Hi-tech remake of Mahabharat on its way!
Govind Shiyani
As reported by a number of media outlets this week, Ravi Chopra, is getting behind the camera again to make two, three-hour films with special effects he says will rival those produced in Hollywood. Many of us remember the BR Chopra’s “The Mahabharat” TV series - one of two great epics of ancient India, and along with Ramanand Sagar’s “Ramayan” TV Series became the biggest television hits in Indian broadcasting history.
November 20th, 2006 at 9:30 am
Jeez is this all India can do?
Mahabharat after Mahabharat. For God’s sake why not Pritivraj, Why not the valiant Hindu Kingdoms that checked and massacared Moslem forces, why not Vijaynagar?
I’ll tell you why. Cos they are scared. Hindus / Indians live in a climate of fear. If we say something our Hindu history there will be bombings by Moslems. The film industry by not producing the life story of our Hindu Kings disrespect our forefathers.
So I will not be watching the Mahabharat.
November 20th, 2006 at 7:00 pm
With Shah Rukh Khan rumoured to be playing Shree Krishna I for one will not watch it (not that I’m saying the actors who claim to be “Hindu” deserve to play the role).
November 20th, 2006 at 9:08 pm
Whilst Im reserving judgement on the maker, I do not think £16million pounds is enough for an epic of the scale of Mahabharata.
And only two parts as opposed to four?!
I hope they are not competing with the Lord of the Rings.
“The film will be made with great special effects like those people saw in The Lord of the Rings.”
Its not just the special effects that we want to see in the film but the treatment of each individual characters. The characters must not be treated like they are some demigods but rather humans with humour, love and passion.
The main characters that has to be right at any cost is Krishna, Arjuna and Draupade.
Failure to get these right and the whole film could flop.
Shah Rukh as Krishna is a joke right.
He has already destroyed the characters of ‘Ashoka’ and ‘Don’.
Now Krishna!
I say keep Mukesh Khanna as Bhisma.
November 20th, 2006 at 10:37 pm
Why can’t people in Bollywood accept the classic versions of any film? First they destroyed Don and Umrao Jaan, but now this?? Please keep away from the ultra-classic Mahabharat, I say!
November 21st, 2006 at 10:23 am
Kinda agree with all the points India has produced more saint and sages than any other nation and of same calibre as Shri Krishna (Maha Chattrapatti Shivaji, Prithvraj Chauhan and Swami Vivekanada) to name but a few, to be honest if anyone should make it i think peter jackson should (Lord of The Rings Director) if you think about roughly same plot (Mahabarata would be better i think) this would also make a change seeing as bollywood is allways destroying classics and copying hollywood plot’s!
November 21st, 2006 at 12:10 pm
I think this is great news. The Mahabharat being the great epic that it is deserves to be aired with new graphics. I cant wait to see it. This will attract a more wider non-hindu audience all around the world, who otherwise will not have even heard of the epic.
I agree with ‘Deeno Sharma’ to some extent that more films need to be made on the lives of our heroes and heroins, but to say that you will not watch the new production because of their failure to make such films is abit on the extreme side. Would you rather they use the money by carry on making the typical bollywood films which degrade hinduism and indian culture? or would you rather they spend it on the mahabharat?
As for the cast, the Chopra family did well on choosing the characters for the surrent mahabharat. lets just hope they keep their high acting standards, and not just go for the big names to bring in publicity.
November 21st, 2006 at 12:54 pm
I believe that the power of the dollar bill. By more folks saying they want to see Indian Prowess and actual history we can put the Rig back onto the Rig Veda - That Big Mack Truck that will haul us to a true Hindu flavor.
And Sakshi yes we need stories of Indian heroins’. But they must never be seen wearing a Shalwar Kameez. Folls I gotta go. My staff are freakin out bout me spending so much time in this website.
ATB
November 21st, 2006 at 3:15 pm
I do not wish to sound insensitive but can we really entrust the making of a film of this magnitude in the hands of a bunch of third rate Bollywood “directors”. Indian films have such low standards that they best be left to their traditional mischief making : same old run off the mill ‘boy meet girl’ miming play back singers. They are of such pathetic calibre that I would not spend 5 minutes let alone a couple of hours watching their diabolical mumbo jumbo trash. Indian films are an embarassment, have you ever watched one in the presence of the elderly and the under aged? Be honest , how did you react ? Did you shy away , walk away or simply changed the channel ? Frankly , Indian films with Amitabh Bachhan , Sharrukh Khan and the other so called actors are a disgrace and an embarassment to mankind let alone Indians. I have this wierd feeling that they are conspiring with the CIA and the Pakis to destroy India from within. To date there is just one film that had some potential and that was Pinjar. The performance was reasonable and the story acceptable. Above all the the actors looked and behaved like Indians. I assume Amitabh B is finding time to read this letter. I have one question for him : “Mr Bacchan , do you feel disgusted with yourself participating in Bollywood trash ? If not , I suggest you go along and analyse yourself in solitude high up on the Himalayas for about 40 years. If , however you do admit it is trash then you surely must assume that you are able to undermind our intellegence.
Finally , if you really want a successful production , let Hollywood handle the film. If we go by the French production of the the same movie stage played by an international caste - I believe , Hollywood guided along by authorative and knowlegeable gurus, Hindu saints and organisations such as Hinduism Today (based in Hawaii), will make a movie that will not only make us all proud but will put Hinduism once again on the world stage in readiness for a spiritual renaissance and an opportunity for us to share a remarkable faith with a spiritually defiled world….. a world saddened by uncertainty,suicide bombings,wars and Aids .
Hari Om.
November 21st, 2006 at 6:04 pm
No doubt Muslim actors like Salman Khan will play all the leading roles….aslo no doubt that the “villains” of the mahabharat will be played by Hindus….oh, and I wonder where they will fit Tina Turner into the cast…Hm…Draupadi im guessing.
Im thumbs up for a TRUE Mahabharat that is filmed and shown to educate the world on this epic…but if its a film that degrades into mere “whos who” in the bollywood world, then I for one will not be happy.
November 21st, 2006 at 11:03 pm
I hear what you say Mansukh especially the bits where Hindus burst into songs in praise of Kudda and Raba and forgetting who Rama and Krishna are.
I just cant understand why Bhajans are not made anymore yet songs to Khudda and Raba are constantly added to the lyrics of every song.
I expect it has something to do with the lyrics writers and musicians being muslims.
Also there has to be this one Muslim, One Sikh, one Tamil, one Gujarati and so no.
Whats with pleasing so many communities?
I dont agree with all your comments about Bollywood films.
Despite their song and dance and predictable outcome I have enjoyed a good few.
Kabhi Khusi Kabi Gham, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Krris, all original Indian in the making as far as I know.
However, yes you are right about too much sex and innuendoes these days.
Shameful really.
November 24th, 2006 at 11:42 pm
If this latest attempt at creating Mahabharat is done correctly and not over dramatised and sauced up a for the sake of moviegoers then it could be agreat movie and very educational.
anybody noticed how badly Hindu religious characters are portrayed in Bollywood movies, people like Pandits end up being comedians and are treated with disrespect…why is this?? not only that, but Mandir scenes show people doing Arti and the lead actor is portrayed as only going there so he can mess around with the heroinne!! …why is this??
November 24th, 2006 at 11:45 pm
Is it true that Salman Khan is in talks with producers to play Shri Ram in the movie version of The Ramayan….what a disgrace, he cannot even call himself a good muslim(actually he can…murderer, woman beater) whay the hell is playing such an auspicious part of that of Lord Ram!!!
November 24th, 2006 at 11:51 pm
If Mahabharat movie is made with sincerity and dignity then it can be such an amazing educational tool, but I fear that it will become Bollywood’ised meaning sauced up just for moviegoers.
all aspects of Hindu dharma are mocked on screen from Hindu sages, Pandits, Astrologers, they are all made to be comedians in Bolly movies, even Mandir scenes portray the hero as going there for the soul purpose of messing around with the girl, nothing is sacred, producers and directors (who are mainly Hindu themselfs) do not bat an eyelid as to what is wrong!!…why is this??
November 25th, 2006 at 1:26 am
Why? Simple. Because Hindus do not form cohesion. Take a look at this site. The divisive literature spewed by its “non-contributory” writers. I beleive that “Proud HIndu” was the only one to try and bring some order. Bottom line. Hindus like taking the piss out of each other, never seeing that the enemy is gaining.
Until we ALL learn that we must see value in every Hindus attempt, this matter will not change.
VEDA SHAKTI!
November 25th, 2006 at 1:47 am
I should be sleeping, my 16mth baby will be awake in 4hrs. But I would like to stir some thoughts. I cannot help noticing the closeness of a Great King - CG Maurya and I don’t know if this is accurate, however, wait for it laddie, OK this has taken me many years to correlate. OK here goes!
CG Maurya was made by the King Maker Bhramin Kautilya. His first command over the Chatri was to crush the Nanda dynasty (his old Friend) who spurned him.
Now ain’t this familar? OK for the un-tutored. Here is part of the MB you will not see in BWood remake. We have Drona (Bhramin) Acharya spurned by his childhood friend - King Draupad - he then is commissioned to train the Pandavas Chatri - He then takes his trained men and supress his enemy Draupad.
Curious? My question is? The MB, is it the dramatised life of CG Maurya? One last thing. Before folks start hurling abuse re. I got the names wrong etc. The names aint my point! The closeness of history and MB is the consideration.
Have a good-night. Veda Shakti!
December 7th, 2006 at 11:55 pm
I think its a wicked idea!!!! Atleast young hindus nowdays can watch and understand the true meanings of their religion and who they prey to (if they do!) I’m glad that its finally a remake, and hey its better then the same old indian love triangle we watch on our screens every day!!!!All bollywood is good for is there stupid love storylines where theres always atleast 3 lovers involved! and its getting more disgusting every year!I hate it! There no longer family films. Shame on the industy!!!
Jai Hind
December 9th, 2006 at 12:36 am
mind numbing input there Deeno
December 9th, 2006 at 9:47 am
Thank You Dharmesh. You will like this one equally. Darwins theory of evolution was contained in the Upnishads thousands of years before Darwin. Indeed it has been sung by Pandits weekly if not daily. Try this!
Matysa Kurma Bhra Nar Baman a kaa Outar A liya.
The Hindus call this the outars. It not. Its a code like much of our buried knowledge but we are so obsessed by food issues and the Maya of life eg. don’t kill for food. Why not? The body is dust. Nothing. The Aatmaa is True. Anyhow I digress. Back to Matysa Kurma …
It is saying. I God have created life as such
1st The Fish - Matysa
2nd Kurma - The Turtle (Amphibians)
3rd Vhra - The Pig (representing the birth of mamalian kingdom - how this became unclean is our Moslemization of our own faith). Iwas debating in Houston this issue no-one would accept it. Two months later 1992 Edingburgh University & Harvard found that the natural surrogate for cerain human organs was the Pig.
4th Nar - Man
also note another clue laid by the learned Bhramins, Nar-Signha. The man beast. This is to rell us that man and beast were one kingdom (Neanderthal Man)
5th Baman - Has taken me over 15years to decipher this one. It is a clue. Man will clone man! Baman is a dwarf 1/2 of a man therefore two exists from one.
Analysis by Pandit Deeno Sharma 1986-2005
There are more answers like these but we are so caught up with the foodisms and casteism of this faith that our eyes do not see the truth.
Veda Shakti!
December 14th, 2006 at 5:05 pm
we were dwarfs before we were men. We also intermixed with apes for millenia (implying some form of communication with them) before we diverged off that evolutionary tree.
The reasons that christians etc don’t like evolution are: 1) they can’t control the truth and this is proof that their version of truth is wrong, 2) if god made the world good and it changes to better, god was wrong, 3) the priests say so and they can’t be wrong.
The best point of evolution in the our traditions is of emanation - Natraj. Once purusha and prakriti were combined they evolved in increasing layers of energy (matter) one wave or step leading to another - an iterative process of matter competing and cooperating (dancelike) to create history. Hmm -evolution, Darwing gets the credit.
E gads, not only is the bible wrong, but some non-eruopean came up with it first - must be false or did the muslims invent it (say like they did algebra before islam even existed!).
Truth is our reilgion.
hariaum
December 18th, 2006 at 2:13 pm
This is a so-so i guess. Think about it in the sense that having bollywood actors represeting our god’s and doddeses. But i guess its better then the other filth the bollywood industry produces
February 1st, 2007 at 9:50 pm
Oh not again. I wish they don’t make it. Both the original B R Chopra and Sanjay Khan versions were terrible. They made the biggestand most terrible war in the universe look like a schoolgirl fight with rubbish effects, sets, costumes, acting and soundtrack.
Bollywood should stick to having fake actors run around trees in the rain. Thats all they’re good at.
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:23 pm
prahalad
yes the originals looks cheap compared to todays hi-tech revolution but Mahabharata was a great master piece.
It wasnt the war scenes that made Mahabharata serial or is remembered for—only their critics remember this.
Chopra choice of characters and dialogue and Shree Krishna was just so perfect.
I dont know how old you are but to appreciate the original, you needed to have lived through that era.
This epic should be made again and again for every generations to come.