Ponniyin Selvan 2: From sunrise to sunset, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on the gruelling schedule of Mani Ratnam's epic

A new behind-the-scenes video of Ponniyin Selvan 2, the highly-anticipated magnum opus , has been released by the filmmakers. Director Mani Ratnam's ambitious project has proved to be quite demanding even for some of the experienced Indian stars. In the video, actors Karthi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, and others discuss the rigorous shooting schedule of Ponniyin Selvan.

Karthi revealed, "We used to start our makeup at 3 AM and leave for the sets at 4 AM after waking up at 2 AM. We had to travel for an hour by car and an hour by boat before the shooting began exactly at 6 AM. It was mind-blowing."

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After decades of struggling, Mani Ratnam finally fulfilled his dream of bringing the Tamil classic Ponniyin Selvan to the big screen. And thanks to the dedicated cast and crew, he was able to complete the task of such a massive production at a break-neck speed. "We all start way before sunrise and we may go on till sunset. But, such a lot of work gets done. Everybody brings that energy to the table," Aishwarya said. 

Written by Kalki, Ponniyin Selvan novel comprises five volumes, making it challenging to adapt to the cinema. However, Mani Ratnam succeeded by dividing it into two parts and filming both parts simultaneously to keep the cost under control.

The movie boasts a star-studded cast, including Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Prabhu, R. Sarathkumar, Vikram Prabhu, and Prakash Raj, among others. The first part of Ponniyin Selvan was a box office success, earning nearly Rs 500 crore from its worldwide ticket sales. The music for the film was composed by the Oscar-winning AR Rahman.

Ponniyin Selvan 2 is due in cinemas on April 28.