Mani Ratnam Wife, Family, Birthday, Early Life & Biography

 Mani Ratnam reinvented Tamil cinema in the 1980s, with a string of powerful films that delved into social issues, romance and gangster dramas. The director was influenced by the works of filmmakers such as Akira Kurosawa, Martin Scorsese and Krzysztof Kieslowski.

His directorial debut was ‘Pallavi Anu Pallavi’ in 1983, followed by ‘Unaru’ and ‘Idaya Kovil’. His breakthrough film was ‘Mouna Ragam’ in 1986. Read more about Mani Ratnam on KulFiy

Mani Ratnam Early life

Like most people of his generation, Mani Ratnam grew up with films. They entertained, educated and enthralled him. Then, one day, in his mid-teens, he had a moment of realisation. He realised that films were not just made by chance, but they were conceived and directed.

He subsequently quit his job as a management consultant and entered the film industry with Pallavi Anupallavi in 1983. The film earned critical acclaim but failed at the box office. It was only with Mouna Ragam (Tune of Silence) in 1986 that he found his footing.

The film rewrote the rules of Indian cinema by using jump cuts, deeply mannered framing and extremely ‘ethnic’ backdrops. Ratnam was catapulted into the limelight and became a household name. He continued to direct with such acclaimed films as Roja (1992), Bombay (1995) and Alaipayuthey (2000) and more recently with the romantic Ok kanmani (2015).

Mani Ratnam Birthday

Mani Ratnam is one of the most talented directors in India. He writes screenplays, produces and directs movies. He has made films in Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi. He is known for his films that combine substance and style.

He is also a prolific music composer. His works include the soundtracks of his own movies as well as those of others. He has worked with some of the best Indian talent as well as international actors and musicians.

Gopala Ratnam Subramaniam, better known as Mani Ratnam was born in Madurai on 2 June 1956. He grew up in a family which was closely associated with film production. He pursued a degree in commerce from Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College, University of Madras and later an MBA from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies. He then started working as a management consultant.

Profile of Mani Ratnam

Mani Ratnam was born on 2 June 1956 in Madurai, then called Madras (now Chennai). He belonged to a family that was deeply connected to film production. However, his family did not allow him to watch films at all as they considered it taboo.

After completing his MBA from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, he worked as a consultant in a financial firm. Later, he enrolled for the filmmaking course at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune.

He made his directorial debut in 1983 with the Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi. This was followed by a few more films before his major breakthrough with the film Mouna Ragam in 1986. The film established him as a leading director in Tamil cinema. Following this, he directed several critically and commercially successful films including Nayakan, Geethanjali, Thalapathi and Bombay. In 2007, he wrote and directed Guru, a biographical film on business magnate Dhirubhai Ambani.

Also Read: Ramneek Sidhu Entrepreneur Instagram, Net Worth, Biography

Family of Mani Ratnam

After the success of ‘Roja’ in 1992, Mani Ratnam moved on to explore socio-political themes and garnered critical acclaim with ‘Alaipayuthey’ and ‘Thiruda Thiruda’. In the latter he introduced formal gestures in song picturisations elevating it to the level of music videos and set new benchmarks in Indian film choreography.

Mani Ratnam married actress Suhasini in 1988 and the couple has a son named Nandan Maniratnam. They reside in Alwarpet, Chennai, where they run their production house Madras Talkies.

As a filmmaker, Mani Ratnam is like the sane captain of a hurtling spaceship filled with eccentric geniuses of varying degrees and capabilities. He brings them together and makes them work in one accord. He is also an accomplished actor, composer and screenwriter. He is highly influenced by the film-making styles of Akira Kurosawa, Martin Scorsese, Krzysztof Kieslowski and Ingmar Bergman. Mani Ratnam is an eloquent speaker and has spoken extensively on topics related to cinema.

Filmography of Mani Ratnam

Mani Ratnam has directed and produced over forty films in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Malayalam. Known for his complex stories and poetic visuals, his works have received critical acclaim and commercial success. He has won several awards including six National Film Awards, and four Filmfare Awards South.

In 1992, Ratnam directed his first major hit with the romantic film Roja. The movie starred Arvind Swamy and Madhoo in the lead roles, and it was a huge hit. It was at this time that he broke his professional association with music director Ilaiyaraaja and brought in debutant A. R. Rahman to compose the film’s soundtrack.

Throughout his career, Ratnam has used the cinema as a tool to examine various socio-political issues. His film Bombay (1998) dealt with the issue of terrorism in India, while Iruvar (1997) tackled Tamil Nadu politics and MG Ramachandran. Dil Se (2004) was based on the Kashmir conflict and Yuva (2008) dealt with student politics.

Career of Mani Ratnam

Mani Ratnam is an acclaimed figure in the realm of film making and is hailed as one of the greatest Indian filmmakers. His works often have a humane element and are of social relevance, which has set him apart.

Ratnam began his career as a businessman before taking up the role of a film producer. He graduated with a commerce degree from Vivekananda College, University of Madras and obtained an MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies.

He made his directorial debut with Pallavi Anu Pallavi in 1983. The film marked his presence in cinema with a critically acclaimed commercial success.

He then made a series of films that dealt with various issues. His film ‘Anjali’ in 1990 was a movie that portrayed the story of an autistic child and received critical acclaim. It was followed by ‘Thalapathi’, which was loosely based on Mahabharata and starred Rajinikanth and Mammooty in the lead roles.