Thuppakki - My View

The title of the movie 'Thuppakki' - A gun or a pistol, whatever it translates to suggests that it is an action movie and so it is. So there is no disjoint on that. Whoever is looking to watch an action movie can take a cue from the title and definitely proceed with it.

 

The introduction of Vijay in the movie is with a small fight sequence but is not that impressive. The film promotions have been boasting about his appearance in this movie. Though there is nothing special about his stylish appearance (I believe he has been more stylish in other movies), but he does carry a sophisticated look, which in my opinion is definitely something new.

 

Kajal does look gorgeoous in the movie, but I fail to understand the need of her presence in the movie. In the promotion of the film, much has been talked about the love story between the her and Vijay, surprisingly I saw none. Much was talked about the comic nature of the scenes when the hero and the heroine meet, but again there is no merit to that. In my opinion, whenever she comes, the movie pauses a bit, as if the director wants the audience to take a break. If at all he wanted it to be a comical sequence, he could have scripted the scenes better.

 

As far as the comical sequences in the movie as a whole, it is not very appealing. Again, the script could have been better. Moreover, Jayaram being a veteran actor should not have agreed to such kind of comedy. I understand, an actor has to go by director's view, but I am sure Jayaram's opinion could have counted.

 

The music has failed to create any magic. But I must admit that the dance sequence have been very refreshing. No doubt that Vijay is a choreographer's delight, but off late he has been repeating many of the steps in the his dances. But this movie is different. The choreography was excellent, each song had different steps. They were a treat to watch.

 

As far as the heart of the movies goes, i.e. the plot, I believe is new to our cinema. The director has handled it very well. So far what we have seen in our cinema is physical duel between the hero and the villan. The mind game between the two in this movie was definitely an interesting one. I feel that the climax could have been still better. An abrupt end to the duel does not help the  regular audience believe that all is over.

 

Overall, even if this movies may not be a must watch movie, but one can definitely watch it once if they wish for an entertainment.

 

If I have to rate this movie on a scale of five, I would give it a three - 3/5.

Fete

One of my favourite memories from my school time had been the 14th November Fete, which is something that I even miss today.

I left Modern Public School (where I had spend my good part of school life) in September 1994 and I wrote this in November 1994 hoping that I will go there and read it out to my classmates, but it never happened.

I am using this forum for the same, after good 18 years.

हम इतनी दूर से आए हैं देखने को Fete,
हम भला वक़्त क्यों गवाएँ देखने में rate.
हमें तो only भरना है अपना पेट,
इसलिए हमें money के चक्कर में मत कराओ wait.
हम  नहीं हैं कोई सेठ,
जो झट से जेब में हाथ डाले और कहलाएं great.
आप थे हमारे classmate,
हमें मत दिखाओ बहार का gate.
साल में बस एक ही बार आता है यह date,
और फिर भी करते हो आप late.
अरे हटाओ यह slate,
जिस पर लिखा है यह मनहूस rate.
झटपट पकड़ो मुझे एक plate,
Be sure, I will not pay for what I eat :)

Forgive the rawness, it was just my 3 rd attempt to small poems :)

Stretched myself to limit after a long time

Today I had to visit a place in Tambaram, a place at a distance of 25 km (shortest distance by road). When I took out my motor bike at 2 PM, I found that the telescopic suspension of the front wheel was leaking. So that meant that I could not take my bike. Going by public transport was ruled out as there was no straight forward way to reach my destination and that required multiple hops as well. But I had to go to that place today at any cost.

So I took the most bravest decision of recent past. I decided to test my physical endurance.  I decided to travel this distance on a bicycle and that too in Chennai traffic. Not that I have not traveled on bicycle on long distance in the past. But not in the recent past. The last time I had traveled in bicycle was in year 2001 when I was a student and even then, the maximum distance that I would have traveled one way was 20 kms. This time it was 25 kms minimum, one way and that too I was riding bicycle (long distance) after a gap of 11 years.

Moreover, I have not made any attempt to test my physical endurance limits in the last 4 years. Also, I have been very careful after I got a niggle in my right knee in January 2010. Last time when I made such attempt was when I was in Belgium. It was in August 2008, when I participated in the famous Dodentocth (known as The Death Walk). One has to walk a distance of 100 km in 24 hours. In my previous attempt in year 2007, I finished the walk in 23 hours 50 minutes. So in 2008, I had kept myself a target of under 20 hours. So if walking a distance of 100 kms was not enough to test one's endurance, a target like that was an ambitious one, which I realized during my walk. My start was very good, I guess I completed the 50 kms mark in around 9 hours, so my target looked very much possible. Then my body started giving up and I slowed down. After my 80 kms mark, I was walking barely at a pace of 4 kms/hr. When I reached the 94.6 km mark in 19 hours 20 minutes, making 100 km mark under 20 hours seemed to be at distant dream. I was disappointed and when I reached the 95 kms mark, I do not know what came to my mind, I decided that I will not give up. I started running hoping to complete the distance of 100 kms in 20 hours. Imagine, after walking 95 kms, completely drained physically, I decide to travel the last 5 kms in approx 35 minutes. I still do not know if that was courage or foolishness. But I made it in exactly in 20 hours. As if walking 100 kms was not enough, running that 5 kms in 35 minutes was definitely stretching myself to limits. So that was the last time I remember when I stretched myself to my limits physically. That was long long back.

Some of you might ask, what about Umpiring that I do. Does it not test me physically? Yes, it does test one's physical endurance, but I do not feel, I have been challenged to my limits. I have not done multi-day games either. Moreover, I feel it challenges one mentally more than physically.

After I got the niggle in my knee, I have not been doing anything that could keep me fit physically. Let me tell you that I have not yet got over that trouble with my knee. I still feel very uncomfortable with my knee. So deciding to travel that distance was not going to be easy. Remember, it is not just one way, I have to return as well. So it was going to be 50+ kms on a single stretch and that too in the scorching heat of Chennai and in the humid atmosphere. I am not exaggerating. So I set out on my journey. It was all going good. The first signs of strain came up as soon as I crossed the 20 kms mark. My throat had dried. I stopped besides a tender coconut vendor. I drank the coconut water and set out again. Though I was feeling that strain, I was still feeling ok and capable of making the distance. I reached my destination without any issues. So I had done the first part. For me, this itself was an achievement, traveling a distance of 25+ kms in one stretch and my body had not given up. I completed it in 1 hour 25 minutes, which I feel is a good timing as well. After reaching my destination, I had to climb stairs and only then I realized the effect of my travel. I climbed with some difficulty, but it was still manageable. 

The actual challenge was now, when I had to travel the same distance to return back to my home. I started with confidence. The fact that my body was holding up well after a travel of 25 kms made me believe that it was not going to be that difficult for me to return. As I anticipated, it was not very difficult. It took me the same time to return back to my home. I did stop in between to have some water and sugarcane juice. When I reached my home, I felt really elated. As I said, I have not been playing any sport or doing any activity to keep myself physically fit, in the last 3.5 years and to be able to travel a distance of 50+ kms  without much problem makes me feel very good. My knee also seems to be ok.

I know it is too early to feel good. I have to see how my body holds up after I wake up tomorrow. But that is tomorrow, let me feel good for now :). If my body responds well, then I will continue with these long distance rides and try to push myself in each subsequent attempt.