Mani Ratnam
Encyclopedia
Mani Ratnam is an India
n filmmaker
, screenwriter
and producer
. He made his directorial debut with the Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi
starring Anil Kapoor
in 1983. Directing landmark films such as Mouna Raagam
(1986), Nayagan
(1987), Geethanjali
(1989), Anjali
(1990), Thalapathi
(1991),Iruvar
(1997), Alaipayuthey
(2000) and Kannathil Muthamittal
(2002) and his terrorism trilogy consisting of Roja
(1992), Bombay
(1995) and Dil Se
(1998), he went on to become one of the leading directors in Indian Cinema
Ratnam is widely credited with having revolutionised the Tamil film industry
and altering the profile of Indian cinema.
His films Nayagan
(1987) and Anjali
(1990) were submitted by India in contest for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Dil Se was the first film in India to enter the UK Top 10. Ratnam has won multiple National Film Awards
, four Filmfare Awards (South)
, four Filmfare Awards (Hindi)
, and twelve international film festival
awards. His Tamil movie
Nayagan
, Satyajit Ray
's Apu trilogy and Guru Dutt
's Pyaasa
are the only Indian films that have appeared in TIME Magazine
's All-Time 100 Greatest Movies. His film Roja
was the only Indian film to feature in TIME Magazine's "10 Best Soundtracks" of all time. In 2003 BBC
International poll, people from 155 countries voted "Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu" from his 1991 film Thalapathi
as fourth in the world's top 10 most popular songs of all time.
to Iyer
parents. His actual name is Gopala Ratnam Subramaniam Iyer. His father, Ratnam Iyer was a film producer who made film under the banner "Venus Pictures". He attended Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Chennai
. After graduating with a degree in Commerce from Vivekananda College, University of Madras
, and an MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies
, he embarked on a career as a management consultant before becoming a filmmaker. He got into film direction
with the help of his late brother, film producer G. Venkateswaran
, who went on to produce many of Mani's films such as Mouna Raagam
, Nayagan
, Agni Natchathiram
, Thalapathi
and Anjali
and later committed suicide in 2003 due to some financial problems.
In 1988 Ratnam married Suhasini, niece of Kamal Haasan
and daughter of Charuhasan. Suhasini is a National Award
winning actress and a well known film-maker. They have a son named Nandhan. Charuhasan, his father in law is also a National Award winning actor as well. Ratnam co-founded the independent
production company Madras Talkies
along with his brother G. Srinivasan
who died in an accident in Manali on 27 May 2007. Ratnam lives in Alwarpet
, Chennai, where he runs his production company Madras Talkies
.
film Pallavi Anu Pallavi
, that starred Anil Kapoor
and Lakshmi
. The film explored the relationship between a young man and an older woman. Ratnam managed to persuade acclaimed director and cinematographer Balu Mahendra
to serve as his cinematographer. The film did not perform well at the box office but its brilliant score by Ilaiyaraaja
became hugely popular.Still Mani Ratnam earned critical acclaim for this film and also won a Karnataka State Film Award for Best Screenplay for this film. He then followed it with a film in Malayalam titled Unaru
, that dealt with the trade union problems that exist in Kerala
. His next film Pagal Nilavu
, a film that had to settle for quiet obscurity. In 1985 he directed Idaya Kovil
which was a major box-office success. All these films had music scores by Ilaiyaraaja
.
with Revathi
and Mohan
. The film told the story of the friction between a newly-wed couple, and remains famous to date as a relevant and realistic portrayal of romance among urban Tamils
. Its score by Ilaiyaraaja
became a huge success upon release. It was subsequently dubbed into Telugu under the same title and went to become a hit in Andhra Pradesh
as well. Ratnam's status was elevated further a year later after directing Nayagan
that starred Kamal Haasan
, which went on to become a huge success. Many Indian critics dubbed it as India's answer to the cult The Godfather
. The film, which tells the story of an orphaned slum dweller and his rise to top of the Mumbai
underworld hierarchy, was included in TIME Magazine
's All-Time 100 Greatest Movies. Satyajit Ray
's Apu trilogy
and Guru Dutt
's Pyaasa
are the only Indian films that have appeared in TIME Magazine
's All-Time 100 Greatest Movies. The film won three National Awards—Best Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction. The story of the film was inspired by the real life story of underworld king Varadarajan Mudaliar
.
With commercial success coming back to back, Ratnam wrote and directed Agni Natchathiram
. The film dealt with the story of two step brothers played by Prabhu
and Karthik
. It was also notable for use of new techniques in terms of camera framework, especially during the shoot of songs in the film. The film had a successful run in the box office. Mani later returned to familiar territory of winning critical acclaim through his next film. Until then, Mani had made films in Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada languages, and a Telugu film would mark a milestone of having directed films in all South Indian languages. Thus Mani opted to do his next project in Telugu
, and it was titled Geethanjali
. The film which starred Nagarjuna
in the lead role told the story of an ill-fated couple who are both suffering from terminal diseases. The film went on to win the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment
in 1990. Ratnam maintained a momentum of making emotional stories of undeserved people through the Raghuvaran
starring Chennai release Anjali
in 1990. The film told the story of an autistic child and how she changed the lives of people in colony. Mani later made another underworld-themed Tamil film with Thalapathi
in 1991 starring Rajinikanth and Mammootty
. With a theme of friendship between a local don and a slum king, Thalapathi earned both critical acclaim and commercial success upon release. Thalapathi
, based on the legend of Mahabharatha, ran into trouble when news leaked that the character of Karna, portrayed by Rajinikanth, would die in the end. The climax was altered to appease the fan base of the Rajinikanth.
, bringing in debutant music director A. R. Rahman
to score for his Tamil classic Roja
. It turned out to be Mani's greatest find, as Rahman went on to become a great music composer on his own right in the annals of Indian and International cinema. Roja, a romantic film, tackled themes of terrorism in the regions of Kashmir
. The film – starring Arvind Swamy
and Madhoo
– was released in 1992 and nominated for the Golden St. George Award at the Moscow International Film Festival
. It became so popular that it was dubbed into other languages and met similar success in other regions. Mani then took a more light-hearted approach with his next film – Thiruda Thiruda
. Scripted by Ram Gopal Varma
, the film saw the exploration of action thriller, a departure from the norm for Ratnam, and fared less well at the box office. In 1994, a retrospective of his Tamil films was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival
. Meanwhile, Ratnam again teamed up with Ram Gopal Varma
to provide the screenplay for the latter's Telugu film Gaayam
, a socio-politico film loosely based on The Godfather
. In 1995, Ratnam returned to Tamil language drama. Bombay
starring Arvind Swamy
and Manisha Koirala
told the story of a Hindu
-Muslim
couple in the midst of the 1993 religious Bombay riots
and bombings. The film was met with controversy and censorship upon release. However Bombay was financially very successful and well appreciated by the critics. It won a number of awards such as Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration
, Special Award from the Political Film Society
, the Wim Van Leer In Spirit of Freedom Award at the Jerusalem International Film Festival
and the Gala Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival
. Then came his third part of "Terrorism Trilogy" in 1998 named Dil Se
starring Shahrukh Khan
and another movie collaboration with Manisha Koirala
after Bombay
. Unlike previous two movies, this movie did average business in Indian Market but was hit in overseas market. This Film gained cult status just after it released and this movie was screened in many International Film Festivals and won Netpac Special Mention award in Berlin Film Festival
. This movie showed the relationship between an young and obsessed man and dangerous and disturbed lady, although both loved each other but girl was not able to accept that truth because she was disturbed by her dark past. The album was again composed by A. R. Rahman
and this whole album was very popular amongst the masses so much that all songs of this album became chartbuster of year 1998 and gave Rahman his next Filmfare Award for best Music Direction in 1999. This album also marked the beginning of a famed collaboration between playback singer Lata Mangeshkar
and Rahman. In 2000 Mani directed the romantic drama Alaipayuthey
that starred R. Madhavan
and Shalini. The film won lot of critical acclaim and won the Netpac Special Mention award at the Berlin Film Festival
. The movie was also Madhavan's first film in a lead role.
, was the story of a child of Sri Lankan Tamil parentage adopted by Indian parents, who desires to meet her biological mother during the midst of the Sri Lankan Civil War
. The film was a critically lauded commercial success, winning six National Film Awards
, Ratnam's second Filmfare Award South
for directing, his second In Spirit for Freedom Award at the Jerusalem Film Festival
and an award at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles. In 2004, Mani made his second Hindi language effort with Yuva
. The film, which tells the story of three different youths and how one incident sends their three lives on a collision course, received positive reviews and was a hit in the box office. Ratnam also made the film simultaneously in Tamil as Aayutha Ezhuthu, starring Surya Sivakumar, R. Madhavan
and Siddharth
replacing Ajay Devgn, Abhishek Bachchan
and Vivek Oberoi
respectively. The film was an average at the Tamil
box office
, but critics favored the Tamil version over the Hindi version. Ratnam also had his first heart attack during shooting for Yuva. The year 2007 saw Ratnam direct the Madras Talkies
production Guru starring Abhishek Bachchan
and Aishwarya Rai. The film was a major box office success in 2007. In 2010, Ratnam worked on a big-budget bilingual being made in Tamil and Hindi. The films are titled Raavanan in Tamil and Raavan
in Hindi. The Tamil version was dubbed into Telugu as Villain. The film released worldwide on 18 June 2010.
The film is loosely based on the Hindu epic "Ramayana" and happened over a period of 14 days where the character Beera kidnaps the wife of a cop to avenge his sister's death. The Tamil version received better reviews than the Hindi version, based mainly on the lead's performance. The Hindi version of the film received mostly negative reviews and was a failure at the box office.The film received critical acclaims in America,Europe and southern part of India.The NY times called the movie a "critics' pick".Bollywood reviewers overall rated the movie very poorly,Taran Adarsh said "On the whole, Raavan is a king-sized disappointment, in terms of content" and Rajiv Masand said "...is a crushing bore of a film, a disappointment on virtually every count" while another reviewer Raja Sen commented "It's profoundly sad to see a filmmaker of Ratnam's calibre reduced to this". The Tamil version was declared a box office success. The contrasting response to the same film on the either side of the vindhyas is not surprising,as many films in the past,that have followed this trend.This can be attributed to different expectations and tastes of the audiences.
Mani Ratnam received the Glory to the Filmmaker!
Award at the 67th Venice Film Festival
on September 6, 2010. The ceremony was followed by a screening of Raavanan in Tamil. His wife, Suhasini Maniratnam and actor Vikram Kennedy
were also present at the ceremony.
was loosely based on Varadarajan Mudaliar
, an underworld Don in Mumbai
. Bombay
was based on the ethnic war between Hindu
s and Muslim
s that prevailed in Mumbai
. Iruvar
released in 1997 was based on Tamil Nadu political and cinematic icons
— M. G. Ramachandran
and M. Karunanidhi
. His 2002 film Kannathil Muthamittal
was based on the Sri Lankan Civil War
and Aayutha Ezhuthu (2004) focussed on student politics. Guru, released in 2007 was loosely based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani
. Thalapathi
, based on the Hindu-epic Mahabarata and Raavanan is said to be inspired by another Hindu epic, Ramayana
. His movies are notable for staccato
dialogues. His movies often portray strong friendship. Examples are seen from movies such as Thalapathi, Aayutha Ezhuthu, Thiruda Thiruda
, Iruvar and Nayagan. He also revels in creating onscreen relationship tangles in many of his films such as Thalapathi, Mouna Raagam
, Agni Natchathiram
, Kannathil Muthamittal and Raavan
.
, Filmfare Awards
and International film awards. His film Geethanjali
won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment
. Other films like Mouna Raagam
, Anjali
and Kannathil Muthamittal
have won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil
. Roja
and Bombay
have won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration
. His films such as Bombay
, Iruvar
and Kannathil Muthamittal
have won International film awards and screened at various film festivals. In 2010, he was honoured with Jaeger-Lecoultre Glory To The Filmmaker
at 67th Venice International Film Festival
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n filmmaker
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
. He made his directorial debut with the Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi
Pallavi Anu Pallavi
Pallavi Anu Pallavi is a Kannada film released in 1983, in which Indian director Mani Ratnam made his directorial debut. The movie starred Anil Kapoor in his first leading role. The film deals with an unconventional plot of a male in love with an older female played by the popular actress...
starring Anil Kapoor
Anil Kapoor
Anil Kapoor is an Indian actor and producer who mainly appears in Bollywood films. He won a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his role in Yash Chopra's film Mashaal ....
in 1983. Directing landmark films such as Mouna Raagam
Mouna Raagam
Mouna Raagam is a 1986 Tamil film directed by filmmaker Mani Ratnam. The score and soundtrack are composed by Ilayaraja, and the film's cinematography is by P. C. Sriram. This movie turned out to be an important milestone in Tamil cinema and yielded Mani Ratnam the much needed breakthrough. The...
(1986), Nayagan
Nayagan
Nayagan is a Indian film, written, directed, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam which released on 21 October 1987 coinciding with Diwali. Upon release, the film got rave reviews across India. Kamal Hassan's performance as Velu Naiker earned him a National Film Award for Best Actor. The film also...
(1987), Geethanjali
Geethanjali
Geethanjali is a National Award-winning 1989 Telugu film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Upon release, the film met with both commercial success and critical acclaim. Later it was dubbed in Malayalam and Tamil languages...
(1989), Anjali
Anjali (film)
Anjali is a 1990 Tamil-language Indian feature film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Raghuvaran, Revathi, Prabhu, Tarun, Shruthi and Shamili. The musical film's score and soundtrack is composed by Ilaiyaraaja, being his 500th movie. Anjali is about a dying mentally disabled child, and the...
(1990), Thalapathi
Thalapathi
Thalapathi is a 1991 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Mani Ratnam, and produced by G. Venkateswaran under the banner of G. V. Films. The film stars Rajnikanth, Mammootty and Shobana in the lead roles with Arvind Swamy, Srividya, Amrish Puri, Bhanupriya, Nagesh, and Charuhasan essaying...
(1991),Iruvar
Iruvar
Iruvar is a 1997 Tamil film directed, co-written, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam, with music composed by A. R. Rahman. The film is a fictionalized account of the lives of 1980s Tamil Nadu political icons M. G. Ramachandran and M...
(1997), Alaipayuthey
Alaipayuthey
Alaipayuthey is a 2000 Tamil romantic drama film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Madhavan and Shalini, the film explores the tensions of married life and the maturing of love. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by A. R...
(2000) and Kannathil Muthamittal
Kannathil Muthamittal
Kannathil Muthamittal is a 2002 Tamil drama film directed by Mani Ratnam. It stars P. S. Keerthana, R. Madhavan, Simran, Nandita Das, Pasupathy, J. D. Chakravarthy and Prakash Raj. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman. The film's title is a famous phrase from a poem...
(2002) and his terrorism trilogy consisting of Roja
Roja
Roja is a 1992 Tamil political drama, romance film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film was subsequently dubbed in Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam and Telugu....
(1992), Bombay
Bombay (film)
Bombay is a critically acclaimed and national award-winning 1995 Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala, with music composed by A. R. Rahman...
(1995) and Dil Se
Dil Se
Dil Se is a 1998 Hindi film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film stars Shahrukh Khan, Manisha Koirala, and Preity Zinta. Mani Ratnam also co-wrote the screenplay for the film...
(1998), he went on to become one of the leading directors in Indian Cinema
Cinema of India
The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
Ratnam is widely credited with having revolutionised the Tamil film industry
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
and altering the profile of Indian cinema.
His films Nayagan
Nayagan
Nayagan is a Indian film, written, directed, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam which released on 21 October 1987 coinciding with Diwali. Upon release, the film got rave reviews across India. Kamal Hassan's performance as Velu Naiker earned him a National Film Award for Best Actor. The film also...
(1987) and Anjali
Anjali (film)
Anjali is a 1990 Tamil-language Indian feature film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Raghuvaran, Revathi, Prabhu, Tarun, Shruthi and Shamili. The musical film's score and soundtrack is composed by Ilaiyaraaja, being his 500th movie. Anjali is about a dying mentally disabled child, and the...
(1990) were submitted by India in contest for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Dil Se was the first film in India to enter the UK Top 10. Ratnam has won multiple National Film Awards
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
, four Filmfare Awards (South)
Filmfare Awards South
Filmfare Awards South is the South Indian segment of the annual Filmfare Awards, presented by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the South Indian film industry. The awards are separately given for Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films...
, four Filmfare Awards (Hindi)
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...
, and twelve international film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
awards. His Tamil movie
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
Nayagan
Nayagan
Nayagan is a Indian film, written, directed, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam which released on 21 October 1987 coinciding with Diwali. Upon release, the film got rave reviews across India. Kamal Hassan's performance as Velu Naiker earned him a National Film Award for Best Actor. The film also...
, Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
's Apu trilogy and Guru Dutt
Guru Dutt
Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone , popularly known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is often credited with ushering in the golden era of Hindi cinema...
's Pyaasa
Pyaasa
Pyaasa is a 1957 Indian film produced and directed by Guru Dutt. The film tells the story of struggling poet, Vijay , trying to make his works known in post-independence India...
are the only Indian films that have appeared in TIME Magazine
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
's All-Time 100 Greatest Movies. His film Roja
Roja
Roja is a 1992 Tamil political drama, romance film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film was subsequently dubbed in Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam and Telugu....
was the only Indian film to feature in TIME Magazine's "10 Best Soundtracks" of all time. In 2003 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
International poll, people from 155 countries voted "Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu" from his 1991 film Thalapathi
Thalapathi
Thalapathi is a 1991 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Mani Ratnam, and produced by G. Venkateswaran under the banner of G. V. Films. The film stars Rajnikanth, Mammootty and Shobana in the lead roles with Arvind Swamy, Srividya, Amrish Puri, Bhanupriya, Nagesh, and Charuhasan essaying...
as fourth in the world's top 10 most popular songs of all time.
Early life and family
Mani Ratnam was born in Madras, Tamil NaduTamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
to Iyer
Iyer
Iyer is the title given to the caste of Hindu Brahmin communities of Tamil origin. Most Iyers are followers of the Advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara...
parents. His actual name is Gopala Ratnam Subramaniam Iyer. His father, Ratnam Iyer was a film producer who made film under the banner "Venus Pictures". He attended Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. After graduating with a degree in Commerce from Vivekananda College, University of Madras
University of Madras
The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...
, and an MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies is the Department of Management Studies of the University of Mumbai and is the third oldest business school in India...
, he embarked on a career as a management consultant before becoming a filmmaker. He got into film direction
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
with the help of his late brother, film producer G. Venkateswaran
G. Venkateswaran
G. Venkateswaran , popularly known as G.V., was a film producer. He was the older brother of acclaimed director and screenwriter Mani Ratnam and G. Srinivasan. GV was the promoter of G.V...
, who went on to produce many of Mani's films such as Mouna Raagam
Mouna Raagam
Mouna Raagam is a 1986 Tamil film directed by filmmaker Mani Ratnam. The score and soundtrack are composed by Ilayaraja, and the film's cinematography is by P. C. Sriram. This movie turned out to be an important milestone in Tamil cinema and yielded Mani Ratnam the much needed breakthrough. The...
, Nayagan
Nayagan
Nayagan is a Indian film, written, directed, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam which released on 21 October 1987 coinciding with Diwali. Upon release, the film got rave reviews across India. Kamal Hassan's performance as Velu Naiker earned him a National Film Award for Best Actor. The film also...
, Agni Natchathiram
Agni Natchathiram
Agni Natchathiram is a 1988 Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam. The movie is about two half-brothers who come into conflict with each other in their claim for legitimacy as sons of a common father. The cast includes Prabhu Ganesan and Karthik Muthuraman. The movie's score and soundtrack are...
, Thalapathi
Thalapathi
Thalapathi is a 1991 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Mani Ratnam, and produced by G. Venkateswaran under the banner of G. V. Films. The film stars Rajnikanth, Mammootty and Shobana in the lead roles with Arvind Swamy, Srividya, Amrish Puri, Bhanupriya, Nagesh, and Charuhasan essaying...
and Anjali
Anjali
-People:*Anjali , Tamil actress*Anjali Bhagwat, Rifle shooter from India*Anjali Devi , Telugu/Tamil film actress*Anjali Jay, English actress*Anjali Mendes , Indian fashion model*Anjali Menon, Malayalam film director...
and later committed suicide in 2003 due to some financial problems.
In 1988 Ratnam married Suhasini, niece of Kamal Haasan
Kamal Haasan
Kamal Haasan is an Indian film actor, screenwriter and director, considered to be one of the leading method actors of Indian cinema. He is widely acclaimed as an actor and is well known for his versatility in acting...
and daughter of Charuhasan. Suhasini is a National Award
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
winning actress and a well known film-maker. They have a son named Nandhan. Charuhasan, his father in law is also a National Award winning actor as well. Ratnam co-founded the independent
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
production company Madras Talkies
Madras Talkies
Madras Talkies is a Film and Television Production and Distribution Company in India started in 1995 with Mani Ratnam and Suhasini Maniratnam as partners. Madras Talkies is actively involved in production of films and television serials, which are distributed all over the world...
along with his brother G. Srinivasan
G. Srinivasan
G. Srinivasan was a film producer who founded the independent production company Madras Talkies, with his elder brother, the director and screenwriter Mani Ratnam....
who died in an accident in Manali on 27 May 2007. Ratnam lives in Alwarpet
Alwarpet
Alwarpet is a mixed residential zone in central Chennai. It is a prestigious residential area and contains the two best residential colonies of Chennai, namely the Boat Club and the Poes Garden. As on 2010, this still remains the costliest residential area of Chennai...
, Chennai, where he runs his production company Madras Talkies
Madras Talkies
Madras Talkies is a Film and Television Production and Distribution Company in India started in 1995 with Mani Ratnam and Suhasini Maniratnam as partners. Madras Talkies is actively involved in production of films and television serials, which are distributed all over the world...
.
Early years: 1983–85
Mani Ratnam made his directorial debut in 1983, through the KannadaCinema of Karnataka
The cinema of Karnataka , sometimes colloquially referred to as Sandalwood and as Chandanavana in Kannada, encompasses movies made in the Indian state of Karnataka based in Bangalore. Most of the movies are made in Kannada, with a handful of them in Konkani or Tulu. Today more than 100 films are...
film Pallavi Anu Pallavi
Pallavi Anu Pallavi
Pallavi Anu Pallavi is a Kannada film released in 1983, in which Indian director Mani Ratnam made his directorial debut. The movie starred Anil Kapoor in his first leading role. The film deals with an unconventional plot of a male in love with an older female played by the popular actress...
, that starred Anil Kapoor
Anil Kapoor
Anil Kapoor is an Indian actor and producer who mainly appears in Bollywood films. He won a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his role in Yash Chopra's film Mashaal ....
and Lakshmi
Lakshmi (actress)
Lakshmi Narayan is an Indian National Film Award winning actress who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. Lakshmi has acted in more than 300 films in all south Indian languages apart from few in Bollywood. She has won a Filmfare Best Actress Award and eight Filmfare Awards South.-Early...
. The film explored the relationship between a young man and an older woman. Ratnam managed to persuade acclaimed director and cinematographer Balu Mahendra
Balu Mahendra
Balanathan "Balu" Mahendran is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, and cinematographer widely regarded as part of the first in a wave of directors and screenwriters from the Chennai film industry who revitalised Tamil cinema...
to serve as his cinematographer. The film did not perform well at the box office but its brilliant score by Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...
became hugely popular.Still Mani Ratnam earned critical acclaim for this film and also won a Karnataka State Film Award for Best Screenplay for this film. He then followed it with a film in Malayalam titled Unaru
Unaru
Unaru is a 1984 Malayalam-language Indian feature film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Mohanlal, Sukumaran, Ratheesh, Sabitha Anand, Ashokan and Balan K. Nair.-Plot:...
, that dealt with the trade union problems that exist in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. His next film Pagal Nilavu
Pagal Nilavu
Pagal Nilavu is a Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam. It is about a carefree youth caught between his loyalty to a mafia don and his love for a cop's sister. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The cinematography of the film was handled by Ramachandra Babu.This film...
, a film that had to settle for quiet obscurity. In 1985 he directed Idaya Kovil
Idaya Kovil
Idaya Kovil is an Indian Tamil language film directed by Mani Ratnam starring Mohan, Radha, Ambika and Goundamani . The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Mani Ratnam delivered this fourth film of his, which was moderately successful.-Plot:Suriya , a student wishes to get a...
which was a major box-office success. All these films had music scores by Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...
.
Breakthrough: 1986–1991
In 1986, Ratnam finally attained commercial success in through the Tamil romantic drama Mouna RaagamMouna Raagam
Mouna Raagam is a 1986 Tamil film directed by filmmaker Mani Ratnam. The score and soundtrack are composed by Ilayaraja, and the film's cinematography is by P. C. Sriram. This movie turned out to be an important milestone in Tamil cinema and yielded Mani Ratnam the much needed breakthrough. The...
with Revathi
Revathi
Revathi is an award-winning Indian actress and film director. She has acted in Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi movies, directed several feature-length films, and has acted in and produced multiple television programs, totaling over twenty years of experience in the entertainment...
and Mohan
Mohan (actor)
Mohan is a popular Kollywood actor. He hails from the Udupi district of Karnataka. He derived his name Kokila Mohan after debuting in a film called Kokila, which starred Kamal Haasan in the lead role. He considers Balu Mahendra as his mentor...
. The film told the story of the friction between a newly-wed couple, and remains famous to date as a relevant and realistic portrayal of romance among urban Tamils
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
. Its score by Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...
became a huge success upon release. It was subsequently dubbed into Telugu under the same title and went to become a hit in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
as well. Ratnam's status was elevated further a year later after directing Nayagan
Nayagan
Nayagan is a Indian film, written, directed, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam which released on 21 October 1987 coinciding with Diwali. Upon release, the film got rave reviews across India. Kamal Hassan's performance as Velu Naiker earned him a National Film Award for Best Actor. The film also...
that starred Kamal Haasan
Kamal Haasan
Kamal Haasan is an Indian film actor, screenwriter and director, considered to be one of the leading method actors of Indian cinema. He is widely acclaimed as an actor and is well known for his versatility in acting...
, which went on to become a huge success. Many Indian critics dubbed it as India's answer to the cult The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
. The film, which tells the story of an orphaned slum dweller and his rise to top of the Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
underworld hierarchy, was included in TIME Magazine
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
's All-Time 100 Greatest Movies. Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
's Apu trilogy
Apu trilogy
The Apu Trilogy is a trilogy consisting of three Bengali films directed by Satyajit Ray: Pather Panchali , Aparajito and Apur Sansar . The films — completed 1955-1959 — were based on two Bengali novels written by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay: Pather Panchali and Aparajito...
and Guru Dutt
Guru Dutt
Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone , popularly known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is often credited with ushering in the golden era of Hindi cinema...
's Pyaasa
Pyaasa
Pyaasa is a 1957 Indian film produced and directed by Guru Dutt. The film tells the story of struggling poet, Vijay , trying to make his works known in post-independence India...
are the only Indian films that have appeared in TIME Magazine
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
's All-Time 100 Greatest Movies. The film won three National Awards—Best Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction. The story of the film was inspired by the real life story of underworld king Varadarajan Mudaliar
Varadarajan Mudaliar
Varadarajan Muniswami Mudaliar, also known as Vardhabhai was a Tamil from Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, who rose to be a mafia don in Mumbai, India. Most active in the 1970s, he was the link in the underworld history between old time mafia men such as Haji Mastan.Varadarajan started as a porter in...
.
With commercial success coming back to back, Ratnam wrote and directed Agni Natchathiram
Agni Natchathiram
Agni Natchathiram is a 1988 Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam. The movie is about two half-brothers who come into conflict with each other in their claim for legitimacy as sons of a common father. The cast includes Prabhu Ganesan and Karthik Muthuraman. The movie's score and soundtrack are...
. The film dealt with the story of two step brothers played by Prabhu
Prabhu Ganesan
Prabhu Ganesan is a Tamil film actor and producer. He is the son of veteran actor Sivaji Ganesan.-Personal life:A native of Tamil Nadu, Prabhu was born to Sivaji and Kamala Ganesan. He has an elder brother Ramkumar Ganesan who is a film producer, and two sisters, Shanthi and Thenmozhi. He did his...
and Karthik
Karthik Muthuraman
Murali Karthikeyan Muthuraman , better known by his screen name Karthik , is a Tamil film actor and politician. He is the son of veteran actor R. Muthuraman. He was first introduced by Bharathiraja in the film Alaigal Oivathillai...
. It was also notable for use of new techniques in terms of camera framework, especially during the shoot of songs in the film. The film had a successful run in the box office. Mani later returned to familiar territory of winning critical acclaim through his next film. Until then, Mani had made films in Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada languages, and a Telugu film would mark a milestone of having directed films in all South Indian languages. Thus Mani opted to do his next project in Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
, and it was titled Geethanjali
Geethanjali
Geethanjali is a National Award-winning 1989 Telugu film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Upon release, the film met with both commercial success and critical acclaim. Later it was dubbed in Malayalam and Tamil languages...
. The film which starred Nagarjuna
Akkineni Nagarjuna
Akkineni Nagarjuna is an Indian film actor in Tollywood and Bollywood. He is a producer and one of the lead actors in Telugu cinema.- Early life :...
in the lead role told the story of an ill-fated couple who are both suffering from terminal diseases. The film went on to win the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment
National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment
The National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment winners:1981 to 1984 and 1992, 1986 & 1977 No Award was given....
in 1990. Ratnam maintained a momentum of making emotional stories of undeserved people through the Raghuvaran
Raghuvaran
Raghuvaran was an Indian actor who predominantly acted in movies made in South India. He became famous for his portrayal of villain and character roles in Tamil films. He has acted in more than 150 Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films...
starring Chennai release Anjali
Anjali (film)
Anjali is a 1990 Tamil-language Indian feature film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Raghuvaran, Revathi, Prabhu, Tarun, Shruthi and Shamili. The musical film's score and soundtrack is composed by Ilaiyaraaja, being his 500th movie. Anjali is about a dying mentally disabled child, and the...
in 1990. The film told the story of an autistic child and how she changed the lives of people in colony. Mani later made another underworld-themed Tamil film with Thalapathi
Thalapathi
Thalapathi is a 1991 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Mani Ratnam, and produced by G. Venkateswaran under the banner of G. V. Films. The film stars Rajnikanth, Mammootty and Shobana in the lead roles with Arvind Swamy, Srividya, Amrish Puri, Bhanupriya, Nagesh, and Charuhasan essaying...
in 1991 starring Rajinikanth and Mammootty
Mammootty
Mammootty is an Indian film actor and producer who works mainly in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in a few Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films. During a career spanning more than three decades, he has acted in more than 360 films, and is only next to Prem Nazir in the number of lead roles...
. With a theme of friendship between a local don and a slum king, Thalapathi earned both critical acclaim and commercial success upon release. Thalapathi
Thalapathi
Thalapathi is a 1991 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Mani Ratnam, and produced by G. Venkateswaran under the banner of G. V. Films. The film stars Rajnikanth, Mammootty and Shobana in the lead roles with Arvind Swamy, Srividya, Amrish Puri, Bhanupriya, Nagesh, and Charuhasan essaying...
, based on the legend of Mahabharatha, ran into trouble when news leaked that the character of Karna, portrayed by Rajinikanth, would die in the end. The climax was altered to appease the fan base of the Rajinikanth.
International acclaim: 1992–99
With Thalapathi, Mani ended his long term association with music director IlaiyaraajaIlaiyaraaja
Ilaiyaraaja is an Indian film composer, singer, and lyricist mainly in the Tamil film Industry. He is regarded as one of the finest music composers in India. Ilaiyaraaja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, and a songwriter...
, bringing in debutant music director A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
to score for his Tamil classic Roja
Roja
Roja is a 1992 Tamil political drama, romance film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film was subsequently dubbed in Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam and Telugu....
. It turned out to be Mani's greatest find, as Rahman went on to become a great music composer on his own right in the annals of Indian and International cinema. Roja, a romantic film, tackled themes of terrorism in the regions of Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
. The film – starring Arvind Swamy
Arvind Swamy
Arvind Swamy is a former Indian film actor. He has acted in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi. Popular movies to his credit include Roja, Bombay, Minsaara Kanavu, Indira, Devaraagam, Alaipayuthey.- Early life :...
and Madhoo
Madhoo
Madhoo is an actress in Indian films. She has acted in Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films. She was named after the late Hindi actress Madhubala. She has acted with almost all leading actors in India...
– was released in 1992 and nominated for the Golden St. George Award at the Moscow International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival , is the film festival first held in Moscow in 1959. From its inception to 1995 it was held every second year in July, alternating with the Karlovy Vary festival. The festival has been held annually since 1995....
. It became so popular that it was dubbed into other languages and met similar success in other regions. Mani then took a more light-hearted approach with his next film – Thiruda Thiruda
Thiruda Thiruda
Thiruda Thiruda is a Tamil comedy thriller film directed by Mani Ratnam, and scripted by Ram Gopal Varma. The soundtrack and background score of the film were composed by A. R. Rahman whilst the cinematography was done by P. C...
. Scripted by Ram Gopal Varma
Ram Gopal Varma
Ram Gopal Varma is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer...
, the film saw the exploration of action thriller, a departure from the norm for Ratnam, and fared less well at the box office. In 1994, a retrospective of his Tamil films was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
. Meanwhile, Ratnam again teamed up with Ram Gopal Varma
Ram Gopal Varma
Ram Gopal Varma is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer...
to provide the screenplay for the latter's Telugu film Gaayam
Gaayam
Gaayam is a 1993 Telugu movie directed by Ram Gopal Varma, which established Jagapathi Babu as a star. The film's lyrics were written by Sirivennela and its music was composed by Sri. It starred Jagapathi Babu, Revathi, Urmila and Kota Srinivasa Rao...
, a socio-politico film loosely based on The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
. In 1995, Ratnam returned to Tamil language drama. Bombay
Bombay (film)
Bombay is a critically acclaimed and national award-winning 1995 Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala, with music composed by A. R. Rahman...
starring Arvind Swamy
Arvind Swamy
Arvind Swamy is a former Indian film actor. He has acted in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi. Popular movies to his credit include Roja, Bombay, Minsaara Kanavu, Indira, Devaraagam, Alaipayuthey.- Early life :...
and Manisha Koirala
Manisha Koirala
Manisha B. Koirala is a Nepali-Indian actress who works in Indian films, as well as a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador and social activist. Koirala has primarily worked in Hindi cinema, though she has appeared in several Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films as well...
told the story of a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
-Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
couple in the midst of the 1993 religious Bombay riots
Bombay Riots
The Bombay Riots usually refers to the riots in Mumbai, in December 1992 and January 1993, in which around 900 people died. An estimated 575 Muslims and 275 Hindus died, and 2,000 people were injured in the riots. . An investigative commission was formed under Justice B.N. Srikrishna, but the...
and bombings. The film was met with controversy and censorship upon release. However Bombay was financially very successful and well appreciated by the critics. It won a number of awards such as Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration
Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration
The Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration is a National Film Award - Silver Lotus, given to an Indian feature film director, for the best film relating to National Integration in India.The winners of the Award:-References:...
, Special Award from the Political Film Society
Political Film Society Awards
The Political Film Society Awards are handed out each year by the Political Film Society. Each year, films that best promote political consciousness are selected in four categories; democracy, exposé, human rights, and peace. In addition, the Society can give special awards...
, the Wim Van Leer In Spirit of Freedom Award at the Jerusalem International Film Festival
Jerusalem Film Festival
The Jerusalem Film Festival is an international film festival held annually in Jerusalem, Israel. The festival was the brainchild of Lia van Leer, who inaugurated it on May 17, 1984...
and the Gala Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival
Edinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival is an annual fortnight of cinema screenings and related events taking place each June. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival...
. Then came his third part of "Terrorism Trilogy" in 1998 named Dil Se
Dil Se
Dil Se is a 1998 Hindi film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film stars Shahrukh Khan, Manisha Koirala, and Preity Zinta. Mani Ratnam also co-wrote the screenplay for the film...
starring Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan , often credited as Shah Rukh Khan, is an Indian film actor, as well as a film producer and television host. Often referred to as "the King of Bollywood", Khan has acted in over 70 Hindi films....
and another movie collaboration with Manisha Koirala
Manisha Koirala
Manisha B. Koirala is a Nepali-Indian actress who works in Indian films, as well as a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador and social activist. Koirala has primarily worked in Hindi cinema, though she has appeared in several Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films as well...
after Bombay
Bombay (film)
Bombay is a critically acclaimed and national award-winning 1995 Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala, with music composed by A. R. Rahman...
. Unlike previous two movies, this movie did average business in Indian Market but was hit in overseas market. This Film gained cult status just after it released and this movie was screened in many International Film Festivals and won Netpac Special Mention award in Berlin Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
. This movie showed the relationship between an young and obsessed man and dangerous and disturbed lady, although both loved each other but girl was not able to accept that truth because she was disturbed by her dark past. The album was again composed by A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
and this whole album was very popular amongst the masses so much that all songs of this album became chartbuster of year 1998 and gave Rahman his next Filmfare Award for best Music Direction in 1999. This album also marked the beginning of a famed collaboration between playback singer Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known and most respected playback singers in India. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She has recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional...
and Rahman. In 2000 Mani directed the romantic drama Alaipayuthey
Alaipayuthey
Alaipayuthey is a 2000 Tamil romantic drama film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Madhavan and Shalini, the film explores the tensions of married life and the maturing of love. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by A. R...
that starred R. Madhavan
R. Madhavan
R. Madhavan is an Indian actor, writer, film producer and television host. Madhavan has received a Filmfare Award, an award from the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards alongside recognition and nominations from other organisations...
and Shalini. The film won lot of critical acclaim and won the Netpac Special Mention award at the Berlin Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
. The movie was also Madhavan's first film in a lead role.
Kannathil Muthamittal and onwards: 2002–present
Ratnam's following effort, Kannathil MuthamittalKannathil Muthamittal
Kannathil Muthamittal is a 2002 Tamil drama film directed by Mani Ratnam. It stars P. S. Keerthana, R. Madhavan, Simran, Nandita Das, Pasupathy, J. D. Chakravarthy and Prakash Raj. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman. The film's title is a famous phrase from a poem...
, was the story of a child of Sri Lankan Tamil parentage adopted by Indian parents, who desires to meet her biological mother during the midst of the Sri Lankan Civil War
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
. The film was a critically lauded commercial success, winning six National Film Awards
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
, Ratnam's second Filmfare Award South
Filmfare Awards South
Filmfare Awards South is the South Indian segment of the annual Filmfare Awards, presented by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the South Indian film industry. The awards are separately given for Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films...
for directing, his second In Spirit for Freedom Award at the Jerusalem Film Festival
Jerusalem Film Festival
The Jerusalem Film Festival is an international film festival held annually in Jerusalem, Israel. The festival was the brainchild of Lia van Leer, who inaugurated it on May 17, 1984...
and an award at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles. In 2004, Mani made his second Hindi language effort with Yuva
Yuva
Yuva , originally titled Howrah Bridge is a feature film directed by Indian director Mani Ratnam and released in 2004. Simultaneously made in Hindi and Tamil , the prime objective of the movie was to motivate educated Indian youths to enter politics.The film tells the stories of three young men...
. The film, which tells the story of three different youths and how one incident sends their three lives on a collision course, received positive reviews and was a hit in the box office. Ratnam also made the film simultaneously in Tamil as Aayutha Ezhuthu, starring Surya Sivakumar, R. Madhavan
R. Madhavan
R. Madhavan is an Indian actor, writer, film producer and television host. Madhavan has received a Filmfare Award, an award from the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards alongside recognition and nominations from other organisations...
and Siddharth
Siddharth Narayan
Siddharth Suryanaraynan , popularly known and credited as Siddharth, is an Indian film actor, playback singer and screenplay writer. After his business management studies, Siddharth chose to work in film making and worked as an assistant director before making his acting debut in the 2003 Tamil...
replacing Ajay Devgn, Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan is an Indian actor and producer. He is the son of Indian actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan and is married to actress and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai....
and Vivek Oberoi
Vivek Oberoi
Vivek Oberoi is an Indian actor. He is the son of Bollywood actor Suresh Oberoi and Yashodhara Oberoi.- Early life :Vivek attended Mayo college in Ajmer. At an actors' workshop in London he was spotted by the director of New York University who took Vivek off to New York, where he completed his...
respectively. The film was an average at the Tamil
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
box office
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
, but critics favored the Tamil version over the Hindi version. Ratnam also had his first heart attack during shooting for Yuva. The year 2007 saw Ratnam direct the Madras Talkies
Madras Talkies
Madras Talkies is a Film and Television Production and Distribution Company in India started in 1995 with Mani Ratnam and Suhasini Maniratnam as partners. Madras Talkies is actively involved in production of films and television serials, which are distributed all over the world...
production Guru starring Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan is an Indian actor and producer. He is the son of Indian actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan and is married to actress and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai....
and Aishwarya Rai. The film was a major box office success in 2007. In 2010, Ratnam worked on a big-budget bilingual being made in Tamil and Hindi. The films are titled Raavanan in Tamil and Raavan
Raavan
Raavan is a 2010 Hindi film directed, written and produced by Mani Ratnam. It stars Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Vikram in the lead roles while Govinda, Ravi Kishan, Nikhil Dwivedi, Tejaswini Kolhapure and Priyamani feature in key supporting roles...
in Hindi. The Tamil version was dubbed into Telugu as Villain. The film released worldwide on 18 June 2010.
The film is loosely based on the Hindu epic "Ramayana" and happened over a period of 14 days where the character Beera kidnaps the wife of a cop to avenge his sister's death. The Tamil version received better reviews than the Hindi version, based mainly on the lead's performance. The Hindi version of the film received mostly negative reviews and was a failure at the box office.The film received critical acclaims in America,Europe and southern part of India.The NY times called the movie a "critics' pick".Bollywood reviewers overall rated the movie very poorly,Taran Adarsh said "On the whole, Raavan is a king-sized disappointment, in terms of content" and Rajiv Masand said "...is a crushing bore of a film, a disappointment on virtually every count" while another reviewer Raja Sen commented "It's profoundly sad to see a filmmaker of Ratnam's calibre reduced to this". The Tamil version was declared a box office success. The contrasting response to the same film on the either side of the vindhyas is not surprising,as many films in the past,that have followed this trend.This can be attributed to different expectations and tastes of the audiences.
Mani Ratnam received the Glory to the Filmmaker!
Glory to the Filmmaker!
is a 2007 Japanese film written, directed, edited by the film's lead star Takeshi Kitano. It is the second film in Kitano's surrealist autobiographical trilogy, following Takeshis, and concluding with Achilles and the Tortoise.-Movie Style:...
Award at the 67th Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
on September 6, 2010. The ceremony was followed by a screening of Raavanan in Tamil. His wife, Suhasini Maniratnam and actor Vikram Kennedy
Vikram (actor)
Vikram is an Indian film actor who has predominantly appeared in Tamil language films. During his years in the Indian film industry, he has won five Filmfare Awards as well as one National Film Award and Tamil Nadu State Film Award amongst other recognitions and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate...
were also present at the ceremony.
Film-making style
Ratnam is particularly known for his eye for technical detail in the art of film making, having worked with and also introduced some of the best music directors, cinematographers, art directors, dialogue writers and editors in India. Several international papers and books have been published on his critically acclaimed movies. Mani Ratnam often makes movies inspired by real-life events and famous epics — NayaganNayagan
Nayagan is a Indian film, written, directed, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam which released on 21 October 1987 coinciding with Diwali. Upon release, the film got rave reviews across India. Kamal Hassan's performance as Velu Naiker earned him a National Film Award for Best Actor. The film also...
was loosely based on Varadarajan Mudaliar
Varadarajan Mudaliar
Varadarajan Muniswami Mudaliar, also known as Vardhabhai was a Tamil from Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, who rose to be a mafia don in Mumbai, India. Most active in the 1970s, he was the link in the underworld history between old time mafia men such as Haji Mastan.Varadarajan started as a porter in...
, an underworld Don in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. Bombay
Bombay (film)
Bombay is a critically acclaimed and national award-winning 1995 Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala, with music composed by A. R. Rahman...
was based on the ethnic war between Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s that prevailed in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. Iruvar
Iruvar
Iruvar is a 1997 Tamil film directed, co-written, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam, with music composed by A. R. Rahman. The film is a fictionalized account of the lives of 1980s Tamil Nadu political icons M. G. Ramachandran and M...
released in 1997 was based on Tamil Nadu political and cinematic icons
Tamil cinema and Dravidian politics
Tamil cinema has played a vital role in Dravidian politics in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Films have been influential in Indian politics since the days of the British Raj, when movies were used for anti-British propaganda. Nevertheless, the leaders of the Indian National Congress viewed...
— M. G. Ramachandran
M. G. Ramachandran
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
and M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
. His 2002 film Kannathil Muthamittal
Kannathil Muthamittal
Kannathil Muthamittal is a 2002 Tamil drama film directed by Mani Ratnam. It stars P. S. Keerthana, R. Madhavan, Simran, Nandita Das, Pasupathy, J. D. Chakravarthy and Prakash Raj. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman. The film's title is a famous phrase from a poem...
was based on the Sri Lankan Civil War
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
and Aayutha Ezhuthu (2004) focussed on student politics. Guru, released in 2007 was loosely based on the life of Dhirubhai Ambani
Dhirubhai Ambani
Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani also known as Dhirubhai, was an Indian-Gujarati business magnate and entrepreneur who founded Reliance Industries, a petrochemicals, communications, power, and textiles conglomerate and the only privately owned Indian company in the Fortune 500. Ambani took his company...
. Thalapathi
Thalapathi
Thalapathi is a 1991 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Mani Ratnam, and produced by G. Venkateswaran under the banner of G. V. Films. The film stars Rajnikanth, Mammootty and Shobana in the lead roles with Arvind Swamy, Srividya, Amrish Puri, Bhanupriya, Nagesh, and Charuhasan essaying...
, based on the Hindu-epic Mahabarata and Raavanan is said to be inspired by another Hindu epic, Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
. His movies are notable for staccato
Staccato
Staccato is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation it signifies a note of shortened duration and separated from the note that may follow by silence...
dialogues. His movies often portray strong friendship. Examples are seen from movies such as Thalapathi, Aayutha Ezhuthu, Thiruda Thiruda
Thiruda Thiruda
Thiruda Thiruda is a Tamil comedy thriller film directed by Mani Ratnam, and scripted by Ram Gopal Varma. The soundtrack and background score of the film were composed by A. R. Rahman whilst the cinematography was done by P. C...
, Iruvar and Nayagan. He also revels in creating onscreen relationship tangles in many of his films such as Thalapathi, Mouna Raagam
Mouna Raagam
Mouna Raagam is a 1986 Tamil film directed by filmmaker Mani Ratnam. The score and soundtrack are composed by Ilayaraja, and the film's cinematography is by P. C. Sriram. This movie turned out to be an important milestone in Tamil cinema and yielded Mani Ratnam the much needed breakthrough. The...
, Agni Natchathiram
Agni Natchathiram
Agni Natchathiram is a 1988 Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam. The movie is about two half-brothers who come into conflict with each other in their claim for legitimacy as sons of a common father. The cast includes Prabhu Ganesan and Karthik Muthuraman. The movie's score and soundtrack are...
, Kannathil Muthamittal and Raavan
Raavan
Raavan is a 2010 Hindi film directed, written and produced by Mani Ratnam. It stars Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Vikram in the lead roles while Govinda, Ravi Kishan, Nikhil Dwivedi, Tejaswini Kolhapure and Priyamani feature in key supporting roles...
.
Awards & Honors
Mani Ratnam has won several National Film AwardsNational Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
, Filmfare Awards
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...
and International film awards. His film Geethanjali
Geethanjali
Geethanjali is a National Award-winning 1989 Telugu film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Upon release, the film met with both commercial success and critical acclaim. Later it was dubbed in Malayalam and Tamil languages...
won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment
National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment
The National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment winners:1981 to 1984 and 1992, 1986 & 1977 No Award was given....
. Other films like Mouna Raagam
Mouna Raagam
Mouna Raagam is a 1986 Tamil film directed by filmmaker Mani Ratnam. The score and soundtrack are composed by Ilayaraja, and the film's cinematography is by P. C. Sriram. This movie turned out to be an important milestone in Tamil cinema and yielded Mani Ratnam the much needed breakthrough. The...
, Anjali
Anjali (film)
Anjali is a 1990 Tamil-language Indian feature film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Raghuvaran, Revathi, Prabhu, Tarun, Shruthi and Shamili. The musical film's score and soundtrack is composed by Ilaiyaraaja, being his 500th movie. Anjali is about a dying mentally disabled child, and the...
and Kannathil Muthamittal
Kannathil Muthamittal
Kannathil Muthamittal is a 2002 Tamil drama film directed by Mani Ratnam. It stars P. S. Keerthana, R. Madhavan, Simran, Nandita Das, Pasupathy, J. D. Chakravarthy and Prakash Raj. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman. The film's title is a famous phrase from a poem...
have won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil
The following lists the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. The year in the header refers to the date when the film was censored and submitted for the awards, without of regard of when the award was presented. Apart from the Silver Lotus Award "Certificate of Merit" was also given...
. Roja
Roja
Roja is a 1992 Tamil political drama, romance film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film was subsequently dubbed in Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam and Telugu....
and Bombay
Bombay (film)
Bombay is a critically acclaimed and national award-winning 1995 Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala, with music composed by A. R. Rahman...
have won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration
Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration
The Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration is a National Film Award - Silver Lotus, given to an Indian feature film director, for the best film relating to National Integration in India.The winners of the Award:-References:...
. His films such as Bombay
Bombay (film)
Bombay is a critically acclaimed and national award-winning 1995 Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala, with music composed by A. R. Rahman...
, Iruvar
Iruvar
Iruvar is a 1997 Tamil film directed, co-written, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam, with music composed by A. R. Rahman. The film is a fictionalized account of the lives of 1980s Tamil Nadu political icons M. G. Ramachandran and M...
and Kannathil Muthamittal
Kannathil Muthamittal
Kannathil Muthamittal is a 2002 Tamil drama film directed by Mani Ratnam. It stars P. S. Keerthana, R. Madhavan, Simran, Nandita Das, Pasupathy, J. D. Chakravarthy and Prakash Raj. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman. The film's title is a famous phrase from a poem...
have won International film awards and screened at various film festivals. In 2010, he was honoured with Jaeger-Lecoultre Glory To The Filmmaker
67th Venice International Film Festival
The 67th annual Venice Film Festival held in Venice, Italy, took place from September 1 to September 11, 2010. American film director and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino was head of the Jury. John Woo was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement prior to the start of the Festival...
at 67th Venice International Film Festival
Filmography
The following is the list of films directed by Mani Ratnam. Many of his films have been remade or dubbed in several languages, mostly in Telugu and Hindi.| Year | Film | Director Film director A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:... |
Producer Film producer A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The... |
Writer Screenwriter Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:... |
Notes |
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| 1983 1983 in film -Events:*February 11 - The Rolling Stones concert film Let's Spend the Night Together opens in New York*May 25 - Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, the final film in the original Star Wars trilogy, is released. Like the previous films, it goes on to become the top grossing picture of... |
Pallavi Anu Pallavi Pallavi Anu Pallavi Pallavi Anu Pallavi is a Kannada film released in 1983, in which Indian director Mani Ratnam made his directorial debut. The movie starred Anil Kapoor in his first leading role. The film deals with an unconventional plot of a male in love with an older female played by the popular actress... |
Karnataka State Film Award for Best Screenplay Karnataka State Film Awards Karnataka State Film Awards are the most notable and prestigious film awards given for Kannada film industry in Karnataka, India. These are considered the highest awards for Kannada language films... |
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| 1984 1984 in film -Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film.... |
Unaru Unaru Unaru is a 1984 Malayalam-language Indian feature film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Mohanlal, Sukumaran, Ratheesh, Sabitha Anand, Ashokan and Balan K. Nair.-Plot:... |
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| 1985 1985 in film -Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie... |
Pagal Nilavu Pagal Nilavu Pagal Nilavu is a Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam. It is about a carefree youth caught between his loyalty to a mafia don and his love for a cop's sister. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The cinematography of the film was handled by Ramachandra Babu.This film... |
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| Idaya Kovil Idaya Kovil Idaya Kovil is an Indian Tamil language film directed by Mani Ratnam starring Mohan, Radha, Ambika and Goundamani . The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Mani Ratnam delivered this fourth film of his, which was moderately successful.-Plot:Suriya , a student wishes to get a... |
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| 1986 1986 in film -Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee.... |
Mouna Raagam Mouna Raagam Mouna Raagam is a 1986 Tamil film directed by filmmaker Mani Ratnam. The score and soundtrack are composed by Ilayaraja, and the film's cinematography is by P. C. Sriram. This movie turned out to be an important milestone in Tamil cinema and yielded Mani Ratnam the much needed breakthrough. The... |
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil The following lists the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. The year in the header refers to the date when the film was censored and submitted for the awards, without of regard of when the award was presented. Apart from the Silver Lotus Award "Certificate of Merit" was also given... |
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| 1987 1987 in film -Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records.... |
Nayagan Nayagan Nayagan is a Indian film, written, directed, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam which released on 21 October 1987 coinciding with Diwali. Upon release, the film got rave reviews across India. Kamal Hassan's performance as Velu Naiker earned him a National Film Award for Best Actor. The film also... |
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| 1988 1988 in film -Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:* Act of Piracy* Action Jackson, starring Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone* The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* Akira* Alice... |
Agni Natchathiram Agni Natchathiram Agni Natchathiram is a 1988 Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam. The movie is about two half-brothers who come into conflict with each other in their claim for legitimacy as sons of a common father. The cast includes Prabhu Ganesan and Karthik Muthuraman. The movie's score and soundtrack are... |
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards - Best Film Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film The Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film is given by the Government of Tamil Nadu as part of its annual Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for Tamil films. The awards for films are categorised into three prizes.... |
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| 1989 1989 in film -Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million... |
Geethanjali Geethanjali Geethanjali is a National Award-winning 1989 Telugu film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by Ilaiyaraaja. Upon release, the film met with both commercial success and critical acclaim. Later it was dubbed in Malayalam and Tamil languages... |
National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment The National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment winners:1981 to 1984 and 1992, 1986 & 1977 No Award was given.... |
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| 1990 1990 in film The year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2.... |
Chatriyan Chatriyan (film) - Cast :* Vijayakanth as Panneer Selvam* Bhanupriya* Vijayakumar* Revathi* Thilakan as Arumai Nayagam* V. K. Ramasamy-Soundtrack:The music was scored by Ilaiyaraaja. Track listing:# "Maalayil Yaro" ; Swarnalatha# "Pootukkal Pottalum ; S. Janaki... |
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| Anjali Anjali (film) Anjali is a 1990 Tamil-language Indian feature film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Raghuvaran, Revathi, Prabhu, Tarun, Shruthi and Shamili. The musical film's score and soundtrack is composed by Ilaiyaraaja, being his 500th movie. Anjali is about a dying mentally disabled child, and the... |
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil The following lists the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. The year in the header refers to the date when the film was censored and submitted for the awards, without of regard of when the award was presented. Apart from the Silver Lotus Award "Certificate of Merit" was also given... |
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| 1991 1991 in film The year 1991 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*April 28 - Bonnie Raitt marries actor Michael O'Keefe in New York* Terminator 2: Judgment Day, became one of the landmarks for science fiction action films with its groundbreaking visual effects from Industrial Light & Magic.*November... |
Thalapathi Thalapathi Thalapathi is a 1991 Indian Tamil film written and directed by Mani Ratnam, and produced by G. Venkateswaran under the banner of G. V. Films. The film stars Rajnikanth, Mammootty and Shobana in the lead roles with Arvind Swamy, Srividya, Amrish Puri, Bhanupriya, Nagesh, and Charuhasan essaying... |
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| 1992 1992 in film The year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards... |
Roja Roja Roja is a 1992 Tamil political drama, romance film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film was subsequently dubbed in Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam and Telugu.... |
National Film Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration The Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration is a National Film Award - Silver Lotus, given to an Indian feature film director, for the best film relating to National Integration in India.The winners of the Award:-References:... Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director The Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director is given by the state government as part of its annual Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for Tamil films.-Winners:... Nominated—Golden St. George for Best Film at Moscow International Film Festival Moscow International Film Festival Moscow International Film Festival , is the film festival first held in Moscow in 1959. From its inception to 1995 it was held every second year in July, alternating with the Karlovy Vary festival. The festival has been held annually since 1995.... |
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| 1993 1993 in film The year 1993 in film involved many significant films, including the blockbuster hits Jurassic Park, The Fugitive and The Firm. -Events:... |
Gaayam Gaayam Gaayam is a 1993 Telugu movie directed by Ram Gopal Varma, which established Jagapathi Babu as a star. The film's lyrics were written by Sirivennela and its music was composed by Sri. It starred Jagapathi Babu, Revathi, Urmila and Kota Srinivasa Rao... |
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| Thiruda Thiruda Thiruda Thiruda Thiruda Thiruda is a Tamil comedy thriller film directed by Mani Ratnam, and scripted by Ram Gopal Varma. The soundtrack and background score of the film were composed by A. R. Rahman whilst the cinematography was done by P. C... |
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| 1995 1995 in film -Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation.... |
Bombay Bombay (film) Bombay is a critically acclaimed and national award-winning 1995 Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala, with music composed by A. R. Rahman... |
National Film Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration The Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration is a National Film Award - Silver Lotus, given to an Indian feature film director, for the best film relating to National Integration in India.The winners of the Award:-References:... Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie The Filmfare Awards are the oldest and most prominent film awards given for Hindi films in India. The yearly awards started in 1953. Movie awards were first given by popular vote... Special Award at the Political Film Society Awards Political Film Society Awards The Political Film Society Awards are handed out each year by the Political Film Society. Each year, films that best promote political consciousness are selected in four categories; democracy, exposé, human rights, and peace. In addition, the Society can give special awards... Wim Van Leer In Spirit of Freedom Award at the Jerusalem Film Festival Jerusalem Film Festival The Jerusalem Film Festival is an international film festival held annually in Jerusalem, Israel. The festival was the brainchild of Lia van Leer, who inaugurated it on May 17, 1984... Gala Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival Edinburgh International Film Festival The Edinburgh International Film Festival is an annual fortnight of cinema screenings and related events taking place each June. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival... |
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| 1995 1995 in film -Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation.... |
Aasai Aasai Aasai is a 1995 Tamil film directed by Vasanth and produced by Mani Ratnam The film featured Ajith Kumar and Suvalakshmi, making her debut, in the leading roles with Prakash Raj in a pivotal role. The film has camera work by Jeeva and a popular soundtrack by Deva... |
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| 1996 1996 in film Major releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:... |
Indira Indira (film) Indira is a 1995 Tamil film co-written and directed by Suhasini Manirathnam. It stars Anu Hasan in the title role. Its score and well acclaimed soundtrack are composed by A. R. Rahman. Although not a runaway success in Tamil Nadu, the film did well in Tokyo, Japan upon release... |
Best Film at Belgrade International Film Festival FEST (Belgrade) FEST is annual film festival held in Belgrade, Serbia since 1971. The festival is usually held in the first quarter of the year.It was the only film festival in socialist countries that attracted big Hollywood stars such as Jack Nicholson, Kirk Douglas, Robert De Niro and directors like Miloš... |
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| 1997 1997 in film -Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*... |
Iruvar Iruvar Iruvar is a 1997 Tamil film directed, co-written, and co-produced by Mani Ratnam, with music composed by A. R. Rahman. The film is a fictionalized account of the lives of 1980s Tamil Nadu political icons M. G. Ramachandran and M... |
Best Film at Belgrade International Film Festival FEST (Belgrade) FEST is annual film festival held in Belgrade, Serbia since 1971. The festival is usually held in the first quarter of the year.It was the only film festival in socialist countries that attracted big Hollywood stars such as Jack Nicholson, Kirk Douglas, Robert De Niro and directors like Miloš... |
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| Nerrukku Ner Nerrukku Ner Nerruku Ner is a 1997 Tamil film starring Vijay, Surya in his screen debut, Simran and Kausalya in the lead with Raghuvaran, Shanthi Krishna, Karan, Vivek, Manivannan, Prakash Raj and Dhamu forms an ensemble cast. The film was directed by Vasanth and was produced by director Mani Ratnam with his... |
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| 1998 1998 in film -Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:... |
Dil Se Dil Se Dil Se is a 1998 Hindi film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film stars Shahrukh Khan, Manisha Koirala, and Preity Zinta. Mani Ratnam also co-wrote the screenplay for the film... |
NETPAC Award Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema is a worldwide organization of 29 member countries. It was created as the result of a conference on Asian cinema organized by Cinemaya, the Asian Film Quarterly, in New Delhi in 1990 at the instance and with the support of UNESCO, Paris.Headquartered... (Special Mention) at Berlin International Film Festival Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978... |
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| 2000 2000 in film The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor .... |
Alaipayuthey Alaipayuthey Alaipayuthey is a 2000 Tamil romantic drama film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Madhavan and Shalini, the film explores the tensions of married life and the maturing of love. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by A. R... |
NETPAC Award Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema is a worldwide organization of 29 member countries. It was created as the result of a conference on Asian cinema organized by Cinemaya, the Asian Film Quarterly, in New Delhi in 1990 at the instance and with the support of UNESCO, Paris.Headquartered... (Special Mention) at Berlin International Film Festival Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978... |
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| 2001 2001 in film The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy... |
Dumm Dumm Dumm Dumm Dumm Dumm Dumm Dumm Dumm is a 2001 Tamil drama film co-written and directed by Azhagam Perumal and produced by noted director Mani Ratnam under his home studio, Madras Talkies. The film features Madhavan and Jyothika in the leading roles with Vivek, Manivannan and Murali portraying other pivotal roles... |
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| 2002 2002 in film The year 2002 in film involved some significant events. The first significant releases of sequels took place between The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Men in Black II, Analyze That, Spy Kids 2: The Island of... |
Kannathil Muthamittal Kannathil Muthamittal Kannathil Muthamittal is a 2002 Tamil drama film directed by Mani Ratnam. It stars P. S. Keerthana, R. Madhavan, Simran, Nandita Das, Pasupathy, J. D. Chakravarthy and Prakash Raj. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman. The film's title is a famous phrase from a poem... |
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil The following lists the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. The year in the header refers to the date when the film was censored and submitted for the awards, without of regard of when the award was presented. Apart from the Silver Lotus Award "Certificate of Merit" was also given... Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil Filmfare Award for Best Director – Tamil Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director The Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director is given by the state government as part of its annual Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for Tamil films.-Winners:... Best Film award at Jerusalem Film Festival Jerusalem Film Festival The Jerusalem Film Festival is an international film festival held annually in Jerusalem, Israel. The festival was the brainchild of Lia van Leer, who inaugurated it on May 17, 1984... ITFA Best Director Award ITFA Best Director Award The ITFA Best Director Award is given by the state government as part of its annual International Tamil Film Awards for Tamil films.-The list:Here is a list of the award winners and the films for which they won.... Audience Award for Best Feature Film at Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles Audience Choice Award for Narrative Competition at RiverRun International Film Festival RiverRun International Film Festival The RiverRun International Film Festival is a regional film festival held annually each spring in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The festival is a 5013 non-profit organization and presents a variety of feature-length and short films from all genres, and also presents special events, regional... Best Picture at Zimbabwe International Film Festival Zimbabwe International Film Festival The Zimbabwe International Film Festival is an annual ten day film festival held in Zimbabwe in August or September. It is a non-profit organisation. The festival is a non-political competitive platform that provides a showcase of feature films, documentary films and short films, as well as... Audience Award, Jury Award and Special Award at Film Fest New Haven Film Fest New Haven The Film Fest New Haven is an annual film festival held in New Haven, Connecticut, USA, home of Yale University. Also sometimes known as the New Haven Film Fest, it is a non-profit organisation that was founded in 1995. This independent film festival features premieres and screenings of films made... Best International Film at Westchester Film Festival Westchester Film Festival The Westchester Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is a non-profit organization. The festival features premieres and screenings of new, independent films... |
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| Saathiya | |||||
| 2004 2004 in film The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol... |
Yuva Yuva Yuva , originally titled Howrah Bridge is a feature film directed by Indian director Mani Ratnam and released in 2004. Simultaneously made in Hindi and Tamil , the prime objective of the movie was to motivate educated Indian youths to enter politics.The film tells the stories of three young men... |
Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie The Filmfare Awards are the oldest and most prominent film awards given for Hindi films in India. The yearly awards started in 1953. Movie awards were first given by popular vote... Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay Nominated—Star Screen Award for Best Director Nominated—Star Screen Award for Best Screenplay Star Screen Award for Best Screenplay The winners of the Star Screen Awards for Best Screenplay are listed below:... |
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| Aayutha Ezhuthu | |||||
| 2007 2007 in film This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007... |
Guru | Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie The Filmfare Awards are the oldest and most prominent film awards given for Hindi films in India. The yearly awards started in 1953. Movie awards were first given by popular vote... Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay Nominated—Star Screen Award for Best Director Nominated—Star Screen Award for Best Screenplay Star Screen Award for Best Screenplay The winners of the Star Screen Awards for Best Screenplay are listed below:... |
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| 2010 2010 in film The year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and... |
Raavan Raavan Raavan is a 2010 Hindi film directed, written and produced by Mani Ratnam. It stars Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Vikram in the lead roles while Govinda, Ravi Kishan, Nikhil Dwivedi, Tejaswini Kolhapure and Priyamani feature in key supporting roles... |
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| Raavanan | |||||
| 2012 | Bloody Paki Bloody Paki Bloody Paki is an upcoming Hindi action film inspired by the real story of a Punjabi immigrant, set against the backdrop of the London terrorist attacks in 2005. It is directed by Shiva, while Shaad Ali is the executive producer, both of them have been assistant directors under Mani Ratnam, who... |
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See also
- Madras TalkiesMadras TalkiesMadras Talkies is a Film and Television Production and Distribution Company in India started in 1995 with Mani Ratnam and Suhasini Maniratnam as partners. Madras Talkies is actively involved in production of films and television serials, which are distributed all over the world...
- List of films directed by Mani Ratnam featuring A. R. Rahman