(This article is authored by Alar) 

The vibe of Ponniyin Selvan is audible everywhere as the release date draws closer. The last few weeks have seen an unexpectedly positive response to the movie, from the trailer to the audio launch to the promotions.

The biggest shocker came as a demand from the Coimbatore lawyers regarding the film's title in the advertisements amid the hype grew. They advise against using the abbreviation PS 1 in the title, and requests to keep the title Ponniyin Selvan, the origin name as significant. Speaking to the reporters at the Press Forum on Thursday, a day ahead of the movie's release, senior lawyers Sundaravadivelu and Loganathan had placed this demand. 

The lawyers said, "Since this is a historical film that glorifies the bravery of the Cholas of the Tamil people, we are requesting that their names should not be changed. In the advertisements of Lyca, the company that produced the movie, Ponniyin Selvan's title name is put in big letters as PS-1 and the full title, Ponniyin Selvan, is mentioned below in small letters." 

Sundaravadivelu further said, "A priest may be referred to as a PS.  Please steer clear of it as it might allude to a different religion. Saivism was the religion of Raja Raja Cholan. For professional and financial reasons, he travelled by sea. He studied Buddhism and contributed significantly to it. He does not adhere to any particular religion. Do not interpret this as a religious conflict. No matter the language, the term Ponniyin Selvan should be used."

"The history of Tamils will be concealed unless the history of brave Tamilians is used in Tamil movie titles. In every language in the world, the origin name Ponniyin Selvan should be used. Keep the title the same. We ask this as Tamilians. The producer and director make the decision whether to accept this or not. The differences between a commercial movie and a historical movie are huge. The movie 'Velayilla Pattadhari' was known as VIP. We didn't inquire about it then. We are requesting that their names not be changed in history because this is a historical film that honours the value of the Cholas." Sundaravadivelu added.