Thread by @embraerstar

Saw #PS2. The historical review follows. Qualitywise movie is watchable, (not a #Bahubali), totally @AishwaryaRaiWeb movie & not at all of the titular #PonniyinSelvan @jeyamravi3 . U kp waiting but his moment nvr arrives. Rather it looks like @chiyanvikram movie (1&2) all alng.

https://twitter.com/Nidhin_B_/status/1651962717727784961

Script sticks to the narrative as in #Kalki novel without 1ce trying 2 course correct 4 historical accuracy anywhr. Hence ,inherits the same biases, inaccuracies of the novel alongwith a bit of overdramatisation. Hence it nvr bcmes the biopic of #RajaRajaChola some wud hv expctd

Letz start with characters. #Cholas are shown in full glory as a fledgling kingdom about to be an empire succeeding the #Pallavas for hegemony over South & surviving the #Rashtrakutas while fending of spirited challenge of #Pandyas down South. My Tamil frnds tell me that the..

.. Chola vs Pandya rivalry is a continuing narrative in Tamil cultural sphere. No wonder Kalki bases his story on the same. Thrown in2 the mix are other players like the Sinhalas, Banas (Tamil pronunciation of Vana has been mistaken for Vanar=Ape), NoLambas,VeLir, PaLuvettarayar

.. Saw the movie in Hindi, the subtitles blindly follow original pronunciations without once trying to simplify it to their audience. For ex-Bana Vandiyathevan=Vindhyadevan, KaLamugar=KaLamukha. Such translation wud hv helped non Tamil audience to relate more to the story.

..Not many wud realise tht the climax actually indicates a decisive final struggle betwn kingdoms of Kannada country (Rashtrakuta, Chalukya, Ganga) & Tamil country (the Cholas) . The Pallavas & Sinhalas also have been put on opp side by Kalki hence making it AntiChola vs Chola..

.. Showdown in true poetic sense. Khottiga(Khottigar in the movie) was a weak Rashtrakuta king b4 the line ended, nowhere near his illustrious predecessor Krishna III 'Kannara', who inflicted Takkolam on the Cholas ably assisted by Ganga Bhutuga II. Chola prince Rajaditya..

.. Is said to hv been struck by an arrow by Bhutuga while being seated on an elephant.The scene in the movie where Arulmozhi avoids a similar fate while climbing an elephant seems 2 commemorate the same, for the Takkolam mishap left a lasting imprint on Chola scheme of things..

.. as evidenced by the commemoration of same by land grants by RajaRaja himself.We cme 2 knw abt Rajaditya fate also by inscription left by his Kerala origin commander Vellan Kumaran, on whose character Kalki may hv based Vandiyadevan & also Pallava Parthiban to an extent for..

.. Vellan Kumaran, the only survivor of Takkolam laments loss of Rajaditya & takes 2 ascetic life establishing Kalamukha monastery henceforth known as Chaturanana Pandita. In taking to ascetic life he resembles another commander who led Pallava forces to Vatapi & occupying it..

.. For 12years. Paranjothi came to be known as Siruthondar (Siriyala in Kannada) in his devout Saivite life. Since Kalkis other novel is 'Sivagamiyin Sapatham' which deals with the same topic of Chalukya-Pallava rivalry, it is quite possible Vandiyadevan is styled similarly..

.. on Vellan Kumaran, esp bcoz in the movie Vandiyadevan tragically is unable 2 prevent Aditya Karikalan's death & almost uses same dialogue as Vellan Kumaran's inscription of Tiruvotriyur.Just like Vandiyadevan is supposed 2 be a Bana prince, Vellan was a Valluvanatu prince..

.. Since Takkolam left a deep imprint on Chola psyche leading 2 later inscrptns & records about the same, later researchers like Kalki using the same for dramatisation seems plausible, hence PS1 & PS2 reflect more on tragic death of Aditya Karikalan than the exploits of Rajaraja

.. For the soul of the story seems to be that of Rajaditya of Takkolam fame than Rajaraja Chola who incidentally commemorates the slain ancestor in his grants.Kalki uses other participants of Takkolam as per convenience.The Banas thru Vandiyadevan are with Cholas now whereas..

.. they were part of Rashtrakuta forces in Takkolam.The dialogue where Aditya Karikalan talks of northern conquests up2 Krishna river seems 2 be a foresight of future successes of Rajaraja in extending till Tungabhadra river.Rashtrakuta Khottiga himself died defending against..

.. Paramara Siyaka Harsha, sounding deathknell to the glorious empire of Rashtrakutas & giving way to new ones in South & North (where Paramara Bhoja follows) leaving Kalyani Chalukyas with powerful adversaries on two fronts.These 2 adversaries later gangup against Chalukyas..

.. During Rajendra Chola & Paramara Bhoja times, when the Hindi proverb 'Kaha RajaBhoj, kaha Gangu Taili' seems 2 hv originated (Gangu being Gangeya Kalachuri & Taili=Tailapa) . Tho unlike the saying, Chalukyas gave gud account of themselves as & when attacked,gaining territry..

Cmng back to PS2 storyline, Nulambapadi=Nolambavadi, the capital of Nolambas/Nonabas.present day Nonaba vokkaliga as well as Lingayat Nonabas are said 2 hv descended 4m the same (Illiberal India:Rajaghatta) & had Banas as their southern adversaries.Banas also called BrihadBanas

.. a Kannada ruling dynasty like the Nolambas,Gangas,Vaidumbas, claimed descent from King Mahabali. Another thread connecting Bana Vandiyadevan with Vellan Kumaran of Valluvanadu.Vindhya, Vindhyavasini, Ujjain are part of repeated narrative in Tamil lit (as in other SI lit?)..

.. Manimekhalai has repeated ref 2 the same.Kalki's conscious attempt 2 show Saiva Kalamukhas on the erring side as well as bringing himself as Deus ex Machina all along the story as Nambi is very conspicuous.Itz as tho he goes2 gr8 pains in ensuring Vaishnava flag high all alng

..it also cud b his way of Arthur Conan Doyle playing Dr Watson to the imaginary Sherlock Holmes. Last but not the least, the casting doesn't seem to do justice with Nasser as Pandya king. A similar adaptation of Pampa Bharata & Ranna Gadhayudda for their historical elements..

.. ie contemporary lives of Rashtrakuta Govinda & Chalukya Tailapa, wud b interesting to watch. If all these stories find expression & interconnectivity, Game of thrones & Lord of Rings wud dwarf in scale. End of thread. (Plz feel free to use wikipedia for names mentioned)