Peter Hains, the famous Hollywood stunt master who choreographed the action scenes and special effects of big budget movies like Anniyan, Sivaji - The Boss and Dhoom, has arrived at Chalakkudy, Kerala, to join the shooting of ace director Mani Ratnam's latest film Ravana. He will supervise the fight scenes of the film.
Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Vikram, Prithviraj and Vaiyapuri are also on location for the film which is now being shot at Malayatoor forest near Kochi. Ravana is the modern adaptation of the epic Ramayana.
Unlike the epic, Ravana, the ruler of Lanka, who kidnapped Sita, is the lead of this film. Sources say the film culminates with Sita taking the side of Ravana, instead of Rama who suspects her chastity after having spent so much time in Ravana’s custody. It is said that the memories of the poacher Veerappan will also be a highlight of the film.
Mani Ratnam is making this film in Hindi and Tamil simultaneously. In Hindi, Abhishek Bachchan will play Rama, while Vikram will be Ravana. In Tamil, Vikram is Rama and Prithviraj is Ravana. Aishwarya Rai will play Sita in both versions. However, Mani is yet to finalize an actor who will play Lakshmana.
The shoot was temporarily halted by the Kerala Forest department early in this month, when the forest officials found that the crew had constructed huts inside the forest, which was against the terms of sanction. However Mani, Ratnam was later given conditional sanction to continue shooting in the forest.
