Flashback Friday| An Ode To The Duo Of Classic Iruvar: Aishwarya Rai And Mani Ratnam

The movie, which had a political premise with a dash of romance and tragedy, was lauded by critics when it first hit theatres.

'Iruvar' marked Aishwarya Rai's acting debut following her victory at the Miss World pageant.

New Delhi: To truly comprehend Mani Ratnam's body of work, one must get rid of the prism through which they have formerly only known him as a director of whimsical romances. In the works of the ace director, politics and cinema—two domains that have always profoundly affected one another—have perpetually been there. Since the dawn of cinema, films have been used as a tool to influence political scenarios and show the shape of the nation at the time. 

For the uninitiated, Ratnam is one of those who has effortlessly laid out his stories while oscillating between showing a realm of escapism and social realities. The filmmaker dramatised the tale of the rise of the Chola empire in his most recent effort, 'Ponniyin Selvan', an epic historical drama based on Kalki Krishnamurthy's book of the same name. While the movie brought back memories of the little bit of history we glanced over in our school textbooks about the empire, it also made us think of Ratnam's previous work, 'Iruvar'. The two films have hardly any traits in common when it comes to genre or visual appeal, but the cast unquestionably does. 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who is unmistakably Mani Ratnam's muse, plays dual parts in both films. In the 1997 release, she also shared the screen with Prakash Raj, who played Sundara Chola in 'Ponniyin Selvan'. For all you movie buffs out there, just a few Easter eggs.  

Now, we were compelled to go back to 'Iruvar', which literally translates to "The Duo," which marked Aishwarya Rai's acting debut following her victory at the Miss World pageant. The movie, which had a political premise with a dash of romance and tragedy, was lauded by critics when it first hit theatres. It is such a masterpiece that, in 2012, the British Film Institute placed it on its list of the 1000 greatest films ever made.

The film, which drew loosely on the lives of three Tamil Nadu chief ministers—MG Ramachandran, K Karunanidhi, and J Jayalalithaa—explored how politics and films intersect. 'Iruvar' also starred Revathi, Tabu, and Mohanlal (in his Tamil film debut). The Tamil political drama, though being a box office dud, did wonders for Aishwarya's acting career. In an interview with Simi Grewal, Jayalalithaa, who served as the inspiration for the actor's on-screen avatar, noted that Aishwarya is the right fit to portray her. 

Before their acrimonious political rivalry, MGR and Karunanidhi had a long-standing friendship that lasted for decades. Looking back on the movie, one of Ratnam's finest and most relevant projects, it definitely seems to be a window into the lives of influential figures, but it is really more of a story about the bond of two visionaries. Ratnam takes us to the time when Prakash Raj and Mohanlal's characters, Anandan and Tamizhselvan, had dreams and perspectives to take over the world. And he traces the five decades of Tamil Nadu politics and cinema through the journey of the two.

The movie, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary, drew a fair amount of criticism for the fictionalisation of characters and events, but one can't really oppose the artistic leeway taken to tell a compelling tale.

The political sphere is extended in the film 'Iruvar', which is set between the actor Anandan and the scriptwriter Tamizhselvan. The former crafts the poetic dialogues that ultimately make Anandan a household name. Later, Tamizhselvan urges Anandan to join his political party, but the two fall out over an array of troubles.

Anandan, who is yet to break into the film industry, meets Pushpa (Aishwarya Rai), through an arranged marriage. After some initial second thoughts, he decides to marry. Shortly later, she dies away, leaving an everlasting mark on Anandan. He casts a fresh actress for the role of the movie's lead when he later becomes a popular actor. When Kalpana (Aishwarya Rai, once more) shows up, she throws Anandan off guard with how strikingly similar she is to his late wife. Kalpana is somewhat loosely based on Jayalalithaa, the speculated partner and co-star of MG Ramachandran. 

And owing to Santosh Sivan's stand-out camerawork, Aishwarya shines in every frame, which only serves to deepen our adoration for her. The cinematographer likely seeks to bring us near enough to get a glimpse into the complexity of the characters' lives with the purposeful close-ups, a recurring shot in the movie. 

Despite its futile attempts to appear fairly apolitical, the movie still touches upon the politically unstable era while offering lots of romance subplots and dreamy music. 'Iruvar' stands out for the performances by the now-stars but then-newcomers, despite its uneven tone and apparently inaccurate depiction of events. Mohanlal was a perfect fit for the part and gave it his all as MGR. Prakash Raj, on the other hand, equaled Mohanlal with the versatility of a seasoned actor in a close race. Aishwarya Rai, a young actress who subsequently rose to fame in Bollywood with Taal, nonetheless conveys the naivete and intensity that her two characters call for. Perhaps not one of her best performances, but unquestionably not one that should be overlooked.

In a nation where politics are a way of life, political cinema has recently undergone a clearly apparent shift. Ratnam's 'Iruvar' refrains from shying away from facts or flaws, and that's a whiff of fresh air.