Shakuntala (1943)

Directed by

V. Shantaram

Genre

epic film

Country

British Raj

Runtime

1h 16m

Rating

10.0 of 10 from 1 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

Based on a classic Sanskrit play, it tells the story of Shakuntala, a maiden who falls in love with a king. Their love faces a separation due to a curse. The film blends traditional storytelling with changes that give Shakuntala a stronger role.

epicdramaticclassicalromanticlyricalearnesthistoricalserene

What happens

Shakuntala is a 1943 drama film based on Kālidāsa's Sanskrit drama Abhijñānaśākuntalam, directed by V. Shantaram. It was the first film made under the newly formed Rajkamal Kalamandir banner that Shantaram had started. It was the first film to be shown commercially in US. Adapted from the Shakuntala of Kalidas the screenplay was by Diwan Sharar. Music was composed by Vasant Desai with lyrics by Diwan Sharar and Ratan Piya. The cinematatography was by V. Avadhoot and the film starred Kumar Ganesh, Jayashree, Chandra Mohan, Ameena, Shantaram, Zohra and Nana Palsikar. The film initially sticks to the traditional version of Kālidāsa's play but later follows a "transformation" in the form of "empowerment of women" in Shakuntala's role, which is attributed to a critique of the play by Bankim Chatterjee. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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