Film: Arjun: The Warrior Prince
Directed by Arnab Chaudhuri
Voiceovers: Yudhveer Bakoliya, Sachin Khedekar, Vijay Kashyap, Ila Arun, Rajeshwari Sachdev
Rating:***
First things first. The animation in Arjun: The Warrior Prince is the best thing about the film. It is superior to the quality of animation from India, we have seen so far. The use of photorealistic backdrop adds to the visual appeal. However, the drawback is that the expressions of the characters remain more or less the same throughout the film.
A mythological tale sourced from the Mahabharat, Arjun is the story of a young boy becoming a hero. The film opens with a young prince fencing in a courtyard. After a while, his nurse calls out to him and narrates a bedtime story of the courageous Arjun. It starts with his childhood where he alongwith his other Pandava brothers is training under Dronacharya. Arjun’s skill in archery is revealed at the outset when in a test of target practise, he tells his guru that his focus is on the bird’s eye which he has to kill. Amidst the training, the rivalry between Duryodhan and the Pandavas is also established. After little skirmishes between the two, the story then goes on to Yudhisthir being crowned the prince of Indraprashta, Duryodhan’s jealousy, the infamous game of dice suggested by the wicked Shakuni mama, Pandavas losing everything and being banished to exile for 12 years followed by a year of living in ignonimity. During the exile, Arjun travels throughout the country to master his own fear and acquire skills in various forms of fighting. He later saves Virat, the place where they are staying while in ignoniminy, from Duryodhan. The film stops short of showing the war of Kurukshetra.
Yet, it has enough to sustain the interest of the kids and adults alike. Krishna’s simplistic dialogue that conveys a wealth of philosophy is impactful. Wish there was more of him. Must mention the fight sequences, which are well-shot. The underwater sequence where Arjun looks at the shadow, aims and kills a fish, is superb. Director Arnab Chaudhari has kept the narrative fast paced. A nice way of introducing kids to the epic tale.
Verdict: Worth a watch
