The Delightful Journey goes on!

By P.Muraleedharan

It has been a pretty long journey for me, a very delightful one, as I followed Kamal Haasan and his films over the years. From the time I, a high school student then, saw him mouthing those sorrowful mushy lyrics of “Neela vana chholayil…” in an effort to woo Sridevi in ‘Vaazhve Mayam’, I was hooked. And, as I grew up, I thought the inordinate admiration I felt for the veteran would wear off as smoothly as a snake sheds its skin. But, that was not to be!

As years went by, he shed his regular ‘skins’ for more innovative and intriguing ‘roles’, in tune with the rapidly changing times and the new technologies that came in its wake. By the time I reached college, he was there at the theatres to astound my impressionable mind with a superlative performance in ‘Sadma’. The empathy he evoked in our minds was so great that when a tearful Kamal at the railway station was frantically trying all kinds of things to make an amnesiac Sridevi remember her past, the whole theatre was sobbing; I too.

I still remember the night when ‘Nayagan’, directed by Mani Ratnam, was shown on Doordarshan. (That was one of the very few Kamal films which I did not watch at a theatre as an adult.) So as not to attract the attention of my mother, who was sure to scold me for keeping late nights, I had put out the light. The only light in the room was the glare from the TV, tilted suitably to deceive an unsuspecting mom. As the ‘Godfather’ clone went on in the dark, just as in a country theatre, I was held captive by the high-intensity narration by Mani Ratnam and breathtaking performance by Kamal. And towards the end, when Velu Naicker (Kamal), seemingly quiet and calm, walked up to see the dead body of his son, suddenly lost control and cried out in pain, as though a sharp instrument has pierced his heart, I too felt shattered. And before I knew it, some kind of horrible sound, signifying insufferable pain escaped my lips! Soon, it was all over; my mom was there covering the TV screen! I still cannot recollect what lies I trotted out to pacify my enraged mom then.

The love for him deepened with passing years, which made me go back to see all his films which were released before ‘my time’, like ’16 Vayathinile’, ‘Raaja Paarvai’ and ‘Sigappu Rojackal’. The handsomest man with the most macho mustache we knew then had male folks also swooning at his irrepressible charms! One of our teachers at the college was such a fan of Kamal that he started learning Bharatanatyam at 30, and had his ‘arangetram’ at our arts festival next year!

Even though it may seem far fetched now, nothing seemed out of place then. The ultimate lover boy and sex-symbol of the times, he was so cute, charming and lovable in addition to being so talented that the lines “Naan thaan Sakalakala Vallabhan…” seemed perfectly natural then. Nobody could dance as well as him, be it classical or Western. Nobody could fight as well as him, Karate or ‘local’. And nobody could love as well as Kamal, nor could anybody kiss as well as him! Even now, seeing much younger heroines like Simran, Jyothika and Sneha giving their best romantic performances on screen under the expert guidance of Kamal ( No sarcasm intended!), we can just gauge the impact he has had in the ‘80s and ‘90s! To outdo films like ‘Punnagai Mannan’ and ‘Ek Duje Ke Liye’ would not be an easy task even now.

The kind of fan-following he enjoyed then had to be seen to be believed. But, he didn’t rest on his laurels. He has been experimenting with various genres, themes, characters and, as the critics would pithily comment, prosthetics. In an attempt to be different, he did away with one of his better physical attributes, his killer mustache, on the way. He played a buck-toothed simpleton in ‘Japanil Kalyana Raman’, a goon with a tonsured head in ‘Sathya’, a pot-bellied, gap-toothed old man in ‘Indran Chandran’, a mentally retarded man in ‘Swathy Muthyam’, another mentally unstable man in ‘Guna’, an old woman in ‘Chachi 420’, a dwarf in ‘Apoorva Sahodarargal’…The list goes on. Kamal tries hard to make sure that each of his films has something special in it and, he succeeds most of the time! Truly amazing, isn’t it? In between, he acted in a silent movie too (Pushpaka Vimanam’).

As a director too, he chose to surprise us. Sir Richard might have had to research many years for his take on ‘Gandhi’. But, without any hair-splitting research, Kamal made ‘Hey Ram’, one of the best celluloid commentaries on the freedom struggle to come out till date. But unlike Attenborough’s ‘Gandhi’, it’s no documentary! His next directorial venture ‘Virumandi’ was also noted for its cinematic sweep and social commitment.

Though his detractors may say that Kamal has been dishing out the same thing year after year, the only changes being in the make up, he has been entertaining us all this while. The efforts he made to make his characters more life-like were outstanding, no doubt. Spanning over four decades, all genres, all ages and more than 200 films, Kamal is still as young and enthusiastic as any new kid on the block. Let’s wait with bated breaths for his next magnum opus, ‘Marmayogi’!

What is his USP? I think it is the sincerity and earthiness he exudes on screen; and he has a charm that nobody among his competitors possesses: A very human vulnerability that makes the viewers identify with him! And that is his flaw too: He could never become a God to his followers like his former co-star Rajnikanth!

I am greatly indebted for the innumerable moments of happiness and enjoyment you gave me, Kamal. Thank you Sir and Happy Birthday!

N.B: The writer is an unabshed, unrepentant fan of 'Ulaga Nayagan'

http://www.filmysouth.com/tamil_movie_news/kamal_birthday/november-07-2008/Kamal.html

Rein in Twenty20 and BCCI bully!

By P.Muraleedharan

It is time the cricket world took a bold stand against the Twenty20 being given more importance at the cost of regular cricket. Also, against the way the International Cricket Council (ICC) acts as a handmaiden to the financial muscle of the Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI). If this instant cricket, where Abhishek Nair (No slight intended to the Mumbai Indians all rounder) is compared to the great Sachin Tendulkar, is allowed to prosper, it would gorge on all other forms of cricket on its way and by the time its fizz evaporates, there would be neither test cricket, nor Twenty20! The empty stands at the Mohali stadium for the second test between India and Australia, of course, were a clear indication of the things to come.

Take the case of the ICL (Indian Cricket League). It has already wreaked havoc in two national teams-Pakistan and Bangladesh. Pakistan has banned 18 players who have joined the ICL and Bangladesh has banned 13 of them, for 10-long years! Lahore Badshahs and Dhaka Warriors have more quality players on their ranks than their respective national sides. It won’t be long before smaller cricket nations (In terms of talents and riches) such as Zimbabwe, Kenya and New Zealand fall for the money trap! It seems the Kerry Packer circus is back in a brand new avatar!

But, the crises in Pak and Bangla cricket could have been averted if the ICC had the gumption to stand up to the BCCI, and recognize the ICL. The BCCI, which runs the Indian Professional League (IPL), had successfully arm-twisted the Pak, Bangla national cricket bodies into toeing their line, so that aspiring players would not dare to join the ICL for fear of losing their chances to play for national sides (They cannot participate even in domestic matches!).

It is here that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chairman Arjuna Ranatunga’s stand on the issue deserves respect from the cricket-loving fraternity. He points out that Sri Lanka was compelled to postpone their tour to England as its schedule clashed with season-2 of the IPL. (Their skipper, Mahela Jayawardene, and 12 other top players, including Kumar Sangakkara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasurya and Chaminda Vaas have signed three-year contracts with the IPL.)

Arjuna is not one to be afraid of the money-might of the Indian cricket body. He, as the captain of the Sri Lankan team, had successfully pushed back the onslaught mounted by the Australians over the Muralitharan-controversy (Chucking!), has been a father figure in Lankan cricket, and is no pushover. Lifting of the domestic ban on five players including Marvan Atapattu, Russell Arnold and Upul Chandana is a sure sign that he means what he says.

Right now, the SLC cannot do anything to prevent their players from playing for IPL teams. As Ranatunga said, "If we get a directive from the minister of sports to release our top cricketers to play in a domestic cricket tournament in India, we have no right to question it."

Though Ranatunga’s main grouse is that the SLC does not get any money for releasing its players for the IPL, his words demand our attention. He says test cricket needs to be preserved and that the “first choice” of the players should be the national duty.

The former captain, who called the Twenty20 league as “instant noodles”, is naturally no favourite with the Indian cricket officialdom. But, his words have prompted a rethink in the Pak Cricket Board, it seems. The government would consider the case of the banned ICL players and would formulate a policy to resolve the crisis in consultation with the PCB, it is reported.

Lalit Modi, the chairman of the IPL and BCCI vice-president, whose allegedly high handed way of doing things is disliked by most of the cricket boards, says he is very “perturbed” by the accusations by Ranatunga, which are "totally unjustified". He is very unhappy with the failure of a high-level meeting between SLC and BCCI officials held at Bangkok to finalise a multi-million contract, due to Ranatunga’s strident stand, it is reported.

But, how does the BCCI handle such sensitive issues? By doing what they have been very successful at since Jagmohan Dalmiya’s time at the helm! By bludgeoning the opponents to submission! It is rumoured that the BCCI has conveyed to the SLC that they would talk to them only after Ranatunga is removed from their cricket board. And when the ICC asked them to talk to the ICL, the BCCI put a ‘simple’ precondition before the ICL authorities; just close down the ICL, and talks would follow!

The ICC, as servile as ever to the BCCI, has made it clear that they won’t even mediate in the tussle between the ICL and the IPL. With the frustrated former powers in the ICC such as ACB and ECB already looking for ways to curb the overarching clout of the Indian cricket board, a grouping of the Asian cricketing nations against them is the last thing that the BCCI needs. In their manic greed for moolah, would they have time enough to ponder over the consequences?

http://sports.in.msn.com/cricket/stories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1684029

Masala as Reality !

P.Muraleedharan

Do no work. Just live. Become a celebrity overnight. There is a small price to pay for all the riches and fame that come in its wake, of course: TV cameras following you everywhere!

Sounds great, isn’t it? Bogged down by hard labour under the merciless gaze of the no-nonsense employer for a paltry salary, the very idea of a live-in reality show (A genre widely called as ‘Fly in the wall’ or factual television) like ‘Bigg Boss’ would look tantalizing to all kinds of wannabes and fame-hunters.

In a ‘glass-house’, you are caged in with a few ‘aspirants’ for a few weeks. What will happen to your daily lives? The feeling that somebody’s gaze is on you may be very irritating for you. Even if there are no cameras inside the house, you feel very awkward, as most of the other inmates are new to you. But you have to tread cautiously. The viewers, with their all-powerful votes are on the ready to nominate you out!

But, once you consider the inmate status as a role being played for a decent remuneration, there ends the tension and you start behaving in tune with the requirements of the show. The only problem is, you might just overdo it, like a man who started crying inconsolably while feigning to be sad.

Surviving inside the ‘house’ is no small task. Your communication with the other participants should (seem) genuine. You should be a great person, and at the same time, should ensure enough drama to have the TRP chart purring in approval. Being goody-goody won’t bring in the viewers. Boss, it needs masala; loads of it. So, play-acting, gossiping, mud-slinging etc are definitely in. Any way, you are not expected to discuss Shakespeare or Noam Chomsky. Not even Amitabh Bachchan or Daniel Craig. Come down please, as deep down as possible till your feet are firmly stuck in dirt and mud.

Participants would of course take a cue from the British version of ‘Celebrity Big Brother’. Jade Goody, a nobody then, rose to celeb status overnight as she was accused of racially abusing our own Shilpa Shetty. The latter became the darling of the voter-class and won the event. Goody was invited to join ‘Bigg Boss-2’ (a reality show being aired in India, of all countries!), though her fame rested on her not so beautiful vocabulary aimed at Shilpa. On hindsight, it seems that being outrageously rude, crude and over the top would benefit both the aggressor and the victim!

The all-important thing in a reality show is its casting. Get the right kind of people into the household. Those people with whom the yuppie hordes (young, high income individuals are the majority of ‘Bigg Boss’ watchers, it is said), can identify with and whose world view and lifestyle would appeal to them. The reason why the show is being aired much later than the soaps is a sure indication that the show targets a much smaller niche audience.

The viewers can openly discuss the character and behaviour of the participants and make judgments on them. They can feel morally superior, enjoy the voyeuristic pleasure the show provides and imagine that it is they who decide on the fate of the celebrities. As the show goes on to resemble gladiatorial fights, the viewers, like Romans of old, lap up with shameless glee all the thrills the humiliations and agonies that the ‘warriors’ undergo. Privacy and human dignity? Never heard these words before!

But don’t think the audience can be taken for a ride. The majority of them do not believe in the ‘reality’ of the reality shows! When they sit down to vote, they assess as much as they can, how closely a participant resembles his/her real self on TV. Obviously, the vote will go to the more ‘genuine’ one in their estimation!

Why channels are running after reality shows? It’s all economics, folks! Nothing comes as cheap as reality shows on TV these days. You don’t have to pay writers or actors, no need for elaborate rehearsals, sets, music... The list of advantages goes on, which reduces the production costs to almost one-fifth, says one estimate. When the profits are piling up, it is ‘unethical’ to talk about ethics!

George Orwell, in ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ (1949), described a world where the State monitored all the activities of its people by fitting giant two-way TV screens in every room. (Incidentally, the title of the first ‘Big Brother’ was inspired by the all-seeing authority in the book, called ‘Big Brother’.) He was thinking of a time when the State would intrude into the private lives of individuals and make life hell for them.

How mistaken Orwell was! In reality TV, people, of their own volition, submit themselves to the relentless examination of their personal lives, suffer indignities and insults…all in a bid to get recognised!

Source: India Syndicate

http://entertainment.in.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1681619

Maradona: Part-2

P.Muraleedharan

Diego Maradona, the erstwhile emperor of the football ground, returns to international football as the coach of Argentina. Just a few days are left for the official announcement, says Luis Segura, secretary of the Argentine Football Association.
No doubt, Diego is one of the finest footballers the world has seen (if not the best!). But, would he be able to reproduce the same magic that crowned Argentina world champions in 1986 at Mexico from the sidelines? Well, the answer is both yes and no.

In the last 11 years, after his ignominious ouster from the world football stage, the footballer with the divine left foot has been having a very colourful and busy life and has remained one of the tallest soccer personalities. Even when he is watching a match, the cameras tend to stay with him!

But, it was not for the right reasons that he grabbed headlines most of the time. He was in rehabilitation camps to cure him of drug addiction, alcoholism and obesity. On more than one occasion, he has reportedly faced sudden death in hospitals. On his family front too, things were not at all that hunky-dory. He even had to contend with paternity suits, apart from a divorce.

The living legend, who celebrated his 48th birth day this Thursday, has been an unbelievable mix of superhuman talents and… a superhuman desire for self-destruction.

Cynics may say there is nothing unusual in the way Diego’s career shaped up. The son of a factory worker, though prodigiously talented, fell under the weight of fame and fortune that fell on him following his rocket-rise to soccer stardom.

But, was it that simple with Diego? From boyhood, he was being told that he was the best and he could do whatever he wanted with a soccer ball. He got what he never wanted too: The most merciless of tackling. His anguished cries, though sometimes looked a little theatrical, revealed the brutality of the physical torture meted out to him by ruthless marksmen all through his soccer journey. (If only he could play in these times, when there are strong rules to rein in the ‘foul’ game!)

The frenzied adulation he got every time when he stepped onto a football pitch was more than enough to turn even the ‘soberest’ heads of saints. At times, he got carried away, it is true. He fell to the lure of cocaine, drinks, women and all kinds of vices. But, he was never untrue to football. On the pitch, he could do no wrong. For the football lovers all over the world, his feats on the ground absolved him of all his sins. He inspired a very ordinary team to greatness in 1986.
Some of the goals he scored in the Cup were just unbelievable, which showed that at work was God’s will, and Maradona was the instrument executing it! The second goal against England in the quarterfinal had the unmistakable stamp of divine in it. Like a ballet dancer on a fast forward mode, he flew past five English defenders to caress the ball into the net guarded by a nervous Peter Shilton. A goal most soccer lovers consider as the most beautiful one in a World Cup match. In the next World Cup, he took a rag-tag Argentine team to the verge of another triumph, where they lost by a penalty goal to Germans.

He has had only two brief spells as a coach with clubs in Argentina, both of which were not very successful. All the other three coaches who were considered for the post have far better credentials. Diego’s 1986-teammate Sergio Batista has taken the Argentine team to a gold medal finish at Beijing Olympics. Miguel Angel Russo’s team, San Lorenzo, is top of the national league, and Carlos Bianchi topped the opinion polls. But, when Maradona, one whom the Argentines revere as part of their alternative Holy Trinity-comprising Diego, Che Guevera and folk saint Gauchito Gil-enters the stage, mortal rules and conventions have no chance!

Would he be able to show the same magic, with which he made football a willing slave to his velvet boots, and make the team perform magically? With his emotional and brutally frank outbursts, would he be able to hold the team together? (Like when he criticized Lionel Messi as being too selfish.) Would he ruffle the feathers of the superstars in the team as the media continue to follow him like a pack of hungry wolves thirsting for ‘bytes’? Would his godly status in Argentina plummet if the fortunes of his team nose-dive?

Questions such as these, on his coaching abilities, galore. But, there are those who believe in him too, like Napoli's former president, Corrado Ferlaino, who says that from his second season with the Serie A club, Maradona was the true coach, as the players had refused to talk to the team coach Bianchi. And he was very successful. This time, the gifted one won’t be alone. He will be helped by Carlos Bilardo, his coach in 1986 and 90.

We have witnessed many a Maradona magic on the field, now are we in for some more breathtaking action conducted by him from the coaches’ bench? One thing is sure: Winning or losing, Team Maradona would have enough going to keep us hooked!

Source: India Syndicate

http://sports.in.msn.com/stories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1685182