Kurukshetra Part 1 Review: Netflix’s Bold, Beautiful, but Uneven Animated Take on the Mahabharata’s 18-Day War
⚡ Quick Summary
- Kurukshetra: Part 1 is Netflix’s bold animated retelling of the Mahabharata’s legendary 18-day war.
- The series focuses on nine warriors, their inner conflicts, and moral choices.
- Gulzar’s poetic writing elevates the story into a lyrical meditation on duty and consequence.
- Visually stunning and musically rich, though pacing issues and inconsistent voice acting weaken the emotional impact.
- Despite flaws, it’s a powerful and artistic reinterpretation of an ancient tale — and I’d rate it a solid 10/10 for ambition and animation quality.
🎬 A Modern Retelling of an Ancient War
Netflix’s Kurukshetra: Part 1 dives straight into the heart of the Mahabharata’s 18-day war — one of the most dramatic and morally complex conflicts in mythology. Instead of covering the entire epic, it narrows its focus to the battlefield, where gods, warriors, and ideals collide.
Told through the perspectives of 18 different fighters (with nine featured in Part 1), the show unravels their motivations, guilt, and choices. From Arjuna’s moral dilemma to Abhimanyu’s tragic courage, each episode explores what it truly means to fight for dharma when every decision costs lives.
This isn’t your typical mythological retelling. Kurukshetra doesn’t preach; it reflects. It asks — what happens when heroes question their own righteousness?
🧠 Moral Conflicts and Heavy Choices
We’ve seen the Mahabharata reimagined countless times, but rarely with this kind of emotional intimacy. Kurukshetra cuts through the mythic grandeur to expose the raw, human side of war.
The writing by Gulzar gives the series its poetic soul. His narration turns every scene into verse — not just dialogue, but reflection. Every word feels deliberate, heavy with meaning. Heroes bleed, gods hesitate, and truth bends under the weight of duty.
Even the usually pristine Pandavas are portrayed with doubt and moral ambiguity. Yudhishthira’s ideals crumble against the price of victory, and Arjuna’s heroism is shadowed by guilt. Kurukshetra reminds viewers that in war, no one walks away unscarred.
🎨 A Feast for the Eyes (and Ears)
Visually, the series is nothing short of breathtaking. The animation blends classical Indian aesthetics with cinematic scale — painted skies, flowing silks, divine weapons clashing in storms of light.
Every frame looks handcrafted, drenched in mythic grandeur. The art direction feels inspired by Ajanta murals and Pattachitra traditions, giving the show a distinct identity that feels both ancient and modern.
The **sound