The #upcomingShivannaTitles story.

Well well well,

I'm not apologising for not writing anything for so long. Never in any of my blogs. Thats pointless.

I would just explain a short story that trended on twitter which un/fortunately started with me n buzz off.

On 27th of April, was again at office doing some pointless shit without a choice. Somehow I had tweeted about Maasti's version of Punyavantha (Being rich). It was just co-incidental to what I'm blurting out below.

I saw ppl tweet about a movie 'Punyavantha S/o Bhagyavantha'. Who else as  the hero? None other than our Shivanna aka Kannada da SRK i.e., Shiva Raj Kumar (Shivaputtuswamy to go by his birthname). If you are a Kannada film follower, you would know that Rajkumar acted in the movie 'Bhagyavantharu' with B Saroja Devi and also in 'Bhagyavantha' with Puneeth Rajkumar. I should say it the other way I guess. That was the inspiration(?) to it?


I am a big fan of his sensible movies. His earlier movies like Anand, Rathasaptami, Samyukta, OM, AK-47 etc but these days, he is coming up with some shitty movies on compulsion with some real-estate producers and some baseheaded directors of Gandhinagara. I guess its hightime he learns saying NO.

Looking at the title, I  just tweeted that in future he might come-up with something like 'Bangarada Manushyana maga Singaarada Manushya'.

Just tagged the above tweet with #upcomingShivannaTitles.

I got inspired myself with the above tweet and added another entry 'Devatha Manushyana maga Bhoogatha Manushya' after his prowess in all these underworld movies.

I got some feeble support from fellow tweeps (I prefer tweeters). They added a few more entries and I did the same.

It would have been the usual twitter trend story. Just that the trend I set was not followed.


I was tweeting titles modifying movies of Dr. Rajkumar accordingly to Shivanna. Till that evening there was a healthy trend of the same. There were a few who didnt get the trend but on knowing, they followed.

Now all the Shivanna haters started tweeting their hatred after sometime with more funnier/cocky titles which were in no relation to Rajkumar movie titles.

Many brought in Parwathamma, Bangarappa, Leelavathi, Vinodraj n all into the game.

It went on for a rage around Benglur or Karnataka for that matter. People started tweeting funny on this hashtag and I did enjoyed it. To be frank, I was a bit sorry for the tag to miss its trend.

This went on till two days and it was still trending. I feel happy for the tag coz I started it. (Naturally... Feel like boasting but no, not my nature)

I still respect Shivanna for his decent movies. May God give him a sane mind and the power to say NO to stupid producers.

I would end this post as a dedication to you know what '#upcomingShivannaTitles'

=)

Colored Pants and the Foreign Streets...

Had logged into blogger 2 hours back... Was feeling like blogging but no topic came to mind. Two or three random things turned up but none became concrete.

Just posted the day's links on my link blog, and logged off. Still my mind was revolving around a topic to blog out. Was listening to some trance later on, thought of blogging on it while it was time for our weekly Pooje. got downstairs to attend it. Once it was over, mother asked me to have dinner.

While I was having it, others were randomly browsing thru the channels on TV. On U2, our infamous 'Hey! Hey Paaro' was getting played. Though this song isnt directly connected to the topic, I thanked TV to lend me this interesting topic.



Before I start, I should tell you about the colored pants. It dates back to the dawn of eastman colored movies, especially the tamil ones (Some do include them till date). Thank god for Black n White movies, we couldnt notice the color.

Scenarios like deep orange pant and dark blue shirt, yellow shirt and pale green pant or be it pink shirt with blood red pant were pretty common. To add onto this, they had these bell bottomed pants as the trend. Be it a song sequence or a fighting scene, you could see the hero (sometimes the heroine as well) wearing them with their hands resting on their hips with their mouth wide open. It was total comedy.

Not that you couldnt find such combinations in Kannada movies, it was rare. may be 1 in 50 movies of the 70s.I've seen Rajkumar wearing some in some of his early movies, also Vishnu, Ambareesh and Srinath. May be 2-3 films in their career.

I saw these combinations on TV when there was no cable network. In those days where DD1 was the only channel, everyday of the week was reserved for 1 regional language songs to be telecasted. It was Thursday for Kannada, dont remember for other languages. But sometimes when we were playing in the hall, we used to see some songs of other languages... the NTRs, Chiranjeevi, MGRs, Rajanikanth, Vijayakanth who else, all could be seen wearing Blue shirt and Red pant with a green scarf... sometimes with a black hat. Goodness... Almost all the songs.

More of tamil songs I saw were in one of my Uncle's house. He was fond of Tamil movies (I still dunno why) and during my summer holidays, we used to stay in his house playing with my cousins. I was wondering who was the costume designer for such songs. Havent watched much of Hindi movies/songs. Can't comment on them.

After the 80's one hardly could see such color combos in Kannada movies. It was the time when the Nags, Kashinath ruled the KFI. Movies were sensible n entertaining too. Also, all movies of the big heads Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan and Ambareesh had good script as always. 90s were again with Ravichandran, Shivarajkumar, Shashikumar... No traces of colored pants.

Since the 00's there started a bad trend of remaking Telugu/Tamil movies. Some were inspired (as per the directors/producers). Or atleast some movies based on rowdism had what they now call an ITEM song. A catchy number. In such scenarios, they were dressed in all possible combinations (again inspired by the T & T movies).

Initially all such songs were picturised within the country. Thanks to our 'American' Director Nagathihalli Chandrashekhar to set up the trend to shoot most of the movie scenes as well as songs abroad. Later a trend came up where songs were shot abroad. That was a marketing strategy where the posters had the tag, 'capturizing the scenic beauty of so and so country...'

Initially, the trend was to shoot some songs in a decent manner. Then came the worse. This went onto a level where all songs in a movie should be shooted abroad. Some heroes were/still are refusing to sign the deal if this scenario isnt met.

Thanks to TnT movies, we saw some tappangucchi numbers being shot abroad. The herd wearing lungies/petas with fishnet vests smoking beedis (watch Yuvaraja remake of a telugu movie Tammudu) I was dumbstruck watching that song. Worse was when they used the foreign artists in our local attire. It was SO funny.

Want something more worse? They performing in the busy foreign streets with tappangucchi and the public watchin them with their jaws wide open. You can see some of the foreigners laughin the the song itself. Tell me, what impression do they get of our country n culture?

They've visited almost all major countries. America, Australia, New Zealand, Most of Europe which includes Austria, Switzerland, UK, France, Venice, Italy what not?

I sometime see them dancing to the tunes with these colored pants. Damn it! Whose the choreographer? Doesnt he possess the least sense?

All current heroes are culprits here. Puneeth was afar from this but recently watched his 'Raam'. Look at this song, 'Hosa Gaana Bajaana', as a proof. Major culprits being Darshan, Upendra, Sudeep, Shivarajkumar, Auditya...

Let them perform the way they want in lonely streets/locations... Why on the busy roads?

We have a new face to the list, thanks that he hasnt performed in foreign streets but he has one or the other song with such color combination. He is Yogesh a.k.a Loose Maada. Atleast one song will be having weird costumes with songs modulated to machine like voice. Watch Jinke Marina, Maja Maja En Majano of Nanda <3 Nanditha, Chakkli Nippat thinnkandu of Ravana or Sarasooo of Ambaari to get a glimpse of it.

Who is supposed to be blamed for this shit? Collectively all. Most of the times, it is the producers who force the director to add atleast one such song to the movie. Sometimes its the directors fault and sometimes its the hero's fault.

Again, the final question I want to ask them is dont they get ashamed to act lunatically in the unknown crowd? Is it good for them to impart a false image onto the foreigner's brain?

Hope they think in this direction.

Jesus in India? A movie on that?

Just saw it in today's newspaper, Deccan Herald, Page 11, Inquirer column. To be honest, I was irritated.

How many hoaxes do these western people create? The heading says "There is almost no doubt Jesus spent some time in India", and the article provides no proof of the above statement. The article is about a producer, Kent Walwin (never heard of his name till date, IMDb though provides me the details that he has produced 19 movies and has written two plays, though the article says that he has made around 70 films?!). Well and good.

This producer, is now interested in making his most important movie which would explore if Jesus Christ spent his mythical 18 missing years in India!!??

Let me list some of the rumours connecting Jesus and India.

1. Jesus visited India and Tibet, served as a student as well as a teacher here and then returned back to Nazareth.

2. Jesus's body is buried somewhere in India.

3. Jesus will take his re-birth again in India.

(These are the major ones I accustomed, there may be many more...)

Googling more on the key 'Jesus in India' would provide you more results. I dont want to list them here. do it if you're interested. By the search I conducted, you get mixed responses. Some say yes, many say no.

According to a site I visited, it says that in 1894, some Russian Nicolas Notovitch, visited India and Tibet, broke his leg which made him stay long here. During this period, he found ancient records about a St. Issa (who turns out to be Christ), who studied and taught people over there. He took a copy those records in his journal,  back to the West, as a proof to the expected controversy. It also says that it was also accepted by his skeptics... blah blah blah... Read the article if interested. It also calls him the Buddha.



Many other pages I visited (which deny the above statement) try to criticize Vedic philosophy on this topic rather than negating Jesus's visit to India.


Now, let me write my opinion on this.


Note:

1. I'm assuming that Jesus had existed, for some may argue on the contrary. I havent done much of research on that perspective. (Son of a virgin lady? One of my basic doubts... Sorry, I don't believe in miracles) But from the debate's perspective, lets assume he had existed.

2. I havent read the Bible but a few parts are brought to my notice, thanks to the Evangelists. I can't quote anything from it.


Of all the pages I read regarding this, they say that there were something called as missing years in Jesus's life. Since he was 13 till he completed 29, there is no record of where he was in those days.


If we consider him coming to India, that would have taken long. Coming all the way from Israel to India when you're 12 in those days where you didn't have flights? hmm! Assuming he had travelled that far. What made him travel? Why did he? For how he knew there was a country called India which is spiritually rich? (accepted by Mr. KW)


Okay, he came. They say, he learned what they called Indian philosophy, He became a teacher too. (Teaching Indian philosophy) Umm, Thats great. But didn't he teach something else back in Israel?


I know no details other than the above mentioned paragraph. Now the question thats hitting me is that after learning so much in India, why did he return back to Nazareth? Geographically if you consider, India, (Kashmir, Ladakh to be specific,) was a heaven when you consider Jerusalem. Okay let us assume, he wanted to teach what he had learnt here to his people over there. Again the same question, did he teach exactly Indian principles?


If he had visited, there should be some more documents referring him say like some pandit in a King's regime, some kind of Sthala Purana, anything. We see no major thing coz if it did existed, it should have been know by now due to the excavation conducted.




Here are some questions I'd like to ask.


1. Why did all of a sudden, people started linking Jesus to India?
2. What is the Pope's stand towards this?
3. What does the Bible say about the missing years as said by Kent Walwin?


My view for the above questions are as follows,


Christianity is suffering a blow in the West, specially in Europe by Islam as India is suffering from blows by both of these cemetic religions(Christianity & Islam) here in India.

People say that in near future, Europe will be named Eurabia as muslims are densly multiplyin in Europe. Due to the intrusion of Islam in Europe, the Christian leaders are trying to find new land for its new Vatican City and they're eyeing India as the prominent destination.


Thanks to the current Indian Politics, which is held by an Italian Lady, well supported by her two kids and the rubber stamp along with a heard of sheeps. Need more proof regarding this? What happened once Congress came to power in 2004? Evangelism was accelerated. Missionaries from all over the world started coming to India. You all remember that stupid Benny Hinn's visit to Bangalore at the Jakkur Aerodrome. Boy! what a mess it was?

Our government lauds the Pope who visits India, vows that he shall make India a complete Christian Nation. Duh! What a pity????



Missionaries started camping allover the country. Where else? At the base of Tirupati, thanks for the late converted Christian CM, YSR (remembering whom, the whole AP cries crocodile tears) Duh!


We were trekking in Nagamale, Male Mahadeshwara hills a year back, to find the hilly area evangelized to a great extent. Cel location indicator on my CellPhone was saying we're at 'Kristarajapuram' (imitating krishnarajapura?) while we were trekking, a few kids of age not crossing 10, came to us begging for money who refused the food we gave. They wanted money. We saw a cross around their necks. Thank evangelists. Hope you understood the whole situation.


They're trying to christianize India stepwise. Thats highly irritating. Don't they have care for us Indians? Doesnt it strike their mind that they're doing exactly the same as to what the muslims are doing to them in Europe?


We Vedics, have never gone abroad trying to evangelize. We dont believe in it. The west simply doesnt understand our philosophy. They need to grow up a lot. I pity them.


These intrusion of evangelists and missionaries is a further step in that path. Creating false communal issues by disrupting churches by their own people, blaming the Hindus for that is another step. Making this movie, is another step in that regard.

People are trying to eradicate Indian philosophy from the face of earth, but thanks to a lot in saving it.





I believe there will not be an end to the Sanatana Dharma by these meagre foreign creatures for it has faced more tougher situations in the past and is still existing.

Had more points. Will mention the relevant ones in the comments. Please have your say!

Meera Madhava Raghava

Had been to Meera Madhava Raaghava with Janna n Seena last Sunday and here is my short review on that.

Before all, lets list out the main guys of the film

Director - T.N.Seetharam, Gauribidanur
Hero - Digant
Heroine - Ramya a.k.a Spandana
Villain - Tilak
Music & Lyrics - Hamsalekha

Supporting actors n actresses - Babu Hirannayya, Sundar Raj, Tulasi Shivamani, Sudha Belavadi, Anand, Nanjundaswamy, Harini, Vanishri, T.N.Srinivas Murthy( Brother of T.N.Seetharam) to name a few.

This movie had great expectations and doesn't satisfy them to the extent expected. Many flaws are so glaringly visible (which is not expected from the director, T.N.Seetharam). Even Hamsalekha has lost his usual touch with music in this movie.

The story goes on like this...

Meera (Ramya), daughter of Meshtru (Babu Hirannayya, named only meshtru name not disclosed even after his death) is a karnataka shastreeya sangeeta teacher who helps her family by teaching Karnataka Sangeeta to kids around her locality. The initial scene wherein she sings a song while teaching fails to create an image of sangeeta teacher for her. Lack of concentration depicted in that scene. I started losing interest since that scene.

Enter the villain, Raghava Bharadwaj (Tilak) who comes in search for a guy who had taken loan from him and who lives in the house just in front of Meera. Forgets everything listening to Meera's song. Comes to her house listening to the song. She stops looking at him with a LONG. He asks her to sing and she sings outa fear. Meanwhile the person who had taken loan comes to his house and looking at him, Raghava's chelas belt him up black n blue. Raghava will be listening to Meera's music and he asks both of them not to utter a single word if police enquires about them. So does the police come n they lie.

Raghava bids his thanks to both of them and asks Meera what shall i present you?? Her father replies by saying that if he leaves his home, that would itself be a big gift for them. He falls in love with her but she doesnt love him. Many things happen from then, he starts following her. Asks for her ring(not a gold ring, fake one), keeps it in a golden box and gifts her a golden ring and asks her to marry him in front of her family members. Her mother lies that she's engaged.

He gets upset n warns them that he'll make a mess if this turns out to be false. Just to make this true, her parents arrage for an engagement asap with a poor chap from Mysore named Madhava (Digant). This guy is pretty fair but can still learn a lot in acting. Raghava interrupts in the engagement but Madhava agrees to marry Meera.

Marriage will get over easily. She comes to Mysore (Madhava's home). She'll be offered a contract to sing for three years to a company based in Mumbai. All arrangements will be done by the company and she'll be paid Rs 40,000 per month. Everybody in the family will be dreaming of the job in her new family but she rejects it because Madhava is not ready for a detachment of 3 years.

Meanwhile, Meera's father passes away and she comes back to her house to finish off the final rituals. She'll have a happy discussion with her husband about his needs. He is interested in doing his IAS and discusses this with his wife at that stage. Fortunately, she has her dad's house and they were about to sell it. It was a house which would easily come upto 50 lakhs. She asks for her share in dad's property and her brother denies it pledging her about his problems.

But, Madhava is all set to go to delhi, he leaves his current job as lecturer and leaves for Delhi for training. The training institute would demand 6.5 lakhs, and including all the expenses it would take 10 lakhs for his completion of IAS. She says that she'll arrange for it and he leaves for Delhi! ( The same person who was uncomfortable with his wife going to Mumbai for three years). He passes the entrance test and asks about the money. She says that it is on the way.

She then goes to her friend's dad who works for a finance company seeking loan. This has a background. Madhava's dad died because of loans. So Madhava is dead against loans. He takes a promise from Meera asking her not to take loan in any condition. She was about to break that promise for his welfare. Accidentally, the owner of her friend's dad turns out to be Raghava.

She denies taking loan from him. But looking at the critical condition, she agrees and takes 10 lakhs loan. She didnt have any security to give. So, she forges her husbands' signature as well as her signature as the proof of taking loan.

Things get more interested as time passes as she hasn't paid any interest for the loan amount. Raghava forces her to sing songs in a pub and says that that would make him get his interest. She somehow manages things and Madhava is now an IAS officer.

He comes to the same district as Raghava is currently in and takes charge. At the same time, the MLA of the constituency gets murdered. Madhava looks at things happening in his constituency and decides to bring in law and order back in the city. He finds that the single anti-social element in the district is Raghava and summons a bill against him to get out of the district.

Raghava will be planning to become the next MLA of the constituency and this summons is obstructing him from becoming that! He plays all sorts of games( To enjoy that you gotta watch the movie. Things get interesting from this point). I won't dig in more about the tricks. Will he be able to become MLA?? Will Madhava continue to be prompt to the Government?? What happens to Meera??

Interested?? Go watch the movie.

Now to the flaws to name a few.

First half of the movie is simply CRAP. It would have been easily shrinked to 15-20 minutes. This would have made the movie more interesting. Some songs could have been easily avoided specially the remix song when Meera gets an opportuniy to fly to Mumbai.

One more thing is that, the family members who were frequently shown in the first half, disappear in the second. Once Madhava becomes Deputy Commissioner, he lives only with his wife and not with his mom and siblings. (Strange eh??)

Once Meera's father dies, Madhava is not moved by it neither he attends his karmakanda. Seems so unreal. In fact, he agrees to get money from his property.

Actingwise, Tilak steals the show. He is the real hero of the film. Performs really well. Has a great future if people in Gandhinagar look upon him. Has umpteen talent. Ramya is as usual. Acts childish quite frequently. Seetharam hasn't churned much outa her. Digant is charming but there are lots to improve. Anand, Sudha Belavadi et al are okay. Mandya Ramesh has done justice to his role but could have been used better.

If you ask my views, they would have shortened the first half and made a shorter movie though effective. The film loses its charm by some of the flaws i mentioned.

Hamsalekha hasn't given his best with music. Two songs are hummable. "Vasantha Vasantha" and "Bellulli Bellulli". Expectations were more on him.

All in all, worth watching once. Try avoiding first half or take it in lighter sense. Seetharam hasn't come outa Mukta as you can see from the district name he gives. It is still "Hemagiri". You can find many mukta terms in this movie.

Coming to producers, It is being financed by some NRI's in America. They had asked Seetharam to direct one film for each of them but Seetharam agreed to direct one film for all. Movie budget is 90 lakhs as they say. The script and the presentation would have been better.

Pour in your comments.