Ponniyin Selvan: 1 by Mani Ratnam, which caused a stir at the box office, will begin streaming on Prime Video on November 4. Based on a work of historical fiction by Kalki Krishnamurthy, the historical drama shows Arulmozhi Varman’s early life, before he became the famous Chola emperor Rajaraja Chola I.
On September 30, the movie Ponniyin Selvan: 1, with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, and others, was released in theatres. It quickly rose to the top of the year’s pan-Indian box office. It was released in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam throughout all of India. The movie is currently available to rent on Prime Video and will be streamable on Prime Video on November 4, claims the LetsCinema website.
The second-biggest Tamil movie of all time, after Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar’s 2.0, PS:1 has made Rs 464.09 crore globally. Both critics and viewers gave the movie overwhelmingly positive reviews.
According to Mani Ratnam, directing PS: I was like living out a dream for him. At a press conference in Mumbai, he stated, “PS (Ponniyin Selvan) has been a dream for a very long time, ever since I first read the novel during my school days.” I didn’t think I’d ever go into movies or that I’d succeed. But I’ve always felt that was my calling.
I’m really delighted that I get to make it and get to make it at this time when technology has advanced significantly. It was so magnificent as a wish, a narrative, and an adventure. Several people had tried to achieve this previously but were unsuccessful for the reason that they wanted to leave it to me. Therefore, we can execute it with a lot more ease and authenticity, and we can do it with a cast and crew that is both appropriate for the role and appropriate for the movie. It’s pretty unique, so. And I want to thank each and every one of them, as well as the producer, who believed in us and gave us the funds to move forward with the project.
In Mani Ratnam’s great version of the classic Ponniyin Selvan I, which is reviewed in this article, Aishwarya Rai is a real surprise.
Review of Ponniyin Selvan: Mani Ratnam accomplished the unimaginable by skillfully and effectively adapting the literary classic. All the performers do their roles admirably, but Aishwarya Rai stands out.
Mani Ratnam is referred to as a master storyteller for a reason. The veteran director demonstrates his authority in Ponniyin Selvan I, which is loosely based on the novel of the same name by Kalki. In what is unquestionably his most ambitious project to date, he succeeds spectacularly. Mani Ratnam does the impossible by adapting the story of Ponniyin Selvan for the big screen. The movie has just the right amount of drama, intrigue, and thrills to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Karthiyathevan (Karthi), who is tasked by Aditha Karikalan (Vikram) with conveying crucial messages to his father, Sundara Chola (Prakash Raj), and his sister Kundhavi, is the protagonist of the movie (Trisha). According to the message, princely state kings are preparing plots to topple the empire. Finding out what the nefarious schemes are and who is behind them in order to detract from the majesty of the Chola Empire becomes Vanthiyathevan’s responsibility. Investigation reveals that Nandini (Aishwarya Rai), the brains behind the plot to overthrow the Chola dynasty, is in charge. But it is still unclear what made Nandini become a princess who seeks retribution.
You could be let down if you enter Ponniyin Selvan anticipating an action spectacular à la SS Rajamouli. Mani Ratnam uses more drama than other directors often use to build tension, and it mostly succeeds. The movie unquestionably required more exciting scenes to make you root for the characters, particularly someone like Arulmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi), the Chola kingdom’s successor. Despite being such a strong character, his debut scene is shallow and lacklustre.
Thankfully, the excellent writing makes up for the lack of more moments guaranteed to please the masses. Mani Ratnam and his writing staff deserve a lot of credit for selecting key moments from the five-part novel and adapting them into engrossing scenes for the big screen. The story’s pivotal sequences involving important characters have been expertly translated for the big screen. Every scene with Aishwarya Rai, who is a revelation, is so well done that it leaves a lasting impression.
Each of his actors gives strong performances under Mani Ratnam’s direction. Regardless of how much time they have on screen, each actor shines, and it’s a pleasure to watch them perform at their best. The actor of choice for the role of Nandini has to be Aishwarya Rai because she has very little to say in terms of words but conveys so much with her eyes and does so convincingly.
Karthi’s slightly overdone yet powerful performance as Vanthiyathevan maintains a cheerful vibe in an otherwise solemn movie. Aaditha Karikalan is a deeply moving role for Vikram, who gives a calm portrayal as the sad hero. Even though Jayam Ravi, as Arulmozhi Varma, only makes an appearance in the second half, he gets enough sequences to make an impact. The excellent casting, which also includes strong performances from the supporting cast, is one of the reasons the movie has the desired effect. In yet another project with Mani Ratnam, AR Rahman brings it, as always.
Ponniyin Selvan I
Director: Mani Ratnam
Cast: Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha Krishnan, Sarath Kumar, Jayaram and Sobhita Dhulipala
