Tamil politics: MGR, Hogenakkal etc.


I'm still not sure if I should publish this podcast. I have been "disrespectful" to many celebrities before, but I wonder what kind of people listen to that stuff and what's in store for me. A constant nag successfully made me moderate comments. I just hope that someone else doesn't make me change my phone number (I don't want to think about anything worse). Anyway, the title pretty much explains what the podcast is about. It has a lot of MGR bashing and some others.


Download mp3

19 comments:

Bala (Karthik) said...

Mani Vannan pathi solla arambikkumbodhu cut aiduchu

Suresh ET said...

I think there was problem with the site, try downloading it again.

Anonymous said...

Hi Suresh,
"unga address sollunga, just unga kitta autograph vangathaan!" A bold podcast. Firstly, a view of the hogenekal issue which I heard/saw nowhere else.. Regarding MGR, though many were known facts, the constant drumming of the media really hides so many of the true facts.. I hope your podcast reaches a lot of tamils..
Viswa.

Anonymous said...

Suresh,
Thanks for referring us readers to Mr. MSS Pandian. I spent a good deal of time reading some of his articles/essays available on the web. For me, the next sensible thing to do is to quickly grab a copy of some of his books and start reading...

Anonymous said...

an abstract of MSS Pandian's book on the web I read was damning. Now I understand why some people were saying that Iruvar was Maniratnam's sanitised take on MGR.

I remember a dialogue from the movie when Rajesh(actor) walks along with Mohanlal and hands over his resignation citing increased corruption in the current regime. He adds that it was the ministers that are corrupt and not Mohanlal. I thought that was true until now. But now I am in doubt.

Hoganekkal meeting was brilliant, very entertaining. I was bored at home and watched 5 min of it every half hour on TV. Satyaraj was simply too good. But the best was Shriya. She kept smiling, safe in the knowledge that Aquafina, Kinley and Bisleri are fighting her battle for water.

Anonymous said...

Hi suresh.. My name is rajkumar and i listen to your podcast whenever possible.. i like them bcos of the way it prested (the slang ) .. Don't think this is also koolai kumbidu.. ;) great job and do it more often ...

Hmm.. it was funny to see the film industry coming to streets when ever the karnataka water issue popsup... I understand that the cine industry is coming as they are getting attacked... I guess this issue can be resolved just by having talks within the cine association level (between karnataka/tamil nadu).. I don't know why this

I remember watching the interview by sarathkumar 2 days b4 the fasting , he (infact all the memebers who were present there ) said that the reason for fasting is just to bring to goverments notice that 'everytime there is a issue, we (entertainment industry) is getting affected and they want the goverment to help them ont his one' ... But on the fasting day.. no body mentioned that at all (atlease on the video's i saw in the youtube) .. and was showing of as if they are there for the water... total comedy show....


I guess none of them came out of movie mode.. still thinking that there is some shooting going on as there were some video camera's infront of them and started speaking like stupids... or is it the real them who don't know how to speak if no dialogues given to them in writing...

I could see some maturity in the way vijaykanth spoke.. good... same goes for kamal also...

What sathyaraj spoke was total non-sense ... we shouldn't encourage ppl who talk emotionally (includes cheran as well) and fool the ppl...

I don't know some how i feel like these ppl are trying to use the concept used by British.. 'Pirithaalum kolgai' saying .. Karnatiga's / tamils / maharastrians (Raj Thakrey) and keep the ppl week so that there is no unity .... Some have, I have a strong feeling that indian's are not united at all... they are the best actors in the world

Anonymous said...

Talking of Sathyaraj's speech, there's a hilarious Freudian slip in it:
"[...] kittathatta nAppadhu varushathukku munnAla, puratchi thalaivar MGR avargaL inga thamizhaga mudhalamaicharA irundhappO, anga Gundu Rao mudhalamaicharA irundhAru, anga KarnatakAvula idhE mARi kAvEri prachchanai appavum vandhurum [...]"

Remember that classic line from Kuruthippunal? (That one has to resort to the "post-cinematic" universe to disrupt a dominant construct of the very same universe is much ironic, of course.)

Suresh ET said...

Viswa,

Yeah, MGR wasn't someone any of my class mates in school or college liked (except one or two, perhaps). I think I was simply irritated by the public imagery that he continues to maintain and wanted to rant about it.
Thanks for your comment.

Zero,

MSS Pandian is one of the most respected scholars in Tamil studies, I'm glad you find him interesting too. You may want to try Robert Hardgrave as well. He's another scholar whose writings I've found really illuminating. And he's far more critical than Pandian.

Subhash,

The exchange between Mohanlal and Rajesh is pretty interesting. Because, Rajesh would say "anga nadanthatha vida inga pathu madangu nadakudhu". Of course, Mohan Lal in the end would ask a seemingly rhetorical question, "andha pathu madangu ungala sethi sorleengala, illa enna sethi solreengala?". Not bad for a Mani Ratnam movie. :p

Rajkumar,

Haha, no. Talking about it general: I'm really ok with people being someone's "fan". I just don't understand why they should defend the said someone's each and every action.

The film industry is obviously concerned about their business. But there's another side to the same intention: nobody wants to risk antagonizing the perceived popular sentiment of the Tamil people (and in turn sow bitterness against their movies). Of course, there is no real evidence for this notion.
Then there is the fact the it's an organization that is headed by politician(s) and those who want to have political power - within and out of the movie industry. It's always run by a cabal that decides who gets to do what. So you better turn up and sit on the stage whether you like it or not. And if you have to say something, well, say how "Tamil" you are. Tamil film industry's internal politics is just as fascinating as Tamil Nadu politics.

I don't really believe that there is bigger virtue in being Indian than Tamil or vice versa. And I don't think there's real unity among Indians - except in a very dramatized, exaggerated, romanticized way. India as a State has failed to evoke that sentiment on a realistic level. It would be irrelevant if they concentrated on socio-economic development with some seriousness. But the polity is fucked up in so many levels that "feeling Indian" is the least of our worries. I'll talk about it in my next podcast.

Tech Shankar said...


சினிமாக்காரங்க Vs சாப்ட்வேர்காரங்க (கற்றது தமிழ் ராம்க்கு எதிராக ஒரு குரல்)


Just Like you. I enjoyed with your Podcast.

O Relly said...

Dude, Awesome podcast. Like I said earlier, I say again, my dad's become a big fan of yours coz., he's a big critic himself.

He loves the candidness of your opinions.

This particular podcast threw some insight into MGRs life, which was new to me and which my dad could relate to. (We listened to it together)

After listening to your podcast, I watched Sathyaraj's speech on youtube, and was totally surprised at why he was targetting rajini ? I still wonder what the motive was?

Suresh ET said...

'being me',

I'm very pleased. Thanks.

Sathyaraj didn't really seem to have particular agenda. He has for long time been at odds with Rajini. Like I mentioned in the podcast, I think there was a lot of ass-kissing within the film industry to ensure Rajini was present for the hunger strike. That probably riled him when he got to the podium. I'll talk about it in the next podcast.

O Relly said...

Thanks. Ok, so the next podcast should be fun then.

Also, is there one single place where, I could access all your podcasts ?

Suresh ET said...

I hope so too.

You can get all my podcasts from my here: http://www.podbazaar.com/view/90071992547410183

Ananthoo said...

ada po pa..naan podcasta kettutu, commentsa padichu ezhutharathukulla its so out dated every time:-(
but still to infm u i enjoy all ur podcasts though belated..

Anonymous said...

Hey Suresh...mathangi here ...dint have time to catch up on ur blogs for a long time...just heard your MGR podcast...check this bbc tamil
http://www.bbc.co.uk/tamil/specials/178_wryw/
mathangi

Anonymous said...

I was shocked by the tone of Sathyaraj's speech esp since it was a live telecast!!!I have enjoyed Sathyaraj's light heart ed critique of society but I agree that his speech was in very bad taste
Mathangi

Suresh ET said...

Hi Mathangi, good to see you here. Thanks for the BBC links. It's pretty interesting (and irritating).

Gokul R said...

Hi Suresh,

A Nice podcast this one is.
I have written a blog on the same issue - my blog has included information that you have said in your podcast also.

http://gokul-r.blogspot.com/2009/12/mgramachandrans-film-political-career.html

I would like your comments on the same.

And, Do you own a soft copy of "The Image Trap" by M.S.S.Pandian or can you kindly scan and post it for us ??. I understand it's illegal but I am simply not getting that book.

Raj said...

Hey Suresh,

I read excerpts from MSS Pandian's book and found it to be very interesting, but couldnt find any links to buy it. Have you got a e-copy of the book by any chance?

Post a Comment

 
©2009 english-tamil