Latest news with #Mahanadi
Time of India
06-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Chhattisgarh's Dhamtari launches ‘MAA' to restore Mahanadi source focus on river revival, green cover & tourism development
RAIPUR: The Dhamtari district administration has launched a special campaign, 'Mahanadi Awakening Abhiyan' (MAA), to restore the origin area of the Mahanadi River. The 18-km stretch from Pharshiya to Sihawa will be covered under this initiative, which aims to enhance ecological balance and promote sustainable development. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Dhamtari Collector Abinash Mishra said the comprehensive restoration of the Mahanadi's origin will include desilting the riverbed, reinforcing the banks, increasing green cover, beautifying the surroundings, making the area accessible to the public, developing the region, and involving the community in conservation efforts. Mishra added that by revitalising the river's source, MAA aims to boost the region's popularity, transform the origin into a tourist attraction, improve agricultural output, enhance local livelihoods, and strengthen the regional economy. The Mahanadi Awakening Abhiyan was inaugurated on 2 May. Thousands of villagers took part in the inaugural event across several villages in the Dhamtari district. Mishra explained that the MAA campaign is a special initiative and an extended version of the state government's ongoing 'Mor Gaon, Mor Paani' campaign. Nearly 20 km of land alongside the Mahanadi, which is regarded as the lifeline of Chhattisgarh and one of India's ten largest rivers, will be developed under this drive. He also noted that this is a major project being carried out scientifically for effective results. In the past two months, cleaning, removal of encroachments, beautification, and tree plantation along the riverbanks have taken place. The Collector said ten villages, including Pharshiya, Sambalpur, Chikhli, and Ganeshwar, will benefit through sustainable development plans under the campaign. A major focus will be the development of Karneshwar Mahadev Dham and Shringi Rishi Ashram, covering 1.5 km, as a tourist destination. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Road widening and anicut (small dam) construction will also be undertaken. The campaign will also include measures to tackle water scarcity. Support is being received from educational institutions, NCC, NSS, various government departments, the public, and IIT Madras for technical expertise. Mishra said this year-long awareness campaign is dedicated to rejuvenating the Mahanadi, which originates in Chhattisgarh, flows through Odisha, and empties into the Bay of Bengal. He described it as a collective movement to raise awareness, encourage participation, and build a sense of responsibility towards conserving and restoring the Mahanadi.
Economic Times
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Kamal Haasan reveals what makes Mani Ratnam 'timeless', says he would show up on set at 5 :30 am
Agencies Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan are reuniting for another movie after nearly 40 years. 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.''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.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kamal Haasan reveals what makes Mani Ratnam 'timeless', says he would show up on set at 5 :30 am
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.'' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why more and more senior women swear by this sandal Sandals Trend Undo 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.
Indian Express
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘Mani Ratnam reaches set at 5:30 am everyday; crew is forced to leave home at 4:30': Kamal Haasan recalls director's exacting nature
During the course of his decades-long career, Kamal Haasan delivered all-time classics such as Hey Ram, Nayakan, and Mahanadi. One of his highest-rated projects on IMDb, Nayakan (1987), was helmed by the legendary director Mani Ratnam. In a recent interview, Haasan talked about Ratnam's idiosyncrasies as a director, especially his habit of showing up on the set before anyone else. While talking to The Hollywood Reporter India, Haasan pointed out how Ratnam has become more accommodating and reasonable over the years. He said, 'Mani hasn't mellowed with time; he has become refined. He shouldn't mellow; that would dilute him. But he has slowed down for people around him to catch up. In Tamil, the word for time is 'mani', and we have a running joke where we call him '5:30 Mani Ratnam' because that's the time he reaches the set. The poor cameraman will have to be there at least at 5, for which he will have to leave at 4:30.' ALSO READ: Kamal Haasan worked as a barber to 'insult' his mother, says he would've died penniless in an auto rickshaw had he not heeded guru's advice The actor proceeded to share how the entire crew was elated when he made fun of Ratnam for reaching the set that early and said that when the director heard that he was being made fun of, Haasan stepped up and took the blame. 'No one asks when Mani Ratnam woke up, because we don't know. When I announced that I would start calling him by that name, the entire crew on the set started applauding. It eventually reached him as well, and the entire crew stood there looking guilty. I told him that it was all me.' In the same interview, Haasan shared more anecdotes about Ratnam's demanding nature as a director and talked about the time they trekked to the third-highest waterfall in the world with his daughter, Shruti Haasan, because Ratnam told him to. 'Mr Ravi K Chandran, Sabu Cyril, I, my daughter Shruti, late stuntman Vikram Dharma, and three assistants set out to go to the third-tallest waterfall in the world, which is in Kodaikanal. We set off at 7 am. We wanted to go to its base. It's a long trek through the forest. You can see it from a vantage point about 30 miles away. In the first two hours, the assistant directors fell, fainted, and were bleeding.' Haasan and Ratnam are reuniting for the movie Thug Life after almost 40 years, and the film is set to release in June.
