Mani Ratnam’s ‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’ crosses Rs 150 crores globally

Director Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan 2 is having a phenomenal run at the box office worldwide. Even before the movie could wrap up its first weekend, the makers of the movie shared the movie has crossed Rs 100-crore mark at the global box office on Sunday. On Monday, the number has touched the remarkable mark of Rs 150 crores. It should be noted that the second part of the much-awaited film has been receiving excellent reviews from the critics as well as fans. The film hit the theatres on Friday, April 28, 2023.

Apart from Telugu, the movie is released in Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam. In these languages, the film has bagged over Rs 30 crore on day 1 of its release in India, but breaking expectations, the Mani Ratnam has managed to make Rs 38 crore worldwide as of Sunday. 

The first part of the movie was co-produced by Madras Talkies which was released on September 30, 2022. The second part has been backed jointly by Madras Talkies and Lyca Productions.

The much-awaited part two of the movie is based on the hugely popular novel by author Kalki Krishnamurthy having a similar name ‘Ponniyin Selvan II.’ The film features Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Trisha, Sobhita Dhulipala and Prakash Raj in crucial roles. The story revolves around the early days of Arulmozhivarman (Jayam Ravi), who was one of the most powerful kings in the south and went on to become the great Chola emperor Rajaraja Chola I. 

The movie is considered to be one of the most expensive movies ever made with a reported budget of Rs 500 crore.

Taking to Twitter, the production house of the movie had shared the numbers on the official page, saying, “Conquering hearts and box office alike! #PS2 garners over a 100 crore collection worldwide. #PS2RunningSuccessfully.”

Ponniyin Selvan 1

Ponniyin Selvan 1, received positive reviews from critics who commended the director, music, graphics, performances of the cast, and fidelity to the book when it was released in theatres on September 30, 2022, in both conventional and IMAX formats. It earned more than Rs 500 crore and broke multiple records at the box office, becoming the second-highest-grossing Tamil film of all time, the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2022, and the 15th-highest-grossing Indian film of all time. At the 16th Asian Film Awards, it was nominated for six categories, including Best Film. 

Aishwarya, a Mani Ratnam muse?

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Mani Ratnam have so far worked in four movies, including ‘Ponniyin Selvan 1’. While she has given us a variety of memorable characters in her career. Even earlier, she was part of Mani Ratnam blockbusters and featured in Raavan (2010), Guru (2007), Iruvar, and Ponniyan Selvan I. There are several events where Aishwarya and Mani Ratnam both praised each other for their work. 

During a promotional event of ‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’ recently, Mani Ratnam was seen praising the art of Aishwarya. While being questioned at the occasion about whether he views Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as a lucky charm, the director acknowledged that he only approaches Aishwarya if he believes she will be a good fit for the role, and she has consistently lived up to his expectations. He added that as a filmmaker I took her as I believed that she is a good fit for the part. ‘Every time I’ve asked, she’s been gracious enough to say yes because I think she’s perfect for the job. Therefore, it is only her talent and personality that would make things work out, not luck or a charm,’ he continued.