{"id":81838,"date":"2023-04-28T00:18:27","date_gmt":"2023-04-28T04:18:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=81838"},"modified":"2023-04-30T19:32:02","modified_gmt":"2023-04-30T23:32:02","slug":"ponniyin-selvan-2-ace-filmmaker-maniratnams-cinematic-adaptation-of-with-the-interpersonal-dynamics-and-drama-between-its-main-characters-make-a-satisfactory-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=81838","title":{"rendered":"\u201cPonniyin Selvan 2\u201d : Ace Filmmaker Maniratnam\u2019s cinematic adaptation of Kalki’s Epic Novel with the interpersonal dynamics and drama between its main characters make a Satisfactory Watch"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nBy
\nSrinivasa Ramanujam<\/strong><\/p>\n

The events of Mani Ratnam\u2019s Ponniyin Selvan: 1, which released late last year, left audiences not just on a high, but also with many questions: What really happened to Arunmozhi Varman? Who is the mysterious lady who makes fleeting but impactful appearances? And most importantly, what happened to the succession battle for the Chola kingdom?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ponniyin Selvan: 2 answers these queries \u2014 as it should. Mani Ratnam\u2019s sequel takes liberal creative liberties by leaving out some parts from the Tamil classic in order to present it cinematically \u2014 and the climax might be the subject of some discussion in this context, especially among fans of the book \u2014 but it largely encapsulates the myriad twists and turns as the story unravels.<\/p>\n

We were given a sneak peek into the romance of Aditha Karikalan (Vikram) and Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) in the first part. Ponniyin Selvan: 2 opens with this angle; the first shot is that of a young Nandini taking a dip in a river. Remember this shot, because it makes a sort of a comeback later in the film. In the span of a few minutes, Ratnam packs in almost three short AR Rahman songs to narrate this story of young love, before he plunges into the actual story.<\/p>\n

We get why, though. The Karikalan-Nandini angle is the root of most of the confusion in the Chola kingdom, a place that continues to see much turmoil. Arunmozhi Varman aka Ponniyin Selvan is well and alive \u2014 but he suffers from an illness. Can he return and reclaim his position as the successor to the throne? Will Aditha Karikalan meet Nandini and what will transpire of that? And what about Vandhiyathevan (Karthi), through whom we were introduced to the main characters?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The zing of the first installment might be missing here, but there is certainly more depth to the characters. Despite having to chronicle several character arcs and showcase the twists and turns, Mani Ratnam\u2019s cinematic flourishes come to the fore. The director has always been an expert at showcasing two different character sequences packaged as one; remember how he juxtaposed Rajinikanth\u2019s fight sequences with Arvind Swamy\u2019s swearing-in ceremony in Thalapathi?<\/p>\n

He employs a similar technique during a death sequence; there is silence all around the body, while a slow-motion fight happens elsewhere, replete with Tamil poetic lines being recited in the background. There is poetry and poignance at once. Much like the sequence involving the three main actors \u2014 Vikram, Jayam Ravi and Trisha \u2014 that was heartening to watch.<\/p>\n

However, some of the scenes do extend more than they ought to; there\u2019s a Vikram-Aishwarya Rai meet-up that becomes too dialogue-oriented, but do watch out for their sparkling performances and cinematographer Ravi Varman\u2019s rich use of light and colour in this particular sequence.<\/p>\n

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan\u2019s hard work and effort to portray Nandini shows on the big screen, and she oozes confidence, but one wishes the makers gave this character more heft in the end. Somehow, she gets a lot of character-building (Vikram even describes her as \u2018the snake from Pazhavoor\u2019) but her different shades could have been conveyed more effectively. <\/p>\n

Thankfully, the Karthi-Trisha romance is more understated and subtle, with the likeable \u2018Aga Naga\u2019 playing in the background and ending with an apt top-angle shot.<\/p>\n

If Karthi was the life of the first part \u2014 we had written back then that he \u201ckindled a feeling of joie de vivre, thanks to his zesty acting style\u201d \u2014 Vikram and Jayam Ravi get their act together here, with powerful performances. Vikram displays flashes of acting brilliance, especially during the sequence where he learns that a plot is brewing against him.<\/p>\n

Jayam Ravi comes across as more quiet and confident, especially in a sequence that involves Buddhist monks saving him from a tricky situation. Whoever said \u2018mass\u2019 moments needed lots of action?<\/p>\n

Aiding this galaxy of actors \u2014 including Prakash Raj, Sarath Kumar, Parthiban, Kishore, Vikram Prabhu and Rahman \u2014 is a rousing score from AR Rahman who seems to know when to dish out soft musical cues (the usage of \u2018Aga Naga\u2019) and go all out with powerful vocals and percussion (the usage of the PS anthem). He even explores a paasuram from Andal\u2019s Thirupaavai \u2014 the \u2018Aazhi Mazhai Kanna\u2019 track which, interestingly, refers to the sea, and is actually believed to have swallowed two key characters in the film. <\/p>\n

Editing this magnum opus would have quite a task, especially considering the number of established actors, but Sreekar Prasad\u2019s cuts ensure we get a glimpse of as much drama as possible.<\/p>\n

Despite the war sequences in the end, it is the interpersonal dynamics and drama between its main characters that make the core of Ponniyin Selvan. Kalki has packed inside his literary work several twists that might be a little hard to understand for someone unfamiliar with the PS universe and the family tree, but Mani Ratnam\u2019s cinematic adaptation makes for a satisfactory watch.<\/p>\n

Courtesy:The Hindu<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Srinivasa Ramanujam The events of Mani Ratnam\u2019s Ponniyin Selvan: 1, which released late last year, left audiences not just on a high, but also with many questions: What really happened to Arunmozhi Varman? Who is the mysterious lady who makes fleeting but impactful appearances? And most importantly, what happened to the succession battle for …<\/p>\n

Continue reading ‘\u201cPonniyin Selvan 2\u201d : Ace Filmmaker Maniratnam\u2019s cinematic adaptation of Kalki’s Epic Novel with the interpersonal dynamics and drama between its main characters make a Satisfactory Watch’ »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81838"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=81838"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81838\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81859,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81838\/revisions\/81859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=81838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=81838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=81838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}