Ponniyin Selvan: I Movie Review- Tamil & Telugu (2023)

 Movie: Ponniyin Selvan- I (2023)

Director: Maniratnam

Production: Maniratnam & Subaskaran

Cast: Karthi, Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Rai, Trisha & Others

Music: A. R. Rahman

Cinematography: Ravi Varman

Editor: A. Sreekar Prasad

Release Date: 30 Sep, 2022

Streaming Platform: Prime Video

Languages: Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada & Hindi

4.5/5
"An epic novel that has been brought to screens with the same epic glory"

01. PS- I in & out.

PS- I is the film version of the superhit novel "Ponniyin Selvan" written by Kalki Krishnamurthy in 1955 & which is regarded as one of the greatest works of Tamil literature ever. Maniratnam dares to take this risk of giving Ponniyin Selvan a film guise & I'll personally opine that he has succeeded to an extent. 

I personally took time to watch the film & give an analytic view from my side, coz I did'nt want to fall into mouth of words & give this masterpiece any name that came across my mind at that time, but wanted to analyze it properly & then talk about it. And also I have to accept that I have got no time to watch it in that hustle then, but now I'll clarify all those thoughts that arose during the release time between Tamil & Telugu audience too.

PS- I is not only Kalki's greatest writings but from now Maniratnam's greatest takings too. The star studded cast, ARR's music, Ravi Varman's frames, Mani's screenplay & taking are yet again few more reasons for the grandeur. 

PS- I is all about the sequences that happened one after the other when Karthi as Vanthiyadevan comes to relive the conspiracy to the right person that's blazing inside the Chola kingdom. Whole story is around Vanthiyadevan & his perspective of viewing the proceedings happeining around like in the novel. Prakash Raj as Sundara Chozhan & his off springs Vikram as Adithya Karikalan, Jayam Ravi as Arunmozhi & Trisha as Kundavai get their dues & the drama associated with these characters & their link with Vanthiyadevan is just beautifully portrayed.  Aishwarya Rai as Nandini or Oomai Rani (Dual role) the most prominent role in the PS- I, wghole story is around two characters Nandini & Vanthiyadevan & rest other characters just appear as they are advised. Sarath Kumar as Periya Pazhuvettarayar & Parthibhan as Chinna Pazhuvettarayar are portrayed with shades of grey same like in the novel. Sobitha as Vaanathi, Jayaram as Azhawarkadiyan Nembi, Aishwarya Lekshmi as Poongazhali, Prakash Raj as Sundara Chozhan get some meaty screen spaces. Rest others like Prabhu as Periya Velar, Rahman as Madhuraantakan, Vikram Prabhu as Parthibbean are the characters that have their prominence but do not get a lot of screen time. 

Entire film is about characters, the moment you get habituated to them then you are into the era of Chozhans. If you take characters for lite in the novel nor the film, Am sure you cant understand a bit. So, the one's who read the novel is mesmerized by the film but one's who are just sure about characters & never read about them can also connect to the film, but to those who are aliens to the Chozhan era find it difficult to get into the skin of the film but will work if you keenly watch the film by understanding dialouge by dialouge. Mani's PS is just that historic adventure film which promises strict story as well the commercial aspects too.

02. How did Mani execute PS-I & my opinion on his delivery.

Maniratnam shows that he's on a different leauge, he's one such directors who promises class content irrespective of ups & downs. Though inspired by film industry's view on period films off late like the success of Baahubali, RRR made him believe to concieve this film. But still Maniratnam does'nt compramise on his principles & his story nor script, like all his films he firmly believes on his script & taking & the result is PS- I. The way this film starts & ends is just heroic according to me. It is strictly on tracks from the beginning till end, no dilution, delay, lag etc. 

Maniratnam strictly adheres to the novel such that no intentions are hurt & also adds few commercial elements to make it look attractive & appeal to the present gen audience. So, in & out the captain of ship wins everytime here. He's the one to be credited here. Thankyou Ratnam for happeining to us.

03. Technical aspects & cast' performences.

The cinematography by Ravi Verman is just too rich & elegant. But, the climax ocean sequence somehow appears bit artificail or at times gets a feel of animation at junctures, but still it works, as the Kalki's novel describes that sequence in such a way only right! Editing needs a few fixes, but still can conclude that it's top notch coz in such epic films, editing becomes the crucial part & is the toughest one to deliver & any small mistake will result in disasters. But, Sreekar Prassad should have done a great job here, coz never boredem crept in nor there were'nt many abrupt cuts or switches between scene to scene. ARR's music & BGM does the prerequisite like all Mani-Rahman films right from Roja & this isn't any exception. Though there aren't any songs that remain as classics but still can opine that they just gel into the story to well. However each time any extrodinary BGM comes over on any crucial scene like the "Nandini- Kundavai crossover, Kundavai intruding the challencors meet in Pazhuvettarayar's authority or the climax scenes" showcases the maestro's prowess. The songs 'Ponni Nadhi, Alai Kadal, Raakshasa Maamaney & Chozha song' are just beyond brilliance.

Karthi as Vanthiyadevan is just brilliant, he carries the entire story on his shoulders. He's the audience in the film- he just keeps us engaged in to the story in his point of view same like in the novel written by Kalki. There's never a mistake with his character nor the portrayal. Trishna, Vikram & Jayam Ravi are just perfect. Parthiban & Sarath Kumar too should be lauded. Aishwarya Rai as Nandini/Oomai Rani is only the weakest links in the film, she's just dull, feeble & subtle. I don't know why but I felt that this character deserves much more than only beauty. Aishwarya's beauty & elegance definitely elevates the character, but still it demands a powerful performance, I know there aren't many dialouges for her in the film, but her eyes should speak volumes at junctures in silence, but Rai teribbly fails in such cases. I dunno if am the only one who felt like this, but still I cant get away from that feeling. Someone like Anushka Shetty or Nayanatara at that point should have solved the issue.

04. PS- I for Telugu audience.

I know all these names sound so different for Telugu people, but still they are perfect. See, when we narrate Ramayanam to foreigners we don't alter the characters of Rama & Seetha or any others for comfort or nativity feel, coz that's a real story & it cannot be altered. If you compare this with Baahubali or RRR, then you are just insulting the art of cinema that's it. Because every film is different, & they have their own point of looking at the film. I too understand the complexity issues in understanding this film, because of the characters, culture that is alien to us etc etc, but still this film cannot be any better. 

As a Telugu person & also someone who understands Tamil & also as someone who has already read PS, this film just excites me so much. But, putting everything apart & looking the film as a normal Telugu audience, still the film is perfect from my side. Just, don't believe in hate comments & wrong directions, just watch it as a historic film trying to narrate an epic in their style that's all. It's just a wonderful film.

05. Minus points & Conclusion.

Every film has it's defaults & this film too is'nt an exception

a. The lag in few scenes where Vanthiyadevan explores Thanjavur, Kadambur, Lanka

b. Jayaram's comedy as a strict Vaishnavite, they can be trimmed off.

c. Vanthiyadevan's flirt scenes where he praises the queens like any other comman man. If that was the intention of director too that can be dealt with little more maturity.

d. Silence at junctures, especially where Aishwarya Rai is on screen & when she's failing to portray her feelings via her face expressions.

e. The clarity that is missing when shifting from scene to scene in few parts.

f. Few songs could have been much more better.

But, my opinion: How much ever told, still some incompleteness is there in the review- because I can go on pages & pages but there are constraints, still one phrase about PS- I-

Just a masterpiece, waiting for the second part.