On a positive note
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"Aayudha Ezhuthu" and its Hindi version, "Yuva," have been getting tremendous response, except in places such as Delhi or Salem. For director Mani Ratnam, it is success on his own terms, writes RANA SIDDIQUI.
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— Pic. by R. Ragu
MANI RATNAM is all smiles these days. His film in Tamil "Aayudha Ezhuthu" and its Hindi version "Yuva" are receiving tremendous response. For instance, it is learnt that the Satyam Cinema in Chennai has collected Rs.1500300 in 30 shows this past week, including Saturday and Sunday morning shows. "For those who don't know, Satyam is a 1,260-seater auditorium, which had 100 per cent collection.
In Kerala and Karnataka the film is reportedly running to packed houses, while in Tamil Nadu, and the less cinema-oriented centres like Thanjavur, Tirunelveli and Salem, the responses have not been as encouraging. In Kerala, "Aayudha Ezhuthu" and "Yuva" combined have netted Rs.31 lakhs from 13 prints in the first week.
The New York Times in its latest edition has praised the film for its technically sound treatment with which Mani is synonymous. And abroad, especially in the U.K, the film, if you take Mani's words, ``has done incredible business and is among the top 10 films of the week.''
In Delhi though, it has received a critically mixed feedback. But Mani is in high spirits not only because his cash registers are ringing but because this film has set almost the entire nation debating over the contemporary nature of the subject and the treatment. ``I was able to get my message across,'' is his response to the reactions he receives "almost every one hour since its release."
At Wave Cineplex, Noida, where the film was released to upwardly mobile audiences, Mani Ratnam was there with Abhishek Bachchan to gauge the pulse of the people.
What is the message actually ? ``The message that optimism is the key to success,'' he quips. And optimism is not about making a successful film but a film that evokes response from those for whom it is actually made. Here it is the young generation, especially those who can change the governance, if they so wish. "It is not important to make films. It is important to make films of social concern," is what his thrust has always been.
"I always wanted to make a film on a student leader,'' he reveals. It finds reflection in the well-defined role of Ajay Devgan. Through the characters of Devgan and Vivek Oberoi, he hints at the fact that if youth want they can actually take things in their hands and those who go on the wrong side of the law, only end up losing much in life. "Ajay Devgan's character is based on a real life student leader in Osmania University. That was long ago. He was assassinated for he initiated the students' movement and was almost on the verge of bringing the deciding change. But I am an incurable optimist, so I showed him alive and responsible for bringing the much-desired change in the political affairs,'' says Mani. And he does not conceal his feelings of joy over the young crowd entering the new Lok Sabha. "It is good to see so many young faces in the Lok Sabha. We can expect some positive changes now."
Many feel that he has not let his female characters develop fully in the film...
``Don's say that, please. You are not doing justice to me by saying so. They are not heroines. They are real life characters. I have clearly shown that if a woman wants, she can have her way. If Sasi (Rani Mukerji) accepts defeat, it is only because of anger. She also proves that emotionally she is stronger than her husband. Other women too live the life they want and are a strong support to their men. Still, my film is after all more about male protagonists than females,'' he declares.
A film on yuva by quite a senior man ...
"You don't have to be a six-year-old to write about one. . You just need to know what he likes, eats and how he behaves in a certain situation." In "Yuva" Mani has used Kolkata as the background simply "because the connection between students and political leaders is much stronger in Kolkata than anywhere else in the country."
But in Delhi, which has many universities, the film has not go down well. Mani refuses to believe it. "Please don't jump to conclusions. Better wait. The information I get from every quarter is that `it is an okay film'. I am not even predicting that it might pick up in the days to come but the response to the film on the first day of the release and now is amazingly different. It says a lot... "
And the film was supposed to be a song-less affair ...
``Initially yes, but I had my way. Hardly do my characters sing in the film, except Lallan's wife in a romantic scene, other songs are only in the background.''
One hears whispers about Abhishek being given more mileage over others to boost his otherwise sagging career. "He is an actor with tremendous potential. I know whom to choose. I am not bothered about their saleability." And that is what makes him an accomplished director.
"I have never tried to make films that would please others," Mani concludes. And we believe what Anna Quindlen said once, "If your success is not on your own terms, if it looks good to the world but does not feel good in your heart, it is not success at all.''
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