''Brahmarshi Viswamitra'' is a 1991 Indian Telugu-language Hindu mythological film directed and produced by N. T. Rama Rao. Based on the life of the sage Viswamitra, the film marks Rama Rao's return to acting after a seven-year hiatus following his focus on politics. It stars Rama Rao alongside

Nandamuri Balakrishna Nandamuri Balakrishna (born 10 June 1960), also known as Balayya or NBK, is an Indian actor, film producer, politician and philanthropist known for his works in Telugu cinema. Balakrishna is an elected member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative A ...

, and

Meenakshi Seshadri Meenakshi Seshadri Mysore (; née Seshadri; born 16 November 1963) as Shashikala Seshadri, is an Indian former actress and beauty pageant titleholder who worked primarily in Hindi, Telugu language, Telugu and Tamil language, Tamil films. Sesh ...

, with music composed by Ravindra Jain. The film also marks the debut of Jr. NTR as a child artist. Despite its notable cast, ''Brahmarshi Viswamitra'' was a

disaster A disaster is an event that causes serious harm to people, buildings, economies, or the environment, and the affected community cannot handle it alone. '' Natural disasters'' like avalanches, floods, earthquakes, and wildfires are caused by na ...

at the box office.

Plot

The film begins when Emperor Kaushika is hunting and visits

Vasishta Vasishtha (, ) is one of the oldest and revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vasishtha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the ''Rigveda''. Vasishtha and his family are mentioned in Rigv ...

's Ashram, where he notices a divine cow ''Kamadhenu'' which can afford all wishes. Kaushika pleads for prosperity from Vasishta. However, Kaushika tries to grab it when Vasishta denies it, and ''Kamadhenu'' disappears. Here, Kaushika's wisdom penance is more significant than strength. So, he renounces his kingdom, performs a vast, and achieves the Brahmarshi title, nobilitating as

Vishvamitra Vishvamitra (, ) is one of the most venerated rishis or sages of ancient India. Vishvamitra is one of the seven Brahmarshi. According to Hindu tradition, he is stated to have written most of the Mandala 3 of the Rigveda, including the Gay ...

Trishanku Trishanku (), born Satyavrata, is a king of the Suryavamsha (Solar dynasty) featured in Hindu texts. His legend is described in the epic Ramayana''.'' He is the father of Harishchandra. Etymology The name ''Trishanku'' is a combination of Sanskri ...

belongs to Suryavansha and aspires to reach heaven with his mortal body when his mentor Vasishta curses him to form a horrific. Forthwith, he approaches Viswamitra, who accomplishes his desire, but

Indra Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes Indra is the m ...

tosses him. Enraged, Viswamitra stops him in between and creates a new heaven by endorsing his penance, which he regenerates with his willpower. Once, in the Indra court, Viswamitra confronted Vasishta, who said that a man with aim & determination is more powerful than the deities. Viswamitra opts

Harishchandra Harishchandra () is a legendary king of the Solar dynasty, who appears in several legends in texts such as the ''Aitareya Brahmana'', ''Mahabharata'', the ''Markandeya Purana'', and the ''Devi-Bhagavata Purana, Devi Bhagavata Purana''. The most ...

, ruler of

Ayodhya Ayodhya () is a city situated on the banks of the Sarayu river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ayodhya district as well as the Ayodhya division of Uttar Pradesh, India. Ayodhya became th ...

. Firstly, he wishes for a huge amount, which he bestows without hesitation. Then, he creates two beauties, Matanga Kanyalu, to lure him, threatening to knit them or quit the kingdom. Harichandra relinquishes his kingdom when Viswamitra seeks his dues within a month and accompanies his sidekick, Nakshatraka. Ergo, Harishchandra proceeds to Kaasi, where he spots an auction of people as enslaved. Due to lack of time, on the advice of his wife Chandramathi, he auctions her with his son Lohitha when Siva, in the form of Kaala Kaushika, shops them. Next, he peddles himself to the graveyard's King Veerabahu for travel expenses, Nakshatraka, and works as a guard at the burial ground. Tragically, Lohitha dies due to a snakebite while Chandramathi is performing his funeral; Harishchandra bars her for the fee, unbeknownst to actuality. Whereat, he indicates her wedding chain when she discerns him as her husband as it is invisible to others. Harishchandra does not yield even in such pathetic situations, so Chandramathi rushes for the amount. Then, Viswamitra illuminates that Chandramathi has abducted and slain Kaasiraju's son. The King dictates capital punishment to her and entrusts Harishchandra to execute it. Still, he stands on his true path. Suddenly, Viswamitra appears, proclaims the entirety of spreading his eminence to the universe, and acknowledges him with his penance power. Eras roll by, Viswamitra intends to perform a ''Yaga'' impeded by two demons,

Maricha In the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'', Maricha, or Mareecha (Sanskrit: मारीच, IAST: ), is a rakshasha, who was killed by Rama, the hero of the epic and an avatar of Vishnu. He is mentioned as an ally of Ravana, the antagonist of the epic. Hi ...

Subahulu. So, he moves to Ayodhya and requests Dasaratha to send

Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...

Lakshmana Lakshmana (, ), also known as Laxmana, Lakhan, Saumitra, and Ramanuja, is the younger brother of Rama in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is considered as an incarnation of Shesha, the lord of serpents. Lakshmana was married to Urmila, and i ...

for its shield. At that point, he endorses the powerful weapons to them by which they destroy

Tataka Tāṭakā is a minor ''yakṣī'' antagonist in the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. Along with her son, Mārīca, Tāṭakā would harass and attack sages performing yajñas in the forest. They were ultimately slain by Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa on behest of t ...

& Marichasubhahulu and complete the ritual. Following,

Janaka Janaka (, IAST: ''Janaka'') is the King of Videha who ruled from Mithila (region), Mithila, in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. Janaka was married to Sunayana (Ramayana), Sunayana. He is the father of Sita and Urmila in the epic. The term Janaka ...

announces Swayamvar to

Sita Sita (; ), also known as Siya, Jānaki and Maithili, is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. Sita is the consort of Rama, the avatar of god Vishnu, and is regarded as an avatar of goddess Lakshmi. She is t ...

, and Viswamitra heads to Mithila with the siblings. Rama triumphs over the task of ace the world-renowned bow of Siva with the blessing of Viswamitra over

Ravana According to the Mahakavya, Hindu epic, ''Ramayana'', Ravana was a kingJustin W. Henry, ''Ravana's Kingdom: The Ramayana and Sri Lankan History from Below'', Oxford University Press, p.3 of the island of Lanka, in which he is the chief antag ...

, who is fetched up without an invitation. Subsequently, Viswamitra blesses the newly married and moves to his penance. After thousands of years, Indra attempts to foil it and sends

Menaka Menaka ( ) is a prominent figure in Hindu mythology, celebrated as one of the most beautiful apsaras (celestial nymphs) in the court of Indra, the king of the gods. She is frequently sent by the gods to disturb the penance of sages whose growin ...

when the two are glad for a baby girl. Anyhow, they expel her, and Kanva raises her as

Shakuntala Shakuntala () is a heroine in ancient Indian literature, best known for her portrayal in the ancient Sanskrit play '' Abhijnanashakuntalam'' (The Recognition of Shakuntala), written by the classical poet Kalidasa in the 4th or 5th century AD ...

because birds covered her. Once

Dushyanta Dushyanta (, ) is a king of the Chandravamsha (Lunar) dynasty featured in Hindu literature. He is the husband of Shakuntala and the father of Bharata. He appears in the Mahabharata and in Kalidasa's play, Abhijnanashakuntalam (). Legend Acc ...

empire of

Hastinapur Hastinapur is a city in the Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ''Hastinapura'' is described as the capital of the Kuru Kingdom in Hindu texts such as the ''Mahabharata'' and the Puranas; it is also mentioned in ancient Jain ...

spots Shakuntala, he crushes & splices her as per the

Gandharva A ''gandharva'' () is a member of a class of celestial beings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, whose males are divine performers such as musicians and singers, and the females are divine dancers. In Hinduism, they ...

, and before returning, he gifts his royal ring to her as a token of love. One day,

Durvasa In Hindu scriptures, Durvasa (, ), also known as Durvasas (), is a legendary rishi (sage). He is the son of Anasuya and Atri. According to some Puranas, Durvasa is a partial avatar of Shiva, known for his short temper. Wherever he goes, he is ...

visits Ashram, but Shakuntala loses her thoughts and fails to greet him when he curses that the one she dreams of will forget her. Afterward, he calms and states that he will regain his memory by viewing his token. Time passes, Shakuntala conceives, and Kanva sends her to Dushyanta. On the midway, while crossing a river, the ring slips off her finger and is swallowed by a fish. After landing therein, Dushyanta fails to recognize her. Humiliated, Shakuntala exits, and

Kashyapa Kashyapa (, ) is a revered Vedic sage of Hinduism., Quote: "Kasyapa (Rudra),(Vedic Seer)..." He is one of the Saptarishis, the seven ancient sages of the ''Rigveda''. Kashyapa is the most ancient and venerated rishi, along with the other Sa ...

shelters her, where she delivers Bharata. The anglers detect the ring in the belly of a fish and hand it to Dushyanta, who retrieves the past. He rushes for Shakuntala when he is startled to look at a boy playing with wild animals. Viswamitra gets here, reunites the couple, and blesses Bharata as

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

's greatest ruler. At last, Viswamitra's penance summits to the Himalayan, where he employs it for the universal welfare by preaching great ''

Gayatri Mantra The Gāyatrī Mantra (), also known as the Sāvitrī Mantra (), is a sacred mantra from the ''Ṛig Veda'' ( Mandala 3.62.10), dedicated to the Vedic deity Savitr. The mantra is attributed to the rajarshi Vishvamitra. The term Gāyatr ...

''. Finally, the movie ends happily with Viswamitra getting salvation as one of the stars at ''

Saptarishi The Saptarshi ( ) are the seven seers of ancient India who are extolled in the Vedas, and other Hindu literature such as the Skanda Purana. The Vedic Samhitas never enumerate these rishis by name, although later Vedic texts such as the Br ...

Mandalam''.

Cast

* N. T. Rama Rao as Visvaamitra &

(

dual role A dual role (also known as a double role) refers to one actor playing two roles in a single production. Dual roles (or a larger number of roles for an actor) may be deliberately written into a script, or may instead be a choice made during produc ...

) *

as Satya Harischandra &

(dual role) *

Deepika Chikhalia Dipika Chikhlia (born 29 April 1965) is an Indian actress and politician known for playing Sita in Ramanand Sagar's 1987 television series '' Ramayan''. She was also known for her debut film ''Sun Meri Laila'' (1983), opposite Raj Kiran and ...

as Chandramathi *Madhumita as

* Amjhad Khan as Veerabahu * Gummadi as Vashista *

Suthi Velu Kurumaddali Lakshmi Narasimha Rao (7 August 1947 – 16 September 2012), better known by his stage name Suthi Velu, was an Indian actor and comedian known for his works in Telugu cinema. He has acted in more than 200 films, and won four state ...

as Nakshatraka *

Ashok Kumar Ashok Kumar (born Kumudlal Ganguly; 13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001), was an Indian actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. He is considered to be the first Super-st ...

as Indhra *KK Sarma as Kalakoushukudu *Jaya Bhaskar as Trisanku *

Aruna Irani Aruna Irani (born 18 August 1946) is an Indian actress, who has acted in over 500 films throughout Hindi, Kannada, Marathi and Gujarati cinema, playing mostly supporting and character roles. She received two Filmfare Awards for Best Support ...

as Kalakoushukudu's wife * Kanaka as Seetha * Tara as Shakuntala's friend *Gayatri as Shakuntala's friend * Disco Shanti as Matanga Kanya *

Kuyili Veeramangai Kuyili (died 1780) was an army commander of queen Velu Nachiyar who participated in campaigns against the East India Company in the 18th century. She is considered the first suicide bomber and "first woman martyr" in Indian hist ...

as Matanga Kanya *Master Amith as Lohitha *

N. T. Rama Rao Jr. Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr. (born 20 May 1983), popularly known as NTR Jr, is an Indian actor, producer, and television presenter who primarily works in Telugu cinema. He is one of the highest-paid actors in Indian cinema and has been featur ...

as Bharata (child role) * Mikkilineni as

Production

''Brahmarshi Viswamitra'' marks the first screen appearance of

, who played Bharata. Initially, actress

Sridevi Sridevi Kapoor (née Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan; 13 August 1963 – 24 February 2018), known mononymously as Sridevi, was an Indian actress who worked in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada language films. She is regarded as one of ...

was approached for the role Menaka but she denied as her shooting schedule is packed.

Soundtrack

Music composed by Ravindra Jain. Lyrics written by C. Narayana Reddy. Music released on

Lahari Music Lahari Recording Company is an Indian music company based in Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest cit ...

Company.

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, id=0259225 1990s Telugu-language films 1991 films Films based on the Mahabharata Films based on the Ramayana Films directed by N. T. Rama Rao Films scored by Ravindra Jain Hindu mythological films