10 Things Single Women Are Sick Of Hearing

This isn’t an International Women’s Day special, because unlike the day itself, we believe in treating women as human beings all year round. We speak on behalf of all single women, especially those of Malaysian Indian descent when it comes to this topic.
To be honest, it wasn’t difficult to compile this list, simply because our society and every entitled man out there feels the need to check on the state of our marital affairs.
Bear in mind, our definition of  a single woman is anyone who identifies as a woman and is not legally married to another person. This obviously includes divorcees, widows and those in committed relationships who don’t feel the need to step into marriage.

“When are you going to get married?”
Yes, we started with the most infuriating and obvious one. The moment a woman completes her studies all the way up to the time she hits menopause, society’s first question is always on when she will tie the knot. It is as if nothing else should matter to her, ever.
Why is the Malaysian Indian society so uncomfortable with a single woman enjoying her life and pursuing her dreams?
Why is the Malaysian Indian society so uncomfortable with a woman enjoying her life and pursuing her dreams? It is almost as if society cannot see a woman in her reproductive prime without a ring on her finger or thali around her neck.
“Don’t study too much, then you cant find a mappilai,”
Yet again, the life and decisions of a woman has to revolve around a man. In this case, a man she hasn’t even met!
This isn’t just annoying to single women, it is also incredibly insulting to men. In society’s point of view, men’s egos are so fragile that their bachelors degrees will start to wilt in the face of a woman who has her masters or PhD. Is this true, guys?

“Isn’t your biological clock ticking?”
Ah yes, this is society’s go to line if they encounter a woman who is joyously single. According to Malaysian Indian society, a woman expires the moment she turns 30. Simply because of 300-year-old data saying that it is more difficult to conceive after the third decade of life. This, of course, has been proven wrong in numerous journals (which we aren’t going to spoonfeed you, because why do you care, unless you are a woman in her thirties who wants to conceive?)
That aside, it is time for us to let you in on a secret when it comes to women. Be warned, traditionalists and entitled men, we recommend you sit down for this.
NOT ALL WOMEN WANT KIDS.
Yes, that’s a fact! Not every woman wants to force another being that’s been growing inside her through her vagina. Sure, some do change their mind with time, but the fact remains that children aren’t mandatory to many. Some of us would rather have uninterrupted sleep, disposable income and the ability to travel the world whenever we like.
“I know this boy, he’s my grandaunt’s sister in law’s daughter’s nephew. He’s a doctor,”
Trust our community to declare themselves problem fixers, often for problems that don’t even exist! The moment someone ‘well-meaning’ is met with a single woman, lo and behold, they morph seamlessly from Clark Kent into Super-Well-Meaning-Person and start listing down all the single men they know who fit the age, height and education profile of this single lady. Of course, how can a prospective man be younger, shorter or less educated than the woman in question? She should be the lesser of everything!
The moment someone ‘well-meaning’ is met with a single woman, lo and behold, they morph seamlessly from Clark Kent into Super-Well-Meaning-Person
“Have you tried AmmasTamilPaiyanMatrimony.com?”
The more tech savvy of the group above believe in online matrimonial sites that work by matching two people using the shallow filters of height, age and often, caste. What they forget is that most of these require a registration fee that is a small fortune. Sure, this is to ensure the people on the site are legitimate. But really, do we need to pay so much to look for a partner?

“How will you manage on your own?”
This is a classic case of society’s own insecurities being mirrored in the single woman, as this question often comes from a person who is or has been married.
Sadly, the people asking this question often forget that they are speaking to a fully functional adult. If this adult needs help with her daily activities, then she will know how to seek it out. In what universe does a husband become a solution to this? Shouldn’t you be able to live on your own before you are married?
“You need to compromise, men don’t like women who (insert absurdity here),”
This statement means one thing, “Please lower your standards,” How dare you, a woman who is STILL single, demand the kind of man you want? Let’s get one thing straight. SINGLE WOMEN ARE NOT DESPERATE. So please, stop telling us to compromise for something we really don’t want. And no, we aren’t going to lower our standards, if that means being single forever, so be it.
How dare you, a woman who is STILL single, demand the kind of man you want?
Widows and divorcees bear the brunt of this, with many telling them they cannot be picky, as they have been married before.
Related:  Dr. Magindren is appointed to MDEC's Talent Expert Network Panel“But what about your children? They need a father,”
A favourite line for single women with kids, this is just society saying that a woman as a parent is not enough for her children. This is, of course, hogwash.
If you feel the unbeatable need to say these words to someone, then you should take a step back to think. “How can I assume that I know more about what her child needs than the mother herself?” “Does my experience of having two parents invalidate her efforts to be a single mother?” “She is an adult woman who knows what she needs, why am I telling her how to run her family?”

“I was married with two children and one on the way when I was your age,”
Just because you chose to marry earlier in life, that doesn’t give you the right to question everyone else’s experience. We are all on different timelines. Let’s not belittle someone else’s journey because they don’t worship the idea of marriage like you did, all those years ago.
Marriage and kids may be fulfilling to you, but successful career is what some people desire, or an early retirement. Success itself varies from person to person, how can you question someone else’s choices?
“A woman needs a companion,”
The only thing a woman needs are the basic human necessities of food, shelter and clothing. Does a woman need a companion? That, you’ll need to ask her, as this answer differs from one woman to another.
This statement becomes even more blood-boiling when it comes from a man, who thinks he is Padaiyappa and starts declaring how a woman should behave and what she needs.

“You’re so beautiful, I’m sure you’ll meet someone,”
Yes, beauty is the only measurement of worth in our sad, stale society. Nobody cares if you’re a good listener, or an excellent friend, or someone who is filled with postivity.
Only the beautiful deserve to meet someone. We don’t need to outline our society’s narrow definition of beauty, do we?
“But you guys have been dating for so long!”
For some reason, a couple that has been dating for more than a few years is assaulted with the assumption that they are headed for matrimonial bliss. More often than not, this isn’t what the couple even wants, but they succumb to the pressures of society.
Single ladies in relationships, the next time someone says this to you, here are a few options on how to respond.
Yes, we have, but we just don’t see the need for society and the law to validate our relationship.
Yes, we have, we love the way things are between us right now.
Yes, we have, but we don’t see the need to get married as neither one of us wants kids.
Yes, we have, but are you going to spare us RM 100,000 for a wedding and reception?

“Change yourself, and you may find the perfect man,”
This is probably the most ludicrous statement out there. Women are expected to change who they are just so they can meet a man who is deemed perfect, not by them, but by society.
There are many reasons one might want to change her habits or attributes, but doing it for a man is certainly the wrong one. Because if a man cannot accept you for who you are, then he is the farthest thing from perfect.
if a man cannot accept you for who you are, then he is the farthest thing from perfect.
This list could go on and on, the many single ladies reading this will attest to that. Ultimately, the problem lies in the people that feel so entitled over a woman’s life, that they dictate how she should live it. But why does society have a problem with a single woman living her life? Why does that worry so many?
The year is 2020, it makes no sense to assume that a woman absolutely needs a man by her side. Whether a single woman wants to get married, have sex with other women, or live alone forever is none of anyone’s business, except hers.
The next time you feel like saying any one of these statements, we highly recommend you zip your mouth or risk sounding like an idiotic entitled buffoon.
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Filed Under malaysian indianmalaysian indian womansingle women


Imaithidaathe Kangal; The Multi Award-Winning Malaysian Short Film Deserves A Round Of Applause

Penned and helmed by Ravindran Rajendran, Imaithidaathe Kangal (Voice of My Eyes) connects the dots between empathy, the place where we can step into the shoes of another person, and time – an individual’s worst enemy.
The multiple award-winning short film will tug at your heartstrings and leave you with a sorrowful yet joyful sensation that these tearjerkers are fondly known. Huumessh, Sureeta, Resh, Geoffrey, T. S Mogan, and Rathanasamy are among the talented cast who features in the short film.
Imaithidaathe Kangal, encapsulate the creative and unique vision of the filmmaker by coming up with a beautiful storyline.

With more than 25 submissions and 16 nominations, the short film has earned a total number of 24 awards – Ravindran Rajendran

All I would say is, this short film well-deserved for the awards!

The 21-minute long short film portrays a young couple who abandon their new-born who was being uninvited, the baby grew up with hearing and speaking disabilities. He was then kidnapped and forced to beg by a gang leader. However, he still maintained his innocent smile, despite the fact that he had no idea that his life was about to be immersed in darkness. But, somehow his life began to shine upon him after he met a photographer. He observes life more closely, displays positive ideals via his eyeglasses, and educates people with whom he comes into contact with his innocent grins. One day when he was about to start his usual routine, he came upon an old lady who was sitting alone on an empty street.
She begged him for nourishment, which reminded him of his early days, so he brought the lady under his protection without realising it was his mother. As the film progresses, we would know who are the true handicaps, he made us wonder?

As you sow, so shall you reap –  Karma

On the music front, Ratha Rammes & Kumar Saramannan from OneSoul Records have made this short film more engaging with their creation of soothing music that captures the essence of rural life.
Kudos to the entire crew who made the short film plays with reality and fate in such a unique way:
DOP : Chandran Ponniah & NileshKumar
Asst Director : Siva Sree & Thiruvaluvan
VFX Make up : Luvania Ravendran
Editing : A . Irwin Pereira
Colour : Tinesh Govin Varma
Design : Eswaran N.K
Executive Producer : SLY Entertainment Sdn Bhd
A powerful, heart wrenching and excruciatingly realistic, this award winning short film will surely give you a new perspective on life.
Watch the full short film below:

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Filed Under A . Irwin PereiraChandran PonniahGeoffreyHuumesshImaithidaathe Kangal (Voice of My Eyes)Luvania RavendranNileshKumarRatha Rammes & Kumar SaramannanRathanasamyReshSiva SreeSureetaT. S MoganThiruvaluvanTinesh Govin Varma


Director Selvaraghavan Praises Suriya’s Performance in NGK

NGK, directed by Selvaraghavan and starring Suriya is just about done with production and the pair is gearing up for the release of the film sometime later this year (Deepavali perhaps?). Recently, this director who has worked on acclaimed films like Mayakkam Enna and Ayirathil Oruvan, took to Twitter to sing Suriya’s praises.

If I ever wanted work with some actor again it would be @Suriya_offl sir.. Wow.. Taken aback and blown over by his performance!!! Only possible with so much of dedication and hard work!! #NGK #NGKFIRE
— selvaraghavan (@selvaraghavan) August 9, 2018

The director praised Suriya’s performance as well as his dedication and hard work.
If I ever wanted work with some actor again it would be @Suriya_offl sir.. Wow.. Taken aback and blown over by his performance!!! Only possible with so much of dedication and hard work!! #NGK #NGKFIRE
During the early and mid-2000s, Suriya was considered one of the most talented dramatic actors in India, starring in films like Nandha and Pithamagan. However, in recent years, the 43-year-old has mostly only starred in middle of the road mass movies. Could NGK showcase Suriya’s phenomenal acting chops once again?
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ZEE5 To Bring In More Content For Its Audience In April

ZEE5 has announced a couple of digital premieres and originals for their international audience. ZEE5 also had global digital premieres of blockbuster hits like Simbaa, Uri, Namaste England and Veere Di Wedding.
The video on demand site is known for bringing the best of Indian entertainment to audiences worldwide. ZEE5’s line-up for April includes World Digital Premiers of The Fakir of Venice starring Farhan Akhtar, Why Cheat India starring Emraan Hashmi as well as South Blockbusters Boomerang (Tamil) and Allu Ramaendran (Malayalam).
ZEE5 has now been launched in over 190+ countries.
ZEE5 will also be releasing a couple of originals as well.  The season finale of Karenjit Kaur – The Untold Story of Sunny Leone and POISON which stars Arbaaz Khan in his digital debut will be airing on the site.
A series that is based on Sunny Leone’s true life story.
The Upcoming ZEE5 Originals also include;

Tamil series Auto Shankar, which is based on the horrific true story of serial killer Gowri Shankar and his gang who committed six murders between 1988 and 1989. Starring Sarath Kumar, the series will premiere on 23rd April.
High Priestess, a Telugu supernatural thriller that follows the life of a tarot card reader who uses her gift to save her clients. Starring Amala Akkineni, Varalaxmi Saratkumar, the series will premiere on 25th April

A couple of Hindi Originals like, The Final Call (Arjun Rampal) Abhay (Kunal Khemmu) and The Sholay Girl are now also available in Tamil, Telugu, Bangla, Kannada, Marathi and Malayalam.
“At ZEE5, our entire focus is on bringing great stories to life and sharing them with our audiences across countries. We have a fantastic line-up of stories for April that cut across genres and themes, all backed by a stellar cast. I’m delighted to share these with our ZEE5 audiences around the globe.” said Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer – ZEE5 Global.
ZEE5 is available on Google Play Store, iOS App Store,www.ZEE5.com as well as on Samsung Smart TVs, Apple TV, Android TVs and Amazon Fire TV.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Viral: Two Malay Girls Vibing To A Local Tamil Song Went Viral On TikTok
Filed Under hindiTamilteluguzee5


Sadhguru Guides Us Through The Gist of Mahadeva

Mahashivaratri 2021 will be celebrated from 8.00p.m MYT on March 11 in front of the Adiyogi, at the Isha Yoga Center. Festivities will continue till 8:30 a.m MYT on the 12th March. Sadhguru will be present throughout the night, conducting guided meditations including a powerful midnight meditation and Satsang. Mahashivaratri 2020 was watched by millions of people worldwide.

The event will be streamed through LIVE satellite feeds in English and 11 Indian languages.

Varnam Malaysia in collaboration with Isha Foundation brings you a series of publication in celebration of Mahashivarathri 2021.
Sadhguru: Someone asked me a few days ago if I am a fan of Shiva – the Adiyogi. A fan club starts when people’s emotions get tangled up with somebody. I am definitely not his fan. Then what is it? The real thing is something else, but let me reason this through with you.
Ultimately, in any generation, an individual human being is valued for the contribution he has made to that generation or generations to come. There have been many wonderful people on this planet who have contributed to other people’s lives in many ways.
 Someone brought a wave of love, someone brought a wave of meditativeness, someone else brought a wave of economic wellbeing – depending upon the need of the times.
For example, Mahatma Gandhi – with all respect to him – this is not to belittle him – because it was pre-independence, his methods, his mode, and the way he operated elevated him to a certain level. He was the right man and did incredible things for the time – but he would not always be relevant.
Or Martin Luther King, for those times, since there was discrimination, he was very significant, but if there had been no such problems in the society, he would have been just another guy. If you go back in history, there have been many great men, but they were significant largely because of the upheavals of the time, the need of the time, or a certain depravity of the time.
If you look at Gautama the Buddha, because the society got so wrapped up in ritualistic processes, when he came with a spiritual process without a ritual, it was an instant hit. If this had been a society without much ritual, it would not have been new in any way and it would not have been so significant.
In many ways, Krishna was of great significance. But still, if there had been no strife in that society, if there had been no fight between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, he would have been only a very local influence. He would not have become so big.
Or a Rama, if his wife had not been kidnapped, he would have been just another king, maybe remembered as a very good king, or forgotten by people after some time. If the whole war and the burning of Lanka had not happened, his life would not have been of much relevance.
The Significance of Adiyogi
The significance of Adiyogi or Shiva is just this – no such event happened. There was no war, there was no strife. He did not cater to the needs of the day. He provided tools and methods to evolve human consciousness in such a way that they are relevant for all times.
When people are deprived of food, love, or peace and you provide them what they lack, you could become the phenomenon of the day. But when there is no such deprivation, what is relevant for a human being is ultimately how to enhance himself.
We gave the title Mahadeva only to him, because the intelligence, the vision, and the knowing behind it are unsurpassable. It does not matter where you were born, what religion, caste, or creed you are, whether you are a man or woman – these methods can be made use of forever.
Even if people forget him, they will still have to employ the same methods because he did not leave anything within the human mechanism unexplored. He did not give a teaching. He did not give a solution for that time. When people came to him with those kinds of issues, he just closed his eyes and showed absolute disinterest.
In terms of perceiving the nature of the human being, in terms of figuring out a way for every type of human being, it is literally an eternal contribution; it is not a contribution of the time or for the time. Creation means, what was nothing got knotted up into something. He figured out a way to unknot this creation into a non-creation state.
Why Adiyogi was Called Shiva?
This is why we gave him the name Shi-va – that means “that which is not.” When “that which is not” became something or “that which is,” we have called that dimension Brahma. Shiva was called so because he provided a method, a mode – not just one but every possible way as to how to attain to ultimate liberation, which means moving from something to nothing.

Shiva is not a name, it is a description. Like saying that someone is a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer, we say he is Shiva, the un-doer of life. This got slightly misinterpreted as destroyer of life. But in a way it is right. It is just that when you use the word “destroyer,” people perceive it as something negative. If somebody had said “liberator,” it would have been perceived as positive.
Slowly, “un-doer” became “destroyer” and people started thinking he is negative. Call him whatever, he does not care – this is the nature of intelligence. If your intelligence rises to a certain height, you will not need any morality. Only when intelligence is lacking, you must tell people what not to do.
If someone’s intelligence has risen, they need not be told what to do and what not to do. He did not utter one word as to what to do and what not to do. The yama and niyama of the Yogic system are Patanjali’s making, not that of Adiyogi. Patanjali came much later.
Patanjali is relevant to us only because Yoga had diversified into too many branches, to a point of ridiculousness. Like 25, 30 years ago, if you wanted a medical check-up, only one doctor was needed. Today you need 12 to 15 – one for your bones, one for your flesh, one for your blood, one for your heart, one for your eye – this will go further.
Let’s say in another hundred years, we get into so much specialization that if you need a medical check-up, you need 150 doctors. Then you will not want to go, because by the time you get 150 appointments, complete them, and compute 150 opinions, it will not be worth it. Then somebody will talk about assimilating all this and making a family physician out of him.
This is what Patanjali did. They say, close to 1800 branches of Yoga were there at that time. If you had to go through the whole process, you would have had to attend 1800 schools and do 1800 different types of Yogas.
It became impractical and ridiculous. So Patanjali came and put it all into 200 sutras to practice only eight limbs of Yoga. If such a situation had not been there, Patanjali would not be relevant. That is not the case with Adiyogi or Shiva because no matter what life situation, he is always relevant.
 That is why he is Mahadeva.
Who is Shiva: Man, Myth or Divine?
Shiva refers to both “that which is not,” and Adiyogi because in many ways they are synonymous. Explore the stories and legends that surround this most prominent figure of Indian spiritual traditions.
Meaning of Shiva
When we say “Shiva,” there are two fundamental aspects that we are referring to. The word “Shiva” means literally, “that which is not.”
Shiva is Nothingness
Today, modern science is proving to us that everything comes from nothing and goes back to nothing. The basis of existence and the fundamental quality of the cosmos is vast nothingness. The galaxies are just a small happening – a sprinkling. The rest is all vast empty space, which is referred to as Shiva. That is the womb from which everything is born, and that is the oblivion into which everything is sucked back. Everything comes from Shiva and goes back to Shiva.
Shiva is Darkness
So Shiva is described as a non-being, not as a being. Shiva is not described as light, but as darkness. Humanity has gone about eulogizing light only because of the nature of the visual apparatus that they carry. Otherwise, the only thing that is always, is darkness. Light is a limited happening in the sense that any source of light – whether a light bulb or the sun – will eventually lose its ability to give out light. Light is not eternal. It is always a limited possibility because it happens and it ends. Darkness is a much bigger possibility than light. Nothing needs to burn, it is always – it is eternal. Darkness is everywhere. It is the only thing that is all pervading.
But if I say “divine darkness,” people think I am a devil worshiper or something. In fact, in some places in the West it is being propagated that Shiva is a demon! But if you look at it as a concept, there isn’t a more intelligent concept on the planet about the whole process of creation and how it has happened. I have been talking about this in scientific terms without using the word “Shiva” to scientists around the world, and they are amazed, “Is this so? This was known? When?” We have known this for thousands of years. Almost every peasant in India knows about it unconsciously. He talks about it without even knowing the science behind it.
Meaning of Adiyogi – The First Yogi
On another level, when we say “Shiva,” we are referring to a certain yogi, the Adiyogi or the first yogi, and also the Adi Guru, the first Guru, who is the basis of what we know as the yogic science today. Yoga does not mean standing on your head or holding your breath. Yoga is the science and technology to know the essential nature of how this life is created and how it can be taken to its ultimate possibility.

Shiva transmitted the yogic sciences to the Saptarishis at the banks of Kantisarovar.
This first transmission of yogic sciences happened on the banks of Kanti Sarovar, a glacial lake a few miles beyond Kedarnath in the Himalayas, where Adiyogi began a systematic exposition of this inner technology to his first seven disciples, celebrated today as the Sapta Rishis. This predates all religion. Before people devised divisive ways of fracturing humanity to a point where it seems almost impossible to fix, the most powerful tools necessary to raise human consciousness were realized and propagated.
One and the Same
What is the meaning of Shiva? Shiva is “that which is not” and because Adiyogi perceived that dimension which is the source of creation, he came to be known as Shiva.
So “Shiva” refers to both “that which is not,” and Adiyogi, because in many ways, they are synonymous. This being, who is a yogi, and that non-being, which is the basis of the existence, are the same, because to call someone a yogi means he has experienced the existence as himself. If you have to contain the existence within you even for a moment as an experience, you have to be that nothingness. Only nothingness can hold everything. Something can never hold everything. A vessel cannot hold an ocean.
This planet can hold an ocean, but it cannot hold the solar system. The solar system can hold these few planets and the sun, but it cannot hold the rest of the galaxy. If you go progressively like this, ultimately you will see it is only nothingness that can hold everything. The word “yoga” means “union.” A yogi is one who has experienced the union. That means, at least for one moment, he has been absolute nothingness.
When we talk about Shiva as “that which is not,” and Shiva as a yogi, in a way they are synonymous, yet they are two different aspects. Because India is a dialectical culture, we shift from this to that and that to this effortlessly. One moment we talk about Shiva as the ultimate, the next moment we talk about Shiva as the man who gave us this whole process of yoga.
Who Shiva is not!
Unfortunately, most people today have been introduced to Shiva only through Indian calendar art. They have made him a chubby-cheeked, blue-colored man because the calendar artist has only one face. If you ask for Krishna, he will put a flute in his hand. If you ask for Rama, he will put a bow in his hand. If you ask for Shiva, he will put a moon on his head, and that’s it!
Every time I see these calendars, I always decide to never ever sit in front of a painter. Photographs are all right – they capture you whichever way you are. If you look like a devil, you look like a devil. Why would a yogi like Shiva look chubby-cheeked? If you showed him skinny it would be okay, but a chubby-cheek Shiva – how is that?
In the yogic culture, Shiva is not seen as a God. He was a being who walked this land and lived in the Himalayan region. As the very source of the yogic traditions, his contribution in the making of human consciousness is too phenomenal to be ignored. Every possible way in which you could approach and transform the human mechanism into an ultimate possibility was explored thousands years ago.
The sophistication of it is unbelievable. The question of whether people were so sophisticated at that time is irrelevant because this did not come from a certain civilization or thought process. This came from an inner realization. This had nothing to do with what was happening around him. It was just an outpouring of himself. In great detail, he gave a meaning and a possibility of what you could do with every point in the human mechanism. You cannot change a single thing even today because he said everything that could be said in such beautiful and intelligent ways. You can only spend your lifetime trying to decipher it.

https://varnam.my/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/WhatsApp-Video-2021-03-10-at-8.05.39-AM.mp4
-This article is a contribution by Isha Foundation in collaboration with Varnam Malaysia-
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Filed Under AdhiyogiMahadevaSadhguru lessonSadhguru Mahashivrathri


Havoc Brothers Confirm They Have Completed Shooting For ‘Kaarat’ Video

When Havoc Brothers released the promotional video for ‘Kaarat’ back in July, it instantly became a hit.
The video didn’t reveal much, it only showed Mathan and Naven strutting in their bold kicks, face masks, with smoke bombs. But what really got people into the song are its honest, quirky lyrics.
At the time of writing, the promo video for ‘Kaarat’ has already crossed 1million views on Youtube.
Havoc Mathan just confirmed on his official Instagram page that the video shoot for ‘Kaarat’ has been completed three days ago and is currently in post-production.

“Kaarat is a project where it is fulfilled and done with loads of obstacles and hard work. Kaarat was only supposed to be an audio song but now we made our mind and came up with a idea of doing it as a music video,” Mathan said about the much-awaited song.
“It’s our 10th year in this industry and we would like to give our best and something unique from us. Some of you all asking why are we releasing promos instead of releasing the music video as soon as possible. We had just completed out music video shoot 3 days ago so we are in the midst of editing the full video and we are gonna give out our best. Biar lambat asalkan Kaarat tu gempak!” he added.
Watch the promo video here:

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Filed Under Havoc MathanHavoc NavenKaarat


WATCH: Shaktisree’s Valentine Composition, Cycle Gap

Kollywood singer-songwriter Shakthisree Gopalan has released an independent Tamil single titled Cycle Gap for Valentine’s Day.
Cycle Gap was composed, penned and sung by Shakthisree herself! She made the announcement and expressed her gratitude to the entire audio and video crew members on her social media platforms.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shakthisree Gopalan (@shakthisreegopalan)

If you haven’t listened to the song, check out the video now!

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Filed Under Cycle Gapshakthisree gopalansingle


Deborah Henry Highlights the Many Challenges Faced by Refugee Communities

Former Miss Universe Malaysia and humanitarian Deborah Priya Henry has opened up about the many challenges faced by the refugee communities in our country.
“To some Malaysians, refugees can be very scary. They don’t know who they are, where they are from, or what they want to do now that they are here,” she said to the Malay Mail.
Henry, 34, has been championing refugee causes ever since she became Miss World Malaysia in 2007. She said  that she “had to do something” after seeing first hand what they go through.
Source: Truth Communications
“I was first made aware of the difficult situation that refugees in Malaysia go through when I hosted an in-house documentary about refugees for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2008,” said Henry.
“During the shoot, I met a Somalian refugee family with four children aged 10 to 14. The children were living in very difficult conditions. They weren’t going to school and could hardly speak, read or write in English,” she said.
“I was devastated knowing that not only were they going through such difficult times, at that moment, but they had less chance of changing those situations for themselves because of their lack of education.”
That chance encounter with the runaway family paved the path for her journey into humanitarian work.
In that same year, she co-founded a nonprofit education hub called Fugee School which provides primary, secondary and tertiary education for refugee children, mainly from Somalia and the Middle East.
Source: Truth Communications
Students at the school are also part of its very own accessory-making social enterprise named Fugeelah, which funnels profits back into the school, aiding their education.
With World Refugee Day that falls on June 20 under a month away, the Miss Universe and Miss World Malaysia titleholder is keen to raise awareness about the struggles these communities face, now more than ever, due to the impact of the Covid-19 virus.
After over a decade of working with refugees that have docked in Malaysia, Henry said that they often live in constant fear of persecution because of their troubled pasts and legal status in the country.
News Credit: Malay Mail
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Filed Under Deborah HenryFormer Miss Universe MalaysiaNot To Fear Of Refugee Communities


Peranbu Review: Beautiful, Powerful and a Moving Piece of Cinema

Capital S.E.X. Let’s talk about it, shall we? Sex, for the longest time, has been and still is, considered a taboo subject amongst Asians. And I think this is especially true for Indians. It is even more true for women, who are taught when they’re kids and then constantly reminded throughout their lives that their bodies are like fine French wine — expensive but loses its value and begins to go bad after uncorking. Women shouldn’t watch porn. Women shouldn’t masturbate. Women shouldn’t express their sexual desires. And on and on and on with the outright ridiculous notions. In fact, it’s best if we all pretend that the birds and the bees don’t even exist.
Which is one of the reasons why Ram’s Peranbu is brilliantly shocking. It doesn’t just address a female teen’s very natural sexual awakening, it explicitly addresses sexual awakening of a female teen with spastic cerebral palsy… through a non-judgemental lens. And how a father, single after his wife left him for another man, processes the goings on and does what he thinks is best to take care of his less abled daughter. This is a bold film that deserves to be applauded, admired and dissected. It’s made not just to entertain, but to move you and provide a perspective.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Nk7bEYIA7cVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Peranbu | Official Trailer | Mammootty | Ram | Yuvan Shankar Raja | Vairamuthu | Anjali | Sadhana (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Nk7bEYIA7c)

Director Ram (Thanga Meengal, Taramani) has said that his films are always built on a thesis. Or more accurately, he stands on top of a thesis which helps him find his story. In Peranbu, his thesis is nature and it’s divided into many chapters — 10 if I recall correctly. It starts of with nature is hateful (earlier in the film, Amudhavan’s hateful mother asks him why he doesn’t just get rid of his “sickening” daughter, who at times yells and cries uncontrollably), ends with nature is compassionate and explores everything in between. But it also makes us question why we blame nature when life doesn’t go our way. Why do we label nature cruel if we’re born with disabilities when nature itself doesn’t see us as less than, only our fellow humans do.

The single father named Amudhavan, is played by Mammootty, who puts aside his stardom completely to embody a character who is lost in his role as dad and mom, and suffering, unable to find his footing. We start in a city, sardine-packed, noisy and cruel. Amudhavan’s wife has left him, his mother hates his daughter and his neighbours are unhappy with her noise. He takes his daughter and migrates away from the cruelty of the city to the serene, breezy and kind countryside of what looks Kodaikanal. As Amudhavan puts it, it’s a “place where humans don’t intrude and pigeons don’t die.” There he desperately tries to understand and connect with his daughter, Paapa (in a transformative performance by Sadhana).
But nature has other plans.
Peranbu is a thought-provoking, raw, emotionally charged drama and I can’t stop thinking about it. It isn’t a masala film. It isn’t bursting with big emotions where characters overtly cry their eyes dry as the music swells. It isn’t even a film in the vein of say, Pariyerum Perumal, which is grounded and gritty but contains mainstream masala elements. This one’s quiet and emits an art-house vibe.
Think about the scene where Amudhavan tries to communicate with his daughter in the dining room. He sings and he sings. First in Tamil, and then in Hindi. He forgets the lyrics. He tries again. He dances. He jumps around goofily, trying to get his daughter to smile. The camera is at a slight distance, at a lower angle, swaying gracefully and steadily from left to right but never closing in. Ram doesn’t cut away, opting instead for a long take.
It’s as if we’re sitting on the floor and observing. A closeup shot would have given Mammootty the room to do “more acting” and given us the chance to examine his performance in micro detail, but Ram is going for something else. Something more impactful. Here we’re a powerless passive observer, unable to lend a hand. It’s a painful scene to watch. Eventually, Amudhavan concedes defeat. He’s truly lost.
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Or what about the scene in the second act? — this is after he’s able to build a connection with his daughter. Amudhavan wakes up in the middle of the night to realise that his daughter who’s sleeping beside him has bled for the first time. He doesn’t say anything, but you can feel his heart letting out a resounding sigh. He leans against the wall in defeat. Imagine hiking for two days thinking you’re about to reach the peak of Mount Everest, only to realise that you’re finally merely at the foot. The real shit is just about the begin.
Peranbu is that kinda movie. It’s real and grounded. There’s a quietness to it. Silence is a character. Theni Easwar’s cinematography is gorgeous but never flamboyant. A gentle breeze as opposed to the mighty Zephyr of say, Tirru’s cinematography in Petta. The same can be said about the music too, which doesn’t reach out and guide your emotions. Here, the music is atmospheric. Unlike his Maari 2 album which is gloriously showy and incredibly catchy, in Peranbu his rich musical score and soundtracks recede into the background working only to help Ram bring his incredible thesis to life.

It’s interesting how Ram juxtaposes the stillness of nature (even the opening credits sequence is quiet) with the roughness of Amudhavan and Paapa’s life. Later, in the second half they go back to the city and mother nature keeps toying with him. But now, the city seems crueller and noisier than it was before. Keyword: seems.
Maybe the problem isn’t with nature. Maybe the problem is with Amudhavan, who on the surface seems like a gem of a man, one who never judges anybody for their wrongdoings. (When a husband and wife con him out of his house rendering him homeless, he says they probably have a good reason for doing so.)
But what if Amudhavan is a slightly selfish man? What if he took his daughter away from the city and into the middle of nowhere under the guise of helping her, but in reality is doing it for himself at the expense of his her? After all, a growing teenager requires human interaction more than she requires a pet horse. But Amudhavan continues to trap her in proverbial cages. Even in the city, he locks her in a room while he heads out for work, leaving Sun TV and some window slits her only access to the outside world.

This too ties back to the thesis. Sex is natural and it cannot be suppressed. When Paapa starts feeling urges, things get trickier for Amudhavan. And the film gets even more gripping (and at times uncomfortable) than it already is. Ram doesn’t sugar coat anything. This is a film that normalizes sex. It shows you why it’s important for parents to educate children about sex from a very young age. It is a liberal film that is sure to ruffle some feathers and that’s a good thing. It also has a transgender character who has a prominent role and an ending that is revolutionary, though slightly unearned.
This is merely Ram’s fourth film but he exudes the confidence of Leonardo da Vinci with a paintbrush. He shows immense restraint, tone perfectly controlled from scene to scene, only allowing bigger emotions loose at precise moments. The scene where Paapa makes out with the TV which has a good looking actor on display comes to mind. Amudhavan closes the door behind him and Mammootty lets his emotions flow, thumping his head in defeat. It’s fantastic filmmaking and fantastic acting. We truly are in a new age of Tamil cinema. An age of FILMMAKERS (not named Mani Ratnam and K. Balachander) who are auteurs. And Peranbu, man, Peranbu is the first unmissable movie of 2019.
If you’d like to discuss this movie with me you can hit me up on Twitter & Instagram here: @dashtalksmovies
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Filed Under Director RamMammoottyPeranbuSadhanaYuvan Shankar Raja


RJ Balaji’s LKG Pokes Fun At Indian Politicians, Even Modi!

RJ Balaji and Priya Anand starrer, LKG appears to be a social statement on Tamil Nadu politics. Directed by Prabhu with music by Leon James, the screenplay for LKG was written by Balaji himself
This film is a reflection of current day politics in Tamil Nadu. The introductory song is apt, a Sean Roldan crooned remake of MGR’s Ethanai Kaalam Thaan. Balaji takes a jibe at actors turning politicians, and the media twisting politicians’ statements into tantalizing bits. There’s even a ‘Tamizhan da!’ moment when with a North Indian news anchor asks Balaji, “Why are you Tamillians a little weird?”
There’s a subtle barb at current Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. A politician is seen dressed in black, stretching over a rock before looking at the camera with a thumbs up, saying “I challenge Kajal Aggarwal,” (Google Modi yoga if you don’t get the reference.)
LKG is set out to be an entertainer with a message. This film might just be the dark horse that shakes up the Tamil film industry. LKG releases later this month.

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Filed Under JK RIteshLKGPoliticsPriya AnandRJ BalajiTrailer


WATCH: Chittukuruvi By Shweta Mohan & Bennet Roland

Singer-songwriter Shweta Mohan has wowed us with her latest cover of Chittukuruvi from the MGR’s 1964 film, Puthiya Paravai. Shweta and guitarist Bennet Roland execute this 90’s hit to perfection.
The song Chittukuruvi was composed by Viswanathan Ramamoorthy with lyrics by Kannadasan and originally sung by P. Susheela.
Nicely done, Shweta!

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Filed Under Chittukuruvi cover songGuitarist Bennet RolanPuratchi Thalaivar MGR's Puthiya Paravai (1964)Shweta Mohan


Suara Merdeka63; A Multiracial Tribute To Our 63rd Independence Day

If there is only one thing you do this year in honour of Malaysia’s independence, make sure it’s watching this music video by our country’s best known local musicians.
BR Music Studio has released a brand new music video in conjunction with Malaysia’s 63rd Independence Day celebration.
Aptly titled Suara Merdeka63 – the song is available in both languages namely Tamil and Bahasa Malaysia. It was collaboratively written and sung by talented artistes Luckshmi, N.Barathirajaa, Vicran, and Alfie Zumi. Shatish Naidu and Thivyah Vegan John have also contributed as the background vocals.

Apart from the meaningful lyrics, the tune is so instantly captivating it’s hard not to sing along by the first chorus. Not to forget the tune, along with Vicran and Alfie Zumi’s part was all on one epic track, so really what more explanation do you need?
The video is a must-watch for every disillusioned Malaysian, jaded by the constant squabbles over race and religion that dominate the news and only serve to divide us. On the musical front, N.Barathirajaa has composed the music while R.Maghathevan directed the music video.
If you still haven’t caught up with Suara Merdeka63, we’re here to give you another reminder that this is somebody you need to be listening to.

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Filed Under Alfie ZumiBR Music StudioLuckshmiN.BarathirajaaR.MaghathevanShatish NaiduSuara Merdeka63Thivyah Vegan JohnVicran


PM: Business Activities Allowed to Resume from 4th May Under Strict Guidelines

Almost all economic sectors and business activities will be allowed to resume business from the 4th of May onwards, announced Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin earlier today. This is subject to conditions and standard operating procedure.
“There will be industries and businesses that will not be allowed to operate. These are businesses that involves the presence of a lot of people where body contact and social distancing will be difficult to exercise,” he said.
This decision is made following advice from the Health Ministry and after lengthy discussions during the Economic Action Council, National Security Council and Cabinet Meeting.
“Activities that involve mass gathering and exposing the public to the risk of being infected with Covid-19 will still not be allowed,” he said. “We will also enforce the enhanced MCO in areas where the number of Covid-19 positive cases are high,”
Here are the list of businesses that are NOT allowed to operate during the Conditional MCO (CMCO)

 Source: SOP Pembukaan Ekonomi 1 Mei 2020
Dine in
Table distancing, social distancing, registration of customer contacts and face masks for workers will be the new norms for dine-ins from the 4th of May.
Muhyiddin said all food and beverage outlets can now open for dine-ins provided they strictly follow conditions set by the authorities under the conditional MCO from May 4. He was quick to advise the people to avoid dining in, if possible.
He went on to say that there must be scanning of body temperature, tables must be distanced, outlets must register contact details of customers and restaurants must decide how to socially distance customers while dining in.
Food and beverage outlets can start to clean up their premises from Friday onwards to prepare to allow dining in on May 4. Tables must be set two metres apart. “It is important for a space wide enough to allow the customers and workers to move and there is safe space to allow customers to eat safely,” he continued.
There must also be social distancing at payment counters, as well as hand sanitisers and table disinfectants.
“If you are still feeling cautious, do not dine-in. This is perhaps better,”
“Take down the name and phone number of the customers and record the time and date of their visit to the restaurant. This is important to allow tracing if there is a Covid-19 positive case involving customers,” he warned. “If you are still feeling cautious, do not dine-in. This is perhaps better,”
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Heads of government departments have been urged to implement staggered working hours and alternate days of work at the office and from home. The government will encourage civil servants to work from home except for work that requires being at the office. Meetings should be held online.
The premier said that alternate work days at the office and from home would help civil servants with childcare problems especially with concerns over sending children to childcare centres, which will also be allowed to resume operations from Monday.
Muhyiddin also urged the private sector to implement similar arrangements for their staff. “At the workplace, employers must screen the temperature of workers daily. If the temperature is high, then advise the worker to go home or quickly to a clinic,”
Tables, chairs and equipment at the office need to be sanitised frequently, he said.
Public transportation companies need to ensure they take measures to prevent overcrowding at bus stations, Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations among others.
Not all workers need to come to work at the same time.
“To help prevent overcrowding at public transport stations and in public transportations, I propose that all employers implement staggered working hours. Not all workers need to come to work at the same time. Slowly, we can prevent everyone from rushing to the office at the same time,”
“I am worried too,”
The Prime Minister is aware that after two months of undergoing MCO, many are eager to go back to work and for traders to restart their business as livelihood is affected.
“At the same time, many are also concerned that if the order is lifted, there is a possibility of a new outbreak. I know you are worried. I am too. We must find a way to balance the need for the economy to recover and the importance to contain Covid-19,” he said.
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Filed Under Malaysiamovement control ordermovement control order (MCO)muhyiddin yassin


WATCH: ‘Vaathi Raid’, Another Song From Vijay’s ‘Master’!

“Vaathi Raid” from Vijay’s Master was released late on Saturday evening. This is the third song from the album, the previous two being “Vaathi Coming” and “Kutti Story”. The song’s lyric video has been trending on social channels.
Composed by Anirudh Ravichander, the song has been sung by Tamil rapper Arivu, and Anirudh. The song’s lyrics have been penned by Arivu, and has a  brilliant rap performed by Arivu. “Vaathi” is short for vaathiyar, meaning teacher in Tamil.
Arivu is a member of Tamil indie band The Casteless Collective (TCC) and is the second member from the band to collaborate on this album. Gana Balachander from TCC penned and performed “Vaathi Coming”.

When “Vaathi Coming” released, Anirudh Ravichander, the film’s music composer, announced a dance challenge. Sharing a video of himself dancing with musicians Keba Jeremiah and Sajith Sathya, he asked his fans to share videos of themselves making those moves to the song. The step in which one leans to one side and moves just the shoulder is being called the #vaathistepu.
Several fans have since shared videos of themselves performing the move in creative ways. Popular among them are Anna University students dancing together in a stadium.

Just try #vaathistepu challengeMy friends and me… Very fun 😉😉 @Dir_Lokesh @Lalit_SevenScr @MalavikaM_ @andrea_jeremiah @Jagadishbliss @anirudhofficial @actorvijay #master #vaathistepu pic.twitter.com/RdWif20ohv
— Guruthathathreya Suresh (@gurutr_official) March 12, 2020

Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj who made a splash last year with Kaithi, the film is scheduled to release on April 9, 2020. Master, starring Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, Malavika Mohanan, Arjun Das, Andrea and Shanthnu Bhagyaraj, is being produced by Xavier Britto, under the XB Film Creators banner. Lalit Kumar and Jagadish Palanisamy are the film’s co-producers.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Lokesh Kanagaraj Says He Will Quit After Directing 10 Films
Filed Under kollywoodmasterTamilvaathi raidVijay


WATCH: Karthi Fortifies His Versatility With Kaithi

Karthi is one of the few actors who is fighting hard to prove his versatility. From the male chauvinist to stealthy policeman, the actor doesn’t shy away when it comes to taking on roles that don’t conform to the traditional ‘hero’. His upcoming film, Kaithi, sees Karthi as an escaped prisoner.
The teaser promises a film laden with chase sequences, dark roads and plenty of terrifying henchmen. Naren stars alongside Karthi as a police officer. Many questions are also raised. Why was Karthi incarcerated? Why did he decide to escape? And what’s the real back story here?
The soundtrack by Sam CS works wonders for Kaithi’s teaser. We wait with bated breath for Karthi to appear. The teaser brilliantly saves the best for last, with the best being Karthi, playing the maniacal prisoner, gorging himself on chicken briyani. As he does, we hear the walkie-talkies screaming out about the escape of the convict named Ghilli.
This Lokesh Kanagaraj directorial looks to to be even better than Theeran Adhigaram Ondru. Kaithi will hit the screens in September.

https://youtu.be/KPndTU16k7cVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Kaithi – Official Teaser | Karthi | Lokesh Kanagaraj | Sam CS | Dream Warrior Pictures | 4K (https://youtu.be/KPndTU16k7c)

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Filed Under kaithiKarthilokesh kanagarajnaren


BGW Starts ‘No Socks’ Challenge After Defamatory Meme

We’re pretty sure all of you have seen the meme by now.
Tv host, actor, and director Bala Ganapathi William got all suited up with a pair of dress shoes for the grand audio launch of his debut directorial venture, Neeyum Naanum. While we all think he looked dapper, a certain Facebook page called him out and insulted him for the absence of socks. His music director, Varmman Elangkovan was also subject to those insults.

Luckily, no one really took the meme seriously, and instead called out the page for making such absurd posts.
Since then, BGW has also started a ‘No Socks’ challenge on social media to counter all the hate.

Having said that, we must add that the owner of the Facebook page has already come forward to apologise.

We hope that this apology is not merely to douse the fire – but measures are taken to make sure incidents like this don’t happen again. We also hope that the owner of the page hires better editors, at the very least someone who’s in touch with fashion.
Because….

Neeyum Naanum hits cinemas nationwide on 20th 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


I’m Indian & I Didn’t Want To Be A Doctor. I Chose Performing Arts Instead.

It’s as inexorable as death and taxes.
Once you’re born into an Indian family, your career options are limited to only five things: doctor, lawyer, engineer, teacher, or a disgrace to the family. I went for the fifth option, and trust me when I say it wasn’t easy.
It was all decided when I was a 1-day-old baby
I’m pretty sure that the moment the doctor yanked my legs out of my mother’s womb and handed me over to her, the first thing she and my dad said to me was, “Yes, this one’s going to be a doctor.” Or at least, that’s how I think it went down. I was also the eldest child in the family, so that made it worse. All my parent’s dreams fell on my shoulders.
Source: Ebay
When I was six years old, I remember playing ‘doctor’ with my neighbours. Later that night, my parents asked if I wanted to be a doctor when I grew up. Obviously, I said yes. I was SIX. Of course I enjoyed having a stethoscope around my neck, fake-listening to heartbeats and giving injections and prescriptions to my “patients”.
“Good.” my dad said, his face beaming with joy and pride. His first-born was going to do the family proud. “You SHOULD be a doctor. If anyone asks you what you’re going to be when you grow up, you tell them you’re going to be a doctor.” he added.
I obliged. For the next five years, that was exactly what I did. Whenever someone asked for my ambition, I would cry ‘doctor!’ without a second thought. I wrote that in all my school books – and it sounded really exciting.
“Mom, I think I want to be a writer”
But something happened when I turned 12, which pretty much changed the course of my life. I was watching a lot of TV series back then – in 2002 – from ‘Charmed’, to ‘Malcolm in the Middle’, and ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’. Whenever an episode ended, I would come up with alternate endings for the show in my head. I would jot them down in my notebook, write an episode of my own, somewhat living out my fantasy. My classmates started reading those stories, and insisted I wrote more of them. I happily obliged.
Inadvertently, I had become a writer at the age of 12.
I started writing fervently. I didn’t have a computer, I hand-wrote everything in my school notebook. My short stories turned into full-fledged novels. My novels had prequels and sequels. I branched into poetry and songs. I never got tired of writing – my hand hurt like hell – but it felt as though I had found my purpose in life.
Somewhere down the road that year, my teacher asked what was my ambition. I hesitated. I didn’t know what I wanted, but I knew ‘doctor’ was not on the table anymore.
Source: K5 learning
I mustered enough courage to tell my mom about my newfound passion later that day.
“Mom, I think I want to be a writer when I grow up. Not really interested in becoming a doctor. I love writing.”
I still remember how panic took over her facade, and how she scrambled to find reasons to convince me to stay on course – the course she had set for me.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You can be a doctor and still be a writer on the side.” she said.
“Okay. I guess that can work.” I replied, trying my best to hide my disillusioned face. I mean, I was 12. What did I know about career choices? So I agreed with her, but I secretly hoped that one day I’d be able to change her mind. Yes, I was so wrong.
The destined switch to arts stream
After completing SPM in Form 5, I decided to continue with Form 6. I was baffled to find out that there were only two classes for science majors – physics and biology – which I was not quite interested in. Up until Form 5, I was okay with being in the science stream, but not anymore. Form 6 is where you really specialise in a field of your choice; and I felt more inclined towards business studies and english literature as they resonated better with my interests. I decided to speak to my parents about it.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with you. You’re destroying your own future!” my mom yelled, seething with anger while ironing my dad’s shirt. “After all these years of raising you and giving you everything you want, this is how you pay us back?”
Source: World of Buzz
Okay mom, first of all, no one gave me anything I wanted. And you forced me into science stream…
I knew she only wanted the best for me, but I was pretty damn sure that being in the science stream was not the only way to be successful in life – and certainly not the only way to show my parents gratitude. Thankfully, my dad was more reasonable.
“It sounds like you really know what you want, and since you’re so sure about this, I’m going to sign this form.” my dad said, picking up his pen.
“You sign that form and you’ll ruin our daughter’s future!” my mom yelled again, tearing up this time. I felt horrible. I didn’t want to break her heart, but I cannot live the rest of my life in misery, succumbing to something I was not even remotely passionate about.
My dad handed me back the signed form. My mom stormed into her room and slammed the door.
“Don’t worry, your mom will be okay.” my dad said, reading the guilt on my face.
I want to go down the road not taken
After STPM, I sat down with my parents again to discuss which university to go to, and what course to take – which is honestly the toughest decision you’d ever have to make in your life. MY parents, however, seemed to have it all figured out.
“So, we have a few options for you.” my mom started. “Don’t worry, just because you switched to arts stream, doesn’t mean it’s all over. You can try teaching, or you can apply for this staff nurse course. Or, if you REALLY want, we can pull some strings and get you into dental school.”
“What? I thought I made it clear that I wanted to study performing arts.” I said with utter conviction.

“Here she goes again!” My mom got up, walked into the room and slammed the door again. I could hear her sobbing from the room. I started questioning my decision. Am I doing the right thing? Should I just become a teacher? Maybe dental school isn’t so bad? Do I really have to follow my heart?
“Okay look.” my dad began. “We wanted you to be a doctor. You said no. You want to study performing arts. We’re saying no. How about we meet halfway?”
“I guess I can do that.” I was tired. So tired of fighting and having the same conversations over and over again. I was emotionally drained.
“How about you study English? You like English. You got an A for English literature. And we’d be okay if you picked English.” my dad added.
“Alright.” I obliged. I couldn’t bear hurting my mom anymore. I hated seeing her cry. Yes, I wanted to pursue my dreams, but not by putting them through pain. And I did like English, so how hard can it be? Turns out, REALLY hard.
Deep down where no one could hear me, I was crying
Much to my parents’ gusto, I entered Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), majoring in English Language and Literature Studies. To be honest, I had a lot of fun in the classes, it felt great to be that person who knew all the answer to all the lecturer’s questions – thanks to my obsession with Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, and Edgar Allan Poe. I excelled in all the tests and quizzes. My mom was excited to tell all her friends her daughter was studying English in one of the best universities in the country. It seemed like a win-win situation.
But there was one problem. The ‘School of Humanities’, where all my English classes were – was located right in front of the ‘School of Arts’, the VERY place that offered Performing Arts. I tried to turn a blind eye, but I swear I could hear it calling out to me every time I walked past it.

Eventually, it got to me. Every day, I would head back to my dorm after class and start crying. All my dreams of becoming a scriptwriter and or a play director was over. It was gone. The image of myself winning an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay played over and over in my head. None of that was going to happen anymore. A month later, I succumbed to depression. I cried every night, and hardly ever ate. I felt like I didn’t know what I was living for anymore. I refused to speak to my parents, and I’d lock myself in my room. I even wanted to take my own life. Things got really bad.
One day, when my parents came to visit me on campus, and I decided to vent. I broke down and told them that I had to follow my heart and pursue performing arts. I cannot bear walking past the ‘School of Arts’ without being a student there. More importantly, I did want to regret not fighting for my dreams 20 years from now. After a heated argument at the hostel cafeteria, my dad gave his approval. Mom was still not convinced.
The very next day, I went to the admissions department and switched to Performing Arts.
And the rest, as they say, is EPIC
It was honestly the best decision I had ever made. My life took a different turn from there. It felt great to immerse myself in something I was genuinely passionate about. I spent a month in China studying the traditional Chinese opera – where I did not take any pictures – and then went to Indonesia for six months to study traditional theater and puppetry. I staged a full-fledged production for my final year project – where I was the scriptwriter and director.
Credit: Varnam
Fast-forward to the future, I am now a full-time writer, writing for a major publication.
I had made my dream come true. I’m a writer, and I’m making a decent living out of it – I’m not homeless and living on the streets. I may not have won an Oscar – I don’t know if I ever will, but I can look back at my 12-year-old self and say, “Hey, I didn’t let you down. We did it.”
I’m going to leave you guys with some wise words from William Carlos Williams,

“I think all writing is a disease. You can’t stop it.”

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Andhaghaaram’s Trailer Thrills, But Will The Movie Be As Good?

The long awaited thriller Andhaghaaram finally sees the light of day. The trailer keeps us on edge, with debutant filmmaker V Vignarajan promising a suspense filled film.
In an interview, the Vignarajan said, “The film is a supernatural suspense thriller and stars Arjun Das, Vinoth Kishan, Pooja Ramachandran, Kumar Natarajan and Misha Ghoshal. We completed the shooting of the film last year and when we were going to release the film along with the promotional material, the lockdown came into place. That’s why we’ve opted for a low-key announcement. Director Atlee saw the film and he really liked it, so he’s releasing the trailer. We are planning to release the trailer on Tuesday on the occasion of Tamil New Year.”
The film features Arjun Das, Vinoth Kishan, Pooja Ramachandran, Kumar Natarajan and Misha Ghoshal in the lead.
Director Atlee released the trailer on behalf of the filmmakers.

Here we go #ANDHAGHAARAM trailer https://t.co/0GrtULCXPx @priyaatlee @aforapple_offcl @PassionStudios_ @ Sudhans2017 @vvignarajan @iam_arjundas @vinoth_kishan @poojaram22 @MishMash2611 @pedal2go @pradeepvijay @edwinsakay @just_cut_it @DoneChannel1
— atlee (@Atlee_dir) April 14, 2020

Andhaghaaram’s revolves around a blind conjurer’s struggle for survival, a washed-up cricketer’s fight for deliverance and a desolate psychiatrist’s quest for reclamation. These pursuits lead them to a labyrinth of obscurity while their lives are intertwined in a web of deceit, dismay, and darkness.
The insanely talented Pradeep Kumar will be scoring the music for this film.
Watch the trailer below:

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Filed Under AndhaghaaramArjun DasatleejayaramKumar NatarajanMisha GhoshalPooja RamachandranPradeep KumarPriya AtleeSudhan SundaramVinoth Kishan


Complaints Filed To Chennai Commissioner To Arrest Oviya For Adult Humour Film, 90 ML

90 ML has caused a stir amongst movie-goers. The reactions have been of polar opposites; some good as the movie shatter stereotypes and others saying that the film will “promote rape culture”.

One politician decided to take legal action against Oviya, the Bigg Boss fame who stars as the lead in 90 ML, as she filed an official complaint against Oviya with the Chennai Commissioner office. The states women wing of a political outfit called Indian National League Party (INLP) claims that 90 ML will “spoil youngsters and culture of the society”.
The INLP State Women’s Wing Chief, Aarifa Razak, has called for an arrest of Oviya, other cast members and the director and a ban of the film that “disgraces Tamil culture”. Aarifa claims that such films are reason to propagate rape culture and encourages young women to defy their “cultural values” particularly by consuming alcohol, smoking, swearing and by discussing sex.

Recently, popular producer Dhananjayan and the film’s director Anita Udeep had a Twitter war over the film. While the producer slammed the film, the director called out Dhananjayan’s double standards. The film that openly discusses topics that are still considered taboo in Indian culture has irked moralists. On the contrary, younger audiences are resonating with the message in the film as it is still running successfully at the box office.

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Filed Under 90 ml90MLBig BossOviya


Samprajna 2019 – A Gathering Of Odissi Gurus

Imagine celebrating, embracing and exchanging knowledge and wisdom of dance with 4 of world’s most revered Odissi dancers.

In an attempt to encapsulate the joys, expressions and rhythms of Odissi and hold a space to exchange ideas and thoughts, Sandhya Manoj has collaborated with maestros hailing from various Paramparas. Samprajna will stage Padhmashri Madhavi Mudgal, Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, Smt Dakhsa Mashruwala and Smt Sharmila Biswas; all recipients of prestigious honours the world over with  plethora of theme, styles, innovations and performances.
Padhmashri Madhavi Mudgal
After studying Bharatanatyam and Kathak from Guru Harekrishna Behara, Padhmashri Madhavi Mudgal refined her dance skill sunder Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Her choreography has been recognised at the Edinburgh International Festival, the Avignon festival, Pina Bausch’s Festival and Berlin Festpiele.
Smt Sharmila Biswas
Smt Sharmila Biswas, a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi award, is known for her extensive research on the ancient Mahari dance performed in Orissa. She has established the Odissi Vision and Movement Centre in Kolkata and started Poorva Dhara.
Smt Dakhsa Mashruwala
Smt Dakhsa Mashruwala originally trained in Bharatnatyam before moving into Odissi under the tutelage of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. She has founded her own dance institute in Mumbai called Kaishiki.
Guru Ratikant Mohapatra
Guru Ratikant Mohapatra is the son of renowned Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and has been in actively involved in the world of dance since a young age.  He has performed on some big stages such as the Festival of India and International Mime Festival, France; Festival of India and Autumn Festival, Germany and the Festival of India; Japan.
Samprajna will be happening on the 30 March 2019 at the Shatanand Auditorium, Temple of Fine Arts Kuala Lumpur. This immersive one-day event includes introspective lectures, panel discussion and interactive sessions during the day followed by a spell-binding performances featuring the Gurus. There 2 part event consists of; Part 1: Conversation With The Gurus between 9.30AM to 11.30AM, and Part 2: Performances In Grandeur between 7PM to 9PM.

For ticket purchase and enquiries; call 014 7100 537.
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Filed Under odissisamprajna


Kesavan Vekraman Goes Viral Thanks to His Love for Datuk Siti Nurhaliza’s Tunes

Malaysian student Kesavan Vekraman is now trending on Twitter after he posted a video of himself singing in the ‘Finish Dato Siti Nurhaliza’s Song’ challenge. Kesavan is an ardent fan of Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza.
The 21-year-old told Mstar that he first heard Datuk Siti’s song, Nirmala, when a senior in college sang the song for a competition. He fell in love with the iconic Malaysian singer’s tunes.
Anyone who takes up the ‘Finish Dato Siti Nurhaliza’s Song’ challenge is required to sing the incomplete lyrics of the song within nine seconds before the lyrics of that particular stanza appear on screen.
https://twitter.com/kesavan_49/status/1266580123530039298?s=20
In the two minutes video, Kesavan was seen belting out Siti’s songs such as Percayalah, Sesuci Lebaran, Nazam Lebaran, Kesilapanku Keegonanmu and Cindai. The video has garnered more than 125.5k views in just four days.
Good job, Kesavan!
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Filed Under ‘Finish Dato Siti Nurhaliza’s Song’CindaiKesavan VekramanKesilapanku KeegonanmuNazam LebaranPercayalahSesuci Lebaran


Rajinikanth To Work With Nayanthara In Next Film

Rajinikanth will work with Nayanthara in his upcoming film. The untitled project will be directed by AR Murugadoss, who has had quite a few blockbusters on his belt, such as Sarkar.
Anirudh is set to compose the music for the film. Cinematographer Santosh Sivan who last worked with Rajini on Thalapathi will be handling the cameras for this project.
A still from the 2005 film Chandramukhi
Initially, it was rumoured that Keerthy Suresh will be joining Rajinikanth on screen, with the Superstar playing dual roles. More recent reports suggest that Rajini will only have one partner, Nayanthara. The duo were last seen in Chandramukhi, Nayanthara’s second Tamil movie back in 2005. Ever since, Nayanthara has only made cameo appearances in Rajini’s films, such as Kuselan and the Balleilakka song from Sivaji.
It is revealed that Rajini’s next film will be shot extensively in Mumbai, just like two of his all time hits, Kaala and Baasha.
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Filed Under AnirudhAR MurugadossBaashaKaalaKeerthi SureshmumbaiNayantharaRajinikanth


Tamiletchumy Season 2 To Entertain Your Household Come 2021

The casts from Tamiletchumy Season 1 have delightedly announced their “comeback”  for its Season 2 on their respective social media handles recently.
We at Varnam were very excited to gain more insights into the women’s centric Tamil drama.
Hence, we sat down for a chit-chat session with its production company Veedu Production in hopes to get some itsy-bitsy insights on its much anticipated new season.
Varnam: How was Tamiletchumy’s popular Season 1 response?
Veedu Production: Tamiletchumy Season 1 received a tremendous response from the audience. As it was the production company’s first-ever drama series project, the team did not anticipate such huge support from the audience for a local Tamil series. Tamiletchumy opening season triumphed as having the highest number of viewers in the Malaysian Tamil local series production after a long run.

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A post shared by Sivagami Selvarajan (@sivagamiselvarajan)

Varnam: Will Tamiletchumy Season 2 feature new faces?
Veedu Production: Certainly the second season will feature new faces, as we introduce new characters to upkeep the story revolving the three lead roles. Each new character will significantly carry an important role in moulding the story to its series finale. Our production house often expands our search in bringing new talents and faces to the screen for all upcoming projects as does Tamiletchumy Season 2.

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A post shared by Ilayarasan Raman (@arasan43)

Varnam: When will the production process begin for Tamiletchumy Season 2?
Veedu Production: Tamiletchumy Season 2 was scheduled to shoot in mid-January 2021. However, with the increase of Covid-19 cases, the lockdown has forced us to push our shoot schedule to a later date. In hopes that the whole pandemic situation gets under control again, we aim to commence our shoot immediately after the lockdown is lifted.

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A post shared by Sagithya Varma (@sagithya_varma95)

Varnam: What’s new in this season, and what can the audience expect?
Veedu Production: Everything remains but with added drama and suspense. Season 2 brings double the excitement and tension as the story unravels each plot twist that was cooked up in the first season whilst entertaining and enlightening the audience on the struggles of communal families dealing with happy moments and troubles of their daily lives.
Audiences can anticipate a roller coaster ride of emotions that will keep them at the edge of their seats awaiting the ultimate expose.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJz8OB1DYSi/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Varnam: Will Tamiletchumy Season 2 be a continuation of the previous season?
Veedu Production: Absolutely. Tamiletchumy Season 2 is a continuation from the first season starting season 2 with a 1-month time-lapse. Because the first season left the audience with a cliffhanger, the second season is aimed to give them the closure that they were expecting.
Since the first season with a total of 27 episodes, brought much thrill to the audience, completing it short was displeasing for them too. Hence, for the second season, we have packed a complete 52 episodes in hopes of giving the audience a satisfactory finale.

Varnam: When can the audience expect Tamiletchumy Season 2 to be aired?
Veedu Production: Tamiletchumy Season 2 is tentatively set to release in quarter 2 or 3 of 2021, hoping that the current situation accommodates our production schedule period throughout without further hindrance.
On that note, we can see that Tamiletchumy Season 2 is expected to hit our home screens in 2021. Many viewers expressed their anticipation for Season 2 in the cast comments section, and so are we!
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Filed Under denesMalaysian Tamil dramaMalaysian Tamil seriesTamiletchumy season 2Veedu Productionviral Perumal


EXCLUSIVE: Sharmendran Raghonathan From A Karate Kid To A Rising Star

You could be gifted and could be in great shape, but if your mentality runs contrary to that, you’ll never realize that physical potential. The important phase is to become conscious of your own thought process and believe in your passionate path.
Sharmendran Raghonathan, karate champ and currently famous for his Malaysian Tamil series Veera shares his amazing sports journey that would definitely inspire many youths out there.
The karate exponent recently received the Bintang Kecemerlangan Sukan Selangor (BKS) award from the Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah. This prestigious honour was awarded to Sharmendran for his achievement in receiving the gold medal in the 2022 SEA Games.
The Royal award took place on 11 December 2022 in conjunction with the King’s 77th birthday.
Bringing it to social media to share his excitement and proud moment, Sharmendran posted a picture of him and his mum with the award in the palace.

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“It’s a great honour to receive this royal award and truly a remarkable one as it’s been my dream since young to make my parents proud. I never had a chance to wear that mortarboard for my mum as I did not further my studies after form 5. But today I am grateful that karate has brought me here to receive this prestigious award with my mum to witness and fulfilling her wishes.
My mum, Samborman is my biggest inspiration
Sometimes, you might not get the chance to full fill your parent’s dream during your younger days but that doesn’t mean you should stop”, said Sharmendran during an interview with Varnam Malaysia.
Sharmendran’s Karate Championship Journey

2013 SEA Games Myanmar – Silver medals in the men’s Kumite below 67 kg and team event
2014 Slovenia Karate 1 World Cup – Gold Medal
2017 Kazakhstan Asian Karate Championship – Bronze Medal
2017 SEA Games Kuala Lumpur- Gold medal in the below men’s Kumite 75kg category and bronze in the team event.
2019 SEA Games Manilla- Gold medal in the men’s 75kg Kumite category
2022 Sea Games Hanoi- Gold medal in the men’s below 75kg Kumite category

Related:  Naamastay Hip Hop Was a Banger & A Top-Tier Tamil Hip Hop Music Fest for MalaysiaSharing his karate interest, Sharmendran said karate is his passion and something he loved since young. He was not really the bright kid in school and decided to pursue his career in sports instead.
CREDIT IMAGE: SHARMENDRAN INSTAGRAM
“The journey was not as easy as many can think. It involves a lot of commitment and constancy. I had unpleasant and dark times too. When I was 19, the age when normal teens have the freedom to utilize before getting trapped into adulthood, I was occupied with training and karate sessions. I had to sacrifice my social life to chase that passion of mine”.
The 30-year-old full time athlete also shared another success of him being featured on screen.

Sharmendran is one of the main cast in the recent first local Tamil sports series, Veera. He plays the athlete role as a pugilist.“ I had never pictured myself in acting, this is totally out of my comfort zone. But I broke that bubble and I truly enjoyed the experience. I’m beyond overwhelmed and grateful for such an opportunity”, he added.
One can touch the stars even in the sports field. Trusting your passions and the amount of effort to reach those goals is what does matter. The karate enthusiast and actor also shared that many parents don’t see the future in sports and prohibit their kids from chasing their sports dream. “Allow your kids to choose the paths that bring them joy. Instead of forcing them to stop their passionate goals teach them the importance of pushing through hard times to reach those goals”, said Sharmendran.
CREDIT IMAGE: SHARMENDRAN INSTAGRAM

Have a passion for your dreams, listen to your intuition, and pursue a path that will bring you joy- Sharmendran Raghonathan

Thank you for the amazing karate-kid story of yours Sharmendran Raghonathan. You have indeed spoken and been the voice for most youths that are unsure about their sports dream. Keep inspiring sport and good luck with your upcoming adventures!
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Filed Under 2017 Kazakhstan Asian Karate ChampionshipBintang Kecemerlangan Sukan Selangor (BKS)gold medal in the 2022 SEA GamesMalaysian Indian Karate athleteMalaysian Tamil series VeeraSharmendran RaghonathanSharmendran received gold medal for 2017 SEA gamesSharmendran received gold medal for 2019 SEA gamesSharmendran received gold medal for 2022 SEA games


Madhavan: I’m Too Old To Do Movies Like Alaipayuthey

Admit it: Alaipayuthey is a movie that we can watch over and over again and never actually get sick of it.
It’s also the movie that made actor R.Madhavan a household name. He won the hearts of girls all over the world with his boyish charms and romantic persona.
The actor went live on Instagram last week to interact with fans and get their feedback on his new thriller series, Breathe. However, his fans were more interested in asking the actor if he’d go back to making movies like Alaipayuthey again.

Unfortunately, the 47-year-old actor crushed their hopes, saying he’s way too old to make movies like that. “Look at all these”, the actor said while brushing his salt and pepper beard. “I don’t I can do that anymore, I’ll leave that to the younger actors.” Madhavan said.
His fans, of course, disagreed. They continued to convince him that he’s still got it, and that he’d forever remain young in their hearts. After all, he’s aged like wine. Unfortunately, his decision stands.
But fret not. He’d still be acting, he’s just done with hopeless-romantic roles.
While we (impatiently) wait for his next movie, you can catch him on the thriller series, Breathe, which is available on Amazon Video.
Watch the trailer for Breathe here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OstwwYcz8nIVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Breathe – Official Trailer 2018 (Hindi) | R. Madhavan, Amit Sadh | Amazon Prime Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OstwwYcz8nI)

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Filed Under AlaipayutheyBreatheMadhavan


EXCLUSIVE : 6-Year-Old Raguram Sets A Record In Malaysia Book Of Records

The majority of us are undoubtedly familiar with the logos and cars of Malaysia. Even though it seems straightforward, it is impossible for fully grown individuals to distinguish between the almost 190 different car logos.  A young boy of 6 could distinguish it in a matter of minutes?
WAIT… WHAT????

Yes… Raguram Letchumanan, a six-year-old genius, set a world record for correctly identifying 190 car logos in five minutes, according to the Malaysia Book Of Records.

Varnam Malaysia had the pleasure to catch up with Raguram’s parents, L Letchumanan, an engineer, and PL Ranganayakidevi, a dentist. Realizing their son’s talent has been recognized and has gotten valuable recognition, the proud Johor native parents were ecstatic.
When Raguram was three years old, his maternal grandmother would spend plenty of time with him playing memory games. She taught some national flowers of other countries, for instance. Now, he knows at least 50 of them. At that point, their parents learned that Raguram has exceptionally sharp memory power to remember such things.

PL Ranganayakidevi, the boy’s mother, said that at first, he identified the Honda car logo, when he was gifted a toy car by his father’s friend.
“We make frequent trips from JB to KL as well as the other way around. He becomes enthusiastic as he watches the cars on the road as we travel. Additionally, it is crystal clear that his enthusiasm may have been passed down from his car-obsessed engineer father L. Letchumanan,” she added.

How did Raguraam’s fascination with car logos grow?

As Raguram’s memory power is mind-blowing he also observes the evolution of car logos as a whole. Since YouTube can now be accessed through television, this little boy usually searches for the shows or programs that pique his interest independently.

“Of course, we keep an eye on him and offer him advice regarding the shows he watches. He usually finds himself watching automotive manufacturing plants in action. This is quite astonishing considering that a six-year-old often watches rhymes and cartoons, but Raguram is completely different” quoted Letchumanan,.

Raguram is also a punctilious person who notices fine details.

They only became aware of this when Raguram explained that the BMW 5 series and 7 series have various types of headlamps. Following their observation of his passion, this couple started adding the car logos to a PowerPoint display and frequently practiced with him. His photographic memory and obsession with cars has been gained him this recognition.
Related:  The Youngest To Release A Tamil Single In YouTube: Thanisya Rethina Naidu Has Successfully Engraved Her Name In Malaysia Book Of Records
In addition to speaking Mandarin, Raguram, a student at a private international school; can identify numerous insects and animals. He has a thorough understanding of the names of the animals. This made the couple feel grateful to his grandmother for guiding him as a toddler.

Besides cars, Raguram also has a lot of interest in the historical NOKIA phones.

“About 20 old Nokia phones are in his collection. His grandparents and friends who are aware of his interest gave them to him. He would take the phone apart and examine the internal markings for specifications. He will inquire about the technical specifics afterward. His engineer father frequently provides answers to his queries,” said the boy’s mother.

While asking about Raguraam’s plan, his parents stated that he wishes to become a successful scientist in the future and they will assist him in his respective field of interest.
“We shall support him with his interests all the way. We let him think for himself, pay attention to his ideas, and then direct and improve them. Perhaps this is what brought him to this point. And we will keep doing the same thing after this to fulfill his desire,” the couple stated divinely.
Congratulations and best wishes for your next adventure Lil one!
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Filed Under 190 car logoscar logosMalaysia book of recordsMBORRaguraam


Maara; A Breathtaking Cinematic Visual Film By Dhilip Kumar

Well, the wait is finally over!
The most anticipated film trailer Maara is out now. Helmed by Dhilip Kumar, who is well-know for his short film entitled Kalki in 2017. Maara, however marks Dhilip Kumar’s feature film debut.
Actor Shraddha Srinath, who shared the screen space in Vikram Vedha with Madhavan, plays the leading lady in Maara, as Paaru.
The first official trailer for the film stands at two minutes long and only hints at a possible storyline — but from the few scenes featured, it looks to be the start of one epic suspense.

A magical journey that fills UR ❤ with love,hope,N warmth.⁰Trailer out now. https://t.co/xSa6SCno4y⁰Meet #MaaraOnPrime on Jan 8, 2021, @PrimeVideoIN⁰@ShraddhaSrinath @dhilip2488 @pramodfilmsnew @GhibranOfficial Pls let me know what you think my lovely tweeple.❤❤❤❤😘😘
— Ranganathan Madhavan (@ActorMadhavan) December 29, 2020

The trailer depicts the life of Paaru, who is fascinated by the paintings and sets out to meet Madhavan’s artist, Maara. The film was originally set for a theatrical release, but its producers have opted for a streaming release due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Amazon Prime OTT was expected to debut Maara on 17th December, but it was later postponed to 8th January, 2021.
Maara is the remake of the Malayalam hit Charlie, which was helmed by Martin Prakkat. The 2015 movie became a major breakthrough for Dulquer Salmaan as it achieved critical acclaim. Director Dhilip Kumar noted earlier that Maara will be a reinterpretation of Charlie rather than a scene-for-scene remake.
Maara, produced by Pramod Films’ Prateek Chakravorty and Shruti Nallappa, also stars Sshivada Nair, Alexander Babu and Mouli.
Related:  Madhavan Birthday Special : Big Win At IIFA Awards 2023Watch the full trailer here:

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Filed Under CharlieDhilip KumarmaaraMadhavanShraddha Srinath


Nerkonda Paarvai Review: Thala Ajith’s Best Film in Ages

Sometimes, I think of our society and my blood boils. It baffles me that we still live in a world where a woman’s character is judged and summed up based on the clothes she wears, the way she smiles, what time she comes home at night, whether or not she drinks and her sexual history.
If a man posts a topless photo on Instagram bearing his six-pack abs for the world to see, he’s only showing off his hard work. If a woman posts a photo of herself in a bikini, she’s labelled as thirsty and easy.
If a man drinks, it’s injurious to health, if a woman does it, she has loose morals.
If a man has multiple sex partners, it’s normal, heck he’s even considered a stud. If a woman engages in non-marital sexual activity, she’s spoiled goods. There’s even a saying that goes a key that can open many locks is a master key, a lock that can be opened by many keys is a broken one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX9TDlEoQFoVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Nerkonda Paarvai – Official Movie Trailer | Ajith Kumar | Shraddha Srinath | Yuvan Shankar Raja (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX9TDlEoQFo)

Just like Pink, H. Vinoth’s Tamil remake Nerkonda Paarvai starring Ajith, swings a wrecking ball and smashes those notions and shatters the pillars of patriarchy. It is a powerful film that will shake the very foundations of its viewers, especially those who are unfamiliar with the original.
We follow three young women. After a rock concert, they meet up with a few guys. The screen fades to black. The next scene sees the women speeding away in one car and the guys — one of them badly injured — in another (we learn that Meera smashed the dude’s head with a bottle). The first half is a stomach-lurching thriller. We learn that these men have influential backgrounds. They use their influence to scare, harass and threaten the three friends. They demand an apology.
Director H. Vinoth keeps us at the edge of our seats by constantly maintaining tension, tightening the proverbial noose with each passing moment. It’s thrilling, not just because we’re constantly looking over our shoulders, not just because we fear for their safety, but also because a lot of the goings-on will genuinely make you very, very uncomfortable. In one scene, Meera tries to lodge a police report against the assholes. The response by the police officer will make you want to reach through the screen, grab him by the collar of his uniform he doesn’t deserve to wear and punch the smug look off his face. There’s also the judgy look of their neighbours and co-workers. Everyone seems to have made up their mind about them based on ridiculous notions — “Every now and then I see guys heading into their apartment. They’re probably prostitutes.”

The second half is a stirring, thought-provoking and exhilarating courtroom drama. The men file assault charges against Meera, claiming that she’s a prostitute who seduced him, asked for money and then proceeded to attack him with a glass bottle. It’s during these courtroom sequences that Nerkonda Paarvai transforms from a good movie into a great one. The performances are stellar, the writing stings like a bee and the direction is always perfectly in balance.
We don’t see what actually happened at the party until the end credits roll, but we hear two sides of the story. We see two lawyers passionately debating in the court of law. This is a film where Ajith (who plays Bharath Subramanian, a retired lawyer suffering from bipolar; the only lawyer willing to help the ladies) can’t ass-kick his way to victory.
The accusers try to paint the defendants as immoral women. They label them hookers and then spin stories about their drinking habits, their sexual history, etc etc etc. Bharath begs the question: Does any of what they’re saying even matter when Meera and her friends rejected their sexual advances? When they said no?
No means no.

And that is why Nerkonda Paarvai (and Pink) works. H. Vinoth could’ve easily written the women like the sober and virginal “pure” entities we see in ‘mass’ movies, which would’ve made for a fairly straightforward and black and white film severely lacking in texture. In fact, it would’ve only strengthed the pillars of patriarchy. But he doesn’t. Instead, just like the original, the accused and her friends are written as sexually experienced, independent, middle class working women who consume alcohol (in other words, regular women) and then ultimately says that it’s still straightforward, it’s still black and white — no means no. It’s fantastic!
Related:  Top 10 Songs that Symbolises Thenisai Thendral Deva’s MusicThat said, most of what I mentioned above is pretty much a direct copy of Pink, at least from a screenplay perspective. When it comes to remakes and adaptations, I don’t just look for what works, I look for what’s different. Which is why I had conflicting feelings about the live-action (99% shot-for-shot) remake of The Lion King. It’s good, but doesn’t offer anything new, thus doesn’t need to exist.
Nerkonda Paarvai, on the other hand, is a wonderful remake, one that provides a rather different viewing experience than the original. A lot of that has to do with Ajith, who’s usually more movie-star than actor, performing in movies that are Tamil cinema’s equivalent to Fast & Furious.
But here, he’s different.
There’s a scene where Meera gets taken. Upon hearing this, Ajith pulls down the dusty covers of his jeep in slow-motion and speeds away as the Thala fans around me screamed as if it’s the 1980s and Michael Jackson had just moonwalked his way across the stage. Party poppers were burst causing it to rain confetti. You know what’s about to happen next. But then… it doesn’t. Ajith drives around in search of her, even calls his friend at the police station for information, but nothing. He fails to save a woman from being raped. It’s absolutely surreal to witness a megastar like Ajith play a character who’s unable to swoop in at the last minute and save a woman in need.

But this isn’t to say that the movie lacks fan-pleasing moments. The tweaks H. Vinoth makes to the lawyer character, previously embodied by the legendary Amitabh Bachchan to suit Ajith’s action-hero status are great. Instead of an elderly man whose mind is slowing down, Ajith plays a middle-aged dude suffering from bi-polar due to something that happened to him in the past. This gives room to Ajith to exercise his talents and showcase a range that he hasn’t been able to in years. It also gives the character an exciting edge, especially given the actor who’s portraying him — he’s Bruce Banner whiskers away from turning into The Hulk.
H. Vinoth sprinkles in the mass-y moments and does so in a way that cheekily toys with the audience. Somewhere at the start of the film Ajith shoots a sharp stare at a hospital attendant (and into the camera). A stare that can only be shot if you’ve got a fanbase that is rabid, passionate and ready to explode. It’s a stare that says, “I know this isn’t a mass movie, but I’m still Thala so stay in your lane bloody fool.” It doesn’t lead to a fight scene or a punchline, but as they say, less is more. Eventually, we do get an interval fight scene, but even that is infused seamlessly into the narrative. Not to mention, it’s actually quite well choreographed and photographed.

But other than that, Ajith delivers the performance of his career. Bharat is mostly quiet, mind wandering around, unable to focus, sometimes speaking a little too softly. He’s a broken man and Ajith wears that brokenness on his face all throughout. He understands and respects the screenplay — this isn’t about him, it’s about the women. Ajith is more of a supporting character than a leading man here. When he enters the courtroom, he all but leaves the movie star behind. There are stretches in this film that play out in silence, so much so you can hear the fan in the courtroom spinning. Ajith doesn’t pierce this silence with his screen presence but allows himself to be engulfed by it too.
The ladies — Shraddha Srinath, Abhirami Venkatachalam and Andrea Tariang — deliver deeply effecting and effective performance. Their vulnerability, confusion and pain bleed through the screen. Every second is believable.
What can I say? I love this movie. Are there noticeable weaknesses? Sure, the romantic flashback feels unnecessary and sucks the life out of the film, but even these sequences don’t overstay its welcome. Did it shake me as hard as Pink did? No, but that’s only because I’m already familiar with the story. Nerkonda Paarvai is not only an excellent remake, it’s an excellent film, period. It’s gripping, thrilling and important. It’s also the film that made me hop on board the Ajith train all over again. It is unmissable.
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