Iruvar, Guru, Raavan, and PS I and II are just a few of the movies on which Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has collaborated with filmmaker Mani Ratnam. Suhasini Maniratnam, the wife of director Mani Ratnam, spoke extensively about Aishwarya in a recent interview and described her as ‘a genuine person’ who cares about others around her. She also compared her to Florence Nightingale.

 
In a recent interview, Suhasini Maniratnam, the wife of director Mani Ratnam, spoke about Aishwarya’s personality traits.“When I see Aishwarya, I feel really happy. I know her personally, and while many see her for her beauty, I see her as a genuine person. She possesses qualities that the public may not always see. For example, if you become ill, she’ll be the first to come and take care of you. She’ll provide advice on what to eat, and she has that caring nature. Aishwarya Rai is like Florence Nightingale.”

Mani had already commended the actor during a Ponniyin Selvan II promotional event earlier this year, saying, ‘Filmmakers are very, very selfish people, absolutely heartless, and selfish. The only thing they care for is the film. How much ever I love her (Aishwarya), I will ask her only if I think she is right for the role. Every time I have asked her, it is because I have believed that she was absolutely right for the role and she has been nice enough to say yes. So, she is not just a lucky charm for me, it is her talent and her personality that was right to portray this character.’

Ponniyin Selvan is a two-part adaptation of the 1955 Tamil novel by Kalki Krishnamurthy. The movie tells the tale of Arulmozhivarman’s early life before he rose to become Rajaraja Chola I, the great Chola monarch and one of the most powerful kings ever. The first part, which came out in September of last year, and the second, which came out on April 28, this year, were both well received by critics and viewers.