Ponniyan Selvan 2 - Nandy like Candy

Ponniyan Selvan (PS) 2

2023, Tamil

Director - Maniratnam

Stars - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan,  Vikram, Trisha, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Sobitha Dhulipala, Rahman, Prakash Raj, Jayaram

Mohan's Measure ⭐⭐

At 3 plus hours, PS - 2 takes great steps in trying to transform Kalki's voluminous series of short stories into a force fit of Bahubali and Game of Thrones, with some daytime soap opera thrown in for good measure. If anything, we should take comfort in the fact that the once legendary director heard our complaints. A few spaces for the gods have been added into the Moorish architecture, while the hairstyles from Star Wars Episode 1 have been put aside.  All the more refreshing are seeing the sacred threads, buddhist monks, Brahmin pundits and aghoris floating about in the cavalcade of extras that is this film. 

The main story of course is weaved around femme fatale Nandini and the mysterious woman who looks just like her. Ms. Bachchan plays her with stoic strength  in one character and blank looks of fear in the other. While we begin to understand one, we can only wonder at the bit role the other is provided. 

Opposite her, Mr. Vikram struggles, at moments a worrisome Ambi, at other moments a bloodthirsty Anniyan. Surely he could meet us halfway. But so is the post Gladiator movie age, when heroes are less gallant knights than sweaty, unkempt truck drivers. 

Therein, friends, lies the rub of it. Watching all their soap opera stories and their psychotic self obsessions,  I find myself questioning how these people shaped what history records as being the greatest classisal civilization on Earth, the one that brought fame to Sivan Himself. The very idea that it was this Empire gave patronage to the creation of the Thirukkural, Thevaram, and the Nalayira Divya Prabhandam is never mentioned.   

Thankfully, this appears to be the last of the series. Less chance for the writer-director to question  our intelligence.