Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Tp 20 Tamil Films of 2021

Please bear in mind this is my own personal list and I also did not get to watch every movie released in theaters on on streaming. Nevertheless, here you go. My Top 20 Tamil Films of 2021: 


20. Kutty Story

This anthology is made up of four different short films all dealing with love. The first story is about two college friends who might have had feelings for one another but ended up marrying other people. The second story deals with a young woman who refuses to go through an abortion even after her boyfriend dies, risking her family's reputation. The third story revolves around two gamers who meet and fall in love while playing an online video game while not knowing one another in real life. The final story shows us what happens when a man, who has cheated on his wife, suddenly is told that his wife has been cheating on him too. 

Source: Google Images

19. Kabadadaari

Shakti is a traffic cop, who discovers the skeletal remains of a three-member family who are over forty years old. He decides to investigate the case himself with the help of journalist Kumar. They approach Ranjan, a retired officer who investigated the case years ago. During the course of the investigation, Shakti is faced with multiple hurdles that force him to question his own intentions and integrity. When Shakti and his companions eventually trace the case to a very powerful individual. 

Source: Google Images


18. Kamali From Nadukkaveri

Kamali is no different from any other Indian girl growing up in a small village like Nadukkaveri. Despite being a good student, all she wants to do is complete secondary school and marry whoever her parents choose for her. However, after watching the interview of the state topper, the dashing Ashwin, Kamali develops a huge crush for him. She starts studying hard to enroll into Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai where he is currently a student so she can get to know him. However, she has to face many challenges from the patriarchy that has dominated life in her village for generations. 

Source: Google Images


17. Anbirkiniyal

Anbu is a nursing graduate who plans to go work in Canada for a few years so she can make enough money to pay off all her loving but conservative father's debts and start their own business. She works part time at a fast food restaurant at a popular mall in the city. One evening, Anbu helps her workmates place some stocks in the freezer room. Thinking that all his workers have gone home, Ambu's hot-headed manager unknowingly locks her in the freezer. Anbu's father becomes worried that when she does not come home at time. With the help of Charles, Anbu's boyfriend, the father tries desperately to find his daughter while she struggles to stay alive in the freezer room. 

Source: Google Images


16. Theethum Nandrum

Dass and Siva are burglars who have successfully robbed from many wealthy citizens in the city. However, when Dass gets married to Sumathi, and Siva falls in love with Thamizh, they begin contemplating ending their life of crime. However, when Sumathi becomes pregnant, Dass is unsure if working as a labourer will be enough to provide for his small family. He and Siva are then approached by an old friend, Maaran, who convinces them to do one last job. However, the heist is much more complicated that they were led to believe and the young men are finally forced to confront the law. 

Source: Google Images


15. Nenjam Marappathillai

Mariam, a selfless orphan, becomes the governess for a wealthy family to help the nun who raised her run the orphanage she grew up in. Although, Rishi the young boy she is tasked to care for grows to adore her, his manipulative father, Ramsay, lusts after her while his arrogant mother, Swetha, looks down on her. One night, while Swetha is away and Rishi is asleep, Ramsay and his men plan to take advantage of Mariam. When she threatens to expose them, Ramsay makes a decision where there is no coming back from. 

Source: Google Images


14. Boomika

After her architect husband is contracted to refurbish a grand estate in Ooty for a large sum of money, Sam and her family move into the area with their business partner. While preparing to stay at the mansion for the night, Sam's sister-in-law starts texting Krishna, their old-friend and even sends a selfie to which he eerily replies that he too is in the picture. Later, Sam's husband reveals that Krishna had died in a car accident the previous night, and that there is no phone signal in the estate. Soon, more paranormal activities begin to occur and the group's attempts to flee are consistently thwarted by all kinds of unexplainable events...

Source: Google Images

13. Thalaivii

In the late 80s, Jaya, a former movie star turned member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly questions the chief minister on the various false allegations leveled against the opposition while demanding his resignation. However, her outspoken speech leads to violence where Jaya is assaulted and humiliated. Comparing her plight to Draupadi, Jaya pledges she would only return to Fort St. George after she has become chief minister. The story then is told in flashbacks of how Jaya, a young girl with many dreams, would soon become one of the most powerful women in India...

Source: Google Images

12. Lift 

Guru is a new employee of a renowned IT company in Chennai. His first day goes as normal but he is then asked to stay back and complete an assignment till late in the evening. As he tries to leave, he finds that the lift has malfunctioned and he ends up in a random floor where he witnesses a security guard committing suicide. Guru tries to escape but ends up in the lift again with Harini, the human resources manager who dislikes him. They then encounters various abnormal events in the lift and the office building. Initially, they are convinced that the supernatural entity haunting them is trying to kill them but as the night goes on, they discover that there is something else in the works...

Source: Google Images


11. Oh Manapenne!

Karthik is a typical slacker who took five years to complete his final year. He dreams of becoming a chef and opening his own restaurant, but his father who has stopped believing in him decides to get him married to someone from a wealthy family. Karthik then ends up in the home of Shruthi, who is a class topper and aspires to start her own business despite her father's wishes for her to get married. As both Karthik and Shruthi start getting to know each other, both families realize that Karthik had ended up in the wrong house and he is quickly taken away. Despite not being each other's match, they both decide to work together to start a food truck business. However, Karthik's laziness and Shruthi's overbearingness prove to be an incompatible match in more ways then they could have imagined...

Source: Google Images


10. Netrikann

Durga, a young policewoman with a promising career, goes blind following a road accident that killed her adoptive brother. As she is healing from the trauma of that day, young women start going missing across Chennai. She becomes convinced that the perpetrator once tried to abduct her before hitting a food delivery boy that ultimately foiled his plans. She tries to help Manikandan, the officer in charge of the case, find the predator alongside the reluctant delivery boy who reminds her of her death brother. However, unknown to any of them, the villain is not just any ordinary sexual deviant and he is always a few steps ahead of them...

Source: Google Images


9. Sarpatta Parambarai

Kabilan, an aspiring boxer, grows up worshipping Rangan, the local boxing coach who once trained his late father. However, Kabilan's mother disallows him from training since her husband, like many other boxers in their neighbourhood, ended up becoming henchmen for the local mobsters before dying in gang wars. However, Kabilan somehow manages to join Rangan's class, but he quickly learns that his most deadliest opponents are not those from within the ring but are from his immediate surroundings...

Source: Google Images


8. Doctor

A young army doctor goes to the home of his former fiancé to find out why she ended their engagement. During this time, her niece is abducted by a notorious human trafficking ring. The doctor decides to help the family find their daughter by teaming up with a few local goons. Eventually, the doctor is able to get hold of one of the criminals who has been supplying his Goa-based crime lord with young girls. However, he instead chooses to let the criminal go free so he can track down the syndicate, expose them and save the other girls who have been abducted from their homes...

Source: Google Images


7. Kadaseela Biriyani

Chikku is a meek and studious teenager who lives a simple life away from his violent family. However, after his father is murdered by a mobster, Chiku's older brothers con him into helping them seek revenge. The three brothers travel across state lines and eventually break into the mobster's vast rubber estate. While waiting for the perfect time, they overhear the mobster's psychotic son reveal a damning confession to his parents that even shocks the brothers. However, Chiku and his brothers have come too far to turn back now...

Source: Google Images


6. Blood Money

Kaliyappan and his brother are sentenced to death in Kuwait for allegedly their employer's Sri Lankan maid in a road accident. Before their sentence is carried out, their family in a small town in southern India make a video begging for the Indian government to intervene. The video goes viral and Rachel, an aspiring journalist, decides to make the case her first story at her new workplace. However, she is soon humiliated by jealous senior co-workers when it is revealed that the men were not convicted for manslaughter but instead were sentenced for allegedly murdering the maid and trying to dispose of the body. Nevertheless, Rachel discovers that blood money in accordance to Sharia law that is practiced in Kuwait has been paid by Kaliyappan's family but for some odd reason, the sentence is still to be carried out...

Source: Google Images


5. Maanadu

A Muslim youth from Dubai is taken some corrupt cops who blackmail him into assassinating the chief minister in Ooty before being killed himself. Since he was born in a temple dedicated to Lord Kala Bhairava, the Hindu deity of time, he gets to relive the same day over and over again each time he is killed. However, every time he overcomes a particular obstacle by using his knowledge on what will happen, he finds that someone always ends up standing in his way, which can only mean he is not the only one stuck in the same time loop...

Source: Google Images


4. Jai Bhim

Three young men from the oppressed Irular tribe go missing one night after they are forcefully taken by a group of policemen. One of men's pregnant wife goes to Mythra, the only educated woman in the village who teaches locals how to read and write. She in turn approaches Chandru, a lawyer-turned-activist, to help bring the police officers to justice and hopefully find the missing men. However, the law appears to favour only those in power and Chandru finds that getting justice for the tribesmen will not be an easy journey...

Source: Google Images


3. Mandela

The village of Soorangudi is split into two caste-based factions, the Northerners and Southerners. When the village chieftain falls ill, his sons, who each represents the two different factions respectively, decide to run for office. They both manage to secure enough votes from their respective communities. The tie breaker vote falls upon a local barber who only recently registered as a voter. How each faction, who previously never cared for the orphaned barber's existence, try to coax him into voting them in makes up the rest of the story. 

Source: Google Images


2. Aeley

Parthi is forced to return to his village when his conman father, Muthukutty dies. Parthi grew up hating his father who often embarrassed their family with his antics. Consequently, Muthukutty's demise has no impact on Parthi, and he goes about wondering around the village emotionlessly. When the insurance agent comes to visit, the body suddenly goes missing. Parthi then learns his father had a younger half-brother who they all just recently realized exists. Parthi convinces his newfound uncle to pretend to play dead until the insurance agent leaves. However, things do not exactly go as plan.

Source: Google Images

1. Karnan

In South India, the oppressed community of Podiyankulam village are struggling every day because there is no bus stop available nearby. As a result, they have to use the bus stop at the nearby Melur village, where they are subjected to daily harassment at the hands of the dominant caste villagers there. Things take a turn for the worse when Karnan, a young man from Podiyankulam vandalizes a bus for refusing to help a pregnant lady from his village. Consequently, a high-ranking police officer named Kannabiran is brought in to investigate the case and life in Podiyankulam is about to change forever. 

Source: Google Images

Sunday, December 26, 2021

Ponniyin Selvan vs. Game of Thrones

Most readers nowadays are more likely to be familiar with Game of Thrones compared to Ponniyin Selvan. This is such a shame because not only do those who have read both book series recommend the latter over the former, but there are also striking parallels between the characters from both stories. Here is a rundown of the characters from Ponniyin Selvan are similar to those from Game of Thrones. 


1. King Robert Baratheon - King Sundara Chola

Both are kings of their respective kingdoms, but are essentially forced to share their power with other powerful men in order to maintain peace in their empires. Their deaths spark the major conflict of both stories.


2. Cersei Lannister - Nandhini 

Strong and powerful women with great beauty from powerful families who then marry into even more powerful families to solidify their positions. Both possess an unquenchable thirst for power and can easily manipulate those around them to do their bidding. 


3. Tyrion Lannister - Vandiyathevan 

Renowned for their wit and intelligence which allow them to survive countless life-threatening situations. Both journey on great adventures across their respective empires. 


4. Jon Snow - Arulmozhi Varman

Great young warriors from powerful families who are sent away from home on important missions and are fated to become heirs to the throne despite their own wishes. 


5. Daenerys Targaryen - Kunthavai 

Intelligent princesses who do not wish to hide behind a man throughout their lives and instead plan to unite the empire under their respective kingdoms. Both are the female leads of their respective stories. 


6. Rob Stark - Aditya Karikalan 


Fearless, great warriors who are the heir to their respective father's positions. Consequently, both are the subjects of conspiracies that involve a grand ceremony. 


7. Sansa Stark - Vanadhi 

Beautiful young women from minor noble families who associate themselves with much more powerful families and even harbour fantasies of marrying kings. 


8. Joffrey Baratheon - Mathuranthagan


Potential candidates for the throne but are cowards who do not deserve to become king but still conspire with others to claim it for themselves. 


9. Varys - Aniruddha Brahmaraiyar 

Powerful courtiers with a wide network of spies that allow them to possess information that is inaccessible to anyone else in the kingdom. 


10. Ygritte - Poonguzhali

Strong young tribal women who save young men from powerful families from danger while they are far away from home and eventually fall in love with them.  


Even the most powerful families in Ponniyin Selvan parallel those in Game of Thrones


1. Pandiyans - House of Targaryen 

The previous dynasty that ruled the empire before being overthrown by a new family that joined forces with other minor noble families.


2. Cholas - House of Baratheon

The current royal family that has to align with many minor noble families in order to stay in power and maintain peace. Nevertheless, many conspire against them. 


3. Pazhuvettaraiyargal - House of Lannister

The second most powerful family in the land that controls the kingdom's economy and is thus the most powerful financially. It is essential that the royal family remain close to them to stay in power. 

Sunday, October 31, 2021

MALAYSIAN TV SHOWS FOR DEEPAVALI 2021

3rd NOVEMBER

Deepavali Yennai Kulliyal (TV3, 5:35am):
Celebrate the festival of lights with Bezique Streams and tune to understand the benefits of the age old Deepavali tradition Yennai Kulliyal (Oil Bath).

Nam Naatu Arusuvai (Okey TV, 10:00am)
Join Chef Vasantha Jothi as she demonstrates how to prepare "tofu rendang" for a vegetarian Deepavali. 

Karuppu (TV2, 3:00pm):
A moving story about a boy who goes blind after a tragic ends and struggles to face the challenges that life has in store for him. 

Deepa Oli (TV2, 9:00pm):
The annual Deepavali live show by Minnal FM with a range of musical performances by local Indian talents that will be recorded at the Perdana Auditorium.

Kannadi Manasu (TV2, 10:30pm):
Anand suffers from ‘Obsessive Compulsory Disorder’ (OCD) a type of mental disorder but falls in love with Priya, an employee in his office. Despite having struggled with the disease since childhood, he has to come to terms with his love for Priya.

4th NOVEMBER

Kochadaiiyaan (Astro Vaanavil, 9:00am):
An animated period drama epic film written by K.S Ravikumar and directed by Soundarya Rajinikanth is India's first photorealistic motion capture film. This film features characters whose designs were based on the appearance and likeness of their respective actors. Starring: Rajinikanth & Deepika Padukone. 

Veetukku Veedu Deepavali (Astro Vaanavil, 12:30pm):
A Deepavali celebration with Malaysian artists featuring the "Tamiletchumy" cast and team. This show will showcase a variety games & debates presented in a fun and informative way. "Tamiletchumy" was the top TV Show on Astro Vaanavil in 2020 and S2 is currently airing with high viewership.

Gunting Bhavana (TV3, 2:00pm):
Bhavana is a popular hair stylist who losses her ancestral scissors one day. During this time, all her children and their spouses are back home for Deepavali. Because of this, Bhavana accuses them of stealing her scissors. This leads to a series of funny and hearwarming moments. 

Deepavali Special with Pallavi Bakery (Astro Vaanavil, 7:30pm):
A fun filled Deepavali special show with Pallavi Bakery Team. 

Paramapatham (Astro Vaanavil, 9:00pm):
A Malaysian Tamil movie with 18 awards at various international film festivals. Shown during prime time, this is the FIRST mind twisting, Malaysian inspired board game story. Directed by Viknes Perrabu and Thanesh Perrabu, this fantasy-thriller story is about an archaeologist named Aroon and his three friends who find an ancient board game during an expedition, but they are unable to finish the game, and the game starts to affect their lives in more ways than one. 

Lakshmi (TV2, 9:00pm):
This 2018 musical dance film is written and directed by A. L. Vijay starring Ditya Bhande as the titular character along with Prabhu Deva and Aishwarya Rajesh in the lead roles alongside a supporting cast including Salman Yusuff Khan and Karunakaran. The film is loosely based on the theme of goddess Lakshmi.

Chandramukhi (Astro Vaanavil, 11:00pm):
An extended family move into a former royal palace, paying no heed to the warnings about ghosts. Soon inexplicable occurrences causes them to call a renowned psychiatrist to help solve the mystery.

5th NOVEMBER

Ore Varthey (TV2, 8:00am):
The separation between a mother and father that impacts the children as a result of not getting the full love and attention causes their children to choose the wrong direction in life.

En Iniya Pon Nilaave (TV2, 3:00pm):
Pungguzhali is on a search for the first woman her grandfather, Govinthasamy has ever loved. The only clue she has is that the woman has the same name as her.

Cahaya Muthusamy (TV9, 8:30pm):
Sam no longer celebrates Deepavali since he became estranged from his own family. However, this year, fate has different plans for him. 

Kumbalangi Nights (TV2, 9:00pm):
Four stepbrothers - Saji, Bonny, Bobby and Franky raised themselves following their father's death and their mother's abandonment. As young men, they are forced to go through various challenges in life since they were never raised by proper adults who could serve as their guide.

Dhira (Astro Vaanavil 10:00pm):
A Tamil adventure animated movie based on the chronicles of legendary Indian poet, Tenali Ramakrishna.

6th NOVEMBER

Vasantham Deepavali Special (TV2, 4:30pm)
Follow the discussion of various interesting topics in conjunction with Deepavali 2021 celebrations with special guests who will share their thoughts on our second time celebrating this Festival of Lights amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cikgu Kamala (TV3, 12:30am):
Kamala is a modern girl who is posted to a school in a village far away from the comforts of the city. She has a challenging time adjusting to life in the countryside. However, she makes a vow to only return to her hometown for Deepavali once she has settled down in her new home. However, she becomes enemies with Miss Nora, who is jealous of Kamala and tries to make life difficult for her. 

7th NOVEMBER

Singh Susu (TV3, 12:30am): 
Amarjit Singh is bad at football but he is determined to become the next Cristiano Ronaldo. On the eve of Deepavali, a friendly tournament is being held and Amarjit vows to join the game and prove himself worthy of playing football. 

Sarva Thalam Maayam (TV2, 9:00pm):
This is a story about a famous mridangam player named Vembu Iyer and his student Peter Johnson, son of an expert mridangam maker named Johnson who is a crazy Vijay fan. Because of his caste, Peter faces many challenges in becoming a musicial in the Chennail classical music scene, until Vembu shows up as his saviour. 

Monday, October 4, 2021

The Crimes of Grindelwald: Top 12 Characters We Can Expect To See

Right after the first Fantastic Beasts film came out, fans all across the world were already asking for a sequel. Thankfully, our queen JK Rowling promised at least another four movies in this new franchise that will exist within the Harry Potter world that she has created. Along with the announcement of the next film's title - The Crimes of Grindelwald, the filmmakers also released a really cute poster with both old and new characters. So this is the time to speculate how most of these  new (and old) characters might make their appearances.

1) Young Professor Dumbledore


Jude Law will be playing a young Professor Dumbledore. During the events of Fantastic Beasts, Dumbledore is still the Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts as well as a recruiter for prospective Hogwarts students. During this time, he was a regular columnist for the magazine called Transfiguration Today. We can also look forward to seeing the epic duel between him and Grindelwald, although that might only happen in the final film.



2) Credence Barebone

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Credence survives the Auror attack from the first film. Now that he is free from the clutches of his abusive adoptive mother, it will be interesting to see if he remains the shy and self-conscious boy from before or if he develops into a villain. One thing is for sure. There is no way he will be ready to embrace the Wizarding World with open arms now after he was attacked so violently for something he could barely control. There have been numerous fan theories on the significance of Credence's character and if he might be related to anyone from the original Harry Potter stories (read: the Riddles). This seems possible with reports suggesting that he will be travelling to Europe by following a circus owner...



3) The Maledictus

Seen cosying up to Credance is an Asian young woman, said to be playing a yet to be identified Maledictus, which is someone whose blood is cursed and will turn into a beast. This is the first mention of such a thing in the Potter saga, so nothing much is known about it. We are not sure if a Werewolf is a kind of Maledictus or if Muggles can carry this curse too. The only person who is mentioned to have a blood-related curse is Astoria Malfoy from The Cursed Child, although we all pretend that is not actually canon. So both Credence and this Maledictus are intimate probably because both of them are cursed, albeit in different ways and that brought them close.



4) Leta Lestrange

We only saw her in a magical photograph. Perhaps now we get to see her in person. In case you don't remember, Newt took the blame for an experiment Leta was conducting that went wrong and almost killed another student. As a result, he was expelled from Hogwarts. It will be interesting to see how much Leta has in common with the future Black-Lestrange family members. While talking about Leta in the first Fantastic Beasts film, it was clear that Newt has feelings for her but refused to elaborate any further. So, it is crucial we consider who she is snuggling with here...



5) Theseus Scamander

Elder brother of our protagonist Newt, Theseus is a powerful British Auror. He is considered a war hero after going against the Ministry of Magic and helping Muggles during World War I. Although Newt and Theseus are not estranged, they are not particularly close either, what with Theseus not approving of Newt's career in Magizoology. Newt also did not inform Theseus he was in New York despite Theseus corresponding with MACUSA all the time. Adding fuel to their predicament is Leta is engaged to Theseus while Newt clearly has feelings for her. Drama...



6) Bathilda Bagshot

Like Newt, Professor Bagshot also wrote a famous book that became a Hogwarts textbook. Unknown to many, she is also Grindelwald's British great-aunt. Her book is A History of Magic, which might as well be the name of the sequel since it would be cool to name each film after a textbook. When she was older, the alleged senile Bathilda became close with Lily Potter since they both lived in Godric's Hallow. They talked about Grindelwald and Dumbledore relationship. Bathilda even celebrated Harry's first birthday with his parents.



7) Henry Potter

Yes, this man is none other than Harry's paternal great-grandfather. Known as 'Harry' among those close to him, he was a Pure-blood Wizard who served in the Wizengamot, which is the Wizarding high court that predates the Ministry of Magic, during the First World War. He was a controversial figure in history for his outspoken criticism against the Ministry of Magic's policy of banning Wizards and Witches involvement in the Muggle War. He was fiercely pro-Muggle and helped Muggles during wartime. Many believe this was the main reason the Potter family was ultimately excluded from the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Now with the Fantastic Beasts sequels covering the time period during World War II, it is possible for Henry to return to helping Muggles being persecuted by the Nazis.



8) Leonard Spencer-Moon

The British Wartime Minister for Magic was Leonard Spencer-Moon who served from 1939 to 1948. Coincidentally, the Prime Minister of Britain was Winston Spencer Churchill. Probably both Ministers are related somehow through the aristocratic Spencer family. After all, if it is possible FDR was Churchill's seventh cousin, why can't he be related to the Magic Minister too? (Wishful thinking?) Leonard became Minister for Magic because his predecessor, Hector Fawley took  Grindelwald's "For the Greater Good" revolution lightly and was removed from office.



9) Xenophilius Lovegood

More popularly known as Luna Lovegood's single father and editor of the The Quibbler, there is more about this eccentric Wizard than meets the eye. During Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding at the Burrow, Viktor Krum accused Xenophilius of being a supporter of Grindelwald because he was wearing the mark of Grindelwald. He was referring to the necklace shaped like The Deadly Hallows' symbol. In the first Fantastic Beasts film, JK Rowling followed up on this plot point by having Grindelwald own a similar necklace. But here's the thing - what if it is the very same necklace? Xenophilius does have a neck for curious artifacts and perhaps The Deadly Hallows were some of them. Also, his only daughter Luna would grow up to marry Magizoologist Rolf Scamander, grandson of Newt and Porpentina Scamander and they would have twin sons. Another interesting Lovegood fact is that JK. Rowling initially wanted to introduce Rolf as a character in the final book where he would tell Harry and his friends about The Deadly Hallows. However, she eventually changed her mind and had his future father-in-law tell it to them. See how The Lovegoods and Scamanders are more connected that we are lead to believe?



10) Nicholas Flammel

It cannot be a coincidence that a real-life, renowned individual that was mentioned in the first book but never makes an appearance just so happens to live in France where the next film will take place. The oldest stone house in Paris was one of Flamel's houses that still stands at 51 rue de Montmorency. There is even an old inscription on the wall, with a restaurant occupying the ground floor. There is even a street close to the Louvre Museum named after him which intersects with another street named after his wife. The creator of the Philosopher's Stone and Beauxbaton alumni will probably be introduced as Dumbledore's partner in Alchemy, as referenced in the latter's Chocolate Frog Card.


Saturday, October 2, 2021

Top 12 Fan Theories About Dumbledore's Endgame

Professor Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts school, has hidden many truths from everyone in his circle over the course of the books. Snape was not wrong when he described Dumbledore as raising Harry like a pig for slaughter. Yes, ever since Dumbledore witnessed Trelawney unconsciously foresee the one who could defeat Voldemort, he had been weaponizing Harry to fulfill the prophecy. Till today, fans are still debating about the extent of which Dumbledore manipulated Harry to grow from The Boy Who Lived into The Chosen One. Here are some of the most plausible fan theories about Dumbledore's ultimate plan that readers of the books might not have caught up on:

Source: Google Images

1) He planned for Harry, not Neville, to be The Chosen One

We all know the boy in Trelawney's prophecy could either refer to Harry or Neville Longbottom. But why did Voldemort choose to go after only Harry and not Neville? Dumbledore claims Voldemort saw Harry, his fellow Half Blood, as more of a threat than the pure-blood Neville. This makes sense since the Tom Riddle memory from the Hocrux diary draws attention to how similar he is to Harry in the Chamber of Secrets. But still, killing off only one of the two boys just seems out of character for a paranoid psychopath like Voldemort.

It seems more likely - based on Dumbledore's actions - that he manipulated Voldemort into seeing Harry as more of a threat than Neville. After listening to Trelawney's prophecy, Dumbledore told the Potters to go into hiding but he makes no mention about telling this to the Longbottoms. When Voldemort learns about this from Warmtail, he might have immediately assumed that Dumbledore viewed the Potter boy as a more valuable asset that the Longbottom one. In the end, Voldemort merely sent his Death Eaters to go after the Longbottoms while personally going after the Potters. This could have been purely coincidental, but knowing Dumbledore, it must have been part of his bigger plan. Neville, being a pure-blood, would have been part of a larger extended magical family. Also, there is his overbearing grandmother, who would have made it difficult for Dumbledore to deal with than a boy with Muggle relatives who did not really care for him.

Source: Google Images


2) He let Sirius rot in Azkaban on purpose

Dumbledore is a skilled Legilimens who could have easily explored Sirius' mind and deducted that he is innocent of mass murder. Instead, we are left to assume that after Sirius was sentenced to imprisonment, he and Dumbledore never met which means Dumbledore never got the chance to discover the truth. But this seems unlikely since Dumbledore never leaves behind any lose ends. Additionally, he is the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, which provides him full access to all Azkaban inmates. If his word is enough to free Snape, he could have easily freed Sirius as well. And yet, Sirius was left to rot in Azkaban for 12 years. 

One of the most curious aspects of Sirius' imprisonment is he never stood trial while actual Death Eaters did. Barty Crouch Sr. was so convinced that Sirius was guilty that he immediately sent him to Azkaban. It is almost as if someone more powerful and influential - Dumbledore - had something to do with it. It is highly probable that Sirius, being Harry's godfather, would have insisted he raise Harry if he was freed from all charges. That would have deprived Harry from the sacrificial protection that his Aunt Petunia provides him. And not to mention how inconvenient it would be for Dumbledore to groom Harry into fulfilling Trelawney's prophecy. Also, Sirius is quite a playful person and Dumbledore must have had his doubts on whether he could properly raise a future warrior. 

Source: Google Images

  

3) He arranged for Harry to be sorted into Gryffindor

When they first meet, Hagrid tells Harry that Slytherin is the house of bad wizards. Almost immediately after that, Harry bumps into the Weasleys, a family of borderline anti-Slytherin Gryffindors, at King's Cross when he first boards the Hogwarts Express. This is a bit of a stretch but notice how Molly Weasley appears to be unsure of which platform to go to and makes this publicly known, attracting Harry's attention. This is definitely puzzling since she has so many children who she sends off to Hogwarts every year.

It is more likely that Dumbledore arranged for Harry to be acquainted with not just Hagrid, but also the Weasleys, all friendly, kind-hearted Gryffindors, so that Harry would be influenced to pick that house at Hogwarts. This is after all post-First Wizarding War Hogwarts and Slytherin mainly comprises of Death Eater's children and that would be such a toxic environment for Harry to be in. Not to mention that many of these Death Eaters believe that Harry himself is a powerful Dark Wizard since he seemingly defeated Voldemort as an infant.

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4) He allowed the Basilisk to roam freely 

Yes, this sounds extreme. But think about it; nobody died the second time the Chamber of Secrets is opened while Harry is at Hogwarts. After the cat Mrs. Norris is found petrified next to the graffiti announcing the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore must have become aware of the danger his school is in. Dumbledore already knew the Chamber was previously opened by Tom Riddle fifty years ago. But what he did not know is where the Chamber is or who is controlling the Basilisk this time. His only option is to let everything unfold to gather more information, all while minimizing collateral damage. 

Thus, to trick the culprit into thinking they are killing Muggle-borns, Dumbledore manipulated the situation to his advantage. He indirectly supplied the Basilisk with victims, all while making sure they were protected from its deadly stare through various ways. This is why all its victims were only petrified and none died, unlike the first time the Chamber was opened. Dumbledore probably predicted that Harry and his friends were also conducting their own parallel investigation, which is how he was able to send them Fawkes and the Sorting Hat to help Harry. Harry defeated the Basilisk and Riddle, saved Ginny, and returned to safety with the diary. This is a crucial moment because Dumbledore finally learns that Voldemort had been making Hocruxes.

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5) He arranged for Lockart to teach Harry something important

Nope. It was obviously not Defense Against the Dark Arts. Hogwarts is not a perfect school. But why would someone as intelligent as Dumbledore hire Lockhart, one of the Wizarding world's biggest con artists ever for the job? Some say Dumbledore hired him as a joke. Some say it was to expose him as the fraud he was. Some even claim he did not care who was hired to teach that subject since the job was jinxed by an adult Tom Riddle. But all that seems unlikely since it would jeopardize the students' education.

The actual reason Dumbledore hired Lockart is because he wanted to teach Harry, and perhaps the other students, the value of humility. Harry first arrived at the school the year before as The Boy Who Lived and became a celebrity in the Wizarding world. All this fame could have easily gone into his head. With Lockart as his teacher, Harry would have been able to witness on a daily basis how an inflated ego and undue arrogance can make a person extremely unlikable. Speaking about teaching the students something important, it was not as if they learned nothing on Defense Against the Dark Arts that year. If there is one good thing Lockart did during his tenure at Hogwarts, it was organizing the Dueling Club. It was here where Harry saw Snape using the disarming spell against Lockart, and it eventually became Harry's signature spell. But Lockart is not the only incompetent Defense teacher Dumbledore had for the job with double motives, which leads us to our next point.

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6) He wanted Harry to be at the graveyard

After sneaky Quirell played host to Voldemort for almost an entire year right under his nose, you can safely bet Dumbledore would have been extra cautious on who he allows into Hogwarts next. Was Barty Crouch Jr. really so convincing as Mad-Eye Moody that he successfully fooled a wizard as perceptive as Dumbledore for months? Highly unlikely. The fact that Harry's name ends up in the Goblet of Fire should have been a dead giveaway someone new in the school is up to no good. It is safe to assume that Dumbledore would have learned the truth by then but allowed things to play out. 

Besides, Harry was never really in any immediate danger since he is protected by his mother's blood sacrifice, which is the strongest form of magic that Voldemort continues to underestimate since he can never understand love. Harry even notices how Dumbledore appears to be happy when he learns that Voldemort took Harry's blood to create the Regeneration Potion. But more on this later. An additional protection of course is Priori Incantatem - both Harry and Voldemort's wands are brothers and cannot be used against one another. 

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7) Umbridge is part of his plan

Maybe not Umbridge specifically but anyone appointed by the corrupt Ministry for Magic would have eventually led to Harry taking his place as a rebel. Just think; why would Dumbledore, the leader of a secret society made up of the most powerful Aurors, not handpick one of them to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts, especially now that this is unarguably the most important subject considering Voldemort's return? 

When Harry, Ron and Hermione finally decide to set up Dumbledore's Army during a secret meeting at Hog's Head, Dumbledore is clearly aware of this. All this time, both Mundungus Fletcher and Aberforth were keeping an eye on Harry. Dumbledore does nothing to stop Harry and his friends even though he knows what will happen to them if Umbridge finds out. Dumbledore probably allowed it to happen so that Harry gets to assume a leadership position as a Defense tutor for his friends. It is also the perfect avenue for him to practice fighting tyranny.

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8)  He let Harry believe that they were double-crossed by Snape on purpose

Many readers argue that things would have been so much easier if Dumbledore simply revealed to Harry that Snape was actually working as a triple agent for them. However, this would have been extremely dangerous. Snape is a highly accomplished Occlumens, who can deflect mind-reading spells effortlessly, which is why he is able to survive being around skilled Legilimens like Voldemort, Quirrell, Bellatrix, Barty Crouch Jr., Narcissa and Draco to name a few. However, Harry isn't and his mind is vulnerable to infiltration, which makes it dangerous for Snape had Harry known the complete truth early on.  

However, Snape's mastery of Occlumency made both Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix question his loyalty to them respectively. This was why it is crucial that Snape kill Dumbledore himself, not just to save Draco's soul, but to gain Voldemort's complete trust. Perhaps this is why he arranged for Snape to teach Harry Occlumency - to block Harry's mind from being exposed to Voldemort or anyone else. Unfortunately, the animosity between Harry and Snape made private lessons impossible, and Harry ended up learning nothing. This is why Dumbledore had to devise another plan to prevent Harry's mind from being penetrated and manipulated by Voldemort, which leads us to the next point.

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9) He allowed Voldemort to possess Harry

While fighting Voldemort in the Ministry's headquarters, Dumbledore purposely prolonged the duel. Both wizards are equally powerful and the duel would have gone on forever. As Voldemort grew restless, he then possessed Harry, taunting Dumbledore to kill him. It probably did not cross his mind that when a wizard possesses another person's body, they can experience whatever that person is going through. While possessing Harry, Voldemort experiences the pain of loosing a loved one - Harry had just lost Sirius, and has lived a hard life with almost no love until Hogwarts. Voldemort, who does not understand love, cannot bare this pain. 

From here onward, Voldemort never possesses Harry nor does he even come close to manipulating his mind the same way he did to lure Harry into the Department of Mysteries. It is only at this point does Dumbledore start being more honest with Harry by telling him the real reason Voldemort wants him dead. In the following year, they even explore old memories and find out the truth about Voldemort's Hocruxes, all while safely knowing that the Dark Lord will not even dare infiltrate Harry's mind anymore. However, any other Death Eater that Harry encounters outside Hogwarts might discover Snape's true loyalty, which is perhaps why Dumbledore keeps this one last information from him.

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10) He made Harry keep his Hocrux mission a secret for a very sinister reason

As smart as Dumbledore is, even he makes mistakes; like when he wears the cursed Gaunt ring in an attempt to destroy it but it leaves him with only a few months to live. From this point on, Dumbledore makes Harry keep his knowledge of Voldemort's Hocruxes a secret from everyone except Ron and Hermione. Harry stays true to his word and never even tells McGonagall and Lupin when asked. Why didn't Dumbledore task the members of the Order of the Phoenix with finding and destroying the Hocruxes? After all, most of them are very powerful and intelligent Aurors who can find and destroy the Hocruxes more effectively than three teenagers. 

Perhaps there is a very sinister reason. By now, Dumbledore would have realized that Harry too is a Hocrux and has to die. If the members of the Order knew - especially Lupin, Sirius and the Weasleys - they would have done everything they could to stop Harry from dying, effectively putting an end to Dumbledore's ingenious but twisted plan. Moreover, notice how Dumbledore does not mind Harry sharing this information with Ron and Hermione, but he never invites them to partake in exploring the various memories. Perhaps sharing too much first hand information on Hocruxes with the ever perspicacious Hermione would have made her aware of Harry being a Hocrux much earlier on than when she does in the final book.   

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11) Harry needed to think he really had to die

Had Harry known he had the chance to survive Voldemort all along, he would not have been as successful in defeating the Dark Lord. When Harry walks into the Forbidden Forest to sacrifice himself, he does so willingly. This willingness is key to his survival. Nobody coerced him to do so, but someone (read: Dumbledore) definitely misled him into doing it. Thus, by sacrificing himself out of love for his friends, he unwittingly provided everyone fighting for his side at Hogwarts with the same kind of invincible protection his mother gave him as a child.

Also - and this is hard to prove because there is no way Dumbledore went so far as to plan for Harry to become master of the Elder Wand -  but Harry somehow does. Even though Voldemort now wields the Elder Wand, its allegiance is to Harry. Since Harry chose not to defend himself against Voldemort, the Wand was not fighting off Harry. Therefore, its allegiance did not change and it merely killed off the Horcux inside Harry. Dumbledore even states, "And that, I think, will have made all the difference." Had he tried to fight back and lost, he would have lost the allegiance of the Wand and perhaps died. Or would he? Read the final theory below...

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12) He lied about the real reason Harry was in Limbo  

When in Limbo, Harry meets Dumbledore at a place that resembles Kings Cross where he is given the choice to either move on to the Afterlife, or return to the world of the living. As mentioned earlier, Dumbledore claims Harry did not fight Voldemort, which allowed for the Elder Wand to protect him. In addition, there was his mother's sacrificial protection. However, neither of these two protections explain how Harry was given the unique choice to either move on to the Afterlife or return to the realm of the living. What was it that gave Harry this level of power?

Notice at this point in the story, Harry, as Dumbledore himself points out, is now master of all three Deadly Hallows; making him the master of death. But why then did Dumbledore make it seem as if it was his mother's blood and the Elder Wand's allegiance that protected him instead? Simple. Because if there is one thing Dumbledore fears, it is overwhelming power. That was even the reason he did not want to become Minister for Magic. Dumbledore never trusted himself. Perhaps he feared Harry would become power-hungry had he known the level of power he truly possessed. By the way, isn't it weird how Harry becomes somewhat like a Christ-figure by sacrificing himself for his loved ones and then ends up meeting a God-like figure at a place called Kings Cross?

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