Shankar and Mani Ratnam started their careers approximately ten years apart. The quality of making has visibly deteriorated in Shankar's movies since 'Nanban' (2012). 'Indian 2' is the lowest point.
In contrast, the making values in 'Ponniyin Selvan 1' and 'Ponniyin Selvan 2' were visibly respectable although not perfect. The two movies were also commercially successful.
Shankar has come to be written off, especially with 'Game Changer' not raising any hopes. Mani Ratnam might deliver a hit with Kamal Haasan's 'Thug Life' next, further widening the chasm between him and Shankar.
This said, many argue that Mani Ratnam hasn't been as ambitious as Shankar. While Shankar made 'Robot' and '2.0', Mani chose easy genres like 'OK Bangaram' and 'Kadali'. "He hasn’t made a thriller, sci-fi, or a good comedy movie. He reduces social problems into interpersonal relationships. He made half-baked political movies without making any effort to understand the nuances. Technical brilliance alone doesn’t make him good," Sylvian wrote.
