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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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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 434 days ago

Kannan Jagannathan 471 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 1 480 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 3086 484 days ago

Just an Average one. Overrated

Kaung Myat 486 days ago

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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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What’s it about?

A messenger/spy Vanthiyadevudu (Karthi) takes a long journey to deliver the message of Aditya Karikaludu (Vikram) to his sister Kundavi (Trisha), who lives in a faraway land. Before heading to Kundavi’s place, he spies on what’s happening at Pallavattu and his wife Nandini’s (Aishwarya Rai) palace. He meets Nandini who assigns him another job. 

When he meets Kundavi, she requests him to head to Sri Lanka and bring her younger brother Arun Mozhi aka Ponniyan Selvan (Jayam Ravi) to Tanjavur. What is the connection between Aditya and Nandini? Who is trying to kill Ponniyan Selvan? What happens when Vanthiyadevudu meets Ponniyan Selvan?

Auteur Mani Ratnam’s latest film ‘PS-1’ is the first part of the two-part film based on Kalki’s ‘Ponniyan Selvan’, an epic Tamil novel. Many Tamil filmmakers and actors have tried to adapt the novel into film but could not do so due to budget and length constraints. Mani Ratnam, too, had planned to make it many years ago. Seeing the success of Rajamouli’s ‘Baahuabali nationwide and the way two parts were received by the audiences, Mani Ratnam gathered courage and drew inspiration from it to turn the story into two films. Thus, the first part aka PS-1 is here.

Since I have not read the Tamil novel, I critique the film as is. It took a lot of time for me to comprehend the characters and the plot. To understand their conspiracies, we need to remember the characters and their names. That is a big task in this film. Added to that, Karthi takes a long journey. In the film’s first half, we see a song or dance routine every time he comes. The songs and tunes are not mellifluous or catchy either. 

Even the so-called “Chola Chola” song filmed on Vikram looks odd in the film. 

The film has a dense plot. The twists and turns are interesting. But to comprehend them is not an easy job. The first half of the film entirely belongs to Karthi. He also does comedy and flirts with women. Neither his comedic act nor his romantic side is attractive. 

What I liked was the visual palette. Mani Ratnam is the master of visuals. The film is a visual treat thanks to the fantastic production design by Thota Tharani. Ravi Varman’s camerawork is splendid as well. The trio has provided a visual delight. 

But the film scores less on the gripping narrative and music. When we watch films and web series like “Baahubali” and “Game of Thrones”, we get to see many narrative high moments or whistle-worthy sequences. Despite belonging to the same genre, “PS-1” fails to provide such moments. 

Moving at a leisurely pace, the film hardly engages. Plus, except for Karthi, none of the characters have a defined arc. Perhaps, they may get their due in the second part. 

Compared to the first half, I liked the handling of the second half. And the final twist related to Aishwarya Rai is intriguing as well.

As far as performances are concerned, all the actors have done justice to their roles. Karthi gets more space than others. But it is Aishwarya Rai who steals the show. She appears in two different roles. She gives a terrific performance. Trisha is wonderful. They create compelling moments whenever they appear on the screen. Jayaram’s character lacks impact in the Telugu version.

Vikram repeats his ‘Raavan’ act. Jayam Ravi in his brief role as Ponniyan Selvan leaves an impression. 

The Telugu dubbing is okay. Tanikella Bharani’s dialogue writing is apt.

Bottom-line: ‘PS-1’, Mani Ratnam’s latest spectacle, is a delight to look at but hard to enjoy the proceedings. The film has stunning production design and visuals, but the narrative is dull. 

Rating: 2.5/5

By Jalapathy Gudelli

Film: PS-1 Cast: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Trisha, Prabhu, R Sarathkumar, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sobhita Dhulipala, and others  Story: Kalki’s Ponniyan Selvan Dialogues: Tanikella Bharani Screenplay: Mani Ratnam, Jeyamohan, Kumaravel Music: AR Rahman Director of Photography: Ravi Varman Editor: Sreekar Prasad Production Designer: Thota Tharrani Action: Kecha Khampakdee & Shyam Kaushal Producer: Mani Ratnam and Subaskaran Directed by: Mani Ratnam Release Date: Sep 30, 2022

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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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Release Date : September 30, 2022

123telugu.com Rating : 2.5/5

Starring: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Trisha, Shobita Dulipala, Aiswarya Lekshmi, Prabhu, Jayaram, Vikram Prabhu, Sarathkumar, Prakash Raj

Director: Mani Ratnam

Producers: Mani Ratnam, Subaskaran Allirajah

Music Director : A. R. Rahman

Cinematography : Ravi Varman

Editor : Sreekar Prasad

Related Links : Trailer

After nearly a seven-decade-long wait, the novel Ponniyin Selvan written by Kalki Krishnamurthy has been made into a feature film by none other than the master filmmaker Mani Ratnam. He has brought a huge star cast together to make this period film. Produced jointly by Lyca Productions and Madras Talkies the film is split into two parts. The much anticipated mega-budget film’s part 1 has hit the screens today. Let’s see if it has lived up to the expectations or not.

The king of the Chola dynasty places the responsibility of ruling the kingdom on his brother Sundara Choludu (Prakash Raj) due to his ill health. After a while, Sundara Choludu transfers it to his son Aditya Karikaaludu (Vikram). Madhuranthakudu (Rehman) who is the actual heir and son of the Chola dynasty’s late king gets disappointed with this decision. He seeks the help of another king Pallavaraaya (Sarathkumar) and they plan a secret meeting in Kadambur to discuss the future plan of action.

On the other hand, Aditya Karikaaludu gets suspicious that some conspiracy is going on inside the kingdom and orders his army commander Vallavarayan Vanthiyadevudu (Karthi) to find out the actual truth. Did Vallavarayan complete his job? What is the importance of Nandhini (Aishwarya Rai) in this story? How did Ponniyin Selvan Arunmozhi((Jayam Ravi), brother of Aditya and the next king of the Chola kingdom stop this connivance? Watch the film to know all the answers.

Plus Points:

This PAN Indian project has got many characters but in the first part, Karthi gets the meaty role. He is the entertaining factor in this seriously driven period drama. His flirting scenes with women evoke decent laughs. The actor has given it all for the film and amuses the audience whenever he appears on the screen.

After Karthi, it is Jayam Ravi and Aishwarya Rai who get the key roles and more screen time. Aishwarya Rai’s character is very significant to the story and she aced it to perfection. Jayam Ravi who played the titular role is seen only in the second half but does well. His character will have more prominence in the sequel.

Trisha and Vikram are seen very briefly but their screen presence leaves a mark and raises the impact. Trisha looks beautiful and so does Aishwarya Rai. The drama at key places in both the halves is interesting and creates a few engaging moments. The fight sequence between Karthi and Jayam Ravi and the other action block in the second half is composed well and holds our attention.

Minus Points:

Though the film’s story is interesting, it is filled with more drama and this becomes way too much for a common viewer to grasp what’s going on. The first part itself has so much content that it will take up two parts in itself to showcase. The screenplay at times becomes confusing and convoluted.

One more major drawback is the snail-paced narrative, which tests the patience of the audience. When compared to the dull and slow first half, the second half is quite better. The film has many boring moments bogging down the impact as the director stuck to a flat screenplay without many high moments.

The film needs some serious trimming as the scenes are way too lengthy. The climax fight sequence is one such important moment in the movie but it is heavily dragged for no reason and it lacks clarity too. The cliffhanger moment actually comes with a twist but due to the bad climax, one cannot connect to it.

Technical Aspects:

PS -1 is said to be produced on a large scale and the production values are remarkable. The production design by Thota Tharrani adds more value to this larger-than-life saga. The makers opted for more realistic locations and they made sure the frames look rich. Also, they are easy on the eye.

The costume work done by Eka Lakhani is beguiling and the female leads Aishwarya Rai and Trisha look drop dead gorgeous and highly captivating. Music by Academy award-winning AR Rahman is pleasant and in a few instances, he gave some very high-quality background score to elevate the proceedings. The camerawork by Ravi Varman is neat and he has shown the Cholas period very grandly through his lens. The editing of the film as said earlier is below par making the film a tiring watch.

Mani Ratnam is one of the great Indian directors who is known for his majestic movies. But all the sheer technical brilliance of PS-1 is let down by his middling narration. His intention and dream to bring this great story are visible but he should have been more cautious with his storytelling. The screenplay is co-written by Mani Ratnam and Elango Kumaravel but they didn’t succeed in coming up with an engaging and attention grabbing film.

On the whole, Ponniyin Selvan part: 1 has a good storyline but it is dull and does not have the needed high moments. The lead cast’s performance, sterling production values, and first-rate visuals are brought down by Mani Ratnam’s underwhelming presentation. The first half in particular is complicated with too many characters getting introduced. The Tamil audience will connect to the story more but the Telugu folks can give this film a shot if you love watching period dramas with a huge star cast. Just have your expectations in check.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.5/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

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Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, ponniyin selvan: part ii.

Now streaming on:

Now's not the best time to appreciate "Ponniyin Selvan: Part II,” the back half of a highly anticipated Tamil language adaptation of Kalki Krishnamurthy ’s revered multi-volume historical drama. The indeterminate future’s probably the moment for this sequel, by which time S.S. Rajamouli's influence might not seem as important to contemporary Indian pop cinema, and Indian movie lovers can (maybe) see with clearer eyes the many imitators of "Baahubali," Rajamouli’s trend-setting two-part mythopoetic fantasy.

Adapting “Ponniyin Selvan” has been a dream project for a few Indian filmmakers, including writer/director Mani Ratnam , who’s best known to American cinephiles for helming the epochal 1998 Bollywood romantic drama “Dil Se.” Ratnam has also admitted that his two-part version of “Ponniyin Selvan” could not have been made without the inspiration and success of “Baahubali.” It’s easy to see why based on “Ponniyin Selvan: Part II,” a sequel that, like Rajamouli’s “Baahubali: The Conclusion,” often feels like an involved-but-satisfying de-escalation of the first movie’s dramatic tension. You can’t enjoy “Ponniyin Selvan: Part II” without having already seen “Ponniyin Selvan: Part I,” not unless you’ve read Krishnamurthy’s books.

Some good news, which is also bad news: many viewers have probably already read Krishnamurthy’s popular epic, which was originally serialized in “Kalki” magazine throughout the early 1950s. Anyone who hasn’t read the book, but still wants to see “Ponniyin Selvan: Part II” on a big screen should know that “Part I” was more about the itinerant Vanar prince Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan (Karthi) than the beloved title character (Jayan Ravi)—a nickname for the 10 th century Chola dynasty Prince Arunmozhi—or his hothead older brother Aditha (Vikram).

Arunmozhi and Aditha necessarily take more central roles in “Ponniyin Selvan: Part II,” and so do the other main subjects of “Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1,” like the princes’ troubled and presumed wicked stepmother Nandini ( Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) and their treacherous rival Madhuranthakan (Rahman). Everybody suspects Nandini of scheming to betray her husband—and also murder Aditha, who also suspects and has romantic tension with Nandini.

There’s more Nandini in “Ponniyin Selvan: Part II,” and a lot more supporting characters who either support or defy her, like the Chola chieftains who not-so-secretly back Madhuranthakan, or the Chola princes’ many advisers, like their sister Kundavai ( Trisha Krishnan ) and, oh yeah, Vallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan. Vallavaraiyan, an itinerant fabulist, zips around “Ponniyin Selvan: Part I” without a formal invitation; he negotiates facetime with various high-powered characters using token favors—a sword, a signet ring, and hand-written messages—and effectively unites the many threads of Krishnamurthy’s sprawling narrative.

In “Part I,” Vallavairyan embodies the Byzantine, freely-associated story-telling traditions that clearly inspired both Ratnam and his two Tamil-speaking co-writers. What arguably puts “Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2” over the top, as an overburdened sequel to a long-gestating adaptation, is Ratnam’s characteristic visual acuity, his co-writers’ careful attention to detail, and his mega-watt ensemble cast’s performances. Nandini, in particular, seems more like an emotionally complex character in “Ponniyin Selvan: Part II” than she did in the last movie. And both Arunmozhi and Aditha smolder more often, though only Vikram gets to show off with equally angsty dialogue like, “Happiness and peace elude those who hate themselves.”

All of the low-key craftsmanship that went into the otherwise high-toned “Ponniyin Selvan: Part I” is still present in “Ponniyin Selvan: Part II,” which was shot concurrently with the last installment over 150 days from 2019 through 2021, and then split in two a la “Baahubali.” Ratnam’s characters have less time indulge in romantic sighing and unrequited romance, though he does make the most of those scenes. I won’t spoil your enjoyment by telling who gazes longingly at whom, since being led around by the nose is a good part of the fun in both “Ponniyin Selvan” movies. That also makes judging “Ponniyin Selvan: Part II” a little difficult right now, since it, like “Ponniyin Selvan: Part I,” will likely appreciate with time.

There’s probably nothing in this sequel that could not have also been done by the makers of the many other recent “Baahubali”-inspired mytho-historic epics, so there’s not much that essentially distinguishes “Ponniyin Selvan: Part II” as “A Mani Ratnam Film,” as an opening credit says. Then again, it’s a relief to see that “Ponniyin Selvan: Part II” looks and moves as well as it does, even if one suspects that it will also hold up when it inevitably surfaces on streaming services like Prime Video, where you can still catch up with “Ponniyin Selvan: Part I.” Ratnam and his collaborators stick the landing on their gargantuan pot-boiler, and while Krishnamurthy’s world may not look as grand as it seemed, either in the moviemakers’ heads or on the page, it is big enough to get lost in.

In limited theatrical release now.

Simon Abrams

Simon Abrams is a native New Yorker and freelance film critic whose work has been featured in  The New York Times ,  Vanity Fair ,  The Village Voice,  and elsewhere.

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Film credits.

Ponniyin Selvan: Part II (2023)

165 minutes

Vikram as Aditha Karikalan

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Nandini / Oomai Rani

Jayam Ravi as Arunmozhi Varman

Karthi as Vanthiyathevan

Trisha Krishnan as Kundavai

Prabhu as Periya Velaar

R. Sarathkumar as Periya Pazhuvettarayar

Sobhita Dhulipala as Vanathi

Aishwarya Lekshmi as Poonguzhali

Vikram Prabhu as Parthibendran Pallavan

Prakash Raj as Sundara Chozhar

• Mani Ratnam

Original Music Composer

• A. R. Rahman

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• Top Stories

US BO: PS1 Grosses 4 Million Dollars

Mani Ratnam’s “Ponniyan Selvan 1” or “PS1” set the USA box office on fire. The film was promoted as the pride of Tamil cinema. The Tamilians world over owned the film.

As the film is about the great history of Tamilnadu and Chozha kings, Tamilians considered it as a must-watch film.

The Tamilians settled in the USA went to the theaters along with their family members. No wonder the film set a huge record for any Tamil movie.

“PS1” grossed four million dollars on the first weekend. Although the film was released in Telugu, the contribution to the film’s revenue from the Telugu audiences is less.

Tamilians made it a huge blockbuster. It broke the record set by Rajinikanth’s “Kabali”.

Premiere+Fri: $2.14M Sat: $1.16M Sun: $800k (apprx) Total Weekend Gross: $4.1M (apprx)

Directed by Mani Ratnam, “PS1” starred Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha, Vikram, Karthi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Aishwarya Lekshmi, and Jayam Ravi.

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