Samantha’s Shaakuntalam Review

Samantha is back with Shaakuntalam, which is directed by Gunasekhar. The film has had a lot of expectations on it from the beginning, and a lot of hype has been created surrounding the movie as well. The film has finally been released today, and let’s see how it has turned out to be.

Story:

Shaakuntalam is about Shakuntala, who ends up in Kanva Maharshi’s ashram and falls in love with King Dushyant. Everything seems to be fine until Dushyant leaves Shakuntala and then forgets about her completely. Why does Dushyant forget Shakuntala and what does she do to make him remember her forms the rest of the story.

On-Screen Performances:

Samantha gives her all as Shakuntala in the film. She comes off as very natural and comfortable in the scenes where she is confronting Dushyant after their separation. She holds her ground and oozes a lot of self-respect, which is the need of the hour. While Samantha has given a wonderful performance, she does fall short when it comes to showcasing the softer, more feminine side of Shakuntala in the first half, when she is falling in love with Dushyant.

Dev Mohan, who made his Telugu debut with the film, has done a very good job in his role as King Dushyant. He’s good in the action sequences as well, and looks quite regal too. The only gripe here is that he didn’t get a lot of screen presence in the movie.

Allu Arha has definitely managed to impress everyone with her cameo towards the end of the film. She is charming and cute as Prince Bharata and her dialogue delivery are also on point.

The remaining supporting cast, including Mohan Babu, Kabir Bedi, and others, have done their job well, but do not have a lot of scope in the film.

Off-Screen Talents:

Guneskhar has definitely tried to give a new and more modern spin to Shaakuntalam while sticking true to the original. Shaakuntalam has been adapted to the screen several times before, so there’s not a lot that the director can do new here. Despite that, he managed to include a few action sequences, and the director should be commended for his efforts. A few gel with the story, while a few, especially the war, seem out of place. Gunasekhar tried to cut out the melodrama from the movie, which is good, but a few scenes lack emotional depth because of that. The film would have been better if drama scenes that added to the story were retained. The second half of the film is better than the first half, as the first half makes you left wanting more. The director could have taken more care in bringing out the more feminine side of Shakuntala properly, which is one of the major highlights of Abhignana Shakuntala, written by Kalidasa. The chemistry between the lead pair is missing. The climax where Shakuntala and Dushyant reunite has a lot of scope, but falls short. Shaakuntalam has been advertised as an epic love story, but the epicness is missing in the movie.

The background score by Mani Sharma is also not up to the mark and is very routine and unimpactful. It could have been so much better, which would have also helped with the remaining film. The songs are situational, but they are not that impactful either.

The costumes are good in places but mostly feel out of place and too modern. The cinematography is good. The editing could have been so much better.

The VFX is not up to the mark, and could have been so much better. That way, it would have had a lot more positive impact on the film as well.

Plus Points:

• Samantha
• Allu Arha screen presence

Minus Points:

• Lack of emotional connect
• Poor climax
• Bad VFX

Verdict: Shakuntalam is a partly engaging love drama with a mythological premise. It has got fine performances from Samantha/Allu Arha and holds the interest with few emotional scenes. On the flip side, VFX should have been better..

Telugubulletin.com Rating: 2.25/5