Mani Ratnam’s “Bombay”

 

Most well made movies make us stay in our seats for the duration, keeping us involved, hence make for compelling viewing.  But it is only a select group of films that stay with us, long after the end credits roll.  Mani Ratnam’s “Bombay,” a tour de force in filmmaking, is one such movie.  Yes, this movie incorporates some stuff (like the “Humma Humma” number) just to draw the average moviegoer, but at the same time this is one of those movies where we see a master filmmaker display his talent in a striking way.  Be it the depiction of romance between a Hindu boy and a Muslim girl in his own trademark style, conveying the affection and anxiety of a father (played by Nasser in a brilliant performance), capturing the riots in all its gut-wrenching gore, escalating the tension level to unbearable levels, and then ending the movie in a lyrical fashion, Mani Ratnam teaches us what great filmmaking is all about.

 

Pre-interval, the movie’s focus is on the sweet romance that blossoms between Shekar (Arvind Swamy) and Shaila Bano (Manisha Koirala), and the resulting friction between their family heads.  Movie romances can be as stale as “Kadhal Azhivadhillai” but when they’re as sweet as the one in “Bombay,” the viewer is bound to have a feeling of almost basking in love!  Right from Manisha’s prank using her purdah to the scene in Arvind Swamy’s house where the two exchange glances (accompanied by Rehman’s unforgettable background score), we get Ratnam’s trademark touches.  The scene where Arvind Swamy asks Manisha’s father for her hand in marriage, is wonderfully enacted by the players.  The dialogs are razor-sharp in this scene (“Indha Rendu Raththamum Onnu Serum”).  The scenes in Bombay that show them as a happily married couple serve their purpose in creating a sense of intimacy for us, with the characters.  The “Poovukkena Pootu” song is gloriously picturized showing off Bombay (How is it that Mani Ratnam finds beauty in every Indian locale from Chennai’s Marina beach to Leh??) in all its beauty.

 

Then, with a bang, Mani Ratnam ventures into the main story—the communal riots and ensuing tension and bloody aftermath.  Perhaps thanks to the censors, the second half gives the feeling of a jerky narration at several places but Ratnam makes us overlook it with the entry of Nasser and Kitty (worried about their children’s safety, they visit Bombay).  Mani Ratnam even manages to insert some lightheartedness in these portions with the friction between Nasser and Kitty, without being offensive.  Nasser is terrific in these portions, lending weight to every scene with his extremely natural acting (look at the way he tells Manisha not to worry about whether he would cause a rift between his son and her).  In what is a brilliant directorial touch, Mani Ratnam shows Nasser (playing a Hindu character in this film) quickly retrieving the Koran amidst all the chaos, just before he meets with a tragic end.  The scenes depicting the riots have been filmed extremely well (they never look staged or overplayed) by Mani Ratnam and his crew headed by cinematographer Rajiv Menon.   (One slight glitch—the riots supposedly were filmed at sets erected on the grounds opposite the Spic building in Chennai, and in one shot, the Spic building is visible in the background!).

 

At one point, Arvind Swamy and Manisha are separated from their kids (who themselves get separated from each other at a point) and so, the human element makes us really care for the characters and mull over the reasons behind it.  Arvind Swamy is awesome in the scene where he walks amongst a slew of dead bodies, hoping not to find his children.  So, is Manisha in the scenes where she conveys her panic and fear with her eyes, facial expressions and body language.  The kids (when has Ratnam made a bad selection of child artistes?) are also very cute and spontaneous and touch hearts in the scene where they see each other after the separation. 

 

The climax of the movie doesn’t provide a solution to the communal riots and may even be considered too simplistic for such a burning issue.  But the lyrical quality, the memorable “Malarodu Malar” song and the images of people joining hands, instill the necessity of unconditional love and communal harmony in us.

 

Apart from the members of the cast giving unforgettable performances, the genius of A.R. Rehman and Vairamuthu adds to the film’s undeniable power.  The tunes of Rehman and the poetic beauty of Vairamuthu’s words (the girl, after falling in love, exclaims, “Adadaa, Indru Kanneerum Thithikkinradhey”) are a delight to behold.  Rehman out beats his own tunes with his stunning “Bombay Theme” that kicks off the movie and seals it in a spellbinding fashion.