If sources in the tinsel town are to be believed, then it is a casting coup of sorts! The current buzz in the film industry is that Mani Ratnam, one of the finest filmmakers in India, and actor
Ajith are teaming up for a movie for the first time. According an insider, the Raavan director flew to Hyderabad recently and met Ajith on the sets of Billa 2 at Ramoji Rao Film City . The discussions went on for hours and centred around the possibility of the two of them coming together after Thala completes Billa 2. It is reported that the unit members were in for a surprise as Mani, who never has the habit of visiting any star (with the exception of Kamal Haasan earlier) on the sets, walked in the other day. Apparently, both Mani and Ajith were in a cheerful both Mani and Ajith were in a cheerful mood and sounded positive. The grapevine has it that Ajith is also eager to work with the acclaimed filmmaker, after all Mani has given made classics like Nayagan with Kamal and Thalapathy with Rajinikanth.
It may be recalled that of late Mani Ratnam is keen to work with big actors in Tamil and he also went ahead and initiated talks with Vijay for his magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan. But the project got shelved for various reasons. If all goes well, the new movie would begin in mid-2012.
Presently Mani Ratnam is busy with his next film, which has all newcomers in the lead, based on the sensitive issue of plight of Rameshwaram fishermen at the hands of Sri Lankan Navy. Mani is launching Gautham, son of veter an actor Karthik, as the lead actor with Rajiv Menon behind the camera and AR Rahman composing the music.
http://www.starajith.com/2659-director-mani-rathnam-ropes-in-ajith-2012-billa2-sets-hyderabad