After Ponniyin Selvan schedule goes haywire, Mani Ratnam to shoot Aishwarya Rai Bachchan-starrer in one go to meet 2021 deadline
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; May 28, 2020)

Mani Ratnam was eagerly looking forward to the third schedule of Ponniyin Selvan in Puducherry as it would mark his reunion with protégé Aishwarya Rai Bachchan after Raavan (2010).

Unfortunately, the nationwide Coronavirus lockdown was imposed before the auteur could take his place behind the camera for the third stint. With the ongoing shutdown having played havoc with the shoot of the ambitious period drama, sources suggest that Ratnam is planning to call for a start-to-finish schedule when normalcy is restored.

A trade source says, "Amid chatter that shoots may begin from July, Mani sir and his team are reworking the schedules to ensure the film meets its 2021 release. He is hoping to get bulk dates from Chiyaan Vikram, Aishwarya, Karthi and the ensemble cast so that the film can be wrapped up in one go. If all goes well, they will begin the Puducherry leg with Vikram and Aishwarya. If they don't get the necessary permission for an outdoor shoot, they might change the venue to the AVM Studios in Chennai." The period drama, based on the life of Arulmozhi Varman before he became the great Chola emperor, sees Rai in a double role — as Nandini, the manipulative wife of Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar, and queen Mandakini Devi.

Shiva Anand, executive producer, Madras Talkies, confirms that the first instalment of the two-part movie will be shot in one go. "Like everybody else in the industry, we are waiting for the shoot to resume and talk to the actors about their dates. It will be difficult to coordinate the schedules, but it's our job to figure out a way," he says. Even though the period piece is mounted on a grand scale and relies heavily on post-production, Anand is confident that it will be ready for its date with the audience next year. "We have no intention of compromising on the film. We will release the first part next year, though we don't have clarity on the release date yet."