In this Mani Ratnam epic, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan communicates with her eyes and gives her best performance of her career.
It is fair to claim that no other director could have accomplished what Mani Ratnam did with his adaptation of Ponniyin Selvan by Kalki. What he skillfully does in just two parts of the historical epic, which was originally published in five volumes, is nothing less than remarkable work by a director who has managed to stay relevant with his work for four decades. Ponniyin Selvan 2 aka PS 2 by Ratnam demonstrates how historical films can still be made without leaning too heavily on massive, extravagant action sequences and instead relying solely on drama that keeps you riveted till the very end.
The plot picks up where the previous segment left off with a flashback concerning the start of Aditya Karikalan and Nandini's romance when they were youngsters. The return of Arunmozhi Varman (Jayam Ravi), who was assumed to be dead, thwarts all of the schemes as Vandhiyathevan (Karthi) learns that plans are being put out by princely state rulers to bring down the Chola empire, with Nandini (Aishwarya Rai) being the mastermind behind it. While Nandini has played a key role in waging war against the Cholas, Aditya Karikalan (Vikram) prepares to face her might.
The first Ponniyin Selvan installment, in the opinion of many, failed to capture the allure of SS Rajamouli's Baahubali series, huge action set-pieces. This was one of the main issues for a segment of the audience that entered expecting another massive, action-packed historical epic. If one has grown accustomed to Mani Ratnam's aesthetic, however, and has appreciated PS 1, they have every reason to be astounded by the way the director merely employs drama and politics to raise the stakes throughout the second act. It's amazing how Mani Ratnam manages to keep one interested in so much drama. One of the best cinematic moments in tamil cinema, for example, is the face-off scene between Aditya Karikalan and Nandini. One of the best PS 2 moments is the build-up and mood setting that builds to the showdown.
Each character can be developed more in the second half. More screen time is given to Arunmozhi Varman, which enables Jayam Ravi to give a strong performance. Karthi as Vandhiyathevan succeeds in making the same impression he did in the first section with his performance. Aishwarya Rai as Nandini and Vikram as Aditya Karikalan particularly stand out in PS 2 in the roles that they portray so successfully. Given that this is Aishwarya Rai's major return to Tamil cinema after a long absence, she is incredibly talented and gives unquestionably a career-best performance. It's difficult to picture anyone else in Aishwarya's position because of how well she plays it and how powerful her character is. Aishwarya infuses the movie with so much life, whether it's through her angry gaze or the protracted silences. The stunning aesthetics, in addition to the heartbreaking drama, are what elevate PS 2 in terms of presenting a larger-than-life viewing experience. It is even more enticing when viewed in IMAX.
