What Aishwarya Would Never Say No To

The ensemble cast of Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyan Selvan 2 got together in Mumbai to promote their film ahead of its April 28 release.

It saw a lot of interesting conversations and warm moments, especially when Aishwarya Rai Bachchan took the blessings of her mentor Mani Ratnam, who first directed her in Iruvar, and then in Guru, Ravan and of course, the Ponniyan Selvan movies.

“Whenever he asks me for a movie, it will always be a yes. And why wouldn’t it be a yes? I’m very fortunate,” Aishwarya says as Satish Bodas/Rediff.com and Afsar Dayatar/Rediff.com capture the moments.

Photograph: Pradeep Bandekar

“This is the first that one that person loves him so much that she can kill him. And one person loves her so much that he can die for her,” Vikram simplifies the equation between his character, Aditha Karikalan, and Aishwarya Rai’s Nandini.

“And who better to bring that kind of dynamic on celluloid than Manigaro? He is the king of bringing romance into the most tense moments,” Aishwarya adds, referring to the director, Mani Ratnam.

The name ‘Nandini’ has special meaning to Aishwarya.

Besides, the PS movies, she played Nandini to great success in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

“Beautiful coincidence na,” Aishwarya, who will turn 50 on November 1, says.

“It’s amazing ki aisa hua bhi hai. In fact, even Nandini in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam was very very memorable. She has lived on people’s hearts and I’m so thankful that I got to play Nandini then too. She has remained special for the audience and, of course, to me.

“That was with Sanjay Bhansaliji and today, of course, with my Manigaru, I got to play Nandini in Ponniyan Selvan. That’s just tremendously a blessing that I got to play such strong women, such layered women and women with character that touches the lives of so many women out there,” she says.