Nikhil Dwivedi recently looked back on his experience working in Mani Ratnam’s 2010 film Raavan and offered a candid take on why the Abhishek Bachchan–Aishwarya Rai starrer struggled to connect with audiences. The actor described the narrative as “bizarre” and questioned the approach of reinterpreting age-old mythology, sharing his thoughts without reservation.
Nikhil Dwivedi opens up on Mani Ratnam’s Raavan; says, “The storytelling was very faulty. It was a bizarre form of storytelling”
Speaking with DNA, Nikhil admitted that the film didn’t help his career in any way. While acknowledging that there were viewers who appreciated it, he felt it was, overall, a poorly made film that left no real impact on him. The actor said, “Aap unn kam logo mein se hai jinhe woh film pasand aayi. Mere hisaab se bahut kharab film bani thi. Mujhe aisa lagata hai. It’s good ki aapko achi lagi, but the film did nothing for me (You are one of those few people who liked that film. According to me, it was a very badly-made film. It’s good that you liked it, but the film did nothing for me).”
Clarifying that his criticism wasn’t as an actor but as a viewer, Nikhil said that while Raavan was visually breathtaking and among the most beautiful films he had seen, its storytelling fell flat. In his opinion, the narrative was confusing, the execution experimental, and the performances went underutilized. He clarified, “I didn’t mean as an actor, but as an audience, I think it was not a well-made film. It was a beautiful-looking film. Aesthetically, it was one of the finest films. But I think all the actors were wasted, and you just couldn’t understand what the film was all about. He further added, “The storytelling was very faulty. It was a bizarre form of storytelling. Everybody thought that they would be able to… Maybe they were trying to experiment, but that clearly didn’t work.”
The film offered a reimagining of the epic, with Aishwarya Rai’s Ragini (inspired by Sita) developing an unexpected bond with Abhishek Bachchan’s Beera (a Raavan-like figure), while Vikram’s Dev Pratap (modeled on Rama) ultimately betrays and kills Beera. Reflecting on this creative twist, Nikhil acknowledged that filmmakers have the liberty to reinterpret timeless stories, but felt there is often an unnecessary attempt to outsmart the original. He questioned the need to alter narratives that have endured for centuries through the works of masters like Valmiki and Tulsidas, asking whether they truly require “improvement.”
Despite his candid critique, Nikhil also acknowledged Mani Ratnam’s vision and effort. He noted that it was evident the filmmaker had invested immense hard work into the project, but, as with all artistic experiments, some resonate with audiences while others do not.
More Pages: Raavan Box Office Collection
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