When a murder inspires........

Director Bharath Neelakandan's debut flick #K13 is a mystery thriller of a new genre.

Madhiazhagan played by Arulnidhi and Malarvizhi played by Shraddha Shrinath meet at a pub and hit off immediately. It happens in films...You see...After all the director has to convey so much just in a little over two hours...So we don't analyse and reason logically...

A fully drunk Madhi accompanies Malar to her home and the story takes a mysterious turn within the four walls of the 20th floor apartment.

Madhi is a struggling assistant director with scripts in his head and bits of papers stuck on the walls of his home. He visualises his scripts and dreams of becoming a director. Dreams take years to realise and Madhi struggles for 10 years in the industry without much progress. A worried mother serves an ultimatum to Madhi and a director friend serves a notice period of two days, urging Mathi to come up with a script soon or perish. A depressed Mathi approaches a psychiatric counsellor for help.

Malarvizhi is a writer who has thoughts in her head but has published only one book, without recognition, with the unsold copies neatly stacked in a drawer in her living room.

As all writers go through block phases, so does Malar. A relationship with a dear friend gone sour, allegedly over a misunderstanding, arising out of the real life story as depicted in her book, Malar who is already seperated from her parents, becomes a loner, cannot write anymore and in the process also suffers from depression.

K13 is a slow one room thriller, depicting clash of an individual with his creative instincts and how attempts without success can manifest into depression. The film manages to hold the attention of the viewers with some  powerful performances by both Arulnidhi and Shraddha, a clever screenplay that takes the story back and forth, so that an element of surprise and guessing is maintained throughout until the climax....

I will give the movie a 3&1/2 on 5. Go watch it and if the climax seems to confound, let me know....I will write about how a murder can inspire.....

WHEN NARCISSISM SHOWED THE WAY TO ALTRUISM !

When my FB timeline is flooded with vacation pictures and videos of the breathtaking hills and dales, valleys and highlands, lakes and waterfalls,  icy alps and the tulip gardens, waterfalls and the urban squares,deep gorges and canyons, cuisine from different parts of the world, I look at them, one by one and I pause...

My friends are on a holiday and I utter the golden words...

" Lokam Samsthaha Sukhino Bhavanthu."

Now, I rarely hit the like nor do i comment. Hurriedly, I log out....

Well ! Time is precious.....

I enjoy beauty, either real or in pictures and cherish nature that is so overwhelming. I admire nature and I thank the internet which takes me on virtual yet real locales. But there is nothing like being alive in the midst of nature as Julia Andrews would sing....The hills are alive with the sound of music and a Salzburg getaway is indeed an experience of a lifetime... I am happy for my friends and loved ones..I am at peace....

Why am I saying all this ? 

When I was new to FB, I was very excited as each one here who got together on this wall only to reconnect. It was a dream come true and childhood was revisited. School friends got in touch and were genuinely happy for one another. In the beginning, everyone started sharing info about themselves, albeit in excitement as one does when one meets a dear friend after many years. Rip Van Winklys had awakened from deep slumber and unmindful of the intervening years of separation, were united again. Friendship mattered and nothing else...

The intervening gap was not a decade or even two. Friends were meeting after three decades. A major part of their life span having been devoted to family, work and raising children, the 60s and 70s born emerged on this wall as mature individuals with á rich repertoire of experience. Having gone through highs and lows of life, here they were  at a stage to announce their accomplishments and social media readily provided them with the platform. All of a sudden, life was so interesting. It was a story of commoners in the midst of celebrities getting a taste of sudden fame. Well ! Total credit to FB for making all this happen. In the eagerness to know one another, posts and comments were liked, narcissism reared its ugly head and dopamine had its desired effect.

As they say, a new broom sweeps clean and this just applied to FB as well. Orkut had its limitations when FB was preferred but slowly boredom started creeping into this wall as well, Personal lives of ordinary people and achievements were no longer interesting, the reason being that jealousy had reared its ugly head too. The likes and praises kept coming but became insincere. The love, wow, and sad emojis seemed more relevant when people started using them judiciously, as if trying to show that the reaction is indeed genuine, certainly influenced by and wary of the online world where wishes and comments were increasingly seen as fake and not truly heartfelt. " Like " no longer meant the word in the dictionary....

All these observations and more based on personal interactions where friends gossipped about one another offline and praised them online were bitter experiences. I am sure all would have encountered such experiences at some point. That was when friends decided to part ways and restricted themselves to groups on Whatsapp which alas ! was no better. The damage was done and sub tiny groups were formed. Good friends who vibed well, sharing the same wavelength, respecting one another, without judging each other, accepting one another as they were, stuck together. They picked up conversations from where they left whenever they met. But it was no longer on a daily basis. Social media created the much needed rifts in strained friendships and helped in identifying the truest of true friends, which was ultimately good in a way. 

There still exist best of friends who are genuinely happy for one another and many who continue to share the pictures and happiness online. But, " like " holds no meaning at all and so now, I rarely like posts and pictures. Due to constraints of time, when I don't go through the post, I will not hit a like as many would do. I stopped loving and wowing when it seemed flattery to others. Friends told me that I was trying to flatter. Though I had no reasons to flatter. Who knows me better than me ? But I am glad they told me. They did me a favour. I was forced to change myself. I am still good. I never pretend, I wish well and praise sincerely. I just don't record on the wall anymore. Hypocrites hit the " like " and " showoff " ......I was told.....Sad, but I had no option but to agree. Hurt and disappointed, I had learnt a lesson....

There are options for unfollowing and turning off notifications on FB. Now, I prefer to do that and though I have only real friends on my list, I have selectively opted to follow only a very few. I wish well for all. Not all are fake I tried to explain. 

FB has options in the settings that allow you to change setting options  everytime you post. So you could post to a small group of acquaintances, friends or public. So adjust your settings each time you post. Well ! Nobody sees the hard life and the challenges everyone faces offline, on a daily basis. They see only the merrymaking pictures online, jealous and complain about the difficult life they lead. These are the negative traits that social media has created in good minds as well. You cant blame the individuals. Its the bane of the era we live in where fake posts are believed and the real perceived as trying to show off . The world is made of different kinds of people, fighting different battles. Empathy is the only way to deal with such negativity. I have learnt that being genuine can be perceived as being narcissist and so I now try to portray myself as altruistic, while, in reality I have always been one.....

What a paradox !

I make it a point to go through all the original and thought provoking posts and pictures posted my creative friends whom i have chosen to follow, including some very touching posts by young hard working doctors who are my friends. I thank FB for that. I wish to comment, love, like, wow or feel sad but i restrain myself from doing so....Now you know why.....

A TALE OF PEAS OF DIFFERENT PODS AND THE GOLDEN CARROTS !

Have you ever noticed that while being engaged in a close conversation or observing a game, a slightly bent, engrossed SriniMama, entwines his fingers and keeps his hands clasped behind on his lower back, whereas an upright MSD, all eyes on perfecting the skills of his teammates, folds his arms close to his chest.

I have noticed some traits in MSD & SriniMama which stand out, including some common facial mannerisms of showing concern, yet staying calm under pressure being the most obvious one, as we all know. Apart from these observations, I also think that those born under the Cancer and Capricorn sun signs get along like peas and carrots. 

July born MSD's sunsign is Cancer and January born SriniMama is ruled by Capricorn. I am sure Gajar Ka Halwa and Matar Kachori must be a favourite of both. Can anybody close to either of the two confirm this, so that, I can start writing a book on celebrities, their sun signs and famous relationships based on first hand authentic info. I promise to give due credits wherever necessary and a share of royalty when earned .

I could title this particular article on MSD & SriniMama as " Why SriniMama loves the Thenga Manga Carrot Pattani Sundal " or " Why the world is crazy over Mahi's time tested and the most popular recipe of the " Peas Carrot Paratha " 

Do any of you know whether SriniMama consulted an astrologer to help him in choosing his lucky mascot ? Sorry to sound inquisitive....But I have so many related queries in my mind right now..

This reminds me of an anecdote about the mischievous side of MSD. Once, while staying at the Kharaghpur railway quarters, when he was working as a Ticket Examiner, Dhoni and his friends covered themselves in white bedsheets and walked around the railway quarters complex masquerading as ghosts, scaring the night guards on duty only to ensure that there was not a single sleeping night watchman anywhere in the vicinity. Dhoni is an all rounder. I know that he has bowled and kept wickets in the same match. Does he hold any record coming in to bat up in the order as a night watchman ?  Do let me know .

Mahi's climb has been phenomenal. His life story is inspirational. It is the story of the lad next door who became a celebrity out of his sheer will and determination. Somewhere in his journey, the lad next door outgrew the Ranchi neighbourhood, carved a niche for himself internationally before becoming Chennai's Super King. So is SriniMama...The King of an empire .

Small things measure for success. India Cements was founded in the year 1946. What's in a name they say. " Everything " I would say. Probably that explains why the company was named as "India Cements". We, Indians believe in nurturing and treasuring good relationships. Once a good relationship is formed, it is "Cemented" for life.......

A MAMA REMEMBERS !

Instead of trying to figure out why climates are changing much to my irritation, why Chennai is not experiencing unseasonal stormy showers, why the summer here is scorching hot, why traffic diversions is the order of the day, I will try to get a smile makeover done right now. Kinda like a joker who hides his sad emotions behind the painted happy face.

Jokes apart, that was indeed a joke. Notwithstanding the inconveniences, it is true that I do not like to complain and my motto is to stay happy come what may..

On that note, here’s my happy post for the day. Let me get drenched in memory showers atleast. 

The life of a happy go lucky non medico married to a medico is not easy at all. Being the mother of two doctors is harder and as the three converse in medico lingo all mumbo jumbo to me, I try hard not to feel left out and instead I look at them with awe and admiration. In the course of any conversation the little that I can gather is usually about an admission, case sheets, procedures, diagnosis and discharges. These words appear in the English dictionary and perhaps that is why I am familiar with the terms. I am happier blogging, drawing and cooking. Well ! My Docs can make their own tea. Phew ! that's some relief for a multitasking non medico mom who knows more about how to go about getting into MBBS and a PG residency much more than they do...

When my younger girl, now a budding paediatric resident, was in Std I, she used to have great difficulty with spellings. That was an exercise I use to give her everyday till she mastered it. She almost gave up one day and said…Ma…This is too difficult. Not my cup of tea at all. Allow me to be detained in Ist Std. I promise you that I will get over this problem when I repeat another year in Std I. My little girl was quick to grasp and had a way with words. "Must be in the genes," I mused. I couldn't but feel proud, though I was absolutely flabberghasted as well. That was a five year old telling me about her inability to progress and also giving a solution. I still remember that day sometime in 1995. I was too stunned to react. My little girl was more mature than me....I thought....

Aspiring to be a writer,

she framed rules tighter.

She went incognito

for the thoughts to flow.

Solitude gave her the freedom. 

A muse was nowhere to be found

The world was unable to follow her.

She had reasons to take cover,

within the secure confines

of spaces that accomodated

none other and within

her was the zeal to express

without the need to impress .

Dwelling in thoughts in a silent mode,

she tapped lightly on a keyboard.

with her fingers, now mightier

and a free heart lighter.........

THE WRITER'S OATH !

.........When the block bug threatens to bite.......

I will look out of the window for ideas to write..

I will listen to the sound of the swaying of leaves

and the peals of laughter below the trees .

I will wonder why the sky is crystal clear 

when the met has predicted stormy weather.

...I will thence raise pertinent questions to clear my  doubt......

.....I  will interact , involve others , debate and laugh  aloud.....

I will read a page, stay vigilant and be well informed .

I will walk a mile,take a cue and write what I observed.

I  know that  brilliant ideas can pop up any moment.

Prudently,I'll make the  best  use of the present .

Using my intellect and without inputs from the net,

I'll be inspired to write on topics of my interest.

I will  certainly  not   succumb to any senseless  rumour.

Instead, I will hold on tight to my sense of humour.

I will scroll paper pages and enrich my knowledge.

I'll browse the net selectively and take the pledge.

“ I the writer,hereby responsibly do affirm ,

to the best of my abilities,I do confirm,

that the use of the pencil, pen and ink,

having been dispensed with forever,

in MS Word, I may type,
using fonts which I like.

Formatting and styling apart,

I may also use Word Art.

I may insert drawings, which are exclusively mine

where a need to acknowledge sources,will never arise.

Having said this,with tech to aid

and   an  open  real  window,
I will write in verse or prose

and  express  my  thoughts

 in  a  style  unique  to  me ,

 without any meter,data or wifi.

YASHODA KAY LAL.........GOKUL ! GOPAL !

Yashoda stared in disbelief."You will not do that, I hope you can understand, my little boy." she chided Gokul rather firmly.The little prankster was a hyperactive kid and kept Yashoda on her toes all day long.

I am not going to tolerate all this any more, saying she rushed to drag him into the room and to her utter dismay, before she could reach him, the lad hurriedly grabbed the pair of shoes lying nearby and flung it outside, from the third floor balcony.

Yashoda and Nandakumar with their two children lived in a double bedroom flat on the third floor of the Bank Officers flats in Chennai.

As Gopal grinned mischievously, a seemingly innocent Gokul emerged out of the balcony. Yashoda was in tears and her little boys were jumping with glee..

"This is just one of the pranks that my boys are upto anytime of the day," remarked Yashoda. "I keep a close watch and I am always alert," she said. "They are blessed with a mechanical bent of mind, remarked the mother " and so I have placed most of my household appliances out of their reach," she added.

This is an excerpt of a conversation, when Kirti had met Yashoda a few years ago.

"It is very difficult and yet pleasures of motherhood ,Aaaha ! " she had exclaimed. " I love them. I get wild sometimes. I lose my temper but when I see them sleep, I forget that the brats turn each day into a nightmare and then I repent for my deeds. Their innocent faces melts my heart. Oh my dear Kirti. My ladoos are heaven's blessings and I cannot thank the almighty enough" she told Kirti who was all ears....

"Oh ! please ! Tell me more of their antics"...Kirti insisted....

Kirti and Yashoda had studied in school together and had parted ways after college. The first among the two to get married, Kirti had moved to Switzerland with her husband. In the meantime Yashoda had joined a nationalised bank as a Probationary officer. The two friends kept in touch and long before social media was to unite long lost friends, these two chums were always a phone call away from one another.

When Yashoda's marriage was fixed to Nandakumar, Kirti flew all the way from Switzerland to be with her best friend on her special day. Theirs was a love marriage. Nandakumar was a bank officer too and when he proposed to her, Yashoda could not refuse.

Post the wedding Kirti returned to Switzerland and got busy with her academics. She was pursuing her Phd in Molecular Biology. Her husband Vrishabanu Kumar a MD in Community Medicine worked at the WHO headquarters in Geneva.

When her twin boys were ten years old, Yashoda and her husband Nanda Kumar, were posted on an overseas assignment. Kirti and Yashoda continued to be in touch and wished one another on all occasions. They would exchange information about the activities of their kids and Yashoda would always say ,"Oh ! Thankfully my boys seem to be mellowing down with age" How are your pretty girls ? Kirti.."You are blessed," saying Yashoda would burst out laughing.

Kirti and Nandakumar were indeed blessed with twin daughters Rukmini and Sathyabhama...

The best friends had so much in common and life had blessed them with twins. Boys for Yashoda and girls for Kirti....Not a single day passed without one thinking of the other and how much they were grateful for everything in life...

Though the deputation to USA was initially for a period of one year, the husband wife duo of Yashoda and Nandakumar went on to serve an extended deputation period of more than fifteen years in several branches of the bank across different countries.

With both Kirti and Yashoda busy in their respective family commitments and careers, personal chats started taking a backseat and slowly they lost touch with one another. Vrishabanu was on a high profile assignment and his job entailed frequent postings across the globe. Before she moved to HongKong, Yashoda had tried to contact Kirti but by then she had left Geneva.

After a gap of twenty years, they chanced to bump into one another by sheer coincidence at a wedding function in Chennai . Both were thrilled. Their joy knew no bounds. The two school buddies were highly ecstatic. They embraced each other even as Vrishabhanu and Nandakumar looked on silently. As they say separation makes hearts grow fonder and the two who were always in each others thoughts were never really away from one another.

It was a pleasant surprise. The girls now women past fifty were excited as ever and Kirti was on cloud nine. She had spotted Yashoda first. Slowly, approaching her from her back....Kirti came close to her, brought her hands around Yashoda and closed her eyes with her palms.

"Can you say who this is ?" Kirti whispered into Yashoda's ears. Yashoda was taken by surprise. Yet ! Kirti was her best friend and how could she ever forget her voice. Yashoda was quick to identify Kirti...Instantly she retorted back " Hey! This is my dearest friend Kirti" and she cried out in ecstasy....

"Oh ! How come you are here ?' Kirti asked her. 

"We are on the verge of retirement and posted back to Chennai ," Yashoda replied and so in the process of shifting ." she added. 

"How are your little boys ?" Kirti went on to ask. "Oh ! They are fine, grown up to be six footers," saying Yashoda pointed her finger towards the two tall handsome boys standing in one corner of the hall.

Kirti was taken aback..."Who they ? The two boys in the Red Kurta ? they...your boys Yashoda ? ".Yes Indeed Kirti, "replied Yashoda As the best friends chatted on, the boys moved towards them. Yashoda introduced them. "Hey Kirti... Please meet my sons Gopal and Gokul. They are twenty three years old." The boys greeted Kirti with folded hands and bowed to her in respect. Kirti was highly impressed. 

Kirti was still in a state of disbelief ,but extremely happy to meet them as her eyes searched for her daughters Rukmini and Sathyabhama who had mingled in the crowd.

Recalling memories, the two buddies laughed hysterically and it was unexpected fun unlimited. The boys were cheerful too just like the mother. Infact a carbon copy of the mom. Continuing with the intro Yashosa went on to say..". Gopal is an aeronautical engineer and Gokul is a doctor doing his internship. "What are your girls doing ?"..she asked...

"Please give me your address " Kirti told Yashoda. We have to stay in touch..come what may "..she added. Immediately Gopal took out a pen from his kurta pocket, brought out a paper and started writing with his left hand...."Is he left handed just like you ? Kirti asked Yashoda..."Oh ! Yes ! and Gokul is right handed like his father.

The boys have taken after me in their looks and their Dad in their behaviour...Yashoda added with a great sense of pride....

So here comes the twist in the story.....

Nature never ceased to amaze her and yet when Kirti came across the boys after so many years she was surprisedly stunned too. She was fully aware. Yet ! it was difficult for her to accept. How could it be ? she had thought unto herself.

This is freaking magical. Absolutely divine. Strange are the ways of the Lord. The boys are not Yashoda's own sons and yet they are a splitting image of the mother.The way they speak, the mannerisms only seem to suggest that they are the biological children. Amazed and too surprised to even react, Kirti stared at them in disbelief. The strapping young lads were too good looking and Kirti couldn't get her eyes off them.

Many years back when Yashoda had been diagnosed with uterine cancer she had to be operated for removal of the tumour. She had been married just for a year .Her husband and the entire family had stood by her like a rock. A crestfallen Yashoda seeing dreams being shattered in front of her eyes had wept inconsolably and that was when Nandakumar had consoled her saying that all was not lost and they could still adopt and have children to call as their own....

Very soon the couple adopted twin boys aged three years old and named them Gopal and Gokul.

At that time Kirti was very happy for her friend. Meanwhile in her parents home at Chennai, Kirti was awaiting her D Day. It was past full term and the ultra sound examination earlier in the sixth month of her pregnancy had showed twins. A couple of days later, Kirti gave birth to two bonny baby girls. Yashoda and her boys had come to the nursing home to meet Kirti. The boys had pleaded with their mother to take the babies in their arms...Unable to manage their nagging and pestering, Yashoda had to take leave soon...

Now after two decades, time seemed to have stood still...It took them back by 20 years. Draped in a Kancheevaram pattu saree, Yashoda was a picture of grace and poise. Kirti in a sparkling silk cotton exuded charm and confidence with the grey streaks in her hair adding to give her a dignified look.

Yashoda still looks pretty young...Kirti thought....or perhaps she dyes her hair, she was thinking nearly aloud, unable to take her gaze off the pretty face. Her hair tied in a French plait, Yashoda indeed looked lovely...

The persona of the boys revealed all the traits of Yashoda. Yashoda had adopted them as three year olds and Kirti was fully aware of that....

This is not the only case of adoption that she knew amongst her close circle of family and friends. What amazed her was the tremendous parent child resemblance and bonding in this particular relationship in the absence of the umblical link.

Engaged in hilarious banter, the foursome...Rukmini, Sathyabhama, Gopal and Gokul were seen to be very friendly, moving around comfortably with family and friends even as people around  were enquiring rather curiously. " Whose children are they ? The girls are pretty and the boys dashing...Identical twins huh ?"

"They make a cute foursome..Don't they ?" a young woman was heard telling her mother...The twins were a tad bit embarassed and the parents chuckled with pride....

The next gen was coming of age. Nicetys and compliments exchanged, mutually admiring one another, the four head turners headed towards the dining hall.......

All characters are fictitious and bear no resemblance to any person living or dead !