Twenty-five years, 15 film albums, innumerable chartbusters... Mani Ratnam and AR Rahman are arguably the greatest director-composer duo of our time. Ahead of the release of their latest offering, Kaatru Veliyidai, The celebrated duo takes a walk down memory lane with Chennai Times, talking about everything… from the moment when Mani Ratnam heard Rahman’s music for the first time to how their composing sessions are today.
What was the first thing that struck you when you listened to Rahman’s music, way back in 1992?
Mani Ratnam (MR): When you listen to music, you listen to music. You like it very much or not. For me, his music was just amazing. It took me out from where I was sitting and transported me to a different world.
AR Rahman (AR): Not everyone gets a Mani Ratnam movie for their first film. So, imagine how cool it must have been for me!
MR: And not everyone gets AR Rahman’s first film, too! (laughs)
Did you feel any pressure at that time?
AR: I had a lot of pressure. He was very kind, but outside, they were all looking at me like, ‘What! You, composing for a Mani Ratnam film? What are you gonna do?’ I wouldn’t play the songs to everyone, but some people would come and listen. There was this gentleman who supplied music equipment. He had helped me get all my equipment. So, he came and listened, and he was silent. After a while, he asked, ‘What have you done? This is a disaster. Where’s the tabla? Where’s the violin? They are what make a song. Not this stuff.’ I was really concerned and told Mani Ratnam ‘I’m going to add tabla and violin’, and he told me, ‘Don’t do anything. This is perfect.’
As a director, were you, at any point of time, concerned if the audience would get what Rahman was doing with Roja**? Was there any worry that the music could be ahead of its time?**
MR: No. I looked at it as a director. And a director is a very selfish person. His first priority is his film. The film was called Roja, it was set in Kashmir and the music that he played had the feel of that winter - that cold of that place. So, I was not worried if somebody would get it. I was getting it. Also, I thought it was absolutely fantastic and it was just going to lift my visuals.
AR: I remember he came to my mother and said, ‘I’m doing a movie with your son now. If this doesn’t work out, I’ll do another movie with him.’ He didn’t really have to say that.
After Roja**, which changed the sound
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Especially Mani.
At least for me - it feels like the 'ego' has gotten to his head a bit (understandable) & he isn't easily willing to accept and work with younger gen's ideas. He still does what he thinks is right even though many others may try to advise him.
Cos even in this day & age - Mani makes a movie like Kaatru Veliyidai. Which was trash - minus the usual breathtaking cinematography & terrific ARR score.
Yes I know he's now doing Navarasa - as a producer, which is good to see.
Any more such 'old-school' filmmakers who have got stuck due to their inability to 'move on / catch up' with the times?
Since it's Mani it will be obviously something worth watching. I don't have any expectations from Binodini Dasi biopic since she fucked up real bad with everything.
I wanted to develop some pulihora skills. So I decided to watch movies which would help my skills. Mani ratnam's movies were a part of the list. So suggest an order to watch them ?
#Dil Se for context, is that classic that has given us the most iconic dance number in Hindi Cinema--- Chaiyya Chaiyya and the likes of Jiya Jale, Ae Ajnabi among others.
However, for me, it didn't age well. In fact, it's quite problematic to start with. Keeping aside the symbolisms, the direction, the music, the choreography, the cinematography(which, in my honest opinion, are perfect) the script (by the director and Tigmanshu Dhulia), is scary and not in a good way. Oh, adding to that are the poor performances by the leads and Manisha Koirala's clumsy execution of a good choreography.
Throughout the first half of the movie, the male protagonist (Aman, Shah Rukh Khan) is stalking and molesting the female protagonist(Meghana/Moina, Manisha Koirala), in the name of infatuation. All the while, when Meghana had been refusing his advances. How was it even considered acceptable even back in the day?
I don't know much about the authenticity of the political conflicts of the mid-90s, so can't comment on that, but special appreciation for Gulzar, A.R. Rahman, Farah Khan and the singers for immortalising the movie and making it what it is.
Also, this post doesn't mention Preity Zinta because her character serves no purpose in the movie at all (again, in my opinion.)
Another question, was Aman a bait to get into All India Radio from the very first scene, when he meets Meghana at the railway station for the first time?
Guru, an Indian Hindi-language drama film tells the story a young boy named Gurukant Desai, from a small village in Gujrat (India) who sets out to make it big in the world. The story moves forward as he tries to make his dream a reality by setting his newcomer middle-class foot in the textile industry in Bombay (India) while he faces challenges and hurdles on the way. Making friends and foes on his way up to the top, Guru continues on. (This movie is said to be loosely based on Dhirubhai Ambani, a huge business tycoon and co-founder of the Reliance Industries).
Directed and co-written by : Mani Ratnam.
Starring : Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, R. Madhavan, Vidya Balan, Mithun Chakraborty, and Roshan Seth.
Music by : A. R. Rahman.
Enjoy the movie ! .
.
Twenty-five years, 15 film albums, innumerable chartbusters... Mani Ratnam and AR Rahman are arguably the greatest director-composer duo of our time. Ahead of the release of their latest offering, Kaatru Veliyidai, The celebrated duo takes a walk down memory lane with Chennai Times, talking about everything… from the moment when Mani Ratnam heard Rahman’s music for the first time to how their composing sessions are today.
What was the first thing that struck you when you listened to Rahman’s music, way back in 1992?
Mani Ratnam (MR): When you listen to music, you listen to music. You like it very much or not. For me, his music was just amazing. It took me out from where I was sitting and transported me to a different world.
AR Rahman (AR): Not everyone gets a Mani Ratnam movie for their first film. So, imagine how cool it must have been for me!
MR: And not everyone gets AR Rahman’s first film, too! (laughs)
Did you feel any pressure at that time?
AR: I had a lot of pressure. He was very kind, but outside, they were all looking at me like, ‘What! You, composing for a Mani Ratnam film? What are you gonna do?’ I wouldn’t play the songs to everyone, but some people would come and listen. There was this gentleman who supplied music equipment. He had helped me get all my equipment. So, he came and listened, and he was silent. After a while, he asked, ‘What have you done? This is a disaster. Where’s the tabla? Where’s the violin? They are what make a song. Not this stuff.’ I was really concerned and told Mani Ratnam ‘I’m going to add tabla and violin’, and he told me, ‘Don’t do anything. This is perfect.’
As a director, were you, at any point of time, concerned if the audience would get what Rahman was doing with Roja**? Was there any worry that the music could be ahead of its time?**
MR: No. I looked at it as a director. And a director is a very selfish person. His first priority is his film. The film was called Roja, it was set in Kashmir and the music that he played had the feel of that winter - that cold of that place. So, I was not worried if somebody would get it. I was getting it. Also, I thought it was absolutely fantastic and it was just going to lift my visuals.
AR: I remember he came to my mother and said, ‘I’m doing a movie with your son now. If this doesn’t work out, I’ll do another movie with him.’ He didn’t really have to say that.
After Roja**, which changed the so
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