Thaindian News

April 26, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): The promos of upcoming film Raavan have generated a lot of interest in the film. The Mani Ratnam directed film is a loose adaptation of acclaimed Indian epic Ramayana, with a twist. It has Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachchan and South star Vikram in lead roles. Interestingly, Abhishek will reprise the character of Raavan while Ash plays Sita. He has recently spoken about how tough and challenging the role was for him.

Sampurn Wire found out that Abhishek considers this his most challenging film so far. Mani is known as a tough taskmaster and likes to shoot on real locations. The unit shot in the dense forests of Kerala, replete with snakes and leeches. They have also performed the daring stunts themselves. Abhishek executed a 90-feet jump from a cliff top into an icy river. He also stood under a waterfall for hours to get a shot right. The project was physically grueling for the entire cast, as even Ash did her own stunts. The three lead actors’ suffered many bruises and illnesses. It was a demanding film even besides the physical strain. Reportedly, Abhishek worked very hard on his body language and diction to get into the skin of the character. According to Mani, if you can look the character 50 per cent of your job is done. Though Abhishek enjoyed playing Beera, it was his most difficult role till date. The trio of Abhishek, Ash and Mani team up for the second time after Guru. Incidentally, Abhishek had to prepare hard for Guru as well. He had to put on 20 kilos to look convincing as the aged businessman. The film will reportedly be premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France this year. All in all, Raavan looks like a promising venture!

- Sampurn Wire