The ‘hello yellow ladies’ part of the blog post title comes from a Vivek comedy routine but I can’t remember which movie but it was the funniest thing ever and I often derived amusement from greeting people in this manner. Some of them would actually say ‘ohai my frahnds!’ back and lo! you knew you had found kindred spirits or perhaps you’d just come across peepal hanging out with a lot of alcohol but that too is kindred spirits so it’s all good.
The Kumari Loves A Monster Come On Repeatty Repeatty Contest we will get to a little later. First I want to talk about Leslie Hall. I believe she has a lot in common with Wilbur Sargunaraj because like Mr. Sargunaraj, she is phamous on teh internetz, she is awesome and I don’t understand why she isn’t moar phamous. And just as Wilbur Sargunaraj fiercely upsets people who have You-Bring-Shame-To-All-Indians-With-Your-BlahdyNahnsense Disease, Leslie Hall fiercely upsets people who are BodyMass Impaired. These are the sadsad people who cannot read, watch, listen or do anything without being violently affected by the body mass of the person whose work they are reading, watching or listening to. So for those who are not BodyMass Impaired, maybe you can so much enjoy this and this and this and this. For those who are BodyMass Impaired, wow sucks to be you. Like, seriously.
And now, I have the most exceedingly exceeding honor to present one of the most important interviews ever conducted in the sphere of contemporary Indian writing literariness. This interview features the great Indian literary literarians Rashmi Ruth Devadasan and Shyam, author and illustrator respectively of Kumari Loves a Monster, one of the most seminal works of contemporary ethnic traditional pop culture in India, the phust of its kind also.
As you can see by the picture, these are very serious-minded peepal. Which is why we will be discussing serious-minded things like the post-colonial, feminist and post-modern themes present in the work as well as a deconstruction of the symbolism of the Monster. Finally, readers are in for a special treat as we explore the connection between the word ‘Monster’ and the word ‘Mogappair’ and how these connections are significant in terms of the underlying themes of poverty and Third World Otherness.
If Kumari Loves A Monster had a soundtrack, what songs would be on it?
R- I really did not have a song in mind while we were working on the book, however the tune the deadly duo of Vedanth and Anjana have sung for the book trailer is pretty great! An 80’s disco ballad which I feel is the ideal sound track for KLM 🙂 For some strange reason though I feel most of the monsters if they broke into song would sound like James Earl Jones- deep, sonorous… S- Hmmm, I did not really have any song running through my head, it was more vasanam (dialogs) between both of them that would keep crossing my mind …
(k- I think the Munni Badnaam Hui remix should be on the soundtrack. Not that anyone asked me. But I am telling anyway.)
If Kumari Loves A Monster was a movie, who would play Kumari?
R- I would look for a ‘new face’ ma. Must have many skills like being proficient in crochet, archery, rangoli, under-water singing, long distance knife throwing, fruit carving, ship building and dialog delivery.
S- Sneha. Though more than the Kumari I would be interested in the casting of the monsters! I would definitely like to play one, after all they are very sweet, gentle and loving.
What is your favorite Kumari Loves A Monster illustration and why?
R- Indhu kelvi romba tough, I have a vaathu called Macduff! Favorite KLM – the one with the Kumari in the hammock with her beau. I love his many bubble eyes and pink tipped tapering snout and his external gills. The beau is just so crazy looking! But also favorites are the library monster with his lichen texture skin, and the night time piggy back ride monster and the … see all are my favorites ya.
S- The Kumari sharing a yelaneer (tender coconut) with the monster. That for me is an unmaiyaana kaadhal (true love) moment. When you share food with the one you love that is one of the sure indications of the love between the two. The Kumari is looking at the monster with such intense feeling, you can see they are one. Also this one made me smile a lot while I was painting it. I thought to myself isn’t Kumari worried about sharing a drink with this creature? But as you can see she is not, she is full enjoying the experience.
What would have happened if Kumari hadn’t fallen in love with a monster?
R- She would have been bored and sad and moved to the Bikini Islands where she would have taught kolam, koothu dancing and Silambam classes. She would have become an insomniac wondering where and wondering when she will find her true love. Because of the insomnia she would go for long walks during the night all over the islands.
S- No, nothing else would have happened. Kumari’s destiny is to fall in love and be with the monster, there is no alternate ending for her. She has only one destiny.
(k- I’m sorry about misleading everyone on the exploration of the connection between the word Monster and the word Mogappair and how these connections are significant in terms of underlying themes of poverty and Third World Otherness. Because that obvs did not happen. Or maybe it did symbolically.)
And now, I present to you the Kumari Loves A Monster Come On Repeatty Repeatty Contest! Why is it called the Kumari Loves A Monster Come On Repeatty Repeatty Contest? Because I think it’s superawesome when people say ‘come on repeatty repeatty.’ This contest is the best thing ever. You don’t have to give us any of your internal organs nor do you have to kill anyone, not even yourself. All you have to do is tell us how Kumari met her monster. And why would you do this? Because if you do and Rashmi and Shyam like it, YOU WILL WIN A FREE AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF KUMARI LOVES A MONSTER ZOMG PONI3S!!!!
1. Please tell us how Kumari met her monster in 100 words or less, put the words My Awesome Kumari Loves A Monster Come On Repeatty Repeatty Contest Entry in the subject line and mail it to kuzhali.ehm@gmail.com. If you don’t like words, please draw us a picture showing us how they falled in the love and send it. If you don’t like words or drawing and prefer interpretive dance or song, please make a video or audio of the same and send us a link (do not send the file. This will make us very sad.). Contest deadline is Thursday Sept. 9, 1 pm.
2. The winner will be chosen on the basis that Rashmi and Shyam like it bestest. This is as free, fair and scientific as it gets. So whatever.
3. The winner will be announced on Saturday Sept 11. Also the winning entry will be posted along with the two runner-up entries so everyone may partake of the awesomeness.
4. I want to say that your chances of winning this contest will be greatly increased if you actively avoid douchebaggery in text, visual and audio form. By that, I mean you should avoid sending in entries like this-
Kumari met a monster because she is a woman and women are fat/gay/ Indian/American/ this religion/that caste/ speaks English/doesn’t speak English/ retarded/ the worst thing ever.
Kumari met a monster because men are fat/gay/ Indian/American/ this religion/that caste/speaks English/doesn’t speak English/ retarded/ the worst thing ever.
Kumari met a monster because she is Hindu. If she was Christian or Muslim, she would have won Padma Bhushan.
Kindly do not propagate nonsense stuffs like Kumari met a monster as this is not a part of our Indian culture.
Ok, the last two are kind of awesome. But I’m sure you’ll agree that phust two are wust two and should be avoided at all costs because you gotta be innit to winnit homibabas. I hope someone will send in something. Because it will be so sad to have this awesome contest and have no one enter. That would be the saddest thing ever.
okbai