MYTHOLOGY: A SOURCE OF JOY AND SPRING OF VIRTUE

The English Writer, Alan Moore opined: “We need a bedrock of story and legend in order to live our lives...” Indeed mythology is arguably the icing on the cake of art and literature.

“ಮಹಿಷಾಸುರ ಮರ್ದಿನಿ" ('Mahishasura Mardini', which translates to: 'Slayer of Demon Mahisha'), is a 1959 Kannada film, which consigns to celluloid one of India's most enchanting legends. This timeless classic was dubbed into several languages. It was a commercial success too!

The lead character, the demon Mahisha (Rajkumar)– born from the union of demon Rambha (Udaykumar) with a water buffalo– ingratiates Lord Brahma after a protracted period of penance. The Lord grants the demon a boon, by virtue of which neither man nor animal could kill him. Thence, believing to have become invincible and immortal, Mahisha wages a war against celestial beings and subdues them. The demon then terrorises all beings in the world and subjects them to his tyrannical rule.

At their wit's end, the gods approach Lord Vishnu, who fuses the divine energies of the Trinity to create a feminine form, Goddess Chamundeshwari (Sandhya)– also called as Goddess Durga, an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva and the embodiment of universal energy, Shakti. Goddess Chamundeshwari then vanquishes Mahisha, thus ensuring that good prevails over evil.

Director par excellence, BS Ranga, a doyen of Kannada cinema, has created a magical masterpiece. The screenplay of this mythological drama is a true and faithful reproduction of the legend as narrated in the purāṇic texts, such as the Mārkanḍeya Purāṇa.

Thespian Rajkumar has excelled in the negative role of Mahisha; his arrogance and aggression in his portrayal is nonpareil. The rest of the cast, comprising of veterans like Ashwath, Narasimharaju, etc., has lent able support. Ranga's cinematography is a delight too. Genius GK Venkatesh's musical score is SUBLIME; one of the tracks, 'Tumbitu Manava', is Rajkumar's first duet as a playback singer.

To quote Isaac Asimov, “A myth or legend is simply not made up out of a vacuum...somehow there is a kernel of truth behind it...”

This is a CLASS movie that is bound to have mass appeal. It stands testament to the treasures of Indic heritage and the exuberance of its literature.

I rate it: 9.5 on 10!

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