It has been a little over a year since the passing of legendary Malayalam screenwriter Dennis Joseph, known for films such as Rajavinte Makan, New Delhi, No 20 Madras Mail, and Akashadoothu, among others. Dennis never wrote a screenplay in Tamil cinema, but he almost did one. In an old episode of the show Charithram Enniloode, Dennis revealed that Mani Ratnam once approached him for a screenplay for his 1990 film Anjali. The screenwriter said that he was shocked at Mani Ratnam's request, especially since he was aware of the latter's calibre. "I told him 'I am stunned by your Nayakan, Agni Natchathiram and Mouna Ragam. You write screenplays excellently. Why do you want me to do it for you? I do not even know the language.'"
Mani Ratnam then convinced Dennis by saying that the latter's screenplay for New Delhi was the second best in Indian commercial cinema after Sholay. "I want New Delhi's writer," the Iruvar filmmaker told Dennis. The screenwriter was initially scared to work on the project, because he considered Nayakan's screenplay the best in Indian commercial cinema after Sholay. "Besides, he told me Anjali's story in a very detailed manner. A writer had little to work on it; if he edited what he told me, it would be the screenplay." However, Dennis eventually agreed to work on it and went to Chennai for the same. In a sudden turn of events, filmmaker Joshiy called Dennis for an urgent project in Malayalam (No 20 Madras Mail), and he had to back out of the Tamil film to save the former's close relative, D Sasi, who was facing a major financial problem.
Dennis Joseph apologised to Mani Ratnam for the trouble he had caused. Later, Mani Ratnam wrote the screenplay himself, and when the film hit theatres, he called Dennis and told him to watch it. "I have made a small revenge against you in it," he said to Dennis, raising the latter's curiosity and making him watch the film at a theatre. Subsequently, he discovered that the filmmaker named Prabhu's killer character in the film after him.
Dennis also disclosed that the incident did not taint their relationship in any way, although Mani Ratnam never worked with a separate screenwriter again.
