Actress Khushboo is set to play a major role in a film that has created political ripples even before its release.

If the producer sticks to his choice, the articulate actress will play the young wife to an aged E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker, the Dravidian leader, in a film funded by the Tamil Nadu government.

Protests were held against the government decision to grant Rs.9.5 million to producer Gnana Rajasekharan for making the film.

The marriage of Maniammai to Periyar, decades older than her, raised a huge row in the 1940's within the Dravida Kazhagham founded by him.

C.N. Annadurai led the group that protested the marriage calling it against the tenets of social reform propagated by the party. Annadurai later formed the DMK.

Interestingly, when Khushboo was under attack for her reported remarks about Tamil women's chastity, her defenders cited Periyar. He had denounced the common notion of 'chastity' as a male chauvinist creation designed to shackle women.

Actor Sathyaraj may play Periyar in the film. This was a role that thespian Sivaji Ganesan wanted to play but could not because he did not find a satisfying script.

Periyar had given the title "Sivaji" to the then V.C. Ganesan after watching a play where the actor played Maratha king Shivaji.

Khushboo anchors the popular "Jackpot" show on Jaya TV, considered the AIADMK's channel.