'Ponniyin Selvan-I' review: Mani Ratnam delivers best film of 2022
Ponniyin Selvan I sets the premise for an epic battle. Chola Desam awaits to know who will be their next king after the bedridden Sundara Chola (Prakash Raj) as rulers from the small kingdoms conspire against their crown prince Aditya Karikalan ("Chiyaan" Vikram), and rumors about the demise of his brother Arunmozhi Varman ("Jayam" Ravi) spread like a wildfire. Here's our review.
Film exceeds the expectations of the novel's fans
As you may have known, the film is Mani Ratnam's adaptation of the popular Tamil novel of the same name written by Kalki. It would be an understatement to say that the fans of the novel have had their anticipations and expectations fulfilled. As a religious fan of the novel, I would say that the recreation is more than faithful, to say the least.
Actors fit the characters like they are born for it
One can say that this franchise has set milestones for all cast members. Karthi's Vanthiyathevan leads the show with Jayaram's Alwarkadiyan Nambi aiding him through it all. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Nandini holds the fire, while Trisha as Kundavai keeps it burning. Ravi and Vikram breathe life into the characters so splendidly that you won't even want to blink when they are on screen.
Supporting actors keep the show going
It would be a sin to not mention how commanding the other supporting actors are. Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sarathkumar, Parthiban, Lal, Prakash Raj, Sobhita Dhulipala, Vikram Prabhu, Arjun Chidambaram, Ashwin Kakumanu, Prabhu, Kishore, Rahman, and Vinodhini bring life to what we have read in the novel.
Non-complex narrative makes it easy even for non-readers to understand
The narration is straightforward; the movie starts with Kamal Haasan's voiceover which gives us a background of what the film will be about, there are some flashback portions, and songs establish some characters. So, it is easy even for non-readers of the novel to navigate through the movie. However, if you are one, it's recommended to learn who's who before watching the film.
What does the first part establish?
Bit by bit, the story comes together setting the ground for the sequel. The Cholas—Aditya Karikalan, Arunmozhi Varman, and Kundavai—sense the conspiracies and they want to save the kingdom from Pandiyas who have dragged another Chola prince, Madhurangan, into the game. So we get a prince who wants the throne, a prince whom the people want, and a crown prince with an agonizing past.
Reserve the Oscars to the show's man: AR Rahman
Ratnam gives us memorable moments one after the other. The visuals that make your jaws drop are promptly aided by the grand music that is nothing less than a royal treat to your ears. If a scene gives you goosebumps, AR Rahman's background music takes you to the universe that Kalki had built and holds you there even after hours of watching the movie.
'Ponniyin Selvan': A blessing that you don't want to miss
If you expect Ponniyin Selvan to be a larger-than-life kind of movie, it is not that. It is about taking the legacy of author Kalki and his brainchild forward, and Ratnam has absolutely aced it in a graceful way. Fans of the novel will not leave the cinema halls without shedding a tear or two. What a show! We are going with 5/5 stars.
