Vetti Post - 13

a. Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachan can't act.
b. Vikram hams it up.
c. The story is stale (is this the 'straight' version of Roja?)
d. Mani Ratnam's understanding of politics (or anything, for that matter) is superficial.
e. A.R. Rahman needs to update his software.

Of course, none of this matters when there are so many fan-boys in India and abroad. Too bad the film 'isn't ready' for this year's IIFA. But Ratnam doesn't have to worry. I'm sure Amitabh Bachan will find a better place, like Tel Aviv, for his next film's premiere.

21 comments:

Prabhu S said...

Suhasini's dialogues as well has the potential to wreck the movie. But fan-boys would lap it up anyways.

Gokul R said...

Suresh, I don't exactly understand the term "superficial" with respect to Mani Ratnam's Political views. I recall that you have used a similar expression in one of your podcasts, wrt Mani's political inclinations in his movies.

In both the occasions, I just don't understand the context under which you offer your views and the meaning of it. Can you please explain me (and the other readers, possibly) this point of yours ?

Thanks

Hawkeye said...

i think its mani's version of Guna.
ARR has lost it.
suhasini moodhevi should be gagged and buried.

Ashwin Raghu said...

Suresh, did you watch the movie Kattradhu Tamizh? What did you think about it? Would love to know!

Suresh ET said...

Gokul,

I'd like to, but it tires me to even think about it now. This post will at least partly explain where I'm coming from: http://englishtamil.blogspot.com/2007/04/i-hate-these-people-kind-of.html
Even though the original post isn't there anymore, enough is discussed in the comments section.

I'd also encourage you to read on Mani Ratnam's films by scholars like Tejaswini Niranjana (and the article I've cited in the post itself).

Ashwin,

I thought it was a relatively 'honest' attempt but the final product has serious flaws. The protagonist's criticisms -- and by extension, the film's -- are misplaced on more than a few occasions. I'll write about it in little more detail later (or talk about it in a podcast).

Anonymous said...

In conclusion, collective praising of a film/film maker make the product more like-able?

In spite of some objections, now that I think about the content, I liked Anjali(think every kid did), Mouna Raagam(not for Karthik!), Alai Payudhey(possibly due to the age).

But I do agree that there is a lot of superficiality to it. As I recall reading somewhere; even if they present the same implied scene, people will call Selvaraghavan crass and Maniratnam class, because of the way the product is packaged.

-kajan

Lakshmi said...

Manirathnam is superficial. Comparison (with perhaps Aamir or someone) might put things in perspective, I guess. I always thought Manirathnam and his better half Suhasini are both very very superficial. The one thing I don't know is which was the driving team behind Mouna Ragam, Agni Nakshatram & Anjali. It could perhaps be inspiration from real life (like in the case of Iruvar). Again, I'm thinking the brain behind these gems is some lesser known teamwork.

Prasad Venkat said...

Let me understand this - Aamir is better than Maniratnam?

Anonymous said...

Obviously Aamirs films recent films (post laagan) are better than MR.
Aamir is much more honest in his movie making and atleast amir wont back stabe like MR did in kannathil muthamital to particular community.

Rajesh

JP said...

Mouna Ragam is an average film whose central theme was lifted from Nenjathai Killadhe. suresh will probably complain that Mouna Ragam also has pro-bourgeois, anti-proletariat tendencies.

If Agni Natchatram is a gem, Rajathi Raja should at least qualify for gold.

Anjali? The same "eindhuru anjali, eindhuru"? Gem? Where, in Balu-the oorukke mottai-jewelers?


Aamir Khan has made what, one film (after kicking out the original director midway)? is that the one about the retarded boy saying fuck you to everyone else at the end? where's honesty in this pa? idhukku retarded child makes life miserable for apartment residents before she dies seems much more honest.

Subhash said...

haha @tel aviv... nice way to pss off our peaceful cousins.

krishna said...

Please justify your sweeping claims.

Suresh ET said...

கிருஷ்ணா'னு பேர் வெச்சுர்கவனுக்கு எல்லாம் பதில் சொல்றதில்ல!

krishna said...

LOL, yen peyarukkum un pathillukkum enna samantham? En muzhu peyar Gopalakrishnan endra pakshathil you can give me your reasons:). I feel like so many people judge rahman/mani and their work one way or another without knowing what they are talking about -- perhaps you have some deeper understanding. I think they very successfully meet their own expectations/goals consistently, and that's all that counts.

Anonymous said...

Suresh, where did you watch the movie?

Sudhir Srinivasan said...

It was good to read some of your replies to ip back in that post you provided a link to. Again. Intelligent, to the point, lucid. I'm surprised I didn't mention the same there. Nevertheless, better late than never, I guess.
And as for Raavanan, ever since I heard about the plot or whatever little about it, at least, it didn't excite me at all. Sounds like your usual "villain abducts heroine who's in the middle of a happily-ever-after relationship with the hero; heroine misses the hero (insert a couple of songs) even while despising the villain (insert early scenes of Guna); heroine begins to understand the villain's intention or at least sympathise with it (insert scenes from Guna, or even Kaadhal Konden); the "jaw-dropping" climax". I'll be very surprised if I haven't got most things right here. I or the millions who have watched the trailer.

Sudhir.

Sargunesh said...

Exactly, Mr Suresh! You are 100% percent correct! Raavan is doomed to go down! Yes, ARR is becoming old-fashioned nowadays, running out of tunes! And MR is getting old! So the movie is doomed to go down for sure! Thanks for informing us earlier, so now we don't have to go and watch it in theatres when it is released, we'll watch on pirated dvds. Or we'll never watch at all. Oh! What would we do without you Mr Suresh?!

SS said...

lol @ "100% percent".

Chan said...

Vetti post aanaalum vevaramaana (vishayamulla) postungoh!!!

Ith Njaan Alla said...

maniratnam's movies entered the market when there were icons in the market. the Big Bs for example, but his movies were different so they created a market for themselves, but the youngsters who say that they like maniratnam's movies are just trying to establish that they are 'intelligent'. these guys are in no way different from the vijayakant rasigan. for god's sake appreciate the movie not the director. he can churn out crap. i mean can you imagine? he gave a dud at the box office like 'dil se' when shahrukh khan was at the top of the hindi movie market. even shahrukh could not rescue the movie. raavan is running in the theatres, haven't seen it,but i think the film might do well. better that 'dil se'. the music sucks by the way.
and why do we have such high expectations from rahman?

Sudhir said...

http://www.southdreamz.com/2010/06/raavanan-raavan-perform-below-par.html
Here. If this is anything to go by. Also, Sunday night shows at Sathyam are free. Now. Unheard of for "good" films, especially one-week-old films. Hell, The Prince of Persia is running full. People want to spend on films; but clearly, not on Raavanan. :P Not anymore, at least.

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