Mani Ratnam - Jewel of cinema. Review on Mani Ratnam

?Odi Polaamaa???!!!?

I was in my teens, sitting baffled in one of the back rows with my parents in a theatre in Madurai. That was the first time I got bitten by the maniratnam bug without even realizing it! I barely understood cinema those days, still was getting fascinated by the shot in which mist enters the room and informs the hero the arrival of a small Neena inside. A relatively slow scene, that adds to the deep misery of the hero.

Yes, Idhayaththai Thirudaathey! is one my all time favorites. The story is actually an one-liner. But he manages to capture our attention for more than 2 hours. Man, that?s y this guy is considered the best screen-writer of Indian film industry. The same goes with his Thiruda Thiruda where a couple of thieves, police, smugglers, an innocent village girl, a dancer, and some CBI investigators all take you on a roller-coaster ride. I agree Thiruda-Thirudaa wasn?t a box office hit but nevertheless it had its own attractions likr thr visuals and Rahmaan's music!

Maniratnam is one director who is meticulous that each and every frame should say some story to the audience. That?s why you see the dinning table in Anjali very small in height and almost every shot is taken at the height of Shamli who plays the title role. That shows the world through her eyes. One of the girls who played a friend of Shakti in Alaypayuthey is my friend. Her role is relatively small but still he had caller her to shoot for 15 days running in one full year for it. Now that?s what we call as being a perfectionist.

Once the Tamil film critics were complaining about his films are always dim-lit, but none of them realized the planning that went into it by P.C.Sriram and Mani to arrive at that angle of light. There used to be another funny complaint that Mani writes his movie dialogues in one postcard. Puleez, those who want pages of dialogues go and read a book!

He is a professional who is comfortable to work with. Madhavan and Aravindswamy are repeated in his projects. Rahmaan feels that his best challenge comes when he works for a Maniratnam movie. When he is the producer and the screenplay is his, Vijaykanth gives a Chatriyaan. Naasar and Vivek are ready to shed their images and start exploring a new role if it?s his movie. Shah-rukh Khan doesn?t mind if Dil-se bombed the box office coz he's happy with the experience of working with him.

Sathayraaj considers his role in Pagal nilavu as one of the best villain roles he has ever done and karthick could never forget becoming an overnight youth icon with his Manohar. Kamal and Rajini had their career best in Nayakan and Dalapathi?same goes with Mammuty and Mohanlal in Dalapathi and Iruvar respectively.

Ofcourse his movies have failed in hindi but that doesn?t stop him from venturing into to bollywood again and again. It is true that he gets some of his inspirations from Hollywood. But who cares when the final dish is fabulous?

Yes almost all of his dialogues are telegraphic

But his characters are too smart to waste time in talkin...aren't they?

Very rarely, the way his characters express their emotions look repetitive. Both Madubala in Roja and Manisha koirala in Bombay started crying slowly and then leaned on the wall or door and then sat down helplessly loosing strength on seeing their loved ones at last.

There is also another complaint that Maniratnam uses or manipulates the audience emotions to get the easy way out of problems and I personally feel it is true to some extent. In other words his endings are too good to be true. Be it the way people join hands in Bombay or the terrorist turning good in Roja or Surya winning the elections in Aytha Ezhuththu. He builds the emotions of the audience towards the climax and gives a fairy tale ending and not a true solution to the issue taken.

Nevertheless, people don?t watch movies for solutions to their problems and he has been the trendsetter of Indian movie industry from Pagal Nilavu days even now striking a difference with his Aytha Ezhuththu. He?s been guru for Gautham, who gave Khakka Khaaka. So let him make more movies and let him leave more footprints !!