Produced by-Guna Teamworks/Sri Venkateswara Creations
Screenplay & Direction-Gunasekhar
Cast-Dev Mohan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Mohan Babu Sachin Khadekar, Kabir Bedi, Madhoo, Gauthami etc
Censor Rating-U/A
Running Time-149 Minutes
Rating-***1/2
Saknthalai, a Tamil film directed by Ellis R. Dungan in 1940 has M.S.Subbulakshmi playing the title role!
The comedy track of N.S.Krishnan and T.S. Durairaj was immensely popular and senior film historians would fondly recollect it, even today.
This latest version of this epic tale has been recreated on a lavish scale by Gunasekhar who has assumed responsibilty for the scenario and direction.
Given the fact that the production has been mounted on a magnificent manner, the scenes and sequences, warfare scenes, especially the stop motion animation features and CGI both of which are in tremendous display!
The stunt sequences have been breathtakingly choreographed!
The other salient features of this mammoth venture are the art direction, cinematography, the VFX and the breathtaking visuals, the colorful forest setting, in particular!
Mani Sharma’s music offers a mesmerizing effect!
Samantha Ruth Prabhu as the doe-eyed damsel sporting a flower-laden costume looks past her prime sans her glam-quotient!
Dev Mohan is a tall order actor who looks the part.
Based on Kalidasa’s Abhijnana Shakunthalam, the screenplay narrates the agony of Sakunthala after having parted company with King Dushyant and how the issue gets resolved but in a leisurely pace, which, at times, tests the patience of the viewers!
This mythological tale is worth watching for its sheer grandeur and rich canvas using which the film has been carved out!