Iruvar (The Duo)

Birla SG

Director: Mani Ratnam
Music : A. R. Rahman
Cast: Mohanlal,Prakash Raj , Aishwarya Rai,Tabu
Cinematography : Santosh Sivan
Distributor: Madras Talkies
Released 1997
Genre: Politics| Autobigraphy | Period Drama

Iruvar (The Duo) (1997) is a Tamil language Indian film by Mani Ratnam, with music composed by A. R. Rahman.The film also saw the movie debut of Aishwarya Rai, then merely a model and former beauty queen.This film is also well known for the authentic period music by AR Rahman. Director of the controversial blockbuster Bombay (1995), Mani Ratnam has come up with another entertaining film which threads between high art and soft soap opera. Struggling actor Anandan (Mohanlal) meets poet, screenwriter, and active politician Selvam (Prakash Raj), and a long friendship develops despite the constant shadow of rivalry. This Tamil-language film contains most of Rathnam's constant themes -- power, politics, love, and betrayal -- in the context of Indian politics which have been notoriously linked to cinema. The rise to fame of actor and cult-figure Anandan is loosely based on the life of legendary movie star M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), who became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in the 1970's and stayed in power for ten years.This friendship saw, with the rhetoric of the former and the popularity of the latter, the birth of an alliance which politically took the State by storm. And yet, it was the same politics that drove them apart; a separation that was politically permanent.

It was a time when the country was in the turmoil of the Independence struggle. The exuberance
in the wake of independence saw the emergence of new regional political parties, the fight for democracy at the regional level and the birth of a rationalistic party for the suppressed and downtrodden, addressing itself solely at the grass-root level. Cinema yet in its infancy, was recognized as a medium to reach a wider spectrum, and utilized to propagate political consciousness and party ideologies. Thus the bond between the cinema and politics was forged. But slowly the emphasis shifted and cinema soon became a medium for the political game.
Rathnam parodies Indian politics as well as popular Bollywood cinema.The film was showcased in The Masters section at the 1997 Toronto International Film Festival. The film won the Best Film award at the Belgrade International Film Festival, two National Film Awards, and two Filmfare Awards South.

Worldlybusinessman SG

I saw this show before at the The Arts House @ Parliament Lane ages back, it was out of curiosity since it her first movie..I am a fan of Aishwarya Rai, darn she is too pretty in this movie. Her role in this film reminds me of Audrey Hepburn.Like the presentation , theme and 90s styled camerawork because it was shot in both B&W and in colour in olden style contemporary settings it gave a sense of a retro classic film hollywood movie style.

it is slow, captivating and mature and follows the retro but u need lots of patience to sit through it ( its 3 hours long). Both good and bad show depends on your tastes if u like movies such as Schindler’s List , but it is ahead of its times compared to other indian shows

The movie is about the time period between the 1940s to the 1980s post independence British India and how cinema actors influence the course of politics and fame.

Worldlybusinessman SG

can be found in youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJwXkVzmnxM

Birla SG

The movie is about the time period between the 1940s to the 1980s post independence British India and how cinema actors influence the course of politics and fame.

It is a true story, something that happened 50 years back of real life characters in India. Some of these people are still alive now.. Yup, this is Aishwarya Rai's first movie, It came out while i was in sec school and i went with my friends we wanted to see Aishwarya Rai . She was not that well known that time anyway **there were hardly 20 people in the Theatre** ......And I was there watching with 5 other friends who slept half the way through. Classics don’t show up as classics the first time around. A pity ~~ because it only gained recognition few years after it was released. People that time just dont want to sit through 3 hours of history lesson.

First time was normal,........but felt the passion of the director & the talent when I watched it second time. After that I have been watching it again & again.....Aishwaarya Fans will remember her classic young appearance in the dance floor in this show. It is shot so beautifully.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMtdfcuwn0E

Birla SG

I feel that AR Rahman composed his best music for this film.

Birla SG

background info:

The film is about is about by the life of popular vintage Indian cinema actor MGR. He rose to stardom in 1947 by playing characters that portrayed him as the saviour of the poor. His movies were the medium of communication for the Dravidian movement.[citation needed].For the next twenty-five years he remained one of the biggest celebrity in Tamil cinema.He then became the Chief minister of Tamil Nadu in the 1970s. He was a good friend of current chief minister Karunanidhi ( who is also portrayed in the film) who is still alive. But their differences separated them going to different ways.

Worldlybusinessman SG

i like this kind of shows because i love old style contemporary settings. The vid is great, i recall it .She is so pretty.

Birla SG

i like this kind of shows because i love old style contemporary settings. The vid is great, i recall it .She is so pretty.

i was awe stricken when i watched her on screen. She was in her early 20s in 1997. Then only 2 movies came after this one in 98 and 2000. Her fame and populairty only started to pick up after the 2000s.

1997 - her first

1998 -2nd

2000 -3rd

by 2000 she was getting well known for her acting talent.