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Ok Kanmani trailers (updated)




thanks to Varun Ashok & Idea..

thanks to Varun Ashok..

This entry was posted on April 4, 2015 at 5:41 AM and is filed under the ugly. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

96 Responses to “Ok Kanmani trailers (updated)”

  1. RajuJanak IdeaUnique Says:
    February 28, 2015 at 2:13 AM

    I am very happy with the choice of the heroine here – Nithya menon has wonderful expressive eyes and I watched few of her Telugu movies (with Eng Sub) – too good! this woman deserves lot more success and glad that Mani signed her up..

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  3. Utkal Mohanty Says:
    March 1, 2015 at 1:39 AM

    Niothing new here. Mani has been there and done it … a dozen times. I wonder, why hasn’t he trieda songless film..in all these years.

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    • An Jo Says:
      March 1, 2015 at 11:46 AM

      While I don’t ‘yearn’ for a songless film from Ratnam like you and never consider it a barometer of ‘greatness’ or ‘experimentation’ for a director, I do agree that this is a very average trailer with typical shots of Mani’s love-story films. There is just NOTHING novel here except the heroine..and of course looks like Rahman is on track for a great sound-track here..

      I understand Mani is now trying to first get one block-buster and get it out of his way, I have always preferred the ‘flawed’ pieces of wonderful art like Dil Se, Raavan, or Kadal to his ‘pitch-perfect’ ones like Roja or Bombay..

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      • sanjana Says:
        March 1, 2015 at 11:56 AM

        What about Nayagan?

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      • Satyam Says:
        March 1, 2015 at 3:15 PM

        Mostly agreed. I’d be kinder on the trailer though. Admittedly it seems to have to much of an Alaipayuthey vibe but he really needs a hit as you’ve pointed out. Raaavan did ok but he was mauled for Raavan in the North but with Kadal he got an even worse response in some ways, not least because the film was an utter box office tank, something which wasn’t even true for Raavan (something Nahta admitted months later). Ironically and though he wasn’t in exactly the same situation then Alaipayuthey was itself created for the same purpose. He’d had Dil Se and Iruvar right before this, neither film had worked. Also interestingly 15 years separate that film from this current production and almost the same period separates it from Mouna Raagam. AP of course became a very trendy film. And I will say that this trailer seems perfectly fine to me otherwise even if repetitive in some ways. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Ratnam got another trendy hit here. It might also be that he’s deliberately referencing the AP archive in some ways to draw the audience in, the film might otherwise be quite different. In any while I’m a fan of most of his films since the 80s that haven’t worked and am far less of a fan of those that have (barring an exception here or there) I can’t say I find his career problematic at all. But then there are box office realities and in this sense I don’t begrudge him an easy hit at all. If anything this points to his sincerity. In this kind of genre he’s willing to come up with something more predictable from time to time but he’s not willing to other compromise of his major subjects. I actually liked Kadal a lot too and I think it’s a misunderstood film in many ways though one whose failure didn’t exactly surprise me. But Ok Kanmani is definitely something I’ll be checking out in the theater.

        Getting back to your essential point I absolutely agree that those are his truly interesting films. I don’t even consider them flawed necessarily.

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        • Satyam Says:
          March 1, 2015 at 4:12 PM

          on that note does anyone know when the soundtrack is releasing? Here AP is obviously an extremely high bar but barring this I’d still expect something special.

          And contra Utkal I’d be horrified if Ratnam ever made a movie without songs. Even leaving aside Ratnam I have extreme impatience with this idea that Indian films should be without songs. It’s true that if one is just going to clone Hollywood or film festival formats one might as well get rid of the songs. And sadly that’s increasingly the case in Bombay. But otherwise film music is an absolutely integral and unique part of Indian cinema and it would be an utter shame to lose it.

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  4. An Jo Says:
    March 1, 2015 at 11:42 AM

    Is that shot in Bombay?

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  5. Utkal Mohanty Says:
    March 1, 2015 at 1:30 PM

    I like his relatively well-rounded films like Nayagan, Roja , Bombay and Guru. Likeeven more his more complex, ambitious and films which are reasinbaly successful in achieving wht they set out t do : Iruvar and Knnathil Muthumittal. I can accept failed attempts like Yuva, but cannot stand false efforts like Dil Se , and pity the state of creative barrennness that produced atrocities like Raavan.

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    • senthura Pandi Says:
      March 1, 2015 at 11:38 PM

      You can easily add Kannathil Muthamittal to the creative barrenness you mention. This movie was so superficial in its approach towards the Ealam issue and almost portrayed the Tamil Rebels as terrorists. There was a lack of sensitivity and fake usage of Tamil poetry(which Mani has no clue about).

      Kannathil Muthamittal was another of Mani’s superficialities that had no business to get made.

      But, outside audiences sensitive to the issue, the audiences swooned over the music and craft.

      Mani Ratnam has always sacrificed the nativity/language at the hands of his quest for pan-indian appeal…and to top all of it – in the absence of Sujatha – his main go-to writer, he has now hired the pitiable suhasini(wife) to write the screenplay/dialogs and that make his movies all the more unwatchable…

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  6. Utkal Mohanty Says:
    March 1, 2015 at 1:32 PM

    A songless film is not a mark of greatness or experimenation. But it would have helped him get out of the predicatble rut he has got into and allowed to him hone his narrative skills which he seems to have completeletely lost.

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  7. Utkal Mohanty Says:
    March 2, 2015 at 1:05 AM

    Even a director like Yash Chopra did a songless Ittefaq at one stage. I think the experience prepared for the narrative tightness of films like Deewar, Trishul and Kalpatthar. Deewar is essentially a songless film, where the Shai Kapoor-Neetu Singh songs has just been tagged in. Likewise Shakti too is practically a songless film.

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  8. Utkal Mohanty Says:
    March 2, 2015 at 2:42 AM

    For Mani’s sake, I hope it works. With the template of trendy young love story powered by Rahman’s melodies Gautam Menon hads set a new benchmark with Vinatandi Vaaruvaya. Let’s see what Mani comes up with now.

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  9. Utkal Mohanty Says:
    March 2, 2015 at 6:49 AM

    ‘Deewar has three songs though Yash chopra added them under distributor pressure.’ Exactly what I said: the main narrative is songless.

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  10. GF Says:
    March 2, 2015 at 9:19 AM

    Yeah, sure, this looks like nothing particularly different from Ratnam. Which is to say it looks like a good movie.

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    • Satyam Says:
      March 2, 2015 at 11:03 AM

      Ha! well stated! And of course there’s the strange thing about this criticism that when he does something different people attack it or say it’s not like his old stuff or it’s not like someone else’s stuff or whatever but then when he relies on signature it’s suddenly predictable and what not.

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  11. Utkal Mohanty Says:
    March 2, 2015 at 12:49 PM

    “Half the time you criticize Ratnam for not integrating his songs. Here you’re saying they’re not part of the narrative! ” Yes, because it is nota simple one-zero situation. Let’s take Deewar first, I am not applauding the songs for being out of the narrative. But yes, I am also saying it is good thing they are outside the core narrative. Because let us afce it, no one remembers Deewar for its songstoday, no one liked the film for its songs then. Why did distributors insist on songs to be included then ? Were the fools? Were Yash Chopra wrong in conceding? Not really. The Indian audience even today feels cheated if there isn’t a song or two tucked in somwehere in the film. It is 200% certain that the film wont have done half as well if thesongs weren’t there. eVen though the songs are used for loo breaks by mnay. Doesn’t matter. Indian attention span needs a few punctuations. Audence habits are chnaging. Today they can take a continuous narrative without the need for too mnay breaks. But the illusion of the film having songs is necssary, so that it fels like a ‘ commercial entertainer’ and nota dry ‘ art film’. That’s how films like Badlapur can do with songs in the background or i snatches, Of course the real big ticket films like say a PK or a Kick made in a comedic vein can fit a few songs in, though not too many in the main narrative.

    Coming back to Deeewar, if you have to force-fit a few songs, ina film like Deewar, it si better that they remain outside Vijay’s territory. So the core narrative of Vijay remains uncorrupted. Even in the other dark films of Amitabh like Zanjeer song situations are utside the main narartive… a chakuwali song,a mujra anda pathan Yaari Hai Iman song.

    In Ratnam films like Roja and Bombay the songs are built into the narrative and are totally in sync with the narative in mood and meaning. Mani falters in Dil Se , because the songs form the mainpart of the narrratuve and not designed as loo breaks or punctuatin marks like in Deewar, and yet the songs are at atangent to the core narrative and most times not in sync with the narrtaive in mood, meaning or geographical realism. A film like Yuva is more like Deewar in tone. THe accident on Howrah bridge sets the expectaion for heightend dram from strat to end. Sneaking ia song or two would have been fine. And just like Shahi-Neetu in Deeewar, the Vivek-Kareena track here provided that opprtunity. But Mnai had to go and spoil it by givinga song each to Abhisk-Rani and Ajay-Esha as well. It was as unimaginative as JP Dutta givng each pair in LoC a duet , or Gowarikar givinga song each for each of the suitors in Raashee. Gowarikar who waeved in thesongs so well in Lagaan, faltered again in Swades, forgetting that the tone of the two films were totaly diferent. The former was a fairy tale, the latter a docu-drama , though witha failry-taleelemnt. The only songs it could take were ‘ Yeh Jo Desh Mera and Woh Tara, and maybe, just another song in the background osmeplaceto undeline the growing love between Sharukh and Gyatri Joshi. The extra love song and the ram leela song should have been snipped. Vishal Bhardwaj has used songs so brillinatly in Haider. Only the Khule Kabhi is a picturised song inatrdaitional mode…but it is so dreamy, slow and smouldering, it goes with the mood of love between Haider and Arshia reaching the combustion point. Bismil is a part of the drama… crafted masterly using the Kashmii folk dance and the bhand tradition which we have beenlaready itroduced to. The Grave yeard song again is pure drama. The Jhelum Jhelu song is used as an evocative background track t hr haunting visuals of death and depradation. A few snatches ofa dolorous Kashmiri folk song si hummed by Arshai as her father and brother’s bodies are being readied for cremation. And te best song of the album, Arijit Sngh singing Gulon mein rang bharein from Faiz is not even used! We only hear the doctor in prison hum the first few lines in his own voce and the restwe imagine. Taht si control… when you dont give in to temptaion of using it, just because you have this beautful song recorded. The dramatic integrity comes first! I was really impressed to see hoiw much Vishal has matured asa filmmaker.

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    • Satyam Says:
      March 2, 2015 at 1:41 PM

      But in Shakti (your other example) Vijay is part of two songs including the love song..

      On your audience point even today you can easily correlate films without songs with a certain kind of gross. In other words even when successful a film without songs ends up making a fraction of what other films do. Now one could argue that there is also a difference of genres. True. But that highlights the larger point that when you attempt a more mainstream film you have to add songs irrespective of genre and if there is a genre that cannot be dealt with this way it is not converted into a mainstream film at all! In fact I could think of many mainstream attempts that were not such and should have opened on limited release but nonetheless songs were added to to these.

      On the rest the problem is that you’re arbitrarily setting up standards. So it’s ok to simply add songs in Deewar as long as they’re not part of the main narrative and don’t disturb it. But in fact they do. Deewar is a mood film throughout and it cannot incorporate such love songs. But leaving this aside I think you still have too traditional a view of how film music is employed. Which is fine except that the best directors often subvert these histories. From Raj Kapoor to manmohan Desai and others. Because the music video or song works in a traditional narrative a certain way and differently when the narrative itself is altered. So for example with Dil Se I find the music completely integrated. But one has to pay attention to the narrative here as well. If some songs nonetheless seem added on they are no more so than in other Ratnam films. How does hummma suddenly happen in Bombay? There are many such examples elsewhere (Thiruda Thiruda is another one). I am not saying every Ratnam song is totally justified but how he uses them cannot be understood in the first place without figuring out what he’s upto in the narratives. In fact Ratnam’s treatment can often be operatic in this sense (where Hindi film music isn’t traditionally so as is often wrongly assumed). The music video in a way becomes a counterpoint to the narrative (upto that point). It is connected to the latter but reconfigures it in a sense. The classic example here is Satrangi in Dil Se where the film’s entire emotional arc is laid bare (Ratnam said in an interview at the time that the film itself was meant to move from stage to stage in terms of a sufi love discourse). So to be true to Dil Se one really cannot compare it with other kinds of narratives. One has to do the work to understand what Ratnam is attempting. One can still dislike the film of course but one must be sure one isn’t using the wrong frame to enter its world. For instance the film might be read as a biography of the nation-state through the prism of its anarchic centers. The film represents an inversion where we start off with the normative ‘Delhi’ character SRK who’s completely disoriented in this new world he journeys into and who falls in love with a woman he can never quite get. As audience we are on his side. But at some point the director performs a marvelous switch so that when the film returns to Delhi this nerve-center of Indian politics and national imagining seems like the truer and more claustrophobic heart of darkness. And now SRK cannot be totally at home here either. I’m not saying that this is the only possible reading of the film, just that Ratnam has some of these things on his mind and in this sense all his choices have to be understood a certain way. There is a ‘vertigo’ that operates at the heart of the film (again captured very well when Satrangi begins). As I’ve said earlier at length (and I won’t repeat it here) Raavan is really most closely linked to Dil Se among all of his works. Here too things take place in Asokavanam (the film’s original title) and from the perspective of this world it is Ram’s order that is brutal and violent and everything from the State to the bourgeois order are implicated in it. Again we see how the seemingly mindless ‘Maoist’ violence is really a consequence of what the State has done. Again I’ve said much (too much!) on all of this in the past. But my point here is that you have to approach certain directors in certain ways. You can’t just keep your traditional schemas in mind or come up with an arbitrary understanding of how forced songs are ok in Deewar but not elsewhere. Ratnam in any case is constantly trying to subvert these music video traditions, at least in his later work.

      At the end of the day (I always make this point to you Utkal) is that there are some films that are worthy that you will not like. The same is true in any art form. No one can personally like or understand or relate to everything that is of value. One shouldn’t be anxious about this. It’s just a fact of life!

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    • GF Says:
      March 2, 2015 at 5:33 PM

      “Mani falters in Dil Se , because the songs form the mainpart of the narrratuve and not designed as loo breaks or punctuatin marks like in Deewar, and yet the songs are at atangent to the core narrative and most times not in sync with the narrtaive in mood, meaning or geographical realism.”

      So..which one is it? I really don’t mean offense but this comment makes little sense. I highlight it because it’s your central criticism of Ratnam, but it’s a kind of schizoid criticism. And I’ll wager that the reason for this is because your problem is with the films themselves. Don’t think the song-usage or execution or whatever in these movies would have changed your opinion a whole lot.

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  12. Utkal Mohanty Says:
    March 2, 2015 at 2:09 PM

    The way Ratnam uses songs in Roja or Bmaby were not traditional at all, and that is why he shot into the nationbal consciousness like a rocket. You talk of Humma. Ye it appears out of nowhere. But the mood of the song the erotic energy is in pefect sync with the mood – the nupital consummation- and when the camra cuts awy from thedancers to the playful Manisha it segues seamlesssly. The same with Kuchi Kuchi Rakamma

    A s for Dil Se , I have pinted out how the Chhiayan Chhiayn song remains justa titilating item number not reflecting the inner landscape of a youngman lost in the mystery of a woman of whom he had onlya fleting glance. The love between the boy and the local girl does not becomes sufi love jsut by the diretor saying it. ( Rockstar gets much closer to sufi love and the msic there has beenused perfectly.) Just as Raavan does not become a mdern take on Ramayan just because the director suas so or because the director saus so. The emotional vacuity of the film is so obvious to all except who belive somehow just becausea Citizen Cane was canonized after a likuwarm reception that every blamnd film that gets rejected today will somehow gain cult status in fifty years. Some films are bad films. Even the best of directors make them. Even Raj Kapoor madea a Satyam Shivam Sundaram and Mnamohan Desai made a Ganga Jamuna Saraswati and Woody Allen made a Magic in the Moonlight, and Satyajit ray a Shakaha Prosakha and Ganashatru.

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  13. Utkal Mohanty Says:
    March 2, 2015 at 10:02 PM

    GF: ‘Don’t think the song-usage or execution or whatever in these movies would have changed your opinion a whole lot.” Agreed. I have problem with the basic narrative . I think it is insincere and in contrast to the title didn’t come from the heart. It was kind of, after Kashmir and Bombay let me do North East. The physiognomy of love between a journalist from Delhi and a North-Eastern terrorist was false from the word go. Shahrukh was the frisky Rahul from his earlier films and did not come across as a kind of person who would fall in love with a terrorist. And the Chhaiyan Chhaiyan song destroyed all possibility of a buy-in into this singular passion. Songs like Dil Se and E Ajnabi were the right expressionistic translation of the lovers’ inner landscape. But not Sat Rangi. It was picturized as a trendy ad film rather than a sufi meditation. The seven stages of love described in the song is not relevant to the kind of relationswhip Shahrukh and Manisha are having. Heck, they are not even shown getting physical. And that is loudest false note in the choreography of their relationship. When two people from different culture, different social and linguistic background forge a relationship, the strongest element of their attraction is likely to be physical. And any man-woman relationship in the backdrop of violence, danger and social border-crossing will have an intense physical core. Imitiaz Ali in Rockstar and Vishal Bharadwaj in Haider have not recognized the primacy of physicality in such a relationship. There are many such false notes and gaps throughout the film. The MTV-like picturization of songs only adds to the falseness. Mani himself did sucha wonderful job in Kannathil Muttumithal. It had fanciful picturization of songs, but since the heart was in the right place, they sync in, creating the desired expressionistic effect. But not so in Dil Se.

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  14. sanjana Says:
    March 2, 2015 at 11:04 PM

    Interesting discussion. Both Satyam and Utkal seem to be right. At the end of the day I remember Dil Se for its music videos than story. But those music videos were magnificent.

    DDLJ triumphed inspite of so many songs because the story was visible to the mass audience. There were no music videos but songs sung and enacted by the leads in a straightforward way.

    Bombay succeeded because the story was visible. It was such a relevant story during those times. Except Humma, I liked all the other song picturisations.

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  15. LS Says:
    March 2, 2015 at 11:23 PM

    I too remember Dil Se as a string of beautiful music videos.

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  16. Utkal Mohanty Says:
    March 3, 2015 at 12:32 AM

    Correction: Imitiaz Ali in Rockstar and Vishal Bharadwaj in Haider have not shied away from recognizing the primacy of physicality in such a relationship.

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  18. Saurabh Says:
    March 4, 2015 at 10:13 AM

    As I always suspected, wish Fahadh would have taken this up-

    REVEALED: Fahadh Faasil Was The First Choice For Ok Kanmani!

    http://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/news/2015/revealed-fahadh-faasil-was-fthe-first-choice-for-ok-kanmani-175603.html

    “Fahadh Faasil, young talented actor of M’town was the first choice for the upcoming Mani Ratnam directed flick, Ok Kanmani. According to P C Sreeram, the cinematographer of the movie, Fahadh Faasil was initially considered for the lead role in the movie. But the actor couldn’t take up the project due to his further commitments. According to the reports, Fahadh’s lack of fluency in Tamil language was also a reason behind the actor’s decision to back out from the project. Later, the offer went on to Telugu actor Ramcharan Teja; but the makers felt that Ramcharan doesn’t suits the character. Finally, Mani Ratnam decided to rope in Dulquer Salmaan for the role; after watching the actor’s movies.

    Reports suggest that Mani Ratnam is highly impressed with the films and acting skills of Fahadh Faasil. The veteran director, who always follows the Malayalam movies and actor, was extremely keen to cast Fahadh in his movies. Mani Ratnam has always been vocal about his admiration for the Malayalam actors, including Mammootty, Mohanlal, Prithviraj etc. Interestingly, the veteran filmmaker directed his second movie in Malayalam. The movie, which was titled as Unaru, had Mohanlal and Sukumaran in the central roles. The fans and media are eagerly waiting for a project, which will mark the association of Mani Ratnam and Fahadh Faasil.”

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    • chipguy Says:
      March 4, 2015 at 12:49 PM

      If Fahadh is really not fluent in Tamil, this is probably for the best as much as I would like to have seen him work with Ratnam.

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      • Saurabh Says:
        March 4, 2015 at 1:46 PM

        CG: Not sure if you saw it earlier, but the new Sathyan Anthikad film with Mohanlal and Manju Warrier-

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        • chipguy Says:
          March 4, 2015 at 1:50 PM

          Yes, I’ve been following this, looking forward to it. Since both of them are exceptional actors, I’d have liked to seen them in something more hard-hitting than a safe Satyan Anthikkad comedy but I’ll take what I get. If you haven’t seen them together, they were great in Lohithadas’ Kanmadam from the late 90s.

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        • Saurabh Says:
          March 5, 2015 at 6:33 AM

          CG: I would try and look if a subtitled transfer of that film (and the one GF talks about) exists. I haven’t seen any film of Manju Warrier (though I do want to check out the recent “How Old are You”)

          You are perhaps right on Fahadh (I do recall an interview where he did say that he doesn’t see himself doing films in other languages simply because he isn’t comfortable speaking Tamil and Hindi), but it is still nice to know that someone like Rathnam was aware of him and his work. Incidentally Fahadh seems to have had two major duds in the form of Mariyam Mukku and Haram. I think he needs to course correct quickly before it’s too late, perhaps cut down on the number of films in a year and do better stuff. His next is written by Ranjith BTW so I hope that turns out to be a worthwhile film. I haven’t seen either Mariyam Mukku or Haram, but from its trailers the latter atleast looked quite interesting (and certainly not a complete misfire).

          BTW did you get around to watching Munnariyippu. For my money Mammootty’s performance was the one of the best lead performances by a male in 2014 anywhere in the world (I will easily take it over almost of the Oscar nominees). Also I simply loved the film, one of the best Malayalam films I have seen from the modern era. Also not sure if you are aware, bit the DVD of Iyobinte Pusthakam was out sometime back, haven’t gotten around to it though.

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        • chipguy Says:
          March 5, 2015 at 1:32 PM

          Saurabh, How Old Are You isn’t bad, but to my mind, it isn’t a patch on what Manju was capable of in her heyday. I would suggest Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu if you can find it to see her in her prime.
          I do have Munariyippu, Varsham and Iyobinte Pusthakam DVDs lined up- just haven’t managed to get around to it.
          Agree that Fahadh is having quite a dry spell now, but still have interest in watching Haram. Hopefully he can pull something else interesting out soon.

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        • GF Says:
          March 4, 2015 at 5:18 PM

          That little exchange in the first clip is a sweet if too-obvious tip of the hat to Sathyan and Lal’s classic, Gandhinagar Second Street, which is one of their very best collaborations.

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        • chipguy Says:
          March 5, 2015 at 12:18 AM

          Yup, that was quite an obvious nod, but still charming nevertheless

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  19. Ami Says:
    March 4, 2015 at 11:02 AM

    This looks like a rather safe multiplex rom com. It will be interesting to see if this film can capture the zeitgeist in the way AP did. From the brief interactions we do see in the trailer, it doesn’t look like it has the authenticity that AP possessed. But I suppose there are a lot of worse things than a well made if generic romance from MR starring two of the most charismatic young southern actors.

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    • Ami Says:
      March 4, 2015 at 11:05 AM

      *lot worse

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    • RajuJanak IdeaUnique Says:
      March 4, 2015 at 8:48 PM

      ami – if u’ve seen any of Nithya Menon’s films – that lady is worth all the praise – acts with eyes – superb and I am happy she is getting her dues.

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      • Ami Says:
        March 5, 2015 at 5:50 AM

        I agree: a much better choice that Alia Bhatt, who was first offered this role!

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        • Saurabh Says:
          March 5, 2015 at 6:17 AM

          Ami: I am not too sure why would Rathnam even consider Alia for this role considering he wasn’t making a Hindi version here and I don’t think Alia can speak a word of Tamil/Malayalam (Of course they could dub her voice, but Rathnam never resorts to dubbing voices of his actors as far as I know).

          And I agree with you that Nithya is a far better actress, in fact I believe she is a better performer than Dulquer and she owned every scene they shared in the fantastic Ustad Hotel.

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        • GF Says:
          March 5, 2015 at 7:55 AM

          Ratnam’s ADR’d several non-native speakers, whether in his bilingual efforts or otherwise. Off the top of my head there’s Manisha, Aishwariya Rai, Simran, Tabu, Esha Deol, Nandita Das. There are likely more. Wouldn’t be an uncommon move for him.

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        • GF Says:
          March 5, 2015 at 8:00 AM

          Although having said that I’m glad he dodged that bullet here. I’ve not seen Alia Bhatt in anything, so that’s not a knock on her, I’m just not the biggest fan of this sort of move. A performance isn’t entirely about dialogue delivery, but, particularly when there’s a familiar actor in a role where it’s not his or her voice, it can be a tad distracting.

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        • RajuJanak IdeaUnique Says:
          March 5, 2015 at 10:51 AM

          Saurabh – if u find Ustaad Hotel somewhere on the net with ENG. Subtit. – pl share the link man – I am dying to see it

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        • Ami Says:
          March 5, 2015 at 4:08 PM

          Yes, Ustaad Hotel is a wonderful little film. I didn’t think Nitya Menon outshone Dulquer though. I have to say that I really like him; he’s a talented and endearing actor who’s been making some very interesting film choices.

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      • Krish Says:
        March 5, 2015 at 5:14 PM

        I would have preferred Nazriya over Nithya here. No one acts better with the eyes than her….

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  20. Saurabh Says:
    March 5, 2015 at 6:51 AM

    This will create even more buzz for Ok Kanmani in Kerala atleast considering this too stars the same lead pair-

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  21. Krish Says:
    March 5, 2015 at 5:18 PM

    Isnt the name of the movie O Kadhal Kanmai?

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  22. venky Says:
    March 6, 2015 at 3:23 PM

    Mani sir 😦

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  24. Saurabh Says:
    March 15, 2015 at 5:37 AM

    The full song will be out on the 17th-

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  26. Satyam Says:
    March 18, 2015 at 10:25 AM

    AR Rahman- Mani Ratnam’s Oh Kadhal Kanmani’s audio release date is here…
    The most awaited OK Kanmani’s audio release date is here!
    Mar 18, 2015

    The single track from OK Kanmani, ‘Mental Manadhil’ was released yesterday and as expected the song has enjoyed a rousing reception among music lovers.

    Now coming to the most sought-after date for all AR Rahman fans, which happens to be the audio release date of OK Kanmani, our sources close to the team have hinted that the audio will hit the stores on the 27th of March.

    Coming from the brand of A.R.Rahman – Mani Ratnam, the songs are expected to be in a league of their own. With hardly 10 days to go for the audio launch, the expectation is sure to skyrocket in the coming days.

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  27. Saurabh Says:
    April 4, 2015 at 11:06 AM

    The entire soundtrack-

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    • Satyam Says:
      April 7, 2015 at 10:52 AM

      I’ve only heard snippets so far.. but as always when Rahman does something for Ratnam it’s special. Naane varugiren might be the one I like most at this early point. Love the fact that the album has a great deal of the ‘classical’ to it. Also it’s easy to connect this album with a certain 90s Rahman archive. And I am always partial to a Rahman work that does this. Much as I love Rahman elsewhere too I am most moved in a sense by this phase of his. Of course Rahman still doesn’t repeat himself on these important soundtracks. So this is a mellower Rahman in some ways and here it ‘continues’ the otherwise very different Kadal soundtrack. I really liked the former and I don’t think I’ll be liking this current one less. And I must say I am quite psyched about the movie at this point. Between the trailers and now the soundtrack it’s impossible to resist this combo! Even if the trailers don’t suggest anything radically new from the director the Ratnam ‘classic’ signature on this score is still head and shoulders above most others.

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  30. Satyam Says:
    April 14, 2015 at 7:06 AM

    It was only lyricist Vairamuthu who added some spice to the event by saying that ‘OK Kanmani ‘is an experimental film and will create cultural tremor in society.

    http://www.sify.com/movies/OK-Kanmani-Audio-Launch-imagegallery-kollywood-penk5Wjjecheb.html

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  31. Qalandar Says:
    April 15, 2015 at 3:22 PM

    I finally saw all of these trailers — can’t say this is what I want Mani Ratnam to be making right now, but I love the shots of Bombay here…can’t wait to watch it for that reason alone.

    I also got the audio CD today; still “digesting” it, but even on a quick listen I was blown away by Naanu Varugiraen; and really really liked Parandhu Sella Vaa and Malarial Kaettaen. And more than one of the remaining songs (e.g. Mental Manadhil) are very stylish. I’ll never get tired of saying that I could do without the rap though (Kaara Aatakkaara)…

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    • Qalandar Says:
      April 17, 2015 at 7:04 AM

      I am now officially addicted to this album….planning on catching the film this weekend (I just pray the print in Bombay has subtitles).

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      • GF Says:
        April 17, 2015 at 9:12 AM

        Look forward to your thoughts if you catch it. Hopefully Rangan has something up too. All signs point to this being Ratnam Lite, but that’s still better than anything in sight.

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        • Qalandar Says:
          April 17, 2015 at 9:14 AM

          Yeah, from the trailer the film doesn’t excite me very much (Bombay visuals do, though!), but I’d love to be pleasantly surprised here…

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        • Satyam Says:
          April 17, 2015 at 9:24 AM

          I thought so too and that’s probably true compared to the other stuff he’s been doing for a while. On the other hand the Vairamuthu comment gives me some hope and Ratnam’s own comments suggest that he very much sees this a part of a continuum with his two earlier romances. Or that he perhaps sees them linked in a kind of evolution towards greater freedom. He talks about it in generational terms but he also focuses on the women. And it’s true that even in AP (let alone Mouna Ragam) the woman’s character is a bit more interesting.

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        • Satyam Says:
          April 17, 2015 at 10:18 AM

          on that note each of these romances takes place in a different city. Mouna Ragam in Delhi, AP in Chennai, now Ok Kanmani in Bombay.

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      • Satyam Says:
        April 17, 2015 at 10:20 AM

        yes it’s a blockbuster soundtrack.. on that note I love ‘I’ as well. In fact I was just revisiting a few music videos from it yesterday (they’re now officially available on youtube) and I just love them. Specially Merasalayitten. But all three are mad in the classic Shankar way and quite creative in the same sense. Admittedly the film doesn’t quite match those videos.

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  32. Satyam Says:
    April 16, 2015 at 10:15 PM

    Ratnam interview when you go to the main page:

    http://behindwoods.com

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      • Satyam Says:
        April 17, 2015 at 6:41 AM

        thanks.. will watch it later..

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      • Satyam Says:
        April 17, 2015 at 9:34 AM

        The Rajni/Kamal contrast he offers is interesting. He doesn’t quite juxtapose them in that sense but his terms in each case are somewhat different. He stresses for instances the completeness of Kamal in terms of understanding cinema all-round and bringing that greater knowledge to everything he does, and of course his performance skills are obviously there. But then with Rajni it’s his enormous stardom but also, and this I found interesting, his spontaneity and ‘freedom’ (think he uses this term). And this is a valuable contrast to offer even in a larger sense. The greatest stars always exhibit this freedom because they principally trade in a signature. They’re not thinking very hard about a ‘performance’ in the Kamal sense of the word. This is true for Rajni (even if he is underrated as an actor, I don’t believe he’s like MGR in this sense who was in my view, and I might get shot for this, a non-actor) and it’s true of most ‘megastars’. Bachchan is a rare exception in this sense because he can do both (beyond a point he fuses both effectively.. I sometimes regret this..). The only other exceptions I can think of in this sense are Mammootty and Mohanlal. They’re as much stars (with strong signatures) as actors. Kamal doesn’t have signature in the same sense. Much as Sivaji Ganesan was lesser in this sense compared to MGR (though stronger than Kamal on this score, Kamal among all the major stars of Indian film history is least star-like in this sense.. it is also something that’s been the source of some anxiety for him..!).

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        • venky Says:
          April 17, 2015 at 4:03 PM

          I don’t know if it’s Kamal or you who display great levels of anxiety on this subject.

          Read Baradwaj rangan book on Mani, a whole chapter is on the talent +superstar that is Kamal, only star in planet earth who has reigned as a superstar (still making 2 straight all time blockbusters in Tamil cinema in 00’s, let’s not even go to 90’s or 80’s) for 41 years straight as a lead!

          As Rajini says, ‘I haven’t touched what Kamal has done, but Kamal has touched what I have done’

          And if Kamal wants stardom, he’d have done Sakalakalavallavan, Thongadhey thami thoongadhey all his life..

          Envy of Amitabh bachchan, and other superstar fans in India, I don’t blame you.

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        • venky Says:
          April 17, 2015 at 4:05 PM

          Mani on Giants Kamal and Rajini

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        • Satyam Says:
          April 17, 2015 at 4:53 PM

          How about relaxing?

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    • Satyam Says:
      April 17, 2015 at 10:34 AM

      Absolutely delightful read as always!

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      • GF Says:
        April 17, 2015 at 10:43 AM

        Yeah this was heartening…hopefully will get to catch this soon. He clearly seems to think the actress is the best thing here, but if he’s suggesting Dulquer is comparable to Madhavan, (even if this is just in the AP mold) that’s pretty strong praise in my book. I think and hope he’ll will probably have less trouble managing his career than Madhavan did down the line.

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  35. An Jo Says:
    April 17, 2015 at 11:51 AM

    I caught this one the first day. Mani is ‘on’ the way back to form [though I don’t think he COMPLETELY lost form anytime]. This is a clear-cut, breezy, aimed at the youth and the box-office movie without ‘diluting’ Mani’s standards.

    Might write something if I get time. But you can watch it once for sure without hesitation.

    And Nithya is a PHENOMENON. A fantastic, fantastic screen-presence and face.

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    • Satyam Says:
      April 17, 2015 at 12:10 PM

      good to hear An Jo.. and hope you do a longer piece..

      I think he’ll certainly get a multiplex success here..

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    • Saurabh Says:
      April 17, 2015 at 1:46 PM

      An Jo: Thanks, this is very heartening to know. Nithya is a fine talent, and she was terrific in Ustad Hotel.

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      • chipguy Says:
        April 17, 2015 at 1:54 PM

        Yes, it isn’t surprising that she seems to be walking away with all the accolades here- she’s definitely extremely talented with loads of screen presence. Like Parvathy, she deserves a lot more than I think she’s got so far. On Dulqar, it’s still early days, but given his gritty debut in Second Show, would be a pity if he ended up getting typecast in urbane, slacker roles.

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    • Satyam Says:
      April 17, 2015 at 12:23 PM

      by the way this again makes the Ratnam opposition look silly. He can do this sort of safe thing any given day. And make it look fresh at the same time. When he’s doing other stuff he’s clearly aiming for something a lot more ambitious. The idea that he just makes ‘mistakes’ with those films or forgets how to make a film or whatever.. this is just absurd. So for instance his Kadal was mauled by everyone in TN. But this film was clearly not trying to be a usual love story. Ratnam has much more ‘metaphysical’ concerns here. And again one could go down the list over the last 20 years. Whenever he’s really wanted to make a hit he’s done it but his really instincts (thankfully) lie elsewhere. And I say this as someone who loves AP or Mouna Ragam as much as anyone else. So I’m not opposed to these films at all. But a thing must be recognized for what it is before a proper critique can begin. Otherwise ‘hey I couldn’t connect to Antonioni’! The problem must lie with him..!

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  37. Satyam Says:
    April 17, 2015 at 12:16 PM

    On Alaipayuthey hangover in OK Kanmani, Mani says “The film is definitely not a sequel to Alaipayuthey as people say; it’s not an extension of Karthik or Sakthi’s characters. Here the lead characters are different, the backdrop is different and I’m sure one could see minimum fifteen years difference from Alaipayuthey (laughs)”…

    http://www.sify.com/movies/i-m-a-mainstream-filmmaker-says-mani-ratnam-news-malayalam-peqttzegdacea.html

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  38. Satyam Says:
    April 17, 2015 at 2:21 PM

    http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/oh-kadhal-kanmani-classical-yet-cool/article7066324.ece

    ‘explains’ Rahman in certain ways on this soundtrack. Incidentally my favorite is Naane Varugiraen. It’s a jewel of a song.

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    • Saurabh Says:
      April 17, 2015 at 2:31 PM

      I too love that song. BTW if you haven’t yet, do give the soundtrack of Uttama Villain a listen. This is as “different” a soundtrack as it gets. And Ghibran is a extremely talented composer

      BTW here is a damn good site for the english translations and meanings of Tamil songs- they also have the translations for the lyrics of Ok Kanmani’s songs
      http://www.tsonglyrics.com/search/label/englishtranslation

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      • Satyam Says:
        April 17, 2015 at 3:31 PM

        I’ve meant to for a while but haven’t had the chance.. liked the song in one of the trailers a lot..the video itself was great too..

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        • Krish Says:
          April 17, 2015 at 6:08 PM

          The songs are wonderful in OKK. The reviews are very nice too. Both leads are liked. Dulquer I always thought has a wonderful and charming presence more so in this kind of movie. Fahaad is a wonderful actor but I don’t think he can carry this light role as well as Dulquer does so I am glad Mani didn’t go with his original choice.

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  39. An Jo Says:
    May 21, 2015 at 10:25 AM

    Yet, for all his belief in the goodness of life, Mani’s films show that life is too complicated for goodness to permeate it completely.

    http://www.rediff.com/movies/column/mani-ratnam-and-the-art-of-innocence/20150521.htm

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