Ponniyin Selvan 1 review

Summary of Ponniyin Selvan 1: With the crown prince Aaditha Karikalan, his younger brother Arunmozhi Varman, and the emperor Sundara Cholar separated by circumstances, it is up to a messenger to ensure the safety of the Chola kingdom from threats both internal and external. Can he accomplish his goal, especially when Karikalan's ex-girlfriend Nandhini is plotting to overthrow the Chola empire as a whole?

Review of Ponniyin Selvan 1: Kalki's Ponniyin Selvan is a rambling legendary that has so far stayed slippery to film for the vast majority a Tamil producer, and Mani Ratnam at last carries the fantasy buzzing with this fabulous transformation that eminently catches the interest, excites and page-turning nature of the books. The director and his writers, Jeyamohan and Ilango Kumaravel, rise to the occasion in this first installment of a two-part series. How they have dense the novel is outstanding, with the progressions — like Kundhavai raging into a mysterious conversation, the presentation of Ponniyin Selvan's baffling hero - adding to the energy of the story. Jeyamohan's dialogues stand out because he uses language that is at once classical and commonplace without being strange.

The movie has a precarious beginning, with the chief taking as much time as necessary to set up the plot. Crown prince Aaditha Karikalan (Vikram) entrusts his friend Vandhiyathevan (Karthi) with conveying information regarding the threats facing the kingdom to his father and emperor Sundara Cholar (Prakash Raj) and sister, princess Kunthavai (Trisha). Periya Pazhuvettarayar (Sarah Kumar) and Chinna Pazhuvettarayar (Radhakrishnan Parthiban), the empire's finance minister and commander, the numerous kings who have sworn fealty to the emperor, the remaining forces of the defeated Pandya king, and, most importantly, Nandhini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), Karikalan's former lover and the

Given the nature of the plot, these sections inevitably contain some exposition and have jerky transitions as we are introduced to the numerous plot players and their histories. There are times when it feels like there are too many events happening at once, making it hard for people who haven't read the books to follow the plot. The quick person presentations additionally imply that we are as of now on to the following person before we have completely gotten a handle on the thought processes of the one we have quite recently been acquainted with.

However, the film begins to slow down after that, and by the time we reach the intermission (where Karikalan is haunted by the ghost of the previous film), we have become engrossed in this plot about palace intrigue. The pace picks up when the action shifts to Sri Lanka, where Karikalan's younger brother Arunmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi), the titular Ponniyin Selvan, is attempting to capture the king of the land. There are nail-biting sequences involving the personal guards of the slain Pandya king, who land there to kill Arunmozhi, and the director sets up the sequel on a high note

The casting is nearly perfect. Karthi is spectacular as the energetic Vandhiyathevan, and alongside Jayaram, who plays the covert agent Alwarkadiyan, injects humor into the generally serious procedures. Aishwarya encapsulates Nandhini with her dumbfounding looks, while Vikram, Jayam Ravi and Trisha are successful as the eminence. The casings have greatness, however not at all like in the Baahubali films, here, it is more downplayed. Cinematographer Ravi Varman provides us with spectacle in the form of the grand fort walls, the spacious halls with multiple pillars and high ceilings, a single boat on a vast expanse of the ocean, and numerous bodies lined up on the beach. The majority of the filming took place on actual locations. Even though AR Rahman's chopped-up songs are mostly used to tell the story, his score helps make the second half of the movie more exciting.

Critic's Rating: 3.5/5

7.7/10 IMDb

3.5/5 Times of India

4.5/5 Google

3.25/5 My Review