Jahidul Islam Joy at 22:15, 3 March 2026

2026-03-03T22:15:02Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Kaviratna Kalidasa
| image = Kaviratna Kalidasa.jpg
| caption = Poster
| director = [[Renuka Sharma]]
| producer = V. S. Govinda
| starring = [[Dr. Rajkumar|Rajkumar]]<br />[[Jaya Prada]]<br />[[Balakrishna (Kannada actor)|Balakrishna]]<br />[[Srinivasa Murthy]]
| music = [[M. Ranga Rao]]
| cinematography = V. K. Kannan
| editing = P. G. Mohan
| studio = Anandalakshmi Enterprises
| distributor = Vajreshwari Combines
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|1983|02|18}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sandalwoodking.rocks/threads/haalu-jenu-a-look-back.6313/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526070752/http://www.sandalwoodking.rocks/threads/haalu-jenu-a-look-back.6313/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=26 May 2019|title=Haalu Jenu : A Look Back|last=jb007|website=sandslwoodking.rocks|date=3 June 2015|access-date=27 May 2019}}</ref>
| language = Kannada
| runtime = 189 minutes<ref name="Encyclopaedia" />
| country = India
}}

'''''Kaviratna Kalidasa''''' ({{audio|Kn-ಕವಿರತ್ನ ಕಾಳಿದಾಸ.ogg|pronunciation}} {{translation|Poet Kalidasa}}) is a 1983 [[Kannada]]-language [[historical drama]] film based on the life of [[Kālidāsa]], a renowned [[Classical Sanskrit]] writer of the 4th Century A.D. The film was directed by [[Renuka Sharma]] and produced by V. S. Govinda. The film stars [[Dr. Rajkumar|Rajkumar]], portraying the title role of [[Kalidasa]], along with [[Jaya Pradha]] in the role of Vidyadhare and [[Srinivasa Murthy]] as Raja Bhoja.

The film is considered to be one of the all-time top money-grossing [[film]]s in the history of [[Kannada]] movies. It was distributed by [[Parvathamma Rajkumar]] under the ''Vajreshwari Combines'' banner. The movie saw a theatrical run of 25 weeks<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rajkumar films|url=http://www.chitratara.com/showCelbProfile.asp?newsid=8|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070717135525/http://www.chitratara.com/showCelbProfile.asp?newsid=8|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 July 2007|date=7 April 2007|website=chitratara.com}}</ref> in 19 theatres.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=axH5Jztq6KFXUsxW&v=Qki3to_QlZw&feature=youtu.be | title="ನಾನೇ ಎಲ್ಲಾ, ನನ್ನಿಂದಾನೆ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಅನ್ನೋದು ರವಿಚಂದ್ರನ್ ಸೋಲಿಗೆ ಕಾರಣ!'-Director Renuka Sharma-Kalamadhyama | website=[[YouTube]] | date=14 September 2023 }}</ref>

==Plot==
{{Long plot|date=February 2021}}
The kingdom's chief minister wants his son to marry the king's daughter, Princess Vidyadhare. When he expresses his wish to the king, he is ridiculed. Instead, the king orders him to search for a "Sakala Vidya Paarangatha" groom for his daughter. Vowing to take revenge against the insult, the minister goes in search of a foolish groom.

Kalidasa, a humble shepherd is shown rearing his sheep. Convinced of his stupidity, the minister charms Kalidasa to accompany him to the palace, so that Kalidasa can marry the princess. Coached by the minister, Kalidasa excels in the tests conducted by Vidyadhare ([[Jaya Prada]]). 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" ("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 "vidyaabuddhi" (knowledge and wisdom) from the goddess [[Kali]]. In a mystical scene, Vidyadhare loses consciousness, Goddess Kali appears and blesses Kalidasa with vidyabuddhi, who composes the ''Shyamala Dandakam'' song in praise of the goddess. 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, now a renowned poet, is one of the [[astadiggajas]] (eight great poets including [[Daṇḍin]]) in the court of King Bhoja ([[Srinivasa Murthy]]), much to the ire of the elder poet [[Musuri Krishnamurthy]]. Bhoja pleads with his dear friend Kalidasa to write a ''charama geethe'' (funeral song) for him. Kalidasa refuses since Bhoja is sure to die once he hears the song. Vidyadhare assumes the name Kaladhare, rests at a prostitute Ratnakala's home and catches Kalidasa's attention. Vidyadhare is pleased to see her husband, but Kalidasa is unaware of his former life. Kalidasa composes his best work ''[[Abhignaanashaakuntala|Abhignaana Shaakuntala]]'' with romantic interests on Vidyadhare.

Bhoja can't bear the fact that his aptamitra (an intimate friend) Kalidasa is in the company of a prostitute. The differences lead to Kalidasa parting ways with Bhoja and walking out of his court. Dimdima kavi, who is blessed with a dindima from the goddess [[Saraswati]], throws a literary challenge to Bhoja's ashtadiggajas, asking them to complete his shloka with the answer. Bhoja recalls his friend, when none can answer the question, kamale kamlotpattitih (lotus is born in a lotus). Shamed Bhoja announces that he will donate half of his kingdom to anyone who solves the puzzle. Ratnakala gets the answer from Kalidasa 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 laureates with his dimdima, catches her fault, asking when she 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: Kalidasa was her husband. Bhoja pledges to Vidyadhare that he'll get her husband back to her and prays to the goddess Kali to donate his half life to Kalidasa. When Kalidasa awakens, Bhoja hides himself and tricks him to sing "''charama geethe''." Bhoja dies once his friend has completed the song.

The onus is now on Kalidasa to get his friend back to life; the only way is the divine intervention. He prays his heart out to the goddess Kali, who is touched by the love and affection Kalidasa and Bhoja bestow on each other. The goddess blesses both Kalidasa and Bhoja with long lives. The movie ends with Kalidasa reuniting with Vidyadhare.

==Cast==
* [[Dr. Rajkumar|Rajkumar]] as [[Kalidasa]] and [[Dushyantha]]
* [[Jayapradha]] as Vidhyadhare and [[Shakuntala]]
* [[Srinivasa Murthy]] as Raja Bhoja
* [[Balakrishna (Kannada actor)|Balakrishna]] as Mantri Gunasaagara
* [[Nalini (actress)|Nalini]] (credited as Anandi) as Goddess [[Kali]]
* K. Vijaya as Rathnakale
* Master Arjun as Sarvadamana/Bharata
* [[Musuri Krishnamurthy]] as Kavi Rakshasa
* Vadiraj as Mari Rakshasa
* [[Shani Mahadevappa]], cameo appearance as Dindima kavi
* Papamma as Gouthami

==Soundtrack==
The music for the film was composed by [[M. Ranga Rao]] and the lyrics of all the songs were written by [[Chi. Udayashankar|Chi. Udaya Shankar]] ( except for ''Shyamala Dandaka'' written by Kalidasa which was used for ''Manikyaveena'' song).<ref name="Encyclopaedia">{{Cite book |url=https://indiancine.ma/texts/indiancine.ma%3AEncyclopedia_of_Indian_Cinema/text.pdf |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema |last1=Rajadhyaksha |first1=Ashish |last2=Willemen |first2=Paul |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=1998 |isbn=019-563579-5 |page=460 |orig-year=1994 |archive-date=21 August 2016 |access-date=15 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821193440/https://indiancine.ma/texts/indiancine.ma%3AEncyclopedia_of_Indian_Cinema/text.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Rajkumar who was impressed by [[Mehdi Hassan]]'s ghazal ''Nawazish Karam Shukriya'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=WumVyKezbmA|title = Nawazish karam shukriya Mehdi Hassan| website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref> asked the music director to recreate the song which resulted in ''Sadaa Kannale''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=K7-G1YftwPJ9sLOe&v=7OXfWdWG5Wk&feature=youtu.be | title=ರಾಜ್ - ಎಂ. ರಂಗರಾವ್ ಜೋಡಿಯಿಂದ ಮೂಡಿಬಂದ ಅಮರ ಗೀತೆಗಳು.. | M Ranga Rao | Ep 03 | website=[[YouTube]] | date=17 January 2024 }}</ref> The movie also included a sequence where all the
major works of Kalidasa are remembered.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5cFwJ5MlTQg&feature=youtu.be | title=Kaviratna Kalidasa Title song S.Janaki PBS VaniJairam || Dr.Rajkumar Jayaprada | website=[[YouTube]] | date=9 November 2022 }}</ref>

{{Infobox album
| name = Kaviratna Kalidasa
| type = soundtrack
| artist = [[M. Ranga Rao]]
| border = Yes
| alt = Kavirathna Kalidasa
| released = 1983
| recorded = 1983
| genre = Feature Film Soundtrack
| language = Kannada
| director = [[M. Ranga Rao]]
| prev_title = Raja Maharaja
| prev_year = 1982
| year = 1983
| next_title = [[Kalluveene Nudiyithu]]
| next_year = 1983
| chronology = [[M. Ranga Rao]]
}}
{{tracklist
| extra_column = Artist(s)
| title1 = Maanikyaveenam Upalalayanthim
| note1 = Lyrics: ''[[Kalidasa]]''
| extra1 = [[Dr. Rajkumar]]
| length1 = 7:32
| title2 = Belli Mooditho
| note2 =
| extra2 = Dr. Rajkumar
| length2 = 3:57
| title3 = Sadaa Kannale
| note3 =
| extra3 = Dr. Rajkumar, [[Vani Jairam]]
| length3 = 4:00
| title4 = Alabyad Kane Sumkire
| note4 =
| extra4 = Dr. Rajkumar
| length4 = 3:14
| title5 = O Priyathama
| note5 =
| extra5 = Dr. Rajkumar, Vani Jairam
| total_length = 24:39
| length5 = 6:07
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0309764|Kaviratna Kalidasa}}

[[Category:1983 Kannada-language films]]
[[Category:Films set in ancient India]]
[[Category:1983 films]]
[[Category:Indian biographical films]]
[[Category:Films scored by M. Ranga Rao]]
[[Category:Films about Kalidasa]]
[[Category:1980s biographical films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Renuka Sharma]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Kalidasa]]

Kaviratna Kalidasa - Revision history

Jahidul Islam Joy at 22:15, 3 March 2026