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Anandha Vikatan and Kumudam are getting their new looks. These two tamil weeklies are the top sellers in this weekly magazines.

Anandha Vikatan aka Vikatan has already pushed three weeklies with their new look. The main change in the look and feel of Vikatan are the colors and pictures used all over the book. It feels good to see the growth of tamil dailies and I am happy that their market is expanding beyond horizons. Even in a desi street of Chicago, I happen to stumble over a shop that sells Vikatan. Whats amazing about Vikatan is the same quality of content and information they provide. If you know to read tamil Anandha Vikatan is a must-read magazine.

Kumudam is also jumping in the renovation band-wagon and has announced drastic changes in their look-feel-content.

Writer Sujatha has a column for himself in both the magazines. He is penning the Ver II of Srirangathu Devadhaigal in Vikatan. Chinna Sandeygangal (small doubts) in Kumudam which is about everyday thoughts and scientic truths.

A great weekend today except the sprain in my neck due to my bad sleeping postures of last night. It’s an irritating pain.

Kakkha Kakkha starring Surya – Jyothika has released yesterday. One of the most expected movies offlate. Uyirin Uyirey song is already a super dooper hit and it now the most used ringtone in tamil nadu.

Good to see George Fernandes take a ride in the Flying Coffin aka MIG-21, yesterday. Though it must have been 200% tested perfect, you might not know when a MIG-21 might crash.

Musical Doldrums:

Here is an small extract of what I wrote for Dhwanii’s Rumbumbum column, which is yet to be publuished.

As you walk through the shops of any foreign goods bazaar, you could see music CDs from Illayaraja to AR Rahman costing just 50 bucks each. Imagine if you were a prudent buyer what would you prefer. Would you buy the 125 Rs. music CD which contains just music of a single movie or a latest MP3 CD which contains the latest 150 songs from 20 movies for just 50 bucks. Due to this music industry is in doldrums and it needs to be revamped.

Things have changed now, I don’t even have to go to a foreign bazaar, they are selling brand new MP3 and Video Cds on the roads sitting next to my vegetable vendor. As you get see, Rahmans and Illayarajas are sold like half-a-kilo potatoes. I clicked this pic on sunday as my friend was picking up Best of Illayaraja CD. Pity the Music Industry !!

Kadhal Konden Review :

Why should you sympathize a psycho and why should there be an inter-college festival in udhayam theatre for that. The reason is pretty simple. To watch Kadhal konden in theatre is a complete visual experience. Other than the visual experiences of tank-topped college babes in the theatre, the movie itself is filled with powerful scenes and dialogues that rocks your emotions as easily as a child’s play. On Saturday, Udhayam theatre was filled with boys and girls like a inter-college festival or rather I thought it was one.

Dhanush, the protagonist with his unassuming looks creates waves in you. As you see him making those clandestine dance movements while kicking his competitor-in-love during the finals scenes of Kadhal konden, you would be sure that image has nothing to do with heroism. This new kid on the block was the same guy, I dismissed at first looks as someone who would have bribed money to find his way through the first movie Thulluvatho Illamai. And today as he celebrates his birthday (maybe just 17th or 18th), Tamil dailies are filled up with half-a-page ads for the four of his new upcoming movies. As we start to know more about him those assumptions are ruled out. Kadhal konden is directed by Selvaraghavan who is Dhanush’s elder brother. He is the same guy who directed Dhanush’s first movie Thulluvatho Illamai, the only silver jubilee film of the year 2002.

A number of factors make Kadhal konden an interesting watch. First the story which is clearly told without any confusions by the director. Second, the contrasting screenplays in the first and the second half of the movie. Third Yuvan Shankar Raja‘s awesome BGMs and super hit songs. The final and the most important reason , Arvind Krishna, the cinematographer who has reached heights in this movie with this natural lighting and grading techniques.

Selvaraghavan’s screenplay does amazing wonders as he changes the path of the story from a simple college romance to an amazing pschyo thriller. And his clarity of thought which has made to build characters that stand in your heart throughout the movie. I jumped out of the seat to whistle as I saw Dhanush, making those amazing beautiful dance movements during the climax. It is one of the best thought about shot in the movie and that scene will stay in the hearts of the film-lovers until it is replaced by a better one. The movie takes a top gear just after 10 minutes of the start and never stops until the final smile of Dhanush.

Yuvan’s part is more than what he is being credited. Though some of his BGMs are inspired by pop music like Richard Marx’s I will be right here waiting for you, he creates the mood of the movie. Especially the theme music of the movie, which is the BGM in the climax, receives much credit for his composing skills. If only the climax was to be with some other music, the movie would have been less acclaimed that the present. All songs including the top hits Nenjodu Kalanthidu, Devadhaiyai Kanden and Kathal Kathal are good tamil music. Watch him closely. He is capable of improving the current trend of tamil music.

The classy work of Arvind Krishna will go unnoticed because his lighting is so natural that you would forget that there are lights around while making the film. Except in the flashback, where the crudeness has to be shown, he has used harsh lighting effects. If that flashback about pedophile and child-abuse touches heart, give hats off to Arvind Krishna for his immaculate contrast of lighting. Also the daring close-ups are something that cannot be expected from a new comer. Though this could be one of Arvind Krishna’s early movies, his experience as an assistant to P.C.Sreeram has added value to the photography. He also acted as an important character in P.C.Sreeram‘s Kurudhi Punal.

It is true that the second half of the movie reminds you a bit of Kamal’s Guna and it is also a bit dragging. But hang around because there is a very interesting climax for you. The shot just before the climax where the Cop, Divya and Adi hide behind a cushion sofa fearing the gun shots coming in, is just more than perfect. At that juncture of sheer fear and confusion, Yuvan plays a sober bit song. Bulls-eye. A similar shot can be seen in Mani Ratnam’s Kannathil Muthamittal and Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan. The chemistry between Selvaraghavan, Yuvan Shankar and Arvind Krishna has been perfect that it contributes to the overall success of the movie. Recommended only for theatre viewing.

I cursed my job, for once. Day-before-y’day I was pretty late and when I reached my house, it was already 10:30 in the night. Ktv was featuring Mani Ratnam‘s Thiruda Thiruda and it was already half-the-movie-done.

What a movie it was !!. Although directly inspired by the 1969 hit flick Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid, Thiruda Thiruda never failed to provide the same pace and action. Coming as the second movie with Mani Ratnam – A R Rahman combination, it had some of the best BGMs by Rahman. The BGM during the charriot chase is one of Rahman’s all-time best and also the eerie music he generates while Salim Bose appears is fresh until today.

Mani Ratnam chose to direct such a light-hearted entertainer coming after the national hit Roja. Probably thats the diversity he needs in his films. The best part was that he paired up with P.C.Sreeram who wasn’t involved in the previous two Mani Ratnam’s films.

Though Thiruda Thiruda was dismissed as yet another film in the Box-office. It was yet another experimental film like Agni Nakshathiram. If Agni Nakshathiram had too much back-lighting and flare-lighting, this one was an experiment with colors. The bus stunt at mid-movie had too much of color grading. It would silly now but 10 years back, it was P.C.Sreeram who experimented this color grading effect in this film. The top half of the film would be graded red and the bottom half would have the natural color. If you aren’t able to comprehend this, watch the movie to appreciate this technique. Also the final climax in the train was on the best ever picturised climax in tamil cinema history.

Thiruda Thiruda was released on a diwali day and I managed to watch the premier show in Alankar theatre (now the theatre is no more. P & L Netloyd company has it’s office). After that every saturday after saturday I watched it continously for 7 saturdays. I doubt even if Mani would have watched this movie in a theatre for 8 times. huh !!