Kamal Haasan reveals what makes Mani Ratnam 'timeless', says he would show up on set at 5 :30 am

Time of India

17-05-2025

Throughout his illustrious journey in cinema spanning several decades,
Kamal Haasan
has delivered some of
Indian cinema
's most memorable masterpieces — including landmark films like Hey Ram, Nayakan, and Mahanadi. Among these,
Nayakan
(1987) remains one of his most celebrated and critically revered works, and also one of his top-rated films on IMDb. This cinematic gem was directed by none other than the iconic filmmaker
Mani Ratnam
. In a recent conversation, Haasan fondly reflected on Ratnam's unique traits as a filmmaker, particularly his unwavering discipline and commitment — like consistently arriving on set earlier than anyone else.
Speaking with
The Hollywood Reporter
India, Haasan shared that while Ratnam's core personality hasn't softened over time, he has become more considerate and polished in his approach. 'Mani hasn't grown milder with age — instead, he's evolved,' Haasan remarked. 'If he ever became mellow, it would diminish his essence. What he's done is slow down enough for others to keep pace. In Tamil, 'mani' means 'time,' and we joke that he's '5:30 Mani Ratnam' because that's when he lands on set. The poor cinematographer needs to arrive by 5 am — which means leaving by 4:30.'
Haasan then shared a lighthearted moment when he teased Ratnam about his punctuality. The entire film crew erupted in laughter when Haasan dubbed the director '5:30 Mani.' The nickname quickly caught on, and soon reached Ratnam himself. When word got back to him, the whole team fell silent with embarrassment — but Haasan immediately stepped forward and took full responsibility. 'Nobody dares to ask when Mani Ratnam wakes up — nobody knows! But when I officially declared his new nickname, the crew cheered. When he eventually heard about it, everyone looked guilty. I told him, 'It was all my doing.''
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by Taboola
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In the same interview, Haasan also recounted Ratnam's exacting standards and the extreme lengths he demands from his team. One such incident involved a grueling trek to one of the tallest waterfalls in the world, located in Kodaikanal. Ratnam wanted a shot from its base, so Haasan, his daughter Shruti, art director Sabu Cyril, cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran, stunt coordinator Vikram Dharma, and others set off at 7 a.m. The journey through dense forest was so challenging that within just two hours, several assistant directors had collapsed, injured, or fainted.
Now, nearly four decades after their last major collaboration, Haasan and Ratnam are joining forces once again for
Thug Life
, which is scheduled to hit theaters in June. Their previous work together, Nayakan, was both a box-office and critical triumph. Loosely inspired by Mumbai don Varadarajan Mudaliar and The Godfather, the 1987 film ran for over 175 days in theaters. It earned National Awards for Best Actor (Haasan), Best Cinematography (P.C. Sreeram), and Best Art Direction (Thota Tharani). Although it didn't secure an Oscar nomination, it was India's official submission for the 60th Academy Awards and later featured in Time magazine's 'All-Time 100 Best Films' and News18's list of '100 Greatest Indian Films.' The film was eventually remade in Hindi as Dayavan.