National Award-winning writer Raam Mori’s recent film ‘Krishnavataram Part 1: The Heart’ has been drawing attention for its unique take on Lord Krishna’s journey through the eyes of Satyabhama. Based on his 2025 novel Satyabhama, the film explores Krishna’s life after his separation from Radha and his bond with Rukmini and Satyabhama. In an exclusive interview with ETimes, Raam Mori shared interesting insights about the film and its emotional storytelling.
How does it feel to see your novel Satyabhama being adapted into a big-screen devotional film like Krishnavataram Part 1: The Heart?
First of all, I feel deeply grateful, it feels incredibly special as a writer because this is my debut Hindi film. The whole experience of writing the dialogues and screenplay for this film has been a memorable one and has definitely made me more confident as a writer. I have written around seven Gujarati films, but this is my first Hindi one, so I genuinely feel like a complete fresher. I often tell my friends that I can now relate to Priyanka Chopra much more. How she left Mumbai for L.A. and had to reinvent herself from the start. In Mumbai, when I work, it almost feels as though no one really associates me with my earlier Gujarati films. So, as a screenwriter, it feels like starting everything afresh, and honestly, I enjoyed that part, too. We already have a rich tradition of literature adapted into cinema, and I’m very happy that I am now a part of this incredible tradition where a film has been made from my work. More than that, I also feel fortunate that I got the opportunity to adapt it myself. Screenwriting and book writing are two distinctly different art forms, yet they are deeply interconnected. Satyabhama is a bestselling novel in Gujarati. Readers of all age groups have showered their love, especially Gen Z. To see the characters of my book come alive on the cinema screen is an immense joy and honour for me as a writer.
What inspired you to write about the phase of Lord Krishna’s life after his separation from Radha?
When it comes to Krishna, what has always fascinated me the most is his journey. It never truly ends and continues even today. As a writer, whether while writing the Rajadhiraj mega-musical play, the Satyabhama novel, or Krishnavataram, I have understood more deeply that Krishna and his stories are timeless. And with time, they are becoming even more personal. Also, I have now come to realise that Krishna’s separation from Radha was never truly a separation. They were never separate to begin with. Radha herself was another form of Krishna, one who taught the world the meaning of pure love. The Krishna of Gokul was Gopa, Giridhar. But the phase that followed was that of Mathuradhipati, Rannchhod, Jagdish, and Dwarkadheesh. I have always loved seeing Krishna in the roles of an ideal hero, ruler, friend, and guru. I guess that was the biggest inspiration behind writing the next chapters of his story.
Why did you choose to focus on the emotional journeys of Rukmini and Sathyabhama in the story?
Basically, both the novel and the film are narrated from Satyabhama’s point of view. Here, Satyabhama is exploring Krishna. In that journey, the stories of Radha, Rukmini, Jambavati, and Krishna’s sixteen thousand Gopis naturally unfold, which for me was a bonus. These stories have always deeply attracted me as a reader and an admirer. I knew I wanted to explore the emotional depth of Radha-Krishna, Rukmini-Krishna, Satyabhama-Krishna, and Jambavati-Krishna. I wanted to understand the love and wisdom woven into those layers. I’m sure readers and viewers are experiencing it in a similar way. Once you understand someone’s emotional core, that person begins to feel far more intimate and personal to you.
How important is it to present mythology with emotional realism for modern audiences?
Our stories and our history have all the answers that we need today. Motivation, faith, energy, support – anything you may call it. I have always felt these things deeply in our traditional stories. The new generation is becoming increasingly rooted. An entire generation that feels a lack of emotional depth and connection in relationships is gradually turning towards spirituality. At such a time, telling historical and traditional stories through cinema feels absolutely right. My novel Satyabhama and the film Krishnavataram are finding a strong connection, especially with new-age audiences.
As a writer, what was the most challenging aspect of humanising divine characters like Krishna, Rukmini, and Sathyabhama?
All these characters are divine beings born in human form. The only real challenge was ensuring that they were never disrespected and that their grace was never diminished. I kept this in mind in every dialogue and every scene. Their pain, love, happiness, sorrow, anger, and jealousy are all deeply human emotions. Yet, while writing them, there was always a constant awareness in my mind that they are manifestations of the divine.
Can you share one moment from the film adaptation process that was especially emotional or memorable for you?
For the last five years or so, my life has been all about and around Krishna Rajadhiraj, Satyabhama, and now Krishnavataram. But the process itself has been incredibly enjoyable. I am the kind of writer who loves the process more than the results. When my director, Hardik Gajjar, first informed me that Prakash Kapadia will be joining Krishnavataram alongside me as a writer, I literally danced with joy. I know every single dialogue from his films ‘Devdas’, ‘Bajirao Mastani’, and ‘Padmaavat’ almost by heart, all written by Prakashbhai, as he is one of my favourite screenwriters. So, having my name alongside Prakash Kapadia’s in the dialogues and screenplay credits of Krishnavataram is one of the most memorable moments of my career. My close friends now play this little game after watching the film “These dialogues must be yours… these must be Prakashbhai’s” and honestly, that gives me immense joy as a writer.
Since this is the first part of a trilogy, what can audiences expect from the upcoming chapters?
The first part explored the heart, now, our producers Sajan Raj Kurup, Shobha Sant, Poonam Shroff, and Parth Gajjar are focusing on the Mahabharata and Moksha. Krishna’s story is vast. Krishna’s divine play is endless. I send my heartfelt best wishes to Creative Land Studios for this beautiful journey ahead.
