With one of the best directors in Indian cinema Mani Ratnam and cast of Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Raavan is expected to be an outstanding film. According to screenwriter and producer Suhasini Ratnam the film is about the hunted, the hunter and the understanding that could develop between the two, “2000 years ago our epics were written about black, white and grey – about the hunter and the hunted. This film talks about if the hunter can understand the pain of the hunted and if the hunted can actually understand the hunger of the hunter how life could be. If two [people] from opposite poles could understand each other and accept each other in life – it could be wonderful but it could be difficult. This is a wonderful film, a difficult film and it is an intriguing film but I think it is magnificent.”
About the film Abhishek said,”When he [Mani Ratnam] told me the concept of Raavan, I knew we had something special on hand. Mani has always taken Indian cinema to a different level. I hope that we have achieved that with Raavan.”
There are two versions of the film one in Hindi and one in Tamil and Aishwarya appears in both films. She says that her role as Ragini was very challenging, “In this particular subject the physical challenges were difficult on a daily basis, and to add to it Mani did the impossible of making two movies simultaneously. Finding that magical moment with a different team, a different bunch of actors each time that was certainly something new for me. To do one take in Hindi, then suddenly all the actors change and we find that same moment of truth again in Tamil. By the third day into the schedule you have to, you’re meant to, and it is just a given, that you have to forget the physical situation you are in. Forget that you are drenched from 6 in the morning to 7 in the evening – that the day starts with a trek going to locations and then you muddy yourself and then get into costume. It was just a very emotional, demanding, consuming experience from moment to moment not even from scene to scene.”
We have exclusive stills so click on to get a glimpse of what is in store for you when Raavan opens on June 18th!
