DHARMA: ALL ABOUT TRUTH, JUSTICE AND SACRIFICE

Benjamin Disraeli, the British statesman called justice as ‘truth in action’. Extending his quote, dharma, that is, the ‘righteous duty’ cast on people, is “truth, justice and sacrifice in action”.

“ಸತ್ಯ ಹರಿಶ್ಚಂದ್ರ” (‘Satya Harishchandra’) is a 1965 B&W Kannada film about a mythical king whose life exemplified the discharge of dharma, and deference to the duty of ‘upholding the truth’ cast thereunder. The flick is based on ‘Harishchandra Kavya’, the literary masterpiece of the poet, Raghavanka, who lived during the 12th and 13th centuries CE in the Hoysala kingdom. It is widely recognized to be a landmark in the history of Kannada movie industry.

The fabled story is about Raja Harishchandra (Dr. Rajkumar), a monarch widely renowned as just and honest. To be true to his word and to atone for the sin of disrupting Sage Vishwamitra’s (Udaykumar) penance, the noble king abdicates his kingdom; he goes on an exile with his wife, Chandramathi (Pandari Bai) and son, Lohitashva (Baby Padmini). Eventually, to clear his debt, the king, an epitome of dignity and civility, sells himself and his family into bondage.

Despite the penury and hardship, the king stays virtuous and magnanimous. Inspirational the narrative no doubt is; the underlying message is about staying steadfast to the ideological tenets of dharma.

Director Hunsur Krishnamurthy, a veritable doyen of Kannada films, has created a certifiable gem…a treasure to behold, enjoy and cherish forever. KV Reddy’s screenplay is soft and soapy, sure to spark feelings of bathos ‘n pathos in every viewer. The dialogues are poetically rich, and philosophically flush.  

Pendyala Nageswara Rao’s musical compositions, set to outstanding lyrics of Hunsur Krishnamurthy, are evergreen classics. Songs of the movie, an absolute bonanza for music lovers, are contextually deep, dreamy; and, warm, fuzzy. Technically, the flick is pure and simple, sans the length.

Dr. Rajkumar in the lead role is as soulful as ever with a dramatic rendition par excellence. Pandari Bai is grace and beauty personified. The rest of the cast― comprised of Udaykumar, Narasimharaju, KS Ashwath, Dwarakish, MP Shankar, HR Shastry, and others, all big-screen veterans― supports well.

I rate this epic mythological drama...a tad too long: 9.0 on 10!

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