REFUGEE

India’s best known director Mani Ratnam was the cynosure of all eyes at the two day (Nov 18 & 19) FICCI-Entertainment Business Conclave which opened in Chennai.

The arrival of Mani sir as he is affectionately known created a buzz as all the delegates from upcountry crowded around him. Mani sir, the cool guy that he is was attending a session on “Successful film content for the future : A debate between leading Indian film personalities.”

Among some of the doyens of the industry like Govind Nihalani, script writer Anjum Rajabali, hit maker SS Rajamouli, Shailendra Singh and Kunal Kohli, it was Mani who scored and had the overflowing audiences at the venue clapping for him!

The topic was whether Indian cinema content was good enough to attract global audiences, Mani said- “It is only a question of time before Indian cinema goes global. The change is happening, I’ am very positive about it.” Mani then showed how a group of young men from small towns in Tamil Nadu has changed Tamil cinema drastically in the last few years.

Mani got the loudest cheer from the packed hall when he explained: “Tamil cinema has grown leaps and bounds. Today people coming from small towns are making realistic films which are being lapped up by the audiences.

The new breed is reaping the harvest sowed by earlier filmmakers like Mahendran and Bharathiraja. When you tell an original story from the heart it connects.”