My first short film.

[rajaramsgi]

Wish I were gullible enough to believe all your funny 'may be's! Why should Karthick look shocked/dismayed at seeing Preethi's family photo? This being his 1st attempt and the expenses and trouble of having done it etc has no relevance since I clearly had agreed about the technical quality of the film and clarified about my having problem only with the content and concluded suggesting examplary themes for betterment and upholding the dignity of the human race- all purely personal! No offence meant!

There is no doubt about the quality of the film making, all of you are agreeing to that as well which is a great encouragement for the director.

Ilango Thangavelu had less resources in making this one, but the quality is no less compared any recently successful ran box office kollywood hits. If this man had a proper story discussion by having intellectual assistants, then whatever we are discussing here would be been raised over there.. but it is all still good. It is a lesson for director Ilango and I guess he would defenitely consider the 'what if' and 'May be' options in his future projects.

[uzfuvebano]

நான்கு படங்கள் எடுத்த பின்பும் இயக்குனர்கள் தடுமாறும் இந்த காலத்தில், முதல் படத்திலேயே அழகாய் ஒரு ஓவியம் வரைந்திருக்கிறீர்கள். உங்கள் தாடியிலும், ப்ரீத்தியின் முகத்திலும் சிரிக்கும் போது கூட சின்னதாய் ஒரு சோகம். இது போன்ற படங்களுக்கு அப்படி தான் இருக்க வேண்டும்.

முதல் சந்திப்பிலேயே நம்ம ஊரில் ஒரு பெண் அருகில் அமர்ந்து படம் பார்க்கும் பெண், ஒரு ஆணை நம்பி காரில் ஏறி, டின்னர் சாப்பிட்டு, இரவில் வீடு வந்து தங்கி காபி குடித்து தங்குவது என்பதெல்லாம் நம்ப இயலாது தான். வெளிநாடுகளில் கூட இது சாத்தியம் இல்லை. கலாச்சார சீர்கேடு என்று சிலர் சொல்ல கூடும். அது அவர்கள் இஷ்டம். தனிமையில் செய்தால் சரி, அதுவே யாருக்கும் தெரிந்தால் அது தவறு என்று சொல்லும் காலம் இது. ப்ரீத்திக்கும், கார்த்திக்கும் முன்னரே ஒரு கனெக்ஷன் இருந்தது போல் காட்டி இருக்கலாம். (பள்ளி, காலேஜ் அல்லது சிறு வயதில் பக்கத்து வீடு போன்ற....)


படம் எடுக்க பட்ட சூழ்நிலையும், இடங்களும் அழகு. கேமரா கோணங்களும், பின்னணி இசையும் உறுத்தாத அளவிற்கு நன்றாகவே இருந்தது. நல்ல முயற்சி.. வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

உங்கள் பாராட்டுக்கு மிக்க நன்றி!
I tried to follow the original story as much as possible. சாத்தியம் இல்லை - உண்மை.... ஆனால் என்னை கவர்ந்த அழகான கதை.

[uzfuvebano]

tigger2, are you sure you want to hear my review? Well, technically it is OK! (I enjoyed that bit about the notorious autowallahs of B'lore!) Nothing lacking. But...the content is not to my taste. Definitely not my cuppa! My strict set of values refuse to be bent by all the forceful 'modern' trends I see around me!!! This is my narration of the story as I perceived it: Karthick sees a good 'figure' standing alone. His interest is aroused instantly. Luckily for him he gets to buy her extra ticket and sits next to her to watch a Kannada film he doesn't understand!Keeps casting lascivious looks at her in the dark, gallantly offers snacks and follows her outside the theatre to see her off. Again luck is on his side and her inability to get an auto makes her accept his offer to drop her at her place. Polished modern youth they are they stop at Desmonds and he never takes his eyes off her being congeniality itself through the party. To a complete stranger she tells her disappointment at becoming an orthodentist as per the desire of her dentist parents and not following her passion for dancing. The prey is an easy one, he feels. He adds about his sad return from the US to take up family responsibilities. Nice bonding! Huh! Preethi's eyes widen when she learns that he doesn't have to pay there, that he owns the place. From then she is all smiles and brightness. Odious and obvious. She proposes coffee. He says he prefers his home coffee to any coffee shop coffee. Mind you, he is not still openly inviting her to his place! A very decent 'gentleman'. But she has no scruples about inviting herself to his place at night. Such brazen attitudes and approaches of 'modern' females are subjects for my deep concern and scorn! She is 'ready' for anything. She is not afraid. And everything follows ditto as per both their calculation. The 'starved' woman is satisfied- her note says it. But, alas, it is an anti climax for our hero(called romantic by Preethi for sitting through a movie he doesn't understand-confident anticipation, I call it) and his replying note says it- oh, the bitch doesn't understand it!!!
I warned you, tigger2! Can't help it. I make no secret of how I can't empathise or sympathise with 'starving' women! I have better standards for women (and men too!).Old hubber friends who know me will vouch for it.
The youngsters in my family hasten to warn me against watching any of these new movies being released lately to save me from hypertension. I have literally stopped watching movies! My interest lies in participating in essay contests about closure of tasmac!!! I stopped visiting a females site after the 'modern' upstarts started showing crass attitudes towards my articles.
Instead of depicting realism, the truthful occurrences and indirectly getting them endorsed, accepted, normalised why not try to uphold precious values? Why not depict the beauty of love differentiating it from lust? Lust is a common instinct we share with beasts; love is purely human, unique to the intellectual, intelligent, consummate species!

bipolar,
thanks for the support! I will try to address pp's points.


pp,
thanks for your review. you have some valid points, but for the most part I thought it was a little extreme and you made a lot of assumptions to reinforce some stereotypes that you have about men.

first off, I liked the fact that the story turns upside down some stereotypes. usually it is the man who is looking for a one-night stand and it is the woman who looks for a long term relationship. in this case karthik was really impressed with her and when he saw the word "forever" in her note, he went in search of her thinking that the relationship will be forever. that's why he was so disappointed when he saw that she was already married. of course she just meant that the memories will be with her forever.

I did not show him looking at certain parts of her body in the theater. so how did you assume that his glance was "lascivious"? he was just admiring her. fyi men can keep looking at woman and enjoy their beauty without having dirty thoughts! also, this is a guy who has been in the US for a few years and got to experience the world, someone in his 30s. your usage of "figure", "prey" etc. implies some sex-crazed teenager which is not the case.

I would also take issue with your use of the words "starved" woman, since you are assuming that she was sex-starved at home. I did want to show that she was starved, but emotionally, not physically.

one of the issues in society is that no one cares what damage happens to a woman's psyche emotionally. but the moment she does something with her body physically everyone is up in arms against it. why the double standard? were you this offended by movies like bama rukmani, rettai vaal kuruvi etc even though in those movies the hero was two-timing two women? how about praying to Gods like Murugan, Krishna etc that have two women by their side? do you scrupulously avoid praying to these Gods because they have two wifes?

btw I am not advocating that women start getting into extra-marital relationships. i am just saying that in this story, a woman did spend the night with another man, but it was under very special circumstances and she herself decides that it was a one-off event that will never happen again. so give her a break! do not label her as "loose" and "sex-starved".

One thing in the film that I did not want was to show Preethi as naughty, but she purposely made her facial expressions and voice inflection naughty around the time she invited herself to his place in the restaurant. this might have misled you. If I had a choice I would have re-shot that scene, but I ran out of time. I should have instructed her properly before the scene, but I guess she did not get it.

[pavalamani pragasam]

bipolar,
thanks for the support! I will try to address pp's points.


pp,
thanks for your review. you have some valid points, but for the most part I thought it was a little extreme and you made a lot of assumptions to reinforce some stereotypes that you have about men.

first off, I liked the fact that the story turns upside down some stereotypes. usually it is the man who is looking for a one-night stand and it is the woman who looks for a long term relationship. in this case karthik was really impressed with her and when he saw the word "forever" in her note, he went in search of her thinking that the relationship will be forever. that's why he was so disappointed when he saw that she was already married. of course she just meant that the memories will be with her forever.

I did not show him looking at certain parts of her body in the theater. so how did you assume that his glance was "lascivious"? he was just admiring her. fyi men can keep looking at woman and enjoy their beauty without having dirty thoughts! also, this is a guy who has been in the US for a few years and got to experience the world, someone in his 30s. your usage of "figure", "prey" etc. implies some sex-crazed teenager which is not the case.

I would also take issue with your use of the words "starved" woman, since you are assuming that she was sex-starved at home. I did want to show that she was starved, but emotionally, not physically.

one of the issues in society is that no one cares what damage happens to a woman's psyche emotionally. but the moment she does something with her body physically everyone is up in arms against it. why the double standard? were you this offended by movies like bama rukmani, rettai vaal kuruvi etc even though in those movies the hero was two-timing two women? how about praying to Gods like Murugan, Krishna etc that have two women by their side? do you scrupulously avoid praying to these Gods because they have two wifes?

btw I am not advocating that women start getting into extra-marital relationships. i am just saying that in this story, a woman did spend the night with another man, but it was under very special circumstances and she herself decides that it was a one-off event that will never happen again. so give her a break! do not label her as "loose" and "sex-starved".

One thing in the film that I did not want was to show Preethi as naughty, but she purposely made her facial expressions and voice inflection naughty around the time she invited herself to his place in the restaurant. this might have misled you. If I had a choice I would have re-shot that scene, but I ran out of time. I should have instructed her properly before the scene, but I guess she did not get it.

Thanks, tigger2, for your explanations! I don't make compromises! I 'give her a break'? Never! Sorry. So, like always, let us agree to disagree agreeably! FYI, I do not worship those mythological gods you mentioned. My personal theism is one supreme power in control of the cosmos, Providence, and no idols or formal worships for my reverence. Down the ages of history, even now in many persons' lives, we see polygamy. Harlems and the monarchial habit of marrying the defeated king's daughter increasing the size of their harlems were accepted as normal politics in an age of lesser civilisation and refinement of human dignity and perception of such values. We have come up a long way. What is happening now is a relapse!!!!! A shameless descent in our moral values. Mammon rules, egoes rule, vanity rules. I am not a Taliban but I can't help being a little puritanical in my moral standards. As I said before my grievances with 'modern' trends and new-fangled ideas of women's liberation and a lot of feminism blah-blahs are infinite!!! Let me repeat again that I'm only voicing my personal opinions and no offence meant.

[geno]

Ilango!

awesome for a first effort!

It was warm, honest, straight from the heart and strung some notes!

Thats all is needed! 'Craft' will come; 'Soul' is the more immediate requirement and your work has it.

Loved the BGM, esp. the Raja's "vizhiyile"....that woman was beautiful and she did not look naughty at the guy at all! that was Perfect!

I can think of Mr & Mrs. Iyer and George clooney's "Up in the air" - in the sense that one is reminded of those films but definitely your work is Native and it speaks from the heart!

[thamiz]

Wish I were gullible enough to believe all your funny 'may be's! Why should Karthick look shocked/dismayed at seeing Preethi's family photo? This being his 1st attempt and the expenses and trouble of having done it etc has no relevance since I clearly had agreed about the technical quality of the film and clarified about my having problem only with the content and concluded suggesting examplary themes for betterment and upholding the dignity of the human race- all purely personal! No offence meant!

Did not watch the short film. But the story sounds like George Clooney's "Up in the air"!

[thamiz]

"Because it is a "short-film" everything has to be shown in a short-time. One need to understand that!"

This would justify any flaws in the movie or not?!

[Chappani]

I agree with you mam!!

[Chappani]

Nice Movie Elango, liked it!!

[venkkiram]

Mr. Elango.. Very good attempt. I could not believe this was your very first attempt. Excellent making shown there. The dark background in those car travel scenes added more beauty to their budding relation and the way Raja enters into that was a sync perfect. Content wise, I liked the plot. Your way of travel with the plot also nice. But given a chance, I would avoid keeping that climax scene insted I would end it with that girl entering into her house where her In-Law opens the door and the script from her at his house revealing her marriage and her kid.