Swami Vivekananda Dvd

Swami Vivekananda is a 1998 Indian biographical film directed by G. V. Iyer and produced by T. Subbarami Reddy.

Plot

The film mainly captures the events of Vivekananda’s life from his birth to 1897, when he returned to India from the West. The film begins with the birth of Narendranath Datta (pre-monastic name of Swami Vivekananda) and shows the neighbours and relatives of Datta family celebrating the event. It immediately moves to the scene where Narendranath sees his father Vishwanath Datta is donating money, clothes, food to poor and distressed people. Seeing this, young Narendranath asks his father to give him something too, and his father tells him to go and look at mirror and find what he had already given him. Following his father’s suggestion, Narendranath goes to the room, sees his image in the mirror.

Different events of child Narendranath are shown one by one, such as his mother is melodiously reciting religious scriptures which leaves an impression on his young mind, Narendranath practising meditation, his mother is teaching him that experience is true knowledge, and his interest in studying a wide range of subjects.

Young Narendranath attends college where he gets acquainted with European literature and contemporary social and religious movements. He also joins Brahmo Samaj. But there he finds that the leader who is suggesting others to resist child marriage, is himself organising his minor daughter’s marriage with a wealthy person. Narendranath goes to Debendranath Tagore and asks him if he has seen God. Tagore confesses that he did not have that experience and also tells Narendranath that he had Yogi’s eyes.

Narendranath meets Ramakrishna in a friend’s house where Narendranath sings a devotional song Bina Prem Dhiraj Nahi. Narendranath’s song impresses Ramakrishna who asks him to visit Dakshineswar Kali Temple, where Ramakrishna was based. Following Ramakrishna’s invitation, Narendranath visits Dakshinewsar. The relation between Ramakrishna and Narendranath have been shown with great details. Narendranath initially rejects Ramakrishna but gradually accepts him as his master. Ramakrishna teaches him the true meaning of religion and how one can find God.

After the death of Ramakrishna, Narendranath takes formal monastic vow, becomes a Sannyasi and a wandering monk. In Alwar, he meets Raja Mangal Singh whom he tells Hindu’s idol-worship is actually a symbolic form of worship.

In 1893, Vivekananda goes to Chicago to attend the Parliament of the World’s Religions. There he gets tremendous success. The story of the film quickly moves to 1897, when Vivekananda returns to India. The film ends with a long English speech of Vivekananda in which he describes his ideals, objectives of Hinduism and prays for world-peace and fraternity.

Cast

Mithun Chakraborty as Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Chakraborty’s portrayal of Ramakrishna was widely appreciated and he won his third National Film Award.
Sarvadaman D. Banerjee as Swami Vivekananda
Pradeep Kumar as Vishwanath Datta, father of Vivekananda
Tanuja as Bhuvaneswari Devi, mother of Vivekananda
Mithun Chakraborty as Ramakrishna
Debashree Roy as Sarada Devi
Meenakshi Sheshadri as the young woman who desires to marry Narendranath Datta and later becomes Sannyasini
Vijay Raghavendra
Shivaram
Shivanand
Shobhana as Dancer