Prakash Raj joins the cast of Mani Ratnam’s period drama Ponniyin Selvan

Prakash Raj is the latest addition to the cast of Mani Ratnam's ambitious period drama Ponniyin Selvan. The two first worked together in Iruvar in 1997.

Actor Prakash Raj has joined the cast of Mani Ratnam’s upcoming period magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan. Prakash Raj took to Twitter to share that he has started shooting for the film and that it has been a 25-year-long journey with the filmmaker.

Prakash Raj’s collaboration with Mani Ratnam began with 1997 Tamil political drama Iruvar. He is the latest addition to the cast which already features Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Ashwin Kakumanu, Aishwarya Lekshmi and Mohan Babu among others.

Prakash Raj took to Twitter and wrote: “On the sets of #Maniratnam s #PonniyinSelvan. A journey with the master which started 25 years back from #Iruvar continues. The joy of unlearning, finding new horizons. Bliss n blessed.”

Last week, the shoot of the project resumed after a long gap in a specially erected set in Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad. The entire cast and crew got tested for Covid-19 before joining the sets. It was after everybody tested negative that the team went ahead with the plan of resuming shoot.

The project went on the floors in December 2019 in Thailand, where the first schedule was filmed for over 90 days. Actors Karthi, Jayam Ravi and Aishwarya Lekshmi took part in the first schedule. After wrapping up the Thailand schedule, the team suspended the rest of the schedules due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The title poster of the film was released last January. AR Rahman will compose music, while Ravi Varman has been roped in for cinematography. Sreekar Prasad will handle editing, Thota Tharani is in charge of production design and writer Jeyamohan is writing the dialogues.

The film is being jointly produced by Mani Ratnam and Lyca Productions. Siva Ananth is the film’s executive producer.