Mani Ratnam, last filmed Raavan with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in 2010 and now he is keenly waiting for the third schedule of Ponniyin Selvan in Puducherry.
Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown that happened because of it became a big barrier.
Amid the ongoing shutdown, the film can’t be shoot but it doesn’t make Ratnam feel low.
A trade source has been quoted by Mid-Day as saying, “Amid chatter that shoots may begin from July, Mani sir and his team are reworking the schedules to ensure the film meets its 2021 release. He is hoping to get bulk dates from Vikram, Aishwarya, Karthi, and the ensemble cast so that the film can be wrapped up in one go. If all goes well, they will begin the Puducherry leg with Vikram and Aishwarya. If they don’t get the necessary permission for an outdoor shoot, they might change the venue to the AVM Studios in Chennai.”
Shiva Anand, executive producer, Madras Talkies, confirms that the first instalment of the two-part movie will be shot in one go. “Like everybody else in the industry, we are waiting for the shoot to resume and talk to the actors about their dates. It will be difficult to coordinate the schedules, but it’s our job to figure out a way,” he told Mid-Day.
Even though the period piece is mounted on a grand scale and relies heavily on post-production, Anand is confident that it will be ready for its date with the audience next year. He has been further quoted by the publication as saying, “We have no intention of compromising on the film. We will release the first part next year, though we don’t have clarity on the release date yet.”
