Ponniyin Selvan - Part 1 - the movie

 First, it is definitely no easy attempt for anyone to condense this cult novel from Kalki to make a movie that lasts for perhaps 5 to 6 hours (considering the 2 parts). So for attempting this, one has to congratulate Director Mani Ratnam and his crew. With the ammunitions of the VFX technology and the various advancements in cinematography, he has embarked on this unenvious task of framing the classic novel into a visual treat and has definitely succeeded in quite a number of places. The grandeur in some of the scenes is overwhelming, to say the least. 

Art director's work in recreating the Thanjavur fort and palace, Pazhaiyaarai palace, and Sambuvaraiyaar maligai are fabulous. Costume designer's job in bringing to life Kundavai's hairstyle and Arulmozhi Varman's dress looked authentic. However, Pazhuvettaraiyar's hat looked more like a turkish hat rather than the turban shown by Oviyar Maniam (See difference between the red hat in Kalki and SharathKumar's hat - How did this pass ManiRatnam's scrutiny?)

And what is it with the facial hair and ManiRatnam? As per Oviyar Maniam's illustration, minimal facial hair (just a penciled mustache) for Vandiyathevan and Aditha Karikalan, and no facial hair for ArulMozhi Varman. All of them were sporting heavy beards in this picture. Seems like the director has a fetish for facial hair. 

Some of the castings fit very nicely - Ravidasan, Poonkuzhali, Vanathi, and Tirukovalur Malayaman were very good choices. Chozha Ships are very nicely portrayed and when Arulmozhi reaches Sri Lanka, the chozha ships reach the shore (karaithattuthal) were excellent artwork and cinematography. Contrary to the popular belief in TamilNadu, the Chozha kings have been very ardent Shiva Bhakthas and protected the vedic heritage during their regimes. So it is only apt to chant the Chamakam while introducing Sembiyan Maadevi and Sri Rudram when Kundavai enters Thanjavur palace. Thanks to the director for placing these at strategic places in the movie. However, the character Sendan Amudhan's signature thevara pathikam 'Ponnar meniyane pulitholai araikasaithu' will be mentioned by Kalki at least a dozen times in the book and just did not find a place in the movie. Why? 

Prabhu as Kodumbalur periya velar looks horrible. He is the Senapathy of the Chozha Kingdom - he is supposed to look fit and majestic. Unfortunately, he looks like one of those extremely obese constables of TamilNadu police. There is a very key character named Kudanthai Jothidar in the novel, where Kundavai and Vandiyathevan meet for the first time. This character is completely absent in the movie. Sundara Chozhar was treated by pazhaiyaarai vaithiyar as per Kalki and as a matter of fact, the vaithiyar's son Pinakapani will become an important character as well. In the movie, however, he is undergoing acupuncture treatment from Chinese physicians. I wish that the assistant directors have reminded Mani Ratnam that he is attempting a period movie time and again. 

Vandiyathevan and Azhwarkadiyan Nambi are characters who understand a lot of secrets that happen during this timeframe- be it the secret plan of Pazhuvettaraiyar and Maduranthakan, the vengeance of abathudavigal, the secret of thyagavidangar's daughter-in-law, the coronation attempt in Sri Lanka etc. Their characters were designed to take the reader through these events in a manner that builds up a complex web that will have different characters tied up due to circumstances and their own decisions from before. However, in the movie, Vandiyathevan is blissfully unaware of abathudavigal until he goes to Sri Lanka and mostly he is shown as a flirt while Azhwarkadiyan is portrayed as a comedian and the director seemed to have missed that fundamental plot of Kalki's book.

When a historical movie is taken, one should try to stick to what is written as validated information or perhaps well-accepted facts of those times. None of them seem to indicate the free liquor drinking of the chozha forces after the victory over rashtrakutas. Definitely, in the book, there is no mention of liquor drinking by the soldiers. Such cheap imagination can only come from contemporary tamil movie directors. The projection of current-day practices of liberal drinking towards a period that happened about 1100 years ago may satisfy today's TASMAC generation, but it is far from being an authentic portrayal of history.

In the scene that breaks apart at the end of Part 1 where Vandiyathevan gets caught in a burning ship and Arulmozhi is trying to save him - the entire premise of the events is changed and I have no idea where the director is going with this. The original story will have Arab pirates on the ship that Vandiyathevan will land up by mistake and will get thrashed by them. Also, Kalki would have beautifully created this sequence to show that Arulmozhi gets first-hand experience with these Arab pirates, and later when he becomes king will secure the sea route between India and Southeast Asian islands so that the traders can take merchandise without fear of these pirates.

The less said about the music is better. Nandini seems to be an Arabic princess because every time she is shown, a kind of sufi music signature keeps rolling. And don't get me started on the thevarattam sequence. I think it is seriously high time that ManiRatnam dumps AR Rahman for more contemporary musicians - perhaps Keeravani is not a bad choice for historically significant movies.