Filmmaker Soundarya Rajinikanth has partnered with video streaming service MX Player to produce an original web series on the Tamil epic, Ponniyin Selvan. The filmmaker tweeted the news, stating that her company May 6 Entertainment will be producing the series, with Sooriyaprathap S as director.
A teaser for the series was also released, which features imagery from the adaptation. Reminiscent of the A Game of Thrones style, sigils in the form of animals are shown with intricate carvings – horse, tiger, fish, peacock and elephant. In a wash of faded green, we also see a sword and a palanquin.
Written by Kalki Krishnoorthy, the five-volume epic is considered to be one of the greatest works in Tamil literature. It tells the tale of the Cholas and in particular, Arulmozhivarman who goes on to become Raja Raja Chola I.
A dream project !!! ... so thrilled to announce that we at @May6Ent are proud to partner with @mxplayer in bringing to life the epic novel #PonniyinSelvan as an MX Original Series https://t.co/KK5t1NOfRf god bless us !!!! Need all your support ! #OriginalWebSeries #DigitalFuture
— soundarya rajnikanth (@soundaryaarajni) January 30, 2019
In a statement to the press, Soundarya Rajinikanth said, “Ponniyin Selvan is indeed one of the greatest historical novels written in Tamil and considered by many as the crown jewel of Tamil Literature. The novel chronicles the power struggle and the socio-political landscape of the Chola Dynasty, one of the longest ruling dynasties in Indian history and is a perfect amalgamation of an intriguing plot, romance, adventure, satire and an enduring battle for the throne. From the day I read this amazing novel, I was determined to narrate this impeccable story in the visual medium and have explored every single avenue that offered the possibility to realize this vision."
She further added that the show would be befitting to the expanse of the epic.
"Today, I am extremely happy to partner with MX player in producing this grand spectacle, and with Soori directing the series, I am sure that the viewers will stay glued to this period drama. This show is being mounted on a large canvas, and we will ensure to our best ability that there is no stone unturned to bring alive this marvelous novel," Soundarya said.
Karan Bedi, CEO – MX Player said that the tie-up with Soundarya was in line with "the philosophy of promising the best in original content" across languages.
"We are proud to partner with Soundarya as she makes her foray into the digital world with Ponniyin Selvan; her vision to make differentiated and larger than life projects is extraordinary and we look forward to a fruitful partnership. More so, this is a genre that hasn’t been very widely explored on the web and I am delighted to bring the digital first viewer this magnum opus that is sure to leave you enthralled," he said.
Watch: