Ek Deewana Tha – Teaser

Contrary to popular belief (well, not really that popular considering it was only me) this is NOT the Part 2 or sequel of the Urmila Matondkar – Saif Ali Khan starrer Ek Hasina Thi!

Ek Deewana Tha is actually the Hindi remake of the Tamil film Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa which had Simbu and Trisha in the lead roles. It was also simultaneously made in Telugu as Ye Maaya Chesave with Naga Chaitanya and Samantha innit. Though both movies became hits, their standout point was A.R. Rahman’s music – songs & tunes are the same in both versions. The Hindi version is directed by the same director – Gautham Menon and has Pratiek Babbar and Brit gal (A Miss Liverpool!) Amy Jackson & is said to have two completely new songs.

Though I’ve never been a fan of Telugu movies of this type, YMC registered a seismic presence around me coz of the incessant chatter about how good it was, how good the music was, how gorgeous Samantha was blah blah blah…couple of my friends were so hooked to the music, they had it as their ringtones as well as caller tunes! This post is dedicated to them…

Watched: Kaakha Kaakha

Am not a stranger to watching Tamil movies. Ages ago, I had sat through some very terrible movies – which I neither could understand a word of nor recognize the faces on screen. In fact, I couldn’t even pronounce the name of the movie! (Kandu-something!). But over the years I have watched their re-made counterparts in Hindi and Telugu and had wanted to watch their original version just to get a comparative perspective. I even started listening to Tamil songs (only those which were already popular in their dubbed versions) – mostly by Ilaiyaraja and A R Rahman. And a few months ago, I did watch in its entirety, my first Tamil movie – Autograph.

And today, I have doubled the count by watching the acclaimed Kaakha Kaakha. Starring Suriya, Jothika and Jeevan, its the original of the Venkatesh, Asin starrer Telugu flick Gharshana. I had liked the grittiness and raw action of Gharshana and had always wanted to watch its original. Thanks to Mr. SD, I could realize that wish now. First impressions were that of how Gharshana is a frame-by-frame remake of Kaakha Kaakha! But of course it would be, coming from the same director. I could understand little of the dialogues but the English subtitles did help a lot. And so did the fact that I almost know the entire dialogues of Gharshana by rote! As the movie concluded, I was surprised. For the ending was quite different from what was in the Telugu version. The heroine is shown as good as dead in the Tamil version but is shown alive and well in its remake. I guess that goes to show how influencing the audience-receptive-factor is. Telugu people would like a happy ending more than a sad one! IMO, Venkatesh did a better job in the Telugu version and Jothika was better in the Tamil version. Wish they’d have done this together. Also, the bad guy was moreso badder in the Telugu version. Truly menacing he was. Songs are the same in both, at least the tunes are…but I’d prefer the Tamil ones any day over the Telugu ones.

Uyirin Uyirae Uyirin Uyirae,
Nadiyin madiyil kaathu kidaikindrein
neera alaigal neera vaari mughathil iraithum
mulhukum verkindrein!!!!
(My dear llfe, My dear life,
I’m awaiting by the riverside,
Even though the cool waves are splashing upon my face,
I am perspiring profusely!!!!!)

Other Tamil movies I’d love to see are: Kaadhalan, Kaadhal Kottai, Thirupachi, Pokkiri, Agni Nakchatram, Minnale, Aayutha Ezhuthu, Kushi to just name a few.

Tamil Terima?

Am in Chennai for a Business visit and the first thing I get asked is this: Tamil terima? (do you know Tamil?), This form a guy manning the pre-paid taxi counter at the Chennai Airport. When I answered in the negative, he asked me in broken English as to where do I need to go to. I managed to convey the relevant information to him, albeit with some difficulty. But imagine my surprise when he talks with the next guy in the queue in Telugu!!! Guess he thought of me as a non-Telugu speaking guy!

I’d been to Chennai a few times over the past few years and it is this language barrier that I hate the most! People don’t speak to you in Hindi or English even if they know it Especially the taxi/auto drivers. Maybe they derive some sort of sadistic pleasure out of it all….

[EDIT] I’d penned this entry on the 19th itself but connectivity gave up on me while I tried to post it!