MANI RATNAM: His unnoticed world

Mani Ratnam is one of the most respected names in Indian Cinema who shot to the limelight with his inimitable style of narration, unique style of dialogue delivery, lights and shades used to merge with the intensity of the scene and of course his penchant for working with the best of technicians in the industry.

However, there are a few more aspects to this master filmmaker that go unnoticed. Mani Ratnam's fascination with rain goes a long way back to some of his early films. Blossoming love in breathtaking environments with soft breeze and raindrops caressing and kissing the characters involved, have been inevitable sequences in all his films. If not love sequences, violence and racy emotions have been supported with one of the finest expressions of nature….RAIN

Most of his heroines dance in the rain as in 'Idhayathai Thirudathae', Revathy in 'Mouna Raagam', Aishwarya Rai in 'Guru' etc. Rajinikanth's heroic introduction in 'Thalapathi' was in copious rain as he goes about bashing a baddie. 'Alaipayuthe' saw a love-sick Maddy in search of his heart's desire (played by Shalini) amidst breathtaking shots in the song 'Evano Oruvan'. Ever so soft drizzle harassed by howling winds formed the perfect sync to Maddy's emotions as he undertakes his journey. Truly a Mani Ratnam show at his best.

Another fascination Mani Ratnam seems to have is his depiction of trains in most of his movies. Shahrukh Khan dances vibrantly atop a train in the film 'Uyire'. The high intensity opening of 'Thalapathi' narrated the story of a young boy driven away by destiny on a 'goods train' with some magnificent tunes from maestro Illayaraja. The birth of a film star was emphatically echoed by a train steaming out of a tunnel in 'Iruvar'.

The sounds of a whistling train meandering its way at a rapid pace is a fascination for scores of people world wide and Mani Ratnam seems to be one of them.

One facet that could throw light on what kind of characteristics Mani Ratnam probably adores in girls can be seen from the attitude and fragrance most of his leading ladies have. It is actually the same girl who features as heroines in all his films (character-wise). For example, Amala who played the character of 'Anjali' in the film 'Agni Natchatram', Revathy in 'Mouna Raagam', the ailing and yet fun-loving girl in 'Idhayathai Thirudathae', Shalini who played 'Sakthi' in 'Alaipayuthae', Trisha in 'Ayutha Ezhuthu' etc., though portrayed in different situations, very clearly have the same 'soul'…. naughty, vibrant, innately good with sparks of sophistication.

Every artiste, be it a poet, painter, writer or filmmaker has traits that make him or her the person that he or she really is.

Mani Ratnam too falls in line and let's hope his fascination with the rain, trains and particular characteristics in the female of the species live on.

RAFEAL NADAL & ROGER FEDERER WIN TWICE AT OLYMPICS

There are two Dons in Tennis, as we all knew about them.They are ROGER FEDERER and RAFEAL NADAL. Now both the fabulous players are in Beijing.They won twice at Olympics.

Rafeal Nadal took the court at 10:30 a.m. and hit his final shot more than 11 hours later. Roger Federer's first day of Olympic tennis was slightly shorter but just as successful.

The two rivals, both bidding to become Olympic medalists for the first time, were winners in singles and doubles in the opening round Monday.

Playing the first match on center court, Nadal overcame numerous missed chances by sweeping the final four games to beat Potito Starace of Italy 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.

The top-seeded Federer made his entrance less than an hour later. He beat Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 6-2, then received congratulations from one of the spectators, U.S. basketball star LeBron James.

MICHEAL PHELPS: First Athlete won 8 gold medals in Olympic

The Olympics is primarily a team event, however every once in a while there comes along an amazing individual story. Michael Phelps has perhaps the best individual story of this year's event. He has the opportunity to win 8 gold medals at the games in China, and so far it doesn't look like anyone can stop him.

He is seeking to go one better than Mark Spitz's record of seven golds in the Munich games way back in 1972. Michael Phelps has already joined Spitz in a different record, having earned 9 gold medals in his Olympic career overall and likely to surpass this with 5 events still to go. In fact by the time you read this he may already have 10 gold medals in his possession over all his Olympic appearances.

More people seem to be interested in the other record though, can Michael Phelps win 8 gold medals in just one Olympic games? It would be a truly remarkable effort if he does, one that will surely go down in history. Phelps celebrated his latest win in the 200m freestyle with another world record time, in fact all 3 gold medals so far have been in world record time. Mark Spitz set his record of 7 gold medals with 7 world record times as well, and Phelps may indeed be able to do the same.

Many people including Mark Spitz himself have been amazed at the courage of Phelps to go into this games with such a burden on his shoulders, even racing in events where he did not have the best times and did not dominate at the last Olympic games. The 200m freestyle was such an event, with Phelps only coming third at the last Olympic games, and now setting a new world record in that event.

I think everyone, whether they are an American or not, really wants him to crack this 8 Olympic gold record and set the sporting world on fire. The Olympics may be a team event but it is a truly special experience to see one person at the peak of their career who is so dominant and performing so well

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Morgan

OLYMPICS: Usain Bolt set a new world record

Usain Bolt powered to a new world record as he produced a stunning run in the 100m Olympic final.

Bolt was well clear at 60m and although he eased down and started to celebrate 15 metres from the line he still set a new mark of 9.69 seconds.

Richard Thompson finished second while American Walter Dix came third.

Bolt's Jamaican team-mate Asafa Powell had been tipped as a possible rival but finished in fifth place as Bolt produced a superlative performance.

Second-placed Thompson posted a time of 9.89 seconds while Dix was two-hundredths of a second back in third as six men broke the 10-second barrier, but the race was all about Bolt.

Earlier this year he had set a new world record of 9.72 seconds to take the record away from Powell, and the 21-year-old had looked in imperious form on his way to the final.

Powell had also looked in fine form but from the gun it was clear there was only going to be one winner.

The 6ft 5in Bolt was away as quickly as anyone and when he hit the front with 50m to go it was all over bar the shouting.

The only question was just how fast a time he was going to set.

And despite easing down well short of the line he took three-hundredths of a second off his previous record in a display American legend Michael Johnson described as "the greatest 100m performance in the history of the event"

OLYMPICS: MIchael Phelps equals Spitz's Record

Michael Phelps matched fellow American swimmer Mark Spitz's 1972 record of seven golds in one Games on Saturday, coming from behind for a fingertip victory.

Phelps was behind Serbia's Milorad Cavic on his final stroke in the 100 metres butterfly but lunged his arms towards the finish to touch the electronic pad a hundredth of a second ahead.

Having again underlined his status as the face of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, Phelps punched the air and screamed in joy as a capacity crowd in the Water Cube rose to its feet to hail him.

"I'm happy and at a loss for words," he said.

The 23-year-old phenomenon now has 13 career golds, four more than anyone else in the 112-year history of the modern Games. As well as Olympic glory, Saturday's win brings him a $1 million bonus from sponsors.

An unfamiliar seventh at the turn, Phelps' second length was one of the comebacks of his career. He clocked a final 50.58 seconds to Cavic's 50.59, the finest margin possible in the pool.

Phelps had thought at halfway he would lose. "I was starting to hurt for the last 10 metres, it was my last individual race and I just wanted to finish as strong as I could," he said.

On Sunday, Phelps can go one better than Spitz in Munich with a chance for an eighth Beijing gold in the 100m medley relay.

Later on Saturday in Beijing, the spotlight shifts to the Bird's Nest athletics venue, where the fastest men on earth face off in the 100m sprint in front of more than 90,000 people.

Russia's Valeriy Borchin made a triumphant entry to the stadium in the morning to take gold in the 20km men's walk.

But it was hard to displace Phelps from the headlines.

Watched in every race by his mother and cheered to his first wins by President George W. Bush, Phelps' success is down to a combination of natural brilliance, total focus, and the perfect swimmer's physique of large torso and long-reaching arms.

Inevitably overshadowed by the American's seemingly endless procession to top of the podium, women swimmers were nonetheless determined not to be outdone in the Water Cube on Saturday

Kamalhaasan to join hands with Mohanlal

Major Ravi, a retired defence personnel, had directed Mohanlal for a movie titled 'Keerthy Chakra' which was released in Tamil as 'Aran'. Jeeva played a prominent part in the movie.

After a gap, he joins hands with Mohanlal again. Sources say it is a movie inspired by a fight hijacked from India to Kandhahar a few years ago by terrorists. Ravi had one intense reserach and would commence shooting on the incident which culminated with exchange of terrorists for the passengers hijacked.

Kamal Haasan might be roped in to play a military officer alongside Mohanlal.

PAES-BHUPATHI out of OLYMPICS

Indian pair of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi crashed out of men's tennis doubles event losing their quarterfinal match to Swiss duo of Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka in the Beijing Olympics on Friday.

Paes and Bhupathi lost 2-6, 4-6 in the rain-hit match which resumed on Friday after the Indians had trailed 1-4 overnight.

With the defeat of Paes-Bhupathi, India's tennis campaign in the Beijing Olympics came to an end. Sania Mirza had conceded her first round singles match due to injury while she and Sunitha Rao had bowed out in the second round of women's doubles.