Agni Varsha

Story:

Agni Varsha is a 2002 Indian period drama film directed by Arjun Sajnani and produced by Kashish Bhatnagar under the iDream Production brand. With music by Sandesh Shandilya and Taufiq Qureshi, it stars Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Nagarjuna, Raveena Tandon, Milind Soman, and Prabhu Deva.

The Fire and the Rain, a Mahabharat play by Girish Karnad, is adapted for the big screen in this movie. Shashidhar Adapa handled the film’s art direction, while Prabhu Deva handled the choreography.

A young Brahman named Aravasu falls in love with Nittilai, a tribal girl in a kingdom that has been severely drought-stricken for many years. Before marrying him, Nittilai gets permission from her father and the elders of her village.

For seven arduous years, Aravasu’s brother Paravasu has been offering a significant fire sacrifice, known as the “yajna” ceremony, in order to please Devraj Indra, the deity of rain.

Raibhya, the father of Aravasu and Paravasu, disapproves of both of his sons and believes that Vishaka, Paravasu’s wife, is having an affair with Yavakri. Based on the fact that Yavakri and Vishaka were in love before Yavakri left the hamlet for ten years to worship Devraj Indra in the jungle in order to achieve Brahma Jnana (ultimate divine abilities), Raibhya makes this claim.

When he comes back, Yavakri tries to follow Vishakha to and from the water well once more. She initially declines him since she is married, but in the end she gives in, and they begin engaging in forbidden sexual relations in the woods and caverns. One day, Aravasu and Nittilai spot a full watercraft, which Aravasu knows to be Vishaka’s.

After witnessing Vishaka and Yavakri sharing intimate moments in a cave, Nittilai initially tries to flee and drag Aravasu along, but when Aravasu notices Vishaka in her undies, she tells him straight out. Yavakri is enraged by this candor and becomes enraged himself, telling Nittilai fiercely that she is cursed and would die in a month. While Aravasu is enraged, Nittilai feels scared.

Once at home, vishakha becomes furious and informs Raibhya that she was with Yavakri after being accused of adultery. Yavakri is killed by a furious Raibhya who calls upon the evil Brahma Rakshas. He also says that Yavakri can save himself; else, he will be labeled a coward for going to his father’s ashram. Eager to show off his might, Yavakri awaits the arrival of the monster.

In order to save themselves and Raibhya, Vishakha cautions him and instructs him to escape to his father’s ashram; otherwise, Raibhya would have to commit suicide in the event that Yavakri vanquishes the Brahma Rakshas. However, Yavakri declines to back down, and a mistrustful argument breaks out between the two of them, inspiring Vishakha to act defiantly. Now that Yavakri is running to his father’s ashram for safety, the demon kills him.

Vishakha begs Aravasu to cremate him; this causes him to miss his meeting with Nittilai’s father and the elders of her village; consequently, she is compelled to wed a member of her own tribe. Parvasu meets Vishakha after sneaking in throughout the night. When Paravasu raises the arrow and fires at his father, Vishakha admits everything and begs him to murder her.

The devil greets him on his way back to the Yajna site, calling him brother and pleading with him for salvation as a cursed soul, but Paravasu dismisses him with contempt. When Aravasu returns to the yajna site the following day following his father’s cremation, Paravasu accuses Aravasu of being responsible for the death and has him severely beaten.

Upon learning of this, Nittilai rushes to Aravasu’s aid only to discover that her brother and husband are pursuing her and would kill her instantly for disobeying the tribe’s traditions. Sutradhar selects Aravasu for a significant role in an act he stages to amuse the Devas. Under the influence of bhang, Aravasu loses control during the ritual, smashing the havan and tossing the offerings to the famished villagers.

In a desperate attempt to stop Aravasu, Nittilai exposes herself and is killed by her husband; in the pyre of the yajna, Paravasu confesses to killing his father and accepts defeat. Devraj Indra finally appears, placated, and grants Aravasu one request.

While Aravasu wants Nittilai to return to life, Brahma Rakshas appears and begs him to release his soul. Indra informs him that he must tilt the time wheel forward in order to release the demon’s soul and backward in order to bring back Nittilai. Rain falls after Aravasu, with tearful eyes, begs Indra to release the Demon’s soul.