Summary– Don’t forget to check out some of the essence of good Mani Ratnam films like Nayakan, Roja, Bombay, and Dil Se… in terms of classic dramas, heartwarming prophecies, and goosebump effects.
Mani Ratnam is on top of Indian cinema, and there is hardly a film director whose imprint has been as much as his. Through his movies, Mani Ratnam always made a forceful cinematic statement of good story narration and a combination of his stunning visuals as well as his emotions and diverse social and political topics he framed in the same industry. All this coupled together provided Mani Ratnam movies with a life that was bigger than just the screens. Let’s imaginably applaud some classic Mani Ratnam films that evoke feelings every time we access that space again.
7. Raavanan (2010): An Adaptation of an Epic
This movie has another dimension: it is a modern reworking of the Ramayana. To see Vikram and Aishwarya Rai on the screen is worth the price of admission alone. The areas that were covered in this version of the Ramayana look into the aspects of good and evil, revenge and justice, as opposed to past versions. The mesmerizing act by Vikram, scenic shooting locations by Ratnam, and the heart-touching music by A. R. Rahman are just a few instances of this movie being synonymous with the show even after the movie closes. It is one of those Mani Ratnam movies that makes the viewer think in a different way about mythology and shocks the viewer by its inclusion in its appeal through its dazzling visuals and narration.
6. Guru (2007): The Rise of an Entrepreneurial Journey
Loosely based on Dhirubhai Ambani’s life and business success, Guru is a story of ambition, dreams, and pursuit. Abhishek Bachchan gave probably one of his best performances as Gurukant Desai, a small-town guy who rises to be a builder of a business empire against adversity and opposition with the support of colleagues including Aishwarya Rai, Vidya Balan, and Mithun Chakraborty. The film ultimately evolved into a tale of sheer hard work and determination. A. R. Rahman contributed a soundtrack that added more enchantment and believability to the story. Guru will completely satisfy fans of Mani Ratnam’s movie who expect not just glorious escapism, but also uplift and motivation.
5. Kannathil Muthamittal (2002): An Emotional Journey on Identity
One of Mani Ratnam’s more heartbreaking films. The central character, a young adopted girl, learns that her biological mother is a woman who was involved as a militant in Sri Lanka due to the ongoing civil war. Her emotional search and the heartaches and misunderstandings of her adopted parents (who are Madhavan and Simran) are heartaches and misunderstandings. The movie boasts of P. S. Keerthana lovingly playing the child artist as well as the inspiring music of A. R. Rahman, and it is a strong statement of personal identity, family, and belonging. This film fulfills the reason why we still have teary eyes over Mani Ratnam movies even today.
4. Dil Se.. (1998): A Poignant Story of Love and Loss
Dil Se…, featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala, is a piercing analysis of passion, addiction, and political conflict. The plot involves a love story of a radio journalist who falls in love with one woman who is involved with a militant group. Mani Ratnam is eminently successful in combining a political narrative with a love story that is devastating in its heartbreaking premise and especially when the train-top song, “Chaiyya Chaiyya,” flows into the appalling last moment. Even now, Dil Se… resonates with the audience. It is a magnitudinal parameter film that explicates the purity of love in the context of an overwhelmed political situation.
3. Bombay (1995): Romance in the Midst of Rioters
Not many films dare to tackle the problem of communal harmony as well as communal strife as thoughtfully as it was tackled in Bombay. It is the tale of a Hindu-Muslim couple, Shekhar (Arvind Swami) and Shaila (Manisha Koirala), and the strained relationship with their families that their interracial marriage creates, and the experience of the 1992 Bombay Riots. And with eerily haunting but beautiful soundtracks by A. R. Rahman, including those that have become indelibly etched in our minds, such as the songs “Kehna Hi Kya” and “Hamma Hamma,” it can clearly be said that the film touched the hearts of a lot more people across the world. Bombay is one of those movies by Mani Ratnam that sends the chills with its lush mingling of romance, tragedy, and hope even today.
2. Roja (1992): When Love and Patriotism Are Confused
Through Roja, Mani Ratnam has managed to give a new meaning to a type of movie that is steeped in patriotism for a younger audience. The plot expounds on the quest of a young lady, Madhoo, against the tide and any other original plan to rescue her husband, who had been kidnapped by terrorists in Kashmir. The story was so touching that the first score by A. R. Rahman made the film indelible. He had such chartbusters as “Chinna-Chinna Asai” and “Dil Hai Chhota Sa.” What is so unique about Roja, however, is the juxtaposition of a sugary love story to the elements of terrorism and national identity. It is one of the most classic Mani Ratnam movies that can still produce dramatic effects.
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1. Nayakan (1987): A Critical piece of Gangster filmmaking
One of the finest cinemas in Indian history, Nayakan stars the celebrated actor Kamal Haasan in one of his best roles ever. The movie follows the life of an average boy growing up in Mumbai who lives through hardship and becomes an influential, terrifying, and feared wielder of authority in the underworld. Nayakan is a free adaptation of real life and is also a critique of ethics, law, and self-preservation. Still regarded as artwork, Nayakan has a remarkable background score provided by Ilaiyaraaja and a naturalistic filmmaking style from director Mani Ratnam. Decades after its release, Nayakan still remains one of those Mani Ratnam films that seem to catch you off guard.
Final Thoughts
Mani Ratnam movies, over the decades, have formed a niche of their own in Indian cinema. Starting with the gritty earnestness of Nayakan to the nationalistic vigour of Roja and then going on to the communal disharmony of Bombay to the zeal of Dil se.., his movies have all the time inspired, stirred, and touched the audience. Each of them is imbued with the possibility to awaken emotions, provoke debates, and impress. His classics are not mere cinema flicks, but they are experiences that we will never forget as to why the world loves Mani Ratnam as one of the greatest filmmakers in India.
Written by Nidhi Singh
