Tuesday, November 18, 2008

One hell of a man

I am writing this blog sitting in a TNSTC bus. I am on my way to Chennai . But this should not stop me from writing about Vidyut sir. I have seen umpteen number of numb posts in various blogs in which people revere their role models. I am afraid that this post on Vidyut sir should not create a 'one-more-blind-praise' kind of a sense. One of the greatest virtues that I learnt from my Vidyut is to disrepect the venerable. Thrash the so-called 'established' ideas.

He had a Lambretta scooter.. a spanish guitar in living room. He reads Mir publication books and normally smokes in the terrace. I had some of the most important lessons in life and science in that little terrace. I dont want to make a statements like 'I owe him a lot' 'He showed me the way'. Certainly, he would not like me to write such things in my blog or diary or whatever. He told that there is a door and that I should apply some force to open the door. I opened it and I saw the world. 

I met him when I was 20. I joined the college and I took a single room avoiding the hostel. Vidyut stayed in the room nearby. He was a lecturer in Physics department. I was doing BSc Zoology by the way. He was 10 years elder to me and  a divorcee. I never have asked him wheather he has kids or some mundane questions like 'How do you kill loneliness?' . I had always thought that his days were worth more than 24 hours .
'Life should go on' He would say lighting a kings cigarette. And as the smoke engulfs his face he would furthur say Richard Bach`s take on Life. The illusions.

I once read his diary. It was a shameful act. But I could not resist myself from getting to know on what goes in backgroundof Vidyut. It is just a breathtaking note of a practical individual. 
I once asked him about relations on earth.. It was those days when I had a crush with someone in my college. He said that if you believe that the relation will work out then there is no point in hesitating. I had not got introduced to that girl before. The next day, I said 'Hi'  to her. She is now in US doing masters. I usually meet her in g-talk and our conversation  normally starts with the usual 'Hi'. In was just of few chats in our college canteen, I got to know that its just a crush and then the wonderful episode of friendship blossomed.

I left my college jobless. It was a cruel phase where reality hit a harsh blow on me. Vidyut never cared about me being jobless. I read Bach and Capra during daytime and in nights I used to go to terrace to see the constellations. We used to go for a late night tea in my motorbike. (I had a IND-Suzuki then).  All he gave me those days were some puffs of cigarette and the freedom to take any books from library.

What is big reason for me to write this long post sitting in a bus,  Where already a thousand eyes have peeped into my laptop screen looking into what I am doing.

This Vidyut is getting remarried. One hell of man he is.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Mr.Mani and Me

We can easily get a cycle for rent if we go with a reco and a SOP (statement of purpose). Mr.Mani is kind enough in that aspect. Despite being a owner of a cycle-rental, he is a part time musician (plays thavil) and a amateur story writer. He has become a part of my daily routine. Palani is too small a town for cycling, but I had to get a rented cycle to go to my office. No distance factor involved here. I should park my cycle infront of my office and walk briskly towards the entrance. Well, that gives me the feel of a employed graduate. 
Next month I am applying for SWF loan and I plan to buy the recently launched TVS50 moped. It will save the rent that I give to my dear Mr.Mani. And I should apply for a LPG connection and then I should get a stove also.
"Sir, Why not you choose writing as a profession? Anyway you are writing well" asks Mr.Mani.
I get him a tea and a gold filter. 
"Well thats fine.. Do you know where can I buy a Television..? I cannot pay it at one shot.. So tell me a place where can a have a good EMI" I ask him.
And then that day when we shared a smoke below the peepal tree... "Sir, I read your short story on Lankan tamils.. Superb sir.. Where do you such wonderful ideas sir..? " He asked.
" I got a TV.. It at 0% interest EMI" I was telling him.

Mr.Mani once wrote a long short-story and gave me. He asked for my opinion. I remember I saw that bunch of papers again when I vacated my house from Palani. I had ruined a tamil literary scholar right at his budding stage. 
" Sir.. I will say you where can you get a good deal for housing loan.. But before that tell me your opinions on short story which came in Vikatan written by Sujatha.. ? Awesome na.." He muttered.

"Well.. I have not read it so far" I said.

Now here.. I am sitting as a 60 year old.. The literary 'me' has already died and was cremated with honours. My literary boundaries ends with dailies. 

Why I am mentioning all these.. ? Last sunday I got a letter from Mr.Mani..

It was in 15paise yellow post card.. He tried to compress the wishes of his family members in one side of card and in the other side of the card he asks "Have you read Tolstoy..? You should read to appreciate the beauty!"

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

A Filmy Friend

The more I see movies, the more encouraging I feel. Yes, I feel that I could make a better movie  than most of them. I agree to the fact that it is an 'industry' but I cant digest all these craps made in the name of commercialisation. I should be able to enjoy the movie in any part of the world. It should not portray local emotions and people. It should kindle the inner artistic spirits of every human being on earth, no matter where he is from.

I have a friend who wants to overturn the way in which Tamil films are made. He lives in a mansion in Triplicane, Chennai. Fortunate enough to be an assistant director if a movie which was dropped, He now works as an Assistant of an assistant director who shares his room in the mansion. Both have atleast 20 stories in their repertoire. Action, Comedy, Sentiment, .. and one item number kind of stories. Phir bhi Pass ho gaya! kinda themes. I was not able to discuss with them about Kurosowas or Goddards. Their gruelling poverty strikes me. I asked them to take stories from their own lives. A good director should always maintain a diary or a blog and capture his emotions then and there. 

"DP! In this fouth story na.. I have a scene before the intermission. The Hero stands on top of a mound.. The heroine runs towards him.. And there was a gun-shot" 

"I pray that the story ends there itself" I said.

Some fallacies: (also applicable to movies in the past)
  • I think a girl`s father would never decide to kill his daughter just because she refused to marry a guy who was chosen by him. 
  • You wont be reconnected on phone when you bang the button (where receiver is placed), These shots normally come when the villain threatens and cuts the phone.
  • No boys hostel is so shabby & No girls hostel is so sauber as shown in the movies.
  • There wont be a case where there is no exchange of words between parties in a fight.
  • Not all the beautiful people are intelligent.
  • There is nothing called 'Love at first sight'.. 
(Readers can post more in the comments (in films between 1990-2008).. The best of them will be awarded a book on 'How to write a screenplay?' written by Sujatha)

I asked him to correct some of the common fallacies in his story. He greeted me that I am going to be the next-sujatha in larger context. I paid the bill for the dinner. He argued that he can make 'Nylon kayiru' novel into a movie. God save the king!

As he came to Central station in Chennai to see me off, I asked him a realistic question.

"Do you have some scripts in your mind already?"

"Thats least important! Now its time to make contacts with big people" He said.

It is a more realistic answer.