Ponniyin Selvan 2, the second part of Mani Ratnam’s much-awaited historical fiction, has opened to favourable reviews at the box office. The film features an ensemble of actors including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Vikram, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Trisha, Aishwarya Lekshmi, and Prakash Raj among others playing major historical characters.
Trisha, who plays the Chola princess Kundavai, in a recent interview, has revealed that Mani Ratnam asked her to take inspiration from the former actor and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha for her character. In an interview with Film Companion, Trisha had shared that Mani Ratnam asked to ‘think of her’ while playing the role. “Mani sir said, ‘stop being Trisha, think of her’. How she walks, how she talks, she is always a little bit on guard. She doesn’t let her emotions come up because that’s how Kundavai needs to be.”
“So actually I did start thinking (about her) because I have watched so much of her, her videos, her films, the way she speaks. And he wanted that and it actually did help,” the actor further added.
The epic period film, directed by Mani Ratnam, tells a fictional story of the Chola dynasty. It also features Trisha, Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Prabhu, R. Sarathkumar, Vikram Prabhu, Jayaram, Prakash Raj, Rahman and R Parthiban, among many others. The film, based on Kalki Krishnamurthy’s novel, is adapted by Mani Ratnam, along with Elango Kumaravel and B Jeyamohan. Produced under the Madras Talkies and Lyca Productions banners, Ponniyin Selvan was shot by Ravi Varman, while AR Rahman composed the music. The technical crew includes editor A Sreekar Prasad and production designer Thota Tharani.
Meanwhile, Trisha will be next seen in Leo and The Road.