Ponniyin Selvan: II

<p>The film opens with a flashback, chronicling the childhood of Nandini and . Nandini was raised in a priestly family, and Aditha, training for his future as king, met Nandini during her visit to Pazhayarai. Love sparks at first sight for Aditha Karikalan, coinciding with Arulmozhi’s horse race victory against Karikalan. tries to befriend Nandini, but after discovering Nandini’s orphan status, forbids her from palace visits. Nandini then deliberately ignores Aditha’s attempts to reconnect. Then Aditha informs Nandini of his imminent military deployment. Saddened, Nandini prays daily by the river where he departed. Upon his return, Nandini confesses her love. Despite Kundavai’s objections to Nandini’s non-royal status, Aditha Karikalan and Nandini continued to love and see each other. Facing opposition, Karikalan introduces Nandini as the future queen. However, Kundavai and forcefully expel Nandini during Aditha Karikalan’s absence, leading to his devastation upon learning of her departure and refuge under Veerapandiyan. In the current timeline, the presumed death of , saddens the empire. Parthibendran Pallavan, smitten by Nandini’s beauty, is manipulated into diverting Aditha Karikalan to Kadambur for the empire’s well-being. Ravidasan and the Pandya Aabathudavigal ensure Ponniyin Selvan’s demise. and , with a frail Ponniyin Selvan, encounter Azhwarkadiyan Nambi and Sendhan Amudhan. Vandiyadevan misleads Ravidasan and gets captured. Meanwhile, proclaims himself successor, aligning with Shivan Adiyars and Rashtrakuta King for vengeance. Nandini daydreams about Aditha seeing his Tiger Signet ring which he gave years ago. Later, she, Ravidasan, and others plot to assassinate Aditha Karikalan, , and Ponniyin Selvan. Nandini reveals her plan to kill Aditha Karikalan in Kadambur, overheard by the captive Vandiyadevan. He discloses seeing Oomai Rani, Nandini’s mother-like figure, earning his reprieve. Disguised Nambi rescues Vandiyadevan, who informs Kundavai of Ponniyin Selvan’s survival, reciprocating her feelings. Nambi alerts Aditha Karikalan of Ponniyin Selvan’s existence. Kundavai and Aditha rush to Nagapattinam’s Viharam, where Ponniyin Selvan is being treated. Aditha learns of Nandini’s plot in Kadambur but dismisses Vandiyadevan’s warning. Ponniyin Selvan reveals Oomai Rani’s resemblance to Nandini, raising Kundavai’s suspicions about her father’s knowledge. She travels to Thanjavur, where Sundara Chozhar discloses his past with Mandakini in Lanka. Kundavai suspects Nandini’s relation but learns Mandakini was pregnant two years after Sundara Chozhar’s marriage to Vanavan Mahadevi. Pandyas plan to murder Ponniyin Selvan, but he foils their attempt. In Thanjavur’s fort, Pandyas infiltrate, leading to conflict between Velar and Pazhuvettaraiyar. Madhurantakan flees through a tunnel to the Rashtrakutas. Ponniyin Selvan and Vaanathi arrive, bringing peace to the warring factions. Poonguzhali, spotting the Pandyas, alerts Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyar in Thanjavur. Meanwhile, Aditha Karikalan arrives in Kadambur. As Nandini and Aditha Karikalan lock eyes, Nandini reminisces the moments about her past, and how her love transformed into hatred. Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar and other kings propose dividing the kingdom with Madhurantakan, but Aditha Karikalan opposes, offering to relinquish the domain for Madhuranthakan’s rule if he can keep his army for his siblings’ safety. Everyone agrees to his condition. Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar heads to Thanjavur to inform Madhurantakan, but Karuthiruman, a rower who aided the Pandyas in Lanka, informs him of Nandini and the Pandya plot against Aditha Karikalan in Kadambur. In an attempt to rescue Aditha Karikalan, Karuthiruman hurries back to Kadambur, while the Pandyas use a tunnel to infiltrate the city. Vandiyadevan and Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar, also attempting a rescue, are knocked unconscious. Mandakini, attempting to reach Sundara Chozhar, takes an arrow intended for him and dies. Hearing his father’s grief, Ponniyin Selvan arrives, defeats the Pandya assassins, and kills them. In Kadambur, Aditha Karikalan confronts Nandini, asking why she wants him there. As Nandini falters in her motivation, Aditha, who can read her mind, requests her to end his life, expressing the pain of being apart from her torturing him every day. Overwhelmed, Nandini cannot bring herself to stab him. Aditha Karikalan takes out his knife, hugs Nandini tightly, and pierces the knife into his heart, revealing his unconditional love for her. Nandini screams in pain, unable to see him die despite all the hatred she has developed for him through the years, revealing she still loves him. The Pandyas forcefully remove Nandini from Kadambur, saving her from execution. Meanwhile, Vandiyadevan and Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar, unconscious, are taken away by the Pandyas. Upon regaining consciousness, Vandiyadevan carries Aditha Karikalan’s lifeless body to Parthibendra Pallavan and other kings, who accuse him of murder. Aditha Karikalan’s maternal grandfather, Thirukovalur Malaiyaman, seizes Vandiyadevan and Sambuvarayar, the king of Kadambur, suspecting their involvement. Aditha Karikalan’s corpse is taken to Thanjavur, where Sundara Chozhar, his family, and the public mourn his tragic demise. On a ship, the apprehended Karuthiruman reveals to a grieving Nandini that her father is Veerapandiyan, who raped Mandakini, leading to her birth. Nandini, feeling betrayed by everyone and traumatized by Aditha’s death, drowns herself in the river Ponni, revealing her unconditional love for Aditha Karikalan. Nambi informs Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyar of Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar’s location, leading to his release from the Pandya captivity. Vandiyadevan faces accusations in Sundara Chozhar’s court, but Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar returns, disclosing the truth. Meanwhile, Parthibendran accuses Ponniyin Selvan of orchestrating Aditha Karikalan’s death and allies with the Rashtrakutas and other rival kingdoms to invade the Chola empire for vengeance. Sundara Chozhar allows Vandiyadevan to assist Ponniyin Selvan in the impending battle. Madhurantakan refuses to fight against his homeland and sides with Ponniyin Selvan, contributing to the Cholas’ victory. Later, Sundara Chozhar decides to abdicate the throne in favor of his only surviving son. However, on the coronation day, Ponniyin Selvan proposes crowning Madhurantakan, who adopts the name ‘Uttama Chola.’ The epilogue reveals that Vandiyadevan and Ponniyin Selvan led extensive conquests across the seas. After Uttama Chola’s death, Ponniyin Selvan ascends to the throne as ‘Rajaraja Chola,’ while the Pandyas are captured and punished. The film’s narration was voiced by (both trailer and film), (trailer)/ (film), (trailer)/ (film), (trailer)/ (film) and (trailer)/ (film) in the , , , , and languages respectively. was originally planned as a single film with a budget of (US$59 million). After principal photography commenced in December 2019, it was reported in January 2020 that the film would be split into , which was confirmed by Mani Ratnam that April. Both parts were to be shot , with some sources reporting that the ₹500 crore budget was spread across two parts. In September 2021, production of the first part , with filming for a few sequences of the second part remaining. Part of this took place in March 2022, with a sequence involving Ravi and Karthi filmed in Mumbai. The remaining patchwork of was filmed in January 2023. The and were composed by Mani Ratnam’s regular collaborator . The audio rights of the film were purchased by . The soundtrack consists of seven original songs composed by A. R. Rahman. The first, “Aga Naga”, was released as a single on 20 March 2023. The remaining tracks were revealed at a trailer and audio launch on 29 March 2023. Lyrics for the Tamil version of the soundtrack were written by Ilango Krishnan. It includes -literature poet Kudavayil Keerathanar’s excerpts, whereas “Aazhi Mazhai Kanna” was inspired from ‘s , and “Shivoham” from ‘s in the Tamil version. , , , , and wrote the song lyrics in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada respectively. In May 2023, publicized that “Veera Raja Veera” had been adapted from a 1978 dhrupad composition by the without attribution. was released in standard, , and EPIQ formats in theatres on 28 April 2023 worldwide. It is the first South Indian film to release in format. The distribution rights of the film in were acquired by . The and distribution rights were bought by ‘s . The distribution rights were bought by Gokulam Gopalan’s Sree Gokulam Movies. The distribution rights were acquired by . acquired the overseas distribution rights. The digital streaming rights for the film were purchased by for (US$15 million) and started streaming on the platform from 2 June 2023 in Tamil and dubbed versions of Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada languages. The Hindi dubbed version was premiered from 23 June 2023. The satellite rights of the film was sold to . The film grossed ₹345 crore and is currently the third highest-grossing Tamil film of 2023 and one of the highest-grossing Tamil films worldwide. On the website , 88% of 8 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.4/10. received positive reviews from critics. Kirubhakar Purushothaman, of , gave 4.0 out of 5 stars and wrote “While the fans of the book might be disappointed with some major deviations from the book, the ace director understands the form won’t let him be entirely faithful to the novel.” Haricharan Pudipeddi, a critic of , wrote “Apart from the gut-wrenching drama, it’s the exquisite that elevate PS 2 in terms of delivering a larger-than-life viewing experience.” M. Suganth of gave 3.5 out of 5 stars and opined that “right until the climax, this doomed romance is what sustains the tension in this tale and drives the characters to make decisions that have far-reaching impact”. Sukanya Verma from gave 3.5 stars out of 5 and stated “Ratnam’s spectacle may be steeped in fiction and fantasy but its entitlement and opportunism feels as real and relevant as ever.” A critic from gave 3 stars out of 5 stars and appreciated the film. Nandini Ramnath critic of mentioned the film as having “Mesmerising visuals and memorable characters”. However, gave a mixed review. Manoj Kumar of gave 3 out of 5 and stated “Mani Ratnam has done a fabulous job in translating this epic novel onto the big screen”. Srinivasa Ramanujam of called it a “satisfying sequel”, saying that ” takes creative liberties from Kalki’s material, but the performances and cinematic touches keep you invested”. The Ponniyin Selvan film series was initially involved in controversy about ignoring the nature of the Cholas and using the director’s sect instead of on the forehead. Ahead of its release, this was corrected with visual effects and almost all Chola characters appear with a computer-generated image of a in the films.</p>