Raavan
Director: Mani Ratnam
Bhansali did it with Saawariya. So did Ashutosh Gowarikar with WYR and many others. It’s only fair to give Mani Ratnam, or as some call him, the "Spielberg of India" his shot at it. Why even Spielberg's had his share of doing it.
The proverbial 'it' here refers to the bane that affects most talented film makers at some point of their career. I'm talking of course, about self-indulgence. Carried away by their respective styles of art, each of these film makers indulge too much in their respective film making techniques, and the titles I mention above are perfect examples of 'it'.
Now don't get me wrong, because Raavan isn't as bad as the other 'it' films. But it’s just that Raavan finds a mention in this list for the reason that Mani set about making such a grandiose picture, shot at impossible locations with breath taking backdrops and talented actors with an almost wafer thin story line.
Yes, the story now.
In brevity, it’s the story about Beera (Abhishek Bachan), an outlaw and Robin Hood for the tribes of Lalmitti, who kidnaps Ragini (Aishwarya Rai), the wife of the SP of Lalmitti, Dev (Vikram) to settle personal scores of the past. Then on, it’s the story of Beera and Ragini, and their love-hate journey that takes place for 14 days, while Dev scouts the forest to search for his better half with the help of Sanjeevini (an out of form Govinda).
After the terrific opening sequence (don't miss it), the first half hardly has any story, with all the twists and progress in the storyline happening only in the second half. The problem with Raavan lies in the fact that the story isn't engaging enough to draw you into its act of making the choice between who's good and bad. The movie draws several parallels with the Ramayana, with the outlines of Shurpanaka, Laxman, Vibhishan, Hanuman, and of course the Agni Pariksha. Also, it is hard not to pick up the Maoist undertone in the film, which is so very intensified in the lyrics of the song 'Thok de gilli'. I will not elaborate more on the story, because then you wouldn't have anything much to see apart from the beauty of the locations.
Which brings me to the look of the film. It’s hard not to admire the picturesque beauty of the landscapes that Raavan is decorated with. Every scene is lit up and projected so darn amazingly, that you are drawn into the mist, the forest, the rain, the rocks, the water fall, the river, the mountains and everything else that is shown. If only the story had the same energy and feel, this film would have been a master piece. It is precisely due to such jaw dropping backdrops that Aishwarya looks so similar adjectivally beautiful. The film is shot at such impossible locations, that you can't help but admire the effort the team of Raavan has put in to produce such masterful visuals. Absolutely amazing.
In the acting department, Ravi Kisan and Nikhil Dwivedi do their best as the sidekicks on the opposite sides. While Govinda is average, Vikram does his bit in his Bollywood debut wearing his aviators for most part of the film. This brings us to the two main leads. Both Aishwarya and Abhishek sizzle the screen with their act, helped of course by their wonderful chemistry. While Aishwarya looks stunning coupled with some amazing acting, Abhishek tends to border on the over acting but eventually pulls it off spectacularly. Not to mention, he's a treat to watch. Also a treat is the music of Raavan by A.R Rahman, with some inspiring music and wonderfully done background score.
See it on the big screen for it to have the desired effect and decide for yourself.
I'd give it a 3.5/5.
Bhansali did it with Saawariya. So did Ashutosh Gowarikar with WYR and many others. It’s only fair to give Mani Ratnam, or as some call him, the "Spielberg of India" his shot at it. Why even Spielberg's had his share of doing it.
The proverbial 'it' here refers to the bane that affects most talented film makers at some point of their career. I'm talking of course, about self-indulgence. Carried away by their respective styles of art, each of these film makers indulge too much in their respective film making techniques, and the titles I mention above are perfect examples of 'it'.
Now don't get me wrong, because Raavan isn't as bad as the other 'it' films. But it’s just that Raavan finds a mention in this list for the reason that Mani set about making such a grandiose picture, shot at impossible locations with breath taking backdrops and talented actors with an almost wafer thin story line.
Yes, the story now.
In brevity, it’s the story about Beera (Abhishek Bachan), an outlaw and Robin Hood for the tribes of Lalmitti, who kidnaps Ragini (Aishwarya Rai), the wife of the SP of Lalmitti, Dev (Vikram) to settle personal scores of the past. Then on, it’s the story of Beera and Ragini, and their love-hate journey that takes place for 14 days, while Dev scouts the forest to search for his better half with the help of Sanjeevini (an out of form Govinda).
After the terrific opening sequence (don't miss it), the first half hardly has any story, with all the twists and progress in the storyline happening only in the second half. The problem with Raavan lies in the fact that the story isn't engaging enough to draw you into its act of making the choice between who's good and bad. The movie draws several parallels with the Ramayana, with the outlines of Shurpanaka, Laxman, Vibhishan, Hanuman, and of course the Agni Pariksha. Also, it is hard not to pick up the Maoist undertone in the film, which is so very intensified in the lyrics of the song 'Thok de gilli'. I will not elaborate more on the story, because then you wouldn't have anything much to see apart from the beauty of the locations.
Which brings me to the look of the film. It’s hard not to admire the picturesque beauty of the landscapes that Raavan is decorated with. Every scene is lit up and projected so darn amazingly, that you are drawn into the mist, the forest, the rain, the rocks, the water fall, the river, the mountains and everything else that is shown. If only the story had the same energy and feel, this film would have been a master piece. It is precisely due to such jaw dropping backdrops that Aishwarya looks so similar adjectivally beautiful. The film is shot at such impossible locations, that you can't help but admire the effort the team of Raavan has put in to produce such masterful visuals. Absolutely amazing.
In the acting department, Ravi Kisan and Nikhil Dwivedi do their best as the sidekicks on the opposite sides. While Govinda is average, Vikram does his bit in his Bollywood debut wearing his aviators for most part of the film. This brings us to the two main leads. Both Aishwarya and Abhishek sizzle the screen with their act, helped of course by their wonderful chemistry. While Aishwarya looks stunning coupled with some amazing acting, Abhishek tends to border on the over acting but eventually pulls it off spectacularly. Not to mention, he's a treat to watch. Also a treat is the music of Raavan by A.R Rahman, with some inspiring music and wonderfully done background score.
See it on the big screen for it to have the desired effect and decide for yourself.
I'd give it a 3.5/5.
I really really feel sad about it, but then I'm enjoying Mani's cinema! Thank god for that! Aishwarya Rai and Mani Ratnam can be given National awards for this film. I was stunned! Thanks for the review! :)