| Ponniyin Selvan: I | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Mani Ratnam |
| Screenplay by | Mani Ratnam Elango Kumaravel B. Jeyamohan |
| Based on | Ponniyin Selvan byKalki Krishnamurthy |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | Vikram Karthi Ravi Mohan Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Trisha Krishnan Aishwarya Lekshmi Sobhita Dhulipala Jayaram |
| Narrated by | Kamal Haasan |
| Cinematography | Ravi Varman |
| Edited by | A. Sreekar Prasad |
| Music by | A. R. Rahman |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Red Giant Movies |
Release date |
|
Running time | 167 minutes[2] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Tamil |
| Budget | Seeproduction |
| Box office | est. ₹450–488 crore[a] |
Ponniyin Selvan: I (PS-1,transl. The Son ofPonni) is a 2022 IndianTamil-languageepichistorical fiction action drama film directed byMani Ratnam, who co-wrote it withElango Kumaravel andB. Jeyamohan. Produced by Ratnam andSubaskaran Allirajah underMadras Talkies andLyca Productions, it is the first of two cinematic parts loosely based onKalki Krishnamurthy's 1955 novel,Ponniyin Selvan. The film stars anensemble cast includingVikram,Karthi,Ravi Mohan (as the title character),Aishwarya Rai Bachchan,Trisha Krishnan,Jayaram,Aishwarya Lekshmi,Sobhita Dhulipala,Prakash Raj,Prabhu,R. Sarathkumar,R. Parthiban,Jayachitra,Rahman,Lal,Vikram Prabhu and others.[5] The music was composed byA. R. Rahman, with cinematography byRavi Varman, editing byA. Sreekar Prasad, and production design byThota Tharani.Ponniyin Selvan: I dramatises the early life ofChola prince Arulmozhi Varman, who would become the renowned emperorRajaraja I (947–1014).[6] In the film, Vandiyathevan sets out to cross the Chola land to deliver a message from the crown prince Aditha Karikalan. Meanwhile, Kundavai attempts to establish political peace as vassals and petty chieftains plot against the throne.
Ever since its publication, afilm adaptation of the novelPonniyin Selvan had been explored by several Tamil filmmakers, including an attempt byM. G. Ramachandran in the late 1950s; however, it never materialised. Decades later, Ratnam attempted to adapt the novel in the late-1980s and early-2010s but was unsuccessful due to financial constraints. He eventually managed to revive the effort in January 2019, after Lyca agreed to fund the film. Following several changes in cast and crew, production ofPonniyin Selvan began in December 2019 and concluded in September 2021, halting twice due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. The film was shot in various locations across India, with a few sequences in Thailand. It was originally intended to be a single film but was split into two parts.
Ponniyin Selvan: I was released in theatres worldwide on 30 September 2022 in standard andIMAX formats.Ponniyin Selvan: I met with critical acclaim, with emphasis on the direction, musical score, technical aspects, and the cast's performances. The film grossed₹450–488 crore worldwide, becoming thehighest-grossing Tamil film of 2022,third-highest-grossing Indian film of 2022. The film is currently thefourth highest-grossing Tamil film of all time. The film received six nominations at the16th Asian Film Awards, includingBest Film. It won the Best Tamil film award at the68th Filmfare Awards South.[7] The film also won four National Awards, in the70th National Film Awards, announced on 16 August 2024, including theNational Film Award for Best Tamil Feature Film.[8] Itssequel was released on 28 April 2023.
In the 10th century, theChola Empire is ruled by EmperorSundara Chola, with his sonsAditha Karikalan, the crown prince, commanding the army inKanchi andArulmozhi Varman, also known as Ponniyin Selvan, leading a campaign inLanka. After a victory against theRashtrakutas, Aditha Karikalan suspects political unrest and sends his trusted friendVallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan to investigate and deliver messages to his sisterKundavai and their father.
Vandiyadevan visits the fortress ofKadambur, where he overhears a conspiracy by the finance ministerPeriya Pazhuvettaraiyar and other nobles to replace the crown prince withMadhuranthakan, the emperor's cousin. He also encounters Azhwarkkadiyan Nambi, aVaishnavite spy searching for his estranged foster sister Nandini, who is now married to Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar.
With Nandini's help, Vandiyadevan gains access to the palace inThanjavur and informs Sundara Chola of the plot. He is briefly detained by Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyar, Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar's younger brother, but escapes. He meets Kundavai inPazhayarai—where she lives withSembiyan Madevi (Madhuranthakan's mother) and Vaanathi (Ponniyin Selvan's prospective wife)—and delivers the message. She instructs him to bring Ponniyin Selvan back from Lanka to counter the threat.
Meanwhile, Aditha Karikalan confides in his friend Parthibendra Pallavan that he had once been in love with Nandini, who was later expelled from the kingdom due to her low status. Years later, he killed her guardian Veerapandiyan, the king of the rivalPandya dynasty, which sparked her vendetta against the Cholas.
In Lanka, Vandiyadevan is assisted byPoonguzhali, a boatwoman who secretly admires Ponniyin Selvan. He delivers Kundavai's message and learns that Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar has manipulated Sundara Chola into sending a convoy to capture Ponniyin Selvan under the guise of returning him to Thanjavur. Ponniyin Selvan chooses to obey his father's summons despite warnings.
The Pandya Aabathudavigal, a secret group of assassins allied with Nandini and seeking vengeance for Veerapandiyan's death, ambushes the prince's group. Mistaking Vandiyadevan for Ponniyin Selvan, they capture him. In an attempt to rescue him, Ponniyin Selvan boards their ship, but it sinks during a storm. Both are presumed dead.
The news of the prince's supposed death shocks the Cholas. Grief-stricken, Aaditha Karikalan sets out for Thanjavur to confront Nandini. Meanwhile, the mysterious Oomai Rani, a lookalike of Nandini who once saved Ponniyin Selvan from drowning as a child, dives into the sea, implying that the prince may still be alive.
The film's narration was voiced byKamal Haasan (both trailer and film),Anil Kapoor (trailer)/Ajay Devgn (film),Rana Daggubati (trailer)/Chiranjeevi (film),Prithviraj Sukumaran (trailer)/Mammootty (film) andJayanth Kaikini (trailer)/Upendra (film) in theTamil,Hindi,Telugu,Malayalam, andKannada languages respectively.[citation needed]
Thefilm score andsoundtrack were composed by Mani Ratnam's regular collaboratorA. R. Rahman. The audio rights of the film were purchased byTips.
The soundtrack consists of six original songs composed by A.R.Rahman, namely, "Ponni Nadhi", "Chola Chola", "Ratchasa Maamaney", "Sol", "Alaikadal" and "Devaralan Aattam". Lyrics were written by Ilango Krishnan,Kabilan,Krithika Nelson andSiva Ananth in the Tamil version andMehboob Kotwal,Anantha Sriram,Rafeeq Ahamed andJayanth Kaikini wrote the song lyrics in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada respectively.
Promotional campaign for the film was supposed to begin in July 2022, with the film'steaser trailer planned to be launched at theBrihadisvara Temple inThanjavur, the city which served as the capital for the Chola Empire.[9] Following the launch event, the team also planned a promotional tour for the film.[9] The movie team later on decided to have a grand teaser trailer launch event in Chennai as per their previous schedule on 8 July 2022.[10] The film'steaser trailer was released on 8 July 2022 in Tamil and dubbed versions of Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada languages.[11]
The film'strailer andsongs were released by the special guestsRajinikanth andKamal Haasan on 6 September 2022 at the Nehru indoor stadium in Tamil and dubbed versions of Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada languages.[12] The trailer featuredKamal Haasanvoice-over in the Tamil version andAnil Kapoor,Rana Daggubati,Prithviraj Sukumaran andJayanth Kaikinivoice-overs in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada version of the trailer respectively.[12] Posters featuringSarathkumar,Parthiban,Aishwarya Lekshmi,Sobhita Dhulipala,Prakash Raj,Jayachithra,Rahman,Vikram Prabhu,Prabhu,Lal andJayaram were released before the trailer launch event.[citation needed]
Ponniyin Selvan: I released on 30 September 2022 worldwide. It was released inTamil along with the dubbed versions ofHindi,Kannada,Telugu andMalayalam languages.[13] It was previously scheduled to release on summer (May–July) 2022, but was postponed due to production works.[14] It became the first Tamil film to release inIMAX format.[15]
The film's release across Canada was disrupted after major theatre chainsCineplex andLandmark Cinemas refused to exhibit the film due to ongoing anonymous threats of vandalism if Tamil films were released in their locations. The attacks, which have happened during screenings ofTheri (2016) andKurup (2021), are alleged to have been conducted by owners of Woodside Cinemas and York Cinemas, a local theatre chain inToronto attempting to hold monopoly of screening Tamil films.[16][17]Ponniyin Selvan: I had a limited Canadian release in select private theatres amidst protection from law enforcement. It was also released inTIFF Bell Lightbox, home of theToronto International Film Festival, a first for a Tamil film premiere.[18][19]
The distribution rights of the film inTamil Nadu were acquired byRed Giant Movies. TheAndhra Pradesh andTelangana distribution rights were bagged bySri Venkateswara Creations andDil Raju.[20][21] TheKerala distribution rights of the film was bagged by Gokulam Gopalan's Sree Gokulam Movies.[22] The overseas theatrical rights of the film were acquired by TentKotta.[citation needed] TheNorth India distribution rights were acquired byPen India Limited.[23]
The digital streaming rights for the film were purchased byAmazon Prime Video for₹125 crore (US$15 million).[24][25] The film was digitally premiered on Amazon Prime Video from 4 November 2022 in Tamil and dubbed versions of Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada languages.[26][27] The Hindi dubbed version was released on 26 November 2022 on the platform.[28][29]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 87% of 15 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.4/10.[30]Ponniyin Selvan: I met with critical acclaim, with emphasis on the direction, musical score, technical aspects, and the cast's performances.[31][32][33]
Kirubhakar Purushothaman ofThe Indian Express rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "Mani Ratnam understands Kalki's novel is a mainstream page-turner, so he retains its flavour and neither intellectualises it nor dumbs it down".[34] Sonil Dedhia ofNews 18 rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "Ponniyan Selvan 1 is an engaging, involving movie-going experience, and proves once again why Mani Ratnam is one of India's finest filmmakers".[35] Sowmya Rajendran ofThe News Minute rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "The film does not try to amplify any aspect of the novel unnecessarily to fit a narrative that might be the flavour of the season. In fact, it downplays the praise that Kalki lavished on the Chola Empire".[36] Stutee Ghosh ofThe Quint rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "Ponniyin Selvan 1 is grand and royal but unlike the bombastic, hyper-masculine world we are used to seeing these days with overwhelming VFX and CGI, here Mani Ratnam's hold on the narrative never slips".[37] Sukanya Verma ofRediff rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "Mani Ratnam's eye for intimacy, enigma, humour and menace bring out the glory of its source and all the imagination in store. One seldom thinks of Mani Ratnam's excellence in terms of VFX butPonniyin Selvan: 1 goes full steam".[38]
Krishna Selvaseelan ofTamil Guardian rated the film 4.5 out of 5 stars, writing, "The visuals are stunning. Ravi Varman captures the world of 10th century Thamizhakam (and its subcontinent) expertly, bringing life to the world."[39] Ritika Handoo ofZee News rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "The beauty of Part one of the two-part film lies in the fact that Mani Ratnam has not only made the story concise but has managed to do so carefully, taking adequate care not to dilute the essence of the novel or its charm".[40] Sudhir Srinivasan ofCinema Express rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "Perhaps the foremost pleasure of a Mani Ratnam film is in experiencing his wizardry over the medium. We see plenty of evidence of this in Ponniyin Selvan 1".[41]Saibal Chatterjee ofNDTV rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "The sprawling, spectacularly mounted film is an ambitious, near-flawless adaptation of a much-loved literary work".[42] Devesh Sharma ofFilmfare rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "Watch the film for its visual grandeur, epic action sequences and some sublime acting by the entire cast".[43] Sanjana Deshpande ofThe Free Press Journal rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "the cherry on top of the cake was the cinematography by Ravi Varman. He catches the attention of the audience and never lets it go. Each shot is carefully placed and executed. There's so much nuance in the film that is hard to put down in words, it is best experienced!".[44]IANS rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "Mani Ratnam's 'Ponniyin Selvan – Part I' is a masterpiece that deserves all your adulation and love".[45]
M. Suganth ofThe Times of India rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Mani Ratnam's adaptation of Kalki'sPonniyin Selvan is spectacular", adding "Mani Ratnam finally brings the dream alive with this spectacular adaptation that superbly captures the intrigue, thrills and page-turning quality of the books."[46] Soumyabrata Gupta ofZoom rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Perhaps not a film for the masses,Ponniyin Selvan 1 will ultimately be a cult classic, in time".[47] Vivek M V ofDeccan Herald rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Ponniyin Selvan is a winner because Ratnam shows a new way to make epic films".[48] Priyanka Sundar ofFirstpost rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and termed it as a "brilliant experience" which doesn't chase the same high as other recent commercial films did. The spectacle lies in the setting and the story of the film that unravels beautifully.[49] Bharathi Pradhan ofLehren rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and termed the film as "Royal and Spectacular".[50] Anupama Subramanian ofDeccan Chronicle rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Ponniyin Selvan is a bit like Game of Thrones without as much grisly violence. The polished cast and crew will keep you engaged".[51] Movie Herald's Felix said 'Glorious attempt which was effective but too delicate'[52]
Janani K ofIndia Today rated the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote "Technically,Ponniyin Selvan is top-notch. Be it Ravi Varman's brilliant cinematography or AR Rahman's excellent score, the film sucks us into the world that Mani Ratnam has created with so much detailing."[53]The Hans India rated the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote "PS 1 is a fascinating drama narrating an epic historical story. Mani Ratnam brought the best of everything on screen for his dream project. The casting and AR Rahman's background score stand as the main highlights of the film. PS 1 is more about drama and less about action"[54] Lakshmi Subramanian ofThe Week rated the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Kalki's book gets Mani Ratnam's royal cinematic touch but lacks powerful storytelling".[55] Haricharan Pudipeddi ofHindustan Times stated "Mani Ratnam has managed the unthinkable—adapt the literary classic with finesse and impact. All actors do their parts well but Aishwarya Rai is a revelation".[56] Likewise, Srinivasa Ramanujam ofThe Hindu gave the film a positive review, noting that an "epic story gets Mani Ratnam's royal treatment", while adding "Kalki's source material ofPS:1 is rich with myriad characters, and Mani Ratnam gleefully picks them all up to give it a cinematic touch, thanks to some powerhouse performances from his all-star cast".[57]
The film earned around₹80 crore (US$9.5 million) on its opening day worldwide and debuted at the top of box offices inSingapore,Malaysia,Sri Lanka, andAustralia, while it reached the top 3 in the United States.[58] By its third day, the film earned around₹80 crore (US$9.5 million) taking its first weekend worldwide collection to₹230 crore (US$27 million).[59][60][61] The film performed exceptionally well in Tamil Nadu,Kerala and overseas market, but performed average in Karnataka, the Telugu states, and the Hindi belt. The dubbed Hindi version grossed₹22 crore (US$2.6 million) at the domestic box office.[62] Nonetheless, the film emerged as the highest grossing Tamil movie inMalaysia,Singapore, United States,Australia and the 5th highest grossing Indian movie in the US at that time.[63]
Ponniyin Selvan was initially involved in a controversy about ignoring theShaivite nature of the Cholas and using theSricharanam instead ofTripundra on the forehead.[64][65] Ahead of its release, this was corrected with visual effects and almost all Chola characters appear with a VFXPattai in the released film series. Also, the assassins behindAditha Karikalan were not shown to be all as Brahmins as in history whose names were mentioned in Udayarkudi inscriptions.[66]
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards | 2023 | Best Film | Ponniyin Selvan: I | Nominated | [67] [68] |
| Best Director | Mani Ratnam | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor | Karthi[b] | Nominated | |||
| Vikram[c] | Nominated | ||||
| Best Actress | Trisha | Nominated | |||
| Best Actress in a Negative Role | Aishwarya Rai Bachchan | Won | |||
| Best Music Director | A. R. Rahman[d] | Won | |||
| Best Lyricist | Ilango Krishnan for "Ponni Nadhi" and "Chola Chola" | Nominated | |||
| Kapilan for "Ratchasa Maamaney" | Nominated | ||||
| Best Playback Singer – Female | Shreya Ghosal for "Ratchasa Maamaney"[e] | Nominated | |||
| Best Choreographer | Brinda for "Devaralan Attam" | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematographer | Ravi Varman | Won | |||
| Best Editor | Sreekar Prasad | Nominated | |||
| Best Art Director | Thota Tharani | Won | |||
| Best Dialogue Writer | B. Jeyamohan | Nominated | |||
| Best Makeup | Vikram Gaikwad | Won | |||
| Best Costume Designer | Eka Lakhani | Won | |||
| Best Visual Effects | NY VFXWaala | Won | |||
| Best Production | Lyca Productions,Madras Talkies | Won | |||
| Best Cast and Crew | Ponniyin Selvan: I | Nominated | |||
| Asian Film Awards | 2023 | Best Film | Ponniyin Selvan: I | Nominated | [69] |
| Best Editing | A. Sreekar Prasad | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography | Ravi Varman | Nominated | |||
| Best Music | A. R. Rahman | Nominated | |||
| Best Costume Design | Eka Lakhani | Nominated | |||
| Best Production Design | Thota Tharani | Nominated | |||
| Critics' Choice Film Awards | 2023 | Best Actor | Karthi | Nominated | [70] |
| Best Cinematographer | Ravi Varman | Nominated | |||
| Kerala Film Critics Awards | 2023 | Best Non-Malayalam Movie | Ponniyin Selvan: I | Won | [71] |
| Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards India | 2023 | Favourite Song (South) | "Ponni Nadhi" | Nominated | [72] |
| Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards | 2023 | Best Film | Ponniyin Selvan: I | Won | [73] |
| Best Director | Mani Ratnam | Won | |||
| Best Male Actor | Karthi | Won | |||
| Best Music Director | A. R. Rahman | Won | |||
| Best Lyricist | Ilango Krishnan for "Ponni Nadhi" | Won | |||
| K.S.Balachandran Award | Jayaram | Won | |||
| SIIMA Awards | 2023 | Best Film | Ponniyin Selvan: I | Won | [74] |
| Best Director | Mani Ratnam | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor | Vikram[f] | Nominated | |||
| Best Actress | Trisha | Won | |||
| Best Music Director | A. R. Rahman | Nominated | |||
| Best Lyricist | Ilango Krishnan for "Ponni Nadhi" | Won | |||
| Best Playback Singer – Female | Antara Nandy for "Alaikadal" | Nominated | |||
| Rakshita Suresh for "Sol" | Nominated | ||||
| Best Cinematographer | Ravi Varman | Won | |||
| Best Art Director | Thota Tharani | Won | |||
| Filmfare Awards South | 2024 | Best Film | Ponniyin Selvan: I | Won | [75] |
| Best Director | Mani Ratnam | Won | |||
| Best Actor | Karthi | Nominated | |||
| Vikram | Nominated | ||||
| Best Actress | Aishwarya Rai Bachchan | Nominated | |||
| Trisha | Nominated | ||||
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Aishwarya Lekshmi | Nominated | |||
| Best Music Album | A. R. Rahman | Won | |||
| Best Lyrics | Ilango Krishnan for "Ponni Nadhi" and "Devaralan Aattam" | Nominated | |||
| Best Playback Singer – Female | Antara Nandy for "Alaikadal" | Won | |||
| Best Cinematography | Ravi Varman | Won | |||
| National Film Awards | 2024 | Best Tamil Film | Ponniyin Selvan: I | Won | [76] |
| Best Cinematography | Ravi Varman | Won | |||
| Best Music Direction (Background Score) | A. R. Rahman | Won | |||
| Best Sound Design | Anand Krishnamoorthi | Won |
On 17 September 2022, Ratnam in a press meet, confirmed thatPonniyin Selvan: II (PS:2) would be released in six to nine months after the theatrical release ofPonniyin Selvan: I.[77] On 28 December 2022, it was revealed by the unit thatPS:2 would be releasing on 28 April 2023.[78]
கிட்டதட்ட 450 கோடிக்கு மேல் படம் வசூலித்தது.
The film has opened to critical acclaim with special praise for Mani Ratnam's direction, Aishwarya Rai's performance, and AR Rahman's musical score.
Ponniyin Selvan: I has impressed film critics.
The film has received mostly positive responses from the fans and even the film critics have praised the director for trying to portray the movie as much as possible as the real novel.
