| Raavan | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Mani Ratnam |
| Written by | Story &Screenplay: Mani Ratnam Dialogues: Vijay Krishna Acharya |
| Produced by | Mani Ratnam Sharada Trilok |
| Starring | Abhishek Bachchan Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Vikram Govinda Nikhil Dwivedi Ravi Kishan Priyamani |
| Cinematography | Santosh Sivan V. Manikandan |
| Edited by | A. Sreekar Prasad |
| Music by | A. R. Rahman |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Reliance BIG Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 131 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Budget | ₹55 crore (US$6.5 million)[2] |
| Box office | ₹49.5 crore (US$5.9 million)[2] |
Raavan is a 2010 IndianHindi-languageaction-adventure film co-written and directed byMani Ratnam, who also co-produced the film. It starsAbhishek Bachchan,Aishwarya Rai Bachchan andVikram whileGovinda,Nikhil Dwivedi,Ravi Kishan andPriyamani are in pivotal roles. It marks theHindi film debuts of Vikram and Priyamani. The film follows the crux of the epicRamayana, but with a modernized plot that reveals the perspective ofRavana.
Raavan was announced in February 2008, whilst Abhishek and Aishwarya's collaboration in the second time afterGuru (2007),[3] created more anticipation. Shooting began soon after, and took place in various locations with a record number of extras in areas includingChalakudy,Kerala, andOoty,Tamil Nadu amongst other regions throughout India. The film's music was composed byA. R. Rahman, with lyrics written byGulzar. The cinematography was handled byV. Manikandan andSanthosh Sivan, and editing is done byA. Sreekar Prasad.
The film was simultaneously released in two languages.Tamil asRaavanan with Vikram reprising Bachchan's role and playing the antagonist,Prithviraj Sukumaran reprising Vikram's role (which Abhishek Bachchan was supposed to play, but opted out of the film as he was not fluent in Tamil) and playing the protagonist, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan reprising her role in Tamil as well.
Both versions were released simultaneously on 19 June 2010 worldwide. The film's premiere was held in London on 16 June 2010.[4]
Anaxalite named Beera Munda and his gang are busy distracting the cops, setting police vehicles ablaze, and luring women to seduce cops into a trap where Beera's henchmen attack and brutally kill them. Whilst on a boating trip, Raagini Sharma is kidnapped by Beera, where her husband,SP Dev Pratap Sharma, is informed of the incident. It is revealed that Beera is a local hero in his village who runs a parallel government in rural areas with his brothers, Mangal and Hariya. Though considered a naxalite by the local police, Beera is respected by the villagers. He actually kidnapped Raagini, hoping to avenge the death of his sister Jamunia, where he brought her to a cliff to kill her. She refuses to die at his hands and jumps off the cliff into the water far below, hoping to kill herself, but to no avail.
This causes Beera to hold off the murder, being unable to kill someone who has no fear of death. Dev and his team enter the forests with the aid of Sanjeevani Kumar, a localforest guard. Despite searching deep in the forests, Dev is unable to hunt down Beera. Meanwhile, Raagini (who is actually suffering fromStockholm Syndrome) learns that Dev had led an encounter against Beera during Jamunia's wedding, where his shot grazed Beera in the neck. Fighting for his life, Beera is unable to protect his sister and is led out of the fiasco by his gang. The police pressurised Jamunia into revealing Veera's hideout. When she refused, she was subjected to torture and was physically assaulted by the cops. Beera returned home to find Jamunia depressed and traumatised. The next day, Jamunia committed suicide by drowning in a nearby well. Unhappy with the ways of leading the war causing distress to his gang, Hariya offers a truce to Dev, who initially seems to agree.
When Hariya arrives from his hideout, Dev shoots him to death, revealing that he considers the destruction of Beera more important than saving Raagini. Beera and Mangal are enraged and attack Dev's camp, where they are wiped out completely. A final confrontation ensues between Beera and Dev on a rickety bridge, where Beera triumphs over Dev. Dev tells him that he is leaving him alive because of Raagini. Dev manages to extricate himself and finds Raagini bound and tied up with Veera leaving her. While returning to their hometown, Dev accuses Raagini ofinfidelity and informs her that Beera actually told him. Furious, Raagini leaves Dev to meet Beera through Mangal, where she manages to meet him and asks him about the accusation. Beera denies the accusation, and the duo quickly realises that Dev lied, hoping Raagini would lead him to his hideout. Dev appears with a police team and confronts Beera. Raagini tries to save Beera, but he pushes her out of the line of fire and is shot multiple times, where Beera falls to his death with a smile while Ragini is distraught.
During the making of his 2007 dramaGuru starringAbhishek Bachchan andAishwarya Rai Bachchan,Mani Ratnam had finalised a script for his next directorial venture titledLajjo.[6] Based on a short story byIsmat Chughtai,[7] it was a musical period film set in the desert and was to starAamir Khan andKareena Kapoor in the lead.[8] Though the film was slated to go on floors after the release of the former,[9] there were reports of a fall-out between Ratnam and Khan due to creative differences. While cinematographerP. C. Sreeram denied the reports,[10] the film's would-be lyricistGulzar said there were actually problems with acquiring the copyright of the story,[11] and composerA. R. Rahman even confirmed to having completed 80% of the film score.[12] Yet, the project was put on the back burner for reasons unknown.[13][14]
Following the critical and commercial success ofGuru, Ratnam announced his next film in February 2008.[15] A modern-day retelling of the mythological epicRamayana, the film again features the real life couple in the lead.[16] The film was initially planned to be made only in Hindi and the idea for the Tamil version came later.[17] In January 2009, while the film was in the making, it was further decided to dub the Tamil version to Telugu making it a tri-lingual.[18][19] While the film was yet to be titled,[20] it was widely reported in the media that the Tamil version was titledAshokavanam in reference to the place where Sita was held captive by Ravana.[21] Subsequently, the film was titledRaavan in Hindi andRaavanan in Tamil.[22] While the plot is inspired byRamayana, the story is narrated from Ravana's perspective making him the protagonist.[23] The film is centered on the 'Ashokavanam' episode where Ravana kidnaps Sita and keeps her in Asokavanam. Later Rama ventures to save his wife and bring her back.
Bachchan and Vikram were roped in for the contrasting leads.[17] Rai plays the female lead in both versions of the film.[citation needed]
Manikandan was hired as the film's cinematographer; however, he walked out in May 2009 and was replaced bySantosh Sivan.[24] The editing was done bySreekar Prasad.[25] Rai's costumes were exclusively designed by fashion designerSabyasachi Mukherjee.[26] Choreography was byGanesh Acharya, Brinda,Shobana,[citation needed] and Astad Deboo.Peter Hein and Shyam Koushal choreographed the action sequences andSamir Chanda took care of production design.
Raavan was shot in numerous locations around India including the forests ofKarnataka (Tumkur),Kerala (Athirappilly Falls),[27]Ooty,Jhansi,Kolkata,Mahabaleshwar and in the Malshej Ghats inMaharashtra.[28][29]
Principal photography commenced in October 2008, in the forests nearKochi, Kerala. A few scenes were filmed atAthirappilly Falls, Ratnam's favourite location. Incidentally, he has shot for the songs 'Jiya Jale' inDil Se.. and 'Barso Re' inGuru at the same location.[30] Forest officials banned the shooting atMalayattoor, an eco-tourism centre, for violating rules and constructing temporary huts,[31][32][33][34][35] delaying the shoot for 11 days until the issues were resolved on 22 October 2008, while laying down reworked rules.[36][37][38] The second leg of the shooting atOoty that began in December 2008 was also delayed as local cab drivers protested the use of film federation (FEFSI) vehicles which affected their business,[39][40] forcing a dejected Ratnam to call off the shoot temporarily and move on toHogenakkal Falls.[41][42] In February 2009, the crew advanced toKolkata where the song 'Kalvare' was shot by the banks ofHooghly atAgarpara.[43][44][45][46] Later, as the shooting resumed and progressed at Ooty, Ratnam fell ill in April 2009 and was hospitalised atApollo Hospitals,[47][48][49] causing a further delay of 47 days until filming resumed in June 2009 following his recovery.[50] As the numerous delays affected his other projects, DOP Manikandan walked out in May and was replaced by Santosh Sivan.[51][52] By July, the crew moved back to Kerala,[53] to reshoot a few scenes atChalakudy as Ratnam was reportedly unsatisfied after seeing the rushes.[54][55] This time around, heavy rains played spoilsport leading to another delay in filming.[56] Moreover, when an elephant brought for the shoot ran amok killing the mahout,[57] the Animal Welfare Board served a show cause notice to the production company (Madras Talkies) for not taking permission to use elephants.[58][59]
The film began its last schedule in August 2009 at theMalshej Ghats inMaharashtra where the climax sequence was shot,[60] the final encounter taking place on a wooden bridge.[61] Production designer Samir Chanda built three identical bridges to facilitate the scene to be captured from different angles.[62][63] Though initially planned to be built either in Sri Lanka, Australia or South Africa, the bridge was constructed inMumbai to reduce costs.[64][65] While bad weather and heavy rains disrupted shoot for a few days,[66] the forest department filed cases against some crew members for trespassing.[67][68] The film went into post-production by the end of 2009.[69]
Numerous action sequences were performed by the actors.[70] The actors suffered from real cuts and bruises so they didn't need make up.[71][72] The stunts were directed byMani Ratnam and choreographed byPeter Hein, who received a Filmfare action award for the Hindi versions ofGhajini andAnniyan. For his introduction scene, the protagonist has to jump from a 90-foot high cliff near the Hogenakkal Falls into the river below.[73] This risky dive was performed by a body double, Balram, aBangalore based former national diving champion.[74]Kalarippayattu, a martial art form originating from Kerala, was also featured in the film. Sunil Kumar, a Kalari gym trainer fromKozhikode, trained the actors.[75] Dancer Astad Deboo choreographed a passionate chase scene and atandav dance between Abhishek and Aishwarya for the film.[76][77][78][79]
The soundtrack for the film was composed byA. R. Rahman with lyrics penned byGulzar. It features six songs and an additional song that was performed by Rahman at the audio launch. It was released on 24 April 2010 byT-Series.
The additional track performed by Rahman, titled "Jaare Ud Jaare", was not included in the CD. The song was cited to be an "instant composition": "The night before the launch, Rahman closeted himself in his Mumbai studio and worked through the night to compose the song." This song is believed to be included in the later stages.[80] The soundtrack also features three additional songs that were featured in the movie.
Raavan, along with its simultaneously made Tamil versionRaavanan, was released on 18 June 2010.
Among Indian film critics,Raavan received mixed reviews and responses.[81]Rajeev Masand ofIBN gave the film 1.5/5 and said, "Despite some eye-watering camerawork and a stunning action piece in the film's climax, the film -- especially its first half -- is a carelessly edited mess of long scenes that make little sense when strung together".[82] Noyon Jyoti Parasara of AOL rated it 2.5/5 and stated, "Raavan is more a choreographed musical-cum-psychological drama but without proper character backing. What makes the movie worth watching is the peaks in the second half, of course apart from the imagery".[83]Taran Adarsh ofBollywood Hungama rated it 1.5/5 and said, "On the whole,Raavan is a king-sized disappointment, in terms of content".[84] Sukanya Venkatraghavan ofFilmfare rated the film 3/5 and said, "Raavan has its moments but it lacks depth. The first half is fairly riveting but the second half slowly slips into a coma".[85]Nikhat Kazmi ofThe Times of India rated it favourably at 3.5/5, saying, "There are enough punches in the second half to keep the momentum going, but by and large, the film scores mostly on art and aesthete".[86] Raja Sen ofRediff rated it 2/5 and said, "Raavan truly and tragically fails us is in taking one of our greatest epics, and making it unforgivably boring".[87] Parimal Rohit of Buzzine Bollywood said, "Raavan is ultimately a clever film, as it pushed the envelope on how one goes about defining who is good and who is evil".[88]
As of February 2022[update],Raavan holds a 46% approval rating among the audience.[89] Cath Clarke ofThe Guardian gave the film a rating of 2/5 and found it sexist.[90] However,Frank Lovece ofFilm Journal International found it a "cracklingly stylish, suspenseful psychological drama" with "a visual sense that evokesDavid Fincher at his darkest", and admired the dance numbers, "one taking place somewhatnaturalistically at a wedding, the other essentially a stunningwar dance".[91]
The New York Times and theLos Angeles Times likewise gave it positive reviews: Rachel Saltz of the former made it aTimes "Critic's Pick" and lauded Ratnam as "a talented visual storyteller who directs action crisply and fills the screen with striking images" including "an eye-popping climactic battle",[92] while Kevin Thomas of the latter said the film "is replete with dizzying camerawork, myriad complications, violent mayhem, broad humor, [the] usual musical interludes, a cliffhanging climactic confrontation and a finish that strikes a note of poignancy".[93]
Raavan opened "below expectations" at the Indian box office, with the Hindi version earningRs 60.1 million on its opening day.[94][95] InNorth America,Raavan opened in 120 theaters and ranked No. 15 on the domestic weekend box office chart with $760.Box Office India declared the film aFlop.[96]
Unlike its Hindi counterpart, which tanked at the box office, the Tamil version tasted success in the South.[97][98] During its opening weekend on 15 screens in Chennai, it was the number one film and netted₹9 million (US$110,000), an opening weekend record then.[99][100] Though the film opened to packed houses, it slumped a little due to mixed reviews but later picked up following a local holiday.[101] The film collected $8 million at the box office in the first month of release[102] including $400,000 from Kerala.[103][104] It went on to make over₹ 600 million at the worldwide box office and remained one of the top Tamil grossers of the year.[105] Uk opening weekend.[106] UK boxoffice second week.[107] New York boxoffice.[108][109]
Won[110]
Nominated[111]
Nominated[112]
Nominated[113]
Nominated
