Raavanan Movie Review

To start with, I am a big Mani Ratnam fan. Expectations on this movie were sky high. It is not correct to call this movie disappointing, though I was disappointed to be honest.

Everyone knows the story, so I am not even going to talk about it. From a review point of view, I would like to list down the positives and negatives of the movie. Usually in a Mani movie, you have to search for negatives. Unfortunately, here they are right in front.

Positives:

1. Vikram : If he was not playing this role, forget about watching this movie. No wonder he has 2 national awards. Everything he does is good. Even the ' dum dum tap tap' whatever he says every now and then is brilliantly done. He is with no doubts the best in Tamizh cinema currently.
   
2. Cinematography : Best till date in a Tamizh movie. Mind blowing.
   
3. BGM : Many were saying it is not that great. But I loved it. Only one place where I did not like it is when a "kezhavi" sings Kattu Siriki during the fight between Veerayya and Raagini. I closed my ears.
   
4. Karthiks(Hanuman) role: This seemed very annoying for many, but I liked it very much. His characterization is amazing even with the monkey antics. He did a great job, that too in the scene when he meets Veerayya.
5. Some very specific scenes like Veerayyas proposal kind of scene to Raagini and the scene where Sarkarai and Dev meet and "usure pogudhey".
   

Negatives:

1. The biggest drawback in the movie and the biggest strength in all Mani movies till date are the dialogues. Sujatha being missed very badly here. Even one dialogue is not upto Mani's standard and hence does not stay in you mind and heart.
2. Dev's characterization: Mani has tried to project Veerayya as a guy who does not have just a bad side. In the process of doing that, Dev's character has been thrashed and instead of feeling bad for Veerayya in the climax, I felt irritated with the way it ended. When Vibeeshan(Sarkarai) could be killed by Dev which is a big twist, then why not a different ending. Of course, the counter argument would be the stupid media and other Hindu organizations who are wanting to get famous opposing this. But end of the movie, the feeling is not pity but irritation. This never happened in a Mani movie to me before.
3. Lack of bonding between relationships: Again very unlike Mani. First and foremost, between Veerayya and Ragini. Secondly between Veeraya and his brother Kumbakarnan. Thirdly between Dev and Hanuman and last but not least, between Dev and Raagini. Lack of simple and powerful dialogues contributed to this as well.
   
4. Priyamanis Flashback: Expect for the scene where Kumbakarnan carries a goat in his shoulders and jumps for ARRs tunes where I actually got goosebumps, the flashback does not stay in your heart. Ranjitha steals most of the flashback by appearing just below 15 seconds due to her "Nithya Leelaigal".
   
5. The worst scene for me in the movie was when Dev holds the cut off shoulders of Priyamani's husband and asks for Veerayya. It may have some significance, I am not sure, but it irritated me too much.
   

Overall, if you forget this is a Mani Ratnam movie and watch it, you would actually say its decent for the effort put in physically, visually and in the script. But for Mani Ratnam's standard, this movie will not be listed in his all time top 10. No way.