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Ponniyin Selvan 1 review: Mani Ratnam’s largely faithful and brilliant adaptation has no dull moments

Ponniyin selvan 1 movie review: mani ratnam understands kalki's novel is a mainstream page-turner, so he retains its flavour and neither intellectualises it nor dumbs it down..

The toughest aspect of adapting Ponniyin Selvan into a film is how to condense a magnum opus spanning 2000 pages into a 2.5 hour movie. It’s a tough choice — what to use and what to discard. Here’s where Mani Ratnam wins. He cuts through the faff (honestly, there’s a lot in the text) and takes only things that move the story forward. Covering about two-and-a-half books of the five-part series, Ponniyin Selvan 1 tells the story that takes place in multiple places. With Sundara Cholan’s (played by Prakash Raj) failing health, a coup is staged to prevent prince Aditha Karikalan (Vikram) from becoming the next king. The young prince, who is away from the capital, sends his friend Vallavarayan Vanthiyathevan (Karthi), a spy and a messenger from Kanchi, to find the traitors. This is just one piece of the jigsaw, with other plotlines involving Arulmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi) in Sri Lanka and Kundhavai (Trisha) in Pazhayarai. While it’s tough to even write a pithy synopsis of the 5-part novel, Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan finds time and space to include the best of the original and add two immersive war sequences.

The war sequences, however, make PS 1 the most commercial film of Mani Ratnam’s career. The obvious purpose of the two sequences is to pander to the increasing thirst of audiences for larger-than-life war moments on screen post-Baahubali. Ratnam, however, refuses to take the easy way out — the battle sequences look real and authentic instead of just being the introduction scenes of the heroes. The filmmaker consciously takes this path despite having a story that can easily be exploited for “fire and water” moments.

Mani Ratnam makes the drama more engrossing than the sword fights. The meeting of Nandini ( Aishwarya Rai ) and Kundhavai (Trisha) is sparkling, Aditha Karikalan’s monologue about Nandini is memorable, and Vallavarayan Vanthiyathevan’s hopeless pick-up lines are more enjoyable than sinking ships and burning forts. Take the scene where Pazhuvettaraiyar brothers (Sarathkumar and Parthiban) meet Sundara Cholan. The king knows the two, who have been faithful friends of the kingdom, are plotting against him. How do you show this pain without dialogue? Here’s how: the king is undergoing acupuncture treatment and the doctors are piercing his ‘back’ with needles as he speaks to the traitors. It is an evident symbolism, but subtle and effective. Similarly, we have pretty everyday dialogues sans the usual Mani Ratnam touch. The director has said earlier he was worried about the dialogues as he wanted them to be pure Tamil but not dramatic and archaic. Tamil writer Jeyamohan turned out to be the right man for the job. The lines seldom sound odd to the viewer who doesn’t speak that old Tamil anymore.

Another thing that is majorly in favour of the film is the effective performances. Like in the novel, Vallavarayan Vanthiyathevan steals the show effortlessly. Karthi lives up to all the expectations — he is effortlessly charming as a glib flirt and at the same time, you see him as a brave warrior. I don’t know if anyone other than Mani Ratnam could have done justice to all the hype Kalki created about Nandini Devi. Yes, it is played by Aishwarya Rai, but her scenes are a study in perfectly presenting a character — the seductive music and soft focus are as sensuous as the actor herself. Mani Ratnam has indeed created Kalki’s ‘Maya Mohini’ on screen.

On the other hand, Jayam Ravi and Trisha surprise you as Ponniyin Selvan and Kundhavai, respectively. What were perceived as odd choices turn out to be the perfect ones. Ravi radiates the affable energy of a level-headed prince, who is in control of things. Personally, I felt the most heroic moments went to Trisha as Kundhavai, and not for a second she fails to live upto them.

Another hero of the film has stood behind the camera. It would be a cliche to say ‘every frame of cinematographer Ravi Varman looks like a painting’, but what can you do when it is the truth? From Nandini relaxing in her palace before meeting Vanthiyathevan to the extreme long shot of Poongkuzhali’s boat in the vast ocean to the entry of Aditha Karikalan on his horse, many such frames in PS1 are worthy enough to be hung as paintings. It’s one thing to make shots scream ‘grand’ and another to shoot the innate grandness of things. Ravi Varman’s work obviously belongs to the second category.

The difference between Mani Ratnam’s brand of commercial films and the rest becomes evident with Ponniyin Selvan. He doesn’t make demi-gods out of his heroes, they are just kings. Also, the filmmaker respects the audience. When Kundhavai sends Vanthiyathevan to Sri Lanka, the film takes a huge leap. The next time when we see Karthi, he is in a boat in the ocean. He trusts audience intelligence to fill in the gaps and that’s 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.

Ponniyin Selvan movie cast: Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha, Jayaram Ponniyin Selvan movie director: Mani Ratnam Ponniyin Selvan movie rating: 4 stars

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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 500 days ago

Kannan Jagannathan 537 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 545 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 2921 550 days ago

Just an Average one. Overrated

Kaung Myat 552 days ago

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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.

A still from Ponniyin Selvan 1 trailer. (courtesy: Tips Tamil )

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.

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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 1 (PS1) Movie Review

Mani ratnam comes up with a period drama worth watching on the big screen below goes our ponniyin selvan 1 (ps1) movie review..

Performances

Story & narration, technical aspects & music.

Mani Ratnam’s long time dream of bringing Ponniyin Selvan to the big screens have come true finally, and the film has indeed delivered on all fronts to present a period epic on screen.

Ponniyin Selvan’s big tough job is the concise the weight of the five novels into just two films, and the fact that Mani Ratnam had to stuff in the story of more than two novels into one film is a mammoth task in itself. But without creating any confusion or doubt, the writer and his team skilfully put together important incidents from the book and make it an engrossing watch altogether. Driven majorly by dialogues, battles fought inside the head and characters who have different aims coming together as one, Ponniyin Selvan 1 has a very realistic and rooted approach in its storytelling as opposed to a cinematic set of highs that one would want from such period films. In order to stay connected to the novel at all times, Mani Ratnam ensures that his film catapults all the main points from the novel and brings together an engaging narrative. However, this also moves away from the potential wow moments that the film could have created in a period zone, as we get a rather dramatic train of events than highs for the characters onscreen.

Ponniyin Selvan benefits big from its ensemble star cast who have all done justice to the characters given to them – Karthi is undoubtedly the show stealer as Vanthiyathevan, stitching together all the characters of the film and making it as entertaining as possible. Vikram showcases pain superbly, though his scenes are overloaded with dialogues and screams all through. Jayam Ravi is a bit of a surprise as he has a calm and likeable presence in the film, playing the young prince. However, the film finds its biggest treasures in its heroines – Aishwarya Rai is excellent playing Nandini, and emotes her part so well while Trisha has an angelic part to play and does not even have one misstep in her way.

Ponniyin Selvan 1 has a very good support star led by a superb Jayaram, Prakash Raj, Sarathkumar and the others making their mark as well.

AR Rahman’s work in Ponniyin Selvan is worth many awards, as the composer once again reserves and delivers his best for Mani Ratnam. There are so many sequences which would have felt underwhelming without the actual weight of his background score. DOP Ravivarman’s frames are different, but they do not quite add to the grandeur of the film, and look functional and static at many places.

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.  Ponniyin Selvan 1 (PS1) Movie Review by Siddarth Srinivas

Ponniyin Selvan 1 (PS1) Movie Review Rating: 3.75/5

Vikram’s special request to theatres screening ponniyin selvan, ps1 becomes third highest opener of the year in tn after beast and valimai, related posts.

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Mani Ratnam finally brings the dream of many Tamil filmmakers alive with this spectacular adaptation that superbly captures the intrigue, thrills and page-turning quality of the books.

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

• Times of India

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Bibin Solomon 500 days ago

Kannan Jagannathan 537 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 545 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 2921 550 days ago

Just an Average one. Overrated

Kaung Myat 552 days ago

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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

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Ponniyin Selvan 1 Movie Review: Mani Ratnam’s Dream Project Comes True

‘PS 1 (Ponniyin Selvan 1)’, Mani Ratnam’s dream project, is a period action film which is currently the talk of the town. The film is based on the popular novel of the Tamil state with the same name. The film deals with the Chola Empire as known to us all. ‘Ponniyin Selvan 1’ has a very huge star cast, was made on a huge budget. Mani Ratnam made the epic story of the Chola Empire into two parts, and the first part, PS 1, is released theatres worldwide in multiple languages. The trailer showcases visual feast and creates interest on the film. Let’s check out how it fares at box-office.

Vandiyadevudu(Karthi) goes on a mission to the entire Chola Kingdom, as instructed by his friend and king, Aditya Karikaaludu(Vikram). On his trip, Vandiyadevudu finds out about the conspiracy running internally to put an end to Arunmozhi Varma(Jayam Ravi) and the rest of the Chola dynasty. How Vandiyadevudu, with the help of others, fights this and saves Arunmozhi Varma is the rest of the narrative of PS 1. The story continues in the sequel.

Mani Ratnam sets up the very beginning of the film with an intense and realistic war episode. The audience are introduced to the world of the Chola empire with the voice over of Chiranjeevi. This narration is really interesting. The entire first half of the film is really a well-scripted drama where Karthi takes the driving seat. Chiyaan Vikram, in a few but impactful sequences, holds the key in the first half. Mani Ratnam chose to take the same path, even for the second half of the film. The second half of PS 1 is mostly similar to the first half, beginning with a war episode, driving into drama, a bit of action here and there, but the only change is that Jayam Ravi runs the show this time. Overall, PS 1 is a beautifully written and filmed, fascinating drama that is unlike any other war action film.

The main drawback of the film is the narration will be a bit boring and audience needs to be very patient as there were no highs in the film. On a final note, ‘PS 1’ is a fascinating drama narrating an epic historical story. Mani Ratnam brought the best of everything on screen for his dream project. The casting and AR Rahman’s background score stand as the main highlights of the film. PS 1 is more about drama and less about action.

Performances

Vikram as Aditya Karikaaludu is a dream role for the actor, and he completely makes use of every bit of opportunity given by his idol, Mani Ratnam. Vikram always thought of playing this kind of role in a historical film, and the audience can feel the excitement and energy he brings on screen in playing Aditya Karikaaludu.

Karthi as Vandiyadevudu plays the role of Aditya Karikaala’s close and trusted friend. Karthi is the sole runner of the film and explores the major portion of the first half on a mission. The special highlight of Karthi’s performance is his looks and actions in the song Raachasa Maavaya.

Jayam Ravi as Arunmozhi Varma, aka Ponniyin Selvan, gets his part in the second half in a few interesting scenes. Well, he is super cool in them and justifies the titular role completely. More from him is expected in the sequel.

Aishwarya Rai and Trisha (as Nandini and Kundavai, respectively) are the two beautiful, powerful, and delightful ladies of the film. Their looks, appearance, body language, and what not, every bit of their screen presence and performance looks elegant and royal. An ultimate face-off between the two actresses in a major sequence in the second half of the film just lit the screen.

Aishwarya Lekshmi and Sobhita Dhulipala are good and decent in their roles. Both the actresses justified their roles. Prakash Raj, Sarathkumar, Jayaram, and all the other actors get small but important roles. They are all well suited to their respective roles.

Technicalities

Mani Ratnam is a name well known to Indian film lovers, mostly for his dramas. Action is never his cup of tea, as is known from his filmography. The story of ‘Ponniyin Selvan’, as adapted from the original novel, is a perfect pick by Mani Ratnam. Just like his tastes and choices, the story of ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ is also more of a drama than action. Mani Ratnam perfectly made use of all the beautiful historical characters and the events between them. Thus, ‘PS 1’ comes out as a well-narrated drama. Credit goes to the legendary director here for consuming the entire five volumes of the original story and delivering it to the audience in just two chapters with a clean and clear narration. He should be appreciated for such an amazing and impactful visual wonder he had created Mani Ratnam.

AR Rahman is the true magician of the film. The audience experienced a lot of what the duo of Rahman and Mani Ratnam can do together, from their filmography. The duo repeats the magic here. AR Rahman’s choice of instruments for the background score to bring the original flavours of the history. The Telugu audience has a special gift here from AR Rahman in PS 1. After a long gap, AR Rahman gives his mesmerising vocals in Telugu for the song ‘Ponge Nadhi’. All the technical aspects of the film tick all the right boxes and are exceptional. Special credit goes to the departments of production design, camera, and costumes.

Disadvantages

Boring Narrative

Nativity Issues

• Ponniyin Selvan 1
• PS 1 Review

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Ponniyin Selvan: Part I

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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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Ponniyin Selvan Review - Engaging big scale epic minus the drama!

Published date : 30/sep/2022.

Ponniyin Selvan Review -  Engaging big scale epic minus the drama!

Bharath Vijayakumar

While art itself is subjective, the extent of variation becomes more prominent when it comes to movie adaptations of novels. For those familiar with the source material, it certainly is close to impossible to refrain from drawing comparisons in their mind. It is a constant battle between the images you have in mind and what is presented on screen. Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan (2 parts) takes up the herculean task of adapting a novel that runs for five volumes with over 2000 pages. So, a lot of creative liberties are bound to be taken in what is a highly condensed version.

We have a voiceover (as in the trailer) explaining the history that leads to the chain of events in Ponniyin Selvan: I. There is a silent power struggle happening in the Chola Kingdom and we are pulled into this battlefield. It is not one that involves warring men with swords on either side but a battlefield that has power hungry and scheming men and women devising cunning plans sitting inside forts and palaces.

PS 1 focusses on introducing the primary characters and their equations with each other. The film is predominantly driven by plot points, and we are only given a briefing behind the emotions that is driving the actions of these characters. For those familiar with the book, it is bound to be a little disappointing but ironically, they have the advantage of filling in the gaps. But for those who haven’t read the novel, I am not sure how much of an impact PS 1 would have as a drama.  For a drama to work, you really need to be invested with the characters and their emotions.  With the lack of time to establish this, Mani Ratnam opts for a fast-paced narrative where the action quickly jumps across places. The film breezes through nicely whenever we have Karthi on screen as Vallavaraiyan Vandhiyadevan, the sweet-talking spy with a visual appetite for women. Karthi is really good here. He plays someone who actually does over the top things with a mischievous grin. This is a very difficult thing to do. If he keeps it too real and simple, it could be boring and take away the essence of the character. If he goes overboard, it could end up being annoying. But Karthi gets the balance spot on. Among the other actors, Aishwarya Rai gets it right as Nandhini with her presence. The book keeps describing a lot about her, (predominantly her physical attractiveness) every time it focusses on her. This is a spot-on casting decision, given the kind of image we already have about the actress. And the actress makes Nandhini work. The others have relatively lesser to do or have lesser screen time in PS 1. Everyone fits the bill, but I guess one has to watch the second part as well to see how much of an impact they make in their respective characters. I was pleasantly surprised by Sarathkumar though. Vikram showcases his inner turmoil effectively in that scene where he recollects a crucial event from his past. 

The film never touches a dramatic high except in that little reveal leading to the sequel. Creative liberties and constraints aside, the scene between Nandhini and Kundhavai should have really worked much better. Since the kind of animosity that these two characters have for each other is hardly established, this scene passes off without the fireworks it should have created. The whistles in the auditorium were for Aishwarya Rai and Trisha and certainly not for the face-off between Nandhini and Kundhavai. And the introduction of Arul Mozhi Varman is such a nice ‘mass’ moment in the book. What we have here is a very generic introduction (war scene) for the character. Similarly, one interesting aspect of Vandhiyadevan in the book is that he keeps getting into trouble inadvertently and this also helps him to gather crucial information from unexpected quarters. But here he is just carrying out the instructions given to him. Yeah, I get it that some of you might get annoyed with these comparisons with the book, but I really thought that these aspects could have been incorporated better.

A.R. Rahman’s songs really work well. The visuals too are pleasant. The war sequences don’t create much of an impact because of the absence of an emotional involvement in our part. They come across as perfunctory action episodes.

Bottomline:

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 don’t 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!

Rating:  3/5

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Ponniyin Selvan: Part I

Vandiyathevan crosses the Chola land to deliver a message from the Crown Prince Aditha Karikalan, while Kundavai attempts to establish political peace as vassals and petty chieftains plot ag... Read all Vandiyathevan crosses the Chola land to deliver a message from the Crown Prince Aditha Karikalan, while Kundavai attempts to establish political peace as vassals and petty chieftains plot against the throne. Vandiyathevan crosses the Chola land to deliver a message from the Crown Prince Aditha Karikalan, while Kundavai attempts to establish political peace as vassals and petty chieftains plot against the throne.

• Mani Ratnam
• Sruti Harihara Subramanian
• Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
• 366 User reviews
• 23 Critic reviews
• 6 wins & 21 nominations

• Aditha Karikalan

• Arunmozhi Varman

• Vanthiyathevan

• Periya Velaar

• Periya Pazhuvettarayar
• (as Sarath Kumar)

• Poonguzhali

• Parthibendran Pallavan

• Sundara Chozhar

• Alwarkkadiyan Nambi
• Sembiyan Maadevi

• Madhurantakan
• Sendhan Amudhan

• Sruti Harihara Subramanian (Promo Videos Director)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia Director Mani Ratnam and music composer A.R. Rahman did not work with lyricist Vairamuthu on this film, following the latter's #MeToo allegations and controversy. This marked the end of the longest director-composer-lyricist trio in Tamil Cinema, which began since A.R. Rahman's debut on Mani Ratnam's Roja (1992).
• Goofs The Marwari breed of horses were used for shooting this film. A horse had died in shooting too. In history though, the fastest horses in the world were imported from Arabia for warfare in the Chozha cavalry.

Parthibendran Pallavan : I heard you died at Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar's hands, after getting caught

Vanthiyathevan : I think that I haven't died yet indeed

Parthibendran Pallavan : Your tongue is sharper than sword

Vanthiyathevan : One day you can try my sword's sharpness as well

• Crazy credits Vanthiyathevan was supposed to be a spy in various scenes, and depicted in ordinary garb in the novel. However, he's always in an armor.
• Alternate versions In Singapore, the film initially received an NC16 classification due to moments of violence occurred in the film. It is also noted that the Hindi version also received the same classification. The distributor opted to edited the moments of violence in order to lower the rating from NC16 to PG13. Both PG13 edited versions became the standard versions to release in theaters of Singapore.
• Connections Referenced in The Kapil Sharma Show: Ponniyin Selvan Special (2022)
• Soundtracks Ponni Nadhi (Tamil) Music by A.R. Rahman Lyrics by Ilango Krishnan Vocals by A.R. Rahman , A.R. Reihana & Bamba Bakya

User reviews 366

• PimpinAinttEasy
• Oct 1, 2022
• How long is Ponniyin Selvan: Part I? Powered by Alexa
• September 30, 2022 (India)
• Ponniyin Selvan: I
• Pondicherry, India
• Lyca Productions
• Madras Talkies
• Zeal Z Entertainment services
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• ₹5,000,000,000 (estimated)
• Oct 2, 2022
• $21,888,295

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 47 minutes
• Dolby Surround 7.1
• Dolby Atmos
• IMAX 6-Track
• Dolby Digital

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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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Home » Down South

PS-1 Official Poster: Makers Share Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan And Karthi’s First Look From Mani Ratnam Directorial, Announce Release Date

Produced by madras talkies and lyca productions, ps-1 is directed by mani ratnam.

The much anticipated magnum opus, PS-1, first part of a two-part multilingual film based on Kalki’s classic Tamil novel “Ponniyin Selvan” directed by Mani Ratnam and jointly produced by Lyca Productions and Madras Talkies is all set to hit the big screen this year. The makers have shared an exciting first look of this mega film.

The story is set in the 10th century during a tumultuous time in the Chola Empire when the power struggle between different branches of the ruling family caused violent rifts between the potential successors to the reigning emperor.

PS-1 is an adventure story featuring Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan , Sobhita Dhulipala, amongst others in pivotal role.

PS-1 is set to release in Tamil, Hindi , Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Madras Talkies (@madrastalkies)

Produced by Madras Talkies and Lyca Productions, PS-1 is directed by Mani Ratnam. The film is set to come on the big screens on September 30th, 2022.

Must Read:   Rashmika Mandanna Trolled For ‘Overacting’ While Getting Papped, A Netizen Comments “Bhav Khane Lag Gayi, Pushpa Ne Famous…”

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