When Mani Ratnam discovered Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and offered her Iruvar. On Throwback Thursday
India Today
As Mani Ratnam and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's Ponniyin Selvan is all set for a release on September 30, let us recall the moment the two met for the first time. In this week's Throwback Thursday, let's find out how Mani Ratnam discovered Aishwarya.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is back to Kollywood with Mani Ratnam's ambitious film, Ponniyin Selvan. The first part of the historical fiction film is slated for a grand release on September 30. In the film, Aishwarya plays the role of princess Nandini, who woos men with her magnetic charm.
Almost 25 years ago, director Mani Ratnam introduced Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in his epic political drama film, Iruvar. And the rest is history.
Today, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is not just a heroine. She is a star, who has transcended borders and made a name for herself through her body of work. On Throwback Thursday, let's find out how Mani Ratnam discovered his favourite student, Aishwayra Rai Bachchan.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan made her Tamil debut with Mammootty-Prakash Raj's Iruvar and charmed her way into the hearts of the people. With a handful of films in Kollywood, she is a star in Tamil Nadu as well.
Did you know how Aishwarya and Mani Ratnam's strong collaboration began? It was cinematographer Rajiv Menon who introduced Aishwarya to Mani Ratnam.
In a throwback interview to The Hindu, Aishwarya said, "I had worked with Rajiv on a number of ad films, and during one of the shoots, he shared the music of Roja. This was even before its release, and I fell in love with the tunes. He (Rajiv) knew how big an admirer of Ratnam’s works I was, and when he told me that I was being approached for a film, I thought he was pulling my leg.”
During the first meeting, Mani Ratnam discussed a few ideas with her about Iruvar. Aishwarya said that the filmmaker had the grace to ask her if she'd do the film when he already knew that it was a 'yes' from her side.
