Karthikeya 2 — A Thrilling Ride from Mythology to History
This movie raises curiosity and nudges us to consider that our mythology might be history
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I was disappointed when this movie wasn’t given any screens in the city I currently live in. This movie only received about 60 screens across the country, and most of those screens were available in Tier 1 cities. This movie was released on Saturday, 13th August 2022. The two big Bollywood movies that had been released two days before this movie were given most of the screens. However, on Monday, the number of screens for Karthikeya 2 was increased to 500. I knew that the two Bollywood movies will not impress the audience due to the ongoing boycott movement against Bollywood and the mediocre quality of Bollywood movies. Hence, I kept checking the ticket booking website bookmyshow.com every hour or so on Sunday. Finally, late at night, my restlessness turned into excitement when I noticed that some shows were added to two cinema halls in the city I live in. I was thrilled and saw this as the blessing of Krishna Bhagwan to me to watch the movie.
Should you watch the first part, Karthikeya?
I watched Karthikeya on Goldmines YouTube channel after watching the trailer of Karthikeya 2 because I enjoyed the trailer. The trailer indicated that Karthikeya 2 would be better than Karthikeya and I wasn’t disappointed when I watched the movie on Monday with my wife. She was skeptical but wanted to accompany me because I was excited about the movie. By the end of the movie, she was happy that she joined me in watching the movie. As a sidenote, you don’t need to watch Karthikeya to understand and enjoy Karthikeya 2.
Depiction of history as mythology
Our history books and our history experts tell us that our history is mythology, i.e., not real or a figment of our imagination. This movie introduces one of the most popular Hindu Gods, Krishna, and weaves an interesting adventure around it. The movie ends with a claim that our Gods, be it Ram, Krishna, Shiv, Durga, etc. were not just our Gods but also our ancestors. This is what most Hindus still believe in, but our educational system and our intellectuals dismiss them as mythological characters. That is why it is a very important movie for children and young adults to watch who consider anything to do with Hinduism regressive and backward.
The reason I could connect with the movie
While the visuals, music, and storytelling of this movie are top-notch, the biggest strength of this movie is its skeptical yet rational protagonist. He doesn’t follow any Hindu rituals but keeps an open mind and doesn’t insult these rituals and beliefs until he sees them hurting people. He sets on his quest not because he is a Krishna devotee but because he is curious to know why he is being targeted for something he didn’t do. He retains his scientific temper and rational mind, yet follows the trail of evidence with a mind of a seeker of truth. Where he finally reaches at the end of the movie makes him believe in Krishna’s existence as a god-like historical figure, and he promises to explore more about this. Usually, a movie that the audience connects with, has an emotional core. But this movie doesn’t have that, yet the skepticism of Karthikeya and his hesitation to embrace his Hindu culture is so relatable that I could connect with the movie.
Conclusion
Made on a budget of only 15 crores, this movie has good quality visuals, and a background score that gives goosebumps and some edge-of-the-seat moments. At its core is an interesting mystery that can keep you hooked to the movie. If you choose to watch it on the big screen, you will get a pleasant surprise.
