Pasanga 2

More educative than entertaining It’s impossible to resist comparing Pasanga-2 with Taare Zameen Par . They’re both about disorders (here, it’s Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), they have a chirpy, animated protagonist who totally gets children, there are concerned parents who need to be counselled, and of course, both films make points against conventional teaching methods,…

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We, who take offence

There’s a new disease out there. The symptoms include reddening of the eyes, a dramatic rise in blood pressure, eyes bulging, and a manic need to bite people’s head off. It is called Taking Offenciasis, and India seems to be suffering from quite the epidemic. It was in public display recently, when middle-aged women, who…

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Thangamagan

A good core wasted in a masala template You can see why 7G Rainbow Colony is referenced in Thangamagan more than once, first when Thamizh (Dhanush) is shown cheering in the theatre, and next, when you’re shown a poster in the background as he’s talking to Hema D’Souza (Amy Jackson). Just like in that film,…

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When Chennai proved The Joker wrong

Chennai was an entirely different city when my last column was published. Homes hadn’t been ravaged, lakhs hadn’t been displaced, and heroes hadn’t yet been created out of ordinary citizens. Now, like an injured deer that has somehow managed to evade capture, the city is gingerly getting up, attending to its wounds. The smiles are…

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Thiruttu Rail

What you mustn’t do when making a film Thiruttu Rail must be made mandatory viewing at all film schools, only so the students know what they shouldn’t do when making a film. No, it’s not okay for the characters to occasionally sneak a peek at the camera. No, it’s not okay for most of the…

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