Adorable!!

Kids say the darndest things. I thought my brat was exceptionally so. But get a load of these wee folks. You won't stop laughing! Don't forget the comments!

trains passing...

Do you ever wonder what happened to them? The girl who talked dime to a dozen in class, the one who could make anyone laugh, the teachers who helped shape you and went away, the ones you couldn't stand and vice versa, the peddlar in the train who sold you bangles regularly, the co-passengers who couldn't tolerate your noise thereby making you noisier, that boy you had a crush on... Where did they go?

You meet someone and they make an impression on you even if you don't realize it right away. You will probably never see them again. Some might have moved on to different dimensions. But they remain frozen in your memories. Would you want to meet them again? That could kill those memories. Aren't they safer as they are? Safe to be relived anytime you wish.

Sister sister

Being a single child, I was determined that my girl would have a sibling and she did gain one. There are times when one of us gets tired of the other. The two girls cannot sit next to each other without getting into a tiff within a short while. It usually ends with the younger one running to one of the parents complaining about the big bully. Most times, the truth is otherwise. But she follows the policy of she who yells the loudest gets heard the best. I have heard that dad and aunt had similar incidents.

Yesterday evening, we were waiting for dinner to be ready (cooker cool down) and the older one was going to take her shower. When it is dark, she is scared of going to any floor when no one else is around. We have tried to not indulge her in this and she has learnt her lesson. Her workaround is to drag the little one for company. This is one of the few times they don't fight.

The other times being when the little brat wants something from her big sis. She wanted to sit next to her in the flight. Only so that she could get to watch her favorite shows on the personal tv. Or help her with the computer games that the brat is currently fascinated with.

Life's little pleasures for the mom, surely. Squeezed in between long and frustrating bouts of mediation.

Tri-color blues

Every Sunday night, there is a dip in the moods thinking about the heavy week ahead. This feeling is heightened especially after a vacation. An India trip is followed by a week of listlessness. A feeling of being in limbo. I noticed that I don't suffer alone in this. Part of it is jetlag, but a lot of it is also because we are trying to fit in with two diverse worlds. While in India, I get this feeling of no longer belonging there, an alien in my native land. Towards the end of the trip, I am actually looking forward to coming back 'home'. The constant noise gets to me, if nothing else. After the return, everything doesn't fall in place right away. Something jars. An eerie silence. What am I doing here so far away from my kith and kin! But there is no returning, at least for me. My world is right here, in between these two. I have this far-off hope of returning someday, but I really cannot. Because, what I want is to return to the home of 20 years ago. Or it could be that I am suffering from a serious case of indigestion after indulging in all that jet airways food.

We have this tradition of carrying a pack of sweets when visiting our near and dear. So when a bunch of them visited, they all brought some and they were all boxes of mysore pak. After a careful analysis, I have decided that Aavin's mysore pak (I thought they only had that sinfully yummy therattipaal that I single-handedly demolished) beats others hands down. Melts in the mouth even after languishing in the fridge for a whole day (the paak, not my mouth). It didn't last past that. Unfortunately, I didn't get to buy more of it. So I have this unfulfilled wish to get/make myself some. I used to make them quite often before the carpal tunnel days and I don't want to buy the rock hard ones.

Now, since I currently have the upper hand in the battle of the binges and bulges, I probably should weather it out, hoping that this craving dies a quiet death.
It is rare to find myself down a few pounds post a vacation, especially one to the land of chaats, dosas, halwa, theratti pal and whatnots. I think if I focus on that, plus the scrubbing and cleaning that would be involved in the post-process, I think I might prevail.

What vacation?

Except for the somnambulism, it feels like a dream (he he, couldn't resist).
The 3-week trip went quickly as a wink and we are back to almost normal. Thanks to the cutlet from the spencer's super market in Ashok Nagar or thereabouts, a week of my precious vacation was spent recuperating from the dreaded belly bout. And so the remaining 2 weeks had to be extra packed to make up. Did a little bit of everything and a lot of shopping. Most of the time was spent waiting in traffic though. Arcot Road has become a parade ground - traffic-wise. So everywhere we went, the driver took us through panagal park (can you believe it, it is less crowded!).

Even though we have shifted base (within chennai), I didn't miss my childhood home at all, love my current place there. They even have a party hall that we used for the little one's big day. Seemed to prefer mom's cooking this time, rather than haunt the local eatouts.

Of course, we did eat out, although not as madly as our last trip. Tried the lunch buffet at Annalakshmi once. Having been turned away once before for lack of a reservation, I reserved a day ahead for the big family lunch we planned. We got there and found that they had cancelled our reservation because we didn't call again to confirm. Quite unprofessional of such a good restaurant. We had to wait a bit to be seated, but the food was awesome.

The Venkateswara boli stall on Arya Gowder road will probably remember me quite well. We were there almost everyday in the hopes of getting their famous alu bonda. It runs out quite fast and we missed it a few times. Their wheat halwa is also out of the world. There are 2 such stores (independent of each other) right next to each other, and the one closer to brindavan st is the (original) one I frequent.

Copper point @ GRT Grand days has some good dishes. Loved their alu roast and mirchi ka salan, along with the masala kulcha. The kids tried the alu dum and paneer butter masala, which didn't lack either.

I did visit Saravana Bhavan (my usual haunt) a few times, but the stomach didn't quite appreciate it.

Did a bit of soaking in the chennai season. Loved, absolutely loved, Urmila Satyanarayan's rama rasanubhavam. Excellent choreo, abhinaya, posture, accompaniments, can't say enough. Beautiful depiction of Guhan, Hanuman and Ravana, to mention a few. Priya Govind was at her usual best, with a margam. Loved vishamakara kanna, which seems to be this season's popular number. Her acompanying artists were excellent. Malavika Sarukkai's Ganga was a wash out (pun very much intended) in comparison. Lacked the vibrancy of the Ganga. After making the audience wait outside for almost 1/2 hour, the first song was about the flow of Ganga, at its sluggish best. Only one that I slightly enjoyed was the depiction of three events on the river - a lovers' tryst, a mother's angst and a devotee's prayer. Much of the performance was about the river's flow - literally. Have to say, most of the audience seemed to be from out here. There was a healthy number from the DC area alone.

Crazy Mohan's chocolate Krishna was very entertaining and a good time pass. The special effects (magic tricks) were relished by the girls, who were a little lost with the quick wit. But even they got some of the jokes. Got to see the well-touted mayor during a short break in the play.

Took the kids to VGP universal (golden beach to us old hands). They loved everything about it. The big letdown, ofcourse, was the restroom facilities. Totally grossed out.

Traffic was unbelievable. Looks like everyone has some kind of vehicle and they are all out at the same time. And the cup of public transport still overfloweth.

As my mom insisted (truly) that I buy some gold, I visited the new GRT, quite a few times. My biggest whine about it is the time it takes to bill and pay for the items. And I had to go quite a few times and towards the end, I vowed to switch my loyalty to a different store, if at all we are able to afford the gold prices in the future.

The one thing that I wanted to do, and didn't get around to, was catch a movie on the big screen there. Would have loved to take the kids to panchamritham.

Jet airways was very comfortable, especially since the kids were busy with their personal entertainment centers. Caught a bunch of good movies and loved their food.

Into the world of make believe

I am totally addicted. I realized today that I have this intense craving to read. I have to read everyday, be it a boring news article or the latest paperback thriller. I have been reading a bit of this and that over the last few months that needs to be blogged about. When I read fiction, it is extremely hard for me to get out of it, and I envy those that can allot specific times to read.

First, my friend introduced me to the Black Jewels trilogy. BTW, why is it called a trilogy when there are around 6 books in the series! Although three books form one story and the rest are offshoots. Anne Bishop is the author and the books were unputdownable. I read through the night and finished it at about 3:15 AM. Fantasy has never been a favorite of mine, but I venture now and then. This one hangs somewhere equidistant from both fantasy and romance genres.

Currently, I am reading the second book of Michael Scott's Flammel series. Yes, the same Flammel made famous by Harry Potter in Sorcerer's stone. The first one, The Alchemyst, was an action packed read, targeted towards the teen audience. The second one is Magician and continues the story. Most of the characters are drawn from history.

Talking about juvenile fiction, the other one I am hooked to is the last apprentice series by delaney. I never was a fan of horror until this series.

A new mystery series that I randomly picked, the Blackbird mystery series turned out to be a good choice.

Jeffrey Archer's False Impressions was a nice ride. Typical of his books, the female protagonist wields her wit to overcome her adversaries.

Bebris gets back to Austen with Matters at Mansfield and just being in Austenland, albeit borrowed, is wonderful.

Then the new Nora Roberts book that I am saving for the flight, coz all her books are 'unputdownable' and I cannot afford that right now. I have a few more books in the pipeline, including the beedle one, that will have to wait until after I cross the seven seas and seven mountains (+ or - a few).

Of the movies that I enjoyed recently, I have to mention Varanam aayiram and Poi solla porom. Loved Surya in the first, and the freshness in the second. I thought that the story was good in VA, but lacked something in the dialogs. Didn't seem to flow naturally. Why, o Why did he choose Sameera Reddy? Absolutely love the songs. PSP was refreshing with the story and humor, with Naazar and Mouli doing excellent work.

Then there was Dostana, a thoroughly enjoyable fare. Of course, politically incorrect. But then, when has bollywood shied from that. Right from Padosan, taking digs at any section of society have always yielded laugh riots. So, except for Bobby D, nothing jarred in the movie for me. John's 6 and Aby Jr's acting made it extremely watchable. Priyanka right after watching Fashion (gritty fashion scene wonderful kangana) was a bit too much on the senses. I watched Mumbai meri jaan, would you believe it, just before hearing about the terror strike there. Well made movie, got me wondering why people enjoy inflicting such horror on others and the same things were probably happening around the same time.

May be this trip will see me at a chennai theater. The last one I saw there was tenali at the (extremely) stinky ssr there.

counting down

A few more days before I visit home. Is it still home if it is a new home? Anyway, more than anticipation, there is this big need for rest. Not the usual heavy week, looking forward to the weekend kind, but something deeper. It will be a huge relief to see the man in my life again. For purely selfish reasons, to have a few hours to myself.

Saturday, a dialog with the tiny giantess -

brat: Mommy, when I grow up, will I get all your pretty stuff?

Me: What pretty stuff?

Brat: All the stuff to make my hair and face pretty.

Me: When you grow up, become a doctor (subliminal, eh?), earn loads of money and get whatever you want.

Brat: does that mean I have to buy everything, and not get anything of yours?

Me: You will probably get some of it. (Just to keep the peace)

I wondered if it was a case of tight fists or a fascination for what is there in front of her that got her going.

Brat: I want to be a doctor like Appa, he has money.

FYI, her view of 'lots of money', is a whole bunch of pennies, which of course the man is loaded with.

Me: Appa's kind of doctor doesn't make lots of money, you have to be the physical one.

Anyway, from there thoughts went to missing appa. She has always fascinated me with the way her mind works. She thinks everything through, which is more than what I can say for myself. That trait seems to have come from her athai.

Her latest topic of conversation is about death, rebirth and God. At this point, I think she has wrung me dry and probably knows more about it than me. For now, I stall her by saying she can ask Appa such questions when she sees him. I can't wait.

Life goes on...

Over the last few weeks, I have tried. I start to write a post but am unable to proceed beyond a few lines. An eventful month, to say the least.

It was not my dad and it shouldn't have hurt, but I had to go through it yet another time. My father in law passed away 3 weeks back and we have all changed. It was expected, yet unexpected. We knew he was counting his days, but hoped he would be around to see the kids one last time. But in a sense, there was closure for his kids, which I will never be able to claim. Every death, near or far, takes me back to those black days when I lost mine. A death at 80 is not as horrible as one at half that age. A loss is a loss, but there is also the feeling that a life was well-lived. It was time and the rest of the family took heart in the fact that we did our best for him.

The tough part is for the m-i-l, to be uprooted from the life she knew for the last 50 plus years. Granted, there are no responsibilites piled on her shoulders, but the move is going to be tough on her.

So, I have come out of that haze. Preparing to visit at a tense time adds to the stress of temporary single parenthood. But, beneath all that, I am getting a break for 3 weeks, which by then, I will fully deserve.

There is a new respect for my mom, and the other moms who went through this at a much younger age, bearing the responsibilities on their shoulders, taking care of home, hearth and business. There is a new appreciation for the paper chores that my hubby takes care of, that I have been trying to handle. There is a new confidence that I can take care of everything if I have to. Although there is definitely no inclination for that.

Gaayab, choley gaache?

No, I didn't! Been busy with a new job and more activities with kids.

Did my civic duty, which took an hour early in the morning. Longer lines are promising even though it is not the best when there is a meeting scheduled.

While I am here, I need to blow the trumpet a bit. Girl got into the final round of the regional 24 game. Got her mug in the local and all. This is a fun game. We use a deck of cards, pick 4 number cards and work it into an arith expression adding up to 24. You can +, -, X or /. It takes some getting used to and then you start seeing the patterns.

Imran Khan is so cute, looks ages younger, but still. Saw kidnap on sunday. As someone else reviewed, it was mostly a movie for guys, what with minisha lamba doing a mandakini a la ram teri...

Hari puttar was an unashamed copy of home alone and the funny knife scene from kungfu hustle (that is so funny, even when copied). And to think that there was a case against the movie. I think they filed it wrong. If instead of harry potter, the home alone guys had filed the suit, things would have been different. But then, we (as a nation) are experts in this kind of ulta-pulta only.

My younger one is going thru some j pangs as the older one gets some recognition. Big girl won a coloring contest recently (prize was a toysaurus gift card) and then the paper article. So the little one wants her pic in the paper too and dad has promised her one if she also wins a few laurels. Sowing the seeds of ambition. BTW, she wants to be a doctor. Why, because dad says that is where the money is. And she loves that. She is almost 6 and wants us to work more, so that we can make more money so that she can buy more stuff. matlabi! Can you imagine her at 20? Dad has started buying lottery every month or so.

Uh?

Call from a recruiter -
Client wants to know when my EAD expires.
me - Don't have one as I am a citizen.
Recruiter - so you have a green card?
me- ???

Question

Scenario common to a lot of Tamil movies -
wife/girlfriend/female lead is wayward. The hero gives a resounding whack on her cheek and hey, look, she is now the "model" Indian woman.

My question is, if the heroine were to do that to the wayward hero, will he reform? Or does it have to be the slow and patient, ever-forbearing way?

Huh?

True feminism

To me, it is when I don't have to worry if a leader is male or female, when being a female doesn't help or hinder what I want to be and where I want to go.

There are folks out there who think a woman's role is in the house. I did meet one dork like that, who insisted that his future wife would stay at home and he would deal with all outside matter. It is a different story that the wife he eventually married didn't think the same and the joke was on him. Then there are folks who think a woman should take over, irrespective of whether she has the ability, just by the virtue of being one.

When a person is not afraid to point at another's faults, without having to worry about being targeted by 'feminists'.

When a baby is born, and the first question people ask is how is he/she doing, not what gender.

When there are no more ads that promote fairness to be a stepping stone to success.

When having a female boss is not a big deal.

When a woman reaching the top is not a big news item.

And a personal favorite, slightly on the flippant side - when the woman of the house is no longer expected to cook.

True feminism is when it ceases to exist.

Information Quotient

So the McCain is trying to lure Clinton supporters with his new ad. And the average joe might be pulled. How many of us know what Clinton's policies were compared to Obama's and the Mc's?

So the guy hasn't faced the violence of war. May be that is a good thing. How does being a POW make you a capable leader?

The reporter wanted to know what Michele Obama was wearing for her speech. Go Figure!

Another article surveyed people regarding their voting preferences. One smart lady was a Clinton supporter, but now plans to move to the other side. Why? The name is too weird, doesn't sound American. Wants to vote for a true American (link1, link2). In a few decades, the majority of Americans will have such 'weird' names.

PS: I am thinking of investing in a dunkin donuts. Then buy a t-shirt, may be.

You mean, there are others?

Most of us are aware that Cheetah girls are doing bollywood tomorrow on Disney at 8pm EST. There was an interview in one of the newspapers and this line got me wondering:

Bailon: We got to see Mumbai, which was an amazing experience. That actually was the first place we ever went to, and it's like the third-noisiest city in the world.

That there are two other cities that rate higher than Mumbai in the noise index. I am assuming she didn't visit any other cities in India. So, what were those two?

The first time I visited India after moving to this country, was to my 'pukkaam' in Calcutta. I couldn't sleep for a few days, partly due to jetlag, but mostly because the street noises and bhajans ran through most of the night. Of course, it took only a few days to get back into the thick of it.

And then, I am reading a book that is partly based in Tijuana, Mexico, and it talks about horns blaring rather than brakes working, cause it is a sign of machoism there. Hmm! I think it goes much beyond that in India.

Oh Man!

You might want to go out and buy some watermelons. There is a sharp indication that the demand might go up. Check this out.

A Texas scientist says the fruit contains bioactive compounds that relax blood vessels, much like Viagra.

PS: All the puns were unintentional. So I say!

A month? really?

I didn't realize it has been more than a month since I last posted. Been busy, new job, adjustments, etc.
The younger brat starts public school this month. She is so excited. I hope she loves it as much as her other school. I am slightly anxious for her to fit in. Not just the fact that it is a move from a well-cherished montessori to a public one, but because she is a brat of the first order. Why, you ask? There we were waiting to pick up the older one from her camp, and this one gets carried away by curiosity and flicks the fire alarm switch. The building had to be vacated till they ok'ed it.
She can be highly amusing if you were not her parent.

We went to the mall the other day. Just a little one on one time for mom and dot. She looks at the dummy's dress in Pennys and advises me to lose some weight so I can wear such outfits. Do note here that her voice carries to a couple of nearby cities in her normal talking range.

She wants me to go to the hair salon, and make my hair straight like the other time. She doesn't like the curls. Oh, and color it blond.

She wants to be a dance teacher when she grows up. Not like athai or even amma, but like her ballet teacher. Boy, talk about coconuts!

Mike Man of the 80s

Anyone who lived through the glorious 80s tamil filmdom cannot forget the face that launched a lot of Ilaiyaraja's golden gems. He caused quite a craze among the teenagers and youth of that decade. And when you remember him, you visualize him with a mike. Such was his fame as a reel singer. Now there is news that he is back.

He was the quintessential singer, who would cough blood (or by any other means) and die at the end of the movie. His broken tooth (supposedly) added to his charm. S, my best friend during that time, was totally crazy about him. She would watch the movies very early on as her dad worked in the film world. The following Monday, we would be subject to the story recitation filled with her own brand of sarcasm. And during that period I never missed watching movies. Yes, during that time I hardly saw movies at the theater. Only dear DD. Anyways, she had this total crush on Mike Mohan and some of it rubbed off on us. She would describe the scenes, costumes, etc and for us, it was like watching the movie. I loved watching oliyum oliyum when his songs came up. And I can't think of him without thinking of her. She taught me a lot about humor.

I have lost touch with this dear friend and would really love to get back in touch with her. I think she is related to Suresh Krishna (SIL). If anyone knows her, please drop a note here.

I am not sure if he can capture the audience as he did decades ago, but he is going to try. Lucky us :-)

PS: Anyone know which sun tv serials he was involved in?

A feast for the eyes and the senses!

Opportune enough to be in town when Raja and Radha Reddy were performing at the SSVT in DC, I got to enjoy a wonderful performance. The auditorium seems to have updated(?) their sound system. As a result, there was some faulty wiring which caused us to wait outside until 6:30 (when it was scheduled). And then, to see that the first three rows were papered out. There was a 20 minute delay while they were getting the lights and sounds ready. When they closed the curtain, I thought that was also part of the testing phase. Thankfully, it was time for the show to start.

After a lengthy introduction, they started with maha ganapathi. I usually watch out for 2 things - good abhinaya and strong araimandi. Both seemed to be absent. I guess age has something to do with it. The second one was a tarana in eka tala by Pt. Ravishankar. Awesome composition. The dancing duo warmed up a little and it was enjoyable. They had added this piece in fill-in while their girls were getting ready, as they had just landed.

The next one, inarguably the best piece, was by Raja-Radha's daughter, Yamini. What amazing flexibility! Her Shiva tandavam was exceptional, her abhinaya for the navarasas, her footwork, her poses and especially her balance in holding those poses. I was impressed by how rigid her upper body was, when she went down in muzhumandi and back to araimandi. My younger girl declared her 'awesome' and decided she wants to do such poses when she 'growed' up.

Next was Bhavana's turn. But before that, the wiring went kaput and they had to change the sound system. Through all that, Bhavana stayed a pro and didn't move a muscle. While the other girl had showed her prowess in tandava, this one showed her prowess in laya. Oothukadu's composition on kalinga nardhanam was beautifully handled by her.

The finale was by Raja & Radha Reddy. The first half was the ras leela of Krishan and Radha, while the second was Krishna's gitopadesha to Arjuna. The duo were in their elements here. Except that Radha seemed to find the tai-ha-tai-hi sections a little too fast and her hands were below shoulder level. But they didn't seem to hinder the audience's enjoyment.

Usually, when a dancer's child performs, there is a more than normal critical eye watching for faults. The two girls seem to have surpassed their parents. Of course, they still have a way to go, but they are very much on the right track.

The live orchestra added the needed support. Nattuvangam was by Kausalya Reddy and was commendable.

On a tangent, Kausalya is Radha's siser and Raja's second wife. Bhavana is her daughter while Yamini is Radha's. But they seemed quite a team on stage. That in itself is something.

Of course, that has nothing to do with the fact that they put up a wonderful and amazing show.

Favorite literary characters

Altoid has tagged me and since this is a favorite topic of mine, I am going to be prompt at responding. I am sure I share a few of these at least, with fellow readers. While thinking about this, I remembered writing about it some time back. Good to know my memory is somewhat intact.

I had listed these then.
Scarlett O'Hara - of Gone with the Wind. A definition for optimism. The never say die woman, not perfect, but possessing a lot of strength.

Tracy Whitney - (If Tomorrow comes) Another one for strength, courage and smarts.

Howard Roark - (Fountainhead) Believed in his convictions.

Wooster and Bingo Little - (PGW creations) funny dudes

Dumbledore - (Harry Potter series) Basically, the likeable old guy. The grandfather figure. I still like him, inspite of the shades of grey in the last book.

Samwise Gamgee - (Lord of the Rings) loyal like Hanuman :-)

Elizabeth Bennett - (Pride and Prejudice) No pretense in the land of pretensions

Atticus Finch - (To kill a mocking bird)Good samaritan and a good father

Sirius Black - (Harry Potter series) the underdog, unlucky fella, true friend

Hercule Poirot - (Agatha Christie creation) for his grey cells

I have to add Ron Weasley to this list. Also, Draupadi as Chitra DB portrayed in palace of illusions. Then, there is Birbal from the ACK days, Cleopatra (a book I read long ago of the same name I think), Vandiyadevan (Ponniyin Selvan), inspector Sartaj Singh (Sacred Games), and many, many more. I know, only ten for the tag, but seriously, it is hard to limit to 10.

I will pass on the honors to Rads.

And the let down - The Ten

I had a lot of anticipation for Friday night, eager to see the ten on the big screen. The show, supposed to start at 7:45, started close to an hour late adding to the already long haul. Touted to be kind of a pathbreaker in make-up and special effects, it was a let down in those departments. I loved the chola period piece - although the movie failed to establish the connection between the past and present, except to show the statue resurfacing. A bit of a stretch there.

The violence that started in that first part didn't reduce in severity and that was a big drawback for the movie. Rather than adding to the movie, it took away. Does Kamal seem to prefer showing more than necessary violence in recent movies? It is not always needed. Thankfully my younger girl slept through it whereas my older one hid behind her fingers whenever it got gruesome. On hindsight, I would have preferred to have not taken them.

The make-up, oh the make-up. Enough has been said about the shoddy job done on the 'American' roles and the 'paati'. He did go through a lot of trouble to do it, but he needs to know when to draw the line. He could have had an international cast and the end result would have been much, much better. The Japanese role was slightly better.

The one that really took the cake was the telugu one. Balaram Naidu got the theater in splits. His face said it all, when a guy introduces himself as Narasimha Rao. His wig for the scientist role looked too artificial. Paati's role had some laughs too, but the make-up spoilt it. Poovaragan was good - the make-up, the accent and the walk. Some of the characters were well-etched. I would really love to see a spin off on Balaram Naidu, great potential there. Some of the characters seemed to have been added on, just to show what he could do with a bit of make-up.

Asin had a good role, suited her, though a little dumb at times. A huge cast, some of them showing up for hardly a minute or so, made it kind of hard to keep track of everything. Mallika Sherawat got a small role (considering the length of the movie). Tamil song in a las vegas strip(?) club. Gruesome end. If he could have, may be he would have done Asin's role too. When I said that to my s-i-l, her remark was that, it would have been 'asingam' instead of asin. A PJ, I know.

The climax was laughable w.r.t. special effects. Couldn't they do a better job of showing the tsunami? Looks like they ran out of money when it came to that. But the places where they show two (or more) Kamals fighting looked good. At times, you forget that some of these characters are done by the same person.

There was his usual debate about the existence of God. Why did they have the moorthy on stage when he gives his final speech? Considering his beliefs, the fact that he did the Nambi role with so much conviction and aplomb shows how good an actor he is.

Having said all that, the movie was entertaining, if you could forget the two major glitches (Makeup and special effects).