During his nearly three-decade long association with Indian cinema, Mani Ratnam has redefined the very tenets of filmmaking, courtesy some larger-than-life yet believable big screen outings. A National award winner, the maverick director has over the years inspired and influenced an entire generation of directors, cinematographers and music composers. Today on the occasion of Ratnam’s birthday, here is a look at some of his finest directorial ventures.
Nayagan: Loosely based on Mario Puzo’s iconic novel 'The Godfather', this crime-drama featured Kamal Haasan and Karthika in lead roles. Upon release, it emerged a runaway hit at the box office, earning tremendous critical acclaim.
Over the years it has attained a cult status of sorts and been parodied on quite a few occasions. Moreover, in 2005 the ‘TIME’ magazine included it in its list of 100 best films of all time. Interestingly, 'Nayagan' was remade in Hindi as ‘Dayavan' with Vinod Khanna in the lead. However, the attempted remake proved to be a commercial and critical failure.
Anjali: Revolving around the problems faced by the family of a mentally challenged young girl, 'Anjali' is perhaps best remembered for its sensitive screenplay and beautifully subdued performances. Featuring Raghuvaran in the lead, it received rave reviews, bagging three National Awards. Shot in Tamil, it was dubbed into Hindi and Telugu under the same title. Interestingly, Ratnam conceptualized the film during the making of 'Nayagan'.
Roja: Featuring Arvind Swamy and Madhoo in the lead roles, this intense romantic-drama is best remembered for highlighting how politics tends to have a devastating impact on human relationships. Shot in exotic locations such as Manali, Dharmapuri and Ooty, 'Roja' created quite a buzz internationally and was screened the 18th International Moscow Film Festival. Moreover, the film also bagged three National awards. Interestingly,'Roja' marked the debut of Academy award winning music composer AR Rahman.
Bombay: Post 'Roja', Mani Ratnam once again touched upon the sensitive topic of terrorism, when he directed 'Bombay'. Highlighting how communal tensions flared up after the demolition of the Babri Masjid, this hard-hitting drama was included in the British Film Institutes list of top 20 Indian films. Bagging a host of Filmfare and National awards, the movie floored audiences at a global level as well.
Thalapathi: Bringing together two of Southern cinema’s biggest names—Rajinikanth and Mammootty- this crime-drama received a positive response from critics and audiences alike. Boasting of some lifting tunes from Ilaiyaraaja, 'Thalapathi' borrowed some plot elements from the Mahabharat. It was dubbed into Hindi and Telugu as ‘Dalapathy’.
Dil Se: It was in 1998 that Mani Ratnam finally decided to enter the Hindi film industry with a captivating romantic-thriller titled 'Dil Se'. Best remembered for the sizzling chemistry between Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala, the film set the box office on fire, establishing Ratnam as a force to be reckoned with. Moreover, it received a largely positive response from critics as well, bagging quite a few Filmfare awards.
Iruvar: Considered to be one of Mani Ratnam’s most daring films ever, this political-drama highlighted the nexus between politics and cinema in Tamil Nadu. Featuring Mohanlal and Prakash Raj in the lead, 'Iruvar' was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and enjoys a cult status till date. It is best remembered for its fluid camera work.
Guru: Touted as a biographical drama, ‘Guru’ was based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani. Boasting of some gripping performances from Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, the film was premiered at the high-profile Cannes Film Festival in 2007. A commercial success, 'Guru' bagged numerous Filmfare nominations
Comments
0 comment