Simply CAN’T wait for this…hope it releases on my end. Wish there was more info but the cover speaks for itself!
Final Jacket:
LINK
Draft Jacket:
LINK
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SATYAMSHOT 
July 21, 2012 at 2:07 PM
You beat me to it. I just saw this CAN’T WAIT!!!
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July 21, 2012 at 2:14 PM
I suggested to Rangan that he keep folks posted on if and when this becomes available outside India but this is in any case something to seek out by any means. There couldn’t have been a better writer for this and with Rahman’s foreword to boot this will be a work that will doubtlessly set a gold standard for film writing.
Especially can’t wait for the chapter on Iruvar!
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July 21, 2012 at 2:55 PM
Heck, I’ll buy copies in India and ship ’em to all the peeps in en why ceeee
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July 21, 2012 at 11:14 PM
Q Sir Ceecaago niwasi par bhee kripa drshtee rakhna..
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July 22, 2012 at 12:04 AM
Bilkul!
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July 22, 2012 at 9:42 AM
Sahee hai……
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July 21, 2012 at 2:55 PM
Made my day!!!
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July 21, 2012 at 4:37 PM
they’ve used a wonderful image for the cover..
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July 22, 2012 at 2:45 AM
Agree. And I am seeing this image for the first time! Also, the Mani Ratnam article by him – The Madras Male is easily one of his most brilliant write ups ever and the best one out there on MR.
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July 21, 2012 at 4:14 PM
this is great news! would love to get my hands on this..
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August 3, 2012 at 3:02 AM
“I have read most of Baradwaj’s manuscript, and instead of gushing on mindlessly as I’m prone to doing, I’ll say just this: it holds up extremely well in comparison with the two best conversations-with-directors books I have read: Bogdanovich on Orson Welles and Truffaut-Hitchcock. When Baradwaj first told me the book was going to be almost entirely in the Q&A format, I had…not misgivings but a tinge of regret, because I’m such a fan of his flowing writing. But he’s achieved something very special here: he has got Mani Ratnam to open up about a lot of things, moderated a series of fascinating conversations (and these ARE conversations between two people who are very knowledgeable about film – not standard-issue “interviews” where Serf asks Celebrity a line of vapid questions) – and most tricky of all, he has structured those sessions in such a way that a reader gets a sense of drama as well as chronology. I was riveted even by the discussions about the early Ratnam films that I haven’t seen.”
http://jaiarjun.blogspot.in/2012/08/nizamuddin-cats-and-mani-ratnam.html
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August 3, 2012 at 12:41 PM
This is incredibly heartening. I had a moment of pause myself when I realized that this was a Q&A work as opposed to something that might allow Rangan more space to develop his ideas on Ratnam. But then I remembered that Rangan is not only the greatest film critic India has, but also (and perhaps because of his gifts as an essayist) he is the best interviewer around. What he does as an interviewer that I think is unique to him is he shakes his subjects out of their routine responses not only because he asks uncommon questions but also because his own perspective, while never intrusive, emerges out of the conversation, mostly because what he asks and how he guides the conversations come from a place that’s very educated about the subject he’s engaging with. This is especially useful for a guy like Ratnam who isn’t incredibly lengthy in his responses, which is something that I quite like about him but also (I imagine) a natural result of the kinds of minds (or lack thereof) he is made to deal with and answer to in run-of-the-mill film journalism. I’m sure there are journalists who, because he doesn’t always give them the easy sound bite, don’t enjoy Ratnam as an interview subject but I think that’s only because he deserves better from those interviewing him. In Rangan he’s got the best.
So I’ll repeat it – CAN’T WAIT FOR THIS.
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August 3, 2012 at 12:45 PM
yes it was always going to take a gifted critic to get a great deal out of Ratnam! Still not clear on what the actual publication date here is.
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August 3, 2012 at 11:30 PM
Blogical Conclusion @baradwajrangan
To all who asked, there’s still no date set for the release of “Conversations with Mani Ratnam.” Will put up a note as soon as I get info.
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August 28, 2012 at 10:16 AM
Rangan has posted the final cover for his book (above)…now if only we could get a release date!
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August 28, 2012 at 10:29 AM
I preferred the other one..
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August 28, 2012 at 10:31 AM
Me too. More importantly though I expect (certainly hope) that the work itself will contain the kind of unseen shots that the draft jacket displayed.
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September 14, 2012 at 1:17 PM
Interesting piece by Rangan and with two Ratnam-related anecdotes..
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September 14, 2012 at 2:02 PM
Just read this piece and came in here to find this. It is apt that a book on Mani Ratnam should be penned by B Rangan but what is more heartening is the fact that years down, when one wants to read about Mani Ratnam, the Indian filmmaker he / she will have access to a very valuable source, written by a very knowledgeable Indian film critic who has his own unique way with words…. Rare in these times…
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September 27, 2012 at 10:41 AM
Pre-order the book!
http://www.uread.com/book/conversations-mani-ratnam-baradwaj-rangan/9780670085200
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September 27, 2012 at 10:42 AM
THANKS! You made my day!
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September 27, 2012 at 10:44 AM
It’s listed on amazon with far less appealing terms!
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September 27, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Yikes. Yeah, I’ve already made my order. The only thing close to a release date they have listed here is October. Presumably won’t get this until November or so at the earliest.
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September 27, 2012 at 12:20 PM
the only problem here is that the shipping costs far more than the book. It’s a psychological thing but I’d feel far better about it if I were spending the same total but most of it on the book as opposed to the shipping. Having said that this book is a must so I won’t complain for too long!
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September 27, 2012 at 12:36 PM
Oh yeah I agree. The concept is somehow absurd and that kind of thing always gives me pause. This often happens when I order a old paperback on Amazon for like two bucks and the shipping is seven or something. But can’t complain with this scenario for too long and especially when one looks at the Amazon alternative for Rangan’s book!
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October 11, 2012 at 8:06 AM
Superb Rangan interview on his upcoming book:
http://jaiarjun.blogspot.in/2012/10/mani-ratnam-mainstream-experimenter.html
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October 11, 2012 at 8:23 AM
This was a treat.
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October 15, 2012 at 9:04 AM
Book seems to be out. My copy has been shipped by uread and Amazon has sent the kindle versions.
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October 15, 2012 at 8:32 PM
the kindle version was released today.. I got it right away, got ‘into’ it right away and finished the book today as I couldn’t stop! Of course I will keep re-reading it for the next few days as well. Will probably put up a note on it. The hard copy will arrive eventually but I couldn’t wait!
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October 16, 2012 at 8:19 AM
@baradwajrangan Congrats on the book. ordered a hard copy but couldn’t wait and got it on kindle as well and finished it more or less in two sittings on the very first day! Will re-read it today. Will try and put up some thoughts on it but you can certainly take a bow!
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