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If a textbook is written on how to make a good movie, this can be included as great example. Krishnavataram Part 1: Hridayam, planned as the first of a tri-lingual trilogy, is made with a controlled budget, with the costs spent on key factors like script, technology, costumes, great music, and an impressive new cast. The narration is paramount, not the lavishness. The corporate entities, who would have creatively interfered with the quality of production and content, are kept at bay and the film emerges as a powerful storytelling of Lord Krishna’s voyage in life.
Krishna (Siddharth Gupta) is in love with Radha (Sushmitha Bhatt). His sister, Subhadra (Smrithi Srikanth) has a friend in Bhama (Sanskruti Jayana), who has fallen in love with him too, but Subhadra warns her that Krishna has eyes only for Radha.
However, the Radha-Krishna union is not destined. Krishna has been sent in human form to this world to battle Adharma and has greater duties. Radha and he separate, with Krishna promising her that their love story will always be remembered first with her name (that is, as Radha-Krishna) and that when his mortal end is near (which happens later due to a curse) he will play his flute one last time for her.
Krishna leaves Dwarka to attend Draupadi’s swayamvar and when he returns, it is along with bride Rukmini (Nivaashiyni Krishnan). Bhama is heartbroken. But her love for him remains steadfast. A series of events find Bhama’s actions clearing Krishna’s name when he is falsely accused by her father, Shatrajit (Karthik Jayaram) of stealing a priceless mani (gem). As Shatrajit disowns her, she is renamed Satyabhama because she has fearlessly told the truth.
Aware (by a way we cannot reveal as it will be a spoiler) of Bhama’s love for her husband, Rukmini states that Satyabhama and Krishna must wed. But the latter turns possessive about him, but soon also comes to know that she is the incarnation of Bhoomi (Earth), the only one who can kill the demon Narkasur, who has enslaved 16,000 young girls and has been granted a boon of immortality where only his mother can kill him.
Satyabhama accompanies her husband on the mission, and as the rescued girls are rejected by their families because they might have been deflowered, Krishna decides to marry them to restore their dignity and provide them a respected place in society. And so Satyabhama realizes that Krishna belongs to everyone.
The magical and charming saga is narrated as Krishna lies dying, injured by a hunter’s arrow when he is hunting a deer. To make the saga of Krishna everlastingly relevant, we also have an old man (Jackie Shroff) narrating the Krishna Leela (saga of Krishna) to a group of young men in the present day, with one skeptic being tough to convince—until magic happens.
Told with caressing love and dedicated devotion, the story is masterfully directed by Hardik Gajjar using all resources at his disposal, including excellent camerawork by Ayananka Bose, superb production design by Chokkas Bhaardwaj and Swarika Bhaardwaj, and excellent visual effects by Gajjar Parth, also one of the producers, with Haresh P. Sutar. Jitendra Chowdary is in charge of the sound design and Kruti Mahesh is the choreographer and I need not add that both are brilliant.
The bewitching songs (by Prasad S.) with lovely lyrics (Irshad Kamil), led by Prem ki leela, Shyamal sanware, Mann ki disha and lyrically Anth mein aarambh form the most outstanding and original music score I have heard since Bahubali—The Beginning way back in 2015! Prasad S.’s background score elevates the divine atmosphere.
The lead artistes are excellent, with this being the debut film of Nivaashiyni Krishnan and Sanskruti Jayana. The former looks a dream, and her understanding of her role (which is the briefest of the three ladies) is deep, lending a lot of gravitas to her pragmatic character. Sanskruti dominates the screen next to Krishna and makes the most of her complex role. In supporting roles, Akshara Shivkumar and Smrithi Srikanth do very well, with special mentions of Amanjot Singh as Balram and Kartik Jayaram, who is fabulous as Shatrajit. But the best performance comes from Sushmitha Bhatt as Radha. Her enchanting expressions and demeanor are effortless and show terrific promise.
In this day and era, in every way, this film is a revolution that must be welcomed with open arms.
Rating: ****
Creativeland Studios Entertainment LLP’s & Athashrikatha Motion Pictures LLP’s Krishnavataram Part 1: HridayamProduced by: Sajan Raj Kurup, Shobha Sant, Poona Shroff & Parth Gajjar Directed by: Hardik Gajjar Written by: Prakash Kapadia, Raam Mori & Hardik Gajjar Music: Prasad S. Starring: Siddharth Gupta. Sanskruti Jayana, Sushmitha Bhatt, Nivaashiyni Krishnan, Karthik Jayaram, Amanjot Singh, Akshara Shivkumar, Smrithi Srikanth & others
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