Celebrating Mani Ratnam: Venture through 7 most iconic works of legendary filmmaker on his birthday
Thanks to artists such as Mani Ratnam, Indian Cinema thrives, remaining inspirational, renewed and void of the ‘Art or Commercial’ banter hogging the industry. - By Mahalekshmi
FollowThe Master at work has ensured that his talents evolve with time, his skills interact with the world as it was, is and will be; all the while remaining relevant without loosing the past. Putting forth a personal statement by aligning ideologies across differences.
As he creates memorable works for the audience to cherish forever, let us flick through his filmography and look at a few of his impactful films.
1. Naayakan (1987): This epic Crime-Drama is one of the most acclaimed works of Mani Ratnam. Starring Kamal Haasan in the lead, the film traces the journey of the protagonist to become a feared gangster. The film garnered several National Award recognitions as well.
2. Bombay (1995): This Romantic-Drama film stars Aravind Swami and Manisha Koirala in an inter-religious love story. It is the second installment in the Mani Ratnam trilogy that depicts human relationships against the background of Indian politics, the first one being Roja (1992).
3. Iruvar (1997): This film is set against the backdrop of Cinema and Politics in Tamilnadu. Inspired by the lives of M. Karunanidhi, MGR and Jayalalitha, the film is perfectly executed with a stellar cast who deliver a great performance under Ratnam’s direction.
4. Dil Se (1998): The A.R Rahman soundtrack forever echoes in our minds. This is the final installment in the trilogy, succeeding Bombay (1995) and Roja (1992). With Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala in the lead, the film explore romance in the wake of terrorism.
5. Alai Payuthey (2000): A Romantic-Drama that explores the love and marriage between a young couple who marry against the wishes of their family, has been perfectly captured. Starring R. Madhavan and Shalini, this A.R Rahman musical capture the conflict between tradition and modernity.
6. OK Kanmani (2015): A film that was designed to ‘reflect the mindset of Modern and Urban India,’ this commercial and critical success depicted the idea and evolution of romance across ages and addressed the idea of live-in relationship in the South, addressing change.
7. Ponniyin Selvan (2022-23): The latest pearl to his ornament is this Historical-Epic Drama film that has a stellar cast and is an overall visual treat. Executed in two parts, the story explores the reign of the Chola empire and is inspired from Kalki Krishnamurthy’s novel of the same name.
With Ponniyin Selvan has securing an OTT platform, this is just a tip of the ice berg. Do check out all the exemplary works of this great Filmmaker and experience true and authentic Cinema.
