Mani Ratnam is the most genuine person I know: Ponniyin Selvan actor Trisha Krishnan

Trisha, like her co-stars, has been talking at length about Ponniyin Selvan-1, ever since the makers kickstarted promotions. She shows no signs of weariness as she settles down for another interview session. “PS-1 is an important film in my career,” she says, confident that the audience will accept her as a warrior princess, Kundavai. “There’s more to her soft side,” smiles Trisha.

In the early stages of her career, Trisha quickly ascended the popularity ladder by working with Vijay and Ajith; back-to-back within a year of her debut. Currently, she is one of the few female actors in Tamil cinema to feature in several films with a focus on women, such as Nayanthara.

The actor admits she has never done a film like Ponniyin Selvan in the 20 years of her career. “Some of the top technicians, including the music director AR Rahman, were on board for this perfect package. For the past 40 or 50 years, every filmmaker has attempted to turn the epic novel into a film of this calibre, and every actor has yearned to be a part of it.”

Trisha’s long-held desire to play a princess has finally been fulfilled. “It was quite a male-dominated kingdom and women did not have much of a voice. Even if a princess had to speak in front of a group of men, she would be questioned about who had given her permission to do so. Kundavai is a powerful character. She reminded me of a modern woman, who chooses her battles wisely and I could identify with her.”

Trisha is glad to have played a strong-willed person once again, on screen. “Trust me, there are two very strong women in this movie, just like in the book.”

Mani Ratnam did extensive research on Ponniyin Selvan before shooting, adds Trisha. “Initially, many people thought that I wouldn't fit the part. Actors are transformed into characters by Mani sir, using them as a blank canvas.”

What distinguishes him from other directors? “Mani sir makes an artist ‘look’ different. In any other film, you would never have viewed yourself in such a way. Additionally, he exudes an aura that the whole Indian film industry recognises and believes in.”

Trisha says Mani Ratnam is the most genuine person she knows. “You are in awe of him because of what he brings to the table. His favourite line is ‘keep it real, make it real’.”

Trisha's mother and grandmother had read Ponniyin Selvan by Kalki when they were young. “The moment they heard Mani sir was casting for Kundavai, they both wanted me to take the role. Then, out of curiosity, I read all five volumes in one and a half months. I would have preferred to see it on television, but I just couldn't put the book down,” laughs Trisha, who, usually, does not enjoy reading history.

Trisha has truly done it all, from making her acting debut in Mounam Pesiyadhe (2002) to currently featuring in Ponniyin Selvan with an all-star ensemble directed by Mani Ratnam.

Critics cited a lack of screen time given to female characters in earlier period films like KGF, RRR, and the Baahubali franchise. Trisha, though, thinks that character depth is more crucial than taking on a lengthy part. She’d much rather go by what her role demands. “I want to do all kinds of roles to the best of my capability as an actor. But the length of the role does not matter, nor does what others are doing in it.”

In 2004, Trisha and Mani Ratnam collaborated on Aayutha Ezhuthu. “Mani sir has calmed down, yeah, but his love for the art form hasn't diminished a bit. For him, every day is new, and he encourages you to adopt the same mindset. Ponniyin Selvan was shot during the height of the pandemic, while we were all wearing masks, getting immunised and residing in a bubble. But nothing could quell his enthusiasm.”

Mani Ratnam, according to Trisha, did not want her to engage in the filming with any preconceived notions about the nature of her character.

“Many adore both the Harry Potter films and novels, even though there are stark differences between the two. Ponniyin Selvan, a Mani Ratnam film, would be like that. I do not doubt that viewers of today will enjoy the movie just as much as those of a previous generation who had read Kalki. The younger generation would grasp the language spoken in PS-1, despite it being from a different era.”

After numerous trials, the characters' final looks were chosen. Before choosing four, the team tested around 100 get-ups for Kundavai. For makeup, everyone had to be in the green room by 2.30 am for the first shot to start at 6 am. Trisha couldn't bend down to eat or drink because her headgear was so heavy. “I was drinking water using a straw. I developed a headache from the costume's weight, but it was all worthwhile.”

But speaking Senn Tamizh was the hardest of all for Trisha. She didn't speak a lot of Tamil at home when she was growing up. After she started acting, it took her some time to even master the typical Chennai Tamil. The conversations in Ponniyin Selvan, however, presented a unique challenge. Trisha spent the entire three months working on it in Mani Ratnam's office, reading nonstop. As a result, by the time filming started, she had already memorised the dialogues and pronunciation.

“Additionally, we had several instructors available to us. Even though none of us slept at all due to our double shift job, it was a blast being a part of such a multi-starrer.”

On most days, there were at least a thousand men, a thousand horses, and ten elephants on our set, which was like a city by itself, says Trisha. “If we travelled or took a flight, we were tested every three days. Nobody else but Mani Ratnam, in my opinion, could have accomplished this!”

Mani Ratnam films are driven by characters, rather than stars. “He gave us freedom and inspired us to live our parts,” observes Trisha, whose confrontation with Aishwarya Rai's Nandini is the trailer's most exciting part. “It is also a strong point in the movie. When these two individuals interact, there will be a lot of tension in the theatres. I could feel the excitement on the sets as we spent three days filming that sequence!”

On the sets, Aishwarya Rai and Trisha bonded and became close friends. But Mani Ratnam insisted that they retain distance from one another to maintain the authenticity of the conflict between the characters.

“I was a little concerned about the reaction of the crowd to that scene. But, Ash is a sweetheart. She is stunning on the inside and out. Everyone who has worked with her would say that she is friendly. She spoke Tamil chastely, as it should be spoken. She'll wake up at two in the morning and prepare with us. I am extremely honoured to have shared screen space with her.”

In Sakalakala Vallavan (2006) and Unakkum Enakkum (2006), Trisha was featured opposite Jayam Ravi. Similar to this, she was Vikram's love interest in films like Saamy, who plays Aditha Karikalan, Kundavai's brother in PS-1. “Yes, calling each other ‘akka’, ‘anna’, and ‘thambi’ was hilarious,” laughs Trisha, adding, “Not bad, we pulled it off like brothers and sisters. It was once more Mani sir's magic. Acting is all that it is at the end of the day!”

Trisha is receptive to any form of cinema. “Every single thing gets watched, whether it is dubbed or with subtitles. Ponniyin Selvan has the sense of a real regional film from the choice of language that you watch; be it Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam or Kannada. That’s the beauty of our film, which is rooted in approach.”

On completing two decades in cinema, Trisha says she learns from her mistakes; and gets introspective. “Everyone has a space in the industry; it is a question of several factors including luck, timing, and passion. I worked hard to prove myself. I earned my place slowly and steadily.”

However, Trisha credits her fans for standing by her side through highs and lows. “They welcomed me, even though I haven't had any release in a year. On the professional front, I always look for something different. When I reflect, all I can feel is gratitude.”