Ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam and Academy Award-winning composer A. R. Rahman are gearing up for the grand release of Ponniyin Selvan: 2 on April 28. The duo recently sat down with National Award-winning film critic Baradwaj Rangan, the Editor-in-Chief of Galatta Plus for a heart-to-heart conversation about the highly-anticipated sequel to the 2022 blockbuster, Ponniyin Selvan: 1, while also opening up about their journey in cinema together, including their next grand venture, KH 234, starring 'Ulaganayagan' Kamal Haasan.
Mani Ratnam is known to often involve certain collaborators like National Award-winning editor A. Sreekar Prasad slightly early on in his projects to want them in on the process of the film's evolving and developmental process since they provide feedback analysis. In that light, upon being asked when he got A. R. Rahman involved in the script of KH 234, Mani Ratnam stated, "As early as I can. As early as I feel I have something to ask. I should have something with both. I think even the director of photography (DOP), once I'm clear or have a vague idea of how I want it to look, then I go to them. I can talk about the film(with them), which I'm thinking of two years later also. We're just discussing. We're just talking the ideas. It's just there. So, we bring him as early as possible." Regarding A. R. Rahman coming up with the ideas and the tunes, Mani Ratnam further added, "He might forget about it, but he'll remember sometime when he's far away and then get something and then he'll send and he'll surprise you."
KH 234 is the big reunion of Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan once again after their cult classic Nayakan in 1987, which has gone on to become one of the most important films in Indian cinema. Produced by Kamal Haasan, Mani Ratnam, R. Mahendran, and Siva Ananth under their banners Raaj Kamal Films International and Madras Talkies, the mammoth film will be presented by Red Giant Movies and the excitement for the project has been massive since it marks the first time that Kamal Haasan, Mani Ratnam and A. R. Rahman are collaborating together, with fans expecting the trio to come up with something magical.
Watch Mani Ratnam and A. R. Rahman in conversation with Baradwaj Rangan below:
