Ponniyin Selvan 1: Vikram says Aishwarya Rai is always 'under a microscope', adds 'must be scary being who you are'

South superstar Vikram, whose last outing Cobra received mixed response by the audience, recently heaped praise on his Ponniyin Selvan: 1 co-star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Stating that the former Miss World has been 'under a microscope', Vikram added that it's 'so very difficult being her'. Vikram was speaking at a press conference for the promotions of their film -- Ponniyin Selvan: 1. At the event, Vikram also said that Aishwarya "constantly needs to be perfect" adding that despite "constantly being watched", "she has done it in style."

Mani Ratnam's magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan - I, based on Kalki Krishnamurthy's 1955 novel, chronicles the story of the early days of Arulmozhivarman, a powerful king of the south who went on to become the great Chola emperor Rajaraja Chola I. Vikram, the star of Tamil hits Sethu, Pithamagan, Anniyan, Raavanan and I, essays the role of Aditha Karikalan, the elder brother of Arulmozhivarman, in the highly-anticipated movie.

Speaking at the press conference, Vikram said about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, "She has always stolen everyone's heart. Every time there have been many women, who have been queens, Aish (Aishwarya) has always been symbolic of that picture of perfection we look up to. I have seen her films, I've watched her and I think it wasn't just about beauty, it was what she stood for. I've always felt she has been under a microscope. It's so very difficult being her. She is constantly being watched, constantly needs to be perfect, and let me tell you, she has done it in style."

Vikram was speaking at the film's press conference on Saturday where he was joined by Ratnam, co-stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Trisha and music composer AR Rahman.

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Talking about working with the former beauty queen, Vikram said, "I got to work with her, I saw the other side where she is professional. It's three films with her actually. I like the way that she puts into her character, it's very difficult. This one is even more difficult now she's a mother, needs to spend time at home, needs to give Abhishek his time, get her lines straight...and she is still under the microscope. It's such a scary place. They always say where it's lonely at the top it's very scary. Aish it must be so scary being who you are...All our fans keep saying it’s so nice to see you as a pair, but the only thing is, I never get her (Aishwarya) in the movies. They knock me off."

Backed by Ratnam's banner Madras Talkies and Allirajah Subaskaran's Lyca Productions, Ponniyin Selvan I, which features an ensemble star cast of Vikram, Karthi, Trisha, Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sobhita Dhulipala, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Prabhu, R. Sarathkumar, Vikram Prabhu, Jayaram, Prakash Raj, Rahman and R. Parthiban, is arriving in cinemas on September 30. It will be released in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam.