MyVoice: Views of our readers 7th November 2023

Reminiscing Suryakantham on her centenary

After celebrating centenaries of Telugu movie veterans NT Rama Rao, Ghantasala and Akkineni Nageswara Rao in a grand style recently, now the turn has come for Suryakantam, a versatile artiste, popularly known as cantankerous and churlish Andhrula Attagaru for more than four decades on the silver screen. Her impressive left arm mannerism with scolding and denouncing dialogues and her noxious treatment towards Kodallu (daughters in law) converted most of her movies into super-duper hits.

This highly distinguished lady’s performance in Gundamma Kadha, Mangalyabalam, Muddubidda, Kulagotralu, Runanubandham, Raktasambandham, etc., are a few among many. She dominated the heroes like NTR, ANR and heroines like Savitri, Anjali in certain films. In real life when married girls underwent ill treatment by mothers in law, they used to compare them with only Suryakantam. She is one and only in Telugu movie world very renowned to portray in that particular role and there is no replacement for her till date. She also played in soft roles occasionally. Gummadi Venkateswara Rao once said to her that her name is very charming and attractive but in Telugu families none used name their daughters as Suryakantam. She is a very good human being and highly respected outside the screen. What a great honour and reputation she achieved in reel and real life? October 28 was the commencement of her centenary year. Hope Tollywood would erect her statue in one of the studios and in her native place Kakinada also with remarkable celebrations. Telugu people will airways remember her as Gayyali Attagaru (quarrelsome mother in law).

N Ramalakshmi, Secunderabad

Indian fans can be a little sporting!

India so far has steamrolled over all opposition in the WC. Getting out opponents as strong as SA for less than a hundred runs is a testimony to the bowling strength of India. The batting also has come good with Kohli notching up his 49th ODI hundred. and equaling Sachin Tendulkar’s record. Kohli looks supremely fit and good for some more. The only cause of concern is that the lower middle order has hardly been tested with the upper middle order putting up good scores in nearly every match.

While it is natural to back the home team, a true cricket lover will also appreciate the opponents on the field if they play good cricket. The pin drop silence at a boundary or six by the opponents is worrying. As spectators and loves of cricket we should all be appreciative of good cricket; no matter who is playing it.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

Onion prices are making us cry

The price of onions has increased considerably. As a matter of fact, the existing rate has brought tears in the eyes of consumers all over the country. Onions are an important food item and people have been hard hit due to the present inflationary prices. The state government has to consider the difficulties of citizens and initiate appropriate favourable steps in order to provide onions at a subsidised rate through its outlets. The onion is widely seen as the poor man’s vegetable. It is the staple food of the common man and has seen a steep rise in the country in the last few weeks. This is because of hoarding and the sale in black. This inflation has made the life of the common man very difficult. The worst hit are the fixed income groups like the salaried people, labour class and the pensioners. Every increase in price disturbs their budget. The government must control inflation and must do something to bring down the price of onions so as to provide relief to the common man.

Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai

Emulate Virat for his fitness, work ethics

Comparison of different era batsmen is never a wise proposition. But there is no doubt that it is stuff of dreams for King Kohli to equal his idol’s ODI century’s record and what further pleases his fans is his humility when he said that he can never be as good as Tendulkar. If at all we have to compare , it is Kohli’s record during the chases which takes him to a different level altogether. Out of 27 hundreds he made in chases, India won 23 of those matches. One quality of Kohli which every young child must emulate is his work ethics and fitness level. Though age is by his side and he can play for a few more years, but equaling master blaster’s magical 100 hundreds would be a difficult task even for him.

Bal Govind, Noida

Light a lamp, gift a book

The pollution in the atmosphere in the days after Deepawali is horrendous. Do we really celebrate ever to enlighten our souls which is the real purpose of the festival? Shunning all polluting crackers, dazzling bulbs and limiting extravaganza of sweets is the need of the hour. The best way of celebrating Deepavali with our near ones can be through gifts of books. A good book never betrays and is always a perennial lamp on our tables to light on through the word wisdom it contains. Let us help our children to get hooked to books so that they build their personal libraries too. An Indian philosopher Prof. Baljit Singh Sajjad once wrote, “A library is an ever-blossoming garden from where the seekers of knowledge gather the honeyed sweetness of life.” Let us light a lamp to enlighten the soul by donating someone a book on Deepawali to help harness the divine radiance of the word of wisdom which sweetens our lives forever.

Brij B Goyal, Ludhiana