Filmmaker Mani Ratnam on Saturday stated working with famous person Kamal Haasan shouldn’t be solely an important collaborative course of but in addition a studying expertise. Ratnam and Haasan are reuniting after 35 years for the Tamil star’s 234th function movie. They earlier labored collectively on the 1987 crucial hit “Nayakan”.
The ace filmmaker stated it is a delight to work with a superb actor like Haasan as he elevates a efficiency.
“There are so many elements in the film that has been from him, like in terms of making a small gesture which will make it look real. When you work with an actor, who is really good you realise that you have to do less. Like, sometimes you think you have to set it up, add energy and things like that, but when I started working with him, and doing a scene I was trying to do it that way but then rehearsal I realised I don’t have to do any of that, I just have to follow him. There’s enough drama comes out of a good performance that you don’t have to try to add value. I learnt a lot because he has this amazing ability to get people around him act well and he makes them do things that will enhance the performance. It is fantastic. It is a treat to watch. He adds so many elements to the script, so it is a pleasure to act with a great actor,” Ratnam advised ETimes on the Jio MAMI Mumbai Movie Pageant 2023.
On Friday, the “Ponniyin Selvan” director was honoured with the Excellence in Cinema Award for his excellent contribution to the world of cinema. Haasan offered the honour to the filmmaker on the opening ceremony of the pageant.
Ratnam’s filmography contains timeless socio-political dramas reminiscent of “Roja”, “Bombay”, “Iruvar”, “Dil Se…” and “Kannathil Muthamittal”, with the director typically touching upon prevailing problems with the nation.
When requested in regards to the politics in his movies, the 67-year-old filmmaker stated he believes in staying true to the story.
“If you bring politics into your film which is good enough… if you go into it, you should be built for it and you should be able to go with it for passion. It is a lot more serious than films. Some politicians who hate films and they love politics. I had only one thought before I did something like that, whether I’m being honest to myself whether I believe in it or not, if this is the way I feel then I can express it. As long as you are real and as long as it is not a way to get a kind of film out but if you feel strongly about something you can go ahead and make it,” he stated.

The director gave the instance of his 1998 movie “Dil Se”, which was set towards the backdrop of insurgency in Assam.
He stated his goal was to deliver out the plight and anger of individuals via the movie, which starred Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala within the lead.
“‘Dil Se’ was made during the time when India was celebrating 50 years of Independence, there was a sense of pride but there were still corners of India which were not as liberated as we are. The film was trying to say that we can be proud of what we have done but we have not done enough.
“For us to acknowledge that there is damage, anger and wounds, to me that was the fruits. He (Shah Rukh’s character) was an All India Radio reporter however he was the voice of each one among us. For him to understand that there is damage and injury that we are attempting to disregard, we now have blinkers to do it. That is what the movie wished to say.”
At the same time, Ratnam didn’t make “Dil Se” with the aim to preach anything to the people.
“I am okay in the event that they see it at floor degree (as a tragic romantic movie) as a result of I consider that someplace past it might have seeped in. I do not need them to see it as a social (commentary), it was not meant to evangelise or underline. It was meant to be part of any person’s life that you just go throughout and nonetheless be uncovered to one thing, the issues which are there,” he added.

Mani Ratnam’s spouse Suhasini Maniratnam talks about an OTT platform pushing specific content material