Piracy Is Good (Part Deux)

Well, I said it earlier. Piracy is good!

Newspapers say that Jaggubhai, Sharatkumar-starrer and KS Ravikumar directed flick, is now available on internet. Oh by-the-way, the movie hasn’t been completed, yet. At least earlier, the movies were copied only in theaters after release or from the originals that were sent overseas. Now, they are being copied in editing rooms!

Technology is making digital reproduction and distribution easier. Also, we know crooks will always be one step ahead. It is ‘mission, impossible’ for the cinema industry.

The report says that Radhika Sharatkumar, wife of Sharatkumar, complained to M Karunanidhi. I can only laugh. J Jayalalitha, ex-CM, was far better in controlling piracy during her regime.

Of course, try, try and until you fail, again.

So as I had said earlier, instead of fighting piracy, make the best use of the technology. The pirated movies are available for a meager Rs. 40. And that booty is going to “pirates of the ‘cinemawood’”. Take it, guys! There is money to be minted. There is an existing distribution channel.

Those who love watching movies in theatre for the experience will anyway watch it in theatres. For those who think cinema is an expensive proposition, which I am sure is a huge segment, will benefit from this change in strategy.

Of course, the cinema industry has already started releasing movies on DTH platform. So what stops them from selling on inexpensive storage formats? Since prices points are low, there will be no entry barrier for purchases. This means that everyone will want to own a copy rather than circulate amongst each other. Well even if circulated, it is fine. As long as the cineconomy has made some money, it is fine.

Well, if the cinema industry doesn’t listen, what can be done? As the Kalyani Beer ad says – what goes my father, it’s your funeral!

Till things change, selling of pirated movies will continue at ‘Burma’ Bazaars, Subways and at train stations! Right under your nose, Mr. Producer!

South Indian Meal

As I wrote in my blog on talent, I eat a lot. And I love the meal or saapadu as it is called in Tamil.

I must say, amongst all the restaurants in Chennai that I have eaten, Tanjore is easily the best for saapadu. Like McDonalds’ QSCV, I can say Tanjore must be following the QQP dictate - Quality, Quantity and Price.

The place is absolute value for money. Costing about Rs. 60, you have to buy a token at the counter before you go the first floor at New Woodlands, Cathedral Road. Do not expect luxury though seating is comfortable. The bucket or balti service reminded me of a Tamilian wedding. The tables are straight and long; not like the rectangle four or six seater tables usually found in restaurants. Food is served on plantain leaf.

The food tastes like home cooked. It is tasty, sumptuous and non-greasy. It is more in TamBrahm (stands for Tamil-Brahmin, for those who didn’t know) style.

None, whether it's New Woodlands' other restaurant like Vrindavan or Sangeetha or Saravana Bhavan or any other, came close to it.

As I had mentioned in my blog on restaurants in Chennai, the others cannot be called authentic South Indian Meal. First thing that puts me off is Rotis or Chapattis. Wheat is not the staple Tamil Nadu; it is Rice, Rice and Rice. But, I guess the fascination of South Indians to eat wheat has led to the inclusion of Indian breads. Two, I love the fact that it is bucket or balti service. This means that the food is served hot. Other places give you accompaniments and gravies in cups or kinnams (in Tamil and katories in Hindi). First, all kinnam items go cold by the time they arrive at your table and, second, they are just not sufficient. So, you have to think twice before asking for more because consistent reordering for kinnams might lead to people think that you are a glutton. Further, if the restaurant is crowded, by the time kinnams come, your fingers would have dried up and so would your appetite.

For those who are aware, typical vegetarian Tamilian saapadu (pretty much the same for other South Indian states, I think) comprises of Rice (the staple), Paruppu (lentils or dhal), Sambhar (dhal and tamarind gravy), Kara or Vattal Kuzhambu (hot and spicy), Rasam (a thin soup made with Tamarind as base), Kootu/Poriyal (veggies) and Curd. Appalam (Pappad) and pickle are also part of the meal.

For desserts, a plantain. For digestion, a beeda (beetle leaf and beetle nuts).

So if you are in Chennai and are looking for a place for a typical and authentic saapadu, head to Tanjore.

I felt like Robert Langdon

I am agnostic tending to atheism. I do not believe in God but I love the concept of God. Religion, history and mythology interest me.

It was a long weekend this October. Savitha and I were contemplating a visit to Horsley Hills or Bandipur. Unfortunately, all places were full.

We were dejected. That is when we thought about Story Trails. Story Trails is an organization that conducts a variety of trails in Chennai. Each trail is a concept. There are Temple, Peacock, Country Roads, Mystic (recently, added we were told) trail to choose from. When we called, we were told that Steeple Chase was being planned that Saturday. Steeple Chase is a trail that tracks the history of Christianity in Chennai.

Before I write about the Steeple Chase experience, let me tell you little about how it is organized. Each trail requires a minimum size. You will be asked to come to a designated spot at a particular time. A storyteller is assigned to conduct the trail. For Steeple Chase, our storyteller was Navarre.

So, we assembled at the Madras Race Course, Guindy. Story Trail had organized Tourist Autos for the trip.

Shortly afterwards, the auto took the new Kathipara grade separator and went on Mount Poonamallee Road. Little further, we took a turn and started the ascent to Saint Thomas Mount. It is a pity that despite having lived in Chennai for more than 15 years and I have not even once been there.

Navarre took us around the place and he explained to us how the Jesus’ disciples took different directions after the resurrection. Saint Thomas is believed to have crossed the Middle East and landed on the Malabar Coast where he set up fellowship. Then somewhere in 72 AD, he is believed to have come to Chennai. He used to pray at the mount there and spoke of Jesus and his teachings. He is believed to have carved a cross which one can see at the Church. As all disciples, Saint Thomas also met a cruel death. As per the depiction in the tablet, he is believed to have been speared to death while praying.

Standing at the Mount, listening to the story and looking at the depictions, I felt as if I was transported to 72 AD. I imagined a different Chennai. Probably, the Eastern Ghats had more hills than it has now. It probably would have been a thick green forest and not cemented monster.

Ah one controversy there. There is also a belief that it was not Saint Thomas but another Thomas from Armenia. We will keep it aside for a moment.

After spending some time, the autos took us to towards the city. We crossed Saidapet, Nandanam and finally made way to Luz Church Road. I have crossed this Church so many times while I go to Mylapore Club for my morning tennis but never gave a thought.

The story behind the Luz Church dates back to the 17th Century when the Portuguese arrived in Chennai. They are believed to have seen a light from the shore and followed it. When they landed on the shores (Santhom), they built what is now known as the Santhom Basilica. But they realized that the light was actually coming from far behind and they tracked it to the place where the Luz Church is built. And that is how the Church also got its name. Luz (pronounced a looz) in Portuguese means LIGHT! I am wondering next time, I tell an auto drive to go to ‘looz’ Church he would probably think I am a ‘loosu’.

As he showed around, he brought us to a plaque given to the Church by ARMENIAN TRADERS! Remember the other Thomas who was also Armenian from Saint Thomas!



This is also historically significant as after 72 AD, this is the next sign of Christianity in Chennai. Maybe at the time of Saint Thomas, it was not even called Christianity.

From there, we took the Luz Church Road towards the Santhom Basilica. Since we were behind schedule, we could not go there. Taking the beach road, we crossed Marina Beach (world's second longest beach, for those who did not know) and came to Fort Saint George. Today, the Fort also houses the State Assembly. After a brief security check, we went inside to visit the Anglican Church. Actually, as the name suggest, it is more a Fort than a Church. Built by Military architects, it was fashioned in such a way that it can withstand a battle. Anglican form of Christianity probably came to Chennai as soon as it was established by Henry VIII. It was also built because many Brits for lack of an Anglican place of worship went to the Portuguese Churches and were getting married to the women there. One of the interesting discoveries that we made there was that the funds for Yale University went from our own Chennai! Elihu Yale who was a Governor with British East India Company was stationed, right here. He is believed to have sent ‘gifts/funds’ towards the setting up of the varsity.

The next stop really shook us, both figurative and literally. We were to go to Parry's corner where Armenian Church is located. Now for anyone who knows Parry's Corner knows how crowded and noisy the place is. The auto went through alleys and stopped at the side of the Church. We entered the Church through a door which reminded me of the haveli in the movie Garam Masala. And believe me, it was a different world inside. You step into the Church and you find the atmosphere serene and unbelievably silent. One cannot imagine how calm it is inside. It is definitely an architectural marvel.

Now interesting thing about this Church is that there is no service. The place was gifted by Brits to Armenian traders. Armenians dealt with precious commodity unlike British who were trading in almost all communities. Also, we were told that Armenians preferred the British to others. The Pope of Armenian Churches visited this very place of 'worship', recently. The Church itself had a bit of mausoleum influence. Pity we could spend more time there as it was closed for the day.

Of course, by the time we went to the last stop of Steeple Chase, we could not even go inside the Church or should I say Kirk. It was the Scottish Presbyterian Andrew's Kirk. Situated just off the Poonamallee High Road and behind the Egmore Railway Station, this Kirk is the symbol of long-lasting enmity between British and the Scots. Despite the fact that Scots fought along with the Brits, they were given a piece of marshy land while Armenian traders got a place in the heart of the city.

As Navarre narrated the story of how the Kirk was built, I remembered a program about St. Petersburg in Discovery. Since it has marshy land, Scots first laid pillars on top of which they put a slab. The Kirk was then built on top of the slab.

With Andrew's Kirk, we came to the end of our trail of Christianity in Chennai.

Navarre said that Christianity in Chennai was always contemporary in the sense that any changes that happened elsewhere immediately was introduced here.

India, by itself, has been the land where different religions were born and flourished - Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. Some have fared better in other countries than here. Buddhism, today, is practiced in large numbers in many other countries than in India. One of the important lessons we learn, in the History taught in schools, is that Indians are fine with foreigners ruling us. Many empires were established by people who were not originally from India. Mughal dynasty is probably the best example. Also, the trail makes it clear to me that God as a concept will never die. People need more of Her or Him, whether native or foreign. Christianity, a true imported stuff! Is it the fascination of Indians, in general, with 'foreign' stuff?



Oh as for me, the chase brought the Robert Langdon in me. As Savitha had observed my expression while I touched the tablets and crosses reminded her of Tom Hanks in Da Vinci Code.

History does fascinate me. These monuments are testimony of our past. They are proofs of our behavior then and now.

Oh yes, I am looking forward to do the other Story Trail. It is one amazing experience. The way it is organized and the small small things (the takeaway, I mean) are really thoughtful. So if you are in Chennai or are visiting the city, discover finer nuances with Story Trails. Let the story teller weave the magic for you, as Navarre did for us, that evening.

Call them at +91 44 4212 4214 or visit Story Trails.

South Indian Restaurants or Multi-cuisine Coffee Shops?

Karaikudi, Anjappar, Aruppukottai, Arasappar. These names if uttered to a Chennaite will stimulate the bile and other gastric juices. These restaurants offer sumptuous spicy and delicious Chettinad food. The crowd never seems to die down in these outlets.

I was having dinner at Karaikudi couple of months back. It was quite late and I think I was down three drinks. Those who drink will agree that stomach prefers hot and spicy food after the walls become intoxicated by fermented and distilled juices.

Not that I hadn't noticed this earlier but guess under the influence of alcohol, my marketing mind started working over time. The menu seemed to irritate me. Why? It was the amount of Chinese and North Indian dishes that were peppered on a Chettinad restaurant’s menu. What's more, even the captain seemed to be suggesting fried rice and some Manchurian dish. Totally unacceptable!

My mind wandered and virtually explored the menu of various North Indian, Chinese and Continental restaurants. I was quite sure that those menu were unadulterated, unlike the liquor at TASMAC outlets and the Chettinad restaurant menu. The exception probably was Kumarakom restaurants that serve food from our neighboring restaurants - Kerala.



Well, I ordered Attu Kaal soup after which I neutralized alcohol with idlies and spicy fish curry. My favorite combo!

While, hunger subsided, the question lingered in my mind along with Chettinad spices.

Would I order Masala Dosa at Cascade? Will I order Naan and Paneer Butter Masala at Tangeriene? Or for that matter Spaghetti Nepolitaine at Dhabha?

Then maybe I thought it was an issue with Chettinad restaurants. But then I proved myself wrong. Saravana Bhavan, Sangeetha, Palimar which are renowned South Indian restaurants serving veg food also where in fact operating like multi cuisine restaurant. Oh by the way, Chettinad restaurants mostly serve non-vegetarian food.

Is it an interesting consumer behavior? Is there something wrong in positioning of these restaurants? Or is it a strategy by restaurants to gather more market share?

In my opinion it is all. First, I think it would be wrong to classify Saravana Bhavan, Sangeetha, Palimar, and the Chetti restaurants as South Indian. They classify better as coffee shops. Open almost round-the-clock. They serve all cuisines. These restaurants have used their brands to tap the market with their South Indian positioning while parallely expanding their servings that address the needs of the varied taste buds. They have successfully managed to get more customers and the eating-out business pie. Important to consider is the price points of these restaurants which necessitates them to focus on volume business.

The niche restaurants on the other hand are rather premium and attract a different set of customers. And as in any business, differentiation is the key for survival. Even in the niche restaurant market, there are differentiated player. Particularly, this is true in the North Indian or Punjabi restaurant segment.

On the consumer side, there was a time when eating out was a big deal. But with a booming economy, money to splurge and changing life style has changed our behavior towards eating out.



With the change in lifestyle and exposure, consumer palette has also become global.

It must be a no-brainer that the reason for eating out and the choice of restaurants has a strong relationship. Here I must mention that the children have a strong opinion nowadays on where to eat. They infact are decision makers in many cases. Now, that is a topic in itself.

Guess, what I would order next time at Karaikudi? May be, a Chicken Manchurian Tikka Masala Kal Dosa! Wow, maybe I should open a fusion food restaurant!