Posts

Showing posts from August, 2025
Image
MOVIE TIME WITH CM – MARXIST LITERARY THEORY The Coolie movie has been the centre of attention this month since its release on August 14th. Its very title suggests the story of a protagonist who dedicates his life to fellow labourers. The film appears to celebrate and honour their struggles. Yet, outside the world of cinema, the real labourers of our society, particularly sanitary workers, were neglected at the moment they needed solidarity the most. In early August 2025, sanitary workers of the Greater Chennai Corporation, especially from zones 5 and 6 (Royapuram and Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar), launched a protest at the iconic Ribbon Building. Over 2,000 workers gathered to demand justice, after their zones were handed over to private contractors. This move slashed their salaries by nearly half and created fear of job losses. If the Coolie movie symbolised respect for workers, one would expect the state’s leaders to meet the real “coolies” of the city that is the sanitary labourers. Instead...
Image
COOLIE – READER RESPONSE THEORY Last night, I watched " Coolie " with my senior Anna. The expectations for this film were sky-high, even though it had been clearly stated beforehand that it was a standalone project and not part of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe. In the weeks leading up to its release, fan-made theories filled social media, speculating on how Rajinikanth’s role might connect to Lokesh’s larger world-building. This built a massive sense of anticipation. However, even before stepping into the theatre, I was already influenced by negative reviews from my brother and online discussions. Unfortunately, my own viewing experience aligned with those opinions. The film didn’t feel like a true Lokesh Kanagaraj product. The screenplay dragged in several places, and despite Rajini’s commanding presence, the movie failed to deliver the thrill and intensity I had hoped for. This entire journey, from the excitement before the screening, to the letdown afterward, and the influ...
Image
Utilitarianism – Relatable I grew up believing that a good deed brings good fortune, a lesson from my school textbooks. But this week challenged that belief. It was a week full of surprises: my roommate Anna was appointed as a professor, I bought a T-shirt that received compliments, I relished chicken biryani with chicken pepper fry after a long time, and most memorably, I donated blood for the first time. Donating blood had been on my bucket list since my UG days, and I finally got the chance on Tuesday (05.08.2025) during a Red Ribbon Club camp at college. I wasn’t afraid, even when the nurses used a large needle, something my friends teased looked like an animal injection! They drew 350 ml, and I felt genuinely happy to have helped someone. But that happiness didn’t last. When I told my roommate Annas, they criticized me, saying donation camps often sell blood instead of offering it freely to those in need, and that I should have gone directly to a hospital. I was stunned. I had d...
Image
Daily Dose of Motivation When you have an elder brother who achieves something significant, it naturally inspires the younger ones. His success doesn’t just bring joy but it gives hope and confidence that we, too, can achieve great things. I’ve experienced this feeling many times in my life, and today was one of those moments. Thiru Johny Tom Varghese IAS, is well-known among MCCians. For those who don’t know, he once served as the Collector of Nagapattinam district in Tamil Nadu. He secured the 8th rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2013 at the age of 27, and later became the Director of Children Welfare and Special Services. During the third hour today, my professor Dr. Samuel Rufus asked us to attend a speech by Mr. Johny Tom Varghese. At first, I was confused that why was he visiting our college? What was the topic of his talk? My friend Amy then read it out: “How I Was Shaped as a Leader in Madras Christian College.” Being someone who enjoys listening to leaders ...
Image
Periods – Not Taboo Is it really wrong?  Is it a sin? Every adult is aware of menstruation, yet many still misunderstand what it actually is. What myths surround the menstrual cycle? And why is it seen as something that weakens women? In our country, the onset of puberty in girls is often celebrated with great enthusiasm. On the surface, it appears to be a joyful event, but in reality, it marks the beginning of a lifetime of restrictions. I’ve seen young girls who once played freely with their friends suddenly disappear from public spaces after reaching puberty. That freedom is quietly taken away. Even today, menstruating women are barred from entering temples. But the discrimination doesn’t end there. In many homes, women on their period are still not allowed to touch certain things or sleep in a bed; they are made to sleep on the floor, isolated. As a child, I remember my mother whispering to my father to buy sanitary napkins. She said it so softly it was barely audible, yet he u...
Image
Sitaare Zameen Par – Memories What is normal? Look at my butt. It definitely makes people embarrassed who have yet to watch this movie. I have watched many feel-good movies these days, and none of them impressed me except Meiyazhagan, but now Sitaare Zameen Par is added to my favourites list. Sitaare Zameen Par is a feel-good movie about the never-changing man who changed his point of view towards life because of the 25- to 30-year-old kids. Yes, I'm talking about kids with autism and Down syndrome.  After watching this movie, I highly recommend this to my friends; some already enjoyed it and some are ready to, but some are not ready to watch this movie because they can't bear the visual sorrow of seeing the lives of autism and Down syndrome kids. Even I used to be like this. People feel pity for them. But my POV is that we are abnormal, but they are normal. They are intelligent; they understand humans and animals better than us, and moreover, they are not yet captured by the e...