Mani Ratnam was born on June 2, 1956, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu and has been the father of Indian cinema with his storytelling, powerful imagery and emotionally rich films. From the romantic classics to political dramas, Mani Ratnam has become one of the most highly respected filmmakers in Asia, and films continue to influence Google searches, OTT platforms and social media worldwide.
Born into a film distribution family, Mani Ratnam didn't go to film school. He got his MBA and worked as a management consultant, and eventually found his passion to be filmmaking.
His directorial debut was with the 1983 Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi. Although the film received few commercial successes, his new approach was appreciated by critics. Mani Ratnam quickly became an institution in Indian cinema with such memorable movies as Mouna Ragam, Nayakan, Roja, Bombay, Dil Se, Alaipayuthey and Ponniyin Selvan.
Roja and Bombay made them the global best films because they combined emotional storytelling with political and social reality. And his work with legendary composer A. R. Rahman was musical magic that changed the soundtracks of Indian movies forever.
Mani Ratnam was not just an amazing director but also had some poor films that didn’t perform very well, and a few of his political themes in movies caused trouble. But his artistic courage and storytelling genius kept him at the top for decades.
Mani Ratnam married the celebrated actress Suhasini, and they became one of the most celebrated creative couples in Indian cinema. He prefers a private life, but his influence on young filmmakers is huge.
Mani Ratnam was also the brains behind a successful production house and had mentored a lot of actors, writers and technicians who would eventually become stars in Indian cinema.
Mani Ratnam will continue working on grand historical epic movies, OTT projects and international deals. The loyal masses are waiting for more news from Mani Ratnam.
Mani Ratnam is more than a director today; he is a cinematic revolution. From long-lasting love movies to socially revolutionary movies, his journey is changing the very face of Indian cinema forever.
