Latest news with #MounaRagam
News18
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Wondering, What Made Nagarjuna Chase Mani Ratnam For A Month? Answer: Geethanjali
Nagarjuna recalled that he started following Mani Ratnam in hopes of convincing him to work with him because he wanted to do something he would like. Nagarjuna Akkineni has been capturing the hearts of thousands of people for over three decades. Since his debut in 1986 with Vikram, people were curious to see what Akkineni Nageswara Rao's son was capable of, and it took the Coolie star not just to prove himself as an actor but also as a superstar. During an interview with Jagapathi Babu on his talk show Jayammu Nischayammu Raa, Nagarjuna was seen getting candid about her career and his initial days in the industry. The actor was also seen recalling an incident when he pursued Mani Ratnam for a film. Nagarjuna Recalls Pursuing Mani Ratnam for a Film During the interview, Nagarjuna revealed that in the initial days of his career, he did not know much about films and was only doing films for the sake of it. The actor then recalled that he started following Mani Ratnam in hopes of convincing him to work with him because he wanted to do something he would actually like. 'I was unhappy with my films, and I wanted to do something I liked. I watched Mouna Ragam and felt like I would do well in a Mani Ratnam film. I knew he lived in Poes Garden in Chennai and that he would go on a walk every day at 6 AM. I pursued him for around a month while he was out on the walk. He would allow me to talk to him for 10 minutes before avoiding me. But during our brief meetings, I convinced him to work with me. That's when we made Geethanjali," Nagarjuna revealed. Nagarjuna and Mani Ratnam Join Hands in Geethanjali After pursuing the director every day for one month, Nagarjuna finally got the chance to work with Mani Ratnam on Geethanjali, which was released in 1989. After the release, Geethanjali was not only a blockbuster hit at the box office but also became a cult classic. The film followed the story of two terminally ill youngsters, Prakash (played by Nagarjuna) and Geethanjali (played by Girija), falling in love with each other. The film became a landmark in Nagarjuna's career, making him a heartthrob in the Telugu film industry. Nagarjuna's Recent Work Nagarjuna was recently seen in the Tamil action drama Coolie. Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Coolie features an ensemble cast, including Nagarjuna, Rajinikanth, Soubin Shahir, Upendra, Shruti Haasan, Sathyaraj and Rachita Ram. The film also features Aamir Khan and Pooja Hegde in special appearances. The film was released on August 14. Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Nagarjuna's relentless chase: How he sought after Mani Ratnam for a month that led to 'Geethanjali'
Picture Credit: X Veteran actor Nagarjuna recently opened up about the turning point in his career while appearing on Jagapathi Babu's talk show Jayammu Nischayammu Raa. The star recalled how he relentlessly pursued filmmaker Mani Ratnam every single day for a month to convince him to make a film together, a collaboration that ultimately resulted in the cult classic 'Geethanjali'. Early days in cinema Nagarjuna shared that when he began his career, he knew very little about movies and largely relied on his legendary father Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR), for guidance. His debut film 'Vikram', a remake of Jackie Shroff's 'Hero', clicked with audiences mainly out of curiosity to watch ANR's son on the big screen. "I did around seven films after that, but they were more for the sake of doing them," he admitted. His true breakthrough with the mass audience came with 'Aakhari Poratam' (1988), thanks to director K. Raghavendra Rao and actress Sridevi. "I was like a doll in that film," Nagarjuna said, crediting the team for the film's success. Interestingly, it was Mani Ratnam's 'Mouna Ragam' that inspired him to chase a project he genuinely believed in. "I was unhappy with my films and wanted to do something I liked. After watching Mouna Ragam, I felt I would do well in a Mani Ratnam film," Nagarjuna revealed. Chasing Mani Ratnam Determined to work with the acclaimed filmmaker, the actor found out that Mani Ratnam lived in Poes Garden, Chennai, and that he went for walks every morning at 6 AM. Nagarjuna then began meeting him during those walks, persisting for nearly a month. "He would let me talk for 10 minutes avoiding me. But during our brief meetings, I convinced him to work with me. That's when we made Geethanjali," he recalled. 'Geethanjali' has become a cult classic. The romantic drama tells the moving story of two terminally ill youngsters falling in love. Currently, Nagarjuna is seen in the Rajinikanth starrer 'Coolie', where the 'Mass' star is seen in the role of an antagonist named "Simon". The film has been performing incredibly at the box office, making over Rs 200 crore in India in five days as per Sacnilk. "Get the latest updates on Times of India, including reviews of the movie Coolie and War 2 ."
The Hindu
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Flight of stairs at Chennai's Rajaji Hall where intense scenes in Tamil cinema unfold
The flight of stairs at Rajaji Hall on the Omandurar Government Estate has borne witness to some of the most iconic moments in Tamil cinema, ones that remain unforgettable to date. It is on these stairs that actors Mammootty (cast as Devaraj) and Amrish Puri (Kalivardhan) share a subtle yet intense exchange in the presence of Rajnikanth (Surya) in Mani Ratnam's Thalapathi, and even prior to that, it is on these stairs that the character played by actor Karthik is shot dead in broad daylight in front of the character played by actor Revathi as she waits for him to arrive for their wedding, in another of Mani Ratnam's hits Mouna Ragam. The Rajaji Hall, with its grand colonial-era architecture, makes for a popular shooting locale in the heart of the city. Featured in several Tamil films, the building, which was constructed in 1802-03 and served as a public hall attached to the Governor's residence with its wide staircase, iconic columns, and imposing facade, has been the go-to place for scenes involving places such as government offices and courtrooms. In yet another protagonist-antagonist sequence, actors Vijayakanth and Prakash Raj meet on the stairs in the 1996 film Alexander, in which the former plays a Central Bureau of Investigation officer. 'A location like no other' There was no place like Rajaji Hall in Chennai, says director A.M. Nandakumar, who has worked on 38 movies, including ones with directors such as P. Vasu. 'I liked Rajaji Hall for its large working space. Scenes of several movies were shot here. For instance, the Sathyaraj-starrer Rickshaw Mama, in which I worked as an assistant director, had scenes shot there. Some scenes of Walter Vetrivel, Idhu Namma Bhoomi, Sethupathy IPS, and Vaimeiye Vellum were also shot here,' he recalls. In 2000, a grand song sequence was shot here for his movie Kodiesvaran (which is yet to see a theatrical release), featuring actors Eby Kunjumon and Simran. 'We created a set measuring 40,000 here. We had 120 dancers on a stage and nearly 1,000 junior artistes. Such was the grandeur of the place,' he said. In fact, Mr. Nandakumar, who went on to work on a Japanese film Nattu Odoru! Ninja Densetsu, says that their search for a palace setting brought them back to Rajaji Hall. 'We visited some places, including Mysuru, but Rajaji Hall was the best fit. A set for a huge palace was created for the film,' he added. Actor Mohan V. Raman, who played a role in the Japanese film, recalled that Rajaji Hall had then lacked proper amenities for actors. 'Caravans were brought in, and the film crew had put up tents for actors,' he said. The hall, which commemorates the victory of the British over Tipu Sultan, was constructed in the style of a Greek temple. It was remodelled between 1875 and 1895. Currently, the Public Works Department is in the process of renovating the hall and plans to complete the work soon.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
A flight of stairs where intense scenes unfold
The flight of stairs at Rajaji Hall on the Omandurar Government Estate has borne witness to some of the most iconic moments in Tamil cinema, ones that remain unforgettable to date. It is on these stairs that actors Mammootty (cast as Devaraj) and Amrish Puri (Kalivardhan) share a subtle yet intense exchange in the presence of Rajnikanth (Surya) in Mani Ratnam's Thalapathi, and even prior to that, it is on these stairs that the character played by actor Karthik is shot dead in broad daylight in front of the character played by actor Revathi as she waits for him to arrive for their wedding, in another of Mani Ratnam's hits Mouna Ragam. The Rajaji Hall, with its grand colonial-era architecture, makes for a popular shooting locale in the heart of the city. Featured in several Tamil films, the building, which was constructed in 1802-03 and served as a public hall attached to the Governor's residence with its wide staircase, iconic columns, and imposing facade, has been the go-to place for scenes involving places such as government offices and courtrooms. In yet another protagonist-antagonist sequence, actors Vijayakanth and Prakash Raj meet on the stairs in the 1996 film Alexander, in which the former plays a Central Bureau of Investigation officer. 'A location like no other' There was no place like Rajaji Hall in Chennai, says director A.M. Nandakumar, who has worked on 38 movies, including ones with directors such as P. Vasu. 'I liked Rajaji Hall for its large working space. Scenes of several movies were shot here. For instance, the Sathyaraj-starrer Rickshaw Mama, in which I worked as an assistant director, had scenes shot there. Some scenes of Walter Vetrivel, Idhu Namma Bhoomi, Sethupathy IPS, and Vaimeiye Vellum were also shot here,' he recalls. In 2000, a grand song sequence was shot here for his movie Kodiesvaran (which is yet to see a theatrical release), featuring actors Eby Kunjumon and Simran. 'We created a set measuring 40,000 here. We had 120 dancers on a stage and nearly 1,000 junior artistes. Such was the grandeur of the place,' he said. In fact, Mr. Nandakumar, who went on to work on a Japanese film Nattu Odoru! Ninja Densetsu, says that their search for a palace setting brought them back to Rajaji Hall. 'We visited some places, including Mysuru, but Rajaji Hall was the best fit. A set for a huge palace was created for the film,' he added. Actor Mohan V. Raman, who played a role in the Japanese film, recalled that Rajaji Hall had then lacked proper amenities for actors. 'Caravans were brought in, and the film crew had put up tents for actors,' he said. The hall, which commemorates the victory of the British over Tipu Sultan, was constructed in the style of a Greek temple. It was remodelled between 1875 and 1895. Currently, the Public Works Department is in the process of renovating the hall and plans to complete the work soon.
India Today
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
How Kamal Haasan's Thug Life failed its women: Trisha, Abhirami, Aishwarya Lekshmi
Mani Ratnam's 'Thug Life' excited fans for more than one reason. Perhaps the biggest was the reunion of Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan, 38 years after their iconic 'Nayakan'. The second biggest was the ensemble star cast, including Silambarasan, Trisha Krishnan, Abhirami, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Joju George and 'Thug Life' released in theatres on June 5, it opened to a lukewarm response. While the critics and audiences called the filmmaker and Haasan out for its haphazard story, the biggest injustice of all was meted out to the women in the film. The man who has crafted some powerful female characters over the years let his fans down big with 'Thug Life'.advertisementBefore delving deep into the women of 'Thug Life', let us have a look at how Mani Ratnam shaped his female characters over the years. While Divya from the 1986 film 'Mouna Ragam' was a young woman dealing with an arranged marriage and a traumatic past, Shaila Banu in the 1995 film 'Bombay' was a strong-willed mother of twin boys navigating their displacement during communal riots. In the 1987 film 'Nayakan', Meera was a woman rescued by Sakthivel from a brothel. Shakthi from 'Alaipayuthey', Roja from 'Roja', Moina from 'Dil Se', Sujata Desai from 'Guru', Tara Kalingarayar from 'Oh Kadhal Kanmani' and Leela Abraham from 'Kaatru Veliyidai' - all these are strong-willed, powerful representation of women who have an agency and is where 'Thug Life' felt like a major letdown, especially for Mani Ratnam's fans. There are three important women characters in the film, played by Abhirami, Trisha Krishnan and Aishwarya played the role of Jeeva, wife of Kamal Haasan's Rangaraya Sakthivel, a role that becomes the centre of the universe for the protagonist in the second half. Abhirami is shown as a strong-willed woman who stands by her gangster-husband through shoot-outs, police encounters and prison a scene, Sakthivel gets released from prison after two long years. But, he goes straight to Indrani's (Trisha Krishnan) house to spend a week with her, before getting back to Jeeva. When Jeeva questions him, Sakthivel justifies the act of infidelity by calling it a disorder. He also says that even though he seeks Indrani, his heart lies with her. Sadly enough, Jeeva forgives him. While there are women like Jeeva in this world, it is a gross injustice to reduce Abhirami's character just to this - a second fiddle in her own husband's life, and someone who is not protesting enough either - a weak, subdued role, quite anti-Ratnam. In the second half, her character is used as a pawn to evoke emotional attachment to the Sakthivel. Jeeva then loses her memory in an accident and forgets Sakthivel. But after Sakthivel's transformation, he suddenly turns faithful and takes care of her - a trope that simply shows how Jeeva is simply at the mercy of her husband. Abhirami's character needed a much more rounded arc to add more gravitas to the story. Trisha Krishnan's Indrani in 'Thug Life' Indrani, while a complex character, is much like 'Nayakan's' Meera. She is also rescued from a job that requires her to please men. While Indrani had a lot of scope, she is tossed between two men, Sakthivel and Silambarasan's Amar. She is rescued by Sakthivel, becomes his paramour and then Amar's - another woman at the mercy of a man who looks at her at best as a romantic relief. If you take away Indrani's character from 'Thug Life', there would be no change to the story. Indrani could have been much more. That's what was projected in the pre-release interviews and in the trailer too. None of it could come face-to-face in the film, only character that got a decent arc is Aishwarya Lekshmi's Chandra. She has an introduction, a twist and a proper closure as well. But enough for a Mani Ratnam film? Absolutely not. Her character, who has all the parameters to be the emotional anchor of 'Thug Life' gets re-introduced half-way, goes missing, only to have her closure in the climax. The film, which could have easily been about Sakthivel's promise to Amar involving Chandra, eventually making it an emotional gangster story that Mani Ratnam promised - ends up being a combination of too many wrongs. Aishwarya Lekshmi and Mani Ratnam on 'Thug Life' sets. (Photo credit: Instagram/aishu_) advertisementToo many subplots and more emphasis on men paved the way (or the lack of it) for these women to get buried in chaos. On and off the screen.'Thug Life' truly failed its women. Mani Ratnam built his reputation on crafting women who were complete individuals - complex, driven, and essential to their stories. 'Thug Life' represents a disappointing departure from this legacy, while we sincerely hope it will only be a wrong film reduces three talented women to tired tropes: the forgiving wife, the object of desire, and the underutilised emotional anchor. For a filmmaker who gifted fans memorable women characters, 'Thug Life' feels like a massive step backward - a betrayal of his legacy and his audience's Reel
