Ponniyin Selvan: Mani Ratnam thanks Mammootty for agreeing to do this special role in his magnum opus

Mani Ratnam is gearing up for the release on Ponniyin Selvan: I, which has Vikram, Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan, Jayam Ravi and Karthi in pivotal roles

mammootty-and-mani-ratnam

Not many actors would think twice when legendary filmmaker Mani Ratnam comes knocking with a request. Malayalam megastar does not either. The actor and director, who had previously worked together in Rajinikanth’s Thalapathi in 1991, got another chance to collaborate in the filmmaker’s upcoming magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan: I after three decades.

In a recent promotional event in Kerala, ahead of the movie’s release on September 30, Mani Ratnam publicly thanked Mammootty for taking up a role in a moment’s notice when he had requested him to come onboard.

Talking to the audience who had gathered as part of the film’s promotions at an even in Thiruvananthapuram, Mani had said that he would like to specifically thank Mammootty for being part of the Malayalam version of the big budget film, which is based on Kalki’s novel.

“I would like to thank Mammootty sir,” said Mani, who was joined by Trisha, Karthi, Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Babu Antony and Aishwarya Lekshmi on stage. “I am very grateful to him. I called him up one day and told him that I needed somebody to introduce Ponniyin Selvan the film. I needed somebody who would do the voiceover for me.”

The filmmaker said that he had asked the megastar if he would do it. “He didn’t even take two seconds. He said, ‘Just send it to me, I will do it’. So, this film will start with Mammootty sir’s voice.” Incidentally, the film's trailer was narrated by Prithviraj Sukumaran, who had worked with the filmmaker in Raavan.

The movie also has a host of Malayalam actors as part of the cast. Jayaram, Rahman, Babu Antony, Lal and Aishwarya Lekshmi will be seen in pivotal roles in the epic film that also stars Vikram, Karthi, Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan, Sarath Kumar, Nassar, Jayam Ravi, Trisha, Sobhitha Dhulipala and Vikram Prabhu. Ponniyin Selvan: I is the first of the two instalments of the movie, which has music composed by AR Rahman.

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