Mani Ratnam’s wife Suhasini didn’t want him to make Ponniyin Selvan after Iruvar’s failure, told him: ‘Our people don’t want history, give them…’

Mani Ratnam's wife Suhasini Maniratnam recently admitted she initially discouraged the filmmaker from making Ponniyin Selvan: I due to the disappointments they faced with their previous film, Iruvar.

By: Entertainment Desk

Chennai | October 15, 2023 02:29 PM IST

3 min read

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Vikram in a still from Ponniyin Selvan: II.

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Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan: I emerged as a blockbuster, setting numerous box office records. While this epic film was a passion project for the renowned director, his wife and actor-director, Suhasini Maniratnam, recently admitted she initially discouraged him from embarking on this journey. She didn’t want the same kind of disappointments they faced with their previous film, Iruvar, which didn’t perform well at the box office.

Sharing her perspective with ABP, Suhasini explained, “I have been the hurdle for him (Mani Ratnam). From the beginning, I have been telling him, don’t do it (Ponniyin Selvan). I was a little disappointed with the result of Iruvar, which we made on the history and politics of the state. I was very disappointed with the reception of the film. I was the writer of the film, I wrote the dialogues. I said, ‘I think our people don’t want tradition and history, give them love stories and forget it.’ That was my attitude. Every time he tried to do it, I told him to leave me out of it. I was scared to get the same reaction as Iruvar but I was completely wrong.”

Iruvar, released in 1997, was inspired by the lives of M Karunanidhi, MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa. It was set against the backdrop of cinema and politics in Tamil Nadu.

Also read | Ponniyin Selvan 1 review: Mani Ratnam’s largely faithful and brilliant adaptation has no dull moments

Despite Suhasini’s initial apprehensions, Ponniyin Selvan: I went on to become the fifth highest-grossing Tamil film of all time and achieved widespread recognition and acclaim. The movie grossed an impressive Rs 450–500 crore worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2022 and the third-highest-grossing Indian film of the year. It also earned six nominations at the 16th Asian Film Awards, including a nod for Best Film.

Directed by Mani Ratnam, who co-wrote the screenplay with Elango Kumaravel and B Jeyamohan, the film featured a star-studded ensemble cast, including actors Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Jayaram, Trisha, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Prakash Raj, Prabhu, R Sarathkumar, R Parthiban, Rahman, Lal, and Vikram Prabhu. The musical score was composed by A R Rahman.

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