Multi coloured image..

A friend asked me to write a review about a movie I watched since its the norm with blogging. Being such a movie fanatic, I do have my fair share of favourites and suggestions. But I generally don't like suggesting with movies because I'm not your average moviegoer. At the same time, I like my masala-aam janta-mass flicks too. Confused? Let me try to explain.

For reasons unknown, my mum had me hooked into indian movies at an early age. I sometimes think she didn't want me to go out as much with friends from school. As you know, having parents that are divorced wasn't easily accepted by some people from my community. Anyway, I literally learnt to speak my mother tongue again from watching Tamil movies after forgetting it for English during inital schooling. Since then I have progressed on to watch Hindi and Telugu movies and learnt them also to comfortable level. It may have been the era that I started watching movies (early 90's) or the fact of my age, but I can safely say that my basic taste for most things in life started there.

Punngai Mannan- Kamal Hassan and Rekha

Muthu- Rajnikanth and Meena

 As I grew older (and started earning) the appeal shifted from Tamil only to Hindi, to Telugu. Nowadays, it seems you find they blend a little since more movies are remade after the original language has phenomenal success or they are advertised as an "adaptation" of the original. Once released a few turn out to be somewhat word for word translations with different/same actors. And then there are others that are just outstanding in retaining the story but making it a whole new experience. In saying that, I think what annoys me more isn't actually the Tamil- Malayalam- Telugu remakes or even the ones from the South to Bollywood industry. Its the whole concept of remaking because a film is massively successful. Honestly, is it necessary?(Ok I understand when you have someone like Kamal Hassan at the helm of things and a true believer in providing good cinema to all, it isn't just about success.) But I'm drifting away from the original statement.

I went shopping with my cousin recently and truly found myself speechless and the number of shops I could simply walk away from, empty-handed. My bank statement would have been proud but that wasn't the reason. It was just that I couldn't see myself wearing anything on the racks. My cousin said I need to become more adventurous with my style but frankly, I dont particularly like some of the mis-match state of affairs people call fashion nowadays. I like colours that suit my complexion and prefer to simple, fun and a little girly. Apparently thats old-fashioned! And it doesn't stop there. The whole concept of arrange marriage which I am quite comfortable with, is absolutely insane to her. Yet even though she is quite aware in my "old-fashioned" taste, I get asked to assist with certain selection and have been established as the make-up artist wherever needed (a fact that gives me the giggles, considering each is quite capable of doing their own make up).

So the dual personality that I created, blends itself further into my life with taste in movies too. Movies like Kaakhi Chattai starring Kamal Hassan, Ambika and Madhavi and Malluvetti Mainnar starring Sathyaraj, Seetha and Shobana are your typical masala flicks that had embarrassing choreography, shiny/printed clothes and simple stories that were the essences of the 80s/90s. But they entertained. Cut to present day, The fashion and locations have changed and the scale is much more grand but the strategy seems the same [ Paiyya/Awara (Karthi,Tamannah) Theeradha Vilayattu Pillai/Khilladi (Vishal, Neetu Chandra), King (Nagarjuna, Trisha), Singam/Yamudu(Suriya, Anushka) to name a few]. The "art film" category although was rare in the beginning, has flourished somewhat but I dont think you can make a Kuruthipunal/Drohi ( Kamal Hassan, Arjun), Nila Kaalam or Avathaaram (Nassar, Revathy) again and ever create the cinematic impact they were intended for. So while the list of movies has such a broad spectrum in genre, my adaptability helps me see the entertainment in all. A fact which helps understand the concept of the imagination and the reality it is based on.