Kalki's Ponniyin Selvan is a sprawling epic that has so far remained elusive to film for many a Tamil filmmaker, and Mani Ratnam finally brings the dream alive with this spectacular adaptation that superbly captures the intrigue, thrills and page-turning quality of the books. In this first of a two-part franchise, the director and his writers — Jeyamohan and Ilango Kumaravel — rise up to the challenge. The manner in which they have condensed the novel is admirable, with the changes — like Kundhavai storming into a secret discussion, the introduction of Ponniyin Selvan's mysterious saviour - adding to the momentum of the narrative. Jeyamohan's dialogues are especially a highlight as he uses language that is both classical and colloquial without making it seem odd. The film does have a shaky start, with the director taking his time to set up the plot. Crown prince Aaditha Karikalan (Vikram) entrusts his friend Vandhiyathevan (Karthi) to deliver a message to his father and emperor Sundara Cholar (Prakash Raj) and sister, princess Kunthavai (Trisha) on the threats that the kingdom is facing. The schemers include Periya Pazhuvettarayar (Sarath Kumar) and Chinna Pazhuvettarayar (Radhakrishnan Parthiban), the empire's finance minister and commander, the numerous kings who have sworn fealty to the emperor, the remaining forces of the vanquished Pandya king and most importantly, Nandhini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), Karikalan's former lover and the wife of Periya Pazhuvettarayar, who is determined to bring the entire Chola empire down for reasons of her own. These portions, which inevitably have a bit of exposition given the nature of the plot, have rather jerky transitions as we are introduced to the numerous players in the plot and the history between them. There are times when we feel too many events being crammed up in a short time, which might make it hard for those who haven't read the books, to follow the plot. The swift character introductions also mean that we are already on to the next character before we have fully grasped the motives of the one we have just been introduced to. But then, the film starts settling down and by the time we reach the intermission point (the ghost from the last that haunts Karikalan), we find ourselves engrossed in this narrative involving palace intrigue. And when the action shifts to Sri Lanka, where Karikalan's younger brother, Arunmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi), the titular Ponniyin Selvan, is trying to capture the king of the land, the pace quickens and the film races towards the end, with nail-biting sequences involving the slain Pandya king's personal guards — who land there to kill Arunmozhi — and the director sets up the sequel on a high note, with a swashbuckling stunt on a ship on the stormy sea. The casting is more or less spot on. Karthi is terrific as the playful Vandhiyathevan, and along with Jayaram, who plays the spy Alwarkadiyan, infuses humour into the largely serious proceedings. Aishwarya captures the spirit of Nandhini with her beguiling looks, while Vikram, Jayam Ravi and Trisha are effective as the royalty. The frames have grandeur, but unlike in the Baahubali films, here, it is more understated. Shooting largely on real locations, cinematographer Ravi Varman gives us spectacle in the visuals of grand fort walls, the spacious halls with multiple pillars and high ceilings, a solitary boat on a wide expanse of the ocean and innumerable bodies lined up on the beach. While AR Rahman's chopped-up songs are mainly used to further the narrative, his score helps in lending a rousing quality to the proceedings in the second half.Read more

The long wait is finally over! Director Mani Ratnam’s ambitious film, Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1, hit the screens today, September 30, amid much fanfare. The film, a historical fiction, is adapted from Kalki Krishnamurthy’s epic Tamil literary novel that encapsulates the power struggle that rattled the Chola Dynasty. Has the film lived up to the expectations? Will it satisfy the book lovers? A comet appears in the sky and it is the bringer of bad news. Sundara Chozhar (Prakash Raj) is ailing and has announced his eldest son, Aditha Karikalan (Chiyaan Vikram) as the crown prince. However, the people of the Chola kingdom and Sundara Chozhar’s second child, Kundavai (Trisha) thinks that her younger brother, Arunmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi) will make a great king. Aditha Karikalan sends his friend and trusted aide Vallavarayan Vanthiyathevan (Karthi) to Kadambur based on the tip-off he received. He wants Vanthiyathevan to find out the plan that’s brewing and report it to Sundara Chozhar and Kundavai. A power struggle ensues as Sundara Chozhar’s brother’s son, Madhuranthagar (Rahman), also eyes the throne. Meanwhile, there’s Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), wife of Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar (Sarathkumar), who is married into the Chola kingdom to avenge the death of her husband, Veera Pandiyan (opposite faction). Who will succeed in their mission forms the first part of Ponniyin Selvan. The five-part book of Ponniyin Selvan, written by Kalki Krishnamurthy is verbose and with utmost detailing. The first part of Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan documents the important moments that take place in the first three parts of the book. Technically, Ponniyin Selvan is top-notch. Be it Ravi Varman’s brilliant cinematography or AR Rahman’s excellent score, the film sucks us into the world that Mani Ratnam has created with so much detailing. But when it comes to the story, Ponniyin Selvan might be an underwhelming affair for those who have read the books. Since, Mani Ratnam has crammed three parts together in one film (with a run time of 2 hours and 45 minutes), most of the characters except Karthi’s Vanthiyathevan do not get much screen time. The story jumps from Thanjavur to Pazhayarai to Sri Lanka and so do the characters. But, for those who haven’t read the books, the film warrants utmost attention as there are multiple characters at play and multiple timelines crossing over. Mani Ratnam’s adaptation of the epic is high on VFX and does not follow the usual template of a period film. He takes his own sweet time to build the world of Ponniyin Selvan and throws in crucial details through his characters matter-of-factly. There are several high moments sprinkled throughout the film. Be it Vanthiyathevan’s meet-up with Nandini or the epic Nandini-Kundavai face-off, Aditya Karikalan’s monologue or Arunmozhi Varman-Vanthiyathevan’s climax fight - you get grandeur-laden visuals, backed by strong storytelling. The dialogues, especially Vanthiyathevan and spy Azhwarkadiyan Nambi (Jayaram) work well as they manage to bring relief with their clever wit. Apart from Karthi and Jayaram, it is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s show all the way. Through Nandini, she proves why she is best suited for the role as she charms us right from the first frame. Similarly, Trisha’s Kundavai has a strong presence throughout the film. However, in a few moments, her performance doesn’t add up to the hype. Chiyaan Vikram as Aditya Karikalan is a volatile prince, who lets his emotions take over and the actor has done a perfect job in capturing the vulnerabilities. Jayam Ravi, who plays Arunmozhi Varman, in the film, gets introduced in the second half and manages to hold our attention. Aishwarya Lekshmi’s Poonguzhali character is a bit of a let-down as not much importance is given to her. So is Sobhita Dhulipala’s Vanathi. Prabhu, Prakash Raj, Vikram Prabhu, Kishore, Lal, Arjun Chidambaram and Ashwin Kakumanu deliver their best in the little screen time they received. After the performances, AR Rahman’s brilliant background score stands out and elevates every single moment. The way Ravi Varman lit up the screen inside the palaces and in the forests of Sri Lanka proves why he is the best. Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1 ends on a high as it reveals the identity of an important character. That sets the tone for the second part, which will release in 2023.Read more