Ahead of Ponniyin Selvan II, Meet The Women Of Chola Dynasty

The second instalment of Mani Ratnam directed Tamil historical drama film Ponniyin Selvan is all set to hit the theatres on April 28, within less than a year of the release of its first instalment. The film was one of the biggest hits of the year and had almost touched ₹100 crores over the first weekend.

Starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Chiyaan Vikram, Kartik, Trisha, and Shobhita Dhulipala, among others, Ponniyin Selvan: I is the first of the two cinematic parts based on Kalki Krishnamurthy’s 1955 novel Ponniyin Selvan. Considered to be one of the greatest novels ever written in Tamil literature, Ponniyin Selvan came in five volumes with around 2,210 pages and tells the story of the early days of Arulmozhivarman, who later became the great Chola emperor Rajaraja Chola I. The writer visited Sri Lanka three times to gather information about it.

The novel was first attempted to be adapted as a film in the late 1950s by actor and filmmaker MGR (M. G. Ramachandran), followed by another unsuccessful attempt in the mid-1990s and early 2010s. Finally in 2019, Ratnam took it up, calling it his ‘dream project’, and the film went on the floors in mid-December 2019. Shooting finally wrapped up in September 2021 after halting twice due to the coronavirus pandemic. The film has been shot in India and Thailand.

Ahead of the release of Ponniyin Selvan II, let’s meet the women of the Chola dynasty that these actors are portraying in the film.

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Nandini (Aishwarya Rai)

According to the men who get captivated by her, Nandini’s biggest weapon is her beauty. They fail to see the sharper weapon she is continually polishing, her mind, which they ultimately pay for. Nandini is the wife of Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar, the chancellor of the Chola Empire. However, his family did not want an orphan like her to become the queen of the Chola realm. After Nandini’s former love affair with Aditya did not work out, she leaves his life and marries Pazhuvettaraiyar, a man who is much older than she is.

Kundavai (Trisha)

Kalki uses flowers, stars, and other celestial beings to describe her attractiveness, but you'll end yourself appreciating Kalki for her intelligence and kindness rather than her beauty. Kundavai Devi is the second daughter of Sundara Chola among the three. She takes on the role of the country's guardian while the two brothers are occupied fighting wars for the realm. She is more politically savvy than either of her brothers. She is cunning and manipulative as well, although these traits are motivated by her love for her family. She interrupts the clandestine conference of the local chieftains who are preparing to overthrow Sundara Chola in a wonderful sequence.

Poonguzhali aka Samudrakumari (Aishwarya Lekshmi)

Her favourite activity as a boatwoman is to row her boat alone across tidal swells to Sri Lanka and back. Poonguzhali doesn't take crap from anyone, but does and says what she wants. Vandiyathevan is led to Lanka by the boat woman Poonguzhali. Not only is she the only one in a male-dominated profession, she is also the one who goes fishing while the warrior Vandiyathevan stays in the boat out of fear because his horoscope said he would drown.

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Vaanathi (Sobhita Dhulipala)

She doesn't put another woman—a commoner—down when she sees that they are competing for the prince's affection; instead, she pushes herself up. Even giving up the crown would not deter her from demonstrating that her love is genuine. Vaanathi is the princess of Kodumbalur.