Raavan
A; Thriller
Dir: Mani Ratnam
Cast: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Govinda, Vikram, Ravi Kissen, Nikhil Dwivedi
Rating: **



What it's about: There's nothing more disappointing than watching an accomplished filmmaker falter. It's happening a bit too often with Mani Ratnam; the man who redefined cinema with films like Nayakan, Anjali and Roja among others. For the last few years (since he succumbed to the star system), his films have largely been a big let-down. With Raavan, he takes yet another step backwards with his inconsistent storyline and wavering narrative. It's the season of mythology-inspired films (the last being Raajneeti); this one being a take on the Ramayana. The efforts are completely lost in translation. Senior cop Dev's (Vikram) wife Ragini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) is kidnapped by local baddie Beera (Abhishek Bachchan) and taken into his domainu00a0-- the vast forests. Dev sets out to find her in a terrain that Beera treats like his backyard. He is assisted in his mission by forest guard Sanjeevani Kumar (Govinda) and a handful of cops. The hard-core Beera transforms into a man with a heart as he spends time with Raginiu00a0-- eventually falling prey to her charm. While in captivity, Ragini learns why Beera turned into the 'Raavan'. The battle between good and evil begins with each trying to outdo the other, culminating in a climax that's neither clever nor convincing.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0

What's good: The only thing that remains with you much after the film is over is the spectacular cinematography by Santosh Sivan and Vu00a0Manikandan. Mani Ratnam excels in his choice of locations -- it's like nothing you've seen in a Hindi film before. You allow yourself to be lured in to the beautiful Pandora-like forests -- how we only wish the characters were like Avatar's! The initial scenes that depict the growing chemistry between Beera and Ragini are edgy. Mani's shot-taking is expectedly, a class part -- this time, he experiments with multiple cameras offering multiple takes of the same sequence and does it effectively too. He also succeeds in getting some delightful performances by his supporting cast -- Govinda (despite an inconsequential role), Ravi Kissen and Nikhil Dwivedi shine their way through. South superstar Vikram makes a smashing debut in his first mainstream Hindi film -- he's got a striking screen presence and a towering personality.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0