Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to play a dual role in Mani Ratnam's next?

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has signed for director Mani Ratnam’s next work. The actor will be acting in Ratnam’s next movie, which will be based on the Tamil epic novel Ponniyan Selvan. According to a report in a newspaper daily, Aishwarya will be reportedly seen in a dual role in the movie. She will be playing the role of Nandhini, who is the wife of Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar. She will also be seen in the role of Queen Mandakini Devi.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan To Shoot For Ponniyin Selvan In Madhya Pradesh

Aishwarya and Vikram were last seen together in Mani Ratnam's Raavanan in 2010.

The role of Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar will be played by Telugu actor Mohan Babu. Aishwarya is reportedly excited about playing a dual role in the movie and didn’t need much persuasion about the opportunity. The makers of the movie haven’t yet announced the cast and crew. There is speculation that the cast also includes names like Amitabh Bachchan, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Anushka Shetty, Keerthy Suresh, and Amala Paul.

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This Mani Ratnam epic will also include the South Indian star Vikram. During a press conference before the movie Kadaram Kondan, Vikram talked about his part in the movie. He confirmed that he is indeed the part of the adaptation of Ponniyan Selvan. He also added that he will start shooting for the same next year.

Aishwarya Rai And Vikram To Reunite For Mani Ratnam's Next Adaptation

Vikram will be playing the role of a Chola prince named Aditya Karikalan. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's role of Nandhini is crucial as it is one of the key antagonists of the story. The book Ponniyin Selvan traces the life and struggles of Arulmozhivarman. Arulmozhivarman is a king from the Chola dynasty. The setting of the novel is in the 10th century and, as per the book, the movie is expected to have more than 50 characters. The historical drama is reportedly in the pre-production stage.

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