Ponniyin Selvan 2: No one handles love stories the way Mani Ratnam does, says Vikram

It was way back in 2008 that filmmaker Mani Ratnam announced his first collaboration with Chiyaan Vikram – the epic action adventure film Raavanan. The film also starred Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. It’s taken the filmmaker well over a decade to reunite with Vikram and Aishwarya, with yet another epic – his adaptation of Kalki’s novel Ponniyin Selvan, which he has condensed into two films. Vikram is crown prince Aditha Karikalan of the Chola Empire in the film.

The actor was in Bengaluru earlier this week with his co-stars Karthi, Trisha and Jayam Ravi, as part of the promotional tour for the second and final instalment of the saga, during which he was asked about working with Mani Ratnam. The filmmaker, according to Vikram, has a special knack to bring out the best in his actors, making them explore what is inside of them. Sometimes there are emotions and characteristics that even they don’t know they possess and Mani Ratnam makes sure that comes out when they play his characters. “And… nobody handles love the way he does; nobody makes songs the way he does. So, it’s always been my dream to be in his film. I had earlier said that I’d want to be introduced on a bike, wearing glares, but instead I got introduced on a horse, which is even better, in a Mani Ratnam film with romance, though I don’t get it – it’s unrequited love in both films (Ravanan and Ponniyin Selvan). But Mani sir is a master at this and it is so beautiful to work with him. After Ravanan, I had told him that I loved working with him and that we ought to do it again. He said that we should do a 100 films together and I replied, “Sir, first get me the second film; Ponniyin Selvan is that second film,” said Vikram in response to the question.