Mani - The Gem

Movies have been played significant impact on people till date. Though it might have not bought drastic changes in society but at least gave a dinky thought in audience. Movies are one of the way to influence people either by knowingly or unknowingly. It has that magic to penetrate deeply in audience mind and trigger the conscience. Few directors share the social messages as part of their story telling. Few of them intentionally do this through their movies and the rest of the stories itself demands to convey the social message.Moreover, as an audience most of us will not realize the deep rooted film making like for instance each shot in the movie is part of story telling or each lyric in the song conveys the emotion of the particular episode in the movie, the director uses all of these as part of his story telling. One such artistry, creator , visionary (People who read my previous articles already knew that the source for my articles is from a boy named Avi). He shared one interesting aspect in the way he watch the movies. Yeah. There are few who watch the movie in much more better than him. Most of us watch movies in casual way but few will watch with in understanding why ? How ? the scene , back ground score, location, set, characters , dialogues were placed in scenes . They think and watch the movies way beyond than normal audience i.e. understanding the technical aspects. Of course, the normal audience doesn't need any of such details. However, Avi shared few movies and how does he look into them and how he admire one of his maverick director apart from RGV, whose brilliance has a huge impact on many movie freaks and aspiring directors. In conversation with Avi - found few interesting content . Lets see if you have watched those movies in similar way or beyond.


He shared a story from a movie released in the year 1994 . It's a story of two friends. one for the other. The Bond is as strong as their characters,untarnished,never mending,no alteration. They were juxtaposed in their difficulties and happy times. one of them named as surya - who gives whatever he has if anyone comes for help. The other is Deva. Both are friends without any benefits. These two characters are inspired by Karna/Dhuryodhana from the epic Mahabharata . Director has portrayed astonishing writing and screenplay. He tried to imbibe the social cultural difference in India. How the law works for poor and rich? For poor its stronger and for rich its weaker.  In that situation, were do common man seek justice. Surya is from slums and the nature of him depicts Karna. To represent the discriminated people. Deva who is local positive goon who runs a parallel govt to support when law and order doesn't do any justice to common man. Due to situations they both become friends and deva has utmost respect to the character (truth, honesty, faith more than anything friendship) from Surya. Watch the movie for more insights. But want to share few dialogues in the movie  like "Manam road mida velthey bayam tho pakan thappu kunevalu".  (If we walk on road, fear to stand or walk beside us) . This dialogue conveys both meanings one is part of the story as they were goons and other is they are from downtrodden to indirectly mention the untouchability on those days. The beautiful narration, soulful music and lyrics made this movie even more splendid. He addressed the pre-marital sex problem much before it actually has come into limelight. One another glimpse to depict that his respect towards women from the same movie is one dialogue "Adapilla chivari rojulo manakosam kaneeru aina karusthundi, maagapillalu patinchukoru" (Girl child at least they cry on our last days but boys don't care). To strengthen or as part of his stand to stand against girl child discrimination #savegirlchild. All his movies has a strong woman characterization as much as men. These and many more are some tiny examples which tells the huge respect he have on women. Scripts are always inclined to women. From the movie Mouna Ragam, Roja, Bombay , Dilse ..and few more most of his movies have strong women characterization.

A movie which was shown the real,audacious,raw and pragmatic approach on the society which was inundated in tyrannical layers in the society.
.Before I deviate further let me talk about the impeccable cinema called "Raavan". He inspired or adopted the plot of this movie from Ramayan. He absorbed this epic to the core and written the script. Interestingly, he opted to chose Raavan as title and shown the actual face of him which was covered and trying to cover by many. In tribal areas, the people was and now are humilated and killed. There are umpteen number of atrocities happened and happening. can't describe here,as there are many books. But this man, tried to coalesced few of them in an single movie with two hours fourteen mins runtime.
Movie finally conveys that Raavan isn't villain.The Plot is Raavan is a bandit who fight for his people and atrocities in villages in tribal areas.He is Rebel who fight for justice and go against to the governance, illegal activites in the village. To police they are criminals who are threat to law and order and they go in search for him. They didn't find him and took her sister in custody all night and was serially raped by policemen in refusal to reveal his hideout. In practical, out of the movie, most of the tribal and backward areas there are many real examples of this.
In order to take revenge or explain to the core or to get attention of wider people, he kidnaps the police officer wife (sita). This master directed the movie completely in forest (vannavasam) which generally happened with Rama here is with Raavan, yet keeping Sita character intact. Raavan anyway is known for his Man of character. His intentions to sita are conveyed were never forced or imposed to her in epic and as well in movie. As expected movie ends by killing Raavan.
one of the song lyrics in the movie "Naa Laga Nuvu Unte, Na yudham nuvu chesi unte Nuvu Rammudive Nuvvu Ravanudive". Ramundu ante Ravanude . Ravanudu ante Ramudue. These lines tell that its both are par on there own terms. Raavan and Ram does have equal footing on different areas in there life. The lines "Veyru padite veyllu viricheyyi"(If they touch roots of tree,chop the fingers) from the song "Kullu pudite kulla pudiche" (If they feel stinky smash them)is voice for all the downtrodden people in specie about tribals. These were the people who are destroyed,discriminated,annihilated till date and now become exitinct in the name of development. listen to this song . The lyrics are inspring , thought provoking and mutinous towards the atrocities in the society till date. Watch this master piece with heart to audience the spectacular writing and impeccable photography and thought provoking lyrics. Similar kinda of endeavor was tried in the movie Kaala (The Raavan) and Kaabali Rajinikanth movie. Anyways, this means of disseminate social messages in movies or questioning the aberration in society were inadmissible by educated(but no wisdom)/uneducated guys. Already generations have been drown in the stories and fear they created around the God. In the name of God, using him, for him, by him, humans in India has discriminated certain sections, killed few, killing few more. This is still happening in my country.  

As a movie fan and an ardent follower to his work, was always anxious on his depiction of his characters. In most of his movies,the actress would be shown with Wind.They are strong,swift and violent like wind.(movies starting from Bombay Manisha Koirala, Amrita Nandita Das, Dilse Manisha Koirala again voilent and strong, Raavan Aishwarya Rai through out the movie and to the latest CKV Aditi rao on stairs scene, the heroine shots are with wind). Sometimes it feels that he use nature as a tool to tell his stories.  One other perception from the movie Yuva that he used the colors Red, blue and Green. My view on the song "Hey Good Bye" from the same movie ,the entire song shot on beach and in ocean. The song goes in a tone or mood of an wave. It raises and settled at shore , the composition of the song is much akin to the waves and the sound it makes. That's none other than another gem with him is Mr. A.R.Rahman .

By the way, Not only Avi, even I watched this spectacular and motivating movie Yuva, its all on the youth getting into politics and changing the society. The three stories in the movie with representing three different colors coalesced at one point in the climax. The whole treatment to the narration and screenplay of the movie is another level , its simply outstanding. Those who watched this movie will get to know about this.The Photography too in all his movies is outstanding and impeccable by some of the great DOP's PC. Sreeram, Rajiv Menon, Santosh Sivan, Ravi Varman

. Even Art directors like Thota tharani, Sabu cyril few more. The patriotism he has was reflected in his terrorism triology Roja , Bombay and Dil se. each movie can be written as detailed article. You can see the audacious , striking, repulsiveness and the young director's fight towards the enormity of the war crimes, and  communal politics.


Yevaru veelu oka aggipetani padhiheynu rupailu ammey desham nunchi chammaru,vidhyuthu,vaidhyam,yemi leni desham nunchi vidhyalayalo yudhabherilanu prathidhwaniche desham nunchi
Who are these people? from the country which sells match box to fifteen rupees, oil, electricity , medical health nothing has been provided from that country. from that country where there is only bomb blast sounds reverberate in universities and schools
Janmabhoomi janmanichina valani vadhulukoni padavalu yeki valasa vachina desham lo adharana leka nirdhakshinyanga nadisamudram loki neti veybadaa valu !
from the home country where there is no place to stay, live and there is no shelter or care provided by the country where they went as refugees and the people who has been shoved in the ocean
Valu adiginidi yemiti ? kevalam thaladachukotaniki intha Needa, karuna thathakalapu sanuboothi..valaki manam ichindi yemiti sharanardhula perita oka bhahiranga cherasala.
What they have asked? just a mere shadow and  a little bit care. what we have give in return in the name of refugees an open Jail.
Balulu balikalu,vrudhulu,mahilalu - varilo oka sthri amey garbham lo ee prapachapu velugu chudali ani thondara padthuna oka pasipapa ah pasipapa kadhe idhi.......
Boys, girls, Old age people, Women - one among them in her womb the baby who was eagerly waiting to see the world . this story is about her .. Amrutha

I should stop here otherwise the content would be too large as am out of control and i don't have enough vocabulary to express my feelings when am writing this poem from the great movie Amrutha. One other motivating poem from same movie

Maa kanubomalu maagipoinavi
Maa kanurepalu vaalipoinavi
Maa pedavalu moothabadinavi
Maa pallu bigapadipoinavi
longi vangi memu unam
maa rekalu kaati idchukelandi
chikati theralo bandinchandi chitrahimsalu petadi
vaangina kanubomalu oka roju kadhuluthai
vaalina kanurepalu oka roju vichukuntai
Moothapadina pedavulu okaroju therchukuntai
Bigapatina pallu oka roju karusthai
Antha varaku meeru ardechaga yelandi !mee adhikyathanu chaatandi!!

Our eye brows had been beaked
our eye lids had been crumpled
Our lips had been shut
our teeth had been tied
we have surrendered and bent
tie our hands and drag us
put us in dark rooms and torture us
beaked eye brows will move one day
crumpled eye lids will bloom one day
lips one day will open
Tied teeth will bite one day
Till then rule and Show your authority

These are the poetry by the great lyricist and writers Veturi garu, Sujatha Rangarajan and Sri Ramakrishna. This movie is highly acclaimed by the critics and movie lovers. He has beautifully adopted a short story and made it feature film on Sri Lankan civil war. one should watch the movie before I write another article about it :-)


One can decode more or dissect his work, actually there are  few have done that already and shared in you tube. They detail how he uses the colors, locations and costumes as tools to express the story. He himself said in one interview that at his early days he understood that there is a meaning for every scene from the movies of the great Balachander sir, Gurudutt movies. In the similar path, our director with all the simplicity , humility and humble attitude made him India's one of the greatest director. I am talking about the person who has influenced many through his skill and passion.He is Mr. Mani Ratnam. The name of the article Mani - is Gem,Diamond. We are neither discussed gem nor diamond. But the vindication for the title of this article has been done. He is India's pride and India's valuable director to Cinema world. Without hesitating, Avi, I and most of them always love to call him as "Mani Sir". There are plethora of reasons which are yet to cover apart from this article that he justified his name Mani - The Gem.

Thanks to Avi !