Vikram and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Ponniyin Selvan Part 1. The much-awaited trailer of Ponniyin Selvan Part 1 1 was unveiled on Tuesday at a grand event in Chennai, in the presence of the who’s who of Tamil cinema. Adapted for the screen by Mani Ratnam, the film stars some of the biggest stars of the Tamil film industry. Superstars Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth came together to throw their weight behind the movie, which is Ratnam’s most ambitious film yet.
Here are key takeaways from the trailer of PS1:
Long, long ago…
The trailer begins with Kamal Haasan painting a brief picture of the Chola empire. He mentions that the story of Ponniyin Selvan plays out a thousand years before the beginning of its golden era. The film is set to chronicle the most volatile period in the history of the Chola kingdom and show us the painful process of rebirth that the dynasty underwent before it reached the ideal version of itself.
The prophecy
A prophecy seems to be the catalyst that throws the Chola kingdom into utter chaos. It seems a power void is created in the wake of the prophecy that predicts the death of a Chola royalty, paving the way for greedy minds to set in motion a series of sinister plans to grab the whip that allows them to lord over the vast empire. The confusion surrounding the impending fall of a Chola brings all the conflicts to a boil.
Karthi in Ponniyin Selvan Part 1. Not just another period actioner
Judging from the trailer, it’s clear that Mani Ratnam has not envisioned Ponniyin Selvan as just a mere big-scale action film set in a different period. He wanted it to be pure drama just the way Kalki imagined it to be. This movie is set to offer more than just a bunch of swashbuckling characters. There is going to be a lot of drama and the play between the politics of hate and love.
Vallavarayan Vanidiyadevan has a bigger role
The character of Vallavarayan Vanidiyadevan is played by Karthi. It seems that Vallavarayan is a loyal friend to Aditya Karikalan, played by Vikram, and he’s also smitten by Kundavai Pirattiyar, played by Trisha. And he seems to have a bigger role than just a loyal friend, who simply follows orders. He seems to hold the key to ending the chaos and the misunderstanding between the Chola kings. Nandini, played by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, doesn’t want Aditya Karikalan and Arulmozhivarman to unite. And it’s safe to say that Vallavarayan is more than just a muscle man. He’s likely to upset the plans of Nandini.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Ponniyin Selvan Part 1. Game of Thrones
One of the most defining moments of the trailer was its final shot. We see Nandini looking at the empty throne of the king with great intent to take it at any cost. She is both the beauty and the beast. She is more than just a pretty face. The unrequited romance between Nandini and Aditya Karikalan seems to be the beating heart of this epic saga. And it is likely to be also the trigger that unleashes the chaos on the Chola empire.