Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Karthi are the three pillars of Mani Ratnam’s dazzling Ponniyin Selvan 2.
Cast: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, Trisha, Jayam Ravi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Prakash Raj, Vikram Prabhu
Director: Mani Ratnam
Writers: Mani Ratnam, Kumaravel, Jayamohan (dialogues) (based on Kalki Krishnamorthy’s novel, ‘Ponniyin Selvan’)
Upon Aditha Karikalan’s (Vikram) arrival at Kadamboor palace, when Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) steps out to welcome him, the former greets her with questions like ‘How are you?’ and ‘Are you well?’ On the other hand, the first image that flashes in Nandini’s mind is that of her and Aditha enjoying a horse-ride during their young days. With this intricate sequence, Mani Ratnam conveys how love and hate are the two sides of the same coin in his latest magnum opus, Ponniyin Selvan 2.
What’s Yay: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, stunning visuals, enchanting music
What’s Nay: The second half of the film seems a bit rushed, the climax might not appeal to the book purists.
Story
Ponniyin Selvan 2 opens with a young Nandini (Sara Arjun) emerging out of a river. The prelude then gives us a peek into the temple girl’s star-crossed love story with the crown prince, Aditha Karikalan (Santhosh Shriram). As time passes by, their resentment takes the shape of anger and revenge.
With a quick recap of the events from the first part, the film goes on to reveal that Aditha’s younger brother Arunmozhi aka Ponniyan Selvan (Jayam Ravi) and the Vanar clan warrior Vanthiyathevan (Karthi) had survived the sea storm. While Arunmozhi takes refuge in a Buddhist monastery to recuperate from an illness, Vanthiyathevan visits Aditha’s sister Kundavai (Trisha) to inform her that Arunmozhi is still alive.
Amidst this, Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) joins hands with the Pandyan rebels led by Ravidasa (Kishore) and hatches a plan to assassinate the emperor Sundara Chola (Prakash Raj) and his sons, Aditha (Vikram) and Arunmozhi to avenge Aditha’s perceived betrayal and bring down the Chola empire. Will she succeed in seeking revenge from her former lover?
Direction
It isn’t an easy task to bring a five-volume novel to life on the big screen and make sure that the story-telling hits the mark in just 5 hours and 50 minutes. But, a magician like Mani Ratnam succeeds in achieving this feat with both the chapters of Ponniyin Selvan.
While Ponniyin Selvan 1 served as an introduction to the Chola empire, the power play and the conspiracies brewing for the throne, Ponniyin Selvan 2 bares open the wounds of past, the unhealed heartbreaks and the vulnerabilities residing under the steely exteriors. There’s a heartbeat in Ratnam’s dense plot which is sprinkled with characters, real and flawed. Interestingly, Ponniyin Selvan 2 shines the most when the spotlight is on the delicately-woven moments rather than the larger-than-life action set pieces.
Take for example, the top-angle shot of Sundara Chola confessing a secret to his daughter Kundavai or the scene where Vanthiyathevan meets Kundavai in a tiny heart-shaped islet; Ratnam pulls you straight into his world brimmed with bruised hearts, cold revenge and a flint of hope.
On the flipside, the second half of the film especially the war sequence towards the climax comes across as a bit rushed. The screenplay has some rough edges at places. Also, Mani Ratnam lends his own signature touch to Kalki’s novel with a bit of a twist in the finale which might not sit down well with the book purists.
Performances
Vikram gallops into your hearts with his blazing performance as Aditha Karikalan. He plays a character who is driven by rage, impulsiveness and misery, and the actor never misses a single mark. Next comes Mani Ratnam’s muse, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who lends her share of might to the film. The ace director knows how to extract the best out of the actress and Ponniyin Selvan 2 is no different.
Watch out for the scene where Aditha and Nandini finally come face-to-face and bare open their hearts! It’s a moment of sheer brilliance as Ratnam’s intense close-ups tell you a tale of doomed romance.
Another major strength of Ponniyin Selvan 2 is Karthi who makes sure that your eyes don’t leave him even for a single second. The actor adds an entertaining streak to the film. At the same time, he also leaves a mark when emotions take the front seat. Trisha looks resplendent in every frame and her scenes with Karthi make your heart flutter.
Despite a titular role, Jayam Ravi doesn’t get a major chunk of role to sink his teeth into. Nevertheless, the actor delivers a sincere performance. Sobhita Dhulipala and Aishwarya Lekshmi are consistent in their respective roles.
Technical Aspects
Ravi Varman’s opulent frames make Ponniyin Selvan 2 a solid treat for the eyes. His camera techniques add more nuances to the written material. His detailed eye makes every frame on Mani Ratnam’s gargantuan canvas look like a painting brought to life. A Sreekar Prasad’s editing flows as smoothly as the waves of Kaveri.
Music
AR Rahman’s melodious music is the soul of Ponniyin Selvan 2. Out of all the songs, ‘Aga Naga’ sung by Sakthisree Gopalan and ‘Chinnanjiru Nilave’ in Haricharan’s vocals are our picks from the music album.
Verdict
Backed by star-studded striking performances, Ravi Varman’s splendid frames and AR Rahman’s euphonious music, Ponniyin Selvan 2 stays with you for a long time even after Mani Ratnam draws the curtain.
