Rocketry: The Nambi Effect Depicts A Surreal Journey of The Unsung Hero, Scientist Nambi Narayanan

After taking the nation by storm with appreciation pouring all over the world, Madhavan’s directorial debut Rocketry: The Nambi Effect is now wreaking havoc around the social media platforms as it was made full of sharp ‘masala’ that heightens the tension throughout the entire film.
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect – One of a kind biographical drama that focuses on how an entire nation let down a great man, his phenomenal talent, and especially his loyalty to his country.
Image Credit: Times of India
So, what’s the story all about?
At its core, the biography drama is based on the real story of ISRO Scientist Nambi Narayanan who is fondly known as a former rocket scientist with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) who was wrongly accused of spying and imprisoned in 1994. Madhavan had to undergo a physical transformation and wear various looks in order to play Nambi’s character at various ages in the film.
Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan features in the Hindi and English versions, and actor Suriya has played the same role in the Tamil version.
The mere fact that the writer loves this film is that there is no sugarcoating of incidents that we witness in most biographies as they tend to portray the lead as flawless. However, in Nambi it seems to be flawed. Despite showcasing his arrogance, he is unsympathetic to others and would go to a certain extent to achieve his goal. After all, these all come in the form of his patriotism towards the nation.
Apart from the powerful dialogues, Madhavan’s top-notch performances and direction needs a special mention. His transformation from a University student, Scientist and also transforming into the man, Dr. Nambi Narayanan himself, well he has definitely nailed it.
Image Credit: Madhvan’s Instagram Page
As we all know, scriptwriting and screenplay are important elements in directing a film, and we wouldn’t deny that Maddy has done a great job in developing the stories eventually. It invokes the right emotions and especially the climax part. Don’t be surprised if the climax even makes you cry. The fun fact is it even does generate some good and clean humour in the first half of the film. Moreover, some other scenes give spectators goosebumps, specifically during the France rocket testing moment that would make every Indian proud.
On an important note, the scenes between Former President Of India APJ Abdul Kalam and Dr. Nambi worked wonders that we watched with awe. And it reminds us of the saying Dream Big that APJ used to say whenever Nambi said He never settled for anything less.
Related:  Madhavan Birthday Special : Big Win At IIFA Awards 2023Not to forget our favourite duo who share the screen space together after 20 years. From playing Simi & Dr. Madhava in Paarthale Paravasam to Indira & Thiru in Kannathil Muthamittal to playing Mr. & Mrs. Nambi Narayanan, their chemistry must be something, folks!
Speaking about Nambi Narayanan, let’s delve into the real story of the ISRO spy:
Decades have passed since S. Nambi Narayanan, along with another scientist accused of selling classified information on India’s cryogenic engine programme to Russia and Pakistan. To date, none of us knew why he was declared a ‘traitor’ who had sold Indian space secrets to Pakistan in exchange for sex with a woman he had never met.
He fought a legal battle to clear his name and in 1998, the Supreme Court found him not guilty of the charges. Trials and tribulations have made Nambi stoic yet the question still remains unanswered.
Image credit: Onlookers
On the other hand, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2019 and was financially compensated for the trauma he had to endure. The evocation of Dr. Nambi’s story must now be an argument in favour of numerous activists and journalists rotting in prison on faux charges.
In the recent interview with TNM, Nambi has stated that “Only facts are narrated in the film. Certain portions had to be toned down for viewers, particularly the police torture. It was much more than what is shown in the film.”

As an audience, it’s hard to rate a film like Rocketry, as Maddy takes a lot of background research, homework, dedication, and diligence to pull all this off.
So, the writer would just say that although far from perfect, the film is worth watching because it depicts a story that needed to be known by netizens due to lack of exposure about the unsung hero.
Kudos to Madhavan, the one-man army who pulled this movie very well by being a debutant director. It’s a story that every Indian or as a matter of fact, everyone should know. The untold story of a true patriot and a great scientist shouldn’t be a miss to watch at your nearest theatres.
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Filed Under APJ Abdul KalamISRO ScientistMasterpiecenambi narayananPadma Bhushan 2019Rocketry: The Nambi EffectSimran


Mallika Sherawat To Star In Tamil Film ‘Pambattam’!

Mallika Sherawat was last seen in a small yet crucial role in the Kamal Haasan starrer Dasavathaaram. She was then seen in a special song in the Simbu starrer Osthe in 2011.
The actress has now inked a new deal to star in the Tamil movie Pambattam. The film will be directed by VC Vadivudaiyan.

Confirming her presence in the film, the film’s makers have released a new poster welcoming Mallika on board.
The director also revealed that she will have extravagant costumes in the film. Further, he pointed out that there are some action blocks for which Mallika is undergoing training in martial arts. Scenes involving the actor will be shot in various locations in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and South Africa, Vadivudaiyan added.
Pambattam is bankrolled by V Pazhanivel under his home banner Pazhanivel Film Garden. Plans are on to release the film in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi. Amresh will be scoring the music for Pambattam.
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Filed Under Indiamalika sherawatTamil


A Remarkable Accomplishment; SJK (T) Ladang Elaeis Clinched 1st Prize In ‘Frog Championship: Arkedia’

It looks like Malaysians can count on these young kiddos to make the nation proud!
Our young minds have been making headlines around the world for their ingenuity and brilliant inventions, and most of them are none other than our Tamil school students.
Yet, an amazing accomplishment came from SJK (T) Ladang Elaeis, a rural school in Kluang, Johor, with just 25 students and 8 teachers have emerged as winners of the Frog Championship: Arkedia by receiving the highest leader points among the rest of primary schools nationwide.
Source: Makkal Oosai
The trio, which is made up of 12-year-old Tarani Jahatisan, 11-year-old Peramalesh Murugaya, and 9-year-old Harini Sarawanan were declared as champions in the 1st round of the competition.

However, the trio were not the only ones who managed to clinch the 1st prize but Suresh Maraiah successfully took the 3rd place spot in the 2nd round of the competition.

This year the Tamil school had overtaken two other schools from the United Kingdom, the Frederick Gough School and Yardleys School, which came in second and third respectively. The championship saw over 3,000 schools and completed more than 18 million quiz questions across 13 countries. Inspired by the novel Around the World in 80 Days, the journey started in the United Kingdom and ended in Malaysia, with pit stops along the way.
The incentive was granted to students and teachers to discover and communicate with other countries across the world on how they use the Frog forum.
The Frog World Championship is an annual international competition that has drawn interest from over 7,000 schools in 15 countries worldwide since 2018. FrogAsia has arranged the Frog Championship: Arkedia from 3rd August to 30th September 2020. It is a monthly competition and Round 1 began from 3rd August to 31st August 2020 and Round 2 was going on from 1st September to 30th September 2020.

The students were required to answer as many FrogPlay quizzes as possible and engage in FrogPlay Live intra-school as well as inter-school sessions, while teachers will need to teach and host FrogPlay Live sessions. At the end of the competition, all the national schools and teachers can excitedly look forward to over RM70,000 worth of cash prizes, book vouchers and certificates.
Congratulations kiddos on your massive achievements! Let’s celebrate the existence of these little geniuses, and give them the recognition they deserve!
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Filed Under Frog Championship: ArkediaHarini A/P SarawananPeramalesh A/L MurugayaSJK (T) Ladang ElaeisSuresh A/L MaraiahTarani A/p Jahatisan


WATCH: A Brand New Raghava Lawrence In Kanchana 3

Raghava Lawrence’s much awaited Kanchana 3 will be released next month, and the trailer is finally here. The film is the third in the Kanchana series, and is unofficially the fourth in the Muni series.
Directed by Lawrence, the film stars Oviya, Vedhika and Kabir Singh Duhan. The film will be released in Tamil and Telugu.
Raghava Lawrence appears to be sporting a neatly trimmed grey beard, and his face alone is 10 shades lighter, thanks to what appears to be makeup and lighting.
Just like every other God-themed Tamil horror film, the Goddess Kali appears to be a central feature of Kanchana 3. The film will release on the 19th of April.

https://youtu.be/-16MdQ9BlgkVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: KANCHANA 3 – Official Trailer | Raghava Lawrence | Sun Pictures (https://youtu.be/-16MdQ9Blgk)

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Filed Under Kanchana 3muni 4Oviyaraghava lawrencevedhika


Stephen Devassy Reveals His Favourite Movies, Pastime & What To Expect From Triple Treat

Stephen Devassy started dabbling in music when he was only about 10 years old. He quickly became attached to his pianos and keyboards, but played intermittently back then. He took music seriously when he turned 17 and got accepted into the prestigious Trinity College of Music in London, where he pursued music full time.
At Trinity, he unleashed the musical beast inside him and quickly rose to become one of the best keyboardist amongst his peers. Since embarking on his musical career, Stephen has performed with many notable names in the Indian music industry, like Hariharan, the Colonial Cousins, AR Rahman, the Late Mandolin U Srinivas, Karaikudi Mani, Umayalpuram Sivaraman, Louis Banks, and many more.

Lucky for us, this popular and most sought-after keyboardist will be making his way to Kuala Lumpur on the 9th of June – along with his Solid band – to perform at Mojo Concert Series’ Triple Treat: Battle of the Bands.
In a recent interview with Varnam, Stephen confessed that he and his band are stoked to perform in Malaysia for the first time ever.
“I’ve never performed in Malaysia. This will be my first concert, even though I’ve been to Malaysia before for holidays. We are really, really excited!” Stephen said in the interview.
“We’re bringing about 4 to 5 songs for you to jive to. Some are a little complex, and there are a few melodious numbers and a couple of aggressive songs. You don’t want to miss this, I guarantee it’s going to be 100% fun!”

“I’m bringing my Solid band with me; and they are literally SOLID. It’s a very strong band with very strong musicians – and we perform everything from A to Z. It’s going to be so much fun and the audience are going to love it,”
According to Stephen, he and The Solid band and have been together for a whopping 11 years, performed in over 30 countries and played at 1500 concerts together. Apart from that, Stephen also added that he is excited to be sharing the stage with his very close friend, Naresh Iyer.
“Naresh and I are very close friends, we’ve been performing for about 8 to 9 years and shared at least 100 stages together. I love Agam too. I love that they are a band of a different genre – mixed with carnatic. I love that, I love carnatic music, and they are going to open the stage on Saturday and that’s great!”

When asked about his upcoming projects, Stephen said that he has actually signed with a Hollywood movie, but unfortunately he can’t divulge any details yet.
“I tell you what – what I’m gonna do is I’m gonna ask them (the producers) for permission, and then I might reveal the name of the movie for the first time – in Malaysia – at the Triple Treat concert!” Stephen said.
Before we let Stephen go, we also managed to ask him how does he chill and unwind after a long day at work.

“Oh, you know what, I’m the kind of person who can watch the same movie over and over again. I’ve seen the same movies like 15 times. My favourite movies are Gladiator and Blood Diamond,”
“I also love taking long drives and making pit stops at small tea shops. Just something very calming about that.”
“I also love food, and that’s one of the reasons why I can’t wait to go to Malaysia. I had so much fun trying out all the street food the last time, including Thai and Chinese food. I might come one day earlier just to eat and get a foot massage!”
Triple Treat: Battle of the Bands is brought to you by Mojo Projects. The concert is happening on the 9th of June, starting 6pm at Hotel Istana in KL.
Get your tickets now at Airasia RedTix.
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Filed Under Mojo Concert SeriesMojo ProjectsStephen DevassyTriple Treat


Sai Pallavi, Fahadh Faasil And Prakash Raj Star In This Upcoming Film

Sai Pallavi, Fahadh Faasil and Prakash Raj will be working together on the upcoming Malayalam film Athiran. The filmmakers just announced that the film will also release in Tamil and Telugu.
Athiran will be a psychological thriller set at a hospital in Ooty. Fahadh plays the role of a  doctor. Veteran actor Atul Kulkarni will also be starring in the film. Athiran is directed by debutant Vivek with music by Jayahari and Ghibran.
Sai Pallavi was catapulted to fame thanks to her role in Maari 2, particularly the Rowdy Baby song dance sequence. She will be seen in the upcoming film NGK which also stars Suriya.
Fahadh is enjoying the success of Super Deluxe, but is an established star in the Malayalam film industry. He made his debut as a lead actor 17 years ago, and he recently produced and starred in the award winning film Kumbalangi Nights.
Prakash Raj is currently busy with his political career. The actor will contest as an Independent candidate from Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency in the upcoming Indian elections.
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WATCH: Vidya Vox’s Latest Tune, Thalaivi

Vidya Vox has released a new song, titled Thalaivi. The tune is inspired by her mother and grandmother, the Chennai-born American singer said.
Releasing the single on her official YouTube channel and Twitter page, Vidya added that Thalaivi is dedicated to all the women, who are hustling and grinding, while doing it with style.
Vidya has also done many mashups, the popular ones being Ellie Goulding’s Love Me Like You Do with Hosanna from Vinnai Thandi Varuvaaya and Taylor Swift’s Blank Space with Mental Manadhil from OK Kanmani.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3-Ypyzd5kc&feature=emb_logoVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Vidya Vox – Thalaivi (Official Video) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3-Ypyzd5kc&feature=emb_logo)

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Filed Under chennaiTamilthalaivividya vox


SPB Surprises Fan Who Lost His Eyesight In An Explosion In Sri Lanka

“It’s fine if I can’t see, as long as I still have my hearing”. Those were Mathimaran’s words to his doctor as he was recovering from a bomb explosion.
Mathimaran lost his eyesight instantly when a bomb exploded in Sri Lanka. He sustained many other injuries as well and it took 6 months for him to recover from the tragedy. He moved to Malaysia shortly afterwards and persevered to read law. Now, Mathimaran is a law lecturer at a private institution and lives a fulfilling life.
Through these trying times, music has kept Mathimaran afloat and going. He attributes SP Bala’s music to be an important coping mechanism that also helped him heal. Upon hearing his story, the organisers of Raaghav Productions decided to surprise Mathimaran with an opportunity to meet his idol.
Watch how he gets surprised by the living legend, SP Bala.

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Filed Under Raaghav ProductionsSP BalaSP BalasubrahmanyamSPBSPB Live In Concert


Nandri ( நன்றி ); An Emotional Story Of A Beggar Man Depicted In Short Film

We frequently encounter people in ragged clothes asking for food and money at various traffic light junctures or even at shoplots. On the other hand, due to unavoidable circumstances we slide down our car windows to offer them whatever it is that we want to give them. Maybe because of the rush that we are ourselves caught up in, it’s not very usual that we think of these people and their not-so-rosy lives.
But, a young talented girl who goes by the name of Trache, has shared the story of a beggar man who displays the importance of humanity in our life through a short film aptly titled Nandri ( நன்றி) and it is now going viral on social media.

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A post shared by 🍇Trache🍇திராட்சை🍇 (@trache_18)

The 6-minute short flick is most relevant in today’s time. Thiriloschenan’s performance outshines in displaying complex emotions in particular scenes. Hats off for that!
Since the short film was released on Facebook and YouTube, the film has gotten an overwhelmingly positive response from the audiences. Despite everything plaguing the world today, this short film portrays that there’s much more truth that we as humans are blind to.
Watch the full short film below:

https://youtu.be/idOapLcYyO4Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Short film title: Nandri ( நன்றி )Direction : Trache  !!! Support by Boss Pictures Sdn Bhd. (https://youtu.be/idOapLcYyO4)

Kudos to the entire cast and crew members who have shed their tears and sweats to produce such a meaningful short film.
Cast: Thiriloschenan Thiagarajah ,Trache ,Logan Raj, Veer Gautham,Nagavalli,Surendar
Story, DOP & Editing : RMS Sara.R
Lighting & Crew : Subra G & Dilip Anand
Support by Boss Pictures Sdn Bhd.
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Filed Under Boss PicturesDilip AnandLogan RajNagavalliNandri ( நன்றி )RMS Sara RSubra GSurendarThiriloschenan ThiagarajahTracheVeer Gautham


Another Record Has Been Secured For The Most Number Of Performers Performing to Pancharatna Kritis

The Tyagaraja Aradhana is being staged by the newly founded Indian Classical Artistes Network in collaboration with the Telugu Association of Malaysia.
They’re going all out this year to set a new record for the most number of people performing Saint Tyagaraja’s Pancharatna Kritis (for MBOR).

The performance will commence around 10.30 am on 29th January, 2022, at Sri Venkateswara Devasthanamu.
On the respectable stage in Bagan Datuk, Perak, a total of 108 performers are anticipated to graciously take over the stage. All of the performers are between the ages of 13 and above.
Around 20 Gurus, including solo artists, have joined together to assist with this traditional rendition.
The participating organisations are Nethaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre, Sugam Karnatica, Forbearance, Vishva Guru Graham Indian Classical Music, Sruthi Laya Gaana Vidyalaya, Dhaatri Arts, Nandi arts, Sapthaswara Sangeethalaya Academy of Fine Arts Malaysia, Shree Sabtha Swara Arts, Swara Layam House of Music and Arts Malaysia, Nadhaswarupi Fine Arts Academy, Arul School of Fine Arts and Temple of Fine Arts.
Everyone is welcome to attend and witness the record-breaking performance at Sri Venkateswara Devasthanamu. Better yet, admission is free!
Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a magnificent and breathtaking concert!
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Filed Under Malaysian book of recordSri Venkateswara Devasthanamu.The Most Number Performers Performing to Pancharatna KritisTyagaraja Aradhana


This Rajinikanth Tribute Will Give You Goosebumps

Tamil film legend Rajinikanth is perhaps the only actor to have been on our screens from the black and white days of Apoorva Raagangal to the 3D 2.0. In conjunction with Petta’s one month celebration, we bring you Athae Rajini – A Tribute To Superstar Rajinikanth.
Presented by YouTube channel CoverCrew, this tribute is narrated by Ma Ka Pa Anand. Athae Rajini takes the viewer on a journey through Rajini’s movies through the years.
“Athae Rajini is our little tribute to our Thalaivar who has inspired, given us joy and all the goosebumps ever possible. If this story is you, and reminds you of the times you’ve seen Rajini’s films, share it people you’ve watched, whistled, screamed and cheered in theatres,” the description reads.
Directed by Andrew neet, Athae Rajini was written by Balachander R & Balasundaravel M with Jugal Shiva on the art direction. The beautiful illustrations are by by Jugal shiva, Andrew Neet, Diwakar & Magesh Sakthi, while the motion graphics were by Gopinath & Balasundaravel M.
Rajini fans, be on standby to have your minds blown.

https://youtu.be/UOWYAR2g45YVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Athae Rajini – A Tribute To Superstar Rajini | Petta Paraak | 2.0 Movie | Ma Ka Pa Anand | CoverCrew (https://youtu.be/UOWYAR2g45Y)

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Filed Under 2.0athae rajinicovercrewma ka pa anandhpettaRajinikanthrajni. rajini. rajinikanthsuperstar rajinikanthtribute


Suseela Krishnasamy’s Passing; A Great Loss To Singapore’s Drama Industry

Suseela Krishnasamy, a popular TV and radio artiste who voiced Tamil announcements at Changi Airport, died at the age of 87 on 24th January, Sunday.
Her cremation took place on Monday and she is survived by her three sisters, nieces and nephews. Her husband, Krishnasamy passed away in 2007.
Picture credit: The Life and times of Suseela Krishnasamy Youtube Video fromVijay Khalayana Krishna’s Channel
Suseela, also a retired former Singapore Telecoms supervisor, had been hospitalised for about a month before breathing her last at about 5 am on Sunday in her sleep, her sister, Kamala Thiagarajan, said.
Suseela began her career at the age of 11 as a child radio presenter on Radio Malaya in 1945.
In numerous television, radio and stage dramas, the multi-talented artiste went on to act.
Picture credit: The Life and times of Suseela Krishnasamy Youtube Video fromVijay Khalayana Krishna’s Channel
At the inception of the Singapore Indian Artistes’ Association (SIAA) in 1970, she was one of those who played a role and also served as its president.
She joined Singapore Telecoms in 1954 before retiring in 1992, following in the footsteps of her late father, Valoo, whom she looked up to as an inspiration and role model.
She was actively involved in the Public Employees’ Amalgamated Union. She received the Efficiency Award in 1967 from Singapore’s first President, Yusof Ishak, for her outstanding service in her stance.
She won the title of Miss Golden Voice in a competition organised by the Telecoms Board in the same year that she joined.
Suseela was the voice behind Changi Airport’s Tamil announcements, many of which nicknamed her the ‘sweet voice of the airport.’
Picture credit: The Life and times of Suseela Krishnasamy Youtube Video fromVijay Khalayana Krishna’s Channel
From the young age of nine, her passion for Indian classical music was kindled. She was a versatile musician, able to play the veena, the violin and the harmonium.
Also, in 1963, she was one of the first Tamil TV broadcasters.
Picture credit: The Life and times of Suseela Krishnasamy Youtube Video fromVijay Khalayana Krishna’s Channel
Her devotion to the development of arts and culture won her the 1990 Kalaichemmal Award and the 1998 SIAA Lifetime Achievement Award.
Picture credit: The Life and times of Suseela Krishnasamy Youtube Video fromVijay Khalayana Krishna’s Channel
In 2004, Mediacorp’s Vasantham channel awarded her the Lifetime Achievement Award at its Pradhana Vizha Awards.
“Suseela was a multi-faceted artiste and her pronunciation of Tamil words was excellent. She was an important pillar when we formed SIAA,” said S. Varathan, 86, a veteran artiste, a former SIAA president and Suseela’s family friend.
S P Panneerselvam, 72, a former senior news broadcaster, said she was one of the greatest actresses the Singapore Tamil drama fraternity has ever had.
“She had acted in many dramas made by senior producers. She is known for her ‘mother’ characters,” he added. She acted in many dramas written by Panneerselvam.
Picture credit: The Life and times of Suseela Krishnasamy Youtube Video fromVijay Khalayana Krishna’s Channel
Re Somasundaram, 73, a veteran Tamil artiste, said: “Her passing is a great loss to Singapore’s drama industry.”
“She had taught me how to deliver dialogues effectively and how to act well,” he added.
In a tribute on his Facebook post, popular TV actor Vadi PVSS described her as “always generous, encouraging and supportive of younger artists.”
“Always having a mother’s touch in the way she approached a younger artiste, she was a joy to work with,” he wrote.
“Even in her old age, she had the dream that the local Tamil drama industry should accomplish more,” he said.
Picture credit: The Life and times of Suseela Krishnasamy Youtube Video fromVijay Khalayana Krishna’s Channel
Saravanan Ayyavoo, a local celebrity, said that Suseela “is truly deserving of all the accolades she has received”
Source: The Straits Times
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Filed Under Singapore Changi Airport tamil announcerSuseela Krishnasamy deathSuseela Krishnasamy's Passing


“Kaathuvakula Rendu Kaathal” Had A Predictable Plot With A Sense of Humour Which Prevailed

Two loves at once, Kaathuvakula Rendu Kaadhal, is something that happens rather frequently these days, and while not everyone agrees with this approach, Vijay Sethupathi is adamant that his love for these two ladies, Nayanthara and Samantha, is fair.
Ranjankudi Anbarasu Murugesa Boopathy Oohoondhiran aka Rambo, is born into a family that believes they will die if they marry. Although back then, Rambo’s father married Minah Kaif and defied society, only to die on the same day Rambo was born. Rambo believes that, because of his father’s death and mother’s sickness, he is the unluckiest person on the planet, or at least that’s how society portrays him.
This movie demonstrates how society’s mindset can shift in a split second simply by absorbing the actual sight in front of them. This spreads from person to person, eventually becoming the social norm.
Picture credit: Bollywood Hungama
Rambo, as a child believed he is so cursed and if he gets too close to his sick mother, he will kill her. As a result, he flees his village and tries to stay as far away from his mother as possible. He keeps in touch with his aunt, Idhayakala, the morattu single, on a regular basis to check on her health.
Years pass, and Rambo still refuses to visit his village for fear of losing his mother, and neither his aunts nor uncles marry during that time.
Rambo is now in his 30s, still single, and has high hopes for what his mother mentioned before she became gravely ill. “When it rains, it pours,” she says, implying that his jinx will vanish one day and that whatever he has missed throughout his life will be doubled.
Picture credit: India Glitz
On Vinayaka Cathurthi, he meets two women: Nayanthara during the day and Samantha at night. Both women eventually fall in love with Vijay Sethupathi, who chooses to love the TWO!
Related:  Vetrimaaran’s Viduthalai Part 1 is a Harrowing Account On The Abuse of PowerIn this film, Samantha and Nayanthara are shown to be his angels who bring him luck because whatever curse that left him had returned after the TWO so-called had a breakup with Rambo.
Rambo will spend the entire film proving how much he loves them and how much they mean to him, which will bore not just Kanmani and Kathija, but also the audience.
Picture credit: The Indian Express
This film scores well on the comedy than the romantic scenes.
VJS nailed it in his bland facial expressions in serious scenes which effectively created humour but the one who took the award was Redin Kingsley. He just does it so effortlessly. Nayan and Sam had equal screen space too to excel in their respective roles which was a breath of fresh air.
There were polls like Team Kanmani and Team Kathija that boosted the promotions, therefore having actresses like Nayanthara and Samantha was a good save for the film. Both of them flaunting their beauty is sure to be a visual delight. Also, Anirudh’s music in this film deserves special note, particularly the song “Rendu Kaadhal.” It was a lovely arrangement that had melancholy passages of the KRK’s feelings. The romance was literally felt on all the tracks and the back ground music (bgm) was on point.
Picture credit: Cinema Express
Overall, KRK was a little bit predictable but nevertheless it did its job of keeping the cinema goers glued to their seats throughout the movie . Anirudh’s music and a natural laugh out loud comedy for the fans is a definite win for this movie.
 Kaathuvakula Rendu Kaadha is brought to you by Lotus Five Star AV . Click HERE for full cinema listings
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Filed Under Kaathuvakula Rendu KaathalLotus Five Star Avmovie reviewNayantharaSamanthaVignesh ShivanVijay Sethupathi


Women’s Day Special; Celebrating Women in Sports

And just like that 2022 is passing like a brisk of wind. Today marks a very special day as we celebrate International Women’s Day worldwide. ‘Break The Bias,’ the theme of this year’s IWD which aims at promoting gender equality all over the world is set to empower a new generation of women to rise to the occasion and break gender stereotypes.
Each year team Varnam will curate a list of women who have made a difference – and 2022 is no different. This year the writer has come up with an idea to give a shout out to women who were and are still active in the sports arena and have brought glory and honour to Malaysia.
So, on this special day the essence and spirit of being a woman should be celebrated. Let’s take a look at the shortlisted Malaysian women who have certainly left us in awe, hence, scrolling through this article is definitely worth your time.
Hemala Devi Eni Kutty
Image Credit: Majlis Sukan Negara
Known as Malaysia’s top Paralympian athlete, the National Track and Field Paralympian & Para Games gold medalist made our nation proud by setting the record in the Women’s F11/F12 javelin event in 2014. Hema became visually impaired at the age of eight. She was actively involved in sports during her primary school days. Such an inspiration to look up to!
Sutheaswari Mudukasan
Image credit; Facebook Page
Known as our badminton queen, Sutheaswari was part of the national women’s team who won the bronze medal at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games. In 2005, Sutheas played for the World Badminton Championships in the women’s singles event, surviving the first round before losing to Li Li of Singapore in the second round.
Sannatasah Saniru
Image Credit: The Star
Sannatasah made history by striking a gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games in 2009, which ultimately became a stepping stone for the single shuttler to emerge as a star. It may have come as a surprise to the audience, but Sannatasah had been steadily rising as a shuttler over the years leading up to the 2015 Summer Universiade. However, in the year 2013, Sannatasah quit from the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) due to fewer opportunities for players like her, while having felt that there was no improvement in her performance as a national shuttler.
Shanti Govindasamy
Image Credit: Malaysian Indian Sports
Shanti remains a dominant force amongst women sprinters who competed for Malaysia at the Asian Games in 1993. She was once known as the fastest woman in Southeast Asia after striking a gold medal in the 100m and 200m at the 1977 Jakarta Sea Games. At the Sea Games, she claimed a triple gold medal in the 100m, 200m, along with a silver medal for the 4×100 relay. To date, she still holds the Malaysian National record for the 100m (11.5s) and 200m (23.4s) track. She was also declared as the last Malaysian woman to win the 100m and 200m at the Southeast Asian Games in 1997.
Related:  Journey Of Our Nation’s Professional Squash Player, Sivasangari SubramaniamVanessa Raj
Image credit: The Star
Vanessa Raj, the Penang born young squash player reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 57 in November 2015. Despite all the odds, she managed to climbed up the World Rankings in recent years with a number of runner-up finishes to her name including two on the 2015 Malaysian Tour.
Wow doesn’t it sounds amazIng?
Sivasangari Subramaniam

Kedah-born Squash Athlete, Sivasangari created history by becoming the youngest national champion at 19. She is the third Malaysian to win the Australian Open title, after Nicol David’s success in 2011 and 2012 and Low Wee Wern in 2018. In addition, she secured her 11th Professional Squash Association (PSA) title after winning the 2019 Australian Open women’s singles title.
Datuk M. Rajamani
Image Credit: OrangPerak
Rajamani, Malaysia’s first female Olympian was the seven-time Seap Games gold medalist, and an Asian Games gold medalist. The former athletic track queen was the first Malaysian woman athlete to set records for four events in the 200m, 400m, 800m and 4x100m. Those who knew Rajamani as the pride of Malaysia during her golden era might realise the importance of the role of her father in her success.
S.Kisona

National women’s singles shuttler, S.Kisona became a household name as she took home a gold medal at the ladies singles’ event in the 2019 SEA Games. Previously, the Seremban-born world No 64 player won the Women’s Singles in badminton at the ongoing SEA Games.
M.Thinaah

The Klang born badminton player, became the first women’s doubles pair from Malaysia to win a Super 300 title along with her partner Pearly Tan. The duo had a shot of being in the limelight when they clinched their maiden World Tour title in Switzerland at the start of 2021.
Keshika Subbarao
Image Credit; FMT
The women’s football coach who is ascertained to inspire young girls to reach their full potential, is breaking down barriers in this male-dominated field. Her journey with football began when she first fell in love with the sport at a tender age of five. She has also coached football teams in Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates.
Sangeeta Retnakumar
Image Credit: Says
The 14-year-old has won five gold medals in the Ice Skating Institute (ISI) Asia Final Championship Series in Bangkok. Sangeetha, who represented Sunway Pyramid Ice Academy has won in the Freestyle 4, Solo Comp F4, Footwork F4, Open FS Silver and Drama Sport FS4 events. She was part of the Malaysian national team in Skate Asia 2020 in August, and Skate Hong Kong in November. Her biggest dream is to join the winter Olympics.
Their notable success in the sports field make us proud all over the world. Let’s celebrate the existence of these inspirational people, and give them the attention they deserve!
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Filed Under Datuk M. RajamaniHemala Devi Eni KuttyKeshika SubbaraoM.ThinaahS.KisonaSangeeta RetnakumarSannatasah SaniruShanti GovindasamySivasangari SubramaniamSutheaswari MudukasanVanessa RajWomen's Day Special


Malaysian Indians Hesitant About Getting Covid-19 Jab

COVID-19 vaccinations have proven to be remarkably effective and safe in curbing the pandemic. Malaysia aims to attain herd immunity by vaccinating 80% of its population, or 26.7 million people out of a total population of 33 million in the country.
The first dosage was given to 13, 816, 971 while the second doses were given to 6,716,689 of them. This makes a total of 20,533,660 people have completed two doses of vaccine injections through the National Covid-19 Immunization Program (PICK) as of July 31st.

Jumlah pemberian vaksin COVID-19 sehingga 31 Julai 2021 ialah 20,533,660 dos.
519,111 dos pada 31 Julai.
Dos 1 : 316,492Dos 2 : 202,619
Jumlah yg terima dos pertama ialah 13,816,971 orang. Daripada jumlah itu, 6,716,689 orang telah terima dos kedua.#LindungDiriLindungSemua pic.twitter.com/T2QIn3Z0n6
— Dr Adham Baba (@DrAdhamBaba) August 1, 2021

However, our Indian community has been feeling a little jittery about registering themselves for vaccination. We understand why people are anxious about the hazards of vaccination, especially in light of recent reports of a significant but relatively rare side effect of blood clotting from two vaccinations.
Team Varnam managed to contact a nurse who wished to remain anonymous for us to gain some insights on why Indians are hesitant to get vaccinations.

“I must admit that I was nervous,” said the nurse who had received her both doses in the hospital. “A lot of my colleagues were. I thought I might collapse or have side effects. After all, it is something new. But I’m fine. There is nothing to worry about.”

As for our community, they are wary of the numerous rumored and genuine adverse effects. Fear is a well-known derailed of these immunisation programs. The vaccinations can indeed induce fever and discomfort, but these symptoms just indicate that the vaccination is responding. The vaccinations have arrived, but without willing arms to deliver the doses, they will be futile.

“I would like to encourage everyone to get themselves immunized, and it is also free of charge. Don’t be hesitant to sign up and get your immunizations. The government has only one goal which is to help the people.”

As a result, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has come out with a statement on the benefits of vaccines against COVID-19. The probability of major side effects from vaccination is substantially lower than the chance of serious significant morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Hence, the World Health Organization strongly advises against COVID-19 vaccination, beginning with people in priority groups such as health workers, senior citizens, and people with underlying health conditions, who are more susceptible to infection and are at a higher risk of serious illness and death if infected.
Scientists across the world have collaborated at an unprecedented pace to discover and produce vaccinations. Those vaccines have been approved and undergone extensive testing to verify their safety, effectiveness, and quality. To assure this process, WHO collaborates with experts and national regulatory bodies in each country.
Image Credit: BBC
The National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency has approved three types of vaccinations which are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinovac to be used in Malaysia.
In the case of AstraZeneca, there have been reports of a serious, though extremely unusual, the side effect of blood coagulation. Somewhere around ten people out of every million people who have received the vaccination have experienced this ailment thus far. It’s safe to say that the benefits of vaccination greatly exceed the risks of these major side effects. Due to this reason, the World Health Organization continues to advocate COVID-19 vaccination particularly for priority groups like medical professionals, the elderly, and those with underlying health problems.
As the number of coronavirus deaths and serious cases involving children keeps rising, vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and help control the infection rate. This is why the World Health Organization urges people to get vaccinations without further ado.
Meanwhile, people who have been vaccinated or still awaiting their turn to be vaccinated should continue to practice public health precautions such as physical distancing, wearing a mask, hand and respiratory hygiene, and providing enough ventilation by opening windows and doors whenever feasible.

“Don’t wait! At one point, the nurse noticed that her previous hesitancy derived from her belief that “nothing awful can happen to me, right?”

Those who are keen to register for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme can do so via the official website or MySejahtera Application. It’s not too late to register as there are three phases in the immunisation program:
Image Credit: Vaksingov.my
Let us bear in mind that the vaccination will protect not only you but also your loved ones from the virus!
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Filed Under COVID-19 VaccinationNational Covid-19 Immunisation ProgrammeNational Pharmaceutical Regulatory AgencySide effectsWorld Health Organisation (WHO)


MYDIN Celebrates Deepavali Together With “Keluarga Malaysia”

In the blink of an eye, we are less than a two weeks away from Deepavali, it also means that the Festival of Lights is just around the corner.
Choosing “Sinaran Deepavali”, as the theme for this year, MYDIN ties collaboration with strategic partner Trichy to enliven the celebration with exciting activities and promotions throughout the campaign period.
Among the anticipated activities are the Kolam decorations, Ladoo Giveaway, Traditional Indian food kiosks such as Pani Puri and other food varieties. Apart from that, MYDIN is also offering varieties of cooking essentials with special offer prices.
On the special occasion of Deepavali, MYDIN and Trichy  simultaneously launch a cooking program, “15 Vegetarians Recipe” brought by famous local chef, Chef Dave from Vegan Journey Malaysia.  The event also sees Chef Dave collaborate with popular singer, Santesh to release a Deepavali song that will be played on the MYDIN.FM during the campaign period.

According to MYDIN Managing Director, Datuk Wira (Dr.) Haji Ameer Ali Mydin, “Our country is the multicultural nation with a diversity of cultures, festivals and religious beliefs. MYDIN is also the one- stop shopping centre visited by all walks of life, be it the Malays, Chinese, Indians and other ethnics.
Therefore, as the means to portray our appreciation to all our customers, every festive celebration is celebrated with festive decorations, promotions and activities. I believe the embodiment of the unity in diversity within all the races will drive a harmonious and positive move for nation building”.

MYDIN, at the same time through MYDIN Prihatin initiatives extends the helping hands to four Indian charity homes with the donations of essential items and new clothes to make the Deepavali celebrations more meaningful.
Related:  15-Year-Old Dhieran Mogan Awarded Malaysia's Youngest Tamil Music ComposerSinaran Deepavali Campaign runs until 2 November 2022. Visit MYDIN official website www.mydin.my or social media MYDIN Malaysia for further details and information.
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Filed Under Chef DaveDatuk Wira (Dr.) Haji Ameer Ali MydinmydinSanteshSinaran Deepavali


A Quiet Thaipusam Celebration; Prime Minister Thanked All Hindus For Cooperation and SOP Adherence

This time around, a far cry from previous years, the sight of a sea of devotees were no where to be seen who had for years thronged Batu Caves for Thaipusam with enthusiastic displays of worship and colours.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has thanked all the Hindus as they were cooperative with the authorities and complied with the standard operating procedure (SOP) to curtail the Covid-19 outbreak.
Image credit: Bernama

“I would like to thank all the Hindus for abiding to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) by conducting the rituals in their respective homes,” said The PM.

“In Malaysia, Thaipusam is usually celebrated with chariot processions travelling to the Hindu temples carrying the statue of Lord Muruga, kavadis and paal koodam (milk pot kavadi),” he said yesterday in a post on his Facebook page.
Image Credit: TheSunDaily
Instead, the police, the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), temple workers and committee members, as well as the media, were present yesterday at Batu Caves.
In order to maintain crowd safety, Rela’s guards stood at the temple gate and made sure there were no human movement around the temple and its grounds.
It was pleasing to see the public act responsibly adhering to the SOPs in order to curb the spread of Covid-19 that has already reached an alarming case count in the country.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Top 5 Oldest Hindu Temples In Malaysia
Filed Under Batu CavesIndian CommunitiesLord Muruganprime ministerQuiet ThaipusamSOPThanked


Aaron Aziz Is Starring Alongside Jayam Ravi In “Tik Tik Tik”

One of the highly anticipated movies this month, ‘Tik Tik Tik’ has been generating a lot of hype as the India’s first ever space movie.
Actor Jayam Ravi is taking on the lead role as a magician-cum-illusionist who is hired by the India’s space agency to perform an arduous task outer space. Directed by Shakti Sounder Rajan, this movie will also feature the likes of Nivetha Pethuraj, Jayaprakash, Arjun, Ramesh Thilak, and more.
Did you guys know that renowned actor and heartthrob, Aaron Aziz, will also be starring in the movie? Take a look at the list of casts.
Screenshot from Wikipedia
Aaron Aziz, who hails from Singapore, shot to fame in both Singapore and Malaysia after recurring roles in the ‘Evolusi KL Drift’ series, ‘KL Gangster’, ‘Ombak Rindu’, and more. Apart form that, he has also starred in ‘Special Female Force’, a Hong Kong action flick – which means he’s no stranger to working on international films.
‘Tik Tik Tik’ is scheduled for release on the 26th of January 2018.
For more #PonggalRelease movies, check out this post below:
https://varnam.my/2018/439/movies-set-ponggal-2018-release-year/
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  PS2 Recognized as First Indian Language Film Released On 4DX Cinematic Format by Malaysia Book Of Records
Filed Under Aaron AzizJayam RaviTik Tik Tik


Priyanka Chopra Emerges As The Second Wealthiest Celebrity Beauty Brand Surpassing Kylie Jenner & Selena Gomez

The social media buzz is all about the launch of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), which saw A-listers gracing the red carpet with their luxurious and glamorous outfits.
One of the stars who came to the launch donning beautifully has done a remarkable feat, beating famous celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Selena Gomez.
It’s none other than our Bollywood Queen, Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
According to the report, Priyanka Chopra’s hair care brand “Anomaly” becomes the second-wealthiest celebrity beauty brand of 2023. With Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty taking the first spot as the current wealthiest celebrity beauty brand, it was followed by the global icon Priyanka’s Anomaly at the second rank. Anomaly has brought in over $400 million (RM1,769,120,000) in revenue.

What’s surprising is that, the Bollywood diva’s beauty brand surpasses the popular celebrity Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics (3rd rank), Ariana Grande’s R.E.M. Beauty in the 4th spot and also Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty which ranks at 5th place.
Priyanka Chopra launched the haircare brand named ‘Anomaly’ exclusively at U.S.-based retail chain Target, and in partnership with beauty brand creator and incubator, Maesa. Later in 2022, the brought in the brand to India.  Anomaly has a wide range of products including hair masks, dry shampoos, shampoos, and conditioners  The brand is focused on affordability and clean, eco-friendly products.

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It is incredibly impressive to have accomplished this noteworthy feat in just few years.
👏🏼✨
Source: [1,2]
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Filed Under (NMACC)AnomalyBollywood Actressbollywood moviesNita Mukesh AmbaniPriyanka Chopra


Balan Kash’s ‘Macha Magic Worldwide’ To Collaborate With Streetwear Brand ‘The Cap City Malaysia’

Through his rap career, our Malaysian homeboy has continued to be a blessing and pride to the country. We know that his work, such as “Start the Thiruvizha,” spread like wildfire and is a fan favourite. The deadly pandemic hasn’t deterred this man from building his brand, “Macha Magic Worldwide”.
Balan Kash and The Cap City Malaysia collaborated on a project with their limited edition MACHA snapback release. It is available in two different styles. The classic black Macha with a red dot and the red 5 panel spelling out MACHA lettering.

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A post shared by THE CAP CITY (@thecapcity)

This is the first time an established Malaysian streetwear brand has collaborated with an Indian artist to release a fashion item, and it is expected that more brands will collaborate with homegrown Indian artists in the future.
Picture credit: Spotify
Nigel Sparks of The Cap City feels localising fashion releases will uplift the ecosystem as told by Balan Kash who shares the same sentiment.

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A post shared by THE CAP CITY (@thecapcity)

Balan Kash, the owner of Macha Magic Worldwide said;
“This might be the first but surely won’t be the last because if this limited release gets sold out, it shows buying power of streetwear & shows potential for more brands & artistes to come together,”
The limited edition comes with a snapback, an enamel pin and a display box.
The rapper also said,
“Trust me, this will be the beginning as we predict more brands will reach out to the brown boys because the vision, ecosystem and support is there.”
Picture credit: Balan Kash’s Instagram
Have you pre-ordered the “Macha Worldwide” collection yet? The pre-order promotion ends tomorrow (Tuesday). For more information, visit The Cap City’s official Instagram page or click here to be directed to their website.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  UKM Students Organise Fundraising Concert In Aid Of IJN Foundation To Support Patients At Institut Jantung Negara
Filed Under Balan Kashheadwear brandsMachaMacha Magic WorldwideMalaysian StreetwearNigel Sparksstart the thiruvizhaThe Cap City


Mental Health; It’s Okay Not To Be Okay

“There’s always a new beginning to every ending”, or “there is always light at the end of the tunnel”, perhaps this quote might sound too cliché, but sometimes these words can spark a glimpse of hope in someone.
Thus, it should be the first thing you say to someone whom is going through the most darkest moments of their life.
Mental health.. is somewhat still perceived as a taboo topic in our community. What we seem to lack is actually the understanding and bravery to accept what mental health is and being mindful in handling The Fragility of one’s Mind.

Most of us in one way or the other, would have definitely been through a disastrous phase in our lives that took a toll on our emotions.
Some may have been quick to snap out of it, but the ones with the softest of hearts, unfortunately gets trapped in it and their emotions are so vulnerable where thoughts of ending it all starts playing in their minds.

Some of the mental health disorders that we may not even know we are facing are anxiety, sudden fears, intense obsession, quick changes in mood, among others. Often times in our community, mental health is discussed as demonic possessions or classifying them easily as “crazy”.
Some even assume the word “psychiatrist” as a big jargon and are very much afraid to reach out to those with mental health issues.
Depression, anxiety, breakdowns, schizophrenia and whatsoever the medical profession have seemed to define various emotional problems, should not be the dictating point in evaluating our life’s worth…

Our community needs to be more aware of what mental health is. Mental health is a situation where your peace of mind is intensely disrupted and there is a constant battle of emotions between your heart and mind that causes severe day-to-day function.
According to the stats in the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019, almost half a million of Malaysians face depression!
Be cautious on what and how people around you or even you feel deep inside. During the current times with unexpected events such as the Covid-19 pandemic revolving around us, we must be more aware and tuned in to our mental health.

Mental health has become a constant chime we keep hearing everywhere. Cases of people taking their own life, people losing their mind and facing depression have become all too common these days.
Read the news and you would certainly come across many new suicide cases that are sadly on the rise. Therefore, be kind to those around you, you may  never know what a person is battling internally. In this light, only the great almighty understands fully well.

The Befrienders Kuala Lumpur patron Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye quoted NHMS 2019 stating that 424,000 children experience mental health problems. Half of all mental disorders begin by the age of 14, and three-quarters by the mid-20s. Therefore, this needs to be addressed urgently,” he said in a statement in conjunction with World Mental Health Day 2020.
Mental health could disrupt a person’s health to the extent where they may portray a happy natured persona but the next second, they could just burst out into tears and get agitated over a certain situation happening around them.
We may not even know the emotional roller coaster one may likely be going through inside. Some are too afraid to open up or share what they are facing, fearing vulnerability to those around them.

Hence, during these prevalent times.. be there for one another, console and share your depth of emotions to your most trusted confidante. Consult a medical specialist to assist you if you are still stuck on something.
Remember, stop blaming yourself cause there’s nothing wrong with how haywire your mind could get.
At times, your mind needs professional care for a better cure or sometimes a simple getaway alone could rejuvenate your life once again! However this varies from one person to the other, so it’s best to consider professional guidance when the battle of the mind gets out of hand.
Hence, be cautious of your mental well being and stop being afraid to reach out to people if you know they are dealing with any of this, or if you yourself happen to be facing such matters.
Take a second to breath, look around at those whom hug you close and tight with their love, such as friends, and family. Always remember that there’s a purpose to our existence. Be a confidante to those struggling to just survive the day.
Do not let your emotions win over the battle it has with your mind during your darkest days.
People should understand that it’s completely okay to not be okay. Don’t judge or throw your judgements towards someone easily. Help them ‘HELP’ themselves to do better.
Mental Health is a reincarnation process in a human being. When you surpass it successfully, you basically rebirth to your new self out of it.
Most renowned people we know whom have made a name for themselves have all been through a tough battle of their minds. They are among some prominent celebs including Deepika Padukone, Vithya Visvendra, Amitabh Bachan, Manisha Koraila, Sanjay Dutt, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranveer Singh and even Crissy Theigan and Beyonce!
Mental health is definitely something very important to be taken care of with utmost meticulous care due to its tenuous state of nature.
If you ever need to talk to someone or know someone who is going through a tough time, kindly reach out to the contacts listed below:

Befrienders KL: 03- 7956 8145
Sisters in Islam: 011- 2370 1006 (Hotline/Whatsapp)
Women’s Aid Organisation: 03- 7956 3488
Sneham Malaysia: Emotional Support and Awareness For Suicide Prevention
1-800-22-5757
Women Centre For Change:
Penang- 011- 310 84001, 016- 428 7265
Sebarang Perai- 016- 439 0698, 016-4180 342
Whatsapp- 016- 4480 342

Folks! Remember, during these dire times it’s definitely not okay to be not okay, because we may never know how one may spiral with the smallest of effects to their emotions. Seek help immediately if you know someone that is going through this or if you, yourself are being hit by this catastrophic of emotions!
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Filed Under anxietyBefrienders KLdepressionMental health issuesmental health issues in MalaysiaSisters in IslamSneham Malaysia: Emotional Support and Awareness For Suicide PreventionWomen Centre For Changewomens aid organisation


Dhanush’s Vada Chennai Already In Post-Production Stage

Aside from The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir and Enai Noki Payum Tota, Dhanush has another movie due for release very soon.
Vada Chennai, directed by Vetrimaran, has wrapped up filming and is set to hit theatres very soon. Vetrimaran is best known for making films like Aadukalam and Visaaranai.
The film will be a trilogy, and Dhanush will play a gangster in the 70s. The film revolves around the gangster’s life for 30 years. Vada Chennai is the first part of the movie, and it is already in the post-production stage.
Vetrimaran promises real and raw action in this film, showcasing the tough and emotional side of the gangster.
Aside from Dhanush, the film also stars Andrea Jeremiah, Daniel Balaji, and Kishore, amongst others. Santhosh Narayanan is scoring the music for the film.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news. Related:  Vishnu Vishal Denies Being Part of D50
Filed Under DhanushVada Chennai


Part 1: Malaysian Indians Who Are Incredibly Good At Musical Instruments

We can’t believe how talented our Malaysian Indian teens are!
It’s rare to come across true great musicians. Each generation has a representation of true talent, but its very rare to find true performers and raw musical ingenuity.
Today, we are counting down 10 musicians who play different musical instruments such as piano, guitar, violin, which are worth your streams and friends’ fandom. Of course, this is by no means a comprehensive list. Some might be the popular ones and others may surprise you.
Sounds like teen spirit!
S.V. HireishThayanantham – sv.hireish
You might not know the name, but you’ll fall for his stunning tune. His version of Uyirin Uyire from the blockbuster hit film Kaakha Kaakha is so exquisite because it shows the incredible emotional range of the violin.

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A post shared by S.V. HireishThayanantham_Violinist 🎻 (@sv.hireish)

Yumika – yumikamanmathan
Her rendition on Kannana Kanne from the film Viswasam, string ensemble and organ, it sounds all the more heart-breaking in this arrangement for solo violin. Here it is, played exquisitely by the talented girl.

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A post shared by 𝓨𝓾𝓶𝓲𝓴𝓪✨ (@yumikamanmathan)

Angayarkany – kany_official_
It’s hard enough to cover a melody track on most instruments – but Kany who put a big smile on her beautiful face decided to play Anbendra Mazhaiyile tune from Minsara Kanavu. And I bet you guys, she has done a beautiful job of turning the tune entirely hers into a graceful, string-filled rendition!

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A post shared by WinKany Siblings (@winkanysiblings)

Dinish Ananthan – dinishananthan
Kalaba Kadhala BGM; Till date, this love theme has hung around all of us. Dinish starts out the inspired soulful cover pretty slow and wistful.
This talented pianist makes us replay the song like no other!

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A post shared by DINISH ANANTHAN (@dinishananthan)

Janani Murally – jananimurally_
Another mind-blowing rendition by Janani of Yuvan’s hit song Idhu Varai and her version is a hit on Instagram. Truly breathtaking!

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A post shared by Janani Murally (@jananimurally_)

Johnathan Raj – official_johnathanraj
Johnathan’s majestic cover of the Ghajini movie hit song Suttrum Vizhi Chudare on his piano is beyond our imagination. It may begin gently and in a simple manner, but it quickly develops into expressive, rapid finger runs. Before tapering back down to a soft finish, the impact is magnificent.

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A post shared by Johnathan Raj (@official_johnathanraj)

Shiwveshana Parmasivam – shiwveyy
Music truly knows no boundaries for this young teen, Shiwveshana. Her rendition of the Nee Partha Paarvai Oru Nandri song from the Hey Ram movie is as close as it can get to any masterpiece.
Is this song overplayed? Absolutely. Does this version breathe new life into it? You bet.

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A post shared by ஷிவேஷ்ணா பர்மசிவம் (@shiwveyy)

Jennifer Pracilla – prxcillxrxy_18
Jennifer’s A Poem For You is just way too good and there are some cover versions which might be mistakenly assumed for its original version. Each of the countless cover versions bring their own spin on what the artists felt as their emotions were represented.

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A post shared by ▪JENNIFER PRACILLA ROY PETER ▪ (@prxcillxrxy_18)

Maheshwar Remesh – maheshwar_98
Mahesh’s jaw-dropping rendition of Vaseegara from the film Minnale has certainly made my day even more better. Soulful yet graceful.

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A post shared by Maheshwar Remesh (@maheshwar_98)

Calvin Raj  – calvinraj07
Calvin’s piano piece of Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai is just the thing for capturing those feelings. The piece evokes the relaxing sensation of looking up at the moon late at night. On the way to something better, and altogether less heartbreaking. It represents hope, something we can look forward to.

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A post shared by Calvin Raj Vincent Praboo (@calvinraj07)

Guys, this is just an ice-breaker, there are more talents to come. Watch out for Part 2.
Did we skip any of the versions of your favourite cover? Let us know in the comments down below.
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Filed Under AngayarkanyCalvin RajDinish AnanthanJanani MurallyJennifer PracillaJohnathan RajMaheshwar RemeshMusical InstrumentsS.V. HireishThayananthamShiwveshana ParmasivamYumika


BREAKING: Keerthy Suresh Wins A National Film Award For Best Actress For Mahanati!

26-year-old Keerthy Suresh, is the winner of the National Film Award for Best Actress for her sterling act in Mahanati, a Telugu biopic on yesteryear star Savitri.
“Never expected the award. It is overwhelming. I am on cloud nine,”
Dedicating the award to her mother, yesteryear star Menaka, she says that her mother often used to tell her family about how she had missed the national award for the best actress for her maiden film in Malayalam, Oppol.

Keerthy admits it was difficult to step into the shoes of the legendary actor and also tough to get out of it. Keerthy’s picture-perfect picturisation earned her a lot appreciation. Her demand for a choreographer on the sets did work, and she is all praise for the way Annie Master helped her ace the scenes.
Talking about Dulquer Salman’s character of Gemini Ganesan in Mahanati, she says that since Dulquer also had a big job to do and that too in his first Telugu film, both of them did not disturb each other.
Keerthy is now doing two woman-centric films, all untitled till now. Next up is Boney Kapoor’s film with Ajay Devgn and it is a biopic on footballer Syed Abdul Rahim. In Malayalam, she will be seen next in Priyadarsan’s biopic on Kunjali Marakkar, the Mohanlal-starrer Arabikadalinte Simham.
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‘NGK’, ‘Devi 2’ Are Now On Pirate Site!

A clear print of ‘NGK’ has been released in just eight hours of its release on the Tamil Rockers website.
‘NGK’– Nandha Gopala Krishnan hit the screens on Friday. The film features Rakul Preet Singh and Sai Pallavi in the lead roles.

With the film is performing averagely at the box office and receiving mixed reviews from the audience and critics, the film has now become a victim of piracy.
A clear print of the film has been released in just eight hours of its release by the notorious Tamil Rockers website. Prabhu Deva and Tamannaah starrer Devi 2wasn’t spared either.
This isn’t the first time a new film has been picked by the portal. Vijay’s Sarkar, Vijay Devarakonda’s Taxiwaala, Venky’s F2 were all leaked within hours of their release.
Three new films were leaked within hours of their release and they are Atharva’s Boomerang, Kathir’s Sathru and Bharath’s Pottu.
The website had also leaked Rajinikanth’s 2.0 and Petta. It has turned out to be a major threat to the film industry putting out every brand new release for download.
Vishal, who had promised to curb piracy in the film industry, has been working towards this goal right from the day he took over as the President of the TFPC.
The most important of it is that every theatre should have CCTV cameras installed at the earliest and the last deadline for it was November 15, 2018. Theatres with no CCTVs or with non-functional CCTVs are not allowed to screen new movies, according to the new rules.
Related:  Kamal Hassan Excited To Work In Nag Ashwin's Project KBut none of his measures worked post which he said this can be eradicated only by the government.
NGK, produced by SR Prakashbabu and SR Prabhu under the banner Dream Warrior Pictures, was made on a huge budget. The film also stars Bala Singh, Ponvannan, Uma Padmanabhan and others play crucial supporting roles.
The film had music by Yuvan Shankar Raja, cinematography by Sivakumar Vijayan and Praveen KL in charge of the editing.
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Filed Under Devi 2kollywoodNGKTamil


Padhmashri Vivekh Plays A Retired Police Officer In His Next Murder Mystery Film

Vivekh is ditching his usual comedic roles for a fresh new undertaking.

In an upcoming Indian-American bilingual Tamil-English mystery thriller film called Vellai Pookal, Padhmashri Vivekh plays a retired police officer who moves to the US to live with his estranged son. During his stay, Vivekh solves a serious of murders in the US. The film also stars Pooja Devariya, Hollywood actress Paige Henderson and Charlie in pivotal roles.
Vivekh during the shoot of Vellai Pookal
The film’s first look poster was unveiled by actor Suriya today.
Photo by Indiaglitz
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Filed Under Padhmashri VivekhVellai pookalVivekh


Bujang Valley; A Sprawling Historical Site And Once Glorious South Indian Kingdom

Napoleon Bonaparte once said that history is the version of historical events that people have agreed to settle on. However, when it comes to Malaysia such a compromise is not easily settled upon and forgotten.
Researchers agree that the majority of Indians in the peninsula trace their Malayan origins to ancestors who came from India to work in the peninsula in the last 130 years, mainly as labourers.
Having said that, some of us may wonder why aren’t there any monuments representing our ancestry heritage in modern day Malaysia’s Malay Peninsular. However, Indians now have a reason to rejoice upon the discovery of the ancient Kingdom of Kedaram, a Hindu civilisation founded in the Bujang Valley up north. As early as the 3rd century AD, there were already traces of Hindu settlements founded by Indian merchants in the Bujang Valley.
Picture Credits: HinduHumanRights
The Bujang Valley or Lembah Bujang is a long-lost Kingdom found
The Bujang Valley is the largest archaeological site, representing iron smelting sites and jetty remains are some evidence of historical value revealing that the kingdoms of Kedah had contact with the kingdoms of South India, and there was already a well-established sea trade road. It occupies hundreds of square miles and the temple houses remain, date back to over 2,000 years. That is as old as the lifetime of Jesus Christ!

    Based on geological evidence, Bujang Valley or Lembah Bujang remains as the oldest civilisation throughout Southeast Asia

This ancient Hindu temple, established more than two centuries ago is evidence of Indian influence in the Malay Peninsula.
The Bujang Valley significance as a trading point
During Malacca’s 15th century and Singapore’s 19th century, it was the most important port of entry. The Bujang Valley was a mid-way centre for the Arab countries, India and China. It was discovered by excavation, making it the oldest man-made structure in South-East Asia to be documented.
Picture Credits: HinduHumanRights
Considering that not all of the scriptures and writings survived, many of the historical elements are still obscure. And the temples did not survive the onslaught of old age because over the past 1,200 years their wooden roofing has rotted and withered. The museum itself is insufficient and uncoordinated, with many of its artefacts dispersed elsewhere to the Museum Negara to Singapore (which was once part of Malaysia). A majestic empire of gems and gold also offers space for folk tales and oral history.
Inscribed Crafted Stones

An inscribed head of Nandhi, was found near the site of Bujang Valley.

One of the six boxes of stones found buried beneath Candi Bukit in Batu Pahat.
Current updates on the Bujang Valley
The Bujang Valley is currently in the process of being added to the UNESCO World Heritage List by Malaysia in 2013. The government declared in 2017 that further exploration and restoration efforts would be conducted in the valley to maintain its outstanding universal significance that was once a bustling port and prosperous kingdom.
For historical enthusiasts, they may opt to visit the museum as it becomes nearly impossible to exit the Bujang Valley without having gained any knowledge and perspective about the background of the South Indian Kingdom.
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Filed Under CandiHistoryLembah BujangNandiSouth Indian KingdomThe Bujang ValleyUNESCO World Heritage List by Malaysia


Harish Kalyan And Rhea Chakraborty Begin Filming

Harish Kalyan and Rhea Chakraborty’s Dhanusu Raasi Neyargalae has begun filming yesterday.
The film will be a full on comedy and Harish and Rhea will star alongside Malayalam actress Reba John. Directed by Sanjay Bharathi, Dhanusu Raasi Neyargale will be Rhea’s Tamil debut. She has starred in a string of Hindi films, including Half Girlfriend and Jalebi.
Rhea Chakraborty
The filmmakers of Dhanusu Raasi Neyargale felt it was imperative to inform the public that Harish will NOT be playing a loverboy in this movie, and will be portraying a more conservative character.
The filmmakers also appear to believe in astrology. In an interview, director Sanjay Bharathi was quoted saying, “Among all the raasi (star signs), Dhanusu Rasi has something unique and instantly attracts everyone. The film’s protagonist, played by Harish Kalyan, also belongs to this particular star sign.”
Dhanusu Raasi Neyargale is set to release in December 2019.
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Filed Under Dhanusu Raasi Neyargaleharish kalyanreba johnrhea chakraborty


Trisha Says Horror Film Mohini is the Most Challenging of her Career

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvKO5suexeQVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Mohini Official Trailer | Trisha | R. Madhesh | Vivek-Mervin | Prince Pictures (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvKO5suexeQ)

Seven months ago, the first official trailer for Mohini, the horror film starring Trisha, dropped on YouTube. Since then, there hasn’t been much word concerning the project. However, after much delay, the film is set to hit the big screens this Friday (same release date as the Vijay Sethupathi-starrer, Junga). This movie features Trisha in a dual role, for the first time in her career.
In a press conference in Chennai (via firstpost), Trisha broke down why this is her most challenging project to date.
Firstly, I’d like to thank producer Lakshman and director Madhesh for giving me this film. It’s a heroine-centric film in my favorite genre, which is horror. What’s really exciting about this project is that I’m playing dual roles for the first time in my career. It was challenging and fun at the same time to play diverse roles.
Trisha is one of the best actresses in South Indian cinema today. Gone are the days of her appearing as your standard loosu ponnu as we see in Thirupachi. These days she tends to choose roles that challenge her as an actor. Her work in Kodi is my personal favourite. It’ll be interesting to see what she brings to the table in Mohini.

What’s less interesting is the director (R. Madhesh’s) approach to making this film. This is what he had to say:
Since I come from Shankar’s school of filmmaking, we’ve made Mohini as commercial as possible. It features the kind of action no southern heroine has attempted on screen before… We’ve also shot it aesthetically to ensure it doesn’t look gory on screen.
When you watch a horror movie, you want to feel as uncomfortable as possible. The best type of horror movies have a way of sticking with you and freaking you out, days after you’ve left the cinema. But it looks like Mohini is a film made to appeal to the widest possible audience.
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Filed Under MohiniR. MadheshTrisha


WATCH: The Jagats Keep Us Smiling with Endrendrum Punnagai

Malaysian band The Jagats have brought smiles to their fans once again with their latest rendition of Endrendum Punngai.
Featuring keyboardist Kiru, bassist Steven Paul and the spectacular Lawrence Soosai on electric guitar, this version of the AR Rahman tune has Shastan Kurup on the vocals. The four talents appear to have recorded the tune in their respective homes, amalgamating it is virtually, for their fans to enjoy.
This may not quench the thirst many of us have for live Tamil music, but it certainly helps!

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Hi Guys, here’s a little something from #jagats to lighten up your day. We miss being on stage and more than that, we really miss entertaining you guys! Stay at home and #staysafe always. This too shall pass. Drop your likes/coments/share and spread the positivity! #staysafe #stayathome #malaysianindianband #malaysiamusic @shastank @rdx_kiru @stevoothebassist @vinod_dk5 @madrasclubkl
A post shared by  TheJagats (@thejagatsofficial) on Apr 6, 2020 at 10:23pm PDT

Well done, guys!
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Filed Under endrendrum punnagaiKirulawrence soosaishastan kurupThe Jagats


Jazz Musician Ganesh Bala Brings Back The Golden Age By Launching ‘The Malayan Songbook’

Do you wish to go back in time to the golden era of pre-independence music?
Ganesh Bala, a local music producer, unveiled The Malayan Songbook on March 2nd, which is a compilation of pre-independence Malayan music hits transcribed and re-arranged by himself at Vida Bukit Ceylon in Kuala Lumpur.

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A post shared by Ganesh Bala (@ganeshbalamusic)

The book includes a complete collection of 21 contemporary Malay music scores by evergreen composers such as Tan Sri P. Ramlee, Ahmad Jaafar, Ahmad Wan Yet, and Yusof B, including some transcribed songs such as Arjunaku by Ahmad Jaafar and Kembang Desa by Yusof B.
The multi-instrumentalist expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to contribute his first songbook to the local music scene.
The 34-year-old young man who enjoys rearranging music says Malayan music is unique because it fuses Latin rhythms, jazz harmonies, Malay or Asli melodies, and is played on a combination of western and traditional instruments.
Growing up, the musically inclined composer recalled seeing the great P. Ramlee in films like Anakku Sazali, Bujang Lapok, and Penarek Becha.

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A post shared by Ganesh Bala (@ganeshbalamusic)

“The music was so unique that I remember it to this day. However, I was only familiar with P. Ramlee as a Malayan composer,” Ganesh stated.
“Until I produced Semalam di Malaya in 2016, I didn’t know much about other composers of the era,” he remarked.
Besides that, he intended to create this songbook to tell everyone about this golden age.
He went on to say that the record influenced him to transcribe the scores and learn more about the culture, history, and entertainment scene of the time.
Ganesh had successfully recreated the melodies from the old albums using the most advanced recording software since some scores were missing portions, notes, and harmony.
“The majority of the Malayan tracks were recorded on open reels. The state of these recordings deteriorated over time. Despite the fact that RTM did a fantastic job digitalising the recordings, the audio quality was still pretty low in some of the tracks,” he explained.
Ganesh, who is also the director of OUCH Records, says that he transferred the tapes into a digital audio workstation to repair arrears that needed to, allowing him to transcribe the songs accurately.
The songbook are catered specially for history buffs who enjoy learning more about Malayan music history, including biographies and essays of the singers, musicians and composers behind the melodious songs.
It is a fantastic source for musicians and history enthusiasts.
The Malayan Songbook will be sold at Kinokuniya, Times Bookstore, Borders, and MPH.
Source: Malaymail
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Filed Under Ganesh BalaThe Malayan Songbook


Senapathy is Back! Indian 2 Commences Shooting in December

You read that right! In conjunction with Kamal Hassan’s 64th birthday yesterday, Lyca Productions have released a clip of the much awaited Indian 2. The movie is slated to be the actor’s next big project, and comes 22 years after Indian.
Shankar will be directing the sequel of the cult classic, with Anirudh Ravichander composing the music. Nayanthara is rumoured to be the female lead of the flick. The 1996 vigilante film, Indian, was also directed by Shankar. It ended with Senapathy, also known as Indian Thaatha, killing his son and then apparently dying in an explosion.
The epilogue shows Senapathy making a call from a phone booth in a foreign country before walking off into the crowds. This very scene is the first glimpse of Indian 2, replete with the words “Commencing soon”. Shooting for the movie will start in December. Indian was the most successful film released that year, winning multiple awards for best film, best actor and best art direction.
Check out the announcement, and the hashtag we never thought we’d see! #Senapatiisback

Happy Birthday to the one and only #Ulganayagan , Dear @ikamalhaasan Sir. Wishing you a fantastic day & year ahead. #INDIAN2 #SenapatiIsBack 🔥💥🎉 pic.twitter.com/cghE9uFOhL
— Lyca Productions (@LycaProductions) November 6, 2018

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Filed Under Indian 2Kamal HaasanShankar


Top 10 Toughest Exams In The World; Can You Handle It?

The word examinations, remain a frantic word for every student out there. Examinations and tests are becoming increasingly difficult as a student advances to a higher level in education. Every student feels they’ve been facing the most challenging tests they’ve ever had. Exams have been a cause of frustration and fear for numerous teens, young adults  and working adults worldwide. Hence, we’ve decided to share with you the 10 most challenging tests to crack globally.

CCIE (Cisco Certified Internet working Expert)
Cisco Networks conducts this assessment for the recruitment of Internet experts within their organisation. The test is divided into 6 parts in two phases. Those applicants that have passed the first process are eligible to participate in the second phase. The practical phase of this examination lasts 8 hours and has a clearing rate of 1%.
GATE (Gratitude Aptitude Test in Engineering)
GATE is an all-India level exam that functions as an entrance examination for Indian engineering graduates. The test opens the door to post-graduate courses for candidates who pass the test. The examination is a joint endeavour between the Indian Institute of Science and the 7 Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) around the world. There is a single paper, consisting of both MCQs and numerical questions.
Gaokao
The Gaokao exam is a compulsory exam for every high school student in China. The exam is mandatory for those who wish to further their studies. Rated as the 8th most challenging cracking exam in the country, it has caused tension and anxiety for many Chinese teens. This tragic analysis drew many documentary makers all over the world.
IIT-JEE (Indian Institutes of Technology Joint Entrance Examination)
The Indian Institutes of Technology Joint Entrance Examination is a test designed for Indian engineering candidates who have hopes in joining India’s 7 most prestigious engineering institutes. The review is split into two analytical articles of three hours each. This is fully unbiased and has a small clearance fee. Out of the 500,000 candidates who attend the exam every year, only 10,000 are selected.
UPSC (Union Public Service Commission)
The main body in India performs all big assessments and hires many of the country’s highest policy leaders. This is known to be the most challenging Indian test. Even those who have cleared IIT and GATE consider it challenging to clear this test. Out of the 300,000 candidates appearing annually, only 1,000 are selected.
Mensa
The Mensa Group is a worldwide group comprising of individuals with the highest IQs. Each nation has its own Mensa Society, and it is the oldest and biggest Intelligence group in the world. The Mensa IQ Assessment is the most rigorous IQ Exam in the country where only the best of the student group is allowed into the culture. The lowest IQ found in the culture is a mind-boggling 98 percentile. There is no age limit for this group and the youngest member happens to be a 2-year-old.
GRE (Graduate Record Examinations)
GRE is one of the most commonly performed assessments in the world and perhaps one of the most challenging to crack. Many of the higher education institutions in the United States allow their candidates to have a GRE score listed. This is accessible on both online and offline modes.
CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)
The CFA is not exactly an examination degree. It’s sort of like a technical status. This was rated by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) as the most challenging test in the country. Less than 1/5th of the applicants clear each year, that too after repeated attempts. The exam comprises of two objective stages and one subjective form of essay.
All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam
The All Souls College Fellowship Test of Oxford University is known to be the second most difficult test in the country. Until quite recently, the applicants were supposed to write a single essay based on just one word on the paper. This takes an immense amount of empirical information and a very creative mind. Every year, only two applicants are chosen for a fellowship.
Master Sommelier Diploma Exam
The average applicant who sits for the Master Sommelier Diploma Exam gives up on the 5th or 6th try. The test is divided into 3 sections which are theory, service, and blind sampling. Because it is an experienced winemaker’s test, students must recognise not only the flavour but also the year and area of the wine. Since its establishment in 1940, only 200 applicants have accomplished this test, usually in their 3rd or 4th try.

Such exams aren’t a piece of cake for everyone. We congratulate all those who have pursued such assessments at some stage in their lives. Those who have cleared these examinations represent the most academically advanced people of this world.
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Filed Under All Souls Prize Fellowship ExamCCIECFAGaokaoGATEGREIIT-JEEMaster Sommelier Diploma ExamMensaUPSC


Karan Johar Stunned by Anirudh’s Rendition of Kal Ho Naa Ho

Anirudh has been keeping himself busy by playing his favourite tracks on his piano during the lockdown.
Recently, the talented composer released a two-minute-long video in which he can be seen playing the title track of Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Preity Zinta-starrer Kal Ho Naa Ho. He shared the video and wrote, “Kal Ho Naa Ho.. One of my all time favourite pieces.. (sic).”

pic.twitter.com/SeqtcEAzjc
— Anirudh Ravichander (@anirudhofficial) June 10, 2020

Karan Johar watched the video and was flattered by Anirudh’s near-perfect rendition. He retweeted Anirudh’s video and sent him some love for his work. His captioned the post saying, “This is just so lovely @anirudhofficial #kalhonaaho (sic),” followed by heart and thumbs-up emojis.
https://twitter.com/karanjohar/status/1270592715927904257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1270592715927904257&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatoday.in%2Fmovies%2Fregional-cinema%2Fstory%2Fanirudh-ravichander-plays-kal-ho-naa-ho-on-piano-karan-johar-is-flattered-1687493-2020-06-10
Karan Johar’s Kal Ho Naa Ho is one of the iconic romantic comedy-dramas in Indian cinema. The film, which released in 2003, still remains a favourite among everyone!
News Credit: India Today
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Filed Under Anirudhhindikal ho naa hokaran johar


Malaya Relived, A Must Watch Musical For Every Malaysian.

“ I am me, and thats enough”
A play that is dedicated to Malaysia. A play that every Malaysian should watch. A must watch.The opening night for Malaya Relived was held last night at GMBB @ KL. The tickets were fully sold out. And I understand why! The show is written and directed by Shafeeq Shajahan, who also is the co-founder of Liver & Lung, an award winning theatre production company.
The play did start 10 minutes late. However the warm welcome from Shafeeq and his mother compensated with that. Also, free snacks were given. That is so Malaysian.
The play starred Prem Sagar who has been on several notable plays. He played the role of Muthiah in MUD The Musical, in Malaysia’s longest running musical. Hannah Shields, a British performer and also writer. She is also the co-founder of Liver & Lung, alongside with Shafeeq. She performed her solo cabaret at Soho Theatre, London. Shangkharee Nadarajan, who is known previously  for her popular daily talkshow, Astro V’Buzz plays a pivotal role in this play. She is also our Editor In Chief. A doctor who decided that performing was her cup of tea and decided to pursue her passion!
Prem as Raj Veerasamy
Malaya Relieved was set in the pre independence era. The play highlighted the struggles of being ruled under the British and showed the paramount importance of independence. It also highlighted the importance unity by highlighting the cultural differences. The play was broken down into 3 acts.
In the first act, we see Slyvia Graham ( Hannah) , A UK based journalist who comes to Malaya to write about the country’s fight on independence. Raj Veerasamy ( Prem) is a member of the Malaysian Indian Congress. He is part of the fight for independence.
As we go on to the second Act, things start to get heated up! Raj and Slyvia started developing their feelings for each other, making his focus on the fight for Merdeka more difficult. Shivani ( Shangkharee) who is a student under Raj constantly reminds him of his responsibilities to Malaya. Raj finds himself feeling lost.
In the final act, we see who steps up to fight for the independence. Slyvia on embracing the Indian culture. And of course ( Spoiler Alert) Merdeka itself.
The music really made the play so much more significant. The play had Ian Nathaniel, who won the Cameronian Innovation in Musical Theatre Award for Co-creating. He composed all the tracks for the play and it was super original. His talent was really seen in showing how the music really fitted each and every scene. It was so natural and was definitely not pre-recorded. Ian has had a couple of collaborations with Liver & Lung in the past. I guess thats why the chemistry between the Shafeeq and Ian were fantastic. He deserves more recognition in the industry.
The actors really performed bravely and were very natural. Prem has a marvellous sense of stage presence. The actor knew his art and I really hope he gets involved in many more other plays. Personally, I feel, Hannah has a power to captivate the audience in a indescribable way. Her voice projection and quirkiness really elevated the significance of her character. As an actor, Hannah has understood the Indian culture well. Spoiler alert!! There was a part of the play where Slyvia wears a fiery red saree, and she wore it with such elegance. It almost feels like, it is not her first time wearing a saree. She knew how to move, without making it awkward. She must have really studied her mise en scene really well. Shangkharee gave us a goosebumps moment when she delivered her dialogue, ” I am me and that’s enough”. She did a first class performance in this play and I don’t think anyone would believe that this is her first play.  The boldness, the intonation and articulation of dialogue was very calm and clear. Her pleated saree look gave me Indira Gandhi vibes.
Related:  T. Ravichandran Conquers Mount Everest For The Fourth Time, The First Malaysian To Accomplish Such A FeatI promise you, he really looked this calm throughout the whole play. Such fantastic presence.
Shafeeq has an amazing voice and I would honestly consider him as a performer. He sang with so much passion. He is so calm and collective, which is such a different trait for a directors. I guess he did not crack under the pressure. He got the actors to deliver what he wanted and they performed with so much passion, a common trait, I saw in everyone who was part of the play.
Shangkharee as Shivani, really showed a character transformation in the second act onwards.
A memorable part of the play was when Malaya achieved independence. Shafeeq untied the flag, and the entire audience stood up and sang Negaraku with so much passion and patriotism. Even while writing this, I can feel so much love for my beautiful country.
The set and costume designers did a good job. Bahseerah and Shazana delivered the whole 1950’s vibe. Right from photo frames to the floor mats and books, I really did feel like I was seated in a Malaysian Indian home back in the 50’s. The blocking on stage did not really meet up to my expectations. There were times, the actors’ back will be facing towards me and I could not see their expressions. The lighting really matched with the theme of the play.
From a feminist lens, the play did however fail the Bechdel test. A Bechdel test is when two females talk about something other than the male character in their scenes. While Shivani did tie the saree for Slyvia, the content of the scene was about Raj. The scene could have been written slightly better. Nonetheless, seeing that Shivani pursues to get her education and Slyvia doing what she wants to do, marrying Raj, I really do see that the women in this play did have important dialogues.
Such grace and elegance she possessed
Malaya Relived is an overall entertainer with outstanding direction and music. The performance of the cast really delivered what we as audience wanted to see, the 1950’s era. This play is a must watch for this one reason. For Malaysia. Watch it because it shows so much about the struggles our forefathers would have had to make our independence a reality. This production takes many creatives risks and really emphasised on the performers to be all rounders.
Malaya Relived runs from 19th to the 21st of April. With 2 shows daily, at 3pm and 8pm, do not miss out on this play. Tickets are priced RM 70 each. More info can be found at WWW.LIVERANDLUNG.COM/MALAYA
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Filed Under MalayaMalaya Relived: MerdekaMalaysianmusical


Shruti Haasan Wishes Her Father “All The Best” In His Political Career

Indian actor Kamal Haasan unveiled his political party, Makkal Needhi Maiam earlier this week. Since it’s inception, Kamal Haasan’s friends and fans have been pelting him with best wishes messages.
One particular message that stood out was from his daughter, Shruti Haasan. The 32-year-old actress took to her official Twitter account to confess how proud she is of her father and his new political career. She also wished him all the best in his new venture.

pic.twitter.com/BRuEaaBev5
— shruti haasan (@shrutihaasan) February 21, 2018

“Wishing my dear father all the success on his first step of a million more towards change and political reform – to quote your favourite Mahatma Gandhi ‘be the change you wish to see in the world’.” Shruti Haasan tweeted.
“I’m certain your determination and perseverance towards truth and justice we have witnessed in our family, will now be seen by everyone in our wonderful home of Tamil Nadu.” the tweet read.

1/1 Wishing my dear father all the success on his first step of a million more toward change and political reform – to quote your favourite mahatma Gandhi “be the change you wish to see in the world “ I’m certain your determination and perseverance toward truth and justice cont’d
— shruti haasan (@shrutihaasan) February 21, 2018

Shruti Haasan’s younger sister, Akshara, also expressed her admiration for her father on Twitter.
“A proud moment as my dearest bapuji Kamal Haasan… has announced Makkal Needhi Maiam. My father has taught me, progress is an individual journey and great progress occurs with the unity of people who take responsibility for the future of our society. Love you bapuji.” Akshara said.

1/1 A proud moment as my dearest bapuji @ikamalhaasan ikamalhaasan has announced Makkal needhi maiam @maiamofficial. My father has taught me, progress is an individual journey & great progress occurs cont’d pic.twitter.com/fxr8vk1Jpt
— Akshara Haasan (@Iaksharahaasan) February 21, 2018

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Filed Under Akshara HaasanKamal HaasanShruti Haasan


Singaporean Bus Captain Cooks For Malaysian Colleagues Daily

Singaporean Subramaniam Rajoo has been driving buses since 1995. He adores his job, but he also has another passion, cooking.
The 60 year old has now gone above and beyond his duty, by cooking daily for 16 to 20 of his Malaysian colleagues since the movement control order (MCO) began.
Image credit: James Spencer
When Malaysia announced our MCO on March 17th, Singapore’s public transport operators, including SMRT Corporation, booked hotel accommodation for their Malaysian bus drivers on short notice.
SMRT bus captain Santiran Sukumaran is one of them. The 36-year-old, who hails from Taman Perling in Johor, misses his family dearly, but is persevering.
Things are not easy for Santiran. He does not have the luxury of working from home like many of us do.
Subramaniam, however, rose to the occasion. “With this sudden crisis, two of my bus captains — Saraswathy and Dhanabalan — they approached me to say that a few of our bus captains require home-cooked food,” he said. “I said no problem, I can cook! I told them I can cook for 16 to 20 persons every day.”
Image credit: Angela Lim
And so for over a month, Subramaniam and his family have been cooking for his Malaysian colleagues every single day. The menu includes fish curry, chicken curry with vegetables, appam, papadum, chicken briyani, and mutton briyani,all prepared by himself and his family.
Santiran is grateful for Subramaniam’s kindness, adding that Subramaniam’s fish curry reminds him of his mother’s. “I feel happy eating this home-made food. Don’t need to go the shop to buy.” he said.
Cooking for 16 to 20 people is extremely costly. Subramaniam spends about S$80 (RM246) cooking for his colleagues every day. This eats up a large chunk of his salary. In spite of that, he shows no signs of slowing down. “I like to serve those who are hungry,” he chuckles. “I like to give people food!”
SOURCE: Mothership SG
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Filed Under Malaysian colleaguesServing home cook foodSubramaniam


The Trailer For Padmaavat, Starring Deepika Padukone Is Out And It Looks Glorious

The trailer for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat is out and it looks GLORIOUS! For months now, Padmaavat (previously titled Padmavati) has been ridden with all sorts of controversy — what’s new? — with one particular Rajput caste organization claiming the film paints the Rajput queen in a bad light. There were also certain groups of people threatening to kill and mutilate the lead actress, Deepika Padukone. This prompted the Indian government to contemplate the possibility of banning the film altogether.
Members of the Indian film industry did not sit back and allow the film to take a beating, though. Filmmaker Sudhir Mishra called the incidents “an assault on creative freedom.” Padmaavat also received massive support from various A-listers in the industry including esteemed Indian director, Karan Johar, and actors such as Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra.
Well, it looks like things are finally starting to settle down and Padmaavat might be looking at a January 25th release date.
What’s particularly exciting about this film is that it’s written and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who previously worked on Devdas, a 2002 film starring Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, and Aishwarya Rai that went on to gain international recognition, which includes a BAFTA award for Best Film not in the English Language.
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Filed Under Deepika PadukonePadmaavatSanjay Leela Bhansali