Once More Pannaiyarum Padminiyum

Yes, I watched Pannaiyarum Padminiyum, again. And if opportunity strikes, I wouldn't mind watching it once more.

I realized how badly I wrote the last review. To say the least, my attempt to capture my thoughts about the movie was pathetic. But then maybe I was in a hurry and wanted to tell the world what a wonderful movie it was. The last post covered my attachment to a machine, one of the emotions that the movie evoked in me. What I covered very briefly, but should have actually written about, in the earlier post was the love story between the old couple - Pannaiyar and his wife Chellamal.

I must say of all the love stories that I have seen so far two movies have impressed me more than others. Interestingly, both these are about old people in love. When I say impressed, I think the success of a romantic movie to me is when I feel that I should have been the character in the movie. Or to put it differently I want that to happen in my life.

First is Cheeni Kum and, of course, the other is Pannaiyarum Padminiyum. In the first, two unmarried persons fall in love and get married at a rather old age while the latter is the love story of a married-for-long couple. Cheeni Kum is about urbane sophisticated people while Pannaiyarum Padminiyum is story of simpletons in a village. Love is omnipresent, shall we say.

Nothing to take away from Cheeni Kum, if I have to rate the two movies, I would probably end up rating Padminiyum Pannaiyarum a bit higher than R Balki's romantic comedy. Amitabh is heart throb and Tabu beautiful in Cheeni Kum, not to mention the histrionics of Paresh Rawal when he finds that his daughter has fallen for a man who is older than him, Cheeni Kum is "filmy".

On the other hand, Pannaiyarum Padminiyum celebrates reality. The life of common man, the aam aadmi. Tulasi and JP would probably remind you of your parents or an old couple that you know of in your life. There is nothing spectacular about them. In fact, there is nothing spectacular in the movie. It is just plain simple love and affection.

The way they mock each other lovingly, the support and empathy is a treat to watch. The scenes where both pannaiyar and his wife reach out to the driver separately requesting that he somehow teaches car driving is subtle but very heartwarming.  

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum starts where all other love stories usually end - the marriage. And I pray that such be life in my twilight years. 

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum, Possession

This movie will certainly make into the Best Tamil Movies of all times list. Even if it doesn't, it will remain one of the very best that I have watched.

Is it Vijay Sethupathi who is creating such opportunities or is he leveraging them? Whatever be the case, midst the usual hero-oriented flicks, his movies guarantee that we get to watch a flick where story is the central character.

Pannaiyarum Padminiyum is a beautiful portrayal of life of people set in the "other-India". The India where people may not have access to internet and my blog. It is the story of an old Premier Padmini car, and the lives and emotions of people whose lives it touches. The movie is about our love and possessiveness. Even for inanimate objects! But mostly, it celebrates love.

It reminded me of my obsession with our first washing machine that we bought several years ago. After the installation, I sat in front of the machine for the full cycle of washing which usually lasts for an hour. I was so enamored by the rolling of the drum. I mused at detergent in an upper tray mixing with the water that came from the backside of the machine. I loved watching the tumble of  the drum, and the games that the mix of detergent and water played with the cloths. I waited for the final spinning and the machine coming to a halt. You see with automatic washing machines, one has to wait for sometime before the doors can be opened. Those few minutes of waiting felt like eternity. But that wait was worth it as the doors opened to a heady perfume of washing power in the warm misty air.

Now this went on for sometime before I lost interest and found other things to keep me amused.

In the movie though, the old car keeps bonding people and brings more love. The love story of the old couple intertwined with the car is a treat to watch.

This movie could take you into a nostalgic trip of your own. At the end of the movie, I was in tears. The tears of happiness on having watched a good movie. 

Kalyana Samayal Saadham, Tasty Fare

How many of you had an arranged marriage? How many of you had a love marriage? How many of you had love-cum-arranged marriage? And how many of you had arranged-cum-love marriage? Though this movie is about the last kind, anyone can relate to the movie.

Kalyana Samayal Saadham is a nice cute romantic comedy. It deals with the relatively newer trend of having an "affair" in the period between the engagement and the wedding. Basically, it is similar to what people do when they have a love affair except that here the couple have the blessings of the families. The movie also deals with the taboo subject of premarital sex. There's more, sex in married life and erectile dysfunction. In addition, the pressures of organizing a wedding, the politics and other nitty-gritties. All this served nicely as the food served in banana leaf in South Indian wedding. Not rich but sumptuous and delicious.

If you are married, you will relate to it. If you are not, take this as an easy digest.

Nice to see a big fat South Indian marriage for a change. Though it is not as fat as North Indian marriages, it has its own charm. On a different note, have you noticed that many South Indian weddings have Sangeeth and Mehendi! It is like a South Indian restaurant serving Naan and Paneer Butter Masala. 

The Wolf of Wall Street, Self Help

Long ago, when I was employed with Twenty Twenty Media, I along with few managers attended a Time Management training program. That was my first exposure to the world of life management and personality development. Before getting into the tricks and tools to manage time better and become efficient, the trainer who was a Russian lady introduced us to the concept of different pies in the circle of life.

1. Health 
2. Wealth 
3. Social 
4. Spiritual 
5. Family & friends 

To lead a holistic and meaningful life, one has to look at life as a sum of all the parts. One could also find these lessons in self help books such as Road Less Traveled, Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, First Things First et al. Not that I have achieved any balance, in fact far from it, but just the awareness of the pies can help bring sanity. That's for the majority of normal people.

Based on Jordan Belfort's biopic The Wolf of Wall Street it is about his spectacular rise and fall. It is the story of a man who focused only on one pie - Wealth. Jordan's life is filled with his passion for money and entertainment. The movie can give you nausea.

Is it a bad movie? No, absolutely not. There are amazing performances. Leonardo is brilliant. I loved Mathew McConaughey in his cameo appearance as "guru" who probably "shapes" Jordan's actions.

Once you have seen the movie, also read this very thought provoking article by Sudhish Kamath in The Hindu on "WHY DO our films toe the moral line?"