Films of Mani Ratnam

Thilak,
Yeah, I'm tired of writing about the film already! I'm not *that* fond of the film myself. :) I don't think it's a great film at all, I don't even think it's tightly crafted. But, I do think it's unfairly dismissed by critics and moviegoers (who take movies "seriously," whatever that means) as a film that glorifies Ambani. I remember reading a very well-written critique of the film that, nevertheless, ended with a note that J. R. D. Tata would serve as a much better example for today's youngsters and wannabe-entrepreneurs than Ambani. Now, that's like saying a film set in the times of "freedom struggle" is better off with a Veerapandiya Kattabomman than a Marudhanayagam as its protagonist.

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Originally Posted by equanimus

I remember reading a very well-written critique of the film that, nevertheless, ended with a note that J. R. D. Tata would serve as a much better example for today's youngsters and wannabe-entrepreneurs than Ambani. Now, that's like saying a film set in the times of "freedom struggle" is better off with a Veerapandiya Kattabomman than a Marudhanayagam as its protagonist.

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:lol: Nice Analogy.

Maniratnam is a director gone lucky. He has the best of technicians.

In his films, there is no script as such. He takes a contemporary person/episode & films it.

Egs : Guru, nayakan, bombay, roja, dil se

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Originally Posted by kamath

Maniratnam is a director gone lucky. He has the best of technicians.

In his films, there is no script as such. He takes a contemporary person/episode & films it.

Egs : Guru, nayakan, bombay, roja, dil se

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best of technicians?? he has maintained his sound quality - be it IR or ARR........Rajeev menon, santhosh sivan, P.C.Sriram, or anyone - his picture quality has always been great......

all the movies u mentioned, except for Guru, the movie surrounds the event and not the event itself.......compare it with other director's works which will be directly abt the even itself....

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Originally Posted by kamath

In his films, there is no script as such. He takes a contemporary person/episode & films it.

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:lol:

Superb article:
http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-mov...ni-ratnam.html

Kamal sir - a Mani contribution? :lol:

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Originally Posted by Nerd

Superb article:
http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-mov...ni-ratnam.html

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The heading may be mis-leading but the innertext is so good that each and every word fits the bill 8-)

An acting legend whose fame stretches across the country, he started his career decades before his tryst with this director. But what makes their union an event of historical significance is that the film Nayagan changed the course of both their lives forever. Mani’s movies got greater recognition, Kamal started challenging himself more and his ever increasing appetite for variety became even greater. Not to mention the national award he received for his performance in this masterpiece.

super article.......Nayagan defintely changed Kamal's course of career......idhu marukka mudiyadha unmai..... 8-)

y did they leave out arvind swamy :cry:

Kamal got into his auteur work from '81. As the writer-producer-actor with SSR for RP. They had already done the film, "Sommokadidhi Sokokadidhi" two years earlier.

But he started making films with all his long time friends from. Sippy for "Saagar", Sujatha's script for "Vikram" (86?). He influenced KB to make way for his chaplin homage with Chaplin chellapa in "Punnagai mannan". Next up, produced his friend Santhana Bharathy with Sathyaraj for "Kadamai ganiyam katupadu"(87). Prathap pothan for "Vetri Vizha". "Nayagan" with Mani Ratnam in 87', Suresh krishna in 88', again with SSR in 88' for Pushpak. Crazy for "Apoorva Sahodarargal" in 89'.

If there were directors who were to shape Kamal, it was KB, and KV (although he is known to dominate when directing with both the legends). As per this theory, one could very well say, Balu mahendra and Bharathiraja were shaped by Kamal.

So, it's just that "Nayagan" is such a great film, that people claim Kamal redefined himself. He redefined all along from 79' to 87', in significant ways. In other words, if there was no "16 vayadhinile", "sigappu rojakkal", "Moondram pirai", "Salangai Oli", "Swathi muthyam", "Raja paarvai", "Varumayin Niram Sigappu", "Ek Duuje Ke Liye", and many more. Then perhaps Mani as a contributor is acceptable, otherwise it's just pretty stupid.. As usual BW makes an half-baked list.

As for the list, Rahman is the best contribution by Rathnam. Hands down!

By the by, his contribution on (re)shaping two other actors, one - the ever-so-dependable Revathy, and next, the man who would become a youth icon back then, Karthik. Giving their respective best for Rathnam in "Mouna Raagam". Ironically, both these actors were first introduced and mentored by Bharathiraja.