Thiruda Thiruda

Shockingly enough, this film brings together Mani Rathnam, Ram Gopal Varma, and A.R.Rehman. The music is decent, but the technical work is shoddy, the script is terrible, and the performances fairly ordinary. Not suprisingly, Ratnam and Varma never worked together again.

Mani Ratnam's adroit transposition of the Butch and Sundance story into a quirky rural setting with a distinctively Indian sensibility is ceaselessly entertaining, if eventually a little too long. You can find in it the major elements of Indian commercial cinema -- set-piece action scenes and dance numbers--but the film distinguishes itself with stylish camera work, superb music and, above all, a deliciously maverick, fantastical tone embellished with sparkling humor, very reminiscent of Terry Gilliam (Monty Python, Time Bandits, Adventures of Baron Munchhausen) in his prime.

The film borrows liberally from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", both in letter and spirit. The more-or-less irrelevant plot involves two small-time thieves who inadvertently end up in control of the vast loot resulting from a major heist. Hot on their heels are the original mastermind of the heist, and a frantic police force led by an overweight, deceptively slow detective (S.P. Balasubramanian in the role of his life). Predictable complications ensue, but the pleasure is in the perceptive, droll sense of humor and the Indiana Jones-esque sense of adventure with which the story is told.

Stunning locales and exotic scenery lead the viewer right from India's mint at Nasik into meandering ravines and forests. The story and its conception was probably way ahead of its time, when such pace of action was unheard of, not to mention the extra morph of glamour that the film boldly and outrageously, though successfully, portrayed. This was probably one reason why the movie did not do well at the box office. Some good acting by S.P. Balasubramaniam as the CBI officer gives insights into the workings of the pre-eminent organization. Overall an urbane action flick with rustic romantic vibes, and laudable cinematography.

This movie is visually good.Mani and Sriram has tried different filters to get the mood of a mis en scene.The song Putham puthu bhoomi.. is gorgeously pictured.But mani has completly forget the script, it travels as it wish with Sriram.If they have faithfully stick to the original I believe this movie might be saved.

Can some movies with no star cast become commercial hits? Yes,if the director is able to provide the right elements that most of the audience needs at a point.

Thiruda Thiruda by Mani Ratnam, with P.C.Sriram and music by A.R.Rahman. It was one of those movies that had no significant and was purely entertainment movie at least for its time. Obviously the director is trying to make the frontbenchers happy.

But if u did not get t o appreciate its technical finesse at the time of its release, u will do so years later. The cinematography is astounding excellence by maniratnam and PC Sriram, considering this move was released in 1993.With the advent of large screen High definition screens. This movie comes alive again even better than it used to before after watching it again on original remastered DVD Undoubtedly Ar Rahman's music in this move is clearly the best in his career . Pure and bold experimentation that gave us a unique experience.