Hara Hara Mahadevaki Movie Review

CAST: Gautham Karthik, Nikki Galrani, Rajendran, Karunakaran, Sathish, Balasaravanan, Ravi Maria, RK Suresh, Namo Narayana

DIRECTION: Santhosh P Jayakumar

GENRE: Comedy

DURATION: 2 hours 10 minutes

CRITIC'S RATING: 2.0/5


AVG READERS' RATING: 2.1/5

STORY: The bags belonging to a young man about to break up with his lover, two bumbling criminals planning a bomb blast, a man circulating counterfeit currency, and a couple paying ransom to save their daughter get mixed up leading to so much confusion.

REVIEW: Hara Hara Mahadevaki does stand true to its claim of being an adult comedy film, in the sense that the comedy here involves a few double entendres and sight gags. But take those away, and the film feels no different from the mindless comedies that we have been seeing of late. It even has what appears to be the foremost requisite of a Tamil comedy film these days — Rajendran singing in his sandpapery voice! 

The premise — involving a dozen characters, and a half-a-dozen bags that look the same — does have the potential for a madcap comedy. Hari (Gautham Karthik) and Ramya (Nikki Galrani) are a couple breaking up decides to return the things they had gifted each other; a politician (Ravi Maria) plots a bomb blast to earn sympathy and hires two bumbling criminals (Rajendran and Karunakaran); a fraudster (Bala Saravanan) tries to earn some quick big bucks by circulating fake currency; a child goes missing in a resort and a cop (RK Suresh) tries to catch the kidnapper who has walked away with the ransom money. Everyone ends up in the resort and all hell breaks loose when their bags, which all look the same, get mixed up. 

The best stretch in Hara Hara Mahadevaki, which is partly amusing and often frustrating (because it fails to exploit the situations to generate maximum laughs), is towards the end when confusion reigns supreme. It is in these scenes that the film shows us a glimpse of what it could have been — a riotous comedy — in the right hands. 

Unfortunately, for the most part, director Santhosh is content to peddle silly stuff that one might be embarrassed to call as jokes. He seems to have decided that having a narration in the voice of the WhatsApp Swamiji is enough convince his target audience that they are watching a raunchfest. Even still, the film cannot think beyond generating laughs out of the tumescent male member; it even repeats this same idea thrice! The actors gamely try their best, but the weak writing never lets the film get into a rhythm where the jokes flow seamlessly. Thus, for every funny moment, we get three or four flat scenes. 

Also, for an adult comedy, the jokes are quite juvenile — the sort that might make a teen giggle, but make no impact on an adult — and hardly envelope pushing. Added to this, the best (and ribald) jokes are already in the film's trailer, so if you have seen the trailer, you can consider yourself as having seen the film. 

Karuppan Movie Review

CAST: Vijay Sethupathi, Bobby Simhaa, Tanya, Pasupathy, Singampuli, Kaveri, Sharath Lohitashwa, Renuka

DIRECTION: R Panneer Selvam

GENRE: Action

DURATION: 2 hours 18 minutes

CRITIC'S RATING: 2.5/5

AVG READERS' RATING: 2.9/5

KARUPPAN STORY: A man wins the hand of a girl after winning in jallikattu, but her relative, who had hopes of marrying her, tries to cause a permanent rift between the couple.

KARUPPAN REVIEW: With Sethupathi and Rekka, Vijay Sethupathi showed that he can do mass hero films as well, and Karuppan has the actor playing a masala movie hero once again (he even gets a feet-first hero introduction scene and a well-shot bull-taming scene), but this time, in a rural set-up. And with his insouciant charm, he lights up this rural entertainer, which is an old-fashioned masala film this is formulaic but somewhat fun.

The actor plays the titular character, a happy-go-lucky villager who is a do-gooder at heart, even though he ruffles feathers with his ruffian-ish behaviour. Maayi (Pasupathy, solid as ever), a respected figure in the neighbouring village accepts a challenge to marry off his sister Anbu (Tanya, holding her ground against Vijay Sethupathi) to Karuppan, if he tames his bull. Karuppan does, but this doesn't go down well with Kathir (Bobby Simhaa, good), the brother of Maayi's wife, who had been hoping to marry the girl. So, he starts to plot against the couple, hoping to create a rift between them for ever...

Where Karuppan scores is how it caters to its target audience — the family crowd. There are the moments between Karuppan and Anbu that are sure to strike a chord among couples; then we have the brother-sister angle between Anbu and Maayi; there is also mother sentiment — Karuppan's mother (Renuka) is mentally challenged and he dotes on her. In fact, Panneer Selvam uses this to make the Karuppan-Anbu relationship stronger, as Anbu's attitude towards his mother plays a huge role in Karuppan loving his wife more. This ensures that when Kathir starts stirring the pot with his evil plans, we fear for these characters.

But the film hews too close to formula. Every beat in the script feels not just familiar but also predictable. Like when we get introduced to the character of Pandi (Sharath Lohitashwa), we immediately know that Kathir will try to use him to create a rift between Karuppan and Maayi. Also, apart from Karuppan, the other characters are more like placeholders. Even Kathir (who is introduced with a snake in hand to show his true character) is two-dimensional. This is why the film lacks punch despite having all the elements needed for a masala movie.

But the director keeps the momentum going forward and ensures that the scenes aren't boring. Even though Imman's songs are a let-down, the action scenes are shot well to make us ignore the lack of forceful drama on screen.

Search continues for traffic solutions

AT the start of the “ber” months this year, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) advised motorists to plan their trips in the coming weeks and months leading to Christmas in December, so as to avoid adding to the traffic on Epifanio de los Santos Ave. (EDSA). Traffic is usually heavy at this time of the year because of sales held by giant malls, 16 which are along EDSA, the MMDA said.

Early this week, hundreds of commuters were stranded in Quezon City and Manila when jeepney drivers belonging to the Stop & Go Transport Coalition staged a strike to demonstrate their opposition to the government’s jeepney modernization plan. This plan seeks to replace the old slow-moving and highly polluting jeepneys with newer ones, but many jeepney operators said they cannot afford to pay for the new vehicles, even with the easy loan terms offered by the government.

On the same day, Sen. Grace Poe, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, said she may call for another hearing on the frequent breakdowns of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), citing a report of the Department of Transportation that from January, 2016, to July, 2017, there were 3,824 train removals, 833 unloading incidents, 98 service interruptions, and six derailments.

These separate news reports are all tied together in what has come to be known as Metro Manila’s greatest problem – its traffic gridlock at all hours of the day and night. A study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has estimated that three billion pesos a day are lost because of the traffic gridlock.

The problem is one shared by many officials and agencies of the government, but the biggest part of the load lies on the shoulders of new MMDA Chairman Danny Lim who, in a recent interview, said, “It is really very hard to find a solution to the traffic problem when your cars are multiplying but the roads aren’t.” Vehicle sales hit a record 420,000 units last year and 65 percent of the vehicles found their way into Metro Manila.

The long-range solution is to build more roads, bridges, elevated and bypass highways, and subways, and the Duterte administration plans to do this with its nationwide “Build, Build, Build” program. Chairman Lim also called for expansion of development to a Mega Manila “from Calamba to Angeles and everything in between.”

But this will be years in the future. In the meantime, Chairman Lim said, the MMDA is studying more immediate proposals, such as limiting the number of vehicles on the roads by retiring the older ones, expanding the number coding scheme, and relocating bus terminals. He invited people to suggest possible plans that can be studied and, after due study, implemented.

There are also other immediate solutions outside the realm of the MMDA, notably the improvement of the operations of the MRT so that it can accommodate more of the hundreds of thousands of people who need to go to work or to school every morning and then go home in the afternoon.

We wish Chairman Lim all the best in this most difficult task which has frustrated so many officials before him. We appreciate his readiness to consider proposals from ordinary people as well as their opposition to some specially prejudicial ones. We and everyone else will know when the solutions start working and we hope it will be soon.

Only female mosquitoes bite humans

IN an episode of “Matanglawin,” our Sunday morning show on ABS-CBN, “Insectlandia” followed the adventures of a butterfly named Mikee Bahaghari.

It’s “Matanglawin” TV’s way of introducing and sharing tidbits about insects around us. The story is really set in Insectlandia in Clark, Pampanga with Girl trend Mikee in the role of the butterfly. Mikee’s adventure starts with butterflies where their life cycle and their diet of nectar is explained.

Then there are bumblebees. Did you know that adult bumblebees feed on nectar of flowers? The young ones feed on pollen. Both store their food in their body’s hair.

The praying mantis is a predator in the insect world. It traps their prey with their spiked front legs and eat them alive.

There is also the stick insect that’s a herbivore with camouflage abilities.

What about the sense of sight in the insect world? Did you know that a dragonfly has 30,000 eyes while flies have 2,000?

There are also insects that have poor eyesight. They use their antennae or fillers to see like crickets, earwigs, and brown ants.

And then there are beetles. Ladybugs have astounding defensive skills. A ladybug’s black and red spots are unattractive to other insects so they don’t come near ladybugs.

However, if an insect approaches a ladybug, the latter excretes yellow juice that smells putrid.

The mosquito. Did you know that only female mosquitoes bite humans because they need blood to produce eggs? Male mosquitoes suck water and juice from plants.

TRIVIA PA MORE (Various Sources): Quezon City is the second biggest city in the Philippines.

The Bonifacio Monument in Monumento, Caloocan City was designed by a noted Filipino sculptor Guillermo Tolentino

In 1916, an offensive style of passing the ball in a high trajectory to be struck by another player (the set and spike) was introduced. Filipinos developed the “bomba” or kill, and called the hitter a “bomberino.”

Send your questions on anything and everything to Kuya Kim through my Twitter account @kuyakim_ atienza using #AlaminKayKuyaKim.

Ating tuklasin ang mga bagaybagay na di niyo pa alam. Walang ’di susuungin, lahat aalamin. Ito po si Kuya Kim, Matanglawin, only here in TEMPO.

Try Me a River

IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, YOU HAVE A SLIGHT fear of the unknown. It doesn’t stop me from living life, but I do get butterflies whenever I’m about to make a change or do something new. So, needless to say, I had a hint of nerves when I planned to embark on a first for me: a river cruise.

I was that girl. Hailing from South Florida, I’d only ever been on ocean cruises mostly throughout the Caribbean. With Miami’s cruise port practically in my backyard, taking a trip with 3,000 of my closest friends is a fun, easy, and affordable escape from the everyday. But when I heard that 84 percent of river cruisers are previous ocean cruisers, I figured it was worth a try. And when I read about Avalon Waterways’ 10-day Canals, Vineyards and Paris European sailing, I was lured by the promise of small towns, castles, vineyards, and idyllic pastures.

After flights were booked and dates confirmed, I anxiously checked my tiny apartment mailbox every day for my cruise documents. But instead, a knock came at the door and when I opened it, a bigger-than-a-birthday-cake–sized box stood before me. The box was imprinted with the word “HAPPY” all over it and after opening it, I knew why. Surrounded by confetti-style filler was a portfolio — great for keeping passports and travel documents throughout the trip — with a personalized, bound ( bound!) booklet including a detailed, day-by- day itinerary; flight, hotel, and transfer information; optional tour details; a swanky luggage tag; ship tips; and everything else that immediately put my worries at ease.

At that very moment, I felt like I had already started traveling. My body was still in Florida, but my heart was already cruising through the canals of Amsterdam and the Rhine River.

Sailing Silver Muse

On board the brand-new Silver Muse, my tuxedo-clad butler was concerned about a rubbed-out spot on my black suede boots. Jithin, from Mumbai, had already offered to unpack my bags, encouraged me to choose a designer soap, and brought the alternative-down pillows I had selected from the pillow menu. Every time I thanked him he responded, “a pleasure.” “No worries, Jithin,” I said as he turned his focus to the task at hand. “Those boots are super old. And by the way, am I pronouncing your name correctly?” “I don’t care what you call me. Just call me when you need something,” he responded with a warm smile. This is the type of pampering that sets an ultra-luxury cruise apart, and it was evident, even on a 4-day, pre-christening sampler cruise aboard Silversea Cruises’ new flagship straight out of the shipyard.

Subtle Design

Silversea set out to do things different with this 596- guest ship, the line’s largest and first newbuild in eight years. While some competitors are going all Carrara marble, crystal chandeliers, and gold-plated glitz, Silver Muse is designed, in the words of the line’s officials, to “whisper luxury.”

With its subtle décor, the ship delivers an intangible sense of familiarity — you aren’t in a palace, but rather free to relax in what feels like someone’s very nice and spacious contemporary home.

The entire color scheme is calm (lots of taupe, cream, and seafoam green), the halls are wide, the woodwork light, and some spaces are downright vast — emphasizing that having room to spread out is itself a luxury.

Where there is drama in the décor is in the travel- inspired art collection. The 600 works are all by contemporary Italian artists. There are colorful splashes of paint ( à la Jackson Pollock), pop art portraits of notables such as Frida Kahlo, tapestries of Italian landmarks, and sculptures made of plastic hairdryers. Some may find it weird; I thought it wonderful.

“This ship is pretty much made what would be my taste,” said Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, Silversea chairman and head of the Italian family that owns the line. “It’s a warm ship. You feel part of the family.”

As if to drive home that point, d’Ovidio’s teenage daughter, Costanza, served as the ship’s godmother — though officials were quick to point out that it’s not youngsters but affluent, age 55-plus baby boomers who are the target market.

Perfect Pool Deck

Silver Muse’s most impressive space is its pool deck, one of the prettiest at sea. Choose to relax in sun or shade; on a cushy lounger, sunbed, or sectional sofa; and all around a long shimmering blue pool with swimming and wading areas, whirlpools, and glass showers. It’s an oasis that inspires an “ahhh” moment, as pretty as you’d find on, say, Italy’s treasured Amalfi Coast. Further to that, a deck above the pool is Spaccanapoli, named for the famous street in Naples and serving up delicious Neapolitan- style pies with toppings such as 26- month-aged ParmigianoReggiano, buffalo mozzarella, and San Marzano tomatoes.

The Dining Difference

Those familiar with Silversea will appreciate that the breakfast and lunch buffets at La Terrazza are still as lavish as always (and with the addition of a juice bar). But there’s also a big change: Silver Muse was designed without a main dining room. Guests instead choose among eight distinct restaurants with dress codes to match ( some resort casual, others dress up). The idea is to make dinner reservations as you would in any resort town.

The choices are impressive include funky small plates served in a supper club with live jazz, homemade pasta, and other Italian favorites, steak, or seafood you cook yourself on hot rocks outdoors. For something completely different, two new venues are Atlantide, a formal steakhouse and seafood restaurant (don’t miss pre- dinner drinks in the sexy bar) and Indochine, which serves dishes influenced by Marco Polo’s spice route.

Drinks and gratuities are included in your cruise fare as are wines from around the world, with the option to splurge on premium selections. The Japanese teppanyaki restaurant, Kaiseki, and the fine French tasting menu restaurant, La Dame by Relais & Châteaux, both come with a charge of $60 per person.

Those who are still hungry later in the evening can enjoy options such as a late- night cheese trolley in Tor’s Observation Library, named for Viking Cruises chairman, Torstein Hagen, a close friend of d’Ovidio. You can also take a break from the dance floor to dine, with room service now deliverable anywhere you like.

Suite Living

On an ultra-luxury ship, it’s only natural that everyone stays in a spacious suite with a veranda and enjoys such niceties as Etro robes, fine Pratesi linens, and Bvlgari bath products. State- of-the-art TVs hidden in wall mirrors take some getting used to, but your butler delivering room service on a silver tray, raising your coffee table to dining height, and presenting your spread on a white tablecloth does not.

Upgrade to a Silver, Royal, Grand, or Owner’s suite and you’ll get additional space and amenities — the largest suites are apartment-sized and have the option of adding a second bedroom. The one- of-a-kind Balsorano Owner’s Suite is dedicated to d’Ovidio and is stocked with his favorite personal items including family photos, vintage port, and a Chesterfield chair from his home. Have a seat, you’re part of the family.

Gathering Spots

The Arts Café is a new concept that combines art, books, coffee, smoothies, and snacks. Here, you’ll find a barista making illy coffee, a bespoke book collection organized by London’s Heywood Hill, treats such as mushroom pâté creatively served in little glass jars, couches you can curl up on, and plush wicker seating outdoors. I couldn’t stop going back.

The Zàgara Beauty Spa debuts a new concept developed for Silversea by Steiner. The idea is to create your own sensory spa experience by selecting your preferred scents, lighting, music, and, with select treatments, video. The spa’s Thermal Suite includes an outdoor whirlpool (and involves an extra fee).

The Panorama Lounge attracts a lively late-night crowd dancing to a DJ or live band. Handcrafted cocktails such as a Mandarin Cosmo or Basil Gimlet are reasons to visit the main Dolce Vita lounge.

The Venetian Lounge theater has tiered rows of chairs and banquettes, the perfect venue to showcase the singing talents of six performers who belted their way through a show focused on blues and soul and another on swing music. And while the activity roster is kept slim, fans of Silversea’s popular trivia contests will be happy to know there is nothing subtle about the onboard competitive spirit.

Diabetes: Indonesia's Hidden Killer

AWorld Health Organisation (WHO) report released in 2016 found 7 percent of Indonesians suffer from diabetes, or just over 18 million people. The organisation also tracked related conditions, finding that 22.8 percent of Indonesians are considered ‘physically inactive’ while 24.4 percent of Indonesians are overweight and a further 5.7 percent are obese.

The staggering figures have prompted a string of public health campaigns from both government agencies, NGOs and private health providers.

In its May 2016 report, international consultancy firm McKinsey noted the importance of tackling diabetes management head- on as Indonesia rapidly develops towards becoming a global top ten economy.

“Looking ahead to the next 10 to 15 years, one of Indonesia’s biggest challenges will be addressing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). In 1990, NCDs represented 43 percent of the country’s disease burden, compared with 49 percent for communicable diseases such as tuberculosis. Today, NCDs’ share has grown to 69 percent, and the numbers are rising,” the report said.

The report points to a shift in lifestyle among the burgeoning middle class as to blame for the increase in noncommunicable diseases, including diabetes.

“As elsewhere in the developing and developed world, a modern lifestyle corresponds to a higher calorie intake and sedentary behaviour: fewer people walk to work or school, and more people are spending increasing hours in front of televisions or computer screens,” it said.

The United Kingdom’s government health portal warns of the impact diabetes can have on a sufferers' overall health. “Diabetes affects our blood vessels and nerves and therefore can affect any part of the body. However, certain parts of our body are affected more than other parts. Diabetic complications will usually take a number of years of poorly controlled diabetes to develop,” the UK government says.

But steps can be taken to ensure sufferers can manage their disease and continue to live life to the fullest.

“Complications are not a certainty and can be kept at bay and prevented by maintaining a strong level of control on your diabetes, your blood pressure and cholesterol,” the agency recommends.