Filmmaker Mani Ratnam recently shared a fascinating insight into his 2000 hit Alai Payuthey, revealing that he had initially planned to cast Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in the leading roles. However, Ratnam ultimately abandoned this idea as he struggled to finalize the film’s climax.
Alai Payuthey, a Tamil-language romantic musical, starred R. Madhavan and Shalini.They later remade it in Hindi as Saathiya, starring Rani Mukerji and Vivek Oberoi.
The film tells the story of two young individuals who elope and marry, only for cracks to emerge in their relationship.
Speaking at the G5A Retrospective in South Mumbai on Saturday, Ratnam explained, “What I had planned to do with Shah Rukh was Alai Payuthey. I wanted to make it with Shah Rukh and Kajol. I told him the story, and he agreed to it. However, I had not cracked the last element of the story at that point.”
Ratnam revealed that he was unable to finalize the ending for Alai Payuthey, which centered around a pivotal day in the protagonists’ lives, culminating in an accident that leaves the wife missing. The husband spends much of the movie searching for her, a concept Ratnam could not fully develop at the time. As a result, he shifted his focus to another project—Dil Se.
It was during the making of Dil Se (1998), which starred Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala, that Ratnam was able to finalize the story’s ending. He continued, “Once I was finishing Dil Se, I was able to solve this problem and was still interested in doing it.”
In hindsight, Ratnam acknowledged that filmmaking is a constant process of evolution. “Every film goes through several changes—be it from inception to casting or editing. You’re never sure you got it correct. He noted, “Even when you’ve fully written it, during the shoot, you’re still looking for something more because it’s constantly being constructed.”
Ratnam also described how films are a reflection of real life, emphasizing that they are “pieces of people and bits of life.” He elaborated, “Actors need to bring it to life, and if they don’t, you can shout at them. The process of fine-tuning continues even during the editing stage.”
A three-day retrospective on Mani Ratnam’s illustrious career is taking place from January 24 to 26 at G5A’s warehouse in South Mumbai. The retrospective showcases a range of Ratnam’s iconic films, including Nayakan, Bombay, Raavan, Kannathil Muthamittal, Kaatru Veliyidai, Alai Payuthey, and Iruvar.
Ratnam’s reflections on the creative process offer a rare glimpse into the complexities and challenges filmmakers face while bringing their vision to life on the big screen.
