How do you tell a story of a grand succession, a complicated web of conspiracies, warring kingdoms, deep-seated revenge, and damning secrets? It’s a template we have seen often, and in Ponniyin Selvan 2 — now streaming on Amazon Prime Video — all of these elements come together to conclude Mani Ratnam’s duology. And while the grandness of PS-2 is built by its intricate plot, elaborate sets and costumes, and complex characters, it is elevated by its intimate moments, brought to life by Ravi Varman’s brilliant cinematography.
The camera angles, lighting, and staging of scenes and characters in PS-2 tell a story of their own. And while there are some stunning shots of the final battle — the swarm of Shivan Adiyars witnessing Madurantakan’s self-coronation, the interval break fight scene, and the climactic coronation — the most powerful scenes and shots are often the most intimate. They are conversations and confrontations between characters, solitary musings, and wordless exchanges, captured with breathtaking grandiosity.