«
»

Images from Raavan and Raavanan (2) (updated)

earlier thread, which was getting too unwieldy with 400+ responses, here




thanks to Kassam…




thanks to Tyler….




thanks to Ted for the latest images..















thanks to Pradip for the latest stills..































This entry was posted on June 10, 2010 at 9:52 PM and is filed under the bad. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

505 Responses to “Images from Raavan and Raavanan (2) (updated)”

  1. Satyam Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 9:38 AM

    most recent responses on the previous thread here:

    Images from Raavan & Raavanan (updated)

    these include an interesting Abhishek interview where one learns he’s done the jump himself, a sets shot with Vikram, also a synopsis.

    Like

  2. Yakuza Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 9:43 AM

    The way events are turning up one after other and buzz is getting stronger every day, I am afraid if it able to sustain similar hype after 1.75 months. There should be some hidden ace come out just a week before release to make buzz even stronger. There’s already 3 promos out. We have seen enough images. There might be 4-5 another distinct promos.

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 26, 2010 at 9:49 AM

      I don’t see a problem with the buzz being sustained. However I do agree that there is still a great deal of time for the release and I too wonder about some of the pacing here. Obviously there will be other trailers. One for each song for examples. Maybe dialogues and so on. But there can be too much of a good thing. We live in an intense media age where films cannot be experienced in a ‘virginal’ sense. Which is to say that incredible as these images are I wish that I could have seen most of this for the very first time in the film. But that is a possibility no longer available to us and much as I love viewing these artistic images the pleasure is not an ‘unmixed’ one. What can one encounter in the film in terms of the visuals that one has not seen at length? Not to be reductive about the power of motion pictures of course.

      Like

  3. Qalandar Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 9:52 AM

    “Laal Maati” = “Red Earth”. Pretty clear reference…

    Like

    • Aarohi Says:
      April 26, 2010 at 10:54 AM

      The Hindi version seems to be set in Jharkhand. The character that Abhishek plays is Beera Munda and there is a reference to Jharkhand in Kata Kata Bechara. Let’s see if Mani goes for direct references to the geography or keeps it vague like it was in Dil Se.

      Like

      • mansi Says:
        April 28, 2010 at 10:18 AM

        the character is called beera munda??!!
        some relation to d tribal leader birsa munda?!..i distinctly remember reading about birsa munda in my class 9th history book a long time back!!!

        Like

        • Offside Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 10:34 AM

          Perhaps not. Birsa was a freedom fighter and died quite young. The name of Abhi’s character (if?) is strikingly similar though…

          Like

        • Qalandar Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 12:20 PM

          “Munda” is just the name of the community/group, and is pretty common (also of course means “boy”/”youth” in Punjabi). And “Beera” is of course the same as “Veer”, i.e. brave, warrior, etc. Really the same kind of name as “Lallan Singh” (“laal”, “lalla” being used for “little boy” or “child” all over the Hindi/Urdu-speaking regions).

          Like

      • Nilaabh Says:
        May 8, 2010 at 8:26 AM

        you are correct, however at the time of this revolution lead by Birsa Munda, the whole chotanagpur plateu was involved and the film can be related to Andhra, orissa , MP and Jharkhand as well. The story line claims to be built on ramayan, lets see, I am eagerly wating…

        Like

      • Nilaabh Says:
        May 8, 2010 at 8:30 AM

        Thats correct, for the reference of Jharkhand (Dulhe Miyan, Chhodo Joru, jharkhand Le Lo) , I love the place, have lived 18 years of my life there. It’s beautiful.

        Like

  4. Qalandar Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 9:55 AM

    Finally, some Vikram images!

    Like

  5. Offside Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 10:11 AM

    It looks a murky film. Just hope it holds an interesting narrative.
    The pacing of the publicity is a bit suspect here; too much ‘mixup’ of the two versions doesn’t help either.

    If they know what they’re doing and it’s strategic, then I’m game…

    Like

  6. Aramak Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 10:16 AM

    Going by the synopsis it is definitely a ‘Gabbar’ type story and Like I said in the previous post this could a film that opens eye’s fully worldwide, its rustic, raw and very Indian at its core. If its promoted well abroad and there is talk of promotions in England and the US and I don’t mean to NRI’s then it could open eyes fully to the quality Indian cinema has to offer.

    Like

  7. GF Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 10:20 AM

    This whole thing feels like Kannathil meets Thalapathi.

    Like

  8. mansi Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 10:32 AM

    after seeing so many pics of abhishek as raavan..now its very difficult 4 me to think of any one else as raavan..abhishek is now raavan for me..nd is etched in my memory as raavan!!
    but not a problem..coz i m gonna check out d hindi version only..cant understand even an alphabet of tamil.so..

    Like

  9. GF Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 10:59 AM

    I think Vikram looks just terrific in these pics – he certainly seems to have a more consistent persona here than the Abhishek pics which have oscillated between different “tones” throughout. Whether this means a more potent Raavan is obviously something the two films will decide.

    Like

  10. oldgold Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 11:06 AM

    I’m with those who think that there is too much to soon and in such a short time.
    Wouldn’t want it to grow stale.

    The pictures are impressive. I don’t think I have ever been so impressed by any other movie at this stage.

    Wow!! AB dived himself there! He could have gone to the Olympics. It seemed so perfect.

    And I agree, we need such a film to attract a foreign audience – not Kites, which will be like selling snow to the eskimos.

    Like

  11. oops1 Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 11:07 AM

    The first i thought with shots was : less OTT expressions, it’s for the best. I know it’s a bit early to judge both performances but Abhi looked so wild that it’s almost like they are playing two different characters…

    Like

  12. ted Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 11:39 AM

    Rumours are ending is different in both versions.

    Like

  13. santosh Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 12:13 PM

    From whatever I have seen until now for Ravana, this movie seems to be for a very niche audience and may be viewer’s delight.

    Sadly I am not part of that niche group and I dont have any reasons for not liking. Movie and even the music just does not cut it with me.

    Like

  14. Zero Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 12:18 PM

    Superb set of images here! Vikram looks awesome. Just can’t wait.

    Like

  15. Satyam Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 12:45 PM

    I don’t think there’s any doubt that Vikram’s Raavan will be more restrained than Abhishek’s. The latter will certainly have more ‘extremes’ to his ‘moods’. I am not at all surprised by this because as I ventured at the outset Rathnam is respecting two different genealogies with both stars. At the same time one should be clear about the ‘economy’ of this bilingual. It is one thing for a director to star with an idea, decide to make it in two languages and pick stars accordingly and quite another to decide a script with a star and then decide to do a bilingual and pick another star for it. This is important not only for the obvious reason of the star a director seems to privilege but moreso for the degree to which a role is imagined a certain way. I would suggest that the Hindi film here is the ‘Ur-text’ if you will with the Tamil one being the ‘alternative’ reading. This is not a matter of box office priority or so forth (obviously Abhishek isn’t in his industry where Vikram is in his) or even about ‘effectiveness’ (Vikram is dynamite in this sort of part, one could have said this the day the film was launched.. of course not only the ‘serious’.. Vikram has real comic talents that are sometimes underestimated) but about how the film is imagined to begin with. Now I will agree that Abhishek has the ‘trickier’ part inasmuch as he has to bring about greater extremes of mood and emotion. I don’t doubt that Vikram will have these moments as well but he is just more restrained in his mode all round and I don’t think Rathnam would have him do something completely other to his instincts. Abhishek has the ‘craziness’ in Yuva. In many ways this too is the distinction between Abhishek and Maddy in that film. Maddy is more ‘consistent’ which is to say that once one learns about his character he does not necessarily ‘surprise’. abhishek on the other hand does. Even down to the very end when he’s like a force of nature in the bridge sequence. But this ‘consistency’ isn’t about performance and more about characterization. Now Maddy and Vikram are not comparable quantities. The former is the better actor undoubtedly but the latter is competent one who can be gifted in certain parts and certainly has an enormous history of the ‘iconic’. Nonetheless Vikram’s part will I believe be more ‘centered’ for want of a better term while Abhishek’s will possibly show more ‘lateral movement’. In other words it might be easier to define a ‘core’ with one performance than the other. But again Abhishek is the more gifted actor in this equation and it is unlikely that Rathnam would devise the very same ‘performance’ challenged for both stars. The roles were always supposed to be different. Vikram of course looks awesome here. Again I get back to the notion (as Abhishek expands on it) that the ten heads are like ten different Raavan ‘selves’. What unites them is what the film presumably is about. I also don’t think it’s about a hero/villain dichotomy. Ram represents ‘institutionalization’. Raavan is ‘instinctive man’, most at home (judging from these images) in a rough ‘natural’ terrain. In his world the normal, ‘orthodox’ laws of human sociality are suspended.

    Like

  16. santosh Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 12:50 PM

    ‘I also don’t think it’s about a hero/villain dichotomy. Ram represents ‘institutionalization’. Raavan is ‘instinctive man’

    You are a genius when it comes to analysis / interpreattions and the above line is a prime example.

    I feel ashamed of making that comment just a while back on this thread.
    The posters are so well explained with this comment of your Satyam.

    Once again hats off !!

    Like

  17. Tyler Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 1:03 PM

    Vikram interview – talks about how he and Abhi did the same character

    Like

  18. oldgold Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 3:37 PM

    I’ve come to the conclusion that this spurt of stills, posters etc was for the launching of the music, and now they will step back and let people wait – I hope so.

    Like

  19. aadmi Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 3:43 PM

    there is news that SRK was approached to play raavan’s role in hindi version of Raavan but he refused

    Like

  20. aadmi Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 3:46 PM

    Vikram’s offscreen persoanlity is quite diffrent than his tough man onscreen image

    Like

  21. GF Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 4:07 PM

    Love the KM image on the Auteur’s Corner…

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 26, 2010 at 4:40 PM

      among the Vikram images here the first one is particularly striking with that cape/cloak swaying around him. Then the one right below where his face seems as ‘matted’ as the cloth covering his head.. On the image with the gun I prefer Abhishek’s. The last one where he’s staring into Ash’s eyes is classic Bala!

      Like

      • GF Says:
        April 26, 2010 at 5:18 PM

        This is precisely why the Vikram character here looks so interesting. It’s as if a Bala character has wandered into the pictorially mesmerizing world of Ratnam.

        Like

        • aadmi Says:
          April 26, 2010 at 7:04 PM

          i also think Rgv attempted his version of raavan with JUNGLE

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 26, 2010 at 7:48 PM

          Jungle had its moments.. it’s a film I’ve wanted to revisit.. but this wasn’t really a Raavan story and much of a Veerappan deal. There are common threads of course but you don’t get Raavan without the obsession with Sita!

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 2:27 AM

          But, Satyam, Sushant *is* obsessed with Urmila in the film. I think aadmi has a point here. Though the Ram figure in the film is in the “common man” mode pitted against a much more powerful ‘raja.’

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 6:05 AM

          I didn’t remember that angle Zero.. I stand corrected in that case..

          Like

  22. aadmi Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 7:02 PM

    although i m not SRK fan but it would have been intresting to see srk in this type of role and Box office potential would have been MUCH bigger

    Like

  23. Satyam Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 7:19 PM

    Guest (dis)appearance

    Seems like Govinda is miffed with the way his role has shaped up in Raavan. The latest buzz in Bollywood is that when Govinda saw the rushes of Raavan, he felt his role, which was anyway brief to begin with, had turned out far smaller than he had expected. Apparently, Govinda not only requested Mani Ratnam to bill his part as a guest appearance but he also stayed away from the grand music release of the film in Mumbai on April 24 as a mark of protest.

    Govinda, however, refutes these rumours. He says, “I couldn’t attend the event on Saturday at such short notice. I was informed about it only two days in advance. I had to be in Vrindavan for a puja on Saturday. It was a day meant for prayers for the welfare of one’s children. How could I skip that?”

    Govinda
    He quickly adds, “It’s not as if the Raavan event was not important enough. I realise my absence was noticeable because the entire cast was there. But I’m sure Mani Ratnam, who’s a Brahmin like me, realised the importance of that day in the Hindu calendar. In fact, he chose April 24 to release the music of Raavan for the same reason I was in Vrindavan.”

    Govinda admits that his role is now a guest appearance in Raavan.

    “I did the role because my wife Sunita told me to. I’m glad I listened to her. Although mine is just a guest appearance, I’ve learnt so much working with Mani Ratnam. It was like going to an acting school, something I had never done in my career.

    I was simply a student on location. I surrendered completely to Mani Sir’s vision. I really don’t care how big or small my role is. To me, Raavan is a new beginning.”

    Govinda is so confident of Raavan that he has put all other offers on hold. He says, “I’m not signing any films till Raavan releases. I’ll lose weight, and I will wait. Even Partner 2 is on hold until Salman, Sohail and David get a proper script.”

    Mani Ratnam
    What Govinda resents is the constant mythological references in the press. “Mani Ratnam has not made a mythological film. And I’m certainly not playing Hanuman!” he says.

    In Raavan, Govinda plays the guy who helps Vikram through the dense forest to track down Abhishek Bachchan. Govinda will be seen in a forest ranger’s avatar in the film.

    Like

  24. aadmi Says:
    April 26, 2010 at 7:43 PM

    mani ratnam gives good roles to even minor characters in the movie so i douybt govinda is angry

    Like

  25. Fimbuff Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 12:08 AM

    Satyam, I noticed you have made some comments on Iruvar in your eariler thread on Ravan which is now closed.

    Have you done a post on Iruvar before? If yes, could u post the link here? Thanks

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 1:03 AM

      I haven’t done one comprehensive post on Iruvar but have referred to it on numerous occasions in different contexts. Some examples:

      Bipasha now part of Rathnam’s film as Raavan’s spouse

      last long para here:

      Bachchan — 653 & 654 (Shweta’s note for Abhishek) & 655 & 656 & 657 (Bachchan in Kerala and dressed in the munda!)

      The LTTE Debacle and Rathnam’s Kannathil Muthamittal Counterexample


      (a lot here in the post and the ensuing discussion touches upon Iruvar)

      an older comment on the film elsewhere:
      [I think the second half is a series of vignettes, not really the first one which proceeds as a reltaively straightforward biopic. It is not that I am opposed to a change in narrative tone except that I am unsure as to the extent Rathnam intended it, also given that Rathnam more often than not in the 90s has had problematic second halves in his films. In any case one can harldy every figure out the ‘intention’ with an author but what is more important to me is the loss of richness that occurs in the second half of Iruvar. I think the film at this point is moving very quickly in time and the emotional resonance is just not there the way it is in the first half. The film plays more operatically at this point but I don’t think it’s very effective opera barring isolated moments and of course the brilliant closing scene. Plus the first half is rich not least because there are a lot of properly theoretical issues that Rathnam brings up without ever losing his narrative grip and focus. In the second half the mix is simply not present to the same degree. The film in a sense becomes the ‘inner life of Anandam’. Where in the first half the public and the private are interlaced even in terms of ‘memory’ in the second there are basically the reminiscences of Anandam with ‘literal’ events alternating. The two are not really tied in adequately. Rathnam in the earlier portion of Iruvar is always very careful not to have his events seem literal. In other words it is structurally a biopic but Rathnam does vastly more with it. Every scene seems to have a significance beyond the immediate. To be honest the second half would perhaps not seem flawed if it wasn’t a followup to the first one or if the first half were also more like the second. And that is where I believe Rathnam also lost the box office battle. Nayagan is not a greater film than Iruvar but it is to my mind the less flawed one. I don’t mean to be too harsh on Iruvar, it is after all one of my all time favorite films and possibly the greatest Indian film in the bio-pic genre. But I’ve never been very convinced by the second half. Incidentally KM also has this problem though in a very different way.]

      &

      [I guess I would get back to the basic problem that I have with Iruvar’s second half which is that the vignette approach dilutes the richness of the first half for me and in this context Anandham’s character. I said these were ‘hints’ because Rathnam doesn’t quite build on them in the latter half of the film and rather than Anandham being rendered complex and ambiguous in this half he often becomes a casualty of an unintended obscurantism on Rathnam’s part.

      In Nayagan the narrative is always refracted through the ‘central man’ of the film. This seems to be the case in Guru as well. Iruvar admittedly is about ‘two men’ and yet the first half is more Anandham’s half (even if Tamilchelvam is integral to it) while the second half is not even his. The film is turned inside out — rather than the narrative being accessible to the viewer via Anandham and Tamilchelvam we have Anandham (Tamilchelvam more or less disappears) as he must of necessity appear to his intimates — enigmatic. Again this is a constant theme with Rathnam — when the ‘central man’ is most approachable to his initimates he is ‘unknown’ to a general audience or rather he is at a stage of his life when he is not ‘public’ in any way. As opposed to this he is most loved when he is most public but also most ‘dark’ to his intimates at this very point and (perhaps therefore) most unapproachable. But all of this begs for constant biographical treatment which Nayagan had and Iruvar did not. I think the first half of Iruvar is actually the more complex one as biography is inextricably linked with history and it makes for a highly ambiguous mix and at the same time in Rathnam’s hand a well-fleshed out one. The second half loses the biographical approach but also the film itself. The friendship is fractured. The film is as well but the viewer is totally adrift. There is nothing to moor the viewer in this half. Tamilchelvam is missing, Anandham is available only as enigma. But the enigma rather than being what the character is at a certain point in his life constitutes a ‘break’ from the bio-pic narrative as such and ‘character as such’. There is nothing theoretically wrong with such an approach except that Rathnam does not pull it off and in my view is possibly a bit defeated by the material he has and the extent to which he has to wrap up his story within the remaining length of the film. I have long believed that he should have continued the mode of the first half and made at least a three and a half hour film, and in essence allotted more time to Mohanlal’s character as well as tamilchelvam’s.

      So I don’t disagree with your points goodfella (or yours Qalandar). I just feel that too much is covered a bit too fast in the second half and a lot of the force of any given theme is lost. And I don’t quite think that the second part of the movie to the extent that it deconstructs the first part works as an approach either. Because even this is not a proper reading of the incredibly rich and complex first half.

      Much as I adore Iruvar I always find it a bit hard to go from the first to the second portion of the film for these reasons. in itself it’s still a great second half but something is lost and as I keep repeating something of the film itself is lost. Had it been anything else the film would have become even richer.]

      &

      [I think it is easy to lose sight of the fact (with all the historical correspondences) that Rathnam is fundamentally not in the business of making biopics. Nayakan used Vardharajan as inspiration, Iruvar had the astonishingly relevant Karunanidhi/MGR story as parallel, Guru has the Ambani saga; yet Rathnam for all the allusions is making a fictional film in each case. Of course he is clearly fascinated by what the ‘history’ offers him, but he makes it very much his own. And where he can often be precise enough on the historical connection (Iruvar comes most obviously to mind from the Ash double to the shooting episode et al) he can often veer very sharply from the same as well. If the story about Guru having twin daughters is true this is surely remarkable given the Ambani sons! And the Jayalalitha figure (Ash) is actually ‘killed off’ in Iruvar! Finally I would say that Iruvar must be separated from Nayakan and Guru inasmuch as the biographies of the characters these films derive inspiration from did not mean much to a general audience. Iruvar though was a potent subject in this sense and certainly for a TN audience it must have been quite impossible not to see this as a biopic. Perhaps this is a problem with the film.]

      &

      [Yes Iruvar is certainly Rathnam’s greatest film though I don’t consider it his most fully realised one (Nayakan might still trump it in this sense as it does in terms of being the vastly more influential work). I agree with Goodfella to the extent that it is a candidate for greatest Indian commercial film though again I mean this more in the sense of film achievement than anything else. It has clearly not had the sort of impact that a Nayakan did or a Shree 420 did. On the flip side it is also unfair to think of it purely as a commercial film because Rathnam’s achievement is so much more than this. This is a film that could be shown (and has been shown) at film festivals around the globe without any changes being made to it. It is ultimately an enormous film and I would put very few films in the same bracket. To make this point even a little more aggressively I think Rathnam with this film surpasses all of Guru Dutt’s oeuvre (I would be more circumspect about Awara or Shree 420 though). ]

      &

      [As I read it one of Rathnam’s theses here is that ‘iconicity’ of this scale defeats traditional biography. In other words the biographical treatment always by definition eludes the truth of the icon. But of course all that the ‘audience’ has on the other side of ‘iconicity’ is the biography or the ‘work’. Both of these do not explain how the transcendence comes about which is what Rathnam is after in these films. To cast it yet another way the ‘biographical’ is of the order of the ‘factual’ whereas the ‘iconic’ is of the order of an ‘event’. Hence the latter can never be explained by the former. Because the even re-calibrates everything.

      It is in this sense entirely appropriate that Rathnam does not allow us any kind of easy empathy. Because one might empathise with a ‘man’, not quite with an ‘icon’. So Nayakan is always the story of a man and resultantly the film in the trilogy which invites our ‘empathy’ to the greatest extent. Iruvar I would argue is again a film that does not invite us to empathise the way Nayakan does though is mediates between Nayakan and Guru on this register. This is why the principal tone of Iruvar is one of reminiscence and longing. Anandham can never quite recapture his lost paradise which on my terms is the man he was before he became an icon. In fact Iruvar’s entire second half involves an act of distancing on the part of Rathnam, distancing the audience from Anandham to the exact degree that he finds himself distanced from his past.

      By the time one gets to Guru one is treated to the ‘dark side’ of this spectrum, which is to say the polar opposite of Nayakan. so while Nayakan and Guru are structurally similar the tone is very different as is Iruvar’s from the other two. And I continue to insist that it is the same set of themes and concerns that Rathnam reads in very complementary ways across these three films. Depending on what reading one comes up with any one of these films is most problematic or less so than the others.]

      &

      [One of things that I love about Iruvar is that the climax is rather ambiguous. Of course Rathnam is hardly judgmental even otherwise in the film and the ambiguity is present throughout. Though Anandham is the ‘hero’ of the film (despite it being called ‘Iruvar) in so many ways Rathnam does not seem to be on his side as such. Tamilchelvam is always given authentic moments throughout the work. In one of the best contrasts that also gives Tamilchelvam a very genuine scene of pathos is when Anandham wins the election, is going to be sworn in and Tamilchelvam is at home teaching the child. In an odd sense Tamilchelvam’s earlier political victory resonates more as his personal ambition can easily be understood and empathised with. Again there’s a wonderful scene here when he’s sworn in and he cannot quite get up that spiral staircase fast enough to occupy the CM’s chair. There is such palpable urgency on Prakashraj’s face at this point. Anandham’s triumphant moments have a bit more of the abstract to them. If one might risk a bit more in this direction Tamilchelvam’s political victories always seem more ‘rational’, certainly more ‘comprehensible’ than Anandham’s which does not mean once again that Rathnam is on the former’s side. I think this is entirely appropriate as Rathnam properly understands the Karunanidhi/MGR split. Not because Iruvar references the history but because the film understands what each type respresents here. The MGR achievement is by definition the more enigmatic one inasmuch as it seems to transcend the concrete and rests ultimately on a double representation. The representational element is common to all politicians. But when a movie idol becomes one the very limits of the ‘representational’ are tested in so many ways. getting back to your ‘progressive’/’reactionary’ division Tamilchelvam (karunanidhi) would seem to be the former and Anandham (MGR) the latter. The jury is still out in TN (and perhaps elsewhere around India, even the globe) and the ending of the film is appropriate. It is finally the ‘rationalist’ Tamilchelvam who must ‘account’ for the Anandham eruption!]

      Like

      • jay Says:
        April 27, 2010 at 1:40 AM

        excellent read on iruvar….
        Satyam its pleasure reading this much detailed piece.
        Also what i would like to know is about your view on mohanlal’s acting in d film…..

        I certainly beleive lal is the best actor in the country(bachaan will be coming as a close second)

        Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 1:43 AM

          Though I’ve not seen every Mohanlal film that matters Iruvar is certainly among the very best I’ve seen from him, probably the single best in some ways. a fine, fine performance in every sense.

          Like

        • Fimbuff Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 12:03 AM

          Mohanlal is indeed India’s most natural actor. Satyam, do see more of Mohanlal’s malayalam movies if you get a chance. Some of his really good ones are Bharatam (musical based on carnatic music), Vanaprastam (about a kathkali dancer), Thanamatra (alzheimerr’s) etc. I think he won the national award for Bharatam and Vanaprastam. He has won the National Award thrice. He is so natural in all the roles he performs even in masala movies. I wish he had acted in hindi movies. He can speak hindi quite well. In one of his malaylam movies he sings a hindi song (his own voice) in one of the scenes. Blogs have been praising his acting in Onai Pol Oruvan ie the tamil remake of Wednesday – Mohanalal did Anupam Kher’s role.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 2:09 AM

          I have seen all those films.. I have probably seen about 30-40 films starring Mohanlal but this is of course only a fraction of his oeuvre!

          Like

      • Fimbuff Says:
        April 28, 2010 at 12:05 AM

        Thanks for posting the links and your thoughts on Iruvar. I really liked the movie very much and think it is one of Mani Ratnam’s best. An excellent post.

        Like

        • LS Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 1:57 AM

          I seriously feel that Iruvar is one of the best films of Mani Ratnam. Loved every character, even Aishwarya as Jayalalitha–and for a debut film, she did a good job.

          Like

  26. Satyam Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 1:11 AM

    ‘Raavan’ should catapult Abhishek to super-stardom

    By Taran Adarsh, April 27, 2010 – 08:04 IST

    COMPANY, KITES, RAAJNEETI and RAAVAN – to bail the bleeding industry out of the crisis. In fact, RAAVAN wasn’t much in news till Saturday night, when the first look of the film and also its music was unveiled at a classy get-together at Yash Raj.

    RAAVAN is an acid test for everyone associated with it, mainly Abhishek Bachchan. The stakes are high if you accept the challenge of a solo lead. While the Mani Ratnam – Abhishek Bachchan combo worked wonders in GURU, there’s optimism that the duo would scale dizzy heights of success this time. The general feedback after watching glimpses of the film was, Abhishek has truly arrived!

    So what happens if RAAVAN works? It would catapult Abhishek to the top bracket overnight. If you look at Abhishek’s body of work, you’d realize that the talented actor hasn’t tasted [solo] success after GURU. The two solo starrers – DRONA and DELHI 6 – failed to do the trick, while DOSTANA and PAA were successes no doubt, but Abhishek had to share the laurels with other actors.

    The promotions of RAAVAN have kick-started with a bang and there’s a strong possibility that it would turn out to be the big ticket to super-stardom for Abhishek.

    Like

    • Yakuza Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 2:53 AM

      If Abhishek able to pull the title role effectively and his performance is louded by all corners (even from his critics), then Raavan will surely click at box-office too. Box-office hit is nothing without performance appreciation. Earlier Guru carried both. Raavan should take one step ahead of Guru with louder accolades and bigger box-office success. If unable to perform at both fronts, Abhishek will be in real trouble. His goodwill is on high stakes with this movie as settings are perfect here for a blockbuster hit movie.

      BTW someone was argued about buzz of Raavan. With so many articles in media all round, is there any more doubt about buzz here ?

      Like

      • Rajeev Says:
        April 27, 2010 at 6:24 AM

        Double standards at its best..Same situation for any other movie you would be first person to say how the star has purchased the media space and how propagandist these articles are in nature…

        BTW::food for thought…Who watcgh movies in the theatres?? media or Public???

        Whats the public reaction to these teasres of Ravaan..?? I am sure they havent yet warmed up to this movie…

        “””The promotions of RAAVAN have kick-started with a bang and there’s a strong possibility that it would turn out to be the big ticket to super-stardom for Abhishek.””

        Media narrative is eaxctly the same prior to every abhi release….They all vanish in the thin are post release..this has been the story for abhi since last 10 years…and someone opined Media is biased towrads abhi….LOL

        Like

      • Yakuza Says:
        April 27, 2010 at 6:39 AM

        “Double standards at its best..Same situation for any other movie you would be first person to say how the star has purchased the media space and how propagandist these articles are in nature…”

        Rajeev, can you please quote me any single comment of mine of similar nature ??

        “What’s the public reaction to these teasers of Ravaan..?? I am sure they haven’t yet warmed up to this movie…”

        Rajeev, what is basis of your surety ?? You are taking baseless here.

        “Media narrative is exactly the same prior to every Abhi release….They all vanish in the thin are post release..this has been the story for abhi since last 10 years…and someone opined Media is biased towards abhi”

        I guess abhi got similar positive buzz for Guru and Delhi 6 among his past releases (i am not counting Paa as it was BigB show). Guru worked and Delhi 6 didn’t. Raavan buzz is definitely higher than both.

        Like

        • Rajeev Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 7:17 AM

          “””Rajeev, what is basis of your surety ?? You are taking baseless here. “”

          In the contrary i belive you are talking baseless…The truth is no movie creates buzz within 5/7 days of its posters /promos being leleased..It might get buzz in future as more promos hit the screen.,..Its actually hyperventilating from some of us…In the streets there is no buzz ..none of the songs have become chartbusters as yet( Which is understandable since its early days) and i am sure about this and even you know it very well…

          Guru had buzz more because of Abhi-ash proposal and their prospective marriage… Guru’s initial were not extraordinary…But yes it was avery good movie and the WOM created very good buzz once the movie released…

          I must admit D6 created very good buzz. prior to its release…The excellent songs by ARR were big contributors in it …

          My point is its too early to assess Raavan”s buzz…Let the music become a it..Two /three posters and one or two promos cant ever create a buzz for any movie..Everything has to fall in to place.. The buzz of a movie can only be known 1/2 weeks prior to its release…

          Like

        • mansi Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 7:48 AM

          i kinda agree with rajeev here!! i think d buzz on d internet (nd d media) nd d buzz on d streets are two very different things. we all are actually jumping the gun here a little bit!! its just been a couple of days since d music release nd only a week for d promo release nd to say that buzz is super strong amongst d “aam junta” would be quite delusional!!
          nd trust me..i can never believe what a taran adarsh has to say!!

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 7:54 AM

          Except that for the very important cross-section that is the younger multiplex audience (which is actually the majority though the family audience is the most stable one) the ‘internet’ is likely quite important. The online world is increasingly not something ‘out there’! Certainly not so for younger audiences that attend multiplexes.

          Like

        • Qalandar Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 8:43 AM

          I do think this film has buzz on the street, based on my conversations with (admittedly very few) people who don’t follow movies online. But yes, buzz online is not the same thing as bodies in theaters: I think Omkara and Kaminey in different ways show that.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 8:49 AM

          True.. though Omkara and Kaminey did not in my view generate the same sort of buzz online. The blog wasn’t around when Omkara released but Kaminey even with some very good posters and so forth was way below average in terms of hits. Ultimately I haven’t seen a film without a really major star attract that kind of activity. The only exception is Akshay because his kind of movie never attracts much attention online. Other than this in my experience I have only seen SRK, Aamir, Hrithik, Abhishek (not in this order) attract that kind of attention (comparing like for like on different sorts of threads). If I were asked to choose further I think Hrithik lags a bit behind the other three in this sense. For example just one snap on Ra One attracted a fair bit of attention and without much commentary.

          of course all of this is also about the kinds of visitors this blog gets versus others. At the same time there’s enough of a mix otherwise MNIK wouldn’t have been the top thread before this!

          Like

        • Yakuza Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 7:47 AM

          For every event either there will be buzz or not. Once a promo released, either that promo will be talk of town instantly or it will never.

          I am not agree on your 1/2 week before theory. We are talking about buzz for every single event. If you check my first comment at top of this thread, i expressed my worry that buzz might fizzle out before release as there is much time ahead for release and we have more than enough material out already. I am not agree on your theory that after releasing promo buzz will take 2-3 weeks to spread across. Promo is airing round the clock at all prime channels and has seen by most of movie buffs, and also received a very much positive response. This is all buzz about. It may fizzle out before release if some striking promos not come out just before release. It may also boost further with more positive happenings. Let’s see.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 7:55 AM

          I think Scorsese could cast Abhishek and Rajeev would deny the film had buzz!

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 7:56 AM

          something very big is going to happen with this film..

          Like

        • Rajeev Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 1:42 AM

          “”For every event either there will be buzz or not. Once a promo released, either that promo will be talk of town instantly or it will never. “”

          Wrong…3I never had any buzz when the first promos came out..Infact the promos were ripped apart by section of the media..But it gained momentum just before the release…

          Like

        • Rajeev Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 1:45 AM

          Satyam,

          I didnt miss your sarcasm..Yes as you said something big might happen with this movie..I am not denying that..My point is about the initial ,buzz…Yes it has raised curiosity in certain sections…Thats all right..But we are talking about genuine buzz..Still i believe there is no buzz….

          Reg scorsese,i have my own doubts if Abhi starrs in his movie as welll 9reg buzz)…Abhi lacks the charisma to create instant buzz no matter who directs him…

          Like

      • Yakuza Says:
        April 28, 2010 at 4:30 AM

        Rajeev, Three idiots never created any buzz based on promos. There was buzz prior to release based on Aamir good will. In fact buzz started after Wednesday previews (23rd Dec). Prior to that it was missing. Yes last theatrical promo of 3I created some ripples and it was discussed here too. But if you say that first teaser of 3I creates buzz after 6 weeks just before release is purely childish.

        Like

        • Rajeev Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 6:27 AM

          Yakuja,

          I belive either you are blind or have a “”ghjani syndrome”””….

          “”But if you say that first teaser of 3I creates buzz after 6 weeks just before release is purely childish.””

          Did a i say that?? Oh..boy..you definitely have some malfunction in your brain…Go and get it checked mate..

          “”But it gained momentum just before the release…””

          This is what i said…

          Like

        • Yakuza Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 6:38 AM

          Rajeev ,

          This was your comment :

          ““”For every event either there will be buzz or not. Once a promo released, either that promo will be talk of town instantly or it will never. “”

          Wrong…3I never had any buzz when the first promos came out..Infact the promos were ripped apart by section of the media..But it gained momentum just before the release…”

          Your comment was about dismissing my statement about instant buzz or no buzz. And you take example of Three idiots. Can you please explain what anyone can take out from your response. ???

          Now don’t blame me for misunderstanding by giving inappropriate example of three idiots against my statement about instant buzz.

          Like

        • Rajeev Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 6:30 AM

          This is the last word from me on Ravans’ so called buzz in this forum…Good luck to all Abhi fans for this …

          I wish abhi all the best

          Like

  27. oops1 Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 6:18 AM

    Why Ratnam doesn’t think about presenting them at Cannes ? He could’ve tried to finish them earlier to be selected no ? It’s pretty sad to see Aish and Abhi come every year just for L’Oreal when they could represent India with this kind of film.

    Like

    • mansi Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 10:38 AM

      wow..he did dat dive himself!!! m super impressed..it just looks perfect! nd ofcourse he must have done it in a single take coz mani “sir” never does a second take..ha!

      Like

  29. Satyam Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 8:43 AM

    In more or less a week the post on the Raavan images (excluding this second one) has become the third highest most accessed in the blog history. The trailer post is doing very well too but the response to the images has been stupendous. The first post has about 5400 hits so far, the second one already has 800 since yesterday. Prior to this the leaders were the MNIK trailer threads (6400 between two posts), 3I trailer thread with 4300. The Paa images and trailer threads did very well too but weren’t in the 3I/MNIK league. The Kites images thread has been average, the trailer thread has done much better. But Raavan by the time the film releases is going to be way ahead.

    Now in fairness 3I or MNIK and now Raavan also had threads with a lot of comments which drive the hits once one gets past the content. But then certain kinds of films also get people interested enough to comment a lot for one reason or another.

    A cautionary note though — there is no necessary correlation between hits and box office initials. At the same time there hasn’t been activity on the blog in this sense that has completely surprised me. So for example Paa had a great number of hits but never has much as MNIK or 3I. With Raavan on the other hand I could tell within 2-3 days of the first images that the numbers would skyrocket. With every other release also the hits fall in a somewhat predictable range.

    Like

  30. oldgold Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 9:03 AM

    Actually I agree here with Rajeev on the double standards regarding the news and articles about the initial reaction.

    I remember very different reaction to similar praise when we had the first glimpse of MNIK.

    As to the internet proving any ‘buzz’ I think all fans create a buzz on blogs/forums etc when any film of their star is going to be released.

    I’m as keen for Ravan as I was for MNIK, anyway.

    Like

    • Yakuza Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 9:07 AM

      “I remember very different reaction to similar praise when we had the first glimpse of MNIK.’

      Initial Reactions to MNIK Promo was very much mixed which is not the case with Raavan.

      Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 9:21 AM

      I don’t believe MNIK had this sort of buzz at all. In fact my argument throughout was that it didn’t really have buzz and the controversy helped it. But then Johar’s films depend on ‘hype’ not ‘buzz’ and I keep saying these are different things. OSO had ‘hype’, not ‘buzz’. The former is associated with advertising triumph, the latter with critical opinion. The two are sometimes not mutually exclusive but are certainly different in a definitional sense. Let me compare two Aamir movies. 3I had hype, Ghajini in some ways had more ‘buzz’.

      On the ‘double standards’ I think it’s a little disingenuous to compare SRK who has been a media darling for most of his career and every little detail pertaining to him has been treated positively in the media (including by the way the fate of MNIK, the media would have said a lot more if any other star had come up with this box office performance.. many did but not enough) compared to Abhishek who usually gets treated negatively and even within the media coverage on Raavan there is still far too much of the snarky in the coverage. So this analogy is completely, absolutely, totally and self-evidently false.

      Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 9:29 AM

      even SRK fans have not really been excited about the last two Johar films, especially this one. They’ve just been hoping for the big gross. Much as Hrithik fans are in a similar position with Kites.

      Like

      • oldgold Says:
        April 27, 2010 at 9:56 AM

        I’m talking about the reaction *here* to articles such as quoted here for Raavan.

        This quick acceptance as opposed to the quick rejection of praise.

        Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 10:21 AM

          Actually I did not start by quoting media articles to buttress the buzz argument. as a matter of fact I always try to gauge this differently. When Rajeev made the point that there was no buzz at all and that it was only a ‘delusion’ on this blog I suggested there were lots of media stories on this. That just went to the ‘factual’ point of trying to negate the idea that ONLY folks here thought there was buzz. Now one can say that the media stories are not dependable on this and that’s fine but it still negates the point that only people on this blog are talking about it. as for putting up the pieces here I put up all sorts of stuff that I either disagree with or don’t have a position on. I actually think that many of those same stories aren’t as charitable to Abhishek as they are to the film (referring to both print and media reports). The idea that I dismissed great stories on MNIK but accepted all of the same on Raavan are just, to be candid about it, bunk. But again my supposed ‘hypocrisy’ is not on trial here! Note how the terms of the debate change:

          1)Initial objection — only this blog gets crazy over Raavan. Evidence in the media is shown to disprove this.

          2)Second objection — why are you following the media now?

          Perhaps we’re all hypocrites but it still disproves the initial claim! Also let’s turn it on its head. Why are those who are otherwise following the media when it comes to SRK suddenly ignoring it when it comes to Abhishek? Alright I don’t like the media. I should disregard the Raavan stories. But by the same token folks like Rajeev should take them at face value!

          Ultimately it becomes a game of partisans. How do I separate a partisan from a regular, even passionate fan? The partisan is not just devoted to a star but is also willing to use a dishonest argument to support his or her claims. I am not much of a Hrithik fan if at all (though I used to find him endearing once) but this has nothing to do with my sense of how Kites will perform. In fact from the very beginning despite the poor advertising I have been saying that this genre with hrithik couldn’t be counted out. I am not a fan of SRK anymore either (liked him very much in the 90s upto a point). But my assessment of the MNIK box office has nothing to do with this. I wasn’t doubting OSO and CDI on the returns! Nor RNBDJ. Even where I have differed on the numbers I have had no doubt on the success of the films. But when you’re a partisan you find the explanation that will fit the bill. we are all susceptible to this from time to time but with some folks it is rather too blatantly obvious.

          Like

        • Rajeev Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 7:30 AM

          “””Perhaps we’re all hypocrites but it still disproves the initial claim! Also let’s turn it on its head. Why are those who are otherwise following the media when it comes to SRK suddenly ignoring it when it comes to Abhishek? Alright I don’t like the media. I should disregard the Raavan stories. But by the same token folks like Rajeev should take them at face value!””

          Satyam,

          I am responding to this post of your only because you have cited my name as examplee…

          I dont know about others but i would like to respond from my point of view…I prefer not to argue a case citing a media article…Be it SRK or Abhishek…If you read my posting pattern generally i dont react to most of the media articles when it comes to movie stars…I generally do not react to gossip articles as well…I dont like to criticise any individual stars as well….I only react to some of the fan rants..That it…

          Like

        • Rajeev Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 7:33 AM

          when it comes to Raavan- the movie, i havent given any negative remarks to teasers/posters or songs at a personal level…I was discussing only the “Buzz” part….

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 7:50 AM

          You can be as negative on Raavan as you wish, that’s a personal response. My argument was more on factual grounds. Anyway we’re beating a dead horse at this point.

          Like

        • Rajeev Says:
          April 28, 2010 at 8:16 AM

          Satyam,

          “”You can be as negative on Raavan as you wish””

          well..i am not negative about the movie per se…i dont know what makes you to think so…I merely sais it has not created the “‘buzz”‘ you guys are talking about..and i dont think that is a negative thing for Raavan…Many films do not generate any buzz when they release their promos…In a way its good for the movie..If the movie can gain momnetum just befor its release it will be good for the movie…

          “”My argument was more on factual grounds. “”

          i wonder how??

          Like

  31. ted Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 9:08 AM

    I wish after Naayakan, Mani will get similar reviews with this. To me , Abhishek’s character etching is an experiment and very interesting. We have to wait and watch whether it clicks. I think family audience will like the movie based on narration and youth may like his ten faces.. Ash is quite good in both versions.

    Like

  32. Yakuza Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 9:08 AM

    Tamil promo has not released yet ?

    Like

  33. Satyam Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 9:14 AM

    the other thing about the Raavan box office is that many of the partisan debates around this film again miss or pretend to miss the central point. Films in certain genres cannot be compared with those in others. A 75 crore gross for such a film would be like a 125 crore gross for a D2. Because with the latter genre even a passable film can get you to a very big gross but for a serious drama people have to really like this. With candyfloss entertainment everyone’s on board. Many people who might not even be into the film as such might find it not a bad way to spend a couple of hours or more. But there are other films where WOM has to be excellent for the film to do that well.

    But this has been true throughout Indian film history and in any other industry as well. Shutter Island and Departed did very well, the latter a little better (though with a bigger starcast and more digestible subject), in each case the films made a fraction of what any regular Hollywood blockbuster does even when it disappoints at the box office. It isn’t different in India for all the politics and partisanship. So there are a fair number of Bachchan films that made more than Deewar but the latter is THE seminal film in his career. It did extremely well but it was also not in for example MKS’s league. But it didn’t need to. TZP didn’t need to do gross like Ghajini! It is absurd to compare films in different genres this way.

    People engage in these comparisons when they’ve lost the argument in a sense. So if your favorite star doesn’t have a high profile Rathnam venture make it all about gross, make it only about gross. Until of course your favorite does something ‘different’ in which case you start adding all sorts of nuance to the argument and the overall gross picture goes out the window!

    Like

  34. GF Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 10:38 AM

    The fourth picture down with Abhishek smiling is terrific–he really reminds me of Lal here.

    Like

  35. Tyler Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 10:58 AM

    Come on guys. Let’s not indulge in same old boring arguments again.

    IMHO, the release of the music has created a lot of curiosity about the movie – both Hindi and Tamil versions. Many people who were not previously aware of a Mani Ratnam movie upcoming are now checking out the pictures and teasers to get an idea of how the music goes with the movie.

    That is what is meant by buzz for the movie – nothing more. We will see later if it translates into butts in the seats at the theatre.

    For now I’m just appreciating the beautiful visuals and music after all the western wannabe crap I’m been subjected too in BW.

    Like

  36. santosh Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 11:15 AM

    GF – that is pretty close to a big pose / mode.

    A lot of these gilmpses in these posters of abhi this time round remind me a lot of big b. Was he similar age when zanjeer happened ?

    Couldn’t agree more with Tyler here with his last comment.

    Like

  37. santosh Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 11:16 AM

    GF – that is pretty close to a big b pose / mode.

    A lot of these gilmpses in these posters of abhi this time round remind me a lot of big b. Was he similar age when zanjeer happened ?

    Couldn’t agree more with Tyler here with his last comment.

    Like

    • GF Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 11:18 AM

      It’s actually a pose that seems literally stripped from a Lal moment to me. But yeah most of the rest is obviously connected to the big Bachchan.

      Like

      • chipguy Says:
        April 27, 2010 at 4:17 PM

        Something about Abhishek’s stills make him look a little forced to me- like he’s striving for effect. Vikram’s on the other hand just look very natural. Not sure if that’s intentional on Rathnam’s part though

        Like

        • GF Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 8:29 PM

          You know, I think that in some of the more “posed” shots that are obviously for publicity, Abhishek does look exactly like he’s doing that; posing. But in the actual film stills/screen grabs, I think he looks just arresting. Largely natural, even in the bombastic madman shots. Again, though, this boils down to what I think are going to be two different approaches to the character.

          Like

  38. aadmi Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 1:42 PM

    MNIK had good buzz ???? that is news to me!!!!

    MNIK underperfromance at box office proved that people are tired of NRIism of cinema

    Like

  39. sarvanash Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 2:25 PM

    like it was previously discussed, i think they’re releasing too much stuff…especially for a movie that was kept so tightly under wraps through out production.

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 2:40 PM

      It is indeed true that Rathnam has released far more stills than ever before. I think he’s going in for a big one here.

      Like

    • GF Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 2:43 PM

      I agree to the extent that the web is pretty much saturated with this stuff right now. I’m sure things will level out and then pick up some more right before the film hits theaters.

      Of course, on explanation as to why there seems to be double the press here is because there’s double the film! Guru for example didn’t have this kind of bombardment on Ratnam’s part. This is just a far more ambitious undertaking.

      Like

    • sarvanash Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 4:38 PM

      i agree about the two films, and i guess we’re all different b/c we go out looking for these articles and stills, while most of the moviegoers do not. i still think it’s too much too soon…they should have spaced it out, the movie is still two months away. it seems like there are stills up from most of the major plot points.

      having said all this, i still come back to see all the stills and trailers. i hope they release a trailer w/ some dialogues in the next week or two.

      Like

      • Satyam Says:
        April 27, 2010 at 4:59 PM

        Ha, I am exactly the same. Too many stills and yet can’t wait for more!

        Like

      • Tyler Says:
        April 27, 2010 at 5:01 PM

        I think the next two weeks will be focused on the Tamil version. So likely no more Hindi teasers until second week of May. Although the theatrical trailer could release with Houseful or BC else the next big movie is Kites at the end of May. There’s been no word yet on when that will happen.

        Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 5:08 PM

          that sounds about right..

          Like

        • sarvanash Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 5:12 PM

          yea they should prob release 2 shorter trailers of songs and a couple dialogues w/ housefull and bc and then a longer one w/ kites.

          compared to the stills and trailers of raavan, the other three looks so underwhelming and lacking. even though the target audience might be different for these movies, raavan trailers and soundtrack has to have hurt some of the buzz of those movies.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 27, 2010 at 5:32 PM

          Raavan was always looking to be ‘the film’ of the year but yes these incredible stills (possibly the best I’ve ever seen for a commercial Indian film) really makes everything else look infinitely poorer. Housefull isn’t affected as much I think because the world of Akshay Kumar’s comedies is so completely other (!). Kites is the bigger ‘loser’ in this sense not because there is again any comparison or that the film cannot do very well on its own but for the simple fact that Raavan becomes ‘the’ awaited film. The images (the trailers have been very good but the real big ones are not yet out in this sense.. or the dialog trailer currently available is somewhat poor in terms of quality.. one awaits a better ‘transfer’ on this) are so distinctive (other than for those immersed in Rathnam’s previous cinema and might be able to discern genealogies) and really such works of art on their own that it’s very hard to have anything else in mind. I would always await a Rathnam film specially one with such stars (Hindi and Tamil) but these images do have a kind of overwhelming quality. I keep returning to them. Oddly the film now has to live up to these ‘photographic’ images! But I cannot imagine anyone who is any kind of lover of Indian cinema and who is not psyched about these posters. Unless of course one loathes the stars so much that one sees everything through this prism. Even if Rathnam is not one’s favorite director (for which I offer commiserations in advance) one should find these images very striking one way or the other. getting back to the older point yes this film makes the competition look extremely poor. And I also agree (though I am otherwise relatively indifferent to ‘Western’ awards) that inasmuch as a film is sent to festivals and so forth it should be a deserving one (assuming the film lives upto its billing) like Raavan.

          Like

  41. Aramak Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 5:05 PM

    For a movie in the genre to do well in current times then there is the need for this kind of bombardment. It isn’t your typical multiplex film of current times it is rustic and primal so while the single screen audience will not get it but also relate to it. There is a need to fascinate and entice the multiplex into thinking this IS different from the norm and I want to see it.There’s no fancy locales, snazzy clothes, jazzy dance tracks s there hitting them hard about what its about.

    Despite what some think it’s only 6-7 weeks from release and for it to get a big opening then it’s essential they continue in this manner. It is quite a western way of saturating the publicity but I think this movie will have a far reaching impact in worldwide in terms of what Indian cinema really has to offer from the best makers if marketed right so for me they’re going about it the right way.

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 5:11 PM

      you do have a valid point.. and this is clearly a big enough film that warrants this sort of approach..

      Like

    • GF Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 5:13 PM

      Well said. There’s definitely motivation to drive this forward early and hard because the subject matter and tone isn’t exactly the most overtly commercial – especially if the competition is anything to go by.

      Also saturation is one thing, but at least they’re not exactly giving the movie away or anything. There may be a lot of glimpses here but really that’s all there is. Glimpses. Unlike the Western approach, one doesn’t feel like one has seen everything this film has to offer right off the bat. Quite the opposite. There is a sense of rising tension.

      Like

    • rajen Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 6:48 PM

      Very aptly put,Aramak.
      The film needs this kind of saturation to make sure the multiplexaudience shows up. First it creates awareness, then visibility, and then curiosity.

      Like

  42. Aramak Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 5:08 PM

    Supposed to be ‘will not only get it but relate to it’.

    Like

  43. alex adams Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 6:37 PM

    Not sure, that as mentioned above, SRK was actually offered both lad roles in ravana.
    Find it surprising-esp ani ratnams uncharitable comments about srk in dil se.
    mani said something like-“it was painful to watch my film being ripped apart by the foolish hamming by the lead actor…). but inspite of tht, if he HAD to offer srk the film first—surpriing.
    Just goes to show–how mani seemingly “bent his rules” and changed his stance for a bigger opening (which srk wll ensure)
    Unfortunately,

    Like

  44. rajen Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 6:46 PM

    Alex, its just a mischevious rumor or a concoted story. I doubt the veracity.

    Like

    • quinqart Says:
      April 27, 2010 at 7:28 PM

      rajen srk himself mentioned in his interview.but srk as an actor has improved a lot.

      Like

      • Satyam Says:
        April 27, 2010 at 7:38 PM

        I’ve said so in the past but I would like to be shown that interview. I would be extremely surprised if he said he’d offered the Raavan role as opposed to the film. The latter is possible. He could have been offered the Ram or even the Hanuman role. I never heard about this but I’m willing to believe him on this. However if he suggested that he was offered the title role (which I don’t believe he did) then he’s lying. I can tell you with absolute certainty that no one but Abhishek was ever offered the title role. Not just this the last two films Rathnam has done with Abhishek have more or less been designed at the scripting stage with him in mind. More than this I cannot divulge. I am giving SRK the benefit of the doubt here because generally he’s not had the tendency to say ‘I was offered x role’ if it wasn’t the case. But broadly speaking actors sometimes enable this kind of ambiguity for obvious reasons. They’re offered a role in a film, they just say they were offered ‘the film’ allowing people to believe (or choose to believe) that it was the central role. Again with Yuva there was once a rumor that hrithik was offered the role. That too was a similar story. He was not offered the Lallan role but the Vivek role. In Tamil similarly Rathnam wanted Vikram for the Maddy role and Maddy for the Siddharth part. Rathnam has never offered any sort of lead part to SRK after Dil se. None. Let’s use some common sense here. when a narrative starts developing about a star where he (this happened with Hrithik quite often vis-a-vis Abhishek… the narrative confirms simply reveals the structural ‘couple’ more than anything else) mysteriously starts refusing some real prestige films for less prestigious ones and sometimes for downright mediocre ones I think it is then time for the rest of us to start applying our common sense (assuming we all have it) a little bit. Then there are partisans who love these stories. That’s another matter.

        On SRK improving a lot I don’t think he’s ever been as effective as a star as he was in the 90s. yes there have been a few good moments since but his overall impact as a star-actor has been greatly reduced.

        Like

  45. alex adams Says:
    April 27, 2010 at 7:08 PM

    Aishwarya seems to be in her element here in the pic as well as in the music release. she comes across as assuredly confident & conducs herself well in the music release.
    That she looks gr8 in the pics is a no-brainer. but in the actual music release , she does show some signs of her age…
    Anyhow, am expecting a knock out perfomrance ffrom her and other involved.
    cannot overstate the importance of this movie to abhisheks future in general.
    whilst abhishek seems to be exceeding himself in most pics, in some place, i wass concerned by his repaeted bug-bears—deficiency in star charisma and presence. he proved me wrong in guru, hope he does it again here …

    Like

  47. Kassam Says:
    April 28, 2010 at 8:14 AM

    Not sure if this has been posted. Interview with Vikram. He talks about how Abhi and him were allowed to play their characters very differently

    http://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/apr/28/slide-show-1-vikram-on-raavan.htm

    Like

  48. Pradip Says:
    April 28, 2010 at 8:56 AM

    That guy is growing on me and would love to see him & Abhi pairing in some complete masala movie. Hindi cinema could surely use such Jodi.

    Like

  49. Yakuza Says:
    April 28, 2010 at 9:09 AM

    is it abhishek in 4th image from top ?

    Like

  50. Satyam Says:
    April 28, 2010 at 10:57 AM

    What about the film which everyone seems to be talking about, Mani Ratnam’s Raavan?

    The film will hit theatres on June 18 and I have dubbed for the film. Raavan is going to be a visual spectacle. It is probably Mani Ratnam’s most visual film and without any doubt, his biggest film. In fact, he has told me he won’t attempt anything so big from hereafter.

    rest of this Prithviraj interview

    Like

  52. Pradip Says:
    April 28, 2010 at 2:10 PM

    Feel stupid & elated at same time as until now never realized it requires different search criteria to find Indian foreign language movies (short for Tamil) and now found many. Though very few available for instant viewing and yes A Peck on the Cheek (Mani & Madhvan) one of them.

    Like

  53. Satyam Says:
    April 28, 2010 at 2:56 PM

    Tamil CD releases april 30. Can’t wait!

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 28, 2010 at 7:54 PM

      with the Hindi version there was a teaser a bit before the music release. Nothing on the Tamil so far. Rathnam is greatly frustrating me!

      Like

  54. alex adams Says:
    April 28, 2010 at 8:14 PM

    totally unrealted post- saw LSD-Love sex dhoka–v good effort.
    HATS OFF and raise your toast to dibakar banerjee—thanks for giving 3 films i love—-khosla, oye lucky, and now LSD.
    Sorry for spoiling this ravan thread but could not find an appropriate thread for this TRIPLE STRIKE—(S)excellent.. please repost if there is an appropriate thread..
    trying to think of another recent similar effective debut triple attack as in the case of dibakar banerjee’s–keep it up!

    Like

  55. alex adams Says:
    April 28, 2010 at 8:33 PM

    abhisheks latest 2 pics from ravan continue to impress.
    for abhishek a film bigger and more important than half his career put together…

    Like

  56. Satyam Says:
    April 28, 2010 at 9:03 PM

    Abhishek backed out of Raavan’s Tamil version

    Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan, says he opted out of director Mani Ratnam’s Tamil version of Raavan, where he was originally slated to play the role of Dev, due to language problems.

    “When Mani decided to make Raavan it was only in Hindi. The idea of Tamil version came in later. He told me to swap roles from Beera in Hindi to Dev in Tamil. Even though I agreed initially, I realised that I would not be able to do justice to the role since I am not comfortable with the language,” Abhishek told PTI.

    “I told Mani that I did not want to do a film in a language which I did not understand. It is important for an actor know the language… Aishwarya is in both the versions because she knows it,” he said.

    “Even though Mani was adamant, I managed to convince him that I would not be able to do the best job,” the actor said.
    Moreover, I had my hands full with Beera which was a tough character to play, the actor said.

    Southern actor Prithviraj now plays Dev’s character in the Tamil version and superstar Vikram essays Raavan. Abhishek clarified that Raavan had no connection with the mythological epic Ramayana.

    “It would be futile to unnecessarily draw parallels because the only connection is the name ‘Raavan’. It is an apt title for the film because of the different shades of Beera’s personality,” he said.

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 28, 2010 at 9:08 PM

      first off this confirms what I’ve been saying here about Rathnam starting with a Hindi film with Abhishek and then deciding on a bilingual.

      Abhishek probably made the right decision here (given he doesn’t know the language). I cannot imagine him or anyone else with no Tamil at all suddenly acquiring the language enough to even make it passable. It could be done with a formal teacher and so forth but Bollywood stars tend not to go down that path.

      I think it’s a pity in the sense that Abhishek for one should have taken up the challenge of learning the language. But more than this the film’s symmetry (which is presumably why Rathnam even wanted him to do the role in Tamil knowing that he didn’t know the language at all) would have been perfect. The same woman in both films with the same male actors playing both ends of this triangle. For a director always so interested in the double this would have been the ultimate vertigo-inducing double(s)!

      Even otherwise it would have been nice to see a Hindi film star put in that sort of effort. Ram’s is not an extended part. The dialogue could have been cut down more. So Abhishek with some serious effort at learning the language could have done it.

      Like

  57. ted Says:
    April 28, 2010 at 9:05 PM

    I read thsi article in other web site:

    Astrolger predicting Kites biggest hit, Raavan flop., raajniti Hit.
    Taran Adarsh: Kites super hit, Raavn , he can just say it Mani Ratnam film.

    Trade Analyst: Kites super hit, Raavn hit only in South

    It looks lot of negativity going on..

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 28, 2010 at 9:25 PM

      It’s an old game! It’s also a circular one. So for example when Guru released and was doing very well there were partisans who prior to release said it wouldn’t work, when it did they said it was just ok and relied on the ultimate anti-Bachchan site in BOI to provide proof of this. Meanwhile the trade analysts who also play their own games with each and every Bachchan film were also quoted. So what happens is that people are first negative and when the film works they find the source that is still negative! A kind of alternate reality is created and then people puzzle over why someone like Abhishek seems to be getting the sorts of films that most of his peers if any don’t (Aamir is really the only exception).

      Unless Raavan (or any Abhishek film that does well) makes 100-150 crores so that even after slicing and dicing things you’re left with a massive number the Bachchans cannot win. Even with all the coverage the trailer has got in the media there’s been lots of positivity about the trailer itself but lots of snarkiness about Abhishek. It’s subtle but it’s there. The online media has been alright so far. But there are all sorts of games played. This one’s classic (Taran is a master at it but there are others in the blogosphere as well):

      Scenario 1: Wow, film’s a hit, it’s done very well, it’s huge! — actual gross 40 crores (film’s an Abhishek release)
      Scenario 2: Wow, film’s a hit, it’s done very well, it’s huge! — actual gross 400 crores (film’s a SRK release)

      Then there are the old pricing arguments (Nahata’s a master at this but again people do it elsewhere too). So SRK’s film is made for 100 crores showing how big a star he is but then sold for Rs 5 and which allows him to get a historic blockbuster when the film makes Rs 20. later the 100 crores is supposed to be an all inclusive all India price that also factors in the toilet paper used. Meanwhile the Abhishek film gets mysteriously sold for a price equal to or greater than SRK’s. then you keep subtracting as well and eventually you have the result you want. So Abhishek is never one of the biggest stars or even a particularly big star except when he has a flop and at that point it becomes a massive disaster beyond compare. The most expensive film and what not.

      These are all old and completely predictable games. In a former lifetime I’ve spent far too many hours dissecting this stuff. feel sorry for myself for wasting so much time. But it’s like the argument on health care in the US. One side wanted to argue on the merits or demerits. The other side wanted to call it ‘death panels’. There’s nothing much one can do. One hopes people have better sense. Often they don’t.

      Paa incidentally got very favorable coverage in the media. Here for once the trade failed. The media considered this film a self-congratulatory moment for the nation’s cinema and were always on board. Hence they instantly called it a hit or superhit. They were right of course except that they have never been this kind to the Bachchans elsewhere. The thing is that once the cable media agrees on a message it’s impossible to override it. I think it was with BnB or perhaps RDB when the film was doing very well but Nahata pretended it wasn’t (eventually he changed his tune) and when he said so on a channel they immediately showed him crowds coming out of a theater and praising the film. He seemed embarrassed.

      It’s hard to ascertain numbers but ultimately if one sifts through all the reporting one can get a sense of what’s going on. Clearly some education in these ‘black arts’ is also needed! As for the astrologers they are benign chaps for the purposes of this debate (and this debate only!).

      Like

      • sunil Says:
        May 4, 2010 at 2:15 PM

        komal nahta is a fraud andh his verdicts are not releiable.
        But Taran Adarsh is to some extent reliable.

        Like

    • Rajeev Says:
      April 29, 2010 at 1:20 AM

      These predictions doesnt mean anything and no influence whatsover on the paying public…

      media cant influnce a film’s outcome…Public knows what to watch what not to watch…

      If ravaan is a good movie(Which looks like it is) no body can stop it from being a success…

      Like

  58. alex adams Says:
    April 28, 2010 at 9:19 PM

    “Astrolger predicting…”lol-well done ted..
    what about numerology now–kittesss and raaavannna…
    “That guy is growing on me…”well done pradeep-lol
    by the way-i it onlyme or others are also noticed this sudden barrage of ravan pics, videos, songclips. hope they keep some stuff back for the time of release. a bit of xposure is alluring , too much is….yes you gt it right!

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 29, 2010 at 8:29 AM

      the soundtrack has really received outstanding reviews (in terms of positivity). I am a little surprised to be quite honest because while I love the soundtrack I didn’t think that the reviewers would think that highly of it.

      Here’s the order in which I like the songs so far:

      1)Ranjha
      2)Kata Kata
      3)Behne De
      4)Beera
      4)Thok de killi
      5)Killi

      The only song that I don’t really like is the last one. I think the slow number has been Rahman’s one weakness throughout his career, Bombay through the present. Having said that the orchestration of Killi sounds exquisite on the interludes and reminds me a little of moments in Iruvar.

      Like

      • GF Says:
        April 29, 2010 at 9:03 AM

        Nice. But I completely disagree with the your last note…if you’re talking about the Hindi songs, maybe but he’s had a terrifically rich career of softer numbers in Tamil.

        As I’d said earlier. Khilli Re reminds me of the kind of track one wouldn’t find out of place in Karuthamma.

        Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 29, 2010 at 9:37 AM

          My first example for what I’ve been trying to say here is Uyire (Bombay). I know this song is very popular but it never really worked for me.

          Like

        • GF Says:
          April 29, 2010 at 9:51 AM

          Hm. I can see where you’re coming from (I have similar feelings about some of his popular “faster” works of late) but as Rahman gets speedier and more modern in his approach, one misses some of the purity of the more measured works from the past. So for example when Yuvraaj contained that tiny gem “Manmohini” this got a lot more fanfare from my corner than it might have back in the 90s.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 29, 2010 at 10:09 AM

          Manmohini was fantastic. I have less of a problem with the faster tracks and more (perhaps some of this overlaps with your point) of an issue (even when I otherwise like the music) when he goes more purely ‘Western’ in the orchestral sense. Because some of the ‘fusion’ element is then lost. Again Yuvvraj is a classic example of this (though I do like some of the tracks here).

          On a related note if I had to pick just one number from Rahman that epitomized not just the fusion but also the percussion and the experimental aspects of Rahman’s music I think I would choose Veerapandi (Thiruda…). This intoxicating mix has never been replicated by Rahman elsewhere to my mind. Even Kappaleri which is close to it in some ways and a song that I love is not as rich.

          Having said that it is also true that every revolution gets institutionalized. One could make a case that Rahman’s instincts are not as ‘radical’ now as they once were. It is equally the case though that were that Thiruda.. song to release today it might not seem as radical. Because we’ve become naturalized to Rahman’s music. Also he’s so changed the tenor of film music both in Hindi and Tamil (though in the former those Yashraj holdouts continued until recently, perhaps still do) that within that context he again though always infinitely superior to the competition cannot really stand out the way he did when he first arrived.

          Like

        • GF Says:
          April 29, 2010 at 10:33 AM

          Agree here. There’s nothing Rahman’s doing wrong but it’s just hard to evoke the same reaction to his work now that the “revolution” has pretty much become the standard.

          Like

  61. Kassam Says:
    April 29, 2010 at 8:39 AM

    Khilli Re is one of my favorites.

    1 -Behne De
    2- Ranjha Ranjha
    3-Khilli Re
    4-Beera Beera
    5-Thok De Killi
    6-Kata Kata

    Though tomorrow the order would change because I’m really into all of the songs. Kata Kata is the only song I don’t find myself returning to over and over again like the others.

    Like

  62. ted Says:
    April 29, 2010 at 8:47 AM

    Rahman’s concert ends at Virginia same week as Raavan’s release. We have to see how it impacts the movie.

    Like

  63. oldgold Says:
    April 29, 2010 at 9:41 AM

    Yes, Raavan’s music is outstanding. Every number is worth listening to again and again. I’m quite addicted.

    It seems Aishwaraya won’t be doing bharatnatyam set to any song, though she’ll have at least one dance since she’s a BN dancer and Vikram gets attracted to that.
    It would have been a truly mixed album if ARR had composed a classical number for it.

    ARR’s soft music in JA is my favourite album of his.

    Like

    • GF Says:
      April 29, 2010 at 9:55 AM

      With Ratnam movies sometimes you get tracks or at least BGM that isn’t included on the album. This is frustrating for the rest of us, but it might explain the Bharatnatyam bit. Another explanation is that the track might be on the Tamil soundtrack but not here. If that’s the case it’s another reason to look forward to the Tamil album here which I maintain will probably sound better than what we’re hearing off the Hindi album which itself is pretty strong.

      Like

      • Satyam Says:
        April 29, 2010 at 9:58 AM

        The Tamil will definitely be better on the percussion tracks where Tamil just has a natural advantage (kata kata especially should be glorious). And yes there’s the Asha number which isn’t here.

        Like

      • Satyam Says:
        April 29, 2010 at 10:00 AM

        and yeah it’s a pity we still don’t get proper soundtracks on CD in India.

        Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 29, 2010 at 9:56 AM

      I think the khilli re song has some classical dance moves by her.

      Abhishek the other day again referred to the Taandav sequence though I’m not sure where it occurs or if it’s to an instrumental track as opposed to one of the songs. I think the former.

      My earlier comment wasn’t about his ‘soft’ music as much as ‘slower’ tracks, often in lower scales.

      Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 29, 2010 at 10:16 AM

      JA is an album that I’ve liked far less over time than when I initially heard it. The best song here, the percussion heavy Marhaba is nonetheless tame compared to other Rahman efforts in the genre and I think including Kata kata. Still I wouldn’t much of an issue here if the rest of the album were ‘better’. The two love songs are quite nice (I prefer Kehne ko) but rather too regular with not enough surprises. Khwaja.. again in that qawaali-esque mode is (even accepting it’s meant to be softer given the situation) is a bit too plain and I think less interesting many other songs of his in this genre. This leaves Manmohana which I like, not because it’s innovative but for its pristine tone. Again don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike the album, I’m just not very interested in it. I’d take the otherwise perhaps inferior Ghajini over it. Tu meri adhuri is regular but very addictive, Behka is one of the most interesting ‘jazz’ numbers in Rahman (barring those in the experimental Kaadhal Virus), even otherwise it’s underrated.. it offers many twists and turns. Finally Kaise mujhe tum is superb. The other two tracks are masala ones and enjoyable though not really noteworthy. But overall this album does interest me a lot more than JA.

      Among recent Rahman albums Blue didn’t do much for me at all. Even Vinaithaandi Varuvaaya was just alright.

      Like

      • oldgold Says:
        April 29, 2010 at 11:06 AM

        Agree. While Gajani music was fine, Blue left me cold.

        ARR was just the right man to compose for Raavan. His style is all there.

        Like

      • matrix Says:
        April 29, 2010 at 11:15 AM

        For me Ghajini and Blue were low points of ARR’s Hindi music career, especially the later. They might not be bad albums, but they surely were generic and fairly or unfairly I judge ARR with higher standards.
        My favorite Rahman album is Dil Se, every song from this album is exceptional. After some gap, I consider Taal to be his next best (talking about his work in Hindi only, not much idea about his work in Tamil to judge it). I loved D6 on my first hearing itself. Although I still consider it to be a very good album, I don’t rate it as highly as I did initially (have to say quite surprising for a Rahman album which tend to grow overtime).
        At this point I love the Raavan album, and the intensity is only growing! With this one it’s not about one or two songs, but the whole deal, sort of a concept album where the songs complement each other (in a sense they are incomplete in isolation despite most of them being really good as standalone pieces as well) and you’ve to listen to all the songs in order to GET IT.

        Like

        • alex adams Says:
          April 29, 2010 at 11:22 AM

          “For me Ghajini and Blue were low points of ARR’s Hindi music career, especially the later. They might not be bad albums, but they surely were generic and fairly or unfairly I judge ARR with higher standards.”
          agree mostly there, matrix.
          in arr case , even my yardstick is too high.
          but still will not be comfortable calling ghajini his “low point”. Blue may qualify , but in this case, that one song -mere khuda-more than made up for what the whole album lacked…

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          April 29, 2010 at 11:33 AM

          One of the things is that Rahman’s Hindi work always comes with a bit of distortion. Until recently he did few in Hindi and these tended to be major projects. Of late he’s been mixing it up a bit more. Conversely (and very regrettably as far as I’m concerned) his volume in Tamil has shrunk quite a bit. But the point is that in the 90s he had many ‘bread and butter’ Tamil films. The soundtracks were mostly fun and even interesting but not all of them were stellar stuff. Partly it is also a function of his stature at present that no release can be an ‘indifferent’ one. It is of course fair to have the highest standards for Rahman but no one can be exceptional ‘on average’! I see of course what you mean here. But certainly no important Rahman album, not even more minor ones, yield up their pleasures immediately.

          Like

  64. alex adams Says:
    April 29, 2010 at 11:09 AM

    “While Gajani music was fine, Blue left me cold.”
    even blue music was not hat bad. Infact there was one gem—rashid alis mere khuda–brilliant

    Like

    • mansi Says:
      April 29, 2010 at 1:56 PM

      actually i agree..as much as ppl have trashed blue’s music..i quite like dat album..i esp. love chiggy wiggy ( i know m in a minority),,aaj dil gustakh,,nd blue’s title track!!
      nd as far as d period films go..i prefer mangal pandey to jodhaa akbar!!

      Like

  66. BREAKING NEWS Says:
    April 29, 2010 at 2:49 PM

    I wanted to watch Aishwarya dance like crazy in that Tandav sequence. She’s such an iconic dancer, but sadly isn’t given her due.

    I’m more upset because Mani didn’t give her good dance numbers in ‘Raavan’.

    Yeah, seems like Khili Re is some sort of a dance number, but only will have subtle moves from the Miss World (just because I feel the song is too slow to go dancing like the way she did in Crazy Kiya Re or Barso Re). Also, I think the song is pretty average. Nothing new in this song.

    Also, Ranjha Ranjha, which is with Abhishek, doesn’t seem like a dance song. All the energetic songs, full of beats have been given to Abhishek, who can hardly manage to dance well.

    So all my hopes of watching Ash dancing in Raavan at least go down the drain unless there is a surprise awaiting.

    Hmm…and on a more positive note, watch the TV promo of the superb music and visually stunning Behne De. Few more clips have been added. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S8zJaWouhM

    Like

  67. Satyam Says:
    April 29, 2010 at 4:30 PM

    TOI:

    No controversy for Mani Ratnam

    Publicity ke liye kuch bhi karega, that ’ s the rule some industrywallahs live by. However, film-maker Mani Ratnam is different. Not only does his office have strict instructions not to float any controversial stories about Raavan, he has also decided he will not rise to the bait if some disgruntled press sorts make up fake stories.

    However, not to be left behind in getting themselves headlines, the financiers of Raavan are apparently leaving no stone unturned to make the film the most-talked about summer release. The recent music release function, where AR Rahman and Abhishek Bachchan performed live, was an extravaganza that reportedly cost its makers a lot of money. Trade sorts say that the money spent on that one evening could easily be the budget of a small film. A forest set was erected on stage, which was supervised by art director Sameer Chanda, and internationally renowned cinematographer Santosh Sivan lit up the forest over two nights. Naturally, the result was spectacular. Guess film-makers needn ’ t always resort to cheap gimmicks to sell their film.

    Like

  68. Tyler Says:
    April 29, 2010 at 5:07 PM

    A.R. Rahman Picks New Singers for Raavan Tamil Version

    By SAMPURN

    April 29, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): Finally, the listing of audio tracks for ‘Raavan’ Tamil version has been officially released by Sony Music. The title song ‘Veera’ (‘Beera’ in Hindi) has been crooned by the same singer Vijay Prakash of ‘Hosanna’ fame along with Keerthi Sagathia. The Additional African vocals are rendered by Mustafa Kutoon. Karthik’s ‘Usure Pogudhey’ is expected to be the Tamil version of ‘Behene De’ and A.R. Rahman has picked Shreya Ghosal for ‘Kalvare’ (Rekha Bharadwaj’s ‘Kili Re’).

    The other tracks are – ‘Kodu Poatta’ (Benny Dayal), Keda Kari (Benny Dayal, Bhagyaraj, Rayhanah and Grammy winner Tanvi Shah) and Kaattu Sirukki (Shankar Mahadevan, Anuradha Sriram). Vairamuthu has penned lyrics for all the songs and the stunning response for the Hindi version has already raised everyone’s expectations in Tamil Nadu and Hyderabad. Both the Tamil and Telugu version ‘Villain’ will be released on the same by first week of May.

    – R. Richard Mahesh / Sampurn Wire

    http://blog.taragana.com/e/2010/04/29/ar-rahman-picks-new-singers-for-raavan-tamil-version-114151/

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 29, 2010 at 5:15 PM

      But where’s the Asha song? Also the Kili Re Hindi version has been sung by Reena Bharadwaj not Rekha. I am not as pleased about Shreya (though I otherwise like her voice) because she’s going to have an accent for what is a softer melody. In general he’s picked non-Tamilians on many of these songs. Nonetheless even having heard the Hindi many times I can’t wait for the Tamil.

      Like

  69. Satyam Says:
    April 29, 2010 at 5:58 PM

    The Ranbir/Rathnam story crops up again:

    http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/30/20100430201004300258423643473747f/I-cant-say-no-to-Mani-Ratnam.html

    and again Ranbir denied just recently that he was doing anything with Rathnam. Could be something else Rathnam is producing.

    Like

  70. Tyler Says:
    April 29, 2010 at 11:27 PM

    Aishwarya inspired me to do Hindi `Raavan`: Vikram (Interview)

    http://spicezee.zeenews.com/articles/story60082.htm

    Like

    • Zwoon Says:
      April 30, 2010 at 5:51 AM

      And she inspired me to watch films! Never liked them, but I couldn’t miss her angelic presence on-screen. But now she has me hooked to them. Can’t wait for Raavan, Action Replay, Endhiran and Guzaarish!

      Like

  71. Breaking News Says:
    April 30, 2010 at 8:59 AM

    Wicked Awsome trailer Satyam! Update this please. Ash looks too good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrGNP5QsJJ8

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      April 30, 2010 at 9:01 AM

      it’s already there in the trailer thread.. but yeah it’s great!

      Like

      • Breaking News Says:
        April 30, 2010 at 9:53 AM

        Oh! my bad. Didn’t see it!

        All this promotional stuff is great. It’s getting a tremendous response from netizens. But my big question is whether Mani will be able to sustain the same interest in the public about Raavan. I mean 3 trailers have been released in 2 weeks. But there are still 7 weeks left for release. Would the same buzz be there till June?

        Like

  72. anand Says:
    May 3, 2010 at 8:38 AM

    Vikram’s looks are more powerful & natural compared to Abhi’s.

    Like

  74. Aramak Says:
    May 3, 2010 at 5:16 PM

    From the 2 sets of pictures it’s tie for me as I like in the ‘Gabbar’ pose and Beera pose while Vikram scores on the stare at Ash and with the sword

    Like

  75. Tyler Says:
    May 4, 2010 at 11:17 AM

    CD scans from Raavanan – http://twitpic.com/1kz0t3

    Like

    • mansi Says:
      May 4, 2010 at 11:33 AM

      i think i prefer ash with vikram than prithviraj!! those two look really hot!! they look a more mature couple nd while prithviraj nd ash look like a young couple but they seem a little odd!!

      Like

      • Tyler Says:
        May 4, 2010 at 11:46 AM

        Funny comment from Twitter:

        Aishwarya Rai is the only one who can romance a 26 year old and a 60 year old simultaneously. Thats Ash for u

        LOL – referring to Prithviraj and Rajinikanth

        Like

  76. Tyler Says:
    May 4, 2010 at 11:49 AM

    More scans from Raavanan CD:










    Like

  77. Qalandar Says:
    May 4, 2010 at 3:34 PM

    Kassam had already posted this HERE.

    Like

  82. Satyam Says:
    May 9, 2010 at 5:21 PM

    this new image is simply STUNNING!

    Like

  83. Sam Juliano Says:
    May 9, 2010 at 7:10 PM

    God. 230 comments!!!!!!!

    Congratulations to you Satyam and to all at this tireless blog, which is tops in Indian circles and maybe otherwise too!

    You all should be proud!

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      May 9, 2010 at 7:16 PM

      thanks much Sam.. actually I had to close a couple of threads after there were 450 comments or so!

      Can’t say this is “tops in Indian circles” or anything.. but if I might wickedly insert the adjective ‘discerning’ perhaps..!

      ha!

      Like

  84. ted Says:
    May 9, 2010 at 11:03 PM

    The recently added image is quite good, resembles Sr.Bachchan in one of his earlier films.

    Like

  85. jay Says:
    May 10, 2010 at 2:59 PM

    kudos to ash!!

    looking perfect with all 3(vikram,abhishekh & prithvi)

    whts makes it more intersting that prithvi is 10 years younger than her!!!
    you wont get a clue of it from the pics..they look really cool together!!

    Like

  87. Satyam Says:
    May 12, 2010 at 8:55 AM

    Raavan to stay off Lanka
    – Pro-LTTE backlash fear keeps film away from ‘home’

    Chennai, May 11: The film named after King Raavan will not debut in his own country during the International Indian Film Academy Awards 2010.

    Director Mani Ratnam has chosen not to have the premiere of Raavan (Hindi) at the June 3-5 event in Colombo. “I will not be attending IIFA 2010 because post-production work on Raavan is still going on,” he said last night.

    While Ratnam’s logic is that the film would not be completed in time to be screened in Colombo, industry insiders said the real reason was fear of pro-LTTE crowds disrupting the screening of the Tamil version, Raavanan, in Tamil Nadu. The pro-Tamil Tiger lobby has got the entire Tamil film industry to boycott the Colombo show.

    “The applause of a few hundred people in Colombo is less important than the film having a smooth run in Tamil Nadu, when so much money and effort have gone into the movie,” said a distributor who has the rights to the film.

    The film is officially slated for all-India release on June 18 but the IIFA was hoping it would be premiered in Colombo in the presence of the Bachchan family and Ratnam, who has co-produced the film with Anil Ambani’s Big Cinema.

    Since Ratnam’s Yuva had premiered at IIFA 2004 in Singapore, the organisers were keen to showcase Raavan in Colombo. But ever since fringe Tamil groups and politicians demanded that Tamil actors boycott the Colombo event in protest against Sri Lanka’s treatment of Tamils in that country, things turned dicey for Ratnam.

    With Ratnam backing out, the participation of the movie’s three major stars –– Abhishek Bachchan, his wife Aishwarya Rai and Tamil actor Vikram —- has also become doubtful.

    While Vikram will have to abide by the diktat issued to Tamil filmdom, Aishwarya’s presence can also be used to whip up a negative campaign against Raavanan. Vikram and Aishwarya star in both versions of the film.

    Amitabh Bachchan, the IIFA brand ambassador, is already under tremendous pressure from Tamil groups not to associate himself with the Colombo event. The superstar is unlikely to oblige given his commitment to organisers Wizcraft, with whom he enjoys good relations, in spite of protests in front of his home in Mumbai by several Tamil groups led by film director Seeman.

    The Sri Lanka tourism board had rolled out the red carpet when Amitabh arrived in Colombo in April for the event’s curtain-raiser. President Mahinda Rajapaksa had hosted a lunch for him.

    Sources close to Ratnam said the Bachchans were expected to accept a compromise because of the stakes involved in Raavan, with Amitabh going to Colombo and his son and daughter-in-law staying away.

    Like

  88. Satyam Says:
    May 12, 2010 at 3:34 PM

    the cast is introduced…





    Like

    • GF Says:
      May 12, 2010 at 7:31 PM

      What I love here is that the picture of Ash that Vikram and Prithvi are holding is a film still from Iruvar! I can tell you exactly what scene it’s from too – it’s when the “second Ash” arrives and learns about Anandan’s wife for the first time. A literal piece of Iruvar has found its way into Raavan!

      Like

      • Satyam Says:
        May 12, 2010 at 9:33 PM

        you certainly know your Iruvar!

        check out the second still from the top (just added two to the post)

        Like

      • Zero Says:
        May 13, 2010 at 2:47 AM

        Yes, it does look similar, but I’m doubtful if it’s the same. (The open sky background doesn’t seem to be there, among other things.) I could be wrong though.

        And of course, there was an uncanny reference to Iruvar’s Pushpa even in Guru!

        Actually, I’ve always though that this kind of “intertextuality” is quite uncharacteristic of Mani Ratnam, who’s “fidelity” to his film’s narrative is often too strong and rigid to put in a wink here or a nod there to other films of his stars or of his own, which is otherwise all too common and spontaneous in Tamil cinema. So the reference to Pushpa in Gury was quite surprising for me.

        Like

        • GF Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 8:48 AM

          The open sky is missing because the picture is obviously scaled – the shot from the film was a close up as it is so that isn’t exactly surprising. In a fit of Iruvar geekiness, I revisited that moment and this is without a doubt drawn right out of that frame…it’s actually not a bad move on Ratnam’s part, not simply because of any “intertextuality” but for the fact that in Raavan’s context, this is a younger Ash pic that, presumably, a “husband” (here Vikram or Prithvi) would have on hand.

          Much of thee nods and winks are probably subconscious to some degree – certainly collaborating with a regular set of actors and artists behind the camera helps in some overlapping “commentary” or dialogue between the films.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 9:14 AM

          on another note check out the gallery section of the Raavanan site. The pictures can’t be extracted but some fantastic new ones of Vikram here.

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 10:06 AM

          GF,
          Yes, the picture is scaled, but even besides that, the color tone also looks quite different. (May be the image was processed a bit? Or may be it’s just the way the image appears in *this* poster?) I don’t mean to sound picky, just being extra-curious. I do agree that this image has a striking resemblance to Ash of that scene from Iruvar.

          “In a fit of Iruvar geekiness, I revisited that moment and this is without a doubt drawn right out of that frame…”
          Same here. 🙂

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 10:16 AM

          “Much of thee nods and winks are probably subconscious to some degree – certainly collaborating with a regular set of actors and artists behind the camera helps in some overlapping “commentary” or dialogue between the films.”

          Oh, sure, I agree, but again the one in Guru was an overt reference. Hence the surprise. Again this is all too common with most other important filmmakers in Tamil (i.e. who have a signature of sorts). But Mani Ratnam always seemed to be extra-careful not to “indulge” in these kinds of nods. (I don’t mean to disapprove of these kinds of nods myself, hope that’s clear. :))

          Like

        • GF Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 10:33 AM

          Crystal clear. I guess I don’t quite agree as much. The Ratnam signature is one that I feel is pretty identifiable (unless that’s not what you’re getting at) and while it has doubtlessly evolved from the days of Anjali, there’s a good deal of formal and thematic connections.

          On the ash pic, yeah it certainly may have been treated. Not to mention that the section of the film still where Vikram/Prithvi is holding up the pic is a bit washed out and out of focus…

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 11:03 AM

          Oh no, there’s a misunderstanding here. I’m obviously not suggesting that there’s no Mani Ratnam signature. There is and it’s a mighty strong one. I used “who have a signature of sorts” just to mark the important Tamil filmmakers.

          I was saying that nods to one’s own oeuvre is quite common in the works of most of the important Tamil filmmakers, and that Mani Ratnam is an exception in this sense.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 11:24 AM

          I don’t disagree with you on the ‘intertextuality’ point you’ve made but I kind of fall with GF here inasmuch as I think the ‘intertextuality’ in Rathnam comes up by way of his visuals tropes (which is not to say there aren’t thematic links or those of characterization). GF said in his fine Public Enemies review that Mann’s films speak to each other (I might be paraphrasing here). I think something similar could be said about Rathnam. Again only with respect to his visual cues and so on. Of course there is the old Kurosawa debate here. In his peak period he was seen as constantly repeating a ‘signature’ set of visual tropes. When he got older critics felt he was simply ‘referring’ to an older history. So this is a hard point to settle sometimes. Speaking for myself I disagree with that criticism on Kurosawa and I actually do not think (irrespective of whether one likes this Hindi phase of his or not) that Rathnam has in any sense repeated himself in this recent films. I know this is not exactly your point, I am just coming at it a different way. the other thing to remember is also that inasmuch as he might be alluding to a certain Ash history (consciously or not and it could well be the former) he hasn’t had too many chances to do this with other stars. Because he hasn’t repeated lead stars all that often, certainly not ones in iconic parts. But take Raavan. The character here I think builds on the Yuva one. One might well find an allusive visual cue here or there.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 11:25 AM

          I would love to see Maddy paired with Ash..

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 11:17 AM

          For instance, a Balachader (in whose case, especially, the references tend to be nauseating!) or a Bharathiraja wouldn’t think twice about playing a scene or a song from one of their earlier films. Filmmakers like Balu Mahendra or Mahendran are far more graceful, but one can spot a poster or something of that order. Viewing through this prism, Mani Ratnam has always come off as someone who’s remarkably “merciless” (to himself, that is).

          Like

        • GF Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 11:24 AM

          Oh I think I see what you’re saying Zero. Certainly I don’t think Ratnam’s ever been self-aggrandizing with his nods and winks…his are more elusive and provide elegant thematic/formal commentary rather than simply drawing from the same creative well within a new context.

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 11:39 AM

          “I think the ‘intertextuality’ in Rathnam comes up by way of his visuals tropes (which is not to say there aren’t thematic links or those of characterization).”

          Exactly my point, Satyam. The continuing concerns (both formal and thematic) of his as a filmmaker aren’t manifested in his films by overt references that take the film out of its universe (and places it outside itself) so to say.

          Like

  89. alex adams Says:
    May 12, 2010 at 7:28 PM

    whats up with mani ratnam not getting raavan ready for iifa screening.
    Is it genuine or to just to avoid the tamil -ltte controversy at iifa.
    by the way, i dont have authentic understaanding or knowledge of the relaqities of sri lanka-tamil criisis.
    “Amitabh Bachchan, the IIFA brand ambassador, is already under tremendous pressure from Tamil groups not to associate himself with the Colombo event. ” any advice for bachchan on this one-phone-a firned?”

    Like

  90. Pradip Says:
    May 13, 2010 at 10:35 AM

    Satyam did U get it?

    Like

  91. Satyam Says:
    May 13, 2010 at 11:06 AM

    All of these new Vikram shots are great but the top one is a dazzling image..

    Like

    • Qalandar Says:
      May 13, 2010 at 11:08 AM

      ooh yeah!

      Like

    • Satyam Says:
      May 13, 2010 at 11:09 AM

      a tale of two gods?

      Like

    • GF Says:
      May 13, 2010 at 11:18 AM

      Instantly reminds one of Amudha mimicking the Buddha statue in the male version of the title song from KM. Awesome set of stills and Vikram looks smashing. And just as Ratnam has Amudha mimicking an emissary of peace, he has Vikram’s Veera modeling himself after the destructive, godly force that he presumably represents…needless to say that both moments occur in “Lanka”…

      Another nod, Zero! 😉

      I am so glad Ratnam is returning to this physical terrain…

      Like

      • Zero Says:
        May 13, 2010 at 11:34 AM

        Great images here!

        GF,
        Ha ha, yes, the first one is obviously reminiscent of Amudha’s posing like the Buddha statue in KM. Actually, even in the earlier images, the broken statue of Rama was clearly reminiscent of that song sequence in KM. (However, note that I was not taking about a nod of this kind. I mean, it obviously recalls that moment, but it doesn’t actually “draw” from that film, in a physical sense. In other words, a recurring image isn’t wink-wink enough.)

        Anyway, seriously speaking, I think there’s also a sense of “mimicking the opponent” in both images. Buddha can of course be seen as a figure to suggest peace, but note that the “Buddhist” (birth) identity is in a sense at loggerheads with Amudha’s. Likewise the Ram figure (isn’t that statue one of Vishnu?) here.

        Like

        • GF Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 11:40 AM

          Very interesting. I think I just assumed that this was Shiva but it certainly could be Vishnu here….of course your point is even more provocative when one notes that this is obviously a felled, broken statue of the godly-opponent.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 11:42 AM

          great comment Zero.. and yes I have been reminded of KM a lot with many of the Raavan images.. it’s almost as if Rathnam wanted to expand on that second KM song and that entire set of visual cues..

          Like

        • GF Says:
          May 13, 2010 at 11:45 AM

          Of course the mythological undertones here – a celestial war, if “subtextual” – recalls Trishul.

          Like

  92. Pradip Says:
    May 13, 2010 at 11:29 AM

    Really the first still is quite extra ordinary and would love to see Abhi in the same.

    Like

  94. Satyam Says:
    May 13, 2010 at 6:11 PM

    this didn’t occur to me earlier but I’ve now enlarged the stills.. Vikram again looks FANTASTIC!

    Like

  95. GF Says:
    May 13, 2010 at 8:08 PM

    I have to say Prithviraj doesn’t look bad in these stills…he still has that smarmy presence, (I might be more afraid for Ash when she’s dancing around with him than when she’s accosted by Vikram!) but he’s never looked better in a film.

    Like

  96. aadmi Says:
    May 13, 2010 at 11:00 PM

    both movies are gonna BOMBT big time at box office

    what is mani ratnam truiong to do here

    actors acting like monkeys making faces????

    i saw thatearical trailer of Raavn in theater and most of audince seems disintrested and one guy next to me commented “kya bakwas hai”

    poor verry horrendu promotion i must say

    Like

  98. Satyam Says:
    May 14, 2010 at 7:32 AM

    SUPERB!!! And we also see some where images here (i.e. not see in the Hindi).

    Like

  99. Pradip Says:
    May 14, 2010 at 7:41 AM

    Ash promotes Raavan at Cannes..

    Like

  100. Utkal Mohanty Says:
    May 14, 2010 at 10:18 AM

    The most amazing set of stills I have ever sen for a film. The sad part is, it is almost impossible to make film that can live up to the expectations aroused by these stills.

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      May 14, 2010 at 10:50 AM

      It does raise the stakes for a film and you’re right in that for the film to match the quality of these stills it would have to be a masterpiece. And yet this is not an ‘impossible’ expectation when it comes to Rathnam!

      Like

  101. ted Says:
    May 14, 2010 at 10:23 AM

    I am more concerned about Hindi version. Vikram’s images are more consistent. Abhishek seems have experimented with the role. We have to see how it turns out.

    Like

  102. Satyam Says:
    May 14, 2010 at 10:48 AM

    Raavan soundtrack is doing 81% at allbollywood:

    http://www.allbollywood.com/ab/movies/music.shtml

    So far it’s an A, the only soundtrack (other than Yuvvraj!) to get this grade at the site since they started collecting this data in ’06. Even every other Rahman is at A-. Bizarrely Yuvvraaj rates higher than D6.

    Like

  103. Qalandar Says:
    May 14, 2010 at 10:55 AM

    The image of Vikram in the rain seems reminiscent of Inba in Aayitha Ezhuthu…

    Like

    • Zero Says:
      May 14, 2010 at 11:26 AM

      Yes. Actually, there are strong similarities between Inba and Veera in general. Very short hair, the ‘banian’ and so on. No wonder considering Mani had originally thought of Vikram in Inba’s role.

      I remember an interview of Abhishek before Yuva’s release where Abhishek mentioned that Mani wanted him to shave his head but he didn’t and thought an unkempt beard would suit the role better. Interestingly, Mani has asked him to do the same for Raavan as well. But this time, Abhishek has at least decided to cut his hair very short.

      Like

      • Zero Says:
        May 14, 2010 at 11:29 AM

        Oh, I meant to mention the thick moustache (and the stubble) too…

        Like

      • Qalandar Says:
        May 14, 2010 at 11:30 AM

        I wish abhi had been able to do that this time, but I guess it might have been difficult given that he is shooting for his other films. But I find it harder to forgive him for turning down the “Ram” role in Tamil — that would have made the inversion/mirroring complete, and would have suited Mani’s “dualist” obsessions to a “T”…

        Like

        • Zero Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 11:42 AM

          True, but I think Mani himself would have subsequently had second thoughts about Abhishek pulling off the Ram role in Tamil (considering he’d have wanted him to dub his own lines, etc.). Even though Vikram doesn’t know Hindi, I think there’s a certain degree of familiarity that enabled him to take the challenge, and I doubt that Abhishek could have ‘matched’ that.

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 11:47 AM

          But yeah, Mani certainly would have found the ‘mirror’ angle immensely appealing, but I sort of doubt if it would have been possible to do the switch with someone like Abhishek who has no familiarity with Tamil at all. The character would have sounded quite like SRK’s in the Tamil version of Hey Ram, which, as I imagine, Mani Ratnam wouldn’t have let pass at all.

          Like

        • GF Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 11:52 AM

          Agree. I think the gesture would have been tremendous had Abhishek taken the role, but ultimately the results probably wouldn’t have been effective…

          Like

        • GF Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 11:54 AM

          Though notably Ratnam had no reservation in giving SRK and Preity Zinta a couple of Malayalam lines in Dil Se.. that they completely mangled.

          Like

        • Qalandar Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 12:01 PM

          LOL, zinta playing a malayalee was pretty incredible.

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 12:01 PM

          Ha ha, but that was still a Hindi film! (Btw, I don’t think SRK had any Malayalam lines, did he?)

          Like

        • GF Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 12:09 PM

          Zero – that depends on your definition of Malayalam. Coming from SRK it sounded closer to Na’vi…

          But yeah they both had a very brief Malayalam exchange when SRK returns to Kerala for their engagement and he’s in the shower talking to her as she waits outside his door.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 12:15 PM

          “Coming from SRK it sounded closer to Na’vi…”

          Ha!!!

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 12:11 PM

          Incidentally, on revisits, the Malayali identity of Preity’s family in the film doesn’t seem incidental at all. It’s as if Manisha’s “peripheral” regional identity is contrasted with another (also “peripheral”) regional identity that has been able to associate with and participate in the the national project.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 12:18 PM

          excellent comment here..

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 12:16 PM

          Oh ok, will take note the next time.

          “Coming from SRK it sounded closer to Na’vi…”

          LOL!

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 11:49 AM

          yes he really should have taken up the challenge.. given a few months to learning rudimentary Tamil with a tutor.. really would have been great..

          Like

  104. Satyam Says:
    May 14, 2010 at 11:27 AM

    Ranjha is the next trailer up in a day or so. Wonder if we get to hear the film version with Ila Arun and Richa Sharma. I’ve been very eager to see this. Rahman was raving about the video.

    Like

  105. Tyler Says:
    May 14, 2010 at 11:47 AM

    Invite to the Raavanan function today in Chennai

    http://twitpic.com/1np95s

    Like

  106. GF Says:
    May 14, 2010 at 11:59 AM

    In terms of Ratnam’s mirroring here I think the choice of Prithviraj is somewhat inspired because, in the context of the actors cast in both versions, (steeped in a local culture as both seem to be) it is Ram who represents the linguistic other.

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      May 14, 2010 at 12:02 PM

      true though Tamil is ‘other’ to Hindi and vice versa in a way that obviously Malayalam cannot be to Tamil.. having said that in terms of Rathnam’s themes here and the ‘kinship’ he means to suggest between Ram and Raavan perhaps having languages that are linguistic cousins makes sense.

      Like

      • GF Says:
        May 14, 2010 at 12:06 PM

        Yeah, especially given the kinds of villainous stereotyping that has existed in recent years with respect to both the industries, I think this sense of a broken “filiality” (in a linguistic sense) between Ram and Raavan makes great sense.

        Like

  107. GF Says:
    May 14, 2010 at 12:16 PM

    “Incidentally, on revisits, the Malayali identity of Preity’s family in the film doesn’t seem incidental at all. It’s as if Manisha’s “peripheral” regional identity is contrasted with another (also “peripheral”) regional identity that has been able to associate with and participate in the the national project.”

    This is a very, very astute observation Zero and completely in line with the kind of intelligent readings on Dil Se’s underrated “span” as far as what it attempts to achieve as a literal Pan-Indian document of sorts. This review is an interesting one in touching on some of this geopolitical terrain, and I encourage you to visit it if you haven’t yet done so:

    http://www.uiowa.edu/~incinema/dilse.html

    Like

  108. Zero Says:
    May 14, 2010 at 1:04 PM

    Thanks GF. Yes, I’ve read this review before. (In fact, just before submitting the earlier comment, I searched on the web to see if something has been said about this ‘link’ and landed on the same review yet again!) A truly insightful piece.

    The last paragraph is especially illuminating; where Lutgendorf talks about reading the film as “a gendered anti-nationalist allegory” and also about how Mani turns SRK’s animated-romantic screen persona on its head. I think there’s a strong feminist undercurrent in the way the ‘conflict’ is played out between SRK and Manisha right until the interval. In these portions, Mani Ratnam ever so seamlessly aligns the woman’s resistance to the man’s advances with the resistance of the various fringe groups to the nationalist ideal.

    Like

    • Qalandar Says:
      May 14, 2010 at 1:30 PM

      Glad you brought up the “feminist” aspect: Dil Se is one of the very very few films where the “forced kiss” moment is represented as a trauma (or, more precisely, as triggering an older trauma), rather than as titillation or as the inevitable “domestication” of an independent woman… will be interesting to see how Rathnam treats the issue in the context of Raavan, the plot of which has been made for the Stockholm syndrome…

      Like

  109. shakti Says:
    May 14, 2010 at 1:52 PM

    satyam just saw the new trailer looks awesome

    Like

  110. shakti Says:
    May 14, 2010 at 2:11 PM

    i dont know since i never buy any music cd of abhis movie ,i am very superstitious

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      May 14, 2010 at 2:27 PM

      the CD has this song in a duet. Rahman however said that the version in the film would have two female voices as this suited the situation more.

      Like

    • Satyam Says:
      May 14, 2010 at 3:23 PM

      no Ash? I thought she was supposed to be part of the event?

      Prabhu and Prithviraj look like Laurel and Hardy in a few of the shots!

      Like

      • Kassam Says:
        May 14, 2010 at 3:25 PM

        Aishwarya is still in France.

        Like

        • Satyam Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 3:28 PM

          but there was word she would make it to the event. It’s disappointing she didn’t. I am overall frustrated with the way the Tamil advertising has been handled. This doesn’t mean anything for the film’s box office but if one makes a bilingual both versions should be accorded equal respect.

          Like

      • GF Says:
        May 14, 2010 at 3:29 PM

        Gee, I wonder which one is supposed to be Hardy.

        Like

    • mansi Says:
      May 14, 2010 at 3:31 PM

      i think priyamani is looking sensational!!! love d traditional look..!! this is how a saree is worn ppl!! i just wish our bollywood actresses will take a cue nd chuck those “desi girl” sarees!!

      Like

      • GF Says:
        May 14, 2010 at 3:32 PM

        Absolutely agree..

        Like

      • Satyam Says:
        May 14, 2010 at 3:33 PM

        hear hear!

        Like

        • mansi Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 3:51 PM

          okk..this is just for fun..a girl who is a total contrast of priyamani
          http://www.twitpic.com/1nrecu
          d guys can enjoy!!!

          Like

        • Tyler Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 4:20 PM

          Trashy.

          Now here is classy – http://twitpic.com/1nq6j0/full

          Like

        • mansi Says:
          May 14, 2010 at 4:32 PM

          oh..thnx tyler..hadn’t seen this full length pic..!! gorgeous!!

          Like

        • Qalandar Says:
          May 15, 2010 at 9:59 AM

          Definitely classy, but would be nice if she wore saris or other sorts of Indian dress more often to these events…

          Like

        • Tyler Says:
          May 15, 2010 at 10:11 AM

          Qalandar – Aishwarya and all the other L’Oreal anbassadors have to wear what is selected for them. L’Oreal has an arrangement with fashion designers and jewelers to promote their products at Cannes.

          The Indian media and other critics need to understand that she is there as a rep for L’Oreal not for India.

          Aishwarya can wear whatever she wants when she is not there for L’Oreal like she did for the premiere of Devdas in a saree.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          May 15, 2010 at 11:32 AM

          that’s true Tyler but she isn’t carrying it off very well..

          Like

        • Qalandar Says:
          May 15, 2010 at 10:16 AM

          Oh I didn’t know that, thanks for the clarification…

          Like

        • Tyler Says:
          May 15, 2010 at 11:48 AM

          Satyam, disagree. She looked wonderful except for the hair on Day 1.

          I will repeat what I said in another thread:

          The Indian media knows nothing about fashion. Aishwarya is being praised for her Cannes red carpet appearances on every international fashion and celebrity site I have seen. She was even voted best dressed on a few sites.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          May 15, 2010 at 11:58 AM

          I am not arguing about the dresses and so forth. Not least because I am illiterate in these matters! My comment was a purely impressionistic one in terms of her ‘allure’. It didn’t work for me. The black dress moment was perhaps the best one. Actually if you ask me I don’t think she’s ever been at her best doing the L’oreal gown thing and so on.

          Like

        • alex adams Says:
          June 6, 2010 at 5:41 AM

          “okk..this is just for fun..a girl who is a total contrast of priyamani
          http://www.twitpic.com/1nrecu
          d guys can enjoy!!!”mansi–did not enjoy this pic of mallika. she should be banged with these very shoes for agreeing to wear these horrendous things…lol. By the way, i dont dislike mallika in general. she has got this dodgy reputation but being an outsider wiht no connections, appreciate her for trying to do things her own way and being unapologetic and bold about it. She does have a nice figure (u know what), though…

          Like

  112. bhalo_manush Says:
    May 15, 2010 at 4:30 AM

    Raavanan seems more interesting specially due to Vikram as Beera..

    Like

  113. alex adams Says:
    May 15, 2010 at 9:16 AM

    tyler, thanks for that classy link of ash.
    ash is so photogenic (even now)-difficult to get ONE bad shot out of her.
    vikram continues to impress (more than abhi) for me (till now).
    not sure, whats this kennedy / cheeyan bit—is that his full name?

    Like

    • Qalandar Says:
      May 15, 2010 at 9:56 AM

      Alex: my understanding is that Vikram’s parents named him after the American President John F. Kennedy, and that is indeed his real name. People close to him call him “Kenny” — or that’s what I have heard; don’t have any personal knowledge of this.

      Like

  114. ted Says:
    May 15, 2010 at 9:18 AM

    came across this tweet from Shirish Kunder(Farah’s husband…?)

    If RAAVAN is now a Hero, who next?… DUSHASAN??? After an obsessed kidnapper, a rapist might be progressive.

    Yes I wish so… But not what he has been making these last few years… I admire what he used to make until Roja

    My tweet was not about the film. I was referring to Raavan the character. Even today I read about someone writing a book called Ravanayan. 6 minutes ago via web

    Like

    • Qalandar Says:
      May 15, 2010 at 9:57 AM

      Whoever this Kunder is, he seems to be an imbecile. If he is that Kunder, he’s got cheek talking about what is or isn’t “progressive”.

      Like

  115. ted Says:
    May 15, 2010 at 10:06 AM

    I’ve checked, he is same Kundar, Jann-E-Mann director

    Like

  116. alex adams Says:
    May 15, 2010 at 10:21 AM

    “Whoever this Kunder is, he seems to be an imbecile. If he is that Kunder, he’s got cheek talking about what is or isn’t “progressive”.”–hahaha-agree that about shirish kunder of farha khan (in)fame..

    Like

    • GF Says:
      May 27, 2010 at 3:40 PM

      “Would she categorise her role in Raavanan as a commercial one? ‘Oh yes, I would. But, the only thing is that it has been shot differently. Yes, it is definitely a commercial film but it’s a Mani Ratnam film.’ ”

      I think what she’s grasping at here is the idea that Ratnam really blurs the distinction between what’s considered commercial and what’s slotted in the arthouse category more so than any living Indian filmmaker.

      Like

  118. Satyam Says:
    May 27, 2010 at 12:02 PM

    this latest image is what greets one as one accesses the site.. for once I don’t know what’s going on here! LOL!

    Like

  119. alex adams Says:
    May 27, 2010 at 7:59 PM

    saw ndtv news-ash unveiled pritish nandis book but did NOT talk bout ravana or iifa, unexpectedly.
    as per news reports–probably there is a change in the iifa ambassador due to the sri lanka venue problem and bachchan not going there.. something happening on this front, it seems…

    Like

  120. masterpraz Says:
    May 29, 2010 at 3:11 AM

    That new poster is cool though Vikram clearly has the upper edge…

    Like

  121. Satyam Says:
    June 4, 2010 at 4:18 PM

    Abhishek looks superb in this new picture.. I think the ash shot is from the Thok de killi song. On the bridge scene I like how it’s been set up but Vikram seems to be hanging in an odd way.. either the picture has been taken at an awkward moment or else Vikram seems to be defying the laws of gravity a bit if you note his posture..

    Like

  122. alex adams Says:
    June 5, 2010 at 8:24 AM

    from the latet pics/ promos above—my latest impact-factor score is—
    Ash> Vikram> Abhishek
    Sorry abhishek– im hoping u make up when the ACTUAL film releases…

    Like

  123. ted Says:
    June 5, 2010 at 8:32 AM

    It is the time Raavan team to intensify the promotions, enough of these faces. They need to show something new..
    Rajneethi promotions were really good and I was impressed with images as well from the beginning. I am happy to see that movie successful, though I am not much interested .
    Ideally, there should be more gap between Rajneethi and raavan release dates,being similar genre..

    Like

  124. alex adams Says:
    June 5, 2010 at 9:02 AM

    “enough of these faces. They need to show something new..”
    lol ted–agree–maybe , they need to show anatomy/ body parts (other than faces) now, to be of any impact!
    maybe something innovative needed or even some controversy–lhaha
    Agree that raavan may stand to loose (to some extent) since both the genres are serious with not much “comic relief” essential for multiplex audiences.

    Like

  125. Pranay Says:
    June 5, 2010 at 12:32 PM

    here’s a new raavan joke on facebook –

    for those of you who are confused with the lyrics of the song, “Behne de mujhe” means let me flow and not ‘Give me sisters’!!
    l

    Like

  126. rajen Says:
    June 5, 2010 at 12:57 PM

    lol.
    But a lot of people are fooled.
    Even industrywallahs.
    Even KJo is having a hard time convincing SRK that just because Abhi had this lyrics in his movie, it is not OK for SRK to have a song- Bhaiyon do mujhe in his next film with Karan.

    Like

  128. aadmi Says:
    June 5, 2010 at 6:35 PM

    is this govinda who is holding vikram

    the guy seems clean shaved

    Like

  129. GF Says:
    June 6, 2010 at 8:52 AM

    The latest “10 Heads” poster is really fun, classic in some ways, (very 70s in the palette) but it’s starting to get a bit cartoonish now…I liked it better when there were more artful, restrained glimpses.

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      June 6, 2010 at 9:04 AM

      agreed completely.. some of this more ‘psychedelic’ stuff just doesn’t go with everything else we’ve seen.. at the theater yesterday they had Raavan posters all over but they were one and all the one I don’t like at all. It’s the one where Abhishek is terrorizing Ash and she’s looking away a bit.. it’s the Hindi CD cover as well.

      Like

  130. aadmi Says:
    June 6, 2010 at 2:21 PM

    abhishek is terrbialy MISCASTED in this role

    he lack ACTING SKILLS

    and now i maynot be bachan worshippeer but i common sense and my common sense yelles me that someone like bobby deol would have been better choice

    Like

  131. alex adams Says:
    June 6, 2010 at 5:41 PM

    1)something surprising on mani and ravan—-whats wiht mani “leaking news” and “giving feelers” about making/ producing his next with ranbir. the latest is that lajjo wiht aamir maybe revived…while they may be plain rumors but if not—appears surprising–is it plain insecurity that he may not pocket these (now) “biggies” after the release of ravan (if it fails). At this time, many makers fake the news of announcig teir next with the same lead pair and team trying to show how good the result has been this time around— but not mani… wonder whats cooking…
    2) the top poster showing abhis 10 heads —i though itshows ravanas 10 different characteristics/ forms. But incidentally all abhisheks here convey more or less the same vibe…wonder what the intention of 10 heads/ faces is–not clear…

    Like

  132. alex adams Says:
    June 6, 2010 at 5:41 PM

    1)something surprising on mani and ravan—-whats wiht mani “leaking news” and “giving feelers” about making/ producing his next with ranbir. the latest is that lajjo wiht aamir maybe revived…while they may be plain rumors but if not—appears surprising–is it plain insecurity that he may not pocket these (now) “biggies” after the release of ravan (if it fails). At this time, many makers fake the news of announcig teir next with the same lead pair and team trying to show how good the result has been this time around— but not mani… wonder whats cooking…hope im loooking too much into this…
    2) the top poster showing abhis 10 heads —i though itshows ravanas 10 different characteristics/ forms. But incidentally all abhisheks here convey more or less the same vibe…wonder what the intention of 10 heads/ faces is–not clear…

    Like

  133. alex adams Says:
    June 6, 2010 at 5:44 PM

    1)something surprising on mani and ravan—-whats wiht mani “leaking news” and “giving feelers” about making/ producing his next with ranbir. the latest is that lajjo wiht aamir maybe revived…while they may be plain rumors but if not—appears surprising–is it plain insecurity that he may not pocket these (now) “biggies” after the release of ravan (if it fails). At this time, many makers fake the news of announcig teir next with the same lead pair and team trying to show how good the result has been this time around— but not mani… wonder whats cooking…hope im loooking too much into this…
    2) the top poster showing abhis 10 heads —i though itshows ravanas 10 different characteristics/ forms. But incidentally all abhisheks here convey more or less the same vibe…wonder what the intention of 10 heads/ faces is–not clear…All mani-ravan fans (like me) may be getting a bit concerned …

    Like

    • aadmi Says:
      June 7, 2010 at 12:09 AM

      abhishek iis just immitating THE JOKER of HEATH LEDGER but problem is abhishek cann nevver tocuh that kind of INETNSE ACTING like in TDK

      NEVER

      Like

  134. Satyam Says:
    June 6, 2010 at 5:57 PM

    13 days to Raavanan-Triple delight for Mani
    By Moviebuzz | Saturday, 05 June , 2010, 16:05

    Mani Ratnam must be the happiest man in tinsel town.

    After his Raavanan in Tamil got censored with a clean ‘U’ certificate, Raavan in Hindi and Villain in Telugu too got clean ‘U’ certificates!

    Reliance Big Pictures who are marketing the film have started their ad campaign in the newspapers from today announcing the release date as June 18. Now the marketing and business of the film will start in full swing.

    Meanwhile Abhishek Bachchan who has completed shooting for a film in Istanbul has tweeted- “Now heading back and gonna unleash the 10 heads!!!! RAAVAN time baby!!!!”

    Like

  135. Kassam Says:
    June 7, 2010 at 10:10 AM

    11 Days to Raavana – Marketing Starts

    http://sify.com/movies/fullstory.php?id=14944469

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      June 7, 2010 at 10:40 AM

      this perfectly illustrates the point I’ve been making elsewhere! Rathnam’s Southern reception has also been problematic for a while. Having said that I do think this is a certain success with Vikram in Tamil. The one guy who will not be hurt by the Rathnam ‘tone’ (as I call it elsewhere) assuming all else is ok with the film precisely because he has the Bala genealogy.

      Like

  136. Kassam Says:
    June 8, 2010 at 8:49 AM

    10 Days to Raavanan – Overseas sold

    http://sify.com/movies/fullstory.php?id=14944594

    Like

    • GF Says:
      June 8, 2010 at 8:52 AM

      Corny as it sounds, I thought that they would do something special from the 10th day in terms of a countdown to dovetail with their whole “10 Heads” campaign motto.

      Like

  138. Satyam Says:
    June 8, 2010 at 10:44 AM

    10 Days to Raavanan- Overseas sold!
    By Moviebuzz | Tuesday, 08 June , 2010, 16:59

    Big Pictures and Madras Talkies have sold off the overseas theatrical rights of their magnum opus Raavanan to the London based Karunamoorthy of Ayngaran International.

    The film is rumoured to have gone for a record prize (6C +), as Mani Ratnam is King in the overseas market, especially after his pro-LTTE film Kannathil Muthamittal.

    Ayngaran International, the pioneers in overseas Tamil film trade and the market leaders is planning to release it more number of screens than Rajinikanth’s Sivaji.

    The Sri Lankan Tamils who form the majority of the Tamil film viewers like Mani sir and his films. They have also appreciated his stand of not screening or allowing his artists (read Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai) to take part in IIFA in Colombo.

    In the overseas market the Hindi Raavan distributed directly by Reliance Big Pictures and the Tamil Raavanan are fighting among themselves for theatres.

    Mani Ratnam’s film is sandwiched between two big Hollywood summer releases Jackie Chan’s Karate Kid releasing on June 11 and Toy Story 3 on June 18. Already theatre listings have come for the Hindi Raavan.

    Like

    • GF Says:
      June 8, 2010 at 12:47 PM

      To call KM a pro-LTTE film is thoughtless. It misrepresents the politics of this film hugely.

      Like

      • Satyam Says:
        June 8, 2010 at 12:57 PM

        agreed completely… if anything the film questions the ethics of being devoted to a political cause to the point where one abandons one’s child. Rathnam doesn’t judge either way but he certain focuses on both dimensions.. beyond this he does not ‘elide’ the violence of the movement.. so you have that extraordinary scene where the writer is speaking at a public event, outside the girl playing in the park, the ‘terrorist’ humanized as he interacts with the girl but then in a breathtaking act he suddenly leaps onto the truck/bus and of course the explosion. All of the films concerns are neatly aligned here. The ‘debate’ if you will between the artist and the revolutionary, the child once again as the bridge between the two. Not that Rathnam is siding with the artist either. He just wants us to never stop thinking about the child and the human cost in the most elemental sense.

        Like

  139. Pranay Says:
    June 8, 2010 at 12:28 PM

    why do i get the feeling – this looks dissapointing with every subsequent poster. Im still very hopeful though, coz of maniratnam..

    Like

  141. Satyam Says:
    June 9, 2010 at 9:20 AM

    check out the new main page:

    http://raavan-thefilm.com/

    Like

  142. OmSuryamaNamaha Says:
    June 9, 2010 at 9:24 AM

    That’s my comment!

    Like

  145. Rocky Says:
    June 9, 2010 at 5:52 PM

    wow this is by far the best poster!!

    Like

    • Qalandar Says:
      June 9, 2010 at 7:04 PM

      bade dinon baad nazar aaye aap Rocky saahab! I guess Raavan release hone ko aayee hai to Ram (bhakt) ko to aana hi tha! 🙂

      Like

      • Satyam Says:
        June 9, 2010 at 7:38 PM

        Rocky is always a pleasure to have around.. sadly he’s too infrequent.. one misses his humor..

        Like

        • Rocky Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 10:37 AM

          Thanks Satyam-
          just for you excerpts from a letter of
          Banta Singh’s Mom-l

          1.I am in a well here and hoping you are in the same well there. I’m writing this letter slowly, because I know you cannot read fast.

          2.By the way I took Bahu to our club’s poolside. The manager is really badmash. He told her that two-piece swimming suit is not allowed in this club. We were confused as to which piece should we remove?
          3.Your sister had a baby this morning. I haven’t found out whether it is a girl or a boy, so I don’t know whether you are an Aunt or Uncle

          4.The weather here isn’t too bad. It rained only twice last week. The first time it rained for 3 days and second time for 4 days.

          5.P.S: Beta, I was going to send you some money but by the time I realized, I had already sealed off this letter

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 11:09 AM

          LOL, this is great stuff! thanks!

          Like

      • Rocky Says:
        June 10, 2010 at 10:31 AM

        LOL Q,

        Tum chupa(silent) na saqo, main woh awaaz hoon
        Tum bhula na saqo , main woh andaaz hoon
        main yahah hoon, wahan hoon, yaheen kaheen hoon……

        Like

        • rajen Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 11:22 AM

          Great to see you,Rocky

          Re:
          Tum chupa(silent) na saqo, main woh awaaz hoon
          Tum bhula na saqo , main woh andaaz hoon.

          You forgot to add
          Tum sikha na sako, main woh ganwaar hoon
          Rab ne pasand karoon, woh chhichhora hoon main

          Like

        • Rocky Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 11:27 AM

          LOL Rajen,
          The more you dislike SRK the more you behave like him including using his vacab ( Chichora) LOL!!!
          BTW- do you remember at NG one time you were describing SRK and that description was fitting perfectly on you?
          woul love if RKS or Satyam can bring that back !! LOL!!

          Like

    • Satyam Says:
      June 9, 2010 at 7:37 PM

      great to see you Rocky.. hope all’s well.. this image is actually what they’re using as the introductory one on the site.. I’ve just extracted it from there.. but yeah it looks fantastic.. GF always had the idea that they should have all the heads together.. would be nice to see one in color as well..

      Like

  146. alex adams Says:
    June 9, 2010 at 6:07 PM

    Spent a lot of time channel-surfing this weekend. Surprised to see v few promos/ songs of raavan even on the indian music channels in the UK. I mean, its ok to avoid over-exposure but when u see more promos of rajneeti and films released few weeks ago, u DO get a bit baffled. Hope there is some “plan” here or maybe it is being done better in bigger territories & in india. Also, i would be v selective in terms of the promos being hown eg the recent action promo is a smashing ace one butthereare a few others doingthe rounds ( on internet) which re misleading and counter-productive.
    by the way, read somewhere that mani has already made a profit on the tamil ravan by selling it before hand overseas….something tells me that mani is not v confident of this products box-office. Also mani sending feelers about reviving lajjo and producing his next with ranbir (at this time) have not really impressed—hope these are just rumours…

    Like

  148. Satyam Says:
    June 9, 2010 at 10:48 PM

    Now no promotion for ‘Raavan’ on ‘Indian Idol’

    June 9th, 2010

    New Delhi, June 9 – Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan, who was expected on the sets of ‘Indian Idol’ for the promotion of his upcoming film ‘Raavan’, could not attend the show due to a prior commitment.

    ‘Abhishek actually never gave the go-ahead as he was already committed to go elsewhere,’ said a source from the promotion team of ‘Raavan’.

    According to an earlier report, Abhishek was to shoot Wednesday for a special episode that was to be aired next week.

    A source close to the channel said: ‘Abhishek’s date wasn’t available at the last minute and so his visit could not be worked out.’

    ‘Indian Idol 5′, one of the most popular music talent hunt shows in India, is telecast on Sony TV.

    Like

  149. Satyam Says:
    June 10, 2010 at 7:38 AM

    I am flying, thrilled and intoxicated: Vikram
    Sridevi Sreedhar | Thursday, 10 June , 2010, 16:57

    They do not call him ‘The Perfectionist’ for nothing! He is a living example of the saying ‘There is no shortcut to success’. In this exclusive interview to sify.com, Chiyaan Vikram opens up

    What is your current state of mind?
    (Smiles) I am flying, thrilled and intoxicated

    What are the things that you learnt in the last two years working with Mani Ratnam?
    I learnt the most important thing that your film should do the talking and not you. I have started to love and enjoy my profession more.

    What if Mani were to call you for his next film?
    I would first ask him if the shooting is in forests (Laughs).. Just kidding, but frankly I can’t wait for him to repeat me in his next film.

    Have you come to terms with the adulation and attention that you’ve getting as a pan Indian actor with Raavan?
    National media is not new to me. I had a tryst with the media in Mumbai and Delhi when my Anniyan dubbed into Hindi as Aparachit released. But as far as Raavan goes, I can’t dream of a better launch vehicle and platform than this. The kind of respect and admiration that I’m getting with Raavan is truly exhilarating.

    Also read: 8 Days to Raavanan -Tremendous hype

    Huge expectations of Raavan. Does that put a burden on you?
    Not at all, as there are big names like Mani Ratnam, Abhi and Ash who are a part of the film. So I am not over burdened. And as far as expectations go, I can assure you that no one will be disappointed. Mani’s beautiful canvas, Santhosh Sivan’s visually stunning frames, Rahman’s outstanding songs and BGM will all be a treat.

    Which is your favourite song in the album?
    It is undoubtedly Usire Paguthey in Tamil and Behene De in Hindi.

    Do you worry that you will be compared with Abhishek?
    That will not happen and it’s unfair to compare. We are two different actors with different body language and acting style.

    Veera or Dev. Which character did you enjoy doing more??
    Veera was more challenging in terms of acting and language. There was a lot which I could add to the character of Veera as he is powerful, menacing and strong. Dev is a stylish cop and I enjoyed doing that too. My biggest challenge was Hindi and when the dialogue writer called me up and said that my dubbing is perfect, I was thrilled. Now I am waiting for audience response especially from Hindi audiences.

    How was it working with Abhi and Ash?
    They are two beautiful people who are extremely professional. I am completely in awe of them.

    Like

  150. Satyam Says:
    June 10, 2010 at 7:39 AM

    8 Days to Raavanan-Tremendous hype
    By Moviebuzz | Thursday, 10 June , 2010, 08:31

    The expectations from Mani Ratnam’s Raavan in Hindi and Raavanan in Tamil are soaring.

    The media is building up tremendous hype around the film, which the producers are hoping will generate into a gargantuan opening for the film.

    The Mumbai trade feels if it has to cover its cost, Raavan will have to take a bigger opening than Raajneeti.

    The two male stars of the film are going on a media binge. Vikram has started giving sound bytes to upcountry television channels, and has slowly made his presence felt in Bollywood.

    The focus is on Vikram as he is playing two different roles in the two versions. Abhishek Bachchan is also giving interviews to the radio stations, mainline newspapers and reality shows.

    Meanwhile the creator of the film Mani Ratnam is playing it cool, letting others do all the talking. Mani Sir is now more involved in the marketing of the film. As far as Raavan is concerned, Reliance Big Pictures (RBP) is distributing it worldwide and has made all their theatre bookings. But Raavanan is in a bit of a fix, as distributors down south are not willing to buy the film at RBP’s price.

    RBF and Madras Talkies have taken the bold step of distributing Raavanan themselves in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. Last minute negotiations are going on with a leading distribution company in Andhra for the Telugu version Villain.

    As far as Tamil Nadu and Kerala RBF’s dynamic marketing team is tying up directly with the theatres. In Tamil Nadu they have tied up with nearly 280 screens, more will join as the release day approaches. Today’s Chennai edition of all newspapers carry a listing of a dozen screens more will surely join the list. The Hindi Raavan is likely to be played only in a handful of Chennai multiplexes.

    In Kerala Raavanan is likely to release in 95 screens and Raavan in 12 screens. In big towns like Ernakulam, Trivandrum, Trichur, the Tamil version will play in multiple screens. Please note there is a ban by Kerala trade that other language films cannot release simultaneously in the state. RBP who had a tough time releasing Kites in Kerala, is going to take on the Kerala trade with the support of the theatre lobby.

    Meanwhile in Karnataka, the local film chamber which has strong political connections has made it clear that Raavan and Raavanan can be treated as only one film. That means all versions of the film (Raavan, Raavanan, Villain) can only be screened in 24 screens in Bangalore! The city multiplexes have also been told that they can screen only five shows of the film per day!

    Like

  151. Rocky Says:
    June 10, 2010 at 11:28 AM

    dedicated to rajen-

    Like

  152. Kassam Says:
    June 10, 2010 at 2:30 PM

    Raavan run time 130 Minutes. 🙂

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      June 10, 2010 at 2:51 PM

      130 min is a little disappointing.. I like Indian films long specially films of this scale.. Hope that info is wrong.. admittedly it is about justifying length either way but a longer film gives you that much more latitude to unpack things..

      Like

    • Satyam Says:
      June 10, 2010 at 2:56 PM

      then again I just checked IMDB and Iruvar’s length is given as 140 min which surprised me as I thought it was longer. KM is about 2 hrs (again thought this was more). But his previous three Hindi films have been much longer than this. At 130 min it would be more or less his shortest work barring KM.

      Like

      • Zero Says:
        June 10, 2010 at 3:01 PM

        Oh, Iruvar is certainly over 2 1/2 hours. (140 minutes might be a sort of default value for the film’s length when it comes to Indian cinema or something like that.)

        Like

        • Why_so_serious Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 3:06 PM

          Iruvar’s runtime = 160 minutes.

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 3:12 PM

          I think it stops just short of the 2:40 mark. Ok, that would be 159 minutes. 🙂

          Like

        • Why_so_serious Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 11:25 PM

          So what Mr.0. Are you Ramanujam’s muse in disguise? My DVD copy runs for 2.43 with credits.

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          June 11, 2010 at 3:17 AM

          Why_so_serious,
          Oh, so nothing. 🙂 I could very well be wrong here. (I knew the film was available on Google Video and hence hopped over there to check the length and found it to be about 159 minutes. That’s all.)

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 3:56 PM

          perhaps.. I just checked IMDB..

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 4:01 PM

          actually I just checked the DVD and the IMDB info is accurate.. it’s 2.38.

          This is one though that should have been longer.. I think the second half could have been more fleshed out.

          Like

      • Zero Says:
        June 10, 2010 at 3:28 PM

        Also, Mani Ratnam’s shortest film to date would be Alai Payuthe. It’s just short of the 2:15 mark, while Kannathil Muthamittal is just over that.

        Like

        • Satyam Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 3:57 PM

          according to the IMDB info it’s 2.35.. and not one of the shorter films.. again it could be that all the info there is inaccurate..

          Like

      • GF Says:
        June 10, 2010 at 3:44 PM

        “But his previous three Hindi films have been much longer than this.”

        As far as I’m concerned this is a good sign. Ratnam is never a boring filmmaker, and one’s attention never flags, but Guru inched very close to that end of the spectrum (though less because of the storytelling than of the story itself) and Yuva’s Devgan-led midsection was as fat as they come. Dil Se’s meanderings I have been far more forgiving of down the road. But KM was a supremely well-paced film and Raavan needs to be exactly this if it delivers on the promise of it’s excellently cut promos.

        Like

        • Satyam Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 3:55 PM

          perhaps you’re right.. actually over the years I’ve been surprised by just how often older commercial films were much shorter in length than I imagined them to be.. in fact the idea that the average commercial film was longer than 2.5 hrs is something of a myth. Very often films ran no longer than 2.25 hrs or so and the Mukherjee films for example were often no longer than 120-130 min. More recently I remember saying the same about SR, that it was just 120 min but whatever problems the film had length wasn’t one of them.

          Like

        • GF Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 4:00 PM

          TV adds ten pounds, nostalgia adds an hour.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 4:01 PM

          quite right..

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 4:10 PM

          “in fact the idea that the average commercial film was longer than 2.5 hrs is something of a myth. Very often films ran no longer than 2.25 hrs or so”

          I agree, this is so true. It’s just those films with an epic canvas of sorts that actually goes beyond 2 1/2 hours (at least from the 70s). But remember the 15 minutes interval time. It is usually included when people talk about how long the film was. That’s how the 2 1/2 hour timeline comes about.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 4:17 PM

          the lost and found formulas were sometimes longer than 2.5, certainly this wasn’t uncommon but that was never the average length of the film. Often people talk about 3 hr movies in India and that is really hyperbolic. 3 hr movies in absolute terms are actually a less common occurrence in India than Hollywood! and the same holds for 3.5 hr films!

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 4:54 PM

          Kamal Haasan is one filmmaker whose films are quite often of epic proportions and run longer than 2 1/2 hours, with some of them quite close to 3 hours. But I think most of these films are superbly paced.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          June 10, 2010 at 4:59 PM

          yes I can agree with the pacing.. according to IMDB again Virumandi is 175m and hey Ram 186! Didn’t realize the latter was that long.

          Like

    • Tyler Says:
      June 10, 2010 at 6:21 PM

      According to Fandango, the runtime is 2 hr. 18 min. – http://www.fandango.com/raavan_134246/movieoverview

      Like

  153. GF Says:
    June 10, 2010 at 5:03 PM

    Oh I can definitely believe Hey Ram’s length! Even if one is engrossed throughout…

    Virumaandi is to my mind the more watchable film, though…

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      June 10, 2010 at 7:17 PM

      I personally prefer Hey Ram but he definitely has greater ‘control’ over Virumandi. I wish he had basically switched to direction for the last 15 years or so and only acted occasionally.

      Like

  155. Zero Says:
    June 10, 2010 at 5:33 PM

    Yes, Virumaandi is 175 minutes. And Hey! Ram is in fact a good 10 minutes over 3 hours. One of the things I love here is how Kamal doesn’t shy away from “pure film” (in the sense Hitchcock used it) just because he’s dealing with a serious material. For instance, in the final hour, the first assassination attempt, the sequence that leads to Azad Soda Factory are all so grippingly done.

    Even his early 90s films were long. Mahanadhi (about 2hours 50 minutes) is again structured like an epic in which each hour represents a “phase” of sorts in the film. Other films like Guna and Thevar Magan are shorter, but still cross the 2 1/2 hours mark!

    Like

    • Qalandar Says:
      June 10, 2010 at 5:40 PM

      I agree with GF that Virumaandi is the more enjoyable film, certainly the one closer to my heart, but Hey Ram! is just about flawless. Barring a couple of dress changes (SRK needn’t be in full-on pashtun regalia every time he’s on), don’t think I would change anything about this film…

      …but one does have to make oneself re-visit this. Whereas Virumaandi just sucks you in. [Aside: what else has the woman who played abhirami done?]

      Like

  156. Satyam Says:
    June 10, 2010 at 7:23 PM

    Ab tak Bachchan

    HARSHIKAA UDASI

    Abhishek Bachchan on completing a decade in the film industry and the special rapport with Mani Ratnam.

    It was June 30, 2000. The young Bachchan scion was awaiting the release of his debut film Refugee, and was possibly, a bundle of nerves having not just alegendary father Amitabh Bachchan to match up to but also create a space of his own in the Hindi film industry. Cut to a decade later: June 18, 2010. Abhishek Bachchan will celebrate a decade in the industry with the release of Mani Ratnam’s Raavan. The nerves are showing no signs of existence as he has much more on his mind. Back from Istanbul after wrapping up the shoot of Abhinay Deo’s Game, Abhishek is busy with the promotion of Raavan. “I am very happy though that Mani’s film is marking my decade in the industry,” says Abhishek.

    Breaking rules

    Initially written off after a spate of flops, Abhishek made a tremendous comeback and rewritten the rules of the game in his favour. “It’s an industry that teaches you a lot,” he says, adding, “I have learnt that you can swim against the tide and survive. I am a living example of that. When most actors were busy building their six-packs, I was slapping on 20 kilos for Guru, which went on to become my most career-defining film. I have learnt that there are no formulae, no rules. Acting is an art and it has to be instinctive.”

    And it is by instinct that he chooses his roles. “I have also learnt that if you tell a story from the heart, it’s going to work. I have learnt it the hard way. In some of my earlier films, I tried doing what was `required’ even though deep down in my heart I did not want to and the results were out there. If your heart says this is right and the film fares badly at the box office, you can still be content that you followed your instincts,” he confesses.

    Make way for Beera

    He loved playing Beera, his character in Raavan. “I don’t think I will ever get to play anything like Beera again; in fact, not many actors will ever get to play anything like him. It’s one of those roles you don’t let go of,” he says. Ask him why the ace director always seems to cast him in grey roles and the reply is prompt, “Every human being is grey. I can’t think of characters that are all good or all bad. It gives more dimensions to them and makes them tactile.”

    Mani Ratnam has been largely responsible for the turnaround in Abhishek’s career. In 2003, after a dozen odd films ranging from flops to average hits, Mani gave him his most powerful role then – that of Lallan Singh in Yuva, which also starred Ajay Devgn and Vivek Oberoi. The Bachchan charisma made its mark and stood out in the movie. Talking about Mani Ratnam, Abhishek says that he is not just a director but a dear friend off the sets. “But on the sets, he is my guru. It is an invaluable experience to learn from his very presence, so obviously I am always looking for more work with him. The thing about Mani’s films is that once you’ve signed one you have to understand that it’s going to be no walk in the park. He takes you to unknown destinations and gets you to shoot in the most taxing circumstances and asks you for your inputs too. He is not a binding director. Even when we did Yuva, he asked me for inputs. He is always on the lookout for growth and improvement.” He reveals that on the sets of Raavan, Mani’s dinner time conversation would ultimately veer towards the film and he’d ask them if a certain shot was done well. “We’d be thinking he’s the guy who’s supposed to know. But that’s the style of this man. He okays a shot saying it was fantastic then makes you shoot for one more time asking you to make it dramatically different from the previous one. He wants the actor’s interpretation to be part of the film.”

    Abhishek seems to be taking great pains to build an eclectic repertoire. “I’d be terribly bored to get up each morning and go to the sets to do the same thing. It’s an effort to do as different films as Dostana, Delhi 6, Paaand Raavanat the same time and if you feel I am doing unique films then it has paid off. If I do the same thing thinking I know what the audience wants then I am wrong. We actors like to be in a comfort zone. I’d hate to do that. I like to be insecure about my craft, getting up each day and feeling as if it is my first and wondering how I’d tackle a certain scene. The day I get up feeling I know this like the back of my hand, I am finished,” he sums up.

    A bagful

    * Ashutosh Gowariker’s Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se * Rohan Sippy’s Dum Maaro Dum * Abhinay Deo’s Game * Tarun Mansukhani’sDostana 2

    Wish list

    I want to do either a Tamil or a Telugu film or possibly both. Mani had offered me Raavanan (the Tamil version of Raavan) and I was going to do it. But then I realised I am not comfortable with the language and didn’t want to rattle off dialogues without feel. I told Mani to wait for a year and that I’d pick it up, but we couldn’t wait. I will learn the language and if there is an opportunity act in films here.

    Like

  157. Satyam Says:
    June 11, 2010 at 2:22 AM

    Abhishek clarifies, Raavan not about Ramayana

    Pune : In the midst of a swirl of rumours surrounding his latest movie Raavan, Abhishek Bacchan sought to clear some air in a web-conference from Mumbai to Pune.

    The trailers of the movie suggest an avant-garde, almost surrealistic take on the Hindu epic. But unlike what the name may suggest, the movie is not based on the Ramayana. Nor is Bachchan playing the eponymous character in the film as we know him. He dons the role of Beera in the flick, who is nicknamed Raavan by his sister for displaying some traits of the demon king.

    “This is one of the purest characters I have ever portrayed. The film is like an abstract painting where everyone is allowed to interpret it in their own way,” says Bachchan.

    Another rumour that has been doing the rounds is that the central character is inspired by Maoist leader Khobad Ghandy. Re-iterating the strong denials he has been issuing, Bachchan shoots down the analogy saying, “Beera is not inspired by any real-life personality. What makes me feel proud about the film is that it is a unique piece of work. I must thank Mani for giving me this character,” he said.

    Many have been commenting that the film is a modern adaptation of Ramayana and that the characters display the shades depicted in the epic. “The only similarity I find between the film and Ramayana is that both can have varied viewer interpretations. Finally it is up to the viewer to go and watch any film however, I can assure you that it would be a great experience to spend three hours watching Raavan,” he added.

    With Aishwarya Rai- Bachchan’s aunty staying in city, the Bachchan’s have a strong connection with Pune and he says, “I love the city. It has grown from being a small town to a metropolis. I remember attending film festivals and hanging out at the FTII. The city has a strong association with cinema.

    Like

  158. Satyam Says:
    June 11, 2010 at 2:32 AM

    7 days to Raavanan- Mani’s shortest film!
    By Moviebuzz | Friday, 11 June , 2010, 10:21

    The buzz is getting bigger for Mani Ratnam’s Raavanan and Raavan in Hindi.

    Vikram and Abhishek Bachchan are going on a media overdrive, giving interviews and making appearances on television shows.

    Mani Ratnam’s Raavan and Raavanan, are the shortest film he ever made. The running time of both the versions is only 127 minutes or 2 hours and 7 minutes! It has beaten the record for the shortest Mani Ratnam film held by Roja, which was 137 minutes.

    Also read: I am flying, thrilled and intoxicated: Vikram

    Mani’s earlier films were all 2 hours and 30 minutes plus. In fact his last release in Hindi Guru had a running time of 166 minutes, which was criticized by the trade. Even Yuva was 161 minutes, Dil Se was 164 minutes and his longest movie in Tamil was the classic Iruvar, which was 165 minutes.

    The trade is very happy about Raavanan’s length, as theatres can fit more number of shows and they also do not have to trim the film. The buzz is that Raavanan at 2 hours and 7 minutes will be racy and entertaining.

    Like

  159. Satyam Says:
    June 11, 2010 at 8:15 AM

    Abhishek just confirmed it’s 127 min which means it makes it the shortest Rathnam other than KM.

    Like

    • Kassam Says:
      June 11, 2010 at 8:25 AM

      was expecting a longer film. It doesn’t seem to leave much time to set up the characters such as Ash’s marriage to Vikram so I guess Mani will be getting into the kidnapping pretty quickly.

      Like

      • Amit kumar pandey Says:
        June 11, 2010 at 8:37 AM

        Hi Kassam,rather it is good sign that the movie is not long..
        which might tell that the film will be compact without unnecessary scenes and in this way the movie will not be away from it’s story.. it’s my guess… do let me know what you think of it?

        Amit

        Like

        • Satyam Says:
          June 11, 2010 at 8:48 AM

          I’m going to do something off the top of my head but I think that if you went through the past decade you would not find a single blockbuster that’s this short. Now Rathnam is a skillful director and I didn’t feel KM (on the Sri Lankan issue) was short, nor did I ever feel this about some of the 2 hr Mukherjee films of the 70s. So I’m not devoted to length except that I think a story needs time to unfold in an emotional sense. So for example with Ghajini you had all the romance and humor of the first half which strictly speaking is not completely necessary. But you remove it and you lose a certain emotional investment in the tale in the sense that for the second half to really feel terrible when tragedy strikes you need those elements in the first half. A sense of having lived through it enough.

          Just used this as an example. There could be others. This was often the pleasure of an older cinema. The sense of being on a ‘journey’. When you make a film without ‘fat’ it’s often a greater film because everything in it is essential but it then sometimes it is not as cathartic. Now Guru and Yuva were both significantly longer than this. There’s no rule here. In recent times SR much like the first Sarkar was 2 hrs long. It didn’t feel short at all but RGV makes such intense, tense films that it’s just a different ballgame. Again in Rathnam’s KM nothing seemed rushed, I was in fact amazed to discover yesterday it was that short. But my point nonetheless stands. If this is going to be a big one it will be the first such film with that length. Incidentally Abhishek’s next with Gowariker is supposedly 2 hrs too. Rohan Sippy’s is not likely to be much longer.

          I think I’ve just made all the Raavan fans a little more nervous. Ha!

          Like

      • Satyam Says:
        June 11, 2010 at 8:42 AM

        as a general rule a 2 hr film has to be very skilfully handled for characterization reasons and for the audience to have enough emotional investment in the tale. Now this wasn’t an issue at all with KM, in fact I was quite surprised to discover yesterday it was this short but yes it is always a challenge to unpack a tale at that length. Because you might have a well paced film that is always very interesting but you might not satisfy in that emotional sense. On the other hand if you have Ash’s portions with Dev dealt with relatively quickly and then an end portion with a jungle chase and so forth you have a lot of time for just the central romance. Personally I am always partial toward longer films. But one assumes that since both Yuva and Guru (and in fact Dil Se) were significantly longer than this Rathnam wouldn’t have chosen this length if he’d not thought it appropriate.

        Like

        • ted Says:
          June 11, 2010 at 8:50 AM

          There was a comment from the people who’ve watched the film in twitter that Veer’s screen time is very less.

          I am looking for atleast 2.5 hrs time for raavan.

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          June 11, 2010 at 9:00 AM

          “There was a comment from the people who’ve watched the film in twitter that Veer’s screen time is very less.”

          That was more or less confirmed with the casting choices, wasn’t it? I mean, Vikram having a good share of screen time and enough scope in the Hindi version would have been interesting for sure even if not very likely, but Prithviraj vis-a-vis Vikram in Tamil?

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          June 11, 2010 at 9:05 AM

          Who or what is being referred to here with ‘Veer’? Vikram is Dev in the film.

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          June 11, 2010 at 9:01 AM

          And, of course, since the very first bits of promo, the film looked every bit to be about ‘Asokavanam.’

          Like

        • Zero Says:
          June 11, 2010 at 9:12 AM

          Oh, I intuitively read it as referring to the Dev role. (By the way, anyone knows what’s Prithviraj called in the Tamil film?) I assume that’s what Ted meant.

          Like

        • Satyam Says:
          June 11, 2010 at 9:14 AM

          he too is called Dev. According to the web site Abhishek is ‘Beera’ while Vikram is ‘Veeraiya’. Also Govinda and Karthik have different names.

          Like

      • Satyam Says:
        June 11, 2010 at 8:51 AM

        read somewhere that Kata Kata might more or less be near the beginning of the film. This makes a certain instinctive sense. Rukmani for example occurred very early on in Roja and then Arvind Swamy gets kidnapped (a structural similarity here.. that film was 137 min). But also one could imagine a scenario where this song happens, the event with Priyamani takes places, then a lull, perhaps the Vikram-Ash song and the kidnapping. I doubt there would be a flashback to the Vikram-ash romance once she is with Raavan.

        Like

        • GF Says:
          June 11, 2010 at 8:56 AM

          You’re killing me. I think I’m going to put myself on a five day hiatus from all things Raavan so I can go in there on the 18th with a little bit of mystery still intact!

          Like

        • mansi Says:
          June 11, 2010 at 8:57 AM

          yup..read on twitter yesterday dat kata kata is in d opening credits itself..!! nd they will show a shortened version of thok de killi in d film..!!

          Like

    • Zero Says:
      June 11, 2010 at 8:50 AM

      … and Alai Payuthe! I’m quite sure that’s his current shortest film.

      Like

  160. GF Says:
    June 11, 2010 at 8:53 AM

    127 can work if this is a focused adventure genre picture which is what I’m expecting…not an epic entirely in the mold of the source material.

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      June 11, 2010 at 9:10 AM

      yes I think you’re right, it will probably be structured that way.. and in fairness even if I don’t expect RGV’s Sarkar like intensity here it also does not seem like a ‘light’ film judging from the previews. So the 127 m might be worth more than the literal length.

      Like

      • GF Says:
        June 11, 2010 at 9:17 AM

        The thing about RGV’s intensity in the Sarkar movies is that it relies on a stasis more often than not. After a while the intensity becomes exhausting more than tense – not least because from a formal standpoint it’s not very new in any sense. There’s not a lot of cinematic dynamism to make the intensity an exhilarating experience in those and other RGV films (somewhere TS is cocking a pistol) whereas when Ratnam does something dark and intense, he always does so in a manner that’s surprising and energetic. RGV tends to make the viewer feel bogged down with the weight of his craft. Ratnam never does this.

        Like

        • Satyam Says:
          June 11, 2010 at 9:20 AM

          that is a fair characterization of RGV.. in operatic terms he’s always in crescendo mode! And yes Rathnam’s films always have a light touch irrespective of the subject.

          Like

  161. Satyam Says:
    June 11, 2010 at 9:01 AM

    US theater listing is up:

    http://raavan-thefilm.com/theatre.html

    it’s not an exhaustive list though. My suburban theater for example isn’t listed.

    Also they haven’t specified which ones are screening just Raavan, which ones Raavanan and so forth. Now of course the Hindi will be everywhere pretty much, I also know within my general are where the Tamil or Telugu will be screened but they should still specify.

    Like

    • GF Says:
      June 11, 2010 at 9:10 AM

      Awesome, thank you! Happy to see it’s playing in the AMC Village which is a just a short walk away….I was hoping it would be in the Times Square location because that tends to be the better screen/seating. Rajneeti for example had one of the finest screening rooms there when I went last week, and digital projection to boot…which is the first I’ve had for an Indian film and was really heartening to see. One hopes for the same with Raavan…no filmmaker deserves that kind of scenario more than Ratnam.

      I’m going to try to go FDFS on this, work permitting.

      Like

    • GF Says:
      June 11, 2010 at 9:12 AM

      Also, it’s of course playing at the BIG Cinemas/Imaginasian theater which is just not happening for me with a Ratnam movie…

      Like

    • GF Says:
      June 11, 2010 at 12:34 PM

      One wishes they had the Raavanan listing as well…don’t see this on the site.

      Like

  162. ted Says:
    June 11, 2010 at 9:08 AM

    sorry, Dev

    Like

  163. ted Says:
    June 11, 2010 at 9:18 AM

    Dev is in Tamil version, prithiviraaj

    According to the official website, Raavanan is not a story but a world. Dev (Prithivi), a policeman, falls in love with R

    Like

  164. Kassam Says:
    June 11, 2010 at 12:37 PM

    Raavan is a lifetime experience – Munna
    (some more great pics)

    http://sify.com/movies/Raavan-is-a-lifetime-experience-Munna-imagegallery-kollywood-kglkKhibaah.html

    Like

  165. Kassam Says:
    June 11, 2010 at 10:45 PM

    Interesting comment from Abhishek

    Raavan’ is a wonderful film and I’m very proud of it. I feel this is Mani’s most commercial film till date. I’m happy with the way it’s turned out. Mani has outdone himself. It is drastically different from his other films, which is a challenge, especially when the same team comes together.

    http://www.vattal.com/news/ive-broken-the-mould-in-my-films-abhishek-bachchan-interview/

    Like

  167. alex adams Says:
    June 12, 2010 at 3:33 PM

    http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Dhoom-3-is-coming-Abhishek/articleshow/6036932.cms

    Think abhishrek needs a few of these “safe” films like dhoom3 as of now…

    Like

  169. mansi Says:
    June 12, 2010 at 4:00 PM

    okk..some cool pics frm a raavan promotional event..ash lookin really beautiful nd abhi is hot as well..some cute pics of d couple as well..
    http://bit.ly/912coh

    Like

  170. hector Says:
    June 13, 2010 at 3:57 AM

    i thnk this length means more shows at multiplexes. Also im happy that the hype is subdued. But there is tremendous buzz among general public about RAAVAN. Advance booking will be good but the WOM is critical for movies like this to put big numbers.

    Like

  171. ted Says:
    June 13, 2010 at 8:08 AM

    Mani Ratnam inspires in those who work with him and the audience follows suit. They may make his films hits or flops but rarely will anyone say he doesn’t want to watch a Mani Ratnam film, which seemingly come with an in-built guarantee of exquisite cinematography, scintillating screenplay, amazing music, off-beat locations and mainstream actors in challenging roles.

    http://www.bangaloremirror.com/article/81/2010061220100612210608193beac7f83/%E2%80%98I-love-mindless-entertainers%E2%80%A6.html

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      June 13, 2010 at 10:05 AM

      “It has been reported that you met Ranbir Kapoor for a film…
      We have met once yes, but till the script falls in place I don’t know if we will work together. I have only seen one film of his, Saawariya, and I thought he gave a wonderfully uninhibited performance. Working together is a process and it takes a lot of effort and when you work with an actor you need somebody who will be equally enthusiastic about everything.”

      Like

      • Satyam Says:
        June 14, 2010 at 9:47 AM

        since it’s hard to believe that Ranbir wouldn’t be enthusiastic about working with Rathnam either 1)it’s a film directed by an assistant that Ranbir wasn’t too big on, Ranbir’s name came up in the film Oberoi is supposed to be doing 2)it’s a film directed by Rathnam himself where Ranbir isn’t necessarily the lead, don’t think it could be about the subject since he’s otherwise doing Rockstar!

        The first possibility seems more likely for the simple reason (and as I’ve always said) it’s very unlike Rathnam to start planning another film even before he has finished the current one. Specially after a shoot as difficult as Raavan/Raavanan one would think he wouldn’t be the most eager person to get into something else right away. Sure there are interesting scripts always doing the rounds that get discussed and so forth.

        Like

    • Satyam Says:
      June 14, 2010 at 9:48 AM

      You gave Bollywood AR Rahman with Roja and from there he went on to fascinate the world. How much would you say you have contributed to his success?
      My contribution to his career is very little, almost nothing. A talent like his would have emerged in any case. It just happened to be with Roja. That is one of those good coincidences. He was fantastic even then, and what he is doing today is just as amazing.

      now this is a classy response…

      Like

    • GF Says:
      June 14, 2010 at 9:56 AM

      This was a good interview – in general it’s good to hear from the man himself rather than just the cast at every other point.

      Like

  172. GF Says:
    June 14, 2010 at 10:02 AM

    http://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/jun/14/slide-show-1-south-best-performances-in-mani-ratnam-films.htm

    One can’t argue with the first three here but to include Baby Shamilee from Anjali and not Keerthana from KM seems a bit ridiculous…

    I’d also easily put Maddy’s work in KM on such a list. Not to mention Abhishek in Yuva.

    Like

    • Satyam Says:
      June 14, 2010 at 10:07 AM

      even if they’re just looking at the Tamil work Maddy should be mentioned for KM though this continues to be a very underrated performance.

      And yeah that other oversight is plain stupid!

      Like

Comments are closed.