The ordinary and the extraordinary

The other day I watched the film Slumdog millionaire.

Irrespective of its 8 Oscars, it is not a kind of film you can rub your seat off and walk away and forget before the popcorn digests out. It asks some compelling questions, particularly if you are an Indian, even so if you are presently living in the land of the film's director. I was watching from both those perspectives, which was an interesting and a precarious one.

Against much nationalist cry of portraying India negatively, the truth is that there does exist a slum as portrayed in the film. The film was not made in an erected-set, but real-life slums and roads, amidst the squalor and wretchedness of places which our fellow-brothers and sisters call 'home'. There are other ways to explain away the slums, but that is a debate for another day.

The film is a climax to a stage in India's growth where "India is at the centre of the world" (direct quote from a character in the film). Westerners view this fast-changing India with as much intrigue as chagrin. After about 115 minutes of the movie, when you reflect on what the movie actually wanted to say - "hope" is what clamours above many other close contenders.

From the sidelines of the movie, I unearthed an artiste called MIA who is my today's epitome of hope. MIA is the stage name of a Srilankan singer called Mathangi Arulpragasam. She incidentally was nominated for the Oscar for 'O..saya' with AR Rahman, making it a தமிழ் sweep of some sorts, which few people would have noticed. 'Paper planes' is another song from Slumdog Millionaire which is rarely talked about compared to 'O..saya' and 'Jai Ho'. That song is a MIA song which AR Rahman has used in this movie and also remixed. All this bloomed on me only when I saw the film and heard the songs in the context (typical of ARR songs!). When I read about Mathangi's life I couldnt find a better epitome of hope. Technically, a refugee - who went on to become a global rap and hip-hop star. More and more incidents like these are etching that strong belief in me so deeply that, you dont have to BE anybody to achieve anything. Anybody can achieve anything. The moral of the story is "It doesnt matter where you start from, but it does matter where you are going and where you reach". This theme is of course,more glamorously paraphrased by Silambarasan in one of his movies.

Unknowingly like a dog returning to its drinking bowl, this theme seems to recur again and again in my blog. Maybe years of pessimism needed this spell to instill some hope in me. While I am saying this, I need to recognise that we should continue doing the ordinary stuff, however boring - for the extra-ordinary to occur. Susan Boyle became extra-ordinary, because for more than 30 years she was doing the ordinary job of singing in clubs and pubs. While I have become more or less convinced of the pronounced role of luck in people's lives - both the presence or absence of it - luck by definition requires a basic degree of perseverance, I guess. We could say Frieda Pinto of Slumdog Millionaire, is very very lucky to reach there. But she had to have a basic requirement of being a model (the ordinary) to get noticed to catapult her into the extraordinary (of a Hollywood star). That motivates me. What I do today, may seem boring, repetitive and monotonous. But I have to continue doing this consistently and better every other time - for something extraordinary to occur, if at all!

For the record - Danny Boyle has been directing and producing films for the past thirty years!!! Were the 8 Oscars pure luck or a gift to somebody's perseverance? Difficult question, eh! Likewise AR Rahman wins an Oscar for what I would say is a Kindergarten rhyme by his standards, when so many of his masterpieces did not reach those heights at all.

I am now learning that those 'ordinary' masterpieces were needed to lead him to that 'extraordinary' Kindergarten rhyme, promptly titled 'Jai Ho'!!!

இன்னிசை மட்டும் இல்லையென்றால்.......

I am beginning to learn why more art and literature have born out of grief, bereavement and sorrow than joy and mirth. Another song which swept me off my feet and again it is to do with pathos. For some mad reason, unfathomable even to the best of my rational cognitive abilities, these songs give me an intoxicating effect. I know I am walking through a scary path and I still enjoy the thrill of being absorbed into this vortex. As I dont know the effect of drug, alcohol or smoke's intoxication I imagine it should be somewhere comparable to this(Other more experienced veterans could enlighten me!). The first kick - the thrill of the adventurous journey - the spiral of the vortex - and the want for more and more and more and more!! Although most of the times I am caught unawares, I can tell its coming..Premonition, may be! or Providence!

For a 100 songs which people murmur during their daily chores, less than 10 would be a chirpy song I guess. MSV once said that their is no melody without melancholy. For some reason people like a longing, ஒரு ஏக்கம், sometimes not even knowing what they are longing for, but all the time loving that ஏக்கம். Although I am not a fan of overtly mushy, emotional songs - songs like எவனோ ஒருவன் were written for moments like these - and I am living that moment. In a quaint sense this phase has been a very nourishing, creative phase. And almost every other time, a sense of pathos accompanies that by serendipity or by default. Or maybe by design. When I think of the world's greatest books and literature written from prison cells - alarm bells are ringing for me!!! "எந்தன் சோகம் தீர்வதற்கு இதுபோல் மருந்து பிரிதில்லையே" This intoxxxxicating மருந்து called கலை."கேட்டு கேட்டு நான் கிறங்குகிறேன்"

I am unearthing these songs which I have heard many times before, like a lost treasure and dusting them down to sit and drink them, literally, particularly during a dry, parched season. The same unnoticed words hit me like a spear now, wrenching the deepest emotions out of me. Cinema for all its vulgarities and commerce, can still be a veritable celebration of arts on a grand scale is a soothing fact during these troubled times, in a world driven by self-aggrandizement and avarice.

God has given me many crutches to help this staggering journey of mine here. I am thankful for all of that. "ஆனால் நிச்சயமாவே இன்னிசை மட்டும் இல்லையென்றால் என்றோ என்றோ என்றோ இறந்திருப்பேன்". For a person who was never able to deal with loneliness, one of the reasons I married at 25, I value these crutches greatly. I appreciate their meaning. I revel in their use. Through a medium like this I recommend their use to others. சில நேரங்களில் நானே யாசிக்கிறேன், நானே வாசிக்கிறேன், யாசித்ததை வாசிக்கிறேன், வாசித்ததை யாசிக்கிறேன். சில நேரங்களில் சில மனிதர்கள்ன்னு இதைத் தான் சொல்றாங்க போல.

I am recording these emotions, more like a journal for me. When I come out of this phase and read them, they might sound silly, as it might to present readers, who are not into this inebriation. But atleast they would remind me of a person who would well out with tears at the slightest provocation.

"அந்தக் குழலைப் போல் அழுவதற்கு அத்தனை கண்கள் எனக்கில்லையே"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

If you hate Simon Cowell, you will love this video and everything that ensues afterwards in Susan Boyle's life. Susan Boyle is a real-life testimony, a modern-day equivalent of David versus Goliath, only this time, the Goliath is society itself.

I have titled this post with a URL because this video set an online record for the most number of views in about 20 websites, crossing 100 million views long, long ago. In YouTube alone, as you see it has crossed 79 million views.

Simon Cowell embodies everything that is of this modern world - a crass businessman, crazy television personality, never missing an opportunity to sell television space. Susan Boyle on the other hand is a SIMPLE woman, just like you and me, with a dream - which she believed to be true. Susan Boyle's page on the Wikipedia makes up for very interesting reading, if you could find the time to read it.

The uniqueness of this video is the full range of emotions it presents from viewer chagrin to viewer ovation all in few minutes within few minutes. At 2:02 in the video you feel a hair-raising experience - because obviously we all find ourselves in the underdog's position. Don't we? Susan is a catharsis of our misgivings at our unfulfilled dreams. Susan's victory is our victory over the world, at least theatrically. That she achieves it so vividly makes the video all the more special and makes me cry every time I see it.

I am of course loaded with a well of emotions during my stay here in London, especially away from my family. Others reading this may not feel as empathetic as me. To be honest, I myself have had minuscule experiences of overturning people's reactions, sometimes for the good and sometimes for the worse. Susan's success raises a range of philosophical questions. Particularly in a world where if you are talented you gotta be attractive, or else you have a hard chance all through the ladder. That Susan achieved this feat right in the midst of the boiling furnace of reality TV where beauty alone sells - is a mockery, a rude awakening to a world long lost in the obsession of the perfect 'O'.

To be honest, I am not even particularly amused by the song itself, not even about Susan's singing prowess. It is the lessons which come from an unusual place called Reality television which unsettles me along with the 100 million viewers. The marketers think they have concocted the formula to success and suddenly a Susan Boyle appears and shakes them from the very foundation.

Unfortunately, when Susan Boyle released her début album last week, creating Amazon.com pre-sales records, they had a photo shoot of her in dresses which looked so misfitting on her. Presumably television did not and does not want to learn hard lessons. But we will.

We will never judge people on their appearance. I count myself blessed and lucky that some woman in this world made a brave, scary, foolhardy but voluntary decision to fall in love with me. I do not know how I would have faired in the arranged-marriage market, where the audience are gaping and howling like those in the Britain's God Talent show. At least at one point in time, somebody in my life made a decision not to go by physical appearance, but something else.

This video on the one hand gives us a rewarding sense that maybe one day we would get our day like Susan Boyle and that's the cheesy feeling why it became so popular. But I ask myself the other obvious question. How many Susan Boyles are WE missing in our everyday life when we sit as Simon Cowell and the audience?

விழிகளின் அருகினில் வானம்

I fell in love with this song like mad. I believe true literature makes you fall in love with the language. This song succeeded in doing that to me. When I was doing a haphazard search for the lyrics of this song in the net, I couldnt find it in தமிழ். Infact, I found there are very few websites which can give you Tamil lyrics in தமிழ். Which is kind of an irony. So I thought I will contribute to the song and the language which it drew me to. But because it is my blog, I have added some (unwanted) commentary, throughout the song. I wrote them as I was listening to the song. So it would make sense and be less irksome, when you read the lines as you listen to the song. ( this might help http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B6NG6pn2fM ) I dont have words to praise Ramesh Vinayagam. This fellow after writing such ethereal lyrics, has sung the song, composing the music for it enroute. Some people are just lavishly talented - and strangely not recognised that much!! Truly one of those rare instances in modern தமிழ் cinema where scintillating words meet scintillating music. The video also is not too bad, so a triple coincidence of brilliance, enjoy!!

விழிகளின் அருகினில் வானம்
வெகு தொலைவினில் தொலைவினில் தூக்கம்
இது ஐந்து புலன்களின் ஏக்கம் (my personal favourite line)
என் முதல் முதல் அனுபவம் oh yeah

ஒலியின்றி உதடுகள் பேசும்
பெரும் புயலென வெளிவரும் சுவாசம்
ஒரு சுவடின்றி நடந்திடும் பாதம்
இது அதிசய அனுபவம் oh yeah

பெண்ணை சந்தித்தேன்
அவள் நட்பை யாசித்தேன் (more favourite lines)
அவள் பண்பை நேசித்தேன்
வேறென்ன நான் சொல்ல oh yeah (these oh yeahs actually give a lilting blend in the midst of beautiful தமிழ் words. I love it)

பூ போன்ற கன்னித் தேன்
அவள் பேர் சொல்லி தித்தேன்
அது ஏன் என்று யோசித்தேன்
அட நான் எங்கு சுவாசித்தேன்? (what a word play, வார்த்தை விளையாட்டு, இரசிக்கணும் யா)

காதோடு மௌனங்கள்
இசை வார்க்கின்ற நேரங்கள்
பசி நீர் தூக்கம் இல்லாமல்
உயிர் வாழ்கின்ற மாயங்கள்

அலை கடலாய்

இருந்த மனம்
துளி துளியாய்

சிதறியதே (You SHould see the picturisation for this scene!)
ஐம்புலனும்

என் மனமும்
எனக்கெதிராய்

செயல்படுதே

இனி காண முடியாத மாற்றம்
அதை மூடி மறைக்கின்ற தோற்றம்
ஒரு மௌனப்புயல் வீசுதே
அதில் மனம் தட்டு தடுமாறுமோ yeah (yeah really, very very true!)

பல்லவி:
பூவில் என்ன புத்தம் புது வாசம்
(பூவில் என்ன புத்தம் புது வாசம்)
தென்றல் கூட சங்கீதமாய் வீசும்
(தென்றல் கூட சங்கீதமாய் வீசும்)

ஏதோ வந்து பன்னீர் மழை தூவும்
( ஏதோ வந்து பன்னீர் மழை தூவும்)
யாரோ இன்று எங்கோ மனம் தேடும் (the only line I felt jumbled)
(யாரோ இன்று எங்கோ மனம் தேடும் )

கேட்காத ஓசைகள்
இதழ் தாண்டாத வார்த்தைகள் (எப்படி டா இப்படி எல்லாம் எழுதுறீங்க!!)
இமை ஆடாத பார்வைகள்
இவை நான் கொண்ட மாற்றங்கள்

சொல் என்னும் ஒர் நெஞ்சம் (டேய் உதித் நாராயணா தமிழ எப்படி உச்சரிக்கனும்னு இவன் கிட்ட கத்துக்கோ)
என்னை நில் என்னும் ஒர் நெஞ்சம்
எதிர்ப் பார்க்காமல் என் வாழ்வில்
ஒரு போர்க்காலம் ஆரம்பம்

இருதயமே துடிக்கிறதா?
துடிப்பது போல் நடிக்கிறதா? (கொல்ற டா)
தொலைத்திடவா மறைத்திடவா?
இரகசியமாய் தவித்திடவா?

ஒரு பெண்ணின் நினைவென்ன செய்யும்?
எனை கத்தி இல்லாமல் கொய்யும் (I dont know if he has purposely used கொய்யும் for rhythm instead of the usual expected கொல்லும்)
இதில் மீள வழி உள்ளதே
இருப்பினும் உள்ளம் விரும்பாது oh yeah (நிஜமாவே நான் இப்ப தமிழ படிக்கல,கேக்கல - குடிக்கிறேன்!!!)

விழிகளின் அருகினில் வானம்
வெகு தொலைவினில் தொலைவினில் தூக்கம்
இது ஐந்து புலன்களின் ஏக்கம் (இப்ப பார்த்து என் பொண்டாட்டி என் கூட இல்ல)
என் முதல் முதல் அனுபவம் oh yeah...

ஒலியின்றி உதடுகள் பேசும்
பெரும் புயலென வெளிவரும் சுவாசம்
ஒரு சுவடின்றி நடந்திடும் பாதம்
இது அதிசய அனுபவம் oh yeah

பெண்ணை சந்தித்தேன்
அவள் நட்பை யாசித்தேன்
அவள் பண்பை நேசித்தேன்
வேறென்ன நான் சொல்ல oh yeah

ஐந்து புலன்களும் என் மனமும் சந்திக்கத் துடிக்கும் என் பொண்டாட்டி என் பிள்ளைக்காக சமர்ப்பிக்கிறேன்....

I am almost immersed in this song, partly gone neurotic, fully intoxicated. இதில் மீள வழி உள்ளது, ஆனால் மனம் விரும்பவில்லை.

What school means.......... and what it doesnt

A vast majority of us grew up thinking that school was the be all and end all of life - atleast at that age. But as we grow older, the meaning of school either grows paler or atleast finds its own place amongst a million other things of our lives.

I still remember fighting for one mark and two marks with the answer papers running behind teachers, as though it meant my life. It did - at that time. I have missed ranks by a few marks and have missed a birthday's celebrations. Because my mom, wanted nothing but the first rank. I was rank no.3 so no 9th birthday celebrations. Period.

I think back now. What did it do to my life? Yes,I got the first rank next year in standard 5, but so what?? It didnt change my life. I am living in London now, where I meet people from different countries. I can chip in some bits whenever somebody starts a conversation about their country - from Geography lessons I learnt in standard 8. Again, so what?? What if I didnt know that Tripoli is the capital of Libya??

But school is not without its credit. For some, school does shape their lives, their opinions and person. For instance, I myself developed my love for literature from school days - a passion which I have been pursuing till date. School romance, popularly known as 'puppy love' is man's first brush with the hormones associated. Although very few would vouch that it is their only hope to freedom!!

But good or bad performance in school simply doesnt determine life. One, because it is so far removed from the "actual life" that there is so much happening between school and the "actual life" which can change life events dramatically for the better or worse. I wish parents realised that. I feel it ridiculous to chase toddlers and kindergarten kids into pressure to 'perform' - a pressure which they never win over. Throughout our lives we are under some goddamned pressure to perform before somebody - with no reason, ofcourse! That is the evil of school days. You learn a bad lesson - for life! As though life is measured on a 5-point scale and you constantly have to be good or excellent against your neighbour.

So how do we make school meaningful? School should open children to numerous avenues giving them time to assimilate and digest each of them at their own pace. I was lucky enough that I picked up literature as a lifelong passion. How many are that lucky?? Were you??

Lazy scribblings

The bug seems to have caught me. I finally succumbed to the creative urge which is so easily fueled by the climate both literal and metaphorical here in London. Those huge buildings, the lush green meadows, and the air of romance percolates ever so much in this society during the weekdays and takes a downpour during the weekends. This society neatly divides itself into two lives - one for the weekdays and the other for the weekends. The weekend one is what has caught my imagination since. And I am enjoying it. Will fill this blog with more and more words as and when I get the adequate creative fodder.