Raavanan(2010)
Raavanan is a 2010 Indian Tamil-language action-adventure film co-written, co-produced, and directed by Mani Ratnam. The film stars Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Prithviraj Sukumaran in lead roles. The story follows a naxalite leader named Veeraiya who kidnaps the wife of a ruthless police officer to avenge his sister's death. The narrative is a modern retelling of the Ramayana epic, told from the perspective of Ravana. The film was noted for its stunning cinematography by V. Manikandan and Santosh Sivan, and a powerful musical score by A. R. Rahman. It was simultaneously made in Hindi as Raavan and dubbed in Telugu as Villain. The Tamil version received positive reviews for its performances and technical craft, and was screened at the Venice Film Festival. Vikram won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his role.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Airtel Xstream Play, YouTube
- Theatrical Release
- 18 June 2010
- Director
- Mani Ratnam
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 7m
- Rating
- 6.8/10
Storyline
A tribal leader named Veeraiya kidnaps Ragini, the wife of a powerful police officer. He takes her deep into the forest to avenge his sister's death. Her husband Dev enters the jungle to save her, but the forest hides many secrets. As days pass, Ragini begins to see a different side of her captor.
“The villain is the real hero.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Raavanan
Cast reunions in this film: Mani Ratnam & A. R. Rahman (20 films together), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan & A. R. Rahman (10 films together), Prabhu & Karthik (9 films together), Santosh Sivan & A. R. Rahman (8 films together), Vikram & A. R. Rahman (7 films together), and Santosh Sivan & Mani Ratnam (6 films together).
Trivia
- The film was simultaneously shot in Hindi as 'Raavan' with a different cast, except for Aishwarya Rai who played the female lead in both versions.
- Vikram, who played Veeraiya, reportedly stayed in a forest for weeks and learned tribal dance to prepare for his role.
- The movie's climax was shot in the dense forests of Kerala, where the crew faced challenges like heavy rain and leeches.
- Composer A.R. Rahman recorded the song 'Kodu Potta' with folk singers from Tamil Nadu to get an authentic tribal sound.
- The character Veeraiya is loosely inspired by the mythological demon king Ravana from the epic Ramayana, but from a different perspective.
- Aishwarya Rai performed many of her own stunts, including scenes where she was tied to trees or jumped into rivers.
- The film's title 'Raavanan' was initially kept secret during production, with the crew referring to it by a code name.