Shaakuntalam Review, Rating

Shaakuntalam was in the making for nearly 2.5 years if you take the pre-production and post-production into account.  This has been director Gunasekhar's passionate project since Rudhrama Devi has finally been released in theatres.  Shaakuntalam released on Friday (April 14) .Check out the review of the movie where Samantha Ruth Prabhu plays the role of Shakuntala and Dev Mohan the role of King Dushyanta.

Story:

The time period is somewhere in the Mahabharatham era. The story of this film is derived from the Adi Parvam of the Hindu epic. Shakuntala (Samantha) is known for her beauty. She grows up under the aegis of a pious man. King Dushyanta (Dev Mohan) falls in love with her and they get married in the Gandharva style. Shakuntala gets pregnant. In a twist, Dushyanta's memory of her gets wiped out due to a curse. Shakuntala leads a miserable life when Dushyanta rejects her offer to marry him. What is the solution to this? How does fate resolve itself? Can destiny be changed?

Performances:

Playing a beautiful lady from mythology is not an easy job. Samantha Ruth Prabhu took up the challenge. She handles the difficult job well. But her character is written in a bland manner. We know nothing about her traits. She is always seen thinking about or fawning over her lover. In the second half, she gets a raw deal. Her screen time is less than expected. 

The rest of the actors don't make any impact with the sole exception of Dev Mohan. The Malayalam actor is handsome. He approaches the role with confidence. Mohan Babu's extended cameo is good. Kabir Duhan Singh as a villain, Sachin Khedekar and Kabir Bedi as sages, Aditi Balan and Ananya Nagalla as 'cheli katthelu' type friends are okayish.

What is good?

Samantha's and Dev Mohan's performances
Child artist Allu Arha (Allu Arjun's daughter) being cast as Bharatha, the daughter of Shakuntala

What is bad?

Terrible VFX
Unpoetic and uncreative dialogues
Sub-standard action choreography
Boring drama

Verdict:

Shaakuntalam is a wasted opportunity. Director Gunasekhar offers a mythological drama that is so out of touch with the expectations of today's audiences.