ponniyin selvan part 1 movie review

‘Ponniyin Selvan: Part One’ Review: Promising Tamil Franchise Kicks Off With Faithful Take on a Literary Classic

Director Mani Ratnam's blockbuster adaptation of Indian author Kalki Krishnamurthy’s bestselling series of historical novels launches the beloved tale on a suitably massive scale.

By Shalini Dore

Shalini Dore

Features News Editor

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Tamil filmmaking legend Mani Ratnam takes on the formidable task of adapting Indian bestseller “Ponniyin Selvan” as a two-part epic, the first of which released to excellent box office at home and abroad on Sept. 29. Streamlining the source material considerably, this impressive franchise starter — co-written by Ratnam, Jayamohan and Kumaravel — remains mostly faithful to Kalki Krishnamurthy’s five novels, first serialized in the 1950s in the Tamil magazine Kalki before being translated into multiple other languages, including English.

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Vandiyadevan soon falls in with a religious man, Azhwarkadiyan Nambi (Jayaram), another spy who also provides some comic relief. Together, they discover a plot to take the crown from the ailing king Sundara Chola and give it to his nephew, who had been passed over. Among those trying to use Vandiyadevan is the beautiful Nandini ( Aishwariya Rai Bachchan ), who uses her looks to get her husband, commander Chinna Pazhuvettariyar (R. Parthiban).

Things get more involved as the film goes along, of course, but Ratnam keeps the different strands moving at a fast enough pace so that you don’t notice the nearly three-hour running time. Nor does it matter that the titular Ponniyan Selvan doesn’t make an appearance until nearly the intermission.

DP Ravi Varman does justice to the sweep of the story, while CG battle scenes are staged like set-pieces from the “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, a comparison underscored by Rahman’s soaring music. The below-the-line work is top-notch throughout — not just with camera and music, but also in the production design (Thotta Tharani). The Cholas were famous for the temples they built, with the Thanjavur temple standing even now as a testament to their artistry.

Augmented with excellent visual effects, sets representing the city of Thanjavur, the new city of Kanchi and Sri Lanka, bring to life Kalki’s prose that enchanted so many readers. Similarly fine attention to detail went into the costume design, hair and makeup, as well as the jewelry (pieces of which are now offered on sale) for not only the princes and other nobles but also the ladies from Nandini to the princess Kundavai (Trisha Krishnan).

Ratnam has always had a knack for drawing out the best performances from Rai Bachchan (with whom he collaborated on “Iruvar,” “Guru” and “Raavanan”), doing so once again in the star’s first screen role since 2018, even if her dialogue is spoken by Deepa Venkat. In the role of Vandiyadevan, Karthi brings exuberant action to the film; Ravi charms as Arunmozhi; and Vikram and Parthiban exhibit dangerous intent. Rai Bachchan is suitably scheming, as is Krishnan as the princess who only cares about the Chola kingdom and is jealous (with reason) of Nandini’s beauty and ability to beguile.

The film ends on a cliffhanger. While not yet shot, Part Two has been announced and is expected to be released in 2023.

Reviewed at Norwalk AMC Theaters, Los Angeles. Oct. 9, 2022. Running time: 166 MIN.

• Production: (India) A Red Giant Movies release of a Madras Talkies, Lyca Prods. production. Producers: Mani Ratnam, Subaskaran Allirajah.
• Crew: Director: Mani Ratnam. Screenplay: Mani Ratnam, Jayamohan, Kumaravel, based on the novel "Ponniyin Selvan" by Kalki Krishnamurthy. Camera: Ravi Varman. Editor: A. Sreekar Prasad. Music: A.R. Rahman
• With: Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Aishwariya Rai Bachchan, Trisha Krishnan, Sobhita Dhulipala, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Jayaram, Vikram Prabhu, Sarath Kumar, R. Parthiban, Prabhu, Prakash Raj, Nassar. (Tamil dialogue)

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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 620 days ago

Kannan Jagannathan 656 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 665 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 669 days ago

Just an Average one. Overrated

Kaung Myat 671 days ago

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Ponniyin Selvan - 1 Review: Exhilarating And Enriching, With Impressive Performances By Vikram And Cast

Ponniyin selvan - 1 review: the sprawling, spectacularly mounted film is an ambitious, near-flawless adaptation of a much-loved literary work.

Cast: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha, Jayam Ravi, Karthi

Director:  Mani Ratnam

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

Shrinking a complex five-volume novel into a two-part movie is mean feat. It takes gumption. A whole lot of it. If any director has that attribute in the requisite measure, it is Mani Ratnam. Ponniyin Selvan - Part 1 , a period epic that is vast in scale and varied in visual scope, is proof.

The sprawling, spectacularly mounted film is an ambitious, near-flawless adaptation of a much-loved literary work that demonstrates exactly why it has been a movie project so daunting that the likes of M.G. Ramachandran and Kamalahasan could only make abortive attempts at putting it together.

Needless to say, the tale makes huge technical and artistic demands on Ratnam and his cast and crew. They prove equal to the onerous task of attaining the magnitude, the pacing and the stylistic flourishes that the story demands and available image-making technology allows.

That certainly does not mean that the veteran director surrenders himself lock, stock and barrel to the lure and power of computer-generated imagery. Ratnam is too good a craftsman and storyteller to over-rely on the razzle-dazzle of the kind of unbridled visual effects that have driven recent Indian blockbusters such as Baahubali, RRR and KGF.

Ratnam does not resort to sensory or visceral overdrive, drawing strength instead from the smart script written by him, B. Jeyamohan and Elango Kumaravel and from a cast of actors at the top of their game. PS-1 is a treat for the eyes as much as it is for the mind.

He abjures VFX excesses and grounds the historical fiction in a realistic zone to achieve the goal of capturing the massive sweep of Kalki Krishnamurthy's cult 1955 novel that traces the era of the Cholas.

It has taken six and a half decades for the story to make it to the big screen. The wait has been worth it. The Tamil-language PS-1 has versions dubbed in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam running in theatres nationwide.

In the 167-minute Ponniyin Selvan - Part 1 , some passages seem a tad rushed because the introduction of a panoply of characters and the exposition of historically dense details have to be crunched into a couple of three-hour films.

Editor A. Sreekar Prasad, whose oft-proven skills are tested to the severest, ensures that the story has just enough breathing spaces for it not to keel over into occasional incomprehensibility.

Once the prelude is out of the way and all the major characters have been lined up, PS-1 gets into the swing of things. It presents a phenomenally smooth ride through an exciting series of events - fierce battles, palace intrigue, lost love, vanquished soldiers seeking revenge, brave resistance - that records the high points of Chola history in a manner that is both tangible and texturally immersive.

The most noteworthy aspect of PS-1, besides the consistently impressive performances by a cast led by Vikram and brilliantly propped up by Karthi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi and Trisha, among others, is the production design by Thotta Tharini and the well-considered choice of locations lensed brilliantly by cinematographer Ravi Varman. The story unfolds in spaces that are eye-popping without being fantastical in the way that settings of historical epics of this nature usually tend to be.

PS-1 invokes the spatial attributes of the tenth century to perfection - be they structures made of stone, interiors of forts and palaces or ships and boats out at sea. But at no point do the images look like they have been crafted on the computer. PS-1 is a marvellously tactile film that stays rooted in a specific period without having to create improbable, cardboard cut-out sets suspended somewhere between a puerile understanding of design and a puerile imagination.

Similarly, the film's dramatis personae - the ailing Emperor Sundar Chola (Prakash Raj) and his three offspring, Crown Prince Aditha Karikalan (Vikram), his younger brother Arulmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi, who appears late in the film in the guise of the titular character) and sister Kundhavai (Trisha), and their aides and adversaries within and without the kingdom - are never less than human.

They deal with palpable emotions even as they grapple with challenges of grand proportions. The characters, be they Chola royalty or men of common stock, sound believable even when they are in declamatory mode, moving seamlessly from uncommon wisdom to chatty banter.

With the air of outright make-believe masterfully reined in, PS-1 is a historical saga that draws the audience in without resorting to the conjurer's art. Its magic lies purely in its layered cinematic qualities.

Mischief is afoot in the expanding Chola empire with Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), wife of the scheming finance minister Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar (R. Sharathkumar), having vowed to destroy the kingdom. She holds a personal grudge against her one-time lover Aditha Karikalan.

The conspiracy, of which the finance minister's brother and the Tanjore Fort's in-charge Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyar (Radhakrishnan Parthiban) and a host of royal chieftains are a part, is aimed at overthrowing Sundar Chola and putting his nephew Madurantaka (Rahman) on the throne.

Sensing the grave danger that lies ahead, Aditha Karikalan sends his best friend and trusted aide Vandhiyathevan (Karthi, who steals almost the entire first half of the film thanks to the character's gift of the gab and amorous antics) with a message for Emperor Sundar Chola.

The courageous and cheerful Vandhiyathevan dodges elements in the court of the king as well as of survivors from a defeated Pandiyan army who are out to avenge their slain king Veerapandyan.

While power-hungry or jilted-in-love men to a great deal of the talking, PS-1 is true to the source material in that it accords equal significance to the women in the story. Besides the beauteous and strong-willed Nandini, the tough and clear-headed Chola Princess Kundavai plays an important role as the story progresses.

Kundavai is not only sent by her father to pacify her elder brother Aditha Karikalan, she also instructs Vandhiyethevan to travel to Sinhala kingdom with a message for her brother Arulmozhi. Two other women in the plot - Vaanathi (Sobhita Dhulipala), who dreams of marrying Arulmozhi, and boatwoman Samuthirakumari (Aishwarya Lekshmi) - do not have as much to do in this part of the magnum opus. More is probably in store for them in the sequel.

Action-packed and eventful, the first part of the drama winds up at a point of the story that leaves many questions unresolved and points to what could form the core of Ponniyin Selvan - Part 2, scheduled for release in 2023. The film inevitably packs too much into too little time but it never fails to look and sound - A.R. Rahman's songs and background score constitute the backbone of the sound design - like a meticulously conceived and executed work of cinema.

PS-1 i s both exhilarating and enriching. Another dose would be just perfect.

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‘Ponniyin Selvan: 1’ movie review: Epic story gets Mani Ratnam’s royal treatment

Kalki’s source material of ‘ps:1’ is rich with myriad characters, and mani ratnam gleefully picks them all up to give it a cinematic touch, thanks to some powerhouse performances from his all-star cast.

Updated - September 30, 2022 11:53 pm IST

A still from ‘Ponniyin Selvan’

Ponniyin Selvan: 1 , Mani Ratnam's latest multi-starrer, has a unique problem: comparison.

Also read: Mani Ratnam’s  Ponniyin Selvan  opens to positive reviews and packed cinema halls

People who have read Kalki’s original, that is widely considered the greatest novel written in Tamil literature, will probably be championing their favorite characters among the leads, or waiting for their cherished sequences to unfold on screen. Audiences who have no connection with the book will probably think about Baahubali, or even the recent RRR considering the grand war sequences featured.

It is to the director's credit that he manages to satisfy both ends of the spectrum.

Mani Ratnam’s latest period drama, is essentially about a power struggle: Emperor Sundara Chola’s (Prakash Raj) health is failing, necessitating a new leader for the Chola empire. There are quite a few contenders, the lead among them being his son Aditha Karikalan (Vikram). But Sundara Chola also has another son, Arunmozhi Varman ( Jayam Ravi ) and a daughter, Kundavai ( Trisha ).

Karthi in a still from the film

The choice for the throne isn't going to be easy, because there are other people vying for it: Periya Pazhuvettariyar (Sarath Kumar), the second most important person in the empire, and his group of advisors, are backing another candidate for the hot seat. What will happen?

This story can unravel through many avenues, but writer Kalki — and filmmaker Mani Ratnam now — choose to narrate it through the eyes of Vanthiyathevan (Karthi). His only connection to the story is being Aditha Karikalan's friend, but he is the primary gaze through which the film unfolds. When Vanthiyathevan learns something new, he looks wide-eyed. Just like us. Travelling all over delivering important messages, he sets off in all earnestness, but also has fun along the way. Vanthiyathevan is us, the audience, peering curiously into a film that packs in valour, greed, honesty and treachery in equal measure.

Ponniyin Selvan: 1

The source material is rich with myriad characters that undergo a rollercoaster of emotions, and Mani Ratnam gleefully picks them all up to give it a cinematic touch. It helps that he has a power-packed starcast. Karthi almost steals the show, especially in the first half, kindling a feeling of joie de vivre, thanks to his zesty acting style (“Un vaal oda naaku koormai,” someone tells him, indicating that he’s a smooth talker). Vikram packs a powerful performance; watch him bawl during a sequence in which he sadly reminisces about a skeleton from his past. Jayam Ravi has an easygoing, understated approach to his character, while still maintaining the dignity associated with royalty.

And as Nandini and Kundavi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Trisha get their Tamil accents right... but the face-off scene between them needed more tension. Aishwarya Rai looks a million bucks, and also shines in the few scenes that showcase glimpses of her character’s villainy, but there’s a lot more to be fleshed out. We’ll wait for the next instalment.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in ‘Ponniyin Selvan: 1’

The issue with an epic of this kind is that all characters, except the leads, get little prominence. You keep wondering about Poonguzhali (Aishwarya Lekshmi) and her connection to the main plot, as you do with some of the other characters who make fleeting appearances. Only Jayaram as Azhawarkadiyan Nambi leaves a mark, especially because of his character traits and loud behaviour. Another issue is the presence of a dozen important characters and the spoken Tamil of yore, which will prove to be a challenge to follow for the average viewer.

But what the audiences will follow — and probably marvel at — is the film's ability to take you into a world from many centuries ago. Be it the rich sequences inside the kingdom or the magnificent battle set pieces, Ponniyin Selvan: 1 has you invested in the big screen, though one feels that the ocean segment in the second half could have been staged better. Thota Tharani's production design is a highlight, as is Ravi Varman's camera that almost runs alongside the characters; the quick-motion shots from atop a horse are as classy as those basked in beautiful sunlight. AR Rahman's music, a staple in Mani Ratnam films since their evergreen Roja , is experimental, and amps up the war sequences, while the songs are placed in a way that aids the story narrative.

Trisha in ‘Ponniyin Selvan: 1’

That Mani Ratnam has pulled off a subject that MGR and Kamal Haasan dreamt of making , is no mean feat. But then, who is the real Mani Ratnam? Is he like Karthik ( Alaipayuthe ) or Amarkant ( Dil Se ...), the one getting his characters to be full of life and romance, akin to the way we felt when we were in love? Or, is he like Surya ( Thalapathi ) or Velu Naicker ( Nayakan ), people who have weighty choices and decisions to make? In short, avaru nallavara kettavara ?

In PS: 1 , he has to deal with both in equal measure. For every ounce of goodness he shows in Arunmozhi Varman, there's a scheming Nandini to balance it. For every second of earnestness in Aditha Karikalan, there are moments of fun that Vandhiyathevan provides. Ponniyin Selvan: 1 is 167 minutes of powerful storytelling backed by visual splendour.

Ponniyin Selvan: 1 is currently running in theatres

Published - September 30, 2022 12:22 pm IST

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Ponniyin Selvan 1 on Amazon Prime Video Review: A Gorgeous Time Machine That Forces You To Leave The Books At Home

Director: Mani Ratnam

Writers: Mani Ratnam , Jeyamohan, Kumaravel (Screenplay)

Based On: Kalki Krishnamoorthy's novel

Cast: Vikram, Karthi , Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha Krishnan , Sobhita Dhulipala, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Jayaram

As someone who grew up detesting the blessed souls who claimed “the book was better”, it’s unfortunate to have realised that there will come a day when you have to use the same line, albeit to your own heartbroken self. In hindsight, it appears that reading Kalki’s epic five-part novel running up to the release was a misjudgement given how fresh the images have remained and how big the characters had become. But this was never an eventuality I had not considered. I knew the risks of going into a film knowing almost everything that’s going to happen. I also knew the risk of expecting the film to stick to the structure the book followed, forcing you to wait for the big moments that were rousing, hoping for the film to do the same. 

But this was a Mani Ratnam film after all. “Story” is hardly the focus of one’s expectations and it was not like knowing the Mahabharata or the Satyavan Savitri myth lessened the blow Thalapathi (1991) or Roja (1992) left you with. I mean, he’s the dude who made a leaky-roofed loft in Kasimedu look like a boho-chic hipster cafe in Aaytha Ezhuthu (2004). Imagine what he could do with lion-faced ships, 10th century palaces, some of the most beautiful actors in the world and a shipload of money. 

Beyond one’s imagination is the least one expects from filmmakers like him and it’s perhaps this weight that has pressed down on a few scenes that did not do more than just efficiently translate text to screen. In a sense, you find yourself going back to an adjective you never imagined using while writing about a Mani Ratnam film. “Straightforward” is the word and you don’t quite understand why the brilliance of the reimagined sequences didn’t extend to the rest of the film. 

One such was the ingenious use of AR Rahman’s ‘Chola Chola’, a song that’s easy to picture as a standard-issue victory anthem. Having won a battle that further extends his hold over his kingdom’s norther frontier, prince Aditha Karikalan (Vikram) is dancing with his soldiers, floating in and out of an endless supply of “somras”. Yet the moment is hardly the mirthful celebration of strength and masculinity. In essence, the effect is quite the opposite as the song segues into the maddening eyes of a warrior who’s trying to wash away his bloodstained hands with even more blood. The song behaves like a counterpoint, cheering on the Chola clan even as its crowned prince bleeds under his crown of thorns. His face wears these battle-scars, none as obvious as the one left behind by a broken heart and what follows is a superbly-staged and edited sequence that ends with the defeat of a rival king, but the mood is anything but triumphant. It is brutal, vivid and inescapable like a recurring nightmare that has become much larger as a result of years of regret. Through Vikram’s brilliant monologue, we witness a tragic figure being punished by the same ‘dharma’ he hoped to uphold.  

Ravi Varman chooses to shoot this sequence too with the same restless, handheld energy he maintains through most of the first half. Expect when he needs to, either to establish the majesty of these kingdoms or the landscape these people are fighting for, there’s hardly an overuse of wider shots. So when we follow Vandhiyathevan (Karthi) through the crammed streets of Thanjavur or when secret conversations are framed within the palace’s corridors, the camera is constantly shaking as though it’s taking quick breaths along with its subjects. This may at first feel odd given how similar period films love to keep frames static and wide to seduce you with scale. But in Ponniyin Selvan , despite its scale, the idea seems to have been to shoot it with the rough edges of a Latin American film. 

Not that Ravi Varman doesn’t get his moments to flex. A gorgeous top angle shot from inside Nandini’s (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) private chamber is impossible to take your eyes away from and so are the many, many shots in the second half set in Ilankai, where’s it as much hell for the characters as it is heaven for us viewers. Yet these feel like b-roll outtakes when we compare them to the scenes featuring the two astonishingly good-looking ladies, Nandini and Kundhavai (Trisha). We discover them through the eyes of Vandhiyathevan, but you need to observe these gorgeous scenes to understand just how much more the film does to elevate the reams of text Kalki writes to describe their beauty. It feels like a matter of fact that entire kingdoms and civilisations would risk everything after being fully seduced by their beauty. 

 This is a strange feeling because a lot of what you know about these characters isn’t quite earned by the film itself. Except for characters like Aditha Karikalan and Azhwarkadiyan (a delightful Jayaram), it’s the myth of these characters (and hype) that make them larger in our heads than they are in the movie. If one felt the meeting between Nandini and Kundhavai would be the film’s biggest highlight, chances are that you’re going to feel disappointed. Which means that to fully enjoy Ponniyin Selvan is to also fully succumb to this one particular vision of one particular director. This process might take a little long, but once you submit, it gets a lot easier to immerse yourself into its own world rather than the pre-fabricated one you entered the hall with. 

On one hand, this might make you feel a tad underwhelmed when it chooses to introduce Ponniyin Selvan (Jayam Ravi, perfectly cast) in full, furious glory rather than the surprisingly understated entry (as a mahout) he gets in the book. But in other instances, these switches result in exhilarating moments like when Kundhavai single-handedly changes the course of history, with one powerful dialogue electrified with legit 10th century swag.

Featuring great performances from everyone, including those who get just a scene or two, Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan 1 , builds the world, introduces us to its residents and then leaves us with a clear separation between book and movie. It also helps that there’s little room for traditional mass moments or extensive action scenes just for the sake of it. More than a movie, it leaves you with the feeling that you’ve been on an adventure. It might take a little getting used to but who said travelling back a millennium would be easy?

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Ponniyin Selvan 1 Movie Review: Tasteful writing and top performances make this a likeable adaptation

Rating: ( 4 / 5).

I have not read Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan , but it has always been apparent that the character of Vandhiyathevan (Karthi) wields great charisma. Many top actors have dreamt for years about playing this character, and now, after having watched Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan 1 , it’s finally apparent to me why. This character, in a sense, can be likened to Rahman’s opening song, ‘ Ponni Nadhi ’—which heralds the beginning of his epic journey. Like the river, he flows where he wishes, and he’s a source of much life wherever he lands. Like the river shifts everything in its wake, so does he. At one point, when asked about his whereabouts, he says, “I’m from everywhere…” and talks of being able to find peace anywhere under the sky and over the land. I wondered if that’s why he doesn’t hurt when he lands from great height like a waterfall. I wondered if that’s why he’s so frightened of the ocean—you know, that place where the river dies. He’s funny, he’s flirtatious, and when he is on screen, good luck taking your eyes off him.

Director: Mani Ratnam

Cast: Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha, Jayaram

His interplays with actor Jayaram—who plays Azhwarkadiyan Nambi—are delightful. The latter has always been a skilled exponent at slapstick humour, and his adventures in this film offer further proof. It seems to me that sometimes, we get so consumed by Mani Ratnam’s explorations of emotion that we don’t quite acknowledge how organically he weaves in humour into his films. There are so many lively, laugh-out-loud moments in this film arising from organic exchanges—once, from Vandhiyathevan simply observing his reflection in water.

There are other performances in Ponniyin Selvan that leave you gasping for breath. Vikram, as Aditha Karikalan, is gloriously unbridled as the crown-prince. A scene where he speaks of suppressed pain sees him bare his heart out. Ahead of the film’s release, there were what seemed to me to be unfair reservations on the casting of Jayam Ravi—who has always struck me as an invested performer. He’s on point as ‘Ponniyin Selvan’, the dutiful prince who comes into the limelight later in the film.

As for the women in the Ponniyin Selvan world, it’s wonderful that despite this being a story that’s occurring a thousand years earlier, they aren’t reduced to being ornamental spouses—or as happens in many an epic historical story, a property that men fight over. Sure, a foiled romance might be at the heart of this story too, but both Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) and Kundavai (Trisha) get established as devious women who know how to create desirable outcomes in the patriarchal world around them. Among the most powerful moments in this film is when both come face-to-face. It also doubles up as an example of why Mani Ratnam is a master at creating memorable, visual drama. Another example is that introduction shot of Nandini, as she slides open the curtains of her palanquin. As an almost ethereal woman who knows how to beguile men, Aishwarya Rai is compelling. In more than one scene, we see only part of her face—perhaps because there’s more to her than she lets out?

While there’s the opulence in ornamentation and the expansiveness of palaces and forts, what’s unmistakable is also the simplicity of an older time when the rivers ran full, and the earth had not been plundered yet. Through the shenanigans of Vandhiyathevan, we get some glimpses into the history of our land. It’s a world in which a man has to undertake an adventure of a thousand miles just to pass on the message of a dozen words. It’s a world in which a lover has to wait for weeks to learn whether her words of affection have been delivered. It’s a world in which the word ‘scroll’ has not come to signify disinterest. There’s great pleasure in seeing what once was.

There’s greater pleasure in experiencing AR Rahman climb into this film and deliver the type of songs and score he seems to always summon for this filmmaker for whom he made his debut. Be it with a ‘ Ponni Nadhi ’ that gently nudges us into this world or the aggressive, hyper-masculine ‘ Chola Chola ’ that captures the thrill of conquest, his score is a life-force. He utilises an operatic voice to present a crucial flashback moment, a grand orchestral score for the moments that lead up to it. In fact, Aditha Karikalan’s two powerful moments in this film are big beneficiaries of the Academy Award winner’s score.

For a film about succession issues, about conquests and rebellion, perhaps the action sequences aren’t as memorable as you might expect them to be. Yes, there’s urgency in capturing the violence of thundering hooves and swinging swords, but the fight choreography feels mostly generic with individual set-pieces not bursting with personality—except, I suppose, that final stretch that captures the chaos of a mad sea. And yet, PS-1 doesn’t quite end in a way that signifies the satisfying completion of a first film. It’s perhaps a consequence of Mani Ratnam interpreting this as one-half of a complete film—but given that PS-1 is packaged as a feature film lasting almost three hours, I think it’s only fair that we expect it to possess its own fulfilling end.

Perhaps the foremost pleasure of a Mani Ratnam film is in experiencing his wizardry over the medium. To use an endearing description often ascribed to Vandhiyathevan in PS-1 ,  ‘ Maayakaaran ’. You see plenty of examples in this film. The choreography and lighting in Devaralan Aattam —which, perhaps due to the location or all the backlighting, reminded me of ‘Veerapandi Kottaiyile’ from another Mani Ratnam film (it seemed like an enjoyable coincidence that an enemy king in this film is named Veera Pandiyan). How about that mythical entrance of Aditha Karikalan? Or how about that incredible pre-interval scene—a directorial masterclass really—that condenses grief and sleeplessness of years into a few minutes of dialogue? How about the monologous lament that gloriously segues into ‘ Chola Chola ’. Listening to this song ahead of the film’s release, you would be forgiven for expecting a track about heroism and machismo. Instead, we get one about pain and regret—and in a sense, some commentary about the cause of indiscriminate violence.

These are joys that sustain you through the less-effective portions—like the not-so-deep insight you get into many characters… yet, or the straightforward action. Even here, take one tempestuous battle as an example, which must have been quite a task to execute. While you are taking it in, it’s hard to forget you are watching a Mani Ratnam film. You notice that this isn’t a thousand men taking on another thousand men to bring an epic film to its conclusion. This is a battle much simpler in scale, and yet, much scarier to witness. For one character, in fact, it’s as much a psychological battle as it is physical. It is said that the most rousing battles are fought not on the outside but on the inside. By that account, PS-1 does present snapshots of many epic battles, with the promise of more in the second film. Consider me intrigued.

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Ponniyin Selvan: Part I

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Ponniyin Selvan: Part I

Vandiyathevan crosses the Chola land to deliver a message from the Crown Prince Aditha Karikalan, while Kundavai attempts to establish political peace as vassals and petty chieftains plot ag... Read all Vandiyathevan crosses the Chola land to deliver a message from the Crown Prince Aditha Karikalan, while Kundavai attempts to establish political peace as vassals and petty chieftains plot against the throne. Vandiyathevan crosses the Chola land to deliver a message from the Crown Prince Aditha Karikalan, while Kundavai attempts to establish political peace as vassals and petty chieftains plot against the throne.

• Mani Ratnam
• Sruti Harihara Subramanian
• Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
• Trisha Krishnan
• 366 User reviews
• 24 Critic reviews
• 15 wins & 30 nominations

Top cast 36

• Aditha Karikalan

• Vanthiyathevan

• Arunmozhi Varman

• Periya Velaar

• Periya Pazhuvettarayar
• (as Sarath Kumar)

• Poonguzhali

• Parthibendran Pallavan

• Sundara Chozhar

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Did you know

• Trivia Director Mani Ratnam and music composer A.R. Rahman did not work with lyricist Vairamuthu on this film, following the latter's #MeToo allegations and controversy. This marked the end of the longest director-composer-lyricist trio in Tamil Cinema, which began since A.R. Rahman's debut on Mani Ratnam's Roja (1992).
• Goofs The Marwari breed of horses were used for shooting this film. A horse had died in shooting too. In history though, the fastest horses in the world were imported from Arabia for warfare in the Chozha cavalry.

Parthibendran Pallavan : I heard you died at Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar's hands, after getting caught

Vanthiyathevan : I think that I haven't died yet indeed

Parthibendran Pallavan : Your tongue is sharper than sword

Vanthiyathevan : One day you can try my sword's sharpness as well

• Crazy credits Vanthiyathevan was supposed to be a spy in various scenes, and depicted in ordinary garb in the novel. However, he's always in an armor.
• Alternate versions In Singapore, the film initially received an NC16 classification due to moments of violence occurred in the film. It is also noted that the Hindi version also received the same classification. The distributor opted to edited the moments of violence in order to lower the rating from NC16 to PG13. Both PG13 edited versions became the standard versions to release in theaters of Singapore.
• Connections Referenced in The Kapil Sharma Show: Ponniyin Selvan Special (2022)
• Soundtracks Ponni Nadhi (Tamil) Music by A.R. Rahman Lyrics by Ilango Krishnan Vocals by A.R. Rahman , A.R. Reihana & Bamba Bakya

User reviews 366

• ThironthoramDude
• Sep 29, 2022
• How long is Ponniyin Selvan: Part I? Powered by Alexa
• September 30, 2022 (India)
• Ponniyin Selvan: I
• Pondicherry, India
• Lyca Productions
• Madras Talkies
• Zeal Z Entertainment services
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• ₹5,000,000,000 (estimated)
• Oct 2, 2022
• $21,888,295

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 47 minutes
• Dolby Surround 7.1
• Dolby Atmos
• IMAX 6-Track
• Dolby Digital

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Ponniyin Selvan 1 review: Aishwarya Rai, Jayam Ravi shine brighter in this Mani Ratnam movie

Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan 1 gains much and suffers a little from its genre. The multi-star period drama is undoubtedly a spectacle – one that should be enjoyed in a theatre. It scores big in its production scale, story-telling, cinematography and performances. That is expected from the master filmmaker especially when it’s his one of the most ambitious works. What goes against one’s expectations is a not-so-engaging first half.

Ponniyin Selvan 1, the first part of a cinematic adaptation of Tamil modern classic novel Ponniyin Selvan by Kalki, is about a particular period in the rich history of the Chola empire. Ponniyin Selvan 1 is an epic which has its share of war, revenge, conspiracy, love and what not! The story is typical of any epic involving kings and queens and princes and princesses. And like any ‘game of thrones’ from around the globe, Ponniyin Selvan 1 also is a superabundance of charm. Everything about its setting, its story and its people are dreamy. Mani Ratnam has done total justice in translating the magic embedded in the masterpiece literary work into the language of silver screen. One need not read the book to understand that.

A recurring problem with period dramas is that they tend to be monotonous both in substance and style. Ponniyin Selvan 1 is also not fully free from this fate. It has a set of characters and sequences that look all too familiar. The plot progression is also in a familiar trajectory. The war sequences, despite the scale of making, look all ‘seen on the screen’.

Nevertheless, the film has its moments of drama at frequent intervals and they compensate the falls.

Mani Ratnam who has never failed in casting scores big at his strong point once again with Ponniyin Selvan 1. The film has a galaxy of stars including Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Trisha, Jayaram, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sobhita Dhulipala and Prabhu.

Among them, it’s Aishwarya Rai who stands out as Nandini, the queen with different shades. With her royal looks and composed performance, she proves once again that she is elegance personified.

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On the male cast, Jayam Ravi stands tall. In physique, appearance and moves, Ravi justifies the director’s decision to entrust him with the role of Ponniyin Selvan. Vikram’s Karikala Cholan has equal or a little more prominence than the title character in the first installment of the film series. He excels in looks and fights, but it seems he has lost the grip over his performance at certain points.

Karthi plays Vallavarayan Vanthiyathevan, a witty and charming messenger-warrior who turns out to be the link between the rest of the characters. The role is safe in his hands though Ravi overshadows him towards the end of the film. Trisha as Kundavai, Jayaram as Nambi and Aishwarya Lekshmi as Poonguzhali excel in their roles. Jayaram deserves kudos for the mannerisms of Nambi.

Mani Ratnam and his co-writers Elango Kumaravel and B Jeyamohan should be appreciated for the art of condensing Kalki Krishnamoorthy’s grand narrative into the film format without losing its essence.

All the masters behind the project – Ravi Varman’s cinematography, Sreekar Prasad’s editing, Thotta Tharani’s production design, and A R Rahman’s music – make Ponniyin Selvan 1 a fine cinematic experience.

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Ponniyin Selvan 1 Movie Review (2022)

• Ponniyin Selvan 1

Mani Ratnam and his fantastic team beautifully capture the essence of Kalki's characters in 'Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1', which infuses a period story with a sense of lived-in reality

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Movie Cast & Crew

Book adaptations are strange beasts, and in my opinion, the only way to truly enjoy a movie based on a book is to… forget the book. Now, of course, that’s impossible when the book is imprinted in your memory, but what I mean by “forget the book” is simply this: Forget the fact that you are going to get the exact book. One of my favourite book-to-movie adaptations is Guide , which became one of Dev Anand’s biggest hits, with great SD Burman songs, a brilliant and beautiful Waheeda Rahman, and superb direction by Vijay Anand. But RK Narayan, the author of the original book, hated the movie. He called the film “a bastard offspring of my novel,” but what he did not understand was that the film was not “his novel”. The film was not “RK Narayan’s Guide ” but “filmmaker Vijay Anand’s version of RK Narayan’s Guide ”.

I recalled this incident when Ponniyin Selvan finally got going after decades of various people trying to make it, and I think the author Kalki Krishnamurthy would have been quite happy with “Mani Ratnam’s version of Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan .” The film transforms a book into an utterly gorgeous piece of cinema, and I’m not just talking about Ravi Varman’s image after stunning image, beginning with a fiery Vikram emerging from a mist. It’s also the writing, by Mani Ratnam,  Elango Kumaravel and Jeyamohan. There's an early visual of the Pandya flag being sliced into two, and one half flutters into the next bit of narrative. That's the spirit of Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1. The book has been slashed, and pages and images flutter across from one bit of exposition to another.

Take the character of the boat woman Poonguzhali, played by Aishwarya Lekshmi. Kalki introduces her during sunset, as she sings a song that is so sweet that nature stands still. The song in the film, written by Siva Ananth, is not the same song that Poonguzhali sings in the book. But it begins with the same word, “ alaikadal ” and AR Rahman’s tune perfectly captures what Kalki calls the “ inba vedhanai ” (sweet sorrow) in her voice. We don't see other things from the book. We don't see Poonguzhali rescuing Vandhiyathevan from quicksand. We don't see her think his face looks like an owl, which annoys his vanity. We don't see him telling her father about his wanting to be ferried across the ocean to Sri Lanka. We don't witness Poonguzhali and Vandhiyathevan's subsequent fight on the boat, and her jumping into the sea to save him. But the image we get gives a sense of all this. We see her emerge from the sea like a mermaid, and he is already on the boat, having already confessed in earlier scenes that he is afraid of water. That's the essence.

In a way, we are talking about Mani Ratnam's approach in Chekka Chivantha Vaanam , where characters and situations were thrust upon us with intensity and severe economy. That film did not work for me at all, but here, this highlights-reel approach works beautifully. The playful scene where Karthi meets Jayaram. The intense conversation between Trisha and Vikram. The tragic tears that well up in Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's eye when she hears the name of a former lover. A following scene between her and Karthi, where we see her manipulative side. The scene where Jayachitra reminds Rahman of his duty. The flirtatious scene between Trisha and Karthi. The seductive scene between Aishwarya and Sarath Kumar. The non-verbal catfights between Aishwarya and Trisha. The boys-will-be-boys scene when Karthi and Jayam Ravi meet. The scene with Trisha's hilarious political move, which shows that the men may be straight-on schemers, but it's the women who are the devious schemers, driving the story with their agenda.

In other words, every character has a strong scene - or three - where their essence is established. One part of me wished for a ten-hour movie. But given two hours and forty-five minutes, there really is no other way to tell this story on screen, and the big plus is seeing Mani Ratnam, the director, in glorious form with his fantastic technical team: Thotta Tharani handles the production design, Sreekar Prasad is the editor, and cinematographer Ravi Varman fills the screen with colour, from the blue of the seas to the browns of the land, from the monochromed dark-pink interiors of a queen's chamber to the all-out rainbow colours of Raatchasa maamane . This is a film filled with constant movement: it's either the chases or the battles or the never-ending mind games that keep coiling around the narrative like a slimy snake. Even the camera, mostly, is free and keeps moving. Very few shots seem "composed"

Could the AR Rahman songs have been axed completely to make way for more narrative? I loved the segue from Vikram's emotional revelation to the drunken revelry of Chola Chola . I loved that a long comic chase involving Karthi segues to the playful Raatchasa maamane . But given the choice, I would have liked the songs to have been replaced by more interaction between the characters. Or maybe more time for the action scenes to play out. (Right now, they seem like truncated versions of longer action blocks.) But then, that's why we have the books. Besides, this story of political intrigue is remarkably reminiscent of the present day, where political groups band together and split as it suits them – so not much exposition is actually needed. Except for the costumes and the language, this is a very contemporary narrative about an ailing king – Sundara Chola, played by Prakash Raj – and his three children. (Again, do we have shades of Chekka Chivantha Vaanam ?)

Instead of trying to dazzle us with epic-ness, Mani Ratnam goes all-out real. There are no "mass" dialogues, the jokes are casually tossed off, the verbal confrontations are delivered in even tones, and even the fights aren't staged as spectacles for the sake of spectacle: some are like the delightfully simple sword fights we saw in the MGR movies. All the actors are fantastic, especially Vikram, Aishwarya, Trisha and Karthi – though Jayaram probably steals the show in an author-backed comic role that has sly shades, too. If Karthi and Jayaram give "big" performances, because their roles are such, they are balanced by the wonderfully minimalistic work by the others. Jayam Ravi uses so little to convey so much - and it's really tough to portray a good guy on screen without making him seem boring. And the end-reveal of a famous minor character in the book is awesome. This character-driven first part perfectly sets the stage for the second installment, which can now hit the ground running. Apart from showing how a huge novel can be convincingly condensed, that is this film's biggest achievement.

About Author

Baradwaj Rangan

National Award-winning film critic Baradwaj Rangan, former deputy editor of The Hindu and senior editor of Film Companion, has carved a niche for himself over the years as a powerful voice in cinema, especially the Tamil film industry, with his reviews of films. While he was pursuing his chemical engineering degree, he was fascinated with the writing and analysis of world cinema by American critics. Baradwaj completed his Master’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations through scholarship. His first review was for the Hindi film Dum, published on January 30, 2003, in the Madras Plus supplement of The Economic Times. He then started critiquing Tamil films in 2014 and did a review on the film Subramaniapuram, while also debuting as a writer in the unreleased rom-com Kadhal 2 Kalyanam. Furthermore, Baradwaj has authored two books - Conversations with Mani Ratnam, 2012, and A Journey Through Indian Cinema, 2014. In 2017, he joined Film Companion South and continued to show his prowess in critiquing for the next five years garnering a wide viewership and a fan following of his own before announcing to be a part of Galatta Media in March 2022.

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Movie News

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PONNIYIN SELVAN PART 1 MOVIE REVIEW

Ponniyin Selvan - Part 1 is a film written by Mani Ratnam, Elango Kumaravel, B Jeyamohan and directed by Mani Ratnam. The film is based on Kalki's magnum opus, Ponniyin Selvan and has Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Jayam Ravi, Karthi, Trisha, Vikram Prabhu, Sobhitha Dhulipala, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sarathkumar, Prakash Raj, Prabhu, Jayaram and others in the lead roles. PS is bankrolled by Mani Ratnam and Subaskaran under the banners Madras Talkies and Lyca Productions respectively.

Aditha Karikalan (Vikram) has just won a battle against the Rashtrakutas up north, and sends his friend Vanthiyathevan (Karthi) to deliver a message to his sister Princess Kundhavai (Trisha) and father Sundara Chozhan (Prakash Raj). The film follows the adventures of Vanthiyathevan, as he is assigned more duties by Kundhavai, and Arunmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi). Meanwhile, there's a conspiracy happening at Thanjavur involving the Chozha Throne and the chieftains headed by Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar (Sarathkumar) and his brother Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyar (Parthiban).

Probably the most exciting element about Ponniyin Selvan - Part 1 is the story itself. Upon watching the film, one might finally get the answer to the question why is Ponniyin Selvan one of the best selling novels in the country. Right from the word Go, there is a natural tension that is present in each scene, keeping us on the edge of our seats.

When we watch thriller movies, as audiences it is natural that we start solving the cases in our minds. Similarly, whenever a new character that appears on screen, we start looking at them with a sense of suspicion. Are they going to plot against the Chozhas or are they part of the same team. Such questions add on to the excitement.

While it's certainly difficult to execute a film on this scale, for a director like Mani Ratnam, who has a strong sense of aesthetics, conceiving the scenes and getting the job done from actors shouldn't have been a difficult task. This is because he is surrounded by a set of technicians who've proven their worth multiple times. He is aided by AR Rahman whose score and songs like Devaralan Aattam, Ponni Nadhi give you goosebumps multiple times.

The cinematography reflects the nature of the plot very well. Since the entire plot revolves around the fight for the throne, the kingdom of Chozhas is unstable. Ravi Varman's camera too doesn't stand at one place for most of the film. It keeps moving, and it's a bit unconventional as well because usually you expect some scenes to be shot while the camera is still. This innovation pays off well. Art Director Thota Tharani's work also deserves lot of praise, as he has put so much work into bringing the palace of Chozhas into life.

The film gets its casting on point with each actor fitting their character to the T, and they all emote so well. Vikram gets a meaty scene to showcase all his acting capabilities in the interval block, Jayam Ravi looks super perfect as Arunmozhi Varman, while Karthi is the one who carries the film throughout.

Aishwarya Rai as Nandhini is an apt cast and she has pulled off the role with negative shade convincingly well. Trisha gets a meaty role as Kundhavai and looks stunning in every frame in her career best role till date.

Even the junior artists' add so much value to the film. If at all there's something wrong with the film, the runtime could test the patience. Barring that the film gets almost everything right, is close to a perfect adaptation of the book. The wait for the Part 2 has already began with the surprise end twist.

PONNIYIN SELVAN PART 1 VIDEO REVIEW

BEHINDWOODS REVIEW BOARD RATING

Public review board rating, review rating explanation.

பிரேக்கிங் சினிமா செய்திகள், திரை விமர்சனம், பாடல் விமர்சனம், ஃபோட்டோ கேலரி, பாக்ஸ் ஆபிஸ் செய்திகள், ஸ்லைடு ஷோ, போன்ற பல்வேறு சுவாரஸியமான தகவல்களை தமிழில் படிக்க இங்கு கிளிக் செய்யவும்      

PONNIYIN SELVAN PART 1 NEWS STORIES

• Jayam Ravi Watching Ponniyin Selvan PS1 with His wife
• ponniyin selvan trailer song patanjali natesa navagam
• Sarathkumar Over love scens with aishwarya rai Ponniyin Selvan
• Ponniyin Selvan artists acted with original jewels sarathkumar

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PONNIYIN SELVAN PART 1 RELATED LINKS

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REVIEW: Ponniyin Selvan (Part 1) – Glorious attempt which was effective but too delicate

Ponniyin Selvan 1 aka PS1 ,which was released with a great deal of anticipation for its adaptation of one of the best-selling novels in Tamil and has worked effectively to an extent that a non-reader like me was able to relate as well as get entertained.

The film starts with a very crisp and much needed introduction to the characters, and the scene where it opens becomes more effective by Kamal Haasan’s voice over. The cast, who delivered some outstanding performances, is undoubtedly one of the film’s major strengths. Karthi as Vanthiyathevan is an excellent choice for the leading role in the film. He is a funny, lovable,witty, honest, and brave warrior.

Trisha shines as Kundhavai, a terrific mix of beauty and sarcasm with an astounding attitude. Her face speaks a lot, especially whenever she’s talking to Nandhini. Aishwarya Rai’s performance as Nandhini is multifaceted and phenomenal. Sarath Kumar as Periya Pazhuvettarayar is another notable character to me who best fits into a ‘Kingdom’ than any others. The rest of the cast, including Jayam Ravi as the title character, Vikram as Adithya Karikalan, Prakashraj as Sundar Chozhar, Jayaram as Azhwarkadiyan, Prabhu as Periya Vellar Boothi Vikramakesari, Parthiban as Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyar, and Aishwarya Lekshmi as Poonguzhali, has done well.

The first half is so engaging and interesting because there is so much emphasis on establishing each character. Then comes the second half, in which events begin and gradually decline. The journey of Vanthiyathevan keeps the film rolling, and comes to a halt when he meets Arunmozhi Varman. The pace of the plot and other good things slows down.

The storytelling is honest, with no concessions for a “larger cinema audience,” but it is also too dainty. The tone in the narration, execution, and performances gives me the feeling that I’m watching a good Maniratnam film, and I almost forget that I’m watching a historical film about the Chozha Dynasty. Vikram as Aditha Karikalan is probably the only vocally and physically loud character who is as good as he always is, but a few scenes in which he discusses his past love with Nandhini reminds me so much of him in Ravanan.

A R Rahman’s music and Ravi Varman’s cinematography elevated the experience. Aside from having an extraordinary technical crew, it did not give the impact of watching a historical film. Stunts, for example, are shot so well but are so simple for a war sequence, especially given the audience’s exposure to similar sequences in recent times.Maybe it’s because our minds are conditioned to watch historical films with much louder and exaggerated drama, but I felt that’s how you make the audience feel the genre.

Disclaimer : A non-readers review about the movie and absolutely no comparison to the novel.

• Vikram as Aditha Karikalan alias Adithya Chola II, the crown prince and the commander of Northern troops in Sundara Chola’s Reign. Eldest son of Sundara Chola. Arulmozhivarman and Kundavai’s elder brother.
• Sara Arjun as Young Nandini.
• Mandakini Devi, also known as Singala Naachiyaar or Oomai Rani (transl. ”The Mute Queen”), Nandini’s deaf and mute mother.
• Jayam Ravi as Arulmozhi Varman aka Ponniyin Selvan, later known as the great king Raja Raja Chola I. Youngest son of Sundara Chola. Adithya Karikalan and Kundavai’s younger brother.
• Karthi as Vallavaraiyan Vanthiyathevan alias Vanthiyathevan, the brave, adventurous and sarcastic warrior prince of Vaanar Clan.
• Trisha as Kundavai, also known as Ilaiya Piratti, the Chola princess and daughter of Emperor Sundara Chola and Vallavaraiyan’s Love interest.
• Aishwarya Lekshmi as Poonguzhali, also known as Samuthirakumari (transl. ”The princess of the ocean”), a boat woman living in Kodikarai.
• Sobhita Dhulipala as Vaanathi, also known as Kodambalur Ilavarasi, a shy Kodumbalur princess and Arulmozhi’s love interest
• Prabhu as Periya Vellar Boothi Vikramakesari, the Irunkovel chieftain, uncle of Vaanathi and the Commander of the southern troops during Sundara Chola’s reign.
• R. Sarathkumar as Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar, the chancellor and treasurer of the Chola kingdom from the Paluvettaraiyar clan who was respected for his valour and 64 scars he got in battles.
• Vikram Prabhu as Parthibendra Pallavan, friend of Adithya Karikalan, who comes from the lineage of Pallavas.
• Jayaram as Azhwarkadiyan Nambi alias Thirumalaiappan, a Veera Vaishnavite spy who works for the Prime Minister and Sembiyan Mahadevi.
• Prakash Raj as Sundara Chola alias Parantaka Chola II, the emperor of Chola empire, father of Adithya Karikalan, Kundavai and Arulmozhivarman, also known for his beauty giving him the name  Sundara .
• Rahman as Madurantaka Chola alias Uttama Chola, the son of Sembiyan Mahadevi and Gandaraditya Chola, who was raised as a Shaivite.
• R. Parthiban as Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyar, the chief in-charge of Thanjavur fort.
• Ashwin Kakumanu as Senthan Amudhan, a flower seller.
• Aswin Rao as Kandhamaaran, also known as Illaiya Sambuvaraiyan, the prince of Kadamboor.
• Nizhalgal Ravi as Kadmabur Sambuvaraiyar, the petty ruler of Kadamboor from the Sambuvaraya family.
• Lal as Tirukoilur Malaiyaman alias Milaadudaiyar, the father-in-law of Sundara Chola and maternal grandfather for his children.
• Vijaykumar as Vijayalaya Chola.
• Vidya Subramanian as Vanavan Mahadevi, the Empress of the Chola empire.
• Jayachitra as Sembiyan Mahadevi aka Periya Piratti, the wife of Gandaraditya and mother of Utthama Chola.
• Mohan Raman as Aniruddha Brahmarayar a leading minister in the court of the Chola emperor Sundara Chola.
• Nassar as Veerapandiyan
• Kishore as Ravi Dasan, antagonist of the novel Ponniyin Selvan and the leader of the Pandya Aabathudavigal.
• Riyaz Khan as Soman Sambhavan one of the member of Pandya Aabathudavigal.
• Vinay Kumar as Parameswaran or Theveraalan one of the member of Pandya Aabathudavigal.
• Yog Japee as Karuthiruman who helped Veerapandian and Mandakini.
• Arjun Chidambaram as Varagunan one of the member of Pandya Aabathudavigal.
• Nimmy Raphel as Rakkamaal
• Vinodhini Vaidyanathan as Vasuki, maid of Nandini.
• Master Raghavan as Pandya prince.
• Babu Antony as Rashtrakuta king
• Makarand Deshpande as Chief Kaalamugar.
• Amzath Khan

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Ponniyin Selvan: Part-1

Release date: 30 september, 2022 -->, ponniyin selvan: part-1 movie.

Based on a novel by Kalki Krishnamoorthy, the film revolves around the power struggle of the Chola empire during the 10th century. It is a story of Sundar Chola’s two sons – Aditya Karikalan (Chiyaan Vikram) and Arunmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi). They become the targets ...  of a group which is led by Paravateshvar (R. Sarath Kumar). To ensure that they don’t lose the battle against those who are plotting to oust them, Sundar then asks his sons to visit him Tanjore. Aditya Karikalan does not want to visit Tanjore as his first love Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), lives in Tanjore and is now married to Paravateshvar. Sundar’s second son Arunmozhi Varman decides to visit his father in Tanjore, but a murder plot is set up against him by another group (Pandya king’s personal guards).

Photos (15)

Trisha Krishnan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Aishwarya Rai on Mani Ratnam & AR Rahman: “I love their bond, their relationship” | PS-1

Articles (72).

70th National Film Awards: Kantara, KGF Chapter 2, Ponniyin Selvan 1 win big

EXCLUSIVE: Trisha Krishnan and Karthi share their experience of working with costume designer Eka Lakhani in Ponniyin Selvan

Mani Ratnam opens up about avoiding Baahubali-like moments in Ponniyin Selvan 1; says he wanted to show characters realistically

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan opens up on playing Nandini in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Ponniyin Selvan; says, “Beautiful coincidence na”

Top Indian worldwide grossers of 2022: KGF 2, RRR, and PS-1 grab the Top 3 spots; Brahmastra only Bollywood movie in Top 5

Ponniyin Selvan-1 crosses Rs. 200 cr. mark at Tamil Nadu box office; goes past Rs. 460 cr. mark at the worldwide box office

Mani Ratnam directorial Ponniyin Selvan-1 emerges as 2nd All-time highest Tamil grosser at the worldwide box office

Ponniyin Selvan Box Office: Mani Ratnam directorial becomes the first Tamil film to cross Rs. 200 cr. milestone at the Tamil Nadu box office

Ponniyin Selvan Box Office: PS-1 joins the Rs. 400 cr club; becomes the third Tamil film after 2.0 and Vikram to achieve this

Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan 1 surpasses Vikram in Tamil Nadu to emerge the HIGHEST grossing film of ALL TIME

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'Ponniyin Selvan 1' movie review: A tasteful adaptation defined by powerful performances

I have not read Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan , but it has always been apparent that the character of Vandhiyathevan wields great charisma. Many top actors have dreamt for years about playing this character, and now, after having watched Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan 1 , it’s finally apparent to me why. This character, in a sense, can be likened to Rahman’s opening song, ‘Ponni Nadhi’—which heralds the beginning of his epic journey. Like the river, he flows where he wishes, and he’s a source of much life wherever he lands. Like the river shifts everything in its wake, so does he. At one point, when asked about his whereabouts, he says, “I’m from everywhere…” and talks of being able to find peace anywhere under the sky and over the land. I wondered if that’s why he doesn’t hurt when he lands from great height like a waterfall. I wondered if that’s why he’s so frightened of the ocean—you know, that place where the river dies. He’s funny, he’s flirtatious, and when he is on screen, good luck taking your eyes off him.

His interplays with actor Jayaram—who plays Azhwarkadiyan Nambi—are delightful. The latter has always been a skilled exponent at slapstick humour, and his adventures in this film offer further proof. It seems to me that sometimes, we get so consumed by Mani Ratnam’s explorations of emotion that we don’t quite acknowledge how organically he weaves in humour into his films. There are so many lively, laugh-out-loud moments in this film arising from organic exchanges—once, from Vandhiyathevan simply observing his reflection in water.

There are other performances in Ponniyin Selvan that leave you gasping for breath. Vikram, as Aditha Karikalan, is gloriously unbridled as the crown-prince. A scene where he speaks of suppressed pain sees him bare his heart out. Ahead of the film’s release, there were what seemed to me to be unfair reservations on the casting of Jayam Ravi—who has always struck me as an invested performer. He’s on point as ‘Ponniyin Selvan’, the dutiful prince who comes into the limelight later in the film.

As for the women in the Ponniyin Selvan world, it’s wonderful that despite this being a story that’s occurring a thousand years earlier, they aren’t reduced to being ornamental spouses—or as happens in many an epic historical story, a property that men fight over. Sure, a foiled romance might be at the heart of this story too, but both Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) and Kundavai (Trisha) get established as devious women who know how to create desirable outcomes in the patriarchal world around them. Among the most powerful moments in this film is when both come face-to-face. It also doubles up as an example of why Mani Ratnam is a master at creating memorable, visual drama. Another example is that introduction shot of Nandini, as she slides open the curtains of her palanquin. As an almost ethereal woman who knows how to beguile men, Aishwarya Rai is compelling. In more than one scene, we see only part of her face—perhaps because there’s more to her than she lets out?

While there’s the opulence in ornamentation and the expansiveness of palaces and forts, what’s unmistakeable is also the simplicity of an older time when the rivers ran full, and the earth had not been plundered yet. Through the shenanigans of Vandhiyathevan, we get some glimpses into the history of our land. It’s a world in which a man has to undertake an adventure of a thousand miles just to pass on the message of a dozen words. It’s a world in which a lover has to wait for weeks to learn whether her words of affection have been delivered. It’s a world in which the word ‘scroll’ has not come to signify disinterest. There’s great pleasure in seeing what once was.

There’s greater pleasure in experiencing AR Rahman climb into this film and deliver the type of songs and score he seems to always summon for this filmmaker for whom he made his debut. Be it with a ‘Ponni Nadhi’ that gently nudges us into this world or the aggressive, hyper-masculine ‘Chola Chola’ that captures the thrill of conquest, his score is a life-force. He utilises an operatic voice to present a crucial flashback moment, a grand orchestral score for the moments that lead up to it. In fact, Aditha Karikalan’s two powerful moments in this film are big beneficiaries of the Academy Award winner’s score.

For a film about succession issues, about conquests and rebellion, perhaps the action sequences aren’t as memorable as you might expect them to be. Yes, there’s urgency in capturing the violence of thundering hooves and swinging swords, but the fight choreography feels mostly generic with individual set-pieces not bursting with personality—except, I suppose, that final stretch that captures the chaos of a mad sea. And yet, PS-1 doesn’t quite end in a way that signifies the satisfying completion of a first film. It’s perhaps a consequence of Mani Ratnam interpreting this as one-half of a complete film—but given that PS-1 is packaged as a feature film lasting almost three hours, I think it’s only fair that we expect it to possess its own fulfilling end.

Perhaps the foremost pleasure of a Mani Ratnam film is in experiencing his wizardry over the medium. To use an endearing description often ascribed to Vandhiyathevan in PS-1 , a ‘maayakaaran’. You see plenty of examples in this film. The choreography and lighting in ‘Devaralan Aattam’—which, perhaps due to the location or all the backlighting, reminded me of ‘Veerapandi Kottaiyile’ from another Mani Ratnam film (it seemed like an enjoyable coincidence that an enemy king in this film is named Veera Pandiyan). How about that mythical entrance of Aditha Karikalan? Or how about that incredible pre-interval scene—a directorial masterclass really—that condenses grief and sleeplessness of years into a few minutes of dialogue? How about the monologous lament that gloriously segues into ‘Chola Chola’. Listening to this song ahead of the film’s release, you would be forgiven for expecting a track about heroism and machismo. Instead, we get one about pain and regret—and in a sense, some commentary about the cause of indiscriminate violence.

These are joys that sustain you through the less-effective portions—like the not-so-deep insight you get into many characters… yet, or the straightforward action. Even here, take one tempestuous battle as an example, which must have been quite a task to execute. While you are taking it in, it’s hard to forget you are watching a Mani Ratnam film. You notice that this isn’t a thousand men taking on another thousand men to bring an epic film to its conclusion. This is a battle much simpler in scale, and yet, much scarier to witness. For one character, in fact, it’s as much a psychological battle as it is physical. It is said that the most rousing battles are fought not on the outside but on the inside. By that account, PS-1 does present snapshots of many epic battles, with the promise of more in the second film. Consider me intrigued.

Film: Ponniyin Selvan 1

Director: Mani Ratnam

Cast: Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha, Jayaram

Rating: 4/5

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Ponniyin Selvan 1 (PS1) Movie Review

Average Ratings: 3.28/5 Score: 100% Positive Reviews Counted:8 Positive:6 Neutral:1 Negative:1

Ratings: Negative Sentiment  Review By: Komal Nahta Site: Zee ETC Bollywood Business

Mani Ratnams direction is good as far as technique is concerned, but he has not been able to penetrate into peoples hearts with his narration. In that sense, his narration fails to engage the viewers. On the whole, Ponniyin Selvan I is a boring fare which will not find too many takers among the Hindi film-going audiences. Its Hindi dubbed version will, therefore, flop at the ticket windows.

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Ratings: 4/5  Review By: Kirubhakar Site: Indian Express

The difference between Mani Ratnams brand of commercial films and the rest becomes evident with Ponniyin Selvan. He doesnt make demi-gods out of his heroes, they are just kings. Also, the filmmaker respects the audience. and thats 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.

Ratings: 2.5/5  Review By: Shubham Site: Koimoi

Ponniyin Selvan is an iconic book and one that has enthralled readers in the South for years, the adaptation does manage to explain why showing the basics, but the big show lacks the thunder it must have. Part 2 has a lot to answer and if the approach stays like the first, hopes are dim.

Ratings: 3.5/5  Review By: Suganth Site:Times Of India

Mani Ratnam finally brings the dream alive with this spectacular adaptation that superbly captures the intrigue, thrills and page-turning quality of the books. In this first of a two-part franchise, the director and his writers €” Jeyamohan and Ilango Kumaravel €” rise up to the challenge. The manner in which they have condensed the novel is admirable, with the changes €” like Kundhavai storming into a secret discussion, the introduction of Ponniyin Selvan’s mysterious saviour – adding to the momentum of the narrative. Jeyamohan’s dialogues are especially a highlight as he uses language that is both classical and colloquial without making it seem odd.

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Ratings: 3/5  Review By: Janani Site:India Today

The film, a historical fiction, is adapted from Kalki Krishnamurthys epic Tamil literary novel that encapsulates the power struggle that rattled the Chola Dynasty. Mani Ratnams 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.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.

Ratings: 3.25/5  Review By: Behindwoods Review Board Site:Behindwoods

Probably the most exciting element about Ponniyin Selvan – Part 1 is the story itself. Upon watching the film, one might finally get the answer to the question why is Ponniyin Selvan one of the best selling novels in the country. Right from the word Go, there is a natural tension that is present in each scene, keeping us on the edge of our seats.

Ratings: 3.75/5  Review By: Siddarth Site:OnlyKollywood

On the whole, Ponniyin Selvan 1 is a film that delivers just what we expected a drama that stays true to its source material. Mani Ratnam decides to do it in his way and that drives down the potential excitement that could have been explored, but nevertheless, this is stuff worth watching on the big screen at least once.

Ratings: 3/5  Review By: MovieCrow Site:Movie Crow

Your experience could largely vary depending on your familiarity with Kalki’s novel. PS 1 is largely condensed, and plot driven. So, the emotions of characters and the significance of crucial events dont register as impactfully as one would have liked. But it also has some other things going for it. It delivers on the joys of watching a big scale movie with a studded star cast. Most importantly, it remains engaging despite the lack of high moments and has us anticipating the second part!

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Ponniyin Selvan 1 Story:

Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1 story revolves around Vandiyathevan, a charming young man who sets out to the Chola land to deliver a message to the King and the Princess from the Crown Prince Aditya Karikalan. The story shuttles between Vandiyathevan’s travels in Chola country and the young Prince Arulmozhivarman’s travels in Sri Lanka.

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Release Date:

Sep 30, 2022 ( India) straight to Theaters

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Cast:

Vikram Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Jayam Ravi Karthi Trisha Aishwarya Lekshmi Sobhita Dhulipala Prabhu R. Sarathkumar Vikram Prabhu Jayaram Prakash Raj Rahman R. Parthiban

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Director: 

Mani Ratnam

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Producer: 

Mani Ratnam Subaskaran Allirajah

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Production Companies:

Madras Talkies Lyca Productions

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Distribution Companies:

Red Giant Movies (Tamil Nadu) Sri Venkateswara Creations (Andhra Pradesh & Telangana) Sree Gokulam Movies (Kerala) Pen India Limited (North India) Lyca Productions in association with Tentkotta (Overseas)

Ponniyin Selvan 1 Run Time: 

2 Hours 47 Minutes (167 minutes)

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GOAT box office Day 6: Vijay's film eyes Vikram, Jailer records, targets Rs 350 crore

Thalapathy vijay and director venkat prabhu's goat aka the greatest of all time is marching towards rs 350 crore worldwide. the film is chasing the records of kamal haasan's vikram and rajinikanth's jailer..

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• GOAT entered the Rs 300 crore-club in just five days
• The film will now chase the records of Vikram, Jailer, Ponniyin Selvan 1 and Leo
• The film is directed by Venkat Prabhu

Thalapathy Vijay and director Venkat Prabhu's The Greatest of All Time aka GOAT is inching towards Rs 350 crore worldwide. The film is now chasing the records of Kamal Haasan's Vikram, Rajinikanth's Jailer, Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1 and Vijay's Leo. On September 10, Tuesday, the spy thriller recorded a double-digit collection, which is a great sign for the film's theatrical run.

GOAT, which released in theatres on September 5, breached the Rs 300-crore mark in just five days. At this rate, the movie will enter the Rs 350 crore club by the end of this weekend.

On September 10, GOAT earned Rs 10.50 crore (nett) in India, reported tracking website Sacnilk . This is a great sign for the film's performance during the weekdays. The six-day total collection of GOAT now stands at Rs 162.25 crore (nett) at the domestic box office.

The Tamil version of the film recorded an occupancy of 33.43 per cent on September 10 in India. The collection has been seeing a decline since Monday (September 9), but it is expected to see an incline during its second weekend in theatres.

In Tamil Nadu, GOAT is said to have grossed Rs 134 crore. Many records will be broken in the state by the end of its second weekend in theatres. It will also give everyone a clear picture of the film's standing against Vikram, Jailer, Ponniyin Selvan: Part 1 and Leo.

Directed by Venkat Prabhu, GOAT is an espionage spy thriller with Vijay playing two roles. Prashanth, Prabhudheva, Ajmal Ameer, Mohan, Jayaram, Sneha, Laila and Meenakshi Chaudhary feature in crucial roles. Actors Trisha and Sivakarthikeyan play cameos in GOAT.