Kannammaa Writes

  I was 18 when the movie Citizen released in 2001. Ever since, I am obsessed with Nagma's character in the movie: CBI Senior Officer Sarojini Harichandran who leads the investigation involving a vigilante named Citizen, played by Ajith Kumar. Everyone tried to diminish Nagma's acting as the lead CBI Officer. They were saying that her voice is too guttural. Her widened eyes and snarly way of speaking didn't sit well with many. People were complaining that she over-acted in this role. They preferred her roles in Kadhalan, Love Birds, Pistha, Mettukudi - typical. The way Sarojini leads her team to get to the bottom of the case involving Citizen and a lost hamlet called Atthipatti is nothing short of inspiring. Seeing a woman with intelligence and able to put two and two together feel refreshing in a world fixated with women's body parts. Sarojini's passion and vigor to uncover the mystery surrounding a lost village prove that women aren't only intelligent - but al...

  One line review: The acting is MASS but the characterization is PISS. 1. "A woman must behave like a woman." Nah. Patience, anger, self-control, haste - these are all HUMAN, not WOMANLY or MANLY. It's maddening to see that, even 25 years later, Padayappa's advice to Neelambari on how she should behave is widely accepted as "normal." Humans (men and women) display a spectrum of emotions and actions - good and bad. What all of us must do is try to be better today than we were yesterday. 2. Rejecting a woman because she's not "woman enough." Grouping Neelambari's flaws as "manly" speaks volumes about how society lets men behave badly while restricting women. Padayappa could've rejected Neelambari because of incompatibility issues. But no, he had to take a dig at her "lack of womanliness." Neelambari too - could've chosen better. A man who mansplains how women should be isn't a catch, or manly for that matter. ...

  🎬 Minnale – A Love Story or a Red Flag Compilation? Once hailed as a benchmark for Tamil romance, Minnale (2001) swept many of us off our feet — especially as teens. I was one of them. But watching (or listening to) it now as an adult with lived experience and clearer eyes? We have to reexamine. Here's Minnale from an adult woman's lens. Who's the adult woman? Vera yaaru? Naan than. (Who else? It's me.) 💖 Teen Me: “Aww, I want a Rajesh!” As a teen, I thought Rajesh’s (Madhavan) wooing style was sweet and endearing . He felt more emotional, more invested than other hero archetypes of the early 2000s. The thunderstorm scene, the longing, the music — it all clicked. 🧠 Adult Me: “Wait, this is manipulation.” Revisited it while working one day and... I cringed . Hard. Underneath the catchy songs and feel-good moments is a story riddled with 🚩 red flags . 🌩️ “My Kind of Girl” – Based on Looks and Lightning “He sees her playing with kids in the rain and deci...

Meet the Johnny Bravo of Indian cinema. In the movie Doctor, SK's mother says, "If she's beautiful, she'd have no brains at all." Although unsavory, based on Real Madhavan's definition of integrity referencing Rajesh's character in Minnale begs the validity of this statement. Madhavan recently said that his character not kissing Reema Sen's character in Minnale is a display of integrity - apparently, he didn't take advantage of her. This definition of "integrity" is incorrect and harmful, especially given how Rajesh behaves in the rest of the movie. Let's see how. 1. Rajesh stalks Reena (Reema Sen). Is this integrity? Definitely not. But stalking is so normalized in Indian movies, it's seen as romantic. What's romantic and full of integrity is a consensual kiss, not this type of creepy behavior. 2. Rajesh does take advantage of Reena - her situation. If Rajesh was a man of integrity, he wouldn't have taken advantage of the...

 I once told a friend that I wouldn't judge anyone who has casual sex. But I'd judge him hard if he didn't dispose his used condoms properly. That unusual wisecracking encapsulates my overall opinion on Kadhalikka Neramillai's plot. But I need to do justice to all the other aspects Kadhalikka Neramillai explored, amid the weeps of culture vulture, claiming that Indian culture is degenerating to western, morally corrupt wokeism. So... here goes! 1. The portrayal that gay people (Sethuraman, essayed by Vinay Rai) aren't always looking for sex is trailblazing - they are capable of friendship, and other platonic relationships. Finally, the "Avana nee" (So, you're gay?) scene has been vanquished - by a woman director. Kiruthiga vindicated the long overdue stigma on gays portrayed in Tamil movies. She's also realistic about it. Gowda (Yogi Babu) represents the struggle Indians face in accepting change. Methuva tha varuvan. (He will come around slowly.)  ...