Culture & Community

Culture & Community

Latest news from and about the homeland

Following his recent hit, 2023’s ‘Mark Antony,’ Adhik Ravichandran returns to the screen having teamed up with his idol Ajith Kumar for ‘Good Bad Ugly.’ Fanboy cinema has yielded interesting results for the industry recently: Karthik Subbaraj collaborated with Rajinikanth for 2019’s ‘Petta’ and Lokesh Kanagaraj worked with his idol Kamal Haasan for 2022’s ‘Vikram.’ These films are primarily…

Tamil word or not?

Since 2006, the Tamil Nadu government has been giving tax exemptions for movies with Tamil titles. The latest film to run into this law is ‘Ochayee’, written and directed by Asai Thambi.

The state commercial taxes department has decided to decline exempting the film from entertainment tax on the grounds that ‘Ochayee’ is not a Tamil word.

Mynaa'– entertainment without commercialisation

A much ‘hyped’ Tamil movie is ‘Mynaa’, due for a deepavali release. Directed by Prabhu Solomon, the film was allegedly grabbed for distribution by producer-distributor Udhayanidhi Stalin, who allegedly said he couldn’t sleep after watching it. Similarly, actor Kamal Haasan showered praise on the film saying, "I slept well after watching the film because I was happy that good films were still being made," reported Rediff.

Enthiran' amazes as it delivers

The much anticipated Rajnikanth movie, Enthiran, hit the screens in early October, to wide spread acclaim and rave reviews from the fans. While some have been less than impressed with the clichéd story, all have had to accept that the technical wizardry and action sequences make this a movie to remember from 2010.

Rapping with patriotic pride – MC SAI

When you think of Rap, who pops into your head first? 2Pac, Jay-z or T.I.? I am asking you about Tamil Rappers. You might come up with Sujeeth G of course, but guys I think it is about time you engrave this young fella into your head - MC SAI!

‘My Daughter: the terrorist’

The long awaited showing of a film following a pair of female Black Tigers at the sold out Frontline Club finds the audience in expectant mood given the controversy the film has drawn.

The incomparable Thirukkural on courage and love

The third of a three-part series looking at a Tamil treasure.

The Thirukkural: the householder and the nation’s wealth

The second of a three-part series looking at this Tamil treasure.

The Thirukkural

The first of a three-part series looking at a Tamil treasure.

The symbolism of Vinayaka

A detailed exposition of the sacred symbols associated with Vinayaka is given by Swami Subramuniya in his modern classic “Loving Ganesha” (Himaayan Academy Press).

 
Vinayaka has 108 names including, Ganesha and Ganapati (“Lord of the Ganas or hosts” in Tamil) and Pillaiyar (“Sacred Child” in Tamil).

An introduction to Auvaiyar’s Vinayagar Agaval

The Vinayagar Agaval (‘Song of Vinayaga’) is a stunning example of Tamil sacred poetry. It is thought to be the greatest poem of the Chola era poet Auvaiyar, written shortly before her death.

The Chola dynasty, which emerged around the ninth century, went on to rule most of South India for the next four hundred years. The Cholas presided over an important renaissance in Tamil literature, art and architecture, particularly temple construction.