Virodhi

"Virodhi" is an engaging film on the Naxal issue seen through the eyes of an honest journalist, earlier, a bystander to its core issues (just like all of us). Neelakantha directs a terrific screenplay with vivid performances by Ajay, Kamal Kamaraju, Srikanth and others. Well told without pontifications. SriSri song of "Akali Rajyam" repeat in the end - "Edi Needi, Edi Naadi, Edi Neeti, Edi Neti.." sums it up.

Which country will default next?

Blackrock - leader in ETFs - released a new sovereign risk index score that ranks 44 countries on potential default risk. At the bottom: Greece, Portugal, Venezuela, Egypt, Italy, Hungary...Spain (Vishawanathan Anand's favorite) @no.36. US @no.15. China@14. India@32. No.1 is Norway. Wondering why China is closer to US in default - the former's savings are the latter's debt. Scientific - not standard and poor.

New Newspaper

Hyderabad which got a new English daily "Indian Horizons" (quite below-par) will see a grander launch of another English Daily from a media house with some great talent - the team that built up DC and Hindu. Its launch is set for around July 15th. Watch this space for more.

180.

Saw Sidharth's "180" (released in Tamil and Telugu). Movie is a visual farce despite Nitya Menen, Priya Anand, San Francisco and all that. Sharath created new sounds of music and shows promise but Dir Jayendra dilutes emotions and plot with a tragedy that will not cut ice with today's generation. Sidharth is getting stuck as a non-alcoholic Devdas/Tragic Hero. Wake up Sid, times have changed.

David Ogilvy

David Ogilvy fans are celebrating his 100th birthday this week. Everything I know about Writing I learnt reading his books - "Autobiography", "Ogilvy on Advertising", "Confessions of an Advertising Man" and "The Unpublished Ogilvy". His autobiography and unpublished memos are the finest pieces of writing you can lay your hands on. Ogilvy will live on for thousands of years as long as English remains.

Vaadu Veedu

"Vaadu-Veedu" is mesmerising and entertaining film directed by Bala with a story set in village. He gets outstanding output from Aarya and Vishal - in the same way he did with Surya and Vikram in "Pithamagan". Concise Story-telling in its purest form and flawless characterisation (you will not forget even one character of 5 seconds)- Bala grips you every frame with metric tonnes of mass appeal dialogues

Badrinath

Badrinath" movie is one more of the silly season movies which tries to over-awe us with implausible plot, dizzy sets and Samurai stunts. Allu Arjun -the invincible warrior, protects Badrinath temple and serenades Tamanna (practically, top-less). In Devi 70mm, fans were debating whether they should mount a 150 kg flower gardland on their hero's cut-out after night show. That said it all. Ram Charan can relax.