New Delhi: Mani Ratnam’s ‘Ponniyin Selvan: I’ is getting a positive response from the audience and a mixed response from the critics. The film is appreciated for the grandeur it offers while the story and the narrative structure are slipping at some points. The film follows Vandiyathevan who sets out to cross the Chola land to deliver a message from crown prince Aditha Karikalan. Meanwhile, Kundavai attempts to establish political peace as vassals and petty chieftains plot against the throne. In between all the unrest, it is the story of the famous Chola empire.
The film is based on the novel by Kalki Krishnamoorthy and stars Vikram, Karthi, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi, Trisha Krishnan, Sobhita Dhulipala Aishwarya Lekshmi, Prakash Raj and others. With a star-studded cast, Mani Ratnam has served as a visual treat to the audience.
The netizens are in awe of Mani Ratnam’s cinema and the beauty created on screen.
No other director glorified Trisha as Mani Ratnam did in Ponniyin Selvan. Every shot, Every frame felt like a tribute to her aura and screen presence. pic.twitter.com/GVwlWmF6EI
— Chaitanya (@illusionistChay) October 4, 2022
Ponniyin Selvan-1 is just mind blowing ?
Everything is perfect?#PonniyanSelvan1 pic.twitter.com/TCkqCQaQRI— મોદીની બિલાડી????❤️???? (closet russian) (@heehaw_xox_) October 4, 2022
okay ponniyin selvan was amazing?❤️
— Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (@ramakrishnannn) October 7, 2022
Cinematographer Ravi Varman gets his due appreciation.
appreciation tweet for cinematographer ravi varman for his work on #ponniyinselvan. ♥️ pic.twitter.com/RwV9nKP03O
— Films and Stuffs (@filmsandstuffs) October 1, 2022
There is also an ongoing debate about Raja Raja Chola being identified as a Hindu king or a Tamil king. People from the film industry and netizens participated in this debate and presented different views.
Director Vetrimaaran, who has been vocal about caste oppression in his films, said at an event that Raja Raja Chola was not a Hindu king and their symbols are constantly being snatched from them. “Cinema is for the common man, so it is important to understand the politics behind it,” he added. BJP leader H Raja took a jibe at the director and said, “I am not as well aware of history as Vetrimaaran, but can he name the two churches and mosques built by Rajaraja Chola? The king called himself Sivapada Sekaran. Wasn’t he a Hindu then?”
The debate was taken forward by Kamal Hassan who defended Vetrimaaran and said, “There was no name called ‘Hindu religion’ during Raja Raja Cholan’s period. At that time there were Vaishnavas and Shaivites. It was the British who coined the term ‘Hindu’ because they did not know how to express it collectively.”
The statement sparked a row on the internet.
Perhaps Kamal Haasan should explain why the ~1000 year old temple built by the great Raja Raja Chola is listed under Tamil Nadu Government’s ‘Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department’, while the term ‘Hinduism’ didn’t exist when the temple was built. pic.twitter.com/Xs8lqtshjU
— The Common Swadeshi (@CommonSwadeshi) October 6, 2022
Statement of Kamal Hassan: There was no Hinduism during Chola empire
My conclusion: Kamal Hassan is a high quality moron who is insulting the great Hindu Shaivite Raja Raja Chola who built Brihadeshwara temple,which is one of the largest Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. pic.twitter.com/SOpbLwA5qV
— Aditya Nayak (@adityavnayak) October 6, 2022
The film was released on September 30 and has crossed the Rs 300 crore mark in the worldwide box office collection.
