'' Roja '' ( ) is a 1992 Indian Tamil-language romantic thriller film written and directed by Mani Ratnam . It stars Arvind Swamy and Madhoo in the lead roles . The theme of the film is based on the relationship between Savitri and Satyavan of the Hindu epic , '' Mahabharata '' . The film was also dubbed in Hindi , Marathi , Malayalam and Telugu languages . The film won three National Film Awards , including Best Film on National Integration , catapulting Ratnam to national acclaim . The film also gained international acclaim with its nomination for Best Film at the 18th Moscow International Film Festival . The film was later re-released for international audiences in light of the growing fear of terrorist attacks across the world . It is the first in Ratnam 's trilogy of films that depict human relationships against a background of Indian politics , including '' Bombay '' ( 1995 ) and '' Dil Se . . '' ( 1998 )
18th Moscow International Film Festival
18th Moscow International Film Festival
Roja