This Day That Age.

I realized I've been blogging for more than a year. Haven't improved my writing greatly. Probably it has become worse. Hoping to shrink like this and become a black hole.So this one's inspired after the column in 'The Hindu'. Lol....and enjoy maadi...
Dissecting Maniratnam
Let me tell you something, I immensely enjoy Maniratnam's movies. As a director, he does an incredible job of doing things. But at the same time I rather feel he's incomplete. Innovation is one aspect which I feel is missing in this director. Mind you, I dont say he doesnt take up innovative themes. But, when you look at his scripts of his movies, they lack innovation and they tend to be repetitive. For most of Maniratnam's movies, the main theme of the movie itself is larger than the stars and the characters in the movie. For e.g in Bombay, the issue of Bombay blasts was the base on which the whole movie was based rather than the characters that appeared in the movie. What apparently happens is that the themes he chooses for his movies is good enough to carry the film through. When a director takes up huge issues like this, the pros and cons of the issue, the effects of the issue on the nation and the reaction of different people involved is enough to fill most of the parts in a movie. What then need is just to fill up those gaps and present the movie with a tight screenplay. And Mani does that perfectly. Infact he goes one step higher and presents us with a technically sound movie. Due credit in this case has to be given to him for not spoiling a good theme. But on close analysis of Maniratnam's movies would reveal that he is more intelligent rather than brilliant. His films are repetitive, adhere to a common formula.Taka a theme, put some masala and you get a good movie which the masses would love.For example, it would not take much to create a Maniratnam movie for us. It's like a recipe. Read ahead and you would know.

Steps to make a Maniratnam Movie
1.Take a burning issue or atleast an issue.We dont have time. So, we'll settle on Deforestation as the theme.
2.Next you need is a new handsome face as Hero.Because old ones may give the feeling of repetiveness. We'll pick Shrikanth(Hindi viewers read as Vivek Oberoi). The character should be bubbly,make witty remarks,hug and propose to old ladies and be charming.(Like Kartik in Mouna Ragam,Aravind Swamy in Bombay and Roja, Shah Rukh Khan in DilSe,Madhavan in alaipayuthey)
3.Concentrate the 1st hour of the movie on hero's love life. In this case,hero is a forest officer who gets transferred to a new place. Heroine is the tribal chief's daughter. Love at first sight. But heroine doesnt show it cos the tribal laws are very strict. But then hero gets into the gal's house in the middle of the night and frightens her..tell me "i love you" or i'll wake up ur father. Some scenes like that and then add some emotional love scenes(like uyire song in Bombay,Evano oruvan in Alaipayuthey,Kadhal Rojave in Roja).
4.Then open up the deforestation issue. Hero finds illegal deforestation and there's a politician and his henchman behind this.Hero runs from pillar to post and shouts at everybody.Here you can put some scenes where Hero tells about the cons of deforestation. Hero would go to politician's house and catch a running kid and emotionally say to the villian "You are spoiling this kid's earth". Also add some landslides occuring and people dying and losing houses.
5.Now all you need is climax. Hero's terms with the tribal villagers is not good because hero's love affair erupts out and also they think he's the politician's guy. Coming to the climax, last piece of forest remains. If deforestation happens,then the whole tribal village would be destroyed in landslide as a result. Hero pleads with the villagers. In the end, politician comes up to him and says "you have changed me" and goes off. And tribal people present him the gal.End of story.
6.Dont forget Rahman's music and P.C.Sriram's camera.

Dalapathi and Nayakan are movies inspired by instances like Mahabharatha and Godfather. So, they dont fall under this above said category. Mouna Ragam is one movie I feel that doesnt fall under the category. But all the same Mani keeps his viewers entertained. And neither can his critics deny that he has revolutionised Indian cinema in general. He would be remembered as somebody who took Indian cinema to a different level.