The first trailer for directorMani Ratnam’s long-awaited Tamil language period epic,Ponniyin Selvan: I, was unveiled at a grand event in Chennai on Tuesday, attended by icons of Tamil cinema such asRajinikanthandKamal Haasan, along with the film’s sprawling cast. Based on the 1955 novel byKalki,Ponniyin Selvan— likeDune— will be released in two parts.
The three-and-a-half minute long trailer packs in sweeping visuals and teases epic battle scenes, colorful musical numbers and palace intrigue. Set during the Chola dynasty 1,000 years ago, the film traces the early days of brothersArulmozhi VarmanandAditya Karikalan, played byJayam RaviandVikram, respectively. They would later be known asRajaraja IandAditya II.Karthistars as the warriorVallavaraiyan Vandiyadevan, whileAishwarya Rai Bachchanappears in a dual role. It’s likeGame of ThronesmeetsZhang Yimou, filtered through an aesthetic that can only be described as over-the-top South Indian epic.The maximalism on displayis something that audiences who dug the recentRRRwould immediately understand and appreciate.
For Western audiences, Rai Bachchan will perhaps be the most recognizable member of the cast. She is a fixture at the Cannes Film Festival and a former Miss World, whose English language work includesGurinder Chadha’sBride & PrejudiceandThe Pink Panther 2. International audiences will also probably recognize the film’s celebrated composer,A.R. Rahman, who won two Oscars forDanny Boyle’sSlumdog Millionaire, and is something of a living legend in India. As are so many others involved in the film.
RELATED:‘Brahmāstra’ Trailer Presents Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor’s Indian Fantasy Epic
Several attempts have been made to adapt the novel since the 1950s, before Ratnam — one of Indian cinema’s most acclaimed directors — took on the challenge. A passion project that he tried to get off the ground many times since the 1990s,Ponniyin Selvanmarks a creative leap for him as well — the filmmaker is best known for his socio-political dramas, although he has tackled literary epics in the past withThalapathiandRaavanan.
A bit of context now:Ponniyin Selvanis an Indian film, but it isn’t a Bollywood film. It hails from the Tamil language film industry, based in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Bollywood is essentially a term used for the Hindi language film industry, based in the city of Mumbai. Fans ofRRR, for instance, would know that it was originally a Telugu language film, even though most Western audiences caught the dubbed Hindi version on Netflix. Basically, India has several thriving film industries that exist independently of each other, although certain films — likePonniyin Selvan— have the ability to cross over into different regions domestically.
Interest in South Indian epics is probably at an all-time high, with the record-breaking success of not justRRR, but also directorS.S. Rajamouli’s two previous hits —Baahubali: The BeginningandBaahubali 2: The Conclusion.Ponniyin Selvan: I— also starringTrisha Krishnan,Aishwarya Lekshmi,Sobhita Dhulipala,Prabhu,Sarath Kumar,Jayaram,Prakash Raj,Jayachitra,Rahman,Vikram Prabhu,Ashwin Kakumanu,Lal,ParthibanandRiyaz Khan— is scheduled for a September 30 release in Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu. It’s also the first Tamil language film to get an IMAX release. you may watch the trailer here:
