Karnabharam

Karnabharam (KARNA's Burden) is a well-known Sanskrit Drama by the legendary playwright Bhasa taken from the great Indian epic the Mahabharata.

This short play highlights KARNA's almost unconditional generosity and the results of this tragic burden. The play carries an air of pathos throughout and is considered as one of the few tragic plays in Sanskrit.

On the warfield of Kuruksetra, KARNA is preparing for one-to-one chariot combat to the death with equally great warrior ARJUNA. The scene takes place on the eve before the battle, as KARNA reflects on his ultimate fate.


My aim was to create a fusion piece with methods, concepts and aesthetics from the Natyasastra within the realm of post-Freudian ideology.

In this experiment, I reworked the Sanskrit play Karnabharam, and fragmented the character of KARNA into three psychological 'Aspects' of himself. I then aligned those Aspects with a specific bhava (shoka, krodha, utsaha).

Each Aspect will be played by a different actor, and the lines were assigned based on how closely each line supports the Aspect's state. Sometimes jointly spoken, or fragmented, or shared. Key words or phrases will be spoken with corresponding hand mudras, and an element of binding KARNA is presented to convey being bound to his word, his honor, his mother and his dharma (duty).

The play is a window into the contemplation of KARNA on the eve of his final and ultimate battle.

Run time: 16 minutes long
Source Script: Bhasa's Karnabharam
Edited by S. Rangachar

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Sanskrit
• Drama
• Karnabharam
• Bhasa
• Mahabharata
• Kuruksetra
• fusion
• Natyasastra
• shoka
• krodha
• utsaha
• rasa
• bhava