Mynotebook1

Another filmmaker who has carved a place of his own in Tamil cinema with his films, his camera is writer-director Balumahendra. After a brilliant career at the Poona Film Institute he began as a cinematographer and took to making films in more than one language like Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and also Hindi.

His films like Marupadiyum, Moondram Pirai,Veedu and Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthaal are artistic celluloid poems, patiently created and crafted with no compromise to the box-office. His films invariably win awards and are aesthetically rewarding to watch. A different kind of filmmaker who has succeeded in making films within the system. His films like Veedu, Moondram Pirai were both award winners and box office hits as well. Even his entry into small screen with "Kathai Neram" is great.

"Vaadai Katru" producer A.Sivathasan is a good friend of Balu Mahendra. I remember when he received records and posters of Balu's first film "Nellu", which is directed by Ramu Kariat.

How's this...?

On 12th May 2001 - "Udhayan 2001" - North Albion C.I, Etobicoke, Ontario.

"Karoddam" drama - written and directed by me.

Same day - "Radio Toronto Nite" - Montreal, Quebec. "Kaladdakkarargal" - written and directed by me

(Something great indeed... two dramas written and directed by me....staged at the same time in two different cities on the same day )

History Repeats Itself?

Here are some interesting and amazing similarities

between Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy:

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.

John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.

Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.

John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.

The names Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.

Both wives lost their children while living in the White House.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.

Both Presidents were shot in the head.

Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy.

Kennedy's secretary was named Lincoln.

Lincon had a secretary named Kennedy who told him not to go to the

theater

Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln who told him not to go to Dallas

Both were assassinated by Southerners.

Both were succeeded by Southerners.

Both successors were named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.

Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln, was born in 1839.

Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their three names.

Both names are comprised of fifteen letters.

Lincoln was shot at the theater named 'Ford.'

Kennedy was shot in a car called a 'Ford (Lincoln.)'

Booth ran from the theater and was caught in a warehouse.

Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater.

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

And here's the kicker,

A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland.

A week before Kennedy was shot, he was in Marilyn Monroe.

How's that..?

During the heat of the space race in the 1960s, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration decided it needed a ball point pen to write in the zero gravity confines of its space capsules. After considerable research and development, the Astronaut Pen was developed at a cost of about US $1 million. The pen worked and also enjoyed some modest success as a novelty item back here on earth. The Soviet Union, faced with the same problem, used a pencil

(One of my favourite stories )

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed most you would leave me."

The LORD replied, "My son, My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." - ~Mary Stevenson~