Poster of Raavan movie, that's Abhishek Bachchan. Ten heads not visible.

Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus – a modern take on the Ramayana – also stars Tamil actor Vikram and Govinda. The soundtrack for the film – also being made in Tamil – is composed by Academy Award-winner A.R.Rahman.

As the movie is being made in two languages, there is a bit of a problem when we write about it. The Hindi version’s name is spelt Raavan according to the trailer, but in some of the posters which were leaked, the name was spelt as Ravan.  The Tamil version is spelt Raavana in English.

Photo: Aishwarya Rai in Raavan - or is it Ravan, as you see in this poster?

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan  have done quite a few movies together – Dhai Akshar Prem Ke, Kuch Naa Kaho, Umrao Jaan, Dhoom 2 (in which they were not paired) and Mani Ratnam’s Guru. Of these, only Dhoom 2 and Guru were successes. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan hasn’t had a very good couple of years. Her only releases were The Pink Panther 2 (ho-hum) in 2009 and Sarkar Raaj (hmm) and Jodhaa Akbar (hit) in 2008. Abhishek Bachchan had Sarkar Raaj (hmmm), Drona (big miss) and Dostana (hit) in 2008, following them up with Paa and Delhi-6 (both critically acclaimed, but not very big box office successes)

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan must be hoping that Mani Ratnam’s upcoming movie Ravaana will turn the tide in their favour. The director’s earlier film, Guru, was lucky for Abhiash on the personal front – they announced their engagement after the film was premiered in Toronto.

As of now, the star couple isn’t staying in the shadows. Abhishek Bachchan and wife Aishwarya Rai are busy on the micro-blogging site Twitter. Aishwarya, in fact, seems to have taken it upon herself to convince mom-in-law Jaya to join Twitter.

“A big hello from maa, I am insisting her 2 join Twitter,” Aishwarya Rai Bachchan posted on her Twitter account recently. The Big B prefers to remain busy with his blog.

Back to Raavan. The film will reportedly be premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France this year. Mani Ratnam was thinking of premiering the bilingual film at IIFA in Seoul later this year, but seems to have decided on Cannes now – Raavan (the Hindi version) will be premiered at the festival on May 14. Raavan was originally set for release in 2009.

Believed to be an adaptation of the Hindu epic Ramayana, there’s a twist in the Raavana tale. Do not expect a full, modern version of the Ramayana here. From what we here, there are some similarities, but there is enough room for Mani Ratnam to claim innocence if anyone accuses him of denigrating Ramayana. The main female character played by Aishwarya Rai is abducted by Abhishek Bachchan (who is the ‘Raavan’ in the Hindi version of the movie. When Vikram, her husband, questions her chastity, she feels sympathetic towards the ‘Raavan’.

Is Mani Ratnam deliberately courting trouble?  Just consider the recent controversies over My Name is Khan starring Shahrukh Khan, or the anger in Mumbai over the use of the name Bombay in the movie Wake Up Sid are examples. Let’s hope Mani Ratnam knows what he is doing!

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are the lead pair in the Hindi version of Raavana. Abhishek is Raavana, Aishwarya plays Sita, Vikram is Rama and Govinda plays a character inspired by Hanuman. In the Tamil version of the movie titled Raavana, Vikram plays Raavana opposite Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Suhasini, Mani Ratnam’s wife, also makes her Bollywood debut with Raavana. Ravi Kissen plays Abhishek’s trusted aide whereas Nikhil Dwivedi plays a cop.

The movie has been produced by Mani Ratnam’s sister Sharda under Ratnam’s banner Madras Talkies. According to unofficial sources, composer A R Rahman has reused two songs he composed earlier – one for Aamir Khan’s shelved film Lajjo and a qawwali composed for Jodhaa Akbar.

Recent media reports suggested that Abhishek Bachchan’s character in Raavan is also based on Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy’s character. Sources said Mani Ratnam was keen to have a strong element of contemporary history in his film – something that’s been seen in earlier films like Roja (terrorism in Kashmir), Bombay (the communal riots in Mumbai), Yuva (college politics) and Guru (a biopic on Dhirubhai Ambani’s life).

However, Abhishek Bachchan has rubbished those reports. “Another piece of great reportage by our ever dependable media. My character in Raavana is NOT based on any Maoist,” he Tweeted recently.
Director Mani Ratnam is reportedly unsure about how to end his film. He is said to have shot four options in Malshej, but no one knows which one will be final. In the first alternative (which could be controversial), Raavan wins over Sita; in the second, she treads the conventional path and returns to Rama; in the third alternative, Raavan dies; and in the fourth, Rama dies.

Even unit members are not aware of which climax will finally make it to the silver screen. Will the Hindi Raavan and the Tamil version Raavana have the same climax? No one’s sure of that either.

Shooting schedules for the film were rigorous and the three principal actors suffered injuries and viral illnesses. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan proved to be the toughest among the three. Co-star Vikram said he had never seen any actress do the kind of stunts Aishwarya has done in Raavana. He added that he had never seen any actress look so beautiful in such difficult circumstances.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan also won over the production crew by dubbing her own lines in Tamil for the film. A Tamil tutor coached the actress during the shooting of Raavana, and she reportedly got the accent and tone pat.  Aishwarya will also be dubbing her own lines for another Tamil movie , Shankar’s Endhiran, co-starring Rajnikanth.

The recent Swami Nithyananda sex scandal has also brushed Raavana. Tamil film star Ranjitha, who was allegedly filmed in a compromising position with Swami Nithyananda, plays the role of Raavana’s sister-in-law in the Tamil version of the film.

Paa movie photos credit: Paa official website

The movie was a decent hit in India and a bigger hit overseas.

Paa has a good buzz going for it and a lot of curiosity about the roles played by the Bachchan father-and-son duo.

Here is the skinny on the movie. Paa is the story of a 13-year-old boy, Auro (Amitabh Bachchan) suffering from Progeria – a disease that causes accelerated ageing of the body in all aspects – and his relationship with his parents, Amol Arte (Abhishek Bachchan) and Vidya Arte (Vidya Balan).

Photo: Amitabh Bachchan as Auro in Paa

Amol is an idealistic politician while Vidya is a gynaecologist. The movie also stars Paresh Rawal as Auro’s paternal grandfather. Jaya Bachchan is likely to make an appearance in the movie as well, some reports say.

Expect Auro to die in the movie as well, unless he is an exception. The typical lifespan of Progeria patients is usually thirteen years but some are known to live longer. On the face of it, the movie does not strike me as a deliberate tearjerker nor a pontificating one. It seems more like a celebration of life with all its happiness and heartbreaks.

Photo: Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan in Paa

Paa is produced by Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Ltd (ABCL). ABCL’s last movie , Family: Ties of Blood (2006), directed by Raj Kumar Santoshi, was a dud at the box office.

ABCL will be keeping their fingers crossed for Paa.

Tarun Mansukhani, writer and director of Dostana, is said to be working on a script for Dostana 2.

Priyanka Chopra in Dostana

If that is the case, then this time around there will be no Priyanka Chopra, considering she faded into the sunset with Bobby Deol.

Apparently, in Dostana 2, the Abhishek Bachchan-John Abraham duo go to Punjab from Miami, and have a hard time convincing people that, guess what, they are not gay.

Unfortunately, they land in situations that make it difficult for anyone to believe they are straight.

To me, its stretching a few laughs into a script that will inevitably be wafer-thin. As it is, Dostana was a stretched version of the Kantabai scenes with Shahrukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan from Kal Ho Na Ho.

John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan in Still from Dostana

Dostana, produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions was one of 2008′s big hits. The movie, definitely, albeit loosely, inspired by I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, is about two men Sameer (Abhishek Bachchan and Kunal (John Abraham) who are desperately looking for a place to rent.

They zero in on an apartment but are turned down because the owner of the house is a young girl Neha (Priyanka Chopra) who does not want young men as tenants.

John Abraham in Dostana

Sameer and Kunal then pretend to be gay, so they can rent the apartment, but soon enough fall in love with Neha.

But, they cannot express their feelings because they are ostensibly in love with each other. Meanwhile, Neha is very attracted to her boss Abhimanyu (Bobby Deol) who is interested as well.

Feeling threatened, Sameer and Kunal set out to break the fledgling relationship between Neha and Abhimanyu.

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek bachchan photo

Dhun comes nine years after Rajiv Menon’s last movie as a director, Kandukondain Kandukondain in 2000.

Confirming the news, Rajiv Menon has been quoted as saying, “Yes…Abhishek and Aishwarya are starring in my next directorial venture titled Dhun. It’s a film where music plays a very important role. The film goes on floors sometime in June this year.”

Dhun will be shot in London and Mumbai.

As is obvious from the name, Dhun is said to have a musical backdrop. Further details about the story are not available at the moment, except denials that the story of Dhun is not similar to that of the Amitabh Bachchan-Jaya Bachchan starrer Abhiman.

I find it wierd that the question was asked in the first place. Just because music plays an important part in Dhun, and it stars the son and daugher-in-law of the lead pair in Abhiman, why on earth should the storyline be the same?

I am inclined to think that, if anything, there is more of a likelihood that Dhun may be based on some English classic film or book, since both the movies that Rajiv Menon has directed were based on classics. Minsaara Kanavu (Sapnay) was based on The Sound of Music, and  Kandukondain Kandukondain was based on Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.

Dhun will be produced by Eros International.

Rajiv Menon is the cinematographer of Bombay (1995), Chaitnaya (1986), Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000), Morning Raga (2004),  and Guru (2007).

Rajiv Menon has directed movies like Minsaara Kanavu (Sapnay in Hindi) with Kajol, Prabhu Deva, and Arvind Swamy, in 1996, and Kandukondain Kandukondain starring Mammooty, Aishwarya Rai, Tabu, Ajith Kumar and Abbas, in 2000.

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai are currently shooting for Mani Ratnam’s Ravan, which will be released in 2009.

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have previously starred together in Dhai Akshar Prem Ke (2003), Kuch Na Kaho (2003), Umrao Jaan (2006), Dhoom 2 (2006), and Guru (2006). Of all these, only Mani Ratnam’s Guru was a hit.

The movie stars Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Vikram, Manisha Koirala, Govinda, Ravi Kishan, Tejaswini Kolhapure, and Ajay Gehi. Update: Raavan movie nears release, Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan in Mani Ratnam’s Raavan movie

Aishwarya Rai and Vikram on the sets of Raavan Pic: The Telegraph

Written By Mani Ratnam and Rensil D’Silva, and directed by Mani Ratnam, the movie is being shot simultaneously as Raavan in Hindi and Ashokavanam in Tamil, in a bungalow in Agarpara.

Photo: Abhishek Bachchan's Raavan look

Abhishek Bachchan plays the titular role of Raavan, Aishwarya Rai plays the role of Sita, and Vikram the role of Ram. The story of the movie has been kept under wraps, but reports say that Aishwarya Rai plays a talented carnatic musician in both Raavan and Ashokavanam.

Vikram who will play a character based on Ram in Raavan

Govinda is said to play the role of Hanuman. He is a forest officer who guides Vikram through forests in search of a criminal, presumably played by Abhishek Bachchan. Ravi Kishan and Ajay Gehi play versions of Ravana’s brothers Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana.

Previously, Mani Ratnam had made the huge hit Dalapati in both Tamil and Hindi. The movie was a contemporary version of the Mahabharata, with Rajnikanth’s character (Surya) similar to that of Karna, and Mamooty’s character (Devarajan) similar to that of Duryodhan.

Arvind Swamy’s character was clearly based on that of Arjun. He is even called Arjun in the movie. Interesting, Dalapathi was more the story of Karna, rather than that of the usual culprit, Arjun. It was this angle that made the movie so powerful, apart from a bravura performance by Rajnikanth.

One expects that Mani Ratnam’s Raavan, too, will tell the story of the much-pilloried man, in a balanced light.

Ravan was considered an accomplished scholar and author. He was supposed to be proficient in Political Science, and is said to have authored a book on Astrology called Kaali Kitab.

The role places a lot of responsibility on the junior Bachchan. Reports say that Abhishek Bachchan is working very hard to look right for the role. He is said to have shed 15 kilos, cropped his hair short, and grown a moustache.

Raavan‘s music will be composed by AR Rahman.

The climax of the movie is being shot in the Vedic village in the outskirts of Kolkata, and in the city.

Pic: Sonam Kapoor with the dove, Masakali, in Delhi-6

While shooting Delhi-6, director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra auditioned hundreds of pigeons to find the one that could sit on Sonam Kapoor’s head in the Masakali song without flying off a hundred times. When Rakeysh Mehra couldn’t pin a single garden-variety pigeon down, he then proceeded to audition doves, at the suggestion of AR Rahman.

At Rakeysh Mehra’s request, 12 white doves were shortlisted. The chosen one was a white dove for Assam, for which Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra is said to have shelled out Rs 13000 a day. The dove, called Masakali, features in the chartbuster Masakali song, in Delhi-6, with Sonam Kapoor. And unlike Chicka, the pug, in the Vodafone ad, it does not have to work like a, well, dog. No running behind buses with a tie in the mouth, fetching stuff, following little boys and girls. A dove’s life is a lot better than a dog’s life, alright.

Photo: Abhishek Bachchan in Delhi-6 with Masakali perched on his shoulder

Masakali has also proved to be the star of  Delhi-6 so far. So much so, that actress Sonam Kapoor, whose name is Bittu in Delhi-6, is hailed by the name Masakali or Kabootari whereever she goes, much to her irritation, understandably.

Pic: Sonam Kapoor, Masakali, and Abhishek Bachchan in Delhi-6

Delhi-6 stars Abhishek Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor, Waheeda Rahman, Om Puri, Atul Kulkarni, Rishi Kapoor, Tanvi Azmi, and Divya Dutta. Delhi-6 is about an American-born Indian, Roshan (Abhishek Bachchan), who brings his grandmother (Waheeda Rahman) to India, where they live in old Delhi’s Chandni Chowk area, the place she loves best.

A still from Delhi-6

As he is drawn into the melee of colors, flavors, smells and quirky inter-relationships, that typifies the true character of Delhi, Roshan understands why his grandmother loves the city so much and in the process realizes his own identity. Spirited Bittu (Sonam Kapoor), on the other hand, can’t wait to escape from the conservative life she is forced to lead.

Delhi-6 is an intensely personal movie for Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. In his director’s note he has said, “For me it’s much more than a movie. I have dipped the pen in the ink of my childhood memories, and setting them against today’s contemporary India, have tried to weave a story.”

Delhi-6 will be released on February 20, 2009. The movie was supposed to release on February 13, 2006. Some reports says that the release date of Delhi-6 was postponed because AR Rahman had yet to complete the background score for Delhi-6.

Delhi-6 has been directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, and co-written by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Prasoon Joshi, and Kamlesh Pandey. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has previously written and directed Aks (2001) starring Amitabh Bachchan, Manoj Bajpai, and Raveena Tandon.

He has also penned the script and directed the 2006 blockbuster hit Rang De Basanti starring Aamir Khan, Siddharth, Madhavan, Soha Ali Khan, Atul Kulkarni, and Kunal Kapoor.

Prasoon Joshi is the lyricist of Delhi-6 and has penned the famous Masakali song. He has written lyrics for movies like Rang De Basanti, Taare Zameen Par, Fanaa, Black, Ghajini, and Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic.

Kamlesh Pandey has to his credit the story of Rang De Basanti. He has written the dialogues and script of movies like Aks, Zinda, Yuvraaj, and Thakshak.