Theeran Adhigaram Ondru - A Gritty Cop's Fortitude

Theeran Adhigaram Ondru (TAO) is one of the good films that's released in Kollywood for the year 2017.

The story begins when Karthi - A tough and honest social guardian a.k.a police - embarks on a dangerous and difficult mission to apprehend the gang who was responsible for sensational brutal robberies during the late 90s and early 2000s with nothing more than a fingerprint to arrest the culprits. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack as those were the days of manual search wherein there was no simple or advanced capability to have a centralized database to lookup the desired details at the click of a mouse.

Despite having deep personal losses and sacrifices, how strenuous and grueling was the process for the men in brown with nothing else but the sole intention, determined and unflagging mindset to see the guilty persons behind the bars is poignantly captured in a gruesome and tense thriller that is actually based on true story.

Karthi was fabulous as the cop who grinds his way through his superiors and other states' top cops to battle out the much feared and ruthless group in their own turf and then breaking the back of the beast at their own game. Yes. I am referring to the climax sequence where Karthi uses their strongly held wolves' strategy against them in the blink of an eye. That was great situational awareness, quick and smart thinking to outbeat such a wily maneuver by using all his training skills and thinking on the feet attitude. Of course, Karthi was a projection of the real cop who outclassed the savage bunch. The actual person really deserved a whistle-blowing applause not only for his stunning display of alertness but also in the way he conducted the entire operation with full vigor and positive attitude barring his personal tragedy aside.

As we are on the lines of personal tragedy, Rakul Preet was as cute as she could get in this film as an innocent and doting wife who had to bear the deadly brunt of the fatal blow to her head. Like how Kajal Aggarwal was a perfect pair to Karthi in their previous films, Rakul Preet and Karthi shared a great chemistry on screen.

With such a serious subject, there were liberal doses of unadulterated humor throughout the film that was not sticking out like a sore thumb but perfectly in sync with the scenes especially during the pre-climax where the whole team of single-minded and talented men walked through the scorching desert to the ghost village.  

When we see the flipside, I am not sure how much of a cinematic liberty had permeated in the narration. But, the songs and certain romantic scenes could have been edited to make the final product even crisper, tighter, tenser and an edge-of-a-seat thriller. By saying this, it's not that the movie-on-screen was bad. It could have been better sans the must be-present-songs mentality thereby compromising on a good viewing experience for the audience.

What was more depressing was the fact that the person who was in charge of such a nocent and back-breaking operation did not even get due recognition for his herculean efforts in chasing down an invisible and murderous dacoit pack to bring them to book by not only overlooking his personal anguish and shattered dreams but also losing some of his unwavering troop in the way.

It's not just restricted to these fine gentlemen who were, in reality, on a perilous witch-hunt. But, to the complete police force who doesn't get the right accolades and laurels when cine actors and actresses are being adulated, venerated and apotheosized as Gods when the Guardians of the Society are the real heroes along with the Army who lay down their lives for us in order to protect and keep us safe from unwanted and undesirable elements.

If I were the Chief Minister, besides fighting and squabbling over symbols and elections, I would have ordered for regular online surveys to be filled up by all the policemen - the lowest rank to topmost level - including the traffic police to find out their salary expectations and areas of improvement to make their lives better when they perform their duties.  

Some of them indulge and involve themselves in bribery and corruption as the right salary isn't being provided to them when those in entertainment fields earn in crores for showing their succulent thighs and sexy abs. By saying this, I am not stating, directly or indirectly, that they should not get fat checks. They provide us with a temporary and evanescent sense of happiness while the army and policemen risk their lives so that we get a good and sound nights' sleep by the end of our day at the cost of their own sleep. 

With technology at fingertips, through such online surveys, it's possible to exactly to know and understand their requirements at all levels and grades. Take the average for the different standings. Check out with the treasury whether such a salary can be given to the diligent men and women. If yes, roll out immediately. If not, find out alternatives to strengthen the treasury by still paying out to them in increasing amounts till the average level is achieved and sustained by giving a concrete time bracket so that the compensation is distributed at the earliest. Without a tangible time frame, no one would know when the "average level' might be achieved and there is a realistic possibility that even the close-to honest cops could turn back to the original ways. 

After the survey collection and analysis exercise is over, share the complete survey results like how many people participated, what was the percent of the top and bottom salary requirement that resulted in to arrive at the mean consensus, thus ensuring full transparency and everyone will know it for sure that the decision was fair-minded and equitable without a spatula of arbitrariness. 

This would drastically reduce the incidents of corruption as the policemen are happy since they know that their needs are being heard and answered by the higher authorities through the disbursal of rightful emoluments. 

However, it's not applicable for some of those bad eggs who greed and lust for money. Bad eggs are a part and parcel of life. All we can do is to identify them with pinpoint precision and keep a close tab on them for any signs of unscrupulous activities. 

Whether it's a time-consuming process?  Yes. But, the effort is worth it to create a lasting system of confidence not only for the societies' guardian angels but also to the public to have the enduring conviction that their guardian angels wouldn't let us down at any moment in time.  

Coco - Pixar's Wizardry in Full Force

As soon as the first few scenes of Coco brightly lit up the screens, you have a terrible sense of disbelief "Is this going to be like The Book Of Life?" particularly with the uncanny resemblance of the lead's love to strum the guitar and the soul of the movie based upon the Day of the Dead.

Was it?

Heavens' No.

Coco is 25000 ft heads and shoulders above The Book of Life - in terms of narration, screen richness and lively moments. I'm not going to horribly spoil your viewing experience by playing out the details of this visual paradise. Yes. It's a must watch in the theatres else you are missing out on something good and upbeat in your life. 

You can speculate the core story in the beginning itself. Nope. This is not Hindsight Bias. When Miguel goes to the Land of the Dead, he finds his entire family there. But, none of them were celebrating Ernesto as their own member, it clearly indicates that something is logically awry which leaves you to take an educated guess to the main essentials of Coco excluding the whys and wherefores to the specific situational events. If you didn't surmise it, then you may find yourself engaged with smart plot twists and the reasons for the happenings.

Either way, Coco is a deeply-moving and fully-flavored film that has the right mix of songs, actions, and sentiments without being too melodramatic in the eking out of the strong message of the immense importance of familial ties and relational bonds to be balanced with one's dreams. 

Coco is highly spirited, pun intended, and breath-takingly sucks you into a resplendent vortex of warm and vibrant colors that are a complete feast for the eyes especially the scene-stealer where you are shown the entire townscape of the Dead in one single shot. That. Was. Magnificent.

Like many of positively tear-jerking and multi-hued Pixar films as Up, Inside Out, Wall-E, Toy Story etc, Coco also makes your eyes wet with their intensely emotional narration and heavily emphasizing on the attachment to family and thus, it easily occupies the one-of-the-best positions in the ranking of Pixar's reels. 

Oscars?

Oscar Nomination guaranteed. 

But, will it go all the way?

IMHO, Yes. As of now since there are no tough contenders to Coco. Nope. Despicable Me 3 cannot even come close to this yet-again Pixar Dazzler. 

Summarizing, Pixar has time and again understood the right emotional touch points of their target audience extremely well to churn out high-quality films that are thoroughly enjoyable and memorable to be watched not only by kids but also by adults.

What are you waiting for?

Get immersed into the Spirited, pun again intended, Mexican Wave of Colors.

PS:

Please be on time so that your attention is equally grabbed by Olaf's Frozen Adventure - a short animation based on the mind-blowing 'Frozen' that is screened before the actual movie.

Did I say short?  It was a mini-movie by itself.

Still, you don't want to see here and there but keep our eyes glued to the screen especially when Elsa creates a gorgeous and stunning icy Christmas Tree with her trademark hand-waving magic. 

Origin - The Source Becoming Clearer

Dan Brown (DB). 

Other than Digital Fortress and Deception Point, when you plunge into most of his other works, there is a clear set pattern and theme in his writings.

A high-profile person is dead. Someone calls up Robert Langdon (RL). He is taken through the serpentine and numerous streets, roads, districts, and countries along with a blonde or no blonde girl decoding one clue and puzzle after another until RL comes inches close to death but doesn't die. Distraction is thrown on some other person with clever writing. In the end, the antagonist is either apprehended or dead and RL saves the day.

Origin is no different.

It follows the same fate as its predecessors. But, what makes it a compelling read is that not only due to the sheer fusillade of information but also how AI can be notoriously and nefariously used when left unchecked.

I'm not going to deep dive into the story. It's left to your interest.

Here, you will see what's hot and what's rot in his new outing.

DB has brilliantly explored the ethical issues of AI taking full charge of the situation. When RL learns the truth in the fading pages of the novel, he is shell-shocked and stops in his tracks bewildered to completely understand the truth in its entirety. 

In this case, Edmond's brainchild thoroughly understands his master's wishes and comes up with an ingenious plan to ensure that his creator gets what he wanted. In the real world, the elephantine problem arises if the AI overrides their inventor's commands and performs things on its own with their superior abilities and skills. 

Even imagining it is a catastrophic scenario when the AIs become sentient beings or those machines which go outside the purview of human interference. 

To put things into perspective, Westworld Season 1 Episode 10. If you haven't watched this episode, then you will have no idea as to what I'm talking here. 

But, for those who have witnessed the carnage that the robots had unleashed on humankind in the season finale, this is where eminent personalities like Elon Musk is at the forefront and vociferously banging their fists on their table to regulate the rules so that such future situations doesn't spiral out of control and the fire is within our firm grip. 

IMHO, I am also with Elon Musk on this one as blind optimism towards unknown futuristic technologies could make us literally blind one day due to the advanced and sophisticated thinking capabilities endowed within their systems. By saying this, I'm not a Luddite. All I'm advocating is that prevention is better than cure. Then, there is no use in crying once the milk is spilled. 

This wafer-thin line between ethicality and unethicality is superbly captured and beautifully written by DB in Origin. In fact, he also gives a free advertisement and indirectly gives a wonderful product recommendation to Tesla! 

The inherent issues arise within the framework of the story. Before the cat was out of the bag, there were 2 instances where Edmond hermetically secures himself from any data leak and his AI uses another voice to divert the troops from the building. When you put two and two together, it doesn't take an Einstein or Newton to figure out who is the real bad guy in the narration. 

Also, DB explicitly cites that physics is responsible for the creation of our life on Earth. But, when you look at it from all angles, the process is not only restricted to physics alone but also the right chemistry, biology, and geography that are essentially needed for any life to sustain on any Planet. 

In all, Origin is a completely satisfying read especially when you visualize Christian Bale donning the role of the pioneer Edmond Kirsch if at all the book is made into a movie. Considering the mind-blowing transformation that he has achieved for his upcoming film, it will be highly unlikely that he would get signed into the Origin movie supposing the producers decide to hit the floors in this year.

PS :

Just like how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle bumped off Sherlock and revived him back, it would be good for DB as well to either give RL a fitting farewell or a shocking cliffhanger in his next book as DB has become extremely predictable, repetitive and monotonous in his way of piecing out the breadcrumbs to his readers. Maybe like Robin in Batman or Watson to Sherlock Holmes, RL could also have an assistant or intern to unravel the mystery of history side-by-side!

  

Tying up this entire blog with one of my favorite hard-hitting messages in the book,

“Which would you choose? A world without religion? Or a world without science?” 

My take is that science and religion can be good friends and help out each other. 

The rationale behind it is actually pretty simple as - be it science, religion, birds, animals or even us: human beings - we are all products and by-products of thousands of billions of years of evolution in nature by slowly and steadily coming up with solutions to problems to survive, extend our lives and our descendants. So, instead of seeing a strict and severe demarcation between science and religion, it's better that both the streams put one hand over the other and go for a long walk together for humanity's welfare.  

Spiderman: Homecoming - A Good Slinging Welcome!

And finally. I had the faint inkling of dread that Spiderman: Homecoming (S: H) would be telecasted either in Star Movies or HBO before I wrote, Okay typed!, down its review.

Just like how the Marvel Universe began the trend of having the post-credit scenes, there is a small surprise at the end of the blog as well.

Why are you so in a hurry to scroll down and peep into the surprise? Naughty. Naughty.

If you aren't that impatient, which you aren't, the rest of the blog will not take that much time.

That's the sum up of S: H also.

It was joyous and bubbling with innocent humor that you cannot say it's an outright slam-slam superhero flick. Tom Holland was the picture-perfect cast to this reboot after the catastrophic Amazing Spiderman series. Kudos to the Casting Director for giving us such a memorable and effervescent unseen spidy character - the likes of which we didn't see even during the times of Toby Maguire. 

Instead of the ram-rod straight, authoritative, controlling, egoistic, powerful and all-knowing dominant superheroes that we have been familiar with, this spidy was floundering and fumbling that wasn't awkward for the eyes but it gave a cheerfully cute, adorable and buoyant feel throughout the film despite the spidy's lack of worldly experience in dealing with hardened criminals or negotiating with a caretaker as Tony Stark or his aunt. 

The biggest strength is that S: H had a fine human touch to this fun and funny spidy which was actually refreshing like a hot cup of coffee/tea when you have a headache though there was an instance which reminded me of how Toby Maguire uses his steely flexible webs to stop a fast-running train from falling over a broken track. In this case, we had the new spidy using his ultimate superpower to hold together the two halves of a ship. Maybe, in the next reboot, they will have the spidy ensuring that a rocket is bound together! 

As I touched upon "hold together", it was an extremely intelligent choice to project Michael Keaton as the Vulture for he had already reprised the roles of Batman and Birdman in his illustrious career. He was really the perfect cohesive agent to bind the movie together with his protective and dark performance as the Anti-hero.

Tony Stark was, as usual, in his own element but this time as a micro-managing boss who sees to it that his protegee doesn't cross the line. However, the line is not just broken but simply thrown away by our friendly neighborhood guy with timely help from his friend.

When I said friend, if one person who says that the MJ character is as dull as ditchwater, you need to recalibrate your neural wiring a bit. Did I say "a bit"? It's actually "wholly". Man! And Woman! What attitude. Yes. It's all an act. Still to pull it off such a kickass portrayal was a show-stealer even in scenes where spidy was present.

I don't have to say anything about May as Tony Stark had already clearly described his aunt in Cap Am 3 when he went to recruit Peter Parker.  

Speaking of recruitment, did anyone else notice that Bruce Wayne went on a hiring spree in Justice League (JL) just like Iron Man in Cap Am 3? 

Also, Flash's seemingly exuberant nature in JL resembled more like Tom Holland's Spiderman in S: H. At least, I got such a feeling.

Condensing everything in a nutshell, S: H is a highly enjoyable, entertaining, upbeat and lively movie that has struck, Sorry spun!, gold for the MCU's creative web.

PS:

Ah! See. You had the patience to read through the full blog before you came to this surprise section. I knew you had it in you.

Without further delay and ado,

As 2017 is drawing to a close, we have had plenty of releases in the superhero genre - Logan, Wonder Woman (WW), Thor, S: H, GotG 2 and finally - Justice League. 

No. Lego Batman or Transformers cannot be technically called a hardcore superhero movie as they are not from the DC and Marvel kitty even though one can persistently insist that Batman was utilized in Lego Batman.

IMHO, revenues do not reflect the exact nature of a movie's caliber as some hyped films can hit the silver screen during the festival seasons or long weekends and make staggering money in the first few days but then evaporate due to the void of substance and quality of the movie itself. 

Thus, I decided to rank the 2017 superhero movies not based on the ROI or the revenue generated but solely on the basis of pure class and deserved merits of the films. 

1) Logan

2) Wonder Woman

3) Spiderman: HomeComing

4) Thor: Ragnarok

5) GoTG 2

6) Justice League

And with more movies in the pipeline like the monumentally much-awaited Avengers: Infinity War, depraved Deadpool 2, watery Aquaman, 2018 is going to be an incredible fest for all superhero lovers especially if you love watching both Marvel & DC with an unbiased eye for the sheer joy of characters on the screen.

PS 2:
Thanks to Thor's team for proving me wrong that the actual movie was as good as the teasers and trailers. Waiting for more such action-packed and humor-infused show stealers, pun intended. 

Justice League - Justice Served Lukewarm!

Just when you think that the DC Universe has got their basics on the money, pun intended, with "Wonder Woman"(WW), you are left wondering how Justice League (JL) may have left their league of fans with such injustice.

Is it not good? Yes.

Could it have been better? Yes.

Should Batman improve and hone up his acting skills? Yes.

Have the makers forgotten to add the secret sauce? Yes.

So, what went right in JL?

Humor is intermittently interspersed here and there like scattered sheep on a big tract of land. As many of the scenes were already shown in the lengthy trailers, the only note-worthy scene was when Aquaman was telling the truth under the influence of WW's lasso and he didn't realize it until it was too late. Just imagine for a moment what could probably happen if WW uses her Truth Lasso on the politicians across the world. You never know how many skeletons will tumble down from the closet, metaphorically and literally!

As we are on the lines of WW, OMG! Gal Gadot is increasingly becoming hotter and her darling quotient is exponentially on the upward trajectory with her daring stunts and child-like smiles. That one scene where she confidently steps on her sword and it effortlessly lands in her hand in one shot. Awwww. You go, Gal! ,pun intended. 

Since I've said 'go', just like QuickSilver in the Marvel Universe, Flash is a breath-taking revelation in the DC Universe. It was fresh and appealing. In fact, in certain places like how Flash uses his inhuman capabilities to tip the sword, pun intended, in WW's favor was way better than QuickSilver's rush for speed in slo-mo. 

Aquaman, Cyborg, Superman, and Batman fill up their respective roles - due credits to the scriptwriters for giving equal weight to all the characters instead of merely present in the background and play second fiddle to the Super and Bat.

Now, the negatives.

If you had watched 'The Departed', the word 'f**k' would have been used more than 200 times in the total run time of the movie. Similarly,  'unity' was a taedium vitae as the term was incessantly used by Steephen Wolfe (SW) and others. Nope. I am not going to count the number of times that 'unity' occurs in the movie! 

Speaking of SW, he was neither menacing nor ruthless. He was more like "Guys, I'm the villain. I am going to be terribly smacked by Superman in the end". 

How did I reach this conclusion as I was watching the movie? As simple as ABC since none of the others could actually tackle him heads on. That leaves only Superman to bash down the bad guy in the climax.

Likewise, the editing was more like the discrete blocks of rocks that were used to build the Pyramids! You could actually feel that it was distinct and separate and that there was no smooth transitioning from one scene to another especially during the narrative arcs when it switched from Amazon island to Iceland where the Bat meets Aquaman.

But, the biggest of all is the logical crevasse that is inherently in the storyline itself. Take for example. Cyborg goes out to bring one of the unity to revive Superman and he returns unscathed when the entire swarm of SW's army is out looking for it. If this scene completely makes any sense to you, then you are a genius. Sorry, I'm not one. 

You can possibly argue that movies are for entertainment. And why do we need to look out for logic in it? You are correct. No denials. As long as the logic fails for minor and frivolous issues. If it's a major one, you think it's right? Even you do think it's right, is it really right? 

To put things into perspective, what does a software developer first fix when there is a bug in the code? Critical or Cosmetic? For argument's sake, if you still say that latter defects should be addressed first, I don't know what to say.

All said and done, JL is a definite one-time watch even though it's enmeshed and entangled with its flaws. 

Go. Watch. Laugh. Howl when Superman rises. Forget. 

PS:
A special mention to the superb in-product placement by Mercedes of their freaking awesome prototype futuristic car. 

Thor:Ragnarok - A Hilarious THORny affair between the siblings

Thor (T) is taken as a captive and imprisoned by Ragnarok (R). T prods R by casual banter. The deliverance and style indicated that this movie was going to be different from the erstwhile T films. The final nail in the coffin was when T addressed his skeletal companion in the cage and you knew 100% sure that Thor: Ragnarok (T:R) is going to be something special in the Marvel Universe. 

Is it better than CapAm? No. 

The Avengers? Nope. 

Antman? Nada. 

GoTG 1? Anti-Yes.

Deadpool? Certainly Zilch.

Logan? Hell No.

Then, how is T:R special?

The previous 2 stand-alone installments of Thor were only mediocre. But, what makes T:R a really enjoyable ride is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. Take for example the scene where the One-Eyed Thor sits on the chair in the spaceship and his friends address him as the King. Chris Hemsworth simply turns and gives his fellow Asgardians an unceremonious and easy-going wave to them instead of being stiff, affected and formal.

As far as the story is concerned, you know that Thor will defeat his sister by the end. There is no surprise in that inevitability. However, the real party is in the narration which is richly filled with sparkling fun and scintillating colors.

When Loki says "I'm Loki and not Lackey", it's a scream of a dialogue. I will do great injustice to the witty script-writers who made use of the "Rock-Scissors" joke to such a brilliant effect. Freaking fantastic. Likewise, the way T checks whether he is the real Loki or not was gut-busting. It was a good thing that the Grandmaster didn't give the moniker "Sparkles" instead of "Lord of Thunder" when T was introduced in the fighting den with Hulk!

Speaking of Hulk, it will be extremely interesting to see whether the Green Monster would turn into the 7-PhD Mark Ruffalo again in the forthcoming films. Hulk had a decent enough screen space and time alongside Thor and Loki. The entire sequence of Thor and Hulk in the kingdom of the GrandMaster was simply superb especially the gladiator-ish physical show of strength between the "Strongest Avenger" and Strongest Avenger.

Loki was up to his own usual self without which T:R may have been a bit boring despite its raving funniness. As ever, he's the central component on whom the movie makes its twists and turns although T is the hero. In the end, Loki stops for a moment when he sees the Tesseract in the vault before he brings back Ragnarok to life again to destroy Hela. We have to patiently wait and watch to know as to whether he couldn't resist its temptation though knowing Loki's shady character, we know what he would have done.

As we are on the topic of Hela, the screenwriters ensured that she didn't have a dragged and extended backdrop but a crisp and brief story of her life. The way she stopped Mjolnir and crushed it to pieces was the highlight that even left T in a state of shock and suspension of astonishment. She had quite a Wonder Woman-esque stunts but being the Goddess of Death, her character could have been utilized much more.

Nevertheless, there were no unnecessary quips and ripostes when the last remaining Valkyrie meets Hela in the climax portions. I had the foreboding sense of intuition that these two would lock themselves in a verbal torpedo and stretch the movie's time. Luckily, sanity prevailed and everyone got down to actual business by fighting each other.

That said and done, T:R totally belonged to T for the way in which he transformed himself from being dependent on his unliftable hammer by others to realizing his true potential as the God of Thunder. It was electrifying, pun intended, when he has a drastic changeover as soon as he is able to put to best use of his powers with the banshee-screaming music of Wonder Woman playing the background. Besides his terrific bod, Thor was as handsome as a Greek God, though he is Norse, with his hair-cut.

Worthy mentions to the cinematographer for the way they captured the lush fields and peaceful oceans of Norway. Also, the straight view of the Rainbow Bridge connecting it to other realms was spectacular as a glittering platter under the shiny sun. There was also one scene where Hela's horns' shadow was shown where the cinematographer's skills were put to great effect. It really created a feeling of ominousness.

The only problem which was there in the entire film was the lack of emotional depth. It took itself a little too relaxed than striking a balance between fun and seriousness. Similarly, the movie also seems to have been tremendously inspired by GoTG 2 like the way Mjolnir flies and trashes others akin to Yondu's arrow. In the same way, the amazeballs of a grand send-off with fireworks for Yondu which we saw in GoTG 2 was also replicated in T:R as the Valkyrie alighted the spaceship with the pyrotechnics ablaze behind her.

With all its flaws, T:R is still a thoroughly entertaining humor fest that will make you smile with all its jokes like referring Stan Lee as "a creepy man"

PS:
Moving from objectivity to subjectivity, my personal favorite scene is where Loki screams with full vehemence "THAT'S how it feels" when Thor was bashed by Hulk from side to side in the ring. It was an incredible touch of ingenuity on the part of the director and script-writers for having made wise use of the plot shown in The Avengers where Loki was smashed by the Hulk. That complete scene was transpiring in front of my eyes when Loki uttered the to-be famous words.

Ideas Ideas Everywhere - Part 4

It's easy to lose track of your focus and wander astray when you are doing something. That concentration and attention become increasingly hard to maintain when you are involved in a verbal volleyball that is based on your core values and principles. The true hallmark of a person is to achieve the truth of the matter concerning the subject at hand rather than pretentiously or outlandishly or deceptively make statements to markedly lower the other person's stance just to prove one's point and fortify their self-image. If a conclusion can't be reached through consensus despite solid arguments embedded in facts, it's better to accept the prevailing stalemate and proceed their respective ways than using cheap, below-the-belt tactics to usurp the discussion in one's way.

By saying this, I am not saying explicitly or implicitly that the discussion I had was destructively heading in that direction. All I wanted to say is that when there is an exchange of ideas and knowledge, it is imperative that things will spiral out of control. But, how well you manage the negative sentiments without besmirching the other person using derogatory or pejorative remarks is a skill that must be constantly and continuously mastered if your purpose is to determine the exact nature of reality that is free from personal glory or bias. In case your purpose is only to self-exalt yourself, then it defeats the very existence of open discussion as the discussion is already lost before the start of it since the individual has come with a premeditated agenda to self-elevate themselves before others instead of channelizing and revolving around the subject of controversy and debate.   

Continuing from where we left from the previous part,

K: So you mean to say....the product can be shitty.....but marketing is enough to keep up sales?

V: Similarly, without planting a seed, you cannot expect a tree. That is what Modi Ji is doing. The seed is being put under the ground. But, without conducive environment for the seed to grow into a profitable tree, it is of no avail. I never ever said that...If not exceptional, one should at least have a decent product that caters to the investors or customers requirements.From the investors' POV, it's about ROI...and customer's angle, it's how the product satisfies the needs and solves the problem pa.

K: Exactly......there is no conducive atmosphere in the country to reap benefits of his so-called "relationship building". It's like those salespeople who try and avail their allowances for business meetings while they are going on a holiday but posing it to be a business meeting...

V: First of all, the image of India should be changed from obsequious and second-rate country to being a confident, assertive and as equal to the first-rate countries of the world. That's what is being done here. Our country's image has been tarnished beyond repair like ppl view the entire India as a poor country. The Social Media and Tech usage helps it to revamp the bad image. Removing the red tapes by degrees, enabling transparency, ease of doing business, GST measures etc. acts as a cohesive unit and supports the good image that is being created by Modi Ji that will augur well in the long-term. By saying this, I am not saying that everyone will become a crorepati in the future. But, it will definitely ameliorate the existing worse-to-worst situations that are prevailing in the different parts of the country.

By the way, pls don't go into GST. I am well aware of the condition at grassroots that IT is going to be a problem in the short-time. How short? That must be seen.

The effectiveness of GST can be appraised only after a couple of years as ppl has to adjust to the new system. That will take close to one year. The benefits of GST can be seen only when all the businesses move seamlessly like the ants following one another pa. Until then, my lips are sealed and will wait and watch how the transition takes place although it is laudable effort to implement at the current scenario when ppl are already used to a certain system and to make them accommodate to the new system will be the monstrous challenge.

And I am extremely sorry if you had perceived to be hurt, directly or indirectly, by my cogent arguments. My intention was only to expand our discussion to reach a common ground. I wouldn't have said anything but I considered you as a sane, sensible, reasonable and knowing you from our DAV days, I just took the liberty to say things which I normally wouldn't have said to others as most of them who call themselves rationalists are under the apparent apparels of rationalism. It's like to be called a rationalist is a trend or fad.

K: Don't worry I don't get hurt for such small things..... GST as system will definitely take time to stabilize.....but that doesn't mean that the tax brackets are rightfully allotted...... tell me.....is kumkum more necessary for a woman or sanitary pads? I feel this only shows how India is being led on the path of regress.....

V: Emotions stamp out logic like an angry elephant. To a woman, especially Indian, marriage is a personally emotional experience. I am sure you will know it better. But, to a woman from a village, her husband is everything. It's her survival. Correct? And her kumkum is the ultimate certificate to womanhood. That's how they attach significance and perceive it. Can you or me or Modi Ji change it? No. So, from their mindset, kumkum becomes their life itself rather than sanitary pads for which they can always find alternate or substitute products in the market unlike their husbands. If their husbands die, they are seen as a harbinger of bad luck and taboo by the society. Societal rules has deemed it like that. Unless a big catastrophic event as the Dinosaurs get wiped out and someone re-writes the complete set of rules, no one can change the rotten-corrupt-to-the-core -hypocritical rules for the emotionally-charged up nature is hardwired into their systems. Of course, exceptions are there. Scientifically and Rationally speaking, Yes. SPs should have been given more weight to improve the overall hygiene. Unfortunately, not all ppl think like you and me pa. Instead of seeing it as regress, it is a strategic positive appeasement on the part of BJP coz if the kumkum prices soar higher than an eagle, then they would have faced severe whiplash during the elections. I am neither supporting nor decrying the move by the BJP. Just giving the picture AS-IS from my understanding. Maybe, they would drop the rates for SPs. Who knows. Only they know pa.

K:  Kumkum is ultimate certificate for womanhood....? Seriously ???? And menstruation is not ?......if this is not regressive thought....then what else is..... isn't it evident that this gov't is playing "bloody" politics to just win votes and take the country further into regression..... on one hand you have slogans like "beti bachao beti padhao" and on the other hand you reduce womanhood to kumkum ?!! If the gov't itself is not able to think progressively and wants the country's women to be oppressed with such a patriarchal mentality......how will women be empowered......? Obviously, they'll be used like tissue paper to wipe men's sexual needs and thrown away like filth......isn't that how rapes/gang rapes are rampant in the country? And only Hindu women are the ones whose "womanhood is certified by kumkum".......but every single woman in country bleeds...... shame on this gov't......seriously!!!

And pls stop calling this an emotion women have......it's forced on them..... women in villages especially..... who are married off even before they attain puberty...... against their wish......and enslaved in the name of marriage......

V: Ahem...Madam..nan maatum yenna sonnen..Society has imposed unnecessary rules on women which majority has no option but to kadapidichifying nu dana solirken......pls read the previous comment carefully if u haven't....Understand one thing...The Govt. did not form or frame the societal rules pa.....It has been there for centuries and centuries and passed on generation after generation like a leaf on a flowing river....In fact, I have also said that even Modi Ji cannot do about it in the earlier post itself....If you feel they are doing politics with it, you should ask the concerned person and not me......What I have said is the objective reality that is persisting in the society as such.......you cannot change it....I cannot change it...idhayum nan ponna post laye soliten pa....I know u will bring about the topic of "What about another woman in other religions"? adhuku dan ..I had already said "Maybe they would drop the rates for SPs. Who knows. Only they know" nu sonnen......

Our forefathers, Read: Hinduism!, had put the rules in place for an effective functioning of the society...In fact, women were given greater voice and role...It has degraded with time to the extent that they have become like a gilugilupu bomma....all we can do is change our own perspectives on life and lead the right life.....Mathavangaluku solli puriya vekardhu koodu ipo elam thappu aagudhu...The only reason why I am still continuing this thread is that you don't claim to be a rationalist like some ppl but u r really trying to be one seeing both sides of the coin and having moral outrage on witnessing the smelly drainage that has percolated our society pa.

K:  I am only concerned about the path the govt is adopting......if a country has regressive idelogies.....it's the government's responsibility to change that and lead the people on a progressive path.....not feed fodder to the regression...... going by your point.....looks like manual scavenging, untouchability, female infanticide and many other social evils might never come to an end..... the govt will probably use all these to gain votes in elections..... then how can we be first-rate country ?

Sanitary pads are a means to women's personal hygiene...... if women/half the population are gonna be suffering from bad health due to infections and unclean conditions......how will this country be a first rate country.......shouldn't sanitary pads been a priority rather agarbathis and kumkum which serve the purpose of Hindu regression? Why has this gov't lost its priorities ?

V: Okay...Just like IT, Manufacturing etc. is bread and butter to us, politics is food to mouth for the politicians...their survival depends on it...I wholeheartedly agree that some earn their income through illegal or alternate means as well apart from their salary and allowances..but, we cannot tar everyone with the same brush just coz few politicians are corrupt...isn't it? So, like how we are having quarterly or yearly or continuous appraisal cycles, the govts also have them in the form of elections for once in 5 years...Othukriya? Doing politics with people's emotions is inevitable as society is comprised of human beings - each having their own expectations and needs.Apdi irkarcha, to what level the politics is done becomes an important question that needs to be addressed.Is it done by ignoring the welfare of the people or performed by including the well-being of all sections of the people?

If I were the Govt., I would have done politics by placing kumkum at a lower slab as my survival is dependent on my next course of meal when I know I don't have additional sources of income besides the salary taken home...But, I also know that kumkum doesn't improve the overall health of women irrespective of religion...I would have reduced the slab for sanitary pads understanding very well that my future (Read: elections) is dependent on the decision.So, a non-pussyfooting response to "Why has this gov't lost its priorities ?" is that....."You have to ask the concerned person from BJP" pa.

K: But you will still be in praise of its ridiculous methods and misplaced priorities aren't it?

V: I know u will ask this que...that's y I had said earlier itself that doing politics is something no one can prevent even if Modi Ji doesn't want to do it....If Congress comes to power, they have their politics.Similarly, AAP has their own...as the ideology and core beliefs of every party is different...and to strengthen and increase the voters' base, all the political parties have to necessarily play to the gallery...Is it right? IN the context of Politics, Yes. But, Morally? No.....However, one thing is that...There was this interview with Nirmala Sitharaman in Times Now and paraphrasing what she said is that GST council will take a look again @ all those products for which the slabs are perceived higher that pinches the majority of the ppl...

K: Hey....just because I don't like BJP's methods it doesn't mean I like congress's or AAP's ways...... but there is the difference between playing politics and bloody politics...... any party involved in dirty politics doesn't deserve to run/serve the people......

V: Idealistically, what u r saying is 💯% true..even I was of that strong moral value till some days back until I had a bout of self-realization that there is a clear-cut distinction between what the situation is and what the situation should actually be..but, Practically?? What other options are there? Just coz u and me tell "Dude..what u r doing is wrong"? Are they going to change for the better? No. Do we have the requisite credentials to be in power? No. If given a chance, will u be in politics? You can only answer this question.

K: Even if we don't say "dude what u r doing is wrong" we can at least stop saying " wow this dude is doing awesome stuff" when he is actually doing wrong isn't it?

V: Will u sit and be quiet when someone makes an unnecessary and unfounded accusation on u of something which u didn't do? Think for a moment before answering it. I am sure the answer is No, right?. This is not Mudhalvan movie or Utopia where everything is ideal or perfect. Infact, by the fag end of Mudhalvan also, even Arjun shoots Raghuvaran and tells "Kadasila yennayum arasiyal vaathiya aakiteengale"....Have you ever been the head of a team? If not, then there is no way that you could understand as to how make things amicable between the members of a team to reach an objective - I am talking about good objectives here like the target of an organization and not some frivolous team outing plans...Trust me it is difficult to get things done as I have been there in the position thrice in my life...In Modi Ji's case, it is the entire India consisting of several languages, religions, castes, states, central values of respective states....On top of it, you have external forces acting as well....If you can just imagine the stress that man must be going through, then you will understand that even nightmare will be a sweet dream! Now, you will say that was what for he was elected by the people...Correct.....But, to do the balancing act between the all the stakeholders without any short-term or long-term hazard is something which even any high-wire artist will find impossible to do it.....Considering how the opposition is doing their business, Modi Ji is the right person for the right job unless they came up with something drastic and dramatic that can alter the face of our country quickly and smoothly.If they can do it, I will be happy.But, will they? I don't know.....Until then, Modi Ji is the best bet to alleviate the misery of poor in the long-term......You are still going to go into overdrive abt Modi Ji....I am not here to convince you coz I know very well that you are not going to be for one.....

From here, the conversation switched to and fro like a Ping-Pong match until it took a decisive and dramatic turn towards "Clean Politics" 

K: Clean politics is that in which first of all a new candidate/party is not threatened by a pre-existing party...... or an election that is not rigged or bribed..... where people are not lured by money and freebies.....where all party funds and cash flow are available for scrutiny by public..... and there are transparency and honesty in the whole process.....

V: Okay...So, u mean to say that if a situation where u become a political candidate who wants to do fantastic good for the people but the people expect freebies to be given during election rallies, you will not offer them even when you know that you will lose the elections and miss the golden chance to do exceptional work that uplifts the society as a whole? For the sake of argument, many will say they won't. And still, others would give a theoretical answer to increase the aura of themselves.

K: That's how these politicians have exploited the poverty of the people...... but yes that would be my stand of clean politics..... it's the same people who got the freebies are suffering like hell because they sold their votes.....after these corrupt politicians have taken over the gov't....term after term..... clean politics would be when none of the parties indulge in such bribery and rigging..... when they compete only on the administrative capabilities and policies.....

V: we still haven't completed talking abt "clean politics"..at least yet.....U r a management grad dana...Unaku oru situation tharen...U have identified a niche area where there is an unmet need...U have a world-class pdt that will give endless happiness to your customers...But, a hardened corrupt govt. official is the one who is standing between you and your delight to the customers...He/She sees tremendous potential in ur pdt as well and wants a cut of the pfts.....Keep in mind that the pain point u r addressing is a major issue that the ppl are losing their sleep over every night....What will you do?

K: I would complain against the corrupt official...... and see to that my business process is done cleanly in every stage..... 

Though I am management grad and have been trained in business management ..... I have also learned ethics.....Well, your example just made it clear why the gov't is lenient towards Mallya, Ambani and Adani...... they have eaten their shares from these tycoons.....

V: U have given me enough fodder to dissect your statements from multiple fronts.....We will start one by one... 

1) Rationalists are open-minded people who know distinctly how to differentiate the reality and cloud cuckoo lands...I am very sad that what you have done is to mix my hypothetical situation as real and have taken it further to be as an example by linking it with the Ambanis, Mallyas and Adani..:( :'( 

2) "Would complain.....see to it biz process is clean"...These are all merely CLAIMS from your side to strengthen your previous comments...No one has ever seen you ACTUALLY do it as what I asked you was just a hypothetical situation...People are fed up of hot airs! 

3) "Eaten their shares from these tycoons".....Where is the evidence to substantiate this ridiculous statement? In your blind hatred towards Modi Ji, all you are doing is to make sweeping declarations like a seasoned opposition party leader.... 

4) Yes...NO denials...Ethics would have been a part in MBA system...But, learning is different from applying it to reality....Learning is merely intellectual... Applying it is experiential....So, are you ethical in this case? We will break it down again. 

5) There are 3 types of ppl....One who REALLY has genuine intentions to do good, the other who PRETENDS that they are virtuous but only cater to their self-interests and the third who openly says "I don't give a damn about others"...We will ASSUME that my hypothetical situation is real and your CLAIM that you are genuine and what you are by saying that you will report corrupt official....Touch your heart and practically say whether your business will see the light of the day after you have irked and ruffled the official who is sure to have political connections? Though you may not want to say it, the answer is a LOUD AND CLEAR NO. So, basically what you have done is to jeopardize your entire business to protect the vanity of your image to be moral...What I mean by this is that the official will ensure that your business does not start..Or even if it commences the operation, you will face tremendous hurdles and your world-class product will be simply sitting in the room and looking at the ceiling when the people are suffering outside coz ur product has failed to be launched and solve their problem...All this hpnd because in ur hasty pursuit to be looked upon in high moral ground and seem ethical, you placed yourself to be the number 1 priority than your customers..You can say ask where does Ethics come here...If you do ask this question, then you have not read ethics properly...Still, I will give you an example....In Medicine, doctors take the Hippocrates Oath which clearly states that even if the person is an enemy, they have to do their duty to nurse them back to health....In our hypothetical biz case, you are the doctor and you have failed in your duty to protect the customers who are unhappy and sad for their problem is unaddressed because you had chosen to complain about the corrupt official thus starting an unending negative chain of events which has resulted in your world-class products to be idle in the room......If you don't trust me, it's fine...But, ask any successful businessman how difficult it is to run their venture especially if it's a start-up and SME.......

I am just having the feeling that I have wasted my time and energy. I am not blaming you. I am taking the responsibility for having prolonged this conversation for this long. I will just say one thing to your question on Panama Papers... 

1) Did BJP pay me money to portray a positive picture of them? No.

2) Did I project a rosy image about BJP? No. 

3) Am I a BJP party worker or spokesperson? No. 

4) Am I not aware of Panama Papers or Mallya? No. 

All I did was to see the reality as such and understand Modi Ji's thought process how he is transforming or going to transform our country as a neutral, unbiased and objective person who is frustrated to the core as to why our country which has so much potential is being dragged into the abyss of hopelessness and despair.

You can now hate or love or despise Modi Ji in your own world at your own comfortable time. That's your choice. I cannot do anything about it. This has been a good discussion though. Thank you for your stimulating thoughts and relentlessly fearless arguments. You can be the leader of the opposition party to BJP...I am not pulling your leg here...It's really a compliment pa.

Like a thundering applause that drowns the performer's splendid talents on the stage, our discussion also finally braked to a stop but not without a vociferous and vehement voicing of opinions that left me with wondering whether I should have further continued this detailed and byzantine enquiry into the working of the reality. But then, it was way too long and I felt that I would be unnecessarily protracting having dived into detail covering the essential details.

Ideas - The powerful propeller which gives the humanity the much-needed thrust like a Rocket Fuel without which the Rocket of Life will be in a state of inertia and comatose rather than escaping the gravity of the Earth to discover the splendors of the magnificence of the Universe. 

                 "Ideas are no one's monopoly. Think Big. Think Fast. Think Ahead" - Dhirubhai Ambani

                                                                      

                                                       

                                                                               X---Concluded---X

PS:

I sincerely apologize to those who didn't fully understand it as the complete series would have had a mix of Tamil and English. I wanted to preserve the nativity of the coherence of the logical connectivity of ideas and thus, I refrained from translating the Tamil portions into English when I shifted this conversation from Facebook to my blog.