Kaviratna Kalidasa

"Kaviratna Kalidasa" ( _kn. ಕವಿರತ್ನ ಕಾಳಿದಾಸ) is one of the all-time top money-grossing films in the history of Kannada Movies. Dr Rajkumar, the undisputed king of Kannada film industry starred in the film, portraying the role of Kalidasa to near perfection.The movie was produced by Parvathamma Rajkumar under the "Vajreshwari Combines" banner. This movie was released in the year 1983 and completed silver jublee run.

Infobox Film
name = kaviratna kalidasa
director = Renuka Sharma
language = Kannada
music = M Ranga Rao
dialogues = sahitya ratna chi udayashankar
lyrics = sahitya ratna chi udayashankar
Starring = Dr Rajkumar, Jayaprada, T N Balakrishna, Srinivasa Murthy, Shani Mahadevappa, Vadiraj, Musuri Krishnamurthy

Plot Summary

The Chief Minister of a certain Kingdom wishes get his son married to the Princess Vidyadhare. However, when he expresses his wish to the king, he's ridiculed upon by the king. King also orders the minister to search a "sakala vidya paarangatha" groom for his daughter.

Vowing to take revenge against the inslut meted out, Minister goes in search of a stupid groom.

Kalidasa, a humble shepherd, who is very stupid is shown rearing his sheep. His stupidness is such that he is shown cutting the twig on which he sits upon. Convinced of his stupidity, Minister charms Kalidasa to accompany him to the Palace, so that Kalidasa can marry the crown-princess.

Coached by the minister, Kalidasa excels in the tests conducted by Vidyadhare. The minister is shrewd enough to teach a key sentence to Kalidasa. If he can't answer a question, Kalidasa must utter "heluvudakkU, kEluvudakku, idu samayavalla", meaning This isn't the right time to question or answer.

Vidyadhare is fooled by Kalidasa's brilliance and marries him. However, the truth comes out during the first-night.

Shattered, Vidyadhare locks kalidasa in the Palace-Temple and gets him to demand "Vidyaa-buddhi" [Knowledge and Wisdom] from Goddess Kali.

In a mystical scene, Vidyadhare loses consciousness, while Kalidasa is blessed with Vidyaa-buddhi.Kalidasa is shown walking away from the palace-temple, implying his casting off his earlier ignorance and walking away from his previous life.

Vidyadhare regains consciousness and goes in search of her husband.

Kalidasa, is now a renowned poet, along with the ashtadiggaja's [8 Great poets including dandi] in the court of King Bhoja, much to the ire of Elder Poetmusuri krishnamurthy.Bhoja pleads his pet friend kalidasa to write a charama geethe (Burial Service Song) for him, which kalidasa refuses, as Bhoja is sure to die, once he hears charama geethe.

Vidyadhare rests at a prostitute kalaadhare's home and catches Kalidasa's attention.Vidyadhare is much-pleased to see her husband, but Kalidasa is unaware of his past-life.

kalidasa composes his best work abhignan shakuntala with romantic interests on vidyadhare.

Bhoja can't bear the fact that his aptamitra(intimate friend) kalidasa is in the company of a prostitute. The differences lead to kalidasa parting ways with Bhoja ans walking out of his court.

Dimdima kavi, who is blessed with a didima from Goddess Saraswati throws a literary-challenge to Bhoja's ashtadiggaja's, asking them to complete his shloka with the answer. Bhoja recalls his friend, when none can answer the question, kamale kamlotpattitih [Lotus within a Lotus] .Shamed Bhoja announces that he'll donate half of his kingdom to any one solves the puzzle.

kalaadhare gets the answer from kalidas and poisons him.She walks into royal court, to claim half kingdom. She answers "Eye-lotuses in the face-lotus of my lady"

Dimdima kavi, who could silence herds of lauretes with his dimdima catches her fault, asking when she herself is a lady, how can she say my-lady. He announces that other than kalidasa no one can answer this puzzle.

Bhoja rushes the guards to kalaadhare's house, only to find the dead body of kalidasa.Bhoja also learns the truth from vidyadhare, that kalidasa was her husband.

Bhoja pledges to vidyadhare that he'll get her husband back to her and prays to Goddess Kali to donate his half life to kalidasa.

When kalidasa awakes to life, Bhoja hides himself and tricks him to sing charama geethe.Bhoja dies once his friend has completed the song.

Onus is now on kalidasa to get his friend back to life and the only way is the divine intervention.

He prays his heart-out to Goddess kali, who is touched by the love and affection kalidasa and bhoja bestow on each other.

Goddess has blesses both kalidasa and bhoja with full life-terms.

The movie ends with kalidasa re-uniting with vidyadhare.

External links

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* [http://www.chitraloka.com Chitraloka.com]
* [http://chitraloka.com/sections/stock_shots/events_vajreshwari_akash25_pressmeet.html/ Vajreshwari]