Mani Ratnam's 'Ponniyin Selvan' team releases 2nd explainer on Raja Raja Chola

Chennai, July 24

The makers of Mani Ratnam's upcoming magnum opus "Ponniyin Selvan" on Saturday evening released a second video in which experts shed more light on Raja Raja Chola on whom the story of the promised spectacle is based.

Experts in the second video clip clarified that Raja Raja Chola's original name was Arunmozhi Varman, and not Arulmozhi Varman as is popularly believed.

Jayakumar, a researcher on cultural history, says: "Is his name Arunmozhi or Arulmozhi? We cross checked with the copper inscriptions from the Chola period, it was Arunmozhi Varman. This Arunmozhi Varman, when he later becomes the king of the Chola empire, assumes the title Raja Raja Chola."

Another historian, S Ramachandran says: "He was called Arunmozhi Perumal or Arunmozhi Varman. An inscription in Sri Lanka says 'Perumagan' (King). Perumagan is what must have been, over a period of time, changed into Perumal."

Ramachandran also explains how Arunmozhi Varman, on getting to know his uncle Uttama Cholan's desire to be the king, did not become king and let him rule for 12 to 15 years.

Bharathy Bhaskar, a popular orator, explains how this act of Arunmozhi Varman has a message for all of us.

In the first video clip that the team released a few days ago, experts and researchers explained about the administration of the Cholas, their conquests and their contributions to art and culture.

Described by Mani Ratnam as his "dream project", the film, the first part of which is scheduled to hit the screens on September 30 this year. The cast includes a host of top stars, including actors Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Jayaram, Parthiban, Lal, Vikram Prabhu, Jayaram, Prabhu and Prakash Raj. It will be among the most expensive projects ever undertaken in the country.

A.R. Rahman is scoring the music for this epic historical and cinematography is by Ravi Varman. National Award- winning art director Thotta Tharani is in charge of production design while Mani Ratnam's trusted editor Sreekar Prasad is handling its editing.