South India Through My Eyes: Culture, Movies, and Moments That Stayed With Me
Introduction To South India 🇮🇳
My first time in India was South India and the whole region captivated me from the very beginning. With each new state I visited, I found myself more enchanted by the people, places, music, food, and stories that welcomed me in. A glimpse of how Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Telangana shaped my journey, each in their own unforgettable way.
Tamil Nadu: Music, Movies, & My First Crushes
The land of R. Madhavan, Siddharth, Surya, Mani Ratnam, and A.R. Rahman. Chennai was my introduction to Tamil Nadu, and it didn’t disappoint.
The First City I Visited in Tamil Nadu: Chennai
Spiritual Experiences in Chennai
🛕 First Hindu Temple I Visited in South India: Kapaleeshwarar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in the Mylapore neighborhood.
⛪ First Church I Visited in South India: San Thome Church (St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica)
One out of three churches in the world built on the tomb of one of Jesus’s 12 apostles. It was also my first time seeing a bone relic which was a very different atmosphere than the mandir or gurdwara.
Tamil Cinema
Tamil films and songs have left a lasting impression on me🎵
Favorite Tamil Films:
Kannathil Muthamittal (2002)
This film was really touching & storytelling execution was fantastic in terms of depth & nuance of difficult choices amidst longing.
Vaayai Moodi Pesavum (2014)
A movie ahead of its time & still so relevant. Dulquer Salmaan’s Tamil debut was great. I love his chemistry with Nazriya onscreen!
O Kadhal Kanmani (2015)
All the songs from this film evoke so many different emotions while some are so dance-worthy! Theera ulaa, theera kanaa, theera ulaa, theera vizhaa…
The chemistry between Dulquer and Nithya (two of my favorite actors from the Malayalam industry!) is unforgettable. I didn’t enjoy the Bollywood version OK Jaanu nearly as much.
Peranbu (2018)
The first Mammootty film I watched, ironically!
🎥 Explore my Favorite Tamil movies HERE — from Mani Ratnam magic to A.R. Rahman soundtracks
Tamil Music
Favorite Tamil Songs:
Munbe Vaa by Shreya Ghoshal from Sillunu Oru Kaadhal (2006)
The Tamil song I’ve had on repeat and first ever Tamil song added to my playlist!
Pachchai Nirame by Clinton Cerejo and Hariharan from the Mani Ratnam-directed film Alai Payuthey (2000).
Sandaikozhi by Madhushree also from the Mani Ratnam-directed film Aaytha Ezhuthu (2004)
The intimate close-ups + grungy emotional defiance visualization of the music video alongside powerhouse rock vocals = perfection.
Shakthisree Gopalan’s tone has grit, texture, and rebellion baked into every note.
I only realized later, after watching more South Indian films, that the iconic songs from Saathiya were actually Hindi remakes of the original Tamil soundtrack. I love both versions equally.
[Aanika’s Tamil Song Playlist ↗️]
First Crushes from South India: Madhavan & Siddharth 😍
I remember thinking, “Who is this cute guy?” the first moment Madhavan appeared on screen in Rang De Basanti.
Tamil Nadu Food Highlight
Chettinad Chicken 🍗
Karnataka: From Mysuru Palace to Meeting the Goddess
The emerald hills of Mysuru are alive with the sound of Carnatic music ☺️
🌺 Mysuru (Mysore) — my favorite South Indian city. I was completely charmed by the whole town and can’t wait to return someday.
Mysuru Memories & Indo-Saracenic Architecture
Mysuru Palace wasn’t just stunning, it was a turning point. Because it’s where I realized that one of my favorite architectural style is Indo-Saracenic: a mesmerizing blend of Hindu, Muslim, and European influences. The scale, the symmetry, the opulence! All of it captivated me more than any other historical monument in India.
Favorite Temple in India: Chamundeshwari Mandir
Perched atop Chamundi Hills, this mandir dedicated to the state goddess of Karnataka left a deep impression on me. Looking out over the entire city from that height was unforgettable — even if my pictures didn’t turn out great thanks to the sudden rain rolling in just as we began our descent.
Only later did I find out that my own name is another name for Goddess Durga. No wonder I felt so at home there. It wasn’t simply “vibing hard” with the place, it was recognition.
First Thought at Mysuru Palace
Well, damn! Now this is where I would want to get married — if I ever got married.…until I found out that only royal family members are allowed. 😅
Searching for My Kannadiga Lover ❤️🔥
#IndoSaracenicLoveStory
🏃🏾♀️BRB — off to find (and then runaway with) my Kannadiga lover! 😜😉😄
Step 1: charm a Kannadiga with my heartwarming rendition of “Kesariya Rangu”
Step 2: Learn how to cook vaangi bhat? ……(maybe… Or get away with making begun bhaji instead — which I also don’t know how to cook 😅)
Step 3: said Kannadiga Lover has connections to the Mysuru royal family and pulls off the ultimate wedding venue miracle ✨
🧵Kannada Dream Wedding Outfit: orange Ikal or Mysuru Silk sari (a nod to my bachelorette days when I visited Mysuru wearing an orange kurta but I’d be okay with royal purple)
#KannadigaKen + #BengaliBarbie = it really does have a ring to it, ya know?🔥
Cross-cultural love story coming soon…..to the silver screen near YOU! 🎞️
🎬 Directed by: Pawan Kumar will bring our epic love story in Kannada to the silver screen
🎶 Love Ballad by: Sanjith Hedge & Shreya Ghoshal
Kannada Cinema and Music Firsts
First Kannada Film Watched: Lucia (2013) by Pawan Kumar
🎬 Discover the Kannada films that introduced me to grounded love stories and indie brilliance.
Favorite Kannada Songs
First Kannada Song I Heard: Mella Mella by Dr. Vihar Joshi
- A cover of “Despacito” in Kannada. Not an original Kannada song, but this was the first time I heard the language in musical form.
Second Kannada Song I Loved: Kesariya Rangu (Kannada version of Kesariya)
- Sung by Sanjith Hegde and Sid Sriram
- I loved it so much that I attempted my first recording singing in a Dravidian language!
First Original Kannada Song I Fell for: Neenaade Naa
- Sung by: Shreya Ghoshal, Armaan Malik, and Thaman S
- I didn’t look up the singers until I had already played it 50 times. Imagine my shock when I realized the female voice was Shreya Ghoshal — one of my all-time favorites who also sings my favorite Tamil song! Naturally, I went down the rabbit hole of finding all her Kannada songs after that.
[Aanika’s Kannada Song Playlist ↗️]
Kannada Literature
📚Books I Want to Read by Kannadiga authors
- The Way I See It: A Gauri Lankesh Reader by Gauri Lankesh
- Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, English Translation by Deepa Bhasthi (International Booker Prize 2025)
- Sakina’s Kiss by Vivek Shanbag, English Translation by Srinath Perur
- Tiger Hills by Sarita Mandanna (Kannadathi from Coorg!) – done reading!
Karnataka Food Highlights
- Masala dosa
- Kara dosa
- Mysore Pak
- Vaangi Bhat (excited to try this next time)
Karnataka Future Travel Itinerary
- Visit Mysuru during Dussehra
- Northern Karnataka – Bidar (from Hyderabad!) & Gulbarga
- Coorg –Stargazing and plantation tours in “Scotland of India” & of course trying local Kodava cuisine!
- Bylakuppe area – Namdroling Monastery Golden Temple
- Hassan & Belur-Halebidu
- Mangaluru (Mangalore) & Udupi
- Hampi (UNESCO Heritage Site)
- Badami-Aihole-Pattadakal
South Indian States I Haven’t Visited YET
- Kerala
- Telangana
- Andhra Pradesh
Kerala: Cinema Paradise, Poetry, and a Dream Yet to Come🌴
Malayalam Movies, Music, and a Growing Fascination
Even without visiting yet, Kerala lives in my imagination….thanks to its cinematic brilliance and emotional storytelling.
Malayalam Movie Firsts
First Malayali Films: Uyare & Bangalore Days
Performance That Haunts Me: Joju George in Joseph
Malayali Woman Crush: Anna Ben 💕
Dive into some of my favorite Malayalam movies — where every scene lingers
Malayalam Songs & Musical Discoveries
First Malayalam Song I Heard: Kankankalil from Mathura Naranga (2015)
Favorite Malayalam Song to Dance To: Malare from Premam (2015)
I’ve been known to spontaneously dance and sing to this on sidewalks!
Malayalam Movie Soundtrack Inspiration: I was introduced to Bulleh Shah’s poetry after I found out the song Bas Kar Ji from Hridayam was inspired by one of his famous works.
[Aanika’s Malayalam Song Playlist ↗️]
Manifesting My Malayalam Movie Life
Malayalam Cinema Gave Me Unrealistic Expectations about Romance as an Adult….so this is what I imagine my first visit to Kerala will be like😃😆😁
Arrival Scene: My plane lands in Trivandrum. Malare is playing over the airport speakers.
- Nivin Pauly is waiting with a bouquet flashing that signature smile. He escorts me to a car and we chat along the way.
- Motorcycle Ride: Dulquer Salmaan is patiently waiting outside my hotel on a motorcycle with his charming smile to pick me up for dinner at Nazriya and Fahahd’s house. We talk about his time surviving the cold winters while he was studying at Purdue University in America.
- Dinner at Nazriya and Fahadh’s house – joined by Dulquer and Amal, and Prithviraj and Supriya. Maybe I can convince Prithviraj to do another film with Rani Mukerji? Their onscreen chemistry was an unexpected sizzle!
- Quiet Conversations: a heart-to-heart chat with Fafaa (Fahadh Faasil) about being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and his time in America
- Girls’ Day Out: with Nazriya Nazim & Parvathy Thirovothu
- Dance & Discussion: lessons at Rima Kallingal’s Mamangam dance studio in Kochi followed by lunch and conversations about the Women in Cinema Collective & ask her about her travels to St. Petersburg, Russia
- Big Sister Energy: Darshana Rajendran serenades me with “Darshana” from Hridayam and declares herself my big sister for life
- Traditional immersion: Attend a Kathakali performance in Munnar with Roshawn Mathews and Tovino Thomas by my side patiently and cheerfully explaining everything with their delightful grins
- Kerala Backwater Daydream: A peaceful houseboat cruise and one-on-one interesting conversations with both individually, shared delicious meals, and the gentle rhythm of the Kerala backwaters as the soundtrack.
Kerala Cuisine Wishlist
- Nadan Meen Curry
- Beef Fry with Porotta
- Puttu
Telangana: Cinema Firsts, Literary Echoes, and a City That Waits 🕌
📖 My First South Indian Film Was Telugu and Hyderabad still calls to me.
First Telugu Film: Bommarillu (2007)
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- This film holds a special place in my heart as Genelia & Siddharth’s chemistry is off the charts! I adore seeing them together onscreen.
- The songs from this movie have remained on my playlist for over a decade
Hyderabad Calling: Reignited by Premalu
The Malayalam film Premalu (2024) reignited my interest in visiting Hyderabad as the city’s portrayal as a backdrop in the film was captivating.
📽️ Revisit my earliest South Indian movie memories through these Telugu gems
Telugu Music
Favorite Telugu Songs:
Mooga Manasulu sung by Shreya Ghoshal & Anurag Kulkarni from Mahanati (2018)
Dhivara sung by Aditya Rao & Divya Kumar from Baahubali: The Beginning (2015)
Before this gets too long😅….check out
[Telugu Song Playlist ↗️]
Books by Authors from Telangana
- Madras on Rainy Days by Samina Ali
- A haunting story set in Old Hyderabad which left a lasting impression on me long after reading. Can’t wait to start reading her memoir Pieces You’ll Never Get Back (2025)
- Liberation of Sita by Volga (the penname of Telugu poet and writer Popuri Lalita Kumari)
- Originally written in Telugu, translated to English by T. Vijay Kumar
- A feminist revisioning of the Ramayana in five short stories
- Currently on my bookshelf, waiting to be read
Hyderabadi Cuisine Wishlist
- Hyderabadi Biryani (😬 despite not being a general fan of biryani in general)
- Hyderabadi Kebab
- Nihari
Andhra Pradesh: The Quiet Curiosity That Remains
Still unexplored, but Visakhapatnam and Kuchipudi dance traditions are calling.
Final Thoughts: P.S. I Love You, South India❤️
My journey through South India, both real and imagined, has been shaped by warmth, wonder, and worlds I didn’t know I needed.
- Tamil Nadu gave me music and my first film crushes.
- Karnataka gave me architecture, recognition, and a cross-cultural daydream I didn’t expect.
- Kerala gifted me cinematic longing, sidewalk twirls, and a fantasy itinerary stitched with poetry.
- Telangana reminded me that even stories from over a decade ago can be portals to memory, place, and to self.
Each South Indian state opened something in me. And somehow, I still feel like I’ve only just begun.
© 2024 –2026 Aanika I. All Rights Reserved.
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