Bharathi - Ilaiyaraaja - Background Score.

Yet Another Thanks to Navin Mozart for this Precious Score. Bharathi is my most favourite Ilaiyaraaja Score in the last 20 years. Seems like Raja have enjoyed so much scoring for this movie (Of course he does for all movies though)

• After Bharathi threw away his Kingdom's job,  Chellamma(Devayani) becomes worried of her future which Raja forewarns us in 4.41 to 4.46 piece. In fact this piece indirectly tells the viewers something is going to happen with an eccentric poet.

• What a beautiful piece of music Raja has embellished(Kummiadi Penne Kummiadi Penne) in the scene when a guy comes and felicitates Bharathi with a Shawl. The Piece starts (sounds like Guitar as well as keyboard) at 10.22 then shifts to percussions with Guitar Strummings at 10.33. Again, moving to Classical with Violin joining them at 10.39 till 10.50

• When Bharathi brings loads of books in carts and the moment he starts reading... Love's Philosophy, Flute comes alive  at 6.17 with subtle orchestration in the background, recreating European Western Classical era.

• And the haunting Bharathi Theme from 7.09 Solo Violin Piece.. see the sudden variation from 7.27.

Theri - Poor Screenplay, Mediocre Direction, run-of-the-mill Music - A Waste Attempt.

Watched Theri. Prior to the release, there had been a buzz in the social media that Theri is a new version of Chatriyan. But to my surprise, Theri takes ideas from Kaakha Kaakha, Vettaiyadu Vilayadu, Baadsha too. Unfortunately, nothing spells interesting on the screen.

Atlee said that the project was confirmed 2 years before and he had had enough time for writing. But audience couldn't find a bit of sensible writing in the screenplay. The entire movie is so predictable even to a high-school student and there's nothing interesting in the 2+ hours movie.

So what is Theri ? It's a crime drama or a revenge drama ? Hope at least Atlee knows.

In one crucial moment, Vijay tries to find a man who is alleged to have abducted a working girl. The scenes which follows the investigation are so dull without a bit of suspense or riveting moment. You could find a similar scenario in Vettaiyadu Vilayadu but done with intelligent writing that keeps you glued to the screen.

Almost 90% of Tamil Movies have poor writing, the main reason, we don't rely on good screen writers. Instead, director himself does the writing part which becomes shoddy.

Until we hire good screen writers like Hindi Cinema(Jaideep Sahni) or Malayalam Cinema, we would remain as today forever.

Remembering Devika and her songs.

Madi Meedhu Thalai Vaithu...

One of my favourite songs. I remember seeing this Annai Illam, long back, in Doordarshan days. The peculiarity of the song is its short Pallavi. In fact, this is one such song where Charanams are so good than Pallavi.. the song hits the spot, the moment TMS sings Mangala Kungumam Nenjilie.... In the interludes, there is a subtle but beautiful orchestration and the singers TMS and P Suseela stealing the show completely.

Devika is one of my beloved heroines in the Black and White Era. In that melodramatic period, she was one of the very few actors who gave sensible acting in the movies like Nenjil Vor Aalayam. Interestingly, she was blessed with some greatest songs in Tamil Cinema.

Tips for a beginner photographer from an amateur photographer.

It was in June 2013, I got attracted to photography strongly. The fervor towards photography made me see all kinds of pics in Flickr, spend hours on reading photography articles, and browse different models of DSLR in Flipkart and Amazon. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford a DSLR then.  All I had a Second-Hand Samsung Point and Shoot Camera. As like every beginner in the photography, I started clicking flowers, puppy, trees randomly without knowing what is an exposure. The results were below average. I didn't care. After all, I was so excited, at least, I clicked photos on my own. Things were going like this but my passion doesn't seem to come down. Finally, I somehow bought a DSLR - Nikon D3300.

Now with 1.5 Years of little hands-on experience in clicking 1000's of pictures, I, at least, know: What is Manual Mode, What is Shutter Speed Priority, Aperture Priority, Auto Mode, ISO etc.

I am not going to write all these technical stuff since there are a hell lot of sites for these and also, still, I myself a novice in photography.

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The reason to write this post is to share my opinions, experiences, problems, challenges I faced in DSLR Photography.

Probably the first roadblock in DSLR Photography is Manual Mode or getting out of Auto Mode. Till then, anyone, who has clicked some pics in a Point-and-Shoot or who hasn't clicked at all, wouldn't have cared a bit about these modes in spite of having manual modes in their P and S Cameras. All they point a subject intentionally or aim randomly and click a pic. That's it. You've had a pic ready to post it in Facebook. But with a brand-new DSLR, one can't keep going in Auto Mode either it gives a guilty-feeling or you end up learning nothing.

The Manual Mode Myth :

Clearly bear in mind, mostly, one buys a DSLR for better photos, diverse lens options and finally, very few, take it to the next level i.e becoming a professional for commercial purposes. So you no need to worry a bit about that last thing. You have a bought a DSLR; click pictures; admire its colors, clarity and your way of clicking. So, initially, not worrying about all these modes just go with Auto Mode for 1 or 2 months. Click pictures at least one or two days in a week. Between, spend 30 minutes of reading the basics on the below-mentioned topics.

What is Shutter Speed ?

What is Aperture ?

What is ISO ?

What is Exposure Triangle ?

What is Manual Mode ?

What is Shutter Priority Mode ?

What is Aperture Priority Mode ?

On having a keen interest, these topics can be learnt in a week with a DSLR.

After learning the ropes of clicking in DSLR, you can move to Semi-Manual Modes. With 1.5 years of clicking, still, I mostly shoot in Semi-Manual Mode - Shutter priority mode is my regular favorite.

Getting the Right Exposure:

Another big problem a beginner faces when going out of Auto Mode is getting the right exposure, either the photos come over-exposed with too much of brightness or dull with none of the subjects visible. But this can be solved by below methods:

• Every DSLR would have an exposure meter. So always before clicking, have a look at the exposure meter. If the indicator is tended towards left the photo more or less may come less exposed; if it's tended towards right it may come over-exposed. Center and one or two points in the left or right may get the right exposure.

• Though any time is best for clicking a photo; as an amateur photographer, I prefer mornings (6.30 -10 AM) or (4 to 7 PM in the evenings).

• During the bright day never up your ISO beyond 200 or max 400-800 in low-light cloudy evenings, high ISO makes a photo noisy and over-exposed. Apt ISO is between 100-200-400 based on the day conditions. Click a few pics and change the ISO based on the result in Semi-Manual Mode.

• Another important thing is to shoot in RAW format. Initially, I shot in JPG for 2 months, then I came to know about RAW format. Once I got used to it, I never switched back to JPG. RAW format gives various options to correct your errors from exposure to cropping, contrast, adjust colours, reducing the noise.

My advice :

You shoot in any mode but it's better you start clicking pics in RAW format as soon as possible. It's very simple. All you need a photo editor Lightroom or Adobe Photoshop or any other.

So how to get into RAW format ?

I will write in the next Post.

Song of the Day : Thol Kanden Thole Kanden.... - K.V. Mahadevan - Idhaya Kamalam.

Chanced to see this beautiful song on TV yesterday. K.V. Mahadevan who is generally known for heavy carnatic numbers has also given some great guitar-soaked western numbers like Gnayiru Enbathu Kannaga, Unnai Arindhaal.

Thol Kanden Thole Kanden is yet another Guitar gem from the late Veteran Composer. Song starts in the Western and shifts to folk in Charanams. The USP of this song is lovely Guitar chords, Orchestration in the Pallavi and nice rendition by P.B. Srinivas.

Ilaiyaraaja, Ashok Kumar, Mahendran - The Trinity of Soulful Films.

Few days before, while I was watching Pazhaya Sogangal from the movie Eera Vizhi Kaaviyangal, the Opening Shot, in which, Prathap Pothen was sitting on the seashore, beside a boat immediately caught my eyes.

When checked in Wikipedia, it showed Ashok Kumar's name. I wasn't surprised. The late cinematographer Ashok Kumar was one of the best in the industry. Though he has done a lot of movies, he created some beautiful shots in Mahendran movies, in particular, Nenjathai Killathey, Nandu. Paruvame Pudhiya Paadal Paadu - with its mist, lush greenery, and morning light looked like a canvas painted on the screen.

Another favourite is Manjal Veyil Song from the movie Nandu. The opening High-Angle Shot in which the Camera looks at the entrance of the home with guests coming in for a Birthday party or Aswini holding her baby in a garden, shots looked lovely. Maniratnam says, "The relationship between Cameraman and Director is like Husband and Wife. The better their understanding better the film". I see Mahendran and Ashok Kumar as a perfect example of his phrase.

Good Cinematography is not about high-end technical gadgets or filming in foreign locations; its mere evoking an emotion, a feel. The same Ashok Kumar did the cinematography for Jeans too. In spite of shooting in great wonders of the world, he couldn't create a feel as like he did in Nenjathai Killadhey or in Nandu. There comes the script and the director :-)

Note: A bit about Manjal Veyil Compositon. What a stunning work from Maestro. Song starts with Veena and the moment the hero comes we hear a grand violin orchestration followed by a cello, the cello sounds as though someone is knifing our hearts. See Raja's foreshadowing brilliance here: the song happens in an auspicious event, for this Veena, Flute, Classical Guitar everything fits in. But the hero suffering from a critical illness yet to tell his situation and roaming alone disheartened; soon everything is going to be changed in a happy family. For this Raja prepares us subtly before that is going to happen.

The first lnterlude is an emotional outburst score. It starts with a baroqish solo violin with a group of violins subtly playing a different melody in the background then shifts to flute/classical guitar the moment the hero sees Vanitha and his lover on a rickshaw, here too, a Jugalbandi occurs between Flute, Guitar, and Veena. (The way, the trio expressing their emotions in their faces, is too good to see in the screen.)

In the Amadeus movie, Salieri beautifully describes Mozart's music in a remarkable scene :

" Sweetened into a phrase with such delight. This was a music I've never heard. Filled with such longing such unfulfillable longing as though I am hearing the voice of God. "

The same I felt, listening to this(Manjal Veyil Maalaiyitta Poove..) piece.

Oh Unnale Naan Penaane... Mano at his very best & Nilave Nee Vara Vendum - A Moonlight Sonata in Classical Guitar.

After years, I came back to this mellifluous song. I first heard this song in one of my relative's marriage which was held in Valliyoor way back before 25 years. Then, being a school boy, I didn't pay much attention to the song. Besides this, I have a clear memory of another song too - Muthamma Muthu Muthu Muthalamma.. from the movie Thanthuvitten Ennai. Again, yesterday, when I listened to this Oh Unnale Naan Pennaane... the song had a profound impact on me which made me listen continously for few hours.

This is one of the Ilaiyaraaaja songs with a subtle orchestration and mild rhythms. However, the very melodic tune and Mano's heavenly vocal(the way, Mano starts Thedatha Neram illaye... haunts us) have put the song on the pedestal.

Yet another rare gem from En Arugil Nee Irundhal. One of the heavenly preludes ever composed by Ilaiyaraaja - lilting Classical guitar woven with another Guitar to form a Counterpoint and this magic continues in both the interludes.