25 May – Aishwarya Rai has recently opened up about making her Kollywood comeback with Mani Ratnam's "Ponniyin Selvan". The actress, who has been gracing the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, shared at the festival that she is happy to be a part of the said movie, seeing that the epic project has been the director's dream. "When he came and he shared and he said, 'You know this is something I wanted to make right at the beginning', I'm like I'm so privileged and so blessed that he asked me to be a part of his dream. I think just to begin at that in itself is so fulfilling. And then of course the experience has been superlative as always and you work with a talent like him and the talent that he naturally brings together each and every time".
Referring to Mani Ratnam as her teacher, Aishwarya said that it was a blessing for her to be able to work with the filmmaker when she made her debut with "Iruvar" back in 1997. "Ponniyin Selvan" is Aishwarya's fourth collaboration with the director, following "Iruvar," "Guru" and "Raavan". "I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity for someone who was beginning in film. Thereafter, I'm blessed that I've had the opportunity to work with someone like a director and a talent like Mani Ratnam over the years on so many more projects and memorable films and great learning experiences for me as a growing artist. And I keep saying growing because you continue to even now, even tomorrow with every experience. So, I am blessed that I've got the chance to work with Mani so many times," she said. The upcoming Part One of the film also co-stars Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Trisha, Jayaram, Sobhita Dhulipala, and Vikram Prabhu among others, and is slated for released on 30 September.