#mandakini

நந்தினியின் பார்வை எங்கேயோ வெகு தூரத்தில் சென்றிருந்தது. ஒரு நெடிய பெருமூச்சு விட்டாள்.

"ஐயா! சற்று முன்னால் எனக்கு ஏதேனும் உதவி செய்யவிரும்புவதாகச் சொன்னீர் அல்லவா?"

“ஆம்!"

“அது தாங்கள் உண்மையாகச் சொன்ன வார்த்தைதானே?"

“சந்தேகமில்லை."

“அப்படியானால் இதைக் கேளும். எப்போதாவது ஒரு சமயம் மறுபடியும் அந்த ஸ்திரீயைப் பார்க்க நேர்ந்தால் அவளை எப்படியாவது பிடித்துக் கொண்டு வந்து என்னிடம் சேர்ப்பியும். அது முடியாவிட்டால் என்னையாவது அவளிடம் அழைத்துக் கொண்டு செல்லும்!" என்றாள் நந்தினி.”

Excerpt From

Ponniyin Selvan Anaithu Pagangal (Tamil Edition)

Kalki

This material may be protected by copyright.

Context: Vandiyathevan and Nandini discuss Mandakini.

“She looks very much like you. She must be a woman who cannot talk.”

Nandini’s gaze seemed far away. She let out a deep sigh.

“Sir! Some time ago, you said that you will do my any favour you can, did you not?”

“Yes!”

“That is an oath you made in all honesty, is it not?”

“There is no doubt (about it)”

“If that is so, then listen to this. If you see that lady again at any time, bring her to me somehow. If that is not possible, at least take me to her!” said Nandini.

Putting my thoughts under readmore, for slight spoiler alert.

has anyone else realized that sundara chozhar, aditha karikalan and arulmozhi varman all failed to get their girls? and even crazier, all three girls belonged to the same family? is this a coincidence? or is kalki trying to give us a message?

(if ur confused as to how they're related - mandakini in nandini's mother and poonguzhali's aunt, which makes poonguzhali and nandini are cousins)

@thereader-radhika @vibishalakshman @celestesinsight @thelekhikawrites @whippersnappersbookworm @hollogramhallucination and all who are interested

How would you explain/see Mandakini's apathy towards her own children - especially nandini?

Sure, she's still in love with Sundara chola and considers his kids (especially Arunmozhi) to be her own.

She probably knows nandini and madhurantakan are stirring trouble for SC's three kids and wants to protect them.

But how would you explain her lack of care towards her own kids- though we know she's capable of maternal affection as she's saved Ponniyin Selvan multiple times since childhood?

Even as she is dying, she only seeks to ensure Arunmozhi's future wellbeing.

The most I can see is when nandini recounts a vaguely similar face staring at her as she slept during her childhood.

Is it the memory loss? The antipathy SA victims feel towards their (unwanted) kids? Feeling they'll be better off without her? Or something else?

"What about Maduranthaka Thevan, then?" "Let him stay alive if he wants. It will be a good thing if an imbecile like him sits on the Chozha throne for some time. The Pandya Emperor has to come of age, isn't it?"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Soman Sambavan meeting Maduranthakan and recognising him as Veera Pandyan's son

I was wandering around the garden . . . He approached me and said, “Prince! I've come here with the sole purpose of seeing you. Periya Pazhuvettarayar and Kandan Maran sent me to fetch you. A big army is getting ready to support your claim to the throne." I became quite suspicious of him.

I replied, ‘Why should I come out if there's a big army waiting there? Why can't they come here, defeat the Kodumbalur forces and place me on the throne?’

“Prince! That's not all there is. There's a dangerous secret connected with your birth. No one else will dare to tell you about it, but I will,’ he said.

‘In that case, come, we'll leave at once,’ I said.

To which he replied, ‘I have to give the Prime Minister a piece of news. Let me first go and tell him, while you stay hidden in the tunnel.’

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Aha! Who was that fellow in Sundara Chozha's garden who said he would tell me the secret of my birth? . . . While making an attempt to kill Sundara Chozhar, he killed that mute woman. He cannot be blamed.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: The New King

When Chinna Pazhuvettarayar fell into the chasm, cries of 'Long live Amarabhujanga Nedunchezhiyan!’ rose above the noise of the falls.

Imagine Soman Sambavan sharing his exciting discovery with Ravidasan

Ravidasan: Soma, how did the mission go?

Soman : Failure, as usual. What about you?

Ravidasan: Success 😁😁

Soman : What? (Hugs Ravidasan) Yay! Yay! The sinner who took the head of Veera Pandyar is dead. Yay! Yay! Did she do it? Really?

Ravidasan: Well, I am not sure. All those fools were behaving like they haven't met a woman in their entire lives. Hiding, shouting, pleading, crying, choking each other . . . She too was screaming her lungs out. Anyway, our meen-vaal pierced his evil heart. I saw it with my own eyes.

Soman : Oho! Now listen to this. I might not have killed the usurper but I discovered our lost treasure.

Ravidasan: In Lanka?

Soman: God! No! How do I explain this? There is one more - an adult man, the heir to our throne, no, no, I mean, our Emperor. That mute woman has two children.

Ravidasan (gasping) : Explain

Soman: Ravidasare, think. What was the reason for Veera Pandyar's confusion? How did we recognise Nandini Devi? The mother and children look like they were cast in the same mould. You just have to meet him once.

Ravidasan : Did he come there in search of his sister? Why didn't you bring him with you?

Soman: There is a small problem. You see, our Emperor is . . . is . . . how do I say this? Maduranthaka Thevanrrr. Yes, Maduranthaka Thevar is Veera Pandyar's and the mute woman's son.

Ravidasan: Get lost!

Soman: I know, we have to find a new name for him. You just have to see him once. Just once. That woman . . . what did she tell us? Girly? Idiot? Idiots are those blind morons. How come they didn't realise that she looks like our Emperor in a longer wig?

Ravidasan (to himself) : Perhaps that's why they sent her away and never let him come out. (Aloud) If what you are saying is true, the mute woman won't trouble us anymore. Any woman will support her own son over her cheater ex's son.

Soman : Yeah, about that . . . She had to jump in between and spoil everything. She couldn't have survived.

Ravidasan: Good riddance. WHAT! Oh no!

Soman : Don't worry about that. I am willing to accept any punishment our Emperor decides. That will console Devi too. Don't tell her anything now. (They don't know that Madu doesn't give a damn about Mandakini's death)

Ravidasan: Hell! Even yesterday, I told Paramu that she is Veera Pandyar's consort. First things first. We need to retrieve the Emperor and convince him. Then make arrangements for your execution. The little Emperor will stay hidden untill we can be sure of his safety.

Vikram. My god. His role is reminded me of an evolved and refined version of veera from raavanan. That scene where he's going on a tirade and he's so expressive and gesticulating and the camera won't stop moving around him and shit?

Like that legit reminded me of that scene in raavanan when he's talking about his rage clouding his fear or something I forgot what exactly but he was talking to an forest guard he has captive. Anyway, yes. Get Vikram for these kinds of intense dramatic scenes and make sure the cinematography really amps the drama up. He definitely can play borderline unhinged really well and mani ratnam will definitely let him chew the scenery.

But the cinematography that annoyed me was the action cinematography. The larger scale battle when the armies collided? You really got to immediately muddy the action with shaky cam? Like why? I'm sure there's some good choreography just perfect it and then show it in full. It feels cheap to have an actually good looking action setpiece but wussing out with shaky cam. I refuse to believe it's a stylistic choice. That's just plain bad.

I want more elephants. Can't believe that's a note I have but it's the chola dynasty. War elephants are a must. I don't care that it's not feasible to get a bunch of elephants and train them for a movie or the cgi budget won't allow creature effects just do it. I want war elephants.

I like the naval scenes. The ship designs and the horses coming out of them was all really cool to look at. I like the ending setpiece with ponniyin selvan and vanthiyadevan fending off the pandis on the ship. A little dark with a lot more hectic camerawork and weird editing choices to hide the imperfections, but as a whole with all the water spraying about and the ship breaking and everything it was very good.

Can't believe they're getting aishwarya rai to play mandakini as well lmao. Tamil movies really like having the same actors playing father/son or mother/daughter, huh? Just add some white hair and a bit of make-up that is simultaneously supposed to age them up but also make them hot but fails at both so it just looks weird. Not that we actually saw oomai raani properly but that's definitely what's gonna happen.

Again and again in the story we are told of how in love the pair were, how Sundara Chola had debated with himself regarding their relationship when the news was that he would be crowned and how tortured he has been with her death and his perceived revenge upon him, and have watched Mandakini again and again save and protect his son.

So we expect that their reunion would be joyous and full of happiness even if they do not quite fall back in love again.

Instead, all these years later, each of them is startled by who the other has grown to become. The beautiful Sundara Chola is ill and paralyzed. Mandakini is not dead at least but to Sundara Chola every action of hers is that of a mad woman. If anything the simmering anger in every interaction and the violence of the thrown lamp seem to shatter any hope that this will be a pleasant reunion.

Watching love be soured to disgust is an absolutely painful end to a romance that has gone through so much already over 25 years. Mandakini still being resolved to save Sundara Chola while he continues to ask for her to be sent away and refers to her as crazy and savage is such a thankless task to watch her commit to.