POWER PANDI - movie review!

POWER PONDI

2017 Tamil movie has an unusual modern  theme . It depicts the story of the 64 year old widower POWER PONDI ( the unlikely hero) a movie stunt master feeling something missing in his life and leaves the house without the knowledge of his son, daughter in law and 2 lovely grandchildren. He leaves on his motor bike with Rs 25 lacs from his account on a road trip. He meets other older men on motorbike by the roadside who have left their families on a similar mission.

He reminiscences his ‘first love’ to them, how she had made an impact on him in just 2 days, of how her dad whisked her away to Madurai and blocked all their  puppy love. The road side acquaintances show him how to use face book and he sends a message to his first flame Revathy who is now in Hyderabad and makes a date to meet her in a restaurant.

The story attains a higher plane at this stage of how 2 elderly people ( she is a widow too ) talk of pent up feelings over the years, how their own children meet them together and accept the truth of romantic friendship between the two parents who are now single.

Movie reminded me of 'Wild Hogs' when you see the motor bikers in wind cheaters by the roadside!

Danush the director / story writer is a bit confused if the story is about the grown up, married children being harsh on elder patients ( because the son and DIL are quite good to Power Pondi and treat him well!).

I am assuming the director wants to focus on how the elderly also have great memories and strong feelings - wanting to lead their lives , not just be a shadow on their grown up, married children. If the focus indeed is on the active life of the elderly people, ( I am  hoping so) then it is a great theme!

Conversation between Revathi and her daughter when talking of the former’s old flame is quite revealing ( serious on Revathi’s side; playful and non judgemental on the daughter’s side!) on how the youth of today want the elderly to live well and be happy too.

Also the conversations of the neighbouring youth ( an useless, good for nothing chap) with Power Pondi are very casual and lively all the time ; the neighbour helps the elderly hero to sneek into the grandchildren’s feelings of sorrow when the old man is missing! The youthful heroine Madonna acts with finesse.

A great social movie, but I wish Danush had sat down to focus on which theme  - the one I feel should be on the active lives of elderly middle class people in Tamil nadu!

I will not be surprised if the debut director soon explores on newer themes such as live in relationships in modern life in the youth and elderly.

Or would that been too modern for our traditional public?

AUTISM WEEK - RAIN MAN

AUTISM WEEK - RAIN MAN MOVIE REVIEW TOO

I saw a movie on TV early this morning on autism- RAIN MAN brilliantly played by Dustin Hoffman as an autistic brother of Tom Cruise overshadowing him completely. Movie taken in 1988 still has such a powerful impact today.

A brilliant mind with autistic mind dealing in numbers and advanced calculations at fraction of a second!

Story of a normal brother (Tom) failing in his business deals finds out that his late dad had just left 3 million dollars to a ‘retarded’ brother (Dustin) whom he did not know, leave alone the autism in the brilliant brother!

So he steals the brother away from the institute for demanding half his share of inheritance, but gets to understand subsequently that his brother had been institutionalized to save his (Tom’s) life as a toddler! And then begins to love him as a brother.

Rain Man won four Oscars- Best actor, Best movie, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay and was the highest grossing film of 1988.

Dustin Hoffman intensely studied Kim Peek – the real life savant, an autistic person intensely before the movie – but apparently after the movie, cut off all ties with Kim’s family after the movie was a success. He did not even acknowledge the sudden death of Kim which was lamented by Kim’s father.

Did you know from 1 April to 30 April it is the AUTISM MONTH?

Autism is present in children with difficulty in communication due to different sensory input and behavior with other people. Autistic children are usually very talented in many ways which normal children are not!

Communication of these autistic children with others will not be normal and hence they may appear to be different to the others.

The Autistic Month of April is to highlight public awareness of this condition in children and to understand their brilliance in life.