'Ponniyin Selvan I' collects Rs. 200cr in Tamil Nadu alone
What's the story
Mani Ratnam's period drama Ponniyin Selvan I has been doing excellent business at the box office and has now achieved yet another milestone! On Monday, industry analyst Ramesh Bala tweeted that PS-I became the first Tamil film ever to cross the Rs. 200cr mark at the state's box office. To recall, it surpassed Vikram last Wednesday to become the highest-grossing film in Tamil Nadu.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The film is based on an eponymous 1950s historical fiction Tamil novel by Kalki Krishnamurthy. Mani Ratnam, known for his unique art of filmmaking, earlier said Ponniyin Selvan was his dream project. The novel's onscreen adaptation was attempted several times previously—including by Ratnam—but none materialized. The two-part franchise is mounted on a Rs. 500cr budget, and the first part is already marching toward success.
Returns
'PS-I' box office collections
Since its release on September 30, PS-I grossed over Rs. 460cr worldwide. Also, the period drama collected $56 million (only overseas collections) by the end of its third weekend. Ponniyin Selvan I also emerged as the second highest-grossing Tamil film of all time, after Rajnikanth's 2.0, at the global box office. Besides Tamil, the film was released in Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam languages.
Cast
Take a look at the cast of the film
PS-I follows the lives of Chola kings and queens, focusing on Raja Raja Chola I, Aditya Karikalan, Kundavai, and their father Sundara Chola. It stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha, Karthi, "Jayam" Ravi, and Vikram, among others. Rai Bachchan plays dual roles—Queen Nandini and her mute mother Mandakini Devi. While Nandini had a prominent role in PS-I, Mandakini will have more importance in part two.
Future plans
About 'Ponniyin Selvan II'
Recently, director Ratnam had revealed that the second part of the Ponniyin Selvan franchise will release in six-nine months, adding that the sequel's post-production work is currently ongoing. Though the release date of the second installment has not been officially announced, the filmmaker had hinted that the film should hit theaters by the summer of 2023.