'Ponniyin Selvan 2' hit the screens today (April 28) months after its first edition was released. In this section, we are going to review the latest box office release.

Recap of the first part:

Aditha Karikalan (Chiyaan Vikram), the crown prince of the Chola dynasty, and his trusted messenger-warrior Vallavarayan Vandhiyathevan (Karthi) spied on the traitors conspiring against the Chola throne. Aditha's father Sundara Chola (Prakash Raj) and his sister, Princess Kundhavai (Trisha) guarded the empire. Nandhini (Aishwarya Rai), the young wife of the old Periya Pazhuvettarayar (Sarathkumar), is a powerful head of the Chola ministry. But she is a schemer with loyalties to the Pandya kingdom. Madhurantaka Chola (Rahman) believed he is the legitimate heir to the Chola dynasty. Karthi's character traveled to Sri Lanka to meet Arunmozhi Varman aka Ponniyin Selvan (Jayam Ravi).

The third act was more about the gargantuan clash between the characters played by the Karthi-Jayam Ravi duo on the one hand and the Pandiyas on the other hand on a ship, which eventually drowned. The duo, too, get drowned. Apparently, an old woman saved them.  

What happens now in the second part:

The sequel to the epic historical action-adventure takes off on this note: There is turmoil in the Chola kingdom with Aditha Karikalan (Chiyaan Vikram) baying for blood to avenge the supposed death of his young brother. In the past, a young Karikalan was in love with a teenage orphan Nandini.  He boldly takes her into the palace and introduces her as his love but, without his knowledge, the king's men set fire to her caretaker's house and banish her from the kingdom. Cut to the present, Nandini sends a word that she wants to meet Aditha Karikalan in her palace to bring peace to the kingdom. However, she promises to the Pandyas that she will decimate Aditha and the Chola kingdom while a plot is also hatched to finish off the king and Ponniyin Selvan.

Analysis:

A key complaint from the first part was that the maneuverings portrayed didn't quite respect the territories of intelligence. The performances were tonally off despite the raw rise in tempo. The second part is way more mature and handles the content with sharpness.

The pathways of the story are not dismal. They are ornamental and made special by Mani Ratnam's Midas Touch. The dramatized intrigues are especially profound to watch. The second half is entirely gripping. The themes are drowned in literary and quintessential elements.

Karthi's compelling act from the first gives way to Jayam Ravi's subtle, understated ruthlessness here. Vikram's character and performance are in complete sync with each other. The story is constantly engaging.

There might be complaints that there is no breathtaking action and all. By now, it is clear that this magnum opus is an adaptation of a novel. Watching 'PS 1' would have thoroughly catapulted you into the world of the novel and the history of the past. If you are already there for it, 'PS 2' will be a walk in the park.

Trisha, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Prabhu, R Sarathkumar, Vikram Prabhu, Jayaram, Prakash Raj, Rahman and R Parthiban. Every single performance is famously earnest. Vikram and Karthi deliver the best performances, followed by Aishwarya Rai. The trio uplifts the film through and through.

Ravi Varman's cinematography and Thota Tharrani's art direction are splendid. AR Rahman's music is not overpowering at all. It lets the audience go with the flow.

Verdict:

This is an engaging watch. Lya Productions and Mani Ratnam deliver all expectations that you would have from a well-made sequel.