Ponniyin Selvan — Watch once only

#PonniyinSelvan — Can watch once. Not too bad.

But if you want to watch Kalki’s version come alive on screen, you would be definitely disappointed. The version you will see is that of Mani Ratnam and his interpretation only.

Those who are well versed with the novel will find that Mani’s interpretation is faulty in some places and does not do justice to the novel. Apart from historical inaccuracies, the weight of the characters is reflected poorly in the movie compared to the novel.

Those who have not read the novel may feel the movie itself could have been taken better. In my opinion, these are obvious mistakes in the movie making.

- Rahman’s music was a disappointment

- Dance choreography is horrible

- There are several places in the movie where the editing seemed patchy and jarring

There are a couple of bright spots in the movie though:

- Karthi as Vandhiyathevan is convincing

- Jayam Ravi and Trisha are excellent as Arunmozhi Varman and Kundhavai respectively

If not for these artists, the movie would probably have been unbearable. They make up for the lack of conviction in the roleplay by other artists.

Overall, I have been able to sit through the full movie of #PS1 without many regrets or getting irritated. We have to wait and see how #PS2 will be.