Pandavas Review

The Pentafour Santa was late this time, but when he did bring in his bag of goodies for the kids, it was a bundle of joy and fun. It comes in the form of an animation movie presented by the Pentafour group, and is a great place for kids to be this afternoon. And for those not so young kids, it still makes for a good watch. This effort is at par with the best is in the world.

The movie is the result of breakthrough technology in 3D modeling and animation. The story, adapted from the epic Mahabharata, is innovative and entertaining despite the cinematic freedom taken to depict it in 80 minutes. And with music by Ilayaraja and direction by V T Vijayan and J D Jerry, the movie does give the feel of a real saga evolving; it's not just a kid's show. Unfortunately, though, there is hardly any crowd at the theater thanks to improper publicity - the number barely touches double figures for each show!

From their childhood fights and pranks to the major war of the Kurukshetra that decides the fates of the kings and princes, the movie takes you through the entire epic. The near-death experience in the lac palace, the wedding of Bhim to the demoness Hidamba, the swayamvar of Draupadi, the unplanned and unintended insult to Duryodhana in the Pandavas' Maya Sabha, the well-hatched gambling game that exiles the Pandavas to the forest, the exile for 12 years and life incognito for one more are all depicted. The war between the clans is another important watershed. The intense war maneuvering and army formations and placement are portrayed quite well.

If these software guys knew a bit of film-marketing as well, the film might have had a much bigger draw.