Raavanan Movie review

Raavanan, I couldn’t categorize this movie into a genre  it doesn’t fit in one, it is well blended with all sorts. The first thing that would astonish you is the cinematography, every color, pov, depth and what not? though the opening boat scene was poorly CGIed, the climax was amazingly done. As you sail through the movie, if you will start feeling yourself in Raavanan’s shoes, ofcouse the title suggests everyone that the creator is going to shed some clean light on Raavan’s character and few grey shades on Ram, atleast I went with this assumption and I was not wrong

Though the movie title card says that the story is fictional, you cannot stop co-relating, if you know Ramayanam, then you can never escape. Thou the plot is loosely adapted, most of the scenes are fully inherited, I would quote from Ramayanam instead to avoid spoilers,

1. Hanuman’s meeting with Sita and their conversation
2. Soorpanakha’s nose incident
3. Vibhishenan’s character and depiction
4. Raavan view of Sita and his actions towards her
5. Sita’s devotion to Dev and her prayers to Lord
6. Kumbarkarnan takes side of Vibhishenan at the end
7. Hanuman’s activities during his introduction scene and at the court scene when he was sent as a ambassador to Raavanan’s court, esp the dialogues
8. Raavanan appreciating Ram’s handsomeness and smartness.
9. Hanuman saving Lakshmanan.

Things that are purposely made fictional to make the movie look distinct from Ramayanan

1. Thou Raghini’s ring was shown obviously twice, she doesnt hand over that to Gnanaprakasam as a token, even though he explicitly asks for one.
2. In Ramayanam, Raavanan kills Soorpanakha’s husband, but Veera doesn’t do that, he just chops off the character’s hands and sends him to Dev.
3. Singarasu’s character has been highlighted more than the real Kumbakarnan’s
4. Sakkarai’s killing by Dev, to prove Dev as a cold hearted policemen.

Director has depicted Ram with grey shades and Lakshmanan with double grey shades, office Hemanth doesnt fit Lakshman’s role, but to certain extent he does, the way Gnanaprakasam saves Hemanth is a good metaphor.

The chemistry between Veera and Raghini was carefully painted with zero flaw, the way Veera feels for Raghini and vice versa, Maniratnam has managed to keep her character clean. Though the film is incomplete is few areas, where the director would have given more explanations or reasoning, I feel it is better to have it left incomplete, this way it makes more sense or atleast has avoided more complexity. The romance between Dev and Raghini actually sucks, may be it is intended, Prithiviraj fits well in the cop role, he doesn’t shine involving scenes with Ash, he looks naive in romance. About Aishwarya, she looks good, but too much make up and it strips of the beauty from few scenes, but her performance is impressive.

Wouldn’t say it is a typical Maniratnam’s movie, but it is a masterpiece by itself. A must watch.