Monthly review: August 2024
To avoid losing the streak of continuing this monthly blog post, I started writing the blog (okay, only the first line) on the first of August. As I’ve committed to writing and publishing this every month, there are times when I sit late at night on the last day of the month to write and publish. In the last few months, I started writing this on a Google Docs page, just dumping my thoughts regularly and giving it a structure before publishing. I did the same this month, too!
Okay, before I get into the regular template of the blog post, I want to talk about how I felt throughout the month. I was grateful this month for my family and friends. I had the opportunity to meet my friends, travel with them, attend an engagement ceremony of my friends, and visit my parents and relatives. Meeting them and spending time with them yet again made me realize that I love being around people, being there in moments of joy and grief, cracking jokes about myself and others, and observing moments of silence, too! Yeah, simply grateful for what I got this month!
Now, following the ritual of what I watched, read, and did this month 🙂
Books
With Lasik taking away my reading time last month and making me get back to reading desperately, I completed two books this month — an English non-fiction book and a Telugu novel from the 80s.
I visited a bookstore (belonging to a publishing house) in Hyderabad this month and couldn’t resist purchasing books. I had six books in my hand, and on my way to the billing counter, I felt this was too much injustice to the 9999 books lying untouched on my bookshelf, and I kept two books back, leaving the store with four books 😐
Anyway, let’s get back to the books:
The Mom Test
I had this book on my shelf for the last year but had to read it this month. This book is about talking to customers and asking them the right questions to get honest answers. This book is not preachy but has practical tips we can learn and apply while contacting or interacting with customers. This is a simple read, and I had no trouble reading it. If you don’t have time to read the book, summaries are available online that sum up the gist of the book. An interesting and quick read. This book also has subtle humor.
Dabbu to the power of Dabbu by Yandamoori Veerendranath
Chiranjeevi’s Challenge is based on this novel. Although I watched the film multiple times and know the scenes, reading the book has merits. There are no fights, no songs, just introspection and a good character arc for the protagonist, which makes it worth reading.
Towards the end, the protagonist realizes there’s so much more to life than money, and the author carefully unfolds the twists for the audience while the protagonist transforms. A more humane approach towards the end worked well for me, giving me an equal high that the movie had, with its commercial hero-winning-over-villain template.
Yandamoori impressed me yet again with his storytelling and the characters, though he couldn’t do enough justice to the financial areas he touched upon in the novel seem superficial. In the preface (of the latest edition), he confesses that he may not support the ideas presented in the book. I loved that — the guts to accept that we evolve with time and our perspectives towards things change (and may contradict our previous perspectives) as we grow.
This novel also clearly gives examples of the difference between ethics/justice and law and how people abuse the loopholes in the law to betray others while escaping the punishment under the purview of our legal system.
I believe that reading a book is a personal experience while watching a movie is a collective experience — and in this case, both the novel and the cinema worked well for me 😀
Speaking of movies, I visited a cinema theater almost once a week this month and watched a good number of movies on OTT, too 🙂
Movies
Raayan
This Dhanush directorial has a few flaws but still interested me in the film and opened up discussion on the characters, story, and acting after the movie. Dhanush has the influence of Vetri Maaran, who reminded me of Vada Chennai and Asuran in the writing choices and the production design, and his brother, Selva Raghavan, seemingly influenced his frames and the look and feel of the film. In a way, this tells the story of the Ravan and his siblings, and I liked this interpretation too! Perhaps I’ll write more about it in a separate blog post soon.
Stree 2
I had fun watching this film. I don’t precisely recall the scenes in the first installment of Stree. Still, without any expectations, I went into the cinema and enjoyed the chemistry among these four actors — Raj Kumar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, and Aparshakti Khurrana. This movie also reminded me of Tumbbad, Kaashmora (Tamil), and comedy tracks; the wordplay worked well for me.
Indian 2
I watched this on Netflix but couldn’t muster the courage to watch it on the big screen during its theatrical run. I’m really sad while typing this, but the film’s content is disappointing — not something I expect from Kamal and Shankar. Everything is an utter waste, and I tested my patience, and I couldn’t resist asking myself this question — why am I watching this instead of re-visiting the first part n number of times? There’s no honesty in everything — story, dialogues, prosthetics, screenplay — everything felt forced and out of place.
For the first time, I recalled an Atlee film while watching Shankar’s film! Earlier, I used to pause Atlee’s movies to see the inspirations he drew from Shankar’s films earlier.
Piku
There’s a beauty in this film that’s making me watch it almost every week. Some scenes, especially the ones in Varanasi and Kolkata, have a philosophical touch, especially in the casual conversations between Deepika and Irrfan. Just loving it ❤
Rangasthalam
I remember watching this alone in Sangareddy during my BTech days during its theatrical run and wanted to watch it again for a long time. With the re-releases happening, I thought people would release this movie again, but they haven’t. I couldn’t resist, but I watched it at home this month, and oh boy, the impact is still there.
I observed the cinematography and music more this time. I wondered how the Godavari is shown in harsh sunlight, taking away the romantic mood other films used it for and showing the river in an angry mood. I usually forward a few scenes if I’m revisiting a movie, but this time, I watched it in its entirety as if I were watching it for the first time. Respect for the movie is still there, and I’d revisit it again.
Indra
Amidst the season of re-releases, this is the movie I anticipated the most for multiple reasons. This was the first movie I had watched in theaters (when I was 3 or 4 years old, adding to my nostalgia). This is one of the best commercial films ever made in Telugu cinema. Everything just worked out the best! And went to witness the prime of Chiranjeevi — for the man himself.
I was celebrating the re-release with many fans, and by the time it was the interval, I had a load of confetti on me that I had collected and used in the second half. This video gives you an idea of how the celebrations went on Chiru’s birthday! (Thank you, Tapasi, for capturing the moments ❤)
Pelli Choopulu
I revisited this film on a weekend evening and again, laughed out loud at the comedy scenes, and felt a bit emotional at the scene where Chitra’s father and Chitra have a conversation about having a girl child and how he realizes she’s more than a son. This film is an honest work by Tharun Bhascker.
Panchayat
After many of my friends suggested I watch it, I finally watched it. I finished S1 now and am on the verge of completing S2. This is beautiful! Interpersonal relationships and innocence are depicted sweetly. I’m just loving this series.
Thank you if you’re one of the people who suggested that I watch this series. Is this great content? I don’t know. Like how I loved Piku over time, this series — the story and the characters are growing on me with time. I highly recommend watching this series. Sweet.
Saripodha Sanivaram
Mass!!! I’m compiling my thoughts on a dedicated article on this (I can’t avoid writing about a Vivek Athreya film). But just go ahead and watch if this film is playing in a nearby theater. After a long time, I enjoyed a commercial movie that still stays predictable at times. I’m listening to the songs to relieve that high now 🔥
Speaking of songs, here are a few songs I’ve been listening to on a loop these days.
Songs
From the time I watched Raayan, I’ve been listening to this song on a loop… thanks ARR ❤
And this one, too:
Such a breezy number from Anirudh and Shilpa Rao; I’m loving it!
I’ve neither watched Chamkila nor do I understand the lyrics, but I’m listening to this song on a loop —
I was walking on the terrace one evening and somehow wanted to listen to this song (my friend introduced me to this song during Chamkila’s release). For the last week to ten days, every evening, I’ve been walking alone on the terrace with this song playing on a loop.
I had watched two films in theatres with SJ Suryah playing the baddie, and he just stole the show with his screen presence, body language, and performance. But more than Raayan, I loved him in Saripodha Sanivaaram. Thanks to the filmmakers giving equal importance to his character, who is on par with the protagonist.
Speaking of SJ Suryah, please watch this lovely conversation — he’s a pure soul, just spreading love and good vibes. I was smiling when he took the role of the host and wished Baradwaj Rangan the best for his writing venture!
And now, coming to the other things, I enrolled myself in something new this month, but it didn’t work out well, so I discontinued it. Well, that’s fine — there were things beyond my control! Will be back to Cult next week and be on track there, lifting weights and taking off the burden from my head 😀
Again, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has had a little chance to interact with me this month and turn it beautiful! While writing this blog, I felt the need to say thank you, and yeah, I said it!
Until next time… hopefully before the next monthly blog.
