No Mandodari in Raavan

Bipasha Basu was touted to play the role of Mandodari in Raavan. Earlier, the film’s director Mani Ratnam had plans to sign up Nayanthara, which did not materialize due to date issues.

However, the recent buzz is that the director has decided to do away with the role entirely. Apparently, Mani Ratnam felt that he could not do enough justice to the role and there were chances that it could be reduced to a mere item number. Considering all this, Mani decided to chop off the role. This puts an end to the rumors that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was insecure of her role should the Mandodari character be given prominence.


Courtesy: behindwoods.com

Mani wants Vikram… says so to Selvaraghavan

The last leg of the Mani Ratnam-directed Raavan was being shot at the Malshej Ghats. Unfortunately, the heavy rains that have been lashing in those parts have made it difficult for the unit to film the scenes and as a result the stars and technicians are forced to stay indoors. The worst affected are the busy stars Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Vikram. The trio is involved in several projects and have their diaries of schedule jam-packed already. This sudden delay is said to make things difficult for these stars.

A source says that Vikram needs to be in Ladakh later this month to take part in the Selvaraghavan directed flick and is really concerned about the delay. Sensing this, Mani has requested Selvaraghavan to spare a few days so that he could complete the shooting with Vikram.

Courtesy: behindwoods.com

No leak from Raavan: Rahman

The latest wave in the Internet is a supposed ‘leaked’ song from Mani Ratnam’s upcoming film titled Raavan. 


The film, which stars Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai in lead roles in the Hindi version and Vikram and Aishwarya in the Tamil version, has music by Oscar winner A R Rahman. According to a post in the internet recently, a song — titled Kaadale... in the Tamil version — has been sung by the lead actress Aishwarya herself!

However, music composer Rahman has denied that any such song features in the film. “Someone’s pulling a fast one,” is all he said. All eyes are on Raavan’s music as it will be the first album with the Mani Ratnam-Rahman combination that will be out after the composer’s double delight at the Oscars for Slumdog Millionaire. Besides Raavan, A R Rahman’s current projects include Rajinikanth’s Endhiran and Sultan, Couples Retreat and Vinaithaandi Varuvaaya. 


Courtesy:indiatimes.com

Aishwarya Rai completes filming Mani Ratnam's 'Ravan'

Aishwarya Rai has completed filming for Mani Ratnam's 'Ravan' with co-star and husband Abhishek Bachchan and is currently taking a break with her family.
October 04, 2009, (Sawf News) - Aishwarya Rai has completed filming for Mani Ratnam's 'Ravan' with co-star and husband Abhishek Bachchan and is currently taking a break with her family.


Aishwarya has been slogging it out, working on four films at a time - Mani Ratnam's Ravan and Raavana (Tamil), Vipul Shah's Action Replay and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish with co-star Hrithik Roshan.


Aishwarya is playing the same role in both the Hindi and Tamil versions of Ravan. She speaks her own dialogs for the Tamil version as she is fluent in the language.


Aishwarya and Abhishek have lately become inseparable. Late last month the couple signed their first ever commercial together for a soap manufacturer. There are reports that the couple shopped for some time to get the best deal. The ad will fetch them a whopping Rs25 crore.


The couple recently gave their first ever TV interview together when they appeared on U.S. chat show queen Oprah Winfrey's show on Monday, September 28.


Courtesy:sawfnews.com

Bipasha Basu out of Raavan

Bipasha Basu is quite upset these days as she is no longer a part of Mani Ratnam’s Raavan anymore. The actress had allotted 20 days for the shooting and had done the dress rehearsals too. However, Mani decided that Bipasha’s role, which also included an item number, would make the film too lengthy and hence chose not to use her. Sources say that it is still not clear if the actress would be replaced or the role is being chopped off entirely.

Mani is said to have made amends with the dejected actress by promising her a plum role in his future project.


Courtesy: behindwoods.com

Rahman's Raag Malhar

A R Rahman shoots global video for water conservation in Filmistan Studios; gives company to U2, Shakira

After his anti-poverty anthem for the UN, A R Rahman is now shooting a music video on water conservation, which will be aired on the web.

Other performers in the webcast titled Moving Stars And Earth For Water include U2, Peter Gabriel and Shakira.

Oscar winner Rahman has based his video on his National Award winning Tamil film track Vellai Pookal.

The 3.40-minute video will be a part of the 120-minute Moving Stars And Earth For Water. Kicked off by the Canadian foundation One Drop, the webcast hopes to raise worldwide awareness on water conservation.

"I always rely on my instincts for music. I chose this track too because I felt it fit the theme," said Rahman.

The video's set in Filmistan Studios is all white. Rahman sports an all-white ensemble and it's evident that he has also crafted the message of peace into the project.

Said Deepak Gattani, founder of Rapport Global, who is directing the video, "The song speaks to today's generation, which is also why we plan to include kids in the shoot."

Added Rahman, "Now there's a 30 per cent water cut even in Mumbai, isn't it? I remember how almost everybody used to carry pots on the street to fill water in Chennai," recalling the drought in Chennai during the '80s and early '90s.

Vellai Pookal

Vellai Pookal (White flowers) is a track in Mani Ratnam's Tamil film Kannathil Muthamittal (2002).

It was written by Vairamuthu MD and composed by A R Rahman.

The first couple of lines of the song, when translated, run: White flowers make the world bloom/ Let the Earth, which is splitting apart, rise for peace.

Courtesy:mid-day.com

Roja was my benchmark, says A R Rahman

A meeting between two musical geniuses was in the making but fate cancelled it. Composer A R Rahman, two days before he won two Oscars forSlumdog Millionaire, had received an e-mail invitation from late pop singer Michael Jackson to discuss projects. Rahman talks about Jackson, spirituality and the film that set off his career with CNN-IBN’s Rajeev Masand on To Catch A Star.

Rajeev Masand: May I start by asking you, at an average, how much time do you get to sleep these days? I know that you are committed to doing a lot of work both in India and in America, do you have enough time to really rest?

A R Rahman: I need to sleep, otherwise I fall ill the next day, at least six to seven hours, but sometimes it's in installments.

Rajeev Masand:When you keep the Oscars at home, does everyone want to look at it, touch it?

A R Rahman: I have not seen it for ages. I don't know where it is. It's somewhere in the building I guess.

Rajeev Masand: You have always said that healthy arguments with your directors and lyricists often result in the creation of some very good music. I am guessing after the Oscars no one really wants to argue with you anymore, no one really disputes your suggestions anymore.

A R Rahman: I don't know if it works that way. Because in the interest of any big films, there's always an argument and a vision which is most the director's and if you are sensible you have to go through with that vision. You can't say, "I have written a beautiful song, fitted in the movie, I don't care."

Rajeev Masand: There is a popular perception even amongst your greatest fans that Jai Ho and the music of Slumdog Millionaire isn't necessarily your best music.

A R Rahman: They are not giving me the Oscar for my life, they are giving it for the film and that particular moment the film came in and how different the music and the whole theme was for the film. I am really proud about Slumdog Millionaire’s music andJai Ho

Rajeev Masand: You have always said that you wouldn't like your commitments here in India to be affected by the work that you want to do outside. And yet the first casualty of success turned out to be Rajiv Menon's film Dhun, he is an old friend of yours, but you are unable to do his film?

A R Rahman: It's a bullet which I have to take and had to give him also. His film is very musically demanding and it requires 24 x 7 attention. I can't give a tune through Internet for that film and I didn't want to stop his film in anyway by delaying. I think he is a great filmmaker. He is like a mini Raj Kumar for me. I am sure he is going to come up with really great film and music.

Rajeev Masand: Did you break his heart?

A R Rahman: I don't know. But I needed to take a stand somewhere, I needed to make a choice of not annoying people. But of course there is always a next time and better things are going to happen.

Rajeev Masand: I am sure that you had chance to look at your biography that was published recently?

A R Rahman: I didn't see much of it because but I have heard of different comments passed by people, good and bad about it.

Rajeev Masand: I think your fans are quite eager to know your reaction to the book especially it was fairly critical of you as well. It did speak about you having abandoned your family after you converted to Islam, it spoke about you having abandoned old band mates?

A R Rahman: I wouldn't say that is true because once I seriously started getting into music, I became spiritual, I wouldn't visit my own sister (laughs) and sometimes music needs that. You can't be everything. And a particular time in life comes in when you can compensate.

Like Gandhi, (I am not comparing myself with Gandhi), but for Gandhi the nation was important, for me the music is important.

Rajeev Masand: The book says you abandoned your band mates, the moment Mani Ratnam signed you for Roja There is a critical view of you. It even talks about references to black magic and voodoo. Did you fee betrayed by this book?

A R Rahman: No, I don't want to hide any of my past. There was an incidence in my family about my father. Lot of people believed that he was killed in black magic. So when you are a child you tend to believe everything. And then my overwhelming spiritual thirst made me vanish all the stuff and now I am clean. I am following the Sufi path and I don't care about anything. About the band, it was supposed to be a temporary band.

There was never a thing like I would have to leave my life to come and play in the band. It was a fun thing. We did one number for an album and I became busy in Roja and my band mates were impatient because they wanted to finish the album. So I said if you are impatient please go ahead because I had taken up something, which doesn't come to every individual. I had the best film director asking me for music. I wanted to give my hundred per cent to the film. However, all of them are living their successful lives today.

Rajeev Masand: The acclaimed playback singer S P Balasubramaniam has a complaint. He says that Rahman has very little regard for language and pronunciation. He is happy to use singers from the North to sing Tamil songs, as long as the tune is fine, he doesn't mind very much the words and language or the accent is mutilated often.

A R Rahman: Not every time. Sometimes it’s good to have something funky. Not for the shake of hurting anything but for entertainment sake but that shouldn't become a habit.

Rajeev Masand: Your music for the film Blue is your first album right after the Oscars.

A R Rahman: It's probably the first time I am doing a film like this which is an entertainer and which is about underwater, so the music naturally became fast and beat oriented but we have tried maintain a balance between making sense of melody speed.

Rajeev Masand: You recorded a track with Kylie Minogue for this film.

A R Rahman: It was the wholesome effect of Kylie Minogue they wanted to have in the film. They wanted her to dance and feature in the film in a small part. And she also wanted that to happen for a long time. So she found it a great opportunity. And strangely, she gave me the BAFTA Awards, and next day we recorded the song.

Rajeev Masand: Are you a fan of her music?

A R Rahman: I do like stuff of hers, she is a really lovely person.

Rajeev Masand: It's popularly and very justifiably believed that some of your best work is with Mani Ratnam. You started with him with Roja and Raavan is your eleventh collaboration with him?

A R Rahman: I think so.

Rajeev Masand: What can we expect?

A R Rahman: I am looking forward to this movie because it is turning out to be a very interesting movie.

Rajeev Masand: Your son recently sang for the film Kapil's Retreat, the American film, which you have composed the score for. He has also sung before for Bose, The Forgotten Hero

A R Rahman: No not for Bose

Rajeev Masand: Which was then?

A R Rahman: It was an animation film, which is still a work in progress and the other song is also work in progress. He (son) is getting musical slowly. I just played him the track and he started singing something, which I recorded and happen to use it. In just a very small portion of the song.

Rajeev Masand: Your daughter has sung for Mangal Pandey as well. What's it like working with your kids?

A R Rahman: They have to be programmed in a way, they have to be told what to do and what not to do.

Rajeev Masand: Your music for Delhi 6 is probably your best since Rang De Basanti. What's your favourite song on that sound track?

A R Rahman: Most of them, Rahena Tu, Maula.

Rajeev Masand: Danny Boyle has bought the rights to Suketa Mehta's book Maximum City. Are you committed to scoring that?

A R Rahman: I spoke to Danny but I didn't hear anything about this. But definitely, it's going to be a very interesting film I guess.

Rajeev Masand: You met Michael Jackson shortly after the Oscars. Tell us about that meeting. He has been your influence in your growing years.

A R Rahman: I was supposed to meet Michael in 1999 but because of his mishap in a concert, I couldn't meet him. After nine years, when I went to Los Angeles, my agent said, “I am gonna meet Michael Jackson's manager”. So I just told him, "can I meet him." He said he would email and see if Michael wanted to meet me. So three or four days before the Oscars, we got an email saying Michael Jackson wanted to meet me. So I went to meet him after winning the Oscars. I thought the meeting would be five minutes but it lasted for two hours.

We talked about my music and how I had written them and that how India adored Michael Jackson. Then he called me saying why don't you do something like We Are The World and you conduct the whole thing. I was shocked. Before getting into that he started going to rehearsals for the This Is It concert and the next thing you hear that he is dead. It was a real shocker.

Rajeev Masand: In your first film album Roja was declared by Time magazine as one of the best film soundtracks of all time, how different is the experience of making music now. Has the process changed very much now?

A R Rahman: Roja was my benchmark. I told Mani Ratnam that this was what I wanted to achieve. He helped me do that in a way, patiently waiting and giving productive inputs. So that continues even now. Today, it's easier to put across my musical vision to musicians because they have heard my music. It was difficult to do that in the initial years. People are more thoughtful that ways. They are doing well.

Rajeev Masand: Thank you so much for doing us proud and speaking to us.

Courtesy: ibnlive.in.com

Bipasha Basu is Vikram’s wife in ‘Raavan’

Bollywood’s voluptuous Bipasha Basu has been finally drawn into the multi-starrer bilingual “Raavan’. Ace filmmaker Manirathnam has been on a long-time pursuit of an actress to enact “Mandodari’ in his modernized epic of “Ramayanam’. Earlier, the filmmaker had offered Reema Sen and Nayanthara the role, which they turned down as they weren’t confident with this deglamorized role.
Eventually, Manirathnam was much impressed with Bips’ deglamorized role in her Bengali film “SHOB CHARITRO KALPONIK’ and indeed approached her to perform this role. Instantaneously, without any delay, the actress signed the pact to enact “Mandodari’ in both the versions (Tamil and Hindi). According to the sources, Bipasha will appear for 40mins in the film and her portions will be shot from September 15.
She will be spotted playing Vikram’s wife in Tamil while the Hindi version will have her paired up with Abhishek Bachchan.

Courtesy: thaindian.com

Bipasha now in Ravana!

Here is a latest entrant to the much-hyped movie of the year, ‘Ravana’. The Mani Ratnam’s movie has always maintained a hush-hush atmosphere within itself. And the director had roped in this dusky beauty a month ago, on a condition to keep up the secrecy about her involvement in the project.

Now, when the news is out, Bipasha Basu will be playing the character of Mandodhari, wife of Ravana. In the movie, Abhishek Bachchan will be playing Ravana, Priyamani as Ravan’s sister Surpanaka, Aishwarya Rai as Sita, Vikram as Ram and finally Govinda as Hanuman. The movie will only carry the nuances of the epic Ramayana.

Initially, Sushmita Sen was rumoured to be approached for Mandodhari’s role. But as the diva refused, the offer fell into Bips’s lap, who readily accepted it.

Here our modern-day Mandodhari will be doing a sizzling item number. But no, the lady will be doing more than that! Bips will have a full-fledge role of 40 mins sources say. Our sexy lady is now packing up her bags for a 20-day shoot scheduled in coming days this month. “Bipasha’s costumes are ready. She is very happy with her look in the film. She is looking forward to joining the unit of Ravana,” added the sources. Wow, now that’s someone to add-on for the movie. Looks like the movie is getting spicier and hotter by the days…

Courtesy: indiaglitz.com

Mani Ratnam promotes Vikram for Hindi

Media hype is now and before the most vital thing in promoting a film or a star. Mani Ratnam’s ‘Ravana’ is one such film that has been on the headlines for quite some time now for both lucky and unlucky reasons unintentionally.

But now the director has worked on a perfect plan to launch his hero Vikram the right way in Bollywood.  Vikram plays an important role in both Tamil and Hindi versions of the film. 

According to the sources, Mani Ratnam has worked to highlight only Vikram’s character for the first trailer. It looks like the trailer is perfectly dyed-in-the-wool to show who Vikram is for the Bolly-world.

The filmmaker is known to create the best hype for almost all his heroes, for all good reasons. Let’s wait to see what lies beneath this publicity now!

Courtesy: indiaglitz.com

Aamir- The modern-day Hanuman

How about Aamir Khan enacting ‘modern-day Hanuman’ in Mani Rathnam’s modernized tale of ‘Raavan’? Fantastic, isn’t? But let’s not get along with our own imaginations as Mr. Perfectionist hasn’t got over any offers from Mani Rathnam.

This is all about Aamir’s role of modern-day Hanuman role in producer Uru Patel’s film on Hanuman. Earlier, a Japanese actor was supposed to perform the flamboyant role as the character demands over mastery over martial skills of flipping and swaying through the air and space.

The offer for this graciously appealing role has passed over to the hands of Aamir Khan. According to the closer sources, the actor will sign the deal only after reading through entire script. Much specifically, Mr. Perfectionist has insisted about his signature in each page of full-bound script to ensure no changes are made latter in shooting.

Rama and Raavan roles will be performed by Hollywood superstars Keanu Reeves and Gary Oldman respectively. Earlier, Shilpa Shetty was supposed to be casted for ‘Sita’ and hunt is now over an international face.

The task of wielding megaphone has now passed on from Louis Mandoki to Chuck Russell as he’s well versed with such genres and Hindi language as well.

Courtesy: indiaglitz.com

Mani Ratnam’s plans for Vikram!

Vikram plays an important role in both versions (Tamil and Hindi) of the Mani Ratnam directed Raavan. While there are a host of actors that star along with him in the film, like Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Priyamani, Prithviraj etc., the director has plans to make a trailer concentrating wholly on the title role or rather, the villain.

This first trailer, sources say, will concentrate on Vikram’s character, thus giving him a grand opening in Bollywood. Wonder what the director has in store for this versatile actor.


Courtesy: behindwoods.com

Reinventing Roja magic in English

Mani Ratnam's all time great classic Roja(1992) is going for a digital makeover and is getting dubbed in English. K.Balachandar’s Kavithalaya the original producers are going to dub it in English.

Remember Roja is the debut film of A.R Rahman, and the buzz is that the Oscar winning music director is going to redo all the songs and background score in Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound.
The original music of the film was recorded in mono at a make shift studio near Kodambakkam bridge in the then Madras (Chennai).
Rahman’s new found international fame will give the English Roja, a fantastic reach.
The English Roja will have a different title and will be a shorter version. A source close to the development of the project said: “The subject is evergreen and relevant even after many years after its release. Please note that the original soundtrack is among the "10 Best Soundtracks” of all time listed by “TIME” magazine.”




Courtesy: sify.com

Prabhu in Mumbai for Raavan shoot

Prabhu, one of ace director Mani Ratnam's favourite heroes, has left for Mumbai for the shooting of the director's upcoming bilingual Raavan/ Ashokavanam, in which he plays a vital role, similar to Ramayan’s Vibheeshan. The shooting begins on August 28 in Khireshwar village near Malshej ghat, about 90 km from Pune.
Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Govinda and other film personalities will visit the village for the shooting. Meanwhile, the shooting of the film recently ran into trouble once again, with the forest authorities in Maharashtra slapping cases against 14 people from the crew for trespassing into forest property at Khireshwar village near Malshej Ghat.
According to reports, the crew, with the help of some villagers, erected two sheds and dumped materials used for erecting sets on forest land without obtaining permission. The crew's version is that they had applied for permission, which was under consideration.
This is not the first time that Raavan is running into trouble. Earlier, the Kerala Forest Department stopped Mani Ratnam from filming Raavan in the jungles of Malayathur, after it was found that the crew had constructed huts inside the forest, which comes under protected and reserve areas.



Courtesy: galatta.com