Name: Ponniyin Selvan - Part 2 (2023)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Historical
Released: 2023-04-28
Rating: 7.2
Cast: Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha Krishnan, Karthik Sivakumar

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Vandiyathevan sets out to cross the Chola land to deliver a message from the crown prince Aditha Karikalan. Meanwhile, Kundavai attempts to establish political peace as vassals and petty chieftains plot against the throne.

Ponniyin Selvan - Part 2 (2023)

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Having set the plot in motion in the first part, with Ponniyin Selvan 2, Mani Ratnam dives right into the heart of the novel - the unrequited love between crown prince Aaditha Karikalan (Vikram) and Nandhini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan). PS2 begins with a prelude that captures the romance between these two characters when they were young, and without saying too much in the form of dialogues, the director shows us the blossoming of love between a prince and an orphan girl and the heartache it leaves in the wake of them being separated by forces beyond their control.
In fact, right until the climax, this doomed romance is what sustains the tension in this tale and drives the characters to make decisions that have far-reaching impact. Even when he realises that an acceptance of an invitation to the Kadambur palace - a place where his own chieftains plotted against him - could be a folly, Karikalan is unable to turn it down. For his sister, Princess Kundhavai (Trisha), the mystery around Nandhini's lineage drives her actions. And the young prince Arulmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi) ends up fending off the Pandiya rebels, who have sworn an oath to kill Karikalan, whose romance led to the murder of their king.
Up until the intermission, the film continues with the brisk narration that we got in the second half of the first film, proceeding more like a swashbuckler. We witness the daring attempts to murder Arulmozhi, who is recovering from an illness at a monastery, and Vandhiyathevan's (Karthi) efforts to foil them. The latter half is more concerned with the fate of Karikalan. Mani Ratnam fills the much-anticipated moment between him and Nandhini with so much dread and pain that we even forget the rest of the characters for a brief while. And Vikram and Aishwarya are terrific in these portions, delivering performances that are so naked, adding to the vulnerability of their characters.
In fairness, the climactic portions are hugely impacted by this emotional high, as the events that follow Karikalan's death cannot match the suspense and the drama the narrative held until then. And Mani Ratnam seems to realise this too, and decides to have a war scene in the end to amp up the drama to give us an adrenaline rush. But the more underwhelming moment is the climax. Even in Kalki's book, we get a rather low-key ending, with one too many twists, but here, while the writers sensibly give us a more agreeable twist, they fail to pack a punch with the speech that Arulmozhi delivers in the end to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Going into Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2 after being mindblown by the first part makes you wonder if Mani Ratnam’s epic adaptation would live up to your expectations. The second part doesn’t begin with the magnetic voice of Kamal Haasan. Instead, it takes us to the world of young Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) and Aditha Karikalan (Chiyaan Vikram). We finally get to know how they fall in love with each other and what transpires between them and Kundavai. It also shows how the two are the heart and soul of the story. After we find out how Nandini and Karikalan are separated, Kamal Haasan gives us a recap of what happened in the first part.

Meanwhile, Arunmozhi Varman AKA Ponniyin Selvan (Jayam Ravi) and Vallavarayan Vanthiyathevan (Karthi) fall into the ocean. Oomai Rani AKA Mandakini Devi (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) saves Ponniyin Selvan, yet again. By the time he recovers from his ill health, things go haywire in the Chola Kingdom. Nandini wants to kill Karikalan in Kadambur and has sent him a message. Nandini's aides, who belong to the Pandyas, are plotting to kill Sundara Chozhar (Prakash Raj) and Arunmozhi Varman on the same day when Karikalan dies. Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar (Sarathkumar) and Madhuranthagan (Rahman), along with their aides, plan to take over the crown. Meanwhile, Sundara Chozhar and Kundavai learn the truth about Oomai Rani. Who will be crowned the prince of the Chola kingdom?
Reading the synopsis of Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2 gives you an idea of how the story is packed with multiple subplots. But, Mani Ratnam, being the maverick director that he is, has adapted the novel with all heart. Unlike the first part, the second part has a lot of changes when compared to the film’s book. And these changes add a great touch to the film. Those who haven’t read the books will be able to comprehend the story without much difficulty.

The first part of Ponniyin Selvan begins with Aditha Karikalan waging a war against the Rashtrakooda king, Kothigan. Instead of killing him, Karikalan shames him. Malayaman (Lal) advises him that this act will backfire later. And it does. The second part ends with yet another war against the Cholas and Rashtrakooda king.
Ponniyin Selvan Part 2 is full of many cherishable moments that will linger in your mind even after the movie ends. Take the romantic scene between Trisha’s Kundavai and Karthi’s Vanthiyathevan. The sharp dialogue and their actions will make you feel the butterflies in your stomach. And with AR Rahman’s soothing Aga Naga, this is a scene to remember. Similarly, take the scene where the Pandyas enter the Nagapatnam Choodamani Viharam to kill Arunmozhi Varman. It’s not a scene that’s in the books. But, this is one scene that will give you goosebumps. When they approach Arunmozhi with swords in their hands, the monks gather around him. They move forward and the Pandyas drop the swords in their hands. If this scene doesn’t depict what Buddhism is, we don’t know what else will.
Yet another brilliant scene is the confrontation between Chiyaan Vikram and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Cinematographer Ravi Varman’s brilliant work transports us to their room where they are talking about their ill-fated relationship. We get extreme close-ups of the two with the camera moving around them. Like a swirl of emotions just like what they are going through. Their eyes convey their longing-ness and the dialogues are about their fate.
Ponniyin Selvan 2 also gives a backstory of Nandini's traumatic childhood. When she gets to know the ultimate truth about her lineage, she can be seen crying while standing neck-deep in water. How poetic and metaphoric the frame is!

Ponniyin Selvan is replete with brilliant performances featuring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Chiyaan Vikram, Karthi and Jayaram. Trisha and Jayam Ravi did their parts with the utmost sincerity too. Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Sarathkumar, Parthiban and Ashwin Kakumanu had very little screentime in this part. One of the negatives that could be mentioned is the character transformation of Madhuranthagan, which is quite unconvincing.

Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus ends with AR Rahman’s voice and what a fitting end to one of the best adaptations of a popular novel!

Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2 is immersive and visually stunning. Aided by brilliant performances and sharp dialogues, this is indeed a solid sequel. And for those who haven’t read the book, the film still offers a great experience.

Budget is often cited as the reason for Tamil cinema taking decades to adapt the masterpiece, Ponniyin Selvan. While it is partly true, the verbose nature of the novel doesn’t sit well with the visual medium that’s cinema. It took time before the Tamil cinema produced someone like Mani Ratnam, who has a sensibility for both mediums and could bridge the gap. In the first film, Mani vehemently stayed faithful to Kalki Krishnamurthy’s books, which came at the cost of the film being called choppy. While it appeased the ardent fans of the books, there was also a lingering question why Mani didn’t take some liberty with Kalki’s book, a historical ‘fiction’ with few evidence-based facts.

After watching Ponniyin Selvan 2, one can say that the first part was Mani’s way of introducing and establishing the epic, where he didn’t shy away from using screen time for lavish song sequences. In the second part, he is bolder and deviates majorly from the books. Here, Mani Ratnam, the filmmaker, is more faithful to his craft than to the written material. This makes Ponniyin Selvan 2 better cinema, and superior to its first part.
In the age of green screens and visual effects, Ponniyin Selvan is one of the biggest achievements in Tamil cinema because it strives to be real. The film opens with a mesmerizing prologue, a flashback to Aditha Karikalan (Vikram) and Nandini’s (Aishwarya Rai) teen years. This scene needs imagination, and Mani Ratnam has that in oodles. The director makes you believe that Nandini and Karikalan must have met just like this. She would, of course, have walked past him at the riverbank with that arduous smile, while he was seated on the horse, smirking. It all happened. Good cinema makes you believe it. You can’t get there only by grand sets and CGI, and Mani Ratnam knows that. He wins you over by setting the film in such exotic locations and makes you buy his imagination of Chola Desam. It might not be true, but truth is not the only point of art.After showing what happened to Nandini, the film resumes the story of Arulmozhi Varman. After being rescued by Oomai Rani from the ocean, he is now severely ill. Vallavarayan Vandhiyadhevan (Karthi) and Poonguzhali (Aishwarya Lekshmi) decide to take him to a Buddhist monastery, where he can be cured. Meanwhile, Nandini along with Pandians decides to kill Sundara Cholar (Prakash Raj) and Aditha Karikalan on the same day. She invites Aditha Karikalan to Kadambur Fort on the pretext of cutting a deal with Madhurandhagan (Rahman), who has formed a rebellion claiming the throne of the Chola kingdom.
Learning about the plans, Vandhiyadhevan passes on the message to his beloved Kundhavai (Trisha) in another mind-blowing sequence. Tamil cinema seems to have forgotten how to show great moments of love, and the ace filmmaker reminds us what can be done with just a few close-up shots and short dialogues. Of course, one also needs AR Rahman to complement it. Vandhiyadhevan is blindfolded and put on a tiny island. Kundhavai interrogates (or should I say plays?) him. She slowly circles him and bothers him with a sword. Vandhiyadhevan cannot see his captor, but he knows. This is all foreplay sans kisses and touches. Still, it makes up for the most tantalizing moment in recent Tamil cinema.

Sadly, we don’t get more romance from this couple, which feels as breezy as the song Aga Naga. However, we are thrown into the deep end of the storm of passion between Nandini and Kariakalan. It is fierce, deadly, and the textbook definition of toxicity. It might be strange that both Ponniyin Selvan books and films spend more time on this love affair than the titular character. However, it makes sense because if Aditha Karikalan heeded Nandini’s plea and spared Veerapandiayan, he wouldn’t be carrying the guilt that kills him from within. He would have been sane enough to rule the kingdom. After all, he is the Pattathu Ilavarasan (Prince). If not for his complex love, there is no drama and no Ponniyin Selvan.

Aditha Karikalan, even after knowing about the ploy of Nandini, goes to Kadambur fort for a final showdown with the only love of his life. Vikram and Aishwarya bring about all the complexities of this strange relationship, which is a dangerous cocktail of passion and vengeance. Here are two people who have brought out the worst in each other all their lives and are still unable to hate each other. The scene is perhaps the crescendo of Ponniyin Selvan 2. The flashes of Aishwarya screaming and lit by lightning is a sight that does perfect justice to the end of the most formidable and enigmatic character of Ponniyin Selvan.
Indeed, there are shortcomings in the film. It is hard to fathom how someone who hasn’t read the book will follow the story. Ponniyin Selvan doesn’t have a conventional film structure because, with so many branching storylines, it can’t. It is not just about Ponniyin Selvan. It is also about Aditha Karikalan, and it is also about Vandhiyadhevan. The structure ends up being messy and hard to catch up with. However, look at how brilliantly Mani Ratnam achieves the essence of each character with a few short scenes, which are not even part of the book. Look at how Ponniyin Selvan deals with the ploy to kill him in the Buddhist monastery. It is his righteousness and unwavering moral code. He is not a fierce fighter like his brother Aditha Karikalan, but he is a leader, who knows the right course of action at every instance. That is far more heroic than the sword-fighting, and that’s why Mani Ratnam makes Arulmozhi Varaman’s depiction restrained because that’s his essence.
The end is shockingly different from the books, and that is going to be one of the scathing criticisms against the film from the purists. Along with it, the complaints will also be about the underrepresentation of beloved characters like Poongukuzahli and Vaanathi. That’s the cost of translation. That’s the cost Mani has paid for being true to his craft. It will take another minute for someone to arise from Tamil cinema to make perhaps a series that would do more justice to the sprawling novel, but till then we have Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan.

After keeping us on tenterhooks for over half a year, Mani Ratnam welcomes us back into the Chola dynasty to share the second and concluding part of his long cherished dream.
Ratnam's magnificent adaptation of Kalki Krishnamurthy's five-part literary epic, Ponniyin Selvan: 1 steered us through a star-studded assemblage of characters, their motives and mysteries while piquing our curiosity about what lies ahead over a breathtaking cliff-hanger.

His follow-up, Ponniyin Selvan: 2 winds up the saga in all its spectacular and sorrowful glory. On the whole, it's a striking, sweeping journey but bits of it left me wanting more.

It's understood only a viewer familiar with Ponniyin Selvan: 1 will want to know what happens next in Ponniyin Selvan: 2.
Both the movies are two halves of an ambitious whole and cannot be fully appreciated as standalone treats. You won't know Aditha Karikalan from Adam if you skipped the 2022 release although a quick recap in Anil Kapoor's voiceover (I watched a rare, satisfying Hindi dub) tries to give a vague idea.
An ailing king (Prakash Raj) must safeguard his three kids and the dangers awaiting them from seen foes and unseen forces eyeing reign over Chola kingdom.

Where a technicality regarding the heir drives a wedge between blood relatives, of which a pair of sly statesmen siblings are quick to take advantage, lineage plays a key role in splitting up young lovers. And so Nandini's spurned seductress (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) conspires a long-harboured vendetta in cahoots with a defeated enemy, the Pandya assassins.

Amidst these stressful happenings, a raging Aditha (Vikram), his righteous younger brother Arunmozhi (Jayam Ravi), quick-witted sister Princess Kundavai (Trisha) and their valiant well-wisher, the Vanar clan warrior Vanthiyathevan (Karthi) whose entertaining antics in Ponniyin Selvan: 1 brought about tremendous cheer, must regroup and brace themselves for multiple attacks.

Essentially, a 10th century family drama and political thriller combined in one, the events of Ponniyin Selvan are sparked off by a love story gone sour between the crowned prince Aditha and commoner Nandini.

Years before their resentment took the shape of rage and revenge, Ratnam offers us a pristine glimpse into their young adult romance.

Destiny is seldom kind to star-crossed lovers.

But when the repercussions of their long-standing discord disrupts the peace of a prosperous empire, it's a countdown to doom.

Earlier too when pitted against each other in a 'it's complicated' scenario like Ratnam's Raavanan, Vikram and Aishwarya have seared the screen with their innate intensity.

Ponniyin Selvan: 2 explores another facet of their ill-fated dynamic in a striking moment of pardon and pathos. What follows is a deadly dance of death, daggers and darkness.

Splendour becomes Aishwarya, but I was fascinated by the Smeagol turned Gollum-like moral dilemma consuming her Nandini the more she lets her loathing overpower her love.

On the other hand, Vikram's palpable vigour in expressing Aditha's arrogance, conflict and misery is another level of wow.

Next to their charismatic allure, Jayam Ravi is a decidedly bland presence, never quite embodying the Rajaraja Chola distinction or title role significance. He conveys the nobility of his character but never the dynamism. Imagine Michael Corleone played by Master Oogway instead of Al Pacino.

A sprightly Karthi fares well even though it's a fairly less flamboyant turn this time around.

As much as I wish Trisha had a little more to do, it is interesting to note the insecure side of her otherwise poised nature in a telling childhood flashback.

Everybody knows he's a master of sublime, but Ratnam's brilliance in escalating drama delivers a goosebumps-inducing impact when bolstered by A R Rahman's musical gravitas. The maestro has composed quite a few evocative songs (dipped in Gulzar's lyrical ink) here but it's the theatricality of his background music that dials up a scene's cinematic quality from exciting to epic.

What I found a tad underwhelming is how hastily and unremarkably the final battle wraps up. Or how the film doesn't play on the book's ambiguity and chickens out from its wild suggestions about a certain character's parentage to opt for a safer, strait-laced ending.

Nevertheless, in Ponniyin Selvan: 2, the story has moved on to a tonally darker and emotional territory yet Ratnam's glittering pageantry shines through its postcard visuals showcasing the scrupulously put together costumes, sets, song and dance.

Chases across craggy caves and marketplaces swarmed by folks in peacock feathered headgears, monsters camouflaged in monk's clothing, ash-smeared army of Shiva bhakts, secret passages holding treasures and terror, grand parades and royal funerals or just the mere sight of a silver mane belonging to an enigmatic figure whose concealed identity and resemblance to a central character is a foregone conclusion -- Ponniyin Selvan: 2 is designed for the eyes and senses.

Much praise to Ravi Varman's chameleon-like camerawork and Sreekar Prasad's seamless editing. Both are so one with the storytelling's hectic mood, their harmony is a jaw-dropping technical achievement.

Apart from its exquisite aesthetic, Ponniyin Selvan: 2 also conveys a sense of human fallibility in the final chapter that's usually missing from big-budget bonanzas.

Ratnam's Greek tragedy approach isn't interested in smash-boom gratification or bombastic bluster.

Inner battles outweigh the ones fought on the field and the unchanging nature of politics is highlighted in alliances of convenience and power play between graceful privilege and ruthless fanaticism.

His spectacle may be steeped in fiction and fantasy, but its entitlement and opportunism feels as real and relevant as ever.

With the scale and spectacle of the first part intact in every respect, the Ponniyin Selvan follow-up is shorn of the information overload that made huge demands on those segments of the audience that were not familiar with the long and eventful history of the Chola dynasty. The two parts are roughly identical in length but they differ in the matter of how the plot is underwired. Ponniyin Selvan-2 (PS-2) feels far leaner and more briskly paced than its predecessor.

Palpably more straightforward, the PS-2 narrative, a Tamil historical epic released nationwide in multiple languages, is much easier to grasp and savour. But like the first part, it is frequently eye-popping in terms of its visual grandeur. Mani Ratnam's measured directorial style ensures that the film is much more than just dazzling. It is consistently entertaining and engaging.

PS-2 starts off with a lavishly filmed, wonderfully mounted prologue that takes the audience back to the time of the young Aditha Karikalan's first meeting with orphan girl Nandini, who strays into the kingdom and catches the eye of the Chola prince. The film then dives into the many conspiracies, internecine tussles and secret liaisons that threaten the kingdom.

The script does not let the spotlight move away from the wide spectrum of the drama that is at the heart of the sweeping saga of ambition, betrayal, guilt and expiation. An enemy's enemy is a friend - that is a line that is spouted on more than one occasion. The Cholas have no dearth of enemies lying in wait to forge strategic alliances and launch an attack.

Ponniyin Selvan, based on an adaptation of Kalki's magnum opus by director Mani Ratnam, B. Jeyamohan and Elango Kumaravel, takes some liberties with the much-loved literary work. It yields dividends because the departures are never unduly self-conscious. The overall impact of the construct is accentuated by Ratnam's firm grasp on the technical aspects and the textual essence of the story.

PS-2, certainly to a significantly greater extent than the first part, is remarkably sinewy and compact whole despite its nearly three-hour runtime. The film is a treat for the eyes. Cinematographer Ravi Varman composes frames that capture the expanse of the locations even as they drill into the granular details of the exquisite images that the camera conjures up. The appeal is neither just sensory or superficial. PS-2 has enough in its folds to touch the mind and the heart.
The pomp and pageantry that are woven into the narrative tapestry do not take attention away from the story - a testimony to Ratnam's ability to achieve an alchemy of visual flourishes, emotional traction and technical finesse. The multiplicity of characters can still baffle a tad, but the free-flowing drama and action on the screen is never less than spellbinding.
On one level, PS-2 continues to be a story of unrequited love. Karikalan's (Vikram) choppy relationship with Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) and the danger that it poses to the Chola crown prince constitute an important part of the sprawling plot.

On another, the film addresses the making of the model ruler who was destined to usher in the golden age of the Chola dynasty. It tracks the steps taken by Aditha Karikalan's younger, even-tempered brother, Arunmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi), towards the throne as well as the ups and downs that confront Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan (Karthi), the Vanara clan warrior-prince, as he fights off a series of physical threats.

Arunmozhi's voice of reason and restraint is central to the film because it delivers one of the central themes of the story - the nature of power and ambition weighed against the duties of a ruler. The benign and brave Prince puts a King's purpose into perspective. In one scene, he is advised to hoodwink his people and slip out of a tight spot. He refuses. Without trust in your subjects, governance isn't possible, he asserts. That truism has timeless resonance.

When PS-2 gets into its stride post-credits, Arunmozhi is believed to have perished in a shipwreck, there is talk of revenge in the air and a band of Pandyan warriors are in the middle of covert preparations for an attack on the Cholas. The kingdom is surrounded by traitors and threats lurk at every corner for the ailing King Sundara Chola (Prakash Raj) and his children.

PS-2 reveals the story of the grey-haired Mandakini (Aishwarya in a double role), who the audience had seen briefly in the final moments of PS-1. It delves into the reason for the resemblance that she bears to Nandini and the nature of her relationship with Veerapandiyan, whose dastardly beheading drove a wedge between the Cholas and the Pandyans.

The quality of the performances that the director extracts from the actors is extraordinarily consistent, with Chiyan Vikram's powerful presence serving as a firm anchor for a few of the film's most important sequences. The others in the cast, notably Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi and Jayam Ravi, are also always on the ball and lose no opportunity to make their presence felt.

Trisha (as Chola Princess Kundavai), Sobhita Dhulipala (as Kodumbalur Princess Vaanathi) and Aishwarya Lekshmi (as Poonghuzali alias 'lady of the sea' Samuthirakumari), too, have their moments although they are somewhat crowded out of the film.

With literally a cast of hundreds to deal with, Ratnam does remarkably well to fit them all in and impart to each of the characters a distinct space in the larger scheme of things. Veteran actors like Prakash Raj, R. Sharath Kumar and R. Parthiban have to make do limited footage but they are by no means reduced to irrelevance.

When Mani Ratnam decided to take on the project of Ponniyin Selvan, the revered novel by Kalki, and bring it to the big screen, everyone was aware that he had a massive responsibility on his shoulder. The novel was and is loved by many people from different age groups and is often talked about. If that wasn’t enough to make me aware of the books, the numerous women who were named Nandini because of the books in my class at school stood as a constant reminder of the 1955 novel continues to influence families. When I watched Ponniyin Selvan 1, it was evident that Ratnam was under pressure to come through with people’s expectations.

As someone who has not read the books, Ponniyin Selvan 1 felt like a never-witnessed-before experience. However, the writing was weak, especially since Ratnam expected that the audience would be aware of the backgrounds and the characters from the book. The narrative also was patchy at the time. Why am I saying all this right now? It’s because, fortunately, Ponniyin Selvan 2 irons out the big narrative problem I had with PS1.
PS2 doesn’t start off where PS1 ends. Instead, it shows you who will be the heart and soul of this film — Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) and Aditha Karikalan (Vikram). We are finally given a lowdown of what prompted Nandini’s fight for the throne, her history with Aditha, and also given a hint at how an orphan entered the circle of royals. Ratnam makes you invest in their story so well that for a split second, you forget that it is a story about Arunmozhi Varman aka Ponniyin Selvan (Jayam Ravi). Soon enough, the director brings us back to Arunmozhi.

As the trailers have already revealed, Arunmozhi is alive despite falling into tormented waters in the first film and is preparing for the war to save the Cholan throne. He has his sister Kundavai aka Ilaya Pirattiyar (Trisha), Princess of the Chola Empire, by his side to support her while his brother Aditha is out to keep the Chola Empire intact. Although the battle and safety of the thrones are the primary plots of Ponniyin Selvan 1, Ratnam develops a crucial subplot about Nandini and Aditha.
In Ponniyin Selvan 2, Ratnam actually gives time to allow the viewers to understand their relationship. He lets you learn a little more about the motive behind Nandini’s animosity against Aditha, her impact on the decisions of the throne, and her origin story, letting you empathise with her when the climax nears. He also tries to give you a better perspective on the plotting and the impact of each troupe in the war better in the sequel.

However, once the final twist of the film sets in, he returns to rushing through the impact of the twist and even ends the war in a matter of minutes.

Vikram is an award-winning actor who predominantly appears in Tamil cinema. He has received the National Award, the Filmfare and several other prestigious accolades multiple times. Best known for films like Red Indians, Dhool, Saamy, Pithamagan and Raavan among others, Vikram has also made several television appearances.

Vikram

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is a celebrated Bollywood actor. She made her acting debut with the Tamil movie Iruvar in 1997. Her first Hindi movie was Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya which also released the same year. She is best known for her performances in movies like Aa Ab Laut Chalein, Guru, Bride And Prejudice, Guru, Jodha Akbar, Sarbjit, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Devdas, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Taal and Jazbaa. Apart from Hindi, Aishwarya has also starred in many regional and English language movies. Winner of the Miss World pageant of 1994, Aishwarya is married to Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Jayam Ravi

Karthik Sivakumar, better known by his stage name Karthi is an Indian actor who works predominantly in Tamil cinema. He has appeared in dubbed Telugu and Hindi films. He has won three Filmfare Awards South, an Edison Award, a SIIMA Award and a Tamil Nadu State Film Award.

Karthik Sivakumar

A famous model and actor, Trisha Krishnan appears in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu cinema. She made her acting debut with a small role in the film Jodi. Trisha is best known for her performances in Saamy, Ghilli, Varsham, Khatta Meetha, King, Bheema, Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, Abhiyum Naanum and Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana.

Trisha Krishnan

Prakash Raj is a celebrated thespian, TV presenter, film actor and filmmaker who has made his mark in Hindi as well as South Indian films. He is mostly known for playing antagonists and character roles in moves like Singham (Hindi), Dabangg 2 (Hindi), Thoonga Vanam (Tamil-Telugu) and Bharat Ane Nenu (Telugu)  to name a few. He has been honoured with several accolades and awards like the IIFA, Filmfare, Nandi and also, the National Film Awards multiple times. He owns his own production company called Duet Movies.

Prakash Raj

R. Sarathkumar is an actor, journalist, politician and former body builder. He served as the president of the South Indian Film Artistes' Association and rose to fame with negative roles in films. Over time, he established himself as a successful actor and earned the title of Supreme Star in Tamil cinema. Winner of several awards, Sarathkumar’s best works have been in films like Meera, Sivantha Malar, Chennaiyil Oru Naal, Naa Peru Surya and Bharat Ane Nenu.

R. Sarathkumar

Aishwarya Lekshmi is an Indian actress and model who predominantly works in Malayalam and Tamil films. She began her career as a model in 2014 and made her acting debut in 2017 with the film Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela.

Ponniyin Selvan - Part 2 (2023)

Ponniyin Selvan - Part 2 (2023)(2023)

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