Although it’s too late, I could not stop making this wonderful video montage for the man I love, adore and worship – Steve Jobs. A montage tribute that traces his life and achievements. Some of my friends may think I am mourning too much for a person unrelated to me, but the truth is he has a lasting impact in me than many other people I have met.

It took only half a day to create this video using the iMovie’11 software in my New MacBook Air but it took me one day to upload it in a site. I dunno whether its the problem of the sites or the Internet connections – still I could only upload the Standard Definition video although I made a HD video. I wish Steve was there to change this too :)

PS: Will try to upload the HD version, otherwise get it from me if you like it :)

There can be million people who you meet in this world. There can be whole lot of people who affect your lives. There can be a few who change your life. But if someone can change the way you think without even meeting you once, he is immortal. There are only a very few. Steve Jobs changed the way I thought.

I knew about Steve Jobs when there was a small news snippet about the $1 salary he took in order to snub Bill Gates. I was doing my college. Apple was just a fruit to me. Although I fell in love with Apple products at the start of the millennium, my first tryst came up with a small iPod shuffle that my Anni presented to me. Steve Jobs made a statement to the world with his creations. They are something beyond your dreams. They define your personality, makes you think more creative and gets the best out of you.They are not magic wands to transform you in a day but it grows on you and you realise gradually that it has made you a better person in the way you work. The love affair still continues and I am a self-proclaimed Apple Evangelist. The respect and love I had for Steve Jobs started with his products but gradually it went beyond that.

Steve Jobs is my Dronacharya. A role model I have never met. A mentor under whom I never took an apprenticeship. A guru who never took lessons to me. He taught me in the way he thought. He taught me the perseverance when he was ousted from his company and came back to recreate Apple. He taught it’s good to be a rebel. He taught me to think different in every work I do. He taught me that mediocrity is a crime. He taught me to stay hungry and stay foolish. He taught me how to build a brand. He taught me quality sells. He taught me to be unconventional.

My friends always tease me that I am too obsessed with Steve and I worship him. But I would call myself the Eklavya of Steve Jobs. If I could do 1% of what he did to this world, I would have fulfilled the purpose of my existence. He changed the world, period. I always wanted a few people to defy death. Steve Jobs is one of them. I would have been happy to give a part of my life, if it would have extended his by a few years.  Sometimes nature is so cruel to take such lives.

Every creative thought I make, every presentation I do, every product idea I think of, every simple solution I provide and every work I do will be attributed to this man who I revere, adore and follow. The world was lucky to get Steve Jobs because it would have just been a epitome of mediocrity without him. I am lucky that I lived in the same world as Steve Jobs. Steve, I dunno how many lives you changed but you definitely changed mine.

Miss you,

Signing out with tears

iSylvian

Although I think all these days which celebrated around the world are too symbolic and naive, I could not stay back and do something for the most precious relationship in the world – motherhood. This is a very different post from all those top 10 listings. This is more special, extremely personal and close to my heart. I know movie songs can’t be the best expression of feelings but it’s definitely one of the mediums

I am going to list 10 motherhood based songs that remind me of my mom.

10. Thalattu Ketka Naanum – Nandhalala

Music : Ilayaraja Singer: Ilayaraja Lyricist : Muthulingam

Nandhalala actually showed me how badly people miss their mothers. I wrote a review and never posted it. This song speaks of the pain from a mentally retarded child who comes for his mother to find her mentally ill too. I was unstoppably crying at the end of the movie – heart wrenching

9. Aariraro – Raam

Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja Singer : KJ Yesudas Lyricist: Snehan

I was so dependent on my mom even for the small chores I need to do. This song shows the extreme dependency of the lead protagonist with his mother. Wonderful lyrics and I want the last line to be true in my life – “Iraiva nee aanai idu, thaaye endhan magalai maara”.

8. Uyirum Neeye – Pavithra

Music: AR Rahman Singer: Unni Krishnan Lyricist: Vairamuthu

When you take a handful of Songs from Rahman’s list, this will definitely not come in to picture as its from a obscure movie. But the movie speaks about the motherly love of a nurse on a young patient. A slow melody in a ragam called Khamas – stays in your heart if you listen it once

7. Yen Thayaenum Koyilai – Aranmanai Kili

Music: Ilayaraja Singer: Ilayaraja Lyricist: I think Ilayaraja but it could be Vaali too

A rough guy who never cared about his mother over the years breaks in to tears when he could not be with his mom at her last moments. Strong lyrics which hurts the hearts of those who doesn’t care about my their mothers. It stays in my heart because I still dunno whether I took good care of my mom when she was living.

6. Aariro Paadiyathu Yaaro – Thaaiku Oru Thalaatu

Music: Ilayaraja Singer:KJ Yesudas Lyricist:Vaali

Another pathos song, when the loving mother passes away and the protagonist could not believe it had happened. Nobody believes death of their mom. She is someone who is immortal, someone who can defy death but reality is not the same. If your mother is not with you, you would relate to this more than anybody else

5. Sondham Yendru Vandhavale Aatha – Thalattu Paadava

Music: Ilayaraja Singer: Ilayaraja Lyricist: Ilayaraja

Parthiban as a director has strong mother sentiments in his movies, right from his first movie. This particular song with a folk touch from Ilayaraja squeezes your heart. “Pattiyala sollatuma patta kadan theernthiduma” – I think every child is indebted to his mother, because the sacrifices every woman makes for her child is incomparable

4. Naanaga Naan Illai – Thoongathe Thambi Thoongathe

Music: Ilayaraja Singer: SP Balasubramaniam Lyricist: Vaali

It’s about a son who has lost his mind too drugs getting rehabilitated by the love of a mother. A song which I murmur when I think about my mom

3. Amma Yendru Azhaikkatha – Mannan

Music: Ilayaraja Singer: Kj Yesudas Lyricist: Vaali

I think universally everybody sees this as the best song sung on motherhood. Have you helped your mom when she is sick? A lilting melody that shows the love of a son on his mother. “aduththingu pirapponru amaindhaalum naan undhan maganaagap pirakkinra varam vaendumae” – that’s what every son or daughter wish for

2. Chinna Thayaval – Dalapathi

Music:Ilayaraja Singer: S.Janaki Lyricist: Vaali

Sorry no words to explain this song. Listen to this in absolute silence – if you don’t shed tears, you are not a human.

1. I reserve the final song to a mother singing to her daughter. A daughter who is sentimental about the air pillow that has the breath of her mother. A daughter who doesn’t want anybody else to take her mother’s place. This song was sung by P.Susheela after a long time to Ilayaraja and a wonderful melody which takes me to sleep like the fingers of my mother.

The lyrics is by Vaali.

I hope you like this collection of Mom songs from Tamil Movies. I know it’s Raaja overload but what to do, the best Amma songs are from the genius. I think he had a special mom too :)

A very old poem which I wrote years back.. This is only a part of it.

I never like to cry. In fact I hate crying because I feel it shows your weakness but sometimes tears are more meaningful than words. I dunno how many of you saw “Nadodigal”, a Tamil movie which came in 2009. The movie was directed by Samudrakani with Sasikumar in the lead. It’s about 3 friends who help another friend to succeed in love and how it affects their own life. One lady in the movie by the name Abhinaya, who acted as Sasikumar’s sister got rave reviews for her portrayal. She recently won her First award for Best Supporting Actress in the annual Vijay Awards conducted by Vijay TV….When i saw the video, tears rolled down from my eyes instantly… Do you want to know why?

Check the video

In simple words if I have to describe my relationship with Maestro Ilayaraja’s Music, I would say “I grew up with my mom and maestro’s music”. I was cursing myself when I could not attend the “andrum indrum endrum” – the first live show of Raaja a few years back but when this “Nothing But Wind” live orchestral concert was announced I was determined to go at any cost. Although he was not performing, it was organised by his daughter Bavatharini and I know she would not make a mockery of it.

At around 7.05 when I entered the auditorium, Maestro, Vaali and Uttam Singh were on stage to light the lamp and inaugurate the show. Bavatharini rendered the ever favourite Janani Janani to invoke the blessings of God. Originally, Nothing But Wind is an Indian – Western fusion album composed and orchestrated by Ilayaraja, the flute exclusively performed by Hari Prasad Chaurasia with an 100 piece orchestra. The album was released in 1988. There are 5 musical pieces in the album – Singing Self, Song of Soul, Composer’s Breath, Mozart I love you, and Nothing But Wind. Reproducing the genius of a music with a 30 piece orchestra and accompaniments is not a joke. I would say they gave a fitting tribute to the original.

Navin Iyer played what Hari Prasad Chaurasia took 7 days to record and reproducing the musical genius’ with with a few changes of flutes in a live performance – absolutely scintillating. He was overwhelmed when Raaja applauded and blessed him. Prabakar, who is conducting for Raaja for the past 30 years played the solo violin and managed the orchestra to perfection. It was amazing to hear that he wrote the whole set of notes by listening to the CD of the original as Bavatharini couldn’t find the original notes of Raaja. The 30 Piece orchestra played the perfect foil for Navin and Prabakar. After the completion of every piece there was a standing ovation from the crowd and when Nothing but wind ended, tears were waiting to break down from my eyes. I joined the 1000 odd fans in unison to applaud for the genius and the re-creators.

It was followed by a felicitation ceremony and the fans were treated with interesting anecdotes from Uttam Singh and Raaja. It seems initially Hari Prasad Chaurasia saw the musical notes and said it was simple. But when he met, Raaja explained the notes to him, he was reluctant to do it. Once he started playing for the recording, he fell in love with the notes and even said that he can’t play with a single flute. It took 7 days to record the 5 musical pieces for which Raaja took only half an hour per piece to write them. There was a sixth piece which didn’t make it to the original record and guess who got the opportunity to take it to his movie – Kamal Hassan and the song – wait till the end of the post.

Raaja felicitated each and every person who was responsible for the concert to happen. It was very heartening to see even sound engineers getting felicitated for the wonderful job. Then followed a few songs of Raaja rendered by young singers – Thenpandi Seemaiyile, Ennama Kannu, Gumm Summ Gumm, Oru Poongavanam but the lateral part of show was blown away by the rendering of Anjali Anjali by Yethishwar (Karthik Raja’s Son) and the mind blowing performance of Pop Shalini and Haricharan of Ithu oru Nila Kaalam from Tik Tik Tik.

The concert was soulful, perfect and magical in relative to innumerable crappy shows running all around. I just felt good sitting with a wonderful audience who were in pin-drop silence when the orchestra was performing except for a couple mobile ring-tones. As Baski said “Chennai proved that they intelligent audience of Cricket and Music alike”. And Baski along with Rohini played the perfect hosts. Baski with his own play of words and Rohini with her command in language looked perfect. It was Baski’s statement which drew the longest applause for him – ” if all the technologies and machines dies out today, there will be only Ilayaraja who can make music with only Harmonium” – Aye Baski ( if MSV can’t because of his health).

When everyone left the auditorium awed and vibrantly discussing about the concert, there was a voice “when is How to name it?” – ” Soon ” was the reply from Bavatharini – I said to myself – “the world is waiting”

P.S: The song that was taken by Kamal Hassan for his movie. Listen to it..Brilliance Personifed

Love is an emotion which is happy, painful, sad, lethal, ecstatic, passionate, compassionate, funny, lively but it’s never easy. What if it was easy to fall in love, easy to get together in life, easy to get permission from your parents to get married, easy to go beyond religion, caste and country.. What if love was easy…

1. I would not have got a topic to write a blog post
2. Shakespeare would not have penned Romeo and Juliet
3. Troy would have been safe
4. Ramayana would not have been possible
5. Laila and Majnun would have been just another married couple
6. Mark Antony would have lived to expand the Roman Empire and Cleopatra would have died at an older age
7. Napolean would have had a heir to his throne
8. Dante’s Divine comedy would have been a comedy of errors
9. Prithiviraj would not have kidnapped Samjukta in a horseback
10. The love letters of Eloise and Ablehard would not have been possible
11. Anarkali would not have been entombed alive and we would not have got “Pyar Kiya to Darna Kiya”
12. Queen Victoria would have had remarriage
13. Taj Mahal would be just a tomb
14. Alexandra would not have been executed just because she loved Nicholas of Russia
15. We would not have needed a BBC documentary to know about Jawaharla Nehru and Lady Mountbatten and try to ban a movie saying their love story
16. Princess Diana would be living happily  - still breaking some more hearts
17. Over aged singles in this world would be an endangered species
18. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor would not have got married twice in the span of few years.
19. Mills and Boons would be cheap crap ( its still cheap for a few)
20. A lot of poets would have stayed clueless (including me )- uff what I would have written
    
    photo credit: prakhar
21. We would have trashed Devdas. No Paro. No Chandramukhi. Dilip Kumar would have needed another movie to become a star.
22. Eric Segal would not have written the  “Love Story”
23. Dharmendra and Hema Malini would not have converted to Islam just to get married
24. Silsila???
25. Tamil movies would have been saved from scenes were heroes fight for lovers and advice parents
26. Ilaiyaraja would have made only spiritual  and mother songs
27. Mani Rathnam would have made only patriotic movies while AR Rahman would have settled for patriotic songs ( we would not have got Mouna Ragam and Alaipayuthey..ooo. I can’t imagine)
28. Titanic would be just another disaster movie and James Cameron would have been a just another director
29. Da Vinci Code would be crap ( Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene..???)
30. Spencer plaza, Sathyam theatre and Citi Centre would be out of business (Ampa Mall is recently added to the list – Chennai’s happening places).
31. Who would sit in the hot sun of Marina and Besant Nagar beaches???
32. Dupattas would be in shoulders
33. No. of suicide attempts would have come down
34. A few debatable topics would have reduced for the news channels
35. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge would have been a first day flop (it’s running for 15 years on the trot in a theater in Mumbai)
36. There would not be guys standing in front of girl’s college gates
37. There would not be girls fasting in front of police stations
38. Suicide Point in Kodaikanal would not have got that infamous name
39. Religion and Caste would have been dead and buried
40. A few police stations would not have become marriage halls
41. Gay parades would not be there.
42. A lot of lovers would not have eloped
43. A few parent hearts would not have broken
44. There will not be broken marriages.
45. Diaries need not be a secret.
46. Arranged marriages would have been a rare spectacle the world will be waiting for
47. This world would have been a better place to live with lesser problems, lesser fights, lesser murders and love
48. I would have been father of a child
49. You would have been a wife of the love of your life
50. And we would not have met….

P.S : This post is dedicated to you

Update: One of my best friends thought that i have done an emotional outburst. So she took pains to edit it for me. Here goes the post

This is a very personal post, dedicated to my mom, on her birthday  – March 17th. It is a lengthy read and if you like only short posts, please skip this!

And, if you loved reading this post, go tell your mom how much you love her. Don’t waste time!

I always say “Love never happens by default” - you can’t love a person because he is someway related to you. But Moms are exceptions! :-)

May be a few people will not like their mothers but no one hates them. And for a lot, like me,“Moms are the greatest”... I love my Mom, not for what she was to me, but for the wonderful woman that she was! Her real name was Magdalene and the guy who wrote her birth certificate didn’t know the spelling – and he wrote it as Maxilina.
She was the eldest of 6 siblings. She lost her father at a very early age and she became the prime focal point and supporter of the family. She took nursing training and started earning for her family. She became friends with my dad in the hospital where they worked together in Tanjore and then fell in love, ended up marrying each other for the love that they had for each other.

My grand pa (father’s dad) never approved of this love marriage and hence my mom and dad lived an extremely tough life during the initial days of their life together. Both my dad and mom have to give away their salaries every month to each of their family. Even for every little need, they had to look for money from my grand dad. And of course there were those typical in-law issues to put up with. I was never fond of my grandma for these very same reasons. I was told that the birth of my brother in the first year of marriage just added to the existing complications. I am the second son, born after 5 years of marriage.

My mom was a wonderful woman. Very bold and determined. She was confident, very straightforward and her decisions were very meticulous and rational. She truly stood out from the crowd of women, in those days. She inspired my dad to take up his Masters in Surgery, while she went on to look after me and my brother. I was always a mom’s boy!

I never allowed her to go anywhere alone. I remember tagging along with her for church on Fridays and Sundays. She was very religious. Every time, my dad, brother or me walked out of the house, she would mutter the Holy Mary prayer. She loved Mother Mary of Vailankanni more than her life… Every year she used to go for the flag hoisting day in Vailankanni.

She was so determined that we should have to buy a house for our family and we bought it on loan. I was pampered by her more, than my brother. May be because she quit her job when I joined the school. She used to come to the school, during lunch hours, to feed me everyday. She never allowed me to eat cold, not-so-tasty food. As my friend Saravana puts it in this post, she would bring the latest cricket scores for us daily and becomes a mom to everyone around, forcing them to eat well. My whole class liked her as she cared for every one of them. She knew everyone by name.

She never said “no” to me and I have never lied to her. I used to give her a blow-by-blow account of my school days, lying in her lap, everyday! She encouraged me and my brother in every damn thing we were interested in. My interest in music, football and Table Tennis… There are so many. The reading habit came from her. She was a voracious reader and loved Lakshmi, Kalki and Sujatha (in that order). The first book she gave me was Ponniyin Selvan and that triggered my reading passion, which stands at next to crazyness now. :-)

She loved Balachander’s movies. Initially I never allowed her to go for movies. Then she started taking me along with her for watching movies. Although I didn’t understand much of movies then, I think it’s her passion and my dad’s liking for English movies have contributed to making me the kind of a movie buff I’m these days.

I was told that she didn’t know cooking when she got married! You would not believe that if you had eaten out of her hands. Her delicacies, especially the crab masala and viral fish curry, still lingers on my taste buds.

She made sure that I will go to every tour that my school organised, because she loves travelling. Sadly, she never had the chance or time for travelling at her will. Like all mothers, she was trying to make her dreams come through me. She used to sit with me with a prayer book in hand, whenever I was afraid to sleep alone in my room. There was not a day, when she had gone to bed before I fell asleep.

As she was a nurse, she had easy access to over-the-counter medicines and she practised self-medication whenever she had a cold or fever. This habit is one of the prime reasons for her Kidney Failure. I never understood what her problem was initially. When I was in my 9th and 10th grade, I understood the seriousness of the health issue. Kidney failure is one of the worst ailments for human body and dialysis is one of the most painful treatments physically and visually. Once I saw her undergoing dialysis and I cried alone in my room after that. I never went back to that hospital room again whenever she underwent the treatment. It was emotionally very tiring.

She slowly became weak and more sick over the next few years. Sometimes she would suffer from high fever that she would not be able to bear the cold and a few moments later you would find her sweating. She was allowed to eat only 0.5 Mg of salt daily. And she would ask me, her sister or cousins to give a little more of salt, which we can’t. Sometimes I too would eat without salt. I used to feed her my food.. Those are some poignant moments of life which I won’t ever forget in my lifetime.

During the 10th grade holidays, I had to be in Tanjore, when she was taken to Chennai for a series of possible kidney transplant tests. That’s the longest time frame I stayed away from my mom, until then. When my matric results were out, I wanted to see my mom and when I saw her, I ran towards her madly to hug her and she hugged me and planted me with a kiss in the forehead. I can’t explain that happiness in words…

From Nostalgia

She refused to undergo the kidney transplantation, as it was very complicated for her. In fact, she didn’t want a third party donor. She wanted someone from the family and none suited her needs. She came back to tanjore and focussed on various pilgrim tours. She went to Bangalore to see the child Jesus church and the Ulsoor mother Mary church. She wanted to go to Chalakudy prayer centre. Her health was so critical that it was impossible for her to be without dialysis for 7 days. Yet she insisted in going. A woman of will. My dad, my newly married cousin and his wife accompanied her to the divine mediation centre in Kerala.

July 24 1998, I had a sleepless night. Nightmares! I somehow pushed myself to the chemistry tuition classes in the morning. The teacher asked “when is your mom back?”, I said ” tomorrow” with a smile. It was a Saturday. I don’t eat on Saturday mornings, a practice that was taught by my mom, owing to a ritual to mother Mary. I went to school. It was to be only for half a day, as the sports day was coming up .. I was in no mood to play and I was sitting alone when my librarian came.. He announced that my cousin has come to see me. His eyes were red. I was surprised to see my cousin there in school, who went with my mom. Suddenly it struck me that something isn’t right. “dei yeppada vantha, mummy yeppadi irukkanga” He didn’t answer that. Instead asked me to follow him to our house. The walk from the school to my house was utterly gut-wrenching. And in eerie silence.

A few people have already gathered around at home, when I reached. I guessed that it’s going to be the worst day of my life. I went into the bedroom to see my mom lying lifeless. A smile lingered on her face. The last of her expressions. I felt my knees weakening, and somehow managed to walk out of the room. I held the wall behind. Just sat there for sometime. Then I stood up, came out to see people hugging me. My Anni asked me to cry out loud. I said “I will not. She doesn’t like me crying”. I never cried the whole day. I paced up and down the backyard. My whole Class came to see her. Teachers, friends, I answered all of them without crying. Strange relatives even termed me ‘stone hearted’ because I refused to cry! They didn’t know that while they had lost just another person in family, I have lost my only mom.

I slept in the night exhausted. Woke up the next day for funeral. Still I didn’t cry. I stood like a stone. The mass happened in the church, I looked at Jesus and said “I loathe you because you took my mom away, when you had yours next to you.”

When they buried her, I started crying, only then I felt that she is going away from me forever. I felt a vacuum that cannot be filled ever. I had lost the lap in which I slept the most. She just left…

She never saw my successes. I know that she loves to see me win. She loves to hear people talk good about me. I was the Master of Ceremony (compere)  during my annual school-day, in my 11th grade. When every one congratulated me for doing a good job about the whole event, I glimpsed that eternal smile on my mom’s face.

I missed her throughout my life ever since she left me. I missed  her when I chose my UG. I missed her when I chose my PG. I missed her when I got my first salary as I wasn’t even lucky to buy her a saree. I missed her when I took the decision of leaving my first love. I missed her when I won my first quiz. I missed her when I did my first quiz as a quiz master. I missed her when people say I am intelligent. I missed her when I lost heart in losing quizzes. And I miss her the most now, when I want to live again. I know I will always miss her.

People said that god loved her so much and that’s why he took her to be with him. I say “Hey God, whoever you are, whether you exist or not, just know that I loved her a lot more than you loved her. That’s true and you know it too.”

“Mom, I don’t believe in life after death. Yet if you have a chance, be my daughter. I would love to love you the way you loved me. Happy Birthday Mom. I love you wherever you are. Just know that I miss you more than ever now.”

Last week, I realized that I have never written a poem for myself. Here goes the poem for myself… I invite comments but i dunno whether I will be able to reply to your questions… Read the poem you will know why..:)

PS: The reason why i had said my mom has gone to “god” is that because she is a strong believer of God.

Photo Credit : Prakhar

http://www.flickr.com/photos/prakhar/ / CC BY 2.0

Only the poem is copyrighted and not the pic. The pic has been licensed under creative commons as mentioned above.

The one actor, film maker I adore is Kamal Hassan. I don’t think anybody can be compared or match his acting prowess for years to come. He is unique, a número uno and was born to act. He is celebrating his 50th year in Tamil cinema. He entered in to the hearts of Tamil movie goers as a small child singing “Ammavum Neeye” on August 12, 50 years back.

In his Golden jubilee year, I am revisiting his 10 best roles over these 50 years. The 10 best roles doesn’t mean that these are his 10 best movies but these roles brought out the different faces of this versatile actor.

10. Prasanna of Aboorva Ragangal

Prasanna was the personification of youth of the 70s. At the brink of political revolution in the country, Prasanna is the guy who can’t accept even small atrocities in the society, he even injures a guy who doesn’t respect the national anthem. The fiery youth gets tamed when he falls in love with a woman elder than him. The character is complex, confused and contradictory.K Balachander always has the best for Kamal and he was perfect. The confusion sticks on to you too when you watch him on the screen. The emotions of anger to his father, love towards Bhairavi, jealousy towards Bhairavi’s Husband are perfectly portrayed.

9. Senapathy aka Indian Thatha of Indian

Senapathy, 70 year an INA veteran is a nationalist and can’t stand corruption prevailing in the country. He loses his daughter for corruption and starts to weed out all the corrupted officials by murdering them through the help of an ancient martial act technique of Varmam. He finally ends up killing his own son because he was corrupt too.

Can a movie be taken with a 70 Year old man in the lead role? Shankar thought so, so did Kamal. Although make up helped him, it was Kamal’s show all the way. The drooping shoulders, a slight bend in the back to authenticate the age, the voice, actions and above all the style in the way he combs his strands of hair in the forehead- awesome

8. Ragu of Raja Paarvai

I dunno which actor would take risk of acting as a blind man in his 100th movie. Kamal was in his usual self of difference. Ragu is a blind man, talented violinist who brims with self-confidence and hates pity. A realist who falls in love with a Christian Girl. I don’t think some one can portray blind man’s romance better..this movie also had another facet of the man – he wrote the screenplay for the movie.

7. Balram Naidu and Fletcher of Dasavatharam

Dasavatharam was a movie where you can relish 10 different characterizations of the same man. Balram Naidu arguably will become one of funniest characters in the whole of Tamil Cinema in par with Tharumi of Thiruvilayadal. Fletcher was a surprise for me and I think only few villains you will really love – Fletcher will be one. The strength of both the characters is the dialogue delivery – be it the American accent of Fletcher (chi -dam-bram) and the Telegu accent of Balram naidu (neeru telega) – fantabulous. “Neeru terrific scientista illa scientific terrorista”

6. Guna of Guna

I certainly believe Guna is one of the underrated movies of Kamal. Whenever people speak about Kamal, it never features all though Kamal admitted a lot of times that it’s one of his favourites.

Guna is a confused character – you can’t categorize him in to mentally unstable person because he very well knows what he is doing. He is not a violent Psycho type character because he attacks only those people who attack his loved ones (even the small bird he pets) .. I would say he is a innocent schizophrenic…

The blind love he has on abirami is unmatchable… I dunno how Kamal would have understood such a complex character and he plays it with so much panache that you will fall in love with Guna, leave alone the heroine. I would rate this movie on par with any Takeshi Kitano’s or Kim Ki Duk’s

5. Avvai Shanmughi of Avvai Shanmughi

I admit it was an inspiration from Robin Williams but there is an unknown inspiration too – TK Shanmugam who does Avvaiyar roles in Tamil Dramas of yesteryear. Kamal started his acting life in this troupe and so he made a tribute by naming the movie on his guru.

Ok this character is an absolute master piece, the gait, the Brahmin accent, the mannerisms like adjusting the saree – perfect. You can’t just stop admiring Shanmughi Mami.

4. Seenu of Moondram Pirai

Seenu is a very normal next door guy who you would love to be with every other day. He saves a mentally unstable girl from a prostitution place, falls in love with her, cares for her and cures her… And she at the end doesn’t know who he is after getting cured and leaves him in distress.
From the start to the final scene, you will see Sri Devi scoring boundaries in each and every scene and in the final scene Kamal just scores a sixer every minute.. The depiction of emotions are so strong that you will end up feeling that Sri Devi could have been in the old state rather getting cured. This movie fetched the national award for both the leads.

3. Dileep of Sigappu Rojakkal

An anti-hero who is haunted by the child hood wounds created by a host of women, starts avenging on women by cheating and killing them. For once, he finds a good woman but ends up in a mental asylum with unrequited love. This movie came in 1978 and created a furor in the cinema world because of the plot and the making. Dileep another complex character was wonderfully portrayed by Kamal and a character you can neither sympathize nor get angry on his actions.

2. Appu of Aboorva Sagotharargal

Although I rate this as number 2, this was, is and will be my most favorite character of Kamal’s movies simply because of the heroism of the character even though he is short than normal. Normal people will never realize that differently able people also have normal emotions – the scene after his love breaks – Kamal shows why he is rated as one of the brilliant actors. The technical brilliance and dwarf like acting awes you every moment

1. Velu Nayakkar of Nayagan

This is the mother of all characters. Velu Nayakar is about a a true life do-gooder who smuggled to help people. Kind of an biographical of a person. Although inspired by God Father, there was one basic difference between them, God Father never shows his emotions whereas Velu Nayakkar does. Kamal lived as Velu Nayakkar. A national award and the one of the two Indian movies to be rated in 100 best movies of the Millennium by the Time Magazine. Should I say more?

There can be lot other roles which you may think the best of Kamal. This is my list and if you like to add more…Just put it in the comments section. One role which lost by whisker to my list was Nalla of Anbe Sivam.

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