BombayLast Updated : 07-01-2010Category : Movies > TamilYear : 1995
Bombay - Movie Details
Bombay (1995) is an award-winning Tamil feature film drama directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala, with music composed by A. R. Rahman. The film met with a strong reception upon release.
The film is centred on events, particularly during the period of December 1992 to January 1993 in India, and the controversy surrounding the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. Increased religious tensions in the city of Bombay (now Mumbai) led to riots. Shekhar (Arvind Swamy) is the son of traditional Hindu parents. He is studying journalism in Bombay and returns to his village where he comes across Shaila Bano, (Manisha Koirala), a Muslim schoolgirl. The story revolves around their relationship in the midst of religious tension.
The film caused huge controversy upon release in India and abroad, for its depiction of inter-religious relations. Well received critically and commercially, it was screened at many international film festivals including the Philadelphia Film Festival in 1996 where it was an audience favourite. It was subsequently dubbed in Hindi and Telugu In April 1995, Rahman's third film with Mani Ratnam, the controversial 'Bombay' was released. The successful partnership that he had forged with his mentor went to new heights with the music of this film.
The music of 'Bombay' was one of the most awaited scores and was hailed as a classic. With this film, Rahman also formally took to playback singing. Rahman had lent his voice to his compositions earlier too but they had been part of the chorus or bit pieces like 'Marhaba' in 'Urvashi' in 'Kadhalan' or background pieces and interludes like 'Yelelo' in 'Chinna Chinna Aasai' in 'Roja'. But 'Hamma Hamma' in 'Bombay' was Rahman's first complete song. With 'Humma Humma' Rahman came to be regarded as much a playback singer as a composer. 'Bombay' also became the first Rahman film to be released in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi simultaneously. 'Humma Humma' became an instant chartbuster and went on to become the blockbuster of the year.
Rahman composed a haunting and surreal instrumental theme to capture the sombre mood of the film. The evocative, soul-stirring and sensitive theme music, with a remarkably outstanding flute interlude by his flautist Naveen, of 'Bombay' touched the hearts of many and was included by popular British-Indian Artiste Talvin Singh as a part of his album "Sounds from the Asian Underground' and aroused a great deal of curiosity in A. R. Rahman's music among international music connoisseurs.
A critic named Kingsley Marshall had this to say of the Bombay Theme - "Establishing itself through soundtracked strings, which sits menacingly in a cradle of drifting flute rises - epic horns introducing a full orchestral progression. Although classical music is more than a little unusual in a compilation of dance music, the beauty of the piece warrants its inclusion - in a class above most of the material I've heard in the last couple of months with regards both production and arrangement. Simply stunning." The music of 'Bombay' became the biggest seller in the history of Indian films toppling 'Hum Aapke Hain Koun' from the top'.
Later Bombay theme music fetured in an hollywood film "lord of war” and It was recently featured in the soundtrack and score of the Nicholas Cage film Lord of War, released in 2005. It also featured in Volume 5 of the chill-out compilation Café del Mar, released in 1998. It finally appeared on a french TV commercial for Volvic starring Zinedine Zidane in 2000 "volvic mineral water ad feat Zidane”
Bombay - Awards
The film has won the following awards since its release:- 1996 Political Film Society (USA) * Won - Special Award - Bombay - Mani Ratnam
- 1996 National Film Awards (India) * Won - Best Editing - Suresh Urs * Won -
- Nargis Dutt Award - Best Feature Film on National Integration - Mani Ratnam
- 1995 Filmfare Awards (India) * Won -
- Best Film (Critics) - Bombay - Mani Ratnam * Won -
- Best Performer (Critics) - Manisha Koirala
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