From launching her career in
“Iruvar” to the sweeping epic
“Ponniyin Selvan’, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and director Mani Ratnam share an unparalleled creative bond.
To portray the complex, vengeful, yet deeply vulnerable antagonist Nandini in “Ponniyin Selvan” Aishwarya Rai relied on an intense emotional preparation.
Rather than relying on mere external villainy, Aishwarya focused on the character’s internal pain, channeling years of plotted vengeance born from past rejection and palace politics.
To embody the “molten gold” femme fatale from Kalki Krishnamurthy’s literary masterpiece, Aishwarya leaned into her graceful demeanor and expressive eyes, using subtle glances to command her scenes.
Aishwarya made her screen debut in the dual roles of Pushpavalli and Kalpana in Mani Ratnam’s acclaimed political drama “Iruvar”.
The film’s narrative is a fictionalized reflection of Tamil Nadu’s golden era, loosely tracing the intertwined histories of cinema and state politics. The two male leads (played by Mohanlal and Prakash Raj) parallel the legendary real-life stories of former Chief Ministers M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and
M. Karunanidhi.
Aishwarya’s character, particularly her cinematic debut, pays tribute to the early days of South Indian cinema and echoes iconic figures like former CM J. Jayalalithaa.
News Edit KV Raman
