The Sunday Dilemma

It was a hot Sunday and the crowd at the juice shop only kept increasing. The men found it hard to serve at the rate of arriving customers. They had run out of glasses, leaving many frustrated under the blazing sun. The relentless honking in the background wasn't pleasing to the ears. The traffic signal and the policemen were on a break. The sight showed the best of how bad the traffic could get in the city.
I had a good look at the state of things before I decided to give in to my thirst and buy a glass of orange juice. Earlier that day, I was contemplating over weighing options in life and here was a chance to apply it in real life. I expected the juice to compensate for the displeasure of waiting for it. I ordered and looked around whilst waiting.
Two women, one, an old lady and the other, the mother of a toddler sat on the pavement right opposite the juice shop. They looked like tramps. The women implored every person that arrived at the juice shop for money. The woman with the toddler asked me.

They rekindled a question I've never found a convincing answer to. "Is it right to accede to a beggar's request?". On one side, giving money would mean encouraging them to continue doing the same and not try to make a living by working. On the other side, it would be inhumane to ignore a beggar who looks in dire need of what the she/he is asking for. All of us have encountered mild cases of hunger and we can guess the pain. What if the beggar's claim of not having had a meal in days is true?
Here was my second opportunity to weigh options and act. I liked weighing options, it helped me get rid of the temporary low moments of indecision but it didn't really resolve the conflict of interests.
As I weighed options, I looked at the baby. The baby had a shaven head with boils all over it. The baby was chewing a sheet of paper lying by the road and the mother didn't seem to bother. It clearly seemed only humanitarian to give them alms.
But, it was the sight of the baby that disturbed me most. Money wasn't the way to help the baby, I decided to get a bottle of juice for the baby. It seemed more apt.

At the juice shop, juice is served in glasses. I felt unsure about returning the glass after giving it to the baby. There was a supermarket three buildings away where I could get bottled juices. I quickly finished my glass of orange juice and concluded that it did not compensate for the displeasure of waiting for it. Weighing options meant choosing to be safe, or more aptly, trying the luck, I realised.

As I finished my juice, the woman got up, along with the baby on her shoulders started walking from the juice shop. I quickly walked past them and into the supermarket. I decided I would give them the bottle of juice even if they had walked past the shop. I picked a bottle of mango juice and stood in queue at the billing counter. I was only the next, but the cash tray wouldn't open and the lady before me stood waiting. I don't think Murphy's law works better in anyone else's life. Everything seems to fall in place from his perspective. Billing the bottle of juice took more time than waiting for the juice at the juice shop. I walked out of the supermarket and the woman with the baby was nowhere in vicinity. I paced through the street, much in vain. The woman and the baby had gone. It was one of those days for me, when everything went wrong. The idea of weighing options wasn't working for me on its very first day.

The old woman didn't leave, yet, though. I walked back to the juice shop and she sat in the same position, constantly asking its customers for charity (?). I offered her the bottle of juice and she took it with not much show of any emotion. I walked away immediately and watched her from the other side of the road. Watching the woman drink the juice would have been a mollifying feeling for me. I kept an eye on the woman as she pulled a gunny bang from beneath the pavement. She put the bottle of juice in the bag and continued pleading for alms.

I realised the bottle of juice made not much difference. The woman stored it in her bag and was probably going to sell it elsewhere.

If she was in such a bad state, wouldn't she drink the juice? Was the toddler a tool to deceive people such as me? Questions arose. 

Is it right to accede to a beggar's request on humanitarian grounds or not do so to let them realize they could work to make a living? I still don't know. I'm going to stick to weighing options then and there for now.

Kochadaiiyaan Music Review

After months of rescheduling, the album of 'photorealistic-performance captured'-Rajini-starrer Kochadaiiyaan is out. The movie has been in the news ever since it was announced for its cast and magnum opus production. Starring Superstar Rajinikanth and Deepika Padukone in the lead roles, the movie has an all-star cast. Each person working on the movie has a mutually exclusive fan base of his/hers, making this movie BIG in every sense.

The second biggest mutually exclusive fan base is that of A R Rahman's. His previous album Mariyaan was well received. However, the music for the movie was thematic. With Kochadaiyaan, Rahman returns to commercial cinema music, after a hiatus, much to the delight of his fans. 

The album consists of nine tracks - seven penned by veteran lyricist Vairmuthu, one by Vaalee and one, instumental.

Most of us are familiar with the opening track of the album. Enge Pogutho Vaanam is the mandatory SPB sung-heavily-orchestrated-introduction song for our Superstar hero. The line "Ellai Unakku Illai Thalaivaa" describes what the song is about. The song gives a magnificent reception to its hero with its heavy orchestration, especially the brass section, with the trumpets and trombones. SPB gives a powerful rendition of a song that carries the pressure of describing its hero's glory.   

The second song of the album is Methuvaagathaan, sung by SPB and Sadhana Sargam, which begins with a riff very similar to the one from Maahi Ve. The non-experimental approach to the album is evident right from the beginning. Say, you wouldn't find a romantic song as slow paced and simple as Innum Konjam Neram in a Rajini starrer. The vocal chords lend grandeur to this song. The Veena interludes sit beautifully in the beginning. Sadhana's voice, is as fresh as ever and a delight to listen to. SPB renders mellifluously. The mridangam rhythm track is beautifully synced into the song. Thumbs up! 

Maatram Ondrudhaan Maaradhadhu. Were you waiting for a goosebumps moment? "Ethirigalai ozhikka mothal vazhi...mannippu", Rajinikanth begins, giving way to the orchestra - there it is, a whistle moment! Haricharan takes over proceedings with energy, his voice screams it. The song is well orchestrated and the chorus lines make it grand. Lyrically, it is a conversation between Rajini and his fan-listener, as she/he listens to Rajini's advice. The song ends with jathi by Umashankar. Hoots will make this song un-hearable in the theatre. Thumbs up!

Manapennin Sathiyam and Manamaganini Sathiyam sung by Latha Rajinikanth (yes, surprise!) and Haricharan respectively, share the same tune. Haricharan's unique nasal voice has made him a favourite. The female rendition is impressive too. Lyirically, the song(s) is/are a promise made by the lead actors to each other. The Ghanjeera beats and Nadhaswaram interludes add beauty to this soothing track. The song, with its familiar classical tune stays true to its roots - the slow pace and simplicity, all through. Likable, right away.
(Update : I've listened to the Hindi version of the same song sung by Karthik. The composer uses Shenai in place of Nadaswaram in this version for the Hindi audience. Such detail. Hats off.)

The next song in the album is Idhayam. Sung by Chinmayee and Srinivas, it takes off energetically post the deftly rendered recitation by Chinmayee, especially the lines nagarndhu nagarndhu..poguthey. Srinivas's voice reminds one of Minsara Poove. The song is high on emotion and points at the pain of the lead pair in the movie. It is not catchy and soothing to the ear right away, but it is a Rahman song. Thumbs up? Time will tell. 

Engal Kochadaiiyaan worships its hero as the title suggests. The song sounds like it signifies Rajini's rise against the antagonist post interval. Rendered by an ensemble named after the title, the song/score when coupled with visuals of a fierce Rajinikanth, could be a treat on screen. It is almost as though Rahman had to use a choir in every song to glorify the larger than life hero. But the glorification is what we want, don't we? Powerful!

Rana's Dream, with its western orchestral arrangement feels like a Hollywood movie score. Based on Enge Pogutho Vaanam, the track is an inspiring and pleasant listen. The track describes the hero's ambition and justifies its title aptly. The track is soothing to the ear and leaves behind its emotion in the mind. We don't get to hear such tracks in Tamil movies. Thumbs up!

Karma Veeran, rendered by A R Rahman and sister A R Reihana is the signature Rahman-sung motivational song. If the rest of the album glorifies its hero, this song, to me, glorifies the Karma Veeran, its composer. He renders with elan and carries the larger-than-life theme till the end. The deja vu factor is undeniable, the tune bears resemblance to Nenje Yezhu. However, "Kaatre kaatre nee thoonguvadhe illai", you're sure to be left humming. 

The album lives upto expectations easily. Five out of eight tracks are impressive and the rest adding to the list on repeated hearings is known fact. The album is sure to please fans and they wouldn't be left feeling a void till the composer releases his next album.