Ponniyan Selvan - hyper-bole sāmrājyam

Ponniyan Selvan

2022, Tamil

Director - Maniratnam

Stars -

Karthi as Vanthiyadevan

Jayam Ravi as Arulmozhi Varman

Jayaram as Azhwarkadiyan

Trisha as Kundavai

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Nandini

Vikram as Aditha Karikalan

Aishwarya Lakshmi as Poonguzhali

Mohan's Measure ⭐⭐⭐

Recent events are a reminder that no matter how socialist our politics, we all love the monarchy. Be it Kings and Queens or Knights and their Ladies, even our Caucasian siblings cannot help be drawn to the pomp and circumstance of Royal life. 

In that Mr. Maniratnam has faced a rather difficult challenge, how to balance such things as honor, gentlemanly conduct and chivalry into the rough and tumble world of North Madras. 

What results is this loose interpretation of the first book of Kalki Krishnamurthy's Ponniyan Selvan. 

Indeed, the atheist director has done a great injustice in virtually removing all of what made the Chozhan Empire the penultimate definition of Tamil culture. The temples, bronze statues, music, theater, and sacred arts hardly receive a mention. Instead we are exposed to what are just as easily found in a Bollywood movie, beautiful and conniving women, bloodthirsty and savage men, and a few Brahmins for comedy relief. That is it, for the greatest Empire on Earth. 

Now, there are aspects that are impressive. The sets, the CGI, and a set of convincing actors certainly keeps things entertaining, albeit not engaging. If only the soul of what everyone is fighting and sacrificing for could have been better communicated. 

Perhaps our director should, in his own drive to be Pan Indian, seek to be a little less Peter Pan.