Sunday, November 25, 2007
Polladhavan
I enjoyed watching polladhavan today -- the director has done a great job with the story and the screenplay -- the dialogue also deserves special mention which is teeming with wit, at the same time maintaining the nativity and realism.
The story which is essentially the bond that an youngster forms with his bike is refreshing.
The screenplay is engrossing (minus the songs) and the director employs a nice technique of shifting the narrative when the two protagonists criss-cross with each other.
However, the thing that impressed me the most about the movie is the fact that it is refreshingly non-judgmental -- the director clearly does not thrust his opinions on us, instead, letting us decide if we like the characters. The reason the director is able to achieve this is mainly because of the script -- the script lets most of the people behave in a "reasonable" fashion.
Consider the two gangster chacters 'selvam' and 'out' who are almost portrayed as following the hindu philosophy of 'karmayoga'!! (although some may allege they are glorified) Or consider the police, who sure take bribes from gangsters, but show common-sense throughout the movie, expecially in the scence in which they let dhanush go since he has a proper alibi.
The only character that is clearly 'evil' is the villain -- but one can easily empathize with this character even.
------------------------Digression starts---------------------------------------------------------------
What do you do when you are constantly under the shadow of a more "powerful" (as the villain sees) guy. If you fail to reconcile with this fact, how do you gain your own 'self-respect'? Ofcourse, the answer is
by resorting to "villainous" deeds to regain "control".
-----------------------Digression Ends-------------------------------------------------------------------
Polladhavan is an entertaining movie with an intelligent script, great screenplay, impressive acting and mildly irritating songs.
The story which is essentially the bond that an youngster forms with his bike is refreshing.
The screenplay is engrossing (minus the songs) and the director employs a nice technique of shifting the narrative when the two protagonists criss-cross with each other.
However, the thing that impressed me the most about the movie is the fact that it is refreshingly non-judgmental -- the director clearly does not thrust his opinions on us, instead, letting us decide if we like the characters. The reason the director is able to achieve this is mainly because of the script -- the script lets most of the people behave in a "reasonable" fashion.
Consider the two gangster chacters 'selvam' and 'out' who are almost portrayed as following the hindu philosophy of 'karmayoga'!! (although some may allege they are glorified) Or consider the police, who sure take bribes from gangsters, but show common-sense throughout the movie, expecially in the scence in which they let dhanush go since he has a proper alibi.
The only character that is clearly 'evil' is the villain -- but one can easily empathize with this character even.
------------------------Digression starts---------------------------------------------------------------
What do you do when you are constantly under the shadow of a more "powerful" (as the villain sees) guy. If you fail to reconcile with this fact, how do you gain your own 'self-respect'? Ofcourse, the answer is
by resorting to "villainous" deeds to regain "control".
-----------------------Digression Ends-------------------------------------------------------------------
Polladhavan is an entertaining movie with an intelligent script, great screenplay, impressive acting and mildly irritating songs.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Waves
Waves.
I was recently just working on this piece, editing and putting together parts from our different versions.
Credits:
Guitar and main idea: Don
Violin: Vijay
Mridangam: Sharat
All other instruments: Matt
I was recently just working on this piece, editing and putting together parts from our different versions.
Credits:
Guitar and main idea: Don
Violin: Vijay
Mridangam: Sharat
All other instruments: Matt
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Invisibility
My friend was talking to me about a spoof-super-hero movie called "Mystery Men" in which there is a super hero called "Invisible boy".
He has the 'power' of invisibility, but only when nobody is observing him.
He has the 'power' of invisibility, but only when nobody is observing him.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
5 favourite ragas...
If I was asked to choose 5 ragas
In alphabetical order,
karaharapriya, ritigowla, saraswati, shanmugapriya, thodi
In alphabetical order,
karaharapriya, ritigowla, saraswati, shanmugapriya, thodi
Saturday, November 03, 2007
"When you hit a cover drive, a straight drive or a cut, the feeling touches your soul.": Sachin
Sachin has hit the ball on the center-of-mass of the bat -- figuratively, that is.
I can totally relate to it.
It is in fact, true for all 'ball-bat' sports for me.
I can totally relate to it.
It is in fact, true for all 'ball-bat' sports for me.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Carnatic Music Theory
I found this nice collection of carnatic music theory.
I need to read these articles thoroughly and these will be the baseline of anything I present in the future regarding carnatic music theory.
This seems to be from a guy from cs Wisconsin, written around 15 years ago.
Interestingly, a lot of problems I (and my friends) have considered earlier have been attacked by this person.
For eg. compare this, which is my attempt to attack the sruti/graha bedham problem, and this., which is his attempt. At first glance, one may find the similarities quite surprising (he has also used the equivalence class approach). More thought leads me to the following conclusion: it is the simplicity of the subject matter that is cause for the similarity.
After my brief stint with research over the past 2-3 years I will make this half-baked statement, which I hope to re-vesit in detail in the future : It is meaningless in the truest sense of the word to "claim ownership of a general idea" -- if something seems "novel", you are just not searching enough.I need to read these articles thoroughly and these will be the baseline of anything I present in the future regarding carnatic music theory.
This seems to be from a guy from cs Wisconsin, written around 15 years ago.
Interestingly, a lot of problems I (and my friends) have considered earlier have been attacked by this person.
For eg. compare this, which is my attempt to attack the sruti/graha bedham problem, and this., which is his attempt. At first glance, one may find the similarities quite surprising (he has also used the equivalence class approach). More thought leads me to the following conclusion: it is the simplicity of the subject matter that is cause for the similarity.
Finally,
Endaro Mahanubhavulu Andariki Vandanamulu.
