Mālavikāgnimitram tells the story of the love of Agnimitra, the Shunga Emperor at Vidisha,[2] for the beautiful handmaiden of his chief queen.
He falls in love with the picture of an exiled servant girl named Mālavikā.
The play contains an account of the Rajasuya sacrifice performed by Pushyamitra Shunga and an elaborate exposition of a theory on music and acting.
The Mālavikāgnimitra is a drama in five Acts based on a love-intrigue set on foot by King Agnimitra of Vidisa who is the Hero of the play, Mālavikā, a princess in the service of Dharini, the chief Queen, being the Heroine.
[3][4] Prelude: After an invocation of the Deity (Siva) as an auspicious act, the stage-manager and his Assistant, in their conversation state that the play shortly to be performed is Kalidasa's Mālavikāgnimitra.
King Mayank denies the request and instead sends for an expedition against him, under the command of Virasena, the Queen's brother.
As the sole purpose of arranging the exhibition has been achieved, further examination of the instructors' claims is postponed for the time being.
Interlude: Two maid-servants converse that Gan̩adãsa won in the contest and the king is quite love-sick and Mālavikā is now the more carefully guarded by the Queen.
So, she sent Mālavikā to touch the Asoka tree with her foot, a procedure done to make it blossom early.
The King then shows himself, but the love-scene is promptly marred by Iravati who breaks in upon them, sends off Mālavikā, and herself departs in high anger after an altercation.
Thereupon Dharini at her suggestion had Mālavikā and Vakulãvalikã put into a cellar as prisoners, and orders were issued to their guard that they were not to be released, unless the Queen's own snake-seal ring was produced by the messenger as guarantee of good faith.
The Queen on knowing all these and her promise to reward Mālavikā, gives her to the King and gladly consents to their union.
The play was adapted into an Indian silent film, Malvikagni Mitra, in 1929 by Dadasaheb Phalke.