Avi M

Saw this on the second day of release…I have to say a bit disappointed after all the pre-launch hype. It was easy to say that at the end that you can’t help to compare and feel Bahubali - Part One was better in direct comparison to Ponniyin Selvan - Part One. The set and costumes are a plus, Karthi and Jayaram have given a good performance with the movie resting on Karthi’s shoulders…others are all just average or haven’t got enough screen time to give the viewer an insight into the character. Trisha’s acting doesn’t seem to match the role that requires majesty but comes out casual. Senior actors such as Prabhu, Lal have very little dialogue, are unutilised and could have easily been replaced by another actor. Storytelling isn’t that gripping. Music is underwhelming..only one song (Alai Kadal) was good but that also got only 1 min in the movie..overall it’s a bit too long and convoluted. If you don’t know the novel synopsis at least, will really not follow. It may have been better to take this up as a TV series. The cast had spoken so much about the Cholas in the pre-launch events but the movie lacks a defining Chola identity (save for the costumes and jewellery). I personally think a lot of people like myself went expecting a lot based on the Mani Ratnam ARR combo but I think that magic is just not there. As a fan of their work, this was a big letdown.