For Whom The Bells Toll
They say life imitates art, and this is almost like a case of the script ofan old movie -- Anupam Kher's debut, Saaransh, which portrayed the trialsand tribulations faced by a father in getting his dead son's ashes back -- playing out in Tamil Nadu. As in the film, the parents here have run into a brick wall while their son, Suseendran, who went for employment but ended up being murdered by a gang, continues to lie in a Malaysian mortuary for the last 11 months. This despite a direction in August by the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court to the state government that it was duty bound to bring the body as the indigent parents could not.
It is all the more ironical at a time when there's a furore over the treatment to Malaysians of Indian origin,carelessly being called "Indians" by many of the TV channels to hype up the chauvinistic quotient. DMK Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, who almost caused a diplomatic incident between India and Malaysia but backed offafter being told to "lay off" by a Malaysia minister, has not uttered a word on Suseendran. Norhave any of the other stalwarts -- Vaiko (Madamalarchi Munnetra Dravida Kazhagam), Ramadoss (Pattali Makkal Katchi),Veeramani (Dravida Kazhagam) -- or even AIADMK supremo J Jayalalitha whootherwise lose no opportunity to project themselves as champions of Tamils.
Suseendran's parents (Muthu Nachiar and Sethuraja) who live in Kumarakuruchi near Paramakudi)have tried various channels--their son's employer, Malaysian authorities, the Indian High Commission in Kuala Lampur, the state government and the Sivaganga district collector--spending thousands, but their effortshave been in vain. Their petition before the high court and the latter's direction to the state government have alsonot yielded any result. Now the parents' hope lies in the suo moto contempt proceedings initiated by the high court against the Karunanidhi government. The court has also impleaded the Ministry of External Affairs.Watch this space.
The Scent Of A Woman
Speaking of the court and political parties brings actress Khusboo to mind. Nowhere is someone political parties love to hate. Many years ago when she was the reigning goddess on the silver screen, her fansmade her into a deity in a temple and literally worshipped her. Now with the likes of Shriya and Asinreigning in Tamil cinema where parts are written for Superstar Rajnikanth,Vijay, Kamal Hassan, Dhanush (better known as Rajnikanth's son-in-law) and Surya she has moved to the other end of the spectrum--along with Suhasini Maniratnam and Revathi--and is making women-oriented serials.
But she always seems to be used as a handy instrument when political parties andother organisations are looking for eyeball attention. Like the Hindu Makkal Katchi and Hindu Munnani--whose followers, one presumes, did not worship at her temple--did whenthey picked on her for "hurting Hindu sentiments and insulting Hindu religion" for sitting cross-legged with her chappals next to the idols of Mupperundeviyar. The two parties which approached courts in Chennai and Kumbakonam apparently saw no "insult to Hindu sentiments" that Directors Balaji Shakthivel, Lingusamy, Ram and Priya V, producers Manickam Narayanan, Sundarraman and Balu Mahendra and Dr Kamala Selvaraj--who were all sitting next to Khushboo at the muhurat of the Partibhan starrerVallamai Thaarayo--were all wearing their footwear.
Khushboo has refused to be drawn into the controversy, leaving it to her lawyer. With a whole rash of cases filed by outraged persons after her comments on premarital sex, her lawyercontinues to be quite busy. This week she did not have much luck when the Madras high court stayed criminal proceedings against Fazzal Hussain Khan, regional circulation manager, ofMaxim. Khushboo had taken the magazine to court for publishing morphed, obscene pictures of her in its inaugural issue last January.
'I Always Carry A Condom In My Purse'
"Believe it or not, I always carry a condom in my purse". This comment by actor Prithvi Raj should have fundamentalists of all hues baying for his blood. But Prithvi Raj, happily married and father ofan autistic child, explains, "I carry a condom because I want to create awareness for those who don't take the threat of AIDS seriously." With Tamil Nadu having the highest prevalence--1.70 lakh of 2.5 million in India-- AIDS certainly needs to be taken seriously. And who better than Prithvi Raj, who became popular after playing the role of a transgender inArasi, a serial on Sun TV?. Transgenders are among those who have a highrisk of HIV and so Prithvi Raj initially got a nudge nudge wink-wink reaction when hefirst launched the AIDS awareness campaign: "Many people argue with me saying HIV cannot be contracted so easily. But I tell them:Don't take life for granted. Stay away from illicit affairs or at least wear a condom." Good advice.
A New Avatar For Kamal
In an industry where the Superstar Rajnikanth does not push the envelope and is happy playing the good guy even ifit is with a lot of style, forever pounding baddies into pulp, you have Kamal Hassan whois always out experimenting with something new. After playing four characters in Michael Madana Kama Raja, a side-splitting comedy some years ago, Kamal is soon going to outdo thespian Sivaji Ganeshan, who played nine role in Navaratri. Kamal has aptly titled his filmDashavataram, where he takes on 10 roles. The film is slated for release next year.
But the avatar that is close to his heart is as anti-AIDS campaigner over the last fouryears. Kamal's involvement is no less than Richard Gere's. For the World AIDS day that just went by, Kamal penned a poem that he recited at the Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed College for girls. Administering a pledge that HIV positive will have the same rights as AIDS-free people, Kamalsaid, "I feel more privileged being the brand ambassador in this project than endorsing brands." Are the other high profile models and brand-ambassadors listening?
