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Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1 Movie Review : Mani Ratnam's adaptation of Kalki's Ponniyin Selvan is spectacular

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Users' Reviews

Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

Bibin Solomon 624 days ago

Kannan Jagannathan 661 days ago

I am disappointed by the movie. I grew up on the novel, and like so many of my age, read it a number of times in the 60s and 70s from bound volumes that my mother had made from the serialized publication in the early 50s. I just reread it after watching the movie to make sure that it wasn’t some vague nostalgia from 50 years ago. No it is not. The writing still sparkles. The writing has poetry (I don't mean just quotations of poems, Kalki's prose was poetic), subtlety of characters with complex contradictions beautifully captured in prose. All that was missing in the movie. Instead, it was black and white (metaphorically). The powerful women of the novel - Nandini, Kundavai, Poonkuzhali, Sembiyan Madeviar - are all flattened. The men of great allure in the novel - Vandiaythevan, Arulmozhy, Sendan Amuthan - have no allure in the movie. Just dull looks and bodies, and in the case of the first two, mere modern-day Tamil movie swashbuckling cartoons. Yes, Azhvarkadiyan is portrayed perfectly, but that is about it. One of Kalki’s characters describes Vandiyathevan as "Brhaspati in wisdom, Saraswati in learning, Manmata in Beauty, and Arjuna in accomplishing ends". Sorry, Karti doesn't cut it. Yes, the CGI is great, and compensates a bit for the lack of poetry. But not enough.

Daniel Constantine 670 days ago

The movie totally lacks life since the actors such as Karthi do not speak classical tamil. He simply doesn't fit in this ancient role with his too casual and contemporary acting. I wish they provided a zero rating option to totally trash this movie.

Muhammad Nezar M N 674 days ago

Just an Average one. Overrated

Kaung Myat 676 days ago

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‘Ponniyin Selvan: 1’ movie review: Epic story gets Mani Ratnam’s royal treatment

Kalki’s source material of ‘ps:1’ is rich with myriad characters, and mani ratnam gleefully picks them all up to give it a cinematic touch, thanks to some powerhouse performances from his all-star cast.

Updated - September 30, 2022 11:53 pm IST

A still from ‘Ponniyin Selvan’

Ponniyin Selvan: 1 , Mani Ratnam's latest multi-starrer, has a unique problem: comparison.

Also read: Mani Ratnam’s  Ponniyin Selvan  opens to positive reviews and packed cinema halls

People who have read Kalki’s original, that is widely considered the greatest novel written in Tamil literature, will probably be championing their favorite characters among the leads, or waiting for their cherished sequences to unfold on screen. Audiences who have no connection with the book will probably think about Baahubali, or even the recent RRR considering the grand war sequences featured.

It is to the director's credit that he manages to satisfy both ends of the spectrum.

Mani Ratnam’s latest period drama, is essentially about a power struggle: Emperor Sundara Chola’s (Prakash Raj) health is failing, necessitating a new leader for the Chola empire. There are quite a few contenders, the lead among them being his son Aditha Karikalan (Vikram). But Sundara Chola also has another son, Arunmozhi Varman ( Jayam Ravi ) and a daughter, Kundavai ( Trisha ).

Karthi in a still from the film

The choice for the throne isn't going to be easy, because there are other people vying for it: Periya Pazhuvettariyar (Sarath Kumar), the second most important person in the empire, and his group of advisors, are backing another candidate for the hot seat. What will happen?

This story can unravel through many avenues, but writer Kalki — and filmmaker Mani Ratnam now — choose to narrate it through the eyes of Vanthiyathevan (Karthi). His only connection to the story is being Aditha Karikalan's friend, but he is the primary gaze through which the film unfolds. When Vanthiyathevan learns something new, he looks wide-eyed. Just like us. Travelling all over delivering important messages, he sets off in all earnestness, but also has fun along the way. Vanthiyathevan is us, the audience, peering curiously into a film that packs in valour, greed, honesty and treachery in equal measure.

Ponniyin Selvan: 1

The source material is rich with myriad characters that undergo a rollercoaster of emotions, and Mani Ratnam gleefully picks them all up to give it a cinematic touch. It helps that he has a power-packed starcast. Karthi almost steals the show, especially in the first half, kindling a feeling of joie de vivre, thanks to his zesty acting style (“Un vaal oda naaku koormai,” someone tells him, indicating that he’s a smooth talker). Vikram packs a powerful performance; watch him bawl during a sequence in which he sadly reminisces about a skeleton from his past. Jayam Ravi has an easygoing, understated approach to his character, while still maintaining the dignity associated with royalty.

And as Nandini and Kundavi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Trisha get their Tamil accents right... but the face-off scene between them needed more tension. Aishwarya Rai looks a million bucks, and also shines in the few scenes that showcase glimpses of her character’s villainy, but there’s a lot more to be fleshed out. We’ll wait for the next instalment.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in ‘Ponniyin Selvan: 1’

The issue with an epic of this kind is that all characters, except the leads, get little prominence. You keep wondering about Poonguzhali (Aishwarya Lekshmi) and her connection to the main plot, as you do with some of the other characters who make fleeting appearances. Only Jayaram as Azhawarkadiyan Nambi leaves a mark, especially because of his character traits and loud behaviour. Another issue is the presence of a dozen important characters and the spoken Tamil of yore, which will prove to be a challenge to follow for the average viewer.

But what the audiences will follow — and probably marvel at — is the film's ability to take you into a world from many centuries ago. Be it the rich sequences inside the kingdom or the magnificent battle set pieces, Ponniyin Selvan: 1 has you invested in the big screen, though one feels that the ocean segment in the second half could have been staged better. Thota Tharani's production design is a highlight, as is Ravi Varman's camera that almost runs alongside the characters; the quick-motion shots from atop a horse are as classy as those basked in beautiful sunlight. AR Rahman's music, a staple in Mani Ratnam films since their evergreen Roja , is experimental, and amps up the war sequences, while the songs are placed in a way that aids the story narrative.

Trisha in ‘Ponniyin Selvan: 1’

That Mani Ratnam has pulled off a subject that MGR and Kamal Haasan dreamt of making , is no mean feat. But then, who is the real Mani Ratnam? Is he like Karthik ( Alaipayuthe ) or Amarkant ( Dil Se ...), the one getting his characters to be full of life and romance, akin to the way we felt when we were in love? Or, is he like Surya ( Thalapathi ) or Velu Naicker ( Nayakan ), people who have weighty choices and decisions to make? In short, avaru nallavara kettavara ?

In PS: 1 , he has to deal with both in equal measure. For every ounce of goodness he shows in Arunmozhi Varman, there's a scheming Nandini to balance it. For every second of earnestness in Aditha Karikalan, there are moments of fun that Vandhiyathevan provides. Ponniyin Selvan: 1 is 167 minutes of powerful storytelling backed by visual splendour.

Ponniyin Selvan: 1 is currently running in theatres

Published - September 30, 2022 12:22 pm IST

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Ponniyin Selvan: Part I Reviews

Mani Ratnam has never made the same movie twice. Although all his movies are of a certain ‘kind’. Has there ever been a filmmaker who has built a body of work that is so large and so diverse by exploring just human relationships?

Full Review | Nov 2, 2023

While the blood baths in the name of battle and the typical petty humor seem redundant and repetitive, Ratnam's epic covers up through his complex characters and their passionate determination.

Full Review | May 30, 2023

Ponniyin Selvan: Part I is fun and brisk, setting a higher standard for Indian literary adaptations.

Full Review | Dec 10, 2022

Ponniyin Selvan: I — a title that has the aura of a thinly veiled threat — is more crowded than the inside of a Chennai tiffin house at breakfast, and features action so poorly directed that it will remind you of Steven Seagal movies from the 90s.

Full Review | Nov 9, 2022

Ratnam keeps the different strands moving at a fast pace so that you don’t notice the nearly three-hour running time.

Full Review | Oct 11, 2022

There are so many factions jostling in this game of thrones that it becomes hard to keep track and consequently, to stay invested. But it is also impossible to look away.

The sprawling, spectacularly mounted film is an ambitious, near-flawless adaptation of a much-loved literary work.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 6, 2022

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.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Oct 6, 2022

AR Rahman brings out his A-game in yet another collaboration with Mani Ratnam.

Full Review | Oct 6, 2022

Watch the film for its visual grandeur, epic action sequences, and some sublime acting by the entire cast.

Mani Ratnam summons the spirit of Kurosawa, but also his own long dormant powers in marrying the mythic and the intimate, the arthouse and the commercial.

Full Review | Oct 5, 2022

After the third, the fourth, the fifth bloodbath, I only yearned for something more tender to pull all of this together. All I got, instead, was the promise of a sequel.

Full Review | Oct 4, 2022

This process might take a little long, but once you submit, the immersion takes you into its own world rather than the pre-fabricated one you enter the hall with.

A fun and lighthearted adaptation with passionate performanes and great songs, that's also rather superficial as it just has too much material to cover.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Oct 1, 2022

Watch this dream come true for Mani Ratnam and cinema on the largest screen possible.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 30, 2022

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Ponniyin Selvan 1 on Amazon Prime Video Review: A Gorgeous Time Machine That Forces You To Leave The Books At Home

Director: Mani Ratnam

Writers: Mani Ratnam , Jeyamohan, Kumaravel (Screenplay)

Based On: Kalki Krishnamoorthy's novel

Cast: Vikram, Karthi , Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha Krishnan , Sobhita Dhulipala, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Jayaram

As someone who grew up detesting the blessed souls who claimed “the book was better”, it’s unfortunate to have realised that there will come a day when you have to use the same line, albeit to your own heartbroken self. In hindsight, it appears that reading Kalki’s epic five-part novel running up to the release was a misjudgement given how fresh the images have remained and how big the characters had become. But this was never an eventuality I had not considered. I knew the risks of going into a film knowing almost everything that’s going to happen. I also knew the risk of expecting the film to stick to the structure the book followed, forcing you to wait for the big moments that were rousing, hoping for the film to do the same. 

But this was a Mani Ratnam film after all. “Story” is hardly the focus of one’s expectations and it was not like knowing the Mahabharata or the Satyavan Savitri myth lessened the blow Thalapathi (1991) or Roja (1992) left you with. I mean, he’s the dude who made a leaky-roofed loft in Kasimedu look like a boho-chic hipster cafe in Aaytha Ezhuthu (2004). Imagine what he could do with lion-faced ships, 10th century palaces, some of the most beautiful actors in the world and a shipload of money. 

Beyond one’s imagination is the least one expects from filmmakers like him and it’s perhaps this weight that has pressed down on a few scenes that did not do more than just efficiently translate text to screen. In a sense, you find yourself going back to an adjective you never imagined using while writing about a Mani Ratnam film. “Straightforward” is the word and you don’t quite understand why the brilliance of the reimagined sequences didn’t extend to the rest of the film. 

One such was the ingenious use of AR Rahman’s ‘Chola Chola’, a song that’s easy to picture as a standard-issue victory anthem. Having won a battle that further extends his hold over his kingdom’s norther frontier, prince Aditha Karikalan (Vikram) is dancing with his soldiers, floating in and out of an endless supply of “somras”. Yet the moment is hardly the mirthful celebration of strength and masculinity. In essence, the effect is quite the opposite as the song segues into the maddening eyes of a warrior who’s trying to wash away his bloodstained hands with even more blood. The song behaves like a counterpoint, cheering on the Chola clan even as its crowned prince bleeds under his crown of thorns. His face wears these battle-scars, none as obvious as the one left behind by a broken heart and what follows is a superbly-staged and edited sequence that ends with the defeat of a rival king, but the mood is anything but triumphant. It is brutal, vivid and inescapable like a recurring nightmare that has become much larger as a result of years of regret. Through Vikram’s brilliant monologue, we witness a tragic figure being punished by the same ‘dharma’ he hoped to uphold.  

Ravi Varman chooses to shoot this sequence too with the same restless, handheld energy he maintains through most of the first half. Expect when he needs to, either to establish the majesty of these kingdoms or the landscape these people are fighting for, there’s hardly an overuse of wider shots. So when we follow Vandhiyathevan (Karthi) through the crammed streets of Thanjavur or when secret conversations are framed within the palace’s corridors, the camera is constantly shaking as though it’s taking quick breaths along with its subjects. This may at first feel odd given how similar period films love to keep frames static and wide to seduce you with scale. But in Ponniyin Selvan , despite its scale, the idea seems to have been to shoot it with the rough edges of a Latin American film. 

Not that Ravi Varman doesn’t get his moments to flex. A gorgeous top angle shot from inside Nandini’s (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) private chamber is impossible to take your eyes away from and so are the many, many shots in the second half set in Ilankai, where’s it as much hell for the characters as it is heaven for us viewers. Yet these feel like b-roll outtakes when we compare them to the scenes featuring the two astonishingly good-looking ladies, Nandini and Kundhavai (Trisha). We discover them through the eyes of Vandhiyathevan, but you need to observe these gorgeous scenes to understand just how much more the film does to elevate the reams of text Kalki writes to describe their beauty. It feels like a matter of fact that entire kingdoms and civilisations would risk everything after being fully seduced by their beauty. 

 This is a strange feeling because a lot of what you know about these characters isn’t quite earned by the film itself. Except for characters like Aditha Karikalan and Azhwarkadiyan (a delightful Jayaram), it’s the myth of these characters (and hype) that make them larger in our heads than they are in the movie. If one felt the meeting between Nandini and Kundhavai would be the film’s biggest highlight, chances are that you’re going to feel disappointed. Which means that to fully enjoy Ponniyin Selvan is to also fully succumb to this one particular vision of one particular director. This process might take a little long, but once you submit, it gets a lot easier to immerse yourself into its own world rather than the pre-fabricated one you entered the hall with. 

On one hand, this might make you feel a tad underwhelmed when it chooses to introduce Ponniyin Selvan (Jayam Ravi, perfectly cast) in full, furious glory rather than the surprisingly understated entry (as a mahout) he gets in the book. But in other instances, these switches result in exhilarating moments like when Kundhavai single-handedly changes the course of history, with one powerful dialogue electrified with legit 10th century swag.

Featuring great performances from everyone, including those who get just a scene or two, Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan 1 , builds the world, introduces us to its residents and then leaves us with a clear separation between book and movie. It also helps that there’s little room for traditional mass moments or extensive action scenes just for the sake of it. More than a movie, it leaves you with the feeling that you’ve been on an adventure. It might take a little getting used to but who said travelling back a millennium would be easy?

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Ponniyin Selvan - 1 Review: Exhilarating And Enriching, With Impressive Performances By Vikram And Cast

Ponniyin selvan - 1 review: the sprawling, spectacularly mounted film is an ambitious, near-flawless adaptation of a much-loved literary work.

Cast: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha, Jayam Ravi, Karthi

Director:  Mani Ratnam

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Shrinking a complex five-volume novel into a two-part movie is mean feat. It takes gumption. A whole lot of it. If any director has that attribute in the requisite measure, it is Mani Ratnam. Ponniyin Selvan - Part 1 , a period epic that is vast in scale and varied in visual scope, is proof.

The sprawling, spectacularly mounted film is an ambitious, near-flawless adaptation of a much-loved literary work that demonstrates exactly why it has been a movie project so daunting that the likes of M.G. Ramachandran and Kamalahasan could only make abortive attempts at putting it together.

Needless to say, the tale makes huge technical and artistic demands on Ratnam and his cast and crew. They prove equal to the onerous task of attaining the magnitude, the pacing and the stylistic flourishes that the story demands and available image-making technology allows.

That certainly does not mean that the veteran director surrenders himself lock, stock and barrel to the lure and power of computer-generated imagery. Ratnam is too good a craftsman and storyteller to over-rely on the razzle-dazzle of the kind of unbridled visual effects that have driven recent Indian blockbusters such as Baahubali, RRR and KGF.

Ratnam does not resort to sensory or visceral overdrive, drawing strength instead from the smart script written by him, B. Jeyamohan and Elango Kumaravel and from a cast of actors at the top of their game. PS-1 is a treat for the eyes as much as it is for the mind.

He abjures VFX excesses and grounds the historical fiction in a realistic zone to achieve the goal of capturing the massive sweep of Kalki Krishnamurthy's cult 1955 novel that traces the era of the Cholas.

It has taken six and a half decades for the story to make it to the big screen. The wait has been worth it. The Tamil-language PS-1 has versions dubbed in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam running in theatres nationwide.

In the 167-minute Ponniyin Selvan - Part 1 , some passages seem a tad rushed because the introduction of a panoply of characters and the exposition of historically dense details have to be crunched into a couple of three-hour films.

Editor A. Sreekar Prasad, whose oft-proven skills are tested to the severest, ensures that the story has just enough breathing spaces for it not to keel over into occasional incomprehensibility.

Once the prelude is out of the way and all the major characters have been lined up, PS-1 gets into the swing of things. It presents a phenomenally smooth ride through an exciting series of events - fierce battles, palace intrigue, lost love, vanquished soldiers seeking revenge, brave resistance - that records the high points of Chola history in a manner that is both tangible and texturally immersive.

The most noteworthy aspect of PS-1, besides the consistently impressive performances by a cast led by Vikram and brilliantly propped up by Karthi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi and Trisha, among others, is the production design by Thotta Tharini and the well-considered choice of locations lensed brilliantly by cinematographer Ravi Varman. The story unfolds in spaces that are eye-popping without being fantastical in the way that settings of historical epics of this nature usually tend to be.

PS-1 invokes the spatial attributes of the tenth century to perfection - be they structures made of stone, interiors of forts and palaces or ships and boats out at sea. But at no point do the images look like they have been crafted on the computer. PS-1 is a marvellously tactile film that stays rooted in a specific period without having to create improbable, cardboard cut-out sets suspended somewhere between a puerile understanding of design and a puerile imagination.

Similarly, the film's dramatis personae - the ailing Emperor Sundar Chola (Prakash Raj) and his three offspring, Crown Prince Aditha Karikalan (Vikram), his younger brother Arulmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi, who appears late in the film in the guise of the titular character) and sister Kundhavai (Trisha), and their aides and adversaries within and without the kingdom - are never less than human.

They deal with palpable emotions even as they grapple with challenges of grand proportions. The characters, be they Chola royalty or men of common stock, sound believable even when they are in declamatory mode, moving seamlessly from uncommon wisdom to chatty banter.

With the air of outright make-believe masterfully reined in, PS-1 is a historical saga that draws the audience in without resorting to the conjurer's art. Its magic lies purely in its layered cinematic qualities.

Mischief is afoot in the expanding Chola empire with Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), wife of the scheming finance minister Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar (R. Sharathkumar), having vowed to destroy the kingdom. She holds a personal grudge against her one-time lover Aditha Karikalan.

The conspiracy, of which the finance minister's brother and the Tanjore Fort's in-charge Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyar (Radhakrishnan Parthiban) and a host of royal chieftains are a part, is aimed at overthrowing Sundar Chola and putting his nephew Madurantaka (Rahman) on the throne.

Sensing the grave danger that lies ahead, Aditha Karikalan sends his best friend and trusted aide Vandhiyathevan (Karthi, who steals almost the entire first half of the film thanks to the character's gift of the gab and amorous antics) with a message for Emperor Sundar Chola.

The courageous and cheerful Vandhiyathevan dodges elements in the court of the king as well as of survivors from a defeated Pandiyan army who are out to avenge their slain king Veerapandyan.

While power-hungry or jilted-in-love men to a great deal of the talking, PS-1 is true to the source material in that it accords equal significance to the women in the story. Besides the beauteous and strong-willed Nandini, the tough and clear-headed Chola Princess Kundavai plays an important role as the story progresses.

Kundavai is not only sent by her father to pacify her elder brother Aditha Karikalan, she also instructs Vandhiyethevan to travel to Sinhala kingdom with a message for her brother Arulmozhi. Two other women in the plot - Vaanathi (Sobhita Dhulipala), who dreams of marrying Arulmozhi, and boatwoman Samuthirakumari (Aishwarya Lekshmi) - do not have as much to do in this part of the magnum opus. More is probably in store for them in the sequel.

Action-packed and eventful, the first part of the drama winds up at a point of the story that leaves many questions unresolved and points to what could form the core of Ponniyin Selvan - Part 2, scheduled for release in 2023. The film inevitably packs too much into too little time but it never fails to look and sound - A.R. Rahman's songs and background score constitute the backbone of the sound design - like a meticulously conceived and executed work of cinema.

PS-1 i s both exhilarating and enriching. Another dose would be just perfect.

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Ponniyin Selvan I movie review: Aishwarya Rai is a revelation in Mani Ratnam’s masterful adaptation of classic

Ponniyin selvan i movie review: mani ratnam has managed the unthinkable--adapt the literary classic with finesse and impact. all actors do their parts well but aishwarya rai is a revelation..

There’s a reason why Mani Ratnam is called a master storyteller. In Ponniyin Selvan I , based on the eponymous novel by Kalki, the veteran filmmaker shows who’s the boss, and in what’s easily his most ambitious film ever, he passes with flying colors. Mani Ratnam achieves the unthinkable with his film adaptation of the Ponniyin Selvan which he presents with enough thrills, intrigue and drama to keep you pinned. Also read: Ponniyin Selvan I release live updates: Mani Ratnam film set to be highest-opening Tamil film of 2022

The story is majorly centered on Vanthiyathevan (Karthi), who is entrusted by Aditha Karikalan ( Vikram ) with the task of delivering important messages to his father Sundara Chola (Prakash Raj) and his sister Kundhavi (Trisha). As per the message, plans are being laid out by princely state kings to bring down the empire. It becomes Vanthiyathevan’s duty to find out what the evil plans are and who’s orchestrating everything to tarnish the glory of the Chola Empire. Upon investigation, it is learnt that Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) is the mastermind behind the efforts to bring down the Chola dynasty. But what has turned Nandini into a revenge-seeking princess remains a mystery.

If you’re walking into Ponniyin Selvan expecting an SS Rajamouli-style action spectacle, you might be disappointed. Mani Ratnam relies more on drama to create the tension and it works to a large extent. The film definitely needed more high moments to make you root for the characters, especially someone like, say, Arulmozhi Varman ( Jayam Ravi ), who is the successor of the Chola kingdom. It’s such a powerful character but he gets a very bland introduction scene that falls flat.

Thankfully, the masterful writing makes up for the lack of more crowd-pleasing moments. It’s really commendable of Mani Ratnam and his team of writers to pick crucial moments from the five-part novel and turn them into captivating scenes for the big screen. Some of the film’s most crucial scenes involving key characters of the story have been so well adapted for the screen. For instance, every scene involving Aishwarya Rai (who is a revelation) is so well written that it leaves a lasting impact.

Mani Ratnam extracts solid performances from each of his actors. Irrespective of their screen time, each actor stands out and it’s a treat to watch them bring out their best. Aishwarya Rai as Nandini has to be the pick of the actors as she has very little to say in terms of dialogues but has so much to express with her eyes and she nails it so convincingly.

Karthi as Vanthiyathevan keeps the mood in an otherwise serious film very lively with his slightly exaggerated but strong performance. Vikram as Aaditha Karikalan lands a very emotional part and as a tragic hero delivers a measured performance. Jayam Ravi as Arulmozhi Varma only appears in the second half but has enough scenes to score and leave a mark. One of the reasons the film leaves the intended impact is because of the superb casting which includes good work by the supporting cast as well. As usual, AR Rahman brings out his A-game in yet another collaboration with Mani Ratnam.

Ponniyin Selvan I

Director: Mani Ratnam

Cast: Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha Krishnan, Sarath Kumar, Jayaram and Sobhita Dhulipala

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'Ponniyin Selvan 1' movie review: A tasteful adaptation defined by powerful performances

I have not read Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan , but it has always been apparent that the character of Vandhiyathevan wields great charisma. Many top actors have dreamt for years about playing this character, and now, after having watched Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan 1 , it’s finally apparent to me why. This character, in a sense, can be likened to Rahman’s opening song, ‘Ponni Nadhi’—which heralds the beginning of his epic journey. Like the river, he flows where he wishes, and he’s a source of much life wherever he lands. Like the river shifts everything in its wake, so does he. At one point, when asked about his whereabouts, he says, “I’m from everywhere…” and talks of being able to find peace anywhere under the sky and over the land. I wondered if that’s why he doesn’t hurt when he lands from great height like a waterfall. I wondered if that’s why he’s so frightened of the ocean—you know, that place where the river dies. He’s funny, he’s flirtatious, and when he is on screen, good luck taking your eyes off him.

His interplays with actor Jayaram—who plays Azhwarkadiyan Nambi—are delightful. The latter has always been a skilled exponent at slapstick humour, and his adventures in this film offer further proof. It seems to me that sometimes, we get so consumed by Mani Ratnam’s explorations of emotion that we don’t quite acknowledge how organically he weaves in humour into his films. There are so many lively, laugh-out-loud moments in this film arising from organic exchanges—once, from Vandhiyathevan simply observing his reflection in water.

There are other performances in Ponniyin Selvan that leave you gasping for breath. Vikram, as Aditha Karikalan, is gloriously unbridled as the crown-prince. A scene where he speaks of suppressed pain sees him bare his heart out. Ahead of the film’s release, there were what seemed to me to be unfair reservations on the casting of Jayam Ravi—who has always struck me as an invested performer. He’s on point as ‘Ponniyin Selvan’, the dutiful prince who comes into the limelight later in the film.

As for the women in the Ponniyin Selvan world, it’s wonderful that despite this being a story that’s occurring a thousand years earlier, they aren’t reduced to being ornamental spouses—or as happens in many an epic historical story, a property that men fight over. Sure, a foiled romance might be at the heart of this story too, but both Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) and Kundavai (Trisha) get established as devious women who know how to create desirable outcomes in the patriarchal world around them. Among the most powerful moments in this film is when both come face-to-face. It also doubles up as an example of why Mani Ratnam is a master at creating memorable, visual drama. Another example is that introduction shot of Nandini, as she slides open the curtains of her palanquin. As an almost ethereal woman who knows how to beguile men, Aishwarya Rai is compelling. In more than one scene, we see only part of her face—perhaps because there’s more to her than she lets out?

While there’s the opulence in ornamentation and the expansiveness of palaces and forts, what’s unmistakeable is also the simplicity of an older time when the rivers ran full, and the earth had not been plundered yet. Through the shenanigans of Vandhiyathevan, we get some glimpses into the history of our land. It’s a world in which a man has to undertake an adventure of a thousand miles just to pass on the message of a dozen words. It’s a world in which a lover has to wait for weeks to learn whether her words of affection have been delivered. It’s a world in which the word ‘scroll’ has not come to signify disinterest. There’s great pleasure in seeing what once was.

There’s greater pleasure in experiencing AR Rahman climb into this film and deliver the type of songs and score he seems to always summon for this filmmaker for whom he made his debut. Be it with a ‘Ponni Nadhi’ that gently nudges us into this world or the aggressive, hyper-masculine ‘Chola Chola’ that captures the thrill of conquest, his score is a life-force. He utilises an operatic voice to present a crucial flashback moment, a grand orchestral score for the moments that lead up to it. In fact, Aditha Karikalan’s two powerful moments in this film are big beneficiaries of the Academy Award winner’s score.

For a film about succession issues, about conquests and rebellion, perhaps the action sequences aren’t as memorable as you might expect them to be. Yes, there’s urgency in capturing the violence of thundering hooves and swinging swords, but the fight choreography feels mostly generic with individual set-pieces not bursting with personality—except, I suppose, that final stretch that captures the chaos of a mad sea. And yet, PS-1 doesn’t quite end in a way that signifies the satisfying completion of a first film. It’s perhaps a consequence of Mani Ratnam interpreting this as one-half of a complete film—but given that PS-1 is packaged as a feature film lasting almost three hours, I think it’s only fair that we expect it to possess its own fulfilling end.

Perhaps the foremost pleasure of a Mani Ratnam film is in experiencing his wizardry over the medium. To use an endearing description often ascribed to Vandhiyathevan in PS-1 , a ‘maayakaaran’. You see plenty of examples in this film. The choreography and lighting in ‘Devaralan Aattam’—which, perhaps due to the location or all the backlighting, reminded me of ‘Veerapandi Kottaiyile’ from another Mani Ratnam film (it seemed like an enjoyable coincidence that an enemy king in this film is named Veera Pandiyan). How about that mythical entrance of Aditha Karikalan? Or how about that incredible pre-interval scene—a directorial masterclass really—that condenses grief and sleeplessness of years into a few minutes of dialogue? How about the monologous lament that gloriously segues into ‘Chola Chola’. Listening to this song ahead of the film’s release, you would be forgiven for expecting a track about heroism and machismo. Instead, we get one about pain and regret—and in a sense, some commentary about the cause of indiscriminate violence.

These are joys that sustain you through the less-effective portions—like the not-so-deep insight you get into many characters… yet, or the straightforward action. Even here, take one tempestuous battle as an example, which must have been quite a task to execute. While you are taking it in, it’s hard to forget you are watching a Mani Ratnam film. You notice that this isn’t a thousand men taking on another thousand men to bring an epic film to its conclusion. This is a battle much simpler in scale, and yet, much scarier to witness. For one character, in fact, it’s as much a psychological battle as it is physical. It is said that the most rousing battles are fought not on the outside but on the inside. By that account, PS-1 does present snapshots of many epic battles, with the promise of more in the second film. Consider me intrigued.

Film: Ponniyin Selvan 1

Director: Mani Ratnam

Cast: Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha, Jayaram

Rating: 4/5

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Ponniyin Selvan Part 1 Movie Review: Mani Ratnam's epic adaptation is family friendly GOT

Director mani ratnam's ponniyin selvan: part 1 starring karthi, chiyaan vikram, aishwarya rai bachchan, trisha and jayam ravi is an epic period drama that is technically sound. however, the film might end up underwhelming for book lovers, says our review..

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• Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1 hit the theatres on September 30.
• Chiyaan Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha, Karthi and Jayam Ravi play lead roles.
• The second part will hit the theatres in 2023.

Cast & Crew

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Release Date: 30 Sep, 2022

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.

3 out of 5 stars for Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1. Published By: shweta keshri Published On: Sep 30, 2022 --- ENDS --- ALSO READ | Before Ponniyin Selvan's release, here are the 10 important characters you should know about

Ponniyin Selvan: Part I (2022)

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Ponniyin Selvan 1 Movie Review (2022)

• Ponniyin Selvan 1

Mani Ratnam and his fantastic team beautifully capture the essence of Kalki's characters in 'Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1', which infuses a period story with a sense of lived-in reality

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Movie Cast & Crew

Book adaptations are strange beasts, and in my opinion, the only way to truly enjoy a movie based on a book is to… forget the book. Now, of course, that’s impossible when the book is imprinted in your memory, but what I mean by “forget the book” is simply this: Forget the fact that you are going to get the exact book. One of my favourite book-to-movie adaptations is Guide , which became one of Dev Anand’s biggest hits, with great SD Burman songs, a brilliant and beautiful Waheeda Rahman, and superb direction by Vijay Anand. But RK Narayan, the author of the original book, hated the movie. He called the film “a bastard offspring of my novel,” but what he did not understand was that the film was not “his novel”. The film was not “RK Narayan’s Guide ” but “filmmaker Vijay Anand’s version of RK Narayan’s Guide ”.

I recalled this incident when Ponniyin Selvan finally got going after decades of various people trying to make it, and I think the author Kalki Krishnamurthy would have been quite happy with “Mani Ratnam’s version of Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan .” The film transforms a book into an utterly gorgeous piece of cinema, and I’m not just talking about Ravi Varman’s image after stunning image, beginning with a fiery Vikram emerging from a mist. It’s also the writing, by Mani Ratnam,  Elango Kumaravel and Jeyamohan. There's an early visual of the Pandya flag being sliced into two, and one half flutters into the next bit of narrative. That's the spirit of Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1. The book has been slashed, and pages and images flutter across from one bit of exposition to another.

Take the character of the boat woman Poonguzhali, played by Aishwarya Lekshmi. Kalki introduces her during sunset, as she sings a song that is so sweet that nature stands still. The song in the film, written by Siva Ananth, is not the same song that Poonguzhali sings in the book. But it begins with the same word, “ alaikadal ” and AR Rahman’s tune perfectly captures what Kalki calls the “ inba vedhanai ” (sweet sorrow) in her voice. We don't see other things from the book. We don't see Poonguzhali rescuing Vandhiyathevan from quicksand. We don't see her think his face looks like an owl, which annoys his vanity. We don't see him telling her father about his wanting to be ferried across the ocean to Sri Lanka. We don't witness Poonguzhali and Vandhiyathevan's subsequent fight on the boat, and her jumping into the sea to save him. But the image we get gives a sense of all this. We see her emerge from the sea like a mermaid, and he is already on the boat, having already confessed in earlier scenes that he is afraid of water. That's the essence.

In a way, we are talking about Mani Ratnam's approach in Chekka Chivantha Vaanam , where characters and situations were thrust upon us with intensity and severe economy. That film did not work for me at all, but here, this highlights-reel approach works beautifully. The playful scene where Karthi meets Jayaram. The intense conversation between Trisha and Vikram. The tragic tears that well up in Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's eye when she hears the name of a former lover. A following scene between her and Karthi, where we see her manipulative side. The scene where Jayachitra reminds Rahman of his duty. The flirtatious scene between Trisha and Karthi. The seductive scene between Aishwarya and Sarath Kumar. The non-verbal catfights between Aishwarya and Trisha. The boys-will-be-boys scene when Karthi and Jayam Ravi meet. The scene with Trisha's hilarious political move, which shows that the men may be straight-on schemers, but it's the women who are the devious schemers, driving the story with their agenda.

In other words, every character has a strong scene - or three - where their essence is established. One part of me wished for a ten-hour movie. But given two hours and forty-five minutes, there really is no other way to tell this story on screen, and the big plus is seeing Mani Ratnam, the director, in glorious form with his fantastic technical team: Thotta Tharani handles the production design, Sreekar Prasad is the editor, and cinematographer Ravi Varman fills the screen with colour, from the blue of the seas to the browns of the land, from the monochromed dark-pink interiors of a queen's chamber to the all-out rainbow colours of Raatchasa maamane . This is a film filled with constant movement: it's either the chases or the battles or the never-ending mind games that keep coiling around the narrative like a slimy snake. Even the camera, mostly, is free and keeps moving. Very few shots seem "composed"

Could the AR Rahman songs have been axed completely to make way for more narrative? I loved the segue from Vikram's emotional revelation to the drunken revelry of Chola Chola . I loved that a long comic chase involving Karthi segues to the playful Raatchasa maamane . But given the choice, I would have liked the songs to have been replaced by more interaction between the characters. Or maybe more time for the action scenes to play out. (Right now, they seem like truncated versions of longer action blocks.) But then, that's why we have the books. Besides, this story of political intrigue is remarkably reminiscent of the present day, where political groups band together and split as it suits them – so not much exposition is actually needed. Except for the costumes and the language, this is a very contemporary narrative about an ailing king – Sundara Chola, played by Prakash Raj – and his three children. (Again, do we have shades of Chekka Chivantha Vaanam ?)

Instead of trying to dazzle us with epic-ness, Mani Ratnam goes all-out real. There are no "mass" dialogues, the jokes are casually tossed off, the verbal confrontations are delivered in even tones, and even the fights aren't staged as spectacles for the sake of spectacle: some are like the delightfully simple sword fights we saw in the MGR movies. All the actors are fantastic, especially Vikram, Aishwarya, Trisha and Karthi – though Jayaram probably steals the show in an author-backed comic role that has sly shades, too. If Karthi and Jayaram give "big" performances, because their roles are such, they are balanced by the wonderfully minimalistic work by the others. Jayam Ravi uses so little to convey so much - and it's really tough to portray a good guy on screen without making him seem boring. And the end-reveal of a famous minor character in the book is awesome. This character-driven first part perfectly sets the stage for the second installment, which can now hit the ground running. Apart from showing how a huge novel can be convincingly condensed, that is this film's biggest achievement.

About Author

Baradwaj Rangan

National Award-winning film critic Baradwaj Rangan, former deputy editor of The Hindu and senior editor of Film Companion, has carved a niche for himself over the years as a powerful voice in cinema, especially the Tamil film industry, with his reviews of films. While he was pursuing his chemical engineering degree, he was fascinated with the writing and analysis of world cinema by American critics. Baradwaj completed his Master’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations through scholarship. His first review was for the Hindi film Dum, published on January 30, 2003, in the Madras Plus supplement of The Economic Times. He then started critiquing Tamil films in 2014 and did a review on the film Subramaniapuram, while also debuting as a writer in the unreleased rom-com Kadhal 2 Kalyanam. Furthermore, Baradwaj has authored two books - Conversations with Mani Ratnam, 2012, and A Journey Through Indian Cinema, 2014. In 2017, he joined Film Companion South and continued to show his prowess in critiquing for the next five years garnering a wide viewership and a fan following of his own before announcing to be a part of Galatta Media in March 2022.

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PS-1 Review: Brain Teasing Narrative

Movie: PS-1 Ponniyan Selvan Rating: 2.25/5 Banner: Madras Talkies, Lyca Productions Cast: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Trisha, Prabhu, R Sarathkumar, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Vikram Prabhu, Jayaram, Prakash Raj, Rahman, and Radhakrishnan Parthiban Dialogues: Tanikella Bharani Music: AR Rahman Director of Photography: Ravi Varman Editor: Sreekar Prasad Production Designer: Thota Tharrani Action: Kecha Khampakdee & Shyam Kaushal Producer: Mani Ratnam and Subaskaran Directed by: Mani Ratnam Release Date: Sep 30, 2022

After Baahubali, RRR, and KGF movies, Mani Ratnam’s “PS1” is the one period drama that caught the attention of everyone. The hype surrounding the film has been huge. $1 million bookings in the USA alone prove how much buzz the film has generated.

Let’s find out whether the film lives up to the expectations.

Story: Pallavatturyar (Sarath Kumar) and his wife Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) are plotting to make Madhurantakudu (Rahman) as the next king in place of Aditya Karikaludu (Vikram).

Upon this information Kundavi (Trisha) sends Vanthiyadevudu (Karthi), a spy, to bring her brother Arunmozhi aka Ponniyan Selvan (Jayam Ravi) from Srilanka to Tanjore.

Meanwhile, another batch goes out to kill Ponniyan Selvan. The rest of the film is all about Ponniyan Selvan trying to return to his birthplace.

Artistes’ Performances: The film has many characters but only a few get importance. Among them, Karthi as Vandiyadevudu takes the prime place.

The film begins with his journey from one place to the other. The first half of the film has Karthi dominating the show. He attempts comedy as well.

Vikram as Aditya Karikaludu appears only in three episodes. His acting gives a déjà vu feeling. 

Jayam Ravi as Arunmozhi Varma aka Ponniyan is neat. 

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan plays a dual role. As Nandini, she has a terrific screen presence. She gets a limited scope to show her performance but she holds the attention with her charm and grace. Trisha as princess Kundavi is beautiful. She looks a lot younger than her real age. 

Prakash Raj and Sarath Kumar play their parts well. Sobhita Dhulipala and Aishwarya Lekshmi get minor roles.

Technical Excellence: The best part of the film is the excellent production design by Thota Tarani. The sets are classy. He recreates the Chola period. Ravi Varman’s camera has enhanced the production design further. The VFX work is impressive in some places, and not up to the mark in other places. AR Rahman’s songs have not worked in the film but his background score is riveting. 

The Telugu dialogue writing (by Tanikella Bharani) is okay.

Highlights: Production design Twists and turns Aishwarya Rai and Trisha

Drawback: Hard to understand the first half Leisure pace No goose bump moments

Analysis The makers proclaimed ‘PS1’ as ‘the story of India’s greatest empire.’ Based on a Tamil novel named “Ponniyan Selvan”, Mani Ratnam made the film in two parts and the first part is here. Before the release, there have been comparisons between “PS1” and Rajamouli’s “Baahubali” but both are entirely different, neither of them matches in any manner be it war sequences or grandeur of visuals. 

“PS-1” is a story based on real history and the many characters with hard-to-remember names keep coming. Getting track of the names and characters themselves is a cumbersome task. For those who are not familiar with the novel and the history like this reviewer, it is difficult to understand the proceedings and getting the characters. 

The film begins with Vandhiyadevudu’s journey. Karthi as Vandhiyadevudu flirts with women, dances, does comedy stunts, plays with a Brahmin (played by Jayaram), and indulges in fights. Through him, we meet all the characters, first Aditya Karikaludu, then Nandini after that Kundavi, and lastly Ponniyan Selvan. His long journey and many subplots occupy the story of this part one. 

However, the film is structured in a way that much of the plot happens in the first half, which is very hard to understand. By the time we get the story, the film comes to an interval bang. With so much focus on many characters and their background, we don’t get any high moments. In the entire first half, the only intriguing moment is Vikram killing a person when Aishwarya Rai pleading him to pardon her. 

The second half of the film shifts drama to Sri Lanka where Ponniyan Selvan is residing. The visuals in the second half are excellent. The action sequence on a boat is the main highlight. The film comes to its groove in this part. But then it ends quickly with a twist, which in no way matches to ‘Kattappa’ twist. 

The film’s biggest strength is the production design and cinematography. The locations are another highlight. These are made for big screen experience. But the narrative is not strong enough to enjoy them. For the Tamil audience, the film may work well because they are familiar with the story and the characters. For us, it is a cumbersome experience. 

On the whole, ‘PS-1’ despite its grandeur and high-making values, is far from engaging. You need a lot of patience to watch the slow-paced drama that is nearly 2 hours 45 minutes.

Bottom line: Only Grandeur

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Ponniyin Selvan I FIRST review: Mani Ratnam's cinematic saga driven by terrific performance from Vikram

Ponniyin selvan i first review: mani ratnam's directorial will be released on september 30. based on kalki krishnamurthy's novel, the upcoming historical drama stars vikram, aishwarya rai bachchan, karthi and trisha krishnan..

  Ponniyin Selvan I: What is the movie about? 

Ponniyin Selvan - I 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. It is an event film mounted on a huge scale. Based on Kalki Krishnamurthy's 1955 Tamil novel, the upcoming historical drama is set to hit theatres on September 30. Considered by many to be the greatest novel ever written in Tamil literature, many stalwarts had planned to adapt the five-volume Ponniyin Selvan for the screen, but only Ratnam has succeeded in getting the job done. Ratnam, who has described the film as his passion project, is credited as co-writer on the screenplay along with Elango Kumaravel, while B Jeyamohan has penned the dialogues. 

Read:  Chhello Show Trailer: India's Oscar entry 'Last Film Show' is cinematic experience like no other | VIDEO

Ponniyin Selvan I FIRST review: Is the movie hit or flop?

Ahead of its release, many fans are wondering how Ponniyin Selvan - I has turned out to be. Dubai-based critic Umair Sandhu shared his review of the film on Twitter. he lavished high praise on it, writing, "PS1 totally Surprised me ! Wow (sic)." In another tweet, Umair said the film is applause-worthy. He also noted that the VFX and production design were terrific, which will transport one to a different era. He also praised the performances from Karthi and Vikram.

Umair wrote, "First Review #PS1 ! Amazing Cinematic Saga with Terrific Production Designing & VFX ! #ChiyaanVikram & #Karthi Stole the Show all the way. #AishwaryaRaiBachchan is Back & looking Stunning ! Overall, A Decent Historical Saga with some twists & Clap worthy moments (sic)."

Read:  Vikram Vedha celeb review: Kareena Kapoor calls Saif Ali Khan-Hrithik Roshan starrer a 'blockbuster'

  Ponniyin Selvan I: Cast details

 Mani Ratnam's magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan - 1 has a star-studded cast including the likes of Vikram, Karthi, Trisha Krishnan, Prakash Raj, Jayaram, Jayam Ravi and Aishwarya Lekshmi. The film's music has been scored by Ratnam's frequent collaborator AR Rahman. The cinematography is from Ravi Varman. 

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Release Date : September 30, 2022

123telugu.com Rating : 2.5/5

Starring: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Trisha, Shobita Dulipala, Aiswarya Lekshmi, Prabhu, Jayaram, Vikram Prabhu, Sarathkumar, Prakash Raj

Director: Mani Ratnam

Producers: Mani Ratnam, Subaskaran Allirajah

Music Director : A. R. Rahman

Cinematography : Ravi Varman

Editor : Sreekar Prasad

Related Links : Trailer

After nearly a seven-decade-long wait, the novel Ponniyin Selvan written by Kalki Krishnamurthy has been made into a feature film by none other than the master filmmaker Mani Ratnam. He has brought a huge star cast together to make this period film. Produced jointly by Lyca Productions and Madras Talkies the film is split into two parts. The much anticipated mega-budget film’s part 1 has hit the screens today. Let’s see if it has lived up to the expectations or not.

The king of the Chola dynasty places the responsibility of ruling the kingdom on his brother Sundara Choludu (Prakash Raj) due to his ill health. After a while, Sundara Choludu transfers it to his son Aditya Karikaaludu (Vikram). Madhuranthakudu (Rehman) who is the actual heir and son of the Chola dynasty’s late king gets disappointed with this decision. He seeks the help of another king Pallavaraaya (Sarathkumar) and they plan a secret meeting in Kadambur to discuss the future plan of action.

On the other hand, Aditya Karikaaludu gets suspicious that some conspiracy is going on inside the kingdom and orders his army commander Vallavarayan Vanthiyadevudu (Karthi) to find out the actual truth. Did Vallavarayan complete his job? What is the importance of Nandhini (Aishwarya Rai) in this story? How did Ponniyin Selvan Arunmozhi((Jayam Ravi), brother of Aditya and the next king of the Chola kingdom stop this connivance? Watch the film to know all the answers.

Plus Points:

This PAN Indian project has got many characters but in the first part, Karthi gets the meaty role. He is the entertaining factor in this seriously driven period drama. His flirting scenes with women evoke decent laughs. The actor has given it all for the film and amuses the audience whenever he appears on the screen.

After Karthi, it is Jayam Ravi and Aishwarya Rai who get the key roles and more screen time. Aishwarya Rai’s character is very significant to the story and she aced it to perfection. Jayam Ravi who played the titular role is seen only in the second half but does well. His character will have more prominence in the sequel.

Trisha and Vikram are seen very briefly but their screen presence leaves a mark and raises the impact. Trisha looks beautiful and so does Aishwarya Rai. The drama at key places in both the halves is interesting and creates a few engaging moments. The fight sequence between Karthi and Jayam Ravi and the other action block in the second half is composed well and holds our attention.

Minus Points:

Though the film’s story is interesting, it is filled with more drama and this becomes way too much for a common viewer to grasp what’s going on. The first part itself has so much content that it will take up two parts in itself to showcase. The screenplay at times becomes confusing and convoluted.

One more major drawback is the snail-paced narrative, which tests the patience of the audience. When compared to the dull and slow first half, the second half is quite better. The film has many boring moments bogging down the impact as the director stuck to a flat screenplay without many high moments.

The film needs some serious trimming as the scenes are way too lengthy. The climax fight sequence is one such important moment in the movie but it is heavily dragged for no reason and it lacks clarity too. The cliffhanger moment actually comes with a twist but due to the bad climax, one cannot connect to it.

Technical Aspects:

PS -1 is said to be produced on a large scale and the production values are remarkable. The production design by Thota Tharrani adds more value to this larger-than-life saga. The makers opted for more realistic locations and they made sure the frames look rich. Also, they are easy on the eye.

The costume work done by Eka Lakhani is beguiling and the female leads Aishwarya Rai and Trisha look drop dead gorgeous and highly captivating. Music by Academy award-winning AR Rahman is pleasant and in a few instances, he gave some very high-quality background score to elevate the proceedings. The camerawork by Ravi Varman is neat and he has shown the Cholas period very grandly through his lens. The editing of the film as said earlier is below par making the film a tiring watch.

Mani Ratnam is one of the great Indian directors who is known for his majestic movies. But all the sheer technical brilliance of PS-1 is let down by his middling narration. His intention and dream to bring this great story are visible but he should have been more cautious with his storytelling. The screenplay is co-written by Mani Ratnam and Elango Kumaravel but they didn’t succeed in coming up with an engaging and attention grabbing film.

On the whole, Ponniyin Selvan part: 1 has a good storyline but it is dull and does not have the needed high moments. The lead cast’s performance, sterling production values, and first-rate visuals are brought down by Mani Ratnam’s underwhelming presentation. The first half in particular is complicated with too many characters getting introduced. The Tamil audience will connect to the story more but the Telugu folks can give this film a shot if you love watching period dramas with a huge star cast. Just have your expectations in check.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.5/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

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Ponniyin Selvan 1 First Review: A Decent Historical Saga With Some Twists & Clap-Worthy Moments

Ponniyin Selvan 1 ! As the nation eagerly awaits the historical fiction by Mani Ratnam, an early review has dropped on Twitter. Umair Sandhu, a self-proclaimed film critic, and an overseas censor board member has tweeted the "first review" of Ponniyin Selvan 1, and here is what it says.

"First Review #PS1 ! Amazing Cinematic Saga with Terrific Production Designing & VFX ! #ChiyaanVikram & #Karthi Stole the Show all the way. #AishwaryaRaiBachchan is Back & looking Stunning ! Overall, A Decent Historical Saga with some twists & Clap worthy moments."

Umair Sandhu has given the film three stars.

The film releases worldwide on September 30. It is directed by Mani Ratnam, and is based on the novel Ponniyin Selvan. Writer Jayamohan and actor Elango Kumaravel have worked as writers for the film. The film's songs and the background score have been composed by AR Rahman. The film stars Aishwarya Rai, Vikram, Trisha, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, and Aishwarya Lekshmi as primary characters.

Ponniyin Selvan 1 follows the journey of Vallavarayan Vandhiyathevan as he carries messages from the crown prince of the Chola Kingdom, to the King, and the Prince's siblings. We come across both fictional and real moments from history as we travel with the protagonist on his road trip. We meet interesting characters and exciting plot twists as move.

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Ponniyin Selvan 1 (PS1) Movie Review

Average Ratings: 3.28/5 Score: 100% Positive Reviews Counted:8 Positive:6 Neutral:1 Negative:1

Ratings: Negative Sentiment  Review By: Komal Nahta Site: Zee ETC Bollywood Business

Mani Ratnams direction is good as far as technique is concerned, but he has not been able to penetrate into peoples hearts with his narration. In that sense, his narration fails to engage the viewers. On the whole, Ponniyin Selvan I is a boring fare which will not find too many takers among the Hindi film-going audiences. Its Hindi dubbed version will, therefore, flop at the ticket windows.

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Ratings: 4/5  Review By: Kirubhakar Site: Indian Express

The difference between Mani Ratnams brand of commercial films and the rest becomes evident with Ponniyin Selvan. He doesnt make demi-gods out of his heroes, they are just kings. Also, the filmmaker respects the audience. and thats why PS 1 is rewarding. He also understands that Ponniyin Selvan is itself a mainstream page-turner that panders to the audience. Hence, he neither dumbs it down nor intellectualizes it. Instead, he retains the flavour of the widely-enjoyed book in this thoroughly enjoyable film.

Ratings: 2.5/5  Review By: Shubham Site: Koimoi

Ponniyin Selvan is an iconic book and one that has enthralled readers in the South for years, the adaptation does manage to explain why showing the basics, but the big show lacks the thunder it must have. Part 2 has a lot to answer and if the approach stays like the first, hopes are dim.

Ratings: 3.5/5  Review By: Suganth Site:Times Of India

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.

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Ratings: 3/5  Review By: Janani Site:India Today

The film, a historical fiction, is adapted from Kalki Krishnamurthys epic Tamil literary novel that encapsulates the power struggle that rattled the Chola Dynasty. Mani Ratnams 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.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.

Ratings: 3.25/5  Review By: Behindwoods Review Board Site:Behindwoods

Probably the most exciting element about Ponniyin Selvan – Part 1 is the story itself. Upon watching the film, one might finally get the answer to the question why is Ponniyin Selvan one of the best selling novels in the country. Right from the word Go, there is a natural tension that is present in each scene, keeping us on the edge of our seats.

Ratings: 3.75/5  Review By: Siddarth Site:OnlyKollywood

On the whole, Ponniyin Selvan 1 is a film that delivers just what we expected a drama that stays true to its source material. Mani Ratnam decides to do it in his way and that drives down the potential excitement that could have been explored, but nevertheless, this is stuff worth watching on the big screen at least once.

Ratings: 3/5  Review By: MovieCrow Site:Movie Crow

Your experience could largely vary depending on your familiarity with Kalki’s novel. PS 1 is largely condensed, and plot driven. So, the emotions of characters and the significance of crucial events dont register as impactfully as one would have liked. But it also has some other things going for it. It delivers on the joys of watching a big scale movie with a studded star cast. Most importantly, it remains engaging despite the lack of high moments and has us anticipating the second part!

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Ponniyin Selvan 1 Story:

Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1 story revolves around Vandiyathevan, a charming young man who sets out to the Chola land to deliver a message to the King and the Princess from the Crown Prince Aditya Karikalan. The story shuttles between Vandiyathevan’s travels in Chola country and the young Prince Arulmozhivarman’s travels in Sri Lanka.

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Release Date:

Sep 30, 2022 ( India) straight to Theaters

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Cast:

Vikram Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Jayam Ravi Karthi Trisha Aishwarya Lekshmi Sobhita Dhulipala Prabhu R. Sarathkumar Vikram Prabhu Jayaram Prakash Raj Rahman R. Parthiban

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Director: 

Mani Ratnam

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Producer: 

Mani Ratnam Subaskaran Allirajah

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Production Companies:

Madras Talkies Lyca Productions

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Distribution Companies:

Red Giant Movies (Tamil Nadu) Sri Venkateswara Creations (Andhra Pradesh & Telangana) Sree Gokulam Movies (Kerala) Pen India Limited (North India) Lyca Productions in association with Tentkotta (Overseas)

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Run Time: 

2 Hours 47 Minutes (167 minutes)

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