உடையார்

உடையார் was not as interesting as I expected. The story revolves around buliding of Brgadeeswarar Temple, 20 years after the பொன்னியின் செல்வன் period.
Most(I believe all) of the பொன்னியின் செல்வன் readers have one question. Who killed ஆதித்த கரிகாலன்?. I believed, it would be either Nandhini or Ravidasan&Co. In this book, the Balakumaran claims that it was Ravidasan & Co responsible for that murder, with the help of black magic. But it doesn't over there. செம்பியன் மாதேவி has also took part in the conspiracy !. 16 years after the murder அருள் மொழி வர்மன் come back into power and find who are the culprits(Ravidasn & Co ) and punish them. Those 16 years are ruled by மதுரந்தகன் and during those period Ravidasn & Co lead a Royal life in chola kingdom. I believe you can feel some big hole in the story here.
பொன்னியின் செல்வன் hero வல்லவராயன் வந்தியத்தேவ்ன் was introducted only in the second volume. He is married to குந்தவை and works as a ordinary govt servant in Chola kingdom. After reading about வந்தியத்தேவ்ன் my total interest to the novel has gone. I thought he would be at least a General in the army.
Long time back I read another balakumaran's novel called "முதல் யுத்தம்". I don't remember the hero of the story, I think he is a genral/lt in அருள் மொழி's army. The story revolves around destroying the "கந்தலுர் சாலை" an army training school in chera kingdom. According to முதல் யுத்தம், அருள் மொழி was young prince who lead the army. But in உடையார், after becoming the king of Chola kingdom he lead this campaign against கந்தலுர் சாலை and destroy it. (I read the novel முதல் யுத்தம் very very long time back and I have not completed Udiyar. I think what I have written in the above para is correct, but still I need to get that book and need to confirm it)

M.R.ராதயணம்

M.R.Radha was just an another actor who played comic villain role in old movies. This was what I know about M.R.Radha till Jan 5th 2008.
Yesterday I got this book(M.R.ராதயணம்).
Publishers : New Horizon Media
Compiler : Muhil

"வாய்ய நீலகண்டா! ராமச்சந்திரனை(M.G.R) சுட்டேன், அவனும் சாகல. என்னை சுட்டுக்கிட்டேன் நானும் சாகல. என்னையா துப்பக்கி கண்டுபிடிக்கிரானுங்க?. இந்த துப்பக்கிய வைச்ச்சுகிடா சைனாக்கரனை ஓட்டப்போறங்க?"

This is text in the cover page of the book. After reading this without any second thought I bought this book. The book is worth for every paise that you pay. Like the above there are several paragraphs in the book which makes us to laugh and Think . From this book I understood that Congress was BJP of 60's and why Anna quit DK and formed DMK. Most of his Drama's are with Atheist content, The congress tried to ban his stage drama's by creating/updating a new law.
Some extracts/facts from this book
1. The film with maximum number of Punch Dialogue is "ரத்தக்கண்ணிர்"
2. M.R.Radha is the only person who can sit equally with M.G.R in the studio during shooting
3. M.R.Radha is die-hard supporter of DK and not a Member of DK.
4. In his stage drama's he only uses different screens(curtains) to show different locations.

அரசியல்ல இது எல்லாம் சாதாரணமப்பா !

After reading this article in today's TOI , I begain to ROFL .

புலி பசிச்சாலும் புல்லை தின்னாது, ஆனா CPI(Communist Party of India) ஓட்டு வேணும்னா Capitalist Party of Indiaவா கூட மாறிடும்

ஓ பக்கம்

In this week Anatha vikitan's "ஓ பக்கம்" Ganni wrote something about Narendramodi. I actually can't understand whether he is supporting or against Modi/BJP ?. He says "even though thelka and other news paper exposed Modi's involvement in some murder and 2002 riots people elected him. The educated people didn't care about those reports since they are most benefited in his government and voted for him". This clearly tells one thing, Modi did lot of development work on his state which made the ppl to forget all those allegations.

I have some questions for the so called secular parties in India. Don't they see caste/religion when they select a candidate for election. If the secular parties are really secular what stops them from implementing uniform civil code across the country. The communist party of Westbengal which cannot protect Taslima nasrin in kolkatta, should not talk about hindutva. If BJP is appeasing Hindu's then other secular parties are playing with minorites.

The Raise of BJP in TN

Like other Tamilian's, I'm a strong supporter of Dravidain Parties (DMK, AIADMK, MDMK, DMDK). Once again, like a common Tamilian, I might change a my support between these parties(and not outside these parties). Even though BJP don't have a strong presence/leader in TN, I feel the party is slowly gaining its momentum in the state. Thanks to the ruling govt(both state and center) policies. In Tamil Nadu, all the religions live in Harmony (atleast when compared to other states), But now I personally feel there is a big divide between Hindus and other Abrahamic religion . It could be even my personal feeling, but I could see the same among lot of people in my age group. Hindus have the feeling that the govt is caring only for the minorites and the minorities have the feeling that they are being oppressed by Hindus, I don't know which is true or I'm not arguing for a particular side. But I'm worried about the communal hormany of my state. Most of my Hindu friends openly support BJP, which I feel as big gain for BJP. Previously BJP was believed as Bramanical party in TN, but now ppl see it as Hindu party. If this trend continues eventhough BJP might not get in power during next election, but in another 10 to 15 years BJP will be have a decent(or even strong) presence in Tamil Nadu.

Joke

Just a joke, Orgianlly from Idly vadai (He/she wrote it long time back)
"T-20 கிரிக்கெட் பார்த்தையா ? இந்திய இளம் சிட்டுங்க பின்னிபெடலெடுத்துடாங்க. அதுவும் மிஸ்பா கடைசியில பந்தை தட்டிவிட்டு, அத ஸ்ரீசாந்த் சூப்பரா புடிச்சத பாக்க ஆஹா சூப்பர். இதிலேந்து என்ன தெரியுது. உலகில் எல்லா மூலையிலும் மலையாளக்காரங்க இருப்பாங்கன்னு பாவம் மிஸ்பாக்கு தெரியல."

Chennai Book Fair 2008

Chennai Book fair
Date ; 4th Jan 2008 to 17th Jan 2008
Venue ; St.George School, PH road (I'm not sure abt it. I think its the venue)
Starting from 2001, I'm a regular visitor/buyer in this event. When ever I enter the exhibition hall my mind is filled with some sort of Joy. During my college days every month I save some amount of money to buy books (It never crossed 300Rs). In those days I primarily buy books which are use full for my studies and some Tamil Poems( The last Tamil poetry book that I have bought was vanavil poonga by pa.vijay after that I haven't got any Tamil poetry book). When I started to work, my mindset slowely got changed. For the last 2 years I have bought books in various discipline. Last year I got the complete set of Arthamulla Indumatham , Idlyaia Erungal, Some English Fiction (I think its Windmill of God), Understanding the Enterprise SOA (sami sathiyama ethuvarikkum naan SOA/Webservicesla workpanninathu ella), Ajax in Action. Books that I couldn't buy wereBalakumaran's udiayar since it was too costly(I normally buy the entire set, I don't like buying volume by volume) and Kadal pura of sandilyan (Out of stock).
I have big list for this year. But This year I'm in Bangalore, I don't know how I go there. Next weekend we have team outing so i can't. Next Next week, I have to go to my home town for Pongal. Now its the time for me decide, either Team Outing or Chennai Book Fair?

Year End Special

The most important and unforgettable events of my life in this year(2007)

• In my previous company got promoted as Sr.Software Engg.
• Shifted my room/house from Nerkundram to Vadapalani
• End to "29C" bus travel as my office shifted from Beseant nagar to Saidapet
• Quited Maarga and Joined TCS
• Left Chennai and moved to Bangalore
• My Sisters marriage
• My Grandfathers death
• Completed 3 Lotus certification exams in 42 minutes in a single day

The Last Testament

Writer Sam Bourne can take a session on "How to Spoil a good theme with a bad screenplay". He has taken a good ( or Most controversial) subject for this work. Normally I don't comment/write any thing about the English/Tamil fictions that I read. But this book made to write. On seeing the title, I thought it will be like another DaVinci code, taking us to past.
I personally feel the author needs to improve his skills while narrating an town/area or incident (Even I too lack that, I cant bring up the words here to whats actually in my mind). When I was reading Angels and Demon I could cleary get the picture of the particle accelerator of Cren , In Windmills of God, I can image how Romania will look like and how the American embassy will be there. But in this book I couldn't get a image of either Israel/Palestine or the Clay tablet.
After reading the first 2 chapters, I could guess what the will could be. Normally I will not take more than 5-6 hrs to complete a English Fiction, but I took more than 16 hrs to read this book. Not because of its size but interest level.
My Personal opinion is don't get this book even at 90% discount. My lesson from this book is never trust the newspaper reviews that are printed on the book.

Billa

Last Sunday I watched Billa at Innovative Multiplex, Bangalore. For 5+ months in Bangalore, this is the first time I saw such huge crowed for a Tamil movie and even House full board (Trust me I'm not a Ajith fan).

Hero : Ajith
Herione : 9thara, Namitha
Director: Vishnuvardan
Music: Yuvan
Cinemotography : Nrivsha (sorry if misspelled)
Action: Don't remember his name
Story: Already 3 movies with the same story are there.

Hats off to Vishnuvardan for making such a decent(not good, still some holes are there) screen play. Even though most of us know the story, the screen play didn't make us sleepy. Yuvan too did a decent job. My name is Billa song didn't match to its older counterpart. Still it has the flavour of the old song. Vethilaya potendi and seval kodi are good.
character changes in new billa are
1.Manaromma and Thengai srinivasan characters have been removed. Just one adopted
son for velu.
2.A Friend(santhanam) characters has been introduced for velu

Surprise Surprise, Ajith didn't talk Punch dialoge. Ajith really acted well, esp in the Billa character.Even though the director tried to have a serious introduction for 9thara, Introduction of 9thara makes us to laugh. I personally feel 9thara looks good in traditional Indian dresses than Bikini. Prabu and other police guy (I dont remember his name, acted in arindhu ariyamalum and pattiyal as police) have acted well.

2 Characters have not been used well. 1. Rahman - The main villan, 2. Namitha. I feel there is no need for Namitha character.

The director has a good screen sense, for example, Since Prabhu is bit bulk in most of the scene he will be eating chocolates. Niravsha has did an wonder full cinematography

The action is too good. Unlike in recent movies where hero pulls a tractor silencer in one hand or kick a tractor tyre, the action sequence are really good with very fast movements. None of the fight sequence last more than 2 mins( or may be it was too good so that i couldn't guess the time correctly). I would say in recent times i have never seen a Tamil movie with such a good action. Ajith has did some good action scenes, the car chasing and jumping in the bridge (If they are graphics, then the graphics team has did a great job)


Some major holes in the screen play;
1. How prabhu knows about the look alike of Billa and that too in malaysia
2. How prabhu gets access to the malaysian govt database and deletes some record when he is a DSP in Indian police
3.When the entire Billa gang is transferred to prison only 2 guards will accompany them. Where as in some earlier scenes when Billa was transferred to a prison a huge convey of police will come.

I'm repeating the same once again, I'm not ajith fan.

You can watch this movie once for its qulity