Beyond “Boundaries”

(2011: a look back at college life..)

disclaimer: The following episodes are fictitious and imaginary…Any relevance is highly accidental.Some incidents have been exagerrated to add some pep.

Hi dude hows life?? asked a familiar voice in my office..”cool” .. was my reply ,trying not to reveal how stressed out I was ..Four years of being a software professional had drained me out.It was 2 a.m when I reached home that day, poor folks in my home were fast asleep.I decided to scale the main gate and then ring the door bell..( did the astrologer have this in mind when he said I would scale great heights in future??)..It was three by the time I decided to hit the sack but I was too excited to think of dozing off.. I was thinking of THOSE GOOD OLD DAYS…

Alas, at five o clock in the morning.. It started puring down heavily( huh, Chennai mazhai.. eppo varum eppadi varum nu yaarukkum theriyaadhu,aana vara koodatha nerathula correcta varum) My god, I had pushed my self all along just for this D-Day..yes ,It was reunion time for our college batch which parted ways in 2007 ..Four years had sped by.Just then, my
pleasant ring tone ..”sahana saaral thoovudho.” filled my ears( it has been four years since the release of the movie but the song’s charm refuses to die down).It was my best friend on the line.. I asked in a pensive tone “maapu mazha varudhey ellarum kandippa varuvaangala??”..He laughed it off saying “mazhaiyavadhu ma**avadhu..kelambuda paarthukalam..”.

The college authorities were gracious enough to permit us to meet at the college campus itself..We had planned to meet at nine but I just could not wait any longer.. I took of in my bike by 7.. and reached my college situated in Old Mahabalipuram Road by eight..I was the first to reach there and luckily the rain had reduced in intensity by now..I decided to take a nostalgic walk around the campus..

I first stopped near my class room block.. Elevators had replaced staircases.. But the back of our jeans bore the brunt of the dirt of those stairs in those good old days.The class room was barely recognisable after having got a hi tech face lift..The three dirty steps outside the block that could house a dozen people,the bush by the backside which threw out
bats,snakes and other species which could keep the discovery channel crew on their toes,The switchboard which was our main weapon whenever the lecturer was putting us to sleep with the use of a projector.. all held fond memories.. turning my eyes moist.Just then , a familiar shrill whistle rung aloud ..”MARSHOII! thirumbi paaru”..

The others had started arriving..My spirits soared on seeing them..!After all those customary enquiries.. we settled down.. All were in our worn out jeans and t shirts.. and what a pretty sight it made.. , a complete contrast to those monotonous ties, formal shirts and shoes.Bright sunshine had replaced dull gloom( the weather as well as my mood..!)..We had quite a sizeable gathering.. Some of the girls were married now,with their cute kids and husbands accompanying them( please read in singular..!)..”Maapu anga paaru da ..amma madhiriye ponnu..”.. yes that cute little girl was very pretty.. ( much like her mother .. amam naanga college days la roundu katti sight adichom avala.. )..Only a few love birds of our college days had held on steadfast.. all others had broken up.. one girl was cheeky enough to introduce her ex boy friend to her would-be( of course as her good “friend”).. and just then he( the ex lover) was interrupted by a call from his present girl friend( if only K.Balachander sir witnessed all this..!).

The next two hours were spent in pulling each others’ legs.. After those artificial and sulky ” good morning,have a nice day, have u finished the work??, tomorrow is the deadline”.. the phrases ” machi, maapu, maapi, vennai, andhar , thaaru maaru, scene a podu, vaipe illa,sure,mokkai naaye, OA,aan aaan ” were music to the ears.But my eyes could not avoid throwing the occasional glance at HER…She seemed a bit aloof..( I later came to know that she was still single.. )

I was meeting her after a long time ,( Yes, it was those typical college life crush stories, but I was quite serious about that..).”How are you??” I asked ..” fine” was her one word reply,she dint even bother to look into my eyes and quitely moved away..We then proceeded to have some more fun , but I still could not help reminiscing about her and the time we spent together during those lovely days.. The sun was now beating down hard and we decided to have a game of cricket..

Fours years of staying away from the game had made us rusty but still we enjoyed it to the core ..”Ivan maarave illa da.. Shoib akhthar maadhiri odi vandhu romesh pawar maadhiri podran da” , ” dei adhu enna pandha illa pondattiya??konjikitrukka?? nalla vegama
adi da, pandhu ku valikaadhu” , “dei panni thallu da.. nee umpire a sight screen a? nee nindha unakku pinnadi enna nadakudhu ne therilla” , ” maapu adhu ball a illa kovil a?? enda sutthi suthhi odra??” were some of the evergreen quotes.

It was lunch time.. and still SHE remained the same.. I asked her close friend what the matter was ..” Not sure da but somehow she seems so dis interested in life these days.. You know la?? She had her engagement cancelled due to stupid reasons form the grooms’ side.. so she is deeply disturbed” was the reply.. (Now i was feeling sorry for her .. and happy for myself..!).. I gently went to her side and made an attempt to start a conversation….

End of part 1.. please scroll down for part-2

I gently went to her side and made an attempt to start a conversation ……. but got a big mokkai.. She replied only in one liners, without showing any interest..After a few minutes, I gave up the attempt..and moved over to the place where my gang was located.. as we ate we could not help thinking about the lunch we used to have at our canteen.. The food was not good.. half baked biryani, salt less kuruma, we even spotted a frog in one of the containers.. but still we would swap all the five star dinners to those moments .. simply because , we shared our lunch TOGETHER.After all.college life is the period when….

We fly without wings: and defy Newton’s law of gravity
And give a damn to what others’ think: forever sharing confetti

After lunch.. it was time for some indoor activities.. all the fun games followed.. of course,we guys carefuly manipulated the rules so that we got the “pairs” we wanted..still SHE showed no considerable interest. It was evening time and we seated ourselves in the lawn .. Each one was asked to come up with the most memorable incidents form college life…and there were a lot of pleasant responses..

“The first day in college ..aug 4 2003″ , “The first day we bunked together..” , “The first movie we saw together” , “Paradigm 2k6″ (The college symposium.. and the entire two months spent building up to the event itself was truly memorable) , ” Kerala tour 05″ , “Instincts 2k7(The cultural event)” , “Group snap during farewell time” , “Final year tour” , “New year’s eve spent together when the temperature was below 0 degrees” , “The unit tests of final sem” ,”The get together we had in besant nagar beach after the entire class bunked colllege “,”Dais tennis,room football,cricket”,”Innumerable treats around t nagar”,”The matches we watched in hostel during class hours”, “The rose milk shop in ecr n kelambakkam “.Some of the ladies were lamenting about the pressures of married life and how they wished they were forever in college, and a few guys went on to describe their romantic encounters..

I, for my part sheepishly displayed the photos that I had taken with Nayanthara and Shreya at a function(still no reaction from HER).It was almost late night now..it was time to leave.. After a few hugs, pats, handshakes, we parted with a heavy heart, of course promising to be back the next year.What a day it was…! far from the pressures of day to day life, it was as if I was administered with a truck load of electrol and glucose,my body cells were completely revitalised.

“how are you gonna go back??” I asked HER.”Planning to call up a cab operator” .. she said.”I would not mind dropping you at your place..” . said I.. looking straight into her eyes..Of course.. She gave a blank glance,but as people around her persuaded.. she relented..

end of part 2…. Please scroll down for the final episode…

The bike seemed to just follow the wind , a perfect setting for this drive on ECR(Kizhakku Kadar Karai Saalai).HER perfume wafted through the gentle breeze to trickle my nostrils.I stopped just short of a restaurant.. pretending that the gear cable had just snapped.She again gave an empty stare.I moved across the road,towards a mechanic shop that had a chirpy youngster, thrust a 20 rupee note to his greasy palms and asked him to take care of the bike for an hour.”Seems he needs some more time,why don’t we drop in to that restaurant??”,” I looked at her with expectant eyes..”Huh, how I wish I took a cab” was her snobbish reply.

We entered the restaurant,and I could not but admire her guts to put things straight on the face(seri seri,ippadi solli manasa thethikka vendiyathu thaan..)We(ok.. I) chose a table situated at one of the corners.The dim lighting added up to the effect..

ME:Wav, these lights with their dim appearance do really convey something nice,dont you think so??
SHE: Yes, its a gentle reminder that I leave this place and catch up with some sleep asap..
ME: Look to your left, they have recreated a cute little model of a hut, entirely made of live grass!(expecting her to be impressed with my appreciation of the art work)
SHE: I always felt grass was meant for the cows..
ME: You left out the goat too.. he he he
SHE: You expect me to laugh for that??

Just then.. the dim lights flickered out for the last time..The waiter placed a long candle on our table..I started admiring her.She looked gorgeous in that blue salwar(Yes, I have seen her umpteen times in college in that same dress.. of course her cream n orange ,the green one with stary spots,the all black.. I had admired them all)

ME: brilliant embroidery work.. did you work on this design?? the tailor must have had a tough time..
SHE: This is a ready made one
ME:Oh! cool which shop ?? chennai silks, ***********( giving out an array of shops just to show off..expecting her to be awe struck)
SHE: This was gifted from my friend residing in the U.K
ME:(Trying to put up a modest face),They say blue is the color of romance , of the sky , sea.. and whatever you wish wearing blue would come true it seems.. what do you wish for at this moment??
SHE:I wish i had not worn this today
(the waitor places our orders on the table..)

ME: The manchurian is wonderful, just like sachin’s off drives.. dont you think so??
SHE:Better equate it to mega soaps.. both suck
( After such futile attempts.. I gave up.. We were through with our dinner.. she reached out to her handbag)
ME: Now come on, dont you take your purse out,It is my treat.. I will pay, no no I wont let you do it
SHE:Did I stop you from paying?? I Was just pulling out my handkerchief..
ME:(gruntling)So typical of women..!
SHE getting perked up)What did you say just now??
ME: (trying tp pull things back) I was referring to your handkerchief,the design is typically feminine..!
SHE: hmmm…

We were on our way back..I felt disappointed..Four years in college were still not enough for me to get her by my side and now this ultra flop show..”Ok, let this be the last time I am seeing her, I dont wanna embarass myself further.. this is never going to happen.. Perhaps, I had held it back a bit too long, I should have revealed it to her in college itself, now its too late..” were the thoughts running through my mind..Just then I braked so violently that I almost twanged the cables..Both of us were jostled ,forcing her to clasp me tight..I could see her fuming with anger(How could I convince her that i did not do it with wrong intentions??..)I got down from my bike.. and glared at “IT” which made me brake so hard…

The little white rabbit was helpless on this highway..It could have easily been run over by my bike or any heavy vehicle .. I lifted it up,gave it a gentle reassuring stroke, moved up a few paces down the road where i found a furrow safe from the killer vehicles and left it there..I Went back to her.. She stared,she stared,kept on staring and then..

The lower lip of her visage slightly broadened..She SMILED..!(This made my day..!!!! It had been slow and steady like a tortoise .. could this rabbit(Hare) help me win my race??). She smiled again, looked up straight into my eyes..gave an angel like pat on my cheek,grabbed my hands and held on to it firm and tight…Now what could this mean..?? Perhaps a million things..But could it be “IT”?? The DEFINING MOMENT??

“ATHIRADI” - The best word to describe the film..A power-packed and amazing portrayal from the one and only Boss of Tamil Celluloid world-SUPER STAR RAJNIKANT !
Shankar has kept the audience in mind while churning out a treat for Rajni fans.Brilliant visuals,Stunning camera work,amazing artistic creativity..the film is rich in its technical aspects.
The introduction scene is a novelty.. with Rajni appearing in a black hood.The first half is breezy and light, with scenes that tickle your funny bone( but compared to the second half , this falls short in pace).Rajni and Vivek take a dig at all his pretenders who shamelessly copy him and his punches.Rajni looks stunning .. travelling a decade back in age and time with his looks.The only draw back is a wafer thin story line but Shankar compensates for that with gripping screenplay and of course Rajni carries the three hour film on his shoulders with his charisma.Also the fight sequences look good only in parts but the climax fight is marvellous.Raghuvaran has essayed a neat portrayal and Shreya has grabbed the role of her lifetime with both hands and looks ravishing.Rahman does a fantastic job with apt BGM.The director is able to visualise his dreams and paint it on screen effectively in the song sequences.
Balleilakka-This song is a bit of a disappointment if you are expecting a typical Rajni intro song.The choreography is not impressive and the usual Rajni verve is missing.Nayanthara strikes a pretty picture and is lovely to watch.
Vaaji Vaaji-Rajni is dressed up like an emperor and Shreya looks hot in this song.The set leaves you awe-struck.Brilliant camera and art work.Each and every minute detail has been given importance(Dont miss the lighting effects on each n every pillar of the dome)
Style-Prabhu Deva the choreographer rocks!Rajni again travels back in time and this time appears blond like a european (Computer graphics imagery).Excellent footwork from all the artists.
Sahana-Yet another mind blowing masterpiece from the art director.The entire song has been shot in a glass set.Even the keyboard,chess board are all in glass.Rajni is grace personified in song and his movements evoke a sense of nostalgia reminding you of the super hit song “kaadhalin deepam ondru” of the 1980’s.The costumer has done a splendid job throughout the movie and this song is just the icing on the cake.
ATHIRADI-”THE” song for Super Star fans.No one but the super star can be visualised in such a manner and Super Star shakes a leg too with choreographer Lawrence bringing out movements that look good when essayed by Rajni.
And finally, in the climax sequences “MOTTA BOSS” RAJNI bowls you over with his charisma..
If you are a Rajni fan.. go watch it twice .. if you aren’t one, watch it atleast once to know what Super Star pull is all about..!
“Six ku apparom Seven da,SIVAJI ku apparom yevan da..??!”…CHUMMA ATHIRUDHULLA..

Friday Morning…

Time: early morning 6 30.. scenes on Vadapalani Road..People lining up in queues ..barricades have been put up .. What could be the occasion ??Perhaps was the government givin out free tv sets??( yeah of course that was the most useful object on earth that politicians could think of .. and shameless that we voted for such a silly thing..when most dont even have proper homes..) NO..
9 30.. Flowers,Garlands,Pumpkins,Arathis,Camphor ,Tonnes of Milk all kept in place.. perhaps A temple Festival?? or a day of extreme religious significance..?? NO..
Friday , June 15 th… Offical release of our SUPER STAR’s magnum opus SIVAJI!
The demi god who defies barriers.The man who cuts across all social sections of the society.. kids, ladies, teenagers, man,woman, senior citizens,black, white,bench sitter to BENZ owner,cobbler to computer expert,auto driver to auto mobile engineer.. he woos them all..Perhaps the only thing that entire Tamil Nadu have in common is this liking for our superstar.
He began as a humble bus conductor giving out tickets to people..manning the route 10A.. now people are struggling to get TICKETS to his movie.He has been placed on a pedestral that no other movie star can even dream about .. yet he is the epitome of simplicity.It is sad that his acting skills have been pushed to the background, thanks to his inimitable style and a larger than life image. Some of his evergreen movies are..
RAJNI-THE HERO
BAASHA - I doubt if there are people in Tamil Nadu who have not scene this movie.An amazing script to which only Super Star could have done justice..One of Super Star’s two favourite movies( along with Mullum Malarum).
ANNAMALAI- THE movie which set the cat among political pigeons.From an innocent do gooder in the first half, Rajni transforms into a shrewd business man in the second phase of the movie.
MURATTU KALAI- Tho movie which enabled Rajni to reach out to the rural masses.One of the biggest grossers of the 1980’s.
BILLA- An out and out Rajni movie ,in which Rajni portrays two diverse characters with amazing style.
RAJNI-THE FUN
THILLU MULLU-Rajni’s first full length comedy caper..A movie which can be seen over and over again.
RAJA CHINNA ROJA-A movie exclusively for kids..Rajni charms the tiny tots with his charisma( I have watched it 44 times since childhood..!)
GURU SHISYAN-Another comedy treat form super star.CHO’s one line political sattires add to the fun.
JOHNY- Another dual role for Super Star.. He plays a barber who guns down his own lover.. all with a sublime streak of humour.
NINAITHAALE INIKKUM-Rajni shares screen space with kamal , and breathes the necessary humour into this otherwise serious movie.
VELAIKARAN-It is fun all the way, of course in typical Rajni ” ishtyle”!
RAJNI-THE ACTOR
AARILIRUNDHU ARUVADHU VARAI-If any one has any doubt about the acting credentials of Rajni, they must see this movie before passing a comment.Rajni portrays the struggles of a young man who shoulders the burden of his entire family right from a tender age.The scenes when Rajni struggles to get even milk for his infant kid,his emotional portrayal when his wife immolates herself so that her husband would get the insurance money, would leave the audience in tears.Rajni then attains fame as a writer.The film ends on a tearful note with the death of Rajni.
THALAPATHI- Another big grosser, this time RAJNI appears sance make up,his style and a cigarette.
MULLUM MALARUM-Super star’s personal favorite(He even ranks this one above Baasha).Rajni plays a young man who loses his arm in an accident and who forever dotes on his beloved sister.
NALLLAVANUKKU NALLAVAN-Rajni playa a baddie in the first half, who is reformed by his wife..The story takes a turn after his wife’s death and his own daughter turns against him.
DHARMA DHURAI- Rajni plays an innocent villager whose life revolves around his two brothers.When all is lost,Rajni realises that his brothers have cheated on him and eventually he is sent to jail..Another portrayal from Rajni which leaves you with a heavy heart.
NAAN SIGAPPU MANITHAN-Rajni plays an undercover reformer who wards of the society of all evil,after he loses all and sundry in his personal life..Bhagyaraj comes up with a neat role in this movie.
ILAMAI OONJAL AADUGIRADHU-A classic form director Sridhar.. Rajni plays a stylish manager who goes all out to help his friend Kamal.The story takes an interesting twist when both fall in love with the same girl.
ANBULLA RAJNIKANTH-Rajni plays himself in this movie..
MUNDRU MUDICHU-Rajni plays an all out baddie who charms the audience with his style..
NETRIKKAN-Style at its best.. the film is about the face off between a son, and his baddie father, both played by Rajni himself.
POLLADHAVAN-Rajni sports a beard almost throughout this movie..HE plays a widower, who loves his kid and is thirsty to avenge the death of his wife.
We, forever have pretenders to his throne.. who might not achieve throughout their careers whatever super star achieved in a single movie..
One forever keeps repeating the same story again and again, changing the heroines and directors alone, another one stakes a claim to his throne when he can’t even deliver hits continuously..
And the funniest part is about this “little” version of Super Star(mind you ,no Super Star fan would agree with this, all this is self proclamation by the actor concerned).This is an actor who shamelessly tries to imitate Rajni on screen( and fails miserably at that, only ending up leaving you irritated and frustrated),who keeps on mouthing punch dialogues , advising people in his songs, when he is not even a dozen films old, still calls himself “little” when he is 23( will he ever grow up??),who portrays obscenity in all his movies, with scenes which would leave you squirming in your seats.
Perhaps this Sivaji mania should make his pretenders realise where they really stand in comparision to the incomparable Super Star..
By the way, I am all excited about “Sivaji”.. I have been discussing nothing but this for the past week(I have left my friends exasperated).. and I am watching it tonight..! So the next post will be on “Sivaji” of course..