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Mani Ratnam – A Film Director Who Introduced Unique and Sensitve Themes to Indian Mainstream Cinema

Mani Ratnam movies are characterized by uniqueness and are full of sensitivities and aesthetic beauty. His films contain substance as well as a new style each time. Mani has directed a vide variety of movies– from love stories to social themes to political thrillers!

Who could forget movies like Nayakan, Bombay, Yuva, and Guru and the intensity inherent in those movies!!? Not every director would have the courage to make such daring movies with daring topics consistently and sustain all the criticisms, threats and inconveniences that came with the movies. Interestingly, every movie (in South or North) that he has directed has been either commercially or critically acclaimed.

The extremely talented film director Mani Ratnam, does not need foreign locales to make his movies noticeable. Many producer and directors wonder how Mani, Unlike many other film directors, has never shot a movie (not even a scene) at a foreign location and yet has received accolades for each movie that he has delivered!

Son of film producer 'Venus Gopalratnam' and brother of G. Venkateswaran, a film distributor turned producer, Mani Ratnam was born in Madras in 1956. A graduate from the Mumbai Bajaj Institute, Mani started his film career with Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983). starring Anil Kapoor, The movie won the State Award from Karnataka that year.

Mouna Ragam (1986). Starring Revathi and Nayakan (1987) brought the best out of him as a director. The way he handled and presented some very sensitive topics made him noticed as a fine and able film director.

Roja (1992) made him a household name That was the time Mani made a connection with A R Rahman. Roja was followed by Bombay, Iruvar, Dil Se and Saathiya - all with the most intriguing music by A.R. Rahman.

Alai Payuthey (2000), Kannathil Muthamittal (2002, Yuva (2004) followed suit with the similar kind of social/political issues. These movies did not create as mush excitement as his latest movie Guru ( 2007) which has been a huge hit!

Enjoy some of the most intriguing tracks from Mani's movies.

Check Out Some Songs from Mani's Movies!

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