Mani Ratnam and RGV: When creative genius clashes with individual style

Mani Ratnam, one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated directors, has built a legacy of visual poetry and emotionally layered storytelling. Yet, despite his influence, not everyone in the industry aligns with his creative choices. Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma (RGV), known for his gritty realism and urban crime dramas, recently revealed in an interview that he isn’t a fan of Ratnam’s films and the feeling is mutual.

The two filmmakers, though icons in their own right, have had very little collaborative engagement over the last three decades. In fact, their last major connection dates back to 1993 when they co-wrote stories for Gaayam (Varma’s political thriller) and Thiruda Thiruda (Ratnam’s black comedy caper). Both films were stylistically different and showcased how distinct their filmmaking languages were.

According to Varma, their personalities are simply too “strong-minded” to work together. “He didn’t like my films, I don’t like his films. That’s our equation,” he said bluntly.

Mani Ratnam’s ‘Nayakan’ wasn’t RGV’s favourite

One of Mani Ratnam’s most iconic films, Nayakan (1987), remains a landmark in Tamil cinema and is celebrated for Kamal Haasan’s powerhouse performance. But Varma has a very different view. While he respects the film’s intent and Haasan’s acting, he admits he didn’t enjoy the movie as a whole. “I know that character too well Varadarajan Mudaliar. Maybe that’s why I don’t connect,” he explained, referring to the real-life inspiration behind Nayakan’s lead.

RGV, whose own filmography includes crime epics like Satya, Company, and Sarkar, says that his understanding of Mumbai’s underworld shaped a very different cinematic vision—one that doesn’t quite align with Ratnam’s stylized treatment of similar themes.

K Balachander, not Mani Ratnam, shaped RGV’s vision

While Ratnam may be regarded as an inspiration by many modern filmmakers, Varma credits another Tamil industry legend for influencing his cinematic style K Balachander, the man who also introduced both Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth to Indian cinema.

“I watched one of his older Tamil or Telugu films recently and I was shocked at how similar our editing and dialogue styles are,” Varma shared. This revelation confirmed what he had long sensed that his narrative rhythm and dramatic framing stemmed from Balachander’s pioneering style, not Ratnam’s.

A shared past, but no shared future?

Beyond writing, Ratnam and Varma also co-produced the Hindi film Dil Se.. in 1998, alongside Shekhar Kapur. Yet even that collaboration was more business than creative exchange. Varma admits they never truly worked together on ideas. “He had his way, and I had mine. He didn’t listen to one of my ideas, and I didn’t listen to his. So, we both just made our own films,” he said.

He added that both filmmakers are highly individualistic and deeply entrenched in their respective cinematic worlds. “Two strong-minded creatives can’t easily collaborate. We have unique ways of seeing cinema. There’s no middle ground,” said Varma.

This might explain why their paths diverged after the early ‘90s. While Mani Ratnam leaned more into emotionally rich narratives and historical themes (Roja, Bombay, Ponniyin Selvan), RGV continued exploring raw, gritty, and urban terrains (Shiva, Bhoot, Rakta Charitra). Both built empires, but with vastly different blueprints.

Thug Life reunites Ratnam and Haasan, but not Varma

In 2025, Mani Ratnam returned to crime drama with Thug Life, marking his long-awaited reunion with Kamal Haasan 38 years after Nayakan. The film was produced by their respective banners, Madras Talkies and Raaj Kamal Films International. However, despite the hype, Thug Life struggled at the box office, especially after its release was blocked in Karnataka due to a language-related controversy involving Haasan.

Though it would have been a full-circle moment for Ratnam, Haasan, and Varma to work together again in any capacity, the current dynamics suggest it is unlikely. While there may be mutual respect, the creative chemistry between Mani Ratnam and RGV remains more of a cold distance than a fiery synergy.

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Conclusion:

Mani Ratnam and Ram Gopal Varma stand tall as pioneers of Indian cinema both redefining genres, creating unforgettable films, and shaping future generations of filmmakers. Yet their relationship serves as a reminder that sometimes, two giants of vision can admire each other from afar without ever needing to meet in the middle. And perhaps, that’s what keeps their cinematic legacies so distinct and uncompromised.