Movie Review – Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak

A Boring Love Lost Tale

I was intrigued of this movie for quite a long time. “Papa kehta hain” is one reason and Aamir’s interview on how he became overnight sensation was another one. If those who don’t know, during the release of movie there were large posters saying “Who is Aamir Khan? Ask the girl next door.” That’s a good one. First of all, to start a movie with such a nicey song requires guts. Maybe it was how it was meant to be a couple of decades ago with heroes being the nicest guys of all. Even the Kamal Rajni movies of yesteryear had Kamal doing the nice guy role even though he is the most bankable star. Now only Rajni’s role in the movie appeals to us. Be in Ninaithalae Inikum, Aval Appadithan etc. Similarly, there would have been a huge craze for Aamir being introduced with such a nicey song.

I guess may be that would have been the first scene he had shot, the nervousness in the eyes would be clearly evident. And to look back it feels good to know that even Aamir Khan was once nervous. For me this song appeals even now, the music, lyrics and the whole setting. I love the bit where the teachers dance. Some things never get old. But the good things end there.

I’m not a big fan of Juhi Chawla, whenever I get intriqued by her acting, she talks and that spoils the whole thing. Her voice is irritating. That too in this film when its raw its even more horrible. I understood how the movie is going to be, with the very first scene. A very bad scene. But the way the movie was elongated to reach the climax and kill them both was such a bore. All these could have happened in 30 minutes max. Even the prelude before the titles was so lengthy. But surprisingly, the songs which came out of nowhere had lot of clarity both in sound as well and making. If not for that I don’t think the movie would have been even half watchable.

I was struggling hard to complete the movie, just because I started it. There were a lot of dull moments, the forest episode, the eloping episode and all that. The fact that both the parents were hell bent on killing each other’s sons and daughters as a revenge to what happened before was evoking no interest. So, when the movie got over, we were like, okay now change the channel. I don’t know why in the name of god a slow and sullen, “Papa kehte hain” came in the climax.

The tale of Aamir and Shahrukh is much similar to Kamal and Rajni respectively even though the latter are legends beyond words but when comparing the boy next door look of both Aamir and Shahrukh, I found Shahrukhs movies to be much better now. Even if cheesy at least they are fun to watch. Two yesteryear movies I watched of Aamir, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and Andaz Apna Apna, failed to interest me. Whereas I still find DDLJ enjoyable. I have one more movie of Aamir to watch, lets see how it turns out to be.

Book Review – The Dark Room

Dark Temptation

R K Narayan’s novels affects you in a numerous way. I think this affected me the most of all. The novel has a modest beginning of a family run by a short-tempered man, his wife and three children. The setting is perfect, the struggle of Savitri is straight away evident. How she waits for her husband, the way she feeds her children, her talks with servant and the association with two friends of hers. Everywhere we see the setting as perfect. Especially when the kids talk between each other and when they talk to her friends.

Ramani is one hell of a character. Typical brash earning man of the 30’s. The thing about Narayan’s novels is it focuses on inner conflicts, domestic conflicts, rather than talking about the outside world. He’s not at all judgmental. He doesn’t blame anyone. If people are rich, they are rich, if they are not, they are not. That’s how simple it is. He brings in all sort of characters and everyone is so real like. With every book I read of his, my respect of him grows.

The definition of any book is generally is about description, about details, whether it’s a person, locality or characteristics. But here he hardly describes about people or location or anything for that matter. But when he says that after giving tiffin to Babu, Savithiri lied down a bit to rest with her hands folded, the whole scene comes into picture, how she’d be lying in the middle of the hall, overlooking the door, just away from brightness, how the house will be so quiet and she must be deeply lost in her thoughts. How there would be pillars around. Everything comes to our mind. May be it works better because it is an Indian setup, may be they are a Tamil family but I guess it’s much beyond that.

Even for Satyajit Ray it took a visual medium to show the longing of a woman, where she had to search through the four windows and see for the people outside, use her binoculars but with R K Narayan, he needed nothing. What an auteur he is. There were many parts which had similarity to Charulatha but it was even profound than that. There is also a touch or two things similar to Guide, Bachelor of Arts like going out of house and coming back pointlessly. It’s one of the regular motifs of R K Narayan where a person would leave everything and go but eventually come back, accepting the fate of life. It’s a terribly sad thing to read, to feel. The fact that my house was in the aftermath of a quarrel that day meant that to digest all these was even tougher. The eeriness of the house was reverberating in Savithri’s house too.

There was also a moment of realization when Ramani would tell, why couldn’t I lead the house. It’s like how I tell, we should give importance to what women are doing. We should also start cooking, washing etc. so that their dependence would become less and that would take away power from them. It’s one of those things which Ramani tells, may be in a different manner. He harasses the children in the name of taking care of them and finally when his wife comes back, he is proud and happy thinking that he had won. What a loser. Especially in the climax when he is romantic towards her, she doesn’t respond affectionately. There is no explanation post that but that one moment tells you the entire story.

For quite some time I was thinking what The Dark Room could really mean. When Savitri first goes to the dark room in a sullen mood I didn’t even know that that’s what Narayan is referring to. That’s such a wonderful use of the title. The Dark Room is a physical example of what really the title is, in other words the whole house, her whole life is like a Dark Room where she couldn’t do anything for her. That’s how beautifully the book is written, about a submissive wife, woman of the previous era.

To get angry for such a thing and protesting for it is a thing. But the way Narayan has weaved a story out of it where people would not even really understand what it is, is something great. It’s not a book where I can discuss with people. It’s about feeling the melancholy and how sweet it is.

Book Review – The White Tiger

Rant of an irrational Man

For the first few pages, the book majorly felt like a rant of a man who has complaints of everything. There was seething anger in every word spoken, every sentence written and everything said. There was no craft in it. Just rant, something people who are sloshed beyond words would do. Find a problem with everything.

The story is similar to Shantaram and the writing style was similar to me but in a wrong way, in a gimmicky way. That’s why my book feels better than his. You see when you employ this style it should be for purposelessness. Here the book feels very purposeful, so much so that it feels like a propaganda. When you see my book or Catcher in the Rye, you sense the purposelessness of the book, it might not work for everyone but if it does it works like hell. But here in The White Tiger, any book reader who had read a few books will like it, that’s because he has a sense of purpose to it. For me that was debauchery. That was the biggest problem with the book. I was like, why not tell it straight forwardly if you are trying to say something, why mask in some way and make it look purposeless when it is in fact purposeful.

He is definitely not Charles Dickens of India, whoever said that. Seriously, after reading David Copperfield, how could someone say that he’s Charles Dickens of India. The story there is similar, how a poor boy struggles in life. But look at the treatment, it doesn’t worry us, it doesn’t irritate us, it makes us sympathize with him but here we had a constant sense of irritation with one Mr. White Tiger.

Shantaram, one other book which is on these lines talking about India, politics, stars, corruption. Once my favorite book. The way the protagonist talks about the book is brilliant. He romanticizes the troubles. I too did after the book. I thought it was perfect but only after hearing out from a couple of people on how for foreigners all these things must be romantic but not for us, it struck me. My friend said, everything would be fine till we land in India, as soon as we come and take an auto the whole thing would get spoilt, there was another friend who noted that how foreigners find everything interesting in India, they even take photos of street dogs. The same point would have been told in Shaitan too. That’s true. Even though it’s off my top list, I still have the respect for the book. Lindsay, was such a gutsy fellow, he made me brave.

The book felt very much like an Indira Parthasarathy novel, may be this would have worked if I had read in Tamil. Whenever a talk of Delhi comes up, I remember Thiraigaluku Appal, my favorite work of Indira Parthasarathy. The way Connaught place was described by him in the book couldn’t be matched.  The setting was lovely.

Here the story was blatant. It was simple and straightforward, the angst was clearly visible, like that of Ram’s movies. Wish it had been more discreet and more artsy, that would have given the book a nice flavor. Taking up a book after a year, it should have definitely felt better than this.

Movie Review – Comali

A K TV ish 90’s kids’ nostalgia

This movie was never in my list, I wouldn’t have watched it even for guilty pleasure but I did, that too in theatre, guess it was my happiness hang over. But thanks to have been in theatre, the only good thing that happened is my cold getting exaggerated. This would have been a fitting K TV film, in fact any of Jayam Ravi’s films of recent times would have been. He takes a concept which gives message and makes it into interesting movies, interesting for the ones who watch daily soap operas and Bigg Boss, you should not even think for a second or wonder about anything cinematic during the course of the movie. If you do, you’re in trouble.

Saying that a film like ‘Comali’ doesn’t make any sense doesn’t make the makers stupid, it makes you stupid. One must not analyze a movie like Comali which is made for mere entertainment but only enjoy it. So, the question is whether you’re able to enjoy or not. The majority of the audience did enjoy it, like how they did for Kanchana 2. For me it was irritating beyond a point. I had a couple of laughs, thanks to Yogi Babu and a bad sentiment rain scene in the climax which goes as far as asking the auto guy, “what is your name? my name is Joseph” and the auto turns, we see a plus symbol. Wow! But it still works, like a double cheese Margarita, we know how sinfully cheesy it is but we like it. It’s a craft to make even bad scenes work. When Jayam Ravi talks a lengthy dialogue on how he’d use emotion to win in climax, he wins us emotional fools with such a soupy climax. It flooded in 2015 but the film happens in 2016. That doesn’t matter, even if they had shown that as 3015 I would have had no complaints because if we nitpick such kind of films we are the fools. And I don’t know how many movies are going to make use of the flood situation, nothing has worked thus far.

The first few minutes of the film are fun. In fact, for the most part it is, thanks to Yogi Babu. But first few minutes used the 90s template to its advantage. Except for the gimmicky shaky thing that Ravi does by making his hands shiver, the other scenes are fun. Add to it there is Nikita (a ravishing Samyuktha Hegde). Wish she had been the heroine rather than Kajal who absolutely didn’t make any impact at all. Add to it, irritating acting by the doctor, watchman etc. Only Ravikumar and his wife do their job best. Rest all look like buffoons. And what’s with all these YouTube sensations, they look pathetic on screen. Shouldn’t they know that’s why they’re YouTube sensations.

I don’t know why the movie became a hit just like that, it’s nothing but like an immature speech in symposium, a director with lots of free time, hell lot of friends in Facebook made. The trailer was genuinely funny with Rajnikanth entering politics but thanks to our policing gods even that was removed. That included a very broad-minded Kamal who found the scene to be distasteful. I guess we are again going into that 70s SP Muthuraman phase where all these mindless junkies of blockbuster film came out. God save Tamil film industry. Just few years back I was proud of our films, Soodhu Kavvum, Jigarthanda etc. See now what’s coming up. Malayalam film industry at that time was getting into the groove and now they have a firm grip but look at us, we ended up being disaster.

Maybe it’s a curse, films like this are going to come till eternity but let’s hope against hope that there will again be a Vijay Sethupathi phase, a Tamil New Wave and a lot of good movies.

Movie Review – Kadaram Kondan

One Man Showdown

Everything you talk about the film would deal with talking about Vikram. Because apart from that there is nothing in the film. There are two types of movies, good movies and bad movies but Kadaram Kondan doesn’t fall into either of these. It’s one of the blandest movies I’ve seen. A movie which the maker would have felt like making a masterpiece but ends up being torn to pieces. I’m sure the director would have been very proud after the final copy, to have made the film great, in the league of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy but ends up being nothing. In fact, it’s one of the movies were almost none of the scenes worked for me.

Vikram is KK, make any expansion of that, a RAW agent turned heist man or something, we don’t really know but he’s kickass cool. The first few scenes shows that he’s a man in pain, there is nothing heroic when he’s in hospital, nothing heroic while trying to run from someone who’s trying to shoot him but when he gains his conscience it doesn’t take even a second for him to show that who’s the hero. That’s the screen presence. He has underplayed a lot in the movie. Second only to Samurai. Especially the interval scene where he looks at Vasu (Abi Hassan). It’s Point Blank stare, now who can master it like he did. Sadly, it’s again one of those movies where he’s trying to do everything right, but keeps searching the key in wrong place with every trick possible.

There are by far two heroic scenes, the one where he comes out with a syringe, just before interval and the second one in the climax. The first one I guess is the one which Vikram wanted to play for gallery. From what I read from Rajesh’s interviews he didn’t want to do it but did upon Vikram’s insistence. To be honest, it wasn’t really necessary, even if we feel like whistling for the scene. But that doesn’t make Rajesh right. He was wrong almost in every aspect. He does the same old mistake as he did in Thoonga Vanam. There are so many interesting Hollywood movies to remake and there are so many interesting ways to remake a Hollywood movie but he wants to make a movie classy so he tries to limit acting, limit mass sequence but has an opening scene where the hero hangs from Petronas towers. Seriously, that’s why you chose Malaysia? The movie fails because the emotion fails.

The second mass scene is the climax one which was good. It could have been the only mass scene. The thing with Vikram’s mass scene is that it works for everyone. If there are other stars like Ajith or Vijay, there might be certain mass scenes which work for everyone but with other people it develops a great amount of hatred because they are badly made scenes but no matter what, if the director had shot a scene with the intention of shooting it as a mass scene for that actor, it would definitely gather claps from their fans. Reducing the skill of the director as well as increasing the hatred among rest of the people.

The movie fails at so many levels. It doesn’t tell about KK’s background. I’m okay with it. I’m in fact fan of meeting people all of a sudden rather than knowing their story but when you don’t tell their background but use the same person as a device who has contacts with so many underground people without any explanation, it’s idiotic. Just one stare and ‘Sikita Sceneuda’ song, he goes to all his contacts and creates some sort of war in Malaysia. Wow he must be the most powerful man, powerful than Trump.

Cherry Mardia as Catherine looked cute as an officer but the whole double crossing of the policemen wasn’t as strong and interesting as it should be. That in spite of having so many good actors and such good performances. Reports claim that Abi Hassan had acted well in the movie but I found him to be really bland, like one of my friends said, this film looks more like a launchpad to him rather than a Vikram movie. Anyways he had failed in that. Akshara Hassan on the other hand had done a decent job in whatever screen space she gets.

Wish Rajesh M Selva’s tryst with remaking movies ends with this. Someone has to tell him that he’s not as intelligent as he thinks he is. Even remaking is an art. With all the problems and movie almost over, when I was feeling nothing about the movie, there comes a scene in post credits where after a gap of few years KK comes in search of Vincent. It’s just a split-second scene, even in that one second Vikram would have gone to such lengths to look perfect. In the whole movie he had salt and pepper look but with age even that changes and that final look during lightning showed even that minute detail.

An Epic Last Day Mail

Love your job, but don’t love your Company

Infy people know this quote as NRN’s, others as Abdul Kalam’s. Let me not get into the problem of who really said it. But I lived otherwise. I never liked my job but I loved Infosys. If not for Infosys I’m sure that I’d not have survived these 9 years in IT industry. Infosys has to be both blamed for not letting me continue with my passion as well as acknowledged for keeping me sane.

It’s going to be really long note; I love doing auto biographies as much as I love writing. Other than travelogues and reviews I haven’t written a personal piece for a while so read it at your leisure time.

Before the Beginning

So ya… where to begin. The beginning of course. May be much earlier than that. It was in 2010 when recession was at peak. Well, everyone tells that when they studied there was recession, like how everyone said there was no water in their streets during 2015 floods. So there is no hard and fast rule as when exactly recession happened and for whom. I like one of the quotes which my dad said, “Recession is when others lose job, and Depression is when you lose job”. I haven’t really gotten a job back then and wasn’t really worried too. I made my mind that I won’t get job, if I get it I’ll be happy, if not I’ll remain the same, like Madi Padi Madhu. I decided one thing for sure that I would not study further.

The arrear in the fourth semester in Signals and Systems where I got 6 marks and on reevaluation 12 marks, made me the person I’m. I became calmer when it came to exams and I could clear them going forward. So when the Infosys interview happened I could meet the criteria of not having any arrears. I knew Infosys is my only chance as they were the only ones who don’t ask technical questions and there was no quantitative aptitude in written exam. A week before, TCS interview happened which I didn’t clear.

Like everyone we attended Infosys interviews like a bunch of clowns wearing full formals for the first time. They hardly paid any attention to it. The written exam was fairly simple which had logical reasoning which I’m good at. I got through it. Then the interview happened where I took a huge 3-page resume listing out all my hobbies, ‘attending’, not winning various symposiums. Of course they didn’t mind that too. As I had mentioned reading books as my hobbies the interviewer asked about what’s the last book I read. I told Harry Potter. She asked what I thought about the book and who’s my favorite author or something. I don’t remember. But I remember that I blabbered so much she thought that I put ‘reading books’ in the list like everyone who puts it in their resume. Actually just two months before, I had completed all 7 books in two months’ period. I thought of saying that there are better authors than J K Rowling but I couldn’t convincingly say. Wish she had asked about some spells rather than that.

So after a wait for some time I was asked to attend another interview with a much elderly person. He asked about my dad’s job and I was able to talk properly. Results came in a while and I was selected. My best friend who couldn’t attend due to his arrears had come just for me, was there, so it was a joy to celebrate. It was night time and going by college bus felt good for the first time.

As soon as I went home and told that I got placed, my dad who was eating, got up from the floor and shook my hands. Everyone were happy. I too was. I thought that my whole life was going to change post that.

The Happy Phase

It indeed was, it took a while for offer letter to arrive and the date was somewhere in October which meant there were full 8 months for me to binge on movies, get six pack, learn guitar (it was around Varanam Ayiram time) and become master of the world. Add to it I had only two working days in college. It was heaven, seriously.

The first IPL happened around that time, I spent four hours in gym in the evening, from the time it opened to the time it closed. 4 to 8. Everyone there were people who were in last semester trying to build their physique so that they can woo an IT chick once then set foot in their campus. Whether or not I got a six pack is another question but the dedication I had with respect to diet was something that even now I look up to, to get some inspiration. I was terrific.

Everyone wanted to do some part time job before joining office, I was the only one who wanted to watch as many movies as possible. So when the revised date of joining came, everyone else except me were happy. The date was July 10^th. Yeah, that was our batch, July 10 LC3 NCS.

Suddenly all my plans were spoilt. I continued gymming vigorously as I had paid for six months. Movies took a back seat and I became restless. So much so that I started to take an evening walk. My mom was shocked. I’m never a walking person.

I somehow muscled through the semester and cleared. How I cleared TV and Antenna, I still don’t know. But looking back, that was one hell of a period, those six months were divine.

Mysore – The Beginning

Here comes the real beginning. For Mysore, I got formal branded costumes, Esprit watch for 3700, woodland shoes for 3500 and what not. My dad accompanied me in train to Mysore which was full of Infy people, it was like a field trip. On the way, got few friends from my class and the next section, mostly assholes. But I didn’t have another choice. My dad being there was annoying, I couldn’t actively get involved with people around there.

The next day as we set foot, the cold breeze welcomed us, the place was beautiful even before entering the campus. The campus had so many soldiers guarding it with gun and the parents were asked to wait at a common place as we entered. We got our rooms next to each other and were then taken to the top floor from where we could see a structure similar to so many in English movies like pillars and all. One look at the GEC and we were like WTF. I’m sure everyone who had been to Mysore would be gasping reading this.

We were all glee as we were taken by golf cart to our rooms. I had to go meet my dad who was leaving by Shatabdi that afternoon. I was in a hurry and to find the route to Fiesta was such a pain on day 1. I asked so many people and finally went to say bye. There wasn’t any emotion. I was more excited on exploring the campus.

After getting awed by the rooms we went on exploring the place. Enroute, I met a lot of school friends and few college mates. I had a point and shoot Sony camera which I used to the fullest to take photos. The Sunday passed so quickly. I was very excited for day 1. I decided to get up at 6, do some floor exercise and get ready for Induction. I did the same. It was damn cold and I was damn sleepy but still got up on time. For one week I took photos of my daily wear. I looked pathetic in formal.

The disappointment grew further when we walked to the multiplex. So many well-dressed people and here I was looking like a buffoon. The induction was hectic, I struggled really hard to stay awake. It was a huge batch with strength more than a thousand, so girls were asked to sit in balcony and the rest below. Of course after a day, many smart asses went to the first floor making our stomachs burn.

While going for lunch I told my friends that I saw so many good looking girls, much more than what I had seen in my entire life. Of course in a much colloquial tone but you get the point. You’ve to see it to believe it. That too coming from a crappy college like me, it was a dream. I felt as if I’ve arrived.

The induction took place for three days followed by ILI I believe. Which again was good. Somewhere the name list was put up with names and classes. Everything was in alphabetical order. We were searching for girl’s name next to us like how we do in railway reservation chart. I was the only lucky one to have a girl next to me. Quite expectedly and much to the joy of my friends, she looked horrible. Not only that, we never got along during the entire tenure.

After a basic computer class or may be after the first term I’m not sure, we again had an ILI which was good. So far so good as I had cleared the exams. I sucked in all public speaking sessions, otherwise anything non-technical was fine for me. Barring for one incident where I was friendly, asking marks to everyone, there was one guy who used a cuss word against me in front of everyone. He’s an asshole, no one denies that but at that time it felt bad.

The first exam I cleared easily as it had questions like what is computer. The next exam was slightly tougher one PL/SQL where I had practicals. I suck at practicals, every time I attend exam I’ve heart in my mouth. With that much beats per second I don’t know how I didn’t get heart attack. It was a similar situation here too where people evaluate our code in front of us. I felt horrible. I suck at coding. I somehow got pass mark in both Hands-on and theory and cleared the exam.

Then came the first project experience, which again was horrible. Four random people would be chosen to get into a project, not alphabetical order. All of us were excited. I had already selected my dream girl in the class to be my project mate, Upasanna. And everyone had their own, Veera had Sushree, Vasanth had someone, everyone had someone but to our horror everyone in our group were our college mates. We mutually hated each other. Everyone had got at least one girl in their batch, at least one person from other college to befriend but we idiots were placed together. Others called us lucky but we writhed inside. With no interest, we finished the project.

The second term started with a bang. RDBMS was the subject with most credit points and everyone termed that as most important. I flunked the first time as well as in the retest. The horror show started post that where I struggled to clear each and every exam, every time the dev square results get loaded I got mini heart attack. So the ‘practicals’ problem from the college continued. Needless to say, the on the spot correction of code didn’t help. I guess in the meantime we had one week leave for Deepavali. We had to work two Saturdays instead of it, people easily agreed to that. I actually didn’t want to go home till the completion of training but as it was said that the DC would be closed I went home, watched ‘Naan Mahan Alla’ which I didn’t like much. Actually I was not in a mood to watch movies, I was too tensed about clearing the exams, and I couldn’t think of anything else much.

Back to Mysore for the third term I got to know that it was impossible to clear the exam on my own so I cleared most of the theory exams with the ‘help’ of my friend and scored even more horribly in the practicals. It was the same case in Compre. But as Compre had 50 – 50 split I couldn’t clear it. I was held back at Mysore. That didn’t affect me much as I had few friends remaining. I think the job location mail came post that, where there was a huge riot about getting the desired location. As we had house shifting work in progress, I badly wanted Chennai DC. But there were many rumors saying that it was tough to get Chennai DC. Naturally I was worried. During the job location mail few had got the location that they didn’t want and there was a lot of commotion to get the desired location with even money transfers. It was like one of those share market office in Wolf of Wall Street. So much fun. Luckily I got Chennai DC and was happy.

One among them failed in every test but cleared in every re test. What affected me the most was, when I failed even in retest. That’s when I truly felt horrible. To wave to the guys who cleared the retest from the swiping place felt beyond worse. That’s when I truly felt alone. So when I got to know that I’d be sent in, in spite of failing but securing about 50 I couldn’t share my joy with anyone. In fact, I wasn’t even feeling joyful. I was very much concerned. Without even knowing what I was concerned about.

Even though my stay at Mysore was horrific and panic stricken. I still had my moments. The first few and the last few weekends in ECC. Playing nonstop and watching movies standing in full queue. Amazing food. Mythri tandoori chicken and Arena Egg Gobi Manchurian was like wow. Best of the lot would be watching ‘Enthiran’ FDFS in Mysore. Standing in queue at 5 AM. It was like a ‘we have arrived’ moment for TN people to be there at first. Like how ‘Sairat’ was for Marathi people. I remember screaming our voices out for every single scene. Thankfully the movie was good too. The commotion started at the time when mail came when we were in classroom. Also the problem of people shouting in multiplex came during our stay when ‘Dabangg’ was screened.

When I was in Mysore I used to get a lot of forward mails, many interesting ones. Wish this mail too gets viral and reaches folks in Mysore now and forever.

Chennai DC

After failing in re-compre and getting job on compassionate grounds. I came by Shatabdi to Chennai DC. The train journey was boring. Just because I was given a refund I booked through that train. I should have booked night train. Enroute home I got KFC chicken as a treat, for family which felt good. We watched ‘Aadukalam’ in Woodlands. It was a bad choice. We couldn’t hear anything because the sound systems were horrible. If I had gone with friends I’d have enjoyed it better with the crowd.

I was anxious even in those Pongal holidays. I went to office on day 1 by taking Infy bus from my bus stop. It had absolutely no stops. The whole bus got full in our bus stop. Luckily I had Selva with me. And that was the only day I was awake the whole journey. I felt terribly sleepy yet I was awake to see how far it was. It was indeed very far. As soon as I set my foot in FC2 I felt dejected. I don’t know the reason. Something didn’t feel right. I wanted to send a last day mail ever since.

First Bench

The first week I stayed in ECC, so all I did was login the common system and sleep in ECC. It was fun. There were lot of friends too so passing my time wasn’t tough. I’m anyways good at keeping myself occupied with something. The first problem started with second week. Bus journey was taking a toll out of me. Daily 4 hours was impossible. Plus, to maintain 9.15 hours, one has to run to swipe out again. It was like a game between Selva and I who used to come to bus only at 5.15 so I had to run once he swipes out. He once said that one has to warm up before getting into the bus. It was so true.

Like any human being, I got used to the travel and spent my bench days reading books and newspapers. From morning 8.30 to 11.30 i used to read them nonstop and eat lunch sharp at 11.45 and go to dorm. Dorm was heaven. True dark heaven. That used to be my routine mostly for two months. Sometimes I felt I was wasting my time so used the second half to read as well. During one of those sleepovers in dorm every one of us sleeping in adjacent beds got call one by one regarding a project opportunity. I was shit scared and thankfully didn’t do well. Half of us didn’t get selected. I was happy that my bench days were going to last.

Sparsh Project

That was my first official entry to ‘work’. Initially it was mentioned that I’d be in bench till March 31 so I mentally prepared what all I’ll do till then, like how I prepared before getting a date of joining for Infosys. But like before, here too I didn’t get that luck. Guess by January weekend I got into this project which I didn’t work at all. It was coding and I sucked at it. And I didn’t try at all too. I was busy reading ‘Fountainhead’. One day my TL said that he’d give bad comments about me if someone asks his opinion. Vasanth and Ashwin were in my project which lasted about a month. In that we got a treat from Ashwin whom we hardly knew. Nothing much to say about this project apart from this. Just got another friend.

Layaway Project

My official hell started with this project. For some reason I was shit scared to code. It had the latest of java technology too. The project lasted for months but when I think back, it felt like it lasted forever. That was my worst phase of life where I used to go home and cry. I took leave and just sat home for many days. On the other days I wouldn’t even try to work. I’ll just exist. I only knew how to do an Ant build. Whenever I was asked to code I got panic attack. I tried to get a transfer to Shols, which too didn’t happen. I tried to get out of this job somehow but didn’t know what to do, for I sucked at everything. I truly understood the meaning of depression. It’s not what you hear people say, “I feel depressed” It’s a real depression where you’d be okay with even being killed in an accident. Many time while sleeping in bus I would be thinking that I shouldn’t get up. I should have passed away but unfortunately I was alive.

I went for my first project party from there to Barbeque Nation which was awesome. If I turn back, I feel that as the happiest moment there. I’ve never known that such a place existed. It was feast. Later the next year I took my family to Vadapalani branch for my dad’s retirement treat. Which they liked but got diarrhea.

I used to hang out with Balaji, Umapathy for coffee breaks near coffee machine in B7. That was bench place so people used to he happily playing around with only me being in the project. I used to escape from my place by 5 PM when my TL goes for smoking break. Every day 5 PM used to be the best time for me. I knew it was going to be hell the next day but still I longed for that 5 PM to get to 5.20 bus. The hell lasted for six months and finally I was released out of the project. That time rating used to be for 5 points in the project and my manager gave me 1.9.

Bench

I finally got the much acclaimed role that I wanted for but I didn’t even realize it. I was put into some Java project in BOFA. EJB I guess. I sucked at coding so needless to say, in EJB I was pathetic. I was given an assignment to do for which I went to Vimal’s house to do it. I still feel horrific thinking about how I felt whenever I’m given a work. Panic would be my first reaction. I had fever that night but went to my friend Vimal’s house to finish the project. I did too but I couldn’t copy from it to BOFA as mails were blocked from outside network.

I then got another project, got few other friends, Saranya and Rashmi. I was again given assignments I again failed. I was told that to get me into project various discussion happened. My TL then told that he tried a lot to get me into project but clients didn’t accept. The whole circumstance suggested as if it was my mistake. It’s not because of coding that I didn’t get. I didn’t get for some other reason like budgeting, ramp down etc. All these things I didn’t know back then, so for every instance I started feeling bad. I took it upon myself. Depression started again.

During this tenure I started writing stories in Mcity INK public folder, fondly called as BB. Much about this later. I again went for a couple of project party or treat with these people and that’s how much my team engagement was. This INK folder, I used to vociferously read, there was a blog too for all the stories. That was the time BB was at its peak. There were legends like Varun B Krishnan, Karthik Lakshmanan in my previous batch. I somehow got to know about Karthik and read his Infy blog. His stories were pure fun. Nothing fancy. No fancy English. No fancy premise. No fancy style. But pure unadulterated fun. I must say that he’s a gifted writer. If you see my articles most of the time you’d feel the struggle of my emotions, what all I’ve undergone. That brings out few great articles, at the same time also churns out some basic stuffs because it’s tough for me to write a good article on something which hasn’t inspired me, even though I can basically write on anything I want.

That Karthik was working as commentator in one of the upcoming cricket website back then and I somehow got his contact and even got the job. When I think about it now I feel how far my determination had taken me and really glad about it. But the whole problem started there. At that time, I just had only one month to get confirmed. If I file resignation before that it’d take only one month, otherwise it’ll take three months. It’s just like shifting to any other job and even the salary wasn’t very less. But I panicked. I didn’t have the guts to move out and the emotional drama in my family didn’t help. What should have been my happiest phase where I got my dream job ended up be the disastrous phase of my life.

I wanted to discuss about this, take advice from someone. So talked to my then TL about it and told her not to inform anyone. And you know what’s the first thing she did? Informed it to the PM. That meant I wouldn’t be put into the project. And eventually gave me below average rating, I expected at least a Met Expectations because I hadn’t done any mistake. It’s not my problem that client didn’t want another resource in project. But those things I didn’t know then so accepted the rating sadly. There was another team member called as Maruthi in the team whom I talked to, after I got this opportunity. There are few people in our life who’d have such clear thoughts. He told that to quit, thinking that the work is tough, is foolish. He asked, “How many people do you think can code ‘Hello World’, so don’t quit thinking that this job is tough. If you really want another job go ahead for it. Even I used to write poems in INK and wanted to be in Hindu office but I ended up being here.” That gave me clarity then. Thinking about that is still making me emotional.

I would have gone for the job if my parents had been supportive but daily dinner was hell to see my dad sit like that. Even though he said to take up the job, he was down all the time, I couldn’t bear to see them. Finally, they won. I lost. I decided not to join the job. And decided to slog it out here in Infosys no matter what. Do everything to keep myself busy. Both physically and mentally. That’s when a string of activities started and officially my worst year in life (2011) ended. I’ll mention about the clubs later one by one post my project experiences.

BOFA

After being in bench for about 1.5 years I finally got into BOFA project. The same project which I gave interview for when I was sleeping in dorm. May be its not 1.5 years of bench but whatever project I did before I didn’t really work or was scared to do so, so I won’t consider that as work. I got the project through my friend Vimal who was in the project.

The first phase of the project was hell, where my reverse KT session lasted for 6 months. I’m not a person who cries in public (except while watching movies) but one of those days I had a confrontation with my TL and cried in bus. The worst phase seemed to continue. Every day I’d feel bad about not having latched on to that job I got. Every day was a torture. I tortured myself more with increasing number of activities in office, read books vociferously and watched movies rigorously. I hardly got 6 hours to sleep. I was so tired physically and mentally that I couldn’t think about anything else.

After months and months of memorizing architecture of my project, suffering hopelessly with work, handling escalations because of a Sev 1 caused by me. Finally, those people went onsite, then to some other company. My friend too went onsite. Next set of people joined project, it was far better than the first and was able to somehow manage as there wasn’t much work. I was given a good rating by then manager. Who was also supporting me whenever I asked for leaves for travel. That was a good gesture from him.

Soon those people too quit and left the project. Post that only 3 of us where there in the project. Even though two of us in that, hated the other person, it was still fun. I hardly worked. I was having time of my life for two years with hardly any work. That meant I was involved in even more extracurricular activities. So life was going on smooth. I forgot about my dream job completely. May be I had come to terms with life and accepted that I couldn’t do it anymore.

Then came 2015, my best year of life, may be yet, I can’t comment on 2019 till the year end as it’s not over yet. Even though 2015 started with a break up, things were terrific post that. I got into a theatre club, started a movie club, published my book, and completed my long term dream of riding Ladakh and lots more.

By the end of 2015 when one of my best friend Smitha’s marriage was fixed and the rain wreaked havoc, things started to go awry in my life. My teammate and I were split to initiative and support and I had to handle whole of support activities, though not much work, it was an irritating job. Around year end I was put into a work which sucked the life out of me. Had to take cabs every week and direct interaction with client was annoying. Client being an ex-Infoscion. But I was okay with the work because I wanted to get distracted from monotony. That 2015 rain did something irreparable. It was tough to come out of it. The theatre group I was part of, got split and one among them got married. So it was tough to digest. In January I went for her marriage in spite of having an exam the next week.

Post that came the next set of teammates. For the first part to give them KT and forming a team was fun. With Shalini, Pavithra and Mouni it felt as if I got new set of cousins. I got interest to come to office again because there were people to talk to. Among that Shalini became my close friend in project. That’s one lucky thing. Somehow I get one good friend from a set of people. In first set I had Vimal who was my best friend even before the project, next got Akhil, then Shalini. There were share of detractors too whom I don’t feel like naming. One went out of the project soon, thanks to the ladies, the other one lasted the distance in spite of so many mishaps.

The next two years we had rapid work with more tense than good moments. Sometime in the middle Shalini and Geetha got out of the project. I had my Visa initiation for H1B in 2015 but got rejected in the lottery, then again next year even though it got selected in lottery, it got rejected in RFE. That was the first time many rejections happened due to RFE. Not sure whether there was any conspiracy or just my luck. Anyways it didn’t affect me much as all I wanted was piece of mind. But when even that didn’t happen that’s what affected me. The only reason I was interested to go onsite was my onsite manager Vaibhav Bansal. He was brilliant and the best manager I’ve worked under. In fact, till he was there all my managers were fine people who helped me a lot. If I had gone when Vaibhav was there at onsite it’d have been a great learning curve for me. But unfortunately it didn’t happen.

Then we were four people here at Chennai and two people at Hyderabad and one onsite. The only thing common between us Chennai folks were mutual hatred in between each one of us. We had our moments, no denying that. Despite the indifference between us, between client and us, between onsite and us we still delivered the project well and good. Slogged long hours during weekend, almost every alternate weekend, not without complaints though.

2018, by far my worst year in life, saw the team succumbing to pressure. People started leaving one by one. No onsite from our team. At the start of the year I thought of taking a break from work for around a year or something. It was too tough to handle with unreasonable and un-understanding clients and no backup from our team seniors. Obviously that was rejected too. I thought of quitting and almost went to e-sep page but just like before I didn’t have the guts to do it. Accepted the fate for one more year and completed 2018. It was horrible yes but it somehow I completed it and finally got a release from project.

I never wanted to quit infy as far as I know but that was the phase I got exposed to incompetent management. There were two instances mainly, because of which I was fed up with the project. First was my 2017 appraisal cycle. The opening line of it was ‘do you know how many escalations you’ve got from a client?’ Even a person accused with murder would have got a better opening line in the trial. Yes, it was like that, acquisition after acquisition. The call went for one hour where I had listed what all I had worked. Each point was described in a detailed manner as to what I did. It was more like an interview where whenever I answered, it was greeted with an “ok”, whenever I did any mistake I was said “so you didn’t do this too”. I never had such horrible appraisal meeting in my life

Post that some of the big shots got released from the project and the pressure from client side became enormous because of a migration a project. It wasn’t a way where people worked together but just work was shoved up. Even if we tell them that we don’t know, they’ll say, “okay we’ll work together” but ask for updates when onsite joins. Such pathetic work culture.

It got better out of me and I got panic attack a number of times. Even if not an attack I’d be in constant panic stricken mode. So the 2011 was happening to me all over again. I knew that it was not going to end. Till I remain in a job I don’t like, I have to face it. Even now, with my decision I’m just postponing the inevitable. So I asked my manager for a long leave for one year. He said I’d have to take it up with HR. and the question I got there was, “where did I get job” All the opening lines in my life has been great isn’t it. I explained I didn’t, I am stressed with work. I was told greater the power, greater the responsibility. So I knew that it was not going to be of any use. I thought of quitting and almost decided to do it (again). But again I didn’t have to guts to and didn’t do it, this time I even went close to logging in web apps but I didn’t apply. I knew from a friend that a manager can grant leave for 90 days without any approval but my manager couldn’t do that too. As usual I strained myself physically and mentally to go forward with next year

The final team I worked gave me another good friend, Sathya. That’s the only good thing about me. At every juncture I got one best friend to save me out of disaster. But seriously 2018 was the worst year. Worse than 2011. Because in 2018 I failed in something which I loved so much and strived so hard for it apart from office tension. That was very hard to digest.

It was the same till October. The second instance for my decision came in because of the ways my leaves were handled. Till that day I hadn’t taken even a single unplanned leave. But when I said about my leaves it was rejected. I didn’t have any backup option. I told them multiple times still it was rejected. On top of it there were two long weekends I had plans and the release happened in those two weekends. This after I applied for leaves. I was asked to cancel the leaves which I didn’t as I already applied. My lead and manager didn’t inform about my absence till the day of my leave. Clients kept on assigning task for me to do on that weekend. That’s when I saw how cunning and clever people could get to escape from a situation. Needless to say when my absence was informed at the last minute, clients were unhappy. They asked my superior and that superior’s reply was that they tried so hard to hold me back but it didn’t happen. Nowhere was it mentioned that I applied beforehand. Even if not easy they could have said while planning that one resource would not be available as he had leave plans but of course they wouldn’t do it, because it would get them out of client’s good books. Eventually I was escalated, what a fool proof plan isn’t it. Will go even Hitchcock begging. My irritation was beyond words. Sathya felt genuinely bad for me. She even asked me why not cancel plans at least once. I liked the concern. You don’t get it easily in work environment.

And the worst of all happened last. On one of those weekends where I took leave. Leave on weekends, ha ha, what an oxymoron. But yea that’s how my project was. I don’t know how one is supposed to say what weekends they’d have plan and what weekends they’d not. I never got an explanation for it. May be we were supposed to take care of our life only when there is no release. Okay so coming back to the story, on one release weekend, I was sick on a Monday morning and messaged in the group saying that I’m ill and couldn’t come to office. Reply to it by my lead, in the group was, “Vikram everyone knows that you are not sick”. Well, I haven’t seen a sick reply from anyone like this before. Share me your stories if any. I had taken a screenshot of that to send to HR but to again sit in same place and face those people would be hell. Not that I was not willing to fight but I was irritated to do so decided against it. I feel like attaching here too but let me not be that sick. And yeah that was the final nail in the coffin where I decided I’ll quit.

The last quarter was fantastic, the releases got over, there were less work, good things were happening in my life too. Finally, in December I got a mail that my ID would be revoked by Dec 31. Such an awesome management, I got to know it through automated mail. I thought its general thing which happens every year where we extend our access. But only after mailing whether I’ve to do anything for it, a discussion happened that I’ll be out of the project and asked me to not feel bad about it. Feel bad? You got to be kidding. That too the meeting happened because of another lead who joined new, if it was the previous person I wouldn’t have even got reply for the mail.

The last week in BOFA was the best. Most of the teammates and clients were on leave. Only Mani, Sathya and I were in office. Those were days that we didn’t even feel like going by 5.20 bus. Otherwise it’d be a huge fight to leave early. By early I mean 5.20 bus, after clocking 9.15 hours in office. There were clever people who came to office by 12 and ‘extended’ till 7 to meet ‘client’ requirements. No one questioned them as they had good rapport with client as they both were engaged in daily calls where clients would get free info about who is doing what in the team. Such a brilliant plan. Wish I had brains like that.

I heard that after my release when there was casual talk in the project, it was discussed like they gave me release only because I asked. Yea correct, how did I forget that, I asked in 2017 December and it happened so quickly in 2018 December after getting all their work done. If that’s the case, why wasn’t I informed that they’re planning to give me release before I saw the mail?

Bench Again

2019 has been the best New Year. I’ve never been happier to come to office on a New Year. I don’t think I’ve been on a New Year without any plans but that day I was. Lokesh, my best friend from school days, too had come to office so most part of the day went in office. As it was New Year’s Eve even he didn’t have much work. Afternoon we went to dorm and went by 5.20 bus. Next day I sat in another colleague’s system and the third day even that system was occupied. Then came to B4 were there were many bench mates. Thanks to them I got a group for lunch and also a system to survive.

First two weeks went in a jiffy as Lokesh, I and another friend were busy planning for our Pattaya trip. That wasn’t like any trip before. Most of the time I was busy doing something. Either travel planning, blogging or preparing for interview. I’m a busy man when I’m free. The next two months were lovely. Most of the March went off in vacation and in that gap I was put in Microsoft project where the manager said it had cloud technology and also there were Work from Home option so I was okay with it even if I don’t get another job

Microsoft

After coming out of BOFA everything else felt wonderful. So Microsoft, needless to say was pleasant. Work wasn’t heavy. It was difficult to know things like the document location, process etc. but that would be there in any project. Work wise it was reasonable even though there wasn’t anything new to learn. Though I heard some reviews, my manager and people around me where good to me. So I don’t have any complaints. I got offer within a couple of weeks into the project. Only regret is I didn’t get early release and rest, but it was okay. There was no pressure here and also was getting salary so no complaints.

Hobbies

Salsa

Now, this requires a separate book, which I’ve already done, so let me tell you my journey into the salsa club. Tagged as the most happening club, it was indeed one. Never thought I would use the word ‘was’ for it, because it was always crowded, even when other clubs were not.

So after my decision to not quit the company, as I told before, I decided to tire myself out physically and mentally. I saw some dance practice happening next to the bowling alley. Boys and girls were dancing together in a circle, especially a lot of good looking girls. I was hesitant but went inside and asked for details. Luckily for me, the new batch started the next week and I joined. Even though I was shit scared because there were really good looking women out there, the fact that the classes were free made me join. And it was one of the best decision I took in my life. It was completely out of my comfort zone. I was zero at dancing but now I can confidently dance in any socials. Thanks to the instructors and of course my will to pursue. Dhanush said in one of his interview, “if I can act, anyone can” Similarly I’d say, “if I can dance anyone can”. That’s how pathetic I was.

I joined the Rueda batch, the circle dance I was talking about. I think I missed the first class, so I along with few people were taught separately before getting into the bigger circle. I was scared beyond words and was not at all grabbing the steps. I still remember my first dancing partner, Priya. It took a really long time to get the steps. I was much slower than many out there. Varun was my first instructor who kept the class lively, it was fun to go. That was one thing I was looking forward to on every Tuesday and Thursday.

Then came the LA batch, it was one to one salsa and for me was tougher than Rueda, anyways I enrolled in that too. I enrolled in everything which came my way. That too took me a really long time to grasp. I would forever be thankful to Maggi to have helped me get hammerlock. I was absent for the class for a week which spoilt my confidence completely. Thanks to her patience, she taught me again and again and again. More than the male instructors, the female instructors were down to earth and helped me learn my steps.

After a while I got well versed with steps and could dance with anybody. That was the peak period when I was on bench. My only motivation to come to office during that time would be salsa. I’d be waiting eagerly for time to become 5. On top of it, I had a crush there who was luckily in my bus, even more luckily became my friend. After the classes we used to take last bus and talk about salsa even there. She was a very good dancer too. While she was about to quit infy, she was asking me when I’d be quitting, I said I’d never. She told what’s the point in being forever in Infy and then finally said, “ya you can become instructor”. That was my only motivation. Not to become PM, SPM etc. but to be a salsa instructor. I couldn’t because the group collapsed and started new after a while, I couldn’t use my experience around that time and also had tough time becoming close with most. Even though I was reasonably good friends with people there. Looking back, it all looks silly. But one thing for sure, I learnt salsa properly.

So the first set of instructors Varun, Satish, Sandy were great, from whom I learnt majority of dancing. My personal favorites were Sandy and Midhu. Sandy was a great sport and Midhu was a terrific dancer, loved dancing with her. Post that there was a brief hiatus, as people went onsite, quit Infy etc. but again thanks to Sami and Azar it happened again. I’ve seen Sami during the class previously, not sure about Azar but they somehow regrouped and we had full house for some time. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I used to, as mostly I had to sit out during class and join only during socials. But that sitting out in the stairs opposite laundromat too was fun. We had great chats. The thing is I didn’t want to stop as it’s a skill I had acquired surprisingly well. So continued doing it.

Things went awry after some sort of rift, I’m not quite clear as I wasn’t close with anyone but that spoilt the aura around the class. The footfall greatly reduced and eventually stopped. Even the club was dismantled. I never, in my wildest dream, thought that it would happen but it did. Nevertheless, thanks for all the memories. Salsa is something which instigated confidence in me, got me a lot of female friends and let me acquire a definite skill. Back then I was not a confident person unlike now so that helped me shape my personality to a great extent.

Theatre Club

Simultaneously, when Salsa club was happening I had enrolled in Theatre Club to. I in fact registered for it before the start of Salsa club and also did a performance on stage when I was in project. It was great fun being part of any production. Especially late night practice and dubbing process was too good. For a week I totally forgot about what was happening in project. Though my part mostly involved sleeping on stage it still was great to do something in front of the crowd. I did a couple of other performances too I believe, before it getting dismantled.

Badminton

During the other three days of the week I mostly played badminton with the bat which I got like during my 8^th standard. A 400 rupees Yonex, which I’m still using. For some reason I wasn’t interested in gymming, I was rather interested in playing some sport so I played this as it came naturally to me. I was good at it, even if not great. Had few great matches with people around there. There used to be a lot of crowd around that time where we had to wait for two matches to get slot but it was all worth it, like any sport it gave me a high.

Squash

This is something I had seen only in TV and tried once in Mysore with a horrible rented bat. Once in Mcity I played it on few days. One of my friend Michael had a bat which I borrowed to play. I didn’t buy a new one as it was costly. I used to play with few of my friends or random people. I never knew that Squash is such a tiring game. But like any other sport, it came naturally to me. I was able to play well right from the word go. Even if I couldn’t win the match I would be very involved in the game. Also got a bat as present from one of my friend. Unfortunately, couldn’t play it much post then.

Pool

On the days that I didn’t bring dress for playing or some very tiring days I used to play Pool. Vasanth and I used to go there initially. It took me a while to learn it but within a few months’ time I started playing well. It was so addictive. As it’s something which is not physically demanding, my mind would make me go for it instead of other sports. During initial days, getting a snooker board was a miracle but I successfully crossed that stage and played in it. Nowadays I could play both. Again, if not great I could definitely play an interesting match.

Bowling

It was 45 rupees per person initially. We used to go there once in a while during initial days. It was my go to place when I get a new girlfriend or trying to get one. I felt it was a great ice breaker. It came naturally to me. When in Mysore I used to play really well and almost even qualified for tournament. I got 147 points but had to get 150 to qualify. For Chennai standards, 147 is a winning score. Personally I liked the Mysore alley best with music and lighting but Chennai had a bigger, wider space I believe. As it’s not free I didn’t do it on regular basis. The new ice hockey table opposite to it is a cool addition to the place.

Swim

During my initial days I used to do freestyle in the pool. But the swimming days got me too tired. Tired beyond how much I wanted to tire myself, spoiling my book reading routine in bus so I went very few days. Also I personally don’t like it, if my legs touch the floor. I don’t feel like swimming at all. So didn’t go much. Once I learnt breast stroke I started going regularly and did laps. My highest was 500 meters I think which I completed in half an hour. Unfortunately, with too many other interests I couldn’t continue doing it.

Gym

After all the above said activity, I finally settled for gym and went there on a continuous basis. My body structure and weight doesn’t change much. As far as I’ve known I’ve always been of same weight, plus or minus two kg at max. So with result not showing it was difficult to continue gymming. Nevertheless, I continued. I wanted a reason to escape out of my place. Gym provided a nice escapade. Thanks to Vishal Sikka, the gym timing got changed so I went in the morning for cardio and evening for weights.

Something came up in the evenings so I had to go home early. And because of certain fitness regime for trekking I started doing only cardio in the morning. I read a quote to make treadmill as a friend but I made treadmill my best friend. I slowly increased time and speed. I ran around the campus on Friday nights whenever I had release the next day. In treadmill, I wanted to run 15km/h in 15 minutes but maximum I could do was 13 km/h in 15 minutes and 15 km/h in 10 minutes. Also on road, I wanted to run 5k in 20 minutes but don’t know whether it’ll ever happen. But like every other activity I’ll keep fighting for it.

Advendge

This is a trekking club which was started around 5 years back I guess. Karthick Kabali started it and I went with them for a trek to Kudremukh. It was fun. Once he left to the US I took over it and organized a Mid Sea Diving cum Paintball expedition. When I was a member I couldn’t participate much because it was planned just a few days before. I couldn’t organize too for the same reason. I generally have all my plan sorted out four months prior, so that I could book train tickets but at such long notice people generally don’t join. That’s why couldn’t do much with the group.

Even if it was only one trek, I got good number of friends from it, who continue to be in touch and with few of them I’ve done repeated treks on my own. Not being able to effectively use this club is one of my disappointments.

The below blog link of mine has my travelogues and trekkalogues. If someone wants to plan your future travel, feel free to contact me or drop a comment in my blog. I’ll be glad to help you out. I’ve a WhatsApp group where I put up my future plans. If interested, I’ll add you to the group as well.

Travel Diaries – https://constantscribbles.wordpress.com/category/travelogue/

Dhwani

May be one my biggest disappointment is that I couldn’t be part of the club. I gave an audition once and couldn’t get into it. Being so fond of music, it’d have been great if I could have performed. But it could never happen. I anyhow was part of most of their shows in Mcity as a spectator. Live music is always a thrill.

Scrabble

Don’t know how many people know that there existed a scrabble club in Infy. Even though I wasn’t interested in being locked up in a room and filling out the words, I still went ahead and joined it just to get a heck of it. I didn’t find it interesting but.

Toastmasters

One club which never really worked for me. I was part of it as a guest during the initial days and tried to participate in few meets but couldn’t get interest at all in spite of repeatedly going. Further, it being a paid club for talking, I couldn’t really buy it. I’m sure there are lot of people who have got enriched by the club. But it was just not for me.

Thandav

Like I said above, I’m a hesitant dancer. On top of it, if it’s an audition, I suck big time. So I attended couple of auditions, hardly performed and wasn’t selected. Just like Dhwani, I attended few of their performances in Infy.

Cricket

By far my biggest disappointment being in Infy. I somehow wanted to play at least one match in the ground but couldn’t. I could have easily stopped going to the rest of the sports/activities and joined cricket but I couldn’t make myself do that. I have a long history of disappointment with cricket which I don’t want to talk about now. But every time I pass the cricket ground I feel sad.

Tabula Rasa – Theatre Club

This was magic, came out of the blue and swept me off my feet. During one of my low points of personal life, I joined this club. Just like how I’m a hesitant dancer, I’m very much camera shy as well, that means I can’t act. Don’t know whether it boosted my confidence in acting but it gave me lifelong friends. It was a small group but most of us are still in touch, in fact everyone are very close friends and get along really well. It’s one group where we discuss absolutely anything. No holds barred. I’m thankful for this group to have given me one of the closest set of friends. They are my first audience in whatever I do, love talking to them and the interest is mutual.

We did a play to the public successfully and many of us made many a short film as well as acted, edited in others works. So in all it is a great creative group to be with.

Kick Boxing

During my BOFA bench days I joined this club. Jeeva and I did. When it started we thought it’d be a great club but ended up being a damp squib. At first it started of great, we learnt few moves, practiced it well and was physically taxing but with time it became very uninteresting, there were hardly any people and the master too wasn’t showing any interest. Main problem was the timings. It never adhered to proper timings, that’s why many couldn’t plan their work to attend it.

Bulletin Board

CHN General

It’s a personalized google. Best example of how diverse people in Infy are. As there are people from all walks of life, you get personalized answer to whatever you ask. You feel welcomed to ask whatever you want. There is not even a hint of rudeness. Helped me in great deal to know about routes, travel plans, tax savings and whole lot of general opinion. I also learnt a great deal of current affairs and politics which I generally don’t read in newspaper. So the routine of reading newspaper in the morning followed by personalized opinion in general BB was a great way to learn a lot many things.

CHN INK

Got the writer in me kickin’. As you can see I can effortlessly write pages and pages for any topic. For the first time, got a fan base for me. At that time BB was flourishing. There used to be competitions as well as stories. I didn’t win any competition, but both in BB as well as in Infy Blog I had some ardent followers, who ping/mail me as soon as I put up a post. It was great fun to write all the stories. The first story started all of a sudden but from the next story I put some sincere effort to form a proper structure. I maintained strict timelines and posted exactly at the same time every day. I got creative with a number of posts I did. In addition to it I posted few of my reviews too but thanks to being in ODC I couldn’t continue the habit post my bench days

There were days when I would hide my ID card and go, wanting people to find out, this is the Vikram who wrote that story. Crazy me. But it felt great to post those stories and go for breakfast, to come back and see a lot many mails in inbox. Made me feel special.

Those interested can find my stories and reviews in my personal blog link.

Stories and musings        – https://constantscribbles.wordpress.com/category/just-like-that/

Movie Reviews                  – https://constantscribbles.wordpress.com/category/movie-reviews/

Book Reviews                    – https://constantscribbles.wordpress.com/category/book-reviews/

CHN QuizForum

I used to follow Paul Prateek Appaswamy and Srivathasa’s movie quiz. Though I couldn’t get much correct answer I liked knowing about the movies and watching it. I’m more of an analyzer than answerer so didn’t get answers easily. After a while I started Rapid Fire movie quiz. It was quite a rage. I started exactly at 2 PM on Friday so people know when it would happen. sometimes the answers would come so fast that I no time to process it. Again ODC made me stop doing it. I don’t share about these things in team so couldn’t really let them know about it and postpone the meetings. I apologize for stopping the quiz quite suddenly.

CHN Sports

Another dying folder in BB. People who had been there for years would know the legend behind “Sammy will lift the cup”. It was a ROFL moment. There were some sincere fans for sports BB. Not just cricket but a lot of Tennis and Football too. Loved the Nadal vs Federer fight. Loved the days when how people were so emotional during Sachin’s retirement, even though I’m a Dravid fan. It was a great conversation page for me.

SLR BB

Something I discovered later than the other public folders but has been my greatest learning curve. Because I didn’t have a SLR to shoot my first short film I bought one and ever since then learnt great many things from this BB. I posted no more than 3 photos which got bad reviews. But couldn’t post beyond that. Not because I got bad reviews but I got busy with my other hobbies. Post Processing was so time consuming and also I hate to sit in front of computer. So I couldn’t learn as well as couldn’t continue editing. Going forward I’ll definitely do as I’ve completed few obligations which kept me from doing it.

Book

The extension of the above involvement in BB led to the writing of book. This happened in my most happening year of my life. It’s been a lifelong dream. I wanted to write it when I’m 35 but I could do it at 25. Again Infy was a great source of inspiration for this. Both story wise as well as encouragement. Guess more than 50 percent of the copies I’d have sold only in Infy. Thanks to my friends and well-wishers. It was a great feeling when people ask to sign the copy of my book. And every time I see my book I feel great, thinking how well have I written. It’s a truly original piece and I can confidently say that none have employed my style till now.

For people who want to grab a copy. It’s in the below link. I’d be grateful if you do so. Please do get back to me with your reviews of the book.

https://notionpress.com/read/neha

It’s available in leading e-commerce sites like flip kart, amazon as well. The name is Neha – Yet Another Love Story

Lights On

Last but not the least. I’m happy that my last day last instance in Infy is going in end doing what I like doing the best. It’s been a four-year-old club with lots and lots of interesting talks. Like Tyrion said, “A wise man once said the true history of the world is a history of great conversations in elegant rooms” That’s exactly what we did.

There is something to the movies which ignite passion in people. It’s mostly unexplainable but when it’s explained it’s pure joy. When there are people who share your passion and tell the same thing in different way, it excites you beyond words. I got the whole of idea of this club from a DL I was part of Infy_Movies. It was a great forum where people discussed passionately about movies.

Through Lights On, again, I got great friends for life, many went on to become film makers, many are happy to have known the way to critique a film and to top it all it was great to find a group of like-minded people to discuss movies. We’ve had times when the hall was full, the Premam day, Kamal Hassan episode etc. and there were when very few turned up like Citizen Kane, Man with a movie Camera etc. We discussed great many films ranging from basic to extreme Avant grade. Something which many wouldn’t have watched if not for Lights On.

And it’s great to hear from people who come from different organization who say that nowhere else there is a film appreciation club. We also brought in few celebrities, conducted workshops and did screening of many short films by Infoscions. Many of us shot our first short film with the help of friends from Lights On. Above all, we are proud to say that not even a single Monday had gone past without a Lights On meet, no matter what. Until and unless there is a holiday or a forced evacuation we made sure the meet happens.

Movie Review – Arima Nambi

High on intense, less on coherence makes Arima Nambi just an average watch

Watching Arima Nambia was a task I had in mind for long because of Iru Mugan. Wanted to know what the director is up to. I couldn’t watch it before the release of Iru Mugan. But post watching, I got reviews from many saying that Arima Nambi would be far more superior and racy from scene one to end. But it ended up just like any other review after watching a Vikram movie where people expect the highest of standards for him but easily adjust when it comes to others.

In spite of getting good reviews I was not eager to watch Arima Nambi because of Vikram Prabhu. I couldn’t differentiate between any of his films because of his poker face. He looks, acts, fights, frowns, smiles and does everything similarly in all his movies. Most of his movies have been a reasonable watch but thanks to him, it doesn’t evoke any interest at all. His expressions keep us distanced from the movie. We don’t get a feel that something is happening to someone. It feels more like a news than a story.

Arima Nambi has one of the most plasticky opening scene with guys putting marks for girls. Not at all organic. It’s neither low class like 7G Rainbow Colony nor high class like Dil Chahta Hai. They all look like daily wage actors who are eager to get claps by performing one scene. Then enters Priya Anand, have always been a fan of her and her color. Looks dusky and sexy. But why does she talk like this? Coz she’s rich and travels by Benz. Hopeless accent and looks very irritating on screen. Especially the scene where she tells how girls judge boy whether he’s fit for them.

The Hard Rock Café scene is a total disaster. I guess that’s the time HRC came to Chennai and opened without liquor. If that was not a bummer enough, here is a director who shot there just because it looked cool. None of the songs worked.  Other songs didn’t make any impact but this song was so over the top, top than Arjun (Vikram Prabhu) who dances alone on top of bar chairs there. The scene where he goes to talk to her, dedicates a song, performs dance and everything was a total disaster. Very amateurish. How much it was forced into the film by external factors I don’t know. Take a cue from Mani Sir, he did the same thing in ‘Yakkai Thiri’. He is much older and look how he keeps with the trend. That’s why he’s so cool even now.

The irritation continues till they go for a date, get sloshed and she takes her home. That’s when she gets kidnapped. And that’s when the story really starts gripping. So gripping that it makes us forget all the bullshit which happens before. I don’t know why I’m so harsh today but let it be, those are the exact words I wanted to use. In the kidnapping scene I liked the fact that he hides in the bathroom instead of blindly going and fighting. In any other movie the hero would have fought and got back the girl or if it had involved a storyline like Arima Nambi the hero would have still fought and failed, knocked unconscious and then would have started the chase but here he knows that he’s overpowered and tries to take as much info as possible.

The next scene in police station too was great. Especially M S Baskar. What an actor he is. Especially after watching 8 Thottakkal, my respect for him knew no bounds. He absolutely rules in the next ten minutes. Wish he had a much larger screen space. So till this point it feels like two different movies, the first few pathetic minutes and next few great moments. Post this the film settles and treads in a path it wants to. There is a breather in the middle but no lag. Except for some songs which are force fed, it’s an otherwise engaging screenplay.

There are some illogical scenes but it can be easily overlooked because the film is racy and entertaining. J D Chakravarthy comes only in the second half but does a great job as Rishi Dev. The voice by Bharat Kalyan especially does wonders. The preclimax with Facebook and the climax with pen camera were all predictable but the film satisfied us before that so we easily forgive those mistakes. After all it was not a Vikram film to knit pick.

Movie Review – Super Deluxe

This film is nothing like before, Naane Saatchi

Ever since I missed the film in theatres I knew that I’m going to regret. The movie came right at the time I had stopped going to theatres. Having said that, ‘Super Deluxe’ is not really a theatre movie. It’s something you want to enjoy on your day off, home alone, in a computer room and fan. Without any disturbance, at your own will. Because I’m sure a lot of pseudo’s would have watched in theatre, a lot would have commented on various scenes, a lot about film makers, a lot and lot about anything and everything. Well I could be one among that lot in another person’s review. So you don’t really know the reality. But of all the thing that would have irritated me more, is the laughs. I would have absolutely hated to see people laugh for few scenes. There were so many scenes which requires introspection. If you’re not alone and hear people laugh you’d have associated those scenes with comedies and wouldn’t have been able to think further. In that way I’m happy that I watched the film alone, not in theatre.

Of all the things I liked its beautiful wide angle frame. Thank you Thiagarajan Kumararaja. Having been continuously fed with movies where you can’t see more than actors face, this movie was such a relief. I could feel where it’s taking place rather than knowing the intricate make up details of Nayanthara in one of the many tight frames.

The movie showed how different it is from other movies right from the teaser. With ‘n’ number of cuts which makes your eyes struggle, to that lengthy dialogue in trailer by Vijay Sethupathi. Both the teaser and trailer has overlaps. If the teaser had one shot happening for 2 seconds, the second shot happens from 1.5^th second, the third shot from 1.7^th second of the second shot and so on. The trailers first line starts with “oru aal oru malaipadaiyila thaniya pogaila thidirnu avana oru puli thorathichuna”, the second line would be “oru naal oru aan malaipadaiyila thaniya pogaila puli avana thidirnu thoratha avan oliya edamilama oda…” and the third sentence a further extension from it. That’s how the film is. ‘Layered’. Is this a clue we were already given by the director. To be honest I don’t think so. May be my introspection is just brilliant.

The teaser, even though good, didn’t evoke curiosity for me. I found it to be too gimmicky. I thought Thiagarajan Kumararaja was just trying to show off, but the trailer blew me off. Anyone who wants to be called as a film watcher who wants to be known as someone who watches ‘different’ movies or ‘art’ movies have started calling ‘Aaranya Kaandam’ their favorite movie. In recent past it has become a trend and I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Taking nothing away from the movie, it’s a great movie and so is ‘Soodhu Kavvum’ which the same ‘art’ movie watching people won’t agree. Reason? Because it’s been watched by millions more and it’s more fun.

Okay leaving off the debate between Aaranya Kaandam and Soodhu Kavvum. I had an opportunity to be part of a talk show which had Thiagarajan Kumararaja, unfortunately so. He was a typical brash film maker who was not willing to listen or explain his thought process. Along with Shafi who accentuated his opinion too. It was not a fruitful session. May be it would have been a lot better to overhear them when they are associated with their friends or some interviewers whom they respect. I couldn’t get an insight on how certain shots, scenes were constructed. There weren’t answers by questions from different segment of people. He said he wanted to shoot it in a certain way and he did it. Rightly so, but something there was unsatisfactory.

So coming to the film. The film marks its brilliance, right from scene one. Samantha moaning, was she given a blow job? Too hazy to look but yea Samantha was moaning. Then a group of youngsters were trying to watch porn in 3D. Various mishaps happen around it. And there were couple of other stories too. The opening scenes again were wannabeish. I could sense the anger while trying to start writing a scene. Making ‘bold’ scenes just for the sake of it. I’m of course not against sex scenes, hope I need not explain it out rightly. But the way it was constructed was too wannabeish.

But as the film is about a lot layers, the film starts evolving. Evolves beautifully. If Samantha looks sexy in her tanks, its Fahadh Faasil who keeps you glued to the screen. His dialogues were such fun. If Mysskin is a wild fanatic, it’s Ramana who lights up the screen. Then there is brilliant Bucks as Berlin and a superb Gayathrie as Jyothi. Gayathrie has some charm about her, who evokes sympathy in simplest of scenes. With such heavy makeup and a scene were Vijay Sethupathi was keeping audience under splits in Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom, there was Dhanalakshmi who was crying out, calling Vijay’s friend, “parunga anna ivar ipdi panrar”. Again in Puriyadha Pudhir when Vijay Sethupathi tries to come kiss her in a shop she effortlessly shies away. Here too in an epic scene where Shilpa (Vijay Sethupathi) drapes a saree, without her wig, she keeps watching in horror. Normally such scene would be cut within seconds but here it’s a long shot. Terrific scene that one. Credit should go both to Vijay and Gayathrie. Overlooking every one of them Raasukutty, a kid who’d be loved by all.

Even if they all were brilliant in the film, people who truly marked their presence were the five friends. Their plot had the most organic development out of all. Especially towards the climax with alien angle, the humor was top notch. Highlight was when Gaaji wants to go for a matter padam his friend says, “Gaaji nee yaen da evalo gaaji ah irukae”. If I had an opportunity to choose a role in the movie I’d do that of Gaaji’s. May be it could my favorite film character ever. It was terrific. It beat even Michael Scofield to me.

If there is one thing which I didn’t like about the movie, it’s the way Berlin’s character was dealt with the movie. He was a convenient badass whose character everyone would write. To use him as a device to interconnect the plot was too easy. When the kids throw the TV in the garage, I had no doubt that it’s gonna land on his head. Even though Samantha was brilliant in the garage scene, I knew that the SI is not going to harm her. It’s not because it had Samantha there but it had Berlin there.

There were a lot of great gimmicks. I loved the man mermaid of Arputham, the flights which cross when there is a twist in the tale, beautiful use of Chekov’s gun (Vijay Sethupathi’s wig), the witty dialogues between Mugil (Fahadh Faasil) and Vaembu (Samantha), “kalaila una potavan sethutan, poda nenachavan sethutan, kandipa nan pakathulayae varamaten”. In other films, this dialogue would be uttered by a husband whom we are supposed to hate but here it’s a romantic line between couple. Their story has a lot of scenes which comes a funny shock. Ex dying while having sex, Samantha keeping the knife on kids neck etc. Similarly, the dialogues between kids were brilliant, in the last scene especially when one friend calls other “thevdiya paiya” and the other repeats “nala yosichi paru, ne solrathu righta nu”. They don’t fight, they laugh. In those ways the dialogues were well written. More than the dialogues I liked the language, they were raw and true. Not like the cuss words in GVM films where it looks like a peter boy uttering profanity.

Super Deluxe is definitely a one of its kind film which would be new to Tamil cinema which makes Thiagarajan Kumararaja assert his position as a premium director and not just a one film wonder. Don’t know how many years more it’s going to take for his next film but I’m willing to wait for the quality rather than the quantity.

P.S: I got to know that transgenders won’t tell their real name once they change but here Vijay Sethupathi tells his name first to the SI and only after Berlin’s insistence he tells his name as Shilpa.

Movie Review – Dear Zindagi

A reasonably well made feel OK film

This film was in my watch list since its release. This looked like a very good film to watch. Yes, the look. Alia Bhatt was herself, cheerful and beautiful. Shahrukh looked fab too. And got to know that it’s one of those movies where he had mellowed down to suit to the role and there were no romantic song or dance sequence in the movie which made me want to watch it badly. But as usual I had other things keeping me busy so missed out on this.

Finally I watched it on a wee day with nothing better to do. It’s one of those movies you want to watch on a rainy day with a huge cup of coffee and popcorn (I don’t like popcorn, just saying). So I was in a mood for that and I watched it in somewhat similar mindset. I loved the opening scene where Kaira (Alia Bhatt) suggests a change in the way a specific scene was shot. Raghuvendra (Kunal Kapoor) oversees the production and we could sense an instant chemistry between Kaira and him. Kunal is such a charmer. I felt that he’d have been the best bet for Kaira in the film.

There were flashes of romance between the two and I thought the film would take a different angle once they both start working but she doesn’t even take the job. Like her friends, when Kaira says that she doesn’t like to go to Goa, even I was disappointed. I so wanted her to go to Goa, she’d look beautiful in those summer dresses and tresses. Instantly Goa reminded me of Deepika’s look in Finding Fanny. That’s one another reason I wanted her to go to Goa instead of some foreign location for the shoot. So when she didn’t go to shoot for the film I was actually happy.

I didn’t like the way her insecurity was shown, where she shouts at Raghuvendra, her friends etc. Her tantrums to the people who don’t know her actually looked cute. We feel more like cuddling her when she’s in that situation, than get irritated with her. Yes it’d have looked good for a film but it lacked the feel. I’d have liked a more honest, less beautiful, serious presentation of how depressed people would react in that situation. Here it was too easy.

The way she gets to know about Shahrukh and her joining therapy was too farfetched. I didn’t find a concrete reason as why she’d go. Shahrukh does the role of Jehangir-The Jug-Khan with ease. It’s a piece of cake for him. But I expected a Chak De India kind of perfection which was lacking. Also for most part both his advices and jokes didn’t work. It was not one of the face cringe moments but not really a feel good moment too. So he criticizing Kaira’s jokes were not fair. At least she was cute. Even the chair (Khursi) example was bad. Something more imaginative could have been better. That’s why I titled the film as feel okay instead of feel good. But I liked the climax twist with Khursi. I wanted the film to be in the lines of ‘Good Will Hunting’ but sadly it never took itself seriously.

In spite of the shortcomings the film was very much watchable because of the lead pair, Shahrukh and Alia. Music was excellent, very pleasant goan feel to it. Shahrukh’s part could have been written well but I liked the suspense part where he cancels the penultimate therapy session without us knowing the reason. The sadness he has on the scene in ferry was really good. Alia on the other hand has a lot of good scenes, firstly the scene where she shows her anger to parents and the breakdown scene where she tells the climax. That’s what good actors do. Just imagine what a proper actor could have done to the flashback scene in ‘Onaayum Aattukkuttiyum’ instead of Mysskin. Alia is also one of the best crier on screen. Best would definitely be Deepika. But Alia too has an original honest expression when it comes to crying. Needless to say both have a billion dollar smile too.

The second romance with the guitar guy didn’t really work for me. The very first moment it started I got to know that it wouldn’t last and was also happy that it didn’t. Finally when she falls for SRK it was bad, it’s one thing I wish had not happened in the movie. I’d have liked it if he had ended like a father figure to her. Just a well-wisher and nothing else.

Movie Review – Kumbalangi Nights

Night and wow!

One of the most hyped movies of last year which I thought I’d miss once and for all. Luckily I caught up with it. Thanks to the free time and my family’s profound interest in watching Malayalam movies. Needless to say the Malayalam cinema is having a ball now. Everything they touch is ending up to be gold. This is one another gem like that.

Just like the boat which comes to their ‘shitty’ house very slowly without any sound, without any disturbance, as if it doesn’t want to even cause ripples in water, the movie too moves in a leisurely pace. The mood the new age Malayalam movies set up is awesome. Like a gentle breeze which wouldn’t even hurt your eyelids. The story too evolves similarly. The music by Sushin Shyam is icing on the cake. After a football match Franky (Mathew Thomas) returns home for vacation. Just like my mom said, the guy who came for vacation doesn’t go back to school at all. He became my favorite right away, with his coy smile and innocence he resembled my relative, it was a treat to watch him. Especially after the two ladies come to their home.

My next favorite is both Bobby (Shane Nigam) and Baby Mol (Anna Ben), the former with his curly hair and mischievous smile, just like how Nivin Pauly blushes in Premam and the latter with her big round eye balls and an air of feminine confidence, are pukka Malayali youths, both pleasure to watch on screen together and even otherwise. They add a lot of charm to an already charming film. Every character is perfect. Be it Fahadh Faasil, Soubin Shahir or even Grace Antony who acted as Fahadh’s wife Simmy. May be it’s a thing with Indian movies where it’s easily relatable. If film making is on par with foreign movies by an Indian director about an Indian family, it appeals much more than how it’d be for other language movies.

The same would have even worked as an Iranian movie but the Munsattti Meen Kozambu would give a more authentic feel than that of Hummus. Also the little connect between Tamil and Malayalam is always sweet. It kind of gives a tingling feeling while watching the movie. First Premam and now this. In fact there are people talking Tamil in most of the Malayalam films. And I love the importance Malayalam film give for food. Be it Anupama looking at sweets in Premam or a python eating goon in Angamaly Diaries or fish curry in Kumbalangi Nights. With food the interest goes a notch higher. I love movies based on location, which romanticizes the place. Thanks to Woody Allen. Recent Malayalam movies are using the location to the best of advantage. Complete opposite to how ‘Madurai’ movies are made in Tamil.

The film is about four brothers, their disoriented family and a depleted house. The house plays a main part in the film. A house which I loved from very first instance. The characters are all like extras, trying to just be part of environment. Everyone has their own problem. And everyone are like their own. I liked the idea of how the definition of family was put to tatters in the film. On the outside Shammi’s (Fahadh Faasil) family would have looked ideal and the four brother’s family would have not looked like a family at all. When Bobby goes to his mom and asks her to return back I thought she’d return back and make it a proper ‘family’ but I was proved wrong. It was better than that. She doesn’t return back but still it becomes a ‘family’ to envy. So happy and imperfect.

The film had to end in some way and it ends with a high tension action sequence with Fahadh Faasil. May be the only bit I didn’t like about the movie, even though he looked menacing and he beating the brothers looked convincing. The use of fishing net on him too was greatly written. But I loved the other part of psychic Fahadh, the scene in saloon especially when he insults Saji (Soubin Shahir) and laughs with his friend once he leaves him. That was for me the scene of the film. Why does he behave like that we don’t know. I don’t even want to know. But he has someone similar to him as a friend who gives a stern look at the beginning of the film while giving back his bike and also during the climax when he doesn’t come home to help Fahadh’s family could lead to so many interesting back stories. These are the open endings which add charm to the movie more than plot wise open endings.

It’d have been a great feel to watch the movie in theatres, preferably alone, like the final day of trip where I don’t have any plans and just relax. Throughout the time I was writing the review I remembered Selva and I’s last day in Varkala where we were constantly feeling like not getting back to office but actually enjoying the pain. It’s some unexplainable feeling, yet its fun.