{mosimage}This is one movie I always quote as a Bible to all of my friends who get married. This is one of the rare masterpieces that delved into the institution of marriage and power of love starting where the other love stories ended - marriage. Again this is one of the beautiful movies that imparted a strong message without being preachy and doesn't get lost in the gloss. I think the suspense is enough - I am writing about K. Balachander's "Puthu Puthu Arthangal" which translated into "New definitions..."

{mosimage}A Vidyasagar - Dharani combination is always special with a proven track record in "Ethirum Puthirum, Dil, Dhool & Gilli". When they come together again, but this time in a new territory - Telugu, I had high expectations. Vidyasagar as usual didn't disappoint this time as they are unapologetic and unabashed about the fact that theirs is a mass product with commercial tunes unleashing tonnes of fun & zing. Out of five tracks easily the pick is "Egire Chirugamma.." rendered by Udit Narayan & Anuradha Sriram, which transports you to the black & white era with hero riding on the charats. The orchestration is modern retaining the nostalgic feel.

{mosimage}I always love Satyan Anthikaud's movies as they are like a leaf out of life, not exaggerated or dramatised. More than any of his movies "Veendum.." holds a special place for me because it cemented my love for Malayalam movies. I was just out of the Engg. College when this was released. I wrote to Ullas Babu enquiring about the girl in the movie who was stunning and talented. She was Samyukta Varma - the demi Goddess of Malayalam movies and the last leg of the female superstar torch which extinguished with her marriage. I got a chance to see it on Asianet after an year of its theatrical release and by that time I had become conversant with the malayalam movies.

{mosimage}I would say it was an unconventional attempt at its time with no hero in it and the movie rode on the shoulders of three female protagonists hailing from different social strata. It was an assembly line product from the Kamal Hassan's Hollywood remake factory, with an inspiration from "Nine to five". It was about a fashion designer Sathya (Revathy), Middle class Clerk Janaki (Urvashi) and a sweeper Paappamma (Rohini), working in a garment factory under the lecherous boss Nasser. How the ladies teach their boss a lesson is the core of the story, with addressing the issues like creche, equality in rights etc... touched then and there.

{mosimage}Thanks a lot for the internet. I am living thousand miles away from my hometown, but for some one who loves music as a second oxygen, internet has brought everything closer. I have easy access to Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi albums, much closer than the people from India, thanks to the broadband. Nowadays I am hooked to Tamil & Telugu albums majorly. Why can't you people also try these albums? I don't buy the arguement that you don't hear because you don't understand the lyrics. Music is always beyond the boundries of language. A few words about the albums I am hearing and enjoying these days.

{mosimage}Sandai Kozhi - warring rooster, there can be no other apt title for this movie. Everybody is warring on their own either be the hero Vishal, or "bajaari" heroine Meera Jasmine, or even the villan Lal or senior hero Raj Kiran. When the award winner & choosy Meera Jasmine signs a movie, whole of Kollywood opines that there should be something special in the movie. Sandai Kozhi is no exception with Director Lingusamy getting better in each of his movies. If you see his debut movie "Anandham" and "Sandai Kozhi" together you will never believe that both are from the same man. So much is the different in the treatments.

{mosimage}It came, it conquered and it is still ruling in the minds of Tamil cinema viewers. It came as a soothing breeze when there was a flurry of action movies like "Kakka Kakka" was sweeping Tamil cinema. As they say, storm startles while the breeze soothes. I am talking about "Parthiban Kanavu [Parthiban's Dream] (2003)" a beautiful dream by its director Karu. Pazhaniappan. It came from the stable of Sathyajyothi Films, who makes movies sporadically with the best of rising talents. Maniratnam, Kadhir were introduced by them and Balu Mahendra's classic "Moondram Pirai" completes their reportoire. As usual this movie moved me because of my strong resemblence to its protagonist Parthiban.

I don't remember when I heard the malayalam songs last. Looking back last year I liked and bought only three albums - Vadakkumnathan, Chanthupottu and Ananthabhadram. Besides these all the music dished out in malayalam movies are pucca trashes. Except Vidyasagar, who became very choosy about Malayalam projects, nobody is good in Malayalam music industry among the current generation. With Raveendran Master passing away, gone are the days where Malayalam songs had melody, soul and sensitivity.

{mosimage}It is a beautiful movie that breathed a fresh whiff of confidence into the Tamil movies when it was suffocating with regressive "thaali" sentiments and woman as doormats. Balu Mahendra remade the Hindi classic "Arth" after 12 years of its theatrical release, this time he acknowledged the source also (Balu gets his "inspiration" from the Hollywood movies but never acknowledges it) in the opening credits.

{mosimage}Rayil Sneham - This is the general term used for expressing the out of sight, out of mind friendship, just like having a good time with the passengers while journey. But sometimes some people stay in your mind for longer. Whenever I hear this song, from the movie Dhadkan I feel as if written for me specifically. The song goes like this:-

Aksar is duniya mein anjaane milte hain
Anjaane raahon mein milke kho jaate hain
Lekin Hamesha woh yaad aate hain.

The translation is "Often in this world strangers meet and get lost in the way, but remain in memories forever"

{mosimage}Ninne Pelladtha - One of the highest grossers in the annals of telugu cinema and walked away with all the awards in 1996. This movie consolidated Nagarjuna as the romantic icon of Telugu cinema and catapulted its director Krishna Vamsi to the top league. I love this movie immensely and has so much of sweet memories associated with it. I was at my Engg first year's vacation while this movie was released. Since I was very friendly with the Andhra guys at that time, I had an affinity for Telugu movies. So whenever I think of them I think of Ninne Pelladtha and vice versa. Thats why I have to break my resolution of not writing about movies anymore.

{mosimage}2003 - Manasinde kilivadhil ariyathe thurannoru mazhavil chirakulla kavithe.. nee ende kasthurimaan kurumbu... (A rainbow that stealthily opened my heart... you are my small "Kasthuri" deer.) When Kunchacko Boban wooed Meera Jasmine under the aegis of Lohitadas, little did he realise that he is lipsynching to one of the immortal romantic saga on the celluloid. Around 2005, same Lohitadas, Meera Jasmine and "Five Star" Prasanna are trying to recreate the same magic this time on Tamil screen. How much they will succeed? That only time will say but this is a time to look at the original.