Both the novel and the movie aren't worth reading and watching respectively as they portray many real life, non fictional characters 'bad'. Firstly it's really unfair to write a fictional novel based on non-fictional characters. This novel teaches you the false,unreal and bad history about Tamil kings and their potential.
example: 1. Aadhitha karikaalan wasn't a boozer and a king who lost his mental health by going behind a girl. He was killed by bhramins and not by Nandhini in the real history.
2. Pazhuvaettaraiyargal was not someone who to be in a negative role, they are actually well-wishers and supporters of cholas in real history .
There are inscriptions in real life as evidences.
whatever you see or read in this 'ponniyin selvan' isn't real. The characters you see are not actually portrayed the way they really were and also this novel includes many 'fictional characters' like nandhini, oomai raani, poonguzhali, nambi, just to hide the truth behind the death of AK