In the next few posts, I am planning to write about some of my favourite scenes/songs in Mani Ratnam’s movies. Just thinking about some scenes brings a smile to your face or makes you remember other favourite scenes in the movie. I will start with ‘Anjali’ and then move on to other MR’s films.
Anjali
This is the first ever movie that I saw in theatre. Even now, I praise my Dad for his fore-sightedness for having taken me to the theatre to watch a Mani Ratnam’s movie knowing that I would become a die-hard fan of his movies in the future. 😉 Since I was a kid at that time, I don’t remember much about what I felt after seeing the movie or whether did I even feel anything. 😉
Apart from the scenes featuring the kids in the apartment that I am sure everyone enjoys watching, there is one particular scene that I like a lot. The scene where Anjali comes home and walks towards her brother and sister, she misses a step and falls down. When Revathy rushes to help her, Raghuvaran stops her. Here, we see a mother’s concern for her child. Besides, she is not even familiar with her child’s condition at that time. The father knows that his child has to learn to help herself. Anjali on seeing her siblings wants to go to them since she has spent more time only with kids. The brother and sister don’t know how to react. They are yet to come to understanding with the fact that their sister is not ‘like them’. Only one scene and everything is shown! Wow!
One more scene is where Anjali shows her concern for her brother when he is hurt by other kids in the apartment. The brother gets touched seeing his sister’s concern for him and the way a new bonding begins among the three siblings is brilliantly shown!
But for the ‘Star Wars’ song, I enjoy watching all the other songs in this movie.
Mouna Ragam
Mouna Ragam is one of my moooost favourite Mani Ratnam’s movies. Each and every scene in the film portrays the emotions felt by the characters so beautifully.
A girl, who has lost her very first love in her life, falls in love once again with another guy. The dilemma she faces when she realizes that she has fallen in love once again and doesn’t want to leave her guy and go, her inability to express it to him directly and waiting for him to stop her from going, his feelings when he realizes that he doesn’t want her to leave him and go though he is still being unsure about whether she likes him or not, all these can be depicted so beautifully only by Mani Ratnam!
Talking about the characters in this movie, I am not sure if you can find such a nice and understanding guy like Chandrakumar (the character played by Mohan) or is he a bit too nice guy? 😉 When Revathy’s parents come to their house, Mohan behaves in a hostile manner and later tells her that he wanted her parents to think that she would be better off without him. What a scene!
Then, there are the scenes featuring Revathy and Karthik that everyone loves! Those are scenes that are so typical of Mani Ratnam’s movies.
The song ‘Manram vandha’ is my all-time favourite in this movie. This is one of the few songs of which I like the lyrics. ‘naNbargaL poley vaazhvadharku maalayum meLamum thevai enna’, ‘thaamarai maele neer thuLi poal thalaivanum thalaiviyum vaazhvadhenna’ – I love these lines! These lines exactly depict what’s happening in the movie at that point of time.
I will come up with the next post soon. Till then, enjoy recollecting the wonderful scenes from these two movies. 🙂
Hey Mouna Ragaammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm……….
Loved ur post. D
Indeed Mani is one of the best India has produced.
In a way ManiRatnam is like Speilberg. Both have an amazing ability to extract wonderful performances from Kids (Mani in Anjali and Kannathil Muttamitaal, Speilberg in ET and AI). Both connect with human emotions through subtle shots. And cinematography in their movies has always been above par.
Aparna, nice post. Although I have discussed a lot about his with some of my friends, still feels fresh to read your post. I am a great lover of Mani Ratnam’s sensitiviy in movies, especially specially about woman man relationship, the various most sensitive parts he touches is superb! well yes, very hard to find Mohan like characters in real life! 😉
Lovely post. Though am not a fan of Revathy, I liked her in mani movies. One director who makes her underplay her roles.
And excellent selection of photos. Especially the black and white ones!
Super appu! Anjali Pics in B&W! I too watched it in theater!
And not like you, I thoroughly enjoyed the “StarWars” song. “… StarWars … Nerungipaar ….” I kept humming at school. 🙂
Mouna Raagam is a gem!! the best scene is tht “chandramouli” scene.. super!!!!!i loved it..
Anjali is like an emotional test to chk ur emotional quotient!!!
hey if your interested.. check out Pallavi AnuPallavi Kannada Movie( Manirathams first movie indeed.).. Songs are typical IRish style
esp. Naguva Nayana is good
Lovely post, I like both the movies, Angali though is the favorite… 🙂
Not to 4get mouna ragam’s theme!!its an awesome bit.. though an inspired one its so mesmerizing!!!! and i also believe tht ull remember this tune 4 other reasons as well..;-)
Another MR fan here…Mouna ragam was one of the first set of his movies that caught me but I think before I watched Mouna Ragam, I saw Geethanjali / Idhayathai Thirudathe…those days the beauty with which MR picturised the relationships between youngsters was a huge hit and we could watch it over and over again…
Am sure Idhayathai Thirudathe will be next in your list…so will Roja…as others said, the pictures in the post are awesome! You brought back memories of those days…
Adiya,
I do want to watch Pallavi Anupallavi. I can’t understand Kannada. Hope I get hold of the Tamil dubbed version soon.
Btw, can you tell me the name of the song in this movie that has the same tune as that of the ‘Idea’ mobile tune?
Hairsh,
Thank you! And yes what you say is so true.
chiroti,
Thanks. Showing sensitivity in relationships is his forte, isn’t it?
Ferrari,
Thank you. Isn’t he one director who makes everyone underplay their roles? Did we get to watch Simran act as well as she did in Kannathil Mutthamittal?
Ranjhith,
Thanks. That Star Wars song has never appealed to me.
Hell’s Angel,
Anjali an emotional test to check your EQ? Yes!
Well yes, I remember the Mouna Ragam theme for all the reasons 😉
Nanyaar?,
Thank you!
Awatts,
Thanks!…. Most of his movies are worth watching again and again. 🙂 I like Idhayatthai thirudathey too but it is not one of my favourite Mani Ratnam’s movies!
Hi Aparna,
For songs in pallavi&Anupallavi…you can hear it in http://www.itwofs.com.
🙂 Rukesh
🙂 even i cannot understand fully but to an extend yes i do.
Generally few songs are good. aana ennaku idea mobile ethu innu therila 🙁 jharry inga.
Rukesh,
Thanks for the link.
Adiya,
Naguva Nayana is the song that has the same tune as Idea mobile.
oh appadiya. nandri inga.
Indian movies in general is fantasy.. no doubt with great creativity –scenes & music, storyline,… but still even Mani’s movies are no expectation to this rule of fantasy.. only of raw exception was @Anjali… Personally for me, this is Mani’s best movie ever.. Idea/storyline is brilliant. and making such unconventional story into master-piece cinema is brilliant to power of n..
may be another unnoticed feature — Anjali’s sister keeps asking. ie. ’Appa, did amma die?’ when Revathy came to hospital in the first scene. And when Revathy n Rahuvaran fought, she asked ’Appa, r u going to get diverse?’. She asked everything. But if she asked it in negative sense, it wouldn’t happen. since Revathy was alive, and they didn’t diverse etc. But in the final scene, she never asked ’Will Anjali die?’, only her brother asked. this is a great direction and attention to the details.
Wow, superb stills from Anjali! Nice read, by the way.
yuva,
Good observation. Reading your comment reminds me of this:
When Anjali comes home first, her sis and bro pray that she should die. But, she doesn’t. Then, when they pray that she shouldn’t die, she does!
Zero,
Welcome to my blog! Thank you.
I dont like Manirathnam Movies at all…Ok guys… Settle down in your seats before you think I must be crazy..Here’s five reasons why.
1) The movie always has a real background and then the movie turns out be a pun on the person intended than reality.
2) The characters always talk hush hush and somehow you always get everything they say.
3) The hero is always a chocolate boy who has a big heart stuffed with oodles of decency.
4) Love scenes always have some cheesy dialogue like ” nee azhkkaa irrrkke nnu nenkkile”.
5) There is always a song in the rain in which the heroine sings and dances to a song. Try going out into the rain and singing a song yourself.
I could go on… But I’d rather post a post on my blog than rant here
chillpilgrim,
I like Mani Ratnam’s movies for all the reasons why you don’t like it 😛
Hii Aparna……i wanted the title track of this movie…….i.e. ‘Anjali Anjali humari pyari anjali’ can u help me? any paid/unpaid website or links to download this song ? incase u hv the song. plz email me at chintan.dave84@yahoo.com thanx let me know thank u.
Chintan,
Welcome to my blog! I don’t have the song. Try Coolgoose or do a Google search. You may find some site.
Hi aparna,:-)i am the gr8test MR fan from orissa.from the day i watched roja,i turned out to be one of his gr8test fan.i used to watch only his hindi movies but now i ve started watching his tamil classics with eng subs.mouna raagam n alaipayuthey(sakhi in telugu) re my all time favs.when i was a kid i watched anjali in hindi,n i want to watch it again but i am not getting its torrent can u plz help me…
Hello Aparna,
I am doing a research on mani ratnam’s film and fortunately came across your blog.
I have been reading your blog and the archives for quiet some time now and need to say your understanding of Mani sir’s films and cinema in general is great.
I have watched Alaipayuthey more than 20 times and yet your blog tells me many a things which went unnoticed.
For me Anjali will always be the film which made me realize and decide that my calling lies in films.
Your blog is truly inspirational and the sheer volume of work is exceptional.
Ravi
Ravi,
A belated welcome to my blog! Thanks.