mani ratnam guru.jpg
[Source – Madras Talkies. Via – Brijesh]

There is this relatively old rumor[a month old] that Mani Ratnam‘s latest flick will be a Bollywood film with Aamir Khan.

Few days back, they let the cat more or less out of the bag that Mani is looking to direct another bollywood flick with Abhishek, Aish and ‘Parineeta’ Vidya Balan.

So what’s the movie name? GURU. Yeah, more or less[in Times of India tone], its Guru. Is that why my collar seems to be perpetually raised, since then ?

P.S – Its a surprise to see the image of Mani Ratnam on Madras Talkies site. Its probably the first time, I see Mani indulging in such a self-promotion. Either Yuva must be spotted in some recent film festival or, I’m guessing, some webmaster who is an ardent fan like Guru[yeah, this is me] put up Mani’s photo on the homepage.

Mr.Mani , If you are reading this, can you ask that webmaster to send me a bigger image with better resolution. I need an image like this to be hosted at maniratnamfilms.com.


28 responses to “Guru !!”

  1. thalai.. kalakkunga 🙂 I left a msg in one of your posts! I actually tried to call you on the evening of Jan 1st. Wondered if your ph number has changed in the last yr or so. I actually left a msg too.

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  2. Guru,
    I see the pages for maniratnamfilms.com is served from maniratnam.blogspot.com. Are you going to host a blog @ maniratnamfilms.com using blogger?

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  3. Tht’s a good news!
    But u kno wat.. read it in a mag…tht his next Tamil Venture is gonna be wit Karthik’s son and Radha’s daughter… (like Alaigal Oyvathillai!!)

    Watever it is….as long as a Mani’s movie is out!!..no complaints! 🙂

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  4. The Madras talkies site with only a Hindi movie on the front page – wonder if this guy has developed an aversion for Tamil stuff – after all a bomb was thrown at him, the controversy with his wife, the fact that the Tamil audience never seem to appreciate his ventures like Ayidha Ezhuthu etc. I felt very sad when I looked at the madras talkies site. Oh well, there will always be someone else …

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  5. //Was wondering if you could actually provide a directory of reviews to all Maniratnam movies.//

    Nilu, Thats why I got maniratnamfilms.com. But then its a long exercise and will do it lazily !!

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  6. //Are you going to host a blog @ maniratnamfilms.com using blogger?//

    Saravanan, yeah thats the idea. Though i hate the idea of maintaining two blogs, i expect that one to function more like a referencial site than a blog. But don’t take my word. thats just a plan. donno what will happen.

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  7. //Tamil Venture is gonna be wit Karthik’s son and Radha’s daughter… (like Alaigal Oyvathillai!!)//

    Paddy, Hope not. All this funda of same jodi and stuff may not work out with mani. if its true, i’m surprised.

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  8. //I felt very sad when I looked at the madras talkies site. //

    BNB, I’m even more upset that we are just pushing the best of talents to elsewhere. but with mani ratnam, i dont think that will be the case.

    its for sure that he should be upset that aayitha ezhuthu screwed up in box office. it did not even generate the kind of argument for the subject it deal with.

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  9. Hi Lazy

    Heard that Mani is busy with pre production of his next project, a bilingual. Filming starts from march. Its not a rumour. Tamil version will star Surya.

    Regards
    Ramji

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  10. Ada pongapa,

    Maniratnam yarune marandu pochu!!!!! Happened to watch Mouna Ragam during a night journey in a private bus last weekend. I think we should cherish by seeing his old films only.

    Next film again with surya????????? I don’t like mani’s idea of doing film with same heroes again and again. It was Mohan,Karthik,Arvind swamy, Madhavan and surya now.

    CrazyGeek

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  11. manirathnam is all hype, when his movies come out, they suck big time. his movies are watchable once, thats it. doesn’t matter if its Guru, or Yuva. he needs to come up with better stories that will be liked by all. otherwise, he can stop making his stupid movies.

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  12. His movies are alright. But yes, he does need to pick better casting. AB and Aish for a hindi flick is great, but why run after Saif? Even Mani buys into the popularity market.

    Second, I believe that Mani tends to put big names into his films but gives them lousy roles. Especially character artists. For the money he pays them, it would be better if he chose someone new.

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  13. @ Yeah! OKAY!: Touche! Just because there’s no one else better… Some good movies that come here down south are a lot better than the one that come with a “Maniratnam” tag. And stupid and incomprehensible one word dialogues that are his “trademark”!

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  14. my industry sources tell me that mani’s next flick is a hindi-english bilingual w/ abhishek. he is in talks w/ ashok amrithraj to venture into english movies next year – maybe do a low-budget indie character study…; mani can become the next ang-lee. stay tuned…

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  15. Mani ratnam has directed some excellent movies, but “Ayitha Ezhuthu”, was certainly not one of them. The theme was very good, but it was not properly handled and worse, oversimplified. It wasn’t very entertaining also. If u’d like to know what is the flaw with the movie, read my old review here –
    http://www.mouthshut.com/review/Aytha_Ezuthu-55593-1.html

    It is like expecting too much from the movie, if we expect a ‘argument’ about it in society, because it was simply not convincing. IMHO, the later “Ji” took a more realistic angle at student politics. Of course it suffered from a compromised climax and uncessesary love angle.

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  16. Saif turns down Mani Ratnam, Ram Gopal Varma
    Saturday January 21 2006 00:00 IST
    IANS

    MUMBAI: Saif Ali Khan has declined lead roles in Ram Gopal Varma’s “Sholay”, where he was offered the part of Veeru, and Mani Ratnam’s latest bilingual in Hindi and English to be shot in London.

    “Practically speaking, I could do just one of these three huge projects. All of them were top-of-the-line stuff with great roles for me,” Saif told IANS.

    “The dates for Mani’s films were clashing with Siddharth Anand’s next, which I have agreed to do. I’d have loved to work with Mani. He is after all… Mani! As for ‘Sholay’… yeah, who wouldn’t want to do it?

    “Some day I’d love to do a big gangster film. In fact, Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaptation of ‘Othello’ is a big gangster film.”

    After a lot of deliberation, Saif has decided to play Iago in Vishal’s much talked about Hindi adaptation of “Othello”.

    “Vishal wanted me in January-February 2006 and that suited my schedule just fine. It is a bloody good script. And I get to do a full-on rustic character with a UP accent and all. I have never done all this before. It’s got really cool dialogues.”

    Saif is going to spend a lot of time preparing for Vishal’s Iago.

    “I am already thinking of a scar and earrings for sure.”

    http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE420060120044633&Page=4&Title=Features+%2D+People+%26+Lifestyle&Topic=0

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  17. Just like how the game of cricket is bigger than any individual,the same applies to the movie world too.Seems like maniratnam is more intrested in hindi cinema.Such a shame to see the madrastalkies website with pic of Yuva rather than AE.
    I seriously feel mani is not the same as he was with the likes of mouna..anjali.roja..iruvar.a tight and a taut script was lacking in AE.Seemed like the whole movie was about characters(is there an AE part 2 with the story as the characters have now been introduced?) and showcasing a different way of filmmaking(technical aspects)rather than narating a gripping/captivating story.And whatever the movie wanted to convey was way too subtle even for elite audiences.No wonder it dint recieve a rousing welcome.
    May be he has become averse to tamil audience as his experiment was not well received.But so was it in hindi too.seems like he is now obessed with AB jr..whatever it is it seems like he has outgrown tamil cinema.
    seems the same with rahman too..(maddy who was keen with bollywood has learnt it i guess..with failures in bollywood)tamizh cinema will def miss these legends..but it will outgrow them.The sooner they realize the better it is for them and tamil cinema.Stay connected with your audience for they are your roots.

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  18. Well said karthick!!!!!Maniratnam will learn it the maddy way..thats wat i feel.Tamil cinema is doing very well without these two too.I was a big admirer of ar and mani.these days my interest in them is weaning.
    Peraasai perunashtam def in the long run.If they ignore tamil cinema,only they ll be at a loss.evalo nal than hindi/illa hollywood odum..Thai/tamizh mannai pol oru bhoomi illai for sure..

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