Saturday, July 3, 2010

Raavana

After listening and reading loads of criticisms about the movie Ravanan, I got more anxious to watch it! More like…what could possibly go wrong in a Mani Rathnam movie?!?!

Here is my take on the movie...

The Cinematography! Well… no one can ever say anything wrong about the cinematography of this movie. The whole movie carried the chillness of the waterfalls and foggy mountains across the screen, it reaches your skin and touches your soul (No ppl it really isn’t the work of the Air Conditioned theatre). Nature, from Santosh Sivan and V.Manikandan’s eyes is obviously made more beautiful.

The CG was quite impressive, esp in the scene where Vikram and Prithvi hang from the bridge. However, the scene in which Karthick jumps from tree to tree looked pathetic (Umm… Did Mani try to imitate the scene from Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon here?!?!).

The music speaks for itself, and with the awesome cinematography, the music did more than complimenting the scenes ; )

Ash looks stunning in this movie! Her looks eats her acting, or is it her acting that made her look soo pretty?!?! I am confused : ) But I felt she is more magnetic in this movie than any of her other movies. The amount of hard work she has put in to every scene is highly commendable. For once, a director has realized crying out loud and screaming is not an award worthy acting! I heard she has dubbed for this film too! Well… if that is true, she has done another tremendous job! The voice was awesome too!

Vikram has done his job neat as always. Be it the subtle romantic gazes, pulverizing anger, or even dance… it is just so natural! The unnatural part was his unusual grunting or cooing, whatever you call it! (Now, is that the “Kandhaswami” effect?!?!)

Prithvi… Okay I agree I really did not see how he acted and all! :P well… he looked his best in this movie! He has shed some weight and somehow got this angled jaw (like Hugh Jackman! Ok… no rotton tomatoes on me plz… jus my hazy opinion). His characterization of a strict and sincere police officer was not well crafted. It just made him look more villainy! Yet the ultimate point is he looked smart and handsome! ^_^

Priyamani, errr… okay I just saw another “muthazagu” here! Not that she did not act well or something… it’s just that Mani could have used a different actor cos this role is very very similar to her role in Paruthiveeran.

Mani, Karthik, and Prabu, comes together after Agni Natchathiram. (That was one of my fav movies!) It’s not fair to expect the same spark, given that this is a totally different story, and the actors are old, I have agree that both of them has done what they have been asked to do! ;)

I dunno why Mani chose to show Vaiyapuri as a transgender! But he has used the opportunity well! These small time actors can really act well, if given a chance! : )

Like everyone said, the editing had some glitches! Blame Mani or blame Sreekar… It is negligible according to me! I loved the movie and wish I could watch it again! To all media aspirants…There is a lot to debate and learn from this movie!





32 comments:

  1. Hey rain,haven't watched it yet, so nothing much.

    But I had started liking the movie since the music and trailer had been launched.

    So now going by your words I think its time for me to watch the movie.

    Thanks,you have not revealed the story anywhere....:)

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  2. me just pausing..
    for me - what ever movie -
    it must make a mood in me to watch..
    me missed a lot of interesting movies becoz of that..

    everybody treat their subject in a diff way.. mani has his own style..

    agni natchatram? ho my god.. feel u may came across it becoz of ur dad.. (me guessing!) as it is our time movie.. and moved our hearts with its beautiful music.. (thoongatha vizigal..) ever watched Jhonny - which has its own strength of - actors, music, camera, small script.. just try..

    but the angles in which u analysed the movie is awesome and felt - making every director's job more difficult..

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  3. I think they have re-edited to make the duration short, so that it would fit in internationally..very few scenes have jump cuts but apart from that its kool..what i liked the most was, the director was very subjective, he did not leave the crux of the subject throughout the movie..screenplay was awesome..but many ppl couldnt follow..i just dont know why though. a cannes festival award winner camerman said he couldnt understand why dev shoots veera at the wedding..and he goes, oh yeah, after i have told him why! this movie shows the way for all the "woods" in india..

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  4. That was a very fair review of Raavanan.
    Vikram's performance is definitely better
    than Abhishek's mad chimp act in Raavan.
    Though I agree with you on most of your
    views, I would disagree on the music part.
    Felt it was a tad disappointing by ARR's standards. And didn't find much to crib
    about the editing part either.
    Its an above average movie but may be ppl
    expect the best from Mani Ratnam and this
    is definitely not his best.

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  5. coz of the negative reviews, i didn't watch raavan in hindi... I am interested to watch in tamil to see vikram's performance... just, been waiting for a company... now that I see a positive review, i will most surely watch it soon...

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  6. @Rishab: You will love it i guess... don't dig much for logic and a surprise story though ;)

    @Arvind: Lol... well... thanks a lot! :)

    @Pavan: I kinda felt the same... the movie could have been longer, esp a little brief on each characters would have been great!

    @Latha: I did not like the songs when i heard teh audio, but wen i heard it with movie, i thought it compliments! :) Yes, i will not say Raavanan is Mani's best fosure! :)

    @Aj: All the actors have performed well aj... thing is, superficially, its a good movie. If you want to dig a little more... you will have no choice but to criticize since Mani's movies set high expectations all the time! :)

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  7. Hey if u have seen the same in Hindi, den u would 've said surely tat Prithvi is too good tan Kenny...

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  8. @Harry: I Know!!! I said the same!!! Prithvi is anytime better than Kenny! ;)

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  9. I was in a dilemma to watch this movie. From what you say, I guess its worth watching..

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  10. @Anusha: ha ha... honestly, i liked the movie in fragments! If you can enjoy the fragments and not the story as such... am sure you will love it! ;)

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  11. I loved the movie... I didnt find anything disappointing except the fact that director maniratnam took so many months and hard to reach location for a simple mind blowing story line....

    The only thing that took me by surprise was that fact that suhasini penned the screenplay... I mean I never knew that she did that job before... It was too good since the dialogues played a major role in bringing out the character formation and transformation!! ;)

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  12. @das - they had lost Sujatha..
    felt - the crispness of the dialogue might be lost..

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  13. @DD: I kinda felt the dialogues could have been better :D
    @Arvind: Yep.. The movie would've been more complete if Sujatha sir had written the dialogues! :)

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  14. maxerkumarJuly 06, 2010

    yes, i loved it for its brilliant cinematography, awesome colour correction, some really good performances... but as a die hard fan of mani ratnam i wld diplomatically say santosh sivan has spolied the film with his classic work, so mani sir is faintly seen... i hope u agree.. some thngs that really dstrbd me are
    prithvi looked more like a model than a police officer...
    The use of Ranjitha (well if this is wat is clld commerciality, blame it on mani, she got more roars in the theater than vikram mind u i am watchng the movie in sathyam)..
    Vikram and prabhu alone wears brand new woodland shoes which was vry disturbng
    the art direction was vry average...
    above all i loved the movie and felt smethng magnetic abt it, will watch it many times for sure....
    RAAVANAN - a great teacher for film makers and a rude tutor for entertainment seekers...

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  15. @Max errr.... kumar: :D Thanks! looks like u have made a crisp review here!

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  16. maxer kumarJuly 08, 2010

    thanks.... so wats ur take on it? u like it?

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  17. @Max: The movie or ur review or ur pseudo name?!?!? mudiyalayaeee!!!! :)

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  18. maxerkumarJuly 09, 2010

    u said u like the movie.... so its the review and the pseudo name... like it???

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  19. just cme across a film Vimal starrer - Kalavani..

    limited budget..
    the acting is good..
    lot of laughs..
    above all -
    filmed for the ordinary people of our state..
    not for Cannes or Oscar..
    just a laugh out cute movie..

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  20. @Max errr.... i like the review... and plz Pritvi can look like a model.. who cares if he is a cop!!! :D
    ur pseudo name?!?! cruel cruel!!!

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  21. @Arvind: Guess i will watch the movi soon... :)

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  22. maxerkumarJuly 10, 2010

    grt da, thanks.... u suggest a pseudo name...

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  23. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  24. Just saw that fantastic film Ravanan..

    Ho my god..

    if anyone could shoot a picture again like this – even Mani himself?

    The first few shoots itself showing that –
    this movie is going to involve a lot of close up shoots and hence so much of emotions and expressions would be shared.. (felt – after so much of years – me feel – movie full of close up shoots; means the director’s confidence over the actors)

    the story is so simple..
    for a revenge a man kidnap a woman
    and fall in love with her..
    the expressions of male character and
    the sink of the female character within him..
    so simple story..
    all other characters are there to support
    or to intensifying that sink..
    (including that lonely song of Aish)

    The love flowered on a man’s heart – on seeing a gal.. but he should not cross any limit at any place.. and the responses by the woman..

    Vikram – the man with huge family attachment,
    enjoying the life in his way known to him (four entertaining songs),
    man with vengeance, anger, (still has that sharp, angry some eyes..)
    with so much of love – flowing from his eyes..

    which gal could resist that much of love?
    (she praying the god: “give me the strength to with stand this amount of love”)

    Aish: ho my god.. expressions are flowing equally matching the male..
    when his anger, lust etc etc are flowing (following) like anything –
    she selects her own way of expressions.. it’s a milestone movie for her..
    (as parenita did for vidya balan)

    all other characters are supporting this main frame.. and nobody crosses anything – they wanted to perform..

    the relating of that first few frames with the last frame
    - the gal telling her husband – “use a bullet and finish him”
    and in the last scene – she herself stood between all the bullets and him..

    the sink synchronize in few scenes..
    -First tear..
    -If me stay here – will u leave him safe?
    -The last tear..
    -“why u tell him like that..?”

    the acceptance of the gal is enough and
    he mean that lastly “shoot me up .. me will die so happily..”

    songs – don’t’ ask.. they are all celebrations..
    Putting this movie near my heart..

    ps:
    Mani took Ramayana for the only reason –
    to show the female character’s solid/firm heart..
    that’s all..

    at last what he provides to her - DIGNITY!

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  25. I am goin to convert my blog in to a movie review site ;)
    cool to see loong loong comments!

    @Arvind: Yes it is one awesome movi, which many don really realize! :) glad u enjoyed it! :)

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  26. @das..
    suhasini directed a film herself "Indira"
    directed a beautiful serial - "Penn"
    directed few episodes of Sujatha's "Ganesh-Vasanth"!

    @rain - just loved tat movie.. hence wrote so long.. buck..buck..buc..buck..
    rohini dubbed for aish!

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  27. @Arvind: Yes.. i got tat info wrong! :) Rohini has done a splendid job rite! :) loved her voice and modulations! :)

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  28. maxerkumarJuly 13, 2010

    @ rain: ash has dubbed in her own voice for 2 scenes... (the initial part of the train scene and the loud cry in the last scene)
    and my pseudo name?????:( :(

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  29. @Maxerr: Good... she has done a good job there! Hello... I DON SUGGEST NAMES TO MY READERS!

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  30. I dint like the movie.. It lacked soul and the characters are badly written.. An half-baked script IMHO..


    http://lollum-nakkalum.blogspot.com

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  31. @Karthik: I have to agree that this movie was not clear! adhan part part a pidichadha mattum ezudhirukaen... unga blog sooper! unga review um sooper! :) plz put a disclaimer to ur readers to have stomach pain killers handy before reading your blog ^_^

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  32. @karthik -
    if u dislike, why to write a write up for this film?

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