Shakuntala Story

The film begins with Indra’s attempts to foil Vishvamitra’s penance and edicts Menaka when the two are glad for a baby girl. Anyhow, they ostracize her, and Kanva raises her as Shakuntala because birds cover her. Years roll by, and Dushyanta of the empire of Hastinapur once guests in their ashram while hunting in Kanva’s absence. Plus, he shields them from the impediments to their Yaga by the demons. Whereat, Dushyanta spots Shakuntala, crushes, and splices her as per the Gandharva. Before returning, he gifts his royal ring to her as a token of love. One day, Durvasa visits, 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 conveys her to Dushyanta. Midway, while crossing a river, the ring slips off Shakuntala’s finger and is swallowed by a fish. After landing therein, Dushyanta fails to recognize her. Humiliated, Shakuntala exits, and Kashyapa 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 but in vain. In that state of his incompetence, Dushyanta turns grievous. At that moment, Indra calls upon him to heaven for a battle in which he triumphs. Amidst return, Dushyanta enters Kashyapa’s ashram, where he is startled to look at a boy playing with wild animals who carry him to his mother, Shakuntala. Dushyanta pleads pardon from her, and she too comprehends the mishap is due to Durvasa’s curse. At last, the couple reunites, and Visvamitra & Kanva get here and bless Bharata as India’s greatest ruler. Finally, the movie ends happily with the crowning ceremony of Bharata.