With '' Thalapathi '' , Mani ended his long-term association with music director Ilaiyaraaja , bringing in debutant music director A. R. Rahman to score his Tamil classic '' Roja '' ( 1992 ) . The venture was successful , earning Mani various awards . '' Roja '' , a romantic film , was about terrorism in the Kashmir region . Starring Arvind Swamy and Madhoo , it was nominated for the Golden St. George Award at the 18th Moscow International Film Festival . It became highly popular , gaining an iconic status in Indian cinema and was dubbed into other languages and met similar success in other regions . Mani took a more light-hearted approach with his next film — '' Thiruda Thiruda '' ( 1993 ) . Scripted by Ram Gopal Varma , the film was a fun filled caper , which was a departure from Mani 's previous style and fared moderately well at the box office . '' Thiruda Thiruda '' was premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 1994
18th Moscow International Film Festival
18th Moscow International Film Festival
Mani Ratnam