Soorarai Pottru

Once in a blue moon comes along a film that gives you the satisfaction of good movie watching. If Queens Gambit was one in recent times, Soorarai Pottru is another in Indian cinema just in time for Diwali.

My adoration for Surya started in 2006 I suppose and skyrocketed in 2008, when bored in the confines of hotel room in Tel Aviv on weekends I took to watching Tamil movies on youtube. Enter Kaakha kaakha. Your mindset when watching something greatly affects your reaction to it. I attribute my love for Surya to that. This short Coimbatore guy, with melting eyes, thick hair, perfect nose ( I fall for noses, DH had perfect nose when I saw him sitting by the train window 😍 also why I cannot accept Hrithik 😂) a very next door boy look, stole my heart. I don’t care much for style and super stardom, deep inside I want anyone to do justice to their jobs, be it work or acting, and be level headed and sensible and a good person in real life. All of which Surya turned out to be.

The way he encourages his fans to do good and to be ambitious etc is straight from his heart, so down to earth, humble, yet striving to get better and better.

The past few movies have been commercial flicks. In fact in India I ended up watching some of his old movies as is my habit when alone with too much time. Mayandi, Aadhavan etc. Wanted to watch Perazhagan but only Telugu versions available 🙄 What’s Up with all the dubbings and even Smule has all my favorite Tamil songs in Telugu but not Tamil? such a put off. 😂

Anyhoo. Thanks to a good soul on Instagram who PSAed the release of Soorarai Pottru, I woke up at 12night and decided to watch the movie on the computer.

Here are my thoughts :

– Story line is taut. Fast paced, keeps you at the edge. You know blocks are going to come his way and you wait for it. Sudha Kongara touch in direction, filmography. Maaran as a character is super inspiring. It made me think it made me want to have this burning ambition for which you are ready to throw away everything. Life is not easy for someone with such a dream, to do something big to change the world. It has been portrayed so beautifully. It is the directors job to make the audience invest in their characters. I see that rarely in the masala flicks, it bugs me big time. The movie should engross you in its world, make you root for the protagonists, ache with them, laugh with them. This movie does it beautifully.

– Suriya acting is top class. All his talents are brought to the table. Romance, emotions, anger, happiness, sadness, conflict. He handles it will so much dexterity. He has grown so much from Friends, a true story of hard work and perseverance, my favorite kind. He is aging so gracefully. He truly became Maaran, with dreams in his eyes, the passion and the drive shows.

– Romance between Surya and Aparna is refreshing. Not crass. Not cliche. Beautiful. There is one duet where the picturization and sequences are outstanding. Ha I found it. 55 seconds and 1:25 or so. And did I say I love songs where things happen instead of two people just dancing in exotic places?

Good film making. The married relationship is also very well done. The fights, the ego clashes, the conflict between dream and family. So forward, Sudha gets a modern woman and has shown it in the 12th pass village girl Aparna.

– the character of Aparna. Oh what spunk. What confidence. It shows it is written by a female director. I am sick of name sake heroines in Tamil movies. We have many movies with strong female leads. But this one is realistic. Not over the top extreme. There are Manirathnam shades to their romance. Eyes speak volumes, glances tell stories. Surya is a master there, Aparna was equally amazing. Again love that you don’t have to have plastic surgery and liposuction to look perfect to be in movies. You have to act! So earthly and normal!

– there are small issues with the film, dramatic moments just for the sake of story telling but that’s what Indian movies are about. Stereotypical villains. But these cannot take away from the total experience and the ride you are in for.

– one other thing it made me do. Feel guilty flying for business class 😂

Must watch!!

I say Amazon Prime is better than theater release I can watch it whenever I want. 😂😂😍

Back to normal

Back home!

Jotting down quick thoughts. Dad is recovering fine. Cancer still likely left, we will know in the next test at 3months. My father has been feeling guilty about not taking care of his mother properly when she was bedridden with cancer. He is also extremely scared. Who wouldnt be, when you are alone, stuck at home depressed and diagnosed with cancer. I tried to give him as much pep talk as possible. He will have a caretaker with him 24/7. He already has a cook and a cleaning lady coming home everyday. I have signed up for elder care services where they check on him, help with hospital visits and keep me posted. I will start GC process for him. I am investigating how healthcare without Medicare/Medicaid etc works for aged parents. The house will be enough to have both Dad and MIL with us, it is our duty to take care of them in their old age. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to take care of both my parents when they needed me, in whatever little capacity I could. I am thankful for DH and JSK for managing without me for 7 whole weeks. Thankful for friends to help them with food at times. Thankful for my boss and colleagues who covered for me at such short notice. Thankful for Medical Leave that is available so I dont have to use my precious vacation days or sabbatical. Thankful for doctor friends who provided inputs. Thankful for FB community that helped with inputs. Thankful for my smule friends who kept it light and kept me smiling through it all.

It is not over. This is a pause. But what dealing with this and talking to my father has taught me is, life has to go on, you cannot stop living because you are sick. I will strive to live by it even as ailments hit me. I will make plans and I will strike off goals and I will continue to appreciate small joys even as sickness hits. That is the only way you can give the middle finger to cancer or anything else.

Jetlag as usual gives me time in the wee hours of the morning to think about all the things I want to do.

• Home renovation – Fresh mind is thinking of ways I can make this cute home more functional. Yes it is a small and a weird house, but it is cute, and it has lot of potential.
  • We will be adding a third bedroom, which will also have tons of bookshelf space.
  • We will be extending the kitchen to add an huge island, and a pantry. I am excited about the kitchen, I want it to be truly fancy with Wolf and Sub zero appliances and very modern. A real walk in pantry however small it might be! No way this size, but similar look may be.

• Updating heating with radiant floor heating.
  • Expanding the master bedroom closet, so more space for the clothes that we have barely used this year!
  • Coat closet ! I dont know how we managed without one the past 4+ years.
  • Custom cabinetry for the TV wall, I am excited to have lot of hidden storage for all the sundry files DH lets lie around. We dont have this much space, but a compressed set up. And more modern with minimal lines.

• Finish laundry/linen storage in the other bathroom, the other bathroom is bigger with lot of potential for cabinets/linen storage.
• ADU update with a bathroom and kitchenette to be used as a fourth bedroom, and later sublet.
• We will have a proper entry way, sort of a mudroom!

After seeing some beautifully done homes, I want lot of functional well thought out spaces in the house, instead it being basic. That is what adds character to the house!

As we are going through the plans, the foundation is so old it might be easier to just demolish and rebuild from scratch, but no money for that. Even this is getting way beyond the budget, lets see! Dad wants to help with money, I told him to use his hard earned money on himself, live a little vicariously, get spoilt a little! I am excited for the half new house!

Before getting there, there is going to be a few months of rental living, lot of headaches. Hopefully this excitement will help us live through the night mare!

So much more to write but … may be another time.

Good to be back to my first world problems.

Adios!

#happinessproject 18

1. Voting done! Researched on Absentee Ballot process and did my part. Emailed my ballot!

2. District has opened hybrid learning for elementary schools. We picked distance learning through the year, did I say this already? JSK is doing ok not going crazy not meeting friends and is disciplined enough with school work, focuses too. Touch wood. She talks to friends on FaceTime on a schedule in the evenings for 1-2 hours.

3. Missing Halloween this year too, esp as we are so close to Steve Jobs and Larry Page’s house, it is our neighborhood 🤪 Families have packaged candies they just cannot stop giving out candy I suppose. But I have covid as an excuse to JSK to go easy on collecting candies!

4. The Queen Gambit on Netflix is a treat for the eyes with exceptional film making. Must watch! I have been playing chess quite a bit, my favorite time pass and have been inching forward in ratings, taking lessons and learning games post losses. It is an ocean, with endless possibilities and strategies. I love how the girl was showcased, the cast was perfect for the eccentric genius portrayed. Good film making makes you wonder and gives you satisfaction.

5. Came live on my singing show 😂 Honestly though I am kinda bored of the show, it is interesting to learn new songs, I see it as an opportunity to continue learning and bettering myself. I am definitely better than 6 months ago before pandemic.

#happinessproject 17

1. Feeling restless. Want to write a book or write an article or do something! My brain is fired up. That’s what rest does to me, when I am not worried about work and have nothing to do. Slowly it will disappear as I get busy with work.

2. Dad is making slow progress. He will have after effects of the surgery for 3-6months he is making progress. Small wins. But good to see him up and about, not like a patient.

3. Today we go get the staples out, start him on monthly injections before potential radiation in 3-4 months. Doc said 60% chance he got all the cancer out. I pray we are in the 60%. Pray pray pray!!

4. I wonder if only because my dad has been so good about his diet, no sugar no junk, that he got it now, else he might have gotten it earlier? Trying to be optimistic, glass half full?

5. JSK had Tennis tryouts. One good thing about Covid, DH has been playing shuffle, squash, tennis with her and she is decent with her shots. Some sport that can give her that sporty spirit! She has been making a bunch of videos, wants to put it in YouTube. How to draw, exercise, beads, reading a book for young kids, etc. whatever keeps her busy.

Ciao!

#happinessproject 16

1. Where to start? Daddy is feeling better post surgery. Bandages removed, he almost looks normal. Pain reduced. Now he thinking beyond him which is a real breakthrough!

2. Went for consult yesterday. Cancer is/was more aggressive than what the biopsy showed. Good most of it is out. Likely chance for spread/recurrence so further treatment needed. Good thing? We used up surgery as an ammunition, thankful Dad was fit enough for surgery.

3. I saw the pathology report, it was given before we saw the doc and my father saw my face change. I was praying for everything to be gone but that is not the case. Since then he has been strong, telling me not to worry. That is a parent. No matter how much you may suffer you cannot see your child be in pain or worrying. He said ‘don’t worry about me, God will take care’.

4. There is a 60% probability all cancer is out, we will know in 3 months time. Prayers to be in that 60%!

5. Looks like finally I have earned my fathers trust. He said he is proud of me for being calm and composed and reading up and being knowledgeable. He didn’t expect me to be this strong. I want this cancer to be gone!

#happinessproject 15

1. Today I am bored. And kinda depressed. How to keep the motivation levels up? I guess I should enjoy not having anything to do, just watch TV and play chess all day, sleep when I want, check on dad often, only supervise other helpers doing all the physical work.
2. Thankful for emergency in India being totally different from US, we went again, got a drain wound dressed up and some other suggestions for issues.
3. Dad is depressed. It is normal post surgery. What am I doing here, why am I still alive etc etc. I told him JSK has only one thatha, she needs him. He needs to connect better with her. His ailments are keeping him occupied. I hope we can become all right soon and spend some quality time with his grand children.
4. This place is getting to me. The smells and the heat and the dust and dirt and the crowd. I was so bugged yesterday, went to buy something from the pharmacy and in that 1mi walk I saw 50-60 non masked idiots. I dont usually say this but let all the idiots who cannot understand the importance of wearing a mask and wearing it properly get covid and die. The world can benefit from less stupidity. Oh by the way, one flat ground floor tested positive for covid. It is very much everywhere and people are flocking for diwali purchase crowding stores. Idiots. Hmm what is there to be happy about? Can I be happy that in the past 5-6 weeks I havent caught the dreaded covid inspite of coming across 100s of idiots?
5. What else I want to order some authentic indian chocolates and alcohol any ideas? will order online. Boss was okay with me extending my stay by one more week. So much work is being pushed out waiting for me to be back. I should make use of this downtime, ENJOY it. I mean cmon when will I ever get a chance to lie in bed and watch TV all day. Going to the doctor tomorrow, lets see what the pathology report says of the removed organ!

#happinessproject 14

1. Had parent teacher conference. Teacher thinks JSK is very responsible! Above grade level in reading and writing. Math needs to be tested but she sees no issues. Science assignments are not being turned in. No apparent interest in science. As I have said she has natural inclination towards arts. Is it bad? I am torn between being the typical Indian parent forcing science on her versus letting her follow her interests while exposing her to everything. She loves animals ( loves watching the class snake eat his weekly meal of a rat, sent me a recorded video too) and space. Loved learning minerals/gems. But fossils?! Probably not. 😂 I guess I shouldn’t jump to conclusions.

2. My desire to get JSK to study medicine is all the more strong, given how much we don’t know and would appreciate expert medical opinion in these kinda times. Thankful my SIL is from a smart Kerala family and has a bunch of doctor relatives, who have been helping and guiding as much as possible. My family? Believes in theertham from this specific church which will just ‘melt’ the cancer. 🙄 And some believe in Siddha, dissolving cancer with food. Dad had some Ayurvedic medicine like this for sleep issues which took his liver for a toss this last April and was admitted for three days. I don’t know, I don’t say these medicines are not trust worthy I am pretty sure there is reasoning behind it and it works. But need proper full fledged info on this, not half baked, logic-less. Quacks are many as is the case in India. At least modern medicine I can google. Cannot do that for other types of medicine, it is blind belief.

3. Along the same lines, Started watching House again. Human body is fascinating.

4. Dad is recovering getting slowly better everyday. Has post operative issues, managing at home. But he is becoming slowly independent.

5. Happened to check my United app and saw Lufthansa segment from Chennai to Frankfurt was cancelled. Rebooked on United via Delhi. Ugh. My worry was Business class has few seats didn’t want to miss seats. 8 hrs 8:30pm to 4:30an in Delhi airport. Going to be hard.

My prayers is for all cancer to be gone and no need for radiation and shit after going through surgery and after effects.

#happinessproject 13

1. Today early morning we went to the emergency to make sure a symptom seen was not abnormal. Relieved to know nothing to worry about.

2. I googled and triaged, Checked temp, called Telemedicine which I realized is another name for Phone consult. Doc said what I suspected and concluded. And sent us back home with ‘eat nutritiously and have your pain meds if there is pain’. 🙄

3. Glad to have this male caregiver who helps dad with everything, even does vegetable shopping.

4. Got new ear phones, AirPods. Found a store with no duplicate products. The guys were very helpful and friendly. Focused on learning a song. Nice distraction.

5. Dad doesn’t trust me. Because I left this house when I was 21, we are stuck in that time. I expect my dad to be this ever active, sharp person, he expects me to be this careless, young girl? 😂 he trusts people around more may be because they are here and he sees them all the time. I got frustrated. But I have to earn his trust looks like. it is a slow process as the tables are turned and it is my turn to take care of him.

#happinessproject 12

1. Dad out of surgery. No complications.

2. Surgeon didn’t see any extra cancer growth outside the organ.

3. Today he walked for a few minutes.

4. Thankful for prayers. I will wish and pray it ends here with no further treatment required.

5. Thankful for the opportunity to do this for my father.

#happinessproject 11

1. Dad took covid test – negative. After all the carelessness (per my rules) glad it turned out negative.

2. Raining! So the weather is slightly better.

3. Vadai from Anni , appetite is back full fledged! Also had some finger licking poli.

4. So many are praying for Dad it is overwhelming. At one point prayers are all you can do. Hoping for the best.

5. Music keeps me distracted. Chess keeps me sane.

Surgery tomorrow. Going to the hospital today. Prayers!