The Thread!

//It denotes that one who wear the sacred thread should be pure in his thought, word and deed.//

A person I know replied for this saying, absolutely not necessary; and removed his thread. The explanation he gave for this was, "A person who wears it is not all that great. Why should a thread differentiate me from others? Let the world consider me equally from now on..."

Three cheers for him (for thinking uniquely and rightly) on behalf of me and my blog!!!

Wine shop!

The intensity of crowd at various shops fluctuate for various seasons...

Diwali/Festivals-Cracker shop, Saree houses are overloaded.

Start of academic year-Book and stationary stores are fully packed.

Religious occasions/auspicious days- Flower business go up. Valentine's day-Crowd at 'Gift' shops.

But if there is one shop which is always packed with people at any season and for no reason at any time of a day is the Wine shop (at least here in Chennai).

Are so many people addicted to alcohol? Occasionally consuming it sounds OK, but getting addicted to it needs a second thought. A man under poverty line becoming irresponsible and getting addicted to alcohol will lose a lot.

A search from a website says...

• Advantages: Better cardiovascular health, Improved blood vessel function, Value in religious systems, Social interactions at low to moderate use levels

• Disadvantages: Fetal alcohol syndrome, Driving related problems and violence, Alcoholism, Increased risk for various diseases (Many types of cancer), Interaction with several medications, even OTC drugs

Sedentary men!

Year 2007, booming or rather bloomed IT has a lot of men working for it. Long long ago, men went to the fields to earn some money for living while their counter-parts acted home-makers. Man is different from a woman by what means - physical appearance and the physical strength? That is the reason why men went out for hunting a little later while women still continued to stay at home. Years went, civilizations changed, culture bloomed; still men were stronger by body and mind and they volunteered the 'outside' job while the ladies took over the 'family-shaping' job.

But now as we see men working sedentary in front of the monitors, are they still stronger by mind and body? Ages back women at home used to send their sons to the battle field to fight for her country. Now every mom wants her son be a 'Software Engineer' instead and earn lakhs of money sitting at one place. Even now there are people who join the army and navy but are they recognized when compared to the ones working at 'Infosys' or 'Wipro' or 'TCS'?

Sometime back a bus in which I was travelling was full of IT janta and accidentally it hit a two-wheeler.Fortunately nothing had happened to the person on it. The angry two-wheeler guy came inside the bus and started hitting the bus driver wildly, as the fault was on the bus-driver's side. The whole scene took place for at least two full minutes and during that time none of the 'software men' in the bus went forward to stop the fight. Either they were busy shuffling songs in their i-pod or enjoying their sleep. My thought here is, how quickly will these sedentary men react to any critical situations?

Also, getting a girl is not so difficult these days. Girls easily fall for a corporate tag or for a visa stamping. Reminds me of 'Suyamvara' ritual during olden days or the traditional 'Jalli-Kattu' (cow-chasing) where a guy has to prove his braveness to get the girl's heart.

A good 'Song'!

Usually ARR songs will become hot favorites amongst many, but after listening to it for a repeated number of times. ARR songs are very reliable. Recently I heard a song 'Maduraiku Pogadhe' in one of the many 'FM' channels. Way different from the usual numbers this one created a curiosity in me to know who was the music director and which movie it is from. Unfortunately the 'RJ' did not announce that. According to me a song and its composition becomes good only when the listeners get the 'feel' of it and search for its details. Obviously, for any good job done don't we ask 'Who did this?'

While browsing through the channels, I violently came back to the channel where I heard this song again; just to know who has scored the music. A perfect folk song or a 'Kuthu' paatu or a 'Masth' song or whatever you mention; this one is from ATM (Now for people in Tamil Nadu ATM is no more Automated Teller Machine but Azhagiya Tamilmagan). I basically(and acidically ;-))don't like actor Vijay but ARR has proved that his fans will never be cheated! After knowing this song was a Rehman's product I felt 'No wonder'! Rehman rocks!

Experience with Mrs Manirathnam-fame is not everything!

Money, fame, status, power will definitely change a person's behaviour or will definitely put in some kind of weight-to-the-head is my friend's notion after this incident happened. But i strongly disagreed to his point saying I can prove that there are people who throw away their 'everything' when it comes to maintaining a good 'attitude'. Dr.Abdul Kalam is a very down-to-earth person though he has his own international status; is what i heard and saw. But there are people who are not like that.

This incident happened when I met Suhasini Manirathnam(actor and wife of popular director Manirathnam)this week at a shopping mall when I was shopping with my friend. I initially saw her and shouted 'Hey hey, look. Its Suhasini.' My friend was astonished looking at her thinking, a big shot coming out to public places so comfortably as he said, 'Hey come lets talk to her. I want to tell her that my dad is one of her crazy fans.' I said 'OK, lets take a snap with her', as we ran towards her. She was busy taking a snap with a foreigner after which she started moving. My friend stopped her shouting her name. At least she had some courtesy in responding our call by turning back. Once my friend said what he wanted to, she(Mrs Manirathnam) did not even respond to it, and she left the place with a not-so-interested smile.

The immediate statement i got from my friend was 'We made a mistake talking to her.Good that we did not take a photo with her'. Of course, we understand it is difficult to meet hundreds of fans everyday; but a smile with a 'thank you' is not going to charge her anything is all what we concluded!

Rat-a-too-ee

What a movie! A must watch!

Worth the money and time. A brilliant animation work full of laughter and fun.Its all about rats and cooking!Its not that someone cooks and the rat eats it, but in 'Ratatouille'(this is how its spelt) the rat cooks!!!

Best animation movie I have ever watched!!!

Recipe - Vegetable Crunch!

Vegetable Crunch

Ingredients:

Carrot - 2

Beans - 10

Cabbage

Coriander leaves

Curry Leaves

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt

Chilly powder

Corn flour

Directions:

• Boil carrot, beans and cabbage with half a cup of water in a pan for 5 mins
• Cut the boiled vegetables into bigger pieces
• Mix the vegetables with chilly powder, salt and corn flour
• Heat oil in a pan
• Put the mixed vegetables in the oil and fry them till they turn golden brown or approximately for 10 mins
• Serve hot with sauce

*can be consumed as starters or can be had as a side dish for rice and roti.

Look at that!!!

My first look at this female on a movie poster gave me serious thoughts that 'Are they planning to make a Devdas remake in Tamil where she will play Vikram's pair?'. That's because she looks so gorgeous ,very much equivalent to Madhuri Dixit in 'Dola re(Devdas)'.

I never had a slightest thought this was 'Kenny-anna' (that's how a friend of mine calls Chiyan Vikram who is her family friend).

Observe the picture. What I feel is the main motto of the whole 'Kandasamy' team about this particular role of Vikram would be that any guy who looks at this picture should fall for 'her'. Every single aspect from the accessories to the nose-ring looks so perfect. The only flaw i feel about the make-up is Vikram's eyes-which resembles more of a drunkard's, the lens somehow manages to cover up the flaw.

I don't think feminine make-up would have suited any other actor as this one!

Cricket-Pak-Dhoni-Cup-Mumbai-Bus!

Chennai feels jealous thinking,'If I were Mumbai.....' for that lucky bus to go around.Dhoni and men have proved at last that India is 'capable', after all those previous 'beaten-ups'. 'Time' never gave me time to write about our master-blasters for their marvelous show this week. Finally caught hold of this page and not going to leave it till I convey my thoughts about the victory.

That last over was full of tension at my home apart from the lakh homes in India. My dad kept his fingers crossed though he was confident about India's win. Me like a spoil-sport, kept discouraging him by saying 'anything might happen in the last minute'- I was not wrong though! Misbah-ul-Haq(did i spell that right?) almost taught a new style of batting for that last ball, i got reminded by 'Lagaan-village players'. If Sreesanth had not caught that ball, if Misbah had sent the next ball to boundary; the cup would have travelled to Islamabad. Pakistani transport would have had to arrange a bus for the players to go around the city to celebrate their victory, Pakistani politicians would have been in top news to push the players to the back rows in their felicitation ceremony, Pakistani hockey players would have gone on hunger strike as they were not given enough attention. Fortunately or unfortunately that did not happen.

Future India would never forget that 'We' won the World Cup in the first 20-20 series. Dhoni has made history for future India, as Kapil had made for us. After gifting his shirt to one of his fans, somehow he decided to wear that sleeveless alternative for the prize distribution ceremony. Prize money keep flooding into the players pockets as wee see the Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra governments praise 'their' respective players. And can't forget that huge flower garland around rich Dhoni's neck during the felicitation ceremony which I ideally felt should have been around the 11 of them. This reminds me of the stone-attack at poor Dhoni's house sometime back when he didn't perform that well.This is India for us!

Yuvraj Singh's young girls fan club seems to be on the raise after his '6-out-of-6' treat. Oops, did we forget our dada's of cricket - Sachin, Rahul and Sourav? Or did they forget to greet the 11 of them in public as King-Khan did? India won the world cup, and I didn't come across any pictures of these big-shots with the 'Cup' or with the players.This reminded me of 'head-weight-Patashala-Gurus' heard from ancient epics who never appreciate the 'good work' of the youth.

Critics apart, India won! Chak Diya India!

*Pics Courtesy- ICC World Twenty20

Ahem Ahem! Our men are great!

Related to my previous post (September 19Th 20-20 - Dhoni and Men!)

//This time the Kiwis showed their stamina levels as the ball was raising heights. The same attempts for Indians went in vain as they could only raise it to certain extent and gift it to the Kiwis.//

Yesterday's match with the Englishmen has brought in a small correction in my perception towards our men-in-blue. We can't keep complaining them. Yuvi's six sixes in one go clearly proves our men are unpredictable. Party time for Yuvraj! Yet another record! Kudos, Yuvi!

I was actually thinking about the sixth six, what was running in his mind after he hit the fifth ball beyond the boundary line.

20-20 - Dhoni and Men!

I have never seen a match so 'fully'. I have never had patience to sit and watch a 6-7 hour match continuously listening to Mandira Bedi yapping in between, with her little knowledge about the game. This 20-20 series seems to be a nice idea for people like me who prefer everything short and sweet. I was glued to my seat last Sunday watching India play New Zealand. I have heard from most of my friends who believe superficially that; if they watch the match, India loses; if they move away from their seat, a wicket goes; if they utter a word, the ball goes to the boundary. I am not going to blame me for watching the match as India lost. I enjoyed watching it especially when the whole burden was on poor Sreesanth. Precisely a sportive spectator, I am.

Be it India or the opponent team, I enjoy watching the ball fly beyond the boundary line. This time the Kiwis showed their stamina levels as the ball was raising heights. The same attempts for Indians went in vain as they could only raise it to certain extent and gift it to the Kiwis. I thought our men's energy level could not match their meat and pork built stamina. As I was watching I discovered; that when it comes to fielding their men don't hesitate to fall on the ground to stop a ball going to boundary; whereas our men watch the ball go or to the maximum they run behind it. Cricket lovers reading this post don't search for me, I am a crazy cricket fan too! This guy Dhoni has got a lovely smile apart from his silky hair which attracted General Parvez and many others like me.

Good to know that 20-20 series might get included in Asian games and Olympics where Indian Cricket will get more popularity all over the world! While few of them feel importance to other games in Olympics might reduce once cricket is in.

Frustration!

When you know you are right; when you are confident about your capabilities; when your journey has been smooth and successful till date; when you had planned to implement a proper strategy in your near future; when you are all set to attain your goals; when you have put up ways to balance your personal, official and social lives together; when you actually feel you are growing - suddenly, when you come across certain slight tremors deteriorating your performance; what would you do ideally?

Reach the heights of frustration spoiling your in and out of everything? Face a miserable period in life?

As I am migrating.....

SMS alert said 'Tsunami warning. Do not go to beaches. Avoid coastal areas'. I replied back saying 'I live in coastal area(with a sarcastic smiley)'. Again got a reply saying 'very funny!'. After all that happened, my legs mildly started shivering thinking 'what if?'. When the same Tsunami happened in 2004, I got the news at around 5 in the morning when I was coming back from work. We people moved like nomads to safer zones. I remember, the next day was a holiday declared by the company!

Now, a little later, made up my mind and started to think about my important assets to be taken along with me; just in case of emergency. Immediately a flash in my mind 'Will I get a leave tomorrow?' and what reason will I mention for taking a leave? Tsunami Migration?

India Vs Australia!

*Disclaimer : To understand my review better, watch the movie! A must-watch,big time patriotic,sports-based entertainer after Lagaan!

With a penalty shootout for Kabir Khan, it all begins in a hockey field for a final match against Pakistan in the Men's Hockey Tournament. As Kabir fails to attain the goal India loses the match.Mr.Khan is blamed for match-fixing against Pakistan-the media covers him shaking hands to the opponents; while he was actually trying to prove his sportsmanship by wishing the winners. After a span of 7 years with a burden in his heart he re-enters the field again, not to hold the stick but to train 'them' play with it. Kabir Khan, the new coach for 'Indian Women's Hockey Team' starts his journey saying 'Chak De India'.

SRK as Kabir stars against 16 heroines in the movie, probably making a record in Indian cinema. But this time not for a duet in France or Italy but for a game! Being brought up in a traditionally-bound country like India even P T Usha, Shiney Wilson or for that matter even our very own Miss.Mirza would have come across enormous physical and mental disturbances throughout their sports career. Study till twenties, get married, give birth to a kid in the early twenties, spend the rest of your life bringing up the child and serving your in-laws is probably a thought which is a little deviated these days. Keeping this in mind, the director has shown the 'dream' of the 16 girls who constitute the 'Women hockey team'; and also that of a black-marked coach.

Coming back to the movie; the team is not given any sponsorship in the beginning and the committee feels its not a good idea to send the 16 of them to the field as they were framed to make 'Roti' and 'Sabji' sitting at home. The committee changes its mind seeing the 'Men's hockey team' saluting the 16 ladies for a brilliant performance against them. For this much fame, Kabir had to take up a lot of blame from the girls during the practice sessions. A strict coach- Well, that's how a coach is supposed to be. Preethi whose boyfriend does not think that a woman too has her own career which is to be respected,Bindhya who feels her seniority could make her always on the top, Komal who hates Preethi and her fame, Kaur-aggressive enough always, Vidya who is tied in between her dreams in hockey and her family ;constitute the team along with the other girls.

During the practice sessions the girls face a lot of physical and mental tortures, 'you or me' fights between them, seniority and jealousy due to it, regional and lingual disturbances ; as the 16 of them have come from various corners of India, including Jarkhand! Apart from the game they learn many lessons in life. They finally arrive to Australia for the Hockey tournament. SRK's yet another stunning performance - a hockey coach tied between the black-mark against his name, girls hatred against him, passion towards the game.

What I liked: The whole movie as such, Komal's pass of the ball to Preethi-a true turning point during the final match. Preethi's sacrifice of the penalty shootout to Komal again during the climax. Preethi's dialogue against her boyfriend about his comments on women's career. SRK's penalty shootout miss (first scene- actually we have watched Indian cinema where the hero never loses). The coach's(SRK) strict behaviour. Absolutely no duets. Bringing Jharkhand to limelight. Unexpected parade of the girls in our traditional Saree. And last but never the least- the girls!!!

'Mom, I'm in love with Saif!'

"It is rumoured Shahid wanted to spend quality time with his girlfriend Kareena." was news on July 31st. In a span of thirty days the media people had to go mad in editing the news and re-delivering info about Miss. Kareena 'Mom, I'm in love with Saif!'

Aaj kal yea bahuth hota hai! Shahid very much expected with a 'devdas' beard in future!

Wrong window!

Many a times I face embarrassing situations in life. Intensity of few being really awkward; even now when I think of it. Makes me use this statement 'Oh Sh**! why did I do this?'

This one happened last week on a weekday at office. Just like any other day I logged on to my system as soon as I reached my desk. Usually, for official chats through messenger I mind my language and the way I handle my words(that does not mean for unofficial chats I am the other way round. But a little relaxed is what I mean).

I had to chat a while with my immediate-senior regarding a forthcoming meeting. A little later a second window popped up;one of my friends started a chat session with me(an informal one). I went ahead and typed 'from morning samma bulb for me' (meaning : from morning I am like a Monkey ,making a fool out of me from others or precisely doing idiotic things and getting a 'you dumbo' stare from others).
Immediately I got a response 'Y?'. One tiny brain cell of mine made me look at the name of the person in that window (which I normally never do) before I typed my next dialogue. 'Oh my god, what have I done' saying this to myself I immediately typed 'Sorry, that was not for you, sorry,sorry'.

I had typed that statement in my immediate-senior's messenger window who does know Tamil. He sent me back a 'laughing' smiley which made me feel 'Oh Sh**! why did I do this?'

When nature calls....

(Scene at Hum-Tum's Bangalore office)

Tum(guy): Wow what a weather? Shall we go for a movie today?
Hum(girl): Hey look at that building.What do you think is the idea behind this construction?(Tum turns innovative at times)
Tum: I thought I asked you something....
Hum: Oh, now leave that alone. Answer my question. I know you can't think better than me. At least make attempts in clearing my doubts.
Tum: Oh ya? now let me take a plunge...... this building? (he points at that building)
Hum: Yeah that conically-square one.
Tum: Well.....don't you know what this building is for? Dear, this is the new toilet-building at our office.
Hum: Wha........at?

Tum: Yes, see..... this building has 4 floors and one corner of the forth-floor ends as a sharp pointed structure just like a jet aircraft
Hum: Excuse me, you think I am from Venus. I know how it looks like and all. You tell me whats the purpose of this building.
Tum: From now on we got to use this buildings for our 'nature calls'.
Hum: (Imagines)!!!
Tum: Ya.....as we already have some 36 odd buildings here at our office the administration decided to construct a separate building exclusively for toilets.
Hum: But then..........this 'toilet' building has so many floors.....it looks like a modern shopping mall!
Tum: Yeah! this is built by international architects with modern facilities. Separate toilets in all floors.

Hum: Oh! but this one is far off from the first building. How will people manage to run from there and reach here when 'nature is calling them immediately'?
Tum: Good question. I knew there is no one brilliant as you are and only you can ask such tricky questions.
Hum: Yeah! even i know that.
Tum: The admin have to think about it I guess.
Hum: OK, then why does the top most floor has a pointed edge just like a rocket?
Tum: Oh that? that's for the Senior Managers!
Hum: Wha.....at? Senior managers? you mean toiletries are divided as per roles here?
Tum: Yes.First floor for engineers, second floor for senior engineers, third floor for managers, and top most floor for senior managers and dignitaries...
Hum: Oh! partiality man! so we people cant go to the top most floor then?
Tum: We can dear, when water pipelines don't work in first floor toilets we can use the ones at other floors.
Hum: Hmmm, now that's gentleman-ship!

Tum: Now, did you believe all that?
Hum: ?!?!?

Bengalooru 1 - The ultimate destination?

I have decided to write my thoughts and experiences, about the 'Garden City', 'Silicon Valley'. I have planned to pen them up in parts as the package is too huge to be presented in a small storage. As a disclaimer I would like to inform that the write up is highly MY perception about the place and has nothing to do with others belief about the place.

To start with, facts about Bangalore which I feel are the visible 'diamonds' of the 'crown' which this destination has been sworn with,

• Bangalore has highest number of pubs in India.
• Bangalore has highest number of cocaine addicts in India.
• Bangalore has the highest number of software companies in India - 212
• Bangalore has the biggest statue of Shiva & Hanuman in the world.
• Bangalore has only 42% of local population (i.e. Kannadigas). Hence a true cosmopolitan with around 20% Tamilians, 13% Telugites, 10% Keralites, 8% European-origin, 7% from other parts of India.
• Bangalore has produced the maximum number of models from a specific area.
• Bangalore was founded in 2ND Century and still has the same infrastructure drainage & sanitary systems - the oldest in the world.

* courtesy Yatish Shivaprasad

Any well-settled or settling person when asked to chose between places in India or rather south-India would opt for Bangalore as 'The Ultimate Destination'. Starting from weather, growth, accessibility, jobs, real estate, education everything is ready-made here. When facilities comes for free who would willingly opt a knotty decision. Bangalore(I love referring places as Bangalore,Madras,Bombay,Calcutta rather than their current names) has developed immensely when compared to any other place is all acceptable. But should the improvement be considered a boon or bane, as insecurity arises along with development.Ask the IT janta, and they would anytime chose Bangalore as their ultimate destination as its popularly known as the 'IT-hub'.

I am somehow reminded by 'Prathiba Murthy's' ruthless murder in Bangalore at this moment. Of course, it is not safe for a woman to travel alone in a night cab in any place for that matter. Still such a merciless killing happened only here. Technology has improved massively is what we all boast about, but these kind of cruel activities still exist.

If KSRTC(Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) had not given a job for our Shivaji Rao Gaekwad(South-Indian superstar Rajnikanth)we would have missed a legend. I know a person, who was lucky enough to travel in the bus in which Rajni was a bus conductor(bus route- Srinagara to Majestic). I remember traveling in a bus recently in Bangalore when the bus conductor actually refused to help me know where the bus goes(I could not help myself as the name boards in the buses were all written in Kannada). I later found out I was in the wrong bus and was literally begging the driver to open the automatic door of the bus in the bus stand.

To be continued...

Impact! Come and get confused!!!

I never had a slightest thought that it would be like this. But it actually is not that horrible. Still the intensity could have been a little lesser; for the impact it made had pschycological disturbances. When our mindset is pre-framed, sudden changes are not accepted into the framework and this drastically disturbs the physical and mental aspects.

Entities around tend to interfere deep into our emotions as they are bonded with us through the generic aspect called relationship. When the intensity of interference is more and most importantly worse we let lose our firmness towards rightness. It is when we feel our mind starts wandering without knowing which the right path is. These kinds of pschycological disturbances not only affect the current mindset but also the goodness we had planned for the near and far future.

We still can’t blame on the other entities as such, when we as a primary entity need to analyze if the effect could have been reduced when we had reacted to it differently; as that would help us the next time when we face it.

That day !

Today when i woke up at around 8.00 a.m enjoying my holiday to its fullest, I thought about a question which used to come in my mind some years back.'Oh, why getting up so early on a holiday?'.

Some years back at around 6.00 a.m I used to wake up and get ready wearing a cleanly pressed uniform and white shoes. I used to go to school riding my cycle with my brother sitting behind. Though he was not a born barrel, the then little guy used to firmly make his back comfortable on the seat, which in turn made me exert more force to make the vehicle move. He was not given a cycle of his own until he came to his seventh class which obviously made me the victim till then.

We normally reach our school in ten minutes. Students were made to stand in many rows in front of the flag pole waiting for the chief guest to arrive. Patriotic songs, a historic play, few speeches used to be the regular agenda. I remember one such I-day celebrations ,when for an historic play I was asked to do the role of Sarojini Naidu. Not much to act though, I was the only lady amidst the guys who played Subash Chandra bose, Mahathma Gandhi etc; dressed up in an off-white saree with a black-framed spectacle. A typical 'Rang De Basanthi' kind. I had severe cold that day still managed to perform my role well. We did win the prize for the best play.

Few more years back from there, when I was still younger there were times when I was waiting for the flag hoisting to get over for those chocolates and paper flags.After a few years the level of patriotism raised to its fullest. The flag hoisting normally gets over in half-an-hour time after which we return home humming the national anthem.

Today, I saw the national flag getting hoisted - virtually, on the television screen by our leads. As time flies by we do miss certain good moments.

Phew.....!!!! not BL-5C

As the television screen was flashing "Nokia cautions users against 'exploding' batteries", not waiting a moment I grabbed my phone out of my bag and took the battery to check if it was under trouble.

During the process, dropped the mobile at least twice on the floor, went into deep thoughts listening to what the lady with the blazers was reading out on the television. Started asking myself,"Which mobile should I now go for? Too many new varieties have come in the market. Flip or slide, or the one with more pixels or the new one which no one has, at office?" As this is an unexpected investment I decided to cut down my shopping expenses this month. Like the Shrek's Donkey my mind kept on yapping within.

One of my friends who is a technology engineer never uses a mobile phone. She says she is fed up by the massive usage of it, these days. I call her the 'Lady Buddha' - sacrificing is not all that easy. After all mobile plays a vital role in every one's life. I still can't sacrifice my chocolate Feast(ice cream) and Ecstasy (dessert) when I am actually in the middle of vigorous dieting!!!

'Sani' Bhagavan's new home!

With 'SaniPeyarchi'(Sani-Saturn; peyarchi-shift) happening all over TamilNadu and other South-Indian states, most Hindus who have a strong belief in astrology would be browsing through newspapers and Internet to check if the Bhagavan (god) is standing in a favorable position for self and their near and dear ones. No matter how hip-hop a person belonging to this generation is; if his/her parents strongly believe in astrology then one can't escape the 'parikarams'(alternative actions performed to reduce the bad effect) stated under their star sign (Natchathiram).My mom said this year 'Sani' is shifting from Kataga Raasi (Cancer) to Simha Raasi (Leo) and from there he is glancing at Viruchigam(Scorpion) which fortunately/unfortunately turns out to be my star. Worrying about the after effects she started reading the papers vigorously.

'ThinaMalar','ThinaThanthi','Thinakaran','Kalki','Kumudham','Kungumam','Vikatan'(these are popular Tamil newspapers and magazines)- you name it we have it! .I thought I would have nice fun comparing the information given in all these dailies and weeklies; which I do normally. Not to my surprise, the news in each one of them varied distinctly from the other. While one says I have to visit Tanjore temple, the other says Trichy Pillayar(Lord Ganesha) is my target god. As if, the other gods would say,"Not my turn girl, contact Ganesha" when approached.

Turning on the radio to enjoy a soothing tune, there came Mr.X with his 'Indraya RaasiPalan'(future perception.Precisely how your day is going to be). While my thumb was about to make a move to switch channels he said, "Viruchiga raasi neyargale,iniku naal muzhuvadhum sorvu, thollai, thukkam"(meaning- the people who belong to Viruchigam star would find this day a not so lucky one with depression added to it ). Though I keep boasting that I never believe in astrology; a tiny cell inside my body started shivering. Again, as usual i told myself "I care a damn" and gave work to my thumb. The day went fantastically superb with lots of fun and frolic. And I totally forgot what Mr.X said until I turned on the radio the next day.

My perception is trust in self, positive attitude, faith in god, target goals in life, wise decision wins all not so worthy statements.

Recipe - Fruits with dates syrup!

As and when we do our fitness exercises and yoga at home; when it turns out to be a holiday its better to go for an alternative breakfast than the regular idly-dosa-pongal(popular South Indian breakfast). As fruits are universally accepted food for healthy life we can research how to make our breakfast more interesting with them. Trying out various combinations with whatever is available at home would help our body to be fit along with keeping our creativity intact. I never used to like dates until I tried this combination. These days dates come in syrup form readily available in markets.This one is a regular fruit salad, though gives a peculiar taste.Try out this combination,

Ingredients:
Apple
Mango
Banana
Guava
Papaya
Milk
Dates Syrup (now this is the extra item I am adding to the regular fruit salad which gives it a unique taste)

Directions:
1. Cut all the fruits into smaller cubes.
2. Mix them in a big bowl.
3. Add milk and refrigerate.
4. Before serving add 1 tablespoon dates syrup.

** Again as one's own creativity goes, you can add cashew, dry grapes, and some nuts available at home. Diet conscious people avoid them.

Yummy, is it not?

Dog Days!

Trend these days is body wash, massage, manicure, pedicure, and final touch-ups all come for just Rs.1600. Tell this to a girl and you can see a maximum portion of her eyeballs out. Be it male or female, this is the cost of a complete package for a royal look. Now stop elevating your hopes. Still if you get ready to visit this place, take your dog along with you. Yes, the package is for the dogs.

Maybe the person who actually does the body wash for the dogs keeps his fingers crossed till he is done;for his life is at risk.We normally shout out when the beautician suddenly goes wrong scratching our skin during a hair cut. What would the dogs do? Even though they are brought up in posh localities in a royal manner; they are dogs by nature.

Now once the wash is over, a perfect massage is done for the dog. Then the doggy, be it a male or female undergoes manicure and pedicure treatments. For men who are not aware, did that sound like pedigree? Pedicure is a treatment done for the legs to give a decent look; while the former is for hands. Now if its a female dog they get free hair clips too. When everything is done the doggy is ready to walk the red carpet.

Its not all over here. Dog-dating is another aspect, wherein one can leave their dog's name and gender in the dog beauty parlors. And once a perfect match comes the owner is contacted for a date. The dog owners can accompany their dogs while they date. Try being decent enough not to peep into their (dog's) personal affairs.

The whole idea is to be welcomed as pets need to be given some good treatments too.After all, dogs are man's immediate friends!

Hell-met!

Accidents are not accidental at all times. Certain deliberate mistakes which we think could be taken as a 'never mind ' at that moment might raise disastrous puzzles which would be unanswered for the rest of the life. Everyone is not god or for that matter every entity in this world is not borne to think in a wise manner especially when crucial decisions are to be made. But when it comes between life and 'anything else' I feel even a real nerd should decide to take up his life as top priority.

With the recent helmet rule being declared here in Chennai (South-India), I personally feel some sort of increase in the existing disciplinary action. Still there are people who feel "a rule can't change me”. Now they are the losers who easily get into a life with disastrous puzzles. And mind you, only a few of them get proper solutions.

Many leading corporate here in Chennai also abide by the helmet rule and insist their employees to lead a safe life. Certain corporate also feel following a rule would be better than self-discipline. This indirectly means they don’t allow employees without helmets inside their premises. Now our 'Romeos' have come up with a new notion. Recently I saw a few of them carrying their helmets along with them without wearing it. They stop the bike exactly in front of the office gate, wear the helmet, and get in. What are they trying to prove? Following company rules? Well, yes. But what’s the use of a 'thing' which is not used for the right purpose and at the right place?

On the other hand, at few places it is nice to see both the driver and the co-passenger wearing helmets even on lonely roads. Its not just education, but respect for self and others which makes these people follow the rules and safeguard themselves without causing much pain to their near and dear ones.

Friends - at all seasons!

On a friendship day......
My mom helped me recollect few moments of the day when I wore a frock with lot of frills and was taken to 'Fatima Junior English School’, with a five star chocolate in my right hand and milk bikis in my left hand. I was a brave kid then, mom also told me that I went and spoke to a little girl of my height who then became my first friend in life. A F-R-I-E-N-D is a person without whom a life is incomplete. At all stages in our lives we would have met numerous friends out of whom few or many accompany us as lifetime mates.

"A friend is a present you give yourself" was a quote I read sometime back which made me put this write-up here. A friend pays your exam fees, a friend feeds you, a friend laughs when you laugh, a friend jogs with you, a friend carries you when you are hurt, a friend lends his shoulders for you to rest on it, a friend makes you laugh when he is around or not, a friend gives you company when you gave your worst attempt in the exams, a friend takes care of your mom when you are out of the country, a friend readily accepts to put his signature as the first witness for your marriage, a friend makes you cry when you miss him.

Mother Teresa says "Everyone hears what you say. Friends listen to what you say." My friend never listened to what I said. He kept irritating me by eating the oily molaga-bajji from that roadside shop which was the last thing I wanted him to do.

Rewinding my memory tape many years back from now; I remember the moment when I put on Lord Shiva's costumes for a fancy dress competition and Lavanya was dressed up in the form of an angel. Roughly calculating I was in my third class then; when I and Lavanya traveled in a cycle-rickshaw back home from school after the competition. She kept on giggling at me as the paper snake around my neck started drooping. I wanted to take a revenge back on her in the future, for, she kept on teasing me till I reached home. Believe me, she became my best pal in no time.

I can see myself fight with Sindhu who was my enemy during the 6Th class; later turned out to be my best ever friend. Aparna who joined my life a little later gave a new definition as 'anu-apu'(as I am popularly known as anu). Trust me we shared everything including my first crush; of course neither of us knew that the other had the same person in mind. Jeevisha, I liked those Punjabi sweets she gave me; I used to envy her as she always stood first in class-My lovable pal at high school.

Swetha is truly a gift; she taught me how to be innocent; for, she is one. Sidd, as he has mentioned in my testimonial ;walked on the other side of the road during the first few days I met him; later I was introduced to him by our common friend. Today I am searching for that common friend to kick her for introducing him to me - a little late in my life!!! My best ever friend today; and he is that molaga-bajji guy mentioned above.Arthy was my sweetheart during college. I still remember the time when we both shared the same berth in the train during our visit to Bangalore.

During my first day at office met this guy Ram who tried teasing me all the time. Again, most my friends start their relationships with me, this way. After a few months he told me I can't be his friend anymore. At times, this happens in many of our lives!

Archana and Faz were the ones with whom I enjoyed the maximum. It’s always fun to know what happens in an all girls PG.On the whole, I compare myself as a pot which is perfectly painted and designed with aesthetic artwork. Without my friends I would have been a raw clay.Each one added their own color to me and made my life so meaningful !

What to and what not to - on a conference call !

Attending conference calls are a part of everyday agenda for an IT professional especially when the client is a thousand nautical miles away. During a conference call usually one person speaks while the rest of the team maintains pin-drop silence so that the person at the other end clearly visualizes what is being conveyed. Basic etiquette says that one has to wait till the current conversation between the two ends. As the name goes, it is usually the team lead who leads the call, based on his/her experience and interaction with the clients.

Every member in the team will have his/her own notion about the topic being discussed. It is the obvious duty of the leader to stop or pause at a level and enquire the team if anyone has queued their thoughts to be poured in. Now comes the real thought. What to ask and what not to? What will others/Manager/Leader/Client think about me? Is this a valid question? Or can i raise it a little later? Can i personally meet the leader later and clarify this doubt? Will everyone copy my idea? Will it be too much to ask this question? How to ask the question? How do I open my mouth? Is it a sin if I talk in this meeting? These are the FAQ's in most of the minds.

A meeting with the client is organized in the first place to clarify the doubts of the entire team so that there does not arise any problems in a long run. When a 'valid' doubt arises its better to shoot it out then and there rather than carrying it over your head for later clarifications.Why worrying the thought that if the others around would think you are a fool. I believe you should risk being a fool for a minute rather than remaining a fool for a lifetime! That does not directly give the credit of asking the most silliest, dumbest questions in a high level meeting. Now which is a silly question and which is not? A self-analysis would help answer this question.

According to me planning, assertiveness, time and of course a little guts projects a successful personality!

Why are some heroines not so heroic?

*Disclaimer: The write-up is about present day Tamil heroines!!!

2007 is being a successful year for Tamil cinema. Though there are a lot many to hit the list for the rest of the year; with movies like 'Pachakili Muthucharam', 'Mozhi','Unnale Unnale', 'Paruthiveeran', 'Pokiri', and last but never the least 'Sivaji', Kollywood has given its audience a variety of flavors.

Out of a thousand movies, considering a few which flashes in my mind now, or rather the ones I watched recently raises a question that; do Tamil heroines need to know more than glamour? Let me quote a few heroines whom I admired recently Anne Hathaway in 'Princess Diaries' , Kate Hudson in 'Raising Helen', Angelina Jolie in 'Life Or Something Like It' , always on-the-top Julia Roberts in 'My Best Friend's Wedding'(like everyone else I would have seen this movie a number of times).

In the movie 'Pokiri', Asin who is considered to be the best these days has proved that she is yet another commercial heroine; nothing more nothing less! Maybe to attain this level of popularity she had previously acted in commercial-glamour roles. But once people have framed her as the most-favored one; as film-critic Madhan quoted, she needs to do a lot of homework! Not just Asin, many other recent day Tamil heroines have to work hard to retain their names or rather to get a name. I recently saw a banner 'Trisha Foundation' by Trisha fan club members. No comments!

I have not seen Shriya's acting in any other movies than 'Sivaji'. I had a notion that Shankar would have made anyone do that role. But I did like Shriya's dance for the songs. I can say she has put in some effort. Sangeetha gave a stunning performance in 'Pithamagan'. Like how actor Vikram got his fame a little late in his life, same holds good for Sangeetha too. Jothika is comparatively better than other female leads, but after I watched Jennifer Anniston in 'Derailed', my notion about her acting in 'Pachakili Muthucharam' drastically came down. Present day Tamil heroines should willingly take up challenging roles and create history rather than dancing for an item number in a commercial picture.

My first love!

He took me in his arms,
And shed tears looking at my tender palms;
He enjoyed seeing me play,
For his well being, I pray;

I made meaning to his life, says he;
Will make him proud I guarantee;
Being my first teacher,
"You laid the foundation my dear;"

He taught me algebra,"
There began my success mantra;
I brought home fame ,
With tears of joy,about me he started to dream;

"You support me in everything I do,
For all this, with what can I repay you;
For having you in my life I am glad,
Can't be without you dad;"

Dressing matters!

Nothing wrong to dream of being like Rani Mukherjee, but not at office!

Long long ago,so long ago, when agriculture was the national occupation of India ; our men got into the fields half dressed.Then came the industries wherein the managers were particular about the outcome and not the way workers were dressed. A little later this was a little reformed with uniforms for all.

Today with IT being the talk of the nation, corporate dressing plays a vital role.In most of the IT majors, a systematic procedure is being followed.Formal wear for the first two days of the week, semi-formal wear for the next two days and casual wear on Fridays.

Is this implemented in a proper manner?Are the so called IT janta aware of what to wear and what not to?Wearing a lousy white shirt with a black pant without knowing how to tie the tie does not make it a formal wear. I have seen men wearing safe-colored jeans on a weekday.

And for ladies, keeping flowers on the head is a disturbing act for most men at office. Where few men get disturbed mentally imagining a duet song, few others are quiet uncomfortable with its aroma. In a closed air-conditioned office space the smell of flowers spreads easily around. And women should notice that heavy accessories and noise-making jewels should be considered a strict no-no in a corporate environment.

For Indian women not necessarily shirts and trousers,even properly-pressed cotton sarees would make a perfect formal clothing. Collared salwar kameez with the dupatta worn in a proper way would give the sense of satisfaction for the self as well as a respectable projection to others.

People fresh out of college in the age group 20-22 take sometime or at least few years to get out of the their college days and adapt themselves for a corporate environment. This automatically pays off for dressing as well.Men wearing wrist bands, tie not worn in the right way; and women choosing tight fitting tops on casual wear days, sleeveless or clothes which are exposing, are few examples.

Romance at various Eras!

**Ray and Ann have fallen in love recently**

Love conversations at different Eras

Adam-Eve era - Entities together!
Ray: Ann, look at the stars above your head. How romantic they are?

Ann: Ray, would you get me one?

Ray (says to himself): Truly Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus!

Emperor's era – Entities apart, minds speak! Dove communication!
Ray: (Common man Ray admires Princess Ann from far off and says to himself) Wish I were Prince Charming. Look at the diamond jewelry on her neck. How do I convince her father?

Ann: (Looks at Ray from the balcony of her palace) Wish I were born to a cobbler.

Ray: (makes hand gestures to Ann) Have you read the love note which i sent through the dove?

Ann: (makes hand gestures back to Ray) Oh! did u actually send a love note along with the dove you sent? Sorry, we all had a rich dove meal yesterday. I thought that was your gift!

Mid 19Th century – Entities apart, letter communication!
Ray: (writes a letter)

Dear Ann,

I first saw you,

The whole world looked new;

You smiled at me,

Nothing else I can see;

You said 'Hi',

Oh my!

I proposed you,

While I possessed only very few;

You still accepted,

I felt the whole world I defeated;

May I ask your hand?

For, I shall make your life grand.

Ann: (As she reads the letter her cheeks turn pink. Imaginary duet song in the snowy Himalayas)

After 1980's – Entities apart, telephonic conversation-Voice communication!
Ray : Darling Ann, I am thinking about you. Wish you were here. (speaks to himself "For her to pay for the party next week this much is enough!")

Ann: Ray, my Romeo. Won’t you appear before me like a superman? Please come and take me from here soon!

After 1990's – Entities apart, Email-communication!
Ray (through email): Hi Ann, we shall fix our marriage once our baby turns 1. Is that fine with you?

Ann (replies): Fine with me. Don't forget to invite our first child's school friends too (With a happy smiley :-))

After 30Th century - Entities apart. Entities together???
Ray: Hi Ann, do you want to see me now?
Ann: I would love to. (speaks to herself "Wont this guy spare me at least for today?")
Ray :( appears virtually in front of her)

Eureka!!!

A new Sunday mid-morning, home alone thinking what to do, to kill time.Movies aren't entertaining me these days as they used to.Thoughts were not flowing in the right order to pen down in my blog. Kept roaming here and there in my home like a lonely lioness. When I entered this part of the house i could smell some good aroma of fresh vegetables and fruits recently plucked. Nature poses a contrasting combination with blood red tomatoes, pitch green chillies, saffron carrots, earthy ginger, lighter than the lightest green cabbage. A thought struck from nowhere,and then came this recipe.

Egg chilly duo

Ingredients:
3 Eggs
15 pepper seeds
3 chillies
1 onion
Salt to taste
5 Curry Leaves
2 tsp Oil

Directions:

• Cut the onion and chillies into smaller pieces


• Heat the pan and put oil in it.


• Once the oil is heated put the onions in it and let it turn golden brown.


• Add the chillies and curry leaves and wait till it absorbs its flavours


• Crush the pepper seeds(do not use a mixer) and add it.


• After about 3 minutes add the eggs to the mixture and let it get cooked.


• Add salt as required, mix the contents thoroughly and leave it for another 2 minutes.


• Spicy egg-chilly duo is ready to taste

Note: Addition of tom-chi sauce would make it even the more tastier.

Result:
I just tasted it and believe me egg-pepper-chilly together make an awesome spicy combination

This day this word!

Time for some philosophy...

I heard this saying today: "Contrast lies very closer**"

When 'X' is cutting onions, tears rolls down from her eyes. Looking at her 'Y' , has a loud laugh. Here lies the contrast. Cutting onions causes both laughter(action of happiness) as well as tears(action of sorrow).

One person's loss is another person's gain.

'A' is in love with a guy and wants to marry him.Her parents refuse the proposal and want their daughter to get married to a guy of their choice.Finally,she chooses to marry the guy of her choice.'A' is happy now, her parents are disappointed.Comfort and discomfort happens together and are closer to each other.

** courtesy: Pasupathinathan(PPN)

I enjoyed this- Sneeze it out!

Courtesy: http://ramforever.blogspot.com/ (Share Auto Predicament)

Situation in a share auto ( In Chennai, a share auto is a kind of car with the seats re-arranged and packed with at least 15 people wherein actually only 6-7 can sit comfortably) :

//This is when nature began to play its part and I had this urge to sneeze. If I sneezed then my body will surely move and will end up touching one of the women.// (you will understand it better when you read his narration-RAM in my bloggers list)

Explained in a funny way though, i feel there is no need to control your sneeze. Be it a boy or girl, or your project manager, or your father-in-law; sneeze it out when you actually feel like!

The one.....

the one about whom you keep dreaming about;
the one whose voice when not heard would make your day incomplete;
the one who fights with you for no reason;
the one who scolds you for your silly mistakes;
the one who makes you feel like a baby;
the one who whose phone calls are a pleasant disturbance;
the one who encourages you and brings out your talents to limelight;
the one who gifts you that favorite chocolate of yours, every time u meet;
the one who gets caught by you for making silly mistakes;
the one who does not know to hide secrets from you;
the one who has changed completely only because you wanted to;

Effective Morning walk!

Are your morning walks boring?You must have tried carrying your i-pod for keeping you entertained.And i can sense that you are still bugged up with this exercise.Right? Also do you feel your tummy baby is not willing to reduce?Are you feeling embarrassed in a jean shop?Has it been a long time since you have lost yourself dancing in a DJ night?Do you want to shake your hips like Shakira?Here is a technique which will make this exercise effective than never before.This small piece of information can be taken as a joke, or could be implemented. I bet; you will be amazed by the results.

Here it goes......

While going for a morning walk take a dog with you.Where, you don't need to pull him, he will drag you along with him. And you need to run behind him like a 'what'?(Of course like a dog).I bet, this exercise will be very effective for people who think to reduce weight in a matter of few days.

From NIMITZ

"The Nimitz reached Chennai, India on July 2nd 2007 as part of efforts to expand bilateral defense cooperation between India and United States. Sailors of the nuclear powered aircraft carrier participated in community work in Chennai during its station here.Nimitz left Indian shores on July 5,2007 along with the USS Pinckney and is headed towards Gulf."

They came, they helped, they conquered!The US sailors visited the Tsunami affected areas and helped the direct and indirect victims here.Renovating Tsunami affected homes,interacting with the kids,rendering financial help,cleaning the areas and more. Most of us would not have known that there existed such a place near Kanathur(ECR) with the affected people.

When people from some other country generously come to help the victims, shouldn't we think that we have failed to do our duties. Or will it be OK if we think they have brought a forgotten issue to the limelight.

But last week one of my colleagues had a contradictory notion that this has something to do with our prestige.

Simply SMS!

KBC Returns Play 'Har Seat Hot Seat' & win Rs 2 Lac Entry to KBC...And the SMS question asked here is
1. An ENT treats which part of the body A . Eye B. Ear C.Skin D . Hair
Airtel SMS charges are at Rs 3/- per SMS. Say, all over India, a minimum of 3 Crore people participate in the SMS contest. That gives a total of:3 x 3 = 9 crores. Wherein, the total amount given for the winner itself is 2 crores. Remaining 7 crores goes to the 'producer fund'.Well this was one of the renowned shows all over India when it started. Later on 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Bahu Thi', 'Kahani Ghar Ghar ki' were the hot topics questions were taken from.

Now coming back to SMS contests. These days SMS contests are a major factor of advertisement and profit making aspect of the media world.Recently i was listening to a local radio channel wherein a question was thrown to public for an SMS contest in between two songs. Here it goes...
1.Who is the hero of the movie 'RAM' Option A: Jeeva Option B:VaVa.
I went speechless after listening to that. And the anchor announced that the winner of the contest will get 2 movie tickets for a movie, which was a real worthless one. Say, again a ten thousand people SMS for this question, wherein a SMS costs Rs 3/-( 10k x 3 = 30k). A movie ticket costs a maximum of Rs.200(2 x 200=400 Rs). Remaining money goes to 'producer fund'. These are certain tricks and tactics. One must think before replying such useless questions.

Did you check your bill?

During my frock days, mom used to give me a list of items written in a small paper (1/4 kg tomatoes ,1/2 kg onions, 1 packet Tata salt etc.) to buy from a nearby annachi kadai(it is also common to refer people, who are in to retail business of rice, departmental stores, medical stores as "Annachi" in Tamil Nadu,South India). But now the scenario is totally different.

The ground-floor of many apartments in Chennai are turned into supermarkets. 'Spencers Daily', 'Vitan', 'Trinethra', 'Nilgiris', 'Lifestyle' and many more are the most preferred ones here. Pick your choice is my definition of a supermarket or departmental store.My question is, are we careful enough in noticing how much we pay?How many of us cross-check our bills? After all every penny matters.Usage of plastic money creates a 'don't bother' nature for everyone of us. Wherever we purchase its our right to claim for what we buy and how much we spend. Already we are into a critisism that the younger generation spends more than saving.

People are bond to make mistakes. We might make a mistake paying more money, the shopkeeper might make a mistake claiming extra charge, or there are possibilities of intentional theft without our knowledge. Its our duty to cross-verify if things are right, especially in places like supermarkets.

Two such incidents happened with me this month. One in an electronic showroom wherein the total cost of an item was 4000 rupees in which i paid 2500 rupees through my card and decided to pay the rest as cash. The shopkeeper forgot to get the remaining 1500 from me while he packed my item; i gave him the money and advised him to be alert.Another one in a supermarket where i ended up paying 580 rupees wherein I had actually purchased for 480 rupees ; which i realised after i reached home.

Check:

• Expiry date of the item.
• Condition of the item and its package.
• Quantity of items printed in the bill.
  
• Take time in reading the bill if you are paying for the correct items you purchased.
• When paying through cards,cross check the amount printed in the sales slip. Make sure you carry your customer copy.
  
• Avoid using mobile phone when you are paying your bills coz little-careless mistakes may lead to future concerns.
• I would suggest instead of humming a song while the bill is getting printed, we could straight away look into the monitors whether the salesperson is in the right track.That would minimise mistakes on either side.
  
• Last but never the least make sure you have a little space in your purse for you bill. Preserve it at least for a day or two for any exchange.
  

Simple techniques to grow fatter....

• Maintain your treadmill well by cleaning it every weak such that it doesn't become rusted.(for the betterment of a buyer when u put a sale)

• Eat at least one ice cream per week - especially ones like Cornetto, feast(preferably chocolate).
• Always take an auto to the boarding point of your office bus; even if it is a few footsteps away
• Use only lifts and escalators and not staircase in your office even if you work in the first floor.

• Eat a lot of potatoes especially fried ones. The same applies with fish too if you are a non vegetarian.
• Never do any household work and enjoy getting scoldings from your mom for not helping her out.
• Buy a good quality DVD player which will make you sit in one place for hours.
• Drink a glass of milk in the morning before breakfast, make sure you have at least 2 coffee breaks which will make you drink 2 more cups of milk.
• Add-ons are Bar chocolates, fried packet items especially when you travel for hours in bus.

S-I-V-A-J-I

Hey! Everyone speaks, let me too take this opportunity to talk about our Super-Man!


'Sivaji' is an awesome treat to all Rajni fans, and to every common man. 'Thalaiva' ,there is no need for you to strain yourself as you have done in the movie. We just need you on the screen. That itself will make the movie run for years. Rajnikanth has put in a wondrous and magnanimous performance. Ultimate laughter, entertainer, romance, action, family oriented cinema given by Rajnikanth and the director.

His make-up is the talk of the nation. Will anyone else get his ravishingly attractive charm. And that's why he is called the solitary Super Star of Indian Cinema. His 12 different hairstyles are a treat to our eyes. Kudos to the hair-stylist and the make-up men! The umpteen number of dashing clothes which he wears in the movie makes everyone in the theatre feel 'If I were Rajni.....'.And the hype created for this movie was immensely intensifying. Even a poor man on the road wants to watch the movie due to the stimulation created. When I went for a show I saw a man in a wheel chair brought by his relatives-die hard fans of Rajnikanth, and I am one among them!

About the movie; well everyone says its the same old 'Rajni-formula'. As far as he appears on the screen the crowd is ready to watch. Rajni delivers ultimate comedy pairing with 'Chinna Kalaivanar' Vivek. And equally good romantic scenes where in Shriya becomes a treat to men's eyes. Beware ladies! Speaking about Shriya, her 'presentation' is absolutely stunning. Someone actually told me 'When Shankar(Director) was able to give a magnifying popularity for a saaaaaadha Sadha, why not Shriya?' Highly traditional look as 'Tamizhchelvi' throughout the movie except for the songs wherein she gets transformed to a sexy damsel. The umpteen number of colourful, dazzling costumes she wears the songs makes every young woman feel 'If I were Shriya.....' Though the Kerala product Nayantara appears just for a song she competes equally with Shriya in her 'presentation'.

'Is he Suman? Man, his smile is awesome with that little dirty coloured tooth.His RayBan glasses,fair complexion mixed with 'naan pottu vachu pongal saapidravan ila da.....' kind of dialogues depicts a seemly decorous decent looking villain. As far as the storyline is considered an elevation to a multi-millionaire from an initial capital of one rupee is wonderfully handled. The tricks and tactics handled by the software professional(Rajni) are simply superb which makes every common man think whether he has to make use of his brains at least once. The 'Black Money' handling is again an untold story, and Rajni blends himself within the story and gives a mixture of style and professionalism.

As far as the music is considered-
Oru Koodai Sunlight: An unusual Rajni song,
Balle Lakka: Kudos to SPB for that breathless attempt, a feather in his cap.
Vaaji Vaaji:Amazing background effects blended with the Art Direction.
Athiradi Kaaran: Rehman Proves.
A special mention about the instrumental fight scene where one has to notice the re-recording of the music director.

On the whole 'Naan late a vandhaalum latesta varuven' is THE APT dialogue for our one and only superstar Mr.Rajnikanth! Hope he does not make us all wait for his next release.