kirukkal.com

June 2, 2004

Give Yuva a chance. Don’t pre-judge the film – Mani Ratnam

[Pic : Rediff]

Why do you assume anything has gone wrong? Nothing has gone against the film. Word-of-mouth is good. The film is good, so everything is okay.

It is also too early to analyse the film. If you ask a filmmaker to analyse his own film, it would take three or four years to do that, honestly. Because when you make a film, you have to be convinced about it. You are married to that film for a year.

I am very happy with the film. I am happy with the response I have got so far from the theatres.

I am glad that we can make bold films, different films within the commercial market and still do well.

This interview with Mani Ratnam explains all. Read it on here on Rediff.

P.S: Aptly said Anti/Viji. As Viji pointed out Kamal literally came out of Bollywood for these same reasons.

However, the reason that he isn’t tall enough for a bollywood hero was a humbug. Pity that Mani Ratnam is also pushed to the same state of affairs. But Mani Ratnam has always stood against such acts. Be it the censors or terrorist attacks, he had remained calm in the face of the media. His sudden press meet, I should say, is certainly because he is upset about the movie pundits too much.
June 1, 2004

World Themes for Indian Cinema (Part 2 of 8)

EYE THINK, THEREFORE ‘EYE’ AM
Co-Blogging Series- Anand Chandrasekharan and Lazy Geek

Dr. Alan Grant: There are two kinds of boys the ones who want to be astronomers and the ones who want to be astronauts. The astronomer, the paleontologist, gets to study these amazing things from a place of complete safety.
Young Eric: But you never go into space.
Dr. Alan Grant: Its the difference between imagining and seeing.

Notwithstanding this thought-provoking conversation from Jurassic Park III, probably the only situation where seeing is more valuable than imagining is when you are blind.

The first post in this series focussed on biopics and the life of Ramanujam. This one carries that thread further, focussing on a life that has vision literally! Affectionately called Dr.V on more than one occasion, its the story of Dr.G Venkataswamy.

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May 31, 2004

How to get a girl in 10 days (a.k.a) Chennayil Oru Mazhai Kaalam

[Pic : Rediff]

Gautam Menon talks about his latest movie, Chennayil Oru Mazhai Kaalam, in the current issue of Ananda Vikatan. He says that this movie will be a variation from his previous stylish flick Kakkha Kakkha. And he says, he is inspired by Mani Ratnam too much that he tries to follow his style. Just like how Mani Ratnam would come up suddenly with a Alai Paayuthey type of movie after a Dil Se, Gautam says he also decided just after Kakkha Kakkha that his next movie would be a outright romantic one.

So here is directing Surya in Chennayil Oru Mazhai Kaalam. The synopsis goes on like this. Boy meets girl. Proposes to her. He has only 10 days to get her accept his love. Does she ?. How to ~~loose a guy~~ get a girl in 10 days.

He announces that his next movie after Chennayil Oru Mazhai Kaalam will have Kamalhassan starring in it. Kamal had eventually called him after Kakkha Kakkha and offered a chance to direct him. Who wouldn’t be totally thrilled like me, for an actor like Kamalhassan and a director like Gautam, this combo is Team Expectation.
May 29, 2004

For Some, the Blogging Never Stops

Perhaps a chronically small audience is a blessing. For it seems that the more popular a blog becomes, the more some bloggers feel the need to post.

Katie Hafner’s writes this in an quintessential article on complusive bloggers and their lives. Her two page article based on her interview with various compulsive / non-compulsive bloggers, sometimes indirectly questions the need of blogging as she writes :

Where some frequent bloggers might label themselves merely ardent, Mr. Pierce is more realistic. “I wouldn’t call it dedicated, I would call it a problem,” he said. “If this were beer, I’d be an alcoholic.”

It’s well researched, well thought about article. Very genuine. If you are compulsive blogger you know why I saw this. Read it here at NY Times. You need a free userid /password to login to NY Times. Get one if you don’t have, for this same article will be quoted in many blogs, in the days to come.

PS: Thanks Anand for the tip. Here is the url for this article that I got through google news.
May 28, 2004

World Themes for Indian Cinema (Part 1 of 8)

Co-Blogging Series- Anand Chandrasekharan and Lazy Geek

The best part of a blog is this: what can be is only a few paragraphs away from what is! The roots for this blog-series were formed during a conversation with Lazy Geek about how world themes will become an increasing part of and be a greater source for inspiration to Indian (and Tamil) cinema. What follows then, is a series of world themes that hopefully inspire Indian cinema.

The Man Who Saw Infinity

Srinivas Ramanujan (18871920)

Some of the most memorable movies have been the story of an inspiring man or woman (Malcolm X, A Beautiful Mind, Schindlers List). There has been some honest cinema made in India recently around the lives of the Poet Bharathi (where I loved Sayaji Shindey play Subramania Bharathi), Kamaraj and Bhagat Singh. Biopics are also my personal favourites: hence the first theme resonates around a life that has been fascinating, inspiring and mystic, all in the same vein Srinivas Ramanujan.

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Give Yuva a chance. Don’t pre-judge the film – Mani Ratnam

World Themes for Indian Cinema (Part 2 of 8)

How to get a girl in 10 days (a.k.a) Chennayil Oru Mazhai Kaalam

For Some, the Blogging Never Stops

World Themes for Indian Cinema (Part 1 of 8)