One of the grandest movies I have seen. Understated, subtle, but with epic feels, strong emotions. Great camerawork and scene construction and visualization show Mani sir at his best, more than ably supported by the genius ARR. Great acting with many memorable epic drama scenes.
Mani Ratnam takes a bold bet to go against the grain by cutting out commercial elements and goes into Shakespearean tragedy mode 2nd half, which works beautifully in the end.
Only flaw is that some of the characters leave you wanting them to be fleshed out even more.
All in all, a must watch masterpiece which elevates Mani Ratnam's legacy and elevates Indian cinema.