Maari Review and Analysis: A Ridiculously Awesome Celebration of the Mass Genre

Fair warning, spoilers ahead!
Since its release three years ago, I’ve heard on numerous occasions what an atrocious piece of crap Maari is. People often piss on it — usually accompanied by eyes that roll so far back, it feels like I’m at an audition for the next ‘The Undertaker’. My aunt too has told the story of how she desperately wanted to leave the cinema and puke blood after 15 minutes, only to be forced into a straightjacket and strapped to the seat by her sons sitting either side of her. Me? I can’t relate. I’m here to say that despite what some may tell you, Maari is a gem. A gem in a genre that’s unique to South Indian Cinema: Mass-Masala. I would even go as far as to call it one of the best Mass-Masala flicks of the 2010s.
I get the criticisms. “Maari doesn’t have a good message!” “What is the movie trying to teach us?!” But a good message doesn’t make a good movie. And the beauty of Maari is that it ain’t interested in teaching you shit. Here’s a movie that knows what it is — a ridiculous, larger than life, gangster-comedy — and focuses all its energy on being exactly that. Nothing more, nothing less.

The opening scene sets the tone perfectly. Director Balaji Mohan presents Maari (Dhanush) in what you would assume to be a typical Mass hero introduction. A thug is harassing an old neighbourhood chai seller for protection money. We cut to Maari approaching from a distance. He struts towards the scene of the ruckus and lays a punch (to the camera). Of course. We know what to expect by now.  Except when the camera cuts away, we don’t see the thug on the ground with a bloody nose, but the old man. Maari then tells the old man, “My guy has been asking you to pay up for so long… under the sun. Poor fellow. Can’t you pay him the money?!”
You see Maari isn’t a story about a hero, but a tale of a prick, who every now and then engages in acts that may come off as heroism — and even then he’s not doing it for the “community.”
In a separate scene, a beautiful damsel (Kajal Aggarwal) tells Maari she’s confused: “Neega Nallavara Kettavara?” The line isn’t new. We’ve heard it or some variation of it countless times in Tamil movies, most famously when a little kid throws that question to Kamal Haasan in Nayakan. But here, there isn’t a swell of emotional music followed by a closeup of our protagonist’s tear-filled eyes. Instead, Maari laughs and says, “I’m definitely a bad guy.” These sequences come as a pleasant surprise.
Even more surprising: the lack of hero worship — one of my biggest issues with a lot of Mass-Masalas. This tends to happen a lot in Vijay-starring movies. Scenes where Vijay’s hailed as the second coming of Jesus Christ. Followed by inorganic sequences where Vijay (regardless of the character he’s playing) will put the movie on pause just to bash you in the head repeatedly with a moral textbook.
Take the courtroom scene from Bairavaa for example. There, Vijay’s character Bairavaa (whose profession is a collection agent) is an audience member in a courtroom. He then walks up to the witness stand as he pleases, and WITHOUT A LAWYER to do the talking for him, launches into a monologue about how Mother India is messed up. One, none of what he says has any relevance to the case at hand. Two, he just rambles on without presenting any evidence. Funnily enough, the judge listens to him.
Here, nobody puts Maari on a pedestal and hails him as a saviour. His townsfolk constantly iterate what a nuisance he is. His best friends constantly tease him. A little girl quibbles with him. And when he gets arrested at the midway point, courtesy of the beautiful woman who pretended to fall in love with him (in a ruse to get him to confess a past crime on camera), his townsfolk celebrate like Deepavali came early.

When Maari is released from prison many months later, we learn that the police inspector (Vijay Yesudas) is actually in cahoots with the opposing, much more vile gang. Together, they’ve have taken over the neighbourhood, collecting three times more protection money than Maari did. Once again, you assume that this is gonna be the big turning point in the film where Maari becomes a conventional protagonist and avenges his town folk. Only that turning point doesn’t come.
In most situations, a lack of character growth would result in a substandard film. Here, the lack of broad character development plays to its benefit. Maari is a rowdy at the start and he’s a rowdy at the end. The comedy, lite-drama and mass moments stem from how everyone around him reacts to his rowdyism, how we as an audience are constantly caught off guard by the decisions he makes, not because it makes no sense, but because it makes perfect sense — the most badass sequence in the film ends not with the townsfolk not paying protection money, but with them paying slightly less protection money. In many ways, Maari is what Baba should have been.

People often don’t discuss acting when it comes to Mass movies. We should. There’s a reason why not everyone can play these types of roles. It is a gift that many do not have. It may develop over time, but it cannot be trained. There’s a reason why I cringe every time Sivakarthikeyan dips his feet into this genre. And believe it or not, it is this movie that convinced me once and for all of Dhanush’s acting prowess.
Related:  Vishnu Vishal Denies Being Part of D50He is arguably the best actor working in South Indian cinema today (save for Rajini and Kamal), definitely the most versatile. Vijay is great at Mass, mediocre at everything else. Suriya and Vikram have proven that they’re stunning dramatic actors, but over the past decade or so, have been adamant about not doing anything else other than Mass, which neither of them is especially talented at. Dhanush, on the other hand, does both magnificently. We’ve seen his dramatic range in films like 3, Aadukalam and Mayakkam Enna. And in films like VIP, Kodi and Maari, he proves that he fires on all cylinders when it comes to the Mass-y stuff too.
Maari may be a throwaway Mass movie, but Dhanush doesn’t treat it as such. He acts his heart out. Watch every scene closely. On display is a man so intuned with his character, oozing so much charisma and vigor that it becomes believable that a person the size of a twig can actually beat the living daylights out of men much, much burlier than him. You can see it in his eyes. Dhanush believes every line he’s delivering. He believes it in his bones. And we believe it too. And he has something else in him that only one other Mass star — Rajinikanth — possesses. Excellent comic timing. Here, he’s able to tango with and match up to Robo Shankar (who’s on fire — scorching hot fire I tell ya) beat for beat for beat. Hilarious stuff!
That you cheer for and not laugh at him when he scissors his fingers towards his enemy’s face while saying Senjuruven (I’ll finish you off) is a testament to his performance. Consider the scene where Dhanush yells at the police officer (Vijay Yesudas) in the first act. When it happens you don’t immediately burst into applause. You’re silent, transfixed by Dhanush. You can feel the officer’s balls tremble. Dhanush has that fire in him and that’s why he’s the second best at it after Rajinikanth, despite what the box office numbers say.

Speaking of moments that warrant claps and cheers, there are plenty of those. Sequences designed to get the crowd jumping out of their seats, fist pumping the air. Like the scene near the beginning. We first hear the sound of a windshield breaking, followed by Maari approaching from behind a car, in slow-mo, cigarette in his mouth, while Anirudh’s tune roar in the background. Interestingly enough, the most MASS sequence in the film has no ass whooping, slow-mo shots or signature punch dialogue. It just has Maari sitting down, dead-silent, leg on a table, flicking firecrackers. This sequence and the entire movie at large proves that Balaji Mohan has a knack for crafting Mass-Masalas. He understands the craft. And he understands how to have fun with a genre that has been a South Indian cinema staple since the MGR era, redefined later by Suresh Krissna and Rajinikanth in Annamalai.
Is Maari perfect? Not quite.
For these types of movies to truly thrive; to truly achieve greatness, there needs to be a villain that can truly stand toe to toe with our hero. Three of Rajinikanth’s classic MASS films, Annamalai, Baashha and Padayappa consists of villains who are forces to be reckoned with: Sarath Babu, Raghuvaran and Ramya Krishnan. When these three villains push Rajini’s buttons, we bought it. We felt for him. And that’s why it’s all the more satisfying when he hits back. Here, we have Vijay Yesudas, who lost the game of cat and mouse the moment Dhanush screams at him for the very first time. He doesn’t have Dhanush’s vigour or presence. He’s a schoolboy trying to sit with the big kids. It isn’t his fault, he’s just poorly cast. As a result, there isn’t a fraction of a second throughout the film where I actually doubt Maari’s ability to overcome him. There’s also the slightly unfocused screenplay, which would have been more effective without the Sandalwood smuggling storyline.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3XFChOz-Z0Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Maari – Official Trailer | Dhanush, Kajal Agarwal | Anirudh | Balaji Mohan (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3XFChOz-Z0)

I can get past those weaknesses because of how much fun the movie is. And that’s the keyword: Fun. From Anirudh’s exciting composition (this is my favourite Anirudh album to date) to the badassery, the comedy and everything in between. This movie is a riot! But to enjoy this film, I think it’s important for us to understand that Maari isn’t a Mass movie in the same vein as Baashha, Annamalai, Pokkiri, Mersal, etc. This is director Balaji Mohan looking at a lifetime worth of Mass movies and having a blast with the genre. It is a ridiculous, flashy almost satirical celebration of the Mass genre.
Hey you! Yes you, hot stuff. Like my article? Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Also, don’t forget to share it with your buds. And if you’d like to talk movies you can hit me up here: @dashtalksmovies
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Filed Under Balaji MohanDhanushMaari


Bigg Boss S2: Here Are 15 People Who Might Be On The Show

Popular reality TV show Bigg Boss is set to make a comeback for its second season.
Big Boss season 2 will be hosted by none other than Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan.
There has been a lot of rumours and gossips about the contestants in season 2 – many fans making speculations and throwing around a lot of different names.
Based on a Bigg Boss fan page on Facebook, here are 15 people who are rumoured to be on the show.
1) Abarnathy

One of the most popular name that is being associated with Bigg Boss season 2 is Abarnathy from Enga Veetu Mapillai. Abarnathy stirred a lot of controversy on the show with her sarcasm, curt replies, and unapologetic attitude.
2) John Vijay

3) Manai Sadhik

 4) Riaz Khan
5) Rambha
Rambha was also frequently linked to Bigg Boss 2, but she’s currently expecting her third child and therefore it is highly unlikely that she will participate.
6) Ramar

7) Shaam
Shaam also recently made an appearance on his friend Arya’s reality TV show, Enga Veetu Mapillai.
8) Vijay TV Rio
9) Vijay Vasanth
10) Madhumitha

 11) Powerstar
 12) Yashika Anand
13) Badava Gopi

14) Alya Manasa

15) Raai Lakshmi

Aside from these contestants, there are also rumours that season 1’s favourite contestant Oviyaa might make a comeback on the show.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Actor Sarath Babu Passes Away; The Film Industry Mourns the Loss of A Versatile Actor
Filed Under AbarnathyBig BossKamal HaasanOviyaa


Blaaze Goes All Out To Rap During Lockdown – From Curry Recipes To The Ramayana

The recent downtime due to the lockdowns has forced many of us to introspect on our priorities, and for rapper Blaaze, one thing easily stands out. “If I can entertain, I will. I feel that’s what I was born to do. To create something, that’s it,” he says.
Over the past two months, he has been putting out content on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube: varying from Rap Kitchens, where he raps out Indian recipes while cooking, to Rap Ramayana and Poems to Songs.
“When I was in my boarding school in 12th grade, in the UK, food was always a big issue. I would dream about my mom’s vatha kuzhambu! I promised myself then that I would figure out how to cook,” he recalls.
And while he has been cooking for several years, during the lockdown, like many of us, he started talking and singing to himself while cooking. Why not make a rap out of it, he figured. “I already know the ingredients by heart, so thought it should be fun!”
He went on to post recipes and cooking instructions for jeera rasam, egg curry, moor kozhambu and kovakai.
“People around the world don’t know much about the variety of Indian food available,” says the rapper who grew up in Zambia and moved to England and then, the US.
He attempts this portrayal of Indian culture in another video, titled ‘Rap Ramayana’, where he explains the Buddhist interpretation of Hindu mythology. In this, he speaks about the idea of Ravana whose 10 heads represent 10 ‘egos’ holding a person down.
“All these terrace videos that I had been making took several hours to record and process. But ‘Rap Ramayana’ is such a simple idea, conveyed over a production loop, that it barely took any time,” he says. He believes that it was because he was rapping live that so many people liked it.
Related:  Thalapathy Vijay's Birthday Special: Leo's First Look And The First Promo For "Naa Ready" Are Out NowThrough the process, he has now come to realize that anything, however small, if made with enough heart, wins a following. “My audience is not going to listen to just my rap songs in Rajinikanth films,” he says.
And so he started delving into poems, making songs out of ones written by Suresh Kailaash, partner of fellow singer and friend, Malgudi Shubha.
“His words inspired me to sing them out loud for my kids to listen. I sent it to them and they loved it. So now whenever he writes a poem, I turn it into a song.”
In these testing times, when the world is getting used to living under a blanket of general stress, he says that singing and rapping are his therapy. “Whatever issues you have going on, put it all in a poem and get it out. We create create create, to survive.”
Here is a glimpse of Blaaze’s Jeera Rasam rap song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-TGlNkyKkM
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Filed Under BlaaZerapsong


Maestro Ilaiyaraaja Composes Two Songs In 10 Minutes!

Krishna Vamsi’s last film release was Nakshatram, an action entertainer released two years ago. Now, film buffs are waiting eagerly for news on the director’s next. With the announcement that his upcoming film will feature his talented wife, movie buffs are excited.
Vamsi Krishna is currently directing the film Ranga Marthanda, which is the remake of the hit Marathi film Natsamrat. The film has the director’s wife and acclaimed actor Ramya Krishnan playing the lead role along with Prakash Raj in the star cast.
Veteran music composer Ilaiyaraaja is composing music for this venture. According to an update from the director, Ilaiyaraaja took a mere 10 minutes to lock the tunes for two songs!
The 76-year-old music composer is known for coming out with divine and soul-stirring music and from what we hear from Krishna Vamsi, Ilaiyaraaja’s music will be the highlight of the film.

Two heavenly tunes locked ….in just ten minutes… So fast…… Innovative n experimental only he can do ….he appriciated d song situations … Blessed n charged.. pic.twitter.com/HoGlIUxixK
— Krishna Vamsi (@director_kv) December 30, 2019

Prakash Raj will be working as an assistant director. Besides Prakash Raj and Ramya Krishnan, the film will also have Shivatmika Rajasekar and Anusuya Bharadwaj in prominent roles.
It may be noted here that Natsamrat, released in 2016, was a Marathi film that had Nana Patekar in the lead role. The film was about a retired stage artiste still living with the fond memories of his acting career and unable to come to terms with the current reality. The star cast included Medha Manjrekar, Vikram Gokhale, Mrunmayee Deshpande, Sunil Barve and Ajit Parab.
Related:  7 Important Valluvar Quotes for Modern-Day Millennial TamilsThe film was directed by Mahesh Manjrekar and produced by Nana Patekar and Vishwas Joshi under the banner of Great Maratha Entertainment, Gajanan Chitra and Fincraft Media and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. Natsamrat turned out to be the highest-grossing film in Marathi cinema upon its release.
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Filed Under IlaiyaraajakollywoodmusicTamil


Makeup Artist Aishu: “Acknowledge Us for Our Capabilities, Not Our Gender”

“I was not born as a woman, but I am so proud to be a woman now,” says make up artist Aishu.
In an exclusive interview with Varnam, Aishu talks about her journey as a transgender woman in Malaysia, and how she has broken barriers set by society, every step of the way.
Aishu has had to stand on her on feet without having anyone to back her up from the time she completed her schooling. She went on to work in the corporate sector, where she was denied a promotion and increment openly, because of her gender. She then decided to become an entrepreneur.
“I pursued my passion, and I was sincere at it, until at one point, people stopped referring to me as a transgender woman, they just called me a makeup artist. I am thrilled to be recognised by my work and not by anything else,”
She would rather be defined by her work, rather than her gender. “To get here, i went through plenty of difficulties,” She tears up, but is still manages to smile through her tears. “It isn’t easy living as a transgender woman,”
Like many transgender people across the globe, Aishu has had slurs hurled at her, but she doesn’t take it to heart. Instead, she takes it as a challenge, “I need to work harder to show them what I am made of, so that they don’t just see me as a transgender woman,”
“They say transgender women are only capable of sexual harassment, just because of a few rotten apples. but there are many of us who are making an honest living, or at least trying to,” she says. “If you are a transgender person, live a respectful life, let people look at you for your work, or your talents, and not for your gender,”
Related:  In conjunction with the King's Birthday, 32 Malaysian Indians Have Been Conferred With Awards by the Agong“Every transgender person has his or her own talent buried inside them. Bring that talent out, work on it tirelessly. When you hone that talent, society will surely accept you,”
Aishu is now one of the leading Malaysian makeup artists. She routinely travels to other countries to conduct workshops for aspiring makeup artists.

Keep up with Aishu’s talents on Instagram here.
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Filed Under aishumakeup artistmalaysian indianmalaysian indian transgendertransgender womantranswoman


Bigg Boss Shakthi Arrested

Actor and Bigg Boss Tamil contestant Shakthi has been arrested by the Chennai police earlier today for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Shakthi lost control of his car while driving in Choolaimedu and he almost hit a few pedestrians on the road shoulder. He allegedly sped off immediately, and drove in an unsafe manner. A few passers by then gave chase on their motorcycles and managed to stop Shakthi’s car, only to find him intoxicated. The police were then notified.
Shakthi was then arrested and brought to the Anna Nagar Police Station. His car has been impounded. It is unclear at this point in time if there have been any casualties.
The actor who is the son of famed director P Vasu has had an unsuccessful career as the lead actor. His recent stint on the first season of Bigg Boss Tamil was what garnered him fame.
Updates to follow.
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Filed Under ArrestBigg BossShakthi


Sures Thiruguna Sambanthan Is The New RTM Tamil News Presenter

Congratulations, Sures!

The Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) Tamil News has added a new member to their team of reporters to bring the daily happenings to its viewers. Sures Thiruguna Sambanthan was last seen in the 2018 Malaysian Tami film “Neeyum Naanum” starring Bala Ganapathi William and Jasmin Michael, as he played the role of Anandha. Sures was previously also a host on popular Tamil daily talkshow, ASTRO Vizhutugal.

The host and actor from Bahau, Negeri Sembilan is a graduate from University Putra Malaysia in Human Communications. Sures also served a few years in the aviation industry as an Air Asia air steward before venturing into the media and broadcast industry. Sures will be reading the news on the daily Tamil News on RTM2 at 730PM.
Congratulations, Sures!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Tan Sri Gnanalingam ,The Founder And Chairman Of Westports Holdings, Passes Away At Age Of 78
Filed Under RTMSures Thiruguna Sambanthantamil news


EXCLUSIVE: Vinohsha, An Inspiring Climber Withstood Gender Bias By Climbing Most Of Asia’s Mountains

When a woman participates in a masculine sport, her sexuality is constantly questioned and becomes a topic of discussion among tattlers. Yet a driven young woman had defied social barriers by indulging in extreme sports and apparently made them her passion.
Image credit: Varnam MY
Vinohsha Muniandi, a 29-year-old avid hiker who enjoys sports, adventurous activities, and trekking, has been involved in these activities for the past 22 years. To date, she has come close to climbing most of Malaysia’s notable mountains.
The aspiring hiker spoke with Varnam Malaysia about her mount climbing journey.
Image credit: Varnam MY
As a sprinter throughout her school years and as a student-athlete for her university, she developed an early interest in sports and outdoor activities. Her hiking journey began in 2011, when she was chosen for an inter-university hiking expedition to Mount Kinabalu organised by the Ministry of Higher Education.
One of my very first climbs was up Mount Kinabalu. I was so taken aback by the view that, despite the fact that climbing to the top was extremely hard, the pain and obstacles I encountered was worth it.
Image credit: Varnam MY
“At the time, I had no idea how much I would come to love hiking; I haven’t stopped since”, expressed the hiker.
I never anticipated in my wildest dreams that I would be exploring places I had no idea I could go.
The enthusiastic young woman had always made it a priority to practise hiking on a weekly basis and whenever she had the opportunity, depending on her willingness to complete the hikes based on her schedule and requirements for a hiking activity.
Along with hiking, I’ve taken up long distance running, finished half-marathons, paragliding, rock climbing, and martial arts. – Vinohsha
Image credit: Varnam MY
She had gained more confidence and strength to continue exploring and complete all of her hike mission that she was not a subject to any limits and simply received encouragement from her parents and family in order to practice extreme sports.
The adventurous woman has scaled many mountains in Asia, including Mount Rinjani, Kawah Ijen, Mount Kerinchi, Mount Fansipan, etc.
Image credit: Varnam MY
Despite the age difference, Vinohsha connected with many other adventure seekers along the way who shared her passion for hiking and served as her support system when she felt hopeless. With the immense support on every mission, they now hike and travel together.
“It’s always exciting to venture into nature and meet people, I guess that is also another reason why I enjoy this activity so much”, said the explorer.
To dispel the myth that only men can enjoy and participate in intense outdoor sports, I’ve always enjoyed pushing and challenging myself and perhaps even putting myself in unpleasant situations, made me a lot braver and more resilient, not just in the wild—it also applies to everyday life.
Image credit: Varnam MY
It takes a lot of practise to overcome obstacles on a hiking trail, therefore it is never simple to follow, especially for women, there are often safety concerns to consider.
The enthusiastic climber has embarked on a variety of challenges to explore how much more she can do outside of an idealistic environment since she enjoys the high adrenaline rush of trying new things.
“Being in unpleasant circumstances without access to toilets or having to change clothes while on a trekking mission teaches you how to think promptly and make the best of the situation”, Vinohsha said.
We ladies are so much more than what the outside world expects of us – Vinohsha
Image credit: Varnam MY
The community has a strong bias against girls participating in such activities; try to mediate and develop some trust that you are capable of doing so.
The ardent climber encouraged women of all ages to pursue their passions and take the risk involved in doing so. It doesn’t have to be anything extreme; a tiny start will do, and you’ll gradually get there.
“Life is so much more than just one perspective. Along the road, you’ll make wonderful friends and, most importantly, you’ll gain confidence and independence in yourself”, she added.
Every time I look back at my hikes, it is a small win for me for just doing something I am passionate about.
Image credit: Varnam MY
August will see the avid hiker venture on an excursion to the Annapurna Base Camp, one of the well-known treks in the Himalayas, which is located 4,130 metres above sea level. Eight hikers would be participating in the 10-day adventure, and preparations for the hike are now underway.
The ultimate aim of this expedition is to hoist the Jalur Gemilang flag at the base camp on August 31 in commemoration of Merdeka Day.
Kudos on your accomplishment and best wishes on your future endeavours, lady conqueror.
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Filed Under Annapurna Base Campextreme sportgender biasHikermount climbingVinohsha Muniandi


Fugitive Godman Nithyananda Sets Up His Own Nation, Kailaasa

Fugitive godman Nithyananda has reportedly set up his own country, called Kailaasa. Having been accused of rape, he is currently being pursued by government agencies in India.
The location of this ‘nation’ is not known. A news report, however, claims Kailaasa is a private island, which Nithyananda allegedly bought from Ecuador, and is near Trinidad and Tobago. India Today had earlier reported that the 41-year-old fled the India via Nepal.

Kailaasa has its own website, kailaasa.org, and claims to be a “nation without borders created by dispossessed Hindus from around the world who lost the right to practice Hinduism authentically in their own countries”.
According to cyber experts, the website was created on October 21, 2018 and it was last updated on October 10, 2019. The website has been registered in Panama with its IP located in US’s Dallas.

The website goes on to say that the country is a “safe haven to all the world’s practising, aspiring or persecuted Hindus, where they can peacefully live and express their spirituality, arts, and culture free from denigration, interference and violence”.
It has also called for donations for the country and through it, an opportunity to gain citizenship of the “greatest Hindu nation”, Kailaasa, reported news agency IANS.
The website even has its own Wikipedia page called Nithyanandapedia (nithyanandapedia.org). “Nithyanandapedia is an effort to capture all the knowledge and expressions shared by His Divine Holiness Bhagavan Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam – to have a one-stop-shop combining all His teachings in form of videos, audio, text, books, etc – combined with photographs that try and capture all the services He has offered and continues to offer to the world,” says the page.

According to the website, the Hindu nation also has a flag known as ‘Rishabha Dhvaja’, which features Nithyananda himself, along with Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva.
Nithyananda’s island nation mentions English, Sanskrit and Tamil as official languages. It even claims to have a population of 100 million Adi Shaivites and 2 billion practising Hindus. Kailasaa even has its own passport, that passport allows “free entry in all eleven dimensions and fourteen lokas, including Kailaasa”.

Kailasaa has its own cabinet comprising departments such as health, technology, human services, housing, commerce, and treasury, according to the website. There is also a ‘Department of Enlightened Civilisation’ which will work on reviving Sanatana Hindu Dharma. There is free healthcare, education, food, and the revival of temple-based lifestyle, says the website.
This so-called ‘country’ also claims to eventually have a ‘Dharmic Economy’, and a Hindu Investment and Reserve Bank, where cryptocurrency will also be accepted.
Nithyananda is also accused of allegedly raping his former disciple under the garb of spirituality. He is also being probed in several cases, including torture, kidnapping and wrongful confinement of children, under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
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Filed Under kailaasanithyananda


Sai Pallavi Birthday: The Three Strict NO Policies She Has Been Following Since Her Debut Film

We all know that Sai Pallavi is known for her no-makeup look in her movies, but did you know that she follows two more NO-NO rules too?
Sai Pallavi became a huge sensation with her debut film, the Malayalam movie Premam. Upon the film’s release, everywhere people were chanting “Malar”. That was how she impacted the viewers through her Malar character in that film. Following that, she has always delivered her best in every movie she has committed to, and she has now become one of the most accomplished actresses in South Indian cinema.
IMAGE CREDIT: MID-DAY
Apart from her brilliant acting skills, Pallavi is also known for her simplicity, humbleness, graceful dance moves, and natural look. Today, May 9, which marks this talented actress’s birthday, we will unveil her THREE STRICT NO POLICIES, which she follows for every movie.
🙅🏼♀No Lip Lock Scenes
Sai Pallavi had a strict no-kissing policy in her book when she first ventured into this field. When she receives such scripts for films, she likewise rejects them.
Asking about why she doesn’t want to have such a scene on the screen, the actress remarked “I want my whole family to watch a film. I don’t want to make them feel embarrassed by being part of lip locks. It’s a conscious move not to be part of onscreen kissing.”
Adding to this, Pallavi said he wants to make it worth the while of her quitting her career in medicine and choosing to act. “I have left my medicine to pursue a career in films; so I need to justify it by taking up roles that I can enact. I can’t sport skimpy clothes because I cannot carry myself in such attire. I am not against such attire, but it’s just that I can’t pull it off,” she emphasized.
Related:  D Imman: Reminiscing His 21 Years of Musical Journey In The Film IndustryShe did share a brief lip kiss sequence with Naga Chaitanya, surprising her admirers in the hit movie Love Story. The actress, however, claimed that it was just the camera position and that they didn’t actually kiss.

🙅🏼♀No Minimal Attire
Sai Pallavi was often seen wearing sarees, ethnic outfits, and maxi dresses.The actress adheres to a strict no-short-dress code both on and off camera. Pallavi said that she comes from a family, where her father was a government employee and do not wear shorts to be comfortable. “I am not comfortable wearing skimpy clothes or even short dresses. I feel quite uncomfortable and it shows on my face. There was a scene in Fidaa where I had to wear one because the scene demanded it, and you can see how restless I was,” she said.
🙅🏼♀No Makeup
In the field where everyone choose the glamour, Sai Pallavi chooses to be a free-makeup actress. She doesn’t use any makeup at all, both on or off camera. One of the reason people adore her is for her natural beauty where she follows to go with it from her first film. “I think, it’s maybe the person that I am. I don’t know the other side of how it might feel. Maybe there’s a lot of pressure to look perfect and I’m not saying makeup doesn’t help. If it makes you feel confident, you should do it. I feel confident this way and I think I’m doing fine.” Pallavi proudly said. She is an epitome to many young girls that they do not need make up to look beautiful.
Happy Birthday Sai Pallavi!
Source: [1]
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Filed Under DhanushGARGIIndian Actressmovie reviewpremamrowdy babysai pallavitamil movie review


Wait, Rajini’s ‘Kaala’ To Release In Cinemas Before ‘2.0’?

Rajini fans – which pretty much means everyone under the sun – it looks like Pa.Ranjith’s Kaala might be hitting the screens way before Shankar’s 2.0.
Even though 2.0 has wrapped up filming months ago, the sci-fi film still needs to spend a longer time in post-production due to the heavy use of CGI and VFX.
2.0 was initially scheduled for release on the 14th of April, but multiple online sources are claiming that Rajini’s Kaala might be released in April instead to give 2.0 more time in post production.
Kaala has already gone into the final stages of post-production, and music composer Santhosh Narayan has started working on the background score. The movie could very well make the April slot, replacing the date set for 2.0.
In this case, 2.0 that could be pushed down to November to make sure we’re still getting a Superstar movie for Diwali 2018.
Source: The News Minute
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Actor Sarath Babu Passes Away; The Film Industry Mourns the Loss of A Versatile Actor
Filed Under 2.0KaalaRajinikanthSuperstar


Covid-19 Team From Sg Buloh Hospital Recognised At Global Health Awards 2020

Malaysia’s main treatment hub for the Covid-19 outbreak is the Sg Buloh Hospital that has been treating thousands of Covid-19 patients meticulously with victory ever since the start of the pandemic.
Hence, the hospital’s Covid-19 team has recently been recognised at  the Global Health Awards (GLA) 2020 for their steadfast efforts to combat the outbreak.
The country has by far earned numerous global recognition for its quick and efficient methods and ways in fighting the Covid-19 outbreak.
Covid-19 was a disease outbreak that originated from Wuhan, China. The virus has become a global pandemic, millions over the world have contracted the virus and more than one million have died from the deadly virus.

The entire Covid-19 team at the hospital received immense accolades from the Malaysian authorities and the Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah.
“Heartiest congratulations to Dr. Suresh Kumar and Dr .Shaiful Azman and the entire Covid-19 team at Sungai Buloh Hospital for the recognition at the Global Health Awards 2020. Very well-deserved indeed!. The nation expresses their sincere thank you to you and your team for unwavering dedication, sacrifice and excellence in our efforts to fight Covid-19,”
Dr. Hisham complimented and praised Dr. Suresh Kumar, who is Head of the Sungai Buloh Hospital of Infectious Disease, and Dr. Shaiful Azman Zakaria, who heads the Department of Intensive Care and Anesthesia, as well as the entire Covid-19 frontliners at the facility on this prestigious global recognition earned.
The Sg Buloh Hospital has further made a public statement that the hospital will be the main center for the COVID-19 outbreak as of 2 October 2020.

The official site of the Global Health Awards stated that its optimum goal of the Asia-Pacific global awards is to acknowledge and recognise organisations in a spectrum of regional and global markets that have consistently held high standards of excellent healthcare services and have contributed to the development on caring for their patients well-being during this outbreak.
Pertaining to this, it’s a Well-Deserved honourable and notable award received by the Sungai Buloh Hospital for their utmost efficiency and professoinalism in treating COVID-19 patients!
Congratulations to the frontliners of the Sg Buloh Hospital on this global recognition, keep up the good work!
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Filed Under covid-19 centre in malaysiacovid-19 hospital at malaysiacovid-19 newshospital sg bulohmain covid-19 hubspot in malaysia


‘Sid Sriram Live In KL’ Sells Out 1000 Tickets & 2 Categories In Under 24 Hours

For the past 4 years, Sid Sriram has been returning to Malaysian shores annually and his fans just can’t get enough of his mellifluous vocals. Sid Sriram first performed in Malaysia in 2016 at the AR Rahman Live In KL concert. The heavy downpour and delay in the concert clearly did not dampen the spirits of the audience members of the performers. Sid opened the show with his first Kollywood song from Mani Ratnam’s Kadhal ‘Adiye’ and sang in the rain to a sea of eager fans singing along.
Sid Sriram and AR Rahman performing at AR Rahman Live In Concert 2016
Sid Sriram returned to Kuala Lumpur in January 2017 for his first solo performance in ‘Ennodhu Nee Irundhal Sid Sriram’s Isai Mazhai Live in KL’ along with Keba Jeremiah, Leon James, Sashaa Tirupati, Abhay Jodpukhar, Mk Balaji and A.R Reihana. He sold-out the venue to over 2000 people and delivered a power-packed performance with a combination of his film and solo songs.

The stage got bigger when Sid Sriram returned later in 2017 under the banner of popular concert organiser, Mojo Projects. Sid Sriram performed to a full venue at the Malaysian Independent Live Fusion Festival (MILFF) to a swaying, flashlight waving audience who sang along to all of his songs during the hour long set. The scene at the StarExpo Centre in KWC Fashion Mall was nothing short of an auditory and visual feast.
2018 was a year of varsity events for Sid Sriram as he performed at an inter-varsity dance competition, Agni KL and a private event at UTAR campus in Kampar.

Last week, Sid Sriram announced that he will be returning to Kuala Lumpur in July 2019 with Woodmark Events for ‘Heart & Soul With Sid Sriram – Live In KL’. Woodmark Events opened their online sales on 14 April 2019 and sold 1000 tickets in under 24 hours! They have also completely sold-out the Grand Stand and Silver Category and tickets from the remaining categories are selling fast.
Related:  Sid Sriram’s Heart and Soul 3.0 concert to hit KL this 7th October, Tickets on sale June 1, 11AM
It is clear that even after 5 events in a span of 4 years, Malaysian fans still can’t get enough of Sid Sriram.
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Filed Under Sid Sriramsid sriram live in kl


Hearts Of Harris 2.0, Live in KL 2023 – 12,500 Tickets Sold Out In 45 Minutes!

The Harris Jayaraj euphoria is real!

Barely 2 weeks after his sold out show at Axiata Arena on January 21st, all 12,500 tickets for Hearts Of Harris 2.0 that went on sale this afternoon at was completely sold out within 45 minutes.
According to a representative from concert organisers, Malik Streams, there were close to 60,000 people stuck in a waiting queue when the the tickets went live, and those who were at the front of the queue were fortunate enough to get their tickets. Each purchaser was limited to a maximum of 10 tickets.

I did not get my tickets!
We’ve been getting a barrage of comments from fans and concert goers who were stuck in a 2-3 hour waiting queue only to be greeted with a sold out notice for the show. Fret not, we can officially confirm that Malik Streams will be bringing down Harris Jayaraj for yet another show really soon!
HEARTS OF HARRIS 3.0 IS COMING TO YOU VERY SOON!
Stay tuned to Varnam Malaysia for more details regarding Hearts of Harris 2.0, happening this February 19th at Axiata Arena, Kuala Lumpur.
Varnam Malaysia is the Official Online Media Partner for “Hearts of Harris 2.0 ” Live in Kuala Lumpur 2023.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Dhruva Natchathiram Trailer May Release at Harris Jayaraj’s Concert in Malaysia
Filed Under Harris JayarajHearts Of Harris 2.0Hearts of Harris 3.0Tickets sold out HJ concert


Drive-Through Vaccination; A Crucial Approach Welcomed By Malaysians

The Ministry of Health (MoH) confirmed on Wednesday (2nd June) that a drive-through vaccination centre for people with disabilities and their caregivers is scheduled to start operating next week.
This ministry has been made aware that in the course of a vaccination against the deadly coronavirus, the disabled community has been forgotten.
Picture credit: The Tribune India
A MoH official informed Malay Mail, that the centre will be providing vaccination to people with disabilities aged 18 and above who reside in the Klang Valley regardless if it was or not registered with the Social Welfare Department (JKM).
Sime Darby Plantations Headquarters in Ara Damansara, Selangor, will host this initiative between the MoH and the OKU Central NGO.
The report states that a public announcement will soon be made by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Khairy Jamaluddin.
Picture credit: The Star
A report from The Vibes has stated that Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) also offers drive through vaccination.  Professor Datuk Dr Ahmad Sukari Halim, Head of the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital said the first step in the drive through program was for frontliners who received their first dose and were having problems when their second dose came.
Among the issues reported by frontliners were COVID-19 symptoms, being in close contact with COVID patients or having entered the state from a red zone area.
He said;
“Since they are frontliners, getting them vaccinated is a priority. At the same time, we want to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection in the vaccination centre, hence the drive-through approach.
Picture credit: Putu Sayoga/Bloomberg
“Patients must meet the set criteria, that is being 60 years old and above, or between the ages of 18 to 60 with a history or currently battling a chronic disease whilst being at high risk if given the vaccine at the community centres.
He equated the drive-through program to a vaccine centre. All recipients must scan the MySejahtera QR code, register their names in the vaccination system and wait for their turn to be vaccinated. Before you get the jab, you must also consent to the requirements of the vaccine and be notified of the risk.
Following the vaccination, the recipients are required to stay for 15-30 minutes in their vehicles for the monitoring process should there be any reactions towards the vaccine.
This approach would be useful for those who are wheelchair bound. In the meantime, stay safe, stay home and follow all the SOPs and god willing, we will be able to reduce the number of cases and reach herd immunity by year end.
Source: TheVibes & RojakDaily
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Filed Under disabled coviddrive-through vaccinationvaccination centres


Maraimugane; A String-Laden Lyrical Video That’ll Make Us Swoon

Have you ever wondered why certain love songs are your favorites over others? Often, what sets some music above the rest are the love song lyrics that speak to your very soul.
Maraimugane; It’s such a loving song and you can feel the love song lyrics deep in your soul.
The brand-new novel word, which has been discovered to define a person who disappeared from one’s view. In line with this, the entire team is extremely proud to say that there is no such Tamil song in this title. Well, it’s true as this song is receiving applause from fans for its fineness and is appreciated for its fresh music.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jeevan Jebaraj (@jeevan_jebaraj)

From unique storyline to creative picturisation, the flow of the visuals create one awesomely designed music video. A 15 years old sketch artist from India, Surya was specially featured in this team to produce the sketch arts. Beyond that, it’ll stun you with how visually beautiful they are and might even make you burst into tears about what the song means to you.
Composed by our very own Malaysian songstress Jeevan Jebaraj, the melody song was sung soulfully by one of the finest female vocalists in Malaysia, Thayapari Paramasivam and the lyrics penned by Mogana Darshini. Not to forget the talented editor Arinah Nasir who made the enthralling and nuanced visual treat that complements the music brilliantly.
The interesting part of this music video is, it’s a rare violin-based Malaysian song which is engaged with a talented violinist in Malaysia, Hireishthayanantham.  The moment you start to play this tune, you would know that this talented violinist has given his soul to express the emotions in the melody and lyrics.
Be warned: You might have Maraimugane stuck in your head for weeks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJh8ntQ88YAVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Maraimugane  [OFFICIAL LYRICAL VIDEO] | Jeevan Jebaraj | Thayapari | S.V. Hireish | Mogana Darshini (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJh8ntQ88YA)

Let’s give a special shout out to all the crews who have shed their tears and sweats for the creative endeavors which were used for the music video.
Composer:  Jeevan Jebaraj
Singer: Thayapari Paramasivam
Lyrics: Mogana Darshini Ganggayah
Music producer: Jeevan Jebaraj @ Grace Music Conservatory
Violin: S.V.Hireishthayanantham
Recording engineers: MC Bullet & S.V.Hireishthayanantham  @ Monsta Village Entertainment
Mixed  and Mastered: Boy Radge @ Abraham Records
Special thanks: Gracintha Rubini James
Publisher: DK Production
Produced & Lyrical video content director: Dr. Mogana Darshini Ganggayah
Sketch artist: Surya
Video editor: Arinah Nasir
Poster: Gowtham
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Filed Under Arinah NasirBrand-new novel wordHireishthayananthamJeevan JebarajMaraimuganeMelody tuneMogana DarshinisuryaThayapari Paramasivam


“Boys can do whatever they want, but when a girl does the same, she’s a b*tch,” – Oviya

As part of the promotion of her upcoming film, 90ML, actress Oviya has been interveiwed by all main Tamil Nadu based entertainment portals. Her interview with popular portal Indiaglitz was by far the most reprehensible of the lot.
Here is some context for the uninitiated. Oviya’s first film as a lead actor since her stint on Bigg Boss Tamil which propelled her to fame is 90ML. The trailer of this film was released earlier this month and it featured Oviya and her band of merry women drinking, smoking, making out with men, and talking about their breasts and oral sex. Need we tell you how much backlash this incited from the horribly conservative Tamil audience?

The questions posed by the Indiaglitz interviewer were borderline disrespectful, but Oviya handled it like a champion. She starts of strong, while talking about consumption of alcohol, saying, “Boys can do whatever they want, but when a girl does it, she’s a bitch,” and “If a girl drinks and smokes, is she a bad person? And if she wears a chudithar, does that make her a good person? I really don’t understand this concept,”
The interviewer then asks Oviya ridiculous questions that he would probably never ask any male actor, things like “How many rounds (of drinks) do you usually last?” Oviya, however, is quick to pick up on his probing, and says, “Oh, are you asking me indirectly if I drink? Let me tell you,” He then goes on to ask when she had her first drink.
“I am not a drunkard, as you think,” she tells the interviewer. Kudos to him for asking only two questions relating to her job throughout the entire almost 20 minute interview.

The interviewer asks her when she had her first kiss. It is quite impossible to picture a mid range male actor like Jiiva or Atharvaa being asked such a question, let alone the bigger ‘heroes’.
Nevertheless, Oviya is refreshingly forthcoming, and is happy to share her first kiss experience. But she knows where to draw the line. “People assume that because I am an actor they can ask me any personal questions, but they forget that we need some personal space for ourselves too,” she tells the interviewer before he can ask who she shared her first kiss with.

Oviya is a smart woman. This interview is a testament to that.  She is aware that 90ML will not change things among the Tamil audience immediately, and tells the interviewer that it will take time for the change to develop in their conservative minds.
“In no other state, actors enter politics like in Tamil Nadu,” she says. “People need to understand that we are actors, we are just delivering a dialogue prepared by a scriptwriter. That does not mean that those are our words,” She goes on to advise the Tamil audience to watch movies and appreciate it as a form of entertainment, not anything more to avoid disappointment.

She talks about why she agreed to do 90ML, and she tells the interviewer that she wanted to do something different, a role that will challenge the societal norm. “It’s okay if my image is damaged, but I want people to be able to see men and women as equals,”
Oviya also speaks about the director of 90ML, Anita Udeep, whom she holds in high esteem. “Anita had the guts to attempt a topic that has never been worked on in Tamil cinema. I am also like that, I like to work on something new, to break stereotypes,”
“The movie is an experiment,” she says. True enough, there isn’t one Tamil movie released that features women doing exactly what men do in almost every commercial Tamil movie. 90ML will be a first.

And yet, she knew that she wanted to work on film where no gender is sidelined. “I don’t want to put men down in this movie. Like what is done in commercial movies to women. 90ML just features women having fun,”
Oviya also responds to the negative comments that were brought out. The comment was, the respect for Tamil films has been decimated with 90ML, to which Oviya replies, “Is a Tamil film a teacher, to give that respect? If that is the case, every Tamil movie should be banned! There is always a villain, an item dance, sex and violence. So should we stop releasing Tamil films completely?”

And to the culture guardians who are worried that 90ML may bruise the holy Tamil ways of stifling women and celebrating patriarchal practices, she has this to say, “Your culture isn’t so weak that it will be disrupted by a mere film meant to entertain,”
“I am not going to live my life for others’ expectations. This is my life and I’m going to do what I want to do,”
You go girl!
90ML is expected to release on the 1st of March. Here is the complete interview if you’d like to see how she coolly handles the haters.

https://youtu.be/djYqIk0RoRkVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: I was Particular About my First Lip Lock  : Oviya Reveals | 90ML Trailer | Interview (https://youtu.be/djYqIk0RoRk)

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Filed Under 90MLAnita Udeepconservative tamil audienceculture guardiansgender equalityIndiaglitzinterviewOviyasexist


What’s All the Fuss Surrounding Sarkar?

Sarkar continues to dominate the headlines one week into its release. The Vijay blockbuster had offended a political party in Tamil Nadu, with a scene of director A R Murugadoss smashing an electrical appliance given by the government to the ground.

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) was unhappy about the scenes of a government issued mixer-grinder being burnt in Sarkar. It has been a norm in Tamil Nadu for the government to provide voters with electrical appliances like table fans, blenders and mixer grinders for their votes. Several senior ministers also voiced out that Varalaxmi Sarathkumar’s character, Komalavalli, had plenty in common with the late AIADMK leader, Jayalalithaa. Riots ensued, and theatres that were screening the movie were attacked and vandalised.
Vijay fans didn’t take it sitting down, and this resulted in many videos of crazed fans smashing table fans, grinders and even a laptop, as a warped way to prove their loyalty to the actor. Fast forward a few days and the demise of many government issued home appliances, the Sarkar team has finally called a truce with said political party. The filmmakers have decided to edit out and mute certain portions that involve Varalaxmi’s character.

To celebrate, the Sarkar crew threw a party and the whole team turned up. The selfie of AR Rahman, Vijay, Keerthi Suresh, Varalaxmi and AR Murugadoss has since gone viral. Another picture, however, stole the most of the attention.

The cake featured a cute mixer-grinder by the side of it, and this is probably the best comeback from the Sarkar team.
The lines between state politics and films have always been blurred in Tamil Nadu.
State politics play a big part in the Tamil film fraternity. Sarkar isn’t the first movie has been forced to cut parts that the exceedingly strict censor board has okayed. The fact that filmmakers crack under the pressures of these parties, makes the politicians feel entitled, and feeds their ever hungry ego.
Related:  Director Lokesh Kanagaraj To Helm Superstar Rajinikanth's Last Movie?Interestingly, the unique link between politics and films is cemented by actors making the jump into politics. The progression from fan to voter becomes that much smoother. Vijay could just as well be laying the groundwork for his transition with the preachy tones of Sarkar. And all the controversy that followed, could have been part of the plan all along. Right now, it certainly seems like a storm in a teacup.
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Filed Under AR MurugadossAR RahmanKeethy SureshVaralaxmi SarathkumarVijay


Rajinikanth’s 2.0: Did Shankar Count His Birds Before They Hatched?

The rule of the thumb for Tamil movies should be, ‘The more hype, the bigger the disappointment’.

Rajinikanth’s 2.0 was expected to be the blockbuster of the decade. It has to be, right? Being the most expensive Indian film ever made, costing a monumental US$75million. Lyca Productions pulled out all the stops when it came to promoting 2.0. They even released the video clip of the song Enthira Logathu Sundariye a full 4 days before the premiere, an unprecedented move in the film fraternity. Shankar promised us the moon, but what we got was, possibly, a bird.
Straight to the point.

Rajinikanth movies off late seem to be cutting the unnecessary pizzazz that come with it. 2.0 follows suit, and is straight to the point. There was no mass hero introduction scene. No colourful group dance shot from up above. No needless hip swaying. No irrelevant banter between the hero and comedian, because there was no comedian! The comedic elements, however, were well placed. The only time wasted was during Vasi’s phonecalls to Sana to explain why she isn’t part of the movie. Meh.
Rajinikanth, our saviour!

2.0 would have been a flop if the lead actor was anyone other than Rajinikanth. The Superstar is still at the top of his game, carrying out his roles with equal amounts of sass and seriousness. In fact, he actually looks like he is having a good time, and jovially takes on the peculiar requirements of the script with ease.
Rahman NEVER DISAPPOINTS!

A R Rahman is an asset to 2.0. With only three songs (you read that right) in the entire movie, one would imagine that this would be a gripe. Nope, the audience isn’t left thirsty for more Rahaman-ness. The music was well timed, and quite perfect. The song Pullinangal by singer Bamba Bakya is a breath of fresh air in the movie, literally. The beautiful tune captures the essence of the movie during the flashback, and Na Muthukumar’s lyrics certainly do it justice.
Enthira Logathu Sundariye was dreadful to watch unless you enjoy watching Amy Jackson’s failed lip sync to the simple word ‘raajali’, she kept mouthing ‘paajali’. Can’t help but to wonder how the filmmakers missed this. The classic robotic Rajini dance moves work well as Chitti dancing, though.
“Holy Crow!”

Akshay Kumar portrayed two very different characters in the movie, both executed to perfection by the actor. In fact, if Rajinikanth wasn’t Rajinikanth, Akshay would have stolen the show. We must add that the makeup for Akshay was done perfectly for both characters. We can’t say the same for Rajinikanth’s makeup though.
The whitest of them all

It is laughable that in the most expensive Indian movie made to date, there was ONE female character amidst a sea of men. And that female character was a robot played by an actress who isn’t even Indian.
Related:  Indian 3: Is Shankar Reuniting With Kamal Haasan Again?Amy Jackson, however, may have found her true calling in acting. Robots. The Brit carries the role of Nila perfectly, so much so that we knew she was a robot even before it was revealed. Her stiff, wooden acting would make Arnold Schwarzenegger proud. In fact, sci-fi movies might become a trend in Tamil films, just so they can cast Amy Jackson in a role that she does so damn well.
Anniyan + Marvel + Transformers

Two important parts of 2.0 resembled the Shankar’s earlier flick Anniyan. The beginning is unmistakable as people get killed in odd ways one by one. Later on in a movie, there is a scene where a character goes through a similar Ambi-Anniyan back and forth.
The duel between the the huge Chitti-turned Magneto and the antagonist in a stadium is reminiscent of one of the many Transformers movies. But somehow, Enthiran’s Chitti formations seemed to be more enjoyable.
Hey Shankar, a little déjà vu is fine. What we could’t take was that Anniyan felt creepier. Shouldn’t a revolt of technology be creepier than a man with multiple personality disorder?
A CGI orgy

The whole movie felt like a CGI fiesta. Yes, we admit, in terms of effects, it is certainly a step up from Enthiran. And don’t get us wrong, it was mind boggling to watch so many Chittis run about, but it didn’t feel legit. In a Marvel movie, even a monster stomping on a city is believable. 2.0 just didn’t. Honestly, anyone who has visited knows that there are no skyscrapers in downtown Chennai, so why bother putting all that in?
The flashback alone felt REAL. The audience collectively sighed, and it’s safe to say that everyone was thinking, “Oh wow, there’s actually a story here,”. That bit was certainly a lovely respite for the eyes.
Shankar may have spread himself too thin
Shankar may have taken on too much. He is behind the story, screenplay and the direction of 2.0, and yet it falls short. It almost feels like he has thrown a bulk of the budget to the visual effects guys. More thought and time could have been put into the story itself, and the end product would have been a perfect package.
Will 2.0 go down in history as one of Rajinikanth’s best work, probably not. Heck, it isn’t even Shankar’s best. Let’s not forget that Shankar is a visionary. If anything, the execution of 2.0 is going to pave the way for better visual effects in future Tamil movies. And for that, kudos.
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Filed Under 2.0Akshay KumarAmy JacksonRajinikanthShankar


WIN A Pair Of Tickets To Praveen Kumar’s Standup Comedy Show – ‘Mr Family Man’

We are giving away tickets to Praveen Kumar’s ‘Mr Family Man’ that is happening next weekend in Kuala Lumpur.

The Bangalore-based stand up comedian who has performed at over 1,400 shows across the globe has decided to take us through his ultimate challenge in life: Being a Family Man! Praveen makes a quick stop in Kuala Lumpur on 30 March 2019 at PJ Live Arts at 8pm for his worldwide Mr. Family Man tour.

Here’s how you can win VIP tickets To Watch Praveen Kumar’s ‘Mr Family Man’:

Like & Share this post either on Facebook OR Instagram.
Tag at least ONE(1) friend you want to take to the ‘Mr Family Man’ show in Kuala Lumpur with a short message in the comments section of the post.

Contest Deadline: 25th March 2019 11.59pm

Winners Announcement: 26th March 2019

Terms and conditions:

Giveaway is only limited to participants currently based in Malaysia (but you don’t have to be Malaysian to join).
Winners will be announced on the 26 March 2019.
If you are selected, you will be contacted through PM (personal message) on Facebook or Instagram.
Varnam.my’s decision is final. 3rd party opinions will not be entertained.

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Filed Under Mr. Family ManPraveen Kumarstandup comedy


Yes, The Tagline Is Meant To Be Sarcastic – BGW on ‘Neeyum Naanum’ Poster

As you all already know, Bala Ganapathi William will be releasing his first ever directorial venture, Neeyum Naanum, very soon.
In fact, the movie is rumoured to hit cinemas nationwide some time in September.
Recently, BGW studios revealed a brand new poster for the Neeyum Naanum. The poster featured Bala Ganapathi William and Jasmine Michael sharing an embrace, along with names of the casts, producers, music director, and so on.
However, it was the tagline that caught our attention. It said, “Same heroin, different story”. Assuming that it was a typo, we contacted BGW to address the matter.

“Actually, there’s a reason why we used the word ‘heroin’. Heroin is a drug, just like how love is a drug, and love is the theme of this movie. It also refers to Jasmine Michael,” BGW clarified.
We also asked him if the tagline was supposed to be sarcastic, given the number of people who have asked him why he casted Jasmine Michael.
“Yes, it is. Everyone keeps asking me “athey heroine ah, athey heroine ah”, so it’s an answer to them too. Yes it’s the same heroine, but it’s a brand new story. A lot of people actually contacted me about the tagline, so that’s good. They noticed.”
Check out the poster below:

READ MORE:
https://varnam.my/2018/3416/bgws-neeyum-naanum-rumoured-to-hit-theaters-in-september/
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  'Panas Talk with Vikadakavi' is Set to Bring The Heat on 19 May!
Filed Under Bala Ganapathi WilliamBGWNeeyum Naanum


EXCLUSIVE: Interview With A Young Growing Motivational Speaker; Kaushalya Balamurugan

I am often fascinated how young people are capable of so many things today. Although some are being misled by this rapid growth of technology and other things, most of them are eager to make their dreams come true.
They have been striving and working so hard from a very young age to have a brighter life. I firmly believe these are the people who will really bring our society to life in the future. They’re the potential leaders of our community.
Among the young people who are radiating their efforts, I cAme across Kaushalya Balamurugan.
 She’s a 19-year-old young lady who does coaching, counselling for teenagers as well as being a spiritual teacher for children. In the meantime, she’s also preparing herself for STPM.
Many would have known her through her videos, where she talks about topics that are very insightful and valuable for today’s generation.
Varnam Malaysia managed to reach out to her to have a little talk about her journey on how she started this.
Varnam: How did you embark upon making videos on topics that are of importance to the society and community?
Kaushalya: I started making videos on important news because I used to wake up to certain news that was happening around us and it was something which should be highlighted. So, I decided to give some talks over social media where it can easily reach youngsters now. It will make young generations (gen-y) to go by a good pathway while educating them on what’s happening around.
Varnam: What inspired you to make videos about crucial matters that need to be brought to the public’s attention?
Kaushalya: The thing that inspired me is, myself. This is because whenever I went through depression, and stress, nobody helped me to overcome those problems where it pushed me to a point to make wrong decisions in life. I even thought no one lives in peace. Hence, I decided to wake up from those negativities and decided to spread only positivity around me.
Picture credit: Kaushalya Balamurugan Official Instagram
Varnam: Do you refer to yourself as a motivational speaker?
Kaushalya: Yes, I do refer to myself as a motivational speaker because during my primary school days, my friends around me had shared their sad stories. So, I decided to stand by their side as a good motivator. I gave them some advice on which they can stand bold and solve their problems by themselves. Thus, I definitely see the quality of a motivational speaker in myself.
Varnam: Do you receive public support, or do you get backlashes?
Kaushalya: To be very honest, when I first started making videos, I rarely got any support. However, things have changed now. I honestly have no words to describe how supportive people are. I’m receiving countless amount of direct messages every time I upload a video. But, I hope I will gain even more support from the viewers in future.
Varnam: How do you deal with negativity or backlashes on the social media platform?
Kaushalya: Well, negativity is a kind of aspect we can see on a daily basis. I always believe that if there’s plus, then there’s minus, too. They both just coexist regardless of what. But, yes, I’m trying to avoid the negativity that I get from social media by simply ignoring them, because spreading positivity is a better option.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kaushalya Balamurugan (@kaushalyaabalamurugan)

Varnam: Can you tell us a motivational discussion or related topic in which you really felt that the audience felt most connected?
Kaushalya: I think when I talk about current issues like “mental health,” audiences tend to really connect themselves to the topic, and when I put a video on “unconsensual sharing of naked pictures,” I received more viewers, comments and messages. So those are the topics which the audience were able to connect to mostly.
Varnam: Do you drive your life upon any motto or philosophy?
Kaushalya: Yes, I do. My life motto is to “trust the universe and always attract the positive. Your thoughts become things that might help others as well”.
Varnam: What is the whole purpose of you making these motivational and public awareness videos?
Kaushalya: The purpose of my motivational talk videos is to convey a message that can engage people’s minds and hearts in a way that motivates them to think more clearly, see opportunities, spread positivity, and move forward with efforts towards success.
Picture credit: Kaushalya Balamurugan Official Instagram
Varnam: How do you see yourself in ten years from now?
Kaushalya: I see myself as a well-driven and well-trained speaker and a motivator on social platforms where I stand in a place that can lead others to succeed in their lives.
Even though she’s young, she has a clear mind set and a compassionate heart to help others. Such a quality should always be appreciated and encouraged by our community, and if this doesn’t flare a spark, then what will? Kudos Kaushalya!
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Filed Under Kaushalya BalamuruganMotivational speaker in Malaysiayoung speaker


T. Ravichandran Conquers Mount Everest For The Fourth Time, The First Malaysian To Accomplish Such A Feat

Ravichandran Tharumalingam has created history by being the first Malaysian to complete the fourth climb of Mount Everest. “We have been conquering Mount Everest, but this year Everest beats us,” said T Ravichandran, a national solitary climber, emotionally recalling his encounter with the late Lt Col Awang Askandar Ampuan Yaacub and hearing about the missing disabled climber Muhammad Hawari Hashim.
Awang Askandar, 56, was declared dead on Friday (May 19) after falling during his climb to the peak of Mount Everest, while Muhammad Hawari, 33, was considered lost in the Mt Everest area after descending from Camp 4 after reaching the world’s highest peak at 8,848 metres.

“We met for the second time this year on a mission to conquer Mount Everest.” This time, I was ahead of them, and I also experienced difficult problems from extreme weather on my way down from Mount Everest,” he told the media at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) today, following the landing from the 2023 Himalayan Sports Everest-Lhotse Expedition.

According to Ravichandran, on May 17, he reached the top of Mount Everest and waved the Jalur Gemilang and sponsor’s flags before going down on May 18 to capture Mount Lhotse (the world’s fourth highest mountain at a height of 8,516 meters), but he had to be rescued and taken to Kathmandu for treatment due to frostbite on a finger.
Ravichandran, 58, was on a mission with the Himalayan Sports Everest-Lhotse Expedition 2023 to become the first Malaysian climber to reach the summit of Mount Lhotse after hoisting the flag on Mount Everest within 24 hours.
Related:  Malaysian Climber Ravichandran Tharumalingam Saved by Gelje Sherpa a Nepali Sherpa, near 'Death Zone' of Mount EverestThis is Ravichandran’s fourth successful ascent of Mount Everest.
Source: 1
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Filed Under MalaysianMount Everest


Ajay Devgn Poses with Ram Charan, Rajamouli And Jr NTR On The Sets Of RRR!

Actor Ajay Devgn has begun work on his next project —SS Rajamouli’s film, tentatively titled RRR. Two photos from the sets of RRR have been shared by the official Twitter handle of the film.
The message alongside the picture read, “The stars are shining bright on the sets of #RRR! @ajaydevgnji, @tarak9999, #RamCharan & @ssrajamouli from the shoot! #RRRMovie” In one of them, three stars from the film including Ram Charan and Jr NTR with Ajay pose together; while in another, all three of them pose with director Rajamouli.

The stars are shining bright on the sets of #RRR! @ajaydevgn ji, @tarak9999, #RamCharan & @ssrajamouli from the shoot! #RRRMovie pic.twitter.com/GAOy8Ohb3s
— RRR Movie (@RRRMovie) January 29, 2020

It is not clear what character Ajay plays in the film but he reportedly has an extended cameo in the film. RRR stars Ram, Jr NTR and Alia Bhatt as its lead cast, and Alia has been paired with Ram. NTR is likely to be paired with a non-Indian actor.
While little is known about the film’s storyline, it is reportedly based on the life of two Telugu revolutionaries, Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitaram Raju, who will feature in the flashback portion of the film. The makers have already shot considerable portions of the film, with one schedule taking place in Rajasthan and another in Bulgaria.
The film is being made at a reported budget of Rs 300 crores. It will be Rajamouli’s first release post the release of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion which hit the screens in 2017. The Baahubali franchise is one of the most successful films to have emerged in recent times.
Related:  Jyotika to Return to Bollywood After 25 Years?More updates to follow!
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Filed Under Ajay Devganrrrss rajamoulitelugu


12.12 – Superstar Rajinikanth’s 2002 Baba Film is Set To Hit The Big Screen Once Again

With Rajinikanth’s Jailer film being the talk of the town, here’s a little sneak peek at the evergreen film that is about to hit big screens soon.
The most celebrated Indian actor of all time, Superstar Rajinikanth will be turning 72 this December 12. To make this iconic idol’s birthday extra special for his fans, the 2002 supernatural ‘Baba’ movie will be re-released and remastered.
According to The Indian Express, Baba turned out to be a massive flop that incurred huge losses for distributors. Also when asked why bringing back such films, the director of Baba, Suresh Krishna said in an interview it is because of the increasing popularity of fantasy films. The director also said that Baba was ahead of its time. The 20-year-old film has been digitally enhanced and remastered with better audio quality and digital print. As the release nears, the makers of the action and comedy-packed film unveiled an exciting trailer of the film.
 It’s on the fans now to turn this once-flop film into a hit!
In a recent tweet, the 71-year-old actor shared the trailer and tweeted – “A film that will forever be closest to my heart… #Baba remastered version releasing soon (sic).”

A film that will forever be closest to my heart … #Baba remastered version releasing soon 🤘🏻#BaBaReRelease https://t.co/vUaQahyHlA
— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) December 3, 2022

The film will also have new audio enhancement exclusively dubbed by the superstar, Rajinikanth for his portions and the film’s background score. All the songs of the film, which are fully composed by AR Rahman like ‘Maya Maya’, ‘Shakti Kodu’, have been remixed and changed to Dolby Mix sound system. Whereas, The film’s runtime has been reduced from 3 hours to 2.5 hours. The coolest part of the trailer is the additional line of Rajinikanth saying, “I am coming.
Related:  Audio Launch Update For Superstar Rajinikanth's JailerWatch the new ‘Baba’ trailer HERE !

The makers had only planned to release the film in the Southern state of India, Tamil Nadu, but due to Rajinikanth’s die-hard fan following, they have decided to release the film across the country. It may also be released in a few international markets, as well. A thrilling remake with goosebumps feelings one can get watching this film.
Will Malaysians get to experience this massive feel from this epic film on big screens too? Let’s wait and see.

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Filed Under BabaReReleaseDecember 12Happy Birthday RajiniJailerremastered filmsuperstar rajinikanth


Local Flick ‘Sughamaai Subbulakshmi’ Bags 2 Film Awards From Norway

It’s always exciting to see our local films getting international recognition.
Sughamaai Subbulakshmi, a local Tamil film directed by Karthik Shamalan, is making waves in the international arena even before hitting the theatres. The film has already bagged two awards the 9th Norway Tamil Film Festival.
Film director Karthik Shamalan won the ‘Best Director Tamil – Diaspora’ award for his brainchild. Apart from that, actress Punitha Shanmugam picked up the ‘Best Actor – Female Tamil – Diaspora’ award at the film festival.
Sughamaai Subbulakshmi is a movie that revolves around love, friendship, family, pain, and suffering, including some comic relief. The screenplay is carefully crafted by Karthik Shamalan, a talented and multiple award-winning filmmaker who also brought us The Farm: En Veettu Thottathil.

Music scores are left in the capable hands of Shameshan Mani Maran and Neroshen Thanaseharan. This is also the first local Tamil film to collaborate with Sony Music Malaysia.
The film stars Saresh D7, Punitah Shanmugam, Bagya Arivuckarasu, Kuben Mahadevan, and G Crack Karnan.
Sughamaai Subbulakshmi is set to hit cinemas nationwide on the 17th of May 2018. Mark your calendars!
*Photos & information sourced from Uthaya Sankar SB
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Filed Under Karthik ShamalanSony Music MalaysiaSughamaai Subbulakshmi


Meet Shiva Kalaiselvan: The Malaysian Indian Girl Starring In Hit US Series, Gotham

The whole of Malaysia rejoiced when we saw a Malaysian appear on the hit FOX series, Gotham.
Her name is Shiva Kalaiselvan and she played the role of Lelia, the leader of an all-female assassins group known as the League of Shadows. And Shiva is no stranger to being on TV in the US, she has also appeared on the CW’s The Originals as Ivy several times.

“You dream of opportunities like this in this business, and you have an idea of what it is going to be like when you get it,” Shiva said when contacted by local daily The Star. She admitted that the entire experience was very surreal for her.
“But it’s more than that. I couldn’t have imagined this experience,” she added.

Here are a few fun facts about the 34-year-old actress from KL:

She graduated with a degree in Finance from the Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in 2006. She worked as an investment banker in Milwaukee and London over the course of 3 years.

2. Three years later, she left the banking world to do some traveling. She stopped in Tanzania and Argentina to work with children and adult with disabilities.

3. When she finally got back to Malaysia, her love for theatre rekindled and she decided to jump right back into it.
4. Shiva also has an MFA in Acting, which she obtained from Columbia University.
5. Shiva made her off-broadway debut as an actress in Classic Stage Company’s Nathan the Wise by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing.

6. She is currently working on her first web content series; a 6-episode webseries written by some notable playwrights in the US.
7. Born in KL, Shiva is now based in Manhattan.
Keep up the good work, Shiva, we’re all so proud of you! ?
All photos and information sourced from shivakalaiselvan.com & @shivashobita Instagram
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Filed Under GothamLeliaShiva Kalaiselvan


Caring Moms; An Amazing Network Group To Empower Women!

“We are born of love; love is our mother.” —Rumi
Mother’s Day is that special time of year when you get to celebrate your first best friend.  She is the person you always turn to when you need advice for literally everything under the sun.  Mother’s Day is also a great time to show your love for all the other wonderful women in your life.
Motherhood is never an easy task, what more if they are single mothers. Caring Moms was started in April 2016 by two individuals; with the aim to create an ecosystem for women to develop and grow their entrepreneurial skills.
At the recent annual Women Economic Forum which was held in New Delhi, India, Malaysian retired Major, Shera Ann Bosco was conferred the Exceptional Women of Excellence Award for her outstanding work with CARING MOMS.
CARING MOMS was founded by Maj (Rtd) Shera Ann Bosco in 2016, who together with co-founder Umesh Narasimhaiah focused on supporting women entrepreneurs especially stay-at-home mothers who are running home-based businesses.
Very quickly, their online retail platform garnered well over 71,000 members and have since conducted numerous successful bazaars that have attracted close to 450k visitors.

“It’s been three years. We are sustaining. The community has been supportive. The support to the community by everyone is amazing. The family that now exists is mind blowing. We have evolved from being just a Facebook group to a Community Organisation, a family,” says Major Shera.

Major Sheera said that she did not really know the impact of the movement she has created until fellow members would message her; thanking Caring Moms for helping them out with their problems.
In recognition of the impact CARING MOMS has generated, the international Women Economic Forum (WEF) invited Major Shera to speak at the annual Women Economic Forum 2019 in New Delhi where she was presented with the Award of Exceptional Women of Excellence for her impactful work with CARING MOMS.
Related:  Mother’s Day Special: A Message For My Dear Amma‘CARING MOMS aims to create 50,000 job opportunities for women by 2021’
The annual WEF 2019 has attracted over 2000 women and men from 120 countries and was held from 11 to 16 April. The theme this year was “Reimagining Societies: Reclaiming Humanity With Gender Equality.

https://youtu.be/j5X63BEiz3oVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Shera award sppech at WEF 2019 – New Delhi (https://youtu.be/j5X63BEiz3o)

This is an important story. And I’ll tell you why!
For aeons, women have been thought to pit against each other. We have been reminded constantly about our insecurities. ” Two women can never be friends!”, is a saying I have heard for the longest time. But I want all the women who are reading this article to know that, this is a clear example that goes against to all those sexist statements. So many women came together and supported each other through highs and lows. The impact from a positive group is beyond explainable.
To all the single mothers out there, never feel that you are alone; you can reach out to Caring Moms. You can contact them at hello@caringmoms.my or visit their website, https://caringmoms.my/ for more details.
Caring Moms is not just a platform for single mothers, but it is also a platform for all women who are looking to enhance their financial and economic independence to help their families.
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Filed Under caring momsmothers daysingle mothers


Vijay Sethupathi is Ready to Fight Rajinikanth and Lose in Their Upcoming Film

Perhaps the most highly anticipated Indian film of 2019 is none other than Karthik Subbaraj’s first collaboration with Superstar Rajinikanth. Over the past few years, the young director has made a name for himself, helming brilliant films like Iraivi and Jigarthanda. This year, he boldly pushed the envelope of Indian cinema by making a silent horror-thriller starring Prabhu Deva.

https://youtu.be/AwdVeo4mA14?t=50sVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Vikram Vedha Movie Scenes | Vijay Sethupathi intro | Vijay Sethupathi surrenders to Madhavan (https://youtu.be/AwdVeo4mA14?t=50s)

But it is his film next year with Rajinikanth that will surely push this director to the stratosphere. What’s even more insane, is the fact that the currently untitled film not only stars Rajinikanth, but Vijay Sethupathi as well. Now Vijay Sethupathi may not be in the same league as Rajinikanth as far as International star power goes, but if you’re a fan of Tamil movies, you’ll know that Vijay Sethupathi is one of the best ACTORS working today. His work in Vikram Vedha proves that he can play the villain/anti-hero role spectacularly.
When asked by Firstpost how he feels to star opposite Superstar Rajinikanth, Vijay Sethupathi had this to say:
I’m waiting for the moment to stand in front of Rajini sir’s eyes and deliver my dialogues. I’m 100% ready to get defeated by him.
If this film turns out to be a Mass movie in the vein of Baashha, Annamalai, Padaiyappa, etc then watching Vijay Sethupathi and Rajinikanth exchange one-liners is gonna be one heck of an event! Anirudh is set to be the musical composer of this film, which is only going to add to the awesomeness!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Moviethon: New Films That You Can Catch This Weekend In Theatres
Filed Under Karthik SubbarajRajinikanthVijay Sethupathi


Meet Augustus Ralph Marshall, The New Non-Executive Chairman Of Teleport

Augustus Ralph Marshall has been recently appointed as the Independent Non-Executive Chairman of Teleport, Capital A Bhd’s logistics venture. Besides that, Marshall is also the Chief Executive Officer of Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB).
Teleport also elected Olivier Petra, as an Independent Non-Executive Director, to its board of directors. At Unilever, Olivier is a global head of the digital commerce supply chain.
Image credit: airasia newsroom
Teleport stated Marshall had earlier served as both group CEO and deputy chairman of Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd, while Oliver has worked with Lazada E-Logistics Malaysia and Lazada Group on building the company’s logistics transport strategy and logistics supplier management.
This newly elected pair will join Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, Hanim Hamzah, Bo Lingam, Colin Currie and Pete Chareonwongsak on Teleport’s board to inspect the strategic direction of the company.
“Each member offers their unique set of accomplished talents and expertise as Teleport continues in its aim to deliver things across Southeast Asia better than anybody else,” said Teleport.
Teleport’s CEO, Pete Chareonwongsak, stated that the company has worked hard to guarantee that the board and leadership of Teleport reflect diversity, expertise, and quality, which would help the company’s strategic direction and governance.
“I am delighted that Marshall and Olivier have decided to join Teleport’s board of directors as we continue to grow as a regional leader. Olivier’s strong logistical knowledge, as well as Marshall’s unique business leadership perspective, will enhance Teleport in achieving our objective,” he remarked.
Image credit: teleport asia website
Teleport is the logistics venture of Capital A which was founded in 2018. Teleport is on a mission to enable everyone, from single merchants to the largest companies, to move things across Southeast Asia better than anybody else in 24 hours. Currently, Teleport is present in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Singapore and China.
With the comeback of passenger airline travel and belly capacity in Southeast Asia, Teleport is preparing to ramp up operations of Southeast Asia’s faster and most accessible logistics infrastructure.
Source: [1,2]
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Filed Under Augustus Ralph MarshallBo LingamCapital A BhdColin CurrieDatuk Kamarudin MeranunDigital Nasional BhdDNBHanim HamzahlogisticsPete ChareonwongsakTan Sri Tony FernandesTeleport


Step Into December With The Spotify Wrapped Trend

Happy December and cheers to the favorite month of all. It’s almost the end of the year and for music fans, that means one thing- Spotify Wrapped. Spotify Wrapped is where you get to share and discover your top artists and playlist throughout the year. Songs played from 1 January right up to 30 November 2022 all compiled just for you.
 Spotify’s playlist story wrap features:

Four-letter codes, that describe your- “Listening Personality”
An interactive story of individual’s listening trends from morning to evening- “Audio day”
The number of times users tune in to their top artists, songs, genres, podcasts, and minutes listened as well as their Top Songs 2022 playlist.

It’s not just you in the groove, but a few music artists were sharing their gratitude online towards their fans and followers for helping them reach the 2022 music stream board.

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Check out more of your artist’s music stream board on Spotify and discover your 2022 top 5 best artists and playlist now!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Yash Of "KGF" Fame Is Coming To Malaysia To Grace The Opening Of The Second Store Of MS Gold On 8th July 2023
Filed Under Andrea JeremiahAnirudh RavinchanderAR RahmanBenny Dayalmusic artistsmusic fansSpotifySpotify Wrappedtop artistYuvan Shankar Raja


Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja Dominates The Universe Through His Soul & Legacy

With every passing year, Ilaiyaraaja continues to put his stamp of relevance in an industry where young talent is bursting at the seams.
Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja’s song will be heard in outer space for the first time in the history of music and the universe, owing to a trailblazing initiative of a Tamil Nadu team of space aspirants, as the music master would be controlling the cosmos via his spirit and legacy.

நேற்று இல்லை நாளை இல்லை எப்பவும் நான் ராஜா கோட்டை இல்லை கொடியுமில்லை அப்பவும் நான் ராஜா @ilaiyaraaja
 #Ilaiyaraja | #NASA pic.twitter.com/6zlCJxKVkv
— Esh Vishal (@Eshvishaloff) January 19, 2022

விண்வெளியில் ஒலிக்கவிருக்கும் இளையராஜா பாடல்!#ilaiyaraja #music #schooleducation #BreakingNews | #Vizhuthugalmedia | #dailyupdate | #Dailynews | #vizhuthugalnews pic.twitter.com/1bNErbwWBB
— VIZHUTHUGAL MEDIA (@VizhuthugalM) January 19, 2022

The one-of-a-kind event has been in the works for a long time, and while we won’t be able to see the ultimate outcome through our eyes, we will be able to hear his music through our hearts. It will be another triumph for the legendary singer, as well as a proud milestone for his fans and the Tamil language, as well as a magnificent visitor to the infinite cosmos. Ilaiyaraaja’s fascinating music has united generations, and now it will unite humanity with space.
The  legendary music director will be pioneering the efforts of a space team and his song will be orbiting in outer space in a satellite. A Tamil Nadu based team of space aspirants has developed one of the world’s smallest satellites, which is to be launched with the help of NASA. Ilaiyaraaja’s music will fly to space in a satellite and be performed there, and if it is successful, it will be immortalised as the maestro’s legacy.
According to Time News, the musician has composed a special song that will be played in space and the team has been working on the remarkable project. The team which comprises students has decided to launch the satellite during this year’s Indian Independence Day and give an oomph to their journey. Hence, the song will be played on the satellite and they have decided to pioneer the song-satellite to highlight the heritage and pride of India to the world.
Penned by Swanand Kirkire in Hindi, the song was composed and sung by Ilaiyaraaja himself. As the song and efforts are going to highlight the Indian heritage in outer space, the reports stated that the maestro didn’t take any reward or money for composing the song.
Stay tuned for more updates!
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Filed Under Isaignani IlaiyaraajaMusic masterNASAOuter spacespace aspirants


Top 5 Ridiculous Miss Universe National Costumes: ‘Why so over?’

Ah.. good old beauty pageants.
The perfect way of acknowledging a woman’s worth: strip her down to a bikini, make her parade in 18726-inch heels and evaluate her intelligence based on how she is able to end wars and famine in a concise 30-second long conversation.
Then the bell goes ‘Ding!’ and yet another women is not allowed to complete her sentence! ?
Oh, good old pageants! How you seem to represent the female population so flawlessly, we will never understand.

To add to our amusement, pageant contestants the world over have taken the National Costume segment at Miss Universe, to a whole new (Hunger Games-like) level.

If you are a pageant noob, for the National Costume segment, contestants will have to wear a costume (not at all appropriation) that best represents their nation and its people. Gone were the good old days, when Susmitha Sen represented India in a beautiful lehenga and Ji Dan Xu represented China in a Guo Pei Haute Couture gown with designs inspired by a Chien Dynasty-styled vase.
We have put together some of the craziest National Costumes that we came across at the ongoing Miss Universe 2018 pageant happening in Bangkok, Thailand:
1. Aiyo Amma! What now India?
You would wonder, wouldn’t the sari (one of the world’s oldest unstitched garment) suffice to represent incredible India?
The answer is: Hell No!
India’s Nehal Chudasama wore an outfit that was inspired by Rani Rudrama Devi, a warrior queen and monarch of the Kakatiya dynasty.

Here is the catch!
Miss India thought it would be a great idea to carry her own throne on her back and then act out some poor sword-fighting stunts to win the judges heart! Watch this video:

Perhaps, Anushka could have given her some tips before the show?

2.Really now, Singapore? Donald Trump & Kim Jong-Un?
Dear Singapore,
Which part of your country represents an orange in a toupée and a power crazy minion in a Backstreet Boys hair-do?

Miss Singapore, Zahra Kanum, was seen parading in a dress with an image that represented The 2018 North Korea-United States Summit that was hosted by Singapore to mark security guarantees for North Korea and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Related:  Neduianseleya Urgently Requires Funds To Cover Transportation To Bring Him Back To Malaysia
The people of Singapore got so upset that they started a petition to stop the dress from making it to the final stage.
Here is an idea SG! Why don’t you feature the Hollywood Box-Office hit, Crazy Rich Asians on your costume instead?
Oh right, the lead character is Malaysian…. ?

3. Sawadee…WTF! Is that an elephant?
Let’s address the elephant in the room now shall we? (We had to)
This outfit carried by Miss Thailand, H’Hen Nie, is a white elephant entitled Chang- the icon of Thailand. This poor attempt of a towel art pachyderm head looks more like the ghost of all the elephants that died from animal cruelty as part of Thailand’s infamous tourist attraction.

She also seems to enjoy stroking the trunk a bit too much.. watch it for yourself!

4. Laos:  “All my, Single Ladies. Put your hands up!”
At first we thought the Destiny’s Child was out here representing Laos. I mean look at this; bedazzled gold outfits from head-to-toe, choreographed moves and only the girl in the centre (yes, we mean Beyonce) seems to get all the attention.

Miss Laos, On-anong Homsombath, seemed to be having so much fun playing puppet master to this oh-so-weird costume!

5. ACHOOOOOOO!
Bless you! Sorry, this outfit by Miss El Salvador, Marisela de Montecristo, is giving us allergy reactions.

Looking at the bright side, it looks like she is ‘Mother of all Dandelions’ who is ready to pollinate the entire earth that we walk on. Well, good luck!
As the years go by, the National Costume segment is getting more ridiculous. What will the future hold? We don’t know.
Perhaps, Miss Malaysia will have a costume inspired by the notorious 1MDB scandal in 2019? All we can say is that, she will definitely look like a billion dollars (or 2.6 billion)!

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Filed Under El SalvadorIndiaLaosmiss universenational costumeSingaporeThailandweird


Mugen Rao Is The First Malaysian On Vijay TV’s Bigg Boss Tamil

And… it has started!

Yesterday, Vijay TV’s highly anticipated reality TV show, Bigg Boss Tamil Season 3, kicked off and we saw the FIRST EVER Malaysian contestant. 24-year-old Malaysian singer, host and actor, Mugen Rao, made the cut to be in the line to walk home as champion of Bigg Boss. After attending numerous auditions, Mugen earned the spot in the home and has signed himself off to be locked in a house with strangers.

Bigg Boss Tamil is hosted by Padhmashri Kamal Haasan and the launch even showed some of the artists performing. Mugen made his entrance on stage by performing an original song called Abinaya that was released mid 2018. He was met on stage by Kamal Hassan and Mugen seemed starstruck at the sight of the legendary actor-turned-politician. Kamal Haasan proceeded to present Mugen with the Bigg Boss medal and said, “Deserve it”.

Mugen comes from a struggling family who could hardly make ends meet at one time. He was forced to pick up odd jobs such as collecting recyclable wastes to provide for his family. In his introductory montage, Mugen also revealed that he was involved in gangsterism and caused a lot of hurt to his family. At a point in time, Mugen decided to turn on a new leaf and paved his way through the local media industry and soon found himself in bigger films and TV shows. Now, Mugen has a huge following in the local scene and recently won ‘Best TV Drama Actor 2019’ for ‘Nee Yaar’ at the Malaysian Indian Cine (MICA) Awards.
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Mugen will be housed under the same roof as the other contestants who are Jangiri Madhumitha, actor-musician Mohan Vaidya, actor Fathima Babu, Nerkonda Paarvai-fame Abhirami Venkatachalam, Alya Manasa, Saravanan Meenakshi-fame Kavin, Srilanka model Losilya, actor Sarvanan, dance master Sandy, Reshma Pasupuleti and actress Sherin.There will be 2 more wild card entries which will be announced later during the show.

Bigg Boss Season 3 will be aired daily at 930PM.
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Filed Under Bigg Bossbigg boss 3bigg boss season 3Mugen Raomugen rao mgrVijay TV