Mani Ratnam on Magnum Opus ‘Ponniyin Selvan: 1’: ‘It’s An Adventure, It Is Intrigue, It’s Meant for the Big Screen’ (EXCLUSIVE)
variety.comNaman Ramachandran The release of revered Indian filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s hugely anticipated epic adaptation of Kalki Krishnamurthy’s classic Tamil-language novel “Ponniyin Selvan” is the realization of his childhood dream.
One of India’s most celebrated filmmakers whose films include “Nayakan,” “Bombay” and “Iruvar,” Ratnam read the novel when he was in high school and wanted to make it ever since.
Post the tremendous critical and commercial success of “Nayakan” (1987), when that film’s lead Kamal Haasan wanted to make another film with Ratnam, the filmmaker considered “Ponniyin Selvan,” but the stars did not align at that time.
Ratnam’s last film, “Chekka Chivantha Vaanam” (2018), was co-produced by his Madras Talkies and Subaskaran’s Lyca Productions (“2.0”). “After ‘Chekka Chivantha Vaanam,’ it happened – when Lyca asked what I was planning to do next, I told them, not planning anything, but I would like to do ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ and Subaskaran said yes – and that’s when it started,” Ratnam told Variety.
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