Ponniyin Selvan is an epic movie directed by Mani Ratnam which stars some of the most talented actors, including Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Trisha Krishnan. The movie is a masterpiece in itself, and the jewelry used in this movie has become the talk of the town ever since its release.
Many movies use artificial jewelry to amp up their characters and the overall theme, but Ponniyin Selvan is a rare exception as it uses authentic gold jewelry. Director Mani Ratnam is a perfectionist, and he made sure that the jewelry used in the movie was genuine and of high quality.
Every piece has been made with care and attention to detail. The jewelry used has a touch of the Chola Kingdom, which makes them even more beautiful. They are ornate and detailed, with intricate designs that are unique in themselves.
Mani Ratnam and the production team, partnered with Kishandas & Co Jewelers of Hyderabad, which have been making unique jewelry since 1870. With an experience of more than 145 years, Kishandas & Co is one of the oldest and most trusted jewelers in India that did this project with top-notch perfection.
The overall research process for the jewelry creation:
The movie crew wanted to be sure that they got the look of the jewelry right. They worked with a team of professional craftspeople and jewelers who had a deep understanding of the Chola Dynasty.
The crew of Madras Talkies production conducted extensive research on the type of jewelry to be used as well as the limitations they faced. After creating a sketch of each character, they developed unique looks for them in order to make sure the jewelry looked appropriate and real.
The jewelry used for the movie is a reflection of the Chola craftsmanship to ensure authenticity. The jewelry was designed keeping in mind the characters and their personalities. The lead designer of Ponniyin Selvan, Eka Lakhani, was able to create some truly stunning jewelry pieces for the movie.
She also did extensive research on the materials used in order to make sure that they looked genuine and beautiful. Eka and head director Prashant revealed that it took around six months to complete the jewelry design, and the whole process was very rewarding.
Inspiration and theme for jewelry designing:
The jewelry in Ponniyin Selvan is inspired by the Chola Dynasty and their traditional craftsmanship. The temple jewelry used in the movie was first seen in the Chola Dynasty in the ninth century. These pieces of jewelry are ornate and intricate, with a heavy reliance on motifs, including snakes, peacocks, lotuses, filigree work, and floral designs.
For recreating the renders for jewelry design, the movie team experimented with numerous precious stones, including rubies, emeralds, and uncut diamonds. All these elements elevated the gold jewelry to a stunning level.
The purpose of using uncut diamonds is to make jewelry look antique and traditional. Apart from that, Burmese rubies were also used in the movie as, at that time, there were trade connections between the Chola Kingdom and Burma.
The signet ring used in the movie is an inspiration from the novel, where Kaveri is seen giving it to Vandhiyathevan as a symbol of her love and devotion.
According to data from the movie production team, it took 50 artists to create all the pieces used in the movie. Not only the lead characters but even the supporting characters were adorned with stunning pieces of jewelry.
Aishwarya and Trisha jewelry:
Aishwarya and Trisha, who played the lead heroines in Ponniyin Selvan, had intricate jewelry pieces designed for them. As they both needed to wear their hair in traditional buns, this was the most difficult part of getting ready. But their earrings and necklaces were still kept simple.
Furthermore, their jewelry was designed to reflect the characters they were portraying. For designing the jewelry, the makers had to take measurements from the angle and size of their hair buns. The jewelry was kept modest for characters like Vanathi and Poonguzhali, with style being unique silver. Poonguzhali’s jewelry was made out of, while Vanathi wore traditional pieces like nose pins, hair pieces, neckpieces, and more.
The motifs and designs of the jewelry were inspired by traditional Chola Dynasty motifs, giving it a unique look. The overall effect was mesmerizing and has become iconic for the movie.
Jewelry for men:
The men in Ponniyin Selvan adorn jewelry as per their roles. For lead actors like Vikram as Aditya Karikalan, Karthi as Vanthiyathevan, and Jayam Ravi as Arulmozhivarman — rings, armlets, belts, and body chains were made. Armbands were manufactured to be worn on top of the armor for combat scenes, while “kadas” were made for scenarios in the regal Darbar.
The team Mani Ratnam did extensive research on men’s jewelry to create a stunning effect on the screen. They also had to consider the texture and design of the clothes their characters were wearing, as this influenced the jewelry used.
The armbands and rings used in the movie were designed such that they looked antique and luxurious. The designs of these pieces have since become iconic for the movie, with many people trying to replicate them.
The team of Kishandas & Co Jewelers worked closely with Mani Ratnam to create stunning jewelry pieces for Ponniyin Selvan. Right from the designing process to completing the jewelry design, the whole process was very rewarding. The finished product is a stunning testament to their hard work and effort.
In conclusion, the jewelry used in Ponniyin Selvan is one of the defining aspects of the movie and has since become iconic. The intricate designs, motifs, and stones all contribute to making it a stunning visual masterpiece. The team at Kishandas & Co Jewelers should be commended for their hard work and dedication in creating these pieces.
Furthermore, the vision of Mani Ratnam to use real gold and precious stones has made the jewelry even more stunning. It is undoubtedly a sight to behold and will remain an iconic part of this movie for years.
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