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There
are
many
of
us
who
have
already
read
Kalki’s
novel
Ponniyin
Selvan
and
are
excited
to
watch
its
film
adaptation
on
screen.
There
are
many
who
haven’t
read
and
who
don’t
want
to
hear
anything,
to
avoid
spoilers.
There
are
many
who
are
reading
the
books
and
are
rushing
to
finish
them
before
the
film
arrives.
But
there
are
those
who
don’t
have
the
time
to
read,
nor
the
patience.
They
don’t
want
the
whole
story
but
they
want
some
background
about
the
characters
and
this
universe.
And
those
are
the
ones
who
should
read
this.
I
promise
to
not
give
any
spoilers
that
would
ruin
the
experience
of
reading
the
story
or
watching
the
films.
Most
of
the
details
presented
here
talk
about
what
happened
before
the
story
begins.
Notably,
the
novel
is
set
in
the
mid-tenth
century.
Note:
Some
of
these
characters
are
fictional,
while
most
characters
are
historical
figures.
I
am
not
mentioning
who
is
who,
as
that
might
affect
your
experience.
Maybe
after
the
film’s
release,
we
will
give
a
more
detailed
explanation
of
the
novel.
The
Outsiders
Poonkuzhali
Imagine
a
breezy,
quiet
beach
village,
on
the
southeastern
coast
of
India.
You
see
the
waves
of
the
ocean
move
in
and
out
of
the
shore.
There
is
a
forest
close
to
the
ocean.
You
walk
past
the
shore
into
the
village
and
you
see
this
small,
cute
temple,
that
isn’t
too
tall.
Now
imagine
a
girl
hopping
down
from
the
top
of
the
temple
stairs,
holding
a
half-eaten
coconut
shell
and
looking
mysterious.
That’s
her-
Poonkuzhali.
She
is
from
a
humble
family.
Her
father
takes
care
of
the
lighthouse
in
the
village,
and
her
brother
is
a
boatman.
She
has
a
vile
and
rude
sister-in-law,
and
let’s
just
say
that
they
are
not
big
fans
of
each
other.
Growing
up
without
a
care
in
the
world,
she
rows
alone
in
the
ocean,
she
runs
around
in
the
forest,
she
loves
animals,
she
can
fight
threatening
wild
creatures,
and
she
is
quite
comfortable
around
anything
that’s
not
a
human
being.
It’s
not
that
she
is
uncivilized.
She
can
be
very
civil
when
she
wants
to
be.
She
just
enjoys
being
this
impulsive,
callous,
adventurous
person
that
is
the
opposite
of
socially
acceptable.
She
is
what
you
would
call
a
feminist
in
the
modern
day.
Someone
who
constantly
is
alert
and
ready
to
protect
herself
from
being
manipulated.
So,
she
never
trusts
people
until
she
gets
to
know
them
well.
She
fiercely
protects
her
independence.
She
is
not
an
emotionally
generous
person.
She
won’t
be
kind
and
nice
to
you.
She
would
probably
watch
and
laugh
at
you
as
you
drown
yourself
in
the
ocean
if
the
situation
was
funny
enough
for
her.
But
before
you
drown,
she
will
probably
come
to
her
senses
and
give
you
something
to
hold
on
to
and
save
yourself.
Vanthiyathevan
It
was
not
uncommon
in
those
days
for
a
dynasty
to
lose
its
grace
and
power
and
to
accept
the
dominance
of
a
more
powerful
dynasty,
and
actually
be
genuinely
loyal
to
the
holding
dynasty.
The
Vaanar
Clan
is
one
such
clan
that
had
lost
its
prosperous
days,
and
Vanthiyathevan
belongs
to
that.
His
ancestors,
however,
did
not
yield
to
the
Cholas
(It’s
supposed
to
be
Chozhas,
or
ideally
Chozhlas,
but
then
it’s
easier
to
go
with
Cholas,
so
forgive
me).
He
grows
up
as
an
ordinary
citizen
with
not
much
to
call
his
own.
He
ends
up
joining
the
army
and
fighting
his
way
up
the
ladder,
because
of
his
presence
of
mind
and
his
quick
wit,
he
manages
to
earn
the
affection
of
the
crown
prince
of
the
Chola
dynasty.
In
the
story,
you
would
see
some
people
making
fun
of
his
heritage,
and
laughing
at
his
family’s
current
state,
but
he
would
remain
mostly
unmoved,
as
he
has
this
dream
of
having
a
grand
life,
and
he
believes
he
will
get
there
someday.
One
word
cannot
aptly
describe
his
nature.
He
is
definitely
witty
and
goofy,
and
he
often
jokes
about
himself.
But
that
doesn’t
make
him
a
harmless
funny
guy.
He
can
be
dangerous
when
he
chooses
to,
and
with
his
friendly
demeanour
that
is
not
intimidating
to
the
eyes,
he
can
be
even
more
dangerous.
He
is
described
by
the
author,
as
a
charming
and
pleasant
individual
who
is
probably
not
known
for
being
attractive,
and
yet
women
can’t
resist
his
charm.
And
it
goes
both
ways.
Vanthiyathevan
can’t
resist
women
either,
but
he
knows
how
to
look
beyond
what
meets
the
eye
and
understand
motives
and
intentions.
He
is
a
man
of
values
too,
and
he
values
ethics
and
loyalty.
This
combination
of
traits
do
put
him
in
dilemmas
now
and
then,
and
he
doesn’t
always
make
predictable
decisions.
While
he
is
quite
brave,
and
a
valiant
soldier,
Vanthiyathevan
is
equally
smart
and
he
is
portrayed
as
someone
who
doesn’t
take
himself
too
seriously.
This
leads
to
some
entertaining
situations
where
you
wouldn’t
normally
see
a
stereotypical
hero
figure,
which
is
what
made
him
one
of
the
most
popular
characters
in
Tamil
literature.
Nandhini
Nandhini’s
background
is
probably
the
trickiest
to
explain
without
spoiling
the
story.
I
will
try
my
best.
Bear
with
me.
She
grows
up
in
a
royal
palace,
although
she
is
not
sure
of
her
origin.
She
is
treated
like
a
princess
materially,
however,
she
is
constantly
reminded
that
she
does
not
belong
there,
and
she
grows
up
bitter
and
emotionally
neglected.
She
hates
how
some
people
are
treated
better
only
because
their
parents
are
powerful
and
respected.
Everywhere
she
goes,
she
is
reminded
that
she
is
an
outsider.
She
develops
a
natural
aversion
and
vengeance
towards
anyone
who
is
of
a
royal
heritage,
enjoying
hereditary
influence.
In
the
story,
she
is
introduced
as
the
wife
of
a
major
political
personality
from
one
of
the
most
influential
clans
in
the
Chola
dynasty,
probably
next
to
the
Chola
clan
themselves-
The
Elder
Pazhuvettaraiyar.
Although
her
husband’s
name
earns
her
a
certain
respect,
she
could
see
that
it
comes
from
a
place
of
pretence,
and
she
could
sense
people
secretly
having
a
low
opinion
about
her,
primarily
due
to
the
age
gap
in
their
marriage
and
the
assumption
that
she
obviously
married
the
guy
for
power
and
money.
Considering
how
she
grew
up
and
how
life
took
her
to
places,
which
were
lofty
but
traumatic,
it’s
natural
that
she
has
all
her
defences
up
constantly.
She
could
easily
be
compared
to
the
likes
of
Cersei
Lannister
from
the
Game
of
Thrones.
I
would
say
that
Nandhini
is
even
more
charming
and
seductive
compared
to
Cersei,
and
that
makes
her
even
more
dangerous.
In
the
novel,
she
is
described
as
this
irresistible
woman,
who
could
get
any
man
to
bend
to
her
will,
and
pledge
themselves
to
her
service
all
without
giving
them
any
sign
of
dominance
from
her
side.
Rather,
she
would
make
them
feel
proud
and
dignified
that
for
someone
as
gorgeous
as
Nandhini
chose
them
to
help
her.
The
Chola
Dynasty
The
Chola
dynasty
was
reigning
high
during
the
period
of
Karikalan
I,
roughly
around
the
first
and
second
centuries
AD.
For
a
few
generations
after
his
reign,
the
dynasty
was
quite
dominant
among
the
southern
dynasties
(Chera,
Chola,
Pandiya,
Pallava
dynasties).
After
that,
for
a
few
centuries
the
Cholas
were
dormant,
and
the
Pallava
dynasty
rose
to
power.
Then
during
the
reign
of
Vijayalaya
Chola
(Mid-ninth
century),
the
Chola
dynasty
started
getting
on
its
feet
again.
Sundara
Chola’s
grandfather
Paranthaka
the
first,
extended
the
territory
of
the
kingdom,
and
the
Chola
kingdom
was
inching
closer
to
its
former
glory.
However,
his
sons
did
not
live
long.
One
after
the
other
they
died
early
,
leading
to
a
downfall
of
the
kingdom.
Sundara
Chola
came
to
power,
succeeding
his
Uncle
Kandaraadithan,
because
Kandaraadithan’s
own
son
was
too
young
to
rule.
Sundara
Chola
or
Paranthaka
the
second,
proved
his
worth
and
regained
the
territories
lost
after
the
demise
of
his
grandfather.
He
laid
the
founding
stones
of
what
was
to
become
a
massive
empire
post
his
reign.
The
story
is
set
in
a
period
when
Sundara
Chola
is
the
King
(Tenth
Century
AD).
He
is
old
and
has
many
ailments.
Sundara
Chola
has
this
constant
dilemma
of
who
should
rightfully
succeed
him-
his
own
children,
or
Kandaraadithan’s
son,
Madhuranthakan.
The
Royal
Siblings
Sundara
Chola
has
three
children.
The
eldest
is
Aditha
Karikalan,
followed
by
Kundhavai,
and
then
Arul
Mozhi
Varman.
Aditha
Karikalan
is
named
after
two
great
Chola
kings,
Adithan
and
Karikalan.
Aditha
Karikalan
is
known
for
his
immense
courage
and
his
expertise
in
war-related
matters.
He
is
said
to
have
participated
in
wars
right
from
his
teen
years
and
is
a
fierce
warrior.
Kundhavai
is
an
ambitious
princess.
She
is
not
satisfied
with
being
home
decor
for
the
palace.
She
wants
to
participate
in
political
discussions
and
wants
to
have
a
say
in
the
most
important
matters.
Arulmozhi
is
the
young
prince
of
the
Chola
Kingdom,
that
grows
up
to
become
the
infamous
King
Raja
Raja
Chola
the
first.
Although
Karikalan
is
the
crown
prince,
there
are
many
who
feel
that
he
maybe
a
little
too
brash
to
be
a
king.
Karikalan
is
a
borderline
erratic
individual,
and
one
could
never
guess
how
he
would
react
in
a
certain
situation.
Many
find
him
intimidating
and
unpredictable.
Arulmozhi’s
behaviour,
however,
has
the
approval
of
the
politicians
and
key
figures
of
the
empire.
He
is
polite,
socially
acceptable
and
approachable
as
well.
He
is
a
people
person,
and
his
goals
and
objectives
are
centered
on
administration
and
development.
He
has
dreams
that
revolve
around
construction,
architecture,
commerce
and
culture.
He
has
an
immense
bond
with
his
sister
and
thinks
the
world
of
her.
His
efforts
constantly
go
into
making
her
proud
and
not
disappointing
her.
The
story
maintains
that
while
Karikalan
mostly
keeps
to
himself,
Kundhavai
and
Arulmozhi
share
a
strong
emotional
bond.
The
Major
Clans
Of
The
Chola
Dynasty
The
Pazhuvur
Clan
The
Pazhuvettaraiyars,
the
elder
and
the
younger,
hold
major
positions
in
the
kingdom.
Keeping
the
king
and
the
prime
minister
Anirudha
Brahmaraayar
aside,
the
Pazhuvettaraiyar
siblings
are
the
most
powerful
people
in
Chola
Kingdom.
The
elder
one
is
responsible
for
the
treasury
and
financial
matters
while
the
younger
one
is
responsible
for
defence
and
security.
The
elder
pazhuvettaraiyar
faces
a
lot
of
criticism
for
marrying
someone
much
younger
than
him,
Nandhini,
but
nobody
has
the
guts
to
mock
the
old
man
to
his
face.
The
younger
pazhuvettaraiyar
does
not
feel
any
affection
towards
his
sister-in-law
and
keeps
a
constant
watch
on
her,
expecting
her
to
do
something
sinister
at
some
point.
The
Velir
Clan
The
elder
Velaar
(the
word
changes
into
vel,
or
velaar,
when
it
becomes
part
of
a
person’s
name)
had
died
in
a
battle
and
his
brother,
the
younger
one
reigns
over
the
part
of
the
kingdom
that
they
control.
The
elder
Velaar’s
daughter
Vanathi,
has
all
the
affection
of
the
younger
Velaar,
who
works
closely
with
Arulmozhi
on
a
Sri
Lankan
expedition.
Vanathi,
Princess
of
Kodumbaalur,
earns
the
trust
and
sympathy
of
Princess
Kundhavai,
who
considers
her
as
her
most
reliable
companion.
Seeing
their
rapport,
Velaar
leaves
her
to
live
with
Kundhavai
in
her
palace
while
he
is
away
for
the
war
in
Lanka.
The
Sambuvarayar
Clan
Sambuvarayars
from
Kadambur
are
also
from
an
important
clan.
Although
the
father
holds
control
over
the
duties
and
territory,
the
son
Kanthamaaran
is
quite
influential
as
he
is
one
of
Aditha
Karikalan’s
friends.
He
has
a
sister
named
Manimegalai.
Kanthamaaran
is
also
a
good
mate
of
Vanthiyathevan.
The
novel
begins
at
Kadambur
as
Vanthiyathevan
makes
an
entrance,
on
his
way
to
Thanjavur,
the
capital
of
Chola
Kingdom,
acting
on
his
friend’s
invite
to
visit
him
sometime
at
Kadambur.
The
Pandiyan
Guardian
Angels
The
plot
of
the
story
is
what
happens
after
Karikalan
wins
the
war
against
the
Pandiyas.
Veerapandiyan
is
defeated
and
killed
in
the
war,
and
the
way
Karikalan
executes
his
nemesis
creates
an
intense
dramatic
effect.
It
leaves
the
Pandiyas
enraged
and
vengeful.
Karikalan
goes
in
history
as
“Veerapandiyan
thalai
konda…”
which
means
the
one
who
beheaded
Veerapandiyan.
A
group
of
four
siblings,
who
had
sworn
an
oath
to
protect
Veerapandiyan
at
any
cost,
from
any
threat,
sulk
at
their
failure
to
protect
their
king.
They
enter
the
Chola
Kingdom
to
infiltrate
and
avenge
the
death
of
their
king.
The
Setup
When
the
novel
begins,
Arulmozhi
is
busy
in
Sri
Lanka,
with
an
expedition.
It
is
said
that
the
expedition
is
primarily
to
retrieve
a
certain
Jewel,
and
a
sword
that
belonged
to
the
Pandiya
Kingdom,
which
is
being
safeguarded
in
Sri
Lanka.
Sri
Lanka
and
the
Pandiya
Kingdom
were
allies
during
the
conflict,
and
Arulmozhi
is
said
to
go
in
search
of
those
articles.
The
reason
cited
in
the
story
is
that
this
retrieval
would
seal
their
victory
against
the
Pandiyas,
and
give
them
better
political
control.
Karikalan
sends
Vanthiyathevan
as
a
messenger
to
deliver
messages
to
his
siblings
and
his
father.
And
we
follow
Vanthiyathevan
as
he
goes
on
a
journey
that
changes
his
life
forever.
Vanthiyathevan
is
a
good
friend
of
Karikalan
but
he
has
never
properly
interacted
with
people
of
power.
His
experiences
make
for
a
really
good
story.
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