A project that has left fans everywhere excited to the core, six-time National Award-winning director Mani Ratnam’s upcoming Ponniyin Selvan, is set to become one of the biggest and most expensive films to be made in the history of Indian cinema. An adaptation of Tamil writer Kalki Krishnamurthy’s epic novel, Ponniyin Selvan, the film is expected to roll into production from December 12 in Thailand for a period of nearly 40 days. That said, pictures of Mani Ratnam doing a location recce in various parts of Thailand are now doing the rounds on social networking forums and have gone viral sparking intense excitement among fans who have been longing for the ace filmmaker to adapt the book, which is considered by many to be one of the finest in Tamil literature. Check them out below:

Mani Ratnam Ponniyin Selvan Mani Ratnam Ponniyin Selvan

To be produced by Lyca Productions, Ponniyin Selvan will see Mani Ratnam reunite with Academy Award-winning composer A. R. Rahman and lyricist Vairamuthu, who a while back revealed the upcoming magnum opus will include 12 songs. ‘Chiyaan’ Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Parthiban, Jayaram and Ashwin Kakumanu have so far been confirmed for starring roles with the film’s screenplay currently being co-written by actor and writer, Elango Kumaravel, who previously adapted numerous historical novels as stage plays.

Ponniyin SelvanPonniyin Selvan VikramPonniyin Selvan Aishwarya Rai BachchanPonniyin Selvan Jayam RaviPonniyin Selvan KarthiPonniyin Selvan ParthibanPonniyin Selvan JayaramPonniyin Selvan Ashwin Kakumanu