Dance Floor - DJ Party in Office...

In the first week of November, when the DJ party was announced in office, I got so exited and decided to enjoy it to the core, as this probably is going to be my last Dance Floor in this office.

The same day I jumped into action. All evenings were spent in front of the TV on Sun Music and Isai Aruvi, carefully watching the steps of various songs and practicing them. Also I downloaded a couple of songs from YouTube and kept seeing them  again and again. Around the same time, I got to know about the "Gangam Style" of PSY and enjoyed watching his funny moves & steps for this song. I immediately started liking him, as he is also more or less about my height & weight, except that we are exactly opposite in complexion. I am fair & he is not that fair (The truth is exactly the opposite and replace "not that fair" with "dark"...:-)...).

It took me sometime to get hold of his steps and at one point I was able to dance like him for the whole song. My little friends Dhanesh & Deepak also joined me in the practice sessions. They picked up some of the steps more quickly then me and I have to learn it from them. Anuska Akka's "Kathal Vanthale...(Singam)" and Ruppa Manchari's "Makayala Makayala..." steps became my favorite, as they are easy to replicate & its fun dancing like them. I also tried to learn Surya's steps, but they were too complicated, and Vijay's steps are almost un-replicable, as they were Prabu Deva's steps, which only he and Vijay can dance.

I and my friend became busy on the previous day of the event as I have deligated the task of selecting the costume for me. She suggested a shiny shirt, white pant, with lot of gold jewels, as she said that the gold jewels will gel with my complexion.

On the day when I entered the main building of our office, I could see many smiling softly within themselves on seeing my costume. It happens :-). Some of my friends and colleagues asked "Is this outfit for the dance floor...", for which I didnt give an answer, but just smiled.

It was announced that the DJ party will start at 4:00 PM onwards. At 3:30 PM, I went to the venue and found that all had been set and they have started playing the music. As I like listening to songs at a high volume, I enjoyed listening to those songs, but came back to my seat in 10 minutes. Then again I went at 4:00 PM, but no one was there. No performers, No Audience. The DJ host and his team were anxiously looking at every passer-by, but no one entered the dance floor. Due to some senti, I do not want to enter as the first person. So, I waited. Time crossed 4:10 PM, still no one entered. I started loosing my patience, and the music and the fancy lights were pulling me inside, but still I decided to wait until someone enters. The momement arrived.

Around 4:15 PM, a group of guys saw those lights, and one Guy in that group got so exited that he went it in and danced for a few seconds. Waiting for this moment, I also jumped in at the same time. I started with very little steps, just to warm up. But, Alas, the Guy and the group left immediately. I hesitated for while, but then, I decided to continue. There was no audience too. I looked at the HR, DJ and his team, they were also anxiously looking at me. Not to dis-appoint them, I finally decided to continue. With no audience and no one else on the dance floor, I went on starting with "Venaam Machaan Venaam intha ponnunga kathalu..." song. Very simple steps.

Then came my favourite Anuska Akka's "Kathal Vanthale". This time a small audiance had formed. I went on with my attempt to dance. That was a solo performance for a brief time. Then a small gang formed and the main-stream dance floor started. I too started enjoying the fun and pleasure of dancing, forgetting myself.

A short time later, a Gang of Girls, who were intially discussing and whispering from behind a pillar, seemed to have taken a final decision that rather than to see fellows like me dancing, that they themselves jump into action and then they jumped into the dance floor with such a force that we Guys were actually thrown out of the floor. But still we managed to enter again. Then, slowly many entered and it was more fun.

After that I do not remember much of what happened and I got fully into dancing. That was a divine experience. After sometime I realized that I was deep inside the crowd. Since an audience was there, and since I am shorter than average Indian Guys, I thought there is no point in just dancing like that in the crowd. Like very other job, if you want to be a good entertainer, you need to show visibility. Thinking so, I soon came out of the crowd, found a place outside and continued. But soon I forgot about that too, and focussed only on my steps and enjoyed to the core.

When I tried the famous Ruppa Manchari's steps for "Makayala Makayala...", I could hear one Guy shouting "Dei... practice pannittu aduraanga da..."(They are dancing after practicing...). On hearing this, I turned back and found a big crowd behind him. In the mean-time, I could find some capturing the moments in their mobile phone. Later when I saw those clips, it was so funny that I couldnt stop laughing... The fun went on and on and on, and when it reached its peak, the DJ evening came to an end. For me it appeared as if it has just started, and before I could dance properly, it has ended... I was sort of dis-appointed... But still I was happy that I enjoyed the event to the core as I had planned... Finally after the event got over, I went to the DJ and thanked him and his team. He thanked me in turn said "It was you who started it with a Pillaiyar Suli...". Actually, it was not me, I was the second, but I got the credits :-).

The next day was bit different for me. Whenever I went I felt as if everyone was noticing me. I was getting a strange attention, whereever I went, with many complimenting my performance(???) on the previous day. This type of constant attention was strange to me, and I was finding it tough to handle it. At that same time I was wondering how Girls were able to handle such attention for the most part of their life. The ultimate was when the HR told me "You were the performer yesterday... I really admired the way you performed...". That showed the extent to which I had jumped on the previous day... But all these faded away in the next couple of days, as it happens to any entertainer, but these memories are going to stay in my mind for a longer time...

 Edit on Dec 5, 2012:
1) The Gang of Girls were dancing in a way that resembled the Arabic hip-hop style with awesome symmetric steps, due to which I stopped for while, watched their performance ;-) & then continued.
2) I got to know later that my performance had got me a lot of fans :-)...
 
- Pavala.

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My Experiments with Dancing

Though even in school days I have witnessed many dance events in the Annual day functions, they didn't attract me much. But when I was studying UG in PSG Tech, Coimbatore,  there used to be a function called Calypso, an inter-college meet of all PSG Group of institutions. There I saw a groups of Girls from PSG CAS and GRG dancing on the stage. That was a well-rehearsed, practiced stage show.
Still that was interesting. On seeing that I used to feel that someday I too should dance like that. But I know very well that I may not get a chance to dance on the stage.

Driven by the desire to dance (or) to learn dancing, I used to try some little steps in my hostel room, seeing which at times my roommate used to laugh. But within a few days this landed me in a trouble. One day I was sleeping and it was around 11:30 in the night. My roommate woke me up...
"Pavala... Pavala... Wake-up... Wake-Up..."
"What da..."
"Our seniors asked me to bring you..."
"For what..."
"They got a  chance to participate in tomorrow's event... They got 10 minutes, and they can do whatever they want in that 10 minutes..."
"And why they want me to come..."
"They are going to dance and they want someone to teach them..."
"Ohhhh... And who told that I can dance???"
"Me..."
"Deiiiii... I cant dance da... I dont know how to dance..."
"Dont worry... Just teach them what you know..."
"I know nothing..."


It became clear that now there is no point in arguing with  him. As you know during college days seniors are demi-Gods. I woke up and we both went to their room in the B Block. Once I entered their room, I found a huge crowd, roughly of about 30 people waiting for me. A senior, who is known to terrorize his juniors was summoned to explain me what I am supposed to do. I told him that I cant dance... I dont know how to dance... At once he changed his tone and started threatening me... Some others started convincing me... And finally almost all of them started pleading to teach them whatever I know... I was giving different reasons that I could not dance, and this went on for about 40 minutes... After 40 minutes it became clear to me that I cant go back to my room, without dancing and without teaching them something...

They played the song. It was some English song, which I didnt know. With no other option, I  had to jump into action. I heard the song once, asked them to play it again... and started dancing... Keeping my legs in "Stand At Ease" position, I moved two steps to the left, then two steps to the right and again two steps to the left, two steps to the right, then turned sidewards and spread my arms horizontally... It seemed that they got impressed... And I had to do the same steps again and again for the next 30 minutes,  until they learnt it. Eight Guys stood in two rows of four each, and they kept practicing. In the mean time they found out another Guy from some other department and brought him there. Then we both worked together until 3:30 in the morning. My primary job being learning the steps from  him and repeating it again and again until our seniors picked it up... In the mean time I started enjoying this work... The practice sessions went on in the next day afternoon too...

Next day evening the function started, and I was anxiously waiting for my seniors to arrive on the stage. After a very long time, towards the end of the event, they appeared. The stupid announcer, announced in the mike that that was the last performance for the day. Half of the crowd dissolved on hearing that. They stood in two rows of four each... the music started playing... and they started moving two steps to the left, two steps to the right... exactly in the same way I did on the previous night... and when they turned and spread their arms... almost all of the audience dissolved and dis-appeared... Only a handful of people were left... Though the steps were funny, it still made me happy... may be, because of the joy of creation... I and the primary choreographer stayed back till they completed... clapped and then we too went to room back...

Then while doing PG in NIT, Trichy, there used to be a function called "Version" in our department. In that some were given chance to dance on the stage during dance events... We Guys used to take this chance and dance, in the front, right below the stage, exactly imitating the steps on the stage... And this imitation and dancing reaches its peak when gang of girls dance of the stage... Due to this type of training, now it is very easy for me to learn and imitate the girls steps...

Then I joined for work. My first company was TCS, training in Trivandrum Technopark. Just one week before the training was about to get over, my batchmates arranged for a party and a get together. There they had arranged something close to a DJ party... In a big hall, with fancy lights & loud music, people started dancing... I was entirely new to that type of situation and I kept on watching... After a long time, with lots of hesitation, I too entered, by which time almost all had stopped and only a few were dancing... I started dancing and in order to encourage me, my colleague Gurleen Chawla, just came in front of me and accompanied me in the dance... I was sort of embarrassed, and tried to stop and go out.. But she kept dancing according to my steps and I too continued and this went on for more than 15 minutes... Right at that moment, my another colleague, who was carrying a camera, caught that moment in a flash(pun intented :-)...)... Finally we both were the only ones dancing and all were watching... When we stopped there was a huge round of applause for us :-)...

Then at work, I never got a chance again and I almost forgot about dancing, until one day a DJ party was announced in my third company iGATE. That was sometime in May 2012. I went there 30 minutes after the party started and was just watching it... But after sometime after hearing the loud music and the fancy light, I couldnt resist and just jumped into the dance floor... It was there that I rediscovered my hobby again... I thought of going out in 10 minutes... But I stayed back... and tried to dance till the end of the party... But only a very few were dancing and there was no much audience... I enjoyed that day...

A sample clip for your view... :-)...

 
Then again another DJ party announced in office in Nov 2012... Finally that became one of the most memorable day of my life, which I will explain in a separate post... 

- Pavala.

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Thupakki

My Dearmost Vijay,

- I am entering the Audi 3 of PVR cinemas, skywalk, it is as if i am entering a shrine... after the starting credits, i was waiting to see you, but it started with a beautiful girl, making some remarks about you. from her charishma, I could immediately realize that she should be your sister... who else can be so beautiful??? (jollu... jollu... :-))... but within a couple of minutes when you appeared... she is not even comparable to you... you were so charming... I felt a big vibration inside me... I saw my God... I clapped, whistled and jumped in joy... while watching for the second time with my little friends and when I whistled, my little friend asked "I dont know how to whistle, teach me..." soon i will be teaching him and also will be teaching my very little friend too... and soon you will see three fans whistling and jumping when you appear on the screen...

- For the opening song, you were dancing wearing a baniyan, which intially made me confused that whether I am actually watching a movie, or a poombuhaar baniyan-jetty ad... but I could immeidately realize that you were wearing such an outfit, to show your well built arms... you are smart and charming however you are... at the same time, I felt very happy and glad that, like some stupids, you didnt develop six packs, otherwise I cant imagine how you would have appeared on the screen, but for sure, if the movie is remaked in hindi, with Salmaan and Asin chechi, I know how Salmaan will appear on the screen and how our Asin chechi will admire him... :-)...

- After the dance in one song when kajal prompts you to give a kiss, and when all were set and when you were about to zero-in... Alas... I admired how even at that time you remembered your duty and related that event to your duty and flew from there and jumped into action, dumping the poor Kajal there itself. Had I been in your situation, considering the gravity of the situation, I would have decided never to return to work in the near future & may be I would have put down my papers and given notice for seperation... but I cant expect that from a sincere & responsible person like you... hats off... may be I should learn this trait from you...

- Generally slow and very slow songs like the "Vennilave" gets added to my mokkai songs list... but you made it great with your beautiful dance steps... only you can dance for such songs too... and now this song also got added to be best list... and from now on, i will listen to slow songs too... Before your movie, I
watched Sundarapandian, where that fellow just walks and smiles at that mokkai herione even for good songs for which can dance very well... But, you are great... But I have concern about this in this aspect... Even when you are given a pretty heroine like Kajal, you are focussing your entire energy on dancing and not on romancing... And rarely you turn towards her... Kindly try to maintain a balance...

/* this is written by pavala at www.spgr.blogspot.in */
- Most became your fan after seeing your performance in Poove Unakkaga (or) Kathalukku Mariyathai... But I became your fan after seeing your performance(?!?!?) in Rasigan itself :-)... But, dont worry, I wont keep being your fan forever... soon I will upgrade myself and become your AC (air-conditioner)... :-)...

- As usual after the movie ended, I do not remember anyone else, except you and Kajal (for a different reason :-)...)... When you are screen, I see only you... and no one else... Not even Kajal... But, I see her when she is alone or with others... Hope you wont object... :-)...

- Now I hear your Thupakki movie songs many many times everyday, and have also started practicing the dance steps... In fact I started dancing and developed a passion for dance after seeing you only... But even after watching for more than 20 times and practicing more than 30 times, I still couldnt hold and twist the hands from left to right then from right to left in the way you do for the song "kutti puli kootam...". Seems its going to take more time than I expected...

/* this is written by pavala at www.spgr.blogspot.in */
- All through your movies, you were known for your dialogues, interleaved with punches, which at times brings out blood from our ears... Especially in the last scene when you were with the main Villain, there was a big silence and I got horrified to core that you are going to come up with a very big dialogue, with lots and lots of punches, which finally is going to change the mind of the villan, also driving out many from the theatres (who are never going to come back again for any of your movie), and finally the villan will change his mind, become a good boy & a patriot and join the Indian Army and serve the country. But there was a totally unexpected move from you... hats off again... As one of my friend said, Murugadoss would have discussed each scene with you and asked what you typically do in that scene... and based on that he would have kept the scene exactly in the opposite way... without your punches, though you missed some whistles, it was a good change, and it shows the level of maturity you have attained and everyone almost started admiring you... already many from the opposite camps are considering to enter our camp :-)...

Now coming to your dance steps...
What to say and what to leave... Excellent, though at some moments you were replicating Michael Jackson & Hrithick Roshan... But ultimately dance is about moving hands and legs and jumping and twisting and somewhere or other its going to be in sync with someone else... So nothing to worry... Surprised to see that Kajal is also equally able to dance with you... Which neither Anushka Akka or Hansika Akka could do...
Most of your steps were awesome, symetric...



Now coming to the take aways from this movie...

1. You came for a vacation, but instead of enjoying your vacation with friends & family, you still did your job and saved the country... great...but this is something that I definitely cannot do... it is going to be really tough for a person who never did any work even while at office, during office hours for the past one year... anyway I will try to learn this from you...
2. "Yuvathigal thedi avadikal kodi... Irunthum athu than sugamellam..." - I am not going to elaborate more on this :-)...
3. How smart and charming you are... If at 38  you are like this, then at 23 (what???? this is too too much da Pavala....) how I should be... I am taking this as a challenge. In 6 months, I will also look smart and charming like you...



Finally My Dear Vijay,
I never knew how I became your fan. Its like falling in love with someone. We never know why it happens... but the feeling is great... Whenever I enter the "karuvarai"(sanctum) of Lord Renga in SriRangam, as I see Renga, I first feel a shock in my body and then a whole calmness & happiness fills in my body... The cute little warming smile of Renga says that "I am with you always...". The same is the feeling I get when I see you on screen... which is what prompting me to see you again and again on the big screen... You always Rock... And I know you will keep rocking... Your fan & devotee... - Pavala...

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A budding Manager in the making

Last Saturday I was very busy in my laptop, when my little friend Dhanu came to and kept asking for this or that most of the time. At that time, the movie "Ninaithale Inikum" was put up in TV, though the TV was running & nobody was watching it, which is normally the scenario in our home. In order to keep Dhanu busy for sometime, I asked him to watch the movie and tell me when a girl with a black glass and a handbag appears on the screen. I am not sure whether such a lady will ever come in that movie, but I thought this will make my little friend to carefully follow the movie till I complete my work on laptop and distract him with some other task or game after that.

Dhanu went and started watching the movie, sitting in a chair. After 5 minutes, he went to our baby-care-taker, who takes care of his little brother Deepak and said:
"Aunty... come here for a minute..."
Once she came, he told "Aunty, keep watching this movie, and tell me when a girl with black glass and a handbag comes... I will be near Appa..."

Having delegated his work to her, he came to me and started with his pesterings again... Had I been like my little friend, I would have reached the peak of my career by now... I saw a budding Manager in the making... :-)...

Actress Savithri

Since January 2012 I am on a long paid rest ;-). With no other work to do, most of the day I spent on browsing and learning new things. Recently I happened to read about the lives and gossips about some of the old tamil movie stars in a blog, during which I came across the life of Vintage actress Savithri. Though I was not a fan of her, I was forced to see some of her movies that were in put in DD.

Savithri - in a Black & White movie

Savithri - in a colour movie

[Savithri]

During my childhood, during casual talks, Amma used to tell me about Savithri and I was surprised to know that she was the wife of Actor Gemini Ganesan. For long I thought that she was his only wife. When I grew up, I got to know she was not his first wife and indeed he had many wives.

Savithiri & Gemini Ganesan

[Gemini Ganesan & Savithri]

The stories that Amma told us in the morning, mostly when she was in her kitchen work in the mornings were some of the moments, I cherish. It had no boundries on subjects, which I think was the starting point of my life to search and know more and more in life and world & at one point of time I understood that this search is never going to end...

As part of her stories, one day she explained about the last days of Savithri, probably which she would have read from magazines. I was very sad for Savithri on that day. Today while searching for Savithri, I came across a very rare photo of Savithri, taken when she was ill. It exactly matched the description given by Amma. Today also I became sad for sometime and I believe Savithri's soul rests in peace.

Savithri in her illness - Her Son Sathish, Gemini and Doctor(probably) behind

[Savithri]

A detailed account of Actress Savithri is available in the following link:
http://rinkster.wordpress.com/2010/05/03/was-gemini-completely-responsible-for-savitri%E2%80%99s-death/