Pradeep Kumar's 'Osai Kekkudho' concert a night to remember for his fans in Penang

Who would have thought that Pradeep Kumar's first ever centre stage concert in Malaysia was going to take place in Penang? Never in my wildest dreams of course! But guess what, it did really happen on January 21 when he took the Setia SPICE Arena in Penang by storm by performing live some of his extremely popular and heartwarming, melodious hits from famous South Indian movies. 

Pradeep, as we all know, is a popular Indian playback singer and music director who has worked in Tamil-based films in India. Hailing from a family that has a strong background in Carnatic music, to be specific, his mother, who is a music teacher specialised in Carnatic, it was no surprise to witness the flair that Pradeep inherited and displayed it across the films he has sang some memorable songs for. 

Honestly, I don't really remember when the last time Penang hosted a concert for artists from the Tamil cinema industry in India. 

But what I can tell is that Pradeep Kumar's live concert was simply electrifying, and I was rather shell-shocked to witness the outstanding reception at the arena! People were making a beeline to enter the Arena, and looking back and realising that I was one of them, makes me think how big of an artist the man is. 

Pradeep can be considered a new boy at the block because it was not too long ago when he made his entry into the industry, that too when he acquainted with Santosh Narayanan, a popular music composer based in India. 

So, the concert was going to start at 8pm, and people were already seen entering the arena as early as 5pm, or probably earlier, we never know exactly. In life, there are occasions that we, as humans have the tendency to never be late, and one of them is definitely when attending a live concert. 

This is because we don't want to miss the introduction of our famous artist, and of course other events, such as being early at the airport to catch the flight is a popular scenario too. 

Aakar Foundation was the official organiser for this event. And of course, not forgetting a special thanks to the Penang government for collaborating with Aakar Foundation to make this happen. 

So, it was almost time and the moment everyone has been waiting for was about to arrive. Lights started to deem, and it was a clear indication that Pradeep was about to make his entrance to the centre stage. The crowd roared and whistles were blowing all around the arena the moment Pradeep entered with his music crew. 

It was nothing but goosebumps all the way. 

Pradeep's collection of memorable and melodious songs is fairly countable, but I have got to admit, considering his spell in the industry and heart-melting voice, what he has managed to do to build an empire of fans is quite exceptional and definitely beyond applaudable. 

Some of his popular hits include Aval from Manithan, Aagayam Thee Pidicha from Madras, Maya Nadhi from Kabali, Life of Ram from 96, Thozhi from Hey Sinamika, Poo Avizhum from Enakkul Oruvan and the list goes on. 

These were some of his greatest hits that he managed to perform live on the concert day, and fans were completely swept off their feet and many were heard singing along with him, especially part of the lyrics that attract them the most. 

It was a memorable night and what a privilege it was to be surrounded by music lovers that were vibing in the most exciting manner. 

It's nights like these that bring life into all of us. In life, sometimes all we need is a little push, and when we have singers like Pradeep Kumar, who not only sings, but sings songs that talk so much about life, it is a beautiful feeling, and we tend to appreciate life better after all. 

What an artist! What a live concert! 

Fanboy moment accomplished, multi-starrer action flick Vikram a splendid treat for all

'Naayagan meedum vara, Ettu thikkum bayamdhanae' - This line alone is enough to tell how influential and important Padmashri Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan is to the world of cinema.

Kamal Haasan is viewed as a prominent figure in the cinema industry for many reasons, and one of those is for what he delivers on screen for us, acting. The guy is so versatile that he has taken on many roles since making his debut in acting in the 1960 Tamil-language film Kalathur Kannamma as a child artist. 

Although he has a group of fans worldwide that admires his work, he had also often in the past been thrown critics but none of those actually kept him nor his ideas in filmmaking down. 

Just like movies made by Christopher Nolan, it may not necessarily be everyone's cup of tea due to the in-depth thinking required to thoroughly understand the story being told. And the same somewhat applies to how Kamal Haasan views filmmaking. 

But in this field, a little bit of commercial elements in the mix won't do much harm either, and that's why you shouldn't miss Lokesh Kanagaraj's latest multi-starrer action flick VIKRAM! 

Lokesh is our new LOKI as he not only delivered a splendid treat for fans and general cinema goers, but he has introduced a cinematic universe at the best possible way ever - and they call it Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU). 

He attained this title because in Vikram, you get bits of his previous blockbuster film, Kaithi. 

We earlier witnessed Karthik Subbaraj accomplishing his fanboy moment when he made a movie with Superstar Rajinikanth in Petta, and now the torch has been passed down to Lokesh. 

In his previous movies, we know Lokesh is someone who incorporates darkness in telling stories, and Vikram followed suit. Action scenes guarantee a treat and satisfies the soul every time you see Kamal Haasan in action. 

What makes Vikram even more special is that when you already have a star like Kamal Haasan as the lead, how could you possibly bring in more star-studded actors and give them equal amount of space on screen with Aandavar? 

That's why Lokesh is a genius. He not only brought in Fahadh Faasil and Vijay Sethupathi into the mix, but allocated enough screen time for them to shine and show why they were the suitable candidates for the job. 

Fahadh is a genius. He is a gift that the cinema industry must worship for a very long time. He was once claimed as the actor that even his hair could act. 

He is another of those versatile actors in the industry, and I honestly thought he stole the show in Vikram, at least in the first half where Kamal's scenes were rather limited and was building towards a pulsating second half. 

Meanwhile, is it just me or is everyone under the impression that Vijay Sethupathi is better off as a villain rather than a hero? Well, he is quite an all-rounder as well, but he seems to have the edge as a the bad guy rather than a good guy.

He made quite an introduction in Vikram, and deep down, he must already be feeling truly complete as an actor because he has shared screen with two heavyweights, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, and ironically, playing the bad guy role in both the films. 

We have often said in the past that if a movie flops, the saving grace would be the music, and Anirudh somehow tends to appear as the last man standing in most cases. 

But in Vikram, with a gripping storyline, Anirudh's music only made it even better and almost everything you hear, gives you goosebumps! 

One good example is before the interval where Kamal removes his mask to reveal himself and the 'Naayagan meedum vara, Ettu thikkum bayamdhanae' line was dropped. Then, it was just 'Thakita thak dhim Thak dhim thak dhim' all the way. 

Once upon a time there lived a ghost song fittingly defines Kamal's presence in the movie. It is just so mesmerising that whatever Anirudh touches, turns into something really special and addictive. 

He's setting standards on a different level and creating a genre of his own every time he composes. 

Just when you were mind-blown with what Loki and team had delivered, he comes up with something even more intriguing at the end when he introduced Suriya as ROLEX! 

Damn, roofs were blown away the moment Anirudh dropped the Rolex BGM (violin) as Suriya was introduced in the most stylish yet brutal manner. You will know why when you watch it.

Kaithi team reconnected, Kamal walks away in the crowd, giving a glimpse of what we can expect Lokesh's next direction. 

Overall, there's more to come to what you just witnessed in Vikram. Finally, we all get to see Kamal in a commercial treat that satisfies the soul to the core.  

COVID-19 from an ordinary citizen's perspective

Corona oh Corona! What a year (2020) it has been isn't it. The start of any year is always filled with hopes, desires, resolutions, goals and so on but what 2020 had to offer was the direct opposite of the good things mankind would have dreamed of. 

2020 kicked off with a couple of catastrophic events, the Australian fires and the dead of Kobe Bryant (popular basketball player) in a helicopter crash! What does this mean? Are we all finally nearing towards the end of mankind or the end of the world? I am in no position to further justify but certainly can feed you guys with spontaneous information from a lay man's perspective. 

Just when you think two of the most disastrous events was enough for earth to bare, COVID-19 comes knocking on your door. COVID-19, famously named from its' origins of Corona Virus Disease 2019, is an unusual 'entity' (I'd prefer naming it such) that the world is currently experiencing after it was first found to have developed in the capital of Central China's Hubei province, a commercial centre divided by the Yangtze and Han rivers. 

The entity was so capable and ambitious that it decided to travel across the globe, infecting and have robbed thousands of lives. COVID-19, apart from China, has greatly affected countries across Europe, where high numbers of individuals infected and deaths were recorded. 

Hailing from the Pearl of Orient, Penang, Movement Control Order (MCO) was implemented on 18 March 2020 in the government's efforts to fight COVID-19. MCO is not a total lockdown but certain important measures were imposed to ensure the movement by the public were under control but unfortunately, we live in a society where breaking the rules were more of a norm than abiding to it. 

Other basic measures to ensure public safety and health were frequent washing of hands with soap; sneezing or coughing at the edge of your elbow; face masks (if found to have symptoms), using hand sanitizers as when necessary and social distancing of 1 meter. 

It is definitely not easy to be in this situation, that too after the announcement by the Prime Minister, whereby the MCO has been extended to 14 April 2020 with stricter rules and regulations to follow. It surely is not easy for Penang, a state that garners popularity not only locally but worldwide attraction in various industries such as tourism and hospitality, food, manufacturing and so on. 

It is an unusual sight to see a quiet Penang but look on the bright side, this is an important initiative by the federal government implemented throughout the country for the betterment in terms of safety and security for all. 

During these trying times, I truly hope that the people will eliminate their act of hooligans by practicing panic buying and not knowing they're leaving an impression of disgust throughout the entire world. There will be enough supply of daily needs for all! Think of those who are more needier than you are, idiots! 

On another note, it is a good move to implement markers (social distancing) in public areas such as public markets and providing hand sanitizers for public to use upon arrival and exit from the markets. Although the compliance rate has been improving in Penang where the MCO is concerned, there will always be room for improvement, especially when you have some self claimed extremely smart people who know it all with such a such nasty attitude. Ultimately, it is all in our hands. The more we obey the MCO, the more nearer we get to getting this issue resolved, at least to see a decrease in the number of people being infected everyday. 

We're still better off in terms of deaths and infected cases compared to some other countries that's facing an even bigger problem, so let's just abide to the rules for now which is for the goodness of all. 

At this point in time, my sincere appreciation goes out to all the frontliners from both City Councils in Penang, medical professionals, police and army forces across the globe for dedicating not only their time, but sacrifices of not being with their families but on the ground protecting us. I still see cases where public are being very unpleasant when approached by these group of amazing people. It is not the right thing to do, let's come to our senses for god sake. Let them do their job because now, your arrogance, ego and Mr. know it all attitude should be packed up and thrown to the trash! You go hard on them, you face nasty consequences. Simple as that, folks! 

Another important thing that we should all be doing now is to put aside differences in terms of ethnicity, religion and political beliefs because none of these elements is going to save your ASS but one thing can, UNITY! Is it finally a wake up call for mankind to come together as one? Come on, we're better than this and am sure, we can pull it through by working together. 

REMEMBER, STORMS DON'T LAST FOREVER. 

NEVER MISTAKE A SEASON FOR YOUR FUTURE. 

IT TOO WILL PASS. 

Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithal - Fresh script with fitting talents!

After an exhausting weekend working, I was so badly in search of an activity to calm my soul and mind and one of the only possible solution is to catch a movie or watch a football match but unfortunately, Liverpool suffered their first defeat of the season. 

After several considerations, I decided to watch Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithal, a Tamil-language romantic thriller directed by Desigh Periyasamy. To my surprise, the movie was more than what I expected and was under an impression that it was going to be like any other stereotypical love-based movie only. 

The movie begins in a rather conventional way with Siddharth (Dulquer Salmaan) and Kallis (Rakshan), two inseparable buddies waking up in a messy-looking luxurious house only to find themselves late for something which leads to a hot pursuit on road! Didn't seem like they were late for interviews or meetings as they were not dressed appropriately. Party buddies, Siddharth and Kallis were heading for a continued pool party at the rooftop of hotel. 

Siddharth and Kallis are two talented individuals who commit petty crimes for a living. They're so clever that they never attempt the same pattern of crime twice. The first 20 minutes of the film was rather predictable and seemed like a stereotypical love story coming our way but only to realize the movie takes an epic twist! 


The idea used to portray the crime was fresh but actually throwing hints for audiences and providing innovative ideas on how clever certain crime act can be. After satisfyingly completing the said crime, Siddharth and Kallis decides to put an end to their wrong-doings and plans to settle down in life through marriage. 

When they meet Meera (Ritu Varma) and Shreya (Niranjani Ahathian), they fall in love, and their work’ takes a backseat. However, they come to learn the truth about the women in an epic twist.

Just when you think Siddharth and Kallis have the bigger say where committing a crime is concerned in this movie, that's when you're absolutely wrong because the real culprits are Meera and Shreya. 

The movie takes an even more interesting turn and picked up pace when  DCP Prathap Chakravarthy (Gautham Menon) arrives on screen. He is on a mission to nab the criminals. With his limited range of expressions, he reminds us of his film Khaaka Khaaka. 

Dulquer Salmaan and Ritu Varma are the strongest points of Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithal. Their matured performances were the saving grace and much of Kallis's one-liners was rather cliche but it was okay to watch. 

The duration of the movie is about 2 hours 40 minutes and trust me when I say this, the suspenseful development of the story kept me at the edge of my seat. 

Gautham Menon's role as a no-nonsense cop sets an intriguing pace to the film but slowly sets away from a vast majority of the scenes, especially in the last 1 hour but makes a rather comical return towards the climax scene, a flashback showing himself as a victim of Ritu's love scam. 

Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal is interesting in a few places, thanks to the cat-and-mouse game between the lead characters. If you are willing to look past the superficial elements in the film, there’s a nice story lying there on the side.

Dine in at Monroe's

Pioneered the era of 1950's - 1960's in the entertainment industry, Marilyn Monroe is far from being forgotten as the iconic "blonde bombshell", a nickname she gained during her prime time back then. Remembering Marilyn Monroe, Penang Island has a restaurant/cafe named after her that serves some amazing Western and Asian cuisine foods that guarantees a treat to your taste buds. 

After several suggestions, I decided to go down to the Monroe's with family and trust me, it was an absolute win for me because it was truly an amazing time with fulfilling and satisfying dinner. Dinner was accompanied with some great music, the live band rocking the floor with classics from Monroe's finest hits. 

The ambiance and reception was exceptional as it made the visit an even more satisfying one. Greeted well upon arrival, the staff were kind enough to provide recommendations on their best-selling dishes. It was much needed due to our first time to the restaurant.

The environment creates a space not only for dinners or drinking, but hosts for birthdays, family functions and many more. For those after a tough day at work or needing a break from stress, Monroe is the place to go as you get to enjoy a variety of wine choices and other kinds of booze too. The deemed lights and mesmerizing music creates an environment of joy, happiness, calm and romantic. 

If you've never heard or wondering where this restaurant is located at, it's probably because it is hidden inside the most unlikeliest space in Penang Island, 1926 Heritage Hotel downtown Burmah Road.

For those from the era of 70's and 80's, this is a must visit place due to its cozy, ridiculously good music and calm environment.

Tamil comedy legend "Crazy Mohan" calls it a day from earthly living

Mohan Rangachari, best and popularly known as "Crazy Mohan" in the world of Indian cinema, has taken a permanent rest after suffering a massive heart attack on 10 June 2019. On a personal view and as a general audience, I strongly believe the most daunting task in a cinematic measure is to make someone laugh. Emotions vary from within us and it works in many different forms, but the toughest of them all is laughing, especially when you are asked to make someone laugh in a split second or so. 

Crazy Mohan's life experience ever since young evolved heavily in comical elements and I can boldly say, his timely, intelligent and brilliant comedy writing is irreplaceable. He has left behind a spot that can never be filled by anyone but himself. 

The popular playwright and theatre and film comedian was best known for his rib-tickling one-liners and repartees which was also his success in gaining such a huge fan base in Tamil cinema. The comedy legend's over four-decade career began with him taking the theatre by storm with his hilarious middle-class centric content and laughter built on ubiquitous themes before he moved on to silver screen. 

As an original yet creative thinker, Crazy Mohan successfully reprised his theatre expertise in cinema by clinging on to simple but hugely successful one-liners and wordplay, as seen in films like "Panchathanthiram", "Vasool Raja MBBS", "Thenali", "Pammal K. Sambantham" and others that went on to redefine comedy in Tamil films. 

An Engineer by profession, Mohan was heavily drawn into a funny character since college and even went on to set up the Tamil drama troupe "Crazy Creations" in 1979. 

Just few days ago, I was watching an interview session of Crazy Mohan, mainly sharing about his childhood desire ands dream to enter the entertainment industry and how K. Balachander, referred to as a mentor played a huge role in giving him such a fame in the industry. He was so down to earthwhen answering the questions asked, and if closely observed, one will notice the child-like responses by Mohan. We're talking about a 60 year-old man who is enjoying life like a 20 year-old teenage adult, throwing away all negative vibes and doing what he does best, keeping everyone happy! 

Mohan's association with Kamal Hassan is one of the funniest trio and possibly one of the best gift ever to Tamil cinema. If not present physically on screen with Kamal Hassan, Mohan's dialogues are so memorable and I see no better fit than Padmashree Kamal himself. There was just too much chemistry and mutual understanding between them and it helped escalate comedy to a whole new level. 

Both these legends have made our cinematic experience so much meaningful and it was always a delight to see them rock the screen! It all started with "Aboorva Sagodarargal" in 1989 and eventually it resulted to blockbuster movies like "Panchathanthiram", "Pammal K. Sambantham", "Thenali" and the list goes on. 

Nagesh: "Maggi yaaru"?

Kamal Hassan: "Maragathavili odeh short-form". 

Nagesh: Aperom, Mythili"?

Kamal Hassan: "Medium-form". 

Ramesh Arvind: Full-form le iruka". 

Hahaha, it is dialogues like these, so short and simplen yet memorable that made him such an iconic Tamil playwright in the industry. i could go all-day long with Mohan's famous, funny and intelligent lines. 

No vulgarity, no double-meaning dialogues and no offensive remarks on anyone for that matter, just pure funny, intelligent and rib-tickling comedies. 

As i've mentioned earlier, I reflected a lot within myself after watching Mohan's interview, a lot of good values that can be absorbed from this man. The one thing I learned from the interview is that, pursue your dreams no matter what or how long it takes. It is definitely worth the wait, and most importantly, along the way, keep people happy and it does you wonders in return. 

Finally, one sentence from Mohan during the interview that caught my attention that I wish to share:

Crazy Mohan: "Crazy Mohan is Lazy Mohan." Hahaha 😄 

Aquaman - Bahubali inspired? Meh, Jason Momoa is AQUAMAN!

Spoiler alert! Don't exaggerate as I have warned you guys. Aquaman, possibly the best DC film after Wonder Woman. Little hope I had in this, since it was James Wan, the man who served us creepy, horrifying elements on screen, but taking on a whole new subject of his previous directions. 

When it was almost showtime, I was the only one with the least excitement on face, meanwhile I had my nephews all hyped up to witness the hulking Bahubali wannabe on screen. I have to say, James Wan swept aside all my doubts at the end of the show. Such transition the man has in his direction skills, and to be able to serve such a DC delight, it was never surely an easy one to craft out as you're up dealing with one of DCs ultimate icon, Justice League's pride, AQUAMAN! 

The opening few minutes of Aquaman are quite possibly its best, because that's how long director James Wan needed to set the tone of the film, and to differentiate his version from others. 

This one, like any other cliché films, is about a hulking hero in search of a throne. Half human and half oceanic of its kind, Aquaman faces his worst nightmare, his own stepbrother, King Orm, who's also power-hungry and the part-time underwater kingdom ruler of Atlantis until Jason kicks him off the perch. 

Jason and Amber's screen dominance is what saved the series from drowning, a little bit of screwball comedy added some spice to the film.

He is raised on the surface, a stone's throw from the ocean - two homes that he has never truly belonged to, or felt accepted by.

 Crippled by abandonment issues - his mother left him when he was a child, with the promise that she'd return one day - and only just now discovering a purpose in his life (Aquaman is set about a year after the events of Justice League) Arthur is summoned to the deep by Mera, played by Amber Head.

I won't say it was entirely enjoyable, but it had enough intriguing elements any DC film should have, and an ending that promises a tail-biting series to follow. 

Marvel Comic's Real-Life Superhero, Stan Lee Calls it A Day At The Age Of 95

If you happen to be a Comic Book freak or a Marvel fan, then November 2018 is definitely the month and the year you wish would never have existed! Stan Lee, legendary writer, editor and publisher of Marvel Comics, whose fabulous yet flawed creations made him a real-life superhero to comic book lovers everywhere, has taken a bow and laid rest at the age of 95. 

Often playing the role of the behind the scene guy, Stan Lee was responsible for some iconic Marvel characters that has made such global reputation such as Spider-Man, the X-Men, Thor, Iron Man, Black Panther, Hulk, Fantastic Four and among other countless characters. 

Lee took the final bow on Monday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and various sources were gathered to confirm the death of the iconic Marvel Comics legend. 

I am a huge fan of X-men (Wolverine to be exact), a character that speaks a lot about controlled personality with so much from within that the world needs to know.  Recent times, Thor and Captain America became my instant favorites due to the leadership and screen impacts that these two iconic characters bring about. 

Still can't believe my eyes that the man behind our heroic childhood memories, even till date, is no longer around. Damn, I am certainly going to miss Stan Lee's cameo appearances! One of those that I truly anticipate the most in any Marvel films, just a single bit of him creates so much of impression of what he has brought to the Marvel Comics! 

"I used to think what I did was not very important," he told the Chicago Tribune in April 2014. "People are building bridges and engaging medical research, and here I was doing stories about fictional people who do extraordinary, crazy things and wear costumers. But I suppose I have come to realize that entertainment is not easily dismissed."

To me, Stand Lee was marvelous enough to come up with mind blowing Marvel characters and he was living it in his own league like the perfect craftsman! He was unbelievably extraordinary as the characters he created and his scale of imagination was something to really look up to, and it definitely exceeded what a normal human being would achieve. 

He had the power to inspire, entertain and connect Marvel fans from across the globe and his legacy will continue to live forever. 

As fictional as it may sound, let's get a little metaphorical. Stan Lee, we (Marvel fans), believe that you are not dead, but just permanently shifted to a universe specially dedicated for you, The Marvelous Stan Universe.  

Chekka Chivantha Vaanam - One ticket, too many stars

Before anything at all, the all-star casts of Chekka Chivantha Vaanam is clearly the most important reason why you shouldn't give this movie a miss. 

Now, let us begin. Mani Ratnam once again proved that age is just a number. A man of his caliber, you certainly can always expect blockbusters on screen, and this time around, he nailed with the likes of Arvind Swami, STR, Arun Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, Prakash Raj, Jyotika, Aditi Rao and many star-studded casts. 

Chekka Chivantha Vaanam is a masterstroke by Mani Ratnam! The type of engagement that he promises his audience is something to really admire about. CCV was simply mind-blowing and it almost looked like he was directing his first ever film again. So fresh and so much conviction in story-telling. 

Only Mani Ratnam is capable of pulling off such a masterpiece! For us, as general audience, it is always a beautiful sight seeing top stars on the screen together, but the daunting task lies in the hands of the director and his team. When you have the likes of STR, Arun Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi and Arvind Swami together on a single screen, you know you've got a tough task to handle. Equal screen presence is one of the greatest achievements Mani Sir succeeded in this movie, and he definitely deserves to be applauded. 

Not often you see Mani Ratnam take a stroll down the gangster genre, except for two of his golden films, Nayagan (1987) and Thalapathi (1991), which starred the two icons of Tamil Cinema, Kamal Hassan and Rajinikanth. It's like he found the energy he once had when he made those two blockbuster films, and to top it all off, AR Rahman as the music composer! It was Mani Ratnam who gave AR Rahman his major breakthrough with the terrorism-themed drama, Roja (1992). Ever since, they have been one of the most dominating forces in Tamil Cinema and have been an inseparable team. 

Given the numerous characters involved, the film does take a while to get going, as the initial scenes of every character is more of less exposition giving us a brief about their past and their motivations. 

If you've watched the movie, you will notice that each and every scene tremendously stresses character development at a level you will believe is sufficient to carry the plot towards the twist-filled climax. 

Mani Ratnam has given us a hard hit content by throwing all rules outside the window and I can say, it has been a while since I last watched a gangster drama set against family dynamics, greed and the need for power and deceit. 

Personally, one man who stood the best among the rest and one who has gone beyond all expectations set is none other than our very own, STR! What a comeback by the Little Superstar! Being the least favorite in the family, STR outperformed the rest except for one man, who I thought outperformed everyone including STR, Vijay Sethupathi. Man was such a class in the film and his additional standalone comical role was a huge relief. 

This is also more or less a 'guy film', preferring guns over girls, like most gangster films. The female characters were reduced to supporting players - they provide more of an emotional angle to the dominating male characters - a mother heartbroken seeing her sons fighting among themselves, a wife who stands by her husband knowing his unfaithfulness to her, another wife who has to pay the price for her husband's evil ambitions and a newlywed who meets a tragic end. 

Although there may have been some noticeable mistakes like blurry drone shots and quick scene transitions, Santosh Sivan, without fail, mesmerized us with his amazing camera works. There will be scenes in the movie that will give you so much peace to the mind and soul, something to compliment the racy, heart-throbbing, action scenes! 

A must watch Mani Ratnam film! 3.5/5 

Atcham Thavir: An all-star casts thriller!

How often do you witness a film, be it Hollywood, Kollywood or Bollywood, filled with star-studded casts yet giving us above satisfactory feeling? I wanted to go and watch this movie with no expectations whatsoever, fearing the clash of ego may occur due to the all-star casts line-up in this one. 

All that I ever heard about this movie is that the story revolves around a bunch of friends who come face to face with their fears and have to overcome it. Upon watching the trailer, I was highly convinced that this going to be like any other horror-based genre film. 

I have been a great follower of Karthik Shamalan's movies in the past, particularly to mention 'En Veetu Thottathil' (The Farm), but to see him put a foot into the horror path remained questionable, at least for now. This time, he paired up with SS. Vickneswaran to come up with this thriller-based genre. 

When I finally did watch the movie, I have to say, it was truly entertaining and it did serve everyone with a surprise-filled package. The plot that developed in this is not a straight forward one. Now, that itself is a very rare phenomena in a Malaysia-based movie. The pace of the movie developed in a level that guarantees an intriguing end due to its parallel narrative that drove the plot - which means two equally-weighted stories running simultaneously. 

I am someone who enjoys a movie that incorporates a group of carefree friends going on a long-trip, just enjoying life at its best, but in actual fact, they are heading towards a journey that's filled with suspense and thrilling experience. That's one part of what happened in Atcham Thavir. 

On the other side, there's this completely unrelated story about a man who is striving to make ends meet and is at risk of losing everything in life, How these two separate storylines developed throughout the movie remained the focal point of the story, 

Humour is a heavy element to explore and include in any type of movie, but I can say, Atcham Thavir had a good balance between humour and suspense - one moment you are laughing then the next moment, you are kept anxiously at the edge of your seat. 

As mentioned earlier, it is rare to watch a movie lined up with an all-star casts, but that's one of the biggest attraction in Atcham Thavir. The movie stars THR Raaga's Uthaya (who is also the executive producer), Geetha, Anantha, Revathy, Yashini alongside other well-known Malaysian personalities like Rabbit Mac, Vikadakavi, Kuben Mahadevan, Alvin, CK, Vicran, Gaana and many more. 

What a comeback from Gaana! Something to really shout out about. One of the biggest advantage of having an-all star casts is that they are already familiar with one another, which makes the chemistry to be effortless. I personally liked Uthaya's role in the movie because it was so natural, especially his screen presence which was accompanied by the friendship he shares with Anantha and Geetha. 

The comedy relief was massive, and I don't think there could be anyone better than Kuben Mahadevan and Alvin fitting into the comedy roles. They pulled it off! Not to forget, Rabbit Mac, who also played a pivotal role. 

The other notable success that I have to talk about is the visuals. There were countless aerials shots that were impressive to watch, along with high-quality visuals and dynamic angles. The locations, especially during the wedding song really caught my eyes. There was so much peace felt through my eyes that I could feel it right here, right now. The directors did an amazing job in that part. 

Being a thriller-based movie, the colourful costumes during the wedding scene added a much-needed vibrant feel. 

What's a suspenseful thriller movie without thrilling, suspenseful music? Atcham Thavir handed the music duty to Varmman Elangkovan, and never for a second he disappointed me with such an engaging, intriguing and spooky BGM's. The BGM's, particularly stood out in the second half of the movie which involved a lot of suspenseful scenes rather than frantic ones. 

Ultimately, Atcham Thavir tickles your thinking ability, especially the depth of analyzing who's good and bad. What I learned through this movie is that you can't really decide for anything at all until you put yourself in positions of those affected with the wrongdoings around them. What choices do you have if you were tangled in such hard circumstances? Do the right thing or the easy way out which comes with a hefty price? 

Overall, a movie that has a very good message for the mass audience in Malaysia, and that too, conveyed through a group of well-known Malaysian personalities. 

Catch Atcham Thavir in Astro First on 11 October 2018 onwards. 

Student to staff at Limkokwing University

Who would have thought that the place I gained my education also became the place that I found my passion? Honestly, I was least expecting this as well. The most unlikeliest thing to happen became one of the greatest decision I have ever made in my life. 

February 2014, the time that has led to the journey I am experiencing now. Things happened over the past four years, good and bad, it certainly shaped me into the person I am now. Limkokwing University is a home that has students from over 165 countries, and its diversity and multicultural environment are two key points that needs to be highlighted. 

These two scenario's can be beneficial and at the same time, it can also play devilish role. It felt like "Seperti Rusa Masuk Kampung" when I first came in, knowing that the state that I come from consist of a majority Malaysian people. Culture shock, it either disgust you or provokes you to fit in the culture that's being practiced or makes you realize that your way is the best way to survive. 

For me, I definitely fit in the last category. I realized my way was the best way to survive. Despite all the challenges and the need to fit into an extremely new environment, I was able to stand firm with what I believe in and my purpose here cleared my mind and gave me the audacity to do what I am here for - study and graduate. 

     

                     Student                                                                                              Staff

My two-year journey as a student was definitely a fruitful one, as I made really good, reliable, resourceful and loyal friends, people that I am still friends with. In terms education, I was able to grasp as many skills as possible and theory learning which is now bearing me tasty fruits. My major was Broadcasting and Journalism, both of which I am truly passionate about. A future that I foresee with the incorporation of both these areas. 

Major skills that I gained were improving communication skills, timeliness in completing a task, being more sensitive towards many different cultures, leadership qualities, planning and executing an event and many others. 

Having graduated in late 2015, I stepped foot once again into a familiar territory, this time as a staff. I joined as a Digital Content Writer under Centre for Content Creation in 2018, a role that I was longing for ever since I graduated. A role which fit so well into my portfolio and passion. 

Although the transition period from a student to staff was close to three years, nothing really changed and it felt really good to be back to the place had a lot of good memories. 

I don't know how people see this, but I am privileged for the opportunity to work in an environment that's truly familiar to me and a place that I gained my Degree education. The feeling I had in me when I was given the offer to join immediately was beyond words could ever describe. 

It is always special, at least to me when you are given the passport to contribute your skills and strengths to your alma mater. 

This may not be my dream place to work, but it certainly became the best place to work!