Roja (1992)

English translation: Rose

Director: Mani Ratnam

Story: Mani Ratnam

Cast: Arvind Swamy, Madhoo

Music: A.R. Rahman

Time: 140 minutes

Bottom-line: One of Ratnam’s best!

Arguably one of the most powerful love stories of all time, Mani Ratnam’s romantic thriller Roja stars Arvind Swamy and Madhoo in the lead roles. This film is also noted for being the debut of A.R. Rahman, who went on to win the National Award for his music direction. For its patriotic content, the film also won the National Award for Best Film on National Integration.

Kashmir: A terrorist chieftain, Wasim Khan, is captured by the Indian Army. In south India, an 18-year-old village girl, Roja (Madhoo) is preparing for her sister’s wedding. The groom is Rishi Kumar (Swamy), a cryptologist for the Indian Army. When the bride declines the offer, Rishi chooses to marry Roja instead. What starts out as a troubled marriage eventually becomes a joyous one. One week into their marriage, Rishi is sent to Kashmir for a two-day assignment, but before he can return, he is abducted by terrorists and is held hostage till the Government releases Wasim Khan. Roja’s tireless search for her husband, in an alien land, and Rishi’s life in captivity is what Roja is about. 

 

Madhoo as Roja, and Arvind Swamy as Rishi

The cinematography is really good; I like the use of continuous takes, as well as the picturization of the song sequences. The way we are shown the terrorists’ hideout, Wasim Khan’s capture, Rishi’s attempted escape (in long shots), as well as the scenic landscapes of Kashmir for the songs is wonderful to watch. The soundtrack has been cited by several recognised polls as one of the best of all time, in Indian cinema, and it certainly deserves to be right up there. The songs Chinna Chinna Aasai, Kadhal Rojave as well as Pudhu Vellai Mazhai are evergreen melodies, still remembered and sung till date. The background score perfectly matches the situations, be it the tense moments of Rishi’s captivity or the romantic moments Rishi and Roja share.

There is an elaborate build-up given before Rishi’s and Roja’s wedding, just to emphasise on how the strained relationship evolves into a powerful romance, and also to get us introduced to Roja’s innocent, simple mentality, which plays a major role in the film. Throughout her search for Rishi, Roja’s desperate pleas, her decisions, actions and emotions all reflect her innocence and love for her husband, around whom her whole world revolves. Another theme that Roja portrays is how Rishi tries to convince his captor to free himself from the evil that is terrorism. He constantly asks biting questions about conscience and faith, hoping to turn around the terrorist into a good man.

Arvind Swamy got his stardom immediately after this film. With his brilliant acting, as a patriot, a playful lover, and a devoted husband, he excels in every role. I like the way Ratnam has created his character: a hero who is able to prove that he is one, without any violence. Look out for the scene where he is ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of the Indian flag. Madhoo was a class apart. There is no way you cannot empathise with her in her actions: from convincing army to search for Rishi, from cajoling her astrologer friend to support her and what not, the way she shows determination and courage when pushed to the extremes, probably makes this her magnum opus. This 1992 classic has been, and will certainly be, a benchmark for romantic films in Indian cinema.

My Rating: 4/5