Mani Ratnam wanted Rekha to play Aishwarya Rai’s role in Ponniyin Selvan in the 80s, reveals why Rajinikanth is not part of film

When asked how excited a superstar like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was to work again with Ratnam after Iruvar and Raavan, the filmmaker said that actors make time for the film, and he wants them first to be excited to work on the project, rather than with him: “They make dates for the film, not for me. And if they’re available, they come, and that’s how I really like it to be. I want them to be invested in the story first, it’s not for me. And Nandini is completely different from what she has done before.”

At one point, Ratnam was asked whether superstar Rajinikanth wanted to be a part of Ponniyin Selvan-1, the director said that he may have lightly mentioned something to that effect once. “I can’t just bring in a superstar, I have to be honest to the story. So I told him (Rajinikanth) I will take a raincheck with him about that,” Mani Ratnam said. He was also quizzed about a potential collaboration with his Dil Se actor and superstar Shah Rukh Khan, to which he responded simply with, “I should have a script ready for him, that is when I can go to him.”

Ponniyin Selvan features a bevy of stars, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Trisha, Karthi among others.