I read quite some time ago an article by Stephan Levitt on the titles of Sanskrit dramas (
here). In nuce Abhijñānaśākuntalam (or -śakuntalā) has been misunderstood and should mean something like "The Story of Śakuntalā by means of a Ring". The vṛddhi derivative by P. 4.3.87 and the compound by P. 2.1.30. He also accounts for the variants in the title by reference to other rules from the Aṣṭādhyāyī. I was wondering whether this explanation has been widely accepted or if someone has responded to it. Thanks.