Modern Hate – Chennai.

Chennai, the Barbeque City

Personally, I don’t have a loving experience with Chennai. It started with intimidating auto drivers fleecing money above meter rates in my childhood to till date crooked Optician fooling around with the cheapest available lens getting foggy in few months and worst specs frame going off in few months still managing to fleece few thousands. There was another optician who even threatened and manhandled to remove my google review. You get variety of roady rowdies and juveniles flocking around School campus.  The Climate making you feel like you are getting fried in a giant Oven.

You get fired or fired up by Tam-Brahm Managers who are shameless enough to talk about all nuisance and dirty political culture to push their agenda ahead. Unless you love something here, it’s very difficult to stay put in Chennai. Also, it is tough to love when you are in a pattern of getting slapped up on your eye while sleeping at home like modern gorilla attack, making you lose balance as other ways of inciting anger gone fruitless. Love obviously must be blind. The pain says so. In short, Chennai ennai Poda vennai endrathu…

To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides.

David Viscott

When all you need is not a Sweater but a swatter of sorrows

In Chennai the above quote could be an equivalent of barbecuing me, well done on both the sides. Modern Love Chennai offers excuses making the mention of scorching Chennai pleasant. Ilayaraja is one such compelling chill factor making this series a treat to watch. The soft interludes played on budding love or infatuation in Margazhi is more than enough as testament to his genius. But, it’s just a starter with the master serving his main course in Ninaivo Oru Paravai.

Margazhi is supposed to be the coolest month of Chennai where Chennaites pretend as if it’s snowing for a 25 Degree weather. Well, I bought two sweaters for my Kids. Don’t know if it was the Discount or just pretending like a proud Penguin in the Arctic. Margazhi is a simmering budding love tale of teenagers. IR just rendered a flat slow paced story very beautiful with his music, aided by a mystical Sanjula’s appearance. It’s a slow burn teenage story, still beautifully crafted with a tinge of soft pleasantness. Really don’t know or infer on the repetitive scenes including the monotonous cycle locking. But the love or infatuation tinged with the teenage innocence makes it pretty much close to reality, making it a warm experience. Sometimes, all you need is an admiring Crush…

Love is the answer, but while you’re waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty good questions.

Woody Allen

To believe or not to believe…

As TK is someone who is keen on opening avenues of thought provocations rather prioritising commercial success, would like to delve a bit on the beautiful and humorous scene, I liked, wherein Church Pastor attributes Sanjula’s happiness to the grace of God, while she gets simpy enamoured by her Crush. While this may deliciously sound like attributing human intervention to the credit of God, I have seen many instances where atheists, sticking “There is no God” sticker in alarm clock, mature into ardent devotees of God.. with due respects to the atheists for the same attribute, asking questions to themselves, till they are convinced of the answers.

As Yuval Noah Harari mentions in Sapiens, the greatest power of Humans is – Imagination. Humans created Associations and Business entities out of their imagination and conveniently ensured such entities becomes liabilities or casualties for their own individual faults. It’s the imagined Corporate, with mere existence on Billboards and Papers, goes Bankrupt never its physically present owner, check with Anil Ambani for any doubts. God is one such imagined entity to cover up “God’s creators” faults.

Apart from Corporates, Self styled God-men of all flavors, on direct business with God, enjoy all pleasures and fame due to his Godliness USP. When it comes to troubles, they can just blame it on God and remain unblemished with a teflon coated image. Our derailed economy is just “God’s own act”, if you ask our FM, not due to stupid demonetisation, reckless GST, Crony friendly Farm laws, looting of national resources among the big Four Gujaratis and poor handling of pandemic. God can never pay your Hospital bills, but you will be guided to pray and avail his helpline, indirectly blaming the almighty for your sorrows when bitter things happen, while someone else happily harvests your savings. Panam oru pakkam Pazhi oru pakkam. This is where atheists get things right about God.

But, God-imagination has its own benefits, based on what you imagine and expect out of it. If we healthily imagine God as that omnipresent Camera, looking upon us as ARR said, our conscience gets better. If we imagine God’s prayer as a means of self resolve, we get motivated.

Jesus is sexy. A handsome Jewish boy, just like you. I ask him to come into you. Ask him to enter you.

You can’t ask Jesus to do tricks to impress you.

FabelMans Movie

Think, sensible prayer or childish craving for magic wand lollipops like, promoting things cheaply or getting more views with hit-job on someone is clearly our choice. Prayer is just another form of convincing ourselves – Neraiya sothippaan aana kai vida maattaan to quote Rajinikanth.

There is a saying… Trust in Allah but tether your camel first.

Why trust Allah if you are tethering the camel? — because a tethered camel can also be stolen. You do whatsoever you can do: that does not make the result certain. Then he knows best.

It is very easy to trust Allah and be lazy. It is very easy not to trust Allah and be a doer. The third type of man is difficult — to trust Allah and yet remain a doer. But now you are only instrumental; God is the real doer, you are just instruments in his hands.

Osho

Apologize if all of the above is bit preachy, but hope it opens few more doors for healthy discussion. Enna sariyaathaan pesuranaa? OK. Now a preachy story…

Mulla Nasrudin,  a wise yet sometimes foolish man, was invited by village elders to speak in their village mosque for three consecutive weeks. On first friday morning, he stood at the door of the mosque, puffed out his chest and decided to wing it. He turned to the people and asked,

“Do you know the subject I am going to discuss today?”

“No” said the people.

“Then I refuse to preach to such an ignorant assembly. How could you not know given the events of the past week?” asked Nasrudin and left hurriedly.

Next Friday he went up the pulpit and asked: “Do you know the subject of my sermon today?”

People fearing a repetition of what had taken place a week before nodded and said: “Yes yes, indeed we know.”

“Well, then. There is no point in telling you what you already know”, said Nasrudin and left.

On the third Friday he ascended the pulpit and asked: “Do you know what I am going to speak about today?”

Not knowing what to say, some said yes and some said no.

“Then those who know can tell those who don’t”, said Nasrudin and left.

– Blog Post

The God Belief / Delusion

Jokes apart, God / Belief works better when unexplained and un-imposed on us. As a Confused-Atheist-Religious-Nonconformist, trying to find answers, my version of god exists in all of us. God exists in Ilayaraja’s Music. God exists in TK’s screenplay, where Dhanasekar in Superdeluxe gets questioned on his blind belief as he gets saved by a floating Jesus statue at sea, what happens when he gets a teddy bear to crutch on instead of a statue, will he worship that Doll? In my case, why not “Teddy God”, when Hindus worship every benevolent entity in the Universe including Sun / Sea. God exists in all our questions, making us find answers on our own rather blindly go by tutored / spoon fed fables.

Whether its Jesus walking over water or splitting seas, Vasudeva crossing the river with infant Krishna, they are all metaphors to establish our beliefs rather taking it up literally. It’s just a story to impart belief that God will help us out in crisis and he will arise when the evil tries to win over good. If we believe that as reality, missing the subtext god lies in the good, we must be having Jesus Waterways or Krishna Snake safari offering ride on snakes now.

Faith… must be enforced by reason…
when faith becomes blind it dies.
– Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi

Unfortunately we miss the reality but carried over “magical and shiny metaphors” like fake pride on Ganesha’s mythical plastic surgery. Sometimes, we may need to correlate ourselves with Buddha’s story of giving life to a deceased kid as per his Mother’s request, for a reality pinch. He simply did not perform any such miracle, but made her realise the inevitability of death by asking her to get mustard from a Home where death never happened. It’s easier to instill belief with a miracle which works best among the impoverished and uneducated. But it’s much better for society when people understand the reality and work towards their own salvation. This level of understanding, surmises the difference between scientific and communal mindset.

Godly Quote from Osho…

The man who has the sense that “God exists, and I am needed by God,” never feels worthless — never. To the last moment, to the last breath of his life, he is functioning, serving something higher than himself. He has a context bigger than himself; in that context, meaning arises.

Meaning is always in a certain context. A single word is meaningless; when it is arranged in a poem it has tremendous meaning: now it has a context. The color in a tube is meaningless; once it is spread on the canvas and becomes part of a picture that is bigger than it, it has a context, suddenly meaning arises.

It is reported that once a very rich man asked Pablo Picasso to make a portrait of him. Picasso said, “It will be very costly.”

The man was so rich, he said, ”Don’t bother about it. You need not even talk about the cost, money doesn’t matter. Make my portrait and whatsoever you demand, I will give.”

After six months the portrait was ready.

The rich man came, but the price that was asked was fantastic: one million dollars, just for a small canvas and a few colors! The rich man said, ”Are you joking? Just for a few colors and a canvas?”

Picasso said, ”Then okay, you can take an empty canvas and a few tubes full of color and you can pay as much as you want.”

The rich man said, “But that is not the same.”

Picasso said, ”That’s what I am trying to point out to you. I have created a context, I have created a gestalt, a pattern. And nobody else can create it, hence the price. It is a Picasso painting: nobody else can do it the way I have done it, it has my signature on it. The harmony of the colors, the music of the colors, the poetry of the colors – that is the thing. I am not asking the price for the colors, but for something that has become expressed through the colors.”

A real painting is not just the sum total of the colors, it is more – and that “more” is the meaning. A real life is not the sum total of what you do; unless there is something more to it, you live an inauthentic life. That ”more” is God. That poetry is God, that music is God, that surrounds you and floods you.

People come to me and ask, “Where is God?” It is not a question of asking “where”; God is a meaning, not a person. I cannot indicate, “There – go there, and you will find him.” God has no address, God cannot be located, it is a meaning. You have to create meaning in your life, then God is. God has to be created.

– Osho

The rise of Godly Dictator

Maybe, the idea of “Belief” is to just believe in us first, for the idea of healthy and good God does not seem to be the Micromanaging Dictator who makes each and every one of us, and eventually control like Puppets. We wished for one such character in early 2010 and now we know where we are after enduring nine years of divine comedy.

2024 Election in a single Cartoon.

It’s not Modi or God to be blamed on our craving for Dictatorship then. Even recently, after 9 years of enduring harassment from BJP, we all knew how Karnataka Congress fought like uneducated children fighting for power goodies, rather worrying about their responsibilities / guarantees. Now they have moved on to stir the Mekedatu pot arousing regional sentiments to hide their failures. It’s only during Congress / DKS / Siddaramaiah regime, we get Cauvery sensationalization and water riots. Modi may have his shortcomings, like his well known poor judgement skills and ruthless majoritarianism, but he is decisive and fights for his beliefs till the end rather giving into power cravings and petty greed. His decisiveness and resolve, like his notion of water as national resource, not to be politicised along with concrete steps, may want people crave for more such dictatorship in future, rather looking upon to resolve weak leadership crisis in Congress, like SG/MMS UPA2 regime, good intents but weak and indecisive leadership.

Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Let’s take this Political use case of BJP making even Machiavelli blush, BJP is ruthless enough to convict RG on a simple defamation case and getting ready with much more brutal version colonial sedition law to tame the Opposition and democratic groups, with Modi “shamelessly” ( the signature style of Modi Rule ) coining it as “Hindutva Vision”. But, Congress could not convict the gujarati duo on most brutal Riots post independence or other grievous cases and the w*nising Judge who judged them innocent, under Congress regime, earned(?) himself a Kerala treat at Governor’s Bungalow, under their nose. Even Vajpayee with all of his empty actions but a good “Rajneeti” quote made himself look better on this issue. Granting Death merchants, such allowance is Congress’ big heartedness or just… let the country go to dogs type inefficient and lazy rule? If Kejriwal is the new challenger to BJP, just like Mo-Sha to congress in 2014, we all know how they are clipping his wings even if it’s immoral and unjustifiable.

A thermometer is not the only thing that gets a ‘degree’ without having a ‘brain’! – Anonymous Quote

The dictatorship cycle may go on if Congress Mother-ship does not fix its sails and cracks, at least now, to avoid a repeat of 2014 in 2025-30. The only treatment RSS-BJP understands is the same treatment it metes out to others. If not convinced, lets question ourselves why the mighty tentacled, ever demanding RSS group’s current head Mohan Bhagwat is so silent nowadays, like Modi’s pet little lamb? Is this anyway related to the desperate saffron terrorism orchestrated to win 2014, and the after-effect of sins knocking on his door? If Gandhis are the glue for Congress, Blackmailing their own Cadre and public deceit is for Modi’s BJP.

Moving away from dictatorship cravings, the God Delusion / healthy imagination, unfortunately, often gets hijacked for selfish gains and communal violence, creating more doubts than belief. Jai Bajrang Bali! Just like there is a Partner behind anyone’s success, there is always a mythical and illogical story woven around dubious Godly Dictator. Om Namo Shivayah!

You must not lose faith in humanity.
Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty,
the ocean does not become dirty.

Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi

Searching for God in “God’s own Party”

In the name of God, We, Indians have torn ourselves to polarised opposites – EWS quota Elites Vs Nuremberg/Sedition-Law-in-Process Dalits and Minorities as vote shares of last few elections factify. As TK rightly questioned on God’s futile existence when so much of atrocities happening around, maybe middle class and well to do People who pray to God thanking for their morsel of rice granted by the divine grace, should also question the so called… “God powered God-Men”, when it becomes out of reach or unaffordable to poor by the policies leveraged by the so called God err… Adani’s own Party’s misgovernance.

“My mother always used to say: The older you get, the better you get, unless you’re a banana ( or BJP ) ” – Betty White

Current BJP Government runs on finding solutions to problems that don’t exist like Upper class pleasing, expensive and glossy Vande Bharat trains, for some empty pride ride, rather focusing on real problems – basic train safety systems like cheap Autonomous Driving technology with alarms foreseeing collisions. After the drastic three trains collision piling up on one another, as if its traffic jam in a congested road signal, Modi wants to punish the culprits severely. It’s anybody’s easy guess who made Railways perform poor Vande Bharat magic on weak tracks, as if plying Vande Bharat trains on waters and failed miserably. Because, All who pretend are not Jesus ( like Bharatiya Jesus Party). Just yet another alarm bell for people in Metaphor-land. Even magician like PC Sircar who magically makes train disappear cannot save this Government from accountability, for their sins on poor and unprivileged.

Faith is much better than belief.
Belief is when someone else does the thinking.

R. Buckminster Fuller

Life is Beautiful Metaphor

Modi installing the “Sengol for Fair Governance” in Parliament, is a metaphor, yet another imagined fable for good governance, like the symbolic miracles of religious literature, like the Vande Bharat train, a lipsticked Pig among our god forsaken trains. The real question is how fair and impartial he is, to his subjects, and I am not talking about “entire political science” miraculous graduation, but the real people. BJP has trained us so much to live and breathe in metaphors setting aside the realities, that I will not be surprised if one day Modi asks us to eat empty plate, imagining Amrit in it. We are already in advanced stages of such amrit kaal wherein our Parliament got Amrit kalash now, if not ethics and dharma.

But are not our beliefs are beautiful metaphors? I was happily enjoying by afternoon siesta after a gruelling session of breakfast and GST Nil filing with late payment. I was trying to milk GST with input tax credits to make something out of it. But our Taxies are too smart that they recovered money from me. My wife woke me up in a rushed manner informing on a bomb scare at my Kids’ school. She acted more like a terrorist terrorizing me with the possible outcomes. I was pretty convinced Indian terrorists of any colour / shades are more human than Israel’s IDF or that weak kneed old Psycho terrorising the world towards Third World War to establish his supremacy pulling down once mighty country to third world democracy. Still it was bit fearsome for 0.01% in case of a hoax turning to reality for my dearsomes.

She rushed me to drive fast. Unfortunately, my Royal Enfield was going through a tough phase of molestation by the Burglar Mechanics stationed well inside like trojan horses as it usually surprises me in the morning with hiccups. It reminds me of the Captain Miller / Vivek’s Minor Kunju joke. Maybe the burglar mechanics thought on the Bike as my bodily extension of Brother leg and got expressive with all their vengeance. Only god knows how it becomes magically restrained. TO whomsoever concerned, my little brother’s name is not Thunderbird. Once touted to be a war horse of World Wars, my Enfield slogged like a Bullock Cart, tugging along with the heavy luggage – my wife. Now, I don’t know whom to blame… whether its a weight issue or pickup issue or both or just my bad times. Thinking in futile about it, we concluded our slow procession of reaching the bomb scared school after half an hour. I was bit scared if the school will levy additional fee of Bomb scare relief fund just like our FM waiting to charge on us by some way or other like non-onion-eating-high-profile-pickpocket.

Now, on the way back, my spouse was mocking on the Bullock cart I am maintaining, maybe I am that bullock, wishing that she hired Lord Murugan’s peacock after sighting his image and his vehicle on the way.

Spouse: Wish we had that peacock for a ride to avoid bomb scares and rush to school.

Kid: How can a peacock carry such heavy weight. It will fall.

Spouse: Lord Murugan will power it to carry.

Kid: What if we fall down?

Spouse: Lord Murugan will take care of our safety.

Looks like Kids are Born Periyarists. We ensure them turning to believers with all our metaphors, only to be utilised of by Modi types in the guise of Hindutva. I pray to the Lord, she always thinks analytically and critically. Long live Periyaar for being the eternal Kid and enlightening us on our blind beliefs.

The Fall of PR daredevilry

It’s the same metaphoric gaslighters gambling on the gullibles, on Opposition’s voice deeming them as insanity / dim wit-ness, carefully position themselves closer to God, building swanky temples, while secretly hand shaking with parasitic Crony Corporates, shadily invested with self interest. Correlate yourself with 100 Lakh Crore Loans by our Government in last nine years from , with the Government’s only accomplishment is pushing a Crony puppet / benami to Top 5 Rich list with that money. The real question is how long one can build castles in the air, ride on unicorns, singing Mon-Key lullabies and make citizens feel better in Utopian world. the answer seems to be 10 years.

Not lance gives kings the victory,
But sceptre swayed with equity. – Thirukural

Maybe (to the squared), There won’t be any need for God, if the religious ones are bound by their dharmic beliefs set by their religion and atheists do a little bit more to the betterment of humanity, rather just raising questions, where even science struggles to convincingly explain / answer.

Back to the Barbie Dolls.

Coming back to Modern Love Chennai, Raju Murugan’s Laalagunda Bommaigal is a brilliant stuff, lacing humour even in heavy situations, giving the audience the much needed “Glucose” after surgery. I did not sense a clue on where it starts and where it goes but the narrative was gripping enough to keep things engaged packing up even a nice song. It had pleasant twists or ugly twists made pleasant by “mixing” up witty dialogues with awkward situations. The end was riotous with the ex lovers or flames showcasing their better halves. It’s still a mystery if the Flame got 6 Paani Pooris or just 4 in the end, from Nathuram, serving his (aborted) love. I did not expect this pleasant firecracker from Raju Murugan, kickstarting on a high note. Un Kuththama… En Kuththama…yaara naanum kuththam solla.

My best birth control now is just to leave the lights on.

Joan Rivers

When all you need is blind love.

Balaji Sakthivel’s Imaigal is an intense film. TJ Bhanu is something special on screen, delivers a magnetic performance, with even more special eyeliner making the theme jet black, reminding of Chandramukhi Jyothika. Ashok Selvan gets a superficial character or he just underplays… I am not sure. The verbal duel in the end could have been more impactful and end could have been a lot better. Wish it could have been much better boosting confidence of Heroine rather just making her play Veena. Short stories need a punch in the last line / segment to have an impact, which is sadly missing in this well crafted story. Baalu Mahendra’s anthology of great stories still remains a benchmark. Balaji Sakthivel is one of my favourites who could turn simple moments to great pleasure or pain like he did in Kadhal and Vazhakku En. Who could forget when the Kadhal‘s lovers are lured back to their home, only to get betrayed brutally. Here, I expected a lot better from him… Ennamo Poda Maadhavaa…

Love is blind but marriage is a real eye-opener.

Pauline Thomason

Romantic Master-bation

Krishnakumar Ramkumar’s emoji story is essentially a Gowtham Menon’s film rehashed. It starts with Ritu Varma dancing in rain as School going(?) girl and then she eventually matures ( Thank God! ) With no luck in love. It ends up very well on a satisfying note with rain dance of the couple, thanks to that 90’s Kid who seem desperate to do anything on his First night to fevicol his marriage and its blackhole-ic after effects. He even exclaims “Fck the World!” instead of doing it to his spouse, to please her with his pea-Cock/Mic dance.  Varma’s  transformation is bit ridiculous like growing obese just with a sweatshirt and ageing just with hairstyle changes. Don’t know if my mind unconsciously moves back to Vaaranam Aayiram with a marvellous Suriya and his brilliant transformations. But, this story is light in treatment and also very light in its making. We get many Filmmakers dating Ritu Varma on Tinder, somehow all escape, maybe after seeing her hairdo. We also get the man with best hairstyle Bharadwaj Rangan in a cameo declaring, “Cinema is the most beautiful Fraud on Earth”. Could not agree more as my Father used to say Frauds know much better about fellow Frauds, just kidding, no offence intended. Nalla Irukkaam… Yaaru sonna… Devave sonnaan…

Romantic love is mental illness. But it’s a pleasurable one.

Fran Lebowitz

When Deers elope in a dignified manner.

Bharathiraja’s story is a pretty mature mid life crisis story turned to a triangular love story. Wonder what happens if everyone starts loving the fellow traveller in Metro just because they happened to attend a wrong call. Anyways, “En Iniya Pon Nilaave” comes to the rescue, to forget the logic, as Vishal Bharadwaj says in Kuttey, fck the logic, it’s all about character, frog jumps, scorpion stings, Humans love everyone else even in a Metro other than their spouse , etc. I did not see any rationale with this so called love. But, the matured treatment of after effects of that whatever makes it a credible one, thanks to Ramya Nambeesan’s role. BR is just brilliant in few shots like the two selfies at the start and end, Delhi Ganesh’s superb performance, justifying from audience perspective. Finally, BR escapes any scrutiny by thanking legendary Balu Mahendra. As an Op-ed noted, BM’s Marupadiyum empowers women rather fall-guys. But this story and its warm ending reminded me of BM’s own short story creations, crafted with finesse and flair. Kudos to BR’s ability and his art of convincing the inconvincible. Legends don’t fade! Nalam vaazha ennaalum en Vaazhthukkal.

Eighty percent of married men cheat in America. The rest cheat in Europe.

Jackie Mason

When Memory is a Monster…

Thiyagarajan Kumararaja’s Ninaivo oru Paravai comes with a  notification not to adjust brightness as he wants to highlight cigarette lighting. One would wish for another notification that he starts with an intensely orgasmic scene, so that any kids peeking around should be kept away, so that people could avoid advising kids that fatso Aunty is smoking as punishment and Uncle is punishing her severely, for heaven’s sake, just borrowing from the BR episode. This one more or less sounds like TK’s own story at-least on the romance part with the actor looking like a dyed up version of TK. TK is always something special. Think this is the longest of the anthology and it goes off in a jiffy with so many enjoyable moments, mind blowing performance and captivating music, sometimes looking like extension of Super Deluxe, exploring sex and love. Thanks to his initial film making Gurus… I meant the Protagonist’s initial Film gurus, to play it safe. Don’t know what he did to Ilayaraja, to tickle or pinch his creativity. If he could share that secret to other Filmmakers Cinema will be blessed with a lot more musical masterpieces from this 18 year old Amadeus. Raaja… Raajathi rajan intha Raaja. Applies to all Rajas involved.

Love is like war: easy to begin but very hard to stop.

H. L. Mencken

I liked this scene, as I could relate… like me going to Restroom for Interval, to dump the load and memories. Just Kidding. Beautiful scene though, from Full-time Architect and Part-time Filmmaker!

Tamil OTT has been serving mediocre fares, except for Sony Liv for its clever choice of web series rather investing on the done and dusted cheaply made Whodunits or other inferior love stories with flat action scenes on Bed. Modern Love Chennai is a refreshing and lovable experience taking Chennai a bit closer to heart, breathing warmth and relatability, like Cadbury silk chocolate ads, getting shot in Chennai rather scenic Goa or Puducherry, tough task though, but well accomplished.. Maybe it could have showcased Chennai landmarks rather just cliched claustrophobic set pieces, just for the chennai vibes. Still, it is a sincerely crafted series with pretty good film-making elements, even for its “action” scenes on the smallest landscape.

Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have.

H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

“Karnataka Story” starring Delhi’s Insomniac.

Enjoyed watching Insomnia movie with inimitable Al Pacino. The story goes like this, Modi-No is a legendary Detective to whom, ends justify any immoral means. He gets sucked up committing few crimes which gets shady eventually. He then cooks up enough evidence to save himself from prosecution. Now Badani, a homicide criminal gets the scent of Modi-No’s misdoings, leverages the situation to get himself out of the grievous crime he had committed. Modi-No gets trapped in the rat-hole. He grows so restless and sleepless with Al Pacino portraying weak and nervous Modi-No on every frame increasingly struggling to secure himself. Finally, Badani and Modi-No shoot each other.

“A good cop can’t sleep because he’s missing a piece of the puzzle. And a bad cop can’t sleep because his conscience won’t let him.”

Insomnia Movie

Now, the Congress has won massively in Karnataka, no mean feat in the adverse circumstances, Congress and their Leaders are into. There are many theories floating around, on this massive win. At least to me Congress won when RG retorted to Modi on his as usual whining on his Ninety-first-cry, “The Election is not about Modi, it’s about the YOU, the people of Karnataka”, shedding off his Modi Virus obsession for long. This is also the first election Congress did not step back on any of the issues / muckraking by BJP. It handled Bajrang controversy in a spirited fightback. I especially liked how Kharge minced no words on It-is-what-it-is, though he may need to be carefully aggressive and giving them back with a Cry-PM campaign. Congress kept its campaign pretty local. Apart from spirited campaign from Senior Gandhi and Siblings, credits should also go to the Karnataka’s heavyweights in top leadership, Kharge, JR and local heavyweights Siddaramaiah and DKS and most importantly the Cadre.

But, If congress derives too much from their Karnataka success, wherein Bommai Government acted just like 2009-2014 UPA Government, giving the rule to the opposition on a golden platter, they will digging their own failure in 2024. Karnataka got a history of punishing the corrupt, with a robust system even to the level of arresting then CM BSY. As a personal opinion, it will do a lot good for Congress if Siddaramaiah, a Mass Leader allowed to helm the Government. Much to his credit he ensured a robust governance for five years giving much lesser ammunition for BJP. No mean feat! Congress should also keep in mind that he is a career Politician with ground support, who could also play spoilsport just like he did to the Congress backed JDS Government with its family atrocities and political excesses. Of course DKS is a capable and loyal leader, but if Congress fancies any real chance of 2024, it needs to keep its Karnataka engine up and running seamlessly, with very less anti-incumbency for BJP to harvest in 2024, like they failed in 2019.

Despite a government that, by all accounts was a disaster, the BJP has still managed to hold onto its vote share in Karnataka. Even in a campaign where everything went wrong, the long-term changes the BJP has brought about in cultural preferences should worry us. The most you can say is that just Hindutva alone will help you retain a base but not push you over the margins of victory. This is small comfort. But it will not be enough to secure either Karnataka or India from the rising tide of communalism.

P. B. Mehta

If DKS is smart, he would have played a soft ball game, replicating the same electoral success in 2024 rather exposing himself on his mind games with the Gandhis. While it is fair to expect gratitude for all his hard work, he did not do it alone. Congress is an organization seeded by AO Hume, watered by many of our great Leaders, manured by Mahatma Gandhi with Nehru as the meticulous gardener. The current generation of Congress leadership of all tiers, has enjoyed fruits from Congress more rather giving back to its growth. If everyone would have handled UPA-2 more responsibly with vigour, they would not be stuttering like this.

DKS cleverly banked on the Senior Gandhi’s weakness on rewarding unflinching loyalty, rather looking for competence and merit, despite her stellar judgement skills. Will you reward someone who takes care of the nest well or the one who waits at the snake pit, hoping somehow to recover the eggs stolen from the nest, already swallowed by the snakes. DKS did not even mind his own State level cadre’s majority leanings, undoing all his good deeds on this success.

Even Pilot is long due for dressing down, holding his closeness to Gandhi trump card, rather actual performance at polls. Most of his chosen candidates had failed last time, so much ado for nothing. Congress leadership need to draw a “line of intolerance” rather allowing such elements weakening the Party from inside, especially when its facing a dire crisis from lethal BJP. The more Congress leadership gets exposed on their factionalism and individual rants, with top leadership standing helpless confused between freedom of expression and governance ethics, BJP’s troll army will ensure the weak leadership gets clearly etched in voters minds for 2024.

The Congress and its state-level leaders have a penchant for punching above their weight and their claim that the Congress is the main opposition party could become a stumbling block in efforts to forge alliances. Even with a rejuvenated Congress, we cannot think of the next parliamentary battle without meaningful adjustments among non-BJP parties. Thus, if the Karnataka election result strengthens the Congress, it indirectly poses problems for non-BJP, non-Congress parties.

Suhas Palshikar

The major difference between previous Congress regimes and now could come from BL Santhosh, a Master in entire Criminal Politics, who honey-trapped his own BJP cadre to keep them on leash. I would expect more Audio Video political entertainment, along with behind the screen Operation Lotus, as old habits don’t die easily. BJP is politically shameless, wickedly ambitious and also growing brutally communal, imagining on reaping the non existent majoritarian dividends, covering up all their stink in the name of Hindutva, abusing the same ideology. Congress may need to save its own flock by restraining them from misdemeanors with a careful watch, unlike giving them a free hand in Maharashtra.

“You shouldn’t knock misdemeanors.”

“Oh, but it’s small stuff. It gets so boring.”

“It’s all about small stuff. You know, small lies, small mistakes. People give themselves away, same in misdemeanors as they do on murder cases. It’s just human nature.”

– Insomnia Movie

This loss could be a blessing in disguise for Amit Shah. He may not like humiliating losses, but also certainly may not be keen on establishing BJP Government owing to its organisational weaknesses and dismal corruption. There is an undercurrent pattern of People choosing the alternate Party, based on who rules their State. I have personally seen people voting One Party for State and another for Lok Sabha, even when elections are held simultaneously, as if they are sharing their properties between their children. The real dirty work of Amit Shah employing his EVM Diwali Fireworks could happen in 2024, on the crucial cliffhanger constituencies. The problem with Shah is that he is a no holds barred / no stones unturned fighter till the end. He might have sensed an imminent defeat in 2024 by now, but never gives up, trying to win by hook-or-Shah. Any defeat energises the RSS and its Cadre who are now well settled in their iPhone enabled air conditioned life, thanks to Modi and Adani.

“This his blood?”

“Ketchup maybe. Was he eating a hot dog?”

Insomnia Movie

BJP had so far cast a magic spell that they are unstoppable and undefeatable force, keeping the opposition in a defeatist mindset, which is wearing out much like their worn out election playbook, from last two elections as people are tired with livelihood struggles rather being proud about empty lies like G20 King of the World comedy / How Modi stopped Ukraine War(?) tragedy.

BJP may try to play with LS election dates, to their advantage. Congress could be nimble footed thinking of another round of yatra to gently shake up the people with the right questions on governance and stressing on “Their Election, as Indians own India, not Modi ( and Adani )” dropping Modi from the campaign wagon footboard. They may also consider an organic circuit of blending all four directions of the nation to an extent, or catering urban pockets with heavy concentration of LS seats separately to maximise the outreach.

“So the end justifies the means. Right?”

“I’m in no position to judge.”

Insomnia Movie

The Opposition needs tailored campaigns for rural and urban pockets. They need to make people talk about the Governance failures, dictatorial arrogance, crony capitalism affecting common people with merciless taxation and unemployment due to careless privatisation and poor fundamentals. Rather a winding walking marathon, covering distances with no people around, the focus could be on the mass outreach yatra with a blazing pace and mobilising the cadre with the much needed encouragement. RG certainly radiates charisma and natural / effortless ease to gel well with people of all backgrounds. Hope Congress leverages it to the the fullest extent.

Would like to reminisce the Sufi story of ‘Holy Shadow’ as retold by Osho below, though I don’t equate anybody to anyone here with this story, but there are few parallels. I have critiqued Congress enough without even moving a straw for them. But credit should be given where it’s due. I don’t see RG as an astute Politician. Through any seasoned Politician’s eyes like Obama or Pawar, RG could be a nothing special person. But, he brings in raw and unique goodness which only a Political heirs could bring in parachuting to the Indian Political landscape. The next versions of yatra could still do a lot better than its first version. To Osho now….

Let me tell you one very famous Sufi story, “The Holy Shadow.”

There once lived a saint so good that the angels came from heaven to see how a man could be so godly. This saint went about his daily life diffusing virtue as the stars diffuse light and the flowers scent, without being aware of it. His day could be summed up by two words — he gave, he forgave — yet these words never passed his lips. They were expressed in his ready smile, his kindness, forbearance, and charity.

The angels said to God, “Lord, grant him the gift of miracles.”

God replied, “Ask what it is that he wishes.”

They said to the saint, “Would you like the touch of your hands to heal the sick?”

“No,” answered the saint. “I would rather God do that.”

“Would you like to convert guilty souls and bring back wandering hearts to the right path?”

“No, that is the angels’ mission. It is not for me to convert.”

“Would you like to become a model of patience, attracting men by the luster of your virtues, and thus glorifying God?”

“No,” replied the saint. “If men should be attracted to me, they would become estranged from God.” “What is it that you desire, then?” asked the angels.

“What can I wish for?” asked the saint smiling. “That God gives me his grace; with that would I not have everything?”

The angels said, “You must ask for a miracle, or one will be forced upon you.”

“Very well,” said the saint. “That I may do a great deal of good without ever knowing it.”

The angels were perplexed. They took counsel and resolved upon the following plan: every time the saint’s shadow fell behind him or to either side, so that he could not see it, it would have the power to cure disease, soothe pain, and comfort sorrow.

When the saint walked along, his shadow, thrown on the ground on either side or behind him, made arid paths green, caused withered plants to bloom, gave clear water to dried-up brooks, fresh color to pale children, and joy to unhappy men and women.

The saint simply went about his daily life diffusing virtue as the stars diffuse light and the flowers scent, without being aware of it. The people, respecting his humility, followed him silently, never speaking to him about his miracles. Soon they even forgot his name, and called him “The Holy Shadow.”

This is the ultimate: one has to become the holy shadow, just a shadow of God. This is the greatest revolution that can happen to a human being: the transfer of the center. You are no longer your own center; God becomes your center. You live like his shadow. You are not powerful, because you don’t have any center to be powerful. You are not virtuous; you don’t have any center to be virtuous. You are not even religious; you don’t have any center to be religious. You are simply not, a tremendous emptiness, with no barriers and blocks, so the divine can flow through you unhindered, uninterpreted, untouched — so the divine can flow through you as he is, not as you would like him to be. He does not pass through your center — there is none. The center is lost.

This is the meaning of this sutra: that finally you have to sacrifice your center so you cannot think in terms of the ego again, you cannot utter “I,” to annihilate yourself utterly, to erase yourself utterly. Nothing belongs to you; on the contrary, you belong to God. You become a holy shadow.

Now, there are very good chance Congress could play spoilsport with alliances, after few more surprise wins in upcoming MP-Chattisgarh-Rajasthan elections, just like in 2019. But, 2024 will be turned as a national narrative on Modi  Vs Who. Congress needs every ounce of opposition support to sap out BJP. The hyper Local and “Your Election Not Modi’s” narrative may work out to some extent. But Congress will need a better campaign combining both spiritual and economical dimensions to tackle BJP in its strong belts.

Congress could also avoid Bajrang Dal type controversies which could blow up in sensitive states. Even in Karnataka, BJP has ket its vote share intact, meaning their distortions still attract masses, in a sea of governance failures. South is a different place, allowing Congress to survive on such communal issues. Not sure how such manifesto promises could consolidate Muslims, as there are multiple ways to do that like reinstating their quota. Congress guarantees and their outreach aided by corrupt BJP’s bottomless greed saved the day for Congress.

 It is often forgotten that in 2014, the BJP did not come to power on the basis of a Hindu nationalist campaign. It sought a vote against the corruption of the Congress and its dynasty. But once it started ruling, it used state power to enhance itself ideologically, both at the level of institutions and mass consciousness.

Analogously, capturing state power will be critical for attacking Hindu nationalism as an ideology. Winning elections is central to this project.

Ashutosh Varshney

In Karnataka, fortunately, Congress turned tables with the cadre worshipping Bajrang who seemed to be on their side gifting victory, like he guarded Arjuna’s chariot. Sadly, BJP forgot God is for everyone and still powerful enough to punish betrayers who foolishly equated criminals backed outfit with Hanuman. Mo-Sha’s version of Hindutva is like the “War of the Worlds” story, people get clueless on the sudden all powerful, seemingly invincible alien attack, with many succumbing to the alien attack. Eventually, the mighty aliens lose their winning war, not getting defeated by humans but since they could not survive like Humans lacking immunity and resistance, getting sick infected by bacteria on earth, dying eventually. Likewise, current rabid Hindutva version of BJP’s downfall could be very well scripted by the humble Roti / Rice, like Srilanka, even with DKS waiting at Delhi for his CM post forever.

“Man was no longer a master, but an animal among the animals, under the Martian heel … the fear and empire of man had passed away. 

[ enters Bacteria… ]

The Martians—dead! … slain, after all man’s devices had failed, by the humblest things that God, in his wisdom, has put upon this earth.”

H. G. Wells – War of the Worlds

Coming back to the story of Insomnia, Detective Rahunka, unravels the entire plot with underlying dirty works of Modi-No and Badani. Rahunka insist on closing the case as no one knows about it anyways and Modi-No is becoming no more. Modi-No cautions Rahunka not to lose the way, just like his foolish compromises, leading himself to a rat-hole . He then goes back to much wanted deep sleep.

“Nobody needs to know. You didn’t mean to do it, and I know that, even if you don’t.”

“No, don’t –“

“Why?”

“Don’t lose your way…. Let me Sleep.”

Insomnia Movie

A Ten Headed Angel? Or Monster? For Real?

“Pathu Thala” a movie from STR is an impressive feat with flashes of brilliance.

Heartfelt appreciations should go to Director Krishna, after his nicely packaged “Sillunu Oru Kaadhal”. Don’t know how it turned out to be a mediocre fare with a nice romance and sizzling chemistry of Surya-Jyothika and as usual Chart topping music from ARR. It had shades of Mouna Raagam, but still a fresh experience of that time.

Even here, Krishna does the love episodes of Priya Bhavani Shankar and Gowtham so brilliantly, aided by Ninaivirukka earworm. Maybe he could reinvent himself rather softly doing an Atlee with gentle remakes of Mouna Raagam or Vikram as his scenes are so original and impressive expect for the screenplay.

‘Pathu Thala’ STR is so effortless and natural as a larger than life Hero or Villain, whichever way you like it. The Pre-Interval scene was so good with ARR going wild with his BGM. Not sure, but usually the Film which comes before PS series like Cobra / Pathu Thala has his best scores with lot of similarities to follow on PS. Gautham got a sensible role and suits himself well. Overall, it was an enjoyable package.

The movie had a lot more potential. It’s bit difficult to digest STR parachuting as an all powerful sand Mafia Don after his realistic roles in VTK and Maanaadu. Maybe an intelligent rise of AGR could have been a nice introduction sequence to support his larger than life character post interval. Also, his initial political maneuvers could have been elaborated to establish the plot well, so that it gives the high when it get unravelled in climax. GVM has a linear character, he could have been leveraged as a wily and friendly Fox who hoodwinks AGR and CM at the same time, playing his cards to trap the CM, only to get exposed by the goon he sends pre-Interval, just for awe inducing moments and layering. The film follows Vikram template, but the intro established KH very well and slowly unraveled him with enjoyable twists and turns. In Pathu Thala such organic screenplay is missing.

The movie has many slo mo scenes for STR, acting as dampener. Eventually, the story is devoid of any threats or twists upon STR arrival. More credit to STR, as he carries a simplistic plot with aplomb. The movie could have done a lot better with shades of grey rather painting STR as White angel. My own theory would be on what makes Nayakan classic compared to other Mafia Don movies is that, it was realistic without pretensions and justifications. It starts with “Nothing is wrong if it’s good for four people” towards a convincing “Are you Good or Bad? – I don’t know!”. This movie could have been a classic except for few shortcomings. The climax is a long and winding violent butcher stuff, whose shock elements are already expended during the Interval part. Maybe the crew could have thought about much more intelligent action sequence, just like Gowtham’s intro to keep the audience at seat edge, to reward a fulfilling experience.