Kalaimamani
1 appearances
-
Edition 1 (1994) Winner
Mani Ratnam
マニ・ラトナム
Mani Ratnam
Aliases:
Gopalaratnam Subramaniam / G. Subramaniam
Pen Names:
Mani Ratnam（Professional name used in film credits）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1956-06-02 （Madurai, Madras State, India）
- Nationality
- Indian
- Languages
- Tamil, English, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada
- Religion
- Atheist / Non-religious
- Residence History
- Chennai (formerly Madras) → Alwarpet, Chennai
Career
- Occupations
- Film director, Film producer, Screenwriter
- Active Years
- 1983-
- Affiliations
- Madras Talkies (film production company, co-founder), Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Directors Branch, invited 2023)
- Memberships
- Member, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Directors Branch)
- Influenced By
- K. Balachander, Akira Kurosawa, Martin Scorsese, Krzysztof Kieślowski, Ingmar Bergman, Mahendran
- Influenced
- Contemporary Indian filmmakers (e.g. Vetrimaaran), Gautham Vasudev Menon, A.R. Murugadoss
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College (affiliated to University of Madras) | Faculty of Commerce | — | Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) | — | India |
| Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies | Management / Business Administration | Finance | MBA | 1975–1977 | India |
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College (affiliated to University of Madras)
Faculty of Commerce
Degree:
Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)
Country:
India
Graduated with a B.Com (Commerce)
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies
Management / Business Administration
/ Finance
Degree:
MBA
Period:
1975–1977
Year of Graduation:
1977
Country:
India
MBA in Finance (post-graduation completed 1977)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Padma Shri | — | — | Government of India | 受賞 |
| 1986 | National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil | Mouna Ragam | — | Directorate of Film Festivals, India | 受賞 |
| 1987 | Filmfare Award for Best Director – Tamil | Mouna Ragam | — | Filmfare | 受賞 |
| 1995 | Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration | Bombay | — | Directorate of Film Festivals, India | 受賞 |
| 2010 | Jaeger‑LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker | — | — | Venice International Film Festival | 受賞 |
Padma Shri
2002
Organization:
Government of India
Result:
受賞
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil
1986
Work:
Mouna Ragam
Organization:
Directorate of Film Festivals, India
Result:
受賞
Filmfare Award for Best Director – Tamil
1987
Work:
Mouna Ragam
Organization:
Filmfare
Result:
受賞
Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration
1995
Work:
Bombay
Organization:
Directorate of Film Festivals, India
Result:
受賞
Jaeger‑LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker
2010
Organization:
Venice International Film Festival
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Mouna Ragam
1986 Romantic dramaA city-set romantic drama about marital friction and past relationships; the film marked Mani Ratnam's major breakthrough.
MarriageReconciliation with the pastUrban relationships
Adaptations
- [Dubbed (Telugu)] Mouna Ragam (Telugu dub) (1986)
Translations
- Telugu dub
Nayakan
1987 Crime dramaAn epic crime drama about an orphaned slum-dweller's rise in the Mumbai underworld; widely regarded as an Indian classic.
Organized crimeFate and moralityRise in social hierarchy
Roja
1992 Romantic / political dramaA romance set against political violence in Kashmir; notable for the first major collaboration with A. R. Rahman.
LoveTerrorismState vs individual
Translations
- Dubbed/distributed in other Indian languages including Hindi
Bombay
1995 Social political romance / dramaA controversial film about a Hindu-Muslim romance set against the backdrop of the 1993 Bombay riots, addressing communal tensions.
Communal conflictNational integrationLove and prejudice
Adaptations
- [Hindi version] Bombay (Hindi version) / Mani Ratnam (1995)
Translations
- Hindi dubbed/version
Dil Se..
1998 Romantic drama with political themesA story of a troubled woman and a young man's love; acclaimed soundtrack and notable international recognition despite mixed domestic reception.
LoveTerrorismIsolation and tragedy
Alai Payuthey
2000 Romantic dramaExplores married life and conflicts of values in a young couple; noted for its sensitive depiction of modern urban relationships.
Marital lifeModern romanceClash of values
Kannathil Muthamittal
2002 Human dramaA story of an adopted child seeking her biological mother against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war; explores war, identity and family.
War and its impactFamily reunionIdentity
Ponniyin Selvan: I
2022 Historical epic / period dramaA large-scale adaptation of Kalki Krishnamurthy's epic novel, set in the 10th-century Chola dynasty, depicting power struggles and intrigue.
Kingship and intrigueHistory and culturePower struggles
Adaptations
- [Novel → Film] Ponniyin Selvan (film adaptation) / Mani Ratnam (2022)
Bibliography
- Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983)
- Mouna Ragam (1986)
- Nayakan (1987)
- Roja (1992)
- Bombay (1995)
- Dil Se.. (1998)
- Alai Payuthey (2000)
- Kannathil Muthamittal (2002)
- Ponniyin Selvan: I (2022)
Adaptations
- Ponniyin Selvan (Kalki's novel adapted to film by Mani Ratnam)
Translations of Works
- Mouna Ragam (Telugu dub)
- Roja (distributed/dubbed in multiple Indian languages)
- Bombay (Hindi version)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Realistic, life-based directionBeautifully photographed song sequencesDistinctive back-lighting and visual aestheticsIntegration of socio-political themes
- Recurring Motifs
- Family and interpersonal relationshipsLove and lossPolitics and terrorismUrban life and clashes of values
Health
-
Heart attack2004（『Aayutha Ezhuthu』撮影時）Hospitalization and temporary interruption of shooting; led to greater attention to health thereafter
Legacy
Considered one of the most important filmmakers in Indian cinema, known for blending commercial appeal with artistic sensibilities, strong collaborations in music and cinematography, retrospectives at international festivals, and substantial influence on younger filmmakers.
Museums
- Museum of the Moving Image (New York) New York, USA
Archives
- National Film Archive of India
- Wikimedia Commons (related media)
In Popular Culture
- Nayakan has been included in TIME's 'All-TIME 100 Movies', reflecting international recognition
- Roja, Bombay and Dil Se are frequently cited as iconic works of modern Indian cinema
Quotes
-
I am not a director who performs and shows. I discuss the role, the scene with my actors and let them bring life to it.
Source: Interview (as cited in press/Wikipedia) -
It's fantastic that films are now recognized as Indian, not from north or south.
Source: The Indian Express (statement / article) (2023)
Trivia
- He originally earned an MBA and worked as a management consultant before entering films.
- Made his directorial debut with Pallavi Anu Pallavi in 1983.
- Has received multiple National Film Awards, Filmfare Awards and Filmfare Awards South.
- In 1995 his home was attacked and he was injured amid opposition to the film Bombay.
- Awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2002.
- Invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Directors Branch) in 2023.
- Longstanding collaboration with composer A. R. Rahman since Roja.