Charlie

Watch Charlie, it is a celebration by itself – so I was told by a friend. The viewing was anyway a surety; albeit I was working up a sense of preparedness which in turn worked out positive! 

So the movie. This isn't really a review; or a story-revealing exercise. Those of you reading this post would anyway want to watch the movie, for the metaphor for Charlie shall be – Celebration. So even if you end up knowing aspects of the celebration, you would still want to go ahead and celebrate it yourself right? That's what I am hinting at – it is the way you experience Celebration. 

Charlie revolves around Kochi – a Kochi that is shown again and again in just about every other Malayalam movie. However this one, took a different route by making the city look vibrant, talking to us in colours – blue, fuchsia, gold, silver, green, yellow and orange. The lavish display of paintings and murals on walls on road and shop-sides were a sensory treat – it was as though the city was dipped in Biennale. 

And then there's Tessa – the first thing that attracted me to her was her feisty nose pin. Oxidised silver; forming thin concentric circles. Her way of dressing shows her free spirit all the way. Nothing obscene or vulgar. Just the right pieces of clothing with a great sense of colour combination. However there's her messiness – which makes her look imperfectly beautiful. Tessa wearing sandals from different pairs is talked about by her friend in fractions of seconds; the scene remains in my head. Girls who are otherwise shown as all dolled-up, Tessa beats all conventions! 

And then there's Kani – always tomboyish – riding a bullet, wearing full-sleeve cotton kurtas, with a bobbed hairdo. How she hits rock-bottom in life and rises up is something that is inspiring. Her way of essaying this role is adorable. 

Love can never let you down. This is beautifully proved with the story weaved around Nedumudi Venu and his teenage love. 

Then our man is here – Dulquer Salman, shown as an ever-elusive guy. Rugged clothing, a zombie so to say. The beard he sports is just perfect – the texture of his beard's hair and the thickness of his hair with a smile streaking past his cheeks. Every minutiae about this character is charming. 

End of story – do watch Charlie for more. 

Pongal Post

The teacher in the class would go –  write a "composition" on Festivals of India. As a child from 3rd or 4th standard, the very word "composition" meant only some write-up on a topic and nothing beyond; for it's just the assignment that would strongly come to mind. And so the festivals of India –  while Diwali is an easy pick, I always had more content for Pongal. The reason was very simple : we have Pongal, Mattu Pongal and then Kanum Pongal! Writing about all the 3 days of Pongal would easily fill the pages of the book for the composition. Oh and how could I forget Bogi!

As a city dweller, there are some standard images that come to mind and then put into words - Of colourful pots, beautifully adorned cows with the bell around their neckline dangling, making a resonating sound amidst the vehicles abuzz on the city streets. I always wanted to be in a village to experience Pongal for that is where the heart of this fest lies. "Kanum Pongal" actually would make more sense to a person from a village –  as a person in the city, we are anyway constantly in the process of seeing things - you wouldn't go to the beach or the movies simply on account of Kanum Pongal for it's a weekend getaway!

The whole Pongal paraphernalia feels fulfilling but leaves me wondering constantly : here's an Indian festival (that too South Indian), which is both on the menu as well as on the list of holidays!
Happy Pongal by the way!

The adorable street calf

If it's Pongal, then there needs to be sugarcane!

A lady at the Pot stall

Of clay and its shapes