Conversations with Mani Ratnam  (English, Hardcover, Baradwaj Rangan)

I think this is the finest conversation ever recorded by a film critic and a filmmaker. And very few filmmakers in the world have articulated themselves with such precision. Mani Ratnam does it with no references to any philosophical systems or theoretical positions. There is a certain kind of honesty and sincerity in purpose which Baradwaj Rangan has managed to bring about and that is very important for all aspiring filmmakers to learn from in this book. Few filmmakers acknowledge their own ...

If you are a big fan of Mani and you enjoyed all his movies, you would love this book. And I bet after reading about each movie, you would want to watch the movie again to observe the amount of detail that was actually put in each storyline. I was more fascinated to read about his older movies like Mouna Raagam, Agni Natchatiram and Nayagan than his newer ones (Guru, Raavan..) This book has also changed my point of view on Mani's films. I will for sure watch out for the rain, trains, umbrella...

For someone who has always been in awe of Mr. Mani Ratnam and the films that he has made, this book actually cuts through all the mystique that I had had constructed around this man. With a dedicated chapter for each of his films, this book is full of honest insights about the filmmaker's craft and process and it leaves you awe-struck in the sense that you realize that after all, Mani Ratnam is the filmmaker who he is only because of his dedication and passion for film making. A great read an...