‘Only Aishwarya Rai…’, meet actress who wanted to play Nandini’s role in Ponniyin Selvan, is a superstar, Hindi debut film was super flop, never did Hindi film again, she is…

Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan I was a huge hit. The film impressed audiences to the core and had a whopping worldwide collection of Rs 450–500 crores. The film received so much appreciation that director Ratnam went on to direct the second part as well. Ponniyin Selvan had a star-studded cast, including Sobhita Dhulipala, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and others. However, did you know that Aishwarya Rai’s role as Nandini was desired by another actress in the film? Yes, you read that right! Another actress, who is also a big name in the South Indian industry, initially wanted to play Nandini. However, the director did not agree, and as a result, she was given another key role in the film.
If you are wondering who we are talking about, it’s none other than Trisha Krishnan. Yes, that’s correct! During an interview with News18, Trisha revealed that she had asked Mani Ratnam if she could play Nandini. However, the director said no. According to Trisha, Ratnam told her that Nandini’s casting was the first thing finalised, and Aishwarya Rai was the only one who could do justice to the role. Once Trisha learned about the casting, she was fine with it and later expressed her excitement for her own role.
Trisha Krishnan and Her Acting Journey
Born on May 4, 1983, Trisha Krishnan is one of the top actresses in the South Indian film industry. Trisha predominantly works in Tamil and Telugu films. In 1999, Trisha gained prominence after winning the Miss Chennai pageant, which marked her entry into cinema. She made her debut with the Tamil romantic drama Jodi in 1999. Later, in 2002, Trisha landed her first lead role in Mounam Pesiyadhe.
Over the years, Trisha built a successful career in the South Indian industry until 2010, when she made her Bollywood debut in Khatta Meetha. In the film, Trisha shared the screen with Akshay Kumar and even romanced him on screen. While the movie received mixed reviews, it garnered Rs 62.79 crores in India. Khatta Meetha is a remake of the 1988 Malayalam film Vellanakalude Nadu, which starred Mohanlal. After the film’s lukewarm reception, Trisha decided to stop working in Bollywood and returned to the South Indian industry.
Currently, Trisha is gearing up for her upcoming release, Vishwambhara, which is also expected to feature Mrunal Thakur, Chiranjeevi, and Janhvi Kapoor in key roles.