Thalapathy Vijay and Mahesh Babu Almost Unite in Ponniyin Selvan
Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan was a big blockbuster when it was released in two parts, in 2022 and 2023. The historical film was a huge success and won over many hearts. However, many people may not know that the movie was originally planned with a completely different cast Thalapathy Vijay and Mahesh Babu back in 2010.
Yes, you read that right! Thalapathy Vijay and Mahesh Babu were supposed to play lead roles in Ponniyin Selvan. At that time, Mani Ratnam had already started the pre-production process and even a brief photoshoot was done with both the popular actors.
Mani Ratnam chose to put the project on hold due to technical limitations. The team felt that there was a lack of advanced VFX, which was needed for a grand film like Ponniyin Selvan. So the movie was delayed, and many years later, it was made with a new team — Chiyaan Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, and Trisha — who successfully brought the famous historical tale to life.
Actor Mahesh Babu later opened up about his brief experience with Thalapathy Vijay during the photoshoot. He said, “We did a photoshoot together in Chennai, just a week before the principal photography was supposed to start. But then the project was put on hold. Still, I share a warm friendship with Vijay today.”
The eventual release of Ponniyin Selvan turned out to be a big blockbuster. The team’s hard work and creativity captured the imagination of the people, making the film a huge cinematic experience.
While many fans say it would have been wonderful to see Thalapathy Vijay and Mahesh Babu together on the big screen, Mani Ratnam made a choice that resulted in a grand, visually rich film with a strong storyline a decision that paid off in the end.
