India, Oct. 16 -- I began my Tamil Nadu journey in Nagapattinam, a small coastal town-ground zero of the tsunami. Standing there, eyes on the Bay of Bengal at zero degrees east, the sea heaved on the golden sands, and for a moment I was back in a cinematic memory: Arvind Swamy leaning close to Manisha Koirala, their glances darting like sparks.

Even now, I can't think of anything as electric as him pressed against that rock, his gaze alive with forbidden desire. Thirty years on, Bombay remains the only film that tied desire so tangibly to this southern coast.

Early morning fish market at Nagappatinam (Phtot Credit: Pearl Sandhu) As the eye travelled, one could see Nagai had wiped away all traces of the tsunami's destruction, as if it wa...