Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Writer Sujatha Dead

The man behind the hard-hitting dialogs in Indian and Mudhalvan, is no more. En Iniya Iyandhira, Katradhum Petradhum and the Electronic Voting Machine, are his legacy too.

To convey your condolences to his family, use this link.


LKS

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Takkunu Oru Tale - 3

February 14th, 2009 - Ananth sat, unable to digest what was happening. It was okay if people ignored you - but to be completely mindless of your presence was carrying things too far. Vaishnavi was sitting right beside him, but was intently talking to Bharath, his closest friend at work (or so he had thought, as Bharath was also ignoring him). Even when they were driving to the restaurant, Vaishnavi had completely been silent. At his present state, Ananth knew she didn't even think of him once all the while she drove.

It had not been like this, always. Ananth had married Vaishnavi - the usual Tam Brahm style of advertising through astrologers (josiars) and priests (sastrigals) had led one thing to another which culminated in their marriage. He worked as a Strategic Advisor to one of those banks, advising them on potential investment opportunities worldwide. She worked as an executive with one of the advertising companies which had sprouted in the recent past. Things had worked out smoothly - they had bought a flat in Abhiramapuram, drove a Toyota Corolla and had plans to get a second car soon.

Nobody saw it coming, but, it did. Talks of recession in America left Ananth's company poorer by few hundred crores. And it was unfortunate that Ananth was one amongst the 3 advisors who worked with the NA operations. Ananth's manager was very sorry to have to tell him that he had no option other than to quit. Ananth was given the option to quit the company on his own, rather than be fired. Ananth took the easier choice. His terminal benefits and other investments meant he could afford to take time off to look for a job. But Vaishnavi did not take this easily. She freaked out and accused Ananth of putting her life in jeopardy too. She was scared about how they would pay the EMI for the flat next month and how they would put up a brave face to the society.

Two weeks passed and everyday, Ananth spoke to previous contacts, acquaintances and whomever he could touch for an obligation - but the efforts were futile. All companies were trying to draw their purse-strings tighter, anticipating a global recession and his baggage of having lost his company a few hundred crores meant he was a risky proposition. More than enduring the frustration of a futile job hunt, Ananth was unable to see the striken look on Vaishnavi's face. She had completely shut herself down - not talking to friends and relatives over phone as she was too ashamed to tell her husband's plight to them. He noticed that she looked physically weaker and felt helpless for her physical and mental state.

A month later, Ananth could take it no longer. He wrote a letter to Vaishnavi detailing his inability to find a job and so his decision to end his life. He placed the letter near the cooking range - where he knew Vaishnavi will notice it when she was boiling milk in the evening. He was walking aimlessly, thinking of his life in terms of a montage when his cell phone rang. He cursed himself for not leaving the phone behind and when he could help noticing the date on it when he was looking at it - December 24th, 2007 - 1 month since he had quit work. It was Bharath - he was sounding ecstatic - Bharath had managed to get Ananth a job - Ananth was not able to believe his ears. He was disoriented - and suddenly turned as he heard somebody shouting and saw the TATA symbol on a water lorry before everything went black.



P.S. All those who want to shout "copy-cat" or "cheater", YES! This story was a result of an inspiration - the source is the same which you thought of.

Monday, February 25, 2008

For kindred souls who are "virtually" challenged....

http://lifehacker.com/

Gives you amazing "gyaan" :P and tips and tricks. But you need to be a firefox patroniser to use this website effectively.


Good Luck!!

LKS

Friday, February 22, 2008

Of Dorks and Domers


For those uninitiated, a Dork is this and a Domer is a dumb person in Madras Baashai. Why am I talking about these two words? Well, me being all of 23 years old as on date, I had the gumption to bracket me with the "youth" of today. But sadly, recently, I have come to realize that I'm anything but the "youth" of today. Hours of activity(interaction) in Orkut, Gtalk, Blog and of course, with real live people who represent both sides of the society, I have drawn up a list of things that you must do to be classified to be part of the youth (also synonymous with cool) brigade.

1. First and foremost comes communication. If you don't use "ya" and "da" in your spoken English (well, if its there in your written English, way better - after all, more the merrier), sorry, you are a loser. And the primordial thing is, if you are a guy, you should address the fairer sex as "da". That's one of the first things that you will be taught if you ever got yourself one of those COOLNESS for DORKS books. It beats me how the heck these girls/women find it cool to be addressed as "da"! Perhaps the only reason I can think of this "duh!" - remember the stupid Hyundai commercial over the holiday season? ;-)

2. Capability to talk over the phone for endless hours - this is, again, a very important factor which differentiates the "Dude"s from the Dorks (I don't the female equivalent for DUDE - perhaps am a pathetic Dork, after all!!). I have strict policies of talking not more than 10 minutes on the phone - unless its like some close friends here in Tampa (or at least a couple of them used to live here, with whom I hang out/used to hang out on a daily basis and so have lots to discuss about) or its some stupid Citibank call center guy who puts me on hold! I can't go on and on for an hour or something like that, talking about who-did-what-with- whom kinda crap, even if T-Mobile paid me 50 bucks every month to exploit their weekend minutes. The basic reason why I don't talk over long periods is also because my hands pain if I have to hold my phone for extended periods - wait! its not like I come from caveman times and don't know about Bluetooth - but I find it odd when I'm in a public place and keep talking (seemingly) to myself when using a bluetooth. Cutting the crap and coming to the issue, the youth brigade of today believe in whispering sweet nothings to at least 5 people, all of whom are there in a single conference call!!

3. Manja Sokka, Kizhinja Jeans Trouser and Nike ACG sandals - this is how majority of the youth populace show up when trying to meet a professor for possible funding opportunities. If you try to mutter something like dressed for the occasion kinds, you are treated, not-so-kindly, with a murderous glance and labeled as part of the oldies gang. And the kodumai in all this koothu is that in their quest to look like Hrithik, makkal forget that there are some colors which an average/below average (in plain English, its dark skinned - but then, isn't being cool all about euphemisms?) skin tone guy simply cannot (or rather, should not) wear and all that basic gyaan is left to the winds these days.

4. Kudi and 'Kudi'thanam - You should talk as if the next thing that you were fed, after farex, was Absolut Vodka using a paalaadai (a small feeding vessel for infants in TamBrahm households). If by chance you say that you are a teetotaller, then god save you from the ignominy that follows. You are asked if you religious (I don't know if Krishna or Siva ever asked devotees to be teetotallers in their gizillion avatars and thiruvilayaadals - If I remember right, Krishna was always eager to be under the influence and do Raaslila while Siva partook amudham (aka Nectar aka alcohol like drink) while trying to save the Earthlings. So where does religion come here?) and when you say NO, you are asked if you don't do it because your parents won't like it... God! can't a guy remain to choose what he eats and drinks and left alone for his choices? Does every action of mine need to have a religious or paternal influence over it? And, staying on the topic, to be considered COOL, you should do Vodka - or some other similar drink like Jaegermeister - you do beer and you are classified "Low-class". similarly, you smoke cigarettes and you become just another guy. You need to (or at least claim to) do Hookah, Cigar, Grass - these are considered the in-things.

5. Be Anti-Tamizh - If you speak Tamizh, then sorry, you are the rejected. Hip and Happening makkal only speak 'English' (the language, in which my is substituted by ma/moi, use ur instead of your, and the like) - sometimes interspersed with Hindi keywords like Haajjaar, Junta, Fultoo, Gyaan etc. Listening to ARR or IR is not half as cool as listening to 'gangsta' rap or Himesh "Wolf-Voice" Reshmayya. Its cool to say you find Rajni Kanth to be cartoonish, but applaud the same when done by King Kong - sorry - King Khan in his films. And absolutely, you have to emphasize that Amithabh Bachchan is the finest actor (it is abacharam to even mention Kamal Haassan or Mohan Lal or Mamooty when AB talk is on). And you have to applaud Aamir Khan for different cinema (when his count of experimental movies is like 4 or 5). Again if you dare to say Kamal Haasan, you are shooed away.

6. You need to be in a 'relationship' always - if you break up with one person, you make it up with the next one. If you are ever single, then God save you! If you ever mention that you'd rather for that one person with whom you'd be comfortable with and settle down, you are labelled arranged marriage kinds. They don't realize, you can avoid the arranged marriage crap and still wait till you meet the person, whom you feel is the most compatible with you, instead od the trial and error method that seems to be in vogue. More or less, nowadays, The Fool's Day is celebrated twice a year - once on 02/14 and once on 04/01. And id you refuse to be a part of the first instance, you are again, un-cool.

So going by these many counts, my score on the coolness index is 45 - out of 1000. So I think I can safely call myself a Domer AKA Dork. So what are you?

P.S: Please don't classify this another of my rants or raves. I can say that if I'm a dork based on these parameters, then I"M PROUD TO BE ONE!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Best Romantic Numbers in Tamizh Cinema

Mush day here once more. Archies makes a killing as do florists who can even sell arugumpull to some ilichavaayan. Last year, I listed out some romantic movies, ranted and riled and also a tale with a twist.This time around, came up with this list of my favorite romantic songs - in some songs, the picturization is good. In some the lyrics are good. In some both are awesome. Feel free to suggest more and I shall add them.

For those who are yet to "propose",




For those young starstruck lovey-doveys



Ditto



For those of you who are married, I can hear you groan when you see the guy getting married so many times :P



Awesome Lyrics



Perhaps an idea for a date?



One of my Favs



Good picturization plus lyrics.









This list is pretty contemporary - I have missed out lots of classics - but then, this mush day is for teens and twenty somethings, not 30 plus and 40 plus kizhavaals.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Meet R.K Laxman

http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/58154/.html

http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/58154/.html

http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/58154/.html

http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/58154/.html

http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/58154/.html



One of the Gods of Sarcasm...

Minnale - The Memory Remains....


Managed to get another Minnale Veriyan's answers for a 101 Minnale questionnaire to celebrate 7 years since Minnale released on 3rd February, 2001.

  1. How many times have you seen Minnale?
    To be precise 70+


2. The film has no great technical value nor great acting nor a great story..... what is it that made you see it so many times?
“FEEL GOOD HAPPY ENDING , good humor, nice emotions of frenship, enemity”


3. Which character do you identify yourself most in the movie?
I liked Vivek’s character (always looking out for OUT OF FOCUS ppl in photos)


4. If the ending of the movie was like Reena marrying Rajiv, would you still identify yourself with the character that you said in 3?

Only in movies like Minnale, US mappla’s get bulb but in reality its other’s way around,

if this was the ending it’s a practical one.


5. Any scene reflects an event in your life?
I enjoyed the first twenty mins more than the whole movie. College scenes were really superb esp Maddy performance in college scenes was superb.I liked the scene where Maddy says “sister sonnangalam brother stop …”


6. Would you lie to impress a girl?

No I wont!

Movie is different life is totally different.


7. Have you ever fallen in love with an unknown girl - a totally unknown girl, about whom you know nothing?

Tough Question. Yeah Trisha was one.


8. Have you ever been caught by the traffic police? What happened?
Yeah twice.

In 11th std,First time in Mount round, I was keeping left I dint know there was LANE rules in that particular stretch.

I had MCWOG license and that police man was a nice fella he just said this stretch has LANE rules and u are driving in BUS lane and let me off

Second time,I took free left thinking it was free left,got caught and paid 50Rs fine.


9. Do you smoke?
No not yet.

10. Were you a prankster (what did u do, majorly?) in college or a goody two shoes?
Silent guy


11. Have you ever freeya vittufied a friend for a figure??
Noooooooo definetly not. It good fun when you are with guys why would I do it? But its good fun to see those very *NICE GUYS* in college.

12. Have you changed as a person from what you were in UG to now?

Yeah a lot. Change is good.