Chiyaan Vikram says South Indians are aware of Cholas, calls Ponniyin Selvan ‘spokesperson’ for India

Director Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus, Ponniyin Selvan, throws light on the grandeur and legacy of the Chola empire. It is the first Indian film to give a detailed narrative of one of the biggest kingdoms in Indian history. They are powerful, but there is very little we know of the Cholas and their battles. In a recent conversation with India Today.in, Chiyaan Vikram, who plays crown prince Aditya Karikalan, spoke about his thoughts on the Chola empire and why it took so long for a film to be made about their history and sacrifices.

Chiyaan Vikram will be seen as Aditya Karikalan, prince and the eldest son of emperor Sundara Chozhar. He is one of the leads in this period film.

When asked if he felt that a movie on the Chola legacy was long overdue, Vikram said, “I think this thought came much later. For me, it was more about the film, the character, working with these fabulous people and working with Mani sir predominantly. When you work with him, you usually get the best team that is out there and that was what charged me up. Later, after we started doing the film, we got into the research and read about the Chola legacy. We have heard about it. In South India, we are aware of what the Cholas have done. We felt like we were given the honour of being a spokesperson to the rest of India about this part of history.”