Reflections

Standing in attention for the National anthem after several years made me feel like a kid .. Same setting, same "Old" secretary speech and the usual programmes.. I almost found myself on the way to the queue for laddus, till I saw my little girl rushing towards me in her guides dress .. The teacher at the exit however still insisted that I take a sweet.  The laddu is now a Perk:-)Alas things have changed!

Watched Prabhu Solomon's Kumki today. It is a different and interesting setting that the director has taken for the movie. After the Devar days, I think it is ages since a movie was made around an elephant and atleast I have not seen one with a mahout as the hero. The movie definitely has a positives: The hero and heroine are without doubt capable actors and hold promise for the future. The locations shot are really out of the world and there are moments where you pinch yourselves to check if you are not dreaming. It is definitely a wonder how some of these shots were taken, especially the ones near the two water falls. The director does deserve credit for effectively bringing out the innocence and simplicity in the life of the tribals. Thambi Ramiah, the national award winner for Mynaa, does a good job but somehow you are left with the feeling that he is given a few more scenes than required . It could be the success in the previous encounter that led to this but one does fee...

I picked up this book just out of curiosity during the last visit to the library. I did have some doubts about the relevance as the story seemed to be set in the 1950s. However after reading the book, I feel Devan's style of writing is still very relevant. The way he describes each character and paints the Madras of the 1950s and the day to day problems faced by a middle class family man, links small happenings and builds a story is remarkable. I really liked the subtle humour in Devan's portrayal. One can easily identify with the main character Sudharsanam's want to move up in life but the inability to do so with a paltry pay, the frustrations of being exploited by a supervisor who extracts every bit of work from him but doesn't give any visibility to the management. What all this makes him do and how he ends up from a clerk to a respectable position is presented very nicely and with subtle humour by Devan.  After reading this book, I feel that Devan is one of the gre...