Book That Changed My Life-Ponniyin Selvan

Today when my Facebook memory pushed a notification on the Stage show I watched a year ago, my head reeled back to Ponniyin Selvan world. My Journey with “Ponniyin Selvan” started when I was in my college. Being away from home for the first time, I missed what one would take-for-granted during most of my life – the food and traces of mother-land.

The story revolves around Vandiyathevan, a charming, young man who sets out to the Chola land to deliver a message to the King and the Princess from the Crown Prince Aditya Karikalan. The story shuttles between Vandiyathevan’s travels in Chola country and the young Prince Arulmozhivarman’s travels in Sri Lanka. The story deals with attempts by Karikalan sister Kundavai to bring back Arulmozhi to establish political peace in a land.

Like any other hard-core Ponniyin Selvan fan, I felt that it would be difficult to abridge a five-part story within 3 1/2 hours of stage show. I thought it would be a hassled adaptation of important scenes looped together. But these guys seriously pulled it off. Hats off to them! To script a play that has captured the imagination of so many people all over the world, is very difficult. But script is crisp, up-to-the-point and rightfully disposes of characters that are not part of the main plot.

I was expecting sure disappointment in the role play for Aditya  Karikalan, Who is the multi-dimensional character in the ponniyin selvan universe. He was a brilliant character in the novel. His ideas, braveries, choosing victory & war, over title or crown, emotional dilemmas, courage, intellect in trusting on people and on. It will be always our favorite character that gets ruined when everything is so perfect Fit. But … it was one of the biggest surprises of all time. The Perfect characterization and the integrity of those characters, he was top of the notch.

But Sadly, That was the last stage show by magic Lantern. For people who didn’t saw the show, they missed something magnificent. Maybe not now, but somewhere, someday I wish they will come back again.

History is so intertwined in the story, it is difficult to make out where history stops and fiction begins. I salute Kalki for his painstaking efforts, to flawlessly merge history with fiction and provide an epic that would make souls dance with glee about the ages gone by, for ages to come.

Ponniyin Selvan is the journey through conspiracy, betrayal, love, adventure, friendship, murder and secrets.