Pampered Memories

  After 36 years, Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha ,one of the best ever malayalam movies   arrived in theaters  in a digitally remastered 4K Atmos version. The movie is based on the medieval ballad “Vadakkan Pattukal”  from North Malabar where the warriors were hailed as super  heroes  . Though many  Malayalam movies have in the past portrayed the Vadakkann pattukal stories to our screens , this movie stays apart for the story screenplay , direction , kalarippayattu fights, songs and the extra ordinary performance of the large number  of actors in the movie . It was an exquisite storytelling by MT Vasudevan Nair who could brilliantly transform the character of Chandu from a cheater, deceiver, womanizer, betrayer, murderer (which we have read in the folk stories) to an innocent scapegoat by detailing the perception of events from Chandus point of view . Some dialogues in the movie are still fresh in the minds of the Malayalees.   Apart from...

  Although Rome is often referred to as the eternal city, it is Varanasi known as Kashi or Benares  that deserves that epithet. Pilgrims have been coming there since at least four to five thousand years ago, and still do, to justify the comings and goings of life and death . I was on a official meeting to  Varanasi ,the land of Varuna and Assi , the tributaries of River Ganga. But I had  planned to stay back for an extra  day to experience the ‘City of Light’ . It is said that  Varanasi is older than history. A city which is older than traditions. Older than legends. Even if all these are added together, I felt that this  city and its ghats  looks twice as old as that. In the journey from the destination of life to another goal , this city is chosen by traditions and beliefs of many for  death and salvation . It is said that  Varanasi ends where another journey begins. Thousands flock to this city from all corners of the world  seek...