Will MANIRATHNAM change his climax Location ?

With the nation reeling under the swine-flu threat, the burning question is whether Mani Ratnam will go ahead with his plans to shoot his crucial climax scenes of Raavan/Ashokavanam on the outskirts of Pune.
A close associate of the filmmaker says Mani wanted a picturesque location to add an authentic touch to his film's finale.

After consulting with art director Samir Chanda, Mani devised lofty plans to construct a costly suspension bridge set atop a cliff in the dense Malshej Ghat forest area between Pune and Nasik. Sources say that he zeroed in on Malshej Ghats, lured by its breathtaking vistas of misty mountaintops and ice-cold cascades, the surrounding hills covered with a mint-green canopy in August and September every year. The proposed shoot was to feature all the stars of the film and more than 500 junior artistes. It was scheduled to last for around 25 days, commencing from the last week of August.

But now the scenario has changed drastically, with the onset of H1N1 and Pune becoming the epicenter of the epidemic. The government has advised Mumbai citizens not to travel to Lonavala and Khandala, hill stations which are fairly closer to Pune .