(This article is authored by Alar)

Mani Ratnam's upcoming historical epic Ponniyin Selvan has been gaining a good deal of enthusiasm.The film, adapted from Kalki Krishnamurthy's classic novel, tells the story of the illustrious reign of the Chola dynasty. In addition to Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Trisha, and a slew of other A-listers appear in the film as well.

The film is divided into two parts, with the first part released on April 28. The film crew has been holding promotional events in various cities like Chennai, Trichy, and Coimbatore. However, one question that has been bothering many fans is why the team did not visit Thanjavur, the capital of the Cholas and the home of the magnificent Brihadisvara Temple, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Recently, actor Karthi, who plays the role of Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan, a brave and loyal general of the Chola army, addressed this question during a media interaction. He said that the team had planned to visit Thanjavur but could not do so due to some administrative issues.

"The launch of the first part's teaser should begin there. However, it was revealed that the third wave of Corona had begun to spread, and the collector denied permission on the grounds that no risk should be taken. The event was supposed to take place near the Thanjavur temple, but since we were denied permission, we decided to begin our journey from Chennai. We will make another attempt this time. We intend to travel to Thanjavur. Let's see", actor Karthi stated.

The Cholas had their political and ceremonial centre at Thanjavur, also known as Tanjai or Tanjore. Thanjavur was the capital of the Cholas for most of their reign, where they built some of their most magnificent temples. These temples are not only architectural marvels, but also expressions of the Chola ideology, religion, and culture. Reports also claims that the late Raja Raja Chola's cemetery localed in the same locale.

The most famous of these temples is the Brihadishwara Temple, which was built by Rajaraja Chola I in the early 11th century CE. It is dedicated to Shiva, the supreme deity of the Cholas. Ponniyin Selvan is a Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam, based on the novel of the same name by Kalki Krishnamurthy. It is an epic historical drama that narrates the life and times of the Chola prince Arulmozhi Varman, who later became the famous king Rajaraja Chola I.

The film depicts the political intrigues, wars, romances, and adventures of the Chola empire and its rivals in the 10th and 11th centuries CE.  The film features a star-studded cast, including Vikram, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha, and many others, and slated to hit theatres by April 28th 2023.