IPL 10

IPL 2010 got a great success - despite the terror threats, match-fixing and Income-Tax controversies -  and Chennai Super Kings are the new champions. This season have brought out many talented Indian youngsters - Naman Ojha, Sourabh Tiwary, Ravichandran Ashwin are some of those. Veterans like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, have shown their experience and guided the youngsters all over the tournament. Big stars like Shane Warne, Jaques Kallis, Muthiah Muralitharan have given their commitment to make this season interesting. In total, this IPL was more twisty and interesting than the previous editions.

Here comes the brief story of IPL 10. Tournament started with a tight KKR vs DC match giving KKR their first victory and the Deccan Chargers' early lose. Some crucial matches brought a race for the semis spots except for Mumbai Indians who had lost only 5 matches including pity-full finals. Low scoring victories to DC, high scoring loses to KXIP, DC's storming semi-finals entry, Bollinger's  bowling, Malinga's yorkers, Pollard's sixes, Sachin's boundaries, Ashwin's spins, RR chasings, Murali Vijay's century, Ojha's wickets, Yusuf's fastest century, Uthappa's maximums, Raina's saves, Kumble's rapid balls made the tournament entertaining. Ravi Shashtri's commentaries seasoned the telecast. Looked like Indian fielding improved much better. Final A R Rahman concert was beautiful and unforgettable. This time both Pink and Orange caps captured by Indians, P Ojha and Sachin respectively 

Final between CSK and MI was pretty more interesting. I didn't watch but listened through FM as my internal assessments were on. Partnership between Raina and Dhoni was delightful. First over maiden made the MI's confident go down. Pollard's sixes looked like making the match turn around but failed to do so. Defeating the Mumbai Indians by 22 runs Chennai Super Kings bagged the trophy. Credits to Ashwin and Raina. 

As I told earlier, this is the best IPL of the three, if controversies (Modi and Match-fixing) are forgotten.

Paiyaa (film)

5 Songs + 6 Fights + 1 Car = "Paiyaa"

This time we entered the theatre with less expectations as we had already got comments from my friends. I went to Paiyaa mainly for Karthi and Yuvan, both have done their jobs well.

Karthi comes as "Shiva" - an unemployed ECE engineer searching for job in Bangalore with the help of his friends. He falls in love at first sight with "Charu"(Thamannah). Shiva goes to railway station to pick up his friend where he sees Charu with a man. That man thinks Shiva as a Taxi driver and he gets a chance to take her to Chennai. Later he knows about her uninterested marriage arrangement at Chennai and helps her escape from it by taking her to Mumbai. A villain gang set by her step mother chases them. First half is enjoyable with Karthi's funny dialogues and expressions. Second half starts with Shiva's flashback explaining his clash with Milind Soman. Whether Shiva safeguarded Charu and handed over her to her grandma and whether they escaped from respective chasing groups is the rest of the story.

All the five songs with Yuvan's music are amazing, especially "En Kaathal Solla Naeram Illai..." song is mindboggling. Tamannah has acted well and her expressions are improved much from Ayan and Anandha Thandavam. In this movie Karthi hums his brother's "Oru Maalai Ilaveyil Naeram" and his father's "En Kanmani Un Kaadhali" like tributes to them. Picturisation of Songs is really nice.

How could Charu and the man with her think a man with Mitsubishi Lancer as a Taxi driver?? Both Charu's step mother and Shiva's father were not shown and only could be heard. Milind Soman comes in only four scenes. I don't say fight scenes should be realistic but they could have avoided it being over-dramatic. Madhi's cinematography is the only convincing thing for eyes.

Paiyaa - a one time watchable entertainer...