There are very few directors who are as gifted as Mani Ratnam. You might think that PAN India films are a new thing and they came into existence just a few years ago.
But let us correct you that Mani Ratnam has been making them right since the early 90s. His films were not limited to only Tamil Nadu. The director has a poetic style of capturing shots which only a handful of directors have.
His films are not just about great direction but also about divine music and an experience that no other filmmaker can offer. His association with AR Rahman along with Varaimuthu (Tamil) and Gulzar (Hindi) have given us one of the greatest albums in the Indian music industry. Unfortunately, we don’t get albums like that these days.
It is extremely tough to pick a few movies out of his long illustrious filmography but today is the maestro’s birthday and here we have helped you.
If you really consider yourself a cinema lover then you can’t ignore Mani Ratnam and his gems that we’ve listed below.
Roja- Zee5/Prime Video
The film starred Arvind Swamy and Madhubala (not the classic Hindi film actress). It is about a girl from Tamil Nadu who goes on to liberate her husband from J&K. He was an undercover officer and was kidnapped by the militants.
The film is exceptionally great particularly due to the performance but it is known for its music. After 30 years, Roja is still regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time. And once you revisit the album you will be clear with the reasons.
Bombay- Voot/Netflix/Prime Video
Bombay again stars Arvind Swamy but with Manisha Koirala. It is initially set in a coastal village of Tamil Nadu where a Muslim woman and Hindu man fall in love. They led their way to Bombay (now Mumbai) when it was suffering from severe riots.
It beautifully captures human relations and has one of the greatest soundtracks of all time. This film might appear slow to many but is a masterpiece in the true sense.
Iruvar- Prime Video
Before we go on to tell you about the greatness of the film, we would like to tell you the cast. It stars Mohanlal, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Prakash Raj, Revathi, and Tabu.
It is one of the greatest casts ever but if it’s not tempting enough then let’s tell you more. The film is loosely inspired by the life of Jayalalitha who herself wanted Aishwarya Rai to play her. Although it is not a pure biopic, Aishwarya does play a character inspired by Jayalalitha.
Even Mani Ratnam himself considers it his best work. The film has a phenomenal direction and an ensemble of one of the finest actors from the Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam film industries. No cinephile should ever miss Iruvar.
Dil Se…- Netflix/Prime Video
This pan India film was actually a Hindi film. It was called Uyire in Tamil and Prematho in Telugu. This is one of the most perfect films in Indian cinema. It has a soulful yet heart-wrenching story, a once in a century performance by the cast, an ultra legendary album and a poetic direction.
The camera cuts, the visuals and overall cinematography is an unparalleled examples of visual extravaganza. The global sensation Chhaiyya Chhaiyya shows the beauty of Tamil Nadu, Jiya Jale of Kerala and overall the film makes us fall for Indian geography.
This album has one of the greatest works by AR Rahman, Gulzar and even Lata Mangeshkar.
It’s probably the only film where an actress outperformed Shahrukh Khan who himself gave a once in a lifetime performance. Preity Zinta, although a debutant was good but not comparable to Manisha Koirala.
Dil Se… is a gem which needs to be preserved in your heart.
Guru- Netflix
The film reunited Aishwarya Rai with both Mani Ratnam and Abhishek Bachchan. The beautiful film is based on a businessman who starts from scratch but goes on to do exceptionally great. The album was yet again beyond mesmerizing and the film had a better mass appeal than any typical Mani Ratnam film.
Although one could talk forever about Mani Ratnam and his films, we are waiting for Ponniyin Selvan which again reunites him with Aishwarya Rai. The film is yet again an AR Rahman musical and their previous work record can’t let any cinephile remain unexcited.
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