Work From Home 2020

Ten years ago, I have landed into this land of dragons. I wasn't aware the year is of great significance to two countries thousands of kilometers apart. Yes Thang lang, called as Ha Noi these days celebrated 1000 years simultaneously with Than Gia Vu in An do.

An do is Indian in Vietnamese. Than Gia Vu is Thanjavur! That day I had been to Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi to take part in the celebrations, lots of floral decorations, serial lights, bikes everywhere many a families, men carrying their kids on their shoulders and beautiful butterfly like girls fluttering in all directions, but be careful and watchful guys! Otherwise you may get gently pushed down into the crowd that like it happened to my friend Abishek Misra and his Samsung Note was barted away for a cup of ice cream!!

The country loves to eat and drink outside every day. Freely flowing green tea during day time and burgundy golden beers after the sunset. Zamil my saudi company has factories in north and south Vietnam. Hanoi in north and Saigon in south. 

After reunification of Vietnams, Saigon became HCMC- Ho Chi Minh City. I went there first time in 2011, looking for a Hindu temple to pray when Aakash joined medical school in Bharatpur Nepal. I was curious to know if Sai baba was in anyway connected to Saigon; was pleasantly surprised to see him in Dandayuthapani temple in HCM. Crazy me landing into right destinations by my not so right and baseless google searches.

During years 2011 to 2014 almost every alternate month I was flying from Ha Noi to HCMC until I got transferred to our Dong Nai factory, 50km away from HCMC. In the middle of year 2015, Radhika and me had to say good bye to Zamil and return back to India. After that I almost forgot Vietnam meandering back in Saudi for three more years and the last two years in India.

Back in Oct 2019, I got an opportunity to join another steel company in HCMC. The day I joined, I regained the Vietnamese hospitality, the beer culture while my colleagues enjoyed the sea food and meat, I'm happy with my tofu, boiled spinach and garlic rice.

Year 2020 arrived with a surprise to Vietnamese, they could no longer drink and drive anymore. First time in the history, bikers need to be sober when they reach homes in the evening. The business activities slow down every January looking with TET the Vietnamese lunar new year around the corner to arrive by the month end. Its nothing but the other name of Chinese new year! 

But the word China is dreaded and forbidden in Vietnam, similar to Pakistan in India. During the TET holidays we drank a lot, back to back sessions. Our friend from China had arrived in Wuhan by this time. We were joking at each other "you are the virus" while considering corona as just an internal affair of China. I had a short trip to Africa by January end, Radhika and Ashika arrived in HCMC by February 1st week nobody bother to check us during our flights. 

With my wife and daughter, I was roaming around freely in HCM while Ashika was enjoying her Cafe Sua Da while Radhika got engaged with her newly discovered You Tuber passions. I asked Ashika if she could extend her stay with us until March, but she stuck to her original plan to return to Melbourne by 25th Feb, which I think now was a right decision.

By March 2020, Corona has become a global nuisance. Europe has started melting under the covid's heat. We stared hearing about covid cases in Hongkong, Singapore, Bangkok and Philippines. The other Sunday evening, my assistant Phuc a Vietnamese Catholic called me in Zalo with the breaking news! Corona has arrived Vietnam shores, his friend's sister was in the same flight with the air hostess tested positive upon arrival in Tan Son Nhat Int'l airport HCMC. Air hostess became F0, Phuc's friend's sister F1 along with 250 passengers. Phuc's friend the F2 met Phuc in Church for evening chorus making Phuc F3 with no symptoms or infections what so ever. We asked Phuc to self quarantine to be in the safe side for two weeks time and he started working from home until end of March. Later the F1 girl was found negative for covid test which otherwise would have upgraded to F0 status. 

Infections found left and right in Hanoi, Danang and HCMC. Ten thousand people quarantined in north Vietnam. Some foreigners, pilots landed HCMC infecting some in Buddha bar, Indian restaurant with areas near airport and district one becoming hotspots. Too many public announcements in my apartment, security checking temperature, offering sanitizer at the main gate. There was even an emergency assembly announcement one day morning 5 am that made us running down from 7th floor. 

From 1st of April, we declared lockdown for office started work from home extended twice until month end now. Tri ky the busiest local restaurant opposite to my balcony is silent since ages after one of its waitress was found positive on 16th March. Radhika and myself come out of our apartment once in two three days to buy groceries and milk from Vinmart down stairs. 

Couple of days ago, we had a long walk to the co-op mart supermarket crossing the deserted Gia Dinh park which otherwise stays packed with evening walkers and joggers. Business appears almost normal in HCM with a steel building getting erected near our place, banks shops open and bikes still on the road. All restaurants, bars, pubs and massage centers are closed until further notice. Govt has registered 268 positive cases until now with a majority declared cured. 

There is a talk to relax the lockdown with social distancing, mask and sanitizer to continue, to resume local buses, trains and flights by early May downgrading the covid status. All said and done, life in Vietnam will not be the same anymore in same lines with bitter and sad pessimistic mindset sowed by the virus in two hundred plus countries across the world.

Kannum Kannum KoLLai Aditthaal

Kannum Kannum KoLLai Aditthaal

By Venkat Raghavan

(Again) With no expectations I went to see this movie.  The title was catchy.  It seemed to say something beyond the romanticism of the phrase.  Posters alluring.

There was one more reason.  Dulqar Salman.

The director was unknown (maiden venture) but Dulqar Salman as an actor wouldn’t feature in a trash was my thought.  

No, this is *NOT a game changing* movie like a _Vikram Veda, Super Deluxe_ or totally experimental like my previous review _Othaseruppu_ either.  

But it is a thoroughly entertaining new age movie that is reflective of talent and outlook of the current crop of young movie makers and their *bold departures* from norms.  

Siddharth (Dulqar) sees Meera (Rita Varma -oh she acts well) and there is instant spark.  He follows her everywhere.  And on a fine day tells her that he is totally in.  She is taken aback but is persuaded to think over and she leaves irksome.  On the appointed day, Siddharth and buddy Kallis (Kaleeswaran) expectantly wait for her at a park and she turns up ridden by someone in a Royal Enfield bike.  After moments of anxiety, they see the rider is also a female.  And after further tense moments she agrees to court him.  

Siddhu is a freelance app developer. Kallis a freelance graphic designer.  Meera is a beautician who renders services at clients’ home.  She is meticulous, values every penny. (teaches shop keeper a valuable lesson when instead of small change he offers toffee).  She grew up in an orphanage and obviously is charitable towards needy.  As Siddhu tries to keep Meera amused Kallis tries to woo Shreya the bike riding companion of Meera.  She is an independent small time caterer. 

Siddhu and Kallis in their romantic spree, find themselves completely emptied of their pockets as they were busy gallivanting with girls for a month without bothering to work.  Time to get back to work so coffers can be replenished.  Now we get a real peek in to their ”actual” work!!   It is not app developing or graphic designing.  It is *online shopping fraud*.  

_Modus Operandi:_ they shop online for expensive high spec laptops.  They do it under bogus names, addresses and payment methods.  When the goods arrive they collect in the vicinity of address (and not at the exact address) making it appear as though accidentally they had stepped out or some such.  They skillfully replace the original expensive parts inside with cheap alternatives and then return the merchandise on some excuse under the policy of goods return within a few days.  These expensive parts they sell and make money.  

They don’t do the same thing too long.  So they switch to robbing things left inside luxury cars by copying the radio signals of the remote unlock.  

The scene then shifts to a tough Asst Police Commisoner’s (Gautham Menon) house where his daughter who is playing on her new laptop providentially escapes as the laptop blows up.  ACP after going through gadget experts, doesn’t take long to smell the mode of crime, gets police cyber cell follow the online goods return trail and is waiting for the next such return to happen.   But it is not happening. (the boys are now on cars remember?) 

But Siddhu and Kallis are done with.  They are done with their con life.  They have now made 40 Lakhs of rupees and propose to Meera and Shreya they start a new career setting up a Saloon (for Meera) and a restaurant (for Shreya) in Goa with 40 lakhs as investment from their life long savings.  They also plan to get married first.  They drive down to Goa in Siddhu’s car.  They are put up in a nice hotel.  The night falls, as the boys come back separately from the bar back to their rooms, they see ACP at the hotel reception making enquiries.  Even as they head to their rooms, they find the ACP already there with a few cops.  The totally flustered guys in complete pale open the rooms and the *girls aren’t there!!*

Now this is HALF-TIME guys.  If you think I have given away anything, there are more twists and turns in the second half.  The narrative and scenes are built around cyber crime.  

_Now what did I most like about the movie?_

It is a movie with no judgment on morality. No justification for character’s choices or actions. No intimate duets or female exposure.  No pretense whatsoever.  The only niggling thing is the apparent ease with which they break technology. (some logical liberties)

It is two happy go lucky couple who are extremely clever.  The movie is light, romantic, suspenseful yet humorous.  

Ultimately there is no compulsion for justice or karma.  

_That is Tamil mainstream movie making at its new age best._

Beer is a beer - by Venkat Raghavan

*What can beat a good beer drinking experience?*

The answer is best Beer drinking experience preceded by a brewery tour education.  

If anyone ever thought “a beer is a beer is a beer, so what dear?” a trip to Geist factory is all you need… to be clear! 

It happened almost unplanned.  Ashok had asked for a smaller lunch meeting (four of us) before the evening gala he hosted.  I wasn’t sure if we needed it.  We spoke and then Ashok called back to say we are going with Mohan for a brewery tour.  Exactly what I wanted!  Mohan had deferred his joining a weekend getaway with friends to accommodate the brewery tour.   

I am a beer drinker.  I know what goes in a beer.  That is what I thought.  But as Mohan took us through the various stages of beer making, my elementary education precipitated like the unwanted residue after the beer brew is ready, and my knowledge was aglow like the golden liquid of Geist beer.   Sparkling too!   

In short, this is what happens in the brewing process.  Malt is the basic ingredient of a beer.  Malt is nothing but a grain (barley, wheat for instance) that has been allowed to germinate, but stopped prior to full sprouting.  This -stopping of continued germination- is done typically by roasting the grain.  Malting allows the releasing of grain’s sugars easier.   The next is the process of mashing when the malt is mixed with water and is heated and churned.  The resulting sweet liquid obtained is called wort (a new term I learnt yesterday).  Then the wort is moved to another large vessel where it is mixed with Hops.  (Hops is a herb, a plant that is a cousin of marijuana).  It is heated and treated.  Then removed to a final container where the yeast is added.   Before it moves to this final container is a heat exchanger where the liquid is cooled down rapidly to the desired temperature.  It is in this final container where the yeast acts on the sugars in the liquid to release alcohol and carbon dioxide.   And then it is bottled and moved to cold storage.    

If you ever read a laddu recipe and thought you could make great laddus first time or everyone following the recipe would end up making similar laddus, we know we would be far from right, right?  It is much more intricate.  It depends on the quality of the ingredients, the consistency of the batter mixture, the frying time, temperature, the sugar syrup’s consistency, and the right flavoring.

Then… getting it right is one thing, and making it special is another!  How do Mohan and his partner Narayan (_what a delight it was meeting Narayan_!) make Geist special?

All of the malt is imported from Bavaria, Germany.   Bavaria is the citadel of beers as we know.  They add absolutely nothing else to the wort.  In most commercial beers, if you have noticed the labels, you will find mention of sugar and other ingredients like corn syrup.  The water is sourced from the same compound.  It is RO’ed and then minerals added.  The hops are the other special ingredients imported.  It is the hops that lend the distinct flavor.  One of the varieties that lends a citrus flavor was so delightful as Mohan let me take a sniff inside the walk-in cold storage where it is kept at 5 degree centigrade. 

Geist beer, depending on its variety takes anything between 11 days to 22 days from the water and malt mixed stage to the bottle.  In regular commercial beers it could be 5 days!   Good art takes time.  Best dal (yes, the innocuous dal) is the one that simmers overnight!  

The carbonation in entirely natural!  They don’t infuse the fizz!

Above all, they make their own yeast!  A laboratory in house for this purpose.  Mohan says “*Yeast is everything is a beer*!”.   No using of commercial yeast!   

Geist is Vegetarian!  In order to hasten precipitation, breweries typically use some compounds, a main ingredient of which is obtained from fish.  Geist doesn’t use this.   My vegetarian conscience, that too on a Saturday, was gratified. 

Geist beer once cased, is stored at a temperature of 5 degrees and transported to the outlets in refrigerated vehicles.   

Apart from making the beer great, what else Geist does?

The “spent grain” - the residue from the beer making is supplied to cattle farmers.  This proteinaceous feed evidently improves milk yield by 20% and above.   They also dispense with the other residues that go as manure. 

Finally down to the real: that is, drinking beer!    

I had a taste of five varieties of beers, under the perfect setting of a big banyan tree and a Pipal tree.  On a sunny afternoon a perfect quencher to start with.   The beers endear you and the names too!  Weiss Guy for instance.  If Kamacitra is intriguing (the citrus flavored one) JamesBlonde is gripping!  I am not giving any more on this subject, experience it yourself!  You may realise those trees are Bodhi, like I did!!   

Last but not the least! 

Come April, there will be a restaurant!  In the same compound adjoining the Bodhi trees.  *I am going!!*

Susee speaks : on Carnatic music mutations

Friends- I want to summarize my thoughts upon watching this video. For those who are familiar with him, TM Krishna gained notoriety with his self-professed theories on equality in music amongst various controversies.

I want to address his takes on music by way of two aspects:

1.  Religion

First of all, in my opinion, any music created in the name of God is sacrosanct and must be preserved in its original form. There have been musical prodigies in both the East and the West, who have made this world a better place by enriching our lives with their amazing creations. Let me put it this way. I would definitely want the ancient Gregorian chants, the Mass and Requiems to be referencing only Jesus and not Muruga or Hanuman. As much as I want the ancient Tyagaraja compositions to retain only Rama and Annamacharya kirtans, Krishna. This has nothing to do with equality of religions. Rather it is about preserving the sanctity of every religion and giving everyone of them the due respect. 

2.  Genre

It doesn’t require a genius to figure out that all kind of music are man made creations using his/her own expressive abilities during the observation of any act or form - be it nature, deity, or anything that appeals to our senses.

In that respect, there are so many genre - Classical, Jazz, New Age, Hiphop, R&B, Soul Music, Rock, POP, Rap, Gana, the list goes on. I agree that one should not be considered superior to another. People are drawn to one or more kinds depending upon their own preferences. However, certain cherished traditions are better off, being adhered to. While it is a noble thought to have Carnatic music reach the slums, and I welcome that, not every kind of music fits all kinds of ambience. For instance, a song laced with profanity has no place in a temple or church. I would be inclined to listen to Carnatic/Classical/Jazz music when I go to Music Academy in Mylapore, or Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center in New York. I would prefer a less formal atmosphere to listen to other kinds of music. This doesn’t mean that I consider one better than the other. Atmosphere, my friend!

When one person deliberately tries to mix up genre and deities to make it as a homologous melting pot, it is wise to examine his intent - whether it is towards genuinely contributing to progress or fomenting trouble just to gain publicity.

When I think of TM Krishna, I could immediately think only of Ravana in a mild form - more so, as he brought out his birth background. The latter, born a Brahmin, learnt all scriptures, performed intense penance and even got boon from Shiva, but lost everything due to his pride, arrogance and Adharmic actions. I leave it for you to come to your own conclusions.

Ottha Seruppu Tamil movie review

*ottha seruppu*

————————

By Venkat Raghavan

I saw this movie over the weekend.  At my friend’s place.  His son recommended we watch it, and when he put this on screen I had no clue what to expect.  The official title is *ottha seruppu size 7.*

The movie is produced, written and directed by Parthiban.  And acted. 

Wait.  That is what he does usually.  Isn’t it? 

*There is no other actor.* 

In the visuals.  Only Parthiban.  In the *entire movie the only human you see* is Parthiban.  There are a few other characters, but they are not shown, you only hear their voices.   The setting for the entire movie is one room in a police station.  A table, a chair (which the character barely occupies) a mobile phone, a walkie talkie radio of police, a camera recording the interrogation, a file, a few papers, a wash basin and a paper kite are the only props.   There is a window which the actor walks to occasionally as he demonstrates more histrionics.

Giving away no spoilers, the 105 minute movie is about interrogation of the murder suspect Parthiban.  He is a poor security guard in an elite city club arrested for murder.  Due to the high profile of victim, Deputy Commissioner and Asst Commissioner are involved in the interrogation in addition to the Inspector.   The scenario; the police want the suspect to detail the murder act and also establish the motive. 

Seeing just one actor on screen could be tedious.  That too a middle aged scruffy looking Parthiban may not be one’s idea of immensely watchable.  Parthiban’s biggest victory here is he sustains your interest throughout, a win for him as a writer, director and actor.    The movie doesn’t lose the grip at any time; the frame at no point moves out of this room, even as the suspect narrates the scene there is no flashback visual, it is _all described verbally_ maintaining the tempo. 

The suspect at the beginning seemingly is pleading innocence, but that is a deception and soon it is clear that he is actually confessing to the murder detailing the modus operandi.  When the police seem satisfied with what they heard, there is a twist which the suspect introduces and the interrogation prolongs.  When that part is done, there is another turn.  To the total annoyance and utter frustration of interrogating officers.  The poor simpleton suspect is not after all stupid.   In one of the earlier scenes, when a cop asks why a gullible guy like him should get involved in a murder crime and get trapped like this, Parthiban asks naively if it is not the cops who are trapped?  When the miffed cop asks him to explain, Parthiban says he feels bad for the cops who are staying overnight interrogating him leaving their families trapped in their jobs.   But we come to realise later what he actually meant. 

It is almost a flawless movie, though the ending may be debatable.   In Tamil we have a few experimental movies being made nowadays, but in the degree of experimentation it would be hard to beat this.   A single sandal (without its pair), utterly insignificant and most dispensable.  One doesn’t give a second look.  But Ottha Seruppu is not.  Give it a watch.

Super Delux movie review

*SUPER DELUXE* 

By Venkat Raghavan

Tamil Movie I saw last night)

*A game changer is several respects.*

-A movie with three subplots.  Three stories that run concurrently seemingly unconnected which for their conclusion and the characters’s redemption *cross each other’s path* 

- The movie which is overtly sexual, where motives, actions and behaviors are lecherous; where dialogues are bold and explicit YET surprisingly has no, absolutely NO woman sexual exposure.  (For a movie that would get anyway a big A certificate, the director uses no glamour!)  

- A movie which is co-written by three great “parallel” filmmakers/directors of our times Mysskin, Nalan Kumarasamy and this movie’s Director Kumararaja! 

- A movie that uses yester years POP for the thematic and background songs.  Disco Dancer, Macarena and many Tamil movie ones.  Of our times. 80s!!!

-A movie that has a “paint” effect to its cinematography.  Most of the movie has low lighting.  The colors accentuate the setting.  For instance, an accidental diviner from Tsunami whose dwelling is blue, the female protagonist whose house is deep yellow and reddish hues etc.  Many shots recede to a narrow angle as we get to see the proceedings from a narrow alley or a corner. A metaphor for metaphysical relationship we have with the world -in that limited, where our perception and actuality vie with each other.  

A movie with no songs or fight scenes but a run time of nearly THREE hours!!   Even otherwise a slow movie, but contrastingly happening on every frame.  

The genre of the movie is hard to say.  There is crime, an understated humor that props from the absurdity of situation, emotions of people that arise from jolting events!   Is it a crime, humor or drama.  Just let us say a dark movie.  

A movie with an incredible casting.  *Vijay Sethupathi, Samantha, Fahad Fazil, Ramya Krishnan,* even if they are not superstars, artists who command huge fee and a standing in the industry.  All of them portraying characters that are negative, dark and vulnerable. 

Imagine Samantha, (the leading heroine in Tamil and Telugu until her marriage recently) playing a promiscuous woman who has an encounter when husband is away! 

I am not giving anymore on the movie as it would take away the surprise elements that are strewn throughout the movie, despite its slowness.   At the end, it is a movie that goes beyond its scope of cinema and tells us to view the whole life differently.  A bit of edification.  

I am sure many of us may not be comfortable in our seats while watching this movie.  It is a “in your face” movie.  

*But this is a milestone movie in Tamil.* I would be surprised if it doesn’t walk away with top honours at the national level.