[Pic: hindu.com]

How would it be if the celebrities congratulate and ask questions to Vikram on the event of bagging the National Award for the Best Actor. The Hindu does a great job on this. Read today’s friday features column, Vikram, the Victor. For the character that was given (though the characterization had its own issues), as an undertaker in Pithamahan, Vikram did a great job. This one question from Shankar and Vikram’s answer proves his zeal for excellence.

Shankar : I was doing a survey about people’s secret of success. What is yours?
Vikram : Hard work. I am like a bridled horse. I like to do one film at a time. Once I start it, my waking hours, sleep, dreams, everything revolves round the film and the character. At the moment, I am eating, drinking and sleeping only Anniyan. I have taken a short break to enjoy the award.

I was expecting today’s friday review to also carry small write-ups on all the award winners from South. But there was only this feature on Vikram. Others might come next week. Iyarkai starring Shyam and Kutti Radhika which bagged the best tamil film and Meera Jasmine for her performance in T V Chandran’s Paatham Onnu Oru Vilaapam. Thanks to Ashok R in reminding me that I hadn’t blogged a word on Vikram’s award.

I did miss the book reading session of Girish Karnad last tuesday at Landmark, Spencer Plaza. Looks like his new book, Two Plays by Girish Karnad – The Dreams of Tipu Sultan / Bali The Difference has caught the attention. The nice commentary on the book reading session is here, Karnad and the King, in by Shonali Muthalaly. She made me envious on the audience to the session.

There is some good news for Chennai residents to celebrate. The Madras Day is being celebrated this weekend on August 22nd. The venue for the Madras day on 22nd will be the cinema fame Rajaji hall. From Photo exhibitions to painting spree on the landscapes of Chennai, to talk shows and quizzes on Chennai, the Madras day turning out to be fun. A note on today’s Hindu is here, Doing their mite for Madras. The three — historian S. Muthiah, D Souza, and Sashi Nair, a journalist — have been urging public relations agencies, children, corporate houses, artists and Chennai Corporation to participate in Madras Day, the first of its kind to be held in Chennai. S. Muthiah, the historician is the one who writes the Madras Miscellany column in Metro Plus. For a peek into his amazing column read this column on Ellis R. Dungan who made M.S. Subbulakshmi a film star.

BTW it’s TGIF dudes – Thank God It’s Friday.