MANI RATNAM

MANI RATNAM

Date of birth - June 2, 1956 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Profession - film director, writer and producer

Father - late shri Venus Gopal Ratnam(film distributor)

BIOGRAPHY:

Both words in his name means “precious stones” in Tamil. He has revolutionized the Tamil film industry and the Indian film industry in general with technically strong films that are beautifully photographed, excellent music, a fantastic script based on stories very close to reality. His works include Nayagan, Roja, Bombay, Kannathil, Muthamittal, Aayitha Ezuthu, Yuva and Guru. Every frame in a Mani Ratnam film is completely composed and beautifully backlit even if this style involves total violation of tonal, foca, and colour continuity.

Mani Ratnam might not be 'South Asia's greatest living director' as one of his fans makes him out to be. But he is a brave one. A filmmaker who is walking the precarious tight rope between art and commerce. In the process, he sometimes slips. This way and that. Iruvar and Uyire [Dil Se in Hindi] are such examples. With the result that his last film Alai Payuthe is a safe one. A man who has fallen twice, this way and that, treads the straight and middle line. But that is absolutely no reason to dismiss him as a has-been. I would like to think that the best is yet to come and that one of these days he'll make a film that without having to be classified as art will trigger all the emotions good art will and yet be riveting to watch and entertain the senses.

On a flickering movie screen, a cast of characters breaks into song and dance. Such are the conventions of the Bombay film industry - also known as Bollywood - in which every movie is filled with spectacular singing and dancing. Critics who have forgotten the great American musical might dismiss such shenanigans as mere entertainment, fine for a "movie" but not a "film." Yet the work of Tamil director Mani Ratnam blends art and commerce in a manner that is vital, provocative, wildly entertaining, and socially conscious.