A filmmaker’s job is hard when they start with a story that is already well-known. They start their work knowing that they’d be competing with the elaborate visuals already built in people’s minds. Ponniyin Selvan is by no means unique in that respect. There are precedents for popular novels being made into movies. The ones I've followed are:
I tried to recall my reaction to these movies to get a sense of how I might react to Ponniyin Selvan.
I count myself an unabashed fan of the Harry Potter series. The books, to be precise. I read the books (especially the later ones) on the day of release, racing friends and neighbors and staying up late, fully knowing that I’d pay a price in productivity the following day. When the movies were released, I had a healthy curiosity as to how some sequences would be picturized, but I did not agonize over any deviation from the specifics in the book. I also did not rush to watch the movies.
Lord of the Rings and Hobbit were somewhat similar. While I enjoyed the books immensely, I was fully aware that it was all fantasy, and hence would be subject to some changes in the screen version. I liked the books and movies equally well, with no emotional attachment to either.
Forrest Gump was different. I had read the first book (“Forrest Gump”), and had found it funny, touching and original. I had some curiosity as to how the movie would be. When I watched the movie, my initial reaction was disappointment. Some of my favorite sequences from the book (such as the space mission and Gump co-starring in a movie with Raquel Welch) went missing in the movie. The movie was well-made, but it did not tug at the heartstrings the way the novel did. The movie was also a bit more cheerful, and managed to conclude on a relatively happy note by pulling in some parts from the sequel (“Gump and Co.”). It took me years to concede that the movie was great in its own right. But to be able to do that, I had to stop looking for the novel in the movie.
So coming to Ponniyin Selvan, the movie, I suspect I’m going to react somewhat like how I reacted to Forrest Gump. I (like many others) am fiercely protective of Kalki’s storyline, his characters and various undercurrents in the novel. My sense of possessiveness will make any deviation from those specifics unpalatable. Once I get over that phase of comparison, I might enjoy the movie. At least, that is what I’m hoping is going to happen.
The elaborate novel (5 volumes) is going to be truncated to two movies running for 5 hours or so. The creators will invariably have to make some cruel choices on what fits within the given time. They have already been modifying the characters for the pan-Indian audience. Arulmozhi has become Arunmozhi. Aditha Karikalan (named after Rajyadhitha Chozha) has been renamed Aditya Karikalan. Annoying, I know, but keep in mind that it is a commercial venture, and they hope to make money in the Hindi version too.
Anecdotal evidence makes me believe that folks have started reading (or re-reading) the books or listening to the audio versions in preparation for the movie. While I feel happy for anyone discovering the pleasures of Ponniyin selvan, my advice to those folks is, don’t look for the book in the movie.
A vocal segment in my social media circles has been negative about the movie. I’ve heard misgivings and outright pessimism. The negativity has been somewhat startling. Some of the objections have been on religious grounds. From what I can tell, these folks believe that Mani Rathnam, for secular reasons, has hijacked the characters from the Chozha royal family, who are known to be staunch Shaivites, by removing all religious symbols such as viboothi, the holy ash.
Pic credit: Maniyam
I think all those people need to take a chill pill. Kalki never portrayed these characters as being overtly religious. The most authoritative basis for the visuals is Maniyam’s art that accompanied the original series. (Described delightfully by Maniyam Selvan here). There were a few characters in the novel who are religious - Sembian Madevi, Azhvarkadiyan, Madhuranthakan, Sendan Amudhan and Anirudha Brahmarayar. But Vandiyathevan and Ponniyin Selvan are not portrayed as being religious at the age they were in the story.
On a lighter note, when I see social media posts describing Mani as a secular movie maker, I read them in the voice of Maggie Smith in Sister Act, where she dismissively describes Deloris’ entertainment as ‘secular!’
Pic credit: Wikipedia
My family and I have tried to play the casting directors for Ponniying Selvan several times over the last few decades. In my childhood days, one of the family pastimes was to fix the star cast for the various roles. A cousin would say something like, ‘You know, this new girl Nalini has a longish face. Her facial features make her a great fit for Kundavai’s role’. As the rest of us pitch in, the session would turn into a full-scale debate and brainstorming.
So, I get the misgivings. I have my concerns too. I fear Jeyam Ravi’s squeaky voice is going to ruin the great 'pinnacle of sacrifice' scene. And Mani Rathnam’s record has not been great of late. I feel like I’m watching Virat Kohli walk into bat. I want him to do well, but I also know his form has been terrible. That does not stop me from rooting for him.
Finally, I also believe that the movie can wake the rest of India to Kalki’s wizardry. People have started checking Kalki out. As a collateral evidence, daily pageviews on my blog with the English translation of Parthiban Kanavu (another novel of Kalki) have been climbing steadily.
If a movie, even one that is made within the constraints of commercial cinema, is what it takes for folks to discover Ponniyin Selvan, Kalki’s works in general, and the history of Chozhas, so be it. Bring it on!
Also read my earlier post, written in 2019, when the movie was announced.
Edit: Here is my review, after watching the movie.
