Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Shoots with 400 Junior Artists for Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan

Ever since the lockdown has eased after the second wave of coronavirus in the country, and film shootings were permitted, many new projects have gone on floors. Among them is Mani Ratnam’s dream project Ponniyin Selvan, which is progressing at a brisk pace. The historical drama, which is adapted from Kalki Krishnamurthy’s 1955 novel of the same name, has an ensemble cast comprising of several leading stars across the Indian cinema industry, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Vikram, Prakash Raj, Trisha, Karthi, Jayram Ravi, Sobhita Dhulipala among others.

After wrapping up the shoot in Pondicherry over the past few weeks, the team has moved to Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh for their next schedule last week where Bachchan shot a song with over 400 junior artists.

A source reveals, “Aishwarya had come to shoot for just two days. The rest of the cast and crew are in Orchha, Gwalior, and Maheshwar since last week. Ratnam wanted to shoot a song on a huge scale for which he decided to rope in as many as 400 junior artists. All of them have taken two doses of vaccine and are going through the Covid test on a daily basis. The song was an elaborate dance number. While it was earlier reported that the actor will shoot for the song in Hyderabad, it was shot in MP. The song is choreographed by National Award-winning choreographer Brindha Gopal. The team shot the song sequences at Maheshwar Ghat, where, earlier, films like Padman and Dabangg 3 have been shot.”

The actress is reportedly essaying a double role, that of princess Nandini, the main antagonist in the novel, and her mute mother, queen Mandakini Devi.

The source further reveals that the film is shot with a massive budget. “The film reportedly is made on a budget of almost Rs 500 crore. The story spans over a few years and there are more than 50 main characters. It is shot extensively in Thailand and also a set which is built in the outskirts of Hyderabad. There are more than 1500 junior artists involved in various schedules. 90 percent of the film is complete and while the film is being shot in one go, it is going to be released in two parts.”

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