The best of times

Wake up at 4am. Start streaming movies. Switch to novels when done with films. Switch to music when done with books. Take a nap. Return to movies.

When was the last time, I had such peaceful times? The summer vacations during school? Perhaps, yes. Those were the only other times that had seen me in trance.

Well, folks, most of you (not all) know me well, and the kind of roller coster ride that life has been for me. The ride has been fruitful so far. 

So why this post right now?

A week back, my results came out, I cleared the National Board Examination. Big deal? Yes, for me it is. 

So where do you stand now?

Well, this is what I am.

1. A proud alumni of Sree Narayana Public School, Kollam.  (Obedient, prompt etc, yes yes,don’t frown! I was, and I will continue to be. Huh?)
2. A proud alumni of Medical College Trivandrum. The Class of 2005. (Is there a more wonderful place? I doubt. A very unstable phase it was. The transition from school to college. Oh God! Still can’t comprehend how my friends adjusted with me! But thanks folks, and teachers, I feel rock solid now! Had I not been in this college I wouldn’t have cracked the DNB practicals, no no, not bluffing.)
3. An adorable product of Lakeshore Hospital, Kochi (yes, I’m adorable). First as a bystander, then as a student, and finally a staff. (Could a department be hectic yet cool; heavy yet make you madly miss when away for a month? Yes, that’s my gang) 

So what does it look like on paper?

Dr. Nithin Jayan, MBBS, DNB Anaesthesia

So the results came out a week back, what delayed this announcement?

Feel relieved, you just saved yourselves from a hyper emotional-drama rich-extremely mushy-cloud nine powered post. 

Wait, you said, staff?

Yes. I return to the Gangs of Lakeshore this Monday! The super cool-ultimate in awesomeness-Department of Anaesthesia. 

With lots of love,

Kochu

(Pic courtesy- Google Images)

Review- The ministry of utmost happiness

The mother has delivered again; her first child was Classic. I rushed to the crib, and what did I see? In her own dreamland swam the second born, Epic. With her birth, the World now stands divided. On one side we have the haters and on the other, the lovers.

‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness’ is the most stunning reply that a writer can give to a world of lies and prejudices. It is a political satire that ushers you to a roller coaster ride through a brutally real world. As you ride through the pages, you might lose touch with time, but hold tight, trust the author.

I loved it.

(I was in school, or was it college? I still remember the dream. Arundhati Roy visits my house. With a cup of coffee in her hand, she says, "Well Nithin I'm writing my second book."

Ages flew. Two years back, I met her. Spoke with her. And she said, "Well, couldn't visit you at your house, but I am writing my second book." Another two years fly, and here I hold the very book.)

Advance B'day wishes myLady

Before this respiratory infection shuts down my voice box let me have this one for you! So that explains why this is 'in advance'

Munthirivallikal Thalirkumpol: Men are from Mars

Munthirivallikal Thalirkumpol is a celebration of infidelity and male chauvinism that masquerades as a neat family entertainer. The portrayal of husbands as outrageous flirts and wives as ‘all-understanding-anything is okay-we are happy and satisfied with mega-serials’ type is interesting .The wilder and funnier thing about this movie is the depiction of an entire society as one encouraging promiscuity! Almost everyone in this movie encourages every-other character fancying someone else’s husband or wife. The college reunion scene where an entire batch of grown ups cheer and laud at ‘the' ex-lovers and give them space to rekindle the still burning rage of love was grotesque. One of the husbands in the movie is disinterested in his own wife and keeps searching planet mars for water, the character should be serving as an allegory. 

The protagonist who is bored with his life openly announces that he needs to flirt with a ‘chick’ to reinvent the lover in him. He requires to be dumped by a sexy lady (or realise that the dream girl he fancied was promiscuous) to realise that his ‘life is his wife’. He openly admits that he wore a ‘mask like face’ fearing that he would be easily seduced by ‘Menakas’ around. Finally when he rediscovers/ reinvents the love for his wife he feels secure! Oh God! Gravity defying logics. 

The movie, anyway succeeded in making a viewer like me ‘think’. Thus it’s a success. Now coming to the ‘movie-proper’, it has a few hilarious moments that’ll entertain you. After a long time, I liked the way Anoop Menon dealt with his character. Lalettan is, convincing, as usual (all pun intended). For someone who can do almost anything under the sun, there’s nothing challenging for him here. Let’s believe that Meena built up all the fat/weight to justify her role as Lalettan’s wife. Or was the director hinting that all middle aged (and older) housewives are obese? Who knows. Anyway someone has finally given a plausible explanation for why TV-soaps are rampant. Suraj Venjarammoodu finds perfect balance with comedy once again (after a forgettable and ugly stereotyped role in Pulimurugan). Kalabhavan Shajon, Sudheer Karamana, Sharafudeen, Aima, Master Sanoop and almost every actor in the movie show complete justice to their roles, all seem to be perfectly in control. Everything runs very smooth and balanced. The core problem which I felt is with the basic ideology, and the message that the movie tries to deliver. More unbearable is the Director/ Script writer trying to squeeze in ‘moral lessons’ on politics and parenting. The husband-wife chemistry is overstretched and exaggerated, scenes too repetitive. 

It isn’t a must watch, but a ‘may-watch’. If the theme sounds interesting, grab a DVD of Anuraga Karikkin Vellam, a beautifully crafted work. 

So finally, is Munthirivallikal an entertaining movie? Yes, indeed, after all it is the celebration of human basic instinct…polygamy! The ripples in box-office reflect our double standards. A Dark family entertainer!

ഒരു നെട്ടൂർ വീരഗാഥ

പത്തു കിലോ. തളരരുത് രമണാ. പത്തു കിലോ കുറച്ചേ പറ്റു. പ്രസ്റ്റീജ് ഇഷ്യൂ ആണ്. മാസങ്ങൾക്കു മുൻപെടുത്ത ഉഗ്രശപഥമൊക്ക്കെ ചില ക്ഷുദ്രശക്തികൾ റെക്കോർഡ് ചെയ്തത് നീ മറക്കരുത്.

സന്ധ്യ സമയം. മനസ്സിൽ മുഴുവൻ 'oats oats' എന്ന മന്ത്രം മാത്രം. ഹോസ്പിറ്റലിൽ  നിന്നും ഹോസ്റ്റലിലേക്കുള്ള ദൂരം താണ്ടാൻ വെറും പത്തു മിനുട്ടുകൾ. കമോൺഡ്രാ മഹേഷ്. You can do it. നിങ്ങളെക്കൊണ്ടേ അത് പറ്റു. 

ഓരോ അടിയും സൂക്ഷിച്ചു വക്കണം. ദുഫായ്  ഹട്ട് എത്തുമ്പോൾ ഒരു ഉൾവിളി ഉണ്ടാകും. കേട്ടില്ലാന്നു നടിക്കുക.

ഇനി നാല് മിനിറ്റുകൾ മാത്രം. മനസ്സിൽ വീണ്ടും 'oats oats ' എന്ന മന്ത്രം മാത്രം.

Lakeshore ഗേറ്റിന്റെ അടുത്ത് മാത്രം കണ്ടുവരുന്ന ഒരു പാതിരാകാറ്റുണ്ട്. വളരെ പെട്ടെന്നു തന്നെ അത് അവന്റെ ബാഗിലും ഷർട്ടിലുമൊക്കെ തട്ടിത്തടഞ്ഞു പോയി. ദുഫായ് ഹട്ടിന്റെ അരികെയുള്ള  ഓരോ അടി കഴിയുന്തോറും ആ കാറ്റ് കൂടി കൂടി വന്നു.

"ഭായ് ഒരു കപ്പബിരിയാനി...ചിക്കൻ മതി." 

ബംഗാളി പയ്യന് മനസ്സിലായോ എന്തോ. 

"ഭായ്...ചിക്കൻ തന്നെ എടുക്കണേ."

ഹല്ലാ ഞാനെന്തിന് ഭയക്കണം. നാളെ മുതൽ ഭയങ്കര വർക്ക് ഔട്ട്  ആയിരിക്കില്ലേ. 

(NB: സന്ധ്യാസമയം പാതിരാകാറ്റ് എങ്ങനെ വീശും എന്നാണ് ആലോചിക്കുന്നതെങ്കിൽ പറഞ്ഞോട്ടെ, കഥയിൽ ചോദ്യമില്ല. ) 

Location:Kanayannur,India