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
Release Date : September 30, 2022
Ponniyin Selvan is Mani Ratnam’s dream project. The film has been made in two parts and the first part is out. Read our review to find out if the film has any juice in it or not.
Plot
Adithya Karikaludu (Vikram), the crown prince of the Chola Empire goes on wars to expand the kingdom. After defeating Rashtrakutas, he gets information that everything is not right in the Capital Tanjore where his ailing dad emperor Sundara Cholan(Prakash Raj) is put up. Aditya Karikalan sends his trusted lieutenant Vallavaraiyan Vanthiyathevan (Karthi) to get first-hand information. Upon this information, Kundavi (Trisha) sends Vanthiyadevudu to bring her brother Arunmozhi aka Ponniyan Selvan (Jayam Ravi). The rest of the film is all about Ponniyan Selvan trying to return to his birthplace.
Performances
Karthi is the one who gets more screen space in this film, and he is amazing. Most of the fun through his character. Aishwarya Rai gets a meaty role, and she looks beautiful and handles her character nicely. Trisha looks gorgeous and is quite good in her key role. Sarath Kumar, Parthiban, Prakash Raj and others do their supporting roles well. Vikram does not get much screen time and the same happens with Jayam Ravi. Mani Ratnam has used noted actors even for the smallest roles in the film.
What’s Good
Visuals
AR Rahman music and BGM
Performances
What’s Bad
Slow Pace
Lengthy runtime
Dull narration
Analysis
PS 1 is based on the mighty Chola Empire which we have read in all the history books. So, the film is based on a novel written by Kalki Krishnamurthy. There are a number of characters in this epic story and that is the reason Mani Ratnam had to pick so many stars. But in this film, he does not reveal the story properly and this is one of the major drawbacks.
The first half of the film is very unclear, and one does not understand what is happening in the film. In a way, the story teases your brain and leaves you with so many puzzles in the head. But things work well in the second half as the motto of the film is quite clear by this time.
AR Rahman has breathed life into this film with his music and BGM. Ravi Chandran’s camerawork and the costumes are to die for. The production values, sets laid, and locations chosen are superb and Mani Ratnam does not disappoint in this aspect. But he also did not add many high moments in the film.
PS-1 is a film that needs a lot of patience for the audience to understand. There are so many stars which provide eye candy but the narration is slow and lengthy, and this can get on your nerves. If you are okay with these aspects, give it a shot otherwise PS-1 is not a film that will hurt even if you miss it.
Bottom Line – Glossy but Slow
