Production of Ponniyin Selvan: I and Ponniyin Selvan: II

Ponniyin Selvan: I and Ponniyin Selvan: II
Directed byMani Ratnam
Written by
Story byKalki Krishnamurthy
Based onPonniyin Selvan
by Kalki Krishnamurthy
Produced by
CinematographyRavi Varman
Edited byA. Sreekar Prasad
Music byA. R. Rahman
Production
companies
Distributed byRed Giant Movies
Release dates
  • 30 September 2022 (2022-09-30) (Ponniyin Selvan: I)
  • 28 April 2023 (2023-04-28) (Ponniyin Selvan: II)
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Ponniyin Selvan: I and Ponniyin Selvan: II are Indian Tamil-language epic historical action drama films directed by Mani Ratnam, who co-wrote them with Elango Kumaravel and B. Jeyamohan. Produced by Ratnam and Subaskaran Allirajah under Madras Talkies and Lyca Productions, they are the cinematic adaptations of Kalki Krishnamurthy's 1955 novel, Ponniyin Selvan.

Ever since its publication, a film adaptation of the novel had been explored by several Tamil filmmakers, including an attempt by M. G. Ramachandran in the late 1950s; however, it never materialised. Decades later, Ratnam attempted to adapt the novel in the late-1980s and early-2010s but was unsuccessful due to financial constraints. Calling it his "dream project", Ratnam revived the effort in January 2019, after Lyca agreed to fund the film. Following several changes in cast and crew, production of Ponniyin Selvan began in 11 December 2019 and concluded in 18 September 2021, halting twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was originally intended to be a single film but was split into two parts. Both parts were shot back-to-back in various locations across India, with a few sequences in Thailand.

Ponniyin Selvan: I was released in theatres worldwide on 30 September 2022 and Ponniyin Selvan: II was released in theatres on 28 April 2023.