Original subtitles

[opening theme song playing]

[song fades]

[Shakuni singing] Disgrace I had swallowed It was a bitter potion

My whole life, I suffered As I sipped on poison

I shall be cleansed of that poison today

Shakuni's dice will surely strike today

Today, they will strike!

Today, they will strike!

[Shakuni's sinister laugh]

[Bhishm groans in agony]

Who is it?

-[Bhishm] Shakuni. -Pitamah!

[mockingly] You must be in such agony.

Just the thought of your suffering has left me sleepless,

even in the comfort of my soft bed.

How do we fight this war without you there, Pitamah?

Who is going to be the next commander of our army?

[tense music playing]

Now, maybe you should suggest a name.

[groaning] Till yesterday, no one paid any heed to my advice.

And now that I'm half dead, you have come here to ask for my counsel?

There is only one warrior in the Kaurav army

who is worthy of being my successor.

My friend.

[groans]

[music fades]

[baby crying]

[Kripi shushing]

[swish and thud]

[dramatic music playing]

[Kripi] No, no, don't cry.

[Dronacharya groans]

[man 1] Born a Brahmin.

-Now a Kshatriya. -Huh?

[man 1] And aspiring to be King?

[scoffs] Come out, Acharya Dron!

Come, let us take you for your coronation!

-[gasps] -[baby continue crying]

-[Kripi's soft gasp] -[Dron] Please do not disturb me now.

My child is very sick.

So, now his child is sick!

Well, well. You have already started barking orders like a king!

King Drupad may have offered you half his kingdom as a joke long ago,

but he did not think you would claim it one day.

Do not worry. We will give you your half of the kingdom!

-Come out! -[other men laugh]

Let's set the hut on fire! Huh, that will draw him out!

-[groans] -[horse neighs]

Quiet, little Ashwatthama. Don't cry!

[Dron exhales deeply]

[baby crying]

[grunts]

-[horse neighs] -[rider grunts]

-[man 1 grunts] -[rider grunts]

[groaning and grunting]

-[growls and grunts] -[thud]

[sighs]

[rider grunts]

[heroic music playing]

Bhishm, my friend. You?

Yes. It's me, Dron. Are all of you safe?

You just saved my family, my friend.

[baby cries]

And I have nothing to offer to you in return

except for my poverty and hunger.

So, give me this hunger of yours.

What do you mean?

Your hunger for revenge

which has been eating you up alive for quite a while.

I can offer an opportunity to exact your revenge.

Teach my grandsons,

the Kauravs and the Pandavs, the art of war.

They will have a teacher and you, your revenge as reward.

[chuckles softly]

[theme song playing]

KURUKSHETRA

DRONACHARYA

[song fades]

[swords clanging in distance]

[exhales deeply]

Pitamah Bhishm has already shown us how to break the morale of the enemy.

And now it is our duty

to bring what he started to a decisive conclusion.

[tense music playing]

Pitamah has made it clear who he would like as the next commander.

What is the council's opinion on this matter?

All are aware of my differences with Pitamah.

He always disrespected me.

I could never agree with him on anything.

In my opinion, we can only be led by someone

who understands the Pandavs' weaknesses and the Kauravs' strengths.

Who's skilled not only in warfare but also in strategy.

And there is only one such warrior apart from me.

My guru and fellow disciple, Dronacharya.

Mmm.

Yes.

The son of Bharadvaj,

disciple of Parshuram,

and a master in the art of war.

Dronacharya is hereby appointed as commander.

[dramatic music playing]

-Commander Dron! -[all] Commander Dron!

[all] Commander Dron! Commander Dron!

Commander Dron, I invite you to address the assembly.

Words have never been my strength, but weapons certainly are.

In the battle of Kurukshetra, my weapons will do the talking!

Your Highness, the gatekeeper of the north-eastern border

has brought news.

The Pandav brothers have come to meet Pitamah Bhishm!

Hmm?

-I'll be there. -Why? Why should you go there?

To meet them.

"To meet them"?!

Of course, you should mourn Pitamah's death.

However, not with the Pandav brothers,

but alone.

The enemy should not be met with respect.

They should be annihilated, dear nephew!

Your friendship with the Pandavs that began at my gurukul,

does not exist anymore, Duryodhan.

[light joyous music playing]

[whooshing of arrows]

[Arjun grunts]

-[light playful music playing] -[Arjun snorts]

[electric crackling]

[electric buzzing]

-[hums amusedly] -[gasps and hums]

[Bheem] Here I am, Dushasan!

Durbishan! Vikarn! Come on!

[Sanjay] Who could have imagined that such sport

between the Pandavs and the Kauravs would one day turn into a real war?

Huh! Duryodhan!

[music fades]

[Sanjay] And that Acharya Dron's teachings would become a deadly weapon?

[tense music playing]

[Bhishm groans in agony]

[sombre music playing]

[Bhishm continue groaning]

Greetings, Pitamah.

[groans in pain]

Live long, my son.

[sombre music continues]

-[dramatic music playing] -[Duryodhan] Why're you so quiet, Acharya?

I hope you have also not strayed from reality,

just like Pitamah Bhishm did?

But which reality?

The one that you are looking at or the one that I'm able to see.

What is that you see, Acharya?

Yudhishthir!

[dramatic music continues]

Huh? What does that mean?

You and your brothers had once captured Drupad

and laid him at my feet on my command, remember?

Hmm…

[music fades]

Your training in warfare is now complete.

There is no warrior alive on this earth who can challenge you now.

This is the true value of your learning.

-[dramatic music playing] -And if you understand this value,

you can now give me my guru dakshina. My reward as your teacher.

Your wish is our command, Guru Dron.

Whatever you ask for.

[all grunting]

[dramatic music continues]

[grunts]

[all grunting]

Mmm. Huh? [grunts]

King Drupad, we have made our way to you without spilling a single drop of blood.

And if you come with us quietly, there will be no need to spill any at all.

You are our elder. That is why this is a request.

Please come to Dronacharya's gurukul with us.

[tense music playing]

It is not necessary to defeat the entire army in order to win a war.

Weakening the foundation of the war is more than enough.

The foundation of the war? What does that mean?

The goal that binds the entire Pandav army,

its warriors, and its leaders together as a unified force.

-[Dron] Yudhishthir's coronation. -[Shakuni] Hmm…

If he were to fall into our hands,

then their strength, their fortitude,

and their morale will be completely crushed.

Yudhishthir.

Your rival to the throne

and the one and only reason for this war.

[music fades]

[Bhishm groans in agony]

Such a great warrior,

whose head has never lowered before anyone until now.

Should not lower today either. Arjun.

Hmm.

-[electric crackling] -[grunts]

[sombre music playing]

[groans]

[music fades]

[Dronacharya chanting a mantra in Sanskrit]

I have never seen this side of you before, Acharya Dron.

What's the use of these rituals now?

Prayers and rituals are performed not for the purpose of any reward,

but for the sake of duty, Duryodhan.

Capturing Yudhishthir is not going to be child's play.

I have thought that as soon as they blow the conch tomorrow--

We will do nothing tomorrow, Duryodhan.

-What?! We will do nothing? -Hmm.

First, we need to know the strategy of the Pandavs.

Their strengths, their weaknesses

and especially the plan they have devised for me.

But how will we find out all of this?

Through deep study and evaluation.

Remember, Drupad's abduction was no miracle either.

It was a carefully drawn plan that I had worked on for years.

You greedy Brahmin!

You had the audacity

-to make me your prisoner? -Enough! Prisoner? [chuckles]

Not at all.

I just called you here to ask for your assistance.

You had made a promise to me which you did not fulfil.

[dramatic music playing]

Uh-hun! Don't be foolish, Drupad!

Don't try to be brave either, with these students of mine here!

I have prepared them for years for this very day!

And I am taking what is rightfully mine.

Half of your kingdom.

You do remember your promise, don't you?

You will pay a heavy price for this, Dron!

You and your dear friend Bhishm, both!

[inhales sharply]

Dhrishtadyumna,

you were created for a specific purpose. You must fulfil it now.

You must defeat that Dronacharya and avenge me for the way he insulted me.

You need not worry, Father.

Acharya's end will be at my hands. This is my promise to you.

[conch blows]

-[swords clanging] -[indistinct shouting on the battlefield]

Attack!

-[dramatic music playing] -[war cry]

[Sanjay] Acharya, locked in a battle with his own students.

As if the teacher himself was being put to the test.

But Dronacharya was not one to be easily distracted by sentiment.

[electric crackling]

[Sanjay] In fact, he had even taught Dhrishtadyumna while he was his student,

knowing full well that the same Dhrishtadyumna

would one day bring about his death.

What is wrong, Acharya?

Are you missing the divine power of the son of Ganga?

[dramatic war music playing]

-[grunts] -[groans]

[dramatic war music continues]

[horse neighs]

[grunts]

Please accept Abhimanyu's salutations, King Paurav!

-[Paurav groaning] -[Abhimanyu groans]

Huh! [grunts]

[chuckles]

What's wrong, little boy? Did I break your toy?

-[Abhimanyu grunts] -[Paurav groans]

[scoffs] You lost to a boy with a broken toy?

Leave these weapons aside.

You are better off playing with toys, Paurav! [grunts]

[groans in pain]

[swords clanging]

Forward!

[dramatic war music continues]

[horses neigh]

-[electric crackling] -[Dron grunts]

[Dron grunts]

[Dron] Arjun!

[conch blows]

[music fades]

[frustrated groan]

Abhimanyu!

[breathing shakily]

Even after devising this long, elaborate plan to undermine the Pandav army,

what precisely did we gain?

A big fat zero!

Dushasan is absolutely right, Acharya.

What did we gain from today's battle?

In fact, the morale of our warriors has sunk even lower!

[exhales deeply and grunts]

If you have made me your commander, then you must show faith in me!

You want to know what we gained today?

So, listen.

We gained knowledge of the Pandavs' strategy.

First, Dhrishtadyumna.

The Pandavs' most effective weapon against me.

Second, Abhimanyu.

We have to watch him closely.

He is no less of a warrior than his father, Arjun.

And third, Arjun.

-We must keep him away from Yudhishthir. -But Acharya, how?!

King Susharma of Trigart,

you will have to accomplish this task for us.

[tense music playing]

Hmm.

Engage Arjun in battle and draw him away.

As you wish, Commander.

[Dron] Come with me.

[dramatic music playing]

Samsaptaks and King Susharma,

the moment that your army was formed for, has finally arrived.

It'll be a matter of supreme pride for me to make Arjun taste bitter defeat!

[soldiers roar in approval]

And me? What are your orders for me, Commander?

Bhagadatta, you and your elephants

will strike terror in the heart of the enemy.

Once the morale of the army is broken,

even the great warriors will begin to fall.

[conch blows]

[Sanjay] When the twelfth day of the war began,

it seemed as if everyone at Kurukshetra was dancing to Dronacharya's tune.

From Arjun to Bheem, everyone was fighting this battle,

but only according to the Acharya's plan.

[soldiers groan]

[Sanjay] While he conducted the war from the centre of Kurushetra,

the Acharya never took his eyes off his target, Yudhishthir.

At the Acharya's signal,

Bhagadatta stood ready with his most fearsome weapon.

-[horns blowing] -[elephant huffs]

[Sanjay] The gigantic elephant…

Supartika.

[Supartika roars menacingly]

[heavy thuds of the elephant walking]

[Supartika roars]

[dramatic war music playing]

-[soldier groans] -[Supartika roars]

[Sanjay] An uncontrollable, unstoppable monster

whose immense power left Bheem looking weak and pale.

-[Supartika roars] -[Bheem groans]

[Bheem groans]

[Supartika roars]

[grunts]

-[Bhagadatta grunts] -[Supartika roars]

[Bheem screams]

Huh?

[dramatic war music playing]

[drum beats]

Arjun, the Samsaptaks!

-[grunts] -[war cry]

[grunts]

Attack!

[soldiers' war cry]

[all grunts]

Hyah!

Huh?

[dramatic music playing]

Hyah!

[grunts] Huh?

-[grunts] -[horse neighs]

[electric crackling]

[dramatic music continues]

[Satyaki groans]

You… leave, King Yudhishthir! I will hold them back.

Go!

[grunts and groans]

Jayadrath, Yudhishthir!

[horses neigh]

-[Jayadrath groans] -[Abhimanyu grunts]

[Jayadrath groans in pain]

[dramatic music continues]

Do not fear, Jayadrath. I do not attack those who are unarmed.

-[gasps] -[Dron grunts]

[dramatic music continues]

[Yudhishthir] Charioteer, get me out of here. Hurry, we must leave!

[grunts]

-[electric crackling] -[Dron grunts]

Huh?

[charioteer] Hyah!

[Dron] Faster!

[electric crackling]

[charioteer] Hyah!

Hmm.

Come on, Supartika! Acharya has issued the order!

[Supartika roars]

-[Samsaptaks grunts] -[Arjun groans]

[battle cry]

[dramatic music playing]

[thunder crashes]

[thunderclaps]

-[sizzling crackle] -[Samsaptaks scream]

[Samsaptaks scream]

[Supartika roars menacingly]

[dramatic war music playing]

[electric crackling]

Huh?

-[horses neigh] -[charioteer groans]

-Huh? -[horses neigh]

[screams]

King Yudhishthir, you simply must return to camp before sunset!

But… but how can I leave the battlefield?

You must leave, Your Highness! The enemy is waiting to ambush you!

We cannot take any risks in the final phase of this war.

-[screams] -[electric crackling]

[energy pulses]

[Bhagadatta] Hmm. [chuckles]

-[Supartika roars] -[Yudhishthir groans]

[grunts]

[Supartika growls]

-[grunts] -[Supartika roars]

[groans]

[grunts]

-[screams] -[bones cracking]

[Arjun grunts]

-[Supartika roars] -[Yudhishthir groans]

Hmm?

[Krishn] Arjun?

[roaring]

[dramatic war music playing]

-[Krishn grunts] -[Shakuni snickers]

-[Bheem groaning] -[Supartika roaring]

[Yudhishthir screams]

[war cry]

[Bheem screams]

[Supartika roars]

[dramatic war music continues]

-[electric crackle] -[grunts]

-[Supartika roars] -[Bhagadatta groans]

[heavy thud]

Huh?

[conch blows]

[frustrated groan]

[breathing heavily]

[screams] No!

No!

[scream and music fades]

You told me to put my faith in you! But how, Acharya?

For the second day in a row, we have gained no advantage!

All your strategies, all your knowledge, all in vain!

Pitamah Bhishm was confident about you.

Therefore, I was too.

But now my faith in you is wavering too, Acharya.

Is it possible, perhaps,

that you have broken our trust in the very same way

that your childhood friend, King Drupad, once broke yours?

Shakuni! I suggest you hold that tongue of yours!

How could you even think of comparing me to someone like that Drupad?

[frustrated sigh]

It is a full moon tomorrow.

I vow to kill

one of the greatest warriors in the Pandav army before the moon rises.

[Dron's determined hum]

[Sanjay] The Acharya had sworn an oath.

The killing of a great warrior. But who?

[dramatic theme music playing]

[grunting]

[panting]

[music fades]

-Father. -[Arjun] I heard how you handled

both Paurav and Jayadrath. A resounding defeat today.

-[chuckles] Well, I'm your son! -[Arjun chuckles]

I cannot be defeated by just anyone.

-I am proud of you, Abhimanyu. -[chuckles softly]

-And? -And? And what more?

I'm your father,

not your mother, to sing your praises all day long.

If you are eager to hear more praise, then go to your mother, Subhadra.

[Abhimanyu chuckles] Mark my words.

This war will come to an end very soon.

Yes, my son.

How much longer can it last in the face of your bravery?

Victory be with you, Abhimanyu.

-The Battle of Kurukshetra awaits you. -[dramatic music playing]

[energetic grunt]

[music fades]

[closing theme song playing]

[Krishn] All that is dark

The light you see

All illusion

Ends with me

Come forward, be one with me

The end is the destiny

This earth below, the stars above

This is Kurukshetra, this is Kurukshetra

[song fades]