Some people walk into our lives like breeze but my Periapps (periappa in Tamil, means uncle) replaced the word ‘breeze’ with ‘smoke’! The smell of the special rum-mixed tobacco still lingers on…
At an age where most teens are influenced by power, name and style, I was awe-struck by this old man exactly 40 years older than I was. He walked into my home wanting to rekindle a lost relationship and that very relationship turned into a life changing bond for me.
People across the world know him as the veteran cricket journalist, Rajan Bala. To me, he was my beloved Periapps and will remain so forever. We’d fondly call him ‘the sitting encyclopedia’. Why? He was not only the best cricket writer but by far the most well read man on the planet! From Alexander to Vikram Seth, he’d read it all and would still bemuse us all when he said he’d not read enough!
If I cried over ‘Love in the time of Cholera’, it was courtesy him, if I smiled coyly over ‘Kamasutra’, it was again ‘cause of him, anger ‘cause of ‘Macbeth’, reason being he again. My first glass of Chardonnay was not with my ‘flavour of the season’ but with my own Periapps.
The old man changed many lives and my metamorphosis to being a changed young lady was thanks to this sharp, smart, smooth man alright! Oh! The 3 S’s reminds me of his early morning 3 S’s again: Shit, Shave, and Shampoo! Even if he was running a temperature, he’d never fail to have a shave! Any man walking into office with sneakers on was an obtuse, mentally retarded twit! MRTP, he’d call them!
I once remember him telling me, “Kitty, place your derrière on the couch” (French word for the backside). The novice I kept looking behind me to find what ever he was mentioning to be placed!!! The laughs galore… Learning never ceased then on. New words, books everyday! The stern Periapps when I’d be lazy and not willing to learn anything, the fun Periapps when we’d catch up for lunch almost everyday, the drunk Periapps along with his equally drunk niece… You’ll be missed like crazy Periapps.
His trademark pipes and customized tobacco was a prized possession and I was allowed to smoke it once. It’s an art which the old man had mastered. He was class personified from cigars he smoked to the rum he drowned himself into. A Bala trait which even the second generation has not failed to amass.
He was known to be very upfront and wrote what he wished to. Not many had this trait. Periapps lived life exactly the way he wished to but could’ve left the world in style. But he still got what he wanted: Dressed him up in an impeccable suit, his favourite Titan watch, a copy of 20000 leagues under the sea, his array of pipes with his pipe bag.
Wish I could write more… but some memories, silly or otherwise remain forever. I’ll miss you for life Periapps. Love you loads. RIP.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Indians, the biggest cricket devotees ever!
Two incidents motivated me to write this piece: a mail I read this afternoon and my father’s reaction to a match’s highlights!
Being a huge cricket fan, I’ve had my share of praying, switching off the television when India is about to lose, shouting at the top of my voice at 1 in the morning when we lift a cup and so on. My most vivid memory was the Independence Cup at Dhaka in 1998. India was chasing Pakistan’s score of 314 and Hrishikesh Kanitkar got us through! I was in the prayer room earnestly praying, another friend crying and yet another, a millimeter away from the TV screen. It was late in the night and all the entire apartment could hear was screaming and screaming alone!
My family is known for being sports crazy, be it cricket, football, even kabaddi! So most believed that I was carrying it in my genes. It happens to this day, I do not let my mother watch the game when Sachin is batting ‘cause he gets out the minute she sits in front of the box! On the other hand, when a tense situation arises, dad and I would’ve no nails left to chew and mom, not able to see this, would bang the door and stay indoors and wait till she hears a cry of joy or otherwise!
But as my friends’ circle widened, the list just extended! Girls had cut-outs of Dravid, Kumble and now Dhoni which are countless in number. But mention must be made of two guys; one, my fiancée and two, his friend who I just know by name!
My fiancée claims to be the biggest Sachin ‘bhakt’ ever! I remember this incident when one guy, who hates Sachin, sent out a mail saying he was not GOD but the reverse! So my fiancée, Rohit, dismantled a rod from his bay and actually came running to where this guy was sitting and chased him till the entrance!!! Hilarious as it sounds, we were shocked that someone could be so crazy!
To beat this, here comes Rohit’s colleague, Ayan, who sends across a list of things he’s done to beat the fact that he’s the best bhakt and not the former! Here are some of the things this guy has done:
• Broke off with a college girlfriend b'cos I preferred watching Him bat rather than spending time with her
• Went to Melbourne and New Zealand (with posters saying Travelled 7,641 and 9,217 kms to see Sachin)
• As well as 8 stadiums in India for the sole purpose of seeing Him live (once in Chinnaswamy I just had day 1,2,3 tickets in a Test match against Pakistan and I cheered when Laxman got out hoping India would follow-on soon and I would get to see Him bat again)
• Always keep TV volume divisible by 3 when he is at the striker's end,
• Always sit on 2 cushions since that is lucky
Whew! I am already dumbfounded! And here comes my dad to top it all! The recent Compaq Cup between India and Sri Lanka which the former won – the highlights were on. As usual, we were glued to the set when Yusuf Pathan dropped the catch and my dad actually was on the edge of the seat and swore! He was aware that it was after all the highlights but emotions just took over.
Who can forget the entire theatre audience at the edge of their seats when the last ball was bowled in Lagaan? Whether it is the famous Sachin fan who travels everywhere with truck loads of paint all over him or a recent 60+ (age) gang who have come together and claimed that from now till the 2011 World Cup, they will travel wherever Sachin is playing.
BOTTOM LINE: Indians are the craziest fans of the game!
Being a huge cricket fan, I’ve had my share of praying, switching off the television when India is about to lose, shouting at the top of my voice at 1 in the morning when we lift a cup and so on. My most vivid memory was the Independence Cup at Dhaka in 1998. India was chasing Pakistan’s score of 314 and Hrishikesh Kanitkar got us through! I was in the prayer room earnestly praying, another friend crying and yet another, a millimeter away from the TV screen. It was late in the night and all the entire apartment could hear was screaming and screaming alone!
My family is known for being sports crazy, be it cricket, football, even kabaddi! So most believed that I was carrying it in my genes. It happens to this day, I do not let my mother watch the game when Sachin is batting ‘cause he gets out the minute she sits in front of the box! On the other hand, when a tense situation arises, dad and I would’ve no nails left to chew and mom, not able to see this, would bang the door and stay indoors and wait till she hears a cry of joy or otherwise!
But as my friends’ circle widened, the list just extended! Girls had cut-outs of Dravid, Kumble and now Dhoni which are countless in number. But mention must be made of two guys; one, my fiancée and two, his friend who I just know by name!
My fiancée claims to be the biggest Sachin ‘bhakt’ ever! I remember this incident when one guy, who hates Sachin, sent out a mail saying he was not GOD but the reverse! So my fiancée, Rohit, dismantled a rod from his bay and actually came running to where this guy was sitting and chased him till the entrance!!! Hilarious as it sounds, we were shocked that someone could be so crazy!
To beat this, here comes Rohit’s colleague, Ayan, who sends across a list of things he’s done to beat the fact that he’s the best bhakt and not the former! Here are some of the things this guy has done:
• Broke off with a college girlfriend b'cos I preferred watching Him bat rather than spending time with her
• Went to Melbourne and New Zealand (with posters saying Travelled 7,641 and 9,217 kms to see Sachin)
• As well as 8 stadiums in India for the sole purpose of seeing Him live (once in Chinnaswamy I just had day 1,2,3 tickets in a Test match against Pakistan and I cheered when Laxman got out hoping India would follow-on soon and I would get to see Him bat again)
• Always keep TV volume divisible by 3 when he is at the striker's end,
• Always sit on 2 cushions since that is lucky
Whew! I am already dumbfounded! And here comes my dad to top it all! The recent Compaq Cup between India and Sri Lanka which the former won – the highlights were on. As usual, we were glued to the set when Yusuf Pathan dropped the catch and my dad actually was on the edge of the seat and swore! He was aware that it was after all the highlights but emotions just took over.
Who can forget the entire theatre audience at the edge of their seats when the last ball was bowled in Lagaan? Whether it is the famous Sachin fan who travels everywhere with truck loads of paint all over him or a recent 60+ (age) gang who have come together and claimed that from now till the 2011 World Cup, they will travel wherever Sachin is playing.
BOTTOM LINE: Indians are the craziest fans of the game!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The other way!
She/he walked towards my auto-rickshaw and I freaked out! My hair was tussled and she/he extended her/his hand for money. My mother nudged me to give the money and I obliged. As I put the coin in his/her hands, the hand went towards my mom and touched her head this time and out came the words, "May you be blessed with good health."
I smiled at my mother. Was it the relief that she/he left or that the blessings suited my mom best? I couldn’t tell. I only knew that I always despised this clan and swore to myself that I’d write an article opposed to such behaviour. I never did so, but a program I saw a couple of days ago summoned me to write this piece but with a changed view!
This set of people, call them eunuchs, transgender or anything you please are always associated to being those who harass us, men especially, for money and are also known to be sex objects. I believed this to be true, still do. The number of times I have seen them place their hands on unmentionable places of embarrassed men just for those notes, makes me puke! I still remember grimacing when I was filling out an application form in a prestigious college in Chennai when the ‘gender’ column had space for transgenders too.
But the grimace has now changed into a sense of empathy, not entirely, but to some extent. Those grotesque visuals of the weirdly dressed, harassing men are not helping much to convert myself to being empathetic entirely!
There was this show on Travel and Living which showcased the lives of this group in Bangalore, about how they got into such groups, thrown out by their families and what they do for a living. I was astounded by the fact that they were well-educated men, who wanted to consider themselves women. One such was ‘Radhika’, name obviously changed! She came from an affluent family, did the usual ‘boy’ stuff, playing cricket, eyeing girls et all. But the dominance of feminine feelings took over and no surprises, he was kicked out from the family! The metamorphosis is striking! Nose ring, waxing, long hair – no traces of being a man at all, except for the voice!
Most of them come into the eunuch groups with a similar story. One even had ‘his’ mother come over every month just to pay a visit to her once ‘son’! The mother laments that she cannot take her child back in any form considering the society and her own husband. While on the other hand, the converted openly revere Elton John and the like for being a self-acclaimed homosexual.
What made my heart melt was the process of castration. Each of them gave their gory version of it – Before even having the castration, they had to spend a whole year massaging lorry drivers’ body, bathe them, and sexually satisfy them. Only if they managed to endure this period, would the castration take place. And when it does, it is not a very pleasant experience for them. One, they are happy that they will do away with their masculine qualities but the process is arduous.
In a dimly lit room, steel beds await them. They are fully aware that the place is unhygienic, but do they have a choice? They are castrated in a hurry and it is disheartening to hear what they go through. Their choice you may say. True. But it does hurt. Period. Not everyone can afford sex-changing operations and they make do with what ever available. One even complained that it took 8 months to heal but that was no excuse for all the sexual acts they went through.
Now, I actually believe that the college in Chennai did a commendable job by having reserved some seats for them too. I don’t think it will hurt them or us, if they are given some respect in the society. Why would one agree to live the life of a prostitute if something better was in store? One of them said she was ready to sweep the streets everyday, if only she got the job. I know your hair stands up every time they approach you to grab all we have but I don’t think they’d want to do it either.
When I was casually mentioning this, my friend shot back saying some men, just to make quick money, would wax their bodies, drape a saree and go around carrying out this heinous act! I almost fell off my seat. How could people even think of this?? This will all stop when:
• We show this group some respect and accept that this is their way of life
• Give them a chance to work amidst us
• Yes, there are loopholes everywhere, no one is perfect, but if one lives life with dignity, the rest are bound to follow
I’d like to end by mentioning one such eunuch, Rose. She is featured on a Tamil channel, where she talks to those distressed, has talks on general issues and the like. I must tell you, she emanates a lot of knowledge. My friend even had a personal chat with her and she cleared my doubts. She was a woman with a lot of conviction and passion. Such people are to be looked up to whatever their gender maybe!
I smiled at my mother. Was it the relief that she/he left or that the blessings suited my mom best? I couldn’t tell. I only knew that I always despised this clan and swore to myself that I’d write an article opposed to such behaviour. I never did so, but a program I saw a couple of days ago summoned me to write this piece but with a changed view!
This set of people, call them eunuchs, transgender or anything you please are always associated to being those who harass us, men especially, for money and are also known to be sex objects. I believed this to be true, still do. The number of times I have seen them place their hands on unmentionable places of embarrassed men just for those notes, makes me puke! I still remember grimacing when I was filling out an application form in a prestigious college in Chennai when the ‘gender’ column had space for transgenders too.
But the grimace has now changed into a sense of empathy, not entirely, but to some extent. Those grotesque visuals of the weirdly dressed, harassing men are not helping much to convert myself to being empathetic entirely!
There was this show on Travel and Living which showcased the lives of this group in Bangalore, about how they got into such groups, thrown out by their families and what they do for a living. I was astounded by the fact that they were well-educated men, who wanted to consider themselves women. One such was ‘Radhika’, name obviously changed! She came from an affluent family, did the usual ‘boy’ stuff, playing cricket, eyeing girls et all. But the dominance of feminine feelings took over and no surprises, he was kicked out from the family! The metamorphosis is striking! Nose ring, waxing, long hair – no traces of being a man at all, except for the voice!
Most of them come into the eunuch groups with a similar story. One even had ‘his’ mother come over every month just to pay a visit to her once ‘son’! The mother laments that she cannot take her child back in any form considering the society and her own husband. While on the other hand, the converted openly revere Elton John and the like for being a self-acclaimed homosexual.
What made my heart melt was the process of castration. Each of them gave their gory version of it – Before even having the castration, they had to spend a whole year massaging lorry drivers’ body, bathe them, and sexually satisfy them. Only if they managed to endure this period, would the castration take place. And when it does, it is not a very pleasant experience for them. One, they are happy that they will do away with their masculine qualities but the process is arduous.
In a dimly lit room, steel beds await them. They are fully aware that the place is unhygienic, but do they have a choice? They are castrated in a hurry and it is disheartening to hear what they go through. Their choice you may say. True. But it does hurt. Period. Not everyone can afford sex-changing operations and they make do with what ever available. One even complained that it took 8 months to heal but that was no excuse for all the sexual acts they went through.
Now, I actually believe that the college in Chennai did a commendable job by having reserved some seats for them too. I don’t think it will hurt them or us, if they are given some respect in the society. Why would one agree to live the life of a prostitute if something better was in store? One of them said she was ready to sweep the streets everyday, if only she got the job. I know your hair stands up every time they approach you to grab all we have but I don’t think they’d want to do it either.
When I was casually mentioning this, my friend shot back saying some men, just to make quick money, would wax their bodies, drape a saree and go around carrying out this heinous act! I almost fell off my seat. How could people even think of this?? This will all stop when:
• We show this group some respect and accept that this is their way of life
• Give them a chance to work amidst us
• Yes, there are loopholes everywhere, no one is perfect, but if one lives life with dignity, the rest are bound to follow
I’d like to end by mentioning one such eunuch, Rose. She is featured on a Tamil channel, where she talks to those distressed, has talks on general issues and the like. I must tell you, she emanates a lot of knowledge. My friend even had a personal chat with her and she cleared my doubts. She was a woman with a lot of conviction and passion. Such people are to be looked up to whatever their gender maybe!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Economics!
Just thought I'd upload a small class presentation which explains some economic indicators! Its very simple to understand and has been prepared in layman terms!
1. Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM): It is an indicator used by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its annual Human Development Report.
Meaning: According to UNDP, It is a measure of agency. It evaluates progress in advancing women's standing in political and economic forums. It examines the extent to which women and men are able to actively participate in economic and political life and take part in decision-making. While the GDI focuses on expansion of capabilities, the GEM is concerned with the use of those capabilities to take advantage of the opportunities of life.
This index also has three indicators: income, parliamentary participation and economic participation.
Method of Calculation: For each of the above mentioned dimensions, an equally distributed equivalent percentage (EDEP) is calculated, as a population weighted-average according to the following formula:
EDEP = [Female population share (female index to the power minus 1)] + [Male population share (male index to the power minus 1)] to the power minus 1
Each of the above indicators has the EDEP calculated separately and the simple average if the three gives the GEM.
2. Human Poverty Index (HPI): According to UNDP, The Human Development Report 1997 introduced a human poverty index (HPI) in an attempt to bring together a composite index the different features of deprivation in the quality of life to arrive at an aggregate judgment on the extent of poverty in a community. The HPI is derived separately for developing countries (HPI-1) and a group of select high-income Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries (HPI-2) to better reflect socio-economic differences and also the widely different measures of deprivation in the two groups.
There are 3 types of deprivation: survival, knowledge and decent standard of living.
Method of calculation: For the HPI-1, it is measured by the unweighted average of the percentage of the population without access to safe water and the percentage of underweight children for their age. For the HPI-2, the third dimension is measured by the percentage of the population below the income poverty line (50% of median household disposable income).
3. EDUCATION: The education index is given by the HDI ranking of a country according to UNDP. Iceland tops the list with 0.978, with India at 128 (0.620) and Sierra Leone as the last (at 177 with 0.38). The education index comprises adult literacy and gross enrolment index.
• Adult literacy: It is the proportion of the adult population aged 15 years and over which is literate. The list has Georgia on top with 100%. India stands at 65.2% with the 118th rank out of 147 countries. To calculate, Actual value – minimum value over maximum value – minimum value. For ex: Turkey, in 2005, had an adult literacy rate of 87.4%. Therefore the index is 87.4 – 0 over 100 – 0 = 0.874
• Gross enrolment index/ratio: It is the statistical measure used in the education sector. The GER gives a rough indication of the level of education from kindergarten to post graduation. In Asian countries, it can be the indication of combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment ratio. Australia leads this table with 114.2%. India stands at 134th rank with 61%. For ex: Using the same formula, Turkey’s GEI is calculated to be 0.687
• Hence the EDUCATION INDEX = 2/3 (adult literacy index) + 1/3 (GEI) = 2/3 (0.874) + 1/3 (0.687) = 0.812
• Other indicators of education include adult illiteracy rate, ratio of female to male ratio in adult literacy, adult literacy rate, female and male respectively
4. HEALTH: According to WHOSIS, the WHO Statistical Information System, the health section has more than 100 indicators. However, the most important are life expectancy index, life expectancy at birth, fertility rate and mortality rates. The following indicators are dealt with in-depth:
• Life expectancy at birth: This measures the relative achievement of a country in life expectancy at birth. The same formula as mentioned earlier is used. For ex: Turkey, with a life expectancy of 71.4 years in 2005, the index is 0.773. As per 2005, Iceland tops the list with 81.5 years. India stands at the 128th position with 63.7 years. India’s life expectancy index is 0.645
• Fertility rate: It is the ratio of live births in an area to the population of that area; expressed per 1000 population per year. India has 3.1 births per woman, with Iceland topping the list again with 2 births
A look at India’s standings in various indicators/indexes:
1. Life expectancy at birth: 63.7
2. Life expectancy index: 0.645
3. Fertility rate: 3.1
4. Under-five mortality rate (per 1000 live births): 74
1. Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM): It is an indicator used by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its annual Human Development Report.
Meaning: According to UNDP, It is a measure of agency. It evaluates progress in advancing women's standing in political and economic forums. It examines the extent to which women and men are able to actively participate in economic and political life and take part in decision-making. While the GDI focuses on expansion of capabilities, the GEM is concerned with the use of those capabilities to take advantage of the opportunities of life.
This index also has three indicators: income, parliamentary participation and economic participation.
Method of Calculation: For each of the above mentioned dimensions, an equally distributed equivalent percentage (EDEP) is calculated, as a population weighted-average according to the following formula:
EDEP = [Female population share (female index to the power minus 1)] + [Male population share (male index to the power minus 1)] to the power minus 1
Each of the above indicators has the EDEP calculated separately and the simple average if the three gives the GEM.
2. Human Poverty Index (HPI): According to UNDP, The Human Development Report 1997 introduced a human poverty index (HPI) in an attempt to bring together a composite index the different features of deprivation in the quality of life to arrive at an aggregate judgment on the extent of poverty in a community. The HPI is derived separately for developing countries (HPI-1) and a group of select high-income Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries (HPI-2) to better reflect socio-economic differences and also the widely different measures of deprivation in the two groups.
There are 3 types of deprivation: survival, knowledge and decent standard of living.
Method of calculation: For the HPI-1, it is measured by the unweighted average of the percentage of the population without access to safe water and the percentage of underweight children for their age. For the HPI-2, the third dimension is measured by the percentage of the population below the income poverty line (50% of median household disposable income).
3. EDUCATION: The education index is given by the HDI ranking of a country according to UNDP. Iceland tops the list with 0.978, with India at 128 (0.620) and Sierra Leone as the last (at 177 with 0.38). The education index comprises adult literacy and gross enrolment index.
• Adult literacy: It is the proportion of the adult population aged 15 years and over which is literate. The list has Georgia on top with 100%. India stands at 65.2% with the 118th rank out of 147 countries. To calculate, Actual value – minimum value over maximum value – minimum value. For ex: Turkey, in 2005, had an adult literacy rate of 87.4%. Therefore the index is 87.4 – 0 over 100 – 0 = 0.874
• Gross enrolment index/ratio: It is the statistical measure used in the education sector. The GER gives a rough indication of the level of education from kindergarten to post graduation. In Asian countries, it can be the indication of combined primary, secondary and tertiary gross enrolment ratio. Australia leads this table with 114.2%. India stands at 134th rank with 61%. For ex: Using the same formula, Turkey’s GEI is calculated to be 0.687
• Hence the EDUCATION INDEX = 2/3 (adult literacy index) + 1/3 (GEI) = 2/3 (0.874) + 1/3 (0.687) = 0.812
• Other indicators of education include adult illiteracy rate, ratio of female to male ratio in adult literacy, adult literacy rate, female and male respectively
4. HEALTH: According to WHOSIS, the WHO Statistical Information System, the health section has more than 100 indicators. However, the most important are life expectancy index, life expectancy at birth, fertility rate and mortality rates. The following indicators are dealt with in-depth:
• Life expectancy at birth: This measures the relative achievement of a country in life expectancy at birth. The same formula as mentioned earlier is used. For ex: Turkey, with a life expectancy of 71.4 years in 2005, the index is 0.773. As per 2005, Iceland tops the list with 81.5 years. India stands at the 128th position with 63.7 years. India’s life expectancy index is 0.645
• Fertility rate: It is the ratio of live births in an area to the population of that area; expressed per 1000 population per year. India has 3.1 births per woman, with Iceland topping the list again with 2 births
A look at India’s standings in various indicators/indexes:
1. Life expectancy at birth: 63.7
2. Life expectancy index: 0.645
3. Fertility rate: 3.1
4. Under-five mortality rate (per 1000 live births): 74
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Music review of Kanden Kadhalai
This is my first tryst with a music review, so I have tried my best :) ‘Kanden Kadhalai’, starring Bharath and Tamanna is the remake of the Hindi hit, ‘Jab We Met’. Music is by Vidyasagar and Na Muthukumar and Yugabharathi are the lyricists. With 6 tracks in the album, Vidyasagar has given a taste of a bit of this and that. His recent hits ‘Abhiyum Naanum’ and ‘Mozhi’ have surely raised expectations and he has not failed to deliver.
Of course! One cannot compare the music of ‘Jab We Met’ and this, but then as laymen we are sure to bring out some similarities between the two. However, I have tried to keep it to the minimum.
The biggest impact in this album has definitely been created by the flautist (unfortunately, couldn’t get the name). And I don’t want to make wrong guesses. 4 out of 6 songs have been dominated by the instrument and never once did I feel that it was jarring! The melody created by the instrument in each of the song is apt and it sure is a dream run for the flautist.
1. Title track: Kanden Kadhalai
Singers: Udit Narayan and Karthik
To begin with, it is a decent track, with Udit’s diction improving for sure! Karthik has just pitched in but as always he stands out. Generally title tracks are the ‘Hero’s intro song’ but this is a romantic song with all the joys got, courtesy love! The flautist as I mentioned has some nice scores. Otherwise, there is nothing special in the song which makes you want to listen to it again. For a title track, it sure could have been better.
2. Sududhu Sududhu
Singer: Hariharan
Hariharan never fails, does he? A song with a folk touch to it, Hariharan is at it yet again and is perfect! His nuances in the beginning are awesome! They keep coming at the end of every stanza and your jaws drop! No one can do it better! The choice of singer has been rewarding for the director. Again, the dominance of flute makes this folk number a nice melody too. A folk song cannot be complete without the molams! So, with no dearth of the jhink-jhak kutthus, the song is a complete entertainer.
3. Naan mozhi arindhen
Singer: Suresh Wadkar
A big surprise I must say when I saw the name Suresh Wadkar! Predominantly a Hindi and Marathi singer, Wadkar deserves much praise for this song. Song wise it has Vidyasagar’s signature. Yugabharathi has done justice to this song with his meaningful lyrics. It somehow reminds me of the mellifluous tunes of ‘Mozhi’. The ensemble of instruments is pleasurable and on the whole, this song can be added into the list of Vidyasagar’s best.
4. Kaatru Pudhidhai
Singer: Rahul Nambiar
The start of the song seems like it is a fight sequence to portray the heroics of the male lead. There is this particular beat which is used through-out the song which is a clear stand out. However, it is a surprise because the actual song is a romantic number. Like the title track this also talks of the joy got from being in love and what changes the girl has brought into the guy’s life! Though the song is a western,number, the flautist intrudes again but strikes the right chord. Rahul Nambiar is just getting better with every song. The variety in every song of his is definitely showing. The confidence in the singer’s voice from the opening notes adds to the song’s credits.
5. Oododi poren
Singers: Lavanya, Rashmi Vijayan
This one must be the counter to Kareena’s ‘Yeh ishq hai’ in the Hindi version. Nothing great, it is the usual run of the mill song. You can miss this one!
6. Oru naal iravil
Singers: Tippu, Benny Dayal
Benny has carved a niche for singing such songs, so he does his job neatly. Tippu has a refreshing and happy voice so this isn’t any different. He has played his bit to perfection as well. Some songs do well because of the music, some due to lyrics and most due to the singer. The credit to this one I think goes to the music.
Among the lyricists, Yugabharathi is the best with his ‘Naan mozhi arindhen’. Overall, it is a decent album.
Of course! One cannot compare the music of ‘Jab We Met’ and this, but then as laymen we are sure to bring out some similarities between the two. However, I have tried to keep it to the minimum.
The biggest impact in this album has definitely been created by the flautist (unfortunately, couldn’t get the name). And I don’t want to make wrong guesses. 4 out of 6 songs have been dominated by the instrument and never once did I feel that it was jarring! The melody created by the instrument in each of the song is apt and it sure is a dream run for the flautist.
1. Title track: Kanden Kadhalai
Singers: Udit Narayan and Karthik
To begin with, it is a decent track, with Udit’s diction improving for sure! Karthik has just pitched in but as always he stands out. Generally title tracks are the ‘Hero’s intro song’ but this is a romantic song with all the joys got, courtesy love! The flautist as I mentioned has some nice scores. Otherwise, there is nothing special in the song which makes you want to listen to it again. For a title track, it sure could have been better.
2. Sududhu Sududhu
Singer: Hariharan
Hariharan never fails, does he? A song with a folk touch to it, Hariharan is at it yet again and is perfect! His nuances in the beginning are awesome! They keep coming at the end of every stanza and your jaws drop! No one can do it better! The choice of singer has been rewarding for the director. Again, the dominance of flute makes this folk number a nice melody too. A folk song cannot be complete without the molams! So, with no dearth of the jhink-jhak kutthus, the song is a complete entertainer.
3. Naan mozhi arindhen
Singer: Suresh Wadkar
A big surprise I must say when I saw the name Suresh Wadkar! Predominantly a Hindi and Marathi singer, Wadkar deserves much praise for this song. Song wise it has Vidyasagar’s signature. Yugabharathi has done justice to this song with his meaningful lyrics. It somehow reminds me of the mellifluous tunes of ‘Mozhi’. The ensemble of instruments is pleasurable and on the whole, this song can be added into the list of Vidyasagar’s best.
4. Kaatru Pudhidhai
Singer: Rahul Nambiar
The start of the song seems like it is a fight sequence to portray the heroics of the male lead. There is this particular beat which is used through-out the song which is a clear stand out. However, it is a surprise because the actual song is a romantic number. Like the title track this also talks of the joy got from being in love and what changes the girl has brought into the guy’s life! Though the song is a western,number, the flautist intrudes again but strikes the right chord. Rahul Nambiar is just getting better with every song. The variety in every song of his is definitely showing. The confidence in the singer’s voice from the opening notes adds to the song’s credits.
5. Oododi poren
Singers: Lavanya, Rashmi Vijayan
This one must be the counter to Kareena’s ‘Yeh ishq hai’ in the Hindi version. Nothing great, it is the usual run of the mill song. You can miss this one!
6. Oru naal iravil
Singers: Tippu, Benny Dayal
Benny has carved a niche for singing such songs, so he does his job neatly. Tippu has a refreshing and happy voice so this isn’t any different. He has played his bit to perfection as well. Some songs do well because of the music, some due to lyrics and most due to the singer. The credit to this one I think goes to the music.
Among the lyricists, Yugabharathi is the best with his ‘Naan mozhi arindhen’. Overall, it is a decent album.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Colours…
Many of these TV matrimonial shows (regional languages) have the parents of the groom or the would-be groom making a list of requirements of the new entrant into their lives. They have simple wants – It does not matter if the girl works or not, she just has to take care of the guy’s parents as her own, be slim and fair! You might think only traditional families have such wants, but I have heard ‘well-educated’ men working in big MNCs having the same requests. First of all, the idea of having a matrimonial show on TV itself irks me, but that’s another thing altogether.
Taking care of the guy’s parents as the girl’s own is not a bad thing to expect. Wanting only slim girls is again another issue. Man how many thoughts arise when one sits to write…
My issue here is the idea of someone being eligible to tie the knot based on colour! Enough and more arguments, wars etc have been fought regarding this issue but this is never ending. If you are fair, you’re the chosen one always and we somehow have got into the mode of accepting this. Apparently when I was born, I was quite dark and the minute my grandmother saw me, she was very unhappy that I took over my mother who is slightly dark and not my dad who is extremely fair! Though I did not take it seriously, till date I tease my grandmother, who is fair, about the fact that her husband is extremely dark and she actually agreed to marry him in spite of having colour reservations!
I can’t blame her because we were instilled with such thoughts that the fair are good and the dark-skinned, bad. Our holy books also feature demons as dark skinned ones. Our own moon walker had a range of surgeries to change his colour but personally I thought he was charmer with his original looks.
Then came some change! Our South Indian superstar, Rajinikanth redefined the outlook to being a dark-skinned one! Songs in praise of being dark-skinned, in wanting to be dark-skinned rushed the screen! Our Indian Michael Jackson, Prabhu Deva and many other actors in other languages who were not the fair-lot began taking away the prized top roles! Other than the Ms World pageants I quite cannot think of any show awarding dark-skinned women!
Then again came the fairness ads! First for women who were low on confidence just because they weren’t fair and a tube gives it all in a matter of fifteen days! Whoa! I used to wonder what about the poor, not so-fair men! And lo! My feelings answered straight away in the form of men’s fairness creams! The worst thing is, these famous actors and actresses who fight for causes like animal protection and saving the environment end up advocating colour bias!
How did Queen Latifah and the King of Pop survive? Bipasha Basu must remind her boy friend John that she is a dusky damsel after all! And Mr Dhoni seems to have a large fan following in spite of his not-so fair looks!
Before writing this blog, I was doing a search on dark-skinned people being featured in commercials. It is said that during early days in the U.S.A., dark-skinned were featured only to show that they were also the ‘targeted’ population for the product and there was no discrimination.
But then again, the cycle has to be complete. The recent rediff.com ad did bring smiles to my face. Frankly, being tuned to watching fair skins on commercials, I was taken aback. But it was a pleasant surprise indeed.
Another thought: Men always want fair women, but why do most women when asked about their dream man say 'Tall and DARK'??
Taking care of the guy’s parents as the girl’s own is not a bad thing to expect. Wanting only slim girls is again another issue. Man how many thoughts arise when one sits to write…
My issue here is the idea of someone being eligible to tie the knot based on colour! Enough and more arguments, wars etc have been fought regarding this issue but this is never ending. If you are fair, you’re the chosen one always and we somehow have got into the mode of accepting this. Apparently when I was born, I was quite dark and the minute my grandmother saw me, she was very unhappy that I took over my mother who is slightly dark and not my dad who is extremely fair! Though I did not take it seriously, till date I tease my grandmother, who is fair, about the fact that her husband is extremely dark and she actually agreed to marry him in spite of having colour reservations!
I can’t blame her because we were instilled with such thoughts that the fair are good and the dark-skinned, bad. Our holy books also feature demons as dark skinned ones. Our own moon walker had a range of surgeries to change his colour but personally I thought he was charmer with his original looks.
Then came some change! Our South Indian superstar, Rajinikanth redefined the outlook to being a dark-skinned one! Songs in praise of being dark-skinned, in wanting to be dark-skinned rushed the screen! Our Indian Michael Jackson, Prabhu Deva and many other actors in other languages who were not the fair-lot began taking away the prized top roles! Other than the Ms World pageants I quite cannot think of any show awarding dark-skinned women!
Then again came the fairness ads! First for women who were low on confidence just because they weren’t fair and a tube gives it all in a matter of fifteen days! Whoa! I used to wonder what about the poor, not so-fair men! And lo! My feelings answered straight away in the form of men’s fairness creams! The worst thing is, these famous actors and actresses who fight for causes like animal protection and saving the environment end up advocating colour bias!
How did Queen Latifah and the King of Pop survive? Bipasha Basu must remind her boy friend John that she is a dusky damsel after all! And Mr Dhoni seems to have a large fan following in spite of his not-so fair looks!
Before writing this blog, I was doing a search on dark-skinned people being featured in commercials. It is said that during early days in the U.S.A., dark-skinned were featured only to show that they were also the ‘targeted’ population for the product and there was no discrimination.
But then again, the cycle has to be complete. The recent rediff.com ad did bring smiles to my face. Frankly, being tuned to watching fair skins on commercials, I was taken aback. But it was a pleasant surprise indeed.
Another thought: Men always want fair women, but why do most women when asked about their dream man say 'Tall and DARK'??
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Throw some light…
I play with the fire... The candle is losing its light. My thoughts are lost too... Fear? Playfulness? Idle? Well... I am lost. PERIOD. Only three days ago, I began reading the book, ‘Ghost Stories’. I can see shadows running… Someone just told me they saw Jackson’s too… True? I don’t want to know…
Darkness, the sole noun which sends a chill down my spine. I refuse to get up and move an inch. I stay put.
Shadows again… This time they talk… to me… They’ve turned on the music…I decide to counter them… Yes, I will, this time…the candle goes off…
Darkness, the sole noun which sends a chill down my spine. I refuse to get up and move an inch. I stay put.
Shadows again… This time they talk… to me… They’ve turned on the music…I decide to counter them… Yes, I will, this time…the candle goes off…
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