Mythological Crossfire-article

MUMBAI: Hindi entertainment television is all set to ride the spiritual bandwagon this summer.

To answer the Indian broadcasters' prayers for a mantra to cut viewership fatigue with reality shows and saas-bahu sagas, the Gods themselves will be descending in different avatars.

Taking a cue from the successful launch of Ramayan by NDTV Imagine, Star Plus and INX Media's 9X are in a queue for their separate takes on the other great Hindu epic Mahabharata.

Produced by Bobby Bedi's Kaleidoscope Entertainment, Star Plus will be coming out with a new version of Mahabharata directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi (of Chanakya fame).

The channel is reportedly planning on a 100-episode run, which they will further extend depending on how the show fares on the ratings front.

Star Plus currently runs a mythological Jai Ma Durga on weekends at 8 PM

As for 9X, it would be expecting Ekta Kapoor to put all her creative talents in the soap department to full use in her interpretation of the Mahabharata.

NDTV Imagine EVP content Shailja Kejriwal says, "Mythologicals definitely work for viewers with a different kind of appetite. The younger generation have so far not been exposed to such shows. The response that we have received for Ramayan clearly indicates that there is a huge mass of viewers for it."

On the other hand, Sony Entertainment Television (Set) India, which is currently on a topsy-turvy path, is also eyeing a share in the mythological viewership pie. From 25 February, the network's flagship channel SET will be airing re-runs of Sanjay Khan's Jay Hanuman. The channel has procured the rights of the show from Doordarshan.

Certainly, therefore, broadcasters are enticed by the kind of push Ramayan gave to the newly-launched NDTV Imagine. Within the second week of launch itself, it climbed to the third spot, leaving behind old players like SET India.

With so many new mythological shows in the pipeline, will Ramayan be able to sustain NDTV Imagine's ratings levels? Kejriwal responds, "We are the first one to launch Ramayan in the new version. We have already gathered our loyal audience. By the time others launch mythological shows, we will be far ahead."

It now remains to be seen what miracles the Gods are able to conjure up for the other channels who have jumped aboard the mythological bandwagon.

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thanks a bunch for the article !!!!

RAMAYAN IS ROCKING SHOW & garning high TRP'S !!

not interested in watching mahabharat whether ekta makes it or anyone else becaz i never impressed by the story of mahabharat ,except THE GEETA PART !! of it !

but LOVE RAMAYAN FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART ,becaz IT'S SUCH A TOUCHING ,SOULTOUCHING ,cathartic ,awesome & amusing story 👏 ,there is a charm in RAMAYAN which pulls everyone toward it 😛

thanks samira, mahabhrata is by far the alrgest and best chronicler of human pshycology
ramayan is wonderful but alrgely devotional
mahabharat deals with human lives and minds largely

Originally posted by: sita11

not interested in watching mahabharat whether ekta makes it or anyone else becaz i never impressed by the story of mahabharat ,except THE GEETA PART !! of it !

you broke my heart di 💔

i love mahabharat

thogh that doesn't mean i will be watching ekta's tamasha

ramayan teaches us how to live. mahabharat teaches us how not to live. ramayan is morevdevotional and inspirational. mahabharat is more existential and darker, and deals with the human mind and its frailties. I love both the books bec they are good in their own way

Originally posted by: aalochak

ramayan teaches us how to live. mahabharat teaches us how not to live. ramayan is morevdevotional and inspirational. mahabharat is more existential and darker, and deals with the human mind and its frailties. I love both the books bec they are good in their own way

agreed fully, both are the biggest epics in the world and are considered a true gauge pointof human values and emotions,

may be i will wacth mahabharat also, if i get time

Originally posted by: sita11

not interested in watching mahabharat whether ekta makes it or anyone else becaz i never impressed by the story of mahabharat ,except THE GEETA PART !! of it !

but LOVE RAMAYAN FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART ,becaz IT'S SUCH A TOUCHING ,SOULTOUCHING ,cathartic ,awesome & amusing story 👏 ,there is a charm in RAMAYAN which pulls everyone toward it 😛

horrible thing to put down one of our great epics. how could you not be impressed by the mahabharat? its is such a great epic that teaches us what greed can do to us.

i dont agree with what you have written sita. not very nice of you to write that. you may have offended a lot of people.

yes Mahabharat is equally good and divine..both are different from each other and we have different lessons to learn from both