Mani Ratnam, Movies & the Mania

Yesterday, I happened to be watching a Talk Show in which Mani Ratnam and AR Rahman were the guests. That screeching voice and the feeling of excitement when you see that legendary man talking, yes, TALKING!!!

 I never knew how Mani Ratnam looked until I was 14 even though I had watched all his movies by then. The craze for his films is inexpressible. Here was finally, this one guy who made sensible films. I’m sure everyone who loves Tamil Cinema starts off by appreciating Mani Ratnam’s films, my generation, at least. He truly taught me to differentiate between the good and the bad movies. And, of course, he gave another living legend in AR Rahman.

My list of the absolute must watch Mani Ratnam films. You would definitely not find better films than these in Tamil cinema.

Mouna Raagam(1986):

Every language has this one love story that they worship in each generation. Bobby, Ek dujhe keliye, DDLJ for the Hindi speaking audiences; for those who speak Tamil, it definitely has to start with Mouna Raagam. It wasn’t a boy meets girl, charms her, makes her fall in love with, then they live happily ever after run-of-the-mill story. It addressed the pressing issue of arranged marriage that was omnipresent in the country- Marrying a stranger and its consequences. Wonderful portrayal by Revathi of a strong, independent woman, who is capable of taking her own decisions in & out of marriage (#herchoice :P) 

Mani Ratnam’s heroes have always made women go weak in their knees and Karthik in this movie just takes your breath away and all this, in under 15 minutes of screen time. If there is one thing that is amazing about Mani Ratnam’s movies, it is the fact that the songs and their lyrics make absolute sense to the story of the film. The beautifully written, “Mandram vandha thendral”, the lilting agony in “Nilave va” are classics. A movie is a classic when its descendents can relate to it and three generations of women in my family love this film.

 Nayagan(1987):

This is probably the best Tamil movie ever made. Directors like Karthik Subburaj, Gautam Menon have all said that they wanted to become filmmakers after watching this film. This movie is Mani Ratnam’s take on The Godfather. It chronicles the life of Varadarajan Mudaliar, who ran away from Tamil Nadu to Bombay and then became a powerful mafia Don.
Kamal Haasan had stated that he only did the film because the dates were given to the producer for another film and that didn’t take off, so Mani Ratnam was brought on to make some random movie so that Kamal’s dates do not go to waste. What are the odds that the most significant jewel in the treasury was minted by chance? In the book, “Conversations with Mani Ratnam”, Ratnam states that Kamal Haasan, (who was considered a legend, even then) didn’t think much of him, but as the shooting progressed he managed to earn some respect. Kamal recalls an incident on the sets when they were shooting for the “Naan sirithal deepavali” song where he had to give Janagaraj a filthy look and then turn away. Mani Ratnam walked up to him and said, “I guess that look seemed like you abused him in English. Like the F word or something. I want that look to be rustic.” 

The next take was satisfactory and Kamal walked up to the director and said, “Avana Tamil ketta vaarthaila thititen”. Kamal lamented that even at the beginning of his career, Mani Ratnam showed signs of a legend in making.

The movie pays homage to The Godfather on more than one occasion. The murder-funeral scene, bullet through the eye scene, the father seeking revenge for his daughter scene are all inspired from The Godfather. And that confrontation scene between Kamal and his daughter is definitely the best scene written in all of Tamil cinema. I take a moment to applaud that genius writing.

After this movie, there was no looking back. Anyone thinking about a career in the movies should definitely check this one out for its wonderful screenwriting. I still remember that ‘Goosebumps galore’ feeling when I saw Nayagan for the first time. Move it to No. 1 on your list if you haven’t already seen it. Thotta Tharani was said to have created the set for the Dharavi slums and it is as real as it can ever be. PC Sreeram’s cinematography and that haunting “Thenpaandi Seemaiyile” will withstand the test of time.

Anjali(1990):

You know a movie is cool if it has around 100 kids running around screaming and dancing and singing during the summer vacations. These aren’t those annoying kids with teenage issues like in High School musical or any of those nutty Disney movies. These are kids-Naughty, bratty kids. Most of the kids in the movie are now actors, directors, singers, music directors etc. (Venkat Prabhu, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Karthik Raja, Premji, Tarun, Shamili, Vishnuvardhan to name a few).

It follows the life of a happy family of four moving into a new apartment. Alas, the Dad has a secret though. What happens to Disneyland when Mickey has cerebral palsy? Revathi stands out in this movie - at first, as the judgemental, jealous wife and then as a vulnerable, weakling who doesn’t know what to do. It is definitely the most heart breaking feeling for a Mom to be rejected by her child. This movie deals with DABDA through Revathi’s eyes. She goes from denial to anger to bargaining to depression to acceptance (in reverse) though. Watch it for Revathi and the music. They have a Star Wars and E.T. tribute in the movie too. Now, how cool is that!!!!

(The movie is said to be loosely inspired from E.T. where you replace the alien with the child. The irony here is that children with mental disability are in fact treated like aliens in our country.)

Thalapathi (1991):

Thalaivar padam pa!!! How can I not write about it! The directors’ fondness for Mahabharta and inspired from the epic tale, this movie also is of epic proportions. It focuses on the Karna - Duryodhana friendship and on Kunti’s love of Karna. It also indicates that Draupadi might indeed have been in love with Karna and not Arjun.

The cinematography takes the story forward. The protagonist is Surya and most of the lighting, borders on the red tinge to the hue effects. 

There is a scene where Jayashankar reveals an enormous secret to Rajinikanth (with the sun in the background) and the latter’s face and the sun seem to merge in and out. (The sun-Surya, get it????) Mammootty, as the grey shaded, Deva complements Rajinikanth’s loyal Surya. A tale of friendship till death do us apart!!! Watch it for the terrific performance by frankly everyone in the film - Rajini, Mammootty, Shobana, Srividya and Jayashankar. It also was the debut of Arvind Swamy who went on to become a heartthrob later.

Roja (1992):

From Kanyakumari to Kashmir, quite literally too. Have you heard of the tale of Sathyavan-Savithri! If you had a grandmother like mine, chances are that you would have! This woman said to the God of the Death, “Not today” (Game of thrones style :P) and brought her husband back from the dead.

This is how the movie goes. Scenic beauty of the south of India- the waterfalls, forests etc. – Seductive music – Kashmir -  Snowfall – More seductive music – the plot of the movie – sad music – terrorism – patriotic music. You get the gist. This movie uses music to tell us a story that only when terrorism hits your home, do you realize its impact. Courage can be found in the unlikeliest of places and Madhubala portrays that unlikely person. But Nasser is terrific as the only person in the film who uses his head more than his heart. It marked the debut of AR Rahman who went on to win the National Award for Best Music and Roja’s soundtrack made it to BBC’s Top Five on best movie soundtracks of all time. Watch it for the cinematography, music and the underdog tale of love, lust and patriotism.

Bombay (1995):

The second movie in Ratnam’s Terrorism Trilogy. This focuses on the communal violence that shook streets of Bombay where Hindus-Muslims rioted and went on to kill each other after the demolition of Babri Masjid. The foundation is laid strongly when the first half deals with a Hindu-Muslim love story and then the action shifts to the macrocosm of a city and thereby a nation.

Tolerance begins at home. There are poignant scenes in the movie wherein a Hindu runs into a burning house to save the Quran, when a transgender proves she is more human than anyone else. But my favourite would be the scene where the child sitting on his Grand Dad’s shoulders, returning from a temple, sees a bunch a Muslims in the distance, immediately, he wipes the vibhuti from his forehead and his grandfathers’. If that isn’t poignant, I dunno what is. Manisha Koirala puts in one of tamil cinema’s most poignant performances. As the vulnerable, scared, soft spoken woman filled with grief, she makes your heart melt.

Dil Se (1998):

Whoever said Indian movies have too many songs that hinder the progress of the story should watch it; this movie has great songs; both the versions, Tamil and Hindi. Lyrics that reach out to you. My personal favourite is Satrangi Re/Ennuyire. 

In retrospection, this song tells you the entire story in like 5 minutes. Boy meets a mysterious girl, falls in love and if I write anything more, it would only spoil the experience. Definitely, a must watch. I can literally hear Dil Se Re….. play in the background while I type this. This concluded his Roja-Bombay-Dil Se terrorism trilogy.

Iruvar (1997):

I can’t decide what my favourite Mani Ratnam movie is - Nayagan or Iruvar. I’m sure every fan of Mani Ratnam’s has the same dilemma. It is a magnificent tale of friendship, loyalty, greed, jealousy, backstabbing, popularity and politics. Sounds like the trailer for The Social Network, right? Here the friends do not fight over a website but over a state. Inspired by two real life politicians, chronicles their rise to power and the subsequent fall.

As one of my friends rightly put it, this movie was banned by the people concerned from the theatres because it made those two people look way cooler than they actually were. This movie is a record of the growth of decades of Tamil cinema as well as the political scenario. It marked the debut of Aishwarya Rai in movies. Mohanlal is pitch perfect as the Mallu-kalandha-Tamil speaking politician. Prakash Raj, as the poet who is both romantic and patriotic to equal extent before becoming green with envy and doing all he could to jeopardize the others’ career. I heard this role was first offered to Kamal Haasan. Prakash Raj’s performance was so moving that he ended up winning a National Award for the film, but I can’t help but imagine those recitals in Kamal Haasan’s baritone. The Prakash Raj-Tabu love story and that “Unnodu Naan…” recited by Aravind Swamy as well as the death monologue are all stand out pieces of Tamil poetry. Vairamuthu deserves all the applause for writing poems for the most famous Tamil Poet of the modern times.

If you like this movie, you should also read the following blog dedicated to the genius of Mani Ratnam. http://www.jamuura.com/blog/iruvar-mani-ratnam-directorial-masterpiece/

Alaipayuthey (2000):

Maddy, Maddy, Oh Oh Maddy!!! I was a child when this released but I still remember my cousin who was in college then, fangirl so much about this movie and go watch it FDFS. Everybody loves Karthik-Shakti. It is a take on what happens after love translates into marriage. Is it happily ever after, in reality? Do you not grow to despise the one you once loved? It answers all these questions peppered with trains, rains, beaches, Madhavan’s smile and some wonderful music. Everyone, (except perhaps my Mom) thought this movie was charming. This was probably the last great love story in Tamil.

You know a movie has inspired life so much when, during a discussion on movies in class, you have everyone in that group know someone who have had an Alaipayuthey style wedding. Inspiration indeed!

Kannathil Muthamittal (2002):

So many movies made on the India-Pakistan rivalry, communal violence, Gujarat riots; but no one ever talks about the Lankan Tamil issue, not even the Central government, until recently. Hitler killed the Jews, Palestinians are being killed, but I’m not sure how many Indians even know about their own countrymen being massacred in a neighbouring country.

The movie sets to capture the Lankan Tamil strife through the eyes of an 8 year old who goes searching for her biological mother only to find out that she never will be a mother to her. Portrayals are of the finest caliber here. Madhavan, Simran and Keerthana as the child all prove their mettle as actors. This child is not one of those cutesy over-the-top characters we are so often used to seeing in films. She brings in a déjà-vu feeling to everything she does. She is that annoying child next door.  Nandita Das in the climax outshines everybody, as the mother with conflicted interests. 
Scenes to watch out for:

The birthday-beach scene where they tell the child; Rameshwaram beach scene where Madhavan promises her; Nandita Das climax. And the beautiful “Oru Deivam thanda Poove” male version in Jayachandran’s voice. Every daughter gets a lump in her throat while listening to the song. It won 6 National awards.(Twas a record until Aadukalam tied with it a few years back) Also, the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film festival. Please go watch this nature vs nurture debate in the backdrop of a war.

Guru (2007):

Inspired by the real life story of one of India’s biggest business tycoons. This movie showed us that Abhishek Bachchan CAN act when he is working with an able director. This movie is here on this list because of the confidence bordering on arrogance of the protagonist. The court scene climax reminded me of Roark’s speech at the end of The Fountainhead. Watch it because it was the last memorable movie of Mani Ratnam’s.

I’m hoping OK Kanmani would change that. Mani Ratnam might get either fan-mail or brickbats today. But I hope and pray that it turns out to be a Mani Ratnam styled film unlike Kadal which was frankly appalling. Regardless of the verdict for OKK, I’m a Mani Ratnam fan. FOREVER AND ALWAYS.  

Tribute to KB

Tribute to KB:

I have been meaning to write this for quite some time now but as they say life, by life - I mean, college work intervenes. Perks of doing Post graduation, should be! The motivating factor today (two days ago) turned out to be a conversation regarding old Balachander movies. Turns out people actually read my blog and watch the movies that I blog about. So, this is my long overdue tribute to KB, the man who made me appreciate the beauty of the middle-class mentality because that is what we are, in our true form, middle-class, anyways.

If Mani Ratnam thought me to differentiate good cinema from the bad; KB thought me how the script is the HERO of any film. It took me ages to actually discover his films. You do not always listen to your grandmother, do you! But how could you? She even watches Saroja Devi’s overacting movies.

Getting to the point, KB thought us to be proud of what we are. He had the guts to explore tabooed relationships, feelings that are banned and push the boundaries of the human mind. All these, he did in the 60s and 70s. Some of his movies belong in the 21^st century and even now his movies are new, young and refreshing. Here is my pick of ten must see KB films. I was introduced to KB because of a film loving family who took the effort to tell me his work is epic. I’m just passing on the favour. The movies are in chronological order.

Server Sundaram(1964):

Whenever my Dad talks about this movie, he states that KB had the guts to launch Nagesh as the lead in a movie which starred Muthuraaman and KR Vijaya, the then heartthrobs of Tamil cinema. Yes, he did have the guts to pick an actor who wasn’t the conventional hero. (Movies with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rajkumar Rao or Irrfan Khan as the lead work these days) Oh and in 1964!!!! This is a charming, naughty, mischievous waiter (or server as it was called those days) with a heart of gold. He falls in love, goes through heartbreak and also becomes an overnight movie star. Poignant relationship moments and Nagesh’s performance of this immensely lovable boy next door will make anyone root for him. Check out his moves in that “Avalukkena azhagiya mugam..” song

Bama Vijayam(1967):

What would you do if someone told you Rajinikanth was going to come visit you at home? I know my Mom would clean the house and make it shine, my Dad would probably tell everyone he knows about the arrival and I’d freak the hell out after someone revives me from my state of unconscious caused by the happiness of that news. Why would all this happen? Because he is a celebrity you adore. And we treat them like demi-gods. This movie goes on to showcase the monumental changes that occurs in a simple middle-class household when they are told that a movie star would come visit them. It explores human behaviour when faced with the arrival of a prestigious person, the pretentious attitudes and how people would go out of their way to please someone they hold superior to them. It also touched upon themes of hero-worshipping movie stars, the fan following, lack of privacy and how people want to earn others’ respect by a phony display of wealth. Loosely based on the short story The Diamond Necklace, this movie is a satirical take on human behaviour when they are to meet a celebrity. Relevant in our times, with all the fangirling-ness that is going on and especially the paparazzi that cannot even spell privacy. It has beautifully written “Varavu ettana…” song that is applicable to any era.

Ethirneechal(1968):

 Not the recent Sivakarthikeyan starrer, but the classic chronicles of “Maadi padi Maadhu” portrayed by the multi-talented Nagesh. This movie explores the relationships that exist between people who live in the same colony and how they treat the poor, orphan boy who lives under the stairs. Alas, this Harry Potter doesn’t have the luxury of magic and he literally has to swim against the tide to overcome his difficulties. This movie has a cult fan following and rightly so. Life is full of impediments, disappointments, judgmental remarks and the insane are saner than normal people. This movie captures middle-class life from the borrowing of coffee powder from the woman next door to gossiping about the unmarried girl who just got back from a psychiatric clinic to poking your nose in other people’s business. Nagesh melts your heart on multiple occasions. The most poignant being when he gleefully exclaims that if people wanted to make a fool out of him, he would much rather make a fool out of himself so as to feel better later. This movie belongs in the annals of cinematic history and I hope the sanctity of the movie is preserved.

Aval Oru Thodarkadhai(1974):

One more reason to love KB would be his respect for women and the way he portrayed the new age woman in the 70s. This movie is a feminists’ delight. The protagonist is an ARROGANT woman and her arrogance stems from the fact that she is adept, smart and intelligent and able to support her huge dysfunctional family. It explores themes like familial burden, responsibilities, sacrifices that have to be made and how having an excessive sense of self-respect can be misread as arrogance. It also touches upon themes of fidelity, pre-marital sex, patriarchic Indian society and that bane of being a woman in a man’s world. Sujatha is just terrific and wins because she makes you hate her, then love her and even in her most vulnerable moment never lets you pity her. This is the kind of woman you know would pick herself up and walk with her head held high regardless of the number of times the world brings her down to her knees. This movie also has two terrific songs by KJ Jesudas and SPB, “Deivam thandha veedu” and “Kadavul amaithu vaitha medai” respectively. This is maybe our very own version of “Taming of the Shrew” meets “Gone with the wind” in that Sujatha embodies the characteristics of both Kate and Scarlett respectively. This movie had Chapters way before Tarantino & Anurag Kashyap made it look cool!

Apoorva Raagangal(1975):

I’ve already included this in my list of ten best Tamil films of all time. I’m a die- hard Rajinikanth fan and of course, the reason I watched this film was that it was Thalaivar’s first film. But, it turned out that he had hardly 15 minutes screen time and the movie turned out be an-in-your-face-delight. Go for the hero and the story entices you. How I wish movies these days could be like that! An inter-generational love story of epic proportions. Saying anymore about the movie would spoil the fun of it. Just keep an open mind and the twist would stun you.

Avargal(1977):

Another classic on the plight of being a woman in India. Again, the protagonist is a terrific Sujatha. But what sets her apart in this movie is the vulnerability she brings in to her character. She portrays what millions of women in our country go through every day. It is about a young lady and three men in her life at three different points in time. It is her evolution from a naïve, meek, shy person to a self-thinking, independent woman capable of not letting her past overshadow her present or her future. Watch this movie for Rajinikanth’s portrayal as a suave, sophisticated, chauvinistic, misogynistic bastard with sociopathic tendencies. This is one of my favourite Rajinikanth performances. KB does bring out the best in his pupils.

Varumaiyin Niram Sigappu(1980):

Being your own true self in a world that is constantly trying to change you is not such an easy thing. Kamal Haasan goes through every trouble someone with integrity would face in a world where mediocrity is glorified and the talented are expected to be apologetic about their talent in the name of humility. A man with his own morals; one who isn’t willing to give them up even if that means eating an apple that fell into the drainage. Howard Roark in the Indian streets where unemployment and poverty prevail and it helps when it is portrayed by the best actor the country has ever produced. What stands out in this movie are some choke in your throat scenes! The scene where the friends pretend to have a good meal while Sridevi waits in the hall, the interview scene when Kamal loses his cool, the apple from the drainage scene, the climax showdown at the Salon. These days you would count yourself lucky if there was one memorable scene in a 3 hour long movie. This movie is seemed to be peppered with great screenwriting. The timely Bharathiyar recitals take the story forward. I remember my Mom telling me the story in a single line, “Epdi naalum vaazhazham gradhu vazhkai illa; ipdi dhan vazhanum gradhu dhan vazhkai”(Live isn’t something that can be lived in any which way, life is what is lived by some principles and morals.)

Thillu Mullu(1981):

This was the remake of Amol Palekar’s “Golmaal”. If you love Tamil cinema and especially the funny ones, this has to be on your priority list. There are well made remakes and there are those that spoil the original and make you cringe in your seats. This belongs to the former. Watch this movie for the impeccable comic timing by the Superstar as well as by Sowcar Janaki. This is a laugh riot. Thengai Seenivasan plays a pivotal role and this movie has a cult following. And it truly deserves it. This was the movie that brought out Rajinikanth’s adeptness in comic timing and changed his image from the angry young man. Humour became a major chunk in his later movies and continues to be so till date. You just cannot miss this movie.

Sindhu Bhairavi(1985):

Dull marriage. Ambition. A spark of new hope. An affair. Booze. Humiliation. Depression. Recovery. Music, Music and more Music. You name it and you have everything in this movie. The leads, Sivakumar and Suhasini live their roles with gusto. The other leads who contribute immensely to the movie are Yesudas who becomes the singing voice of Sivakumar and Ilaiyaraja’s music which ranges from carnatic to dapanguthu. Definitely a must watch. A true musical. Also touches on marital bonds and effects of alcoholism. Your heart reaches out to Sivakumar in that “ Thanni thotti” song.

Kaialavu Manasu:

I know I started this off as a movie blog but when someone says KB, I cannot sign off without mentioning this gem. Made for TV, Soap opera about a mother and her three children and follows their story across a span of about 3 decades. Wonderfully written. Real life people with real life problems that do not make you cringe with melodrama. Tender, heartwarming and explores themes like the independent woman who finds a life of her own even after she loses her family. Watch this for Geetha, the backbone of the show. And for the then future star-in-making, Prakash Raj who ably complements her. You know something is really good when I rememner watching this on TV when I was just 4. Also, the so called TV serial writers should take a cue from this on how to write for TV. Please! Oh Please! Show re-reruns on TV. Check out the title track. SPB Sir = <3 <3 <3

My other recommendations would include:

 Iru Kodugal:

There is a song in this movie that goes, ”Punnagai Mannan….”which encapsulates the entire movie. Another marital discord story on what happens to a married man when his past re-enters his life. I almost forgot to write about this and then I realize the beautiful LIFE-FILE scene and then I couldn’t.

Punnagai Mannan(1986): My mind is playing this movie’s theme as the BGM as I type this. Wonderful music. Tragic love story. The movie states that you can fall in love twice and the irony of what you want and what you get. And Kamal Haasan doing an impersonation of Charlie Chaplin, what else do you want? This movie has brilliant music and this gave us a singing sensation in Chitra. This movie is the personification of the phrase, “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings”

Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal(1989): Explores a loveless marriage, finding love elsewhere, only to return to your wife out of duty. Differentiates between loving someone and being in love with someone. It also highlights how people are obsessed with celebrities and how the media tears down their personal lives. Geetha is a treat to watch as the paranoid, bipolar wife, vulnerable and hateful at the same time.

Vaaname Ellai(1992): For the youth of the nation who believe that their life is unfair and are always cribbing about the injustices done to them. They are angry and rightly so. This is a bunch of youngsters who have given up on life, want to kill themselves only they decide to live together for a few days before they die and what happens thereafter. Brilliant poetical references and the scenic beauty of the place also add to your experience. The climax is a sure lump-in-your-throat stuff.

I’ve not seen Neerkumizhi, Major Chandrakanth or Thaneer Thaneer but these are widely characterized as true KB gems. So go ahead, try watching these films and do let me know if you liked any.

Hope this blog helps you experiment with your choice of movies. In memory of KB, thank you for these immortal gems.