Filmmaker Mani Ratnam expressed his desire to do a film without any songs in one of his recent interviews with a news portal.
Besides the stunning frames and engrossing narrative, Mani Ratnam’s films are also known for their beautiful songs. His 30-year-old collaboration with Oscar-winning music composer AR Rahman has given us some gems to cherish. The duo first teamed up for Roja in 1992 and since then, have been dropping chart-toppers like a boss.
However, in one of his recent interviews, Mani Ratnam revealed that he now wishes to make a song-less movie.
While speaking with Galatta Plus, the ‘Dil Se’ director revealed that he wanted to make his 1993 black comedy, Thiruda Thiruda a songless film. However, he couldn’t resist using the ‘Rasathi’ song.
The ace filmmaker shared, “It was the other way around. I said it wouldn’t fit in this film though the song was wonderful. I said we will use it in the next one. It was beyond what the film could take. But Vairamuthu and AR Rahman convinced me. I could in no way justify it fully. We tried but we couldn’t do justice to it.”
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On the other hand, AR Rahman who was also a part of the same interview said, “He gave a whole canvas for me to show what I can do and I had fun with it. It changed my career and the song is still a blueprint to many.”
When the interviewer asked Mani Ratnam if he still feels the urge to make a song-less film, the latter replied with an ‘all the time.’
Explaining the reason behind the same, the Bombay director continued, “Songs are like doing another film altogether. It is so good you know that people will like the songs and they come to theatres with that in mind whereas when you are making a film you make the film and then songs are constructed but songs go first to people. So, they hear the songs they want to know how are picturized. It comes the other way around. And sometime we can’t do justice because the story doesn’t let you. Every song is like an exam you have to pass. On the first day of song shooting, I would not have any idea how to do it.”
Mani Ratnam is currently awaiting the release of his upcoming epic period film, Ponniyin Selvan 2 starring Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, Trisha, Jayam Ravi, Sobhita Dhulipal and Aishwarya Lekshmi.
