Krishnavataram Part 1: The Heart tells the story of Lord Krishna and his bond with Radha, Rukmini and Satyabhama. Director Hardik Gajjar mounts the film on a lavish scale. Yet, the grandeur is not in-your-face. The various chapters of Lord Krishna’s life are presented with utmost sincerity. The soundtrack is catchy and soulful, adding to the appeal. At the same time, too many songs in the first half slow down the narrative. Moreover, the makers seem to assume that viewers are aware of Lord Krishna’s story in minute detail. Hence, they don’t bother to explain the goings-on in depth. Compare this to another film in the same zone, Mahavatar Narsimha, where everyone could fully comprehend the goings-on because of the storytelling. Speaking of performances, Siddharth Gupta delivers an authentic and divine performance as Lord Krishna. Sanskruti Jayana (Satyabhama) is a great find and dominates several key scenes. Sushmitha Bhat (Radha) and Nivaashiyni Krishnan (Rukmini) have less screen time but leave a huge mark. Akshara Shivakumar (Subhadra), Kartik Jayaram (Satrajit) and others do well. Jackie Shroff is lovely in a cameo. All in all, Krishnavataram Part 1: The Heart could have benefited from simpler and more coherent storytelling. Nevertheless, it’s worth watching for its sincerity (P.S.: Do not miss the beginning).
My rating – *** out of 5!