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! 

I stayed motivated, you should too

In life, there may be times when negativity seems to surround you, suffocating your dreams and destroying your hope. When that happens, majority of us go through our days being saturated with negativity and accepting it as a way of life. While you can't always control what happens to you, you can certainly control how you respond to it.

One of the most important thing I have learned in my life so far is to have an attitude of expectancy. It is okay to expect, but don't have over expectations. Expectations kills, but learning to expect at a certain level can actually help us form the person we all desire to be. Expect something great to happen for you every day and it will. Say aloud each morning to yourself in the mirror, "I expect something good to happen for me today!"

I learned to take control over what I can, and stopped worrying about what I can't. In life, some things will be within your control, while others won't be. Learn to recognize the difference. We must learn to refuse to worry about circumstances beyond our control. At the end of the day, always remember that only you can control your own actions and reactions.

This one is definitely my favorite, which is listening and reading positive information. What we hear and see tremendously affects our mental formation. What we perceive into our sight and hearing senses determines our perception towards a particular subject matter. I still remember the days where I would head down to any convenient and calm bookstores in town and read up motivational books that would help boost my confidence level. We are humans, we are vulnerable, therefore we need constant reminders telling us that we are all capable of achievements.

It is also important to surround yourself with positive people because negative people and conversations will have you focused on all the wrong things and may take your focus off your goals.

Efficiency is a key asset that will guarantee many success in life. To stay motivated, it is important that you are efficient in all your works because it would reflect the type of person you are.

Learn from your mistakes, instead of repeating them. It is okay to make mistakes, we are all vulnerable to committing mistakes, but the key is to learn from them and keep moving. Conduct regular self-evaluations and examine how you handled situations and outcomes, so when you are faced with a problem you can properly think through the best way to handle it.