Kalidasa's attention. Vidyadhare is pleased to see her husband, but Kalidasa is unaware of his former life. Kalidasa composes his best work Abhignaanashaakuntala with romantic interests on Vidyadhare. Bhoja can't bear the fact that his aptamitra (intimate friend) Kalidasa is in the company of a prostitute. The differences lead to Kalidasa parting ways with Bhoja and walking out of his court. Dimdima kavi, who is blessed with a dindima from the goddess Saraswati, throws a literary challenge to Bhoja's ashtadiggajas, asking them to complete his shloka with the answer. Bhoja recalls his friend, when none can answer the question, kamale kamlotpattitih (lotus is born in a lotus). Shamed Bhoja announces that he will donate half of his kingdom to anyone who solves the puzzle. Ratnakala gets the answer from Kalidasa and poisons him. She walks into royal court, to claim half kingdom. She answers, "Eye lotuses in the face lotus of my lady." Dimdima kavi, who could silence herds of laureates with his dimdima, catches her fault, asking when she herself is a lady, how can she say "milady." He announces that other than Kalidasa no one can answer this puzzle. Bhoja rushes the guards to Kalaadhare's house, only to find the dead body of Kalidasa. Bhoja also learns the truth from Vidyadhare: Kalidasa was her husband. Bhoja pledges to Vidyadhare that he'll get her husband back to her and prays to the goddess Kali to donate his half life to Kalidasa. When Kalidasa awakens, Bhoja hides himself and tricks him to sing "charama geethe." Bhoja dies once his friend has completed the song. The onus is now on Kalidasa to get his friend back to life; the only way is the divine intervention. He prays his heart out to the goddess Kali, who is touched by the love and affection Kalidasa and Bhoja bestow on each other. The goddess blesses both Kalidasa and Bhoja with long lives. The movie ends with Kalidasa reuniting with Vidyadhare. Cast Rajkumar as Kalidasa and Dushyantha Jayapradha as Vidhyadhare and Shakuntala Srinivasa Murthy as Raja Bhoja Balakrishna as Mantri Gunasaagara Nalini (credited as Anandi) as Kaali Devi K. Vijaya as Rathnakale Master Arjun as Sarvadamana/Bharata Musuri Krishnamurthy as Kavi Rakshasa Vadiraj as Mari Rakshasa Shani Mahadevappa, cameo appearance as Dindima kavi Papamma as Gouthami Soundtrack The music for the film was composed by M. Ranga Rao and the lyrics of all the songs were