Utthama Villan - Saagavaram (உத்தம வில்லன் - சாகாவரம்)

Utthama villan is a recent movie from Kamal Haasan. As always, he has excelled in all the avatars he has undertaken for the movie - writer, actor, lyricist and singer. The movie has wonderful music composed by Ghibran. One of the songs in the movie, which is the subject of this post has really fascinated me, partly for its musical orchestration but more for its lyrics (penned by Kamal himself), that is at once both poetic in its form and also relays complex thoughts on science and philosophy around Life and Death. This is something unusual for lyrics for songs heard in run-of-the-mill Tamil cinema (perhaps this is true for cinema in other languages too).

The title of the song is Saagavaram - a boon of immortality. The pretext of the song in the movie is as follows - the story set in 8th century has a stage artist who escapes death on several occasions (both natural and human created) without even trying, simply through dumb luck. Rumor spreads that this man has conquered death through the knowledge of mrityunjaya mantra. Funnily enough, people around him are constantly testing this theory by trying to kill him and somehow he continues to escape. Meanwhile, the kingdom's evil king who hears of this rumor, summons this stage artist and by hook or crook wants to know the secret to immortality from him. At one point, the stage artist, now made a minister in the kingdom, explains his philosophy of life, death and eternity to provide perspective to the King, as follows -

சாகாவரம் போல் சோகம் உண்டோ, கேளாய் மன்னா!

தீரா கதையை கேட்பார் உண்டோ, கேளாய் மன்னா!

What could be more depressing for someone granted with a boon of immortality?

After all, will anyone be interested in a story that never ends?

கணியன் கணித்த கணக்கு படி, நாம் காணும் உலகு இது வட்ட பந்தாம்!

வட்ட பந்தை வட்டம் அடிக்கும் மற்ற பந்தும் போகும் மாண்டு!

According to kaniyars (a caste of people in ancient south India who were known for their work in astrology), the world that we see is a spherical ball!

Even the other planetary bodies keeping our earth spherical due to gravity, will ultimately die one day!

மாளா ஒளியாம் ஞாயிறும் கூட மற்றோர் யுகத்தில் போகும் கரிந்தெ!

கரிந்து எறிந்தும் வெடித்த பின்னும், உதிக்கும் குழம்பில் உயிர்கள் முளைக்கும்!

The endlessly glowing sun too will burn out in some epoch!

And elsewhere, out of a big bang amidst all the burning and chaos, new life will sprout!

முளைத்து முறிந்தும் துளிர்க்கும் வாழை, தம் மரணத்துள்ளே, விட்டது விதையை, கேளாய் மன்னா!

விதைத்திடும் உன்னை போல், ஓர் உயிரையை உயிர்த்து விளங்கும் என் கவிதை விளங்கும்!

A plantain tree dies too, after serving its purpose of growing, sprouting and fruiting; but before it dies it seeds the birth of its off shoots right where it used to stand! (being eternal in a sense)

Just like you can sow the seeds for your future generations to reap, you will realize that each verse of my poem too breeds its next verse (i.e. andhaadhi, a.k.a antakshari in Hindi, where the end of one verse gives the starting to another verse).

விளங்கி துலங்கிடும் வம்சம் வாழ,

வாழும் நாளில் கடமை செய்ய,

செய்ுள் போல் ஒரு காதல் வேண்டும்!

To ably discharge your duties on this earth while you are still alive and to also leave behind a prosperous lineage of children and grand-children, you must find love that is as beautiful as poetry.

வேண்டியதெல்லாம் வாய்த்த ஒருவன், சாவையும் வேண்டி செத்த கதைகள், ஆயிரம் உண்டு, கேளாய் மன்னா!

There are thousands of stories where a man who got everything he desired, but also died craving his own death.

Dasavatharam - Kallai mattum kandaal (தசாவதாரம் - கல்ைல மட்டும் கண்டால்)

Dasavatharam audio (music by Himesh Reshamiyya) was released amidst much fanfare on apr. 25, 2008. After hearing to all the songs over and over again, I couldn't digest the mediocre tracks for a much hyped movie. Except "mukundha, mukundha" and "Kallai mattum kandaal", none of the other songs even stick to my head.

Nevertheless, the trailer of the movie as well as the bits and pieces of story that I hear from here and there have been quite intriguing. Especially the lyrics of the song "kallai mattum kandaal" wanted myself to learn better about the history on which the movie is based on. Trailer:

The history goes like this: Most of the Hindu Brahmins can be further classified as Shaivaites (those who worship Lord Shiva) or Vaishnavites (those who worship Lord Vishnu). Kulothunga Chola II, a 12th century ruler of the Chola Dynasty (covering a part of southern India) was a Shaivaite. Otherwise supposed to be a peaceful ruler, he was known for his intolerance towards Vaishnavites. This included declaring Lord Shiva as the supreme god, forcing Vaishnavites to worship Lord Shiva, closure of Lord Vishnu temples and in some cases converting them to temples of Lord Shiva. History has it that the massive Thillai Natarajar temple in Chidambaram (that stands till today) housed idols of both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu before the king forced the idol of Lord Vishnu out of the temple. (source: wikipedia)

In the movie Dasavatharam, Rangarajan Nambi (a Vaishnavite) is one of the ten roles played by Kamal Haasan. Rangarajan Nambi guards the idol of Lord Vishnu inside the chidambaram temple, while the guards of Kulothunga Chola II try to force their way in. Outraged by Rangarajan Nambi's audacity, the king orders that Rangarajan Nambi be put to death by tethering him to Lord Vishnu's idol and drown the idol in the sea. Cut to the 21st century, when a researcher (played by Kamal) comes down to study the Tsunami that just hit Southern India, so that the movie goes forward.

I have tried to compile the lyrics of the wonderfully written song (written by poet Vaali) 'Kallai mattum kandal'. Along with it is some explanation provided to my understanding. Thanks to my Mom for clarifying a few lines.

On a lazy saturday afternoon, I must say that this was an interesting exercise. If there's a spelling mistake in the lyrics I've written here, forgive me. I tried to do the best I could with the tamil translator that I had. If there's a fault in the meanings itself, please provide your inputs so that I can correct them. Here goes the lyrics:

கல்ைல மட்டும் கண்டால் கடவுள் ெதரியாது
கடவுள் மட்டும் கண்டால கல்லடி ெதரியாது.
(Repeat)
If you visualize only the idol, you cannot see the god.
If you can see only the god, you'll not feel the pain.

எட்டில் ஐந்து ஏன் கழியும் என்றும், ஐந்தில் எட்டு ஏன் கழியாது?
அஷ்ட அக்ஷரம் ஏற்கும ெநஞ்சு பஞ்ச அக்ஷரம் பார்க்காது.
Ashtaksharam - ஓம் நமோ நாராயணாய
Panjaksharam - நம சிவாய
A mind that believes in Ashtaksharam (Om Namo Narayanaya contains 8 tamil letters - ashta akshar) cannot see Panjaksharam (Nama Sivaya contains 5 tamil letters - paanch akshar).

ஊழல் கண்ணில பார்த்தால் யாவும் குற்றம் தான்,
ஞான கண்ணில் பார்த்தால் யாரும சுற்றம் தான்.
One who sees with corrupt eyes can see only fault,
but one who can see with divine eyes can see only purity.



இல்ைல என்று சொன்ன பின்பும இன்றி அைமயாது,
தொல்ைல தந்த போதும் எங்கள் தில்ைல மாறாது.
(Repeat)
Just because you (the king) tell me NO, it doesn't become so,
Despite your hindrance, Thillai (Chidambaram) will not change.

வீர ைசவர்கள், உன்னால் எங்கள் வீர ைவணவம் தோற்காது.
மண்ணின் சொல்லுக்கு அஞ்சி என்றும் ேமற்ேக சூரியன் உதிக்காது.
We Veera Vaishnavites will not lose to you Shaivaites,
The sun does not rise in the west fearing the earth's orders.

ராஜலக்ஷ்மி நாயகன் சீனிவாசன் தான்,
சீனிவாசன் ேசய் இந்த விஷ்ணு தாசன் தான்.
I will be the humble follower of Lord Vishnu (Srinivasan).

நாட்டில் உண்டு ஆயிரம் ராஜராஜர் தான்,
ராஜனுக்கு ராஜன் இந்த ரங்கராஜன் நான்.
There can be hundreds of kings in the country,
but this Rangarajan is the king of all kings.



நீருக்குள்ேள மூழ்கினாலும் நீதி சாகாது,
ெநஞ்சுக்குள்ேள வாழும் எங்கள் ஜோதி சாகாது.
(Repeat)
Justice will not die even if I am drowned,
the fire in our hearts will never fade.

வீசும் காற்று வந்து விளக்கைணக்கும், ெவண்ணிலாைவ அது அைணத்திடுமா?
கொட்டும் வான்மைழ நிலம் நைணக்கும், அந்த வானம் தன்ைன அது நைனத்திடுமா?
The wind can put out a candle, but it cannot shut down a moon.
The rain from the clouds can wet the land, but can the sky itself become wet?

ைசவம் என்று பார்த்தால் ெதய்வம் ெதரியாது,
ெதய்வம் என்று பார்த்தால் சமயம் கிைடயாது.
If the Shaivaites sees differences in the idols, they cannot see the God.
If you see only the God, there is no religion.

கல்ைல மட்டும் கண்டால் கடவுள் ெதரியாது
கடவுள் மட்டும் கண்டால கல்லடி ெதரியாது.
If you visualize only the idol, you cannot see the god.
If you can see only the god, you'll not feel the pain.

Live Free or Die Hard - Movie Review

First it was Arnold Schwarzenegger (with Terminator 3: Rise of Machines in 2003), then it was Sylvester Stallone (with Rocky Balboa in 2006) and now its Bruce Willis (with Live Free or Die Hard - 2007) coming back after a long time to recreate the magic of their earlier sequels. At least we know that the other 2 sequels are done for good. Bruce Willis seems to be in no mood to end the character of John McLane with this latest Die Hard version.
Live Free or Die Hard (a.k.a. Die Hard 4 outside US), according to its makers is based on 'A farewell to arms', an article published in Wired 10 years ago. Just as you can expect, the action blocks were exquisite (especially the car chasing scene which ends with a crash in the tunnel was choreographed brilliantly) and Bruce Willis does not disappoint one bit in any of the scenes. The dialogs had great punch, especially the funny ones. The sequence of events in the movie resembled the movie 16 blocks, where the cop (Bruce Willis/Bruce Willis) goes to the home of a certain guy (Mos Def/Justin Long) to bring him for interrogation, sees that his life is in trouble and fights the enemies. In LFoDH though, the plot is much different than 16 Blocks.
In short, the bad guys headed by Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant) has hacked into the information systems of all major government belongings. He does this with the help of hackers around U.S.A., with Matthew Farrell (Justin Long) being one of them. After detecting a breach into their systems, Cliff Curtis who plays the dumb FBI agent Bowman, orders to bring all hackers in the country out for interrogation. As usual with all movies related to hacking, we see a lot of screen savers moving rapidly to create the hacking effect. Just to make sure that the viewers are on the same page, the director also shows message boxes like 'Uploading Virus'. John McLane (Bruce Willis) goes to the home of Matthew Farrell (Justin Long) to bring him for interrogation, where he sees people attempting to kill Matthew. From there on, John McLane and Matthew Farrell, with their brawn and brain respectively hunt down the bad guys. As always, the bad guys stop short of shooting John McLane or Matthew Farrell every time they have the opportunity to do so. They'd rather wait until the hero takes control of the situation, so that they can get killed. And so their wish comes true.
John McLane seemed to be giving Tony Wright (the self-sleep deprived guy) a run for his money. The movie seems to taking place over 3-4 days and we see John McLane driving/flying/running from New Jersey to Washington D.C. to West Virginia tirelessly to kill the bad guys.
All in all, it was good entertainment for the audience and fulfilled the expectations that a Die Hard sequel would raise.

Sivaji: The Boss - Movie Review

Sivaji, the movie, released yesterday worldwide. I went to the matinee show today in boston, to see a hyped public buzzing with excitement.
Spoiler Alert for the movie:
There are no spoilers. It is a typical story that you would come to expect of director shankar by now. Sadly, the story is a great let down for someone not too interested in the commercial aspects of a movie. AVM productions and Shankar have used Rajni - the brandname to the best of their ability. But the question is, does it take Indian/Tamil Cinema any forward with its wild storyline with implausible logic? Having said that, shankar certainly wouldn't have had the wildest of ideas about taking Indian Cinema to the next level, something that he's capable of, when he sat with rajni to discuss the story. This was a movie made to supersaturate rajni's already glittering stardom and that was done. Period.
As for Rajni, he was great with comedy, especially with his 'Vaanga Pazhagalam! Vaanga Pazhagalam!' and also his imitation of actors Sivaji and MGR were entertaining. He has certainly not dissapointed his fans, with abundance of his style and action in display throughout the movie. Rajni was also impressive with his appearance and dance (you really can't call that dance, movement perhaps) in the song athiradeekaran. There's nothing more that you can ask as a director from rajni and that is nothing more that his fans expect from him either. As for Vivek, all of his scenes were attached to those of Rajni's and one has to say he did his part pretty well considering that he didn't have any scenes of his own to flash with his comedy inundated with messages.
The movie seemed a bit long (about 3hrs 15min). But being just the 2nd day, I expect the movie to be trimmed down a little, at least after the 1st week. Towards the end of the movie, the audience were getting noticeably restless. Even the avid of fans in the theatre had gone quiet by then.
As always with shankar's movies, all the songs were filmed to be rich with color and were well choreographed to match the amazing music composition by A.R. Rahman.
AVM has supposedly invested about 84 crore rupees on Sivaji. Honestly, I didn't see anything in the movie that fit the bill. Movie making is not all about extravaganza. Some of the renowned directors have made better quality movies at a much lesser expense than this one.
All in all, it should be a great treat for Rajni's die-hard fans. For the rest of us looking for value in entertainment for 3 hrs, you are not missing much if you waited for a while for the ticket prices to drop down a notch.