Trisha wasn't dubbed in AE. It was shot in SYNCH. That's right, what you saw was her REAL voice.Quote:
Originally Posted by A.ANAND
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Trisha wasn't dubbed in AE. It was shot in SYNCH. That's right, what you saw was her REAL voice.Quote:
Originally Posted by A.ANAND
Mani snubs Big B
By: Jhanvi Shah
January 8, 2007
Amitabh Bachchan
On Wednesday, when Mani Ratnam held the first screening of Guru at Prasad Lab (Andheri), only the cast and crew were invited. The verdict on the film and Abhishek Bachchan was unanimous. Says one of the special invitees who saw the film.
“Guru makes you laugh, cry, sob and smile. Every member of the cast, including Aishwarya Rai, R Madhavan and Vidya Balan, is outstanding but it’s Abhishek’s show all the way.
This film has taken him to another level. What’s especially moving is Abhishek’s interaction with his twin daughters in the film. And when he suffers a paralytic stroke, his efforts to communicate with his family are simply brilliant!”
Mani Ratnam Unfortunately, Bachchan Jr’s anxious parents weren’t present at the historic moment to witness their son’s graduation to a new level as an actor.
Shocking absence Says the source, “Amitji and Jayaji weren’t there. They weren’t invited. All of us were shocked by their absence. It’s okay to say that the preview was only for the cast and crew. Ash, Abhishek, Vidya and the others were genuinely required, but director Shaad Ali (Bunty Aur Babli) was also there.
Shaad and Mani go back a long way as he assisted Mani, remade his Alai Payuthe as Saathiya and also helped him with Guru. By similar logic, Abhishek’s parents too deserved to be there, for no other reason except that they are who they are and deserve to see their son’s film.”
[mid-day.com]
[tscii]Abhishek and Ash have lived through Guru'
By: Pragyan Mohanty
January 4, 2007
One doesn’t see him socialising at filmy parties or attending premieres nor is he spotted gracing media with catchy sound bytes, and yet Mani Ratnam is one of those rarest of filmmakers who is most sought after by the artistes, the media and of course, his fans.
The reticent Mani Sir (as he is fondly known as) is now in Mumbai. We cornered him for an exclusive chat. Read on as he talks about Guru — the film, the actors, the controversies and much more.
How did the seed of Guru germinate?
It is something like you think is a film material. And one gets a spirit of a character at a time when India is changing. Through one character
you can see the change in the entire country. Then it be-comes an interesting film to put across.
Your films have derived inspiration from the lives of well-known people like Nayakan, Iruvar and now Guru, which apparently is based on Dhirubhai Ambani’s life.
See, Roja also had a real-life scenario with a wife appealing for her kidnapped husband’s safety and so was Kannathil Muthamittal. Emotions are around you and that is where you pick up your subjects from. A lot of stories have a real-life feel and are related to common man.
Guru is based in Gujarat and Abhishek being called Gurubhai, which rhymes with Dhirubhai. Isn’t that too much of a coincidence?
This may be because the people who these characters are compared with are high profile. That’s why the spotlight is on them. My other films too had leaves from real life but only weren’t as well-known.
The chemistry of the main leads is one of the highlights of your films. Will Guru be in the same league?
Abhishek and Aishwarya are doing extremely well. If your characters are clear and strong and your actors are good, the results will be as effective if not more.
But Ash-Abhishek have failed to sizzle together onscreen?
I’ve no apprehensions. Ash and Abhishek’s equation, the struggle and strength they derive from each other in the film is very real. The mood and their actions are just right. They look like people who lived through those times.
You chose exotic item girls. From Sonu Walia (Dalpati), Sonali Bendre (Bombay), Malaika Arora-Khan (Dil Se) to Mallika Sherawat now.
As a filmmaker you’re very selfish and tend to see what’s right for the film. The choices haven’t been very conscious but yes, the end results might come out very well because they suit the mood of the song and the setting.
Have you seen any of Mallika’s earlier works?
Yes. A few of them.
Can you name some of them?
(Laughs). It’s not fair.
Guru has been marred with rumours of Viveik Oberoi and John Abrham opting out to Vidya Balan being unhappy with her role. Comment.
I am here to make a film and rumours don’t bother me. I work without compromising on the quality. Filmmaking is a business and is based on equality between two parties. If deals finalise, then fine.
If not, even then it is fine. The equations don’t change. As per the actors, I know all of them individually. I play straight right from the beginning. When one starts working on a script, a lot of names come into play and you discuss them.
Some materialise and some don’t. From day one,both Vidya and I were aware what the role is and how it has shaped. That’s about it.
Viveik opted out because of Ash and Abhishek?
Viveik is a friend, but we didn’t discuss anything in this regard. I haven’t talked about it and so it doesn’t matter.
Did Abhishek find it difficult to work with the non-Hindi speaking crew?
There weren’t any problems. At the end of the day, all of them learnt Tamil (laughs).
The sensibilities of Tamil cinema and that of a regular Bollywood film are drastically different. How do you balance between both of them?
The sensibilities are not very different. It is just the finer details that matter. When one makes a film for a wider audience, the tendency is to get general but even then, one can work on details
Box office success has eluded you in Hindi films.
As a filmmaker you have to learn to cope up with success and non-success. If you have made a film and it doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean that it has dropped in its standard. The box-office result is just an addition.
Do you follow the work of other filmmakers?
Yes, I do. I watched Omkara and Rang De Basanti. These films belonged to the mainstream and entertainment but still a lot of realism was a part of them. I haven’t watched Munnabhai though I plan to do that soon.
You are known for using novel techniques like sync sound, backlighting and experimenting with props. What will Guru have in store?
There is no end to technique. It is just a tool used for storytelling. It is a process by itself and not the result. I haven’t made use of them deliberately; I use them in my process of presenting my idea.
A whole lot of your films have a subtle political undercurrent to them.
When I make films, it’s about sharing of thoughts but I am making no statements. I don’t think films bring in revolution but if it happens, then it’s fine. I don’t wear it on my sleeve nor am I ashamed of it.
Which is your best work till date?
None. It is yet to come (laughs).
Finally, what are your expectations from Guru?
When you make a film, you want to reach the people with a work that’s good quality- wise and is market sensible. I would expect it is both.
[mid-day.com]
Mani Ratnam
The journey of Guru’s music
MovieTalkies.com, 24 November 2006
http://www.movietalkies.com/intervie...nterviewId=125
We have often lent an ear to the Mani Ratnam – A R Rahman magic. Is it magic? If not, how does it work?
Ah, I think, both of us are willing to experiment, both of us are not scared to fall down, and so we tried to do something which the story demands. It should be different from what we had done before. It sounds very different from the previous films that we have done. And Rahman is somebody who is willing to do that, who is willing to think laterally, who does not have to be in the same grain as the film. The idea of his composition can go away from it, it can be a counter point and he is very good at developing such concepts. So I think its just that we both know that we can take drastic steps, you know, think against this one, and may be get something different. The fact that you want something different is what makes you get something different.
Composing music is almost like reliving the script of the movie. How did it happen for Guru?
Guru spans over 30 years, you know, somewhere starts around the 50’s and goes up to the 80’s. So the music also can very easily flow from the same concept. But we didn’t want it to be just that. We wanted it to evoke the 50’s or evoke the 60’s at that correct time, but not be a replica of a 60’s song. I mean it is an interpretation of the 50’s as it is done today. So there will be a certain amount of modernity in it. But still, somewhere, it will have the ambience of the music of the 50’s and the 60’s. The only concept that we picked was that it should not be an exact replica of that 50’s period. It should evoke and not recreate.
You must have had to strike a delicate balance between the script and the music.
A – Ya, ya. It is a balance that you strike. I think its not just about capturing the period. I mean, anyone can capture the period. What is critical is to capture the period within the confines of the script, within what would help your script to breathe. So you take both of them into consideration and then try to get what is best out of it. Like the script moves, the music also changes from the 50’s to the 60’s to the 70’s.
How do you and Rahman work the magic? Is there a pattern... or is it spontaneous?
I think I go on drastic route, I go yo yo this way and then ask him for a countering point of view. He is used to this, so I think we just hit off well together. We can think in one way for a moment when we are thinking on a particular picture and then we can drastically change around and look at it in a totally different fashion. Sometimes you take a song which is composed for a lullaby and then go ahead and convert it into a dance number. Those are kind of things Rahman can do very very well. So that is what he tried to do with Guru. He tried to push in a tangent and see whether we can get something fresh.
What is the repertoire of Guru? Please give us a glimpse.
There are five songs. And then there are a few smaller songs, which would form the background score.
What does the song to do your story telling? How do you look at it?
The way I look at songs is that it should be something that you are not trying to hide. You are not trying to be shy of the songs. It is a kind of celebration; it is a liberty that a filmmaker gets in a film. A film is more or less logically driven, and this is an abstraction which helps you to take that parabola, and gives you a kind of freedom to be away from being conventional, being logical and dramatic. Each of the songs in Guru has given me that kind of a freedom. The song that is set in Istanbul brings an ambiance which has the intrinsic feel of Turkey. It has a middle-eastern sound to it, it has a flavour to it, it has a belly dance to it and a kind of youthful joy to it at that point of time. The way Rajiv Menon has lit the place and the way it is choreographed, the architecture, everything, gives you the buzz of the early 50’s in an exotic land. So that is what and from there we come to rural India, where it is earthy, where it is raining and where it is green and lush. And this fresh and earthy rural India gives you a chance to establish your female lead into the film. Each song helps you progress the story in a fashion which helps the overall screenplay.
Tell us something more about the Turkey song.
The Turkey song is called ‘Mayya Mayya’ and Mallika Sherawat dances to the song. The singer of the song was recorded in Canada. We shot it in Turkey, in Istanbul. It is really a fantastic place, huge architecture, and that gave us the setting for the entire thing and we enjoyed it immensely.
Nanarae seems to more than a protagonist singing in the rain. What was the concept behind it?
Nanarae signifies the transition to India. The song is set when we move from Turkey to India. It is raining in India, it is monsoon time, and there is a girl who has matured, has grown independent. It’s a time where India just has gained its Independence and this girl who is educated, smart, thinks she should be as liberated as her country is and has a mind of her own. Nanarae sets the character of the girl, her decision, her step in life and it is a transition point for her, she now faces life. So it uses the song as a platform to define Sujatha’s character in the film.
You are haunted by the Tere Bina melody. A love song, a ballad - what is it?
Tere Bina is the love song of the lead protagonists and it is a theme that we have used from the time they meet. It’s a love theme which then develops into a full-fledged love song and it is about the joy of two people who had forcefully gotten into marriage under circumstances and then slowly, develop a rapport and then fall in love. It is that phase of the late 50’s. It’s the kind of music that evokes a certain kind of period, certain kind of kavalika and adds flair to it. It is something fresh, something new and it brings their relationship to a peak.
And what about the Guru theme song?
The other one is Jagae, which is a theme right through the movie. It’s a lullaby. It comes through as an instrumental version, as a musical version and as a song towards later 80s. It kind of defines Guru in his growth and his path through the film so that it becomes the soul of the film. It is the central element on which the entire music is built and I think it is a composition which is from the heart. It has got an open quality to it. It forms the soul of the film.
And the novel ‘ek lo ek muft’?
The other one is actually Gulzaar Saab’s song I should say. It is called “Yammo Yammo”. It is featured when twin baby girls are born to Guru. The song goes as EK NAHI DHO, EK LO EK MUFT. The concept of the song and the setting is in Badami, it is a really wonderful place. The backdrop for the song is huge rock cutting structures that are just on the outskirts of Badami. The song is set in celebration, there is Bhaang flowing, and Guru has just grown in his life and has reached a stage where he’s become slightly larger in life. It is a kind of celebration of all this that fits into the film.
How does Rahman react to new experiments?
Rahman never stops value adding. Sometimes I wonder whether he will add even after the film is released. He keeps polishing. I think I can identify with that, because that is exactly how you do it as a filmmaker also. You will never finish and never will you say that it is finished because it is never finished. You keep trying to get it a little better all the time. Rahman too is like that. He gets it fine-tuned all the time. Sometimes I would shoot with a bare track, and he sees the output and adds on more and blends it into the film. It is a two-way thing, that as long as you understand what he can do and he understands what you are giving him - it works very well.
And what was it like with the poet himself, Gulzar saab?
Gulzar Saab and I are working together after Dil Se. He is a fantastic person to work with. He is a great asset because he is also a film-maker, a writer and a lyricist. When the brief to him is that the lyrics should not be literal to the situation because the situation is already telling the story and the lyrics should add a layer which is lateral and not be something which repeats itself, Gulzar Saab is the man. If I want to shoot in a slightly different fashion which has an additional layer to it and if I need lyrics which are more poetic than literal, he loves it. I think we get along very well in that sense. Also it is a huge advantage for him that I don’t know Hindi very well, so I can only tell I want these kinds of words. I think he is relieved that nobody is watching him, putting his nose into each and every word of his. It’s really very good to work with him. He is very enthusiastic and very anxious about every song that he writes. He is there all the time, he understands you and tries to get the flavour of the thing. He never gives up and never tries to please me or Rahman by just saying okay. He wants it to be very good – so it turns out to be fantastic.
How was your experience with Sony BMG?
It is the first film we are doing with Sony BMG, and their approach is good. They understand my music and it is good to have somebody who understands the kind of music that you are doing, who is willing to be with you, walk along with you and take it where it needs to be taken. Hopefully they will be happy with the music and I will be happy with them.
What is the one quality of A. R. Rahman that you admire the most?
I think, the thing about Rahman is that, he is exactly the same. There is no difference between the Rahman of Roja and the Rahman of Guru. Yes, he has tremendously grown, but he has always had that simplicity about him. For me and Rahman, it is as difficult or as easy as it was then. We still go through the same kind of searching and trying to find how to get the music right for the film. We try and work the story along with the music. We try and get to something that works for the film. For me and Rahman, therefore, nothing has changed.
http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2007/jan/10slide1.htm
Abhishek on Guru :D
Good to read Mani's interviews after a long time. Thanks for posting them. I cant wait to catch the film
i saw Barson Re song...............the picturisation is too gud... :thubsup: costumes r gud........ the dance cud've been done better
hi..guys got a review from one of my dubai friend...as his openions its a excellent movie...songs are well picturised...he said its a true inspiration for young generation!
Low attendance for Guru’s classes
BY A STAFF REPORTER | Thursday, January 11, 2007 7:57:12 IST
Although the much-hyped film ‘Guru’ is all set to be released tomorrow, it seems it does not have many takers. The sale of tickets has disappointed the theatre owners in the city. The bookings started this Monday; but many of the theatres have received low response for the movie. While sources said that, “Many of the theatres have started on a bad note. It might be because the movie is a remake, and people are confused whether to watch it or not. It is believed that the movie is based on the life Dhirubhai Ambani. Guru is more of a period film that is set in the late 1950’s.”
This newspaper spoke to the officials of some prominent theatres in the city about the bookings.
“None of the shows are house-full. The bookings started on Monday and people have not showing interest in the film. However, we expect that the situation will change in the next few days. We are charging Rs.100 for the balcony, while Rs.60 and Rs.40 for upper stall and lower stall,” said K.G Pitambaram, an official of Eros Theatre in Churchgate.
At the Maratha Mandir as well, the film failed to attract the audience. “There are people who are booking for the sake of the Mani Ratnam and some are interested to watch Abhishek. The bookings started on Monday and we expect that its fairs good in the coming days. We don’t have any promotional offers with the tickets,” said Ravi Rane of Maratha Mandir.
Similar is the situation at Chitra theatre in Dadar. “We can’t understand why the tickets are not selling. We expected good sales,” said Dilip Chavan of Chitra.
However, the PVR cinemas at Mulund seem to be doing brisk sales of the tickets for Guru. “The sales of tickets are very good. We have two house-full for the 7.15 pm and 10.30 pm show on Friday. We do not have any promotions for the tickets. The film will do well,” said Imtiyaz Hussain of PVR cinemas.
REVIEW OF GURU....
-From the NY Film critics online
GURU, the latest film from writer-director
Mani Ratnam, begins with the usual disclaimer
about not being based on any individual and any
similarities are purely coincidental. In this case,
it is more than just legalese: the film is
acknowledged to be loosely inspired by the life
of Indian entrepreneur Dhirajlal Hirachand
Ambani, better known as Dhirubhai Ambani, the
founder of Reliance Industries Limited. His firm,
initially called Reliance Commercial Corporation
and set up to import polyester yarn and export
spices, grew into the largest petrochemical firm
in India and is reportedly the largest private
sector company in the country as well.
Additionally, the company held interests in textile
manufacturing, telecommunications and financial
services. Ambani died in 2002 and a dispute
among his surviving family has led to the
company being split into several smaller entities.
Ambani was a colorful figure whose ethics
were not always above board. His life was
chronicled in the unauthorized biography,
The Polyester Prince by Hamish McDonald.
Instead of taking a purely biographical approach
to the material, Mani Ratnam instead opted
to fictionalize the story (I would guess partly
to avoid lawsuits). What he has crafted in GURU
is a superb film that profiles a man driven
to succeed. The movie opens in black-and-white
with Gurukant Desai (excellently portrayed by
Abhishek Bachchan) recalling how his father
always told him that it was pointless to dream.
Defiantly, he dared to dream -- and he came to
realize nearly all of them. From a rural upbringing
as the son of the local headmaster to the
corridors of power as the nation of India grew
and developed.
GURU takes the young man to Turkey where
he excels in his work for an oil company. Offered
a promotion and a large salary increase, Desai
turns it down to return to his native area with
the idea of going into business. His father scoffs
at his schemes, certain he will fail, and that is
partly the psychological spur he needs to find
success. He marries Sujatha (Aishwarya Rai),
whom he had encountered on a train ride after
she had been spurned by her lover. That she
happens to be the sister of Guru's best friend
and future business partner (Arya Babbar) and
that she comes with a large dowry also play into
the equation. At first, she is unhappy with the
idea but gradually warms up to her spouse --
until her brother informs her in anger about why
Guru really married her. The couple eventually
overcome this little bump and settle in together.
As the story evolves from roughly the late
1940s into the 1980s, Guru schemes to succeed,
never taking "no" for an answer. With success
and power, though, come critics, notably his
former mentor, newspaper editor Nanaji (Mithun
Chakraborty), and an avid reporter (R Madhavan).
The film reaches its climax in the early 1980s
when Guru has to defend himself before a
government board and he delivers a bravura,
inspiring speech.
The film is anchored by Bachchan's terrific
performance. As always, Rai is lovely to look at,
but she doesn't make much of her character.
The large supporting cast is uniformly good,
with Babbar, Madhavan, Vidya Balan and the
always reliably great Roshan Seth as the
standouts.
In mulling over this film, I kept trying to think
of an American movie to which it may bear
comparisons and I kept thinking of Orson Welles'
CITIZEN KANE. While GURU is not quite on the
same level as that masterpiece (after all, what
is?), it does rank pretty close in its depiction of
the life of a man consumed by his business
pursuits and his dreams. Even if you have never
heard of Ambani or know little about India and
its history, you can still appreciate GURU for its
terrific cast and its strong direction and script.
Rating: B+
MPAA Rating: NONE
Running time: 165 mins.
(shown with an intermission)
Viewed at The ImaginAsian