Ponniyin Selvan 1 Movie Review: Mani Ratnam, one of India's most riveting storytellers, always used to embed his ambitions within his story framework, the character moments felt larger than life rather than the scope. Remember Arvind Swamy telling off the terrorist in Roja, or that powerful scene between Mammootty, Rajinikanth and Arvind Swamy in Thalapathy? With Ponniyin Selvan -  a dream project for the director - the ambition goes beyond that framework, and expands into and embellishes the canvas. And he also brings an enticing huge cast of wonderful actors - Chiyaan Vikram, Karthi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Prakash Raj, Jayaram to name a few - to be the strokes on that canvas. But at what cost? Ponniyin Selvan - 1: Vikram Visits Theatre to Check on Audiences' Reaction During FDFS of the Mani Ratnam Film.

Ponniyin Selvan is based on author Kalki Krishnamurthy's 1955 novel by the same name about the political machinations within the Chola empire. Divided into two parts, Ponniyin Selvan 1 arrives now in theatres, while the second part is due in 2023. The first movie introduces the main players and the supporting ones, while giving us an insight into what's going on wrong with the Chola regime as a comet - seen as an inauspicious sign - is hurtling across the sky.

The emperor of Cholas, Sundara Chola (Prakash Raj) is ailing. His elder son and crown prince Aditha Karikalan (Chiyaan Vikram) is fighting the enemy forces in the North, while younger son Arulmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi) aka the titular 'Ponniyin Selvan' is fighting foes in Lanka. Aditha Karikalan refuses to visit his father in Thanjavur, and the reason for that resides in the palace itself - the beautiful Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), who he once loved, but is now the wife of the scheming chieftain Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar (R Sarathkumar).

Sensing there is strife within the political factions, Karikalan sends his trusted commander and friend Vanthiyathevan (Karthi) as a messenger first to Pazhuvettaraiyar's camp, then to emperor's palace and to his sister Kundavai (Trisha Krishnan). While on his mission, Vanthiyathevan also meets the wily, pot-bellied Azhwarkadiyan (Jayaram), Nandini and other characters, and then through Kundavai, gets a new mission - meet Arulmozhi in Lanka.

Through all this, we get to witness the behind-the-scene schemings and trappings, with vendetta seeking Pandya rebels also involved in this Cholan 'Game of Thrones'.

Watch the Trailer:

Ponniyin Selvan is Mani Ratnam's most lavish project to date and the efforts are quite noticeable on the big screen, especially in how the filmmaker has recreated the empire with the help of Thotta Tharan's stunning production design and Eka Lakhani's wardrobe department. The movie feels like a trip to the past in how it convincingly manages to bring out the aesthetics of the era. Technically, Ponniyin Selvan doesn't alway score high marks - the action scenes could have been better shot and edited, and the VFX is just about decent - but still, it is impressive nevertheless, aided by Ravi Varman's fluid camera-magic. I didn't like AR Rahman's songs much - a couple of those tracks are nicely choreographed though - but he impressed with his background score.

One thing you can't help admiring about Ponniyin Selvan and its director is how that you can see Mani Ratnam's love for the material but he doesn't want to fetter that vision by going larger-than-life and massy just to seduce the public. What's equally admirable is how his cast of actors also agree to that vision and are satisfied working with their allotted screentime and character space, including top stars like Vikram, Aishwarya and Jayam Ravi. Ponniyin Selvan is not a superstar-driven vehicle but rather an ensemble piece striving hard to live upto its captain's expectations.

Among the main cast, it is Karthi who gets the maximum screentime, especially the first half, as it is through his character that we get to see the rebellious stirrings within the Chola empire. While Karthi is quite good and amiable in the role, the portions focused purely on his character in the first half feel weaker when compared to political machinations that follow. Ponniyin Selvan 1 rises from the slumber with the intro of Nandini, and God, Aishwarya looks so heavenly in here! However, more than the beauty it is what going behind that ethereal facade is what makes Nandini easily the most intriguing character in the whole saga. Sadly, before we get to be with her more, Ponniyin Selvan keeps moving to the next setpiece and the next set of characters.

Here's where Ponniyin Selvan falters as a movie. If you have seen Mani Ratnam's earlier films, you know he is a master of drama. In Ponniyin Selvan, he doesn't compromise on that aspect, but quite a few of the scenes come across as expository and not exactly easy to follow, and therefore aren't easy to invest. And there are too many of them. Characters flit in and flit out, and save for Vanthiyathevan and to some extent Nandini, most of the characters aren't that fleshed well for you to care for them much, unless you have read Kalki's book. Ponniyin Selvan–1: Chiyaan Vikram Speaks in Malayalam and Thanks Fans in Kerala for Showering Immense Love and Supporting His Works.

However, there is no denying the 'Mani Ratnam' touches in those dramatic scenes. One fave scene of mine in the movie that lives upto the earlier statement is a sequence where Pazhuvettaraiyar and his cronies try to convince the emperor to bring back Arulmozhi from Lanka in the presence of Kundivai. As Pazhuvettaraiyar narrates his plan, the camera slowly moves from his crafty exterior to Kundivai's face, who keenly listens to his plan and is internally trying to decode the trap behind it, before the frame settles to the emperor who gives his decision. Fantastic use of camerawork and drama here. Also, another great scene is the first time Nandini and Kundivai meet. The women-power simply overflows in that scene!

However, apart from couple such scenes and a little more, there is little denying that Mani Ratnam struggles to keep the flow of engagement throughout in trying to fit in all the characters that he brings in, including the main ones.

Vikram is in the movie for about four scenes, I believe, though he is fantastic in two of them - one where he reminiscences about his love story to his friend Parthibendra (Vikram Prabhu, hardly there) and the scene with his sister. Kundivai is another potentially interesting character, called the most cunning person in the kingdom, and Trisha is simply resplendent in the role, but we don't really get to see that much of her wiliness. Jayam Ravi's Arulmozhi appears in the second half and is straightaway dropped into one action scene after another, but we never really get to know this hero, apart from being an obedient son and brother. Among the supporting cast, Jayaram, Sarathkumar and Rahman (despite not getting much screentime) leave some impact with their scenes.

With these many characters and their many plottings, the pacing suffers greatly as a result. The pace does get better in the second half, especially in the scenes in Lanka and there are some engaging fight sequences, like the bridge attack scene and the final ship fight.

But overall, Ponniyin Selvan 1 feels like Ratnam has placed a majestic looking chessboard with all its players scattered and is inviting you to the actual game in the next part.

Yay!

- Stunning Vision to Recreate Part of History

- Scheming Sequences Engage

- Actors are Fine in Their Roles

Nay!

- Struggles With Pacing and in Keeping Up With All The Characters

- Action Scene Could Be Better Shot

Final Thoughts

Ponniyin Selvan 1 is an admirable effort from Mani Ratnam in terms of its scope, scale and intentions, with each of his actor never trying to dominate over his storytelling. Yet within that storytelling framework, Ponniyin Selvan doesn't come among best of the famed director's works thanks to its struggling pace and too many subplots for a movie. It does set up for a hopefully exhilarating sequel, and the finale tease did reel me in, so I am still keen to see what Mani Ratnam has in store for the sequel. Hopefully more of Vikram and Aishwarya Rai, please!

Rating:3.0

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 30, 2022 01:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).