Worlds scariest transportation – Chicham Village

Sitting  on  a small iron trolley box with her knees bend this young women have one of her hands tightly holding her baby who is evidently not more than a year or two old and the other hand clutches on the side bar. She is accompanied by a couple of school girls , a elderly women and two men. They also carry a gas cylinder , a case of eggs and some groceries . Jam packed in the box that  is held on air by a set of heavy ropes tied on the two pillars across the mountains , they are all set for a ride to the other side .

Now this is no adventure sport . Braving the fear of height and lack of any safety norms is no fun play  but a daily struggle for the people of Chicham , a remote village isolated from the rest of the world on the top of a mountain in Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh in India . Chicham is a neighbor of Kibber , known as one of worlds  highest  inhabited and motorable village.

From the time they have known people of Chicham have been using the treacherous mud path stretching  over the mountains to reach  Kibber from where they connect to the nearest town Kaza at a distance of about 30 Km . Considering the practical hurdles of using this path to reach Kaza for daily needs the government decided to build a bridge connecting the two mountains more than a decade ago. Not surprisingly the construction work was abandoned even before a quarter of the bridge was built and it now remains a monumental  block of concrete  . Few years back the appointed contractor showed mercy on the villagers and arranged  a rope way system to take the passengers two and fro over the two mountains and now that have become the main transport option of Chicham . The rope way function in such a way that it require manual support on both sides and mainly operates in the morning and evening. Not to say there is no safety measures or whatsoever and despite the risk involved each passenger of Chicham are forced to take this ride as there is no other option left to reach their destination on time.

This writer had a chance to witness this breathtaking ride during his recent visit to Himachal Pradesh . It was hard to believe that people would actually put their life in danger on daily transportation  but then it shows the extent to which humans have to push themselves  for survival . The brief interaction I had with villagers while filming the ordeal shed some light on their plights . A elderly lady admitted that it is indeed scary to travel in rope way but in her own words it’s a matter of keeping their house running . Fortunately there have been no fatal accidents till now but few of the villagers have suffered serious injuries . The hostess of our home stay in Kibber  is one of the victims of this risky rope travel and lost her middle finger when the box got stuck mid air few years back. The remains of a tractor deep down on the ground  that crashed from  the trolley validates the danger involved . As usual the authorities  remain unperturbed  from their issues and  have received no assistance  in resolving the transportation crisis. The unfinished bridge stands tall as a testimony of false promises and  abandonment . The youth of the village have been trying to take this matter to the outer world through media but have not succeeded yet . So when they requested me  to help them in this endeavour , I thought the least I could do is to send a message across the media . May be not a prime time news material  but those few Indians in the mountains  deserve some attention  . It will be a great injustice to look over their struggle that have become a part of their life only for survival.

Manikyakallu ..just about average

Kadha parayumbol fame director mohanan is back with this film which revolves around a school infamous for it's dipping success ration in SSLC . with no basic infrastructure , irresponsible teachers and a bunch hopeless students the school is one big mess .

here comes freshly appointed teacher , vinayachandran  (prithviraj)  to the village who is on a one man mission to elevate the school to next level and how he manages to do that wraps the film .the basic plot of the film is strikingly similar to satyan-sreeni cult doore doore oru koodu kootam which includes the characterization largely caricatures like a HM more seen on fields , under wear selling physics sir ,  over made up madam , politically inclined sir and so many.


the first half is pure mediocre what with  when prithviraj not busy preaching we are subjected to cliched humor , dialogues , scenes  and dumb sentiments . all blame to the screenplay  written by the director himself which is lame and refuses to be innovative  .

on comparison second half is likable as the serious scenes becomes bit effective making the proceedings engaging  and despite the climax being extremely predictable it might bring a smile or two on your face . but then again we cannot ignore unintentionally funny scenes like the saluting scene . lmao

as film maker mohanan fails the test as he lacks the X factor  quite evident the way he has handled many a scenes and agonizingly picturized songs .
and what's his strange fixation with school climax ...

all prithviraj has to do in the film is to preach making the scenes look like a doc and his role is quite larger than life making every one from a minister to DEO numb by his polished speeche . yawn
too bad that  he simply sticks to the contrived script rather than pulling it above the draft . samvrutha has a name sake role but she look gorgeous esp in the unwanted duet with prithvi  while rest of the characters fails to strike any chord .

songs by jayachandran are quite nice and though the night class song might trash your logic balls it made for a good watch .

on the whole manikyakallu is a film which has it's heart at the right place but a dismantled screenplay takes it just to the passing mark.

Chalo dilli ....breezy filmy ride

Two individuals as different  as chalk and cheese forced to be  together is not a fresh idea at all. from dil hai ki mantha nahi to jab v met  we have seen the same stuff quite a few times . when dealing with a tested formula what matters is the packaging where this film works to a larger extent .

so we have lara dutta , a hoity-toity banker who is also a cleanliness freak and on the other side there is vinay pathak , pan chewing -loud mouth average hindustani .  the duo might sound odd even as strangers but circumstances make them board a cab together  to delhi  from jaipur . what follows is a  few unexpected twists and turns and how the two standing on  two edges of a spectrum bond .

chalo dilli has a imitiz ali kind screenplay in it exploring small town regulars with a dash of humor on it .
there is array of character faces like the ever sleepy cabbie , usually named guddu the dabba boy , a bengali couple in general class , corrupt ticket checker , local goon and a small hotel which seems a replica of decent hotel in jab v met. while some of them leaves a mark rest just takes a pass .

though the ride comes across too filmy at times it manages to make up for a compelling watch mostly . as someone has said  real india lies in the core small towns of the country and that realization by the team gives the film it's moments .

sunrise in junglee dabba , chai in broken glasses , reddish basin in tomato hotel and of course the very genuine people is what brings a smile on the viewer . cinematographer has got ample scope to sweep the captivating beauty of rajasthan while the director has largely sticked to script with no much contribution 

lara dutta does her job well but it's not something to rave about  and vinay pathak gives a believable performance unlike in rab ne bana de jodi .

but on the down side film takes away your  interest as things become bit forced when  humor becomes dry and  turn predictable . also the climax is too stretched and cliched taking away the charm maintained till then .


chalo dilli is a film which could have been lovable had the makers been more careful about the overall appeal.



rating : 3/5  ..... above average

Bhaktha janangalude sredhaku - good in parts

Probably there wouldn't have been a better time for the release of a film like this which deals with much discussed human-god craze .
the films revolves around sumangala played by kavya madavan , a house wife running a small hotel who struggles to meet the two ends of life . the major hurdle in her life is  her alcoholic  husband (irshaad) who makes their life miserable with his drinking habbit .

things reach a saturation point when she takes on the avatar of a human god just to bring back her husband to normalcy but  at a later stage due to circumstances she is forced to become a full time god . what follows is the repercussions she has to face and how she gets back her life .



firstly a huge round of applause for renjith who has been credited with the story of the film which is highly relevant , debatable and had the potential to molded as a classic but what lets down is a inconsistent screenplay  which borders between sheer brilliance and mediocrity . there are quite a few scenes which hook you to the film like the one where the kid goes missing from bar but then there are others which might put you off and it is this oscillation in script which make you feel that it could have been better.
then there are enough loop holes which should have been given due care while handling a subject like this

film is modeled as a social satire and most topical issues have been checked through. the human god syndrome in our educated society have been given a critical take which is commendable but what the film lacks is the right humor especially when it is touted as a black humor .


director priyanandan has treated the subject the as a commercial product and have not given a arty feel  . though  made with lots of sincerity and maturity , on a overall look it lack enough grip to be applauded as a great effort as few scenes are poorly executed .

with the subject being simple there is no much scope for cinematography  and that it does is to capture some scenes  while BGM  is mostly effective.

coming to performances kavya madavan has given a awesome performance esp as the house wife . from emotional scenes to anger outbursts she strikes right note and is extremely natural . undoubtedly one of her best . while irshaad in a quite substantial role is just about ok . a little more effectiveness in drunken scenes would have been fine . it was a relief to see kalabavan mani in a natural role of a cunning uncle . the rest of the cast doesn't have anything to talk about


with a authentic plot this film could have been a classic had all the metrics meet but is definitely a work to be appreciated .


rating :  3.5/ 5

ko- delicious entertainer

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Q cinemas - screen 4 ( the most sexy screen in kochi ..must go )





when you are in the movie hall to watch a tamil film few things are taken for granted . a larger than life hero kicking the butts single handedly and all that gags followed . so when jeeva , a photo journalist does over the top jumpo ride to click a bunch of bank abductors you might suspect a fiasco in the offing but then soon director KV anand puts you back on track .

Students taking on politicos have been a topical matter for many directors and it's commercialized version includes maniratnam's slightly under rated aayitha ezhuthu and mahesh babu's telugu dud sainikudu but here things work out pretty well making the right noise .

Ko is smartly packed as despite having a huge political undercurrent with some on your face takes on present day politics which includes cash politics and the kota rao's illegal marriage to a teenager , it never goes on preachy mode and assures the viewer that it is essentially a commercial pot boiler and still you get connected to the core theme .


The screenplay of ko is well knitted with ample scope of every masala ingredient you say , whether it's the triangular love of jeeva , kudos for taking a role which is not a typically made for a tamil hero ,- pia delightfully viberant , and karthika nair - a breathe of fresh air amidst bleached mumbai imports , suspense elements , once in a while funny gigs or extremely beautifully canned songs stuffed amazingly with no compulsion. also writers have maintained the right tempo all over with most scenes in office being casual and chick and the bonding of all characters in ultra cool mode.

among the actors ajmal and pia scores .
ajmal has delivered a commendable job bringing the right emotions to the character while pia simply gives a lovable performance . jeeva does his job well while karthika sans any newbie syndrome is appreciable . prakash raj in a not so major role is obviously good .


Ko is lavishly shot in a huge canvas which brings on many wow moments . the election campaigning episode is remarkable while couple of songs offer breath taking visuals .

But then this one is also not free from flaws . one can't stop wondering whether all this young guns getting into politics and making changes is far from reality but anna hazzare movement is yet to dip in and we have seen how many of us took it so seriously giving space for a young revolution .
also how come these journos with there no time to sleep work hours manage to look all dolled up and draped in 6 yards in office ...yawn .
a barka dutt look ala preity zinta in lakshya would have been more apt but hey isn't it a tamil biggie and heroine looking her best is a given ...excused .

also the finale jump of jeeva is kind of ..ahem ok


overall the crispy screenplay , overtly scintillating visuals and fabulous story line clubbed with all commercial mix makes KO a perfect summer outing .


rating : 3.95 / 5

city of god is darring

Off late too many malayalam films have focused kochi as a subject like the new age multiplex hindi films have treated mumbai . though one among them city of god is fresh , gritty and raw which is slick and boasts of some fine performances .


parallel story telling is quite a new age thing at the same time tricky as it might not yield the desired result and confuse the audience . one disastrous example was salaam e ishq and even a maverick mani ratnam could not make it work in aayitha ezhuthu . so for a one film old director lijo this was a definitely a challenging stuff in which he succeeded to a larger extent .


despite having half a dozen lead characters it is the city kochi that grabs prime attention in the film  which is  big and bad .
all the characters in one way or the other gives a check on varying shades of the city.

indrajith in the immensely likable role of velu plays a coolie worker who has a soft spot for parimalam (parvathy in a fantastic role ). together the duo represents the tamil migratory population of kochi seen in places like vaathiruthy .

then we have prithviraj with his ever grinning face playing goonda jyothi lal also close friend of sony ( guess rajan p dev's son) , a business tycoon and producer .

rima kallingal is a popular actress surya prabha with a dirty past who lives in a starry bubble but in real is a victim of domestic violence and casting couch while shewtha menon plays a menacing women seeking revenge for the murder of her riche rich hubby .


how all these characters are interlinked and culminate at a point is what the film is all about .

film is layered with each episode and even before you get over what you see there will a different set on screen which might be confusing initially but once you know what exactly is happening film becomes engaging .
each and every scene is connected to one another and it also goes rewind mode many a times which might take you for a ride . couple of high voltage action scenes are quite pumping .


indrajith and parvathy have well etched out roles and they have done full justice to it . indran is superb and his romantic antics will bring the house down . also he proves his range with wide spectrum of emotions flowing .
parvathy is superlative and depicts right amount of energy for the role .

rima maintains the gloomy shade of role and delivers a good performance . prithvi have a unidimensional role with limited scope . shewtha in a not a lengthy role is quite apt while rohini is superb .

cinematography is slick while usage of songs for narration is appreciable . had the screen play been more crisp in the second half then the film would have been more engrossing .

hats off to director lijo for making a out of the box cinema in malayalam though his west influence is quite evident .

city of gods is a experimental cinema in many ways and is definitely something which needs to appreciated . but then it's also not your pop corn fum film with usual dose of comedy , songs and light hearted romance .


i will go with a 3.5/5 above average rating for this piece of cinema which indeed is a one step ahead in malayalam .

CHINA TOWN - REVIEW

With a array of leading stars and a director duo famous for mindless comedies , china town carried pretty much good expectation but the film to make it light fails to deliver .
china town based in goa is a casino paradise . starting off in a flash back mode it shows four friends boozing and celebrating and then gets brutally killed by gowda , a under world don played by ghajini fame pradeep rawat .

Years later one among the four returns to goa with a mission to find out three boys of his friends and hand over the casino and his daughter .
enters mohan lal whose ultimate dream is to be a don , jayaram desperately seeking money and a skirt chaser , dileep .


first half is more of the three reaching goa and getting the things set . on comparison this part is watchable as it manages to evoke some genuine laugh but too bad it's too little . it's the second half which proves to be a nightmare with film getting bit serious and everything just goes beyond control . every actor screams their lungs out in the name of comedy and one shouldn't be poked fun if they complain head ache .

the screenplay of the film has too many loop holes what with songs , action , comedy and sentiments popping up all out of the blue with out in any particular order . the script displays the fact that our writers are running short of ideas at alarming rate otherwise how would one justify cut-copy-paste pattern followed blindly .

mohan lal and jayaram trying to make dileep react when on wheel chair is a straight lift from vinayan's anuraga kottaram which incidentally had dileep enacting the scene . then there are regular gigs like twisting dialogues which have been done to death from punjabi house days .


mohanlal's role surprisingly doesn't provide much comedy in this so-called comic film but then he of course is projected as the central protagonist .if not for that odd wig , utterly idiotic introduction scene after christian brothers and eye soaring heavy dance with over sized look , he has done his part well. jayaram is passable with a funny wig and dileep though over the top many a times is likable . suraj repeats his act and smells of a turn over couldn't be ignored and yes .. the heroines as usual they have nothing to do .songs of jassie gift are just fine may be and the production values are tacky .


screen play is to be blamed for this fiasco as it is more like home bred dog let out in public road like fully puzzled on which direction to follow . the worst part of comedy is that if it fails to tick then it becomes tedious to sit through .

like the stars kept on saying in the promotions they didn't feel like doing a film as it was more of picnic . yep ..they were right . lack of seriousness was evident in the films script .

and what was the sumo wrestler and idea star singer gang doing in the film.