Mahakavi Kalidasu Story

The film begins in the Avanti kingdom; its King has a daughter, Vidyadhari, an ardent devotee of Goddess Mahakali. Once, a soothsayer predicted she would be the leading woman for a great history. Being cognizant of it, the King decides to espouse his daughter with a glorious poet when Mahamantri Hariharamathyudu expresses his desire to marry the princess with his idiotic son, but the King scorns him. Enraged, Mahamantri ploys by forging a retarded Kaaludu as a great scholar and performing the nuptials. Soon after, Vidyadhari realizes the truth and laments before the goddess. Kaaludu makes an immense penance, and Kaali accords him a boon of new knowledge. Immediately, Kaaludu transforms into a scholar, Kalidasu, but forgets his past and quits. Distressed, Vidyadhari stands up with courage and proceeds to search for him. Right now, Kalidasu earns various kudos for his works and reaches Kaasi, where he clarifies a stanza and states it is from the Ramayana written by Hanuman. Listening to it, the self-proclaimed poet Rakshasa heckles before King Bhoja Raja when Hanuman appears and affirms Kalidasa as a great poet. Witnessing this, Bhoja Raja himself moves to pursue his whereabouts. The two meet at a peepal tree where a demon waits for their conjoining and bestows them an idol of Sarada Devi, which they install in Bharatacharya’s ashram. Here, Bhoja Raja endorses great acclamation for Kalidasu, which irks Kavi Rakshasa and prompts him to ruse against him.

Simultaneously, learning about her husband, Vidyadhari lands at Kaasi, where she spots his closeness with court dancer Vilasavati. Humiliated, Vidyadhari attempts suicide when Bharatacharya rescues and shelters her. Currently, she starts serving Kalidasu, who calls her Uma and loves her. However, detecting her as married, he goes into depression. During that time, Bhoja Raja asks him for a scripture—an epic on feelings born of separation—when Kalidasu composes a beautiful love story, Meghasandesam. Then, Kavi Rakshasa challenges him to write the same but fails, so he steals Kalidasa’s book. Bhoja Raja understands the reality, and Kavi Rakshasa is penalized by losing his laurels. After that, Bhoja Raja requests Kalidasu to pen the story of Shakuntala, but he hesitates as the characters lack standards. Later, with Vidyadhari’s inspiration, he completes a world-class epic, Abhijñānaśākuntalam. Hence, Bhoja Raja decides to accolade Kalidasu with half of his kingdom. At that juncture, Bhattacharya notices the bond between Kalidasu and Vidyadhari, so he invites the King of Avanti to the event, where he professes Kalidasu as his son-in-law. The King refuses. During that plight, Vidyadhari implores the deity, who restores Kalidasa’s memory. Finally, the movie ends happily with the couple’s reunion.