It's the evening show at a Chennai multiplex. The theatre is packed, the audience is waiting with bated breath. And the moment finally arrives. When Rajinikanth leans across the table of a college chairman and says, "Ayya en peru Manickam… Enakku innoru peru irukku.” The next one minute is drowned in whistles, claps and the... Continue Reading →
The curse of superstardom
There lived a superstar who created a whirlpool of his own stardom. His fans were sucked into it with every blockbuster he released year after year, as they cherished his mannerisms, dialogue delivery, style and held unflinching faith in him and his brand of cinema. Oh did I forget to mention, film after film, he... Continue Reading →
Sound of Music – In conversation with P Susheela
Her name was synonymous with playback singing for several decades in south Indian cinema. I met her a few weeks back to do a story for The Times of India's 8th anniversary edition in Chennai, where she shared some fond memories of her musical journey and the city that became her home – Chennai. you... Continue Reading →
A man for all genres: Guru Dutt
Two days back, many online articles and radio shows remembered Guru Dutt, whose 90th birth anniversary fell on July 9. What struck me most in those programmes was the complete focus on melancholy and tragedy, painted in a tinge of disillusionment and despair. There were references to the pain he endured in his personal life, which... Continue Reading →
Madraswallah 