Actor Nitish Bharadwaj, who enjoys celebrity status in India for playing Lord Krishna in the landmark ‘Mahabharat’ series telecast on Doordarshan from the late 1980s, is better known in Kerala for his role as Gandharvan in the acclaimed Malayalam movie ‘Njan Gandharvan’ directed by legendary director, the late P Padmarajan.
According to Indian mythology, gandharvas are celestial beings who are also divine dancers and singers. In Padmarajan’s movie, the gandharvan tells the female lead that he can turn himself into, 'a butterfly, cloud, doll, deer, man or a peck on your lips.'
As a tribute to the role he enacted in ‘Njan Gandharvan’, which was released in 1991, Nitish offered prayers at a temple dedicated to Gandharva in Kerala last week. The actor said, “I have repaid a 33-year-old debt. While people in all parts of the country love me as Sri Krishna, I am admired as Gandharva also in Kerala. For the first time, I prayed at a Gandharva temple in Kerala. I was surprised to learn that people in Kerala consider Gandharva as a deity,” he said.
Nitish also explained the circumstances that led him to the Gandharva temple located at Thottakam in Vaikom. “I had boarded a flight from Mumbai to Kochi for acting in ‘Kathanar’, a big budget movie headlined by Jayasurya, and met my old friend, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, during the journey. We had been Members of the Parliament at the same time and he suggested that I visit the Gandharva temple in Vaikom. So, after completing my shooting schedule, I visited the temple,” he said.
The actor also recalled some incidents during the making of the Padmarajan movie. “It was Artist Namboothiri who designed the glittering crown and bangles as well as the attire of Gandharvan. I was amazed watching him at work,” said Nitish.
At the Gandharva temple at Vaikom in Kottayam district of Kerala, Nitish was given a warm reception by the office-bearers. The actor circumambulated the shrine seven times carrying a jasmine garland on a green piece of silk, betel leaf, areca-nut and coin, and offered the items to the deity. He also arranged for the conduct of special prayers on his star ‘Rohini’ for one year at the temple. Nitish later visited the renowned Vaikom Mahadeva Temple.
Nitish’s foray into politics occurred in 1996, when he contested with the image of Sri Krishna from Jamshedpur on a BJP ticket and won the elections to the Lok Sabha. However, when he sought re-election, Nitish lost and left politics for good.
Currently, Nitish is focused on writing and direction for films and theatre. Nitish, who trained as a veterinarian, is also busy with his play, ‘Chakravyuh’, in which he enacts the role of Sri Krishna. The play has been staged at 120 venues so far.
