7G Rainbow Colony (2004)

Starring: Ravi Krishna; Sonia Agarwal; Vijayan, etc.
Director: K. Selvaraghavan
Music Director: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Award:
2004 Filmfare Awards South:
* Yuvan Shankar Raja for Best Music


I was intrigued by the title of the film, which is the main reason why I even gave this film a chance -- &, interestingly enough, ended up LOVING it!

The plot is simple -- & quite overused by now: hot-headed boy falls in love with a serious girl; she rejects him; he persists until she agrees. Seriously, how many times have we been witness to this big bowl of mess? Can't producers concoct a better story? Is this the mother of all stories that seems to repeat along every three films out these days & since the birth of cinema? Why, why, oh, why? But, why NOT? ;)

Despite a rather tiring plot, what stands out in particular from this film is the acting -- especially that of Ravi Krishna who plays the role of Kadhir: the big-mouthed, disrespectful, good-for-nothing bully of the neighborhood. He is the master of the town, the one all young boys love to imitate, & all women are afraid to be cross with. He has zero ounce of patience, sees no future in him, & his idea of fun is spending the nights roaming around the streets & drinking beer with his equally-loser-fied (is that a word?) group of friends. It is not until the arrival of Anitha (Sonia Agarwal), the new girl of the town, that seems to cool his aggressiveness a bit.

Towards the beginning, he does what every boy in his right mind would do -- flirts -- but ends up falling head-over-heels with her -- to the point where she becomes so annoyed & so tired of his antics that she falls back in love with him (fellas, take a note of this). Meanwhile, Anitha's parents have chosen a well-to-do boy (uhm, not really! He is as annoying as someone constantly calling your phone to talk about absolutely NOTHING of worth while you're trying desperately to sleep.) for their daughter; they force her into marriage since, apparently, this guy's family has helped them financially during their rough times.

There is a certain portion of the film close to the end that is quite unlike the Anitha we witness throughout the movie: in the name of her close friend's wedding, she lies to her family & goes to the hotel with Kadhir, claiming that she would "give herself to him" so that a part of Kadhir would always be with her (their child). Touching? Yes! Sweet? Absolutely! "Girl, are you nuts?" DEFI-freakin'-NITELY!

All is well & sublime, until...

SPOILER:

...while crossing the street with Kadhir, a car hits her & she is pronounced dead. Don't you just DESPISE when, just when you think these two lovebirds would live the age-ol' "happily ever after," such a thing happens? Many a times I have thrown my shoe at the screen -- this time it was certainly not an exception.

What is even more sad & messed-up is when Kadhir gains "consciousness" while laying on his hospital bed, he "sees" Anitha smiling at him & telling him to come with her. This leads him to ask his friends where she is & whether they could take him to her. At first they disapprove, saying that she is fine & is sleeping; but, when he persists, they finally do. What a way to find out that your beloved has been taken away from your life!!

Prior to the credits rolling, Kadhir tells Anitha's parents that he took advantage of her, failing to tell the truth to save their daughter's honor.

The movie, then, is forwarded to years later, when Kadhir is an MBA graduate, working in a prestigious company (for Anitha's sake, since that's what she wanted him to become), sitting on a bench waiting for Anitha to come. Love is so cruel...yes, IT IS!!

I was told this is based on a real-life event. I was also given the name of the person it was based on, but failed to find anything of such sort on my researching ventures. Anyone with any clue as to the validity of these claims is welcome to provide their output.

Raam (2005)

http://www.zshare.net/video/64081643743b661c/ - Part 1
http://www.zshare.net/video/64082570be47ec27/ - Part 2
http://www.zshare.net/video/6408345251b5bb43/ - Part 3
http://www.zshare.net/video/64084082b582bb9f/ - Part 4
http://www.zshare.net/video/640847881e54a721/ - Part 5
http://www.zshare.net/video/6408542575bfb6ce/- Part 6
http://www.zshare.net/video/64086300d1329829/ - Part 7
http://www.zshare.net/video/64087169a698e601/ - Part 8
http://www.zshare.net/video/640879290722c4e8/ - Part 9
http://www.zshare.net/video/64088557de51bf13/ - Part 10
http://www.zshare.net/video/64089365fa1f8e0b/ - Part 11
http://www.zshare.net/video/640898770d9c2204/ - Part 12
http://www.zshare.net/video/640908618f15ded1/ - Part 13
http://www.zshare.net/video/64094239be6a88bb/ - Part 14 (Final Part)
Starring: Jeeva (as Raam), Gajala (as Karthika), Saranya (as Raam's mother, Saratha), etc.
Director: Ameer Sultan
Music Director: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Award(s):
* Cyprus International Film Festival (2006):

- Jeeva as Best Actor
- Yuvan Shankar Raja for Best Music


Raam is the story of a hot-headed youth, obsessed with the quest for peace & harmony in humanity. It deals with the life of a young man whose life is shattered with the murder of his beloved mother. His ability to cope with the pain & the uttermost curiosity in finding the murderer makes the plot of the film.

The film begins at the very scene of the murder. Group of police officers & countless neighborhood citizens have gathered around the exact house where the event has taken place, all with one goal in mind: to find the killer. Inside the house, a body is laying on the ground, the white, silken sari dripping with blood. Next to her is her very own son, laying in a similar position, soundless, having forever abandoned this world -- or, has he?

In order to enter the house -- since all of the doors & windows have been securely shut -- the police officers find a tiny crack in the roof, tie a rope from the top, & one of them descends to where the two bodies are located. At first sight, he finds nothing absurd or extraordinary about what his own eyes are showing him; however, within a two minutes' time, the second body (that of the son) starts moving, he opens his eyes, helps himself up, & sits down on the chair with the bloody knife in his hand. Amazed at what he has just witnessed & unable to move, the officer screams off the top of his lungs for others to pull him up. Upon doing so, the son (Raam) is handcuffed & taken to prison for charges of murder.

The entire film, thereafter, deals with the officers' difficulty in finding the "real" murderer, having received no negative comments by Raam's friend about him being the potential killer. We are taken on a journey to the life of Raam & his mother through flashbacks, both showing such love & affection to one another. Though the flashback itself, we obtain an understanding of the real Raam: one who is quiet, yet aggressive, short-tempered, yet generous. He speaks to no one aside from his mother, nor does he expect much from others. He has only one close friend (whose father is a police inspector) & even he starts showing fear toward him when, one day, he witnesses Raam fighting with four hooligans who were in an attempt to rape a lone girl.

The police inspector's own daughter, Karthika, is also very much in love with Raam against his father's wishes. He blames Raam for this & wants his daughter to stay as far away from him as possible.

While sleeping in his cell, Raam is waken, only to find his old friend (the inspector's son & Karthika's brother) standing in front of him. He tells Raam that the best way to deal with this situation would be to turn himself in, in order to prevent future damages. While speaking, Raam notices the buttons on his friend's jacket & secretly & quietly rips one. Once his friend leaves & the inspector comes for a questioning, Raam hands him two buttons: one that had been in his hands the entire time since the murder & the new one that he had just ripped from his son's jacket -- both the same! Astonished & speechless, the inspector inquires his own son about them, only to have him admit to being the murderer. He explains that one day, while he was smoking hallucenogenic drugs, Raam's mother, Saratha, was doing laundry & noticed him hiding in his secret getaway. Threatening to call his father & notify him of his son's doings, he took the knife & killed her. While falling back, Saratha grabbed his jacket & here is when the button had fell on the ground -- later to be found by Raam.

Meanwhile, the head inspector hears everything. The minute he walks through the door & starts questioning him, the inspector's son shoots both the head officer & his own father, fleeing from the place as fast as his legs can take him.

When the public find out about the real murderer, Raam is set free & he concocts a plan to find & kill him. Eventually, he finds his friend's hiding spot, opens the door, & sees Karthika laying on the ground, shivering from fear. The movie finishes with Raam pulling the trigger on his friend, leaving us with a huge smile on his face in knowing that he has fought for justice -- for himself, for the public, &, most importantly, for his mother.

Nayagan (1987)

Starring: Kamal Hassan (as Velunayakan), Saranya (as Neela, Velu's wife), Janagaraj (as Selva, the little boy who shows young Velu to his future home with the poor man & his daughter), etc.
Director: Mani Ratnam
Music Director: Ilayaraaja
Award(s): 1988 Silver Lotus Award for Kamal Hassan as Best Actor

Many label Mani Ratnam's classic Nayagan (Hero) as the "Indian Godfather" -- but I digress, not necessarily because both fail to hold a common link between them, but more so due to the very idea of this juxtaposing itself: we have got to stop this comparing deal once & for all! There is no point in comparing two works of art together because that only brings forth arguments by opposing parties &, at the end of the day, devalues the combined efforts of the producer(s) & the director(s) in desperate attempt to make as unique of a film as possible.

Nayagan, much like customary Ratnam fashion, intertwines the concept of politics & everyday life. On one side, you have the hot-headed-yet-generous Velunayakan (Kamal Hassan) who has the entire village folk supporting his every move & on the other, corrupt corporate officials who misuse their power for their own good.

The film begins with the shooting of Velunayakan's father by the police officials, whereon the young boy, agonized & mentally bruised, kills the very officer on the night of his father's cremation. Upon doing so, he flees the place &, on a chance encounter with a young boy of his age, is taken to a poor home where the father agrees to meet his daily needs & provide a roof over his head. Eventually, he learns that his caregiver earns the little money that he has by being a "safeguard" for those exporting illegal substances via ships. Years pass, &, due to his father's illness, he volunteers to continue the "family business." In the village, he is respected & admired for playing the role of a caretaker for the helpless & the happless, garnering tremendous support from every citizen. One day, while visiting a brothel, he agrees not to sleep with the young girl of fourteen/fifteen, in an exchange that she continue studying for her exams. Their interactions later blossom into love & he proposes marriage to her. She eventually gives birth to two children. What seems to be a happy family of four only turns into a nightmare when the family is constantly threatened by outside forces, commanding that Velunayakan allow them to continue with their vicious acts of smuggling & the like. When he objects, they shoot his wife. (One of the very beautiful scenes in the film is this exact shot, where, upon shooting, the wife falls down from the balcony. The minute Velu notices it, he comes for rescue, grabbing his saree, only to have his wife roll out of the attire unto the downstairs concrete, leaving him with the fabric in his hand.)

Meanwhile, police are on a search for his body. As his children age into young adults & he goes grey-headed, he orders his helpers to murder those who are considered to be threats to the village. His daughter witnesses the act one day & provides an ultimatum: either he put an end to it all or she is gone! When she can no longer take it, she flees the house. He gets the shocking news that his son is dead when he sees his burned body covered in white fabric, laying on the ground. Deeply hurt & helpless, he decides to turn himself into the police, only to find out that the officer set to arrest him is none other than his daughter's, Selva's, husband (she is now married & has one son whom she deprives her father from seeing, claiming that she doesn't want to associate her child with a criminal don that is her own flesh & bone -- her dad).

The last few minutes of the film deals with him being taken to the court for hearings, resulting in his release due to the vocal support shown by the many villagers, aggressively showing their neverending support toward their "lifesaver."

Toward the beginning of the film, he kills one of the corrupt police officers & ends up supporting his wife & mentally-challenged boy via money. Unbeknownst to the young boy that this so-called "supporter" is the very murderer of his father, he grows up & later proposes that he become Velunayakan's personal officer (as a sign of respect for his father). During the last few minutes of the film, through sheer accident, he is informed of his father's death, arrives at the scene of the court hearing, & shoots the one who he had vowed to protect 'til the end of time, thus, shattering the wish of the villagers: that, one day, they will be reunited with their Velu - The Village Protector.

This is a Mani Ratnam production, so nothing short of great entertainment was expected.

The following song -- sung by Kamal himself & recurring multiple times throughout the movie -- is definitely one of the many highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy-DZpEEOg4

Here's a catchy & fun song between Velunayakan's right-hand man & a dancer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeU8QrRv7Jc

Katrathu Tamizh (2007)

http://www.zshare.net/video/64097897420843ff/ - Part 1
http://www.zshare.net/video/64099209811a5aeb/ - Part 2
http://www.zshare.net/video/64120681e1afe0a3/ - Part 3
http://www.zshare.net/video/64123736abe07048/ - Part 4
http://www.zshare.net/video/646508174743aa04/ - Part 5
http://www.zshare.net/video/6465367543204341/ - Part 6



Starring: Jeeva (Prabhakar), Anjali (Anandhi), etc.
Director: Ram
Writer: Ram
Music Director: Yuvan Shankar Raja

Katrathu Tamizh. Innocence. Innocence lost amongst the realities of life -- the reality that brings joy & unmeasurable luck to one, while crushes the other to bones & ashes. Even when you have absolutely nothing in life, no wealth, no prestige, or even a place to call your home, you can rest in peace knowing that it is all in your mind: your mind controls your path to destiny, writes the "script" to your future -- good or bad. But what happens when you lose the key to your "safety box"? Are you, then, considered a nobody? Do you still exist? Are you still...you?

From the first look, Katrathu Tamizh -- translated into 'I Learned Tamil'/'Tamil is What I Learned' -- seems to portray the life of an average Tamil graduate, battling the many brutalities of the phenomenon that is life; however, as the film unfolds, one obtains a broader understanding: that the circumstances the protagonist, Prabhakar (Jeeva), is a part of are merely secondary & that the "real" objective of the film lies beyond just that.

In a nutshell: Prabhakar is a Tamil post-graduate, having finally secured a position of a teacher in an elementary-level schooling. Through a misunderstanding regarding outdoor smoking rules, he ends up in jail, is humiliated by being pressured to sit in a room full of prison mates with a mere undergarment, escapes from prison, & allows his legs to take him where they please -- even if it means to the door of a murderer, which is what he becomes through sheer accident. Eventually, his "infatuation" toward murder comes to a point where he resorts to killing as his escape from pain. By abducting a television anchor, he forces him to capture his revealings to the public via a video camera (e.g., how he accompanies a group of what might be considered by some as "hippies," grows his hair, loses his mind in the process, &, upon a chance encounter, rekindles his love with his childhood sweetheart, only to end a life as tragically as it had begun).

One may label the film as just a "big bowl of violence," but there is more to it than meets the eye. For one, the scenes revolving around the police officers convey a message of hypocrisy & corruption, as they blatantly misuse their powers for their own good. There seems to be a lack of "respect," for a lack of a better term, for professionals in the academic realm, as witnessed by the movie; even Prabhakar's college professor humiliates him for having majored in something as "unvaluable" as Tamil, with such excellent grades, when he could've easily partook in something more "prestigious," say, Engineering. This failure in crediting the occupation is beautifully demonstrated in a particular scene between Prabhakar & a college mate who, despite a stupendous academic background, has secured a career, with an income greatly surpassing his friend's.

The only drawback I found in the film was Prabhakar's way of dealing with the so-called "unappreciative" people, showing frustration toward those who showed no sign of respect to his profession. Regardless of being aware of the realities of life, he demanded something which he knew was impossible; he was well aware life in a teacher's shoes -- or, at least, should have -- yet seemed astonished when the public failed to meet up to his expectations.

Katrathu Tamizh is director Ram's debut film. It has gained immense critical acclaim, despite losing out on commercial success. According to an anonymous source, having spent an incredible amount of wealth on the film's completion, the director has been found roaming around the streets, only leaving behind a gem of a production that needs absolutely no introduction.