Monday, December 7, 2009

Why don't you ever learn ?

What hurts more than pain ? That sinking feeling in your heart, when you know you are going down, without slightest trace of a fight. The feeling that you are about to lose everything dear to you and yet, you just stand still, with that look of utter helplessness..

You never like to be brought down to your knees but when words knock you over like a sledgehammer, its like your mind almost willed yourself to crumble down and seek solace in pits of despair. You are ashamed to face yourself and even look in the mirror, lest you see the face of a loser.

Life loses it's meaning, nature loses it's splendour..seasons come and go, the sights and sounds change. Your mind, numb by the pain, just refuses to come out of the trance.

No, that's just not me..I got balls and would have poured myself a Jameson and would have moved on with my life...

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Another mercenary bites the dust

At the outset, let me make this clear. I am not a Tamilian/LTTE sympathiser nor am I someone who feels that violence is the right way to find a solution. Just an ordinary techie, who prefers his scotch with a couple of ice cubes.

Finally, after 30 years of what has been Asia's biggest war, the Sri Lankan army managed to wipe out one of the most organised terrorist groups in the world.The Media has celebrated the defeat of the LTTE with all the exuberance of a 5 year old kid, flashing his latest toy in front of other toddlers. The crude pics of the bodies of the rebel leaders, were flashed across all major news channels and for a while, the biggest event in the Indian democracy was overshadowed.

Independence should be celebrated but showing disrespect to the dead leaves a bitter taste in you. We have moved on from the transylvanian era where impaling the heads of prisoners on stakes, was a part of the post victory celebrations. Post modern era and it seems that we do retain the same cold blooded streak within us. By publicly humiliating the dead and with media hellbent on satisfying the appetite of the common viewer, aren't we sowing the seeds for another Prabhakaran to rise again ?

Petty politics has played a major role throughout the years leading to the formation of this dreaded organisation. The roots of the differences between the tamils and the sinhalese could be traced back to the Donoughmore commissions divide and rule policy for elections into the Legislative council, back in 1930's. Strikes a bell, doesn't it..Lord Curzon's partition of Bengal, anyone ??

The roots had already been sown, in the British era. Post independence of the island nation and the Sinhalese leaders, inorder to satisfy their vote banks, brought about a number of policies that discriminated against the minority tamils. Years of injustice meted out to the tamils, humiliation, poverty and lack of education served as a perfect catalyst for the rise of an embittered leader amongst them. A ruthless mercenary surrounded by his ever faithful renegades, sought to put an end to years of oppression by taking the fight to the enemy. He brought about a defacto government within Jaffna, complete with a Judicial system, a police force and a highly trained army. After years of discrimination, it is natural that the tamils would have seen a saviour in Prabhakaran who stood up for their causes. Unlike leaders worldwide who changed ideologies like changing one's undergarments, here was a man who requested his fellow soldiers to shoot him dead, if he ever faltered from the cause for which the LTTE stood for - A separate tamil state.

What more could you ask ? Trust me, if I ever was a tamilian in Lanka who had suffered in silence for years, I would have been tempted to join the organisation.However, no amount of political ideology could glorify the misdeeds that LTTE would commit , over the years to come. Recruiting child soldiers, creating the Black tigers wing(suicide bombers) and the assassination of various political leaders.

It would be safe to say that India has been instrumental in the growth of LTTE. Pro LTTE sympathisers are abundant in India for decades. Vocal supporters of LTTE include Tamil leaders like Vaiko, (who was seen in a snap wearing LTTE uniform and target practising with Prabhakaran), Nedumaran, Karunanidhi have all played crucial roles over years in the growth of LTTE. Until just a few weeks ago, the same leaders were highlighting the cause of the tamils, as part of their election campaigns. After Vaiko's defeat, it is evident that the common tamilian has more issues in his daily life than caring for what happens to his brothers in a different country. Now that LTTE has been wiped out, I don't see any of these so called "sympathisers" opening their mouth in support. I just despise such two faced hypocrites, who steer their courses according to the direction of the wind.

Isn't it the greatest irony that the leaders who stood unwavering to their causes, have always been on the wrong side of the law ?

Now what ? I sincerely hope Rajapakse and his successors don't repeat the mistakes of their forefathers and sought to end the discriminatory policies and bring about peace in the island nation. Politics and politicians in India will not change and it is up to us to ...what the hell..You and I are still gonna stick to our "I don't care a crap" attitude, after minutes of reading this. forget it...

However, spare a thought for the homeless, the displaced, the hungry, the poor and the injured, who have fled from their homelands. If you don't make a monetary contribution, at least pray for a minute for their well being. I sincerely hope, that no child has to ever hold a gun in his/her hands..

Taking the liberty to pen a few lines from the lyrics of a beautiful song from a Rehman composition..

vidai kodu engal naade
kadal vaasal thelikkum veede
panai mara kaadae, paravaigal koode
marumurai oru murai paarpoma?

udhattil punnagai pudhaithom
uyirai udambukkuL pudhaithom
verum koodugaL mattum oorvalam pogindrom

vidai kodu...

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

A Lal Fan's movie review !!!

Disclaimer:
1. If malayalam is not your cup of tea, you probably might have a lot of better options to spend time, than reading this article.
2. This was not penned by me(Shucks !! This is miles better than what I could churn out). Seems to be written by some aggrieved Lal fan who probably was software engg, in production support.

Go on...

Kazhinja aaychayile etho oru paathirathriyil urangaan aayi kannadachappol aanu "Sathyam theatre il sathyamayittum SAGAR ALIAS JACKY" ennu roomie Tom paranjathu. Chennai yil release cheyyunna malayalam padangal prolthsahikkanam ennu aagraham ollathinaal, innini ticket book cheythittu mathi urakkam ennu vicharichu book cheythu, pani okke ini monday cheyyam chetta ennu officil paranja, maryadhakku bhakshanam polum kazhikkathe theatreil chennu ninna enikku ithu thanne venam.
Nanni Laletta, Nanni..

Amal Neerad BIG B kku shesham Lalettane muscle pidipichu close shottsilum slow motionilum mathramayi chithrikaricha aadhya malayalam padam - SAGAR ALIAS JACKY.

SN Swami aanu thirakkadha. Athum mattoru albhudham aanu. Kadha illathe thirakkadha ezhuthuka , nissaramaya oru karyam alla. Laalettan thekkum vadakkum pokunnathum, vazhiyil kandumuttunna sundarimarudeyum, sundaranmaaraya villain marudeyum vila koodiya vandikaludeyum kadha aanu SAGAR ALIAS JACKY.

Enikku thonunnathu chithrikaranathinte chilavu kurakkan aayi, Laalettane Keralathil ninnum dubai yilekku nadathi aanu kondupoyathu ennanu(chila aanakale nadathi kondu pokunnathu pole). Oppam nadappu pala anglil oppiyeduthu vetti murichu, puttinu peera idunnathu pole avide ivide angottu vidhari.

Manoharamayi ottere anglukalil ninnu Amal Neerad oru karyam prove cheythu. ethu angle inu nokkiyalum Mohanlal inte kudavayar thanne munnil.Ithonnum poranjittu malayala cinema ithu vare kaanatha oru nrithya roopam avatharipikkanayi kalyaanam kazhinjittu abhinayam nirthi poyi thirichu vanna Jyothirmayee ye thanne thiranju pidichathu oru onnonnara casting aayi poyi(Kalyanam kazhinjittu aa kutty kku enthu patti, valla badhayum keyariyo ??)

Laalettante pazhaye naayika Shobhana madangi ethiyathu, oru kutty yude ammayayittanu. But Laalettan ippozhum bachelor thanne. Padayappa enna chithrathil shirt oori Somalian kuttikale pole nilkkunna Rajnikanth ine nokki Abbas kaachunathu "Wow !! What a man" ennanu. Ithu paranju kore thamizhanmaare kali aakiyathinte paapam aanu ennu thoninnu, "Six packukalude" kaalathu "School Bagum" thookki nilkkunna vayasan Laalettanodu ishtam aanu ennu parayunna bhavanaye kandappol kannuneerayi purathu vannathu. Ithonnum porathathinu, oru pattum. Laalettan munnil, Bhavana pinnil, ennittu Laalettan aakunna malaye chutti Bhavana yude oru premam.

Small letter kandaal pacha vara idunna Microsoft word ine pole paavam villain eppol Laalettane kandaalum IVANE NJAAN POKACHU KALAYUM ennu paranju thokkum pidichondu vannu, athu erinju kalanju idi medichu koottum. Ee thokkum thookikondu vannu, pinne athu erinju kalanju idi medichu koottunathinte logic enthanu ??? Socialism aano ??

Njangalodu kshemikkane SN Swami, Amal Neerad, Laaletta, Anthony Perumbavoor saarummare..Ingane aayal malayala cinemayude vyaaja CD illaandavan adhikam samayam edukilla. Malayala cinema kaanan aalondavathe aakumpol, CD medikkan aaru varum ? Pakshe enthokke paranjalum, ee titlum, chela scenukalum okke manoharam aayirinnu.. Pakshe, ee slow motion inokke oru paruthi ille ??

Chithrathe kurichu otta vachakathil - STYLISH AND BORING chithram.

Ithonnum kondu njaan padikkan pokunnilla. CASANOVAyum, HARIHAR NAGAR um okke kaanan aadhyam thanne kaanum. Athenkilum nannavumayirikkum.

Theatril kettathu - Laalettan fans inte sangha gaanam - MAMMOOTTY CAN'T DANCE, SAALA !!!

Monday, March 30, 2009

The tale of Jekyll and Hyde

Those frequent get-togethers I have with my "koothara" friends, ensure that there is no dearth of those crazy stories, from sojourn at Chennai. Taking time out to pen a few..

2004 - Chennai was the place where I met all these guys, during the course of our ELT training for Cognizant. This one was about two "loving" roomies - Basheer and Akku(names changed). Fate, along with circumstances, ensured that these extreme characters, had to share a common roof, during the course of the training at cognizant. Basheer was a staunch Muslim, who tried to incorporate almost each and every line of the holy Quran, into his life. As per the narrator, he had a long beard, prayed 5 times a day and kept away from all mundane pleasures in life.That included the basic necessities of bachelor life - Films, Liquor and girls(Ogling, mind it !!!!).

That he got such a dynamically opposite roomie in Akku, was the biggest irony. Akku had the reputation of having drunk from at least one bar, in each of the 14 districts in Kerala. A chain smoker, he was a compulsive flirt who changed girlfriends every season. The difference in character, was evident in their respective rooms, as well. Basheerkka's room was the epitome of cleanliness, with each and every corner tidy and not an object out of it's place. If there was speck of dirt, one assumed that it would have blown over from Akku's room. Akku's room looked similar to those pics of devastation that one saw on the net, after Louisiana was hit by Katrina. Amidst the chaos, one could see a path that lead from the bed to the bathroom, that was flanked on both sides by undergarments. Akku shared the room, along with a host of other creatures like bed bugs, roaches, lizards, spiders and what not. A perfect example of "cultural Integration" of the third kind.

Amongst Akku's fave activities, was pulling Basheerkka's long beard(pretending to unearth an imaginary spider from those locks) and taunting his religious belief's. Akku was lucky that Quran contained a line that encouraged it's followers to love all fellow beings, including their enemies. I am assuming so, accounting to the fact that Akku is still alive. Basheerkka put up with every action of Akku, with a tired smile, the signs of a man with infinite patience.

Now to the story. Chennai 2005 was famous for it's huge downpour during monsoon and the resulting flood like situation. For 2-3 days, most of the shops were closed and people were confined to their homes. IT folks were the worst hit, as most of them were put up in low lying areas near the IT corridor, which were worst hit. One had to wade thru almost 4 feet of drain to reach the bus stop.

On that particular Friday, offices were all closed, due to the flood like situation. Most of the shops were closed, and it was almost impossible to get food from outside. Akku was amongst the lucky few, who managed to get a few slices of bread, from a friend of his. The good Samaritan in him, usually makes very infrequent appearances. And(as luck would have it), it chose to make an entry, as he was wading thru those waters, to reach home. He envisioned a tired and starved Basheerkka, who surely would not have had a morsel of food since last night.

Thus, at 12.30 in the afternoon, Akku started his journey, trudging thru waist deep water filled with garbage, in search of some food for his dear roomie. The thought that this deed would act as some sort of penance for all the trouble he had caused to his roomie, would have egged him on. The quest that started from PTC quarters, ended eventually, at the Adayar bus stand, a rough distance of around 5 kms.Akku managed to locate a roadside biriyani eatery, whose owner was just about to close the shop, as he had managed to sell off his stock to the needy. After much pleading & cajoling, Akku managed to get a packet of biriyani from the owner, for double the price. Seems that the owner had reserved the food for a special customer of his. Akku again started his journey back and this time, got a lift back home from Thiruvanmiyur.

At around 4 in the evening, a weary Akku burst into Basheerkka's house, sporting the sort of victorious smile that Odysseus would have flashed, after the victory over Troy. Clutching the food packet in his hand, he limped over to Basheerkka's bed, sat down beside him and with moist eyes, opened the packet. His eyes then frantically searched for any emotions on Basheerkka's face, hoping to find some form of acknowledgement/gratitude.
Basheerkka stroked his beard in deep thought, peered at Akku from behind his glasses and shot the question - " Any idea if they used Halal meat in the biriyani" ???

They say that Akku threw both - the Biriyani and Basheerkka , out of the house.