May 2, 2012
"Anno" (elder brother) Mahendran called. I was the 'elder brother' whose attention was sought.
Mahendran and Muthu, the neighborhood 'iron-masters' had camped in our garage this morning instead of the street because of the cloud cover and intermittent light drizzles. Mahendran has shaved his head. He had recently been to Palani temple.
I was transferring photos from the mobile to the laptop.
"ithile paattu kedaikuma?" (Can you get songs in this?) Mahendran asked pointing at the laptop.
"ungalku entha paattu thevai?" (what song do you want?) I obliged eager at the opportunity of fulfilling the daily quota of Tamil conversation.
"Oru kal oru kannadi....appuram Billa 2," ('One stone one mirror'....then 'Billa 2')the man knew what he wanted.
"Billa 2 music nethukku thaan release aayidichu" (Billa 2 music was released only yesterday) he clarified excitedly while I logged into paadal.com
"Ungalku tranfer panni tharanama?" (do you want me to transfer the songs?) I wondered since I knew they listen to songs while working, from Mahendran's mobile that doubles as an mp3 player.
With a full smile, he walked over to give me the heavy device.
"Bill 2 trailer vandhachu...paathingala?" (Bill 2 trailer is out...did you see?) I asked as the downloading and transfer of songs were in progress.
"Paakkale Saar" he replied obviously hoping that I would show him. I did.
He stood watching the trailer on youtube with a sense of pride stemming from the vicarious association with the hero Ajith. The deep attachment to films and their stars that flows in the Tamilian blood.
"Oru kal oru kannadi paathacha?" (Did you see Oru Kal Oru Kannadi?) I inquire since the movie is currently running in the city.
"Paathachu, " now that he knew I was keen on the conversation, Mahendran took his movie fan avatar. "Aarya mathiri oru star vache panirundha innum nalla vandhirikum. Ithu Stalin payyane pottu hero aakkarange. 'Boss Engira Bhaskaran' story dhaan." (If they had used a star like Arya, it would have been better. Here they have tried to make Stalin's son a hero. It is the same story as "Boss Engira Bhaskaran")
I set about renaming the songs so that he could find them easily."Kamal Saarude Vishwaroopavum vararu." (Kamalhassan's new movie, Vishwaroopam, is also coming) he said while swinging the iron box with box hands to shuffle the hot coal inside.
"Rajnikanth pona vaaram inge irundhange," I replied instinctively trying to balance the Kamal mention with a Rajni mention, as the unwritten rule of 'Thalaivar' fanclub demands.
"Appidiya?" (Really?) he looked surprised. "Neenge paathittingala?" (Did you see him?) he asked."Illai, security romba jaasthi" (No, too much security)
"Rajnikku vayasayidichu saar. Avare paathale theriyidhu. Mudi ellam pochu. Padathode silavu vidai avar make-up silavu thaan jaasthi. " (Rajni has become old. It is obvious now. His hair is gone. His make-up budget is more than the movie budget nowadays) Mahendran opined.
As he took up another cotton "mundu" to stiffen up, he was on a roll. "Kamal Saar evalavo nalla body maintain panraru. Avar vayasu theriyalle. Rajni graphics mattum panraru. Endhiran ellam enna padam?! Oru storye illai. Dasavatharam, kamalhassanude, evalo nalla padam, nalla story irukku." (Kamal maintains his physique. You can't guess his age. Rajni is doing only graphics. What kind of movie was Endhiran?! No story at all. But Kamal's Dasavatharam, nice movie, good story)
It was obvious which of the two fanclubs that every Tamilian is supposed carry membership to, he belonged. Music transfer was done.
"Neenge ethana varsham Americayil irundhinge?" (How long were you in America?) he changed the topic."11""Padichavange mattum thaan ange poke mudiyume. Kuwait, Muscat, Malayasia pona mathiri poka mudiyathe." (Only educated people can go there. You can't go there like you can go to Kuwait, Muscat or Malayasia)
I reacted with my relearnt great Indian inconclusive head bobbing.
"Saar...Americavil irundha ange appa-ammave mattum thaan koottitu poka mudiyum, illaya? Vere brother sister ellam poka mudiyathu, illaya?" (Sir...If one is in America, you can take only your parents there, right? Not your siblings, right?)
"Appidi ellam illa. Tourist visayile poyidalam" (Nothing like that. Others can go in tourist visa)
"Angeyellam kooli vella kedaikathu. Ange irikaravange thaan athellam panrange." (One can't get manual labor jobs there. Americans only do those jobs.)
I think both the candidates for the upcoming US Presidential elections are insisting on that!
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