Original subtitles

[opening theme song playing]

[song fades]

[tense music playing]

[Karn chanting a prayer to the Sun God in Sanskrit]

[gasps]

[dreamy music playing]

[Sanjay] Forgive me, King of Anga. I came here to gaze at the sacred fire.

Actually, I thought, I was alone.

Then I should be the one apologising

for disturbing your solitude.

Um… but to pray this late at night? And that too, to the Sun God?

[chuckles softly] For you, it is the last hour of the night.

And for me, it is the break of dawn.

My relation with the Sun God

is quite similar to yours with King Dhritrashtra.

You give him all the news about the war,

and I share the ups and downs of my fate with the Sun God.

Yes, but the sun has not even risen yet.

When does the sun ever set, Sanjay, for it to rise?

It shines constantly.

Only the direction of its compassion changes.

And it has finally rested upon you, King of Anga.

Congratulations on becoming Commander.

I will finally be able to convey some news of victory to the King.

You have so much faith in my leadership.

I always had faith in you, in your capability and your leadership.

Thank you, Sanjay, for your kind words and good wishes.

Now go, and get some rest.

If anything important happens, I will inform you myself.

[music fades]

Good night, Father.

[tense music playing]

[indistinct eerie whispering]

Please donate your armour and earrings to me, Karn.

Hmm.

[screams in agony]

-[sheets rustle] -[Karn groans]

[groans]

I, Lord Indra, am pleased by your generosity.

Here is my celestial weapon.

Whoever you strike with this arrow, the death of that person is certain.

[groans]

Forget about Arjun and stop Ghatotkach. Use your Ekagni arrow now.

[Dronacharya] Brahma weapon?

Knowledge of the Brahma weapon can only be given to a Brahmin

or a Kshatriya.

What are you, Karn?

[Indra] Now, neither your impenetrable armour remains,

nor the arrow that I gave you. So what do you have left?

[energy pulses]

When did I have the power to pick what I needed for myself, Lord Indra?

You came disguised as a Brahmin

and deceitfully took my armour to save your son, Arjun.

[Indra] Oh, so now I am the one at fault?

Huh! Do not vent your anger against your mother on me, Karn.

[sombre music playing]

[Indra] Isn't she the one

who comes in your dreams every night,

and abandons you over and over again with the same cruelty?

[clattering]

[panting]

[sombre music continues]

[determined music playing]

[music fades]

[birds chirping]

[tense music playing]

[Karn] You are…?

I have come to ask something of you, King of Anga, Karn.

You should not have come here in such times.

The war is upon us, and you are the enemy.

You should stay safe with the other women in the inner chambers.

The war is upon us, but I'm not the enemy.

When it comes to you, I am certainly not the enemy.

How so?

Because the woman who has come to meet you

is neither the enemy nor the queen of any kingdom.

She is neither Krishn's aunt nor the mother of the Pandavs.

She has set aside her identity and relations

just to come here and meet you.

Then who is this woman who has come to meet me?

I am Kunti.

Your mother, Karn.

[gasps]

[opening theme song playing]

KURUKSHETRA

[music fades]

[Kunti] I know it sounds unbelievable, but it is the truth.

[Kunti chuckles softly] It feels like a lifetime has passed.

I was just entering my adolescence when…

[maids giggle]

Please, Princess Kunti, try not to say anything inappropriate.

I have heard that the sage's temper is just like that of Lord Shiva's.

-[exhales in fear] -That is why his name is Sage Durvasa.

[maid 1] He was born from the wrath of Lord Shiva.

[light pleasing music playing]

Yes, and do not try to be too sweet either.

Because pretending to be sweet will make him angrier.

I will just stay silent. I will not say a word.

Oh, no, no! Do not ever make that mistake.

You know what he did with Shakuntala, don't you?

What did he do?

-A curse. -[gasps]

Sage Durvasa put a terrible curse on her,

that she would be forgotten by her beloved.

Why?

She was lost in thought of her beloved, and failed to say anything, just like you.

[maid 1] Sage Durvasa felt that Shakuntala had not given him due respect.

[maid 2] Hmm.

I do not want to face Sage Durvasa. Take me back to my chambers. [groans]

No, no. You cannot do that.

Remember, you are a princess.

It is your duty to welcome him and show him utmost respect.

Yes. And it is also the command of your father, our King Kuntibhoj.

Do not be afraid, Princess.

You never know, he might get pleased with your devotion and grant you a boon,

-one that could change your life. -[Kunti] Hmm.

[Kunti] My respects, Great Sage.

[grunts in anger]

No, Kunti! You are of royal birth.

Never mind me,

even if a god appears, you must not bow down. Hmm.

[grunts and pants] Hmm.

[Kunti] Serving the revered Sage Durvasa was when my true education began.

Behind the harsh demeanour lay a gentle and knowledgeable guru

from whom I learnt humility, discipline,

sacred chants, philosophy. I learnt everything.

[muted dialogues]

[Kunti] Serving him was like a blessing for me.

[indistinct dialogues]

[soothing Indian classical music playing]

Hmm? Mmm!

[maids giggling]

[Kuntibhoj] The doors of this kingdom will always be open for you, Sage Durvasa.

I do hope you are content with the respect and care my daughter showed you during--

[Durvasa] Hmm! Silence!

Now I will speak.

Child, I'm very pleased with your dedication and devotion.

I grant you a boon.

Whenever you recite the chants I have taught you,

keeping any deity in mind,

that deity will bless you with a capable son.

[maid giggles]

Did I not say he would grant you a boon?

[music fades]

[Kunti] Sage Durvasa may have blessed me and departed,

but he left me with countless questions.

"What if I forget the incantation? What if I say it wrong?"

[tense music playing]

Hmm…

[Kunti] All my friends were playing in the river,

and I was wondering, what were the words of that chant?

And then, I recited the chant by mistake.

[chants a mantra in Sanskrit invoking the Sun God]

[light anticipatory music playing]

[gasps]

[grunts]

Huh? [gasps]

[music fades]

-[maid 1] Princess Kunti! -Huh?

-Princess Kunti! -[maid 2] Where are you, Princess?

-Huh? Huh! -[baby crying]

[gasps]

[Kunti] An armour, earrings, the mark of the sun on your forehead.

[maid 2] Princess, where are you?

[Kunti] The Sun God had granted you protection,

-[shushing] -[Kunti] But what about me?

How was I to answer society's questions?

[hums in dejection]

I… was a tiny infant lying in your arms,

and you… you abandoned me?

Social stigma, public ridicule, my naivety… call it what you want.

But the reality is that,

even though Sage Durvasa's boon worked and granted me a child,

I was still too immature to be a mother, Karn.

-[Kunti gasping] -[baby crying]

[maid 2] Princess Kunti! Where are you?

-Princess! Where are you? -[baby crying]

[baby Karn crying continuously]

-[sobbing softly] -[sombre music playing]

[maid 2] Where are you? Princess!

-[baby crying] -[maid 2] Did you find her?

-[maid 2] Where are you? Princess! -[maid 1] Princess!

-[sombre music continues] -[baby Karn continue crying]

[Kunti sobbing softly]

-[maid 1] Princess! -[maid 2] Did you look there?

-[maid 1] Princess! -[maid 2] Oh, look. There she is.

[breathing shakily]

Here you are.

Where were you lost all this while? [sighs]

Please do not play such pranks on us ever again.

Come, let us return to your chambers.

It is already very late. Come, Princess. Let us go.

[sombre music playing]

[Karn] So that means,

you did not take care of me for even a single day,

yet you claim to be my mother.

Go ahead and address me however you want,

but please listen to what I have to say.

Did you bother to listen to the cries of that little infant?

Or to the harsh taunts about being an orphan

that I had to endure while I was growing up?

The world kept calling me Sutputra,

the son of a charioteer, right in front of you,

yet you refused to hear it.

I heard it, my son, I heard everything.

I heard your cries, your humiliation.

I recognised you that very day

when all the Kshatriya princes

had gathered together to display their martial skills.

-Hmm? -And you threw a challenge to Arjun.

You recognised me that day?

Yes, my son.

Not me, but a mother's heart instantly recognised her son.

And shattered into a thousand pieces that day.

-[crowd cheering] -[dramatic music playing]

[man 1] Let's see which prince wins the contest today.

[man 2] I think Bheem will win with his mace.

To the people gathered here from all over Hastinapur,

members of royal families, kings, soldiers, ministers and courtiers,

and our citizens,

we welcome you to a very special exhibition

of skill in warfare and divine weaponry

where Kshatriya warriors from all over the kingdom

will demonstrate their strength and prowess in combat.

[host] I now invite our first competitor.

He is a warrior whose courage and heroism need no introduction.

[Arjun grunts]

[host] The sound of his bowstring is reverberating around the arena.

-The son of Pandu, Arjun! -[crowd cheering]

Who will step forward to challenge Prince Arjun in this contest?

[crowd chanting] Arjun! Arjun! Arjun! Arjun!

[man 3] Who would have the courage to face Arjun in such a contest?

-Huh? -[crowd chanting continues] Arjun! Arjun!

Hmm! [chuckles with closed mouth]

[crowd chanting continues] Arjun! Arjun!

[dramatic music playing]

-[electric crackling] -[Arjun grunts]

Huh?

[audience's indistinct chatter]

[dramatic music playing]

Huh… [gasps]

[energy pulses]

[sobbing softly]

[grunts]

-[man 4] Who is this man? -[man 5] Who is he?

[man 6] What a spectacular entry!

[dramatic music continues]

Huh?

[sobbing]

[Arjun] Hmm.

I am Karn.

I am challenging Arjun to an archery contest.

I request permission to speak, Your Majesty.

You may speak.

I think this challenge is completely inappropriate and unnecessary.

It is unnecessary because Arjun is definitely going to win.

And inappropriate

because we do not have the slightest knowledge

of this young man's lineage.

Therefore, we cannot allow just about anyone

to compete with a prince.

First, he must establish his identity.

A name alone is not enough.

Tell us your father's name, young man.

[man 7] Yes, tell us. Where have you come from?

[man 8] Come on, say something!

[crowd laughing mockingly]

Huh? How strange. He doesn't even know his parents' names.

[man 8] Unbelievable! Why is he not saying anything?

[laughs mockingly]

If he does not even know the name of his own father,

how are we supposed to let him take part in a royal contest like this one?

-[Kripacharya scoffs] -Uh… [sobbing softly]

-Hmm. -[music fades]

When I saw your armour and earrings,

I knew immediately that you were my son, Karn.

What? You knew it was me, and yet you did nothing?

-You stayed silent? Huh? -[Kunti sobbing softly]

Before the entire kingdom?

Do you not understand

what the consequences would have been for Hastinapur

and the future of the Kuru dynasty?

-What about my future? -Huh?

Oh, forgive me. I completely forgot.

You had drowned my future in the river as soon as I was born.

And that is why neither is Hastinapur safe today,

nor is the Kuru Dynasty.

It is because of me… [sobbing]

…that we are now forced to fight on opposite sides. I know that, Karn.

And that is why I have come to you today.

All my life, I wanted an identity.

"Who am I?"

"Where am I from? What am I doing here?"

The whole world wanted to know all this from me every single day.

And now… now you come to me?

Where was your motherly love that day

when the whole world called me a charioteer's son?

[Kunti sobs]

Duryodhan was the only one

who ignored the jibes and embraced a charioteer's son as his own friend.

[man 1] Do you remember now? Why don't you say something?

[man 2] Come on, speak up! Give us an answer.

Adhirath. I am Karn, son of Adhirath.

The same Adhirath who steers your chariots and tends to your horses.

I am Karn, the son of Adhirath, the charioteer, and his wife Radha.

I stayed silent because I knew

that your empty rules would never let me compete in this meaningless contest

where Arjun has already been assumed the winner.

Arjun, if you are courageous, then face this charioteer's son. [grunts]

First, defeat me.

Only then can you claim the title of greatest archer.

[sobbing softly]

Stop! I, Crown Prince Duryodhan of Hastinapur,

command all of you to end this injustice this very moment.

They have no right to humiliate you in this manner.

The two of us have trained for years under the same teacher.

Ever since we were disciples,

I have been hearing stories about your courage and heroism.

You are more than a charioteer's son, Karn.

You deserve to be known as a great warrior.

I reject the rules that measure your worth by lineage.

And in honour of your courage, your strength, your capability,

I entrust the kingdom of Anga to you today.

I…

I, Duryodhan, declare you ruler of the kingdom of Anga.

[crowd's indistinct chatter]

[all gasps]

I humbly accept your command and your generosity, Prince Duryodhan.

Until this day, I did not have any friends,

any honour or status,

nor any purpose.

But now, I have it all.

From today, my life is yours, my Prince.

Hmm.

[dramatic music playing]

[sobbing softly]

That day, I found my son, but I also knew that I had lost him

to the Kaurav clan forever. [sobbing]

And I realised immediately

that Duryodhan had not granted that honour to you out of friendship.

He had accepted you because of his own selfish intentions.

You became indebted to him, Karn, and so, our enemy.

[Karn scoffs]

Duryodhan may have taken me in for his own selfish reasons,

but you cast me aside for your selfish reasons. [scoffs]

So answer me, who is more selfish of the two in your eyes?

Never mind my selfishness. Think of what is good for all, Karn.

Look.

This forest,

this river, this land, these waterfalls, the sound of birds calling.

How beautiful all of it is.

But if there is a war, none of this will remain.

Do you really want that to happen?

What I want has never mattered to anyone.

All I ever wanted was respect which I finally received from Duryodhan.

Duryodhan showed me respect out of vested interest,

and it is your vested interest, too, that has brought you here to me.

You are not here for peace.

You are here only to beg me to spare the lives of your five beloved sons.

Believe what you want, Karn,

but I have come here today only to plead with you as a mother.

[scoffs] All your life, you chose to ignore the pain I was feeling,

and now you expect me to pity you for the anguish you are feeling? Hmm?

[sobbing]

Because whatever I may be like, you are the same Karn.

The strong and resolute, large-hearted Daanveer Karn,

who never lets anyone go empty-handed.

This is not my mother,

but a queen driven by politics who is talking to me.

Even so, I will listen to you,

and I give you my word,

even you will not leave empty-handed from here.

So, ask me. What do you want?

-[Kunti] My six sons. [sobs] -[scoffs]

I do not want to lose even one of them in this war.

Yudhishthir, Bheem, Arjun,

Nakul, Sahdev, and you, Karn.

-Could you please forgive me? -Huh?

I beg of you, my son.

You alone have the solution to this crisis.

Hmm?

If you choose to, you could restore peace.

You can save everyone from this terrible destruction.

[sombre music playing]

If not me, then at least think about this kingdom.

The fact is that you never had six sons.

You only ever had five sons by your own claim.

And I give you my word

that five of your sons will still be alive when this war is over.

I will not take any of the Pandavs' lives except for Arjun's.

Because either Arjun will die, or I will, before this war ends.

No matter what happens,

five of your sons will still be alive.

[a soft sob]

[sobs and grunts softly]

[sobbing]

-[baby Karn crying] -[sombre music continues]

[Kunti sobbing]

[music fades]

[sobbing]

Aunt Kunti, why do you look so troubled?

Your eldest son became commander of the army today.

Are you not feeling happy for him?

-[sombre music playing] -[soft sobs]

I followed your advice and went to meet Karn

on the banks of the Jahnavi River.

-But he rejected my request. -Hmm…

He had a right to do that, Aunt.

What has he ever received in life except rejection?

Even from you, all he got was disappointment.

So if he refused to listen to any of your pleas,

then that should not surprise you.

You are not surprised by his answer, Krishn?

Then why did you send me to meet him at all?

We are just fulfilling our duty, and so is he.

I don't understand any of this, Madhav. But you are all-knowing.

All is in your power. You can do anything. [sobbing]

I am asking you to protect my sons' lives.

I am your aunt, Madhav.

I am doing everything I can, Aunt.

But ultimately, what must happen will happen.

Time cannot ever change its course, and a river cannot ever change its flow.

A seed carried away by the river's current is gone,

and it will flourish and bloom on whichever shore it finally rests on.

[sniffs]

What is in motion cannot be stopped now.

[deep sighs]

[grunts with determination]

[suspenseful music playing]

[deep inhale and exhale]

[sombre music playing]

-[sighs] -[birds chirping]

[Bhishm groans in agony]

[Karn] My respects, Pitamah.

Huh?

-Why have you come here now, Karn? -To ask for your blessings.

Why on earth would you need my blessings, Karn?

Even if I do not need them, the commander of the Kaurav army does.

[scoffs] Congratulations, Karn.

You finally got what you always longed for.

An opportunity to show your valour, and a battlefield to conquer.

All of Kurukshetra is now yours.

How strange this is, Pitamah.

You are Bhishm, son of Ganga, and I am Karn, son of a charioteer.

Yet, it was the currents

of the Ganga River that carried me to shore.

It was the same guru who taught us. Parshuram.

And yet our lives were so different.

You went from being Devavrat to Pitamah Bhishm.

And I? I remained the son of a charioteer.

I never called you the son of a charioteer.

But not calling me that does not change the truth, Pitamah.

The truth?

The truth is

that I have always known the secret about your birth.

What? You… you knew?

[hums in agreement]

Narad and Maharshi Vyas had told me long ago.

I never saw you as a charioteer's son.

I was angry with you

because of your improper behaviour towards the Pandavs.

But there was never any lack of affection for you, Karn.

Words of affection have no effect on me anymore.

And in any case, it is too late for this conversation, Pitamah.

Because I have reached a point

where I have earned through my own strength

what should have been mine all along.

There is no longer any difference between you and me.

We are both commanders now.

But history will remember us very differently.

You, who despite all your powers, could not win this war for the Kauravs.

And I, who despite all my limitations,

will finally defeat the Pandavs at Kurukshetra.

[scoffs]

[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]