Raavanan

Running time: 137 mins

Like the roar of a thousand tablas in full frenzy, this modern retelling of an ancient tale is a dizzying roller-coaster ride of passionate storytelling.

Based loosely on the Ramayana tale of the kidnapping of Ram?s wife Sita, Tamil director Mani Ratnam?s first film in his native language in six years is virtuoso kinetic filmmaking: a blinding cornucopia of love, jealousy and vengeance, full of powerful archetypal images, whirling brilliant colors, non-stop excitement, action and music. This is popular filmmaking at its bravura best, featuring an astonishing star-making performance by Tamil actor Vikram as the bandit king Veeraia.

Filmed simultaneously in both Hindi and Tamil versions with slightly different casts, this preferred Tamil version is exciting evidence of a vital new cinema from southern India: Tamil cinema meets Bollywood. And the result is ?Tollywood!

- Charlie Cockey

Film sponsored by Bikram Yoga San Jose and the Applied Materials Foundation.