Mehandi Circus

I watched this beautiful Tamil film last week, in Netflix, and I quite liked the movie.  Taking love in hand, Mehandi Circus did a soothing performance overall, caring us back to the melodious era of 70s and 80s, when the filmdom was under Ilayaraja’s regime; composer Sean Roldan using the maestro’s finest tunes recreated magic in the background along with his own beautiful composition of songs. The director (newcomer Saravanan Rajendran) has set up the tent/plot at a picturesque location that parallelly protect the pretty love story what move us like a cool mountain breeze along Ilayaraja’s rhyme notes.

Did I sound more musical and of course it was and the hero of the film has a music store and he falls in love with a girl from a circus troupe that visits his village. And what could we expect him to do to convey his love other than playing melodious songs to please the woman and what could do it at best other than Ilayaraja’s heartening songs? Set in time of early 90s, the story travels back (to that period) in the colourful memories of the hero (Jeeva) when he goes to meet his love (Mehandi), after many years of part as the caste and other kind of challenges interfered their cute love and break paths apart.

The debutants to Tamil, Madhampatty Rangaraj and Shweta Tripathi carried their lead rolls very decently and as Mehandi, Shweta Tripathi exhibits charming acting what anyone would like watching. And the location of the shoot is dramatically colourful and charming at its own, as it shot in one of my favourite places on earth – Kodaikanal, aka Princess of Hills, was captured in an ever so beautiful and colourful angles and views to feel close to heart. Thanks to the cinematography, by Selvakumar SK, for capturing all the wonderful moments of the film. Though the circus related scene were very less, the impalement arts comes as a real challenge to the hero to get hold the heroin, who lives with his love at heart despite married to someone forcefully, creates a silent revolution at the end!

P.s. It’s been long time or more than a year I wrote a review on movies and mostly I write review on films I watch in theatre but I haven’t went to the theatre in last 1 ½ year. But I like writing reviews on movies that moves me, just like Mehandi Circus, and I feel many good films goes out of sight as soon its release because having no star cast or big budget, I think of writing at least to show my circle there's a film like this.  Right now I’m content with the OTT or used to it but still watching movies in theatre is an experience that not our home theatres produce. The HD contents on online streamings are far better these days and some are available in 4k as well and along with a good sound system you can experience the best. 

Another Rainbow Evening and Altocumulus

Last Sunday happened to be another rainbow evening and second in the month of July. The former one is here, if u want to see. I was happy to see the favourite thing appear over the sky again, exactly close to the same location, direction and angle. Though it was mild this time, the blue sky and clouds on the backdrop steer the sky to look prettier. Following that we got a sort of pleasant weather for few days caused from mild to heavy rain, and some time the sky looks cloudy and altocumulus spread wings over the blue sky. The sky comes up in pretty pattern these days and the altocumulus show up in day times settle for mild showering or supposed to rain scenario. But not to forget, the menacing mosquitoes had doubled its troops and began attacking from evening through night. 

Altocumulus clouds from the morning of the same rainbow evening.

Above is the rain scene (snapped through the balcony) from two days back and it was a heavy showing for nearly an hour and it continued for few more hours pulling back slowly in pace to rest.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

RGB Monday

(click for enlarge)

Some cool drinks and juice bottles line up at the Marina beach… image, from long time back – what made me continue to write below.

Pandemic has made forget everything or to say at least a lot of things and the normal life too seems left far behind to remember. We adapted to the change of life already and I feel only traveling has been missed out of my life. Nature creates wonder around us and trying hard to retain its wealth which vanished through smog and environmental evils stealing away its richness. Pandemic comes as a great teacher delivering life changing lessons to every one of us in some ways, despite the battle with virus, replacing the senses to respond to the need than greed of life. People utilize this period in different ways; thinking how to be productive and manage the loss of the lockdown period and some plainly entertain with what comes their ways. Importantly I see many a people come out with their hidden talents and creativities during this period and many prefer drawing and paintings in common but what they do is unique from each other to amaze.

The Covid above us had become no more and the asymptomatic tenant got well himself without going into any treatment and his family is safe as well without transmitting the virus from him. Their house was unsealed today but they were out already as his quarantine period ended on Saturday, and he restrained well himself at least within his home and we got free disinfectant sprayed everyday until his quarantine period ends. One of my uncles passed away yesterday and he was bedridden for last few months but he has shown improvement in last few weeks lost his breath suddenly. Though they say he had high blood sugar and the doctor had changed the medicine that day, some doubts it’s a result of covid which hardly had evidence. Hope you guys are Ok!

Angry Bird

…From a coffee shop en-route to Kodaikanal. The angry bird is a part of the pottery work displayed at the shop’s counter area and I’m not sure this is for sale.

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Seashore Anthony’s Shrine, Palavakkam

Palavakkam is my favourite beach location in Chennai where I frequent until few years back and it’s a less crowded beach in Chennai and the Seashore Anthony’s Shrine is on the road that links the   end of the beach and East Coast Road (ECR).  What you see in the photos is the Eucharistic tower, erected outside the Shrine in remembrance of the Eucharistic year (2004-2005) and it is a 100 feet high tower resembling the monstrance. The artistic masterpiece was built along the entrance arch facing the ECR and a bell fry.

I have passed many times the church but I couldn’t take a photo of the shrine on the right side of the tower as it usually have some traffic or people gathered out, hesitated me to take a shot. The tower is on the entrance so I take shot easily from moving car when nearing the Shrine. The church was built in 2000 with funds indigenously raised by devotees without any foreign funds. In addition this church has a Grotto beneath the church which is populated with some rare images of Mother Mary in all her forms. For your reference I share the shrine’s structure below searched through Google.