NEWS AS IT IS...WELL, ALMOST!!

• Rahul Gandhi's RSS, SIMI Equation
• Railways on a Recruitment Frenzy
• LED Displays on Vodka Bottles
• India's Last Gasp Victory at Mohali
• A 'Golden' Twist to the CWG Tale

In some unusually blatant remarks, Rahul Gandhi has described RSS as ‘Fanatical’ and no different from the banned terror outfit SIMI (Student Islamic movement of India). The fundamental reason behind his comparison is the fact that both groups held ‘Fundamentalist’ views. “I only know that both RSS and SIMI hold fundamentalist views”, he said. On being pointed out that RSS, unlike SIMI, is not a prohibited group, he reiterated that he only knew they were fundamentalist. “As I said, I only know that they are both fundamentalist. That supports my theory. All this crap about RSS not being a prohibited group doesn’t help me, so I don’t know about it”, he stated nonchalantly.

Indian Railways have started a recruitment frenzy and plan to fill 2 lakh vacancies in 6 months. Mamta Banerjee, the Raliways Minister, unveiled the conceptual brilliance behind this recruitment drive. “Anyone found staring lovingly at an Electric/diesel Engine or the respective coaches will be recruited with immediate effect”, she announced. Following the announcement there has been mad mobs of dewy eyed youths at most railway stations across India. In a totally surprising but related development, Indian off spinner Harbhajan Singh’s name was found on the first recruitment list. Apparently he had given a playful hug to Indian ‘Coach’ Gary Kirsten which was taken right into cue by the Recruitment board.

Two New York based Liquor Lovers have come up with vodka bottles that carry a programmable LED display that scrolls a personalized message of your choice in bright lights around the bottle. Medea vodka is the first one to start the quirky and innovative message-on-a-bottle trend. Like a news ticker, words scroll by, delivering birthday greetings, sweet nothings - even a marriage proposal. “We were always seeing dazzling displays on our Vodka bottles after drinking from it, so we thought ‘hey! Why not!’ and that’s how this happened”, they say proudly. To a question on whether any sort of message display is possible they say that though the desired display is possible, the best effect is felt when you drink from it and then look at the display. “That way you can see any message you want. Heck, you can even see a movie!” they say, causing instant panic in the Indian Film Industry.

V.V.S. Laxman played a soldierly knock to guide India to a thrilling 1 wicket win over Australia in the first of the two test series in Mohali. Battling back pain, a determined bowling attack, an ambitious opposition captain and an Indian captain confused about the concept of By-runners he steadied a sinking Indian Batting order to reassure their dominance in World Test Cricket. Speaking about his knock, Laxman said that he was happy to be of help in a winning cause. “I am very happy to have contributed to the win. Hopefully I repeat the feat if I get picked for the next test”, he said. On being reminded that he was no longer playing for his place in the side and was now a permanent member of the test side, Laxman sounded surprised. “Is that so? Gosh! Nobody said anything about this. That’s why I have kept on playing like my place was up for grabs. Well Well. That does put things in a different light doesn’t it?” he winked sending out strong signals to the Indian dressing room.

Meanwhile, in a surprising twist to the CWG 2010, Actor Vijay has claimed that the main reason behind India’s brilliant performance and Mad Rush for Gold in the CWG has been his JOS ALUKKAS Advertisement.

ENTHIRAN REVIEW

The Objective View:

Right from the moment the title starts rolling you get the sense of something grand in store. When the movie does run its full course you realize that grand is too less a word for the spectacle.

Enthiran takes Indian Cinema to heady levels in terms of visual effects, CG and animatronics. Stan Winston studios which did VFX and animatronics for Jurassic park, Avatar etc. have been roped in for Enthiran and their expertise indeed makes the difference. The way Shankar has used the VFX giant is also commendable. Right from the simulation of Rajni’s mannerisms into a robot to the breathtaking ‘Arima Arima’ song, the realness that animatronics brings to the movie is palpable. Shankar shows that he is a master when it comes to choosing the best and making sure they get roped in.

Coming to the script (I talked about the VFX and Anmatronics first because they get top priority without a shadow of a doubt), Shankar has managed to adapt Sujatha’s ‘En Iniya Iyanthira’ beautifully to the silver screen. Though the film was touted to be a ‘ten year Shankar dream’, the director himself will be the first to admit that he was inspired by the late writer’s brilliant mini-series which was published some two decades back. Shankar has astutely reworked the script in such a manner that it suits Rajni and at the same time doesn’t bog down Shankar’s vision of ‘Enthiran’. The script can be summarized in one line- What happens when a Humanoid Robot develops human emotions?

Treading this one-lined script is indeed a tight rope walk but Shankar has managed to pull it off quite stupendously. The first and foremost fact about the scripting that hits you on the face is it’s striving for logical plausibility. Shankar has made sure that the story is logically almost infallible. He has used the leeway that is generally given to sci-fi movies to a bare minimum level. Even the most farfetched of sequences in the movie have a loose thread of logic woven around them. Stunt sequences are a treat to watch (Peter Hein’s best ever work till date) and here again, Shankar has been shrewd enough to make full use of the fact that ‘Super star as a ROBOT has unrestricted license to perform death defying stunts’. Sabu Cyril’s designs and themes are mind boggling and add grandeur to the already present splendor. Dialogues play a minimum but effective role and Sujatha’s touch is clearly evident in many of them. Sample this:

Fellow Scientist: Kadavul Irukkara Illaya?

Chitti the ROBOT: Kadavul na enna?

Fellow Scientist: Kadavul dhaan enga ella manidhargalayum padaithavar.

Chitti the ROBOT: Enna padaithavar Vaseegaran (the Scientist Rajni). Amaam, Kadavul Irukaar…

If A.R.Rahman's album managed to give feelers to the movie, on-screen viewing justifies the aptness of the musical score to the movie. Kilimanjaro stands out for its brilliant music and scenic visuals and Arima Arima is simply too overwhelming to express in words. Other songs work to the expected levels.

There is not much to talk about in terms of characterization. This is not because it is inappropriate or inadequate but more so because the script demands very few characters. Aishwarya Rai Bacchan looks stunning and her lip sync is brilliant (other so called Kollywood heroines can do with a lesson or two from her). She is the usual Shankar movie heroine – glamorous but not substantial. Santhanam and Karunas are mere add-ons and evoke a few laughs in some scenes with Chitti. Danny Denzongpa doesn’t do much and dies a premature villain death.

Coming to the focal point of the movie- Superstar Rajnikanth- Well, what can you say! He literally carries the entire movie on his shoulders. Be it the underplay of Vaseegaran, the expressionless brilliance of Chitti or the unmatchable arrogance and gait of CHITTI (the bad one), Rajnikanth proves that he is an actor par excellence. The change in mannerisms when Chitti gets transformed to CHITTI is brought out in such a seamless way and showcases the bundle of talent that is mostly dormant inside our Superstar. Chitti is adorable, enjoyable and brings the roof down with his interactions with the general public. CHITTI is menacing, haughty and brilliantly evil. He simply steals the limelight from literally everyone, including Shankar, in the brief 40 minutes he appears on screen. Many people might talk mostly about CHITTI and to an extent about Chitti. But amidst those two portrayals, the brilliant underplay and helplessness of Dr. Vaseegaran goes unnoticed. The very fact that it goes unnoticed is a tribute to the ease with which Rajni has got into the skin of that character. Superstar lifts the movie, carries it forward single handedly and sets the screen on fire with his panache and persona. It was indeed a fortunate turn of events that Shankar roped in Rajni for his ambitious dream after contemplating with Kamal and ShahRukh Khan (Goodness knows where that might have lead!). With Enthiran, Rajnikanth reiterates the fact that he is the most bankable star in India and a force to reckon with internationally.

Go watch Enthiran, only in theaters, not because I am an aggressive activist against piracy, but because it will be utter futility to watch the pirated version, even if you have a home theatre. Some things in life are made to be experienced in a certain way and a certain way only. Enthiran is one of them…Go for it. Again, again and again!!

The Fanatic View:

THALAIVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

ENTHIRAN - THE MATH THAT MATTERS

Why can’t Enthiran bomb at the BO?

Though the above question can be answered in just one word (RajniKanth), for the sake of so called doubters let’s do a little primary school math. Now, the number of prints releasing world over, as we all know, is somewhere near 3000. For the conservative critics, let’s keep that figure as 2500. Foreign theatres will have lesser capacity but their per ticket cost is almost triple the amount being charged by Indian theatres. Indian theatres have a much higher seating capacity while the ticket rates are some generous notches lower than their foreign counterparts. So, let us keep the average seating capacity as 500 and average cost per ticket as 150/- so that both Indian and foreign theatres get balanced out of their prominent points. Next comes the number of shows per day. Again, for the sake of conservatives I am limiting this figure to 4 (Most theatres in Chennai have lined up a minimum of 5 shows per day, with some of them offering shows at as early as 3 am in the morning).

So, all the muddle headed nincompoops can take out their calculators to do the math. 2500prints x 500 seats x 4 shows x Rs. 150/- which equals??? Yes, 75 Crores per day from theatre collections alone. Number of days required to break-even? 3 days!

So, GET READY FOLKS…

Footnote: I have not even ventured into the money from advertisements, the glitzy music release, trailer release, trailer screening with tickets and collections from Hindi and Telugu versions. Anyone out there who still doubts the success (read, stupendous success) of Enthiran??

THE 'REAL' BOSS

SCENARIO: You are on an official trip and check out of your hotel at 6:00 pm in order to avoid getting billed for an extra day. Your train leaves at 10:00 pm only. So how would you while away the time when you are in the ‘temple city’, Madurai, renowned for its numerous religious shrines, rich cultural history and of course the illustrious Meenakshi Temple…?

ANSWER: Of course!! You look around for the nearest theatre, get a balcony ticket without bothering about the movie being shown and proceed with bag and baggage to occupy a comfortable back row street, amidst suspicious stares from fellow cine goers (especially when you push one of your bags under the seat!).

So, like all sane people I did the same thing two days back. But I was pleasantly surprised with the fare that I subjected myself to. It was a movie called ‘Boss engira Bhaskaran’. Right from the outset I got this feeling of intimacy with the movie. Never for a moment did it take itself seriously. There was nothing noteworthy about the screenplay, nothing unique about the story (if it had one, as promised by the title slides) and not an ounce of effort seems to have gone into characterization. But these flaws notwithstanding, the movie provided full paisa vasool. The Reason? One man- Santhanam.

It is a fact that for some time now Santhanam has been choosing his movies carefully, making sure that he perfectly fits with the screenplay and the hero. But with Boss… he has transcended even the hero’s role. He hasn’t done anything different from his usual one-liners, intended puns and amazingly timed wisecracks. Still, it comes as a whiff of fresh air. Not a single comic punch of his passes on without evoking a healthy dose of laughter. Especially the repeated utterance of the famous ‘Annamalai’ dialogue- ‘Nanbenda’ has you in splits. The byplay between Santhanam and Rajendran (Remember the terrifying villain of ‘Naan Kadavul’?) is one of the highlights of the otherwise bland and stretched out movie. Though Arya’s Devil-may-care attitude and the breezy sequences involving his pursuit of Nayanthara (is she suffering from marasmus or is that intentional slimming? Because by god, she looks careworn and malnourished) evoke toothy smiles and, at times, gentle laughter, they are nowhere near Santhanam’s instantaneous jibes and hilarious innuendos. Frankly, the only reason I felt rather cheery after coming out of the theatre was because of him.

With his work in Boss… it is only fair to say that Santhanam has slightly grazed the armrest of the ‘timing’ throne, of which the undisputed occupant has always been King ‘Gounder’- the man who gave his all to ‘START MISIC!’

CRICKET ROUND UP

Disclaimer: This is being posted for fun, though there might be coincidental truths involved.

On this post:

· LORD’S MATCH FIXING

· DHONI AND SIYARAMS

· RUDRS UNVEILED

· ROSS TAYLOR’S VIEW ON HIS TEAM AND HIS CRITICS

· ZAHEER KHAN ON HIS FITNESS AND PLANS FOR THE COMING SEASON

The uproar over spot fixing allegations in the lord’s test has left the main suspect, Mohammed Asif, bewildered. On being questioned about a tape containing a phone conversation in which he was found to have repeatedly said “I will fix it once I get there” Asif revealed that he was talking to his wife about their defunct toilet flush.

“Moreover I know my limitations. I can do petty things like performance enhancing drugs and steroids, but fixing? Man, I will never venture into such dangerous areas of cricket without consulting experienced players like Malik Bhai, Rahman Bhai, Akmal Bhai and Ijaz Bhai”, he said earnestly. On further questioned as to which Ijaz Bhai he meant, Ijaz Ahmed or Ijaz Butt, he refused to give a straight answer.

Meanwhile Dhoni has come out with the reason for his ambassadorship to Siyarams. “You see, when I started captaining many people started criticizing my selection to the helm. They kept saying things like, ‘It doesn’t suit him’. So, by promoting Siyarams Suits and Shirts I have managed to make my detractors eat humble pie”, he stated, once again exuding his affability to English idioms and practice of interpreting words with fixed meanings, irrespective of context, much like his captaincy.

In news from back home, BCCI has decided to support a modified version of the UDRS. They would like to call it the RUDRS. Unveiling the modification officially, the BCCI secretary N. Srinivasan spoke to press people regarding it.

“The RUDRS or Rauf Umpire Decision Referral System is a new initiative by us keeping in mind the growing amount of genuine human mistakes being done by umpires’ world over. We picked Mr. Asad Rauf as he is the benchmark for all other umpires coming under scrutiny in this system. With the advent of this, we intend to encourage umpires to take Mr. Rauf’s lead and start making bold, brazen decisions all over the world against all countries- not only against India as is happening now- so that RURDS will soon gain momentum to replace UDRS”, he finished amidst energetic applause.

On being chosen for the honour, Umpire Asad Rauf was happy and felt indebted to India and its players. “I will continue to support RUDRS and thank the sportive Indian players for standing by my decisions, enabling me to achieve this rare fete. I assure that I will continue my work diligently and bring further laurels to RUDRS”, he finished, causing MS Dhoni to contemplate retirement from all forms of the game, except commercials.

In news from the New Zealand camp, Captain Ross Taylor has said he was happy with the performance of his young inexperienced side in the recent tri series. “We came into the tournament without any expectations because we had lost more than half the team to Vettori’s injury. It has been a learning experience for these young guys to play in place of Vettori”, he said. However on a personal front, he added that he was unhappy with the criticism his batting was getting. “They keep saying I am not able to stitch together partnerships. That is a very rude way to make fun of my name”, he noted in a dejected manner. He further revealed plans of changing his name from Ross Taylor to Ross Scissors, in order to escape such unwarranted criticism.

Meanwhile Zaheer Khan is raring to go after recovering from his shoulder injury. He discussed the hectic season ahead in a chat with our correspondent.

“I have recovered fully from my shoulder injury and am all set to for my next one- Knee injury. I hope to continue my Shoulder performance with my knee also. It’s going to be challenging but as a senior pacer, I know my responsibilities and will surely fulfill fans’ expectations. I know the busy schedule ahead, what with Calf muscle, hip and tennis elbow coming up. I hope to be fully fit for all that and more to follow after the 2011 World cup thigh surgery”, he said, all the while banging his knee against the side table.

ENTHIRAN...PUTHIYA MANTHIRAN

Eros International had a temporary fling with it. Sony Entertainment travelled the first mile only to realize that their fuel can never provide the mileage required for this vehicle. Then entered SUN Pictures, armed with a string of bad movies which nevertheless raked money, they decided to go for the JACKPOT, doling out all their winnings towards the biggest movie in the history of Indian Cinema- ENTHIRAN- The Robot.

The past week saw the release of the much awaited music album of this Cinematic Landmark. What new magic has Rahman created with this album? Is it one step ahead of SIVAJI- the Runaway Blockbuster of 2007?

Chitti Dance Showcase: (Pradeep Vijay, Pravin Mani, Yogi B): South Indian ‘Mrithanga Jathi’ meets Western Rapping in this masterful fusion. The start by Yogi B sets you up for some intense rapping which is offered by Pravin Mani, but only as a camouflage for the brilliantly rendered ‘Jathi’ by Pradeep Vijay. A R Rahman even manages to bring in the classical western feel in between with a beautiful violin bit which is immediately followed by another bout of High Energy ‘Jathi’s backed up by some vigorous beats. All in all, the perfect composition to showcase some ‘Chitti Dance’!

Boom Boom Robot Da: (Swetha Mohan, Yogi B, Kirthi Sagathia, Tanvi): When Yogi B starts ‘Boom’ing with his voice your mind is already decided about what to expect from this one. Some high octane, racy Tamil rapping. You do get it, but only for a minute and a half. What follows is some absolutely exquisite singing by Swetha Mohan, proving that what her mother (Sujatha) can do, she can do better, that too effortlessly. She simply casts a spell onto our minds with her endearing voice and flawless rendition. Though the song might be branded as ‘Techno’ it clearly has a light, breezy feel to it when Swetha is singing. She even makes the high strung electric guitar and uproarious keyboard arrangements take a back seat. Clearly, her song all the way.

Kilimanjaro: (Chinmayi, Javed Ali): One and half minutes into the song, you would have heard one male voice and 4 female voices. That one male voice belongs to Javed Ali who is zealous and dedicated. Unfortunately for him, his co-singer (or shall we call ‘co-voices’?) simply pips him to the pole position with her incredible voice contours and casual rendition. To say that Chinmayi is in her elements in this song would be an understatement. She is somewhere beyond that, bringing unimaginable modulations with each and every line of the Song. The music is not far behind, be it the robust African beats that Rahman has become so fond of lately or the energetic chorus complementing the lead pair. The number might feel weird on first listen, but slowly grows on you and gradually gets you addicted to it.

Kaadhal Anukkul: (Vijay Prakash, Shreya Ghoshal): A Feel good Guitar strumming starts off this peppy duet. Though the start has a ‘Lukka Chuppi’ feel to it, the song takes a totally different course after it, courtesy an ebullient Vijay Prakash and a serene Shreya Ghoshal. The number is such an enjoyable listen and makes its pitch for the song of the album on the first listen itself. It only gets better on repeated listening and is a sure shot candidate for the so called tag of ‘Chartbuster’.

Irumbilae Or Idhayam: (A R Rahman, Kash ‘n’ Krissy): ‘Shankar Grandeur’ is plainly written all over this Techno blast with Rahman himself at the helm. After belting out the riveting ‘Adhiradikkaran’ in Sivaji, he once again chooses the perfect song and an even more perfect companion to sing it with. Kash ‘n’ Krissy sounds sassy and saucy with her playful rendition, especially when she sings, or rather says “Will you come and get it boy? Or are you just a Robot Toy?” Naughty! And Rahman with his usual Nasal twang adds flavor to some brilliantly inspired lyrics by Karki (Vairamuthu’s son)… ‘Ecchil illa Endhan Muttham Sarchai inri kolvaaya? Rattham illa Kaadhal enru otthi poga solvaaya?’ superb! Right from the start this number brings you the musical essence of the movie…techno…techno…more techno!!

Arima Arima: (Hari Haran, Sadhana Sargam): Finally we get to hear some orchestration from the legend, and how!! The beats complement the intermittent violin and Hari Haran simply captivates you with his intensity which escalates as the song moves forward and crescendos at the end with him thundering the word ‘Enthran!’ Naresh Iyer and Benny Dayal bring out the seamless nature of their voices once again, rendering the charged up chorus portion, which proves that when it’s for Superstar, nothing is beneath you (Benny Dayal did the additional vocals in SIVAJI’s ‘Balleilakka’ as well). Hari Haran’s intensity and Rahman’s brilliant orchestration makes this the best song of the album…well, Almost!

And Finally… PUTHIYA MANIDHA (SP BALASUBRAMANIAN, A R Rahman, Khatija Rahman): We are back to that combination…one legend composes, another legend sings and yet another legend sets the screen on fire. SP Balasubramaniam…Well, well what can I say! Is that a throat or, as I should be saying from now, ‘Enthiram’? SPB does it once again; this time transcending not only expectations but also pitches in singing. Breathless singing has become so mundane for this maestro that he needed a new challenge. Changing the pitch of your voice from extremely high to extremely low is never an easy task. At the same time, it’s not impossible as well. But what makes it so amazing in this case is the ease with which SPB does it. I don’t know about others, but I got the following feelings after listening to SPB’s rendition: Goosebumps, Parched throat, trembling fingers and of course, a serenading wave of ecstasy. Rahman, though following the tradition of giving SPB the intro song, throws in his own genius, which can be felt especially in places where SPB’s voice merges with the keyboard arrangements and gives it a kind of robotic feel. Last but not the least, Khatija Rahman has the genes, and is here to stay.

A NOTE FOR THE CRI(B)TICS: There has been cribbing from critics and fans alike about extensive techno and western influence in the album and Rahman’s completely inconsiderate composition for the Intro Song . Well, in a movie budgeted at 150+ crores where Superstar plays the role of a Robot, will someone in their sane mind expect a ‘Veshti’ clad Rajnikanth shaking a leg with some village belles and eating ‘kozha puttu’ out of plantain leaves? When you need an intro song for a ‘Robot’ how should it be?? Well, that is answered by ‘Puthiya Manitha’!

As for the western influence in the music, I would just ask the complainants to imagine seeing the movie ‘I-Robot’ with ‘Thaenisai Thenral’ in the background. Got it? If you still ‘take no’ for an answer, well, ‘Techno’ is the answer!!

BOTTOM LINE: The album acts as the perfect teaser for the Film, giving you all the hints but still managing to make the answer elusive till that magical date…September 3! On the compositional front, it’s one of Rahman’s most unique albums, simply for the fact that he has dared to defy the fare expected by fans, sorry- RAJNI Fans-, and delivered the fare requisite for the movie.

Come September, 'ENTHIRAN' will have you on the run!

THE SMILING ASSASSIN

The eyes might no longer roll menacingly at the opponent. The lips might not burst into sudden smiles at the oddest of moments. But the enigma of Muralitharan will remain unmatched in the history of cricket.

Starting his career as a 20 year old kid off the blocks in 1992, Murali grew from strength to strength in his first 3 years of international cricket. By the end of 1995 he had 80 test wickets from 22 tests which, ironically, made him the highest wicket taker for Sri Lanka. That has been a baton which he has refused to let go of till date! But the thorns amidst the roses were just about to show up. The MCG Boxing Day test in 1995 was a turning point in Murali’s career for more than one reason. He was ‘No-Balled’ seven times inside 3 overs by the Australian Umpire Darrell Hair for ‘Chucking’ which bought a new twist to his career. But more than the controversy, it was the support shown by his Captain Ranatunga that gave young Murali the impetus to continue against all odds. After repeated ‘No- Balling’ and associated snowballing by the Australian media, he decided never to play a series again in the country, a decision which he was forced to alter only once for the historic ‘Warne-Muralitharan’ Trophy in 2007.

It was in the year 1996 that this diminutive spinner announced his arrival onto the big stage. He was a strong presence in the world cup winning Sri Lankan outfit led by the Belligerent Ranatunga. With a decisive spell in the final (figures of 1/31 belied the guile he showed in that spell), he was instrumental in leading Sri Lanka to the cup of joy. Post world cup, things were never the same for any batsman playing against Sri Lanka. Every one of them was told to be aware of this freakish off spinner who can turn the ball on any surface ranging from concrete to glass. English batsmen learned their lesson the hard way in a test match at the Oval in 1998 when Muralitharan went on to pick up 16 wickets in the test, 9 of them coming in the second innings. The lone batsman not falling into Murali’s trap was actually run out, thus saving his team the ignominy of losing all their wickets to a single bowler (Though Pakistan managed to bring that shame onto themselves a year later when they found a certain Mr. Kumble too hot to handle). Thus rose the legend of Murali. That Oval test was a precursor to the imminent terror awaiting batsmen around the world. That test kick started a fantasy ride in Murali’s career. He went on to bamboozle the best of batsmen with his unorthodox, yet unbelievably effective version of spin bowling. Records were broken like chinaware teetering on the edge of shelves. A five wicket haul in an innings- something which was thought of as a milestone in a bowler’s kitty- became a pedestrian bypass for this magician while ten wicket match hauls were frequented once every fifth match; all this happened while he gave nothing away in terms of runs. One Day Internationals were no different. While the overs were limited and the conditions were loaded against bowlers, he had only one goal- to pick up wickets. And pick up he did…515 of them in a career spanning 17 years and 4 world cups.

Now, just at the brink of his ‘would have been’ fifth world cup, he has decided rest those flexed fingers of his for good. Batsmen all over the world would be breathing sighs of relief, some would even be letting out whoops of joy, but each and every one of them will feel disappointed that they would no longer be facing the biggest challenge of their batting careers.

In so many years of cricket there has not been a single spinner other than Murali to have terrorized batsmen with his tweaking. Terrorizing has always been a term limited to fast bowlers. Spinners were classy. They confused batsmen. They bamboozled tail enders. But none ever created the kind of terror that Murali did with those big, round eyes and that killer smile, not to forget that dreaded side-stepped run up or the prodigious turn he produced. When those fingers and wrists of his released the ball many of us could actually picturise the image with a whizzing sound in our ears. Such was the sorcery he managed to perform with the cherry.

So, as he decides to give a break to all the batsmen, the cricketing world is all set to let go of an era. An era which will leave an indelible mark on the annals of cricket’s rich history.

The Smiling Assassin has decided to unload his gun. In 4 more days he will cock it for the last time.