Nizhalkal magazine

I was getting really bored during mid 2007 with the software engineering life at
Accenture Chennai. Woke up early at 10AM to see my clothes arent pressed. Though had an Iron box didnt want to exploit someone's job!! So took my set of clothes to the near-by laundry man to get it pressed.

Told him I need it in 15 mins and I need to goto office.He starred at me. He asked me did you get an appointment order just now to report to office ... I smiled and said him 'Yes'.

Probably the man didnt like my carelessness or my 'no-planning' sense.. Probably he didnt realise that if I was so planned, I would do it myself!!
I liked the man, he was the only man in my surroundings who works for everyone's shirt, but
doesnt wear one.. with bones protruding on his shoulders, white-thorn beard..

Went for a shower, with the doors opened for the laundryman to keep my clothes in(My home doors were always opened, as we got nothing other than shoes and clothes to feed the robber).. Came outta bathroom and saw my clothes wrapped up in a news paper.. Untied the thread around it, and when I was about to get my shirt there was an advt that caught my eye.. " A workshop on short-film making" .. and there was details about the 5 day programme at Trichy.

The workshop was organised by Nizhazhkal Association headed by Thirunavukkarasu. Had just a mobile number and name. The paper wasnt too big to show me the date of the publication. Called the number and figured out the programme was about to happen in a month's time. I wanted to meet the man Thirunavukkarasu who si organizing this workshop. Even when I did hav the chance of doing an online transfer I decided to meet him in person and give him the workshop fee.

Called him, set up an appointment , he was living at an interior part of KK Nagar, was a Govt Housing board. Couldnt really get the place. He asked me to stay in a temple, and he came all the way to pick me up!!
Man, he should be definitely 45 or so. He took us to his apartment, and that was actually a tiny room that he has rented to run his magazine Nizhazhkal.This magazine concentrates only on film news, not the gossip ones!! Purely productive film news!! Giving a tough review for all the movies produced in Tamil, appropriately encouraging the right ones!! Had an hour discussion, was happy to meet a man who is completely passionate towards movies at his age! Cos, I have seen all fathers at his age are interested only in computers!!

Here are my findings about this man,
#1 he runs a magazine- I doubt it is really profitable.
#2 He is conducting film workshops through out the state, in different cities every quarter- These are yet to prove any results
#3 He knows lotof stuff about movies, bt he isnt really aspiring to be any film maker, just wants to be a mentor some or the other way
#4 His family support is all unknown to me..

Inspite of all this, I saw this man really energetic and HAPPY about what he is doing!!
This kept on puzzling me, I kept on talking to him to understand where he wants to go..
He confirmed that he would be happy if he promotes quality cinema through any of his activities. Seeing question marks all over my face, he told me
"namma thevaigal romba kuraivu.. perusa porul thevai ellam kidayathu.. enakku intha vishayam pudichirukku, itha seyyren.." and took his Jolna bag, and was all set to catch the city bus to his home at Porur.
Travelling in a city bus at Chennai, I swear- you should be a sanyasi!! You should be selfless, You should forget the world around you, the odour in people around you after a dog-tired day at Chennai weather, you would need approvals to move your legs(from the ones who is stamping your leg)!!

At the end of the day, me and my best pal Manikandan, was happy meeting this man!!

Note: Nizhazhkal is conducting another workshop on filmmaking, where the veteran BaluMahendra is preceding it, in First week of May 2009.