The epic sequel to director Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan: I is releasing tomorrow as Ponniyin Selvan: II and here are 5 reasons to watch the movie in theaters: 

• History: Kalki Krishnamurthy's story on which Ponniyin Selvan 1 and Ponniyin Selvan 2 are based, is a highly regarded literary work. It is filled with interesting history based on the real life Indian King Raja Raja Chola I, romance, angst, fictionalized villains, betrayal, power-play and Tamil literature's most debated murder mystery. While PS-1 did a good job of introducing this world, it would be interesting to see what PS-2 has in store.

• Star Cast: Mani Ratnam has pulled off a casting coup with Ponniyin Selvan and it comes with names like Chiyaan Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karthi, Jayam Ravi, Trisha, Jayaram, R. Parthiepan, Sarathkumar, Shobita Dhulipala, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Prakash Raj, Rahman, Nasser, Prabhu, Vikram Prabhu, Ashwin Kakumanu, Kishore among others. While the makers have maintained that all of them agreed to be on board only for the revered Kalki Krishnamurthy, for the viewers this is once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity to catch multiple stars in a single movie.

• Mani Ratnam: The filmmaker received wide acclaim for ably condensing a five-volume story into an engaging 3-hour movie with part 1. Part 2 is expected to be no less. 

• Grandeur: Despite being a period film made on a large scale, Ponniyin Selvan stays true to the medieval Tamil era without too many exaggerations or gimmicks. This does not however take away from the grandeur of the movie and PS-2 is a must-watch on the big screens for the full visual experience. 

• Cinematic Experience: With Mani Ratnam, top notch technical factors are a given. PS-1 and PS-2 were shot as a single movie and hence the sequel promises continuity with quality cinematography (Ravi Varman), rich visuals, and crisp edits (Sreekar Prasad). AR Rahman's music that captures the authentic essence of the medieval Tamil history is an added bonus. 

Ponniyin Selvan 2 starring Chiyaan Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Trisha, Jayam Ravi, Karthi releases in theaters on April 28, 2022. The movie is produced by Lyca Productions and Mani Ratnam's Madras Talkies. PS-2 FDFS, plot, censor, runtime, OTT and other details here. Also Read: Ponniyin Selvan 2 Preview/SWOT Analysis