Director: Mani Ratnam 

Star Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Chiyaan Vikram

 

“Raavan” is a modern-day replication of the mythological epic Ramayana. Director Mani Ratnam has beautified the character of Raavana from Ramayana and illustrated his personality from a different angle. Though Beera (Abhishek Bachchan) is depicted as Raavan who is expected to be the villain of the story but, effort has been made to show a different image of the Raavan. While hubby Abhishek Bachchan plays the Raavan, Aishwarya Rai plays the beautiful Sita with South actor Chiyaan Vikram as the good soul Sri Ram.

 

Beera (Abhishek Bachchan) is a criminal who hides in thick forests of Lal Maati from where he executes his criminal activities. He is a menace to the police and he has thorough knowledge of the jungle with hunting skills and he kills policemen and seizes all their weapons. Everybody is scared of him except SP Dev (Vikram) who is the husband of Ragini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan).

 

Beera kidnapped his pretty wife Ragini to revenge Dev’s dare and to settle his enmity with him. During Dev’s fight to get back his wife, he meets a forest guard (Govinda) who helps him in his search for Beera. Govinda is depicted as a modern-day, Hanumaan though he is not able to do justice to his role. Ragini is a brave girl who is not scared of Beera but, tries her best to escape.

 

Dev who couldn’t trust Raavan after Sita’s abduction and so demands an Agni-pariksha of Ragini in the form of a polygraph test. There comes a twist in the plot, Ragini is a modern woman and he could accept her husband’s distrust on her and falls for the goodness in Raavan whom she previously hates and loathes. She realizes the good side of the bad man and vice-versa.

 

The first one hour of the movie is quite slow which would in one way test the patience of the audience. However, Ash was just too good in her facial expressions which reflected her fortitude and determination in the various attempts she makes to run away. Mani Ratnam has tactfully humanized Raavan and showed the demon in otherwise good guy, Ram. Beera, although plays a negative role but he is not heartless like Dev. Beera never misbehaves with captive Ragini.

 

The movie has a simple plot but what makes the movie beautiful is the acting of the crew and their expressions. Excellent photography by Santosh Sivan gives the movie a special touch and feel. He has captured the beauty of the forests, springs and the mountains.  The songs of the movie are by AR Rahman and it’s very rhythmic as expected. Though, it is nothing exceptional.

 

The acting of all the main characters is worth mentioning, Abhishek Bachchan has effectively brought live to his character and from a villain becomes the hero of the movie. Ash is looking very beautiful with minimum or no makeup. Chiyaan Vikram is also quite good with more actions and less dialogues.