Ponniyin Selvan-I review: A masterpiece short of a spoonful of emotion

Ponniyin Selvan-I, the magnum opus of ace director Mani Ratnam, was released today globally after a long wait. What started off as a stand-alone, turned out to be a two-part affair that follows the plot of Kalki Krishnamurthy’s novel series of the same name. Starring Chiyaan Vikram, Karthi Sivakumar, Jayam Ravi, Trisha Krishnan, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in plot-defining roles, the movie was made on a grand scale with exuberant visuals that portray the ancient Indian culture beautifully. While many have been comparing PS-I with SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali, the Mani Ratnam directorial stands apart, neither below nor above, as PS is an actual legend of the Chola Dynasty. The 9th-century story was precisely adapted to the screen with a pinch of fiction blended with it. PS-I opened to majorly positive reviews, with the moviegoers calling it one of Mani Ratnam’s best works to date.

Read on for a spoiler-free review of Ponniyin Selvan-I aka PS-I.

Set over 1,000 years ago from the present day, the movie opens with a narration that explains the perils looming over the Chola rulers. On a fateful night, a shooting star appears in the Tanjavur skies, that prophecises unforeseen dangers to the king and his princes. Sundara Chola, the king in his final stages, is advised by the medics not to meddle in politics anymore, giving an opportunity for conspirators to make the best use of it. Meanwhile, the crown princes, Adithya Karikalan (Vikram) and Arulmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi), each set out in different directions to conquer rival kingdoms.

After an introduction of all the leads, that failed to create the hype the plot demands, the movie unfolds around Vallayavaran’s mission to deliver a message to the king and the Chola princess Kundavai (Trisha). Through his journey all the way to Tanjavur from Kanchi, we are introduced to the rest of the characters, Paluvettaraya (Sarath Kumar), Nandini (Aishwarya Rai), Vaanathi (Sobhita Dhulipala), and others.

Karthi’s performance as the brave and flirtatious warrior prince stands as one of the major highlights of the movie. With a screen time that is shorter than expected, Chiyaan Vikram managed to prove his inclusion worthy with a layered character of filtered emotions. Aishwarya Rai, Jayam Ravi, and Aishwarya Lekshmi, who plays a boat woman, have also impressed the watchers. But what stands out the most is Trisha in her looks which are true to her role as a princess. Unlike all her bubbly characters in the past, the actress was seen as a poignant royal who maintains her composure under any pressure.

Also read: Did you know that Mahesh Babu and Vijay were originally cast in Ponniyin Selvan?

As a director, Mani Ratnam must be appreciated for sticking to the true essence of the original story and not giving in to the commercial aspects the audiences expect. With trademark shots that captured the female leads charmingly, he has yet again proved why he is regarded as the best in portraying the beauty of his heroines. Nevertheless, with PS-I being his first ever in this genre, he could not truly bring out the emotion a war scene calls for. Especially, the cinematography only managed to give out vibes of a street fight rather than a war between powerful warriors. The movie closes with a highly unexpected twist that makes PS-II worth all the waiting. It is also revealed that Ponniyin Selvan-II will release in 2023. Mani Ratnam already announced during a promotional event that the second instalment will release within 6-9 months of PS-I.

Huge credit goes to the CGI team that lived up to the expectations the trailer gave. The songs and the BGM were simple and bland that did not carry the flavour of a visually-rich period drama. Overall, the movie is a must-watch, mostly for the efforts that went into making it, and for the terrific storyline, which needed a tad bit of extra emotion.

Yo! rating: 3.75/5

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