When it comes to directors in Indian cinema, nobody has shown India and its beauty better than Mani Rathnam. Fans and critics might have contrasting opinions on his movies but almost everyone unanimously will agree that he is by far the best director who has consistently created magic on-screen. Another aspect of his film-making that we admire is the fact that except for the scenes involving Turkey in the movie Guru, every single frame in every single scene of his movies have been shot entirely inside India. And for that, he deserves our special appreciation.

In fact, he is one of the main inspirations behind the birth of this site and so, it is only natural that the first post in our series about people is on this master storyteller.

About the director:
Mani Rathnam was born in the year 1956 in the South Indian temple city of Madurai. In the finnicky world of Indian cinema where movies that earn both critical acclaim & commercial success are hard to come by, the fact that the overwhelming majority of Mani Rathnam’s movies managed to do the impossible speaks volumes about the man’s film-making capabilities. In a career spanning more than 2 decades with movies that has catered to the sensibilities of movie audience across the entire spectrum, he has strongly established himself as one the most reputed directors that Indian cinema has ever seen.

We, here at whereasitshot.com, take this short post to salute one of India’s finest directors ever.

His filming locations:
Athirapilly Falls – Chalakkudy District, Kerala
Badami Cave Temples – Karnataka
Banatheertham Falls – Karaiyar Dam, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu
Basgo Monastery – Leh, Ladakh
Bekal Fort – Kerala
Bhutanath Temple – Badami, Karnataka
Broken Bridge – Adyar, Chennai
Chennakesava Temple – Somnathapura, Karnataka
College of Engineering – Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Elliot’s Beach – Besant Nagar, Chennai
Fatehpur Sikri – Agra
Gateway of India – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Government Museum – Chennai
Hidimba Devi Temple – Manali, Himachal Pradesh
Hoganekkal Falls – Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu
India Gate – New Delhi
Lakshmi Narayan Temple – Orchha, Madhya Pradesh
Lawrence School – Lovedale, Tamil Nadu
Maheshwar Temple – Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh
Nilgiris Mountain Railway – Tamil Nadu
Pamban Bridge – Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu
Pangong Lake – Leh, Ladakh
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary – Thekkady, Kerala
Royagopura – Melkote, Karnataka
St. Stephen’s Church Cemetery – Ooty, Tamil Nadu
Taj Mahal – Agra
Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal – Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Western India Plywood Guest House, Kannur, Kerala

His films:
Alaipayudhey
Bombay
Dil Se/ Uyire
Geethanjali/ Idhayathai ThirudaathEy
Guru
Iruvar
Kannathil Muthamittaal
Mouna Raagam
Raavan/ Raavanan
Roja
Thalapathi
Thiruda Thiruda