INDIA: Happy Krishna Janmashtami: On this auspicious festival entire country celebrates the birth of Bhagwan Shri Krishna. Whether it’s a Hindi film or television series, various actors have played the role of Shri Krishna.
Birth of Shri Krishna/Shri Krishna Janma (1918)
The father of Indian cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke’s Birth of Shri Krishna or Shri Krishna Janma was released in 1918. The film starred Mandakini Phalke as Shri Krishna.
Kaliya Mardan (1919)
Following the Birth of Krishna in 1918, Dadasaheb Phalke returned to direct Kaliya Mardan in 1919. In the Indian Silent film, Mandakini Phalke portrayed the role of Shri Krishna. The movie followed Kaliya Nag, a vicious multi-headed serpent that poisoned the Yamuna River and terrorized the surrounding region. Shri Krishna defeats Kaliya, saving the numerous people poisoned by the gigantic snake.
Mahabharat (1965)
In 1965 veteran actor Abhi Bhattacharya played the role of Shri Krishna in Babubhai Mistri’s directorial Mahabharat. Pradeep Kumar as Arjun, Padmini as Draupadi, Dara Singh as Bheem, Jeevan as Shakuni, and Achala Sachdev as Kunti also starred in the film.
Mahabharata (1988)
B. R. Chopra’s Mahabharata aired on Indian television in 1988. The series adaption of the Indian epic was aired on DD National and, even today, is still loved by many viewers. The show can be considered the most accurate depiction of Mahabharat. Nitish Bharadwaj starred in the role of Shri Krishna.
Shree Krishna (1993)
In 1993 Swapnil Joshi played the role of Shri Krishna. Ramanand Sagar’s directorial Shree Krishna aired on Indian television. Sarvadaman D. Banerjee also starred in the series as Shri Krishna. Ravindra Jain’s music also played a vital role in maintaining the show’s charm. The series was first aired on DD National.
Karthikeya 2 (2022)
Most recently, Karthikeya 2 also hit the theatres. The Chandoo Mondeti directorial film follows the journey of Dr Karthikeya as he sets out on a mission to discover Shri Krishna’s lost anklet.
Also Read: Krishna Janmashtami and the Spiritual Significance of Lord Krishna’s Birth
