What makes a Mani Ratnam film?
When the crowd settles, the light dims, the dreamy shaft of ray hits the screen, and the words appear, "A film by Mani Ratnam," it is not to announce the creators name but to remind you that what is in store is a singular vision. Characters speak in hushed tones and with poetic minimalism, themes rich enough to rival mythology, a vivid and honest dissection of modern relationships, the powers that make and unmake them, and frames lit with intent and precision, these are but some aspects which are unmistakably Mani Ratnam.
With a rich and versatile filmography that extends across decades, Mani Ratnam keeps reinventing himself. From capturing how blossoms even within the mechanical shackles of an arranged marriage system in Mouna Raagam to portraying the chaotic trepidations inherent in a live-in relationship in O Kaadhal Kanmani, the director evolves with the times. However, like Van Gogh captures a starry night and a weat field with the same colours, Mani Ratnam captures his evolving ideas through his signature vision. A vision that makes him one of the greatest autuers of Indian cinema. But, as curious rays of carefully selected photons make up the shaft of light inside a theatre, Mani Ratnam's vision is made up of several distinct characteristics. And here we try to unravel some.
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