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Ponniyin Selvan: Part II

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‘Ponniyin Selvan: 2’ movie review: Mani Ratnam dishes out a satisfying sequel

‘ponniyin selvan 2’ takes creative liberties from kalki’s material, but the performances and cinematic touches keep you invested.

April 28, 2023 04:11 pm | Updated 04:55 pm IST

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Vikram in ‘Ponniyin Selvan: 2’

The events of Mani Ratnam’s 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?

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

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 thes pan 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.

Karthi in a still from ‘Ponniyin Selvan: 2’

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 iswell and alive — 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?

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’s 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’s fight sequences with Arvind Swamy’s swearing-in ceremony in Thalapathi ? 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 — Vikram , Jayam Ravi and Trisha — that was heartening to watch.

Ponniyin Selvan 2

However, some of the scenes do extend more than they ought to; there’s a Vikram-Aishwarya Rai meet-up that becomes too dialogue-oriented, but do watch out for their sparking performances and cinematographer Ravi Varman’s rich use of light and colour in this particular sequence. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s 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 ‘the snake from Pazhavoor’) but her different shades could have been conveyed more effectively. Thankfully, the Karthi-Trisha romance is more understated and subtle, with the likeable ‘Aga Naga’ playing in the background and ending with an apt top-angle shot.

Jayam Ravi and Trisha in a still from ‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’

If Karthi was the life of the first part — we had written back then that he “kindled a feeling of joie de vivre, thanks to his zesty acting style” — 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. 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 ‘mass’ moments needed lots of action?

Aiding this galaxy of actors — including Prakash Raj, Sarath Kumar, Parthiban, Kishore, Vikram Prabhu and Rahman — is a rousing score from AR Rahman who seems to know when to dish out soft musical cues (the usage of ‘Aga Naga’) and go all out with powerful vocals and percussion (the usage of the PS anthem). He even explores a paasuram from Andal’s Thirupaavai — the ‘Aazhi Mazhai Kanna’ track which, interestingly, refers to the sea, and is actually believed to have swallowed two key characters in the film. Editing this magnum opus would have quite a task, especially considering the number of established actors, but Sreekar Prasad’s cuts ensure we get a glimpse of as much drama as possible.

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’s cinematic adaptation makes for a satisfactory watch.

Ponniyin Selvan: 2 is currently running in theatres

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Ponniyin Selvan 2 Movie Review: An Exceptionally Intimate Epic That Thrives When It’s Not Chasing Bigness

Director: Mani Ratnam

Writers: Mani Ratnam, Jayamohan, Kumaravel

Cast: Vikram, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Trisha, Aishwarya Rai, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Jayaram

Based on: Kalki Krishnamurthy's novel

It’s the intimacy of  Ponniyin Selvan 2  that is likely to be remembered for longer than its many stretches of spectacle or grandeur. Right from the start, which opens with a detailed flashback that takes us to young Nandini and Adhita Karikalan, we’re reminded that the stakes may be high with the fate of an entire kingdom left hanging, but the priority is always to address deeply personal matters of the heart. The cliffhanger at the end of the first film might not have been a shocking endpoint but the new film takes its own time to get back there because it wants to be rooted in the individual politics of its characters before it reaches the larger politics of the State. 

If the first film only had so much room to go into the specifics of these relationships, given how we first needed to be introduced to these characters,  PS2  thrives on the collective affection/resentment we now feel for them. This gives rise to a series of parallels in the new film which eclipse similar moments from the first. This could be something light and playful like the many times Vandhiyathevan ( Karthi ) runs into Alwarkkadiyan (a hilarious Jayaram) in the weirdest of places or the absolute joy of romance when Vandhiyathevan meets Kundavai (delightful Trisha ) again, this time in a tiny heart-shaped islet (their first meeting was on water too and Vandhiyathevan’s face is covered on both occasions). 

Yet this feeling of familiarity does not fully prepare you for the impact these characters leave you with at the end of the film. The full extent of this is only felt when you analyse the whirlwind of emotions as we go through the many stages of Nandini’s ( Aishwarya Rai ) complex relationship with Adhita Karikalan (Vikram). At first, we may not have understood their respective heartbreaks and the madness it has led them to, yet the novel’s two most fascinating characters get their full arc and the sort of closure befitting two lovers constantly separated by fate. In fact, the soul of  PS2  is dependant so much on this relationship that we feel a void whenever we switch to another chapter or when the focus shifts to other people. 

What makes  PS2  a special film is how we’re always accepting of these characters for who they are as regular people, devoid of the stature their positions come with. Instead of constantly placing them at a pedestal as royalty or as warriors with their lives at stake, the film is capable of showing us a side to them that other films of this scale rarely get to. This is perhaps why the best scene in the film has nothing to do with the kingdom, a throne or an army. It is simply the most private of moments inside a small room within a monastery in which three siblings simply hug (the choreography of this intimate moment is exquisite). It is when this moment hits you that you realise how we’ve invested close to two full films before these siblings finally get to meet and Rahman’s music in this stretch, with a hint of melancholy, also suggests how there may not be another moment such as this.

This is also what makes it exciting to observe how the first film was so different in spirit from  PS2 . If the highlight of the first film included brilliant scenes such as the one in which Kundavai dismantles an entire conspiracy with one clever tactic, the second film dwells on the vulnerabilities of the same individuals, none of whom are at their tactical best. Kundavai fails as a tactician, the same way in which Vandhiyathevan fails as a protector; Nandini fails in her mission much like how Karikalan remains a slave to his past. 

All of these complexities lead us to a terrific character study rather than just remain a visual spectacle (Ravi Varman’s cinematography is expectedly unforgettable) meant to display splendour. When these larger-than-life moments click into place, like a thrilling action block that involves Karthi stumbling down a tall bamboo structure, there is a lot of fun to be had. But for the most part, it is these action set pieces that remain underwhelming later on when the complex conflicts need to be set aside for the resolutions. This is felt strongest in a long stretch that follows a major scene involving Karikalan and Nandini. Without a moment to pause, and with so many major events that happen one after another, this major battle rushes us into a space that is not just emotionally draining but also flat as an action sequence. 

The smooth flow of events in the first half and the complexity of an entire machinery working against the three siblings get diluted as the film rushes past major events later on in the film. A shocking revelation involving Sundara Chola ( Prakash Raj ) and another significant character does not leave you with a moment to reflect. If you’ve read the novels and have lived with these characters for days, you feel you deserve a second to fully absorb the gravity of this information. And if you’re discovering this detail afresh, the film’s pace is such that it remains a mere twist without giving us the space to place it in context and the impact it has on other characters.

But with long stretches of intense interpersonal drama before that, the second film takes us into deeper spaces that remain constantly engaging and consistently rewarding. And even if we find the film moving towards a need to impress with its brute force, it has already given us moments of sensitivity that will remain with us long after the battles. Who else but Mani Ratnam to redefine the term ‘epic’ to mean the hugeness of one’s emotions than the hugeness of budget. 

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Ponniyin Selvan 2 Overseas Review: Here's What The Audience From USA Says About Mani Ratnam's PS2!

While the second part of Ponniyin Selvan directed by Mani Ratnam is set to release tomorrow morning in India, the film is already released in USA.

Audience who watched the Magnum Opus film started writing their reviews on Twitter. Check out this space for more interesting comments about the most expected multi-starrer film of the year.

#PS2 is getting Blockbuster reviews from USA 🇺🇸 Premieres.. 🔥 Better than #PS1 — Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) April 28, 2023

While many directors have tried to film Ponniyin Selvan fictional novel written by Amarar Kalki, director Mani Ratnam has finally made that dream come true.

While the first part released last year was a huge industry hit, the second part is also expected to be a box office hit.

When Sundara Chola's sons Adittha Karikalan and Arulmozhi Varman are fighting with enemies in different places, due to the deceitful politics going on within the regime and Nandini's vengeful plots, does Arulmozhi Varman accepts the crown that goes to him when Adittha Karikalan is killed?

#PonniyinSelvan2 #PS2 One word review!😊 B-L-O-C-K-B-U-S-T-R 🙌 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 Story, Screen play, Actions/ emotional scenes, CG ,VFX, Songs, Bgm,Climax🔥 All the best entire team🎉 #ManiRatna @arrahman @chiyaan #AishwaryaRai @trishtrashers @Karthi_Offl @actor_jayamravi — Raj (@YoursPrithivi) April 27, 2023

That is the crux of this Ponniyin Selvan novel. Ponniyin Selvan story is full of twists such as Vandhiyathevan, a warrior of the Vanar Kulam who comes as a friend, Arulmozhi's sister Kundavai's political knowledge, Poongzhali's help, and a mute queen who looks like Nandhini.

While it has been a challenging matter to condense the story of 5 books into 2 parts, Mani Ratnam has achieved it as much as possible in the first part. Fans expect that he will complete that story in the second part.Kalki's story and Mani Ratnam's visualization was the reason for people to anticipate such a big opening and box office collection for the film Ponniyin Selvan. The movie was always expected to be one of the biggest-grossing films in the Tamil film industry. As per reports the film had a box office collection close to 105 Road in Tamil Nadu alone.

Chiyaan as Aditya Karikalan……….Watta Perf🔥 * Scene with Vikram Prabhu * Kadambur Entry Seq * Siblings Meet * Nandini Faceoff He Nailed It!! #PonniyinSelvan2 #PS2 — Christopher Kanagaraj (@Chrissuccess) April 28, 2023

From the hype and box office collection estimate corresponding to the eagerness of the audience, one can say that Ponniyin Selvan Part 2 might cross the 100 crore mark in 2 days at a global level. This can be a point of discussion as the box office collection also majorly depends on the reviews given by critics on the first day of the release.

#PS2 is getting Blockbuster reviews from Premieres.. 🔥 #PonniyinSelvan2 — Midhun Ganga (@Midhun_Ganga) April 28, 2023

The 100 crore mark is not a cakewalk but Mani Ratnam's directorial PS2 can accomplish the achievement of crossing the 100 crore mark in two to 3 days as predicted by senior journalist and critic Sridhar Pillai and many others.

Movie distributors and theatre owners are also very positive about the success of PS2 as they believe people are longing to watch part 2 of the classic. To say that bulk corporate bookings and bookings have been great for PS2 in Tamil Nadu.

In such a situation, will these reviews from overseas audience create an impact at the Box Office collection of the film? Let's wait and watch till today evening to know the exact pulse of the audience for PS2 across the globe.

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Ponniyin Selvan 2 Movie Review: Mani Ratnam Finally Lets His World Bloom With Its Lethalness, Mysticism & Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Ethereal Presence

Adapted by mani ratnam, jayamohan, and kumaravel from kalki’s iconic work, ponniyin selvan 2 finally manages to find its soul and a hook to put the multiple threads it intimated in the first part..

Star Cast: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Vikram, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Trisha Krishnan, Sobhita Dhulipala, Prakash Raj, and ensemble.

Director: Mani Ratnam.

What’s Good: it is the sudden shift to detail,  finding the moment amid the pristine grandeur and Aishwarya’s deep sea-like eyes that make part 2 a much more poignant movie than the first.

What’s Bad: Ratnam introduces a platter full of characters, but some don’t get the redemption their arcs deserve.

Loo Break: Part 2 is a fascinating watch that finally dives deeper into the lethal world of Cholas and the enemies around them. You don’t get to miss the moments.

Watch or Not?: You must because this is finally Mani Ratnam, the master bringing out the complexities of the world he has borrowed from Kalki Krishnamurthy.

Language: Tamil (with subtitles).

Available On: In Theatres Near You.

Runtime: 165 minutes.

Taking ahead the story of the Cholas, Arunmozhi (Jayam Ravi) is alive, Nandini (Aishwarya) still seeks revenge, Aditha Karikalan (Vikram) continues to be the protector and a broken lover, Kanduvai (Trisha), and Vallavaraiyan (Karthi) continues to weave them all in a single tale. Plans are laid against the Cholas and war is fought only to realise that the real battles were more personal than we thought.

Ponniyin Selvan 2 Movie Review: Script Analysis

We have to agree with the fact that the fuel to Mani Ratnam’s cinema is the unrequited love and the abundance of it. The filmmaker knows how to make people fall in love and then drag them out of it while making his audience a part of a destructive love story. For someone who didn’t like Ponniyin Selvan 1, Part 2 came in as a massive shift and a beautiful surprise, mostly because Ratnam has a love saga to tell here at the helm of a story about a reigning house.

Adapted by Mani Ratnam, Jayamohan, and Kumaravel from Kalki’s iconic work, Ponniyin Selvan 2 finally manages to find its soul and a hook to put the multiple threads it intimated in the first part. While I still believe the first left too much for the second, it is in Ratnam’s mastery that he made it all work. PS 2 exists in its moments more than the grandeur that is designed by the creators so skilfully. Yes, the fight is for the throne, but that never makes an impactful entry to the movie visually. But that does work well, too, because all the key moments are created away from the treasures and the thrones, leaving a long-lasting impact.

PS 2 works as a redemption for at least the key characters in more ways than one. Mani Ratnam is in no haste at the beginning to take you where he left with the first part. He rather invests the opening 10 minutes or so in telling you the love story that was introduced in bits and pieces. Aditha and Nandini’s saga becomes the centre conflict and is so poignant. A fierce prince in love with an orphan who is ousted because she has no house to be eligible for becoming a queen. That makes her fantasise power and work towards it, only to meet the lover in the most traumatic turn of life.

Ratnam’s magic unfolds right here when he weaves the entire widespread narrative around this plot. While he does move the other parallel storylines, but he always kind of creates a void purposely so a viewer’s mind would keep wanting to come back to it. The first half is spent busting the evil plans and letting the love between its multiple characters bloom.

The problem begins beyond the interval where Ratnam picks up pace, and doesn’t let us breathe in the heavy moments. It doesn’t let us process some of the most pivotal twists one of which even involves the mysterious aged Aishwarya, introduced at the end of part 1. Her mystery is revealed only to snatch bet away in one scene, making it all look like a waste of opportunity. Similarly, multiple characters do not get their deserving redemption.

Ponniyin Selvan 2 Movie Review: Star Performance

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has to be one of the most underrated actors. Her demand in the circle of period cinema somewhere made people think that the grandeur compensates for her but that was never the case. As an actor, she brings so much to the table, and Ponniyin Selvan 2 lets her go wild with Nandini. She commands your attention and doesn’t let you move even a bit in her presence. There is so much mystic beauty even when she walks into Ravi Varman’s camera that it makes the frame even more beautiful.

Vikram is a performer who knows his job well. Adding Aditha to his characters that go wild after a point and let it leak into their behaviour, he adds a lot more than what you see on the screen. There is so much to learn from the way he approaches the part that is the King In Line, but he manages to make him human first.

Ponniyin Selvan cannot be mentioned without talking about Karthi and his acting range, that makes him the most prominent cast members. His casting must have been the toughest bait because he is the voice of the viewer in here. Karthi knows humour, he is good at action, and can make you root for him.

Jayam Ravi, as Arunmozhi, is likable and also very charming. Trisha shows her vulnerable side this time, and she is brilliant. Wish Sobhita Dhulipala and Aishwarya Lekshmi deserves much more screentime. Dhulipala shows so much potential in the little she gets, some more complex scenes would have done wonders for her.

Ponniyin Selvan 2 Movie Review: Direction, Music

Mani Ratnam as the director in PS 2, is in his glory. The filmmaker creates a visual spectacle expected from him and worships his story more than anything. Be it the moment where the three Chola siblings finally meet after investing two movies in saving them, or the final moments between Nandini and Aditha, or Vallavaraiyan’s helplessness; he captures all of it with ‘theraav’.

With DOP Ravi Varman, Ratnam’s longtime collaborator, he creates visuals which are stunning and detailed. Top angle shots of two people talking, or Aishwarya Rai Bachchan simply breathing. They all look ethereal. How does Mani Ratnam managed capture Aishwarya in such a godly manner should be a case study. The set design and costumes are worth every minute.

The only place where Ponniyin Selvan 2 flickers visually are the war sequences. Two reasons lead to the bothering aspect. First being the haste in which they appear in the story and second, that very flat execution.

AR Rahman and his music evolve 10 folds from one, and there is so much nuance that his music adds in every single frame. Gulzar Sahab only accentuates this set up with his words.

Ponniyin Selvan 2 Movie Review: The Last Word

Ponniyin Selvan 2 works like a brilliant compensation for sitting through a scattered part 1. There is so much to grasp here and a Ratnam brand lethal love saga in the centre of it all LLP. You must invest in this one.

Ponniyin Selvan 2 Trailer

Ponniyin Selvan 2 releases on 28 April, 2023.

Share with us your experience of watching Ponniyin Selvan 2.

For more recommendations, read our Viduthalai Part 1 Movie Review here.

Must Read: August 16 1947 Movie Review: Ghajini Director Has Produced This, Why Didn’t He Forget About This Idea?

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Ponniyin Selvan 2 review and release LIVE UPDATES: Mani Ratnam film gets positive response

Ponniyin selvan 2 movie release, movie review live updates: aishwarya rai, jayam ravi, karthi, trisha and vikram return in mani ratnam film based on kalki krishnamurthy’s five-part novel series..

The second part of Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan 2 is now out in the theaters. Actors Vikram, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Prakash Raj, Jayaram, Prabhu, R Sarathkumar, Parthiban, Rahman, and Vikram Prabhu reprise their roles in the second installment of the epic drama that narrates the story of the Chola Dynasty. The film is an adaptation of Kalki Krishnamurthy’s five-part novel series of the same name. Ponniyin Selvan Part 1 covered one-third of the novel series and the rest is expected to be told in the second part.

From the trailer of Ponniyin Selvan 2, we already know that Vikram’s Karikalan is offered to rule half of the Chola kingdom and for the other half, a new crown prince has been announced after the apparent death of Ponniyin Selvan. However, Jayam Ravi, who plays the titular character, is shown to be alive.

Ponniyin Selvan 1 received mixed reviews. But the film did a smashing business at the ticket counter, minting over Rs 480 crore globally.

Ponniyin Selvan 2 marks the fifth collaboration between Mani Ratnam and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan after Iruvar, Ravan, Guru, and Ponniyin Selvan 1.

When asked if Aishwarya is his lucky charm, the filmmaker said during a press conference, “Filmmakers are very selfish people. Absolutely heartless and selfish, the only thing they care for is the film. However much I love her, I ask her only if I think she is right for the role. Every time I have asked her is because I have believed that she was absolutely right for the role and she has been nice enough to say yes. So, she is not just a lucky charm for me, it is her talent and her personality that was right to portray this character.”

Follow latest updates about Ponniyin Selvan 2

In an earlier interview during the promotion of Ponniyin Selvan 2, Jayam Ravi said playing the title role was a “big responsibility”.

“Down south, this is an epitome of a character. They look at him as God, the ruler of the rulers, that’s why Rajaraja means ‘king of kings’. Mani sir called me and said ‘I don’t worry about other characters…’ what he meant was ‘I can handle every other character, but (in) this you have to bring something. You go and live as Rajaraja Chola for six months,” he shared.

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Ponniyin Selvan 2 OTT Release: When And Where To Watch Mani Ratnam's Magnum Opus

Updated Apr 28, 2023, 12:33 IST

Ponniyin Selvan 2 OTT Release

• PS 2 hits the theatres on April 28
• The advance booking for it started a few days ago.
• PS 2 will be later release on OTT platform Amazon Prime Video

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Ponniyin Selvan 2 aka PS2 (2023) Ending, Explained: Does Aditha Karikalan Meet a Grim Fate?

Ponniyin Selvan 2, aka PS2 (2023) Ending, Explained: Kalki’s historical fiction Ponniyin Selvan is a fine exercise in mythmaking. The revered author perceived real-life historical figures and events, from the 10th-century Chola Empire, through a dramatic yet somewhat grounded lens. Perhaps, the most ingenious aspect of Kalki’s novel was how he explored the conflicts and character dynamics through his entirely fictitious protagonist – the suave, flirtatious, and yet laser-focused protagonist Vanthiyathevan. The intrepid outsider’s adventuresome journey through the Chola Empire and into the Chola power corridors made Ponniyn Selvan an engrossing page-turner.

It is the kind of epic tale that suits a filmmaker of Mani Ratnam ’s temperament. The veteran director is skillful at gracefully dramatizing conflicts between on-screen characters, although his detailing of contemporary social and political backdrops can be strictly cinematic (or flat). In fact, Ponniyin Selvan doesn’t demand much from a filmmaker in terms of painstakingly establishing the era’s sociopolitical and sociocultural perception.

Yet, apart from the logistics of making such a large-scale film, condensing a 2000+ page novel into a two-part movie adaptation felt like a big ask, even for a Mani Ratnam . Whether you have read the novel or not, Ponniyin Selvan I (PS1 ) felt too rushed and a bit convoluted, as the characters and the emerging conflicts weren’t given enough breathing space for the viewer to process. Kalki’s original story retained the intrigue in the proceedings. Furthermore, the distinct Mani Ratnam signature was missing. It felt like his style was rather subservient to the inherent substance.

Ponniyin Selvan 2, aka PS2, thankfully flows more smoothly and coherently. Most importantly, it offers Mani Ratnam an opportunity beautifully realize his emotional and theatrical set pieces . Now let me briefly recap PS1 before taking a little detailed look into the second and final part of the Ponniyin Selvan saga. Of course, a spoiler alert before wading into the Chola territory.

Ponniyin Selvan Part-I (PS1) Recap:

Part I of Ponniyin Selvan opened with the captivating voice-over of Kamal Haasan, chronicling the internal and external threats plaguing the mid-10th Chola Emperor. The conflicts ensue as the reigning Chola King, Sundara Chozhar (Prakash Raj), is sick and might not hold on to the throne for long. The succession, however, didn’t seem to present a problem for the kingdom. The Crown Prince is the King’s elder son, Aditha Karikalan (Vikram), an erratic, battle-field loving warrior.

The ailing King Sundara Chozhar lives in the Chola Empire Capital, Thanjavur (aka Tanjore). The king and his fort are protected by a powerful warrior clan spearheaded by the Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar (Sarathkumar), who is also the Empire’s treasurer. The old warrior is entangled in a conspiracy driven by his young wife, Nandini (Aishwarya Rai). Under the guise of making Pazhuvettaraiyar more powerful, Nandini asks her husband to support Maduranthaka Chozhar’s – King Sundara Chozhar’s younger brother – right to inherit the throne. Pazhuvettaraiyar and Nandini bring together all the small kings of the Chola Kingdom, alongside Maduranthakan, to gain their complicity in this conspiracy.

Crown Prince Karikalan is in the distant lands on the northern side of his kingdom, waging wars and winning them. Whereas Sundara Chozhar’s second son, Arulmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi), is engaged in a battle in Sri Lanka. Hence, it seems like the right moment to usurp the throne. This is where Karikalan’s friend and easygoing warrior of the Vaanar Clan, Vanthiyathevan (Karthi), comes into play. He journeys across the Chola Empire, later to Sri Lanka, falls in love with the King’s only daughter, Princess Kundavai (Trisha), and tries his best to break the conspiracy and protect the three offspring of the Chola King.

Of course, one more intriguing layer to this conspiracy involves Nandini’s vengeful quest. On the one hand, she stokes the internecine conflicts in the Chola Empire through her husband. On the other hand, she is loyal to a wandering tribe of the Pandya Kingdom, who are the archenemies of the Chola Empire. Nandini’s past is a mystery. As an adolescent girl, she was wooed by Aditha Karikalan. But Nandini was soon sent away, citing that she wasn’t a right match for the Chola Prince. Years later, in the battle against Pandyas, Karikalan sees Nandini on the deathbed of Veerapandian (Nasser) – Nandini’s adoptive father. Enraged at finding his former lover tending to the wounds of his enemy, Karikalan takes the man’s head and satiates his blood lust.

Nandini’s grudge against the Cholas, particularly against Karikalan, grows stronger after the incident. She marries Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar to try to dismantle the empire from within. Part I of Ponniyin Selvan ends with the death news of Arulmozhi Varman in the Sri Lankan seas. However, it’s hinted that he is saved by a mute elderly woman who resembles Nandini.

Ponniyin Selvan 2, aka PS2 (2023) Plot Explained:

Ponniyin Selvan 2 opens with a prologue that provides more details about the budding romance between young Karikalan and Nandini. Kundavai – Karikalan’s younger sister – is wary of her brother’s association with Nandini. The young girl is sent away when he declares she will be his future wife and Queen. The painful separation has pushed Karikalan away from palace life to find solace on the battlefields. Nandini has had her share of bitter experiences after falling in love with Karikalan. Now she is determined to slay the man she once loved.

As anticipated, Arulmozhi Varman, aka Ponniyin Selvan, is safe and secure. He is down with a poisonous fever and secretly moved to a Buddhist Monastery in the Tamil coastal town of Nagapattinam. Vanthiyathevan, however, is caught by the Pandya conspirators. A sacrificial ritual of Pandyas unfolds under the presence of Nandini, who unveils her plan to kill the Chola King and his two sons simultaneously. She swears that Karikalan will die at her hands, as she has already invited him to the palace in Kadambur. He is invited under the pretense of solving the crisis within the Empire through dialogue.

The captive Vanthiyathevan overhears Nandini’s assassination plans. But just when he is about to be killed, he reveals to Nandini about seeing a mysterious woman in Sri Lanka, who might be her mother. He says that her name is Mandakini, but she is called ‘Mute Queen.’ Nandini sheds tears hearing about her mother and spares his life. The Pandya men leave him tied up, and he is saved by his friend and sidekick, Nambi (Jayaram). Naturally, Vanthiythevan passes off the information he overheard to the recuperating Arulmozhi Varman and later to Kundavai at Pazhayarai – in an extended sequence that overflows with romantic interplay.

Meanwhile, at Pazhayarai, Maduranthakan – the throne-hungry younger brother of Sundara Chozhar – declares his plans to take control of the Empire without much bloodshed. He enters into a secret agreement with the King of Rashtrkuta Nadu – Chola’s enemies. Karikalan spared the life of that same King after the opening warfare scene in Ponniyin Selvan Part-I. The idea is to make Maduranthakan take the throne from his brother in Tanjore and give a few parts of the Kingdom to Karikalan and Arulmozhi Varman if they swear allegiance to him. He will also marry the daughter of the Rashtrakuta Nadu King’s daughter to expand the Chola Kingdom. However, from Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar to the enemies outside Chola Empire perceive Maduranthakan as a puppet who can be easily controlled, unlike the cunning and assertive sons of King Sundara Chozhar.

An elaborate scheme to kill Arulmozhi Varman at the Buddhist Monastery unfolds. But before that, the three children of the Chola King secretly meet each other in the monastery. Kundavai asks Karikalan not to visit Kadambur, and Arulmozhi Varman speaks of his encounter with the Mute Queen, Mandakini. Soon, the news of Arulmozhi Varman’s survival reaches the people, and crowds surround the premises. The Pandyas spread the rumor that the Buddhists hold him captive. As a result, Arulmozhi Varman is forced to appear in front of the masses and later participate in their festivities. This leads to a riveting set piece where Arulmozhi Varman and Vanthiyathevan effortlessly dispatch the assassins, who are mixed within the crowd.

Upon hearing about Mandakini, Kundavai confronts her father and King Sundara Chozhar. She enquires if Nandini is his illegitimate child. Kundavai recalls how, years back, she sent away Nandini on his insistence and also how he reacted upon seeing Nandini years later at the palace. While the King accepts that he fell in love with Mandakini before taking the throne, he assures Kundavai that Mandikini died long before he married and became the King. Sundara Cholar’s confession or recollection of the past is shot in a manner (an overhead shot) that refers to a scene in the director’s 1997 movie Iruvar.

Subsequently, Kundavai asks the same question to Sembiyan Mahadevi (Jeyachitra) – the devout and just mother of Maduranthakan (who stands against her son’s actions). The old woman swears that Nandini isn’t the King’s illegitimate daughter. But she agrees that the identity of Nandini’s father is a mystery.

Karikalan isn’t shocked upon hearing that there are plans to assassinate him at the Kadambur Palace. He bears the guilt of ruthlessly killing the wounded Pandya King, despite Nandini’s pleas to spare his life. Moreover, he is still unable to forget her. The fearless prince feels it’s only right to confront his enemies and accept the fate that’s dealt to him. Just as Karikalan sets off to Kadambur to meet Nandini, Pandya assassins enter Tanjore Fort through the secret pathway of Nandini and Pazhuvettaraiyar’s quarters. The old yet agile Mandakini with free-flowing white hair appears out of nowhere and follows the assassins into their secret lair.

Arulmozhi Varman reaches in time at Tanjore to meet his father and King. It’s not only Mandakini who identifies the assassins; the fisherwoman Poonguzhali (Aishwarya Lekshmi) also sees the suspicious group and alerts the men protecting the Fort. And just as arrows fly past the King’s quarter to kill him, Mandakini sacrifices herself to save the King. Arulmozhi Varman goes berserk and slashes his way through the intruders.

Ponniyin Selvan 2, aka PS2 (2023) Ending Explained:

Does karikalan meet a grim fate.

At Kadambur, Karikalan engages in talks with Pazuvettaraiyar and the small kings. He is enraged at their idea to divide the Kingdom. He offers to give up the throne, but only if they give him assurance to assume power over the lands he conquers from now on. At the same time, Karikalan knows that his fate will become apparent only with his later meeting with Nandini. Vanthiyathevan usually finds ways to thwart the conspiracies and tries to do the same to save Karikalan. Alas, the Crown Prince, with a smile on his face, yearningly gazes at Nandini and has come prepared to die at her hands.

The face-off between the former lovers is too intense. Karikalan’s conviction to die shakes up Nandini’s resolve to kill him. If Nandini fails to do the deed, the Pandya men are prowling in the shadows to have their vengeance. Karikalan snuffs out the lights and awaits his death and liberation in the darkness.

What’s the Shocking Truth Behind Nandini’s Birth?

Nandini has eventually succeeded in keeping up her promise to the Pandyas. She has reaped her share of Chola blood. But she is broken after looking at the corpse of Karikalan. Vanthiyathevan is deeply hurt for failing to protect his Prince and initially stands accused as the murderer. Later, before the King, Vanthiyathevan states that while he didn’t wield the knife that killed Karikalan, he is responsible for his death. Nandini escapes on a ship with her co-conspirators and unexpectedly learns the shocking truth about her biological father.

Veerapandian – the father figure who protected her throughout her youth – is her birth father. Nandini also learns that she was born out of rape. The Pandya assassin, Ravi Dasan (Kishore), discloses that it’s why Veerapandian atoned for his sins on his deathbed and why the remaining Pandya men followed her without any questions.

What Happened to Nandini in the End of Ponniyin Selvan 2 aka PS2?

The truth pushes Nandini to despair, and she drowns herself. Since the Pandyas’ plan to kill the King failed, and the Kingdom remains strong despite Karikalan’s death, they will only be hunted down. Moreover, Nandini’s identity and schemings are now known to everyone, including Pazhuvettaraiyar. The imagery of her death in the water hints at the full circle of the bleak love story between Karikalan and Nandini.

Ponniyin Selvan, however, doesn’t end on a grim note. The Chola Empire’s old enemy, the Kingdom of Rashtrakuta Nadu, invades their lands, hoping that the Kingdom is divided. Fortunately, Maduranthakan finally comes to his senses, and the Cholas stand united on the battlefield. While it’s not a thoroughly captivating or inventive warfare sequence, it’s adequate enough and an improvement over the action set pieces in Part I.

Like Kalki, Mani Ratnam ends Ponniyin Selvan on a high note and gives into the mythmaking of Arulmozhi Varman, later known as Raja Raja Cholan, who reigned the Chola Kingdom between 985-1014 CE. He was the most powerful Tamil King, whose military conquests, administrative mechanisms, and naval expeditions are well-documented.

Final Thoughts:

Ponniyin Selvan 2, aka PS2 (2023), is a slow-burn period drama, which is a little tough to sell in the current high-octane blockbuster format of Indian cinema. Yet the film largely works due to the beautiful staging techniques of Mani Ratnam and his cinematographer Ravi Varman. While the faithful followers of the novel might be disappointed by Ponniyin Selvan on the whole, PS2, in particular, I felt takes up a suitable dramatic canvas to bring alive the crux of Kalki’s sprawling story. Only time will tell if Ponniyin Selvan 1 & 2 remains one of Mani Ratnam’s best works. Despite numerous criticisms we have about his films and themes, it’s inspiring to see the man embarking on such adventurous movie projects and delivering them in style in his fortieth year of filmmaking.

Related Read: Ponniyin Selvan: Part I (2022) Movie Ending, Explained – Who is the woman with white hair?

Ponniyin selvan 2 (ps2) (2023) links: imdb , letterboxd, ponniyin selvan 2 (ps2) (2023) cast: vikram, aishwarya rai, karthi, trisha, jayam ravi, prakash raj, sarathkumar, sobhita dhulipala, aishwarya lekshmi, parthiban, and prabhu., trending right now.

Arun Kumar is an ardent cinebuff, who likes to analyze movie to its minute detail. He believes in the transformative power and shared-dream experience of cinema.

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Ponniyin Selvan: PS2 first single release date & other details

Published date : 17/mar/2023.

Lyca Productions and Madras Talkies have now officially announced that the AR Rahman composed first single from Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2 aka PS-2 will release on March 20, 2023 [Monday]. The song titled Aga Naga had also features on Ponniyin Selvan 1 and the makers have announced that this number will be in its 'full glory'. 

Actors Karthi and Trisha who play Vanthiyathevan and Kundavai will feature in this song, which is sung by Shakthisree Gopalan and has lyrics by Ilango Krishanan. PS2 directed by Mani Ratnam is scheduled to release in theaters on April 28, 2023 with Amazon Prime Video holding its OTT rights and Sun TV its satellite rights. 

Aga Naga will be released at 6 PM on Tips Music's YouTube channel in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi languages. 

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Jane Schoenbrun ’s second narrative feature is a gnawing search for belonging in the static spaces between analog pixels. They stir dreamlike logic into scavenged memories, especially in a scene early in the film that grasps at how the medium of television’s celestial radiance can grant wide-eyed salvation in even the darkest room. A young Owen ( Ian Foreman ) gains permission from his mother Brenda ( Danielle Deadwyler ) to ostensibly sleepover at a classmate’s house. Instead, he ventures across manicured suburban lawns at night to visit Maddy ( Brigette Lundy-Paine ), a cynical older girl he only just met at school, and Maddy’s friend, who are watching the teen show “The Pink Opaque” on the Young Adult Network. Twist curls and a beaming smile mark Owen’s innocence, as well as his obvious desire for friendship and community. As surreal images of the show’s grotesque monsters and slippery mythology wisp pass him, he isn’t afraid. He is enthralled. That dopamine surge of recognition haunts Owen, and it’s one of the film’s many telling moments that has persistently beckoned me to return. 

“I Saw the TV Glow” mostly takes place during Owen’s older teenage years, when arresting questions of identity, sexuality, and personhood often occur with urgency. A transformative Justice Smith takes the reins of Owen, playing this outcast with the wounded rawness of a permanent scar. Owen’s young adult years are stained by personal loss and his on-again, off-again friendship with Maddy, which takes shape through and around their shared love of “The Pink Opaque,” a show that feels like a throwback to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” The show provides a window into the crushing angst Owen feels but cannot name, while his direct addresses offer intermittent grounding for his self-sabotaging. The push-pull manages to lull the viewer into a quiet trance before unmooring them into a state of unbridled panic.     

Whether he knows it or not, from the moment he first catches sight of Maddy reading an episode guide to “The Pink Opaque,” Owen is searching for himself. Though his late-night visit to Maddy’s house is initially a one-off, his fascination with the show hasn't diminished when he reconnects with her two years later. Rather than sneaking out to Maddy’s place, she leaves him VHS recordings of the episodes, with titles like “Homecoming to Get You” and “The Trouble with Tara Part 1” scribbled in pink ink, in their school’s dark room for Owen to find. Owen passionately watches these installments to the point of barely breathing, digging deeper and deeper into himself and the series’ mythology. 

As a story within the story, “The Pink Opaque” is equally unshakable: Its premise involves two telepathically linked girls (played by Helena Howard and Lindsey Jordan ) fighting villains dispatched by the big bad, a malformed monster in the shape of a moon named Mr. Melancholy, on a weekly basis. Schoenbrun films these episodes with a winking playfulness that initially suggests a kind of silly pastiche before softly revealing deeper, abstract truths about Owen and Maddy. In the show, Owen and Maddy see their mundane suburb, whose assimilative conventionality of gender norms and atrophied dreams is itself suffocating, reflected back at them through a queer lens. “What about you? Do you like girls?” Maddy asks Owen on the school bleachers. “I don’t know,” a shy Owen replies. “Boys?” presses Maddy. “I think I like TV shows,” delivers an unvarnished Smith. “When I think about that stuff, I feel like someone took a shovel and dug out my insides. I know there’s nothing there, but I’m still too nervous to open myself up to check.” 

Though Owen’s insecurities could be interpreted as being related to gender dysphoria, while watching “I Saw the TV Glow,” I also kept returning back to Jordan Peele ’s “ Us .” That film uses an earlier decade, the 1980s, and its reductive politics as a launching point to render the horrific economic legacy of Reagan’s America through the eyes of a Black nuclear family’s misplaced desire for upward mobility through crass consumerism. Television also plays a powerful role in that film: A commercial for “Hands Across America” inspires a young Addy to plan a revolt after her mind is awakened to the systemic inequality that comes from the many living a nightmare so a few might live a dream. Like Addy, the television unmoored Owen’s place in this picturesque town. He is enlivened by the lies of Clinton’s America, when forced homogenization—by way of bills like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”—created the illusion of progressivism and diversity amid consumerist fantasies. It’s telling how not only is Owen one of the few Black faces we see in town, but he also immediately gravitates toward Maddy, a person whose identity and close relationship to television has also awakened them to the curated lies of suburban life. For Maddy, television, like Addy, becomes a roadmap for revolt. On the other hand, television as a medium—where Black subjectivity is shaken, reimagined, and then re-lived—frightens Owen enough to embrace the safe, stifling fantasy of blending in by leaving yourself undefined.          

Far too often, when filmmakers graduate up the ledger, they become conservative, safe, and careerist; it feels like they’re making the current film solely with the mindset of remaining at the budgetary level they’ve just attained. With “I Saw the TV Glow,” the director’s glossy follow-up to their resourcefully executed “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair,” Schoenbrun films like a director who doesn’t want to live in regret of the shot they didn’t get, the risk not taken, the leap that never left the ground. The earworm original soundtrack, exciting practical effects, intoxicating photography, and risky editing—blending together conscious and imagined worlds—are the big, adventurous swings of an undaunted filmmaker. 

That creative courage translates to the film’s arresting performances. Lundy-Paine is unwavering, playing Maddy as the kind of person whose direct exterior belies the pain seen in their closed in-frame and averted gaze. As Owen, Smith, at first, mirrors Lundy-Paine’s posture. But before long, following their characters’ emotional journeys, their shared physicality diverges: Lundy-Paine strikes a broad, self-assured pose, while Smith shrinks his chest to the point of being nearly caved in. Smith is especially incredible, transforming organically without ever feeling gimmicky. His body is thoughtfully unassured; his voice eventually rattles like a man who died long ago; his eyes become vacant orbs where defeat has found a cozy home. His late, climatically cathartic scream, which gives way to a blissful smile, reverberates with the same intensity of Schoenbrun‘s “I Saw the TV Glow”—looping like a rerun that always feels fresh and new, no matter how many times you’ve seen it before.  

Robert Daniels

Robert Daniels is an Associate Editor at RogerEbert.com. Based in Chicago, he is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) and Critics Choice Association (CCA) and regularly contributes to the  New York Times ,  IndieWire , and  Screen Daily . He has covered film festivals ranging from Cannes to Sundance to Toronto. He has also written for the Criterion Collection, the  Los Angeles Times , and  Rolling Stone  about Black American pop culture and issues of representation.

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Film credits.

I Saw the TV Glow (2024)

100 minutes

Justice Smith as Owen

Brigette Lundy-Paine as Maddy

Ian Foreman as Young Owen

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Danielle Deadwyler as Brenda

• Jane Schoenbrun

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'Tuesday' is a heartrending, brilliant look at facing death starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus

What does death look like?

Humanity has given it many faces over the centuries: the monstrous half-Black and half-white woman, Hel, in Norse mythology. In Southeast Asia, there's the red-and-black form of Yama. In Western imagery, Death is a cloaked skeleton that often carries a scythe.

But what about the scarlet macaw?  

That’s exactly the form death takes in Daina Oniunas-Pusic ’s latest film “Tuesday.” 

Birds and death aren’t so strange. After all, vultures and crows are often seen as signs of death. But a rainbow tropical bird? Not so much. 

'You Hurt My Feelings' review: Julia Louis-Dreyfus is back

What is 'Tuesday' about?

“Tuesday” is a story about a mother and a daughter — and death. Tuesday, the daughter, played superbly by U.K. actress Lola Petticrew , is suffering from a deadly illness. 

Her mother, Zora, is desperate to ignore the fact that her only child is facing the end of her life — so much so that she avoids Tuesday altogether.

Zora is played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She’s disconnected from her only daughter. She spends her time trying to pawn off so-called family heirlooms and wanders through parks listlessly eating cheese. 

This is Louis-Dreyfus’ second film with A24 – the first being the 2023 comedy “ You Hurt My Feelings .” The highly decorated actress gets the opportunity to show once again just how versatile she is. 

Despite this movie being about death, Louis-Dreyfus still manages to fit in some quirky moments of humor. In many ways, her character is the child in the relationship. 

Back to the parrot. Death is a scruffy, dingy-looking macaw who lives a miserable existence. At every moment he hears the cries of the dying. But something magical happens when he’s with Tuesday. The cacophony stops. A tentative friendship is born.

Arinzé Kene voices Death, and he sounds unlike what you’d expect coming from a parrot. No high-pitched “Polly-wanna cracker” voice here. Instead, he sounds old, raspy and deep. The voice matches what you’d expect from a character named Death.

Things take an unexpected turn when Zora tries to prevent death from taking her child. In a bizarre twist, Zora manages to kill Death. But that is not a good thing.

'Tuesday' plays like a Roald Dahl story

“Tuesday” is a wholly original story, one that stands out brightly in a cinema landscape that sometimes feels rote. 

Never before have I laughed and cried so much in a movie about dying. The effects in this movie are also brilliant. Far from the action-packed CGI movies with billion-dollar budgets, “Tuesday” pours its effects money into making Death so realistic. It’s been a long time since a CGI creature actually looked authentic. 

At times, there’s a fairytale aesthetic that is reminiscent of a Roald Dahl story. You have clumsy adults and brave children with fantastical creatures. They go on an adventure — the final adventure. 

In the end, “Tuesday” is all about learning how to say goodbye. It’s masterfully done. This movie will remain in my top three films of the year.

'Tuesday' 5 stars

Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★

Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★

Directors: Daina Oniunas-Pusic .

Cast: Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Lola Petticrew , Arinzé Kene .

Rating: R for language.

How to watch: In theaters Friday, June 14.

Contact Kaely Monahan at   k [email protected] . Follow her on our podcasts Valley 101 and The Gaggle , and X, formerly known as Twitter ,  @KaelyMonahan .