Learning from love

7 things that you learn from love:- (2 boring classes made me write this...)

1. To talk
You learn to talk for hours and hours over the phone and in person. And talk smartly, as you have to convince her to come out with you. And talk intelligently, to impress her.

2. To smile
When she says musy-mushy things, you smile. Even someone who has an usually grim face will feel shy and smile when his girl tells him something mushy-mushy.

3. To admire
You love her smile, you love the way she moves her hands while talking. If she says something intelligent, you are left dazed. If she laughs heartily, you feel that you could do anything in the world to live with her.

4. To feel happy
As a child, you would have felt happy when you got a toy or chocolate. As an adolescent, one time we feel on top of the world is when you hold your girl's hand. It's an unmatched feeling - you feel SO happy, SO relaxed, SO contended. You wish that this happiness would last for life.

5. To relish nature
The Moon suddenly becomes a beautiful object, it suddenly becomes your companion. You look at the moon, and wish and wish and wish...

6. To "come out"
Why, tell me, why would you rush in your bike to a hangout? What gives you the courage to go there? Love does. She does. You would go anywhere for her. She brings out the "extrovert" in you.

7. To cry
When you separate from her, the pain in the heart kills you so much that you weep. It's almost like a state of helplessness - you feel that you need her by your side, always. You wish that she was near you, holding your hand, stroking your hair. You wish you could lie on her lap. You wish you could be happy.
You cry.

There's nothing as fascinating as love.

Review: Ah Aah

The answer is out: director-actor S J Suryah will not change.

From the beginning of "Anbe Aaruyire"(Ah Aah) till the end, you get clear indications that Suryah will not change his taste for suggestive dialogues and sexually explicit scenes. Yet, you got to admire his courage to deal with themes that are almost sure to fetch him trouble.

The movie begins with Suryah addressing the audience. He says, "This is a simple movie. The hero and heroine are in love but get separated due to quarrels. They are then joined by their memories."

A simple story usually succeeds, and the director knows it well. So, he makes the story simple but males a mistake by complicating the dialogues and scenes. The movie drags in many places, specially in the second half.

Shiva(Suryah) and Madhu(Nila) are in love but separate due to quarrels. When they separate, a part of them are still in love(memories) and a part of them out of it(reality). How the "memories" join the "real" forms the rest of the story.

The idea of a director who doubles up as an actor has certain advantages. In this movie, Suryah gets across emotions well and excels in the role of a jealous boyfriend. But, the disadvantages show up soon - he fails to impress in the dancing and fighting departments. His "best friend" Nila is passable.

Music director A R Rahman seems to have put in a lot of effort in singing the title song but fails to express the same enthusiasm while composing the other songs.

The concept of memories as actors in "Ah Aah" is something "new" in Tamil cinema. Yet, maybe because Suryah has burdened himself with multiple responsibilities(he’s written the story, screenplay and dialogues), he gives the audience little "khushi"(happiness).

For his sins, the Prince has to go

There was a person called Saurav Ganguly. Used to play brilliant cover drives, bowl decent medium pace. He was made captain of the Indian cricket team. He built Team India, a combination of the exhuberance in youth and the experience in old. If India reached the Word Cup finals, it was because of him -- because of the team that he constructed.

There is a person called Saurav Ganguly. Plays stupid shots, bowls like a schoolboy and fields like an amateur. Quarrels with the coach. Tells people things that were never said. Cries like a baby in a press conference.

If Ganguly was the same person he was, then there is no need for all the controversy that surrounds him. But then, how could he be the same person? Time changed him. The ego that I-am-in-charge changed him. The respect that the players had for him changed him. And, more importantly, the attitude that he was THE man in Indian cricket changed him a lot. In the passage of time, we all change. We have to. What we have to ponder is whether we have changed for the good or the bad. In Ganguly's case, he has changed for the bad.

The six wise men have sat and come to the conclusion that Greg Chappel as a liar. This only aggravates the situation for Saurav -- it gets across to him that he was right. For a man struggling to make runs and run that extra yard to save the ball, in a sense it means "hope". In another sense, it means "self destruction".

Ganguly has to change his attitude. A few Ranji matches will do him a world of good, and if he performs well there the batsman in him will always find a place in the Indian team.

We love you Ganguly. But, we love all the other players too; we love the Indian cricket team too. So for the 'best interest' of the team, you got to go.

The last four days

No internet(because of a server problem), so no blogging. In this post, I'll try my best to sum up what happened in these days.

Saturday, Sept 24: No classes whole day, but we are supposed to search for an election story. I got up late, skipped breakfast and came to the insti at 11. Immediately, started out to a nearby booth. While others were talking to the candidates themselves, I got hold of a handicapped person who was standing in the line to vote. Got good quotes from him and decided to write about him for my election story.

In the evening, went to watch SJ Surya's 'Anbe Aaruyiye'. Passable. One has to admire his slyness, he gets across everything that he wants in a subtle way. Had dinner outside, came back to insti only to find that there was no net, so went to hostel and crashed around 1.

Sunday, Sept 25: Got up at 10.30. Whied away time till 1, then came to the insti and had lunch. After lunch, I was off to Kumarakom. Went to a beautiful resort(this is my second visit there) on the shores of Vembanad lake ... the place is awesome and the sunset is stunning. Came back, had dinner, did a couple of assignments and crashed at 12.

Monday, Sept 26: Got tickets for a live concert at the ground(which we call as "Eden Gardens"). Went in the evening after classes, heard them sing a couple of Tamil songs and lots of Malayalam. Witnessed live fights, adi-thati and police lathicharge at the 1000-odd drunk fellows there.

Tuesday, Sept 27: Finally, the net is back. Got down to checking email and searching stuff for my report. And blogging.

Elections and selections

Grama Panchayat -- 991 villages and 14000 seats.
Block Panchayat -- 152 blocks and 1700 seats.
District Panchayat -- 14 districts and 350 seats.

It's election time in these many places at Kerala now. The major part takes place tomorrow, and the rest in a week from now.

Kottayam(the place where I am) has four municipalities, and elections take place here tomorrow from 7 in the morning till 5. Electronic Voting Machines(EVMs) are being used in all these four municipalities.

We are required to go to polling booths tomorrow and find an "election special" story.

Love, in those days

Guy meets girl. Guy intoduces himself to her, gets to know her. Guy falls in love with girl. Girl doesn't love him. Guy commits suicide.

How many movies have we seen with this storyline? But what I'm interested now is the "suicide" part of it.

I agree that committing suicide for love is as stupid as it can get. But just think for a while, if a guy is even willing to go to the extent of killing himself, shouldn't one laud the love he has for that girl?

You and I would NEVER, repeat NEVER, even think of killing ourselves for love. Of cos this doesn't mean that we have stopped loving, it just tells you that these days if you don't get your love, its okay. No sweat, budddy. There are more girls to come.

There used to be a time when guys didn't think of caste, creed, relations, NOTHING. They just used to fall in love with the person they thought they jelled with best. There used to be a time when love didn't see the status of the person; it was just pure, unadulturated love.

*****
(I've been triggered to write this after I spoke to an important person who described "love" in his campus when he was a college student, some 30 years before)

She disappoints

She was playing the first set SO well. It was like watching Sehwag racing to a half-century in 5 overs.
Everything was going well for Sania Mirza in the 2nd round at Kolkata.

Then, something happened. Her shoulders drooped. More importantly, her forehand failed her and as the match proceeded, no one in the crowd was shouting.

But yes, Sania did give a fightback. After being down 1-4 in the third set, she fought her way back to 3-4, before losing energy and oomph to win.

It's so depressing, specially after she played so well in the first set.

Haven't you heard of the proverb "Failures are the stepping stones to success"? Let's hope it comes true in Sania's case in the long run.

A feast for Sania fans

6-2. 6-2.

Sania Mirza won her first game at the Sunfeast Open(Kolkata) in style. Boy, she does play well. A blistering forehand, a powerful double-handed backhand, a nice baseline game ... if only she had a better first serve!

I watched the whole game. Was particularly impressed by a shot she played when she was in the baseline and Namogata volleying. Sania just lobbed the ball, it fell inside the baseline and was a winner. The Japanese could do nothing but stand near the net and admire Sania's pluckiness.

Come on, Sania.

Nice... and surprise

FIVE days in Chennai was awesome. Met up friends, went out ... did a whole lot of things.

Am back in Kottayam; life here is all about stories and stories(news stories, I mean). But what the hell, I got a beautiful surprise this evening.

Songs of Lagaan, DCH, Kaadhalan, Bombay etc are playing in my computer right now. CDs from a dude who lives an hour from this place and three hours later, they're all in our server and anyone can play it.

Have already listened to DCH, Bombay. It's awesome; listening to all my favourite songs rite here in my workstation.

Chennai, here I come

Things happen suddenly.

Our Director here(or Princi) is a genius in the language and journalism; but he is as genius in being unpredictable. He comes up to the class this morning at 11 and says,"I'm going to give you guys a holiday for the next of the week. No classes from now, till Monday(19th) morning. You can all go wherever you want."

Hurray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YES, I've decided to come to Chennai. Will board the Trivandrum-Chennai mail this evening at 5 and reach Chennai tomorrow morning(I have no reservation; so have to travel in unreserved compartment; will be hell tonight). FIVE DAYS is Chennai; from tomorrow(Tuesday) till Sunday. Feeling very good.

Byeeeeeeeeeeee Blog.

(PS - Dont think I can blog in Chennai; I'll try my best though. If nothing works out, will be back to blogging from Monday(19th)).

Elephant and me

ELEPHANT AND GENIUS: Srinivasa Ramanujam stands in front of Gopalan, an elephant at Kothamangalam.

A lovely lunch

Malayalis sure know how to treat a guest.

This afternoon, all of us had 'Onasadya' lunch at M Manorama owner's house. 'Onasadya' is a special Onam meal, prepared only for the festival.

It began with 'appam'(which looks like a small dosa) with a side-dish that was superb. Then, the customary rice and dal and sambar followed... There was atleast a dozen varieties of curry, ranging from cabbage to cauliflower.

The owner's wife(a pretty and young mother of two small kids) sure knows how to make 'pavakka'(bitter gourd). This was one occasion when I enjoyed eating it - she had made it like wafers. As she said while her servants served, "This is bitter gourd, not so bitter though...". Very true.

The 'jevarisi' payasam served at the end was excellent.

They served three types of pickle -- but there was no curd. I wonder what purpose it served for the others; for me, it served none.

One more crazy thing -- they serve ghee(good, tasy I must admit) with ONION wafers .. ever heard/tasted such a combo? It was crazy, and I hated it.

Chips and appalam were very good, as usual.

All the dishes were "introduced" by our host's wife(for the benefit of 6 Sri Lankan journalists, who are visiting our insti and joined us for lunch).

A pretty house and wife, nice lawn and cute little children, a wonderful collection of books and cars -- the host of our lunch(owner of M Manorama -- actually the owner's son) -- is a rich man indeed.

But you got to admit that he knows how to treat guests.

Style style thaan...

Saw "Baasha" on K TV today. Have lost count how many times ...

TN 02 Z 4995. The registration number of autodriver Manickam.
4 Maruti vans and a big Metador van. The fleet of Baasha, Manick Baasha.

If ever there was a story made for Rajni, it was 'Baasha'. How a Mumbai underworld don became a simple autodriver in Chennai told in a brilliant way, packed with isthyle dialogues is what "Baasha" is all about.

I've always felt that Rajni's best "style" movie is Baasha. One thing that I rue today is that I never watched a Rajni movie first day till "Baba" in Tyagaraja theatre, which was THE best atmosphere I've ever been in. And if the atmosphere was "super" for Baba, it would have been nothing short of "electrifying" for a movie like Baasha.

Kudos to director Suresh Krissna for screenplay and direction, made perfectly to suit Superstar. Suresh doesn't make these kinds of movies these days.

And, full marks to Superstar Rajnikanth. No one in the world can ever say "Naan oru tharava sona nooru tharava sonnamari" like him.

Is tomorrow there?

I watched 'Kal Ha Na Ho' tonight on Max(no CAS in Kerala..) and am blogging this immediately after the movie ended, which was five minutes back.

This breezy-yet-sad romantic film impressed me a lot personally(though as a film critic, its stupid most of the times.)

SRK teaches you what love is. He loves Preity, but cant marry her cos he has some heart problem and is going to die soon. Preity loves him too. But, Saif loves Preity. To cut a three hour movie short, its the story of SRK uniting Saif and Preity.

What would have SRK gone through when Preity got married to Saif? One of the most difficult things in life is to love a person and not continue the relationship, as was the case in 'KHNH'. Yet, THAT is love.

"The things that you love, you'll lose one day ...". Very, very true.

Preity still loves the late SRK in the end of 'KHNH' but she's happy with her husband Saif.

The films ends there, but our lives begin.

Free weekend

Free.
Vetti.
Simply sitting.

Call it what you want, but that is what I am this weekend. Today went off smooth, did nothing much. Tomorrow's plan is to sleep a lot, take lots of rest.

My editorial

(We were all asked to write a 400-word editorial. I chose a sports topic. Here's the piece; I could have easily used flowery language but deliberately didn't because this was an editorial.)

Sania is superb

6-2, 6-1. These figures show Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova’s dominance over Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza in the fourth round of the US Open. But, they do not explain anything about the extent of Sania’s achievement - reaching the fourth round.

In a country where girls are busy talking in their mobile phones, this achievement - a teenage girl making a mark in the international tennis arena - is of immense significance.

The world is instantly suspicious of pretty athletes. When Sania surged in papers and television, people thought that it was because of her looks. But, a third round in the Australian Open 2005, an Arjuna award and recently, a fourth round in the US Open, confirms that her skills with the tennis racquet are as attractive as her physical structure.

Maria Sharapova, who crushed Sania in the fourth round of the US Open said, "I think she’s definitely great for the sport. It’s amazing how we have such great athletes. She’s very young, has a great future ahead of her." This speaks volumes of 18-year-old Sania’s game.

It is well known that India is a cricket crazy nation. Sania has managed to draw many heads and attention to tennis. This only shows that she has array of beautiful shots that has helped her get this far.

Sania’s game has beauty; she has a forehand that is like a slap on the opponent. And when she plays her two-handed backhand, she looks furious. She says that she enjoys hitting the ball hard; how she manages to do that with her humble hands only her physical trainer can explain.

As a result of making it till the fourth round, Sania’s world ranking(206 in the beginning of this year) will improve by leaps and bounds. This, in turn, would give her the encouragement to improve her weak serve.

To make a lasting mark in the international tennis stage, Sania would have to - and should - improve her serve. A player like Goran Ivanisevic, who had a good all-round game with an exceptionally excellent serve, was a huge success. This proves the importance of the serve and, more importantly, the need for Sania to improve her serve.

Sania Mirza may have failed to flourish in the fourth round at the Flushing Meadows, but she has fought a system and found a place in our hearts. In other words, she has achieved.

WHAT a day

Phew! What a day!

TODAY is the best day I've had since I came to Kerala.

We started off from here at 8.00 for a place called Kothamangalam, three hours from here. Reason: A seminar on "Media and Society".

The pre-lunch session was uneventful, the speakers boring and saying things that everybody know. Then came the lunch ... was super.

THEN .... we strolled off to the engineering college nearby. Because it is Onam time here; that college had a day off today and were having some cultural celebrations. Guys dressed like tigers ran all over the place(I even got a yellow-and-black stain in my shirt when one of the tigers shook hands with me). Drums were great. A guy was dressed like a Raja and climbed an elephant(a real one, mammoth .. me took a foto near it). And everybody was dancing and singing and whistling ... Maan, it was awesome. Almost a 1000 students shouting at the top of their voices ... the atmosphere was electrifying.

Never seen such a crowd having such major fun(except maybe in live cricket matches and Rajni first day shows). "Awesome" is the word.

And saw lots of future Gopikas and Asins in the girls. Super crowds, super girls. One girl in a pink salwar, standing in the third floor and watching the fun was "simply superb looking".

Made friends, talked to almost 10 guys there; made contacts, got a story for my paper.

Was THE best time I've had since I came to Kerala.

"Run"ning

Running between three writing assignments, work as editor of our lab paper, watching "Run" on Sun TV, playing TT, I've managed to find some time - for blogging.

We may go off to someplace three hours from here tomorow for a media seminar. We'll know it for sure only tomorrow.

I'm off to work now ....

PS - Still listening to the beautiful "Here I am ..." (Bryan Adams). Fiftieth time.

A new world

It's a new world
It's a new start ...

It's a new day
It's a new plan ...

I've been waiting for you ...

So goes the song I've fallen in love with. "Here I am" by Bryan Adams is the song.

A soothing guitar starts the song and Bryan's voice is awesome. When he sings "It's a new world ...", you instantly feel beautiful. That everything that you don't like in this world vanishes and a new world full of things you like appears.

It's a beautiful feeling triggered by a beautiful song.

Bryan Adams is here

Rain. (Bryan Adams)
Here I am. (Bryan Adams)
This is where I belong. (Bryan Adams)

As I type this, I'm listening to these numbers. Here at my insti we are NOT allowed to download music. But aren't we guys clever at these things? A CD-drive brought in by a day scholar dude, 12 CDs and three hours later, we are all listening to music, mainly English numbers.

I'm not paticularly one who is fascinated by English music but yes, it feels good. I've never listened to Bryan Adams before, though most of my pals were crazy about it. But yes, it feels good listening to Bryan.

Mixed feelings is what music creates .. it makes you feel good, makes you feel lonely, makes you feel happy.

Cricket and Shorthand

Superb.

Is one word that can describe the Indian victory today. Awesome batting by Yuvraj and Dhoni. I felt Agarkar bowled very well, especially the last over.

Waiting for Tuesday for the finals...

Nothing much happened today.... went to sleep at 3 AM Sunday morning and got up around 10. Skipped breakfast. Watched match. Did assignments.

One more very happy news - our Director here has said that "this will be the end of shorthand". Shorthand, something that we all term stupid, my weakest subject ... that's the end of it.

Never been so glad.

What "Mugavari" means to me

"Mugavari" is one movie that has affected me a lot. Saw it today on K TV. Fourth time.

Directed by someone called Durai, who hasn't made a movie since, "Mugavari" is the story of a struggle, a story of a man caught between dream and reality, a story of a man finding his 'mugavari'(address).

I've always felt that Ajith would do himself a world of good if he acted in movies like this. His performance as the aspiring-to-be-music-director Sridhar is just apt. Jo is bubbly, playful and had a beautiful role to play in this movie - of a girl who supported her guy's dreams.

One of the scenes in this movie has impressed me very very much. A group of small and tall guys are at the beach, and all the tall guys ring a bell that is at a height. A small guy in the group too wants to do it, is mocked and told to "dream for his height". Finally, in superb slow motion, the small guy runs, runs and ... Tang... strikes the bell. Ajith(depressed after his recording was cancelled) and Jo watch this, their reaction to this awesome scence is excellent too.

Some dialogues are brilliant:-
1. Jaicha makkunnu soluvanga
Totha luckkunnu soluvanga (Raghuvaran to Ajith)

2. In a song - "Idi thangum idayamkuda Mounam thangadhu"...

3. Ajith to Manivannan ... "When you ask a child if he likes his appa or mama, the child will say appa. But if you ask him if he likes his appa or amma, he will instantly say amma.
Like that, when I was asked to choose between music and Viji(Jo), I said music. Now, when I am asked to forced to decide between music and family, I say family..."

4. "For everyone to be happy, Viji(Jo) and me have decided that we cant unite and decided to part. This is not 'drogam', it is 'kaadhal'."

Super dialogues, packed with punch and emotion.

Konjam happy, Konjam sad

Reasons why I am happy:-
1. I have been made the editor for this issue of our college newspaper, The Fourth Estate. The 21 of us have to take turns in being reporter, sub-editor and editor. I was a reporter in the last issue, am now the editor.(Am writing an editorial too..)

2. Even though we have lots of assignments, I think we will have some vetti time this weekend. So am planning to go for a movie ... lets see how it shapes up.

3. One of my best friends, Pintu, came back today. I guess he was very unhappy when I left for Trivandrum without telling him, and so must have gone out somewhere. (In case you are wondering who this Pintu is, it is the lizard the lives in my room :D)

Reason why I am sad:-
1. Have a terrible cold. Been coughing all day. A running nose is the second worst thing that can happen to you, the first thing being death.

HR and me

Human rights.
Reservation for SC/STs.
Sexual harassment.

These were some of the things I learnt in detail in Loyola College, Trivandrum, in the two-day HR seminar for media professionals. Most of the instructors were excellent and gave us a lot of insights into HR and how journalists ought to tackle such issues.

We also went to Kovalam beach(on the first day, when we were vetti). Its a very nice place; windy, waves and lots of babes..;-)..