Last seen in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s production Fanney Khan in 2018, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been missing from the silver screen for close to four years now. However, she is now set to stage her comeback with her mentor Mani Ratman’s much-anticipated period drama Ponniyin Selvan – 1, which has been in production for more than three years now.
The makers of Ratnam’s upcoming magnum opus on Wednesday released a new poster of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. In the poster, the actress stands tall in a graceful orange kanjeevaram saree draped in the front pallu style twirled on the arm.
Ratnam’s Madras Talkies, which is co-producing the two-part film franchise, took to Twitter to share Aishwarya’s poster as Nandini, the Queen of Pazhuvoor who is motivated by “vengeance”. “Vengeance has a beautiful face! Meet Nandini, the Queen of Pazhuvoor! #PS1 releasing in theatres on 30th September in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada,” the banner said in a tweet.
In addition to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the ensemble star cast of Ponniyin Selvan – 1 also includes Vikram, Karthi, Trisha Krishnan, Prakash Raj, Jayaram, Jayam Ravi, and Aishwarya Lekshmi in pivotal roles.
The first part of Ponniyin Selvan reunites Aishwarya with Ratnam following her acting debut in 1997 Iruvar (Tamil), Guru (the 2007 Hindi film), and the 2010 Hindi movie Raavan.
The upcoming film is based on Kalki Krishnamurthy’s 1955 Tamil novel of the same name, which chronicles the story of the early days of Arulmozhivarman, one of the most powerful kings in the south, who went on to become the great Chola emperor Rajaraja Chola I.
Also backed by Lyca Productions, Ponniyin Selvan has Ratnam also serving as co-writer on the screenplay with Elango Kumaravel, while B Jeyamohan has been credited as the dialogue writer. The film has music by AR Rahman.
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.