Ponniyin Selvan director Mani Ratnam on the potential collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan after Dil Se

Mani Ratnam reveals when he will work with Shah Rukh Khan again.

Mani Ratnam; Shah Rukh Khan/Twitter

Mani Ratnam and Shah Rukh Khan collaborated on Dil Se for the first time in 1998. Besides garnering a tonne of accolades, it was listed among the top Bollywood films of all time by TIME Magazine. The two National Awards it won at home prove that Dil Se, set in the backdrop of terrorism and insurgency, was one of the best films ever made.

Mani Ratnam, awaiting the release of his latest directorial, Ponniyin Selvan-1, spoke candidly about the possibility of collaborating with King Khan again.

“I should be prepared with a script to meet him. We bumped into each other at a gathering; nothing more. I'll approach Shah Rukh with an idea once I have it and am sure it's appropriate for him.”

Did you also know that Mani Ratnam never told AR Rahman the Dil Se story? The Oscar-winning music composer discussed his longtime partnership with Mani Ratnam during a promotional interview and recalled how the film came about.

The Dil Se album became a hit and sold six million units in India alone. On what still makes his music one of the best, Rahman noted, “Mani Ratnam didn't tell me the story. It pushed all of us to work harder. I recall him giving me the seven stages of love, instead. I was okay with it, and the entire brief was just that.”

Mani Ratnam explained why he withheld the story, saying, “It becomes confusing if you offer them an abstract explanation rather than giving them the specifics.”

Rahman reflected on the popularity of the Dil Se soundtrack and recalled an incident that happened after he won the Oscar. “A white woman approached me and asked me to let Mani Ratnam know that she had watched Dil Se 40 times!”

AR Rahman and Mani Ratnam have been working together for 30 years. And, Ponniyin Selvan-1 is their 16th film.

Bankrolled by Lyca Productions and Madras Talkies, Ponniyin Selvan-1 features Jayam Ravi, Vikram, Karthi, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha, Sobhita Dhulipala and Aishwarya Lekshmi, among others.

Based on author Kalki Krishnamurthy's Tamil novel of the same name, Ponniyin Selvan-1 is set to hit theatres on September 30.

On the other hand, Shah Rukh Khan will make his return to the big screen with Pathaan, which created a huge buzz among viewers.

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