Happy Sunday! I was up late at a show last night, so I am being very cozy and sleepy and coffee this morning. While also SO READY to watch this movie!!!!
At 7am Chicago time, I will put up a “and PLAY” comment and we will all comment along from there. And I will try to provide as much background as I can, although this movie has a lot of stuff I haven’t read yet.
dontcallitbollywood 
Here!
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Me too!
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Here 🙂
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And PLAY!
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So glad Kirre is here, Kirre, you finished all the books?
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Nope! School reading cut all the reading of all the books, but I don’t mind spoilers since words on a page are always different from a film.
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Oh booo! We’ve gone past what I’ve read too, so there’s gonna be some guessing involved.
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I was on a Tamil-speaking Twitter corner during all the PS hype so I know the story somewhat since many were reading the books then, so I got spoiled anyway long before the films came out
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Great young actors for the main characters, such great choices and acting!
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I like the character touch, young Nandini seems humble and so on, but is passively resisting and being independent. Very similar to Adult Nandini, she appears compliant, but is actually resisting.
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Again, this is such a classical Tamil score, and it is just so amazing! Veera Raja Veera is so so good!! Can listen to it all the time; has such complex melodies and rhythms. And I always say this, if you want to test your headphones, then choose a Rahman song because they are always so complex, so you know how good the headphones are just how well you can hear the layers in the melodies
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It wasn’t clear to me whether Aish loved Vikram back int he first film. It just felt like his love and his family kept hurting her. This is really helpful because clearly, they were in love!
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This is the part I haven’t gotten to in the books yet! I’ve gotten Vikram’s story to his friend, but not Aish’s side/reality. I’m really curious if it is the mutual or not.
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And you have watched Raavanan, so you know the extra layers that the film gives this one just because they are together once again. Best Jodi ever and should do more films together asap!
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Oooh young Trisha is NOT happy. Her eyes say it ALL! Also, great acting from the young actors.
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Sticking with, Vikram is too unstable to be king. And based on this flashback, was always a bit unstable.
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He does not have the patience Arunmozhi and Kundavai have in spades
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This summary skips SO MUCH! Which kind of tells me how much filler is in part 1.
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The books have a lot of filler, so they needed to fit 2 and a half books into film 1 while film 2 has the rest in as easy way as possible, but yeah, not necessarily filler, but needed for the parallels and symbolism to be reflected in this film most likely
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The Pandyans are exhausting. They need hobbies besides revenge.
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Okay, I had no memory of this dude originally, but now I know who he is. He’s the tough dude best friend of Vikram, the one who kind of doesn’t think Karthi is tough enough to have all that responsibility. Classic dumb macho dude who Aish is gonna DESTROY.
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She just needed to show herself and charm, and BOOM twisted her little finger over him like it was nothing
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EXAC TLY!!!
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All the men are enthralled by Aishwarya (even her enemies) and as a viewer you don’t even question it because it is Aishwarya! It just makes sense.
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Every casting choice is genius in this film duology, but she and Vikram are just genius-level! Again, for those who have not watched Raavan (Hindi) and Raavanan (Tamil), do so!! Those films inspired Ratnam to cast them in these roles, so I do consider it mandatory watching.
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Love Aish’s little smile of contentment when she realizes she has captured another dumb man.
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Haven’t gotten here in the books yet, but I’m gonna assume it is WAY more complicated than it is played here.
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Kalki was inspired by Dumas, so, of course, it is going to be overly complicated in the books, while here, it is streamlined for clarity
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It’s Old Aish!!!
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Aishwarya’s acting in this movie in a way reminds me of her in parts of Chokar Bali. Have you guys seen it?
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No! She plays another woman getting by on her wits, yes?
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Yep! A great role for her
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Do you see some of the similarities. It is definitely different because Aish was so young there and her innocence in the beginning shows but also her wit and her ability to use her beauty and wit to pursue her passion and get back a bit at the men.
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It has been ages since I last saw it, but yeah she was very goof in it and yeah you are right
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In a way. She has been put in unfortunate circumstances outside of her control and had men toy with her and a women who admires her but also a bit jealous of her beauty. She plays up her eyes and innocence but also is witty and smart and has shades of grey.
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Karthi as Vandiyadevan is such great casting, I highly suggest watching the film Aayirathil Oruvan (2010) after this. Has a Chola plot too, and is very dark at the end, but the beginning is just The Mummy levels of great humor
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I don’t know if I can do dark right now but maybe sometime in the future! Right now, my hormonal self cries even at the happy stuff. Definitely can’t do dark.
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Just watch the songs, the soundtrack is a classic.
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Hey, it’s the flower seller who is saving the prince’s life! Which would be deeply meaningful if the flower seller actually turned out to be a secret prince who was swapped as a baby. But nooooooooooooo, that plot is cut, he’s just a random nice person.
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I think the actual Chola history came in the way of following the books, since Ratnam roots them so much in the realism of that history, but staying to the plot and not glorifying it too much like they go on in the books about the glories of the Cholas, while ignoring the bad parts
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Oooo, that was clever from Ratnam. Showing Karthi waiting and letting the audience understand that he is sacrificing himself to draw them from the prince.
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Sacrifices himself multiple times, bathe together, fight together, fall into water together…look all I am saying is get to book 4 and a certain character and you see that Kalki must have known some LGBTQ folks during his time
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And Vikram is going to make his brother’s death alllllllllllllllllllllll about himself.
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Is Vikram the only character who fully understands Aish’s power and threat? Or does Karthi understand as well? Certainly most folks are too dumb and just think Vikram is paranoid.
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I feel like Vikram has felt it. Karthi gets it as an outsider’s perspective. He might be the only man who hasn’t fallen for Aishwarya. He is all Team Trisha!
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Nandini is called a She-Cobra in the books by some people, so I think him and Karthi know, and the rest are dumb
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That’s another reference/metaphor right? I went into the Shiva and his bull metaphor in this movie last time. But isn’t the name Nandini associated a lot with a shape shifting snake? So, I can see the cobra reference.
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I wish I could read Tamil or old Tamil so I could read the books in the og poetry, while now there are like almost 10 different translations and just hoping to read the right one first, the re-read the rest of the translations to see the differences
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Okay, so stupid Vikram saw this as her with her new lover, but actually it was her with a foster father figure.
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Yupp. IDIOT!
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Still a complicated situation with divided loyalties, but they could have worked it out!
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Exactly. But killing him that dramatically in front of Aish while she begged for his life would turn any woman to revenge!
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Oooo! More Trisha-Aish doubling! Both of them are doing everything for the save of their “brothers”, keeping the boy’s hands clean while they do the sneaky stuff in order for them to be king.
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Really good point!
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I am HERE for the Aish-Ravidasan power struggle! I can’t stand Ravidasan, he’s such a know it all.
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Oh the banter between Aish and Karthi is so good! Also, the parallel with Vikram and the firs king from the opening with the sword play.
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Does this seem like a waste of turmeric? Are they preparing him for sacrifice?
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Nandini = Milady de Winter from 3 Musketeers
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Ooooo! Just realized there is a pairing scene to this one between him and Trisha later. Only that one has a totally different flavor with the sword and him tied up.
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I swear Ratnam has some hurt/comfort/almost kill kink with the lovers he creates in his films. Happens just too many times to just be a coincidence at this point.
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And her HAIR IS DOWN!!!!
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Go Trisha! Lose your power hair!
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YAY!! NAMBI!!
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Is Karthi kind of like a Krisha character in this movie? Smarter than all of them, trickster, knows how to play them all?
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Definitely. But I would expand that and say the idea of the trickster friend of the noble hero, the one who does the dirty work and has more fun, is a universal concept. Especially in adventure stories. So he is inspired both by Krishna and by Dumas.
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Definitely, I thought of Krishna in this context because of all the Shiva and Vishnu imagery throughout the movie. It make sense to add Krishna. But as you and Kirre have said, Mani Ratam was inspired by Dumas.
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Not Ratnam, but Kalki (the writer of the of books) definitely was in terms of character and plot points
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Oh the power play here between Karthi and Trisha…so romantic
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Soo much chemistry! It’s HOT!
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Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Best Trisha-Karthi scene! And, tragically, the only really good one we get in this movie.
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Yea, well this film is more Vikram-Aish heavy, while the last film was a little more even
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This scene is HOT.
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Okay, you can’t see it on a smaller screen, but on the big screen Ratman inserted shots showing the boatman carefully facing away from the island to give them privacy. So Trisha clearly gave orders not to look planning a bit of a tryst.
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These two are amazing together ❤
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Okay, question, is Trisha’s character actually falling in love with Karthi or is this another trick? It seems real. But just checking.
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Real, they don’t have their own love song Aga Naga for nothing
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Ooh, I hope it’s real.
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Me too!
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In the book they make it clear from the start that it is love at first sight. But Karthi figures he has no chance because she is a Princess, and Trisha keeps her eye on the big picture and tries not to give in to feelings, even while her friends tease her and other people notices her acting weird.
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That makes sense. But also, ironic because it felt like Trisha was behind the wedge between Vikram and Aish because she wasn’t good enough for him and Aish refused her.
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THere’s a complicated reason behind what happened which we will see in a bit in the movie. I am REALLY curious if it is the same as in the books, but I am pretty sure what is the same in the books is that Vikram blames Trisha and she takes it, because it’s better for the family than Vikram knowing it was his Dad. A very Trisha thing to do.
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UGH!!!! STOOOOPID MEN!!!!!!!!!!!
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Vanthiyathevan is a nobleman. It is just that he is poor. Her father can make him rich and elevate him to a vasal quite easily. But even the king won’t be able to change the caste of a person. When Kundavai realises that Nandini too belongs to the same caste (it doesn’t matter even if her father is their mortal enemy King), she softens up to Nandini too.
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They cut the song Sol from the first film, but it clearly makes the teasing stuff from the books and is just such a pretty song overall.
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Trisha’s hair is down again when she sees her younger brother. The hair is definitely another character in this movie!
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Just a little book clarity, where there is a LOT more Trisha-Karthi interaction, they fall in love at first sight, and you get Trisha beating herself up for being silly in front of him and stuff, and Karthi dreaming about her but knowing she is out of his touch. And also little stuff like when Trisha sends him on the mission to Lanka, she takes extra long giving him extra instructions because she doesn’t want him to go.
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That’s so adorable! That’s me definitely convinced to read the books, thank you. 🙂
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How did Vikram go from short hair in the beginning of the movie when he talks to his brute friend and short now?!
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I mean long now!
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He had it pinned up? Maybe…
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Man bun?
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VIKRAM AND AISH IN A SCENE!!! THE CHEMISTRY!!! ❤
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I am not there yet.
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Mr. Toddles just woke up. I want to go say hi and give him a hug but movie is IMPORTANT! I need a war scene or something so I can sneak out for a few minutes and not miss anything.
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These two!!! GO WATCH RAAVAN/RAAVANAN!!
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Their chemistry is great. Thank you for recommending it. I am so glad I saw it based on your suggestion!
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They are the most underrated Jodi that only Ratnam can get together it seems
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Vikram just seems mad!
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He is literally trolling the chieftains to their face without a care and then looses his IQ once he sees Nandini
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And her simmering volcanic anger.
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Aish’s acting without saying a single word!!! OOOF!!!
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I swear Jayam Ravi is the Arjun Kapoor of Tamil cinema based on just the same build and calm air they have
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I love the religious imagery in this movie. Bhuddism to show Arunmozhi’s character. Compared to the Shiva imagery for Vikrama and Aishwarya.
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And Krishna for Karthi, Trisha and Vanathi in the first film
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YES!!!
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This is a great action sequence! But also might be a time for Filmikudhi to go see Mr. Toddles.
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