KHMK Articles/Interviews/News Corner

Posted: 15 years ago
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Posted: 15 years ago
Stars balance Mahabharat,k-serials schedule

Ekta Kapoor's Kahaani Hamari Mahabharat Kii has the topmost television actors being part of the project. We spoke to the creative director of the serial Suraj and also to some of the actors about how the shooting schedules are managed.

Suraj informs, "There are no hassles happening regarding the shooting schedules since the shooting itself happens on days when the stars do not have to shoot for their other serials - be it Sakshi Tanwar or Kiran Karmarkar who play the roles of Ganga and Shantanu in the serial. They have already finished their shooting schedule without any change in their other serials' schedule."



Speaking about Chetan Hansraj, who will play Bheem in the serial, Suraj says, "Well, Chetan still has to start shooting for the serial. Regarding him too the dates are not clashing with any of his other commitments."

 

 

Ronit Roy plays the character of Bhishma Pitama in the serial and is even seen as Mihir in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. But Anil Nagpal, the scriptwriter of Kyunki is not too worried. "Ronit has already started shooting for Mahabharat and his track in Kyunkii still continues as per the schedule without any delay."

 

 

Kiran Karmarkar, who plays the role of Shantanu in Mahabharat, has already finished shooting his part for the epic. He says he too did not face any difficulty. "Since, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and Kahaani Hamari Mahabharat Kii belong to the same production house, I did not have to decide on my shooting schedule at all. Wherever the production house used to direct me I used to go there. It was fun working in the serial and there was no special preparation that I had to do for the character so I am looking forward to it."

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/June/N ews_20080624_247

Kahaani Mahabharaat Ki

Kahaani Hamaray Mahabharaat Ki will go on air starting July 7. Ekta has recently finalized the kid who will play Krishna. While there are a few characters which are yet to be finalized, we give you a lowdown on some of the most important characters of the epic.


10. Dronacharya was the royal Guru of both the Kauravas and the Pandavas. He was a master of all military arts. He was impressed with Arjun's archery skills. Drona is one of the most powerful and destructive warriors in the Kurukshetra War in which he had to fight the Kauarava instead of the Pandavas.The actor for this role has not been finalized.

9. The one who will play Dhritarashtra's character too has not been finalized. He was the King of Hastinapur and father of the Kauravas. Since he was blind, his wife decided to tie a blindfold on her eyes and lived like that throughout her life. Ram Kapoor was supposed to play this character but because of some reason he stepped out of this role.

8. Shakuni was the brother of Gandhari; He played a very important role in the epic. He was a mentor to Duryodhana in politics .He also helped the Kauaravas in the game of gambling. Can be called the smart politician. The character for this role too has not been chosen.

7. Bhishma is the son of Shantanu and Ganga and most important character of Mahabharat. He took archery training from Parshurama and was often called as Bhishma Pitamha by Kauravas and Pandavas. He was on Kauravas' side on the battle and was on arrows for half the battle. Ronit Roy will be playing this character

6. Duroyadhan, eldest brother of 99 Kauravas, was the most powerful character physically. Draupadi taunted him during one of their visits to Sheeshmahal and for taking revenge the Kauravas played a gamble on Draupadi. Aryan Vaid is playing Duroyodhan in KHMK.

5. Karan, popularly known as Sutputra, was the sixth brother of Pandavas. But he had to fight against them in the Kurukshetra battle. He was famous for donating things to everyone who needed them. Also he was one of the best archers of the epic. Hiten Tejwani is Karan in KHMK.

4. Bhim. He was distinguished from his brothers because of his great stature and strength. It is said that none of the characters of the epic is equal to him in that regard. His power was often compared being equal to a thousand elephants. Chetan Hansraj will be seen as Bhim.

3. Arjun is the hero of the epic. He is the master of archery and played a very important role in the battle. Krishna was the Sarthi of Arjun in the battle and when Arjun was in two minds whether to fight the battle with Kauravas, Krishna gave him knowledge about the famous Bhagwat Geeta. Harshad Chopra will play this character.

2. Draupadi is known as Panchali and Krishna's sakhi. She was married to all five Pandavas and was responsible for the destruction of the Kauravas. She was one of the most beautiful ladies of the epic. Goddess Kali had given special powers to her. Anita Hasnandani is going to play the beautiful lady.

1. Krishna is the tenth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Krishna was the hero and narrator of the epic. He supported the Pandavas in the battle and saved Draupadi from the vastraharan which Duroyodhana and Dushyasana were trying to do. He told about Bhagwat Geeta to Arjun. The actor for this role has not been finalized as yet.

The rest of the actors who have been finalized are Akashdeep Saigal (Kansmama), Rakshnada Khan (Amba), Makarand Deshpandey (Ved Vyas Rishi), Kiran Karmarkar (Shantanu), Sakshi Tanwar (Ganga) and Jatin Shah (Sahdev)..

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/June/N ews_20080626_282

Ekta's Duryodhan is skinny

Aryan Vaid, who plays Duryodhan in Kahaani Hamaraay Mahabhaarat Ki, believes in working out everyday and is training very hard for this show. But the changes in his physique are actually making him look thinner than before.

Now         &nb sp;    September 2007

However, Aryan has a different take on it. "I am looking more in shape now and this is the look I wanted to have for a long time. I have lost 5 kgs so far. It also makes me feel younger. It is true that character of Duryodhan was always very powerful and huge but I think I am still looking muscular though not a body builder."

Aryan has his own gym at home. About his work out regime, he says, "I follow a weight programme 4 days a week and free hand exercise 3 days a week. I am also on low fat diet. I consume egg white everyday, brown bread, yogurt and chicken. I completely avoid oil and butter. Sometimes if I cannot control my cravings then I do consume ice cream."

He further adds, "I am not on this diet only for this show. In fact before they offered me this role I was already on a weight loss programme. I do not have a trainer as I am trained dietician myself."

In the earlier Mahabharat, Punit Issar played the character of Duroyadhan.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/June /News_20080621_222

Why 7 is lucky for Ekta

Ekta Kapoor's Kahaani Hamaaray Mahabhaarat Ki will go on air on July 7 as the number 7 is lucky for her. Numerologist Sanjay Jumaani tells us why.


"Ekta's number is 7 - her birthday is on June 7 so it is her lucky number and she is ruled by that number. But this was not the first date suggested to her. I had given her June 29 but it was too early for them to start off. So the date is 7 and the month too. It will surely work for them," feels Sanjay.

"I am not involved in selecting characters. I only gave her advice for the title of the show." adds Sanjay. But we have learnt that Ekta is consulting him regarding the major characters.

The show was supposed to start in August but the makers have managed to build a bank of episodes and that is why they have moved forward the launch.

Ekta recently finalized Jatin Shah as Sahadev and a kid Krish as the little Krishna. It is being said that Ekta has already spent approximately 20 crore per sets. Lavish sets have been erected in Mumbai, Jaipur and the interiors of Maharashtra.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/June /News_20080621_217

Ekta's MAHAABHAARAT from July 7

After all the speculation, Ekta Kapoor's magnum opus Kahaani Hamaaray MAHAABHAARAT Ki will finally go on air on July 7 at 9 pm.



Indrani Mukerjea, Founder & CEO, INX Media, said, "I am delighted to announce that MAHAABHAARAT will premiere on the 7th of July, at 9 pm, and will air Mondays to Thursdays. I am confident MAHAABHAARAT, which has the biggest Indian stars in the greatest drama ever, will do justice to the great epic with its unique and contemporary presentation."

Produced by Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms, it features an array of super stars such as Ronit Roy, Sakshi Tanwar, Aryan Vaid, Chetan Hansraj, Akashdeep Saigal, Anita Hassanandani, Rakshanda Khan and Makrand Deshpande, along with several others whose names will be revealed over the next few days.

Shot in Ladakh, Jaipur and Wai, the costumes have been done by Manish Malhotra

Says Indrani Mukerjea, "It s a gripping spectacle of relationships, power, politics and values, with all the dramatic excitement and interplay of emotions that makes Ved Vyasa's Mahabharat a story for all time and all generations. We are confident that MAHAABHAARAT will have the same appeal and relevance for life today that it had thousands of years ago."

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/June/N ews_20080619_196Edited by *Shruti* - 15 years ago
Posted: 15 years ago
Exclusive:First look of Ekta's Bheem and Duryodhan

Chetan Hansraj, who is playing the role of Bheem in Kahaani Hamaraay Mahabhaarat Ki, has been was working very hard on his physique ever since he has accepted the role.

Says Chetan, "My main focus is on high protein food. In breakfast I mostly have eggs and corn flakes while for lunch or dinner I prefer having roasted chicken, boiled vegetables - carrots, beans etc. I avoid potatoes and rice. In fact you can say that I have completely cut off its consumption."

On the exercise front, he says, "I am doing it almost every day - aerobics and cardio for one hour and weight training programme for half an hour. I have a separate trainer and work out five times a week. I have taken this very seriously and am feeling the effects of my body."

On the other hand, Aryan Vaid is playing Duryodhan. However, Aryan was not the first choice for this role. Ekta's blue eyed boy Akashdeep Saigal was supposed to do it initially. But since he was busy with Kuch Is Tarah he was given the role of Kansmama. It is also said Aryan's strong physique inspired Chetan and some of the cast members to work hard on their body.

The show is starting from July 7 and will come on air from Monday to Thursday at 9 pm.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/June/N ews_20080621_212

Ekta's mega hunt for infant Lord Krishna

Ekta Kapoor, who is a strong believer and a big devotee of Lord Krishna, has left no stone unturned to find the perfect infant to play the role of the infant Lord Krishna in her MAHAABHAARAT.

It is said that Ekta had deputed a large team from the production department to find out details about kids who were born last year on the day of Krishna Janam, ie, Janamashtami. The team, which went on this mission three months back, collected a list of over 150 infants who were born on last 'Janmashtami'. From these 150-plus kids, 25 kids were shortlisted, and their kundalis were checked by a team of 7 distinguished astrologers who were specially flown in from various parts of India. These astrologers further picked the perfect two kundalis, and incidentally, the lucky kid who was chosen for this sacred role shares one more thing with Lord Krishna besides the birthday -- the selected infant is also named Krish!

Kahaani Hamaaray MAHAABHAARAT Ki is among the most eagerly awaited television show. It has mega stars like Ronit Roy, Sakshi Tanwar, Akashdeep Saigal, Aryan Vaid, Rakshanda Khan, Anita Hasanandani. The costumes are by Manish Malhotra.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/June/N ews_20080618_181

Signature Style: Ekta's Mahabhaaraat

The main characters of Kahaani Hamaaray Mahabhaaraat Ki will be reveled via the show's promos next month.

We got hold of some pictures which reveal the signature style and traits of the some characters.

Shakuni mama: One of the meanest characters of Mahabharat, he was the uncle of Kaurava and had a habit of playing the dice game which we can see in this particular snap.

Duroyadhan: The eldest and most powerful brother of Kauravas. Here you can see his build - the most famous traits of his character.

Karan: The sixth son of Kunti was considered as Survanshi Kshatriya and a great donor. The mark of the sun is visible on his stomach as he gets killed in the battlefield.

Arjun: With bow and arrow and the famous fish image in the pic. The great archer had hit the fish's eye by looking at it's mage in the water. That is how he got married to Draupati in the swayamwar.

Draupati: Was one of strongest women of the epic. The Pandvas lost her in a gamble with Kauravas. The reason why Mahabharat took place was the vastraharan of Draupati.

Lord Krishna: Inspired Arjun for battle by teaching him about Bhagwat Geeta and was also the narrator of the saga. He is considered the pillar of Mahabharat

Suraj Rao, creative head of the show, says, "We have finished shooting in Ladhakh, and Jaipur with the cast we have decided. Our one set in Film City is ready and the other one will be available in the next 20 days. Now, we are going to Wai (Maharahstra) for further shoot with the new cast members."

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/June/N ews_20080613_112

Harshad, Shabbir in race for Arjun

Harshad Chopra aka Prem of Kis Desh Main Hain Mera Dil fame and Shabbir Ahluwalia who plays Milind in Kayamath are in the race for the character of Arjun in Ekta Kapoor's Kahaani Hamaaray Mahabharat Ki.

Suraj Rao, creative head of the show, told us, "We are discussing Arjun's character with Harshad. He had listened to the script and is quite ok with it. Though he is new he is quite suitable to the character. However, we are also in talks with Shabbir Ahluwalia."

Adds Suraj, "Nivedita Basu (creative head of Balaji) is going to take the final decision within two days. We are going to have a meeting on Thursday and the announcement will be made soon. And yes Anita Hasnandani is going to play Draudpati."

Arjun is one of the most important characters of Mahabharat. He was the best archer and was the one who had hit the eye of the fish by looking at its image in the water and then got married to Draupadi in swayamwar. Lord Krishna gave him knowledge about the famous Bhagwat Geeta at the battle field when Pandavas were fighting Kauravas and Arjun was not ready for it.

The first promo for the show was aired last week.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/June/N ews_20080611_96

Excl: Ekta's Mahabharat with a K

Finally, Ekta Kapoor has titled her ambitious project Mahabharat. The show will be called Kahaani Hamaaray Mahabharat Ki. Ekta was in consultation with numerologist Sanjay Jumaani and tarot reader Sunita Menon to decide the name of the show. There were also reports that it won't start with letter K.

 

Sanjay Jumaani, who is in Australia, told us, "The name for her Mahabharat was suggested by me like all her other shows. And of course it will be good for her and the show."

Sunita Menon refused to give us any details about her part in deciding the name.

A few scenes for the show have been shot in Ladakh, Jaipur and Mumbai. Huge sets worth crores have been erected in Mumbai. Majority of the cast has been finalized but Balaji is maintaining secrecy over the main characters. The makers say the show will be very different from the original Mahabharat.

Ekta's only shows which did not have the letter K at the start were Hum Paanch and Itihaas. Both the shows were big hits. Hum Paanch used to be telecast at prime time on Zee while Itihaas was aired on DD in the noon slot.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/June/N ews_20080602_3
Posted: 15 years ago
The Who's who of Ekta's Mahabarat

Ekta Kapoor's Mahabharat will go on air in August. The filming is about to begin next week. We give you a lowdown on some of the characters who have been finalized.

Ronit Roy as Bhishma

He is taking major training for his role from Prashant Sawant (SRK's trainer). He has stopped eating rice and fish.

Ram Kapoor as Dhritashtra

It is said that Ram is also on weight training and is working hard to prepare for this blind character.

Chetan Hansraj as Bheem

Chetan is training himself in a gym. It is said that while doing a dummy shoot, Aryan's biceps inspired him.

Hiten Tejwani as Karan

Interestingly, Hiten is already playing a modern day Karan in his show Kyunki but it will be more interesting to see him in mythological costumes designed by Manish Malhotra.

Aryan Vaidya as Duryodhan

He has replaced Akashdeep Saigal as Akash is busy with his reality show and a daily soap. Moreover, it is being said that he is too fat for the role.

Sakshi Tanwar as Ganga

She was shooting for the show recently in Ladakh and suffered from some altitude problems.

Akashdeep Saigal is playing Kans Mama. The character of Kans is not very prominent as he has a very short role while Rakshanda Khan as Amba, the sister of Ambica and Amablica, will be seen in amrapali costumes.

The main characters like Krishna, Draupadi and Arjun are still to be decided. A source told us, "Ekta is making the show for the new generation so it is going to be a contemporary one. Our target audience is the age group of 15-20 who have only heard about the old Mahabharat. It is going to be technically way better and Manish is working very hard on each and every costume."

Some of the members of the cast have already finished shooting in Ladakh. The rest of the show's shoot will begin on May 28.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/May/Ne ws_20080519_210

Chetan braces himself to play Bheem

Chetan Hansraj, popular as Sasha of Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, is working hard on his fitness as he prepares to play Bheem in Ekta's Mahabharat. The actor spilled the beans on his changed routine and food habits.


"My main focus is on high protein food. In breakfast I mostly have eggs and corn flakes while for lunch or dinner I prefer having roasted chicken, boiled vegetables - carrots, beans etc. I avoid potatoes and rice. In fact you can say that I have completely cut off its consumption," says the actor.

On the exercise front, he says, "I am doing it almost every day - aerobics and cardio for one hour and weight training programme for half an hour. I have a separate trainer and work out five times a week. I have taken this very seriously and am feeling the effects of my body."

It is said that during the promo shoot, Chetan saw Aryan Vaid's (Duryodhan) and it inspired him to undergo this rigorous training. The actual shooting for the show is beginning on May 28 in Mumbai. Some parts will be shot in Ladakh.

Apart from Chetan, Ronit Roy and Hiten Tejwani also working hard on their fitness. Akashdeep Saigal, who was not part of the show earlier, will now play the role of Kans mama.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/May/Ne ws_20080515_170

Ronit Roy's Maha sacrifice

Ronit Roy is working very hard for his role of Bhishma in Mahabharat. Apart from exercising everyday he is avoiding his favourite food like rice and fish. Since Ronit was busy in shooting we spoke to Neelam Roy about his diet and exercise regime.


"Both of us are on a weight loss programme so we have to take care of our eating habits. We love home made food so I do not give him too much sweet. I try and give him fat free or low calorie dishes so he does not eat food made up of butter and consume less oil. Moreover, I make sure he carries his lunch on sets everyday or send him the lunch. My mother in law also asks him to have at least toast and juice in the morning," reveals Neelam.



She however adds, "We can only put restrictions when we are on holidays otherwise he is very busy with his schedule. But now since he is on a weight loss mission he himself wakes up and has tea before he leaves home. He generally has salads in lunch or I give him jawar roti, dal and sabji. Rice is not definitely not a part of his food. When we prepare biryani he does not combine it with roti. He likes Chinese a lot, because it is very light food."

Neelam is thankful that food is a not a focal point for Ronit. "We like to dine together as he gets very less time and it is a way of giving company to each other," says Neelam.

About his gym schedule, Neelam says, "There are no fixed hours as such but he manages to go for an hour everyday. He rehearses for Mahabharat nearly 7 hours and then goes for his serial shoot so the cardio part of training is taken care of. He was very serious during Jhalak but now he is taking it a little easy. At least he is eating on time."

The shooting for Mahabharat begins on May 28. Some part has already been shot in Mumbai. The show will go on air in August.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/May/Ne ws_20080516_185

Sakshi's shows halted

Sakshi Tanwar aka Parvati of Kahanii Ghar Ghar Ki was shooting for Mahabharat in Ladakh when she collapsed on the sets due to altitude.

As a result she was rushed to a local hospital and then to Delhi. But despite that she has not recovered and was flown to Mumbai for further tests and treatment. A source tells us that she was admitted in Bombay Hospital.

"Sakshi is in Bombay Hospital for the past four days. She is still under observation as the doctors are not happy with her progress. She is under treatment. The doctors have advised her to take complete bed rest. She will be discharged only after a couple of days," says the source.

As a result filming for all of Sakshi's shows like Mahabharat, Kahanii and her reality show Yeh Hai Jalwa have come to a standstill.

"Since she has to be on bed rest no filming is possible. Everything has been stopped. And even once she gets discharged from the hospital doctors won't allow her to go back to work immediately. So we don't know what is happening with her shows right now," says the source.

Despite numerous attempts Sakshi did not return our calls or text messages.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/May/Ne ws_20080512_133

Sakshi denies being admitted to hospital

Sakshi Tanwar aka Parvati, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii has denied that she was admitted to Bombay Hospital after shooting for Mahabharata in Ladakh. The actress says she is very much busy shooting for all her shows.

Sakshi clarifies, "I was never admitted to Bombay hospital and I am working on all my shows. I am tired of answering people's calls regarding my well-being. I have so many scenes in each of my shows so how can I not be shooting."

Adds Sakshi, "I have constantly been shooting for the last four days. The shooting for Mahabharata in Ladakh is over now I am busy shooting for Kahaani. Such reports can even harm my career."

Suraj Rao, Creative Head from Mahabharata, reiterates, "Sakshi was not admitted to the hospital. Altitude problem is quite common but it was not so serious. She was quite normal."

Sakshi plays an important character in Mahabharata. She is also anchoring Yeh Hai Jalwa with Smriti Irani and shooting for Kahaani.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/May/Ne ws_20080514_151
Posted: 15 years ago
Exclusive: Pics from Ekta's Mahabharat sets

There has been plenty of talk about Ekta's Mahabharat but we have managed to get exclusive snaps from the sets that have been constructed at Filmcity, Mumbai.

The crew is working in day and night shifts and so far they have been able to prepare a Sinhasan (throne) for the king. It will be painted later.



This huge lamp will be displayed inside a grand palace. The lamp is made up of ivory tusks. Small oil lamps made of wood are to be placed on it and are being coloured.


The work is on in full swing and there is some major designing of walls going on.

A source informs, "The shoot will start by the end of the June or July while show will going on air in the third week of August. Ronit Roy is playing Bhishmpitamaha, Chetan Hansraj Bheem and Ram Kapoor Drutrashtra. While the rest of the cast is yet to be confirmed, it is said Ekta is in talks with Gauri Pradhan, Anita Hasnandani, Akashdeep Saighal, Sakshi Tanwar and Hiten Tejwani. She is spending crores of rupees on the sets and has termed it her biggest project ever. Manish Malhotra is doing the costumes while Prashant Sawant (responsible for SRK's six pack) is the fitness trainer."

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/May/Ne ws_20080508_86

Gauri Tejwani is Ekta's Draupadi

The latest on Ekta's ambitious project Mahabharat is that Gauri Tejwani has been finalized as Draupati. Further, this will be the first time a show of hers that won't start with the letter K.

Our source informs, "Gauri's name is been finalized and now they are only discussing the payment. Her features and personality are quite suitable to Draupadi, who was not aggressive but assertive so it was felt she would be the best choice for the role."

According to the source Ekta was thinking of two names. "She had Anita Hasnandani and Gauri Tejwani, both her favourites, in mind. But she also kept her options open. So if both could not do it she was supposed to have a nationwide hunt to find out the appropriate Draupadi."

The show is going on air in August and Ekta is working very hard on it. "She does not want to leave any stone unturned so she is personally working night and day with her creative team. She is consulting her numerologist and tarot reader for an auspicious date for the launch of the show. It will be telecast on Friday – Saturday," reveals the source.

It is being said that Hiten Tejwani will be playing Karan and Aryan Vaid Duryodhan. The shooting will being in Mumbai so the hunt is on for some outdoor locations.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/May/Ne ws_20080509_100

Ram Kapoor prepares for Mahabharata

Ekta Kapoor's Mahabharata is one of the most awaited serials on television. And as expected the epic will star all her favorite actors. Ekta's blue eyed boy on television Ram Kapoor will play an important character in Mahabharata - Dhritrashtra who was a blind king of Hastinapur. A source tells us that Ram has been preparing himself for the role of a blind king.

"He is pretty nervous for this role as he still remembers the B.R. Films Mahabharata and also the character of Dhritrashtra was quite popular. He has not yet started shooting for it but yes he is preparing very hard for this role. He has brought the DVDs of Mahabharata and is watching it very closely. He is practicing how to walk as a blind man… how they speak."

"Even on the sets of Kasamh Se he practices in his make room daily. He is also learning Sanskrit as the language won't be a normal Hindi. He is also reading books related to Mahabharata and getting more into his role," adds the source.

We spoke to Ram Kapoor also about his role. "Yes … I'm pretty nervous as this role is not a normal serial role. I'm working hard on it and I have brought the all the DVD collection of Mahabharata and just watching so lets see as I have to break the image of Jai Walia from my fans."

Who is Dhritarashtra?
In the Mahabharata, Dhritarashtra was the son born to Vichitravirya's first wife Ambika. He was fathered by Vyasa. This blind king of Hastinapura was father to a hundred children by his wife Gandhari. These children came to be known as the Kauravas. Duryodhana and Dushasana were the first two sons.

His Last years
Yudhisthira was crowned king of both Indraprastha and Hastinapura. The war had killed many great warriors and millions of soldiers were killed on each side. Yudhisthira once again showed his kindness when he decided that the king of the city of Hastinapura should be Dhristarashtra. He offered the blind king complete respect and deference as an elder, despite his misdeeds and the evil of his dead sons. After many years as the ruler of Hastinapura, Dhristarashtra along with Ghandhari, Kunti and Vidura left for their final journey into the forest. They died in a forest fire in the Himalayas.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/May/Ne ws_20080505_45

Meet Ekta's modern Ganga

Sakshi Tanwar, who is playing Ganga in Ekta's version of Mahabharat, will be sporting a different look for the show. The Creative Head Suraj Rao gave us details.

About her look, he says, "People may term it a modern look for namesake but it is a normal one. We are using the same colour – white – for her costume. We have only changed the design a bit. But otherwise there is not too much of a difference. Manish (Malhotra) has tried to give her a fresh appearance as she is looking very nice and pretty. We have not played too much with her look so there is no need to compare the old and new Ganga."

Goddess Ganga is the mother of Bheeshma Pitamaha (Devrath) and she is the sister of Goddess Parvati. According to mythology Ganga originated from the head of Lord Shiva. She gave birth to seven children. She killed all seven by drowning them in the river but Bheeshma is considered as her 8th son.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/June/N ews_20080627_302

Ronit Roy's biggest challenge

Ronit Roy, who is playing Bheeshma Pitamaha in Kahaani Hamaaray Mahabharaat Ki, speaks on playing the most important and powerful character of the epic.

What made you select Mahaabhaarat?

I am doing this project because I am passionate about it. Some people have said I am doing this to please Ekta, but that is not true. I am very fond of Ekta, and I respect her creative judgments a lot, and I like working with her. Actually I only take up projects that excite me and that I feel passionate about. When I was approached for Mahaabhaarat, I had informed Balaji that I wanted to finish my current project and then start of with this show and they agreed to - it's just been 3-4 of weeks since the shoot has started. And as an actor all that I am doing is trying to execute it.

What made you choose the character of Bheeshma?

Bheeshma as a character is what you can call an iconic character. The journey of Bheeshma from Gangaya to Bheeshma Pitama reflects various shades and to depict so many shades of this character makes it challenging for an actor. Young Bheeshma begins with Gangya wherein he has a different look and character, when he is given the name Devavrath he portrays a different look. When Bheeshma turns Pitama with Pandav's Kids has a different character that of a mentor a teacher and when Bheeshama agrees to fight the battle against the Pandavas, the people he loves the most in the world is a different look and shade. Then on the 10th day of the battle Bheeshma on the bed of arrows portrays a different character. It's a great challenge to maintain these different shades of the same character.

How did you get the role?

Well, Ekta had spoken to me, and said she was making this very grand and spectacular Mahaabhaarat. I told her I'd love to be part of the show I actually read up the Mahabharat in a couple of weeks, and as I re-visited it, I became more and more convinced that if there was one character I wanted to play, it was that of Bheeshm. And guess how Ekta and I agreed about the character? I sent her a one-word sms, saying "BHEESHM?" And she replied, "DONE!"

How did you prepare for this character?

Today I am shooting for Bheeshma in the first phase, I am trying that I don't look as Bheeshma would a little later when he takes the vow -- one of the biggest scenes of the Mahaabhaarat. I have to look 20-something and have to get my physique in reverse gear and try and look like the young Bheeshma. This transformation is not only physical but emotional too. The preparation process is changing every day on the set. It took 12 days, the longest time ever in my career I ever took, to find the tone of the character I play. It took me 2-3 days to find the eyes for the character. This is the most challenging character of my career.


If not Bheeshma which other character would you take up?

If I could say so, there are 5 heroes of Mahaabhaarat - Bheeshma, Drona, Arjun, Karn and Krishna. These are the most important characters from beginning to end in the Mahaabhaarat. If I were younger I would love to play the character of Karn.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/June/N ews_20080627_291
Posted: 15 years ago
Mahabharaat takes spiritual path

Shooting for Kahani Hamaray Mahabharaat Ki has been going on in various parts of the country. However when the cast of show was shooting in Jaipur for major sequences they faced few problems.
Our source from production house told us details.

"The incident took place last week when we landed in Jaipur for the shoot. Our schedule was of 8 -10 days out there. And everything was going according to plan but the day we landed with whole cast and crew we came to know that metrological department have predicted early rainfall in the city." informs a source.



"It almost started raining immediately when we reached the airport. We were so worried about it. So after two days we decided to break a coconut everyday in the morning before commencing the shoot and prayed that it should not rain," he adds.

And did it work?

"Surprisingly when we did that on the first day it did not rain and as soon as we had packed up it started raining again. So we decided to follow this every day and so everyday it used to rain after we packed up. That is how we completed our 8 days of schedule successfully and came back here," he informs.



So far the cast has been finished shooting in Ladakh, Jaipur, Filmcity (Mumbai), few outskirts of Mumbai and Wai (Interiors of Maharashtra.)

Ekta's Kahaani Hamaray Mahabharaat ki goes on air from July 7th.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/July/N ews_20080701_2
Posted: 15 years ago
'I took Sahadev's role to get a positive image'

July 02, 2008 13:34 IST

From the bad man Raunak in Kasturi to the goodie-goodie brother Sahadev in Kahani Hamare Mahabharat Ki, Jatin Shah has done it all.

The handsome heartthrob of Indian television seems to be going through a well-deserved career growth. What started off with innocuous advertisements soon transformed into a cameo role in Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki, and finally a role in Kasturi and Ekta Kapoor's [Images] Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki.

"I consider myself lucky to have got such a good role in Mahabharat even though it means a lot of hard work for me. I have to learn horse riding and sword fighting for the battle scenes and also work out for two hours daily to get into shape for Sahadev's character," says a grateful Jatin, whose rise to fame, like many other actors, can be attributed to Balaji Telefilms.

But why a mythological character? "People started liking me as Raunak in Kasturi. When my character started developing negative shades, they started hating me. So I took Sahadev's role to get a positive image. Hopefully, they will start liking me again," Jatin smiles.

"I consider myself very lucky to have been identified for the biggest project on Indian television today," he continues. "Plus, I feel an actor's actual test is in doing different types of roles. I have done soaps, now I feel doing a mythological character will add to my portfolio and help me mature as an actor."

http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/jul/02jatin.htm

Ronit Roy: Nervous about playing Bhishma

July 01, 2008 18:01 IST

After essaying the popular role of Mihir Virani in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Rishabh Bajaj in Kasauati Zindagi Kay, Ronit Roy will switch over to another popular character on Indian television.

Ekta Kapoor's [Images] Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki will see him play Bhishma, earlier played by Mukesh Khanna in BR Chopra's version of Mahabharat.

He talks to Rajul Hegde about his new role.

How did you get the role?

Ekta Kapoor told me that she was making a spectacular Mahabharat, and I said that I would love to be part of the show. I read the Mahabharat, and was convinced that if there was a character I wanted to play, it had to be Bhishma. I sent an SMS to Ekta and told her that I wanted to play Bhishma. She agreed.

Why did you want to be a part of this show?

I respect Ekta Kapoor's creative judgments, and I like working with her. I only take up projects that excite me and feel passionate about. When I was approached for Mahabharat, I had informed Balaji that I wanted to finish my current projects and then start with this show and they agreed.

Why Bhishma?

Bhishma is one of the most powerful and beautiful characters in Mahabharat. The character is larger in magnitude and I am proud that I am playing Bhishma. At the same time, I'm very scared and nervous too.

The first face that comes to mind when you think of Bhishma is Mukesh Khanna.

I am proud to play the character of Bhishma, which Mukesh Khanna essayed in B R Chopra's Mahabharat, and made history. The new generation has not seen the old Mahabharat; they will be seeing it for the first time. So it will be a big challenge to get accepted. It's a huge task and I will try my best to justify the role.

Mukesh Khanna said in an interview that it is dangerous to remake an epic and that it will be a flop.

Mukesh Khanna is a senior actor; he has every right to give his opinion. As far as the show is concerned, whether it is going to be a hit or a flop, we will know once it goes on air on July 7. Let us leave it to the audience.

Since this is your first mythological show, did you have any problem with the dialogues?

I speak good Hindi. I had a problem with chaste Hindi for a couple of days. Now, I'm used to it.

What kind of preparation did you do for this role?

I prepared at two levels. One, being the son of Ganga signifies purity. He would also have the qualities of his father, Shantanu, a Kshatriya king. The journey of Bhishma from Gangaya to Bhishma Pitama reflects various shades. To depict so many shades makes it challenging for an actor. I have to keep both in mind and make sure my mannerisms fit my character.

Tell us about your look.

The look and the costumes are very different from what we would normally imagine. We don't have mukut and golden armour. There is a different kind of headgear for different characters. I am very comfortable with the traditional costume, dhoti.

Tell us about the shooting experience.

I have been shooting for this show for the last two months in Wai, Ladakh, Jaipur and Mumbai. We shoot for 10-12 hours a day. We are trying to keep an episode bank since the show will be aired before the scheduled time.

It has been a fantastic experience. This show is produced by one of the biggest production houses, Balaji Telefilms. Ekta has a great vision and is producing Mahabharat on a bigger scale than the earlier one.

What next?

I am just doing Kyun Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Mahabharat.

http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/jul/01roy.htm

'It will be challenging to play Bheem'

June 30, 2008 13:30 IST

Chetan Hansraj plays the pivotal character of Bheem in Ekta Kapoor's [Images] Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki. But this is not the first time Chetan is part of a mythological show.

Ironically, Chetan starred in the earlier Mahabharat, produced by B R Chopra, as well. He was about 15 years old, and played the young Balram. He has also been a part of Prithviraj Chauhan, playing the negative character, Bheemdev.

Chetan has not started shooting for Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki yet. Though the serial will premiere on July 7, his portions will be shot only after 10 days.

He spoke to Rajul Hegde about his Mahabharat experience.

Tell us about the lavish sets, locations and costumes.

It is a spectacular set. We are shooting in Mumbai, Wai, Ladakh and Jaipur. 

Manish Malhotra has designed the costumes. The costumes and jewellery are traditional, but with a modern and fresh look. It does not fall into the mythological stereotype. Audiences will be able to relate to it.

What kind of research have you done for your character, Bheem?

I have not read any book on the Mahabharat before. Now, I am reading one to know the character better.

Bheem had a great body, so I have being working on it. I have to look like an able-bodied man, who can defy his enemies. I am trying my best to look good on screen. I'm having high protein food now. I have eggs and cornflakes for breakfast, and roasted chicken and boiled vegetables for lunch and dinner. I avoid potatoes and rice.

Did the concept of six pack abs exist in those times?

How do you know it was not there?

What kind of response have you got?

Everybody loved the promos and I am very happy with it.

Since the show has been advanced, is the cast working harder?

All of them are working round the clock. They have started shooting the childhood of the Pandavas and the Kauravas.

You played junior Balram in B R Chopra's version of Mahabharat.

I had played that role years ago. It was the role of a lifetime for any actor. I feel I'm coming home, since I am playing Bheem.

I had a problem with the dialogues when I played Balram. Even now, it was tough initially. But it will be challenging.

You have played negative characters in most of your shows. Do you think people will accept you in this new avatar?

I played a positive role in Kkusum but my negative character Sasha in Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki made me popular. When they accepted me in that, I am sure they will accept me in my new avatar also.

Are you still in Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki?

Right now, my character in Kahani is not being shown. So I am only doing Kahani Hamarey Mahabharat Ki and a reality show, Kaun Jeetega Bollwood Ka Ticket.

http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/jun/30chetan.ht

Posted: 15 years ago
Hiten Tejwani on playing Karan again

Hiten Tejwani will be playing the character of Karan in Ekta's Kahaani Hamaaray Mahabhaarat Ki. Hiten is happy to be called Karan everywhere! We had a chat with him about the show.

Talking about the show, he says:" It is true that in Kyunki I am playing Karan and in Mahabharat too I am playing the character with the same name but they are totally different and I am working hard for it."

On taking up the role, he explains, "I am sure the makers have studied Mahabharat very well and they have selected characters according to the demand of the role. I am not denying the fact that initially we feel that oh we should have played that character instead of this one but slowly we become habitual to a particular character and we start getting responses also."

Hiten is all praises for this Mahabharat. "It is quite different from that of the earlier one. We have seen the earlier Mahabharat and we started believing that all characters are like that in real life – the kind of clothes they used to wear and the way they used to talk and walk was real. So if we show the same thing then there won't be any freshness. This Mahabharat will be beyond anybody's imagination," he exclaims.

About Karan

Karan was also known as Sutputra and Suryavanshi. He was the sixth child of Kunti. She gave birth to him before marriage and decided to leave him in a river. The Pandavas and Karan were not aware about this. Karan, known for his charity, fought the battle against the Pandavas and got to know of the truth only when he was about to die.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/July/N ews_20080704_36

Meet the young Devrath

Vishal Thakkar will be seen playing the young Devrath in Kahaani Hamaaray Mahabhaarat Ki. The actor, who did a cameo in Kyunki gave us details about his role.

Reveals the actor, "I shot for 14 days in Jaipur and then we went to Ladakh for a 11-day schedule. They wanted me to shoot in Mumbai for two days which I have finished a few days back. In all I have completed 20 episodes in nearly 25 days. It was very hectic to shoot in 40 degree and then again in -12 degree. I even hurt myself during a sword fighting scene and was hospitalized for two days. But this is not my first mythological show. I did one called Maharathi Karan so it was not that difficult for me. Moreover, my mother loves mythological shows."

Talking about how he got this role, he says, "I was working on Chandni Bar's sequel with R.Mohan when the creative head of the show Suraj Rao called me and asked me what I am doing. So I told him that I am free for a few days. Then he asked me whether I am interested in doing Mahabharat with them. I said yes and we were off to Jaipur the next day for shooting."

Vishal was earlier a dance teacher. "Yes I was working as a dance teacher but then I started getting offers for acting after doing commercials and short films."

Vishal has finished shooting for Anubhav Sinha's Kabutar and Red Alert. He also worked in Chandni Bar, Munnabhai M.B.B.S and Tango Charlie.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/ July/News_20080703_24

Ekta finds her Yudhishtir

Newcomer Uma Shanker will be playing the role of Yudhishtir in Ekta's version of Mahabharat.

Talking about his first show, he says, "The show is very different as expected - the characterization, lighting and entire look is quite contemporary. It has been given international treatment. We will not wear jewellery or crowns. We have made this show for all generations."

A product of the National School of Drama, he adds, "I went for audition for this show and they offered me another role which I did not like so I said no. After a few days they again called me and offered me Yudhishtir's role. I felt it is a very substantial and challenging role so I accepted it."

Uma says he has done lots of research for this role. "I read books and information on the net. I came to know of lots of surprising things about Yudhishtir like he is known as Dharmraj but why he is called so when all of us follow our dharma and also the reason behind his name and the gamble which he decided to play because he was Kshatriya. He was very truthful by nature. When Pandavas had been sent to vanvas for 13 years, they could have comeback within 13 maas (months) so they could have easily escaped. But, true to his nature, Yudhishtir and the pandavas remained in vanvas for 13 years."

He admits that it is not easy to play this role. "The character has parameters of its own. Here you do not have to think about it and just have to fit in the definition which is given to you. I have seen the old show though I was young. Roads used to be deserted when the show used to come on air. Breaking images of those actors is not going to be easy."

Kali Prasad will be playing the role of Shakuni. He was busy shooting for the show and hence was not available for comments.

The show is going on air on Monday, July 7.

About Yudhishtir

He was the eldest son of Kunti and Pandu. He was famous as Dharmaraj. He had control over all his brothers and was a perfect King. He took the decision of playing a gamble and lost Draupadi in it. He was also known for his intelligence.

http://www.indya.com/news/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/July/N ews_20080704_41
Edited by *Shruti* - 15 years ago
Posted: 15 years ago
Mahabharaat takes spiritual path

Shooting for Kahani Hamaray Mahabharaat Ki has been going on in various parts of the country. However when the cast of show was shooting in Jaipur for major sequences they faced few problems.
Our source from production house told us details.
"The incident took place last week when we landed in Jaipur for the shoot. Our schedule was of 8 -10 days out there. And everything was going according to plan but the day we landed with whole cast and crew we came to know that metrological department have predicted early rainfall in the city." informs a source.


"It almost started raining immediately when we reached the airport. We were so worried about it. So after two days we decided to break a coconut everyday in the morning before commencing the shoot and prayed that it should not rain," he adds.

And did it work?

"Surprisingly when we did that on the first day it did not rain and as soon as we had packed up it started raining again. So we decided to follow this every day and so everyday it used to rain after we packed up. That is how we completed our 8 days of schedule successfully and came back here," he informs.


So far the cast has been finished shooting in Ladakh, Jaipur, Filmcity (Mumbai), few outskirts of Mumbai and Wai (Interiors of Maharashtra.)

Ekta's Kahaani Hamaray Mahabharaat ki goes on air from July 7th.
Posted: 15 years ago
Om-Parvati join Ekta's Mahabharat
The actors will share screen space as husband and wife once again
TV actor Kiran Karmarkar, best known as Om of Kahani Ghar Ghar Kii (KGGK), joins the cast of Ekta Kapoor's amuch-talked about show Kahani Hamaray Mahabharat Ki.

He will play King Shantanu in the show, which will be aired on 9X channel.

In the serial, once again Kiran will share the screen space with his co-star Sakshi Tanwar, who will play Ganga, his wife in it.

The versatile actor joins the team of much-admired actors like Ronit Roy, Anita Hassanandani, Rakshanda Khan, Aryan Vaid, Chetan Hansraj, Makarand Deshpande and many other known actors in this mega mythological show.


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