I’m really bummed about not getting the annual WordPress stats report. One of the start-of-the-year things I look forward to the most is seeing the top five commenters. Who has maintained his/her position from last year? Who’s dropped out and found a life?
Alas, these revelations shall remain locked up in the bowels of this blog.
Still, a very happy new year to all readers, commenters, lurkers. This blog is as much yours as mine. Wishing you all a very happy 2017.
Also this:
My 1st review (“Dum,” with words like ‘hatke’) was published Jan ’03. So I enter my 15th year as a critic. Yikes! https://t.co/WaddIeT37V
— Baradwaj Rangan (@baradwajrangan) January 1, 2017
And this: The most touching compliment from a reader, when he spends time and makes something like this. It’s the closest I am getting to a 6 pack 🙂
Baradwaj Rangan 
MANK
January 1, 2017
Brangan Rest assured, I havent found a life yet 🙂
Happy new year to you and everybody here.
I would be interested to know how many comments i wrote last year. because it was quite a prolific year with a lot of threads crossing 200 ,300 and even 400 comments
It was also a tumultuous year with some violent upheavals and some untoward incidents with certain commenters becoming collateral damage.
wishing for a peaceful and constructive year of interesting posts and healthy debates.
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brangan
January 1, 2017
And MANK becomes the first commenter of 2017 😀
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Iswarya
January 1, 2017
BR: Unfair! You don’t seem to count the long typing efforts late last night. 🙂 But MANK of course will be the first commenter always!
Is there no way of recovering the list, by perhaps writing to them? Still pretty curious about the search terms that led to your blog. There was something related to Qaddafi one of these years, IIRC?
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blurb
January 1, 2017
Happy New Year to you, brangan, and all my fellow commenters! 🙂
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tonks
January 1, 2017
I think I’m finally on the down-slope of my intense addiction phase to this blog (phew!) but it’s still the place where I’ve gotten to know some of the most articulate, intelligent, knowledgeable, passionate-about- movies people. Have a great year, everyone.
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venkatesh
January 1, 2017
“And found a life.”
Hey, I will have you know, we are all a bunch of well adjusted, adept butterflies with very busy and in some cases tumultuous social lives.
There. 🙂
Happy new year BR.
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venkatesh
January 1, 2017
And fellow readers of the blog.
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praneshp
January 1, 2017
Happy New Year brangan. As long as I hang out here my wife will say I don’t have a life (despite her hanging out here all the time).
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Menaka Baskaran
January 1, 2017
Hi Baradwaj Rangan (BR henceforth),
Just when I thought there were no intelligent and critical movie critics for Tamil cinema, someone directed me to your blog last year and I have been suitably entertained and enlightened. I do not agree with everything that you say but I do applaud you for your honesty in calling a spade a spade. I also decided to finally drop in a line to share my thoughts.
I know you have plenty on your plate but besides movie reviews could you also write critical pieces/analysis on issues affecting Tamil films. For example, the recent sexist comments by director Sarah on actresses. You should also have a YouTube channel where you can interview actors or give your views.
I feel entertainment journalists in Tamilnadu, especially those who are respected and well known, should take a more proactive role in pointing out the plus and minuses of Tamil cinema to take it to the next level. As far as I can see too many journalists in Tamilnadu are too deferrent towards actors. No one asks any hard questions like Koffee with Karan. He might not be the best example but he asks questions that no Tamil journalists would dare on TV.
And another thing, I earnestly wish you’d get someone to translate your articles into Tamil, the language of the majority. It’s obvious reading your blog and the comments that it elicits, it reaches out to that rarefied group of English speakers who tend to think differently and hold different views than the Tamil speaking masses. It’s such a total waste that such intelligent analysis and comments is wasted in a language that doesn’t reach out to the 80 to 90% of Tamil movie goers. A collection of your reviews and essays in Tamil will also go a long way in helping to improve the standard of film criticism in Tamilnadu.
Looking forward to more great reviews and essays in 2017 from you.
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sravishanker1401gmailcom
January 1, 2017
Happy New Year to readers of this awesome blog !
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Anu Warrier
January 1, 2017
Happy new year, BR, and fellow travellers. 🙂
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Anuja Chandramouli
January 1, 2017
BR! Happy New Year!! And I think congratulations are in order for our favorite film critic who has been at it for 15 years!! As he so puts it with characteristic eloquence, “Yikes!”. Needless to say BR, you don’t get older, only better and better at being the best. And who needs a life when there are few things it offers that are more pleasurable than BR’s blog? (Hmmm… That does sound more than a little lame. Perhaps I do need a life) Be that as it may, may 2017 be a rocking one for you!
Happy new year to all the BR bhakts as well. We may have had our differences but what is life without the occasional screaming matches, raving and ranting? That said, I hope in the year ahead there is less unsheathing of claws and more level – headed, fun discussions. (Yeah right 🙂 )
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brangan
January 1, 2017
Menaka Baskaran: I have never heard this request, that the reviews be translated to Tamil. It’s usually people telling me they’re happy I write about Tamil films in English because this helps them know what to look out for. But interesting point you make…
Anuja Chandramouli: As he so puts it with characteristic eloquence, “Yikes!”
Haha. What would you rather have me say? “I am humbled, etc.” I don’t do humility 😀
But seriously, thanks. And I can’t believe this is my 15th year… (For those who didn’t see the tweet, have added it to the post above.)
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Iswarya
January 1, 2017
Happy New Year to everyone here, and BR who keeps this awesome thing going. But I do sincerely hope I find a life a.k.a my research this year!
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brangan
January 1, 2017
And congratulations to you, Iswarya, for getting your campaign against stalking going. What began as a few exchanges here really took off as a petition and now has a life of its own — that’s awesome.
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Menaka Baskaran
January 2, 2017
Hi BR,
I really hope you seriously consider and translate your reviews into Tamil. It’s one of the the best services you can do for Tamil film viewers who hopefully will start looking at movies differently or look out for other things instead of just commenting on the BGM, the comedy track or lack of it, and how pretty the actress looked. I am not kidding on the last one. I still haven’t recovered from Ananda Vikedan ‘s review of Varanam Aayiram which it dismissed as a mix of Thavamai Thavamirundhu and living together. It gushed about Sameera Reddy’ s beauty and likened it as cool haiku for the eyes while totally ignoring Simran ‘s understated performance which was the best in her career because she dubbed in her own voice. And no, movies where someone else dubbed for her does not count because an actress who cannot dub in her own voice is no actress but a dummy piece.
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Menaka Baskaran
January 2, 2017
One more thing: I hope you know it’s director Suraj that I meant and not Sarah. Damn that auto correct!
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edwardssammy
January 2, 2017
Have a great year, everyone! I have been a passive reader of this blog for about 7 years now. Needless to say, I love this small space created by BR and commentators like mank, gradwolf, anu warrier, rahini David,tonks, olemistranna, the late utkal mohanty and many others. Here’s hoping to a great year in great films and a fair share of bad films( coz i love BR ripping a film to shreds)!
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lakshmi
January 2, 2017
Congratulations, BR! Here’s to many more years of writing, reviewing and ruminating. 🙂
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Sifter
January 2, 2017
Happy New Year BR and fellow BRA’s (Baradwaj Rangan Addicts).
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brangan
January 2, 2017
Thank you Sifter. With that comment, my cups runneth over.
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Anu Warrier
January 2, 2017
@BR (re: Sifter’s comment) snort
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tonks
January 2, 2017
And that’s the breast pun I’ve heard so far this year 😉
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Rahini David
January 2, 2017
Athukulla arambichuteengala. Ellarum nalla varuveenga. Annan KayKay enga?
Happy New Year.
🙂
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brangan
January 2, 2017
Rahini David: It’s inevitable that one comment leads to another. It’s called the nipple… er, ripple effect.
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tonks
January 2, 2017
Now things are getting titillating. I can hardly keep a-breast of all these comments!
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blurb
January 2, 2017
So just wondering if there’s a way to see all the comments in reverse chronology. As of now, I think we see the most recent 15, but if I don’t visit the blog for > 3 days or so, likely that I’ll miss several comments.
(I know. Not visiting here for more than 3 days?! Blasphemy!)
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brangan
January 2, 2017
Posted an image sent my a reader (Ramki Bellur). Most touched.
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Bala
January 2, 2017
Congratulations on the 15th year of suffering through a lot of rubbish movies and bringing us humor, fine writing, intelligent and nuanced criticism and bad puns 🙂
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Bharathi Shevgoor
January 2, 2017
I’ve been a stalker of sorts in this space for nearly five years and only recently started commenting. It’s my go-to place for intelligent analysis not only of movies but life in general, great writing style that evolves with time and interested and committed readers. I watch mostly hindi and a sporadic English movie, yet, I do read Brangan’s tamil movie reviews just to get a peek into his observations on the goings-on.They’re educative. Thank you for continuing to blog, BR and yes, may the year be happy for you.
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brangan
January 2, 2017
tonks: Just fess up. You’re an inveterate nostalgist. You like taking trips down mammary lane.
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brangan
January 2, 2017
blurb: I think 15 most recent comments is the default sidebar setting.
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sravishanker1401gmailcom
January 2, 2017
Tonks : Thanks for triggering the “repartee” 🙂
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Sifter
January 2, 2017
Cups runneth over. Lol. Not all from silicon valley I hope 🙂
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sravishanker1401gmailcom
January 2, 2017
Ramki Belur : Great concept and design ! What next ? Giant size cut out outside IFFI ? :):)
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tonks
January 2, 2017
Aw BR, how did you ever guess that? You just busted one of the secrets I keep closest to my chest.
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brangan
January 2, 2017
tonks: There’s really no need for italics . Everyone, by now, knows that there is no double meaning anymore — just the single R-rated one 😀
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apala
January 2, 2017
BR and all my blog friends here: Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous new year. Like Alwarpet Andavar tweeted, hope all the happiness in the world finds you – just be reachable! 🙂
Anbudan,
apala
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sabharinath
January 2, 2017
Happy new year BR sir….. One of my best film schools 😉
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Honest Raj (formerly 'V'enkatesh)
January 2, 2017
BRA’s (Baradwaj Rangan Addicts)
Let the punctuation be unhooked. 🙂
BR, I’m going to assume that my Dec 31 comment prompted you to come up with this post. 😛 Happy new year all!
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pady
January 2, 2017
Fantastic work BR. Congrats on another year. Any thoughts for an amateur screenplay writing meetup or online discussion group ?
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sravishanker1401gmailcom
January 2, 2017
Sifter : ‘Silicon Valley’ LOL
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sravishanker1401gmailcom
January 2, 2017
The whole “exchange” reminds me of the last line from Moonraker.
“What the Hell does Bond think he’s doing ??!!!”
(Q replies) “‘ I think he’s attempting re-entry , sir”
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Anuja Chandramouli
January 2, 2017
Loving the first comments thread of the year. Never knew there were so many of us who take pride in being boobs sorry BRAs 🙂
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hari ohm
January 2, 2017
“hard questions like Koffee with Karan” that cracked me up.
Yesterday I was watching a snippet of the show where KJ was asking the most “intelligent” actor of Bollywood, is Priyanka Chopra sexy or not, is Ash sexy or not.
It will be fun for somebody to ask similar questions to ask the Tamil actors. Between what is Sexy in Tamil?
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praneshp
January 2, 2017
Ha, GV Prakash and RJ Balaji now have an entire movie’s worth of double meaning jokes. Congratulations @brangan.
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Vikram S
January 2, 2017
Happy new year BR and fellow commenter/ skulkers….
Thank you BR for helping shape how we experience movies
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Kay
January 2, 2017
A very happy new year to everyone.
I have to agree with Anuja. Life outside this blog seems dull compared to the banter, the double entendres and the fierce arguments here. Many a time I was caught smiling or grinning or sometimes laughing out loud at some comments posted here. So yeah, I think I like being a BRA! 😂
Over the past three years, I began starting and ending my day with going though this blog. I think few years back there was a meetup of the regulars of this blog. Would be nice to meet you all (if I might take the liberty to ask for a meet up).
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Santosh Balakrishnan
January 2, 2017
for someone, whose reviews has more intelligence and sincerity than most of filmmakers writing put together… which makes reader(s) revisit them again and again.. thanks for 2016 BR…
looking forward to 2017 (hopefully with couple of KH’s movies in it)
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Iswarya
January 2, 2017
Wow.. A few hours of being away from here and this thread has already got 50 comments! Thank you so much, BR, for giving us all the space (and encouragement) to take things forward into a solid campaign!
This year in the blog seems to have started off in the most auspicious way possible 😉
And, if there’s a meeting planned, count me in! 🙂
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KayKay
January 2, 2017
Happy New Year, B! And fellow commenters who’s inputs I’ve read and relished the past year. Keep on rocking’ dudes!
As the Resident Perv, allow me to start a new year of commenting with a joke. Apropos for this blog, it concerns movies: (Warning: Rated R! Look away, ye of weak constitutions!)
“My girlfriend and I were having sex the other day when she looked at me and said, ‘ Make love to me like in the movies’
So I F****ed her in the ass, pulled out and came all over her face and hair.
I guess we don’t watch the same movies”
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brangan
January 2, 2017
KayKay: As Rajini said, even if you came late, you came latest. (Quite literally, I must say 😀 )
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sravishanker1401gmailcom
January 2, 2017
Kaykay : Welcome. As BR says You “came” latest
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Anu Warrier
January 3, 2017
I didn’t know a simple Happy 2017 post could arouse such interest. 🙂
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Rahul
January 3, 2017
Thanks Sifter for the coinage. Best wishes to my fellow BRAs, hope we keep on supporting great works of art , and open up more to each other.
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Karthik Shankar
January 3, 2017
@brangan. One new year request. Could you make a list of must watch Tamil movies (say 50 especially the ones that were influential for their themes, aesthetic etc. ) for people like me who unfortunately are really not well versed with the industry’s offerings.
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KayKay
January 3, 2017
“As Rajini said, even if you came late, you came latest”
It used to happen really fast. In my heightened state of excitement, it would be over before I could stop myself, leading to a fair degree of dissatisfaction with my performance.
Today, I take my time. Start and Stop. Distract myself when the urge to finish gets overwhelming. Today, it’s all within my control. When and where. Right down to the second. And have seen a rise in the number of satisfied recipients who’ve enjoyed what they receive.
If any of you think I’m talking about anything other than typing a comment and hitting SEND, go to your rooms! NOW!
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KayKay
January 3, 2017
“I didn’t know a simple Happy 2017 post could arouse such interest”
That’s us, Warrior. We’re easily aroused. A concupiscence for good discussions make us tumescent with ideas and rebuttals leading to a fluid excretion of great posts around these parts. A veritable orgy of viewpoints!
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Shankar
January 3, 2017
Happy New Year, Baddy and fellow commenters! Hope this year is as rousing as the ones gone by….
Baddy, you should try the oats cakes….forget abs, it may help you “pump up your chest” with pride, just like KK (not our KayKay)! 😄 Then I guess we all will be real BRAs! 😄
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Pradeep Palanichamy
January 3, 2017
Enna nadakuttu inga, intha R-rated trend-a mulayila killa vedam!
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Sifter
January 3, 2017
@ KayKay- A part of that comment. Shudder. Not in a good way.
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An Jo
January 3, 2017
HAPPY TRUMP YEAR 2017- and if the Earth survives a s a rotund planet with Trump’s and Islamist threats – well, HAPPY NEW YEAR but me getting/gotten old in 2017..it’s a different view..
Of course, as most on this blog and elsewhere, Trump and Islamism are least of the problems.. what’s far more threatening to world peace is INTOLERANCE and ‘award-waapsi’..
So good luck, let’s see who wins the ‘mardaangi’ of threats…keeping one’s HUGE DIGITS that could always be extra-polated to a vernier-calipers accounting one’s manhood..or , ‘MITRON…’
Who blasts more? ‘Bhakts’ or ‘Bombs’, let’s wait, watch, and be ready to well enjoy the after-life..
As an exemplary blog that allows folks to poetically describe what happens when one withdraws a penis from an arse-hole, well, what I can say, this is an outstanding example of ‘duplicating’ what the Americans are so fond of calling ‘freedoms’ of expression..or or ejaculation..
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Kay
January 3, 2017
Someone remind me not to read this blog while I’m at work! 🙈
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bart
January 3, 2017
BRas, B(r)anians, BRiefs – Sir, you are dominating the inner world of many. Happy 2017 all. BRring it on!
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venkatesh
January 3, 2017
Wait, there is a new “Kay” in town separate from the venerable, wonderful “KayKay”.
Or am i seeing twins in my sleep-addled state ?
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KayKay
January 3, 2017
THIS is the venerable, wonderful KayKay, Lord venkatesh. Quite separate from the Single Kay.
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venkatesh
January 3, 2017
I bow before you oh venerable, wonderful KayKay.
May you come often and as late as possible.
(I meant to comment on the blog, you dirty minded BRA’s).
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Arun
January 3, 2017
BR Happy new year 2017. This is one of your memorable lines of 2016.”.And you have to acknowledge how he steers his box-office clout towards these smaller films, which might otherwise wilt and die. What he adds isn’t just star power. It’s sunshine.” The same applies to you as well BR. Its not an overstatement that movies like “Uriyadi”, “Ammani” got the attention they deserve because of You.
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Iswarya
January 4, 2017
Arun: Agree there. I would have never been able to drag out the family on the last day of the year to watch D16 if it weren’t for the glowing review here! I hope you continue to steer us all in 2017 to see the good ones that deserve to do well!
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brangan
January 4, 2017
Arun: Thank you so much for saying that. When it comes to the big films, a critic is just an opinion giver — one among many. It’s with the small films that he becomes an opinion shaper.
I’m happy I could do my bit for good cinema.
PS: Nila is playing at the Chennai Film Fest. Do catch it if you can. It’s a wonderful mood piece.
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Reuben
January 4, 2017
Whoa! What a thread, The Chinese are right. 2017 is an year of the cock… er, rooster
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Amit Joki
January 4, 2017
KayKay: The movies you talk of contain at least 5 acts right?
P.S Happy new year to all the BRAs who’ve adorned and made this place sexier.
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Heramba
January 4, 2017
Brangan Sir’s fan for a long time . “Hedge fund manager for piggy bank ” from the movie Remo , is something i cherish for a long time . Reading your reviews is way more entertaing than watching movies in the recent past .Thank you Sir.
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sravishanker1401gmailcom
January 4, 2017
Heramba : “Reading your reviews is way more entertaing than watching movies”
Spot on !
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srinichennai
January 4, 2017
While translating your reviews/articles in Tamil will certainly help many others a great deal, the missing element would be your felicity with the English language and the humour/idiom/wackiness etc.
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KM
January 4, 2017
Happy New Year BR and fellow BRs. Best movie critic who comes up with quite “dhaDam dhaDam” write ups with words that have gets you laughing.
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Anisha
January 4, 2017
Happy New Year Brangan sir, and as a theevira Mani Ratnam rasigai, looking forward to Kaatru Veliyidai and your review for it as well!
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Altman
January 5, 2017
Happy New Year Y’all.
We are Groot!
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KayKay
January 5, 2017
KayKay: The movies you talk of contain at least 5 acts right?
Not sure how many acts there are, Amit, but the climax is guaranteed!
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hari ohm
January 5, 2017
KayKay only one climax?
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Amit Joki
January 5, 2017
KayKay: That’s for sure. This kind of parallel cinema makes us spend but er…not from wallets.
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Sukanya
January 6, 2017
Dear Mr. Rangan, I want to use this post for saying thanks: Thanks for never, ever taking your readers for granted and Thanks for some of the most knowledgeable, nuanced, and empathetic reviews of Indian films I have had the pleasure of reading.
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KayKay
January 6, 2017
Goddammit!!! Just when you think you’ve left behind 2016, truly a grim reaper year for celebrity deaths, then along comes 2017 with it’s first casualty.
RIP the great Om Puri.
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Anu Warrier
January 6, 2017
@ Kaykay, oh, damn! 😦
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Aadhy
January 6, 2017
Happy 2017 everyone ! My favourite lines from 2016 have to be these, ” I’d like to say more about this remake of the Telugu hit Ishq, but then I’d have to talk about the scene where Rahul pees into the brother’s petrol tank. It may be a visual metaphor for the movie.”
Angry BR is the best BR 🙂 Hope you get to watch more bad movies in 2017.
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sravishanker1401gmailcom
January 7, 2017
Aadhy : Bang on target. May I recommend BRs review of ‘Gethu’ ?
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Jaga_Jaga
January 7, 2017
The most awesome phrase per me went something like – “No not there. Go for it slightly above that spot”, in a reference to how love is inserted in real-life . I think it was in the review of the great grand masti or some such movie!
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blurb
January 12, 2017
I saw Anupama Chopra’s tweet. I was overwhelmed, BR. Congrats!
This happens pretty much every time an influential personality express their admiration for you. Not sure why, but I think it’s something like the “Dhanush” effect. Something about him gets the crowds to recognize with him and see themselves in him. Same way, every time you win, we see it as our own victory, I think. Maybe it has a lot to do with the fact that you don’t come from the glitz and glamour of the film industry? You are an “outsider” much like most of us here. You are on (and belong to) our side of things. This lowly humble man hidden somewhere in Besant Nagar – yet, the entire film industry awaits with bated breath on Fridays standing-on-one-leg hoping and praying that you will have something good to say about them and their work.
So. You da man! 😀
And it’s so funny when they get defensive and hang on to every word you write! Most recently, I saw a video where GVM got the slightest bit touchy that AYM was termed a “mishmash of genres”. And I chuckled 😀
A few years ago, you had written about meeting Kamal in person at an event’s pre-event (hope my memory serves me right); and I remember seeing a video of that event where you chat with him in the end. I can’t seem to dig up that video — but based on Kamal’s expression I remember thinking “OMG, Kamal seems a bit nervous to talk to Rangan”. Of course I might have gotten it totally wrong — but it really did seem like he was trying too hard to be liked by you. Fellow BRAs, please confirm 😀
Also, also, the first review of yours that I read was Guru. It’s been 10 years… to the day! cheers
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sravishanker1401gmailcom
January 12, 2017
Blurb : Excellent !
Kamal must have been smarting from the comment ” Thoongaavanam…….the insomniac’s version of Poongaavanam”
So far Kamal was surrounded by midgets but now……..
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sravishanker1401gmailcom
January 12, 2017
Blurb : After reading your post (to borrow a line from Casablanca) I sincerely hope this will be the beginning of a beautiful phase when India will produce our own desi Vincent Canbies, Pauline Kaels and Richard Corlisses.
And it all started HERE……..
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blurb
January 12, 2017
sriravishanker140: haha! 😀
Also, I think this the Kamal video I was talking about; Rangan appears after the 5th minute mark. But I somehow remember their interaction being longer when I first watched it..
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