Aug 19-20: Exhibition of photos
Aug 19 – 23: Exhibitions of paintings and lithographs
Aug 20: Quiz and art competition

For more information, refer to the Hindu article.

Great actor and comedian artist Nagesh (Real name: Gunddu Rao) passed away on Saturday morning in Chennai.

The great and endearing actor was 76 and has worked in 500 films. He is survived by three sons.

His vintage and memorable comedy scenes are still alive in my mind. Be it in Thiruvilayadal, Server Sundaram, Thillana Mohanambal, the storyteller in Kadhalikka Neramillai and also as a corpse in Magalir Mattum. He recently acted in Kamal Hassan’s film Dasavatharam. He acted along with great actors; be it in MGR-Sivaji era or Rajni-Kamal era. No one can replace him and will be Tamil cinema’s pride.

Joshi

Image via manoramaonline.com

The ambulance driver will find the best way to pass through the roads in the same time he has many lives in his hand, his own, people on road and also patient in ambulance. Since there is no seperate way or route for the ambulance to pass through we try to hornk and make people to give way for ambulance. What best we can do from our side when we have the ambulance behind is just move in a way where the vehicle can cut through the traffic and move faster. But our chennai people! wow! heights of stupidity! Most of the bikers and cyclist and even cars! sometime run behind the ambulance and aheading to the destination faster!. Running behind the ambulance might be of great risk. What if the driver puts a break when he cannot find a way or he has to make a sudden turn. He can be cautious while driving but not the people who are following the ambulance from behind to reach faster at their destination.

I happend to see similar accident this morining at saidapet corner. You can imagine how busy that road would be and how the traffic would flow in peak hour morning times.

If Chennai is really reading/seeing and listening to this issue/concern. Pl keep in mind that there is a life in do or die situation and we have to pray or  make way to make him reach the hospital at the earliest.

We might also join hands to print notice or public message to make this a success.

No plans for weekend ??? Then check this site here.

They call it Chennai This Weekend. Events (say Movies or a Sale) happening in and around the city are put together. Its updated every Friday. Right now you might find the schedule for the past weekend.

How else does one explain the reversal from the new traffic arrangement to the old one along C P Ramaswamy Road and T T K road? If nair chaaya shop talk is to be believed (and it seldom is wrong) it mentions that the entire new arrangement was because Stalin found the traffic on TTK road a hassle, he wished to have free flowing traffic on TTK road, and the system, the nair chaaya shop informs me was promptly changed.

Viola, a month of chaos and confusion was there. The residents in the area of course hated the arrangement for it made their life terrible. And so a month later the system went back to the old one. The police of course today insist the change was because they found it hard to maintain traffic with the new system.
The nair chaaya shop goes onto add that Papa had to prevail over heir apparent that with elections coming up soon, pissing off the electorate is not a good idea, considering their dismal performance in their peetai of Chennai in the 2006 state elections. But the police even today according to the nair chaaya shop insist that they changed the system because it was too hard to maintain traffic (considering they had less to do under the new system with fewer junctions this excuse seems a farce).

SPB came on screen and sung a beautiful version of Jana Gana Mana composed by AR Rahman, with the mannerisms of a concert vocalist. The problem was, it wasn’t the tune we are taught since our school days and used too. So the entire audience stood in silence.

A few questions. Why this sudden move by Sathyam? Does it really make you patriotic to hear the national anthem prior to a movie?

Related discussion in Chennai Metblogs last August.

In the annexure to the question, the Government gives city wise break up of the number of road accidents in metros. Chennai stands second, with only Delhi worse than us.

NUMBER OF CASES OF ROAD ACCIDENTS DURING 2004-2006 IN METRO CITIES:

CITIES 2004 2005 2006

CHENNAI 4873 7875 7359

DELHI 8218 8531 8385

KOLKATA 2164 2366 2379

MUMBAI 3340 4360 4151

TOTAL 18595 23132 22274

Look carefully. Of all the cities, Chennai’s road accidents have increased dramatically from 2004 to 2005. Is this due to (ironically) the increased number of road works all over the city? Or due to the expanded Greater Chennai Police limits? Or plain increase in number of bad drivers?

Whatever it is, be careful while on the road.

Lok Sabha Question
Annexure to the Question

Here’s the Q & A :
Q: Were you Rajni or Lata’s friend?
A: No, but when I was given Shah Rukh’s bio “Shah Rukh Khan—still reading Khan’’ I thought of Rajni at once. So, armed with a two-page request, went to his residence—that took time. I met Lata first, and she said “why on Rajni? There is so much on him already,’’ and I replied, “But none in Englsih.’’ She said “Ok’’ ad I went ahead.
Q: When did it start?
A: I started in March. Rajni was in Holland at that time, but people were very helpful. I met dozens of people, went to Bangalore ..even flew down to Singapore to meet with his fan club.
Q: So, what did your publisher pay you as advance? Rs 1 crore?
A: Nooooo..it is not about money….they have not paid me anything , though I am sure they will.. but I am so happy.. you know, like everyone else I was also in love with Rajni. And the work is very satisfying.. of course I had to send some patients to my hubby (same field) but then he was sweet about that as well as with the chaos of my travels, scripts, interviews etc..
Q: So, how was it, meeting Rajni?
A; Supperrr… he is so gentle that you are amazed.. I mean, how can you be such a rage and still be so simple?/ Beats me… of course I left my first draft with him and told him “read it, don’t put it away’’ and he promised…(laughs)
Q: It is a glossy production, but many glaring errors..
A: You telling me!! Look the final copy was ready in Feb and we wanted to release on March 1 (Dayanand Saraswathi was available only then), so publishers Om International had to rush it through. I cose them, though Penguin and Harper Collins may have been interested, so can’t complain. I can understand the Delhi-based company screwing up Tamil words (like Bhuvana oru kelvikkuri).. But there is a glaring error—Rajni’s grandson Yatra has been changed to a grand daughter because apparently they thought Yatra is a feminine name !!!! Corrections are being made in future prints.
Q: How is it selling?
A:It’s going off the shelves like mad. Initial print run was for 20,000 and they are already into reprint…. So there.. (smiles)
Q: What is the one surprise element?
A: Loads of it.. but Rajni fans calling me “anni’’ and sending me flowers and shawls!!!!!
Q: What next?
A: Just chill for a while and then back to work .

The exhibition is happening right now at Lalit Kala Akademi and ends this Sunday, 2nd March 2008. So go ahead and catch this fresh breath of imagination.

This artwork of a lady has been done only using leaves.

About 200 works made by the 2nd and 3rd year students are on display, of which 110 are photographs. There is no particular theme to this exhibition, but like the coordinator put it to me, it is a collection of beautiful things. I particularly liked the portraitures. But what stumped me was their graphic works. From the ship with its mast open to the flashy red car, from a lady genuflecting resplendent with a floral pattern to innumerable zebras in a meadow that seem to be galloping, the artworks express a million ideas that words simply cannot. Uncommon concepts such as mathematics, fashion, engineering, zoology, botany, seascape, portraiture, calligraphy and even architecture are depicted.

Some of these works, which are a part of the students’ portfolio, make you wonder whether it is painting or graphic or photograph. One of the coordinator, a third year student of Viscom, told me that this whole exhibition was organized by the students only, who were part of the Create Club, with a bit of backing from their professors. I must say they have done a fabulous job running this show.