Recently Ponniyin Selvan (1 and 2) — movies based on a fictional account of a Chola kingdom were released. They rekindled interest in the Chola dynasty. How authentic do you think it was with respect to the life of rulers and the ruled? If you get a chance to change the script, which changes would you like to introduce, based on the information given in history books?

The movie is based on fictional account of Chola kingdom as given in Kalki Krishnamurthy's 1955 novel Ponniyan Selvan. This movie show the glorious history of the Cholas. The movie revolves around Arulmozhi Verman who is on his journey to become Rajaraja I, the greatest ruler of Chola kingdom. We cannot say that this movie depicts 100 percent authentic story of the rulers or ruled as it includes fictionalised characters, exaggerated drama, and romanticised elements to enhance storytelling, but most of its plot is based on the historical evidences. These evidences were collected and researched by the Kalki, a tamil magazine which published it as a serial.

If I get a chance to change the script, few changes that I would like to introduce are:

1. More emphasis on administrative brilliance: The Chola kings developed a well-organized administrative system with village self-government. This aspect could be shown in greater depth to highlight how advanced their governance was for that time.
2. Focus on temple-building as cultural centers: The Brihadeshwara Temple built by Raja Raja Chola I was not just a religious site but a center for art, education, and culture. This could be used to reflect how deeply the Cholas promoted Shaivism and Tamil culture.
3. Expansion of naval expeditions: Rajendra Chola’s naval conquest to Southeast Asia (like Srivijaya) is a major historical achievement. This aspect was not explored in the film but could be added to show Chola influence beyond India.
4. Representation of social structure: The life of common people, artisans, traders, and women in the Chola period, as described in historical sources, could be given more space to show a balanced picture of rulers and the ruled.