Mani Ratnam made his directorial debut, without formal training or education in filmmaking, with the Kannada film Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983). The critically acclaimed film, which he also wrote, won him the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Screenplay. [3]

He made his first movie Pallavi anu pallavi in 1983. The success of Mouna ragam (1986; “A Silent Symphony”) established him as a talented director in Tamil-language cinema.

His first film, Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983), starring Anil Kapoor, didn't make many waves, although it won the State Award from Karnataka that year, but even though he made two films in Tamil and one in Malayalam, nothing worked for him until he broke through with Mouna Ragam (1986).

After working with his uncle Venus Krishnamurthy, a film producer, for a short period of time, Mani Ratnam went on to direct his first film ‘Pallavi Anupallavi’ in 1983. The film flopped at the box-office, but won critical acclaim. There was no stopping him after that.

His first movie as a director is in Kannada, and not in Tamil, titled Pallavi Anu Pallavi featuring Anil Kapoor and Lakshmi in the lead. He then made his first Tamil film in 1985 titled Pagal Nilavu which was an average affair.