Mary Millben, a prominent African-American Hollywood actress and singer will perform here on Friday at the concluding event for the Official State Visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Highly popular in India for her singing of the National Anthem Jan Gana Mana and Om Jai Jagdiseh Hare, Millben, 38, will perform the Indian national anthem at an invitation-only, diaspora event hosted by the United States Indian Community Foundation (USICF) at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington DC.
“Having performed the American national anthem and patriotic music for four consecutive US presidents, I am deeply honoured to perform the Indian national anthem for Prime Minister Modi and in honour of the country and people I have come to call my family," the singer said in a statement.
"Both the American and Indian anthems speak to the ideals of democracy and freedom, and this is the true essence of the US-India relationship. A free nation is only defined by a free people," she said.
Prime Minister Modi is visiting the US from June 21-24 at the invitation of US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
On June 21, Millben joined Prime Minister Modi at the United Nations in New York for the 2023 International Yoga Day.
Millben has performed the National Anthem and patriotic music for four consecutive US Presidents - George W Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden, as well as international royalty, and world leaders.
She made her first trip to India performing in celebration of India’s 75th Anniversary of Independence as an official guest from the United States invited by the Government of India, the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
The singer made history as the first American and African-American artist to be invited to India for the Independence Day observance and for an audience of 1.4 billion people.
Critics praise Gulzar’s opening narration as the series’ emotional anchor.
Several reviewers find the animation ambitious but uneven.
Many reviews note secondary voice performances lack range compared with the narration.
Reviewers differ on pacing and storytelling focus: some call it tight, others say it feels stitched.
Viewers and critics recommend watching for the scale and music, not for flawless character work.
This Kurukshetra review is a round-up of what critics and early viewers are saying about Netflix’s new animated retelling, and one name keeps coming up: Gulzar. Across reviews, the opening narration is almost universally singled out as the strongest element, while opinions split sharply on animation quality, voice casting and whether the series’ narrow battlefield focus pays off.
Netflix’s animated Kurukshetra draws praise for its ambition but criticism for uneven voice performances Instagram/netflix_in
What do reviewers say about Kurukshetra and Gulzar’s role?
Multiple reviews call Gulzar’s baritone the series’ single greatest asset. Critics write that his lines give scenes emotional gravity. They said the narration "grounds" the show and often rescues moments that might otherwise feel flat. A few outlets even suggested his voice elevates sequences beyond the animation’s limits.
Do critics think Kurukshetra gets the animation right?
The answer is mixed. Several reviewers applaud the scale, chariot set pieces, wide battle frames and the sheer ambition. Others point out inconsistencies, like faces that do not always register emotion and occasional stiffness in character movement. Many reviews used the same phrasing: “impressive in scope, uneven in detail.”
How do reviewers view the voice cast beyond Gulzar?
This is where opinions cluster on the negative side. A number of critics say secondary voiceovers feel one-note and do not match the gravitas Gulzar brings. A handful of reviews praised specific performances, but the dominant note was: solid, not stellar.
Pacing and focus. Some reviewers appreciated the choice to limit the story to battlefield days and called it focused and brisk. Others felt certain backstories were teased, leaving them wanting more, and described the structure as stitched together. So, pick your critic: some loved the discipline, others wanted a fuller sweep.
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