Mani Ratnam: ‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’ will shine more than the first film; that was just an introduction

The stars of ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ talk about the upcoming sequel, and how different their characters are going to be after the events of the first part

After the phenomenal success of Ponniyin Selvan 1, the Cholas are back for the sequel. With stakes higher than ever, the team promises that there’s a lot in store with Ponniyin Selvan 2, set to be released on April 28.

Right now, Mani Ratnam’s cast of A-listers is travelling across the country to promote PS: 2. In Chennai, we catch up with them as they promote the conclusion to the epic saga.

ALSO READ: ‘Ponniyin Selvan: 1’ movie review: Epic story gets Mani Ratnam’s royal treatment

Jayam Ravi (Arunmozhi Varman AKA Ponniyin Selvan):

PS 1 had a lot of character introductions and every 15 minutes, there was something new happening; that sort of screenplay was exciting. In PS 2, it’ll be like the climax from the get-go. After PS 1 was released, based on the comments it received, improvements have been made to the sequel; this film will be an upgraded version for sure.

In PS 1, despite being a prince, my character would sport regular attire or that of a mahout as he is in hiding. The second part is a rebirth of sorts to him and his return to Thanjai to the brilliant ‘Veera Raja Veera’ track will be a highlight.

The response to the project has been incredible. We heard that elderly people with oxygen cylinders and walking sticks visited theatres after ages to watch PS. Theatre owners called me and said that some audience members turned up with tiffin boxes, not knowing that it has been years since theatres allowed outside food! We have even heard stories of theatre owners requesting repeat audiences to allow the ones who haven’t seen the film to watch it once.