Ponniyin Selvan 2 (PS2) Movie Review

Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan was a magnum opus epic that delivered on all fronts, giving us one of the best films of last year. And when such a film deserves a good closure, Mani Ratnam comes to the fore with a compelling and convincing film that gives us more poetic moments and the beauty of storytelling, as a driving difference to the speed and thrills we saw in the first part.

Mani Ratnam starts the storyline of PS2 from the early days of Aditha Karikalan and Nandini, and takes it forward to where PS1 got over, moving on from the. While the first part of the film got busy with the character establishments and the storytelling through Vanthiyathevan’s character, the second part gets busy in diving into the details, and giving us the story behind Aditha Karikalan and Nandini with lots of details. The film rides ahead at a steady pace, and is not action packed or entertaining as how the first part was. Mani Ratnam goes for a patient and straight approach that gives us a detailed viewing of the story. Though PS2 does not have the high moments that one would want, when comparing it to the first part, it is a stable and engaging film from start to finish.

It is Chiyaan Vikram who once again steals the show in a heavy and hearty role that you cannot miss and cannot dislike. The amount of emotions that he conveys through his eyes are just too good, and he rules the roost with his terrific performance.

On the other hand is Aishwarya Rai who is an easy pick for the best performance by an actress in recent times. Her expressions are superb and she has totally rocked it with every scene of hers. Jayam Ravi has two important portions – the interval block and the climax to himself and scores well.

Compared to the others, Karthi, Trisha, Aishwarya Lekshmi and the others have lesser scope and screen time.

AR Rahman’s music is the lifeline of the film, and carries through the narration with amazing music and a background score that brings out the goosebumps. The technical finesse of the film is solid with rock solid cinematography and sharp editing.

On the whole, PS2 is a really good experience with so much to bring in though it is on the slower side and lacks the wow moments that one would want. Mani Ratnam delivers as expected, though there are many changes from the book and a tonal shift from the original.  Ponniyin Selvan 2 (PS2) Movie Review by Siddarth Srinivas

Ponniyin Selvan 2 (PS2) Movie Review Rating: 3.5/5