DINDUGAL: The mega success of Maniratnam's dream project, the movie on Kalki Krishnamurthy's magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan, has now spilled over into the book world. One publisher has made an attempt to tap into the hype by replacing the original cover of the novel with pictures of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Trisha, the leading women in the movie.
Demand for the novel is surging again and people were seen making a beeline for it at the book exhibition organised jointly by the district administration and Dindigul Illakiya Kalam.
Tapping in on the movie's popularity was a publisher who replaced the original cover featuring the drawings of Manian Selvam with the photographs of the actors in action, evoking mixed response from the public.
N Mani is one among the readers who is up against the new colourful cover. "The great artist, Manian, gave soul to the characters. It was amazing," he said, adding that changing the cover will erode the credibility of the novel.
"The district administration and the government should intervene to help sell the novel with its full essence," he added.
Meanwhile, archaeologist C Santhalingam said Ponniyin Selvan is a work of fiction. "The publisher is just making use of the popularity of the movie," he said.
Madurai Kamaraj University Professor and Head, Chairperson of Department of Folklore and Cultural Studies T Dharmaraj said he believes the movie will help many, including youth, to start reading the novel.