'Ponniyin Selvan 2' was released in theatres today. The sequel to 'Ponniyin Selvan' has been produced by Lyca Productions.
Plot:
Vallavarayan Vandhiyadhevan (Karthi) and Poonguzhali (Aishwarya Lekshmi) have their task cut out. They have to tend to the injured Ponniyin Selvan (Jayam Ravi). They take him to a monastery, where the unexpected drama unfolds.
Nandini (Aishwarya Rai), who is in cahoots with the Pandians, plots to eliminate Sundara Cholar (Prakash Raj) and Aditha Karikalan (Vikram). Nail-biting and intense drama unfolds at the Kadambur Fort. Meanwhile, Madhurandhagan (Rahman) has his eyes set on the Chola throne.
Performances:
The cast-heavy film needs no introduction. Vikram, Aishwarya Rai, Karthi, Trisha Krishnan and Jayam Ravi, in that other, deliver memorable performances. A scene involving Trisha's character and the adventurous Karthi is both fascinating and creative. Their performances uphold the proceedings throughout.
Vikram has evolved as an actor over the years. He emotes with his eyes and is completely at ease with his character's tormented self. Prakash Raj's (own) dubbing is off. Aishwarya Rai, at first, struggles to bring legitimacy to her character. But, by and by, she takes the scenes to the next level. The old Rai, with a completely awkward grey hair wig, could have been made up better.
Aishwarya Lekshmi is believable, while Sobhita Dhulipala is limited in her range. Prabhu overacts, while R Sarathkumar doesn't make any impact. Jayaram, Rahman and R Parthiban are very good.
Technical aspects:
AR Rahman's background score is understated. The music director lets the nuances of the treatment do the talking. The choice of tune is somewhat perplexing in the scene where Vikram and Aishwarya Rai meet. That must be because of Mani Ratnam's Midas Touch.
Ravi Varman's cinematography is top-notch. Thota Tharrani's art direction leaves a spellbinding impact.
Post-Mortem:
Mani Ratnam adapts the tedious novel 'Ponniyin Selvan' for the spectacular big screen. In doing so, he caters to the dimensions of the visual medium in all its splendor. While only a fraction of the audience members have read Kalki Krishnamurthy’s Tamil-language novel, the gist is well brought out eventually by the two-part film.
The patriotic flavour built on the foundations of the Chola sentiment works well. The dialogues are elaborate and grandiloquent. It's essentially a story told through dialogue. The conversations are laced with mundane humour. While there is no believability in several portions, the charms of the performers make them appear believable.
The film has the ability to remind the audience of the old-worldly charm of Telugu historicals while also retaining its unique sensibilities. The second half might be unsettling if you haven't learned to invest in the story beats by watching the first part.
Closing Remarks:
If you are not particularly stubborn about the visual effects and how the execution of the green mat scenes must be, you will enjoy the treatment on display. A good one hour of the film is delicious and delectable both in terms of performance and execution.
