Jade is Man's Best Friend...Literally!

There's something about Jade that always irks the hell out of me. For starters, she's nothing like a normal dog should be...she barks when she shouldn't, or rather she doesn't bark when she should; she doesn't like to stay outdoors; she hates rain; she can't take instructions; she rather play with bugs than with her owners and most importantly, she can't guard the house.

In fact, just last month, our house was broken into by thieves while all of us were at work and what did our great little guard dog did? She had an amazing time running and playing around the thieves! How did we knew that? Well, for one, my next door neighbours swears that they never heard any barking sound from Jade, which is also the reason why they never knew our house was broken into til we informed them. Secondly, we found her fur in all our mattresses, a testimony that she was indeed playing around because the mattresses are the first place she jumps about whenever she sneaks into the house. Thirdly, her toys were inside the living room and makes us assume that probably the thieves were using them to bait her to play quietly inside the house. Poor guys didn't know that they needn't have to go through all the trouble at all. Jade is always a willing party whenever it comes to playing.

Anyway the point is, she doesn't seem to have the basic instinct that a normal dog should have...that is to bark when intruders are entering your owner's house. Instead, here she was, having a gala time running around the house while the thieves looted the whole house before her eyes. Which is why she could be termed as a man's best friend. One look at the man who looted our home and she was probably drooling at his feet!

Now I would rather trust the electronic alarm system than a self-confessed guard dog like Jade. Which is why we've since installed the alarm system to guard our home. Ok, so the self confessed guard dog is a bit of an exaggeration. Jade of course doesn't say it in words but she does it in action. How? Well, she would keep barking at all the cretaures that passed through our house, be it a human, a cat, a dog, or even a bird. She would keep barking until they disappear from her sight. Most dogs do that, of course, but Jade has a different mentality. She would only bark whenever we are at home. It's basically her way of telling us, "Look, I am guarding the house, so don't complain, ok". And she does all these in her own menacing way. She doesn't simply waste her breath barking if she knows that we are not looking. But the moment she notices one of us looking through the window, she would start her duty of barking at the passer bys, all the time looking back to see if we are still watching.

My sister says that she's a wonderful dog, but she's not. The fact is, you don't know what you're facing til' you actually live with Jade. And Jade is a hell to live with. We have to make sure she eats on time or else she would go on whinning. She's also picky with her food, so we have to get her favorites, and her favorites doesn't come cheap. She can't stand the rain, so whenever there's a heavy downpour, she would insist that she's let into the house, so that not even a raindrop falls upon her. And this she does religiously, whether it's 3 in the afternoon or 3 in the wee hours of the morning. She scared of crowd, so whenever she sees a group of people coming to the house, she would go on barking while taking steps backward. In fact, more than once, my guests have complained that they have no idea where Jade is though they can hear her barking. And that's how Jade is, she would find a secluded place around the house where she's pretty sure no one can see her, let alone catch her and starts her barking from there. And we end up smiling sheepishly at our guests while saying, "She's just shy, you know". Maybe the next time I see them, I should add the following as well..."But she'll come to you if you're nice to her, say, why don't you play with her while looting our house? She would definitely love that, wouldn't you Jade?"

Farewell Appa!

29th March, 1998- The memory of the day still stays fresh in my mind. That was the day you left us to continue your journey into God's loving hands. I remember your cry of pain, the way you clutched your heart, the manner in which your body was slumped on the couch. I know you fought your way through the pain, Appa. I know you wanted to live and I know you didn't want to leave us alone.

But God is great. He knew you have done your job here. It took me years to understand this, but I do know now. You have done your job here Appa, but I just wished you stayed on to see the results of your good deeds.

You didn't merely bring life to us...you shined your ways through all our hearts, you blessed us with your ever charming smile and you loved us for the way we are. You are the epitome of life, Appa and it saddens me that I never got to convey that to you.

For the first few years after your untimely demise, I often find myself sitting and thinking about you. I walk into an empty house and I could almost hear you calling out to me. I cry myself to sleep, hoping that I'll see you the next day. I think about you in times of trouble, wishing that you can just bundle me up and solve my problems. I think about you in times of joy, wishing that you can just share the happiness I felt. I think about practically everyday, for you are a person worth thinking about.

As time passed, my life got busier and busier. So much so that I stopped hearing your voice in the empty house. I even stopped crying myself to sleep but for the life of me, I could never stop thinking about you. All because, you have never stopped being the charming person that was so uniquely you.

Every family function that I attend, there were always relatives who reminisce their time spent with you. And that's when I realized that you not only shined our lives, but hundreds, maybe thousands of lives out there. That was your gift and you never failed to share it with others. That's what makes you uniquely you.

I realized today I wasted years being sad and sorrowful without you. The way you gave joy to others, I'm very sure you wouldn't want to be the cause of my sorrows today. And so I've decided! I've decided that I'm going to be happy whenever I think about you. I've decided that I'm going to listen to every single word said by others on you and feel proud that after 13 years, you still gain a permanent place in all our hearts. I've decided that I'm going to celebrate life like you did, Appa and try to find a place in the hearts of others, just like you did.

Farewell Appa. I'm still missing you but be rest assured, there's no sorrow in my heart now. I still wish you're standing by my side today, then again, I know you'll stay in my heart forever. Farewell Appa, I love you!

Muthu muthu mazhai

Remember Mr. Romeo? The film was released 14 years back but I got to admit that I wouldn’t have heard the songs more than 14 times til’ date. Yes, I’m finally confessing. I have nothing against the album, but the first time I saw the songs on screen, my only thought was…never to watch them again! To say that I was flabbergasted is an understatement, really! It was painstaking enough to watch Prabhu Deva and Madhoo doing the clown act in Thannerai Kadhalikkum, and what about Melisaiye? Well I can’t remember much about the song except that Shilpa Shetty has introduced some reeeaal weird ways of draping a saree! In short, the experience has left me rather devastated and I never really paid attention to the songs…until yesterday.

It was late evening and I was driving back home with the company of ARR’s music, as always. One of the songs played was from Mr. Romeo. I usually skipped all the songs from the film but I was just too lazy to do that yesterday and so the songs began playing for the first time in my car stereo player…and until today, I have been hearing to the same song non-stop!

The song was none other than Muthu muthu mazhai. Gosh, I never knew I’ll fall flat for this number. Folk numbers are not really my favorite. Kuchi Kuchi Rakkama is, needless to say, my least favorite number from Bombay. The same goes to Usilampati from Gentleman or Kulicha kutralam from Duet. But Muthu muthu is truly an eye-opener! Never knew a folk number can be composed this way. Hats off to ARR sir!

The song started off with some string instrument. (Please don’t ask me what is it. By now, you guys should have known my lack of knowledge when it comes to musical instruments.) And then, comes one of the most magnificent voice I’ve ever heard. Ila Arun- what a voice! She’s absolutely amazing! There is something so mystical and unique about her. She has practically done all that’s needed for the song- she was naughty, sexy, cheeky, giving the right amount of punch and was full of energy…and all this at the same time! I can hardly believe someone can shoulder the whole burden of the song so effortlessly but Ila’s performance was waaay beyond my expectations. Yeah, her diction is not perfect but she covers it up really well. Even the inaudible mumbling sounds good to my ears.

The chorus is another plus point for this song! Together with the right beats from the dholak (I hope I’m right about it being a dholak!) they practically elevated the energy level of the song.

In short, this is the kind of song you want to see performed in a show! Wonder why no one thought of dancing to this number in reality shows? That would have been a blast! No, wait a minute, I remember watching Prabhu Deva and Shilpa Shetty dancing for this number. It was so untastefully done that my mom forbade me from watching such “adulterated” songs again (I was under-age then, you see). But my point is, if people like Prabhu Deva and Shilpa Shetty can’t do justice to the song, then no one can. Okay, forget that I ever suggested anyone performing to this number.

Point to ponder: Have any of you ever listened to a song and imagined thousands of way in which the song would be choreographed…only to be disappointed with the end result once it’s screened??

Yeah, Rehna Tu would take the cake surely, but anything else?

The Journey Continues

It's been a long time since I last wrote here. I'm back and what better ways are there to restart than writing about my favorite idol- A. R. Rahman?

To talk about Rahman's music is akin to talking about life as a whole. Nevertheless, I'm focusing my writing  specifically on the importance of ARR's music in two different genre of films, i.e. commercial movies and art films.

Well, you may question the need to bring this topic but believe me, there's a reason for this sudden train of thoughts. A couple of days back, I was reading the posts on my favourite group and one of the question posed by a member was how important is a music album's success to ARR? And that got me thinking. Is commercial success important to ARR?

I remember reading an interview of ARR who was asked to reminisce on his days working with Shankar in Gentleman. ARR's comment was, "Shankar wanted a commercial masala numbers and that's how Gentleman was born." Well it was a good thing, considering Gentleman was one of my favorite albums, right after, Roja, Dilse, Bombay, Kadhalan, May Madham...well, let's just say that Gentleman is one my favorite albums ;)

Gentleman also saw the start of commercial album production from ARR. Prior to Gentleman, ARR's biggest hit was of course his debut album, Roja. Roja also had the commercial values, there was the lilting opening song in the form of Chinna Chinna Aasai, the cheesy, folky Rukumani, the romantic Puthu Vezhai Mazhai, the pathos Kadhal Rojave and of course the patriotic Tamizha Tamizha. But for some reason, I never consider songs in Maniratnam's films to be commercial. Probably because I don't find Maniratnam's films to be commercialized as well. Mani's films are beyond the commercial tag I feel. I can't really put a tag on them but they are definitely a class apart! The songs too have a sense of belonging in them. It's almost like you can't take any piece of Mani's songs and place it in another film. They just don't seem to fit together as well as they do in Mani's films.

On the other hand, commercial songs like the ones in Gentleman, Kadhalan, etc are interchangeble to say the least. Commercial songs adds value to a movie. It's the kind of songs that you never know why they came in the first place...some of them might not even have connections with the storyline but they're entertaining enough, so you just don't mind them. Eg: Chikku Bukku or Mukabala. In the former, Prabhu Deva and Gauthami were not even a part of the film characters. But the song and PD's choreography were sooo good that you don't even bother about the connections issue here. And do I have to tell about Mukkala? Western cowboy settings, PD with his hair dyed brown, Nagma with her unusual outfits, white guys who have no clue what to do in the number- heck why do we even pose these questions? The song was a runaway hit and it's a personal favorite of mine, so yeah, no issues there again!

                                    Click here to watch Mukkala Mukkabala

So how important are commercial success to ARR? If Roja and the likes made ARR a great composer, Gentleman, Kadhalan etc made ARR a household name. Commercial success was important to ARR because they prove that he can make the kind of songs that are not only brilliant but entertaining and hummable too. That brings out a balanced side in ARR. Yes, he needed the commercial success to get the recognition...to place a name in the public's mind. Good composition will bring him praises and awards but success brings him the fame and recognition. And yes, boy the success brought him fame! So much so that you're not recognised as a Tamilian if you've never heard of Chikku Bukku, Oorvasi or Mukkala Mukkabala back in the 90's. Such was ARR's fame. Every household had numbers of ARR's playing. I still remember the school shows that doesn't seem to go on without at least two numbers from ARR's music. Festivals were no fun without a Thandhiya Aatam or Antha Arabic Kadaloram and weddings are incomplete if there's no Ottagatha Kattiko or Nenachapadi Nenachapadi.

But today, 18 years since he has captured India and the whole world alike, is commercial success still important to him?

My opinion, yes, they are important, but not to the extent where ARR has to compromise on his creativity output or the quality of his music. Having a hit music album is important in any artists’ career but the level of importance varies from one another. There are composers who need hits to keep proving their worth as composers and there are composers who need hits to satisfy the public’s thirst for good music. ARR falls under the second category. His albums’ becoming hits are not essential in the sense of proving his worth as a composer. In any event, he has proven his worth with one and all. 

The hits are testimonials that his constant creativity in music is still loved and appreciated by the public… and that he is still in the right direction of giving lovable music without compromising on the quality of the same. Yes, fans all over the world are happy about the success of VTV but more than the success of VTV, I’m happy that an album like Raavanan has seen the light of day, even if it’s not a success as alleged by many!

So I'm signing off today with a song from Raavanan- Kalvare Kalvare. May God bless Shreya Ghosal's parents for giving birth to such a wonderful singer! She's just amazing! And yeah, I could have given you the link to the audio rather than the video, but Prithviraj is so cute, don't you think. Wouldn't want you guys to be deprived of the pleasure of watching his romantic side :))

Click here for Kalvare Kalvare

A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

Did I tell you that I'm been inclined to Indian writers off late? Well, I am and Vikram Seth is one of them. It was by mere coincidence that I came across his "A Suitable Boy". I was at my favorite hang-out book store,  "Skoob" one evening. Actually Skoob ("books" spelt backwards) is more of a book sanctuary than a book store. The place is so cozy, and with the tables and chairs arranged in a homely manner, you could just spend hours sitting there reading your books. Don't worry, you'll never be asked to move out. (More on Skoobs here :- http://thebookaholic.blogspot.com/2006/02/skoob-is-books-drawkcab.html )

Anyway, it was at Skoob that I first encountered "A Suitable Boy". At 1349 pages, this might have been one one the thickest novel that I've encountered. But my fondness for thick novels go way back to my teenage years- the thicker the novel is, the more I love it. Nevertheless, I was a little skeptical about purchasing it for one reason. Uncle Thor- the proprietor of Skoob had actually cautioned me about reading it. His exact words were "Good luck in reading them, my dear. I could hardly try to read this novel after a few chapters". Well, not sure if it was luck, but because of his convictions that I won't be enjoying the novel, he actually sold it for a small price.

I bought it of course but as usual, it was lying on my shelf for weeks before I actually read it. The book was anything but boring. It has an amazingly grand cast and it was even more amazing that each of the casts would be embedded in your mind at the end of the novel.

The novel was set in 1950's- a period leading to India first post-independence national election. The novel centers around Lata Mehra, a young bright woman whose mother is hell bent on finding her a suitable boy. And what Mrs. Rupa Mehra meant by suitable boy is someone who's from their own caste and religion, well-learned and working. In the quest of finding the suitable boy, Lata  finds that her relationship with her mother and those around her to be on turmoil. And all of her sudden, she realizes that not only has the got to make vital decisions about the issues surrounding her life but she also has to decide between her three suitors, namely Kabir Durrani (her first love who is not approved by her mother due to the differences in their religion), Amit Chatterji (the law graduate who's decided that he'll be a better writer than a lawyer) and Haresh Khanna (the shoe businessman who is innocently sweet and truthful about his lifestyle). 

Though the main theme is set around Lata, nevertheless, Seth has tastefully balanced the novel to portray the other characters and their lifestyles as well as the situation surrounding the political turmoil at the period. The racial riots, political debates, student protests, friends' betrayal, and the impending national elections together with the controversies surrounding it were detailed out and described amazingly well.

The supporting characters are not only likeable but managed to create an impact with their diverse characteristics. My favorite of the lots are the unpredictable Chatterji children, namely Amit, Meenakshi (who also happened to be Lata's sister-in-law), Dipankar, Kakoli and Tapan. I especially enjoyed their breakfast debates and the exchange of poetic quotes to one another.

Certain novels have their moments here and there. They tend to make you engrossed at one point while disappoint you in another. But Seth's "A Suitable Boy" is definitely one of a kind. What I thought as a mere bed-time novel turned out to be a true page-turner! But yes, if there's any grouses I have with regards to the novel, the it got to be the illicit relationship of Meenakshi and Billy Irani. I felt that the relationship was sordidly established and while all other characters seem to have a closure to them- (even Maan's affair with Saedda Bai was brought to an end) Meenakshi's affair on the other hand, was left to continue without any repercussions, leaving a boundless doubt to her character and relationship with the rest of the family. 

Nevertheless, despite the flaw in the portion mentioned above, I truly found the rest of the novel to be wonderfully crafted and delightfully presented. This would definitely be listed as one of my favorites. Try it!

Evolving with Rahman's music.

Of late, I keep hearing how Rahman (ARR) seems to have lost his touch and how he's unable to create the melodies he composed in the 90's. And that got me thinking- has he really lost his touch? Or is it just us who are unwilling to move away from the comfort zone of music that ARR has created in the 90’s?

In order to answer this question, I decided to reminisce the time I was first introduced to ARR’s world of music…Roja.

When Roja happened, I was barely 9 years old-an age where I knew nothing about music. Why, if someone were to ask me the difference between Bhairavi and Kalyani, my answer would have been very simple. Bhairavi is the bully who used to steal my lunch boxes in school and Kalyani is the elderly aunty who lived next door and has the habit of chattering with her mouth full of betel leaves; so much so that we used to call her “vettalai maami” (loosely translated as “betel aunty”). Well, the fact remains that I can’t differentiate Bhairavi or Kalyani raga even now…but that’s a different story altogether ;)...It was also the age where I failed to feel a connection with film songs, so much so that I grew up believing songs are there for the sole purpose to prove that actors can dance and sing (yes, I was gullible enough to believe that actors sing themselves in films then).

But it was only through Roja that I finally understood the impact that film music has on its listeners. The first time I saw the opening chasing scene in Roja, I could hardly understand what was going on. Everything was so blue in color and I had no clue who was chasing whom. And yet, my heart was thumping so fast...as fast as the music in the background. It was through the music that I knew how intense the whole sequence was. It was also the first time I noticed the impact that a bgm has on a scene. The subsequent scene that followed was the opening number, Chinna Chinna Aasai. And though ARR went on to compose many wonderful songs after this, Chinna Chinna Aasai remained as my favorite til date. Remember the prelude that accompanied the rising of the sun in the song? The tune was so authentic that I often believed that a sunrise would sound just like that. Even today, whenever I get the oppurtunity to watch a sunrise, the prelude would automatically play in my mind. That was just a small example of the impact that ARR's music had on me.

Over the years, I grew up to listen and fall in love with many songs, some of them I loved even without knowing that ARR composed the same. One such song was Pattampoochi Parakum from Puthiya Manargal. I first heard this song when my family and I were going on a long drive and the song was being played on the car stereo. I didn't know who was the Music Director then, but I just fell in love with the song the very moment I heard it. There was something very grand and catchy in the tune, especially the chorus, that you just wanna sing along with it. I remember asking my dad to play the song over and over again. We didn't have cd players back then so my mom who sat on the passenger seat in front, would religiously rewind the cassette to play the song. No one complained though. It seemed that everyone was in love with the song. Another song that I fell in love on the first instance was Kannalane from Bombay. We were supposed to perform a dance for a school concert and one of my friends suggested we dance for this song- she called it the "Bombay song", so naturally I thought it was a hindi or a bhangra number that we were supposed to perform to. Imagine my surprise when she played Kannalane on the cassette player. The opening chorus itself was so beautiful and magical that I just sat in front of the radio listening to the whole song. We never got to perform the dance though. The school concert had to be cancelled at the last moment for some reasons, but the song remained closed to my heart.

Thanga Thamarai from Minsara Kanavu is yet another favorite of mine....and no, me liking the song has nothing to do with the fact that Kajol was dancing in the waterfall or Arvindswamy pulling off a Zorro act. It was the final percussion beats at the postlude that did the trick. My cousin and I used to blast the song towards the end just to hear the beats. It gave us an awesome feeling!

Over the years, we see that ARR's music has gone through a steady and wonderful evolvement. Though all of us are genuinely happy to see his growth and achievement, there's always a part of us that want ARR to remain where he was earlier, the ARR we fell in love with in the 90's. We want him to invoke the same magic he gave us back then, but it's just not possible.

I remember reading a friend's mail sometime back where he said that ARR's music seem unique earlier but the uniqueness has withered over the years as we have been hearing to the style all these years. I agree with him. When Roja, Bombay of Minsara Kanavu came, the songs seem so unique to me because I've never heard them before. The magic he invoked through the tiny sounds, the multi-layered music, the grand chorus was so uniquely Rahman. That uniqueness was what drew me to his music and I began to hear all his songs knowing very well there's a surprise for me somewhere. Today, I can guess ARR's number the instant I hear them. The ARR's stamp has been embeded in my mind and heart that I can guess ARR's songs through the sounds.

Music has gone through drastic changes over the years. Kids who love Aye Bachchu might not find Rangela Re tasteful. Why, even my nephew who loves Beera Beera and now Jai Ho, fails to understand why I keep Chaiya Chaiya and Chikku Bukku Rayilu in a much higher regards than the other two. That's when I realized that ARR is still unique til' today...there is still the same magic in his music today, though I evasively dismiss the same in my effort to keep close to the "Vintage Rahman". My nephew saw the beauty in Jai Ho, why couldn't I? It's been a lesson well learned but I finally saw the beauty of Jai Ho and all his newer compositions. I understood that there are certain genres of music that I love, which becomes even more beautiful when ARR composes them. And I also realized that there are certain genres that I dislike though I don't mind listening to them when ARR composes the same. To sum it up- ARR makes beautiful music to sound amazingly beautiful and bad music to sound bearable. But most of all, I realized that songs that I regard as adequate are actually a gem of their own.

Maybe you guys would like to try it too. Just close your eyes and listen to the songs he composed today without thinking about his 90's numbers. You'll find the magic again. I know I did.

Raavanan- A journey so mystifying yet enriching

Maniratnam is hailed as India’s best director for a reason- he delivers his films like no others could. His films are way ahead of its time, and generally motivate people to think out of the box. It’s no surprise that many directors are stimulated to follow his footsteps and not surprising even that none could ever attain the peak he‘s at. His films often spawn a great deal of criticism when they are released; many a times, his films have failed to reach the box-office status due to the severe and harsh criticisms they are faced with, nevertheless, the public are always looking forward for his next release with the same high level of enthusiasm they have for all his films.

So where does Raavanan stand as a film? This is definitely another thought-provoking, absorbing and heartening presentation from the genius. And yes…yet again the critics have not favored him but who cares about the critics anyway? Certainly not Maniratnam. To reiterate my previous statement- Maniratnam delivers his films like no other could and Raavanan is definitely another feather on his cap.

With a title like Raavanan, many would have tried to draw inference from Ramayana, yet Raavanan is a film that manages to stand apart and ahead of any inspirations the epic might have had. There’s no denying that the characters are absorbed from Ramayana but while other would have incorporated the characters as they are, Maniratnam had extracted only the essence of the central roles and created a whole new perspective to them.

Veera (Vikram) is depicted as a dreaded villain and a terrorist in the eyes of law. His introduction scenes show us how he ruthlessly burns alive some police officers, while another loses his limb due to an accident incited by Veera’s tribe- a tribe which includes his brothers, Singarasan(Prabhu) and Sakkarai (Munna) . Veera himself is seen playing the drums vigorously while the police officers were left suffering at the other end. In another scene, he bulldozes his way to Ragini’s (Aishwarya) boat and captures her in the blink of an eye. Sounds similar to Raavanan, anyone?

And yet, it was not these characteristics that found a chord with the demonic Raavanan. Why do I say so? While the epic Raavanan is portrayed as a ruthless demon, Veera is anything but that. There lies a reason for his callous actions, and when the reasons are finally revealed, we get to see the justifications in them. No, Raavanan’s character is not shown through Veera’s cruel dealings. It was through Veera’s depth of love for the captured victim that we finally get to see the Raavanan in him.

Raavanan might have been cruel to the whole world, but the epic states that he has never forced himself upon Sita.  Valmiki’s Ramayana affirmed that Raavanan never so much as touched Sita while she was being held as his hostage. He visited her regularly and asked her consent to marry him. Every time Sita declined, but there is not a single instance when Raavana misbehaved with Sita. It was this characteristics that Veera seems to possess. Through the entire ordeal of Ragini’s capture, there was not even a single moment that Veera has laid his hands on her. Like Raavanan, Veera too falls in love with her beauty. Like Raavanan, he too longingly waits for her consent. And like Raavanan, he too meets his death due to her.

Granted, there were many scenes depicting the closeness of Raavanan’s actions with Veera’s. Veera was regarded as the head of his tribe, and the scenes where the villagers were questioned affirms that Veera too was benevolent, generous and effective ruler as Raavana was. What’s more, Veera’s subsequent vindictiveness too was an obvious retribution for the brutality faced by his sister, Vennila (Priyamani) in the hands of the police-which shows us a connection on the Surpanakha’s incident in Ramayana. Nevertheless, it’s my humble opinion that Maniratnam has projected the resemblance shown here as a way to clarify Veera’s character rather than recreating Raavanan on the screen. Because Maniratnam’s Raavanan is not a modern day take on Ramayana- it is more of a conflict of characters and how there is more to an individual than just meets the eye.

This brings us to the other pivotal role in the film-Dev (Prithviraj). As a character, Dev must have been one of the most complex and multifaceted (not literally) role ever created by Mani. There was the initial confusion on Rama’s resemblance in Dev’s characterization. Veera had many instances to prove that he derived from Raavanan but except for Ragini’s capture, Dev had no palpable scenes to show that he had Rama in him, right? The answer would be yes and no. Yes, there were no blatant views of Rama’s depiction here, but no, that does not mean, Rama was amiss in Dev. In fact, Dev is not only the most profound Rama we might be able to see on screen, it is also a character which triumphed in the mission where Rama Himself fell short.

Yes, a person who has little or no knowledge of Ramayana might have missed the assimilation of Rama’s depiction here.

Let me go on to Rama’s role in Ramayana- we all know that Rama was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Epic has it that Brahma, Bhumidevi and the Decas worshipped Vishny, the Preserver, for deliverance from Ravanan’s tyrannical rule. Vishnu promised to kill Ravanan by incarnating as a man – the eldest son of Kosala's king Dasaratha.

And just as Rama was born for a mission, Dev too has a mission, and that is to destroy Veera, which was clearly stated in his introductory scene. Dev describes Veera as a person who commands the tribe’s love and respect, he believes that the tribe regards him as God, nevertheless, as far as the law is concerned, Veera is a terrorist who needs to be destroyed….and Dev is hell bent on destroying Veera himself. There were many a point where Dev is portrayed as a spiteful…almost sadistic person, then again was he really? The scene where he grasps the slaughtered arm of Veera’s brother-in-law was not to show the vicious side of him. It was to show his anger and frustration on Veera’s mockery of Dev’s mission. The fact that the brother-in-law was left hanging with Ragini’s clothes only proves one thing- Veera had full knowledge of Dev’s calculated moves and this was a sign to show that Dev will never outrun him.

The scene where Dev shoots Sakkarai could be seen as yet another cruel side of Dev and again, it wasn’t. Dev knew that Sakkarai was Veera’s right hand and the fact that Sakkarai has come forward seeking a compromise proves that Dev is just steps away from victory. Sakkarai’s murder was not an arrogant move by Dev. Instead, it was a message to project that Veera’s end is soon to arrive.

A person in Dev’s shoes would have been torn between the love for his kidnapped wife and the mission in hand. But Dev is someone who’s clear about his notions. He is a fanatical about his duty and he clearly doesn’t succumb to the love in heart. He only wanted to destroy Veera and if Ragini’s kidnap provides a reason to fulfill his assignment, so be it. Then again, this doesn’t mean Dev is heartless to Ragini’s plight. He loves her with all his heart and there were many testimonial to them-when they found the boat-driver, Gnanaprakasam (Karthik) is keen to find out about Veera’s whereabout, nevertheless, Dev’s line of questioning was only on his wife-was she hurt, did she cry, etc. The agitation was clearly shown on his face. Then again, the scene where he sees the rope used to tie Ragini, and the bamboo shoot from which she drink her water, there were longing and sadness in his face. And the scene where he finally sees Ragini-the happiness was evident in his expressions but in a split second, he turns angry and start looking for Veera. The minute detailing in the change was beautiful and once again proves that as an encounter specialist, Veera’s death was more vital for Dev. Yes, he badly wanted Ragini to be safe, but even more than that, he wanted Veera to be destroyed.

So, why did I say that Dev triumph where Rama Himself failed? It was definitely evident in the Agni Pariksha sequence. Rama, though born as the most noble and loving person, has subjected His wife to the agni pariksha test- whether He did it in order for His subjects to accept Sita as a fitful queen or whether He did it because He Himself has doubted Sita’s purity, is definitely debatable. Nevertheless, the intention of his actions was clear-to get a clarification of Sita’s honor.

But Dev never doubted Ragini’s purity. The polygraph test he asked her to take was not to question her sincerity but to instigate her to lead the army to Veera’s hideout.  Ragini didn’t know Dev’s intention but Veera did. But why does Dev have to take such a risk? Ragini could clearly have been harmed in the process. My guess was-Dev clearly understood that Ragini would not be harmed. Veera’s confession that Ragini is a “pure gold” only proves that Veera would not think of harming her. It also proved another point-that Veera was in love with Ragini and it was only due to Ragini that Dev have been saved by Veera. And selfish it may sound, but Ragini had to be made a scapegoat in order for Dev to capture Veera. Dev didn’t care of the consequences-he only knew that Veera must be destroyed and he did destroy him at the end-a calm smile on Dev’s face during the final act says it out loud-his mission is now complete.

So who is the winner at the end? Veera or Dev? Both actually- Dev for having accomplished what he set out to do, and Veera, for finally winning the love of Ragini, even if his life was the price for it.

Coming to the performance, Vikram heads the pack with a spellbinding performance. His body language, expressions & dialogue delivery was just too good. With Vikram, you knew that he wasn’t playing a role- he was living as Veera throughout. The scene in the water where he falls in love with Ragini for the first time, the anger and frustration when he hears of Vennila’s suffering, the way he clutches his wound and cries when he sees Vennila’s death body, his antagonism when he destroys Dev’s camp following Sakkarai’s death and the final look of triumph when he falls to his death-Vikram has stamped his foot in each of the scenes. He was just fabulous to look at.

Prithviraj as Dev strike as the right balance for Veera’s character. He was outstanding as the encounter specialist. His facial expressions were top notch and gives us an indication of who Dev really is. Stories of Abhishek Bachchan being the initial choice for Prithviraj’s role was going around the net. I for one, have been thankful that Abhishek declined the same. Prithviraj was the best choice for Dev. If anything, Prithviraj understood his role amazingly well and gave a solid performance- perfectly balancing his role between being the loving husband and the determined, duty-bound officer.

Aishwarya Rai is very beautiful and very graceful. Nevertheless, she serves as the weakest point in the otherwise masterpiece presentation. We understand that Ragini is the victim here. She was abducted and was nearly murdered for no fault of hers. She had to live with a tribal group that is feared even by the police force and her husband is nowhere there to rescue her. You want to sympathize with her plight but you can’t, simply because Aishwarya failed to evoke those emotions in you. For some reason she doesn’t seem to sync with the character- her lip movements were odd, her body language proves nothing that she’s in fear and her expressions were dull. It’s a pity really. Ragini is a character that many actresses would have loved to play-the diverse emotions that runs in her throughout the 14 days would have been a wonderful watch had the role been played by a better actress. Granted, she did go through the physical torture of walking on the hills, hiking mountains, running through the forest, but never once do you feel sorry for her. In fact, after a while, you just start ignoring her presence.

Priyamani as Vennila is just awesome. Being a National Award winner, she proves why she is regarded as one of the best performers we have in the industry. Her performance though small, would definitely leave a lump in your throat…this again proves a point. You don’t just need good looks to survive as an actress. Acting talent is pivotal to bring life to a character and that’s where Priyamani succeeds and that’s also where Aishwarya fails.

Karthik and Prabhu are pleasant to watch and evoke laughter whenever they come on screen. On a similar note, Maniratnam could have avoided the jumping on the trees by Karthik. It did look pretty laughable nevertheless, on the whole, it was a great performance from the duo.

Music is one of the important veins in this film. A.R Rahman gave a splendid and scintillating songs and the BGMs especially during the bridge fight was truly mystical. Maniratnam is always a person who appreciates good music and his way of picturisations can never be exceeded by other directors. The songs here blend with the film and though some of the songs were cut short, you know that it’s important for the flow of the film. Usure Pogathey is my favourite number and it was beautifully shot. On the contrary, I had a tinge of displeasure watching Kalvare Kalvare. No, I’m not against any sensual numbers but this picturisation was a blatant contradiction from the lyrics. If you listen to Kalvare, you can hear the tiny whisper of Sita’s heart-felt needs. Sita was a shy, demure woman whose needs are told through her eyes and not by her words. Therefore when the line “En aasai naana solven, en aasaiye neeye sonnal, kannale aamam yenbene,” comes, you knew that Vairamuthu too have been thinking of Sita while penning the same. Hence, it would have been nice to lset the song in the background instead of having Aishwarya uttering the same and quashing the image that she is anything but bashful and reserved as Sita is.

Dialogues on the other hand leaves a lot to be desired. They’re impractical and seems out of its place. I mean, which woman would be reciting poems when she gets to know of her impending death? In many places, the characters seems to be talking an almost strange language- it was Tamil of course but it sounded strange due to the way it’s said.

Cinematography is another plus for the film. There was nothing but beauty in the film and it’s only made possible by Santosh Sivan. The bridge fight was very well executed and the final climax scene where Veera drops from a fort was just awesome.

Amitabh Bachchan tweeted about the Hindi version being badly edited. Really? Not sure about the Hindi version but Raavanan’s editing was again top notch. There wasn’t a dull moment anywhere and almost every scene carries great significance and essential to the story.

Last but not least- Maniratnam. He has outdone himself again. Truly, if there’s anyone Maniratnam is competing with, it’s himself. This man has no peers and he definitely is his own rival. His films are outstanding and those magical touches can never be replicated by anyone else. Having said that, Raavanan is yet another journey brought to us by the great Maniratnam- a journey so mystifying yet enriching.