Shaakuntalam movie review: Samantha Ruth Prabhu starrer is an anachronistic costume drama

As there is no villain in this version of story, the movie trudges along with no major emotional upheavals pulling the viewers apart. After Samantha’s dreamlike introduction, she is already pining for her suitor, eager to see him again. She becomes entangled in what her friends Anasuya (Ananya Nagalla) and Priyamvada (Aditi Balan) keep repeating about the King. This passive acceptance relegates the daring on her part in accepting the King to the background, that too when her father was not present in the ashram. Even when Durvasa curses her for her neglect, she becomes a mere detail in the happenings, not aware of her mistake till very late. This passivity is hardly comprehensible to the present generation. Even when the King rejects her, she prays to mother earth to pull her inside and end her existence – just like Sita.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Dev Mohan as Shakuntala and Dushyanta, respectively, are impressive. The episodes with Indra (Jishu Sengupta) and Menaka (Madhubala) drag the narrative down every time they appear on screen. Mohan Babu as Durvasa lifts the film briefly. Aditi Balan impresses within her limited screen time. An actor of her caliber needed a better character. Ananya Nagalla does a satisfactory job. Sachin Khedekar sleepwalks as Sage Kanva. Gautami’s role is ill defined and hardly registers. Prakash Raj in a cameo is equally forgettable.

What finally lifts up the film during the climax is Allu Arjun’s daughter Allu Arha playing Bharata. With her cute, charismatic presence and well managed dialogues, she brings warmth and freshness to the screen.

Saimadhav Burra’s dialogues are good at few places. Mani Sharma’s music is adequate. The 3D conversion, added much later, is a big letdown. The perspectives are lost; depth is either excessive or not right, resulting in a constant irritation that perhaps brings down the film itself. Viewers better skip the 3D version.

Dil Raju and Gunasekhar must be appreciated for taking interest in bringing such ancient literature to the screen again. The only letdown is this particular subject is hardly the right material for the current generation. Perhaps the original Mahabharata version of an assertive woman was a better fit.

Shaakuntalam movie cast: Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Dev Mohan, Sachin Khedekar, Mohan Babu, Allu Arha
Shaakuntalam movie director: Gunasekhar
Shaakuntalam movie rating: 2 stars