Now like this only

With regard to your cover story about new perspectives in regional cinema (June 23), it must be said that a fresh breeze is blowing through the Tamil cinema world. Young directors with small budgets are making films that exhude freshness and novelty. What is also endearing is the fact that audiences, fed up with escapist fare, are responding to these little films. Litterateurs like Jayamohan and S Ramakrishnan have entered the industry with original screenplays and earthy dialogues in films like Angadi Theru and Avan Ivan. All this while big budget films fail to entertain. The era of outsize star vehicles will decline in the years to come.


K S Sundaram, via email

Great effectations

The article 'The Difficulty Of Being Duvvuri Subbarao' (Comment, June 23) explained in simple, dispassionate language the implications of monetary policy and fiscal management on interest rates and prices, the two major factors affecting the day-to-day lives of ordinary citizens. The author has tried to tell us that there is need for allowing action to start at the ground level, ensuring a realistic policy in respect of prices, wages and income. This alone will lead to a balanced budget at the national level. In other words, subsidy in certain areas can be reduced, if the purchasing power of the 'affected' class is improved.


M G Warrier, via email

Three ways to see

The article 'Male, female and the third option' (Society, June 23) was a very timely one. The controversy sorrounding Pinki Pramanik and the question of her 'sex' reflects our old and archaic approaches to determining gender. We need to create the space for those who do not fit the strict definitions of gender we currently have. And whenever such controversies arise we must treat victims with tact and delicacy, not to mention look to help our athletes who suffer. Look at how South Africa handled the case of Caster Semenya, as the country's sports federation backed her completely. Poor Santhi Soundarajan was left in the lurch and humiliated a few years ago.


Puja Bhat, via email