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Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘We will work to unite parties to defeat DMK'
Chennai: Tamil Manila Congress (TMC) president G K Vasan on Tuesday said that his party will work to unite all political parties opposing DMK in Tamil Nadu. At a public meeting in Chennai to mark the 123rd birth anniversary of former chief minister K Kamaraj, Vasan said defeating DMK in the 2026 assembly election is the need of the hour. "TMC will work to unite all parties that are against DMK to defeat the DMK govt in the 2026 election,'' he said. The TMC president said the law and order situation has deteriorated in the state. "The only solution is to send DMK out of power," Vasan said. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai Referring to the 'Makkalai Kaappom, Tamizhagathai Meetpom' campaign of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, Vasan said the campaign was turning out to be a success. "The campaign will add further strength to our alliance," he said. Vasan alleged that several Union govt schemes have not reached Tamil Nadu due to the DMK govt that is blindly opposing the BJP govt at the centre. "Tamil Nadu has not grown because of this," he said, adding that the next TN govt formed by their alliance will work in cooperation with the Union govt. "If we want 100% growth for Tamil Nadu, we need to have a smooth relationship with the Union govt," Vasan said.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Maayakoothu Movie Review: A film that almost finds its mark
Maayakoothu Movie Synopsis A writer's fictional characters materialize in his real world, demanding justice for their tragic fates and forcing him to confront the consequences of his storytelling. Maayakoothu Movie Review: Written By: Abhinav Subramanian Writers playing God is hardly a novel concept, but what happens when the creations show up at the creator's doorstep demanding answers? Maayakoothu takes this meta premise and runs with it, though not always in the right film introduces us to Vasan ( Nagarajan Kannan ), a popular writer whose serialized column puts together multiple storylines: a maid Selvi (Aishwarya Ragupathi) accused of stealing a ₹2000 rupee note (does anyone remember those notes anymore?!), a gangster Dhanapal (Sai Dheena) on the verge of his 50th kill, and Raji (Mirdhula), a farmer's daughter dreaming of medical school. When Vasan declares himself the God of his fictional universe, his characters literally burst into his living room. Selvi demands to know where her missing money went, her boss nearby, still continuing their domestic argument. Soon Vasan finds himself trapped in a nightmarish loop where his creations seek revenge for the miseries he's written into their do get a taste for what this film tried to achieve. Vasan's dry wit peppers his interactions–he's a writer, after all–but the jokes land somewhere between "almost funny" and "trying too hard." You'll get the occasional chuckle, sure, but with tighter comic timing, these moments could've been the film's secret weapon. The film hits its stride in the second half when Vasan becomes a pinball in his own nightmare machine. First, Selvi's family force-feeds him poisoned milk. He escapes that mess only to wake up in a hospital where Raji–the same woman whose dreams he crushed in print–is his nurse. Talk about cosmic irony. From there, he stumbles straight into Dhanapal's crosshairs, who's still looking for kill number fifty. Poor guy can't catch a break, but that's exactly the point: his only escape route is rewriting these characters' stories with actual happy endings. It's a clever premise that delivers just enough dark comedy to keep you for all its clever conceits, Maayakoothu feels constrained by its own ambitions. Director Raghavendra keeps things moving at a brisk pace, but the visual language rarely matches the inventiveness of the premise. Characters appear and disappear with the logic of a fever dream, which works thematically but often leaves dramatic moments feeling unearned. There's some philosophizing about whether creatives have a duty to be ethical, whether creation carries responsibility. Really? It's hard to imagine Heart of Darkness or Lord of the Flies having to be revised after going through a moral committee–imagine Heart of Mild Disappointment or Lord of the Butterflies Kannan brings a believable writerly arrogance to Vasan, particularly in early scenes where he dismisses criticism with godlike pomposity. The supporting cast, particularly Aishwarya Ragupathi, inject life into what could have been mere concept is one of those films where you find yourself rooting for the concept more than the movie itself–which is both its charm and its problem.
News18
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Maayakoothu Movie Review: A Brilliant Case For Relentless Optimism Amid Ruin
Last Updated: When an egoistic writer creates tragic stories that are borderline sadistic, the characters begin to haunt him and demand he do right by them. Vasan (Nagarajan Kannan), an egotistical writer with a god complex, makes a living by writing stories for a small magazine. He avoids mainstream magazines, citing the lack of freedom. Even his magazine's editor (Delhi Ganesan) calls magazine stories a dying art. But Vasan is adamant and relentless. His resolve is also seen in his writing and his choice of creating tragic stories where the oppressed and people on the fringes of society get tortured. Parallel to Vasan's narrative, we get three other narratives, and it takes a while to understand that the three stories are by Vasan. One is about a gangster, Dhanapal (Sai Dheena), on the precipice of finishing his 50th murder assignment. The second one has Selvi (Aishwarya Raghupathi), a domestic worker struggling to make money for her son's school fees, and the third is another tragic tale of an aspiring doctor, the daughter of a poor farmer, who doesn't have the means to attempt the NEET exam. All three stories teem with archetypal tropes of poverty and oppression that cater to a particular gaze of society. Vasan has an air of superiority while weaving their stories of torture, but his characters start tormenting him, demanding he write more responsibly. He claims his characters are after his life, and thus begins a maze of a story where the lines of reality blur. AR Ragavendra does a splendid job in the way he unravels the different arcs, and he is effective in making you root for his characters instantly. Within minutes, we see ourselves wanting Selvi out of her fix. There is a sustained anxiety watching these painful stories unfold, which, in turn, makes us detest Vasan. However, beyond his ego, Vasan also justifies his stories of cynicism, where the poor and oppressed have no hope of recovery. 'Only one in a million succeed, and we create an illusion of hope based on that," he argues to his mentor. Yet, as the story unravels and reaches its crescendo, it reveals the need for relentless optimism in the face of hopelessness. A particular scene involving an auto driver is an example of the brilliant depth of Maayakoothu. The driver, another creation of Vasan, puts forth an incredible point about how the common narrative of society can be changed by individuals. The film argues for a fair representation of people, even if it is absent in reality. While Vasan wants to reflect the painful reality in his stories, AR Ragavendra and the film's writer, M. Srinivasan, argue for conscious creators and creations that would inspire hope. It is rather a radical perspective, and it is up to the viewers to agree or protest against its message. However, Maayakoothu succeeds in how it makes its argument. The film is a largely entertaining drama with suspense that is maintained till the end. The elements of fantasy—of characters coming to life—are handled with mature dexterity. It could all be happening in Vasan's head, or they could be real. Either way, the film makes for an engrossing watch. Added to its merit are the performances of almost all the actors. Nagarajan Kannan is infuriating as Vasan, and that's a major win. Most often, it is a risk to have a hateable protagonist, but the constant self-aware humour relieves such tension, and you begin to see Vasan as a tortured soul rather than a sadistic writer. Maayakoothu is another example of how indie filmmakers and small-budget films reach greater heights of storytelling and immense depth in philosophical thought than our mainstream cinema. Maayakoothu releases in theatres on July 11. First Published:
The Hindu
28-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Palaniswami is NDA's chief ministerial candidate for 2026 T.N. Assembly polls: G.K. Vasan
Former Union Minister and Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) president G.K. Vasan said on Saturday (June 28, 2025) that AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami is the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Tamil Nadu as well as its chief ministerial candidate for the 2026 Assembly elections. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a party function in Salem, Mr. Vasan said there were no issues within the NDA and that it remained a 'strong and victorious alliance.' He alleged that the ruling DMK was trying to create confusion within the NDA. Mr. Vasan added that Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during his visit to Chennai, had clarified the alliance's position, and BJP State president Nainar Nagenthran had also clarified who the NDA leader in Tamil Nadu is, and who the chief ministerial candidate would be. Responding to a question about Mr. Shah not naming Mr. Palaniswami as the chief ministerial candidate in a recent interview, Mr. Vasan said the Union Minister had announced the alliance with the AIADMK by having Mr. Palaniswami seated next to him. Regarding political parties' demand for a coalition government in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Vasan said that there is discussion about the idea among parties in both the ruling and Opposition alliances, and that there is nothing wrong with it. Responding to a question on whether actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) would be a part of the NDA, Mr. Vasan said that the aim was to unseat the 'anti-people' DMK government. 'So, people who are against the DMK should unite in a single alliance,' he said. Denying allegations that the BJP is weakening regional parties, the TMC president said the party is currently ruling many States across the country, while the Congress is steadily losing its strength. Blaming another party for internal issues is merely an attempt to hide their own failures and fear of electoral defeat, Mr. Vasan added.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Vasan urges TN govt to fulfil govt doctors' demands
SALEM: Tamil Manila Congress leader and MP G K Vasan on Thursday urged the state govt to fulfil the demands of govt doctors which include implementation of the Pay Band 4 and recruitment of additional doctors and nurses in govt hospitals. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The legal coordination committee representing govt doctors began a march from Salem to Chennai on June 11. In Chennai, they will submit a memorandum urging chief minister to address their long-standing demands. Vasan criticised the state govt for forcing doctors to resort to protests, labelling it as a sign of ineffective governance. He held the ruling party accountable for failing to honour its 2021 election promise that the demands of govt doctors would be fulfilled.
