Krishnavataram Part 1: The Heart

Hardik Gajjar’s direction is supreme. He has mounted the film on a lavish scale, and yet the grandeur is never in-your-face. It is well utilised and gives the film a distinct touch. However, what stands out is the beautiful and heartfelt depiction of Lord Krishna, which His devotees are sure to revere and celebrate. His beautiful bond with Radha, Bhama aka Satyabhama and Rukmini (Nivaashiyni Krishnan) also makes for a lovely watch. The back-and-forth narrative keeps viewers invested. In fact, the film starts on an unexpected and dramatic note. It is, hands down, the best part of the film and sets the mood. A few other scenes that stand out are Lord Krishna entering Radha’s house to steal makhan, Bhama meeting Lord Krishna at night, and the scene where Lord Krishna is accused by Satrajit of stealing. The climax is arresting.

The film is backed by an impressive storytelling that commands your attention from the first frame.

Visually too, the film is consistently engaging.

The screenplay structure and dialogues are superb and quite understated, stressing Krishna’s ever-unshakeable placidity and purity of heart.

Director Hardik Gajjar's Krishnavataram Part 1: The Heart (Hridayam) is visually stunning and musically powerful even though the VFX sometimes look patchy.

Krishnavtaram Part 1: The Heart's (Hridayam) story is familiar and spectacle-led, but the grand visuals, music and sincere performances make it worth a theatrical watch.