Kanden Kadhalai- Movie Review (3.65 out of 5)

Kanden Kadhalai - Love is in the air

Banner: Moser Baer

Cast: Bharath, Tamannah, Sapan Saran, Santhanam

Direction: Kannan

Production: V.M. Lalitha

Music: Vidyasagar

Remakes are never an easy task. It has to retain the flavour of the original and at the same time ensure that it suits the local audience for which it has been remade.

Three cheers to filmmaker Kannan for taking the acid test to do the Tamil version of the successful feel-good Hindi entertainer 'Jab We Met' and passing out in flying colours.

Kannan has done his best to match the magic of Bollywood director Imitiaz Ali. Produced by Moser Baer & Blue Ocean and presented by Sun Pictures, 'Kanden Kadhalai' is a movie that is breezy and enthralling all the way. Tamannah plays the role enacted by Kareena Kapoor, while Bharath dons the role performed by Shahid Kapoor.

The story principally revolves around two characters. Though it is no path-breaking story or has any twists in the plot, it still manages to keep one glued to their seats.

Bharath (Sakthivel) and Tamannah (Anjali) hog all limelight playing their role with such ease and cool. The USP of the movie are the simplest scenes. There are no unbelievable stunt sequences or double-entendre or mass heroisms. The story flows smooth and cool all through.

Sakthivel is the son of a rich entrepreneur who is dejected at life and decides to go nowhere. A man with few words, he boards a train only to meet Anjali, who is straight opposite to him. A girl, who loves herself the most, talks a lot without inhibitions.

She is good-hearted and daring. Sequence of events leads to Anjali missing the train during the middle of the journey. The responsibility is now on Sakthivel to take her to her home town in Theni. They come across different experiences and both become thick pals.

Interestingly Sakthi wins the heart of Anjali's family including her grandfather (Ravichandran), her father (Nizhalgal Ravi) and her uncles. But the bubbly Anjali decides to elope from her house to marry her boy friend Goutham (Munna).

She takes the help of Sakthivel. When they elope, the whole family mistakes that Anjali has walked out of the house to marry Sakthivel. But fate has other plans. Sakthivel comes to know that Anjali had not married Goutham and the fact is she has gone missing.

Now their roles reverse. Sakthivel turns charming and bubbly and manages to track Anjali, who has gone quiet and silent after tasting failure in her romance.

Sakthivel promises to get both Anjali and Goutham married. He convinces Goutham and takes them to Theni, where her parents believe that Anjali and Sakthivel are happily married and lead a good life.

The rest is all but efforts by Sakthivel to convince the whole family. But Anjali slowly develops a soft-corner for Sakthivel. Whom she marries forms the climax.

Tamannah is the backbone of the whole movie. She emotes to her best. Hitherto seen as a glam girl, she has got an ample scope to do a performance-oriented role to which she renders full justice.

Not far behind is Bharath. A complex character has been handled with maturity. He impresses in the first half as a soft-spoken dejected youth.

Walking away with all applause is Santhanam. As Mokkai Raju, who is desperate to get married to Anjali, he evokes laughter. His one-liners and spontaneous wits deserve special mention. Munna renders justice to his role. He is comfortable and casual before the screen.

Vidyasagar has rendered a mix of peppy and melodious tunes that set up the momentum. P G Muthiah's cinematography captures Ooty at its pristine glory.

On the flip side, the movie lags a bit towards the second half and the subtle emotion that was present all through in the original was sorely missing.

All said, the movie is a breezy entertainer that would find favour with youngsters.

Kanden Kadhalai - Magic recreated

Secrets Revealed (Facts we must Know)

Q) What is the expansion of YAHOO? A. Yet Another Hierarchy of Officious Oracle. Q) What is the expansion of ADIDAS? A. ADIDAS- All Day I Dream About Sports. Q) Expansion of Star as in Star TV Network? A. Satellite Television Asian Region. Q) What is expansion of "ICICI?" A. Industrial Credit and Investments Corporation of India. Q) What does "baker's dozen" signify? A. baker's dozen consists of 13 items - 1 more than the items in a normaldozen. Q) The 1984-85 season. 2nd ODI between India and Pakistan at Sialkot- India210/3 with Vengsarkar 94*. Match abandoned. Why? A. That match was abandoned after ppl heard the news of Indira Gandhi being killed. Q) Who is the only man to have written the National Anthems for twodifferent countries? A. Rabindranath Tagore who wrote national anthem for two differentcountries one is our 's National anthem and another one is for Bangladesh-(Amar Sonar Bangla). Q) From what four word ex-pression does the word `goodbye` derive? A. Goodbye comes from the ex-pression: 'god be with you'. Q) How was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu better known? A. Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu is none other Mother Teresa. Q) Name the only other country to have got independence on Aug 15th? A. South Korea. Q) Why was James Bond Associated with the Number 007? A. Because 007 is the ISD code for Russia (or the USSR, as it was known during the cold war). Q) Who faced the first ball in the first ever One day match? A. Geoffrey Boycott Q) Which cricketer played for South Africa before it was banned from international cricket and later represented Zimbabwe? A. John Traicos Q) The faces of which four Presidents are carved at Mt.Rushmore? A. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and AbrahamLincoln. Q) Which is the only country that is surrounded from all sides by only one country (other than Vatican)? A. Lesotho surrounded from all sides by South Africa. Q) Which is the only sport which is not allowed to play left handed? A. Polo.

Indian Gamer Sets New World Record Playing Grand Theft Auto IV

The 26-year-old spent 40 hours and 20 minutes on Grand Theft Auto IV between September 4-6, setting a new world record for the longest continuous gaming session. The marathon was witnessed by independent observers and recently verified by Guinness World Records. Patnaik is no nacho cheese-sodden couch hermit, however; he's a certified scuba diver who works at a private equity firm. "I began playing video games since I was in the third standard," he said. "Gaming has, since then, been my passion as well as a hobby." Oddly, despite being a dedicated gamer, he had never played GTA IV before he set the record. "There are so many other games which I have played for long hours. But I had never tried playing this particular game seriously," he said. "However, I knew that I can do it after I saw my brother playing it." And while observers in some other countries might be a little nervous about touting Patnaik's accomplishment as something to emulate, in India that's apparently not a problem. "We have always believed in the potential of Indian gamers. Chirantan's success is a proud moment for the Indian gaming industry," said Rohit Sharma, COO of gaming portal Zapak Digital Entertainment, which provided observers for the event. "This will encourage more youngsters to take gaming seriously." Patnaik's training regimen for the session including running, exercising and practicing yoga, and he said that "staying away from coffee and eating dates" while he played helped him stay alert. Guinness guidelines allow gamers a ten-minute break for every hour they play but Patnaik took only four breaks over the entire two-day stretch. "I enjoyed the game very much. It's fun playing long hours," he claimed. "It wasn't that exhaustive for me, as one might feel".

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Peraanmai-Powerless(0.5 out of 5)

From the maker of ‘Iyarkai’ and ‘Ee’, expectations were pretty much bigger that what it usually used to be with ‘Jeyam’ Ravi films. Regrettably, the film stumbles right from the beginning till the end with a child-play act everywhere.

It’s really disappointing to witness SP Jananathan inviting ridicule across every quotients of the film.

The film is about a forest officer Dhruva (Ravi) hailing from a tribal group. With the aid of 5 foul-mouthed girls takes up the task that was handled by Vijayakanth, Arjun and Sarath Kumar in so many films.... Yes, the group fights against 20 foreigners lead by Andresen (Roland Kickinger), who are here to deteriorate the Indian space craft ready to take off.

Please, don’t expect more on this review…

What work: Nothing

What doesn’t work: Everything

Banner: Ayngaran International

Production: Karunakaran

Direction: SP Jananathan

Star-casts: Jeyam Ravi, Roland Kickinger, Vadivelu, Oorvasi, Ponvannan, Dhanushika, Liyashree, Saranya, Varsha (Magha), Vasundhara and others.

Music: Vidhyasagar

Aadhavan -Review (2.5 Out of 5)

Starring: Suriya, Nayanthara, Ramesh Kanna, Vadivelu.

Direction: K.S.Ravikumar

Music: Harris Jayaraj

Production: Red Giant Movies

The biggest of this festival season is here and it comes with great expectations. Suriya is targeting a hat trick of hits while KSR is all set to follow up the Dasavatharam phenomenon with another big grosser. Have no doubts when you enter theaters, this is a trademark KS Ravikumar product, no holds barred entertainment with elements for just about everyone in the family. But, it does also come with its share of pitfalls and flaws.

A professional assassin, sharp shooter, jet setter, high flyer – that’s how Aadhavan (Suriya) is introduced to the audience. The customary introduction song does not actually set a racy tempo, but is still foot tapping. He never misses his aim and that brings him a big assignment, one that promises crores. A judge all set to report his findings on a sensational case is the target and Aadhavan is ready to shoot. The bullet misses, the judge survives, Aadhavan fails. With crores and a huge reputation to protect, Aadhavan vows to complete the unfinished job. How, when, where? Watch Aadhavan to find out.

The basic premise of an assassin and the target must lead you to think of a suspense filled, tense and intense plot. But what you get in the first half is exactly the opposite .

You are introduced to a large joint family, Saroja Devi (on screen after 12 years) is the eldest member and Nayanthara as Thara is her granddaughter. Vadivelu is the domestic help and at the helm is the Late Murali who wields the whip and a stentorian tone. Suriya joins the mix and you are in for a hilarious one and a half hours. Trust KSR the script writer to blend and infuse comedy into any story, he does it with finesse here and executes it to near perfection as a director. Ramesh Khanna joins in later to add to the humor quotient. While the main plot does keep moving throughout the first half, it is only close to the interval that it takes a decisive twist. Post interval you are told the details of an unknown identity, a flashback narrates a few family relations and the reasons for an old wound, before we cut back to present to resume the main plot. By now, the pace has slackened a bit. A little bit of romance is slipped in, but it has been kept in check which helps the main plot maintain its course. The last half an hour is perhaps the weakest portion of the movie. Even though the events unfold at a pretty steady pace it fails to engage the viewer. The climax, in an isolated yard with a crane, fully filled petrol tank and a pond nearby are typically Kollywood masala fare. It definitely could have been better.

In the bid for uninhibited entertainment, logic and reason have taken a beating at places. Though that is not uncommon in cinema, those instances do leave you searching for explanations. The most prominent is the scene where Aadhavan opens up about his identity to Thara- How Madhavan became Aadhavan? Later, when it is opened in front of the whole family, everyone seems to swallow whatever has been said without even a shadow of doubt. But, KSR has managed to a large extent to cover up for the lack of clarity at places with his racy direction. In fact, you might find yourself asking questions about the logic behind many incidents well after you have left the theater, not while you are still watching the film. Other dampeners include the placement of songs, especially in the first half. The ‘Dekho Dekho’ number seems unnecessary and extraneous to the script. ‘Yaeno Panithulli’ and ‘Hasili Fisili’ captivate with the visuals and exotic locations.

Technically, Aadhavan has got few things to boast about, presenting Suriya as a 4 feet something tall 10 year old boy must be a first in Tamil cinema. Though one can clearly make out that it is graphic patchwork at quite a few instances, overall it is a job very neatly done, great effort. Camerawork by R Ganesh is adequate. It is only in the above mentioned songs that he gets to translate a rich feel onto screen. Harris Jeyaraj’s music which is already a hit could have been placed and used better, the songs would have served as a bigger strength to the film that way.

Suriya walks through a role that does not challenge him much. The effort and risks taken in the fight sequences, especially the first chase through Kolkata where he can be seen jumping over rooftops etc.., tell a lot about commitment. He looks stylish, angry, cunning and innocent while bringing out different shades of the character that he portrays; a well crafted performance. Nayanthara escapes the glamour trap after a long time and looks fresh. Saroja Devi brings in some old world charm to the proceedings while Murali is authoritative in what is sadly his last film. Sayaji Shinde, Rahul Dev, Riyaz Khan and others do a fairly neat job. Anandh Babu belies the years to shake a leg in the opening song and passes off quite well in a limited but significant role. Vadivelu brings the house down with his comic act. He breathes life into the proceedings every time he is on screen and his antics keep the first half brimming with positive humor; his character adds to the overall Aadhavan experience.

On the whole, Aadhavan is trademark KSR cinema. It has action, comedy, sentiment, romance, music and masala, not to forget his special appearance at the end. There are flaws, missing pieces, loose ends and a stereotyped climax that might put you off, but commercial cinema is always prone to such errors. If you are not a stickler for logic or substance, there are quite a few positives to sit back and enjoy.

Verdict: Carefree commercial – Conditions apply

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Amitabh Bachchan: I will act till 80

Amitabh Bachchan has never been busier. The Bollywood megastar, who turns 67 on Sunday, has three films lined up for release, is hosting a popular television reality show, is to walk the ramp for a top fashion event - and has no plans to retire in the near future.

He says he'll be happy to follow in the footsteps of legendary actor Ashok Kumar, who played strong roles even at the age of 80.

"I would disagree that actors of my age don't get important roles to play in movies. Look at Dada Muni (Ashok Kumar)...he was an example. He kept doing important roles even till he was 80 years old," Amitabh told us.

"I can't be playing the lover boy anymore. So I do all those roles that suit a 67-year-old," said the film icon who has completed four decades in the Indian film industry."

At his age, Amitabh is one of the busiest actors in tinsel town. The megastar says he had finished shooting for his forthcoming films 'Aladin', 'Teen Patti' and 'Paa' before heading to Singapore for three months.

He is now preparing to sign more projects.

"I was away with a friend of mine (Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh) who had a medical condition and I was out of the country for three months. Since I knew I wanted to be with him and that it would take some period of time for him to heal, I deliberately finished all my pending work by June," Amitabh said.

In all his forthcoming projects, Amitabh will be seen in different avatars.

In 'Aladin', he will sport overgrown locks for the role of a contemporary genie, 'Paa' will see him playing a child suffering from progeria, which causes premature ageing, and 'Teen Patti' features him as a mathematics genius.

While 'Aladin' will hit screens Oct 30, 'Paa' will release Dec 4 and 'Teen Patti', which also stars Hollywood legend Ben Kingsley, will open to audiences Feb 12 next year.

Till then, Amitabh is making his presence felt on the small screen after three years as the host of Colors' reality show 'Bigg Boss', which has celebrities staying inside a specially designed house under constant camera surveillance and no contact with the outside world.

"'Bigg Boss' was the first thing I took up (after returning from Singapore). There are many people who want to make a film with me fortunately, so I will now talk to them," he said.

The actor is also fairing well in the ad world as he emerged among the top five Indian celebrity brand endorsers in a recently conducted survey.

And he is also set to scorch the fashion runway at the HDIL India Couture Week on his birthday. He will display a creation by his favourite designer duo Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla

What Kamal and Rajini don’t need!

Predictability and surprise don’t go together, but it was true in this case; both these elements were felt in equal measure when the best actor awards for 2007 and 2008 were announced as Rajinikanth for Sivaji and Kamal Haasan for Dasavatharam respectively.The TN government film awards for 2007 and 2008 were announced recently. Amongst many winners, there were a couple of awards that surprised us because of their predictability.

Predictable because these two legends have been, without an iota of doubt, the greatest actors in Tamil cinema for over three decades and still continue to be so. Surprising, because one thought these legends had outgrown such recognitions of their genius. Ideally, an award should be a boost to the individual receiving it. A person getting an award should feel honored and further encouraged to continue his /her good work. That is the basic purpose of setting up awards, especially government recognitions. But, having gone on to greater things like the Padma honors, honorary doctorates and in the near future, roads that bear their names, one wonders whether the significance of the state award will remain the same. Of course, both Kamal and Rajinikanth would be extremely gracious and humble in receiving this honor as they have been all their lives. But, the fact is that both have reached such a stage in their careers where it is the award that is actually honored by being associated with their names rather than the other way round.

This 2007-2008 Rajini-Kamal double is also surprising because 2005-2006 too was identical; Rajini for Chandramukhi and Kamal for Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu respectively. The awards alternating between the two legends for the past four years is perhaps not the best thing to happen to Tamil cinema. No one who speaks or understands Tamil needs to be told about the genius of Kamal or the charisma of Rajini. Yet, the honors have been bestowed upon them alternatively for four consecutive years (like a game of passing the parcel). Everyone who has followed Tamil cinema will accept that their iconic status is unparalleled. Award or no award, their stature is not going to diminish even a wee bit. To put it very plainly, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan really don’t need Best Actor awards, nor do we need such certifications of their genius to enjoy their movies.

Yet, some might argue, what is the harm in giving them the awards. After all, they are the best and awards are meant to go to the best, aren’t they? Yes, no doubt, they have to go to the best. This might be a funny analogy; giving awards to Rajini and Kamal is a bit like trying to shine a spotlight on the sun. The sun is as bright as ever, it is the spotlight that goes wasted. When the sun is shining in full force, no one bothers with the spotlight. A more insignificant star could do a lot with the spotlight.

That is exactly what the TN state awards ought to be trying to do. Kamal and Rajini are the twin pillars of Tamil cinema. They have received almost every conceivable honor that an actor can receive in the country. Most importantly, they are eternally placed in the hearts and minds of all Tamil cinema lovers. The awards can be used better to honor and recognize the young talent that is making its way up through the ranks.

They need the recognition and encouragement much more than anyone else and it is in that direction that awards must go. Kamal himself has openly stated once that he would be much happier if awards were given to younger actors instead of repeatedly coming to him.

Finally, this is not meant to question the process that chose Kamal and Rajini for the honors. But, it also has to be remembered that the period for which the two icons have now been awarded has been a time of rich quality in Tamil cinema. We have had Periyaar, Pallikoodam, Paruthiveeran, Subramaniapuram, Poo, Kanjeevaram etc. By giving the best actor awards to Kamal and Rajinikanth, many young and enthusiastic film makers have missed one opportunity to get that coveted honor. The above mentioned films are ones that ought not to be missed in any roll of honor of the past two years.

There is little else to be said. Kamal and Rajinikanth have done enough and more to be guaranteed of two or three life time achievement awards, if that is permitted. They have been tireless performers for decades and really don’t need such awards to drive them ahead. Nor do we, their fans, need to be reminded of their genius through awards. They have transcended the realm and entered the sublime. Let awards and recognitions be the domain of the young and upcoming; that might be the right way ahead.

US President Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

The Norwegian Nobel Committee says U.S. President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

U.S. President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for giving the world "hope for a better future" with his work for peace and calls to reduce the global stockpile of nuclear weapons. The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised Obama for "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

The first African-American to hold his country's highest office, Obama has called for disarmament and worked to restart the stalled Middle East peace process since taking office in January.

"Very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," the committee said in a citation.

It awarded the prize to Obama less than nine months into his presidency. Despite setting out an ambitious international agenda, he has yet to score any breakthrough on the Middle East or Iran's nuclear program, and faces difficult choices on the conduct of the war in Afghanistan.

Last month Obama chaired a historic meeting of the United Nations Security Council, which unanimously approved a U.S.-drafted resolution calling on nuclear weapons states to scrap their arsenals.

Obama is the third senior U.S. Democrat to win the prize this decade after former Vice President Al Gore won in 2007 along with the U.N. climate panel and Jimmy Carter in 2002.

The prize worth 10 million Swedish crowns ($1.4 million) will be handed over in Oslo on December 10.

America has its roots in India

As the world celebrates International Day of non-violence, US President Barack Obama today said America has its 'roots in the India of Mahatma Gandhi.'

His teachings and ideals, shared with Martin Luther King Jr. on his 1959 pilgrimage to India, transformed American society through our civil rights movement, Obama said on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Americans owe enormous gratitude to Gandhi, he said.

The America of today has its roots in the India of Mahatma Gandhi and the nonviolent social action movement for Indian independence which he led, Obama said in a statement.

On behalf of the American people, Obama said he wants to express appreciation for the life and lessons of Mahatma Gandhi on the anniversary of his birth. This is an important moment to reflect on his message of non-violence, which continues to inspire people and political movements across the globe, he said.

We join the people of India in celebrating this great soul who lived a life dedicated to the cause of advancing justice, showing tolerance to all, and creating change through non-violent resistance, Obama said.

As the world remembers the Mahatma on his birthday, Obama said: We must renew our commitment to live his ideals and to celebrate the dignity of all human beings.Last month Obama had said that if given a chance

he would love to have dinner with Mahatma Gandhi.

Obama expressed his desire in response to a question from a student Lilly during his discussion with 9th graders at Wakefield High School in Arlington Virginia where he, accompanied with the Education Secretary, gave a national speech welcoming students back to school.

Obama called for students to take responsibility and to learn from their failures so that they succeed in the end. Hi. I'm Lilly. And if you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be, Obama was asked by one of the students.

Dinner with anyone dead or alive? Well, you know, dead or alive, that's a pretty big list, Obama responded amidst laughter. The next moment he was serious. You know, I think that it might be Gandhi, who is a real hero of mine,

Obama said. Now, it would probably be a really small meal because he didn't eat a lot, he said amidst laughter. But Mahatma Gandhi is someone who has inspired people across the world for the past several generations, he said.