What if Bachchan was one of us?

Raja Sen
Audiences refuse to believe that stars are human too
Aishwarya Rai has the worst fans. Being an Internet-based film critic for awhile now, I can attest to having received a wee bit more than my share of hate-mail. It’s quite staggering, really, to realise just how passionate people are about cinema, and more than a trifle alarming to wrap the brain around the fact that a very significant number of folks would love to bash my skull in based merely on disagreement – simply because, for example, I didn’t like 3 Idiots.

And while I haven’t yet faced physical violence – threats stopped fazing me quite some time ago – it’s always interesting to see just how quickly people jump to their feet to democratically proclaim an opinion wrong. And then there are the bizarre kneejerk reactions – like being branded ‘unpatriotic’ after finding fault with something Amitabh Bachchan does — and fantastical accusations of favouritism.

Roar of Raavan

Abhishek Bachchan on being Beera in the modern-day adaptation of ‘Raavayan’

Everyone’s been waiting so eagerly for Raavan... How have you been feeling in the run-up to the release?

I have just come back from an outdoor. (Abhishek was shooting for Abhinay Deo’s thriller Game in Greece and Turkey.) So all this buzz is just sinking in, you know. But I am definitely excited because everyone’s worked so hard on the film and we have given it our best. We can’t do much more than that. I am very, very happy with the film. It’s really turned out very well. Mani is fantastic in the film... he is in top form and yet again he has given me a memorable character. I have no complaints whatsoever.

When Mani Ratnam offers you a film, do you ever ask for the script or just blindly say ‘yes’?

The way it happens is that whenever Mani is ready to make a film, he would just call me and ask: “Are you on?” and that’s it. We take it from there. I never ask him for a script. I trust him implicitly... my bond with him is beyond that of an actor and director. He is family to me. And he just has to order and I will be there. It’s as simple as that.

How does it feel to be Mani Ratnam’s hero? He has never repeated a Bollywood star and you are doing his third film on the trot...

I am very proud. I can proudly say that I have done three films with the Mani Ratnam. I am very honoured and humbled at the same time. Of course, there’s a lot of responsibility. When this great man is bestowing so much faith on you, you shouldn’t let him down. I sincerely hope that. Every day at the end of shooting, I would ask him, I did okay today, naa? And he would turn around and say: “You did okay but did I do okay?” I would say, “Come on man, you are Mani. You shouldn’t be asking that!” (Laughs out loud.) I am so happy when I work with him. I believe he is the best in the business.

But you did say no to the Tamil version Raavanan...

In fact, I had said ‘yes’ at first! Mani had bullied me into doing it initially. But then I went and pleaded to him. I told him... look Mani, I would love to do this and you know I would do it for you, but the fact is I don’t know Tamil! And I don’t want to be in a situation where I am panicking about just learning my lines and doing the role without any proper feel of the emotions. I have Beera which is a complex enough character to play and I want to concentrate on that. He understood that.

When did he first share with you the idea of Raavan?

I was shooting for Delhi-6 in Jaipur when he called me one day. And he asked: “Should we do it again?” I was like, do what? And he said: “Should we make another film?” I said, of course... I was waiting when you are going to call me. He told me about the idea of this one guy and the basic story. I asked, have you thought of a title for the film? And he said, Raavan. I thought it was fantastic... the whole project was appealing from the word go. Working in a Mani Ratnam film is a big thing in itself and to play a character like Beera is just amazing.

What makes Beera so special?

I really believe Beera is going to be memorable. He is really loveable. Although at first he looks intimidating and evil and mad and wild and almost animal-like, but once the film carries on, you will start liking him. He is very interesting.

Is Beera Munda based on Birsa Munda the legendary tribal leader? Or is he a Maoist leader as has been speculated widely?

Not at all! It is absolutely not inspired from any Maoist or Naxalite leader. He is a completely original character. In central India Beera is a very common name. It’s just a name.

So how did you create Beera?

As Mani and I have always done. We sit down and flesh out the character. We do a lot of work on the characteristics before we get onto the floor... from the way he talks to the way he walks from the way he looks to the way he dresses. I look upon Beera as the purest character in the film. In life, there is a grey shade to everything. What I love about Beera is there is no grey. There is only black and white. You are either good or bad. If you are good, he will give his life for you. If you are bad, he will take your life. I like his clarity... that’s the purity in him and that’s why you start liking him. You realise at heart he is a very correct person.

Are you in a position to rate Beera vis-a-vis Lallan (Yuva) and Gurukant Desai (Guru)?

I would like to believe it’s bigger and better. If it’s not then Mani and I have failed as a team. When we were making Guru we were very conscious of doing something totally different from Lallan Singh... something which could top Lallan. And when we did Raavan, we wanted to top Guru. Otherwise why would you work together if you can’t outdo what you did last?

The analogy with Ramayan... how much of it is obvious or is it entirely subtextual?

Everybody says it’s from Ramayan but I say no, it’s the Raavayan! I really believe that in our films we have always borrowed from our scriptures. No matter which film, you will always find some angle because our scriptures are so vast and so in-depth. You will always find a jhalak of them in our work. And I don’t think Raavan is any different. It is a modern-day story with wonderful characters and if people draw parallels to Ramayan, go ahead! I am not going to say no it’s not. I do believe Mani is inspired... but not just from Ramayan... from a lot of things.

Did Aishwarya come on board as Sita after you became Raavan?

She came on board almost immediately. When Mani first spoke to me, he did mention that he wanted to take Aishwarya in it. I thought it would be cool and I said, of course! I think the very next day he spoke to her. With Aishwarya and me, there’s no question of saying ‘no’ to Mani. He is too special. He launched Aishwarya in Iruvar. So, he is very close to both of us.

Aishwarya had turned down Dostana because she wasn’t comfortable playing a character being pursued by you. There were no such concerns with Raavan?

No, never. Once you see the film you will understand how our two characters work in the film. And if I tell you now, you won’t enjoy the film. Dostana was a different kind of film. The entire dynamics between Aishwarya and me in Raavan is absolutely amazing! It’s something very unique and it’s something never been done before.

Finally, do you remember your brief Calcutta shoot for Raavan?

Of course! I only shot there for two-three days this time. Calcutta is always fantastic to come to. You know what I think about Calcutta. It always holds a special place in my heart and to come back there with Mani after Yuva was that much more special. The best thing was we actually got some time to sneak away and rush to Victoria Memorial and have phuchka quietly and run back!

Pratim D. Gupta

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100616/jsp/entertainment/story_12568831.jsp

Roar of Raavan

Abhishek Bachchan on being Beera in the modern-day adaptation of ‘Raavayan’

Everyone’s been waiting so eagerly for Raavan... How have you been feeling in the run-up to the release?

I have just come back from an outdoor. (Abhishek was shooting for Abhinay Deo’s thriller Game in Greece and Turkey.) So all this buzz is just sinking in, you know. But I am definitely excited because everyone’s worked so hard on the film and we have given it our best. We can’t do much more than that. I am very, very happy with the film. It’s really turned out very well. Mani is fantastic in the film... he is in top form and yet again he has given me a memorable character. I have no complaints whatsoever.

When Mani Ratnam offers you a film, do you ever ask for the script or just blindly say ‘yes’?

The way it happens is that whenever Mani is ready to make a film, he would just call me and ask: “Are you on?” and that’s it. We take it from there. I never ask him for a script. I trust him implicitly... my bond with him is beyond that of an actor and director. He is family to me. And he just has to order and I will be there. It’s as simple as that.

How does it feel to be Mani Ratnam’s hero? He has never repeated a Bollywood star and you are doing his third film on the trot...

I am very proud. I can proudly say that I have done three films with the Mani Ratnam. I am very honoured and humbled at the same time. Of course, there’s a lot of responsibility. When this great man is bestowing so much faith on you, you shouldn’t let him down. I sincerely hope that. Every day at the end of shooting, I would ask him, I did okay today, naa? And he would turn around and say: “You did okay but did I do okay?” I would say, “Come on man, you are Mani. You shouldn’t be asking that!” (Laughs out loud.) I am so happy when I work with him. I believe he is the best in the business.

But you did say no to the Tamil version Raavanan...

In fact, I had said ‘yes’ at first! Mani had bullied me into doing it initially. But then I went and pleaded to him. I told him... look Mani, I would love to do this and you know I would do it for you, but the fact is I don’t know Tamil! And I don’t want to be in a situation where I am panicking about just learning my lines and doing the role without any proper feel of the emotions. I have Beera which is a complex enough character to play and I want to concentrate on that. He understood that.

When did he first share with you the idea of Raavan?

I was shooting for Delhi-6 in Jaipur when he called me one day. And he asked: “Should we do it again?” I was like, do what? And he said: “Should we make another film?” I said, of course... I was waiting when you are going to call me. He told me about the idea of this one guy and the basic story. I asked, have you thought of a title for the film? And he said, Raavan. I thought it was fantastic... the whole project was appealing from the word go. Working in a Mani Ratnam film is a big thing in itself and to play a character like Beera is just amazing.

What makes Beera so special?

I really believe Beera is going to be memorable. He is really loveable. Although at first he looks intimidating and evil and mad and wild and almost animal-like, but once the film carries on, you will start liking him. He is very interesting.

Is Beera Munda based on Birsa Munda the legendary tribal leader? Or is he a Maoist leader as has been speculated widely?

Not at all! It is absolutely not inspired from any Maoist or Naxalite leader. He is a completely original character. In central India Beera is a very common name. It’s just a name.

So how did you create Beera?

As Mani and I have always done. We sit down and flesh out the character. We do a lot of work on the characteristics before we get onto the floor... from the way he talks to the way he walks from the way he looks to the way he dresses. I look upon Beera as the purest character in the film. In life, there is a grey shade to everything. What I love about Beera is there is no grey. There is only black and white. You are either good or bad. If you are good, he will give his life for you. If you are bad, he will take your life. I like his clarity... that’s the purity in him and that’s why you start liking him. You realise at heart he is a very correct person.

Are you in a position to rate Beera vis-a-vis Lallan (Yuva) and Gurukant Desai (Guru)?

I would like to believe it’s bigger and better. If it’s not then Mani and I have failed as a team. When we were making Guru we were very conscious of doing something totally different from Lallan Singh... something which could top Lallan. And when we did Raavan, we wanted to top Guru. Otherwise why would you work together if you can’t outdo what you did last?

The analogy with Ramayan... how much of it is obvious or is it entirely subtextual?

Everybody says it’s from Ramayan but I say no, it’s the Raavayan! I really believe that in our films we have always borrowed from our scriptures. No matter which film, you will always find some angle because our scriptures are so vast and so in-depth. You will always find a jhalak of them in our work. And I don’t think Raavan is any different. It is a modern-day story with wonderful characters and if people draw parallels to Ramayan, go ahead! I am not going to say no it’s not. I do believe Mani is inspired... but not just from Ramayan... from a lot of things.

Did Aishwarya come on board as Sita after you became Raavan?

She came on board almost immediately. When Mani first spoke to me, he did mention that he wanted to take Aishwarya in it. I thought it would be cool and I said, of course! I think the very next day he spoke to her. With Aishwarya and me, there’s no question of saying ‘no’ to Mani. He is too special. He launched Aishwarya in Iruvar. So, he is very close to both of us.

Aishwarya had turned down Dostana because she wasn’t comfortable playing a character being pursued by you. There were no such concerns with Raavan?

No, never. Once you see the film you will understand how our two characters work in the film. And if I tell you now, you won’t enjoy the film. Dostana was a different kind of film. The entire dynamics between Aishwarya and me in Raavan is absolutely amazing! It’s something very unique and it’s something never been done before.

Finally, do you remember your brief Calcutta shoot for Raavan?

Of course! I only shot there for two-three days this time. Calcutta is always fantastic to come to. You know what I think about Calcutta. It always holds a special place in my heart and to come back there with Mani after Yuva was that much more special. The best thing was we actually got some time to sneak away and rush to Victoria Memorial and have phuchka quietly and run back!

Pratim D. Gupta

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100616/jsp/entertainment/story_12568831.jsp

Who's who in Mani Ratnam's Raavan

By now everyone knows that Mani Ratnam's film Raavan is loosely based on Valmiki's epic Ramayana.

We all also know that Abhishek Bachchan's character is loosely based on Ravana, but what about the others?

Does the film script follow the original? Read on as this could also be a good chance for you to brush up your knowledge of the classic.

Abhishek Bachchan -- Ravana

Valmiki's version: In popular perception Ravana maybe the villain in the epic -- after all, he does kidnap Ram's wife, has an epic battle with him in which Ram kills him -- but Ravana was also a great king of Lanka, a famous Shiv bhakt, a veena virtuoso, and was famed for his physical prowess -- he once tried to lift Mount Kailash with Lord Shiv seated on it. Ravana's wife, the beautiful Mandodari, was one of the virtuous women of the time. Valmiki's epic shows that all virtue comes to naught when you let your senses run amok -- as Ravana did on seeing Sita.

Mani's version: Abhishek Bachchan plays Beera Munda, loosely based on Ravana. Beera is a tribal leader who cares for the villagers, is the voice of the underdog, snatches power from the rich and gives it to the poor. He rules a small village in Madhya Pradesh called Lal Maati where the police has no powers, only Beera does. So when his life is disrupted by a brave police officer, Beera carries off his wife Ragini into the jungle.

Vikram Kenni - Rama

Valmiki's version:Venerated as the maryada purshottam, Rama today is a pan-south east Asian phenomenon. In Valmiki's epic, Rama was the dutiful elder son of King Dashrath who sacrifices his crown to keep his father's promise to his stepmother. Embodiment of all virtues, Ram marries Sita but is forced to spend the next 14 years in the jungle -- from where Sita is abducted by Ravana, which sets off a tragic chain of events.

Mani's version: Vikram Kenni plays the character of Dev Pratap Sharma, loosely based on Rama. Dev, a police officer, falls in love with Ragini and marries her. Soon after Dev gets transferred to Lal Maati village which is under Beera's control. Beera and his accomplices face a few setbacks thanks to Dev, and Beera abducts Dev's wife to teach him lesson.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan - Sita

Valmiki's version:Rama's wifeSita is kidnapped by Ravana from the forest before being rescued by her husband Rama following a bloody battle. After rescuing Sita, Rama asks her to prove her chastity by doing theagni pariksha, from which she emerges unscathed, and Rama accepts her.

Mani's version: Aishwarya Rai's character is called Ragini in the film and she is a dance teacher. Ragini gets abducted as her police officer husband makes local don Beera Munda's life miserable. She is taken into a forest and kept in captivity. As Mani sees it, when Dev doubts his wife's character, Ragini will sympathise with the other man.

Govinda - Hanuman

Valmiki's version: For devotion there's none like Hanuman, wrote the poet, and till date the bachelor-god remains a huge favourite among followers. He was the one who flew to Lanka to spot Sita in captivity, he was the one who carried the entire mountain while looking for the miraculous Sanjeevani herb to revive Ram and Lakshman in battle.

Mani's version: Govinda is called Sanjeevani Kumar in the film and his character is based on Hanuman. Sanjeevani is a forest guard who knows the region very well. He is a drunkard and therefore gets suspended all the time. Sanjeevani has great admiration for Dev but he also understands Beera and respects him, even though he does not agree with his unlawful ways.

Nikhil Dwivedi - Lakshman

Valmiki's version: The brothers were inseparable, and Lakshman accompanies Ram into the jungle. Hot-blooded, it is Lakshman who disfigures Ravana's sister Surpanakha when she takes a fancy to the handsome Rama, setting in motion Sita's abduction, the war, everything.

Mani's version: Nikhil Dwivedi's character is loosely based on Lakshmana. Younger brother to Dev Pratap, he too plays a cop, Laxmana Pratap.

Priyamani - Surpanakha

Valmiki's version:Surpanakhawas Ravana's sister who takes a fancy to Rama, whom she sights in the forest. She tries to entice him but Rama, celebrated for his commitment to Sita, rebuffs her. When she persists in her advances Lakshman steps in and chops off her nose, following which she goes crying to her brother Ravana.

Mani's version: Priyamani plays Beera Munda's sister Serena, a negative character in the film who is the cause of the entire drama.

Ajay Gehi - Vibhishana

Valmiki's version:Vibhishana is the younger brother of Ravana who, stricken by his conscience that his sibling has abducted a married woman, walks out just before war breaks out, when his calls for restoring Sita to her husband and avoid bloodshed are not heard. After the war Rama crowns Vibhishana as the king of Lanka.

Mani's version: Ajay Gehi plays Hari, Beera Munda's brother.

Ravi Kissen - Kumbhakaran

Valmiki's version: The mightyKumbhakaranis the younger brother of Ravana who, even though he doesn't agree with his brother's action in kidnapping Sita, goes to war on his behalf. Before he is felled, Kumbhakaran decimates Rama's army.

Mani's version: Ravi Kissen's character is called Siddharth, and is a trusted aide to Beera Munda.

LINK

Who's who in Mani Ratnam's Raavan

By now everyone knows that Mani Ratnam's film Raavan is loosely based on Valmiki's epic Ramayana.

We all also know that Abhishek Bachchan's character is loosely based on Ravana, but what about the others?

Does the film script follow the original? Read on as this could also be a good chance for you to brush up your knowledge of the classic.

Abhishek Bachchan -- Ravana

Valmiki's version: In popular perception Ravana maybe the villain in the epic -- after all, he does kidnap Ram's wife, has an epic battle with him in which Ram kills him -- but Ravana was also a great king of Lanka, a famous Shiv bhakt, a veena virtuoso, and was famed for his physical prowess -- he once tried to lift Mount Kailash with Lord Shiv seated on it. Ravana's wife, the beautiful Mandodari, was one of the virtuous women of the time. Valmiki's epic shows that all virtue comes to naught when you let your senses run amok -- as Ravana did on seeing Sita.

Mani's version: Abhishek Bachchan plays Beera Munda, loosely based on Ravana. Beera is a tribal leader who cares for the villagers, is the voice of the underdog, snatches power from the rich and gives it to the poor. He rules a small village in Madhya Pradesh called Lal Maati where the police has no powers, only Beera does. So when his life is disrupted by a brave police officer, Beera carries off his wife Ragini into the jungle.

Vikram Kenni - Rama

Valmiki's version:Venerated as the maryada purshottam, Rama today is a pan-south east Asian phenomenon. In Valmiki's epic, Rama was the dutiful elder son of King Dashrath who sacrifices his crown to keep his father's promise to his stepmother. Embodiment of all virtues, Ram marries Sita but is forced to spend the next 14 years in the jungle -- from where Sita is abducted by Ravana, which sets off a tragic chain of events.

Mani's version: Vikram Kenni plays the character of Dev Pratap Sharma, loosely based on Rama. Dev, a police officer, falls in love with Ragini and marries her. Soon after Dev gets transferred to Lal Maati village which is under Beera's control. Beera and his accomplices face a few setbacks thanks to Dev, and Beera abducts Dev's wife to teach him lesson.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan - Sita

Valmiki's version:Rama's wifeSita is kidnapped by Ravana from the forest before being rescued by her husband Rama following a bloody battle. After rescuing Sita, Rama asks her to prove her chastity by doing theagni pariksha, from which she emerges unscathed, and Rama accepts her.

Mani's version: Aishwarya Rai's character is called Ragini in the film and she is a dance teacher. Ragini gets abducted as her police officer husband makes local don Beera Munda's life miserable. She is taken into a forest and kept in captivity. As Mani sees it, when Dev doubts his wife's character, Ragini will sympathise with the other man.

Govinda - Hanuman

Valmiki's version: For devotion there's none like Hanuman, wrote the poet, and till date the bachelor-god remains a huge favourite among followers. He was the one who flew to Lanka to spot Sita in captivity, he was the one who carried the entire mountain while looking for the miraculous Sanjeevani herb to revive Ram and Lakshman in battle.

Mani's version: Govinda is called Sanjeevani Kumar in the film and his character is based on Hanuman. Sanjeevani is a forest guard who knows the region very well. He is a drunkard and therefore gets suspended all the time. Sanjeevani has great admiration for Dev but he also understands Beera and respects him, even though he does not agree with his unlawful ways.

Nikhil Dwivedi - Lakshman

Valmiki's version: The brothers were inseparable, and Lakshman accompanies Ram into the jungle. Hot-blooded, it is Lakshman who disfigures Ravana's sister Surpanakha when she takes a fancy to the handsome Rama, setting in motion Sita's abduction, the war, everything.

Mani's version: Nikhil Dwivedi's character is loosely based on Lakshmana. Younger brother to Dev Pratap, he too plays a cop, Laxmana Pratap.

Priyamani - Surpanakha

Valmiki's version:Surpanakhawas Ravana's sister who takes a fancy to Rama, whom she sights in the forest. She tries to entice him but Rama, celebrated for his commitment to Sita, rebuffs her. When she persists in her advances Lakshman steps in and chops off her nose, following which she goes crying to her brother Ravana.

Mani's version: Priyamani plays Beera Munda's sister Serena, a negative character in the film who is the cause of the entire drama.

Ajay Gehi - Vibhishana

Valmiki's version:Vibhishana is the younger brother of Ravana who, stricken by his conscience that his sibling has abducted a married woman, walks out just before war breaks out, when his calls for restoring Sita to her husband and avoid bloodshed are not heard. After the war Rama crowns Vibhishana as the king of Lanka.

Mani's version: Ajay Gehi plays Hari, Beera Munda's brother.

Ravi Kissen - Kumbhakaran

Valmiki's version: The mightyKumbhakaranis the younger brother of Ravana who, even though he doesn't agree with his brother's action in kidnapping Sita, goes to war on his behalf. Before he is felled, Kumbhakaran decimates Rama's army.

Mani's version: Ravi Kissen's character is called Siddharth, and is a trusted aide to Beera Munda.

LINK

I love making movies: Abhishek

LINK

Having a legend for a father and the world’s most beautiful woman as one’s wife could have easily eclipsed the achievements of a lesser man. But Abhishek Bachchan is very much his own person and someone who has clearly arrived as an actor of substance. He is his witty affable self as he chats up with CT.......

Mani and you have a great equation ...
It has got to do with understanding. Mani understands me. He knows what I’m capable of. As an actor, at times, I feel he knows me better than I do myself. He enables me to shed all my inhibitions.

Are you lucky for Mani?
No way! How I can I possibly even think that I’m lucky for Mani? He’s the best in the business. I’m the one who has been lucky and blessed to be a part of three of his films.

Raavan has been a physically and emotionally demanding movie ...
Whenever you’re going to do a Mani Ratnam film, you should be prepared for a challenge. Mani is not the kind of director who’s going to give you a walk in the park. He’s going to challenge you, push you to the edge; he’s going to extract a performance from you that even you yourself didn’t believe you were capable of.

Is there a clear triumph of good over evil in Raavan?
That depends on what you describe as good and evil!

Is Ram evil and Raavan good?
Again, it depends from person to person. Everyone is unique. I personally believe we all have a bit of both.

Quite the prankster ...
I’m not a prankster. I need a comfortable atmosphere when I work. So I keep it cool on the sets.

Suriya has been cast in an RGV film. Who has a greater chance of making it big in Bollywood — Vikram or Suriya?
They both are great actors and both will do very well in the Hindi film industry. They were brilliant together in Pithamagan.

The Bachchans are known to zealously guard their privacy. But of late, you’ve tried to reach out to your legion of fans ...
Mediums like blog and micro-blog allow you to converse directly with your audience. It’s nice to get their point of view. But, that still doesn’t mean that you can’t keep things private. What you post is up to you.

Kareena has said she’d love to do a film with you ...
Kareena was my first co-star. That’s something that I will always hold very dear to my heart. I would love to work with her again.

Lord Jeffrey Archer has you in mind for the cinematic adaptation of one of the stories from his latest book ...
Really? That’s nice. I enjoy his books. They lend themselves to films very well. Would I be interested? Not sure, let’s see ...

You’ve been Paa to him. What next for the father-son duo?
Ha ha... We should allow things to get back to normal for a while now. I don’t think he fancies the idea of me playing Paa to him too much!

Small screen plans ...
I enjoyed TV very much. The game show’s success was like the icing on the cake. I wouldn’t mind doing more TV.

Time to unwind now?
Not really. And I’m not complaining. I love making movies. I love being around creative people. It’s a total high.

Chennai ...
Chennai is one of my most favourite cities in the world. I have great memories here... from my childhood, when we used to accompany my father to his shoots here, and now when I come down here for my films. Some of the happiest times of my life have been spent here. I also have a lot of friends who live here. I’d love to do a Tamil film. It’s a dream of mine. But I’d have to learn the language first.

I love making movies: Abhishek

LINK

Having a legend for a father and the world’s most beautiful woman as one’s wife could have easily eclipsed the achievements of a lesser man. But Abhishek Bachchan is very much his own person and someone who has clearly arrived as an actor of substance. He is his witty affable self as he chats up with CT.......

Mani and you have a great equation ...
It has got to do with understanding. Mani understands me. He knows what I’m capable of. As an actor, at times, I feel he knows me better than I do myself. He enables me to shed all my inhibitions.

Are you lucky for Mani?
No way! How I can I possibly even think that I’m lucky for Mani? He’s the best in the business. I’m the one who has been lucky and blessed to be a part of three of his films.

Raavan has been a physically and emotionally demanding movie ...
Whenever you’re going to do a Mani Ratnam film, you should be prepared for a challenge. Mani is not the kind of director who’s going to give you a walk in the park. He’s going to challenge you, push you to the edge; he’s going to extract a performance from you that even you yourself didn’t believe you were capable of.

Is there a clear triumph of good over evil in Raavan?
That depends on what you describe as good and evil!

Is Ram evil and Raavan good?
Again, it depends from person to person. Everyone is unique. I personally believe we all have a bit of both.

Quite the prankster ...
I’m not a prankster. I need a comfortable atmosphere when I work. So I keep it cool on the sets.

Suriya has been cast in an RGV film. Who has a greater chance of making it big in Bollywood — Vikram or Suriya?
They both are great actors and both will do very well in the Hindi film industry. They were brilliant together in Pithamagan.

The Bachchans are known to zealously guard their privacy. But of late, you’ve tried to reach out to your legion of fans ...
Mediums like blog and micro-blog allow you to converse directly with your audience. It’s nice to get their point of view. But, that still doesn’t mean that you can’t keep things private. What you post is up to you.

Kareena has said she’d love to do a film with you ...
Kareena was my first co-star. That’s something that I will always hold very dear to my heart. I would love to work with her again.

Lord Jeffrey Archer has you in mind for the cinematic adaptation of one of the stories from his latest book ...
Really? That’s nice. I enjoy his books. They lend themselves to films very well. Would I be interested? Not sure, let’s see ...

You’ve been Paa to him. What next for the father-son duo?
Ha ha... We should allow things to get back to normal for a while now. I don’t think he fancies the idea of me playing Paa to him too much!

Small screen plans ...
I enjoyed TV very much. The game show’s success was like the icing on the cake. I wouldn’t mind doing more TV.

Time to unwind now?
Not really. And I’m not complaining. I love making movies. I love being around creative people. It’s a total high.

Chennai ...
Chennai is one of my most favourite cities in the world. I have great memories here... from my childhood, when we used to accompany my father to his shoots here, and now when I come down here for my films. Some of the happiest times of my life have been spent here. I also have a lot of friends who live here. I’d love to do a Tamil film. It’s a dream of mine. But I’d have to learn the language first.

CANNES: Mani Ratnam’s ‘Raavan’ – the first Pan Indian film?

LINK

Director Mani Ratnam’s on to a new genre: Pan Indian.

The director, known for making brilliant films in the Tamil (Southern Indian) language, has also directed four Hindi-language Bollywood films. But in his latest action-drama, “Raavan,” Ratnam has bridged the two genres, making it a Pan-Indian film.

“Raavan” features Ratnam’s muse, Aishwarya Rai, and her husband Abhishek Bacchan, and it was shot simultaneously in two languages – Hindi and Tamil. Produced by Ratnam’s Madras Talkies, Reliance and IM Global, the film is set for a worldwide release in 58 countries on June 18.

Ratnam and his longtime music collaborator A.R. Rahman were absent from the press conference at the Majestic hotel Monday. They are in India doing the final cutting of the film. But Ratnam was represented by his wife Suhasini Ratnam, who not only is a writer and co-producer on this film (and some earlier Ratnam films), but is also an accomplished actress and a film critic on television. She was joined by Rai, Bacchan, actor Vikram and Reliance’s Amit Khanna and Prasoon Joshi.

Dubbing the new genre Pan Indian, Suhasini clarified the difference between Hindi (Bollywood) cinema and regional. “It’s like the difference between Hollywood and French cinema,” she said. Commenting on “Raavan,” she said it’s the first time that a filmmaker has attempted to blend the two.

Since Indian culture is so steeped in mythology, it’s only natural that films from this country use this rich source as inspiration. In the scripture Ramayana, Raavan, the 10-headed demon-god, abducts Lord Rama’s wife Sita, and to get his consort back Rama has to hack off all ten heads of the ferocious demon.

In Ratnam’s spiritual/mythical film, the story is set in a time that is both ancient and contemporary. The filmmaker explores not just the good and the evil, the hunter and the hunted, but also the grey area. The film questions that Raavan may not be all that bad, he may have some redeeming qualities.

“Raavan has ten heads and ten conflicting thoughts, so there’s a bit of conflict and Raavan in all of us,” says Suhasini.

Rai, who started her acting career with Ratnam’s “Iruvar,” recalls that she jumped into films with no experience. “But you know you’re protected and guided by Mani,” she said.

The three actors shared their experiences on the physically grueling shoot, from swishing in streams to dangling from trees and cliffs. “You’re drenched from 6 am to 6 pm, trekking, hiking–moment to moment was physically challenging,” says Rai. The majority of the stunts were done by the actors themselves.

The five-minute promo clip we saw revealed some pretty impressive locations in remote rural and rustic parts of India. “We had to lay roads in the jungles and sometimes the sets would be washed away by a raging river,” recalls Bacchan.

Aish and AB (as the star couple is fondly dubbed) have worked in four films together. But still the question is always asked: How is it working as a married couple, especially on this physically taxing film? To which Aish answers, “When I’m on the set delivering a scene, I’m not looking at him as my husband – and he is nasty to me in this film. But after a long day you come back home and you have each other.”

CANNES: Mani Ratnam’s ‘Raavan’ – the first Pan Indian film?

LINK

Director Mani Ratnam’s on to a new genre: Pan Indian.

The director, known for making brilliant films in the Tamil (Southern Indian) language, has also directed four Hindi-language Bollywood films. But in his latest action-drama, “Raavan,” Ratnam has bridged the two genres, making it a Pan-Indian film.

“Raavan” features Ratnam’s muse, Aishwarya Rai, and her husband Abhishek Bacchan, and it was shot simultaneously in two languages – Hindi and Tamil. Produced by Ratnam’s Madras Talkies, Reliance and IM Global, the film is set for a worldwide release in 58 countries on June 18.

Ratnam and his longtime music collaborator A.R. Rahman were absent from the press conference at the Majestic hotel Monday. They are in India doing the final cutting of the film. But Ratnam was represented by his wife Suhasini Ratnam, who not only is a writer and co-producer on this film (and some earlier Ratnam films), but is also an accomplished actress and a film critic on television. She was joined by Rai, Bacchan, actor Vikram and Reliance’s Amit Khanna and Prasoon Joshi.

Dubbing the new genre Pan Indian, Suhasini clarified the difference between Hindi (Bollywood) cinema and regional. “It’s like the difference between Hollywood and French cinema,” she said. Commenting on “Raavan,” she said it’s the first time that a filmmaker has attempted to blend the two.

Since Indian culture is so steeped in mythology, it’s only natural that films from this country use this rich source as inspiration. In the scripture Ramayana, Raavan, the 10-headed demon-god, abducts Lord Rama’s wife Sita, and to get his consort back Rama has to hack off all ten heads of the ferocious demon.

In Ratnam’s spiritual/mythical film, the story is set in a time that is both ancient and contemporary. The filmmaker explores not just the good and the evil, the hunter and the hunted, but also the grey area. The film questions that Raavan may not be all that bad, he may have some redeeming qualities.

“Raavan has ten heads and ten conflicting thoughts, so there’s a bit of conflict and Raavan in all of us,” says Suhasini.

Rai, who started her acting career with Ratnam’s “Iruvar,” recalls that she jumped into films with no experience. “But you know you’re protected and guided by Mani,” she said.

The three actors shared their experiences on the physically grueling shoot, from swishing in streams to dangling from trees and cliffs. “You’re drenched from 6 am to 6 pm, trekking, hiking–moment to moment was physically challenging,” says Rai. The majority of the stunts were done by the actors themselves.

The five-minute promo clip we saw revealed some pretty impressive locations in remote rural and rustic parts of India. “We had to lay roads in the jungles and sometimes the sets would be washed away by a raging river,” recalls Bacchan.

Aish and AB (as the star couple is fondly dubbed) have worked in four films together. But still the question is always asked: How is it working as a married couple, especially on this physically taxing film? To which Aish answers, “When I’m on the set delivering a scene, I’m not looking at him as my husband – and he is nasty to me in this film. But after a long day you come back home and you have each other.”

Raavan Posters...UPDATED

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Raavan Posters...UPDATED

Thanks to Minnie -



Thanks to ApexHeights -

Abhishek Bachchan is Veera in RAAVAN, resembles Kobad Ghandy!!

Abhishek Bachchan, the handsome hunk of bollywood who plays lead in Mani Ratnam’s upcoming ambitious flick ‘Raavan’ opposite Aishwarya Rai, will be seen playing the character of a Naxalite leader Veera, which resembles closely with arrested Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy.



Abhishek Bachchan’s character Veera is the leader of landless poor people residing in a remote village of eastern Madhya Pradesh. In the film, Abhishek Bachchan stands against the powerful landowners lobby which has been the traditional enemy of the Maoist groups in India spread over the areas of MP, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Orissa.



Mani Ratnam cleverly mixes this contemporary storyline with the mythological story of Ramayana and bases his flick ‘Raavan’ on this script. Sources close to production house reveal that only difference between Kobad Ghandy and Abhishek Bachchan’s character Veera is that while former is well educated and articulate; Veera would be uneducated representing the oppressed majority of the rural population. Vikram, the Tamil superstar, plays the character Ram in Hindi version.



Abhishek Bachchan and Mani Ratnam have a great working chemistry developed over the years while working in films like ‘Guru’ (with Aishwarya Rai), ‘Yuva’ (with Rani Mukerji). This comfort level between the actor and director has made the working in ‘Raavan’ a pleasure for both and resulted in a very good final product.

The movie also stars Govinda, Ravi Kishen, Priyamani and Ranjeetha in pivotal roles. The movie is almost complete and undergoing post production. It is due for release this year itself.

LINK