Is Ponniyin Selvan: Part I worth watching in the UK?

Ponniyin Selvan: Part I (2022) has a Celluloid Score of 75%, averaged across critic reviews, audience ratings, Metascore, Letterboxd, and IMDb. It comes recommended overall. Directed by Mani Ratnam.

What is the Metascore for Ponniyin Selvan: Part I?

Ponniyin Selvan: Part I has a Metascore of 69 out of 100 on Celluloid.

Where can I watch Ponniyin Selvan: Part I?

Ponniyin Selvan: Part I is available on Prime Video in the United Kingdom.

Ponniyin Selvan: Part I

Item: Ponniyin Selvan: Part I
Rating: 4
Author: Priya Sharma

Directed by Mani Ratnam · 2022 · Last reviewed July 23, 2026

LLM fact sheet (.md)

Answer Summary

Ponniyin Selvan: Part I (2022) earns a 75% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

Quick Verdict

Averaged from five public sources (critic, audience, Metascore, Letterboxd, IMDb). See how we calculate scores.

75%

Celluloid Score Recommended

Five-source breakdown

77% Critic Score

80% Audience

69 Metascore

★★★½☆ Letterboxd 3.6

7.7 IMDb /10

Runtime: 2h 47m
Cast: Vikram , Aishwarya Rai Bachchan , Ravi Mohan , Karthi , Trisha Krishnan , Jayaram , Prakash Raj , R. Sarathkumar , R. Parthiban , Kishore
Where to watch in the UK: Prime Video

Official theatrical poster for Ponniyin Selvan: Part I (2022)

Theatrical release

Where to watch in the United Kingdom

Prime Video

Why this score?

Majority of critics rated it fresh (77%).
General viewers mostly liked it (80%).
Metascore is generally favorable (69/100).
Celluloid Score 75% averages all five public rating sources — our own composite, not a third-party trademark score.

Best for

Viewers who want a well-regarded action, adventure, history pick
Epic-length viewers who want a big-screen experience

Not ideal for

Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy

Is Ponniyin Selvan: Part I worth watching?

Yes — Ponniyin Selvan: Part I earns a 75% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.

Critics Consensus

Mani Ratnam adapts Kalki’s Chola epic with operatic craft — Tamil prestige cinema at event scale.
Celluloid Critics Consensus

Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

What is Ponniyin Selvan: Part I about?

The Chola kingdom is under threat from forces both internal and external, and with crown prince Aaditha Karikalan, his younger brother Arunmozhi Varman and the emperor, Sundara Cholar separated by situations, it is up to a messenger to ensure the safety of the kingdom. Can he succeed in his mission, especially with Karikalan's former girlfriend, Nandhini, plotting to bring down the entire Chola empire?

Critic Reviews

critic Ponniyin Selvan: Part I