While the 1st part was fast-paced and adventurous, Ponniyin Selvan 2 delves deeper into the emotional core and backstory of the characters. Aishwarya Rai-Vikram’s intense, angsty showdown is glorious and steals the show hands down!
Read Full Ponniyin Selvan 2 Movie Review –
Rating: 3.5/5
Director: Mani Ratnam
Cast: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Trisha, Sobhita Dhulipala
Runtime: 2h 44m
Storyline:
PS-2 starts off with a flashback to alleged orphan Nandini’s (Aishwarya) romance with crown Prince Aditha (Vikram), which is tinged with tragedy and revenge.
The mystery behind Nandini’s true lineage, her connection to Veerpandiyan and the mysterious mute old lady Mandakini (Aish in double role) is revealed in this sequel. Nandini’s vengeance against Aditha is one of the major highlights of the story – she has sworn that he will die at her hands. Princess Kundavai (Trisha) is shocked when she learns the truth about Nandini, whom she has hated since childhood.
Meanwhile, Prince Arulmozhi aka the titular Ponniyin Selvan (Jayam Ravi) who was miraculously saved from drowning by Mandakini, is recovering in the Buddhist monastery. He is plagued by the assassination attempts of the Pandyan rebels, who are colluding with Nandini to bring down the Cholas. Vanthiyathevan (Karthi) continues on his mission to protect the Chola Princes and is at the right place at the right time to foil the enemies’ plans!
Coming to the fight for the Chola empire – Sundara Chola had stepped in to rule when Madhurantakan was too young to ascend to the throne. By the time Madhurantakan finally steps up as the rightful heir, Sundara Chola’s son Prince Aditha has already been announced as his successor. Talks of dividing the Chola kingdom between Aditha and Madhurantakan are met with derision by the former.
With many internal and external conspiracies shrouding the Chola kingdom, who will finally come out on top as the Emperor? Watch Ponniyin Selvan 2 to see the glorious journey unravel –
What Do We Think:
Ponniyin Selvan 2 makes for an absolutely visually stunning watch. It dives right in and answers the burning questions left by Part 1 (especially for those who haven’t read the books) – How is Veerpandiyan related to Nandini, why does Nandini want to kill Aditha, who is the mysterious saviour Mandakini?
While PS-1 was quite fast-paced and filled with action-packed adventure, PS-2 takes a more emotional approach, slows down its pacing and focuses on its backstory. The sequel digs into the heart of the saga – the origin of Nandini’s hatred and anguish which largely drives the plot.
Aishwarya Rai as Nandini is the epitome of perfect casting! It is one of her career-best performances for sure, one simply can’t take their eyes off the screen when she appears. Aishwarya Rai-Vikram’s passionate chemistry steals the show in Ponniyin Selvan 2. Their final emotional confrontation scene is filled to the brim with their yearning, angst, anger and despair. That face-off scene right there is the real clincher of the sequel. Aishwarya and Vikram are mesmerizing to watch and play off each other’s intensity perfectly. The delicious tension building up to their fight pays off really well.
In fact, the Nandini-Aditha arc ends up overpowering the rest of the political intrigue. Take Jayam Ravi’s Arulmozhi – inspite of being the titular character Ponniyin Selvan, his arc feels overshadowed by Nandini’s revenge story and doesn’t leave the desired impact. He falls in the background of his own story. Jayam Ravi exudes authority and a commanding screen presence every time he appears though.
Same goes for Trisha’s Kundavai – in part 1 her scenes with Aishwarya stole the show. Part 2 does not do Trisha’s character justice even though she is captivating in her performance. Maybe because the source material had to be condensed into 2 movies, her character arc takes somewhat of a backseat.
Karthi excels as Vanthiyathevan and returns with infectious energy, mischief and antics. His romantic scenes with Trisha are beautiful and make you wish we saw more of the duo as a pairing.
The ending of PS-2 feels rather anti-climatic because it has already hit its emotional crescendo with the Nandini-Aditha revenge plot. The action sequences are technically sound but the choreography of the fight scenes was better and more fun in part 1. However, PS-2’s main focus appears to be delving into the backstory and the complicated relationships of the characters – and it does deliver on that front.
Seriously, Aishwarya-Vikram are honestly the best part of Ponniyin Selvan 2 – go watch it in theatres just for their glorious showdown alone.
AR Rahman’s music is the cherry on top for the sequel. PS-2 doesn’t have as many songs as the 1st part but Aga Naga is sure to steal your heart.
Hit Or Miss:
Like its 1st part, Ponniyin Selvan 2 is also a magnificent spectacle worthy of being witnessed on a big screen. Go watch it in the theatres near you – and if you’re an Aish-Vikram fangirl/boy, you’re in for a treat indeed!