Review: Krishnadasi- A tale aesthetically told!

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Produced By: Optimystix Entertainment India Pvt. Ltd.

Cast: Indira Krishnan, Chhavi Mittal, Sana Amin Sheikh, Shravan Reddy, Uday Tikekar, Jiten Lalwani,

Story so far: Krishnadasi' talks about age old tradition of Devidasi' which still exists in today's modern time, though only in some interiors of India. In this fiction show, Devdasis are devoted to Lord Krishna and hence the name Krishnadasi'.

Kumudini (Indira Krishnan) has to leave Krishnavati, a village near Pune, along with her daughter Tulsi (Chhavi Mittal) and a year old granddaughter Aaradhya, in the middle of the night. Pradyumn Vidyadhar Rao aka Aba Saheb (Uday Tikekar) rules Krishnavati as Zamindar. Reason not revealed, he bars Kumudini and her family from the village for 21 years.

The story moves ahead, when Kumudini returns to Krishnavati after completing her exile and old wounds are opened again. In order to give a healthy environment and to hide the secret of their Krishnadasi' lineage, Tulsi has raised Aaradhya (Sana Amin Sheikh) in a city. Under the unconditional love of her grandmother and mother, Aaradhya grows into a strong willed and determined woman of present generation.

Aaradhya meets Aryan (Shravan Reddy) who is also Aba Saheb's grandson. Their turbulent encounters soon turns into friendship. Aba Saheb, who looks at Aryan as his true heir, is not fond of his own son Shashwat (Jiten Lalwani) due to his soft nature.

Kumudini secretly wishes of taking revenge on Aba Saheb with the help of Aaradhya. Tulsi is dead against it but is helpless against her dominating mother. Aaradhya is shocked when she learns the secret of her family but accepts it gracefully for the sake of her aai and aaji. She decides to return to Krishnavati to be with her family. Aryan who starts loving Aaradhya too decides to follow her. Both reach Krishnavati. Kumudini and Aba Saheb both are ecstatic to have their favourite grandchild with them and call for a celebration.

What works: Fast moving script and perfect casting are the necessary ingredients for any TV show to be successful. The makers have hit the bull's eye by casting Indira Krishnan as Kumudini and Uday Tikekar as Pradyumn Vidyadhar Rao'. The clash between these two versatile actors is something to watch out for. Chhavi Mittal, Sana Amin Sheikh and Shravan Reddy fulfil what their roles demand. The magnificent Krishna Temple', Aba Saheb's haveli, Kumudini-Tulsi's humble home brings out the old world charm in modern setting.

What doesn't work: Since the story is set in Maharashtrian culture, ample of use of Marathi words like Deva', Baba re baba' has been used. Sometimes the pronunciation sound far-fetched and artificial. Sana Amin Sheikh though a wonderful actress, looks quite young and petite to play strong minded Aaradhya'. As the story unfolds, it might reveal different shades to her character. Talented Chhavi Mittal is completely shadowed by her on-screen dominating mother Kumudini'.

Our take: Krishnadasi' is story of young modern girl Aaradhya, coming to terms with her conflicted Devadasi' lineage and the strife to uphold her integrity in today's age. It's also defines Kumudini's fierce will power to stand against evil Aba Saheb. Looking at the story so far, we can easily presume that Aaradhya-Aryan's love can bring an end to age old enmity between Aba Saheb and Kumudini. Can Tulsi protect her precious daughter from getting dragged into vicious tradition of Krishnadasi'? 

The show's content is niche which talks about one of India's ancient and ugliest traditions in the name of religion. The makers have left no stone unturned in making this show. They are supported by realistic performances by the actors, which has made Krishnadasi' an amazing visual treat.

Gayatri Kolwankar