07/26/2011: Krishna/Balarama defeat Rukmi/Sishupal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First of all, the Balaram vs Sishupala was great, aside from my observation on yesterday's episode that Sishupala as a cavalry warrior looked like a total misfit.  Anyway, Balaram first knocked Sishupala's sword off, and then beat him in a gada-yudh.  Fantastic!!!  Only shortcoming of this part - it wasn't a mere duel b/w Balaram & Sishupala - the entire army was involved.  It was strange that Jarasandha, Shalva & Dantavatra were brought in for the wedding, and not there in battle.  In reality, it was a major battle where Balarama defeated all those rulers combined.

 

I thought they picked a horrible actor for Kritavarma, who wasn't a nobody: in the Swayantaka gem chapter, he was among those who plotted against Satyabhama's father, and in the Mahabharat war, he was one of the 11 commanders of the Kauravas, one of the 3 survivors who massacred the surviving Pandava army, and the starting point of the argument that started the Yadava fratricide.

 

But Krishna's & Rukmi's battle was true to script, again, aside from Rukmi being on horseback.  First bows & arrows, then maces, then swords.  Krishna seemed almost like Achilles when he decided to drag Rukmi behind his chariot to Dwarka 😆.  Here, Balarama was uncharacterestically restraining, but made him change the punishment to half shaving Rukmi.  As a reference comparison, in the ACK, Krishna shaved Rukmi himself the same way, just half the hair, and then Balaram came and was appalled, and released him.  Here, the guard shaves him.

 

Given how Rukmi had ill-treated his parents, I was surprised that Krishna didn't mention that while refuting Rukmi's tirade.  Of course, it was fictional.  As was Krishna's bhashan to Rukmi about love being greater than everything else - country, alliances, enemity, etc (Subhadra didn't have any love for either Duryodhan or Arjun, but Krishna set it up for those very reasons.)  However, one thing I liked was that Krishna insisted that Rukmi be punished irrespective of his relationship to them b'cos of his deeds: that act was not only refreshingly realistic, but true to the original script, where Rukmi was half shaven.  (This was in refreshing contrast to both BRC and SK, where Rukmi was easily forgiven and let go, w/o any punishments.)

 

Anyway, all in all, glad that the battles of Krishna & Balarama were reasonably well covered. 👏  Yeah, the past 2 weeks episodes ensured that the expectations bar was set low.

 

Language howlers: Krishna's use of bewaqoof, afsar and rishtey-natey instead of murkh or mauka or sambandh. 🤣

 

On Balarama's comment - if Krishna has softened him, Balarama has hardened Krishna 😆 - initially, Krishna wanted to kill Rukmi, which Rukmini disallowed, then he wanted to drag him behind his chariot, which Balarama disallowed.  Looks like Balarama's getting his revenge for being disallowed from killing Jarasandha 😈🤣

 

In the original, it was Krishna himself who shaved Rukmi, not Balarama's charioteer.  And Balaram arrived there after the fact, and berated Krishna, and released Rukmi.  But here, Balarama went along w/ the idea of punishing him.

 

So in these 3 weeks, they've shown a furious Balarama and now morphed him into the gentler, thinking Balaram who's even good w/ a bow.  I'm impressed 👏 (no sarcasm here)

 

P.S. Lola, my bad 😆

 

Vrish, tahnks for the update.

 

Rukmi's shaven head was howlarious yesterday. and the way he screamed .

 

But honestly the first time I like Vishal's expression, he has a smirk until Rukmi started to abuse women and when his expression changes. That was awesome.

 

That shishupala character they have here is some one  who cannot  even hurt a fly.

 

Change balarama's costume, I dont want to see hector, achilles, and rana pratap badly rolled into one.

 

But yesterday for once they showed Krishna listening to Balarama and it was fine.

 

I quite like yesterday's episode.

Rukmi- Round 1, starting with his verbal war with Krishna, got answered well by love knows no boundaries by Krishna, Krishna won.

Round 2, varieties of weapons from Rukmi against, bow & arrow from Krishna, Krishna won

Round 3, Rukmi's verbal attack angers Krishna, liked the expression on his face, both fights with saword, Krishna won.

Time for Rukmi's punishment- is saved initially by Rukmani's plea to Krishna, but was finally left with his half head & mustach shaved on Balram's order, his pride was destroyed.

Krishna explained very well that all the souls were, are & may be, connected with each other in past, present or future births, we have to be careful while dealing with every human being. A guilty should be punished to set expample for others & for the person getting punished too, which may stop him from comitting more mistakes.

Overall, a good episode👏