Noted filmmaker Mani Ratnam, who has given some cult films like Roja, Bombay and Dil Se, has made a distinct mark in Indian cinema by walking an unconventional path, way before anyone could dared or imagine.
Admired as one of the most magnificent and progressive filmmakers of his time, Mani Ratnam is celebrating his 59th birthday today.
Started his career as a director in 1983 with Kannada film Pallavi Anupallavi starring Anil Kapoor, Ratnam (a post graduate in management studies) joined the film industry as he was fed up of watching sub-standard Tamil films. To satisfy the hunger for good cinema, the man decided to raise the bars himself.
Like most of us, Ratnam grew up watching films and during his mid-teens, this young man realised that cinema is not only about larger than life heroes and heroines crying and dancing, but it is also about the way it should be directed and presented. As a director, Ratnam had a unique vision and as a screenwriter he treated his flicks with different angles making them a cinematic experience to treasure forever.
From the way he delved into Hindu mythology and created its contemporary rendition in the movie Roja (story of Savitri and Satyavan) to re-creating Sita Haran incident from Ramayan in movie the Raavan, Mani Ratnam's movies are worth watching and a visual journey for the audience.
The way this man played around with shades of grey in human emotions and presented everything in most entertaining way, it's totally admirable. Touted as Salman Rushdie of Indian cinema, Ratnam is one man who has touched all the aspects of cinema. If ever he had any connection with typical commercial films, it has always been a slender yet visually appealing one.
Whether its raw movies like Yuva to romantic yet beautifully scripted movie Saathiya, the theme, characters of Ratnam's movies are of different timbre.
Despite a strong appeal and great storytelling, his movies resign an imperious presence. Every emotion, every expression, every inflection in Ratnam's movie constantly reminds you that neither the plot nor the character, but the man behind it has made it virtuous to watch.
Wishing him the best on his birthday, we are grateful to have such a wonderful director to enlighten Indian film industry and we will cherish his movies for lifetime.
