How Many Mani Ratnam Films did Chiyaan Vikram Reject ?

10/12/2013

The deadly duo of Mani Ratnam and Chiyaan Vikram came together for Raavanan though the movie did not set the box office on the fire, the acting performance of Chiyaan was widely appreciated and to an extent outperformed Abhishek Bachchan which led to a mini controversy of sorts, However Chiyaan in a recent interview revealed that he had the opportunity to be a part of 3 different Mani Ratnam movies. 

Yes Vikram was first called for a screen test with Manisha Koirala for Bombay. Vikram said "I was terrified of the still camera. Mani sir was giving me a non-stop stream of instructions. She’s coming. You’re looking there. You’re turning. She’s turning. I froze. I was trying to hold one expression for the camera, and he said, ‘No, no, no, just be free, be natural." Vikram had grown his hair long and had a beard for the Pudhiya Mannargal part, but Ratnam wanted someone with close-cut hair and just a moustache. “I was on a break between schedules,” Vikram said. “I could have even shaved my head. But I was an actor, you see. It was all about continuity.” 

After Bombay Mani Ratnam also approached Vikram to play the role of Swarnamalya's fiancee in Alaipayuthe and Nandita's husband role in Kannathil Muthamittal but Chiyaan rejected those offers because he felt he would be just stuck up with these secondary roles.