Sunday, September 28, 2008

Sorgame Endralum.. (Even the heavens... )

This is an attempt at adapting the evergreen song Sorgamae Endralum to the modern times. Before I commit that blasphemy, I would like to seek some retribution by first presenting the original lyrics. I would also like to apologize to the non - tamilian readers(I know.. I wish.. ) for the content which is possibly as alien to them as common sense is to George Bush.

M: Sorgame endralum adhu nammora pola varuma
Ennadu endralum adhu nam nattukku eedaguma
pala desam muzhudum pesum mozhigal tamizh pol inithiduma

Charanam 1

F: yerikarai kaathum yelelelo pattum inge edhum ketkavillaye

M: paadum kuyil satham aadum mayil nitham pakka oru solaillaye

F: vethalaya madichi maaman adha kadichi thuppa oru vazhi-illeye

M: odi vandhu gudichu mungi mungi kulichu aada oru odayillaye

F: ivvoru enna ooru nammoru romba melu

M: ada odum pala kaaru veen adambaram paaru

F: oru dhaagam theera yeedu moru

Sorgame endralum....

Charanam 2

M: maadu kannu meikka meyaradha paarka mandhaveli ingu illiye

F: aadu puli aattam pottu vilayada arasa maram medailliye

M: kaala reundu pooti katta vandi ooti gaanam pada vazhi-illiye

F: thozhigalai azhachi solli solli rasichu aatam poda mudiyaliye

M: oru yandhiratha pola ada inge ulla vaazhkai

F: idhe enge poyi solla manam ishta pada villa

M: nammoora pola oorum illa


Now comes the updated , and therefore downgraded, version.

M: Sorgame endralum adhu nammora pola varuma
Ennadu endralum adhu nam nattukku eedaguma
pala desam muzhudum pesum mozhigal tamizh pol inithiduma

Charanam 1

F:elliots beach kaathum deva gaana paatum inge edhum ketkalliye..

M:metti oli satham alaigal modum nitham paaka oru channel illaye

F:vethalaya madichi nalla adha kadhichi thuppa oru chuvaru illaye..

M:odum vandhiya idhichu mama adha pidichu escape aaga vazhi illaye..

F:ivvooru enna ooru nammooru rambha melu..

M:ada odum pala bar u, veen adambaram paaru..

F:oru daagham theerka edhuku beer u..



Sorgame endralum....

Charanam 2

M: maadu kannu meika mayor adha paarka mandhaveli ingu illaye

F: chinna thambi gaptun theerpa eduthu solla arasa maram medaillaye..

M: thanni konjam aethi katta rendu oatti vaazhum vaazhka puriyalaye

F: vaadhiyaara kalaichhu solli solli sirichu aatam poda palli illaye

M: oru thanthiratha pola ada inge ulla vaazhka

F: inge dhinam poi solla manam ishta pada villa

M: nammoora pola oorum illa

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Friday, September 5, 2008

Futurisk Trading Limited

Futurisk Trading Limited ,as a part of the name suggests, will deal with Futures Trading and as the other part reveals, will be a high risk venture. What is so significant about that, some may ask, as all futures trading is high risk. What makes this more riskier than even oil trading is that this deals with MPs of our country. (For some strange reason, deals and our MPs can never be too far away,even in a simple sentence.)

This idea stuck me after watching the stocks ("rates") of our MPs move to never before seen high of 25 crores before plummeting down to a stupefying low of 3 crores. What if there was an institution to take advantage of this? Just imagine how, if by chance, a company had seen this coming and off loaded its MPs just in time. 22 crores in a matter of a few hours is amazing money to make.

What makes this such an intriguing business is that unlike other futures trading commodities, there is no proper information stream to base your decisions on. In fact you'd have to look at at least three or four different sources to get the complete picture. And the fascinating aspect is that each MP is a totally different entity. It is not like the Brent North Sea crude and the light sweet crude, which are mere divisions and are driven by the same forces. For instance while one MP would be satisfied with a couple of crores as pocket money, others might insist on a cabinet berth and one or two might have the audacity and power to insist on a CM berth. Of course, since it becomes difficult to quantify such aspirations the company will only strictly deal with those MPs who settle for cash.

While discussing this idea with a couple of people, I got a rather cold response. My brother in fact totally dismissed it by saying this is nothing new and that there is major betting going on anyways in related matters. I figured that in that precise point lies the beauty of my plan. Why not streamline all this trading and make it official so that more people can participate in it. It will give us all a chance to make money from our MPs . Isn't it time that we got at least something from electing these people to power.

So next time you have a convict elected to the Parliament do not sulk and despair at the direction in which our democracy is heading. Instead, be sure that when the time comes for some voting in the Parliament, these are the very people who would figure prominently in the futures trading circuit. And if you want to know whom to put your money on keep watching this space.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Rock On!! Feel good sounds good.

If you live in a city on the shore, you'll understand the significance of some time on the beach. It allows you to breathe in some much needed fresh air and gives you time to stare at the sea reminiscing about the past. How many ever times you go to the beach, even though you may have the same surroundings and know what to expect it is still a refreshing experience each time. Rock On is a movie which provides for such an experience.

Rock On!! is the story of the ups and downs of the music band band Magik and the people associated with it. Very well written and almost perfectly executed by Abishek Kapoor, through its four lead characters Joe(Arjun Rampal), Rob(Luke Kenny), KD(Purab Kohli ) and Adi(Farhan Akhtar) he showcases four different paths that people take when their college dreams are shattered. Rob: Though he broods about how life could have been, ,he ends up working in a field which is connected to music and derives some satisfaction from that. Joe: A man who refuses to compromise on his first love and despite growing economic difficulties doesn't want a job which demeans what he loves. A glowing example of the everyday man, Adi as the individual who compromises in order to lead a materialistically comfortable life, while attempting to shut out the past from his life. And KD is shown to be the light hearted fellow, whose attempt at normal life includes messing up orders in his family business and trying to have a blast whenever he can.

Apart from these four "leads" there are a couple of other characters, the wives of two of the men involved, who get a lot of screen time and importance, something which does not usually happen. Debbie(Shahana Goswami) as Joe's wife plays the wife who's worried nuts about their son and the growing economic problems and pesters Joe to find a well paying job, even if it means under utilizing his talent and hurting his musician ego. She also hides within herself the agony and the pain in the manner in which Magik was disbanded and Joe was treated in that particular phase. A very tricky character to be played and one which if played improperly would have made her irritating. However, she carries off the role in a manner in which Debbie evokes more sympathy than irritation. Hats off to her for the wonderful performance. Sakshi(Prachi Desai) is possibly burdened with the most one dimensional character of the movie and is forced to play a sweety sweety wife who wants her husband to enjoy life and be emotionally more contented. A reasonably easier part to play and creditably played without any flaws.

Being a mini musical, it is only obvious that music becomes a character in the movie and Shankar, Ehsan and Loy certainly make it a part to remember with mostly cheerful and at times soulful tunes. They have carried a heavy burden and have succeeded with elan.

Full of little moments and deft touches, the movie which can be considered a little slow by commercial standards, manages to hold on to the viewer's attention through out. Wonderfully underplayed performances by Arjun Rampal and Luke Kenny play perfect foil to the more complex character of Farhan Akhtar and the witty Purab Kohli. All four of these actors have given their characters a dignity and a life like feel to it and this is possibly the biggest success of the movie. A special word of mention to Farhan Akhtar, who has proved he's as good in front of the camera as he's behind it. He plays two totally different characters in the movie, one who gives a soul to his songs and the other who lives his life without one, and he lends much credibility to both the roles.

The stand out feature of the movie is its dialogues,very natural and meaning more than what is said. The lines of each of the actors are written in step with the kind of characterization and nowhere do you find any character mouthing lines which seem to be forced.

Though saddled with a few commercial compulsions which prevent it from being a full fledged music movie, Rock On still succeeds in making the viewer move and feel with the characters and ensures that this lingers on after the viewer has left the cinema hall.