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Posts tagged raavana
Govinda’s monkey act for Raavana
23 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Govinda braved the bitter Ooty cold to swing from tree to tree for Mani Ratnam’s Raavana
By Sonal Chawla (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 16, 2010)
A cold serene night in Ooty was disturbed by the rustling of leaves last year. This could have been just another resident monkey, but in fact, it was Govinda jumping from branch to branch, tree to tree. No, Govinda hasn’t lost it again. He was actually shooting an action sequence for Mani Ratnam’s Raavana.
The scene had Hanuman (played by Govinda) looking for Raavana while swinging from tree to tree. A source from the unit reveals, “We were shooting the action stunts with Govinda in the freezing cold at Ooty. The shoots were very taxing as they used to start at 8pm and end at 6am the next day.
Govinda would report on sets on time and get in his costume. The stunts were pretty difficult and Mani Ratnam had called for a body double too. But Govinda wanted to shoot the scenes himself.”
The body doubles were used in only two of the 12 to15 scenes shot. Picture this: an overweight, middle-aged man first attempting to climb trees then, swinging from one branch to another.
But the source adds, “Govinda exclaimed that this was one of the more difficult shots he had delivered in a long time. Everyone on sets was overwhelmed by Govinda’s performance and clapped every time he did a shot.”
Overwhelmed indeed. We wonder how scarred the poor monkeys are.
Despite repeated attempts, Govinda remained More >
Ash dubs for Raavana’s Tamil version
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
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Mani Ratnam is pleasantly surprised that the actress has managed to keep her promise of dubbing for the Tamil version of Raavana in her own voice By Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 13, 2010)Aishwarya made a splash in the Tamil film industry with filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s Iruvar in 1997, but her lines were dubbed by a professional.
Since the actress’s mother tongue is Tulu, she wasn’t well-versed with Tamil. However, 13 years later, Aishwarya is working with the filmmaker again for the Hindi-Tamil bilingual Raavana, and she took up the challenge to dub for it herself.
A source says, “Just when Raavana was beginning, Aishwarya assured Mani sir that by the time the film was completed, she would be ready to dub her own lines for the Tamil version. Mani sir took the matter lightly and had arranged for a Tamil voice which matched the actress’ voice perfectly.
But Aishwarya had made up her mind. She kept laughing off Mani sir’s uncertainties about her ability to get the Tamil diction right, and continued working on her language skills.”
During the shooting of Raavana, a Tamil tutor coached the actress and the diligent student got her lines right within six months.
The official spokesperson for Raavana confirms, “Aishwarya has completed dubbing the Hindi version of Raavana. Now she has now begun dubbing for the Tamil version. No one can tell from her voice that she isn’t a Tamilian.”
Apparently, Aishwarya will also be dubbing her More >
Ravi Kishan and her ex in Don Bhojpuri remake
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Ravi Kishan and former flame Nagma to star together in the Bhojpuri remake of Don
By Kunal M Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 10, 2010)
// // // After ending their relationship almost four years ago, Ravi Kishan and his former girlfriend Nagma are back together as co-stars and will soon star together in the Bhojpuri version of the 1970 Amitabh Bachchan-Zeenat Aman blockbuster, Don.
A source says, “Ravi and Nagma were romantically involved. They have worked together in 13 Bhojpuri films out of which 11 are super hits. In fact, there was a time when Ravi’s marriage to Preeti was on the verge of ending. But Ravi’s participation in the season one of Bigg Boss gave his career a fresh lease of life, especially in Bollywood. Also, the three months he spent in the Bigg Boss house made Ravi realise how much he loves his wife.
Consequently, his relationship with Nagma ended. Ravi gradually got busy with Bollywood films such as Luck, Welcome To Sajjanpur, Raavana and Well Done Abba, and Nagma and he stopped working altogether. Now they are all set to star together again in the remake of Don.”
Ravi says, “It is the most ambitious Bhojpuri film with a budget of Rs 4.5 crore. A major part of the film will be shot in London and we also have foreign technicians onboard. It was director Rajkumar Pande and producer Mehmood Ali’s decision to get Nagma and me to star together after such a long time. I don’t interfere in the casting process and at the end of the More >
Abhishek plays Kobad Ghandy in Raavana?
03 years ago
His character is based on the Maoist leader and his ideology in Mani Ratnam’s Raavana
By Kunal M Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 09, 2010)
While everyone thinks that Abhishek Bachchan plays a character based on Raavana in Mani Ratnam’s Raavana, the film’s most well-kept secret is out. Abhishek’s character in the forthcoming film is not only based on the life of Raavana but also on Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy.
// // //
While everyone thinks that Abhishek Bachchan plays a character based on Raavana in Mani Ratnam’s Raavana, the film’s most well-kept secret is out.
Abhishek’s character in the forthcoming film is not only based on the life of Raavana but also on Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy.
Our source said, “Mani Ratnam loves having a strong element of contemporary history in his films. Be it Nayakan based on don Vardha Rajan’s life, Guru based on Dhirubhai Ambani’s life or Bombay which depicted the Hindu-Muslim riots in Mumbai after the Babri Masjid demolition.
Even in Roja, Dil Se and Yuva, Mani dealt with serious issues such as terrorism in Kashmir, a woman suicide bomber and college politics respectively. While there is a buzz about Raavana being inspired from the Ramayana and that Abhishek is playing Raavana, fact is that the real inspiration for Abhishek’s character came from Kobad Ghandy.”
Mani had appointed a team of researchers to get as much data available about Kobad Ghandy as he wanted Abhishek’s character to be More >
Whistle blower of Nityanand in Mani Ratnam’s Raavana
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Tamil actress Ranjitha whose name figured in the Swami Nityanand sex scandal, is part of the star cast of Mani Ratnam’s Tamil version of Raavana
By Kunal M Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 06, 2010)
The aftermath of the sex scandal involving Swami Nityanand has even touched Mani Ratnam’s ambitious project Raavana.
// // // It is now confirmed that Tamil film star Ranjitha, who was allegedly filmed in a compromising position with Swami Nityanand, is playing a role in the Tamil version of the bilingual Raavana.
After the controversy hit national headlines, Ranjitha went underground and a shocked Mani Ratnam was for a moment faced with the dilemma of reshooting her portions with another actress or going ahead with Ranjitha. Eventually, he opted for the latter.
Ranjitha plays the role of Raavana’s sister-in-law in the Tamil version. South superstar Vikram plays the title role in the Tamil version, while he has done Ram’s role in the Hindi version.
Ranjitha has come under the spotlight after it emerged that rather than being a victim of the sting operation, she was allegedly the one who released the sex tapes with Swami Nityanand in public.
Sources in the Tamil film industry say that Ranjitha, a mother of two, fell in love with Swami Nityanand and they shared an intimate relationship. But apparently Ranjitha turned vengeful when Nityanand not only refused to marry her but allegedly also started seeing other women.
Ash looks preety even during tiring Raavana schedule
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Aishwarya looked beautiful despite being battered and bruised while shooting for Raavana; after his heart operation, Mani Ratnam was gung ho about the joining in every time the cast had to perform a gruelling act
By Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 06, 2010)
Contrary to rumours that Mani Ratnam had to be protected from exertion because of the health scare he suffered during the first schedule of Raavana in Kerala’s Chalakudy forests, the maverick filmmaker was, in fact, in far better health after the scare!
A source close to the Raavana project said, “After his first heart attack there was a blockage in his artery which got detected only when Mani sir was hospitalised the second time. He got the blockage removed and came out feeling far fitter. So much so that he was the most agile and athletic person in our unit and could climb the steep, slippery rocks faster than anyone else.”
And now Mani is so confident of his health that he intends to make at least two films every year.
In fact just to give his leading lady Aishwarya Bachchan company, Mani would accompany her up the rocky forest terrain, which she had to climb twice, once with her husband Abhishek Bachchan, who plays the fugitive kidnapper in the Hindi version, and the second time with Vikram, who plays the outlaw in the film’s Tamil version.
One of the lead actors from Raavana said, “Since we were shooting in marshland, we’d often have our lunch laid out in the middle More >
Raavana rescues Rama
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Abhishek Bachchan stepped in to help South star Vikram overcome his vertigo while shooting a scene on a 2000 feet high cliff
By Kunal M Shah (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 04, 2010)
Although the shooting of Mani Ratnam’s Raavana is complete and the postproduction of the film is on in full swing, this incident from the last schedule of the film is something the cast and crew will never forget. It concerns Abhishek Bachchan, who plays Raavana and his co-star, South superstar Vikram, who plays Rama in the film.
A source says, “There was a vital sequence in which Vikram had to climb down a 2000 feet high cliff. Action director Sham Kaushal had taken all necessary precautions to make sure there was minimal risk involved for the actors but he didn’t know Vikram had a vertigo problem. Being a thorough professional, Vikram did not outright refuse to do the shot, but his anxiety while doing the rehearsals was sensed by co-star Abhishek Bachchan, with whom he shares a great working relationship.”
Abhishek walked his talk by volunteering to do the stunt himself. “Despite not being required for the shot, Abhishek began climbing down the mountain and asked Vikram to follow suit. All the while, Abhishek, who was not in the frame, showed by example how the shot should be done. Vikram, who was feeling much more relaxed about the whole thing, gave a perfect shot.”
While Vikram could not be reached for comment, an official spokesperson of the More >