When people discuss and or debate on filns, about that truly stay alive even decades later, Roja almost always finds a mention. It is one of those rare films that continues to feel relevant no matter when you watch it. The emotions, the story and the music are indisputably ripening like fine wine. Much of this comes down to storytelling style of Mani Ratnam. His films from the early 1990s had a strong emotional core but were never disconnected from reality. Roja remains one of the strongest examples of that balance.
Released in 1992, Roja featured Arvind Swamy and Madhoo. The film follows a young woman from a small village in Tamil Nadu. Her life changes suddenly when her husband is kidnapped by militants during a secret intelligence operation in Jammu and Kashmir. The story focuses on her struggle to bring him back. The story is full of love, fear and hope. The politics do surface but don’t overpower the human emotions. The film also marked the beginning of Mani Ratnam’s well-known political trilogy. The films that followed were Bombay released in 1995 and Dil Se..in 1998. Each one shows relationships amidst tense times in the country. Madhoo’s character was at the heart of the film. Her acting made it easy for viewers to connect with the film. It showed how regular people face the effects of bigger conflicts.
Roja , besides the story, it completely transformed Indian cinema with its music. Sans Roja, the world might never have met A.R. Rahman, the maestro who went on to redefine music across India and beyond. This film marked his debut and each song brought out the human emotion perfectly. Not many may be versed that Mani Ratnam made a bold choice by replacing his long-time collaborator Ilaiyaraaja with A.R. Rahman
At the time, it was a big risk but it worked beautifully. The music set a whole new standard for Indian film songs.
The soundtrack of Roja was released in multiple languages and featured seven tracks each in Tamil and Hindi. Versions were also released in Telugu, Malayalam and Marathi. An instrumental album was released separately as well. This wide release helped the music reach listeners across regions. Each song had its own vibe. The whole album stayed memorable from beginning to end.
The big reason for Roja still feeling alive today are the songs.
Chinna Chinna Aasai or Chhoti Si Asha in Hindi, sung by Minmini, is all about small dreams and little joys and for this, she even won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer. Rukkumani Rukkumani, sung by Chitra and SP Balasubrahmanyam is an upbeat folk-inspired track, while the patriotic anthem Thamizha Thamizha or Bharat Hum Ko Jaan Se Pyaara Hai, sung by Hariharan, brings a real sense of pride.
However, the song that tops the list is the romantic duet Pudhu Vellai Mazhai, known as Yeh Haseen Vaadiyaan in Hindi. It is sung by Unni Menon and Sujatha in Tamil
and by S.P. Balasubrahmanyam and K.S. Chithra in Hindi. It is emotional and dreamy and also why is it seen as a
must-visit spot for honeymooners because of the scenic scenes in the song.
A.R. Rahman’s work on Roja received major recognition as he was conferred with the National Film Award for Best Music Direction. He also received the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director (Tamil). The Tamil Nadu State Film Award followed soon after. For a debut project, this level of recognition was rare. It clearly marked the arrival of a new musical voice in Indian cinema. The actor went on to win two Academy Awards in the Best Original Score category and for the song Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire.
The impact of Roja’s music went beyond India. In 2005, Time magazine listed the soundtrack among the “10 Best Soundtracks” of all time. The list was curated by film critic Richard Corliss. Roja appeared alongside globally celebrated films like Citizen Kane. This recognition placed Rahman’s debut on an international stage.
Beyond music, Roja earned praise for its filmmaking and performances. It bagged the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration at the National Film Awards. The Filmfare Awards South honoured it as Best Film (Tamil). The Tamil Nadu State Film Awards saw the film sweep several major categories. Roja was also nominated at the Moscow International Film Festival. It was later featured in the Indian Panorama section at the International Film Festival of India. In total, the film won 11 awards.
News Edit KV Raman