Bala Bharatam has a unique distinction of being an Indian film predominantly starring child artists only - including a young, precocious, nine-year-old Sridevi, who is phenomenal as a young actress and dancer in the devotional movie.
Released in Telugu as బాలభారతము, the film was dubbed into Hindi as Bal Mahabharat, in Kannada as Bala Bharathaand and in Tamil as Bala Bharatham.
The tale is lifted from a chapter of the Mahabharata, the story of Pandavas and Kauravas during their childhood days is limned in the nearly three hour epic (to be accurate the movie is about 2hrs 45mins).
A fine example of the mythological genre, a uniquely Indian narrative and style (think Jai Santoshi Maa in Hindi for example), this religious re-telling of classic scripture on film often did tremendous business in the interiors, as the faithful went an mass to view these movies for a religious experience, more than entertainment.
Sridevi as a young child, teen and even adult did several south Indian films where she essayed the role of a deity or Goddess; which in many ways also explains the blind worship fans of that era had for Sridevi - often to her bewilderment.
In a film peopled with so many children, Sridevi stands out early in Bala Bharata. There's something to be said for natural movie star appeal that she innately had from the very beginning. There were several child artists in the film that went on to do other movies - but no one else reached the heights and peaks that Sridevi attained.
Saw the film recently - in Tamil - and enjoyed in thoroughly. A great way to learn about difficult to consume ancient texts through the ease of light-hearted cinema and entertainment.
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