Lord of the Epics:The Mahabharata, Bollywood's biggest ever cinematic venture

krsna · November 10, 2005

BY: NONA WALIA

Nov 9, INDIA (TIMES OF INDIA) — Lord of the Rings teams to work on Mahabharata epic film

The Mahabharata. Hindu mythology's greatest epic might just become Bollywood's biggest ever cinematic venture. The magic of this powerful epic is currently being recreated by producer Bobby Bedi into a trilogy with a budget of Rs 300 crore.

"The trilogy will capture the battles, intrigues, spiritual complexity and cultural aesthetics of India, 4,000 years ago. This will be my big project for the next three years," says Bedi, adding that he discovered the power of the Mahabharata's storyline after reading Girish Karnad's script for Agnivarsha.

What will bring the superstar touch to the Mahabharata is the cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan (together on the screen for the first time) and Rani Mukherji.

"While Rani will play Draupadi, Shah Rukh and Aamir will play Karan and Arjun, but I can't reveal who's who. I hope to make a historic movie series in the manner of The Lord Of The Rings.

My Mahabharata will have the same imagination, special effects and creativity of Peter Jackson's trilogy.

In fact, we've asked The Lord Of The Rings' team to work with us on this project. Mani Ratnam will direct the trilogy, which will roll soon," says Bedi,the chairman of CII's entertainment committee.

Bedi plans to take India's most ancient story to Gen Now across the globe. "I want American, British, Japanese and Indian kids to watch the movie and understand the significance of the Mahabharata.

Telling this dramatic story will be a big challenge. Imagine something similar to Harry Potter and The Lord Of The Rings that's the canvas I'm thinking of. To be able to make something of that magnitude, we need space. The sets of the movie will span 18 acres in Haryana or the foothills of Punjab.

Designer JJ Valaya will work on the clothes, he'll drape all the characters remember, everybody in that era wore clothes without stitches. I've asked Sufi musician Madan Gopal to do research on the sights and sounds of that period. Besides, I have asked artist Manjit Bawa to think of the visuals, what the houses and temples of the Mahabharata period should look like," informs Bedi.