Good boy asto!

This post is about Kaka. 

Kaka was my father-in-law; I always addressed him as Kaka, and still address my MIL as Kaku.

A recent visit to Ruby Hall hospital triggered memories of Kaka. This was because he had been in Ruby Hall for about a month before his demise. He had undergone surgery - voice box removal, due to throat cancer. Throughout his tenure at the hospital, he was in various ICUs - NTU, etc. of Ruby Hall. It was an energy draining period where all 5 of us adults - Kaku, my brother-in-law & his better half, my wife and I - were always worried about him. The physical, emotional and mental toll that it took on each of us cannot be expressed in words. We did this in addition to our respective parenting responsibilities to 5-year-olds. Only those who have experienced extended hospitalization of a close one can understand. It literally saps the life out of you. 

Then came the discharge. We thought he was finally on the mend. But fate had other plans. He collapsed within two days of discharge from hospital and passed away in the OPD of Ruby Hall.

Kaka was a man of few words in normal conversation (at least with me). He could wax eloquent about technical stuff. He was an Instrumentation Engineer (with honors) and was very handy around the house. Kaka was never a social person. This was because he suffered from a major mental disease, and was on medication, for most of his adult life. The long standing and debilitating condition affected all aspects of his life - how he thought, felt and behaved. Though I never really witnessed the full force of it (my in-laws were in a separate city), I can say that my better half and her sibling, as well as their mother, carry scars from those trying times, ever since he was diagnosed during her childhood.

Kaka had an endearing habit - describing progress in percentages. When asked about how he felt or how the day was,  he would say it was x% good. It always made the engineer in me wonder how he came up with that percentage.

"How is the road work near your house going, Kaka?"

"It is 70% complete." 

"How are you feeling now (after he was unwell)?"

"I am now 80% better, Bala."

He interacted affectionately with kids. I guess because they do not judge as much. And they loved being in his company.

His ultimate compliment to anyone was "Good boy asto!" For him it was the pinnacle of achievement. And trust me, it was not given lightly. His catchphrase was like a certificate. It was gender neutral. Everyone - male or female - young or old - would be bestowed this title if they met a certain standard.  And it would be said with such gusto that it made you feel good :-) Our daughter was only five when he passed away, but she still remembers that he had said it to her till this day. 

Despite a disturbed childhood, my wife remembers fondly a father who dearly loved both his children, unashamedly and equally. And he would not hesitate to show that he cared. Once a passing bicyclist knocked against his toddler daughter (later my spouse) when she was perched on his arm while walking on the road. Though he kept going, Kaka chased him and thrashed the living daylights out of him - such was his love!

When we had babysitting issues with our daughter, a point came where my wife wanted to quit her job. It seemed the only way out. Nothing doing, Kaka said. We will shift base to Pune and help to look after both our grandchildren. Main (Hum) Hoon Na!  They shifted from Baroda to Pune (luckily they had bought a flat here years ago - again due to his foresight). They would drive daily on his two-wheeler to pick up our daughter from playschool, and stay at our house until either of us - usually my wife - returned home from work.

City change, situation change - nothing would faze Kaka. He was unflappable in a crisis and a decision-maker. And he stuck to his commitments sincerely. My wife gets that from him - you can always count on her to not panic in any situation.

Physically he was not in top form. Yet he would try (and manage) to solve most problems through his presence of mind and keen intellect. Even though he was slowed mentally due to his medication, he was sharper than most. And his determination never sagged. He was a fantastic judge of people - across all classes. 

Kaka never liked to stay idle even after retirement. He liked to be useful by performing 'tasks' (outside the house only; never did much house-work). When our house was being painted, both of us were working and really couldn't afford to stay at home to supervise the painters. Kaka offered to supervise. He would show up everyday, and dutifully supervise them. He would even make tea for the workers! He had no hangups about mingling with anyone irrespective of their class, social stature, etc.

He was also generous - with his time or money. He would make sure that he always took us out - to a restaurant that met his standards.

Kaka was always well dressed. I never saw him in casuals. Also, he loved the color BLUE! Even if it was a simple event at home, he would be in formals. His nightwear was "proper" - a tailored night suit in blue and with full sleeves. No track pants, and definitely no T-shirts for him.

Kaka loved kids. And they loved him back. "Good boy asto!" would flow freely when he was with either of his grandkids, and even some others who he would occasionally interact with (his illness made him suspicious, so not everyone was welcome).

He didn't really love animals. But they were comfortable around him.  In the Paatal Lok web series, there's phrase "If a man loves dogs, he is a good man. If dogs love a man, he is a good man." 

The 2nd part was certainly true. Animals sense the good (or bad) in people. 

Kaka was a chain smoker. That was what led to the deterioration in his health. He would smoke a cigarette in a unique style - almost like holding a chillum. It was quite different from any cigarette smoker I have seen.

There are so many memories of him. Events - at home or in formal settings. Sitting together with him occasionally, chatting. His generosity. There were folks that unfortunately took undue advantage of it. But that never stopped or changed him.

He was never funny, pretty much serious. He rose up from a background of extreme hardship and poverty, that contributed to his not having a sense of humor. Kaka had literally studied under the street lights while growing up. But he made it, on his own. Through tremendous will power, and intelligence. 

There are bad memories as well. All three - Kaku, my wife and my brother-in-law, bore the brunt of it. Some of my interactions with him had been unpleasant. The disease (added to his inherent nature) made him suspicious, arrogant and rude sometimes.

But with time, you learn to appreciate the good more and let go (a little) of the bad (forgivable) aspects of a person.

There were people who Kaka rubbed the wrong way. His condition turned him into a Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde personality. So anyone who faced his other side usually kept their distance. But all of them acknowledged the good things that he had done or said.

There're so many 'what ifs'. What if the disease hadn't taken hold of him? What if he hadn't smoked so much?

But finally, regrets have no meaning. It is what it is. Such is life.

My wife (and I) believe that Kaka is up there. Watching over her, making sure his "Bandya" is all safe. She got promoted at work a month after he passed away, and had a miraculously narrow escape from a health scare in Covid times.

Kaka on a cloud. Smoking a cigarette like a chillum and hopefully enjoying a hot cup of his favorite tea. And complimenting the deserving folks in heaven : "Good boy asto!" :)

Kankhajura (Web Series)

 Kankhajura (Sony LIV) (Hindi)

"Fragile ... yet fatal".  That tagline is so true in this web series.

The word "Kankhajura" translates to centipede in English. But the English word doesn't do justice. 

In Hindi, it roughly means something that will get inside your ear, burrow inside and give you a lot of pain. 

It can even kill you.

The series is based on the Israeli series "Magpie". I haven't seen that one.

The main protagonist of the series - Ashu (Roshan Mathew) - is a man of very slight build. 

At first glance he doesn't appear to be dangerous at all. But like a centipede, it is this deceptive quality 

that he has portrayed excellently.

Ashu has a past. Served 14 years in jail for murder. The story starts with his release.

Ashu has a brother - Max (Mohit Raina). Leaving his humble beginnings behind, Max has now become a 

builder on the verge of making it big.  He has landed the rights to a huge project of opulent villas and 

apartments in a prime location of Goa.

Max is working with his old friends - Ninad Kamat and Mahesh Shetty.

He has his wife - Sarah Jane Dias - who is blissfully unaware of all his past as well as Ashu's.

However, there are many problems with the project. There's tenants to be convinced to sign off, 

environmental clearances, etc.

Whatever problems Max faces, Ashu goes and manipulates things to get them solved.

A female employee who they want to fire says she will bring their past black deeds to life. Ashu goes, 

finds out that she is an alcoholic who killed her own daughter in a car accident. He manages to 

convince her to commit suicide.

The tenants of the existing property need to be vacated. They are led by a slumlord lady - 

Deshmukh Bai (Usha Nadkarni) who is demanding far too much to get out of the way. 

The manipulations that Ashu does there border on the brilliant - psychopathic almost, but brilliant.

Other manipulations include getting a rape victim to withdraw a case against a guy handling the project's 

finances so that Max is not affected. The way he manipulates is chilling to behold.

Ashu slowly almost displaces both of Max's friends from his life. Almost, but not quite.

Ashu was ill-treated by Max and both of his friends always in their childhood. They treated him as a 

joker in the pack. Would kick him around, almost drowned him once. 

His friend keep warning Max that Ashu has a lot of pent-up rage, and that he is dangerous.

 But somehow Max has a rose-tinted view of this entire period. But later he remembers. 

All the casting is pretty good. The way Deshmukh Bai acts is delicious to watch - the veteran Usha 

Nadkarni does that with aplomb.

Max's character could have been better. Mohit Raina can act. 

But he is given a pretty one-dimensional role.

Trinetra Haldar as Aimee - the transgender "friend" of Ashu (romantic angle here) - adds a layer of 

normalization of the LGBTQ+ community in a series that is refreshing. She is woven into the story, 

not just a token character.

She loves Ashu. But when she finds out what he has done, she is disgusted and pushes him away.

The police officer (lady) - Heeba Shah, who has worked with Ashu, yet is wary of him, plays her role 

well. I just learned today that she is Naseeruddin Shah's daughter.  Another underrated gem that I 

was unaware of.

The way Ashu manipulates people is shown brilliantly. Leaning in, pretending to be their friend, and 

ultimately getting them to do what they want. All are shown perfectly.

He is fragile himself. But he is very very dangerous.

Goa as a backdrop is not used well unfortunately. There are just a couple of shots of famous places.

Otherwise you really don't feel the Goan flavor. It could have been any place for all you know.

Just for Ashu, this is worth a watch. Roshan Mathew has a string of films in Hindi, Malayalam and 

Tamil. Now I might watch at least one of them just for him :-).

Manjummel Boys (Malayalam)

 

Manjummel Boys (Malayalam)

Saw this on JioHotstar. It's based on a real life incident at the Gunaa caves, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu. The movie is a survival thriller.

The movie starts off with introducing the main characters at a wedding. They play tug-of-war after an argument with a rival group. And right at the start, some characteristics of each of them is established. Those come into play later in the movie.

The "boys" (actually grown men) belong to a club / group in Kochi, Kerala. They plan a trip to Kodaikanal (Tamil Nadu) via road, all crammed into one vehicle.

There's a lot of fun, leg pulling, etc. Just as they are about to leave Kodaikanal, one of the gang suggests a visit to the "Gunaa" caves, made famous by a Kamal Haasan movie by that name which was shot there. 

There, the actual section where the songs in the movie were shot are restricted - barricaded and off-limits to visitors as it has become too dangerous. But in their enthusiasm to visit the actual site, they ignore the warnings and climb over the barricades to reach that spot. 

They even write their group name "Manjummel Boys" with paint on a big rock to show that they were there.

The mood shifts from fun to extremely somber when one of them (Subhash) falls into a deep ravine, named "Devil's kitchen" by the locals. It is very narrow as well, and anyone falling so deep stands a minuscule probability of surviving. And then it starts raining, pouring slush and water into the cave / ravine.

Nobody gives the one who fell any chance of making it alive. Forest guard refuses to help. Locals tell them to forget their friend and leave. When they go to the police station, the police beat them up initially instead of helping.

One of the group, has a loud voice. He is pulled up many times for it. But now it comes in handy as he shouts down the cave, and is heard by Subhash. 

In between the flashback to their childhood is used beautifully. It shows how they don't give up on each other - whether it is a game of hide and seek, or while swimming.

For getting help - they don't give up. And finally their efforts bear fruit. Police, fire department, and more importantly, long rope (120 ft).

But one more snag. Nobody is ready to go down the deep ravine. Everybody is scared for their own life.

Then one of the group, Siju aka "Kuttan", steps up. He agrees to go down and do this crazy task without any prior training. Siju is lowered down, and finds a very badly hurt Subhash. In between the rope runs out, and again there is drama before it is extended.

Finally Subhash is brought out. And they begin their journey home, where Subhas has to spend time in a hospital. 

While Subhash recovers fully after a few months of nightmares, they keep this incident to themselves. But finally one of the tourists who witnessed the whole incident, talks about it to the press and finally the whole story comes out.

The director, Chidambaram, did a good job in keeping the tone shifting - funny one moment, deadly serious the next. The camera work is superb, led by cinematographer Shyju Khalid. It adds a new dimension to the movie.  

The emotional bond between the group is captured very well. They have language issues - Keralites trying to communicate with the Tamilians - locals, forest officers, police, etc.

Subhash's mother blames Siju for his injuries, as she doesn't know the full story. She only sees that her son came back injured. But when she realizes Siju's bravery, the scene of her asking for his forgiveness will touch your heart.

It's available in a bunch of Indian languages, including Hindi. Definitely worth a watch.

Rekhachithram (Malayalam)

 Rekhachithram (Malayalam)

Saw Rekhachithram recently on Sony Liv (OTT).

This is not your usual crime thriller. It starts off as one, with a crime and a dead body shown right at the beginning. The director - Jofin T Chacko - however, has other plans for the viewers. He takes you on a journey of discovery about the victim, instead of treating her as just a body in a crime.

The body is of a woman who was killed when she was very young. Her name was Rekha (Anaswaran Rajan), hence the movie title. She was an aspiring actress in the Malayalam film industry. Before she died, she had also spent a night in a convent with some nuns. There was a robbery in the convent. Was Rekha a thief and the robbery went wrong? Or is there more than meets the eye?

The chief investigating officer, Vivek Gopinath (Asif Ali), has a checkered past. He was suspended for his gambling habits. He is determined to redeem his reputation.

The movie starts off with a young boy witnessing 4 people taking a wrapped body in the pouring rain. He tells his friend. Cut to the present, where a rich man goes to the forest. Leaving his driver at the edge, he goes deep into the forest, and records a confession on Facebook live by a tree. He then shoots himself. The confession is about Rekha's murder (although he doesn't know her name).

The film seamlessly transitions between the past and the present. Affection for Mammootty is shown in the way he is is depicted (just as a film star, he doesn't have a part in this movie). AI is used sparingly to insert him in the scenes from the past. Rekha was playing the part of an extra in his film when she suddenly disappeared. So all folks associated with that film who are still living are questioned in order to form a complete picture of what happened.

The main strength of the story is how they turn a dead body into a living, breathing person slowly in the eyes of the viewers. That is why it is literally "Rekha's film". 

Rekha's story gradually unfolds. Her hopes, her dreams. How she ran away to be a part of the Malayalam film industry. Her bright path ahead, cut tragically short by her untimely death. Her family, esp. her younger sister, who has still not given up trying to find her even after so many decades.

It's not a typical thriller. The mystery behind Rekha's murder is revealed before the end. We know who the killers are. But still, there's a twist in the last 30 minutes that is commendable. 

Asif Ali should now be declared as a honorary Police Officer by Kerala Police, so comfortable is he in cop roles :-). Police procedure has been paid proper respect in the film. For this, kudos to Jofin and the writers, John Manthrikal (original story by Ramu Sunil).

Anaswara Rajan does a good job as Rekha. Making her feel like someone who you mourn for, even though you don't know her. She does a good job in showing the potential in Rekha which gets tragically wasted.

There are good actors in the supporting cast, rendering it a watchable experience. Zarin Shihab esp. delivers a standout performance, the flickering emotions on her face are a treat to watch.

The only weakness if at all, are the dialogues. There aren't any punch lines in the film.

Other than that, totally watchable. Family friendly as well. Will recommend.

Kishkindha Kaandam (Malayalam)

On Hotstar: https://www.hotstar.com/in/movies/kishkindha-kaandam/1271336670 . I saw it in Malayalam with English subtitles.

This is a 2 hour movie. For the first 1 hour, it is slow. It is so slow that you may be fed up and feel like giving up.

But then it suddenly grabs you. And refuses to let go. What seemed mundane is now interesting. What was ordinary takes on a new meaning, and you are hooked.

Where this movie starts and where it ends up are poles apart. The journey that it takes the viewer on is just superb, because of the screenplay. It's amazingly well written.

It starts off with the discovery that a gun belonging to a grumpy ex Army officer Appu Pillai (Vijayaraghavan) is missing. This discovery coincides with the second marriage of his son, Ajay Chandran (Asif Ali), to Aparna (Aparna Balamurali).

From a missing gun we go to a missing person - in this case it is Ajay's son from his previous wife, Chachu. 3 years ago, Chachu had gone missing at the same time that his mother suffered a serious medical emergency. At that time, only the grandfather Appu Pillai was at home.

The entire household is centered around adjusting to the old man and his weird habits. He trusts no one, and flies into a rage whenever someone enters his room.

We slowly discover the reason for his grumpiness. Appu Pillai suffers from major memory loss. He can't remember things at all - short or long term. He has devised ways to fight it. But it is a losing battle. He tries desperately to find his lost grandson.

Amidst all this, a small body is found buried on the grounds - it has been put in the ground 3 years ago. Whose body is it?

Aparna, the new daughter-in-law, not only adjusts to all this, but tries to be a part of the household. She finds Appu burning documents from time to time. What is in those documents?

She (and the viewer) can't make up their mind - is Appu Pillai really that forgetful or is he pretending? And is he guilty or innocent? And if guilty, of what exactly?

The side characters like Sumadathan (Jagadish) and Sivadasan (Ashokan) do a good job as well.

Asif Ali and Aparna Balamurali are good at their roles.

But the star of the movie is the father / grandfather Vijayaraghavan. One of the best performances that I have seen in some time. His character grows on you as the movie progresses.

The main question we are asked is this: Is it sometimes better to forget certain things than remember them? 

If you create your own reality, is that a better deal than actual reality?

The cinematography is the icing on the cake. You feel as if you are there, in the small village, far away from it all. All sights and sounds have been captured well. 

The screenplay is masterful. By the time the movie ends, you forget that you got fed up for half of the running time :-).

I will heartily recommend this. Family friendly as well.

Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein (Hindi) (Netflix series)

How far can obsession take you? Usually it is from the view point of the stalker or the one with the obsession. 

But this Netflix series is from the other side - the one who is the object of the obsession (the target).

Vikrant Singh Chauhan (Tahir Raj Bhasin) is a normal person with 

dreams in a small city. 

He has a girlfriend, Shikha (Shweta Tripathi). He is an engineer, and is certain of getting a job in a big city where he plans to ultimately settle down after marrying her.

But fate has other plans. Purva Awasthi (Anchal Singh) is the daughter of the big shot politician Akheraj Awasthi (Saurabh Shukla). 

Purva was Vikrant's classmate in school. She had gone away as a child for a long time, and comes back just as he completes his Engineering.

Purva had always liked Vikrant, and it has turned into an obsession. Vikrant's father, 

Suryakant Chauhan (Brijendra Kala) is Akheraj Awasthi's accountant cum money manager. 

Brushing aside Vikrant's choices, he gets him a job in the Awasthi household.

And there the downfall begins. Vikrant tries to get out of the current job. 

He tries to get the job in another city that he wants, to start a new life with Shikha.

But Akheraj, and his nephew, Purva's cousin, Dharmesh (Surya Sharma) scuttle anything and everything he has planned. 

His job applications get rejection replies. 

On top of that, his family is harassed - electricity and water is cut off, legal notices come, etc.

Vikrant has no choice. He stays in the town. 

Everything else goes back to normal.

But Vikrant knows that he is a "marked man" in another sense.  All roads are leading to Purva.

Vikrant tries all tricks that he can to get out of it. Including trying to kill Purva.

He takes the help of his good friend called "Golden" (Anant Joshi) in his schemes.

Over Season 1, we see the moral decay of Vikrant as he tries to get out of the end game which is his nuptials with Purva.

Purva is ruthless, and the only thing she will not do is kill Vikrant. 

Anything else is ok with her.

So the game continues. People die, get hurt, many twists and turns.

But ultimately in Season 1, Vikrant has to marry Purva.

In Season 2,  Vikrant is obsessed with killing Purva since that is the way out. 

It gets even darker.

He gets a hitman to kill her, but the hitman Jalan (Arunoday Singh) is extra smart. 

He recognizes Purva, and kidnaps her for a huge ransom of Rs 1000 crore instead.

There are also new characters. 

Sherpa (Varun Badola). He offers Aditya Rs 3000 crore if he brings Purva to him instead of to Akheraj.

Guru (Gurmeet Choudhary), who has a very soft spot for Purva.

He's the desi Tom Cruise type who has a team that tries to rescue Purva from Aditya.

He suspects Vikrant, but can't prove anything.

Vikrant helps Aditya since his goose will be cooked if the truth is found.

Along the way, bodies fall like ninepins. There's more gore in Season 2 than in Season 1.

Amongst all this, Purva is like a cat with nine lives. She bounces back every time. Plus she is pregnant with Vikrant's child.

Purva finds out the truth in this season. She catches Shikha, Vikrant and others before they can flee to Nepal.

The series ends with a cliffhanger where Vikrant is shown to be shot in a 

totally different location and bleeding. 

What happened between Purva catching him and him ending up in 

a ragged state, fighting for his life is a mystery.

What will happen next is left as a question - Season 3 will definitely come.

Vikrant's moral decline is shown excellently by the director. Tahir Raj Bhasin does 

justice to this author backed role.

Purva does her part well. The facets to her personality - obsessive and 

trusting towards Vikrant, ruthless otherwise are shown well.

Shikha is not a well etched character. In spite of her family suffering so much, 

she still doesn't leave Vikrant. It's pretty inexplicable, especially in Season 2.

Arunoday Singh does another good job as Jalan the contract killer. 

He has a lot of clarity on what he wants, which is more than what you 

can say for most of the characters in the series.

Anant Joshi does a good job as Golden. But his character flounders and 

then comes back on track multiple times.

Brijendra Kala as Vikrant's father delivers yet another solid performance, as befits his calibre.

You can identify with the father's exasperation towards what he thinks is the sheer lunacy of his son. 

But at the same time, he can't abandon him.

Surya Sharma as Dharmesh does what is expected. 

His character is a little uni-dimensional, but he does justice to the role.

Varun Badola as Sherpa is good, as expected. But far too short a role to enjoy his acting.

As usual, a solid performance by Saurabh Shukla as Akheeraj Awasthi. 

The ability to act with silence, and inspire fear by just a look, is an art. And Saurabh Shukla has it.

Season 1 is better than Season 2. Whenever Season 3 comes, I will have low expectations because it should have logically ended with the 2nd season.

Note: There is a lot of blood gore in this series. So those who don't like it should be forewarned.