The highly-anticipated Ponniyin Selvan 2, directed by Mani Ratnam and featuring a star-studded cast including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, Vikram, Trisha, and Jayam Ravi, has released its first trailer. The clip, which runs for over three minutes, hints at an exciting continuation of the story of the Chola dynasty. The trailer was launched along with the film’s audio at a gala event in Chennai, with Kamal Haasan as the chief guest.
The teaser picks up the threads of the story from the previous instalment and gives the audience a glimpse of the majestic Chola empire. It is full of grandeur and breathtaking visuals of war.
In the new trailer, the southern horizon darkens with the prospect of a violent power struggle as Arulmozhivarman’s disappearance is shown to have sparked a game of thrones in the Chola empire. Arulmozhivarman’s brother Aditha (Chiyaan Vikram) is now making his way towards the capital, while the ministers seek to partition the kingdom and claim a part for Madhurantakan (Rahman). Meanwhile, his sister Kundavai (Trisha Krishnan) is making an effort to keep the kingdom united.
The teaser reveals that following the supposed demise of Ponniyin Selvan, a new heir to the throne has been declared. Additionally, Karikalan, portrayed by Vikram, is offered the opportunity to rule over the other half of the Chola kingdom. Amidst the tumultuous transfer of power, it is revealed that Jayam Ravi’s character is actually alive, with Trisha’s Kundavai questioning who saved his life. Aishwarya’s characters, Nandini and Oomai Rani, who had leaped into the sea to rescue Ravi’s character from drowning, are also seen in the video.
Towards the end of the trailer, the action reaches a crescendo as we see Nandini come face to face with Karikalan. She draws her sword with trembling hands as Karikalan’s face wears a soft, longing expression.
PS-2 is the sequel of Ponniyin Selvan, which was released last year to great critical and commercial success. Apart from receiving good reviews, the film also did a smashing business at the ticket counter, minting over Rs 480 crore globally.
Based on the internal conflicts in the Chola dynasty in the tenth century, Ponniyin Selvan had concluded on a cliffhanger in 2022, where we saw Jayam Ravi’s titular character battle death, even as Mandakini (played by Aishwarya Rai) jumps into the sea to save him. Now, the million dollar question is, who actually is that saviour figure, and how does she fit in the larger scheme of things?
With music scored by AR Rahman, Ponniyin Selvan 2 will release in cinemas everywhere on April 28 this year.
