“Mouna Raagam”

 

I was having a look at my ‘favorites section’ and realized that it has been awhile since I’ve written about a ManiRatnam movie.  There’s no two ways about it—Mani Ratnam is one of the greatest directors of Tamil Cinema.  It is with great enthusiasm that I look forward to any of his features, either on video or in the theater.  I was 5 years old when this movie was released!  So I can hardly remember going to the theater to watch this one (In 1986, I am reasonably certain I wasn’t bothered by ‘sensitivity’ or ‘love.’  I am pretty sure I was more worried about that hot beverage with 3 spoons of sugar and 3 spoons of Bournvita!).  But over the years, this is one movie that impresses me more with every subsequent viewing.  I absolutely adore these characters; I love the way they speak; I laugh with them, cry with them…in a nutshell, Manohar (Karthik), Divya (Revathi) and Chandrakumar (Mohan) are people I’ve known for 16 years!  They still seem appealing to me and I am confident that it is going to be the same, 16 years from now!  Sorry for all the hyperbole but what can I do?  I am writing about one of the best Tamil movies, made by my all time favorite director, featuring my favorite actress, and one of the most endearing characters (the one played by Karthik) to grace the screen.  This is undoubtedly a CLASSIC

 

In my review of “Anbe Sivam,” I had mentioned that it was a movie that attempted something totally new by flouting tried and tested plot twists and clichés.  “Mouna Raagam” did exactly the same thing at the time it was released.  Apart from Bharathiraja, Balachander and Bhagyaraj, the mid-80’s saw the advent of yet another great talent in Mani Ratnam.  This was the period when top actors like Rajni and (to a lesser extent) Kamal starred in a number of ‘masala’ movies (My film dictionary defines it as “Movies made by S.P. Muthuraman or his wannabes which featured bright lights, cartoonish fights, brave heroes, meek but glamorous heroines, silly villains, clichéd dialogues, meaningless challenges…but entertaining nevertheless!”).  It was a brave step by Mani Ratnam and his brother/producer G.V. to have ventured into totally new territory with this venture.  This yarn was spun around the Divya character and the two men in her life and her relationships with them.

 

The movie’s first 15 minutes are an exercise in the concept of ‘economy of scenes.’  In a short time, we get to realize what Revathi’s character is—a perky, good hearted but slightly rebellious person (who admits her imperfections) who wants to live life the way she wants.  The day her prospective groom is to visit her place, her Dad asks her to return early from college.  But instead, she comes home late (after dancing to Illayaraja’s ever catchy “Maegam Vandhadho!”) only to find the polite courteous man (Mohan) waiting for her, with a surprise in store.  This is a brilliantly directed sequence, embellished by the performances of Revathi and Mohan.  This scene perfectly establishes the two characters with the use of dialogue.  Revathi launches into a tirade blasting herself and how they would be a total mismatch as a couple, but Mohan responds to all this with a single (perfect) line to end this scene—“Unna Enakku Romba Pidichirukku.”  Illayaraja’s background score at the end of this line is priceless.  It perfectly captures the mood of Revathi’s family and at the same time gives us an idea of the surprise.

 

The following episode where Revathi’s father explains his position is very poignant.  This is a very believable situation and makes us accept Revathi’s decision to wed Mohan and go with him to Delhi (where he works for V.K. Ramaswamy). 

 

The rest of the movie (barring the flashback) is essentially a two-player drama focusing on the married couple.  By devoting such a significant chunk of the running time to just these two people, Mani Rathnam gives us a deep insight into these characters.  Several facets of these two are explored in a realistic way—Revathi’s initial hatred of the institution of marriage, Mohan’s unconditional affection, his gentlemanly behavior irrespective of the situation, Revathi’s change of heart and many more aspects are subtly shown in such a pragmatic yet moving way that the characters transcend the 2-D screen and become real people right in front of our eyes.

 

One of the major plus points of this movie is its subtlety.  There are no loud moments or unnecessary contrivances.  Even moments of anger are handled in a plausible way, with the aid of natural dialogues.  Mani Rathnam establishes the characters beautifully in the first half.  He makes these individuals behave in such a way that, in the second half, we are able to accept every aspect of their behavior and are genuinely surprised by changes that occur.  This is especially true of Mohan’s character.  The way he brings in quite a few of the biting remarks made (earlier) by Revathi, demonstrates the fact that he is not a cynical person or a sadist—he just wants to convey to her the pain caused by those words.  This is where the ‘dynamics’ of the relationship comes into play.  We love these two characters.  So, we feel sorry for Revathi when she is hurt and feel exactly the same way when Mohan conveys his long-buried feelings.

 

In addition to superbly crafted characters, the director also excels in building up the momentum.  There is palpable tension throughout the movie.  This is mainly because this movie does not even enter the ballpark of clichés!  The scenes following Revathi’s request for divorce (a week after their wedding!) lead up to Revathi coming out with her past, involving her boyfriend.

 

I don’t know what fresh praise I can heap on this 20-minute flashback sequence.  Karthik’s Manohar character had a significant impact on both Karthik’s career and Mani Rathnam’s subsequent movies.    His character is so endearing that we clearly see how Revathi’s character was bowled over by him.  His scenes still shine like a diamond and his acts bring a smile to our lips every time we see this movie.  The way he winks at Revathi during the investigation and also at the place where he is released; his antics at the restaurant (the inimitable “Mr. Chandramouli”); his ‘announcement’ from the Principal’s room are some of the best, most charming moments ever witnessed on the silver screen. 

 

My favorite scene in this flashback is the one where Karthik goes to Revathi’s classroom and says that her father met with an accident.  And after she comes out of the room, she finds out that it is a lie. 

She makes a rude comment-- “Adhukku Apram ‘nee romba azhaga irukkey.  Unna enakku romba pidichirukku’nu solluva.  Idhellaam enakku pudikaadhu.” 

In response to this, Karthik puts up a serious face and tells her, “Nee Sonnadhukku Apram thaan enakkey puriyudhu.” 

When she asks him what the matter is, he says with a smile, “Nee Romba Azhagaa Irukkey-nu. Unna Enakku Romba Pidichurukku-nu.” 

This is one place where Karthik, among his other special moments in this movie, effortlessly effervesces!  All these lighthearted moments make it very difficult for us to digest the brutal way in which the flashback ends. 

 

I have seen in some lesser movies that the scenes following a powerful flashback sometimes are a letdown and do not do justice to the material in the flashback but not so in “Mouna Raagam.”  The flashback enables Mohan (and us, in the audience) to understand Revathi’s character better and sympathize with her.  The incidents in the second half that lead to Revathi’s change of heart and Mohan’s indifferent behavior, and the reasons he gives for his behavior were amazingly fresh at that time and continues to be so.

 

The act of violence that brings about the major twist in the second half is depicted well without being overly realistic or gory.  Revathi drives us to tears in the hospital scene.  The way she pleads to the doctors and the staff there, to save Mohan is heartbreaking (I recently saw the movie “Terms of Endearment” in which a similar scene was painfully over the top).  The whole episode is powerful enough to make Revathi start caring for Mohan. 

 

The movie culminates in a climax that has sort of been the forerunner for 'railway station climax' scenes.  But more than the climax, I have great admiration for the preceding scene where Mohan hands over the train ticket to Revathi.  The refinement and decency Mohan exhibits are top class and the scene is a testimony to Revathi’s fine ability to convey everything using her eyes (her eyes can roll as fast as Shoaib Akhtar’s delivery!).  The manner in which Mani Ratnam depicts the love hidden deep inside the hearts of these two souls is a masterstroke.

 

As in most of my favorite movies, the high quality of acting is what the movie’s biggest asset is.  But it is Mani Ratnam’s screenplay and directorial touches that serve as the flying buttresses for this movie.  The performances and his directorial brilliance are inextricably linked.  This is very true of Mohan’s performance.  Mohan has never been the best of ‘actors’ but his character is a superbly sketched one—a decent, likeable man with the most honorable of intentions.  So, we overlook the limited range of the actor (especially with respect to facial expressions) and get attached to Chandrakumar.  S.N. Surendar’s smooth voice (he dubbed for Mohan in almost every movie during the actor’s heyday) raises the value of this performance manifold.

 

It is Revathi’s performance that deserves all the kudos.  Revathi has certain fine qualities as an actress—an animated face, elegant demeanor, powerful eyes—that are lacking in these one-movie wonders these days.  Revathi is in tune with her character from start to finish.  There isn’t a moment when Revathi doesn’t portray Divya the way she is.  It is a perfectly three-dimensional character and the actress’ knack for eschewing artifice makes this role unforgettable (this and “Anjali” represent her finest works till date).

 

I mentioned that Revathi is a very elegant actress.  Karthik has this quality plus one more—he is electric.  He has a total screen time of maybe 15 minutes but what an indelible impact he created in the hearts of viewers.  This is one performance that will never get dated for eons to come.  His charm and grace are so infectious that we wish the story had proceeded in a different direction with Karthik getting a lion’s share of the screen time!  It is a wonder that Karthik created the same personality in “Agni Nakshatram” without losing a wee bit of charisma. 

Late comedian V.K. Ramaswamy and the Sardar create a hilarious comedy track, with VKR's inimitable facial expressions and voice modulations being an absolute delight.

 

With wonderful performances on screen, the technicians behind it ensure that they’re no less effective.  Music Director Illayaraja and Lyricist Vaali join hands to give one of the most memorable sound tracks recorded for Tamil Cinema.  The songs aren’t just melodious but are also meaningful in conveying key emotions (suddenly after realizing a spark in her, the lady exclaims “puriyaadha aanandham, pudhidhaaga arambam”) of the players.  The songs pop up at the most appropriate of situations and help move the story forward.  “Nilave Vaa,” “Mandram Vandha Thendralukku” and “Chinna Chinna Vannakuyil” are songs that transport the listener to another world of musical delight.  P.C. Sreeram who has been the cinematographer in some of the best Mani Ratnam films (right from this one until “Alai Payuthey”) ensures that their first association is one of the best from a technical standpoint.  I am sure Mani Ratnam has a thing for Taj Mahal and P.C. Sreeram recognizes it!  He lovingly captures it in all its glory.  His understated interior lighting speaks volumes of the innovative skills he possesses as a technician.  Art Director Thoatta Tharani’s interior décor is classy and suits the atmosphere.

 

On the whole, “Mouna Raagam” is a masterpiece that transcends normal cinema and invites us to bask in the splendor of its characters and be swayed by the emotions spun adroitly by the director.  And how many movies have accomplished that?