STAR Plus to remake 'Mahabharata'

Mumbai, Feb 26 (IANS) STAR Plus is all set to present 'Mahabharata', a brand-new series based on the Indian epic.

Keertan Adyanthaya, general manager and executive vice-president of Star Plus, said in a press statement: 'It is a privilege to bring to our audiences this great Indian epic, 'Mahabharata', which has a timeless message.'

'For us, this is an opportunity to enrich lives of our viewers with the power of wisdom contained in the eternal message of 'Mahabharata' and the 'Bhagvad Gita'. All this and more will be presented with finesse and on a scale that will captivate entire families.'

Bollywood filmmaker and national award winner Bobby Bedi, who has made films like 'Bandit Queen', 'Maqbool' and 'Mangal Pandey - The Rising', is producing the series.

Bedi said: 'The 'Mahabharata' has been told and retold over centuries. The issue or retelling, remaking and reinterpreting etc. has been debated infinitely. I believe in retelling stories and this is not because there is a famine of ideas. I believe that good stories need to be brought to audiences that are separated from originals because the original was in a different time zone, a different language or a different cultural milieu.'

Bedi feels it is worth retelling a story sometime because it is now technologically possible to tell it better.

'In any event, audiences like to hear stories from their icons, not their parents' or grandparents' heroes,' Bedi said.

This is the second time that 'Mahabharata' is being recreated on celluloid. The first series, produced by B.R. Chopra and directed by his son Ravi Chopra, went on air in 1988 and continued till 1990.

Well-known Hindi writer, poet and director Chandraprakash Dwivedi will direct the new series. Regarding this venture, Dwivedi said: 'The relevance of 'Mahabharata' goes beyond words, one can associate with it to date.'

Dwivedi said in this supremely competitive world of globalisation, the importance of 'Mahabharata' is heightened.

'The wealth of sentiments, virtues, wisdom and philosophy in 'Mahabharata' enlighten us even today. Though it is ironic, but I shall make an effort, a sincere effort and present this epic with reference to the metrosexual age,' Dwivedi said.

The popular epic will soon be seen on the channel.