Shakunthalam
Review
For close to two hours and twenty minutes, Director Gunasekhar takes us to the Mythological world of Shakunthalam.
Shakunthalam is Daughter of Sage Vishwamitra and Menaka. Menaka is from Indra lokha. She is an immortal being. She cannot take Shakunthalam to Indra lokha as Shakunthalam is a mortal being. After giving birth, Menaka leaves Shakunthalam in the earth and goes to Indra lokha. Kanva Maharishi adopts Shakunthalam and takes care of her.
Years pass. Kanva Maharishi goes out of his Ashram to perform a Yaga.
At that point of time, King Dushyantha of Puru Kingdom comes to Forest. He protects ashramites from wild animals. Disciples of Kanva Maharishi request Dushyantha to protect them from Kalanemi dynasty who come as a threat to stop the yaga. King Dushyanth agrees and protects the disciples and Ashram as such from Kalanemi dynasty.
Dushyanth comes across wild animals that reflect love contrary to their carnivarous nature....He meets Shakunthalam...Both of them fall in Love with each other...They get married privately according to Gandharva tradition..They also get into physical relationship...Dushyantha loves Shakunthalam deeply and promises her that he will return back to take her as a Queen to Puru Kingdom.
Shakunthalam becomes pregnant and awaits for King Dushyantha's arrival. One day she gets lost in the thoughts of Dushyantha not noticing the arrival of Durvasa Maharishi...This angers Durvasa Maharishi and he curses Shakunthalam that to whose thoughts she got carried away, may that person forget her...May the memories of her get deleted from the person to whom she got carried away.
Shakunthalam awaits for Dushyantha...Since he hasn't arrived, she goes to Puru Kingdom to see him. Dushyantha doesn't recognize her... He looks at her like a stranger as if he is looking at her for the first time. When Shakunthalam says that she is pregnant because of Dushyantha, Dushyantha denies it. He doesn't recognize her (Curse of Durvasa Maharishi). Perplexed, Dushyantha asks Shakunthalam whether she has any belongings as a proof of their relationship...Unfortunately, Shakunthalam who had the ring of King Dushyantha loses it in a river...The entire court humiliates Shakunthalam... Dushyantha asks her to leave saying "Brathiki po"...He doesn't punish her but asks her to leave...Shakunthalam leaves Puru Kingdom with lots of pain...She suffers from Labour pain and gives birth to his son Sarvadamana in a cave without having anybody's support.
On the day when Shakunthalam was cursed,
Priyamvada and Anusuya who are friends of Shakunthalam request Durvasa Maharishi to revoke the curse. Durvasa Maharishi says that curse cannot be revoked..But there is a remedy. If the person sees a belonging that is known to each other, he will start to remember everything.
After many days a Fisherman fishes fishes. When he cuts one of the fish, he comes across a Gold ring inside it. He takes it to a Gold Smith to sell it. Looking at the ring, the Gold Smith recognizes that the ring belongs to King Dushyantha...He takes the matter to the court thinking that Fisherman is a thief. Looking at the ring, King Dushyantha starts to remember everything. He announces the court that he indeed loved Shakunthalam. He orders his men to search for Shakunthalam.
Dushyantha becomes weak thinking about the sin he committed to Shakunthalam. Knowing the situation, Kalanemi dynasty tries to attack Dushyantha. However with the blessings of Indradeva, Dushyantha destroys Kalanemi dynasty.
After 4 years, King Dushyantha comes across Sarvadamana and he leads him to Shakunthalam. Dushyantha apologizes and pleads to Shakunthalam for forgiveness... Shakunthalam understands that whatever happened was due to the curse given by Durvasa Maharishi. Shakunthalam forgives Dushyantha and they get United. Officially King Dushyantha announces Shakunthalam as the Queen of Puru Kingdom...He announces that his son Bharatha (Sarvadamana renamed as Bharatha) would rule Bharatha Kandam.
Many may wonder why Shakunthalam was made as a Movie...The story is interesting...Secondly, 5000 or 10000 years back women were completely dependent on men...Single parenting was rare...Although a soft woman, Shakunthalam was indeed a Brave woman who didn't abandon her child or committed suicide...She took a bold decision to take care of her child without depending on a Man which makes Shakunthalam a Brave woman especially looking at the Time period. Those days it was a Male Dominative society...Shakunthalam was humiliated as " she slept with some other man and she is blaming King Dushyantha for it"...Shakunthalam didn't bother about what Society says or what others might think. She was True to her self.
Both Samantha and Dev Mohan have understood the nature of their characters and have performed well.
Although Mohan Babu comes for a scene, he impresses as Durvasa Maharishi
As Kanva Maharishi, Sachin Khedekar has performed well.
As Indradeva, Joshua Senguptha has performed well.
As Menaka, Madhu bala has performed well. Her dance was beautiful.
Aditi Balan and Ananya Nagalla have performed their roles well.
As Kashyapa Maharishi, Kabir Bedi has performed his part well.
As Gauthami, Gauthami has performed her part well.
Allu Arha is Qute.
Screenplay is engaging.
Good editing by Prawin pudi
Good cinematography by Sekhar V. Joseph
Songs are Good. Good background score by Mani Sharma
Artwork was good.
Visual effects are Good. Could have been better. Good to watch in 3D.
In few scenes, Visual effects are shoddy...For example the war scene between King Dushyantha and Kalanemi dynasty could have been better.
The costume design of Kalanemi reminds of Magadheera movie (Dev Gill costume in the flashback of Magadheera)
Good Movie...But the makers haven't done good promotions for Shakunthalam...Promotions could have been better... VFX could have been better...Good to watch in 3D...
Maximum Ratings: 3.25 * stars
Minimum Ratings: 3 * stars
Score card: 50 to 40/100
Value: Good to Watchable
Rating structure:
Rating stars (*****) | Score card | Value |
5* stars | 100 | Fantastic |
4.5* stars | 90 | Awesome |
4* stars | 80 | Outstanding |
3.75* stars | 70 | Excellent |
3.5* stars | 60 | Very Good |
3.25* stars | 50 | Good |
3* stars | 40 | Watchable |
2.75* stars | 30 | Middling |
2.5* stars | 20 | Mediocre |
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