkanam Sila Naeram Thavaraagalaam

Ezhuthiya Anbu Ilakkiyam Pizhaiyaagalaam

Viralgalaith Thaandi Valarnthathai Kandu

Nagangalai Naamum Narukuvathundu

Ithil Enna Paavam Etharkintha Soagam Kiliyae…

The words are consoling her. Now, as they walk back from the wall, she sits on the chair in front of the cake, she sits at the edge of the chair, meaning she is still in the shock or not sure of how to react. 

Aravind (IR) plays a beautiful piece of guitar notes to be followed by a bunch of violins. He then takes the knife and gestures her to proceed further in cutting the cake. Suddenly, she realizes that this is not the moment to enjoy as she had just signed the divorce paper. She runs towards the furniture, where she kept the bag earlier. Aravind follows her. As she takes the paper from the bag, the flute playing in the background refers to her wavering mind. Aravind glances at the paper to continue the 2nd part of the song.

Kizhakkinil Thinam Thoanrum Kathiraanathu

Maraivathum Pinbu Uthippathum Iyalbaanathu

Kadalinil Uruvaagum Alaiyaanathu

Vizhuvathum Pinbu Ezhuvathum Marabaanathu

Nilavinai Nambi Iravugal Illai

Vilakkugal Kaattum Velichathin Ellai

Oru Vaasal Moodi Maru Vaasal Vaippaan Iraivan…

The words give her some respite. She takes the tear drops from her check and walks down to sit on the chair to accept the change.

**

Other Tamil song post - Nee Partha Parvaiku Oru Nandri

I struggled but I overcame - School to College

School to college, college to work, work to family life (so how it is perceived). These are the transitional phases in a conventional men (women) life. Even though I don’t believe in this format, we are pushed or cornered to do it. There is always an obstacle or adversity in these transitions.

Al though, I jumped many schools in different towns, I had a very good and enjoyable school life. After 10th, I asked my mom to put me in a government school. I knew I’ll get that same 50-55% mark in government school, which I used to get in the matriculation school. The syllabus was same (11th and 12th) in matriculation and government schools, so why to spend unnecessary tuition fees. (Even now she won’t agree with my theory). All went well.

Engineering was not my choice. I didn’t even consider MBBS on my radar. I was then abruptly put in a polytechnic college, worst I was in direct 2nd year. I was like a zebra, dropped in the middle of wild buffalo herd. A senior and neighbor, who walked the same path earlier said to complete the Diploma and join BE 2nd year! I thought that will be gruesome. 

Humanities were (is) my favorite, "history padicha tea athaara vellai than kedaikum", "BA padicha bench’u thaan thodaikanum". My mom never took my proposal to learn history seriously!

Every subject was tough. The college was a mixer of people from different states (Karnataka, TN and AP). I wasn’t bullied. There was no ragging. I still felt this is not for me. I needed to travel 80Kms every day to the college. I somehow managed to first six months (this is 3rd semester). I narrowly escaped attendance cutoff and was given the hall-ticket. Practical’s was the last exam, I struggled to control the 4-jack lathe, and I got worst threads on the iron rod. In the end, I decided this is enough and started to negotiate with my mom. But, she couldn’t understand (I now realize, how the external factors influence the parents).

Starting of 4th semester, the students (Engineering, polytechnic, arts & science) went on strike. Every glass window panes were broken; it was like a riot place. The college was closed for 15 days. By now, I lost interest even to walk into the college. I didn’t meet the attendance. I was not permitted to write 4th semester, but can appear for 3rd semester arrears. 

Every day, I used to discuss with my mom. She thought this will be my end of education (correct word will be life!). I tried to convince her that it was she who hastily put in something which I was never interested and nothing is going to happen, if I let go this and choose something which I’m interested. She asked a family friend to discuss with me. After talks, I put forward computer graduation. They agreed. (Humanities - always out of question and they would have never ever agreed). 

I later joined a different college, when on to complete my UG and PG with little up’s and down’s. That one year I struggled, still holds fresh and etched in my memory. Recollecting all these for “I struggled but overcame" series, which is held by The Chennai Bloggers Club (http://chennaibloggers.in/).

Did I struggle and did I really overcome!

My mom still asks, “What was the reason?” She still can’t understand, so I pass a smile and move on.

We don’t need a reason to do something in life.

எனது இலக்கு - My Destination

கண்ணகட்டி காட்ல விட்டாங்க
உருண்டு அலைந்து இலக்கை அடைந்தேன்
கட்டின துணியை விலக்கி பார்த்தால்
அது ஆரம்பித்த இடம்
ஒரு வேள ஆரம்பித்த இடம் தான் எனது இலக்கோ!

Left blindfolded in the forest.
Wandered to reach the destination.
But then found myself in the starting place,
Maybe the starting place is my destination.

Kohli - A Genius ?

Not much of cricket following from me these days, but since it is a World Cup I’m watching few India matches. Let me cut straight to the point, Virat Kohli 82* is one of the best T20 innings which I had seen recent times. It was not big hit slogging, but with precision placements.

Sunil Gavaskar in his commentary said “Kohli is a genius”, when something like this word of praise come from Gavaskar, then he must mean it for sure and we got to agree. It is as if Kohli freezes the fielders in his mind and when he is about to hit the ball, his mind passes the message to his hands\wrist to turn the bat to the appropriate position to place the ball into the field. The rest is taken care by the dynamics of physics.

Most batsmen are good at pads, so is he, nothing special, leg side is favorite pick for most batsmen. But he doesn’t slog on on-side. He gently strokes the ball to deep mid-wicket, the ball passes either right or left of mid-wicket fielder. By the time the deep mid-wicket fielder fields and returns it Kohli might have stolen 2 runs. He was struggling with Yuvaraj to take the 2nd run, but when Dhoni came the 2’s were on the cards.

Now boundaries- This is where the magic happens. In 15th over he scored a boundary. It was a short of length ball from Hazelwood. Most batsmen would have pulled it for deep mid-wicket, but Kohli stretched his front foot and in an upright position (as if he is going to aim for mid-wicket) uses his wrists to place the ball between longon and deep midwicket, by bisecting both the fielders. FOUR

The other two 4’s came in 17th over by Faulkner and 18th over by Coulter-Nile. Both similar line and length- just outside the off-stump & in between Yorker-half volley. He opens the face of the bat with turning wrists, placing the ball in between point and cover fielder. As long as the sweeper is not squarer (which is not possible) that is FOUR.

He has played similar innings before and he is going to play in future. Please don’t compare with Sachin. Kohli still has the longevity test, which Sachin never failed in any calendar or never been out-of-form.

Guardian puts this Kohli innings like this ….DRINK IN THE GENIUS! CRAM IT IN YOUR EYES, BURN IT ON YOUR BRAIN!..

History Repeats

Inspired by the Twitter handle @RealHistoryPic, I thought of making a series of history repeats with celebs\personalities from Tamil Nadu. Here are some,

1- Lenin, Stalin, Trotsky and Karl Marx

2 - Year 1996 on the sets of Kadal Desam. A student from Pachayappas and one from Loyola.

3 - Year 1914, Jan 1st - Wright brothers enjoying the world's 1st commercial air service from St. Petersburg, FL to Tampa, FL.

4 - Year 64 AD. Nero playing fiddle while Rome was burning.

5 - Year 1984- Rajinikanth and Meena in the sets of the film Anbulla Rajinikanth

6 - Year 1973 Battle of the Sexes-  Bobby Riggs VS Billie Jean King

7 - Year 1953- Sheik Abdullah was detained by Nehru. He was then taken to Kodaikanal. On route to Kodai he met with Periyar

8 - Year 1980- Queen Elizabeth II sharing a lighter moment with Diana, Princess of Wales.

9 - Year 1956 Elvis Presley performing "Hound Dog" for the 1st time on The Milton Berie Show.

***