Kizhakku cheemaiyile - Tamil movie review

A movie brimming with sentimentality - the usual sister brother affection accentuated by her getting married to the wrong person (Napolean) who respects neither her nor her brother.  It pains the brother Vijayakumar even more so because this groom was his choice for his dear sister Radhika.  Things between the two men were not always like this - a fight when Napolean is inebriated causes irreparable damage - one his eloped sister commits suicide and two, he blames Vijayakumar in some indirect way.  But Radhika's mother in law is consistently nasty towards her right from the beginning - more so after she bears a girl child.

Things go downhill from there and people surrounding Napolean are no help either.  He then demands Radhika's share of property and refuses to invite him for his daughter's ear-piercing ceremony.  The brother and sister are totally shattered; the former always lets go because his sister's honor is at stake and the latter understands fully well her husband's unreasonable actions but stays docile because a wife has to be subservient to her husband at all times.  Time passes on like this and the next generation has grown up.  But what I find unable to comprehend is how Radhika, who was ready to cut her hand (literally cut her hand)  just because her brother dared her to in their childhood, now with each atrocity of her husband, begs her brother very ardently to forgive him to safeguard her honor as a wife.  Could'nt she just walk out from a place where she is not happy?   Maybe not after the first fight but eventually seeing that she could never be openly cordial with her brother and his son, with whom she entertains thoughts of marrying off her daughter?

Well, after three hours of watching the drama unfold, it has to end and things take a drastic turn when she takes the decision-making into her own hands.

Rahman's music could be more apt.  The use of some western instruments in a village backdrop seemed irrelevant to me.  Maybe at that time (1993?)  the songs may have been a superhit.

 

Thillu Mullu (new movie) review

This movie is hilarious!!  Even though I had my doubts about waching a remake it was not my choice to watch this - it was playing on TV and I eventually stared watching it, laughing with it and eventually liking it.  Let me confess that I am not a great fan of remakes or remixes - only an original can intrigue me - or so I thought until I watched this.  The whole team - Shiva, Kovai Sarala, Prakashraj, and even those who play minor roles have turned this into a first class entertainer.

Firstly the story line is so well adapted to modern times - like taking a cell phone video, using contact lenses etc etc- which makes it so well- believable.

Secondly the story line seems original - the old and the new have blended so well that the outcome is a super entertainer.

And then there is that independent spy who spies with such class and evokes laughter by his silliness!

If you crave some laughter you should watch this!

Chefpro Roti-maker review

Awesome gadget!  

We were looking for a reliable roti maker and initially I was oscillating between a manual one and electric version - because left to me I would like to keep things simple, and moreover did not want to shell out nearly 40 bucks for a gadget.  Came across quite a few cast iron and cast aluminum tortilla presses online but the reviews were very confusing - some said it broke after a few uses; some said it was not suitable to make Indian breads like chapati or puri.  Moreover it was all online - I would prefer to get to feel the gadget before purchasing.  Looked for it in speciality kitchen ware stores but no luck.  

Anywise, asked around in my friends circle and combed the internet for some hints but again got such mixed opinions.  Then finally we decided to take the plunge (I dont take credit for this) and got one at the local store.  It was the Chef pro brand and there are two sizes - 8" and 10".  In my opinion 8" is sufficient for household use.

I cannot say that I started making perfect rotis from day one; in fact I wondered if I had made a mistake of getting it.  The instructions which came along with the gadget were a little vague  and the few demo reviews on the net were not very helpful too.   To me it seemed like a camera trick that their rotis came out so perfectly.  But hey! perseverance does pay! 

Now I have evolved a way of getting near perfect rotis - 

1. make the dough a trifle watery than what you would for hand-making it. 

2. Use a little more oil than you would while mixing the dough - cooking oil is better than olive oil; but you can probably use an equal ratio of both.

3.  Smear a little oil (instead of atta powder) while pressing.

4.  Switch on the roti maker, adjust the heat settings between medium and maximum.

5.  Take a small amount of dough, flatten a little, smear a little oil on both sides, place it off center near the hinge and press through.

6.  Flip the roti and place it in the centre and press again, most of the way. (pressing it all the way could make the edges unnecessarily thin)

7.  Have a heated tawa ready and cook roties the usual way, except it starts fluffing right after dropping on the tawa because the heat in the roti maker has already started cooking it.

A great addition to my kitchen appliances!! Thoroughly enjoying the ease of making rotis now!! Its so much more convenient and quicker!  FYI I was very comfortable hand-rolling rotis as well.  But another stark difference in using the roti maker is the less use of counter space which is always in great demand!

25 free photo prints at Walgreens

Get 25 free 4x6 prints at Walgreens.com.  Use code NOV25FREE at checkout.  Order online and pick up in store for free.  (usually ready within an hour).  I am not sure how long this deal will last but works today.

Chennai Express movie review

Let me start by saying that I am no fan of SRK; just find him  incredibly adorable in some scenes; and again as in JTHJ there is a reference, be it minor, to his increasing 'seniority'; though, of course, he 'does not act his age'; the initial scenes in the movie where he prepares to go to Goa and the ones in the train where he encounters the goons are unbelievably juvenile and cinematic.

Most of the time we see happy families speaking with a heavy accent and a liberal mix of Punjabi vocabulary in their Hindi in Bollywood movies.  Chennai Express offers a refreshing change of scenario to beautiful Tamil homes and streets.  In fact the movie itself has loads of dialogues in Tamil.

But what mars this beautiful change is Deepika's Tamil accent!  Unbelievable!  Infuriating!!   Does this mean that all Tamilians speak Hindi with such an annoying accent??  Listen to Vidya Balan, Hemamalini - just two great actors I remembered from the top of my head!  They speak Hindi more beautifully than many other native speakers of the language!  Of course the Hindi that non- native speakers speak will have some remnants of influence of other languages but that is quite negligible.  I think in Chennai express the 'accent' thingy is supposed to be a comedy in itself, but according to me its in very poor taste!

Chennai Express has some vibrant colors in it; breathtaking scenery ( for all I know could be graphics) but overall a good entertainer!

Black friday saving tips from All you

http://www.allyou.com/budget-home/money-shopping/black-friday-tips-00411000073456/