In the 10th Century, the Chola dynasty under the rule of Sundara Chozhar (Prakash Raj) faces both internal and external threats. His elder son, Aditha Karikalan (Vikram) who is campaigning against Kanchi, comes to know that a conspiracy is afoot and orders his loyal follower, Vallavaraiyan Vanthiyathevan (Karthi) to get to the bottom of it and warn his parents if it turns out to be true. He also instructs Vallavaraiyan to seek out his younger sister Kundavai (Trisha), who’ll take the necessary steps to eliminate the threat. Kundavai, in turn, asks him to travel to Sri Lanka, where her other brother, Arulmozhi Varman aka Ponniyin Selvan (Jayam Ravi), is campaigning. She hopes that the united might of the brothers would subdue the rebellion. What they don’t know is that a group of Pandya soldiers too is after the brothers as they want to avenge the death of their king, Veerapandiyan and that Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), the wife of Chola treasurer Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar (R Sarathkumar) too has her own agenda against the Cholas.Politics, love and intrigue combine to make this film another Mani Ratnam masterpiece. He’s always been a master manipulator of emotions and he deals his cards perfectly here too. Aditha Karikalan is the perfect warrior but is shown to be emotionally unstable, pining about lost love and taking decisions that might prove wrong because of it, Nandini is shown to be both hating the Cholas and also shown having a conscience, knowing that history won’t treat her kindly. Kundavai is shown to be an astute politician, whose only duty is towards the empire, feelings be damned and Arulmozhi is modelled on Lord Rama, the obedient son for whom the word of his king matters more than personal survivor. Juxtaposed to all this is Vallavaraiyan, the happy-go-lucky soldier who gets thrown into one extraordinary situation after another, wonder writ large on his face. He’s our reference point to the story, as it’s his journey we follow. He connects the dots as he meets different factions and helps the viewers form the relevant conclusions.
Mani Ratnam films are also a visual treat and here the master has surpassed all his past efforts. Ravi Varman’s deft cinematography lends a poetic grace to each frame. Be it the opening war sequences, Nandini’s entry or the sea visuals, everything is picture postcard perfect. The film’s production design and costumes are spot on as well. Then, the VFX is totally out of this world. The imaginatively shot sea storm sequence, which comes towards the end, is alone worth the price of the ticket.
But mere technical wizardry doesn’t make a masterpiece. Mani Ratnam has a way of making sure his actors give him their best and he’s done it again here. The actors have made their characters totally believable. They’re playing legendary figures but have made the legends all too human by lending them insecurities and desires and thus making them relatable to today’s audience. Be it Vikram, Jayam Ravi, Trisha, Karthi, or any other member of the cast, not one person has put a foot wrong. And what we see is a joint effort. It’s not as if one actor has overshadowed anyone else. Superb casting choices, as well as directorial discipline has made it a true ensemble film.
Watch the film for its visual grandeur, epic action sequences and some sublime acting by the entire cast. The film ends on a cliffhanger climax, leaving us literally on the edge of our seats. We can’t wait for the next instalment’s release. Please make more historicals Mani sir, and perhaps sci-fi and fantasy too…
from filmfares
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