| Nowadays we see new directors enter the film world with huge first efforts only to
stumble on their subsequent offerings. Not so with Manirathnam.
Neither Pagal Nilavu nor Idhayakoyil gave
us a hint as to what was coming next from him. While both those were good films,
they were hardly what one would call classics. It was Mouna Raagam that
made us sit up and take notice of him as a director. It is a beautiful
film with memorable characters, good performances, subtle sentiments, great photography
and an amazing soundtrack. Almost every frame of the movie oozes with class and the movie
features several ideas that have since become trademark Manirathnam touches but were a
breath of fresh air back when the movie was released in 1986.
Divya(Revathi) is a playful girl who is unwillingly pushed into marriage with
Chandrakumar(Mohan), a personal manager in Delhi. Her dissatisfaction with the marriage is
painfully obvious as she hurts him with every word and action and Chandrakumar's accomodating
character has no effect on her. A divorce is what she asks for as her first gift after the
wedding! When pressed for a reason for her behavious, she reveals to him her brief romance
with Manohar(Karthik) that ended in tragedy. Seeing no change in her, Chandrakumar
offers her the divorce papers but the court stipulates that a couple must have lived
together for atleast a year before the divorce can be given. So they decide to stay together
as husband and wife until they can finalise the divorce.
If there is one segment in Mouna Raagam that never fails to charm, it is Revathi's
flashback that introduces Karthik. While almost every romantic hero in Manirathnam's films
since then has had shades of Karthik's Manohar, the character here captivates us even more
since it is fresh and original. His "Mr. Chandramouli routine" and his antics in the bus
and the library are cute and charming. The role made Karthik probably the first Tamil
heartthrob since Kamalhassan and laid the foundation for his long stay in Kodambakkam.
The other two main characters in the movie are no less endearing. Revathi's Divya is the
perfect college girl, scared of marriage with someone unknown and unable to forget her past
love. Her gradual transformation after the marriage and her aching for acceptance from
Mohan are believable. Mohan is the perfect contrast to Karthik as the calm and patient
husband who is ready to give Divya the leeway she needs to come to grips with the
marriage. His comments about not caring about her past and his handling of her request
for divorce are softly done. Its no wonder that every girl who saw Mouna Raagam
when it was released came out wishing for a boyfriend like Karthik and a husband like Mohan!
The movie doesn't feature the abrupt dialogs that Manirathnam has since become famous
for and instead, has several sharp lines that serve to convey the emotions of the
characters clearly. Revathi's scathing comments bring out her undisguised hatred of
married life and Mohan uttering the same lines to her later, effectively makes her
realise the enormity of the lines and his feelings when she uttered them. In the same
way, Karthik's dialogs(like his comment about the others at the library) convey his
fun-loving nature. Revathi's father is a nice mixture of sternness and love. His
explanation of his situation to Revathi when she says 'no' to the wedding and his
later request to Mohan to keep her happy are moving.
Comedy has never been Manirathnam's strongpoint but his brief forays into it here are
much better here than the long, vulgar comedy tracks in Agni Natchathiram and
Idhayathai Thirudaathey . Revathi teaching the Sardarji the wrong
tamil phrases initially seems mean-spirited but V.K.Ramaswamy's bafflement when he hears
them raise some laughs. There is also a sense of closure and a moment of poignancy when
the Sardarji responds using the same wrong phrase after Revathi thanks him for his help.
Mohan underplays his role well to portray the affectionate husband. Revathi is the star
of the show whether she is laughing at Karthik's antics or crying over Mohan's
ignoring her. She looks very pretty and her face easily conveys all the emotions the
character goes through. Easily one of the best performances of the talented actress'
career. Karthik was starting his second innings after a long gap and quite a comeback
it turned out to be. He looks handsome and his dialog delivery suits the playful nature
of the character well. Ilaiyaraja continued his habit of providing Manirathnam with
chartbusting numbers. Chinna Chinna... gets my vote for one of the best combinations
of song and picturisation in tamil cinema. The colorful dresses, the simple dance steps
and the photography aid the already catchy song. The melodious Nilaave Vaa... is
soulfully rendered by SPB as is Panivizhum Iravu.... Meaningful lyrics are the
strength of Mandram Vandha.... P.C.Sriram was the other behind-the-scenes
artist whose work was noticed in Mouna Raagam. The lights and soft shadows in the
indoor scenes are as beautiful as the shots of the Taj Mahal in the evening light.
Mouna Raagam stands as the one of the best melodies in tamil cinema.
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