Mahabharat - then and now...

In a nutshell, the Mahabharata is a tale of warring cousins and their epic conflict which engulfed all the kingdoms of ancient India. Of course, it is almost impossible to keep track of the numerous subplots and off-shoots to the main narrative - the scope almost too vast too comprehend! I grew up listening to stories from the Mahabharata at my grandmother's knee - at that time, without fully getting the moral struggles, the utter humanity of all the larger-than-life characters. And yet this humanity is what makes the Mahabharata so irresistible - the protagonists are all flawed as can be, and yet strive to attain the ultimate salvation - moksha.

It is no wonder then that when B.R.Chopra's 'Mahabharata' was first telecast as televised serial in 1988, it was an instant hit! Sunday mornings were sacrosanct - entire cities came to a standstill, as millions tuned in to watch the latest episode! By no means was this interpretation perfect - the special effects left a lot to be desired, the actors were all oh-so-dramatic and over the top, the costumes (including the ridiculous weapons) were laughable at best! The funniest were the war scenes - I still remember the 2 arrows zooming towards each other in slow-mo, and then one destroying the other, followed by close-ups of the shocked face of the loser, and the smirk on the face of the victor!

Despite all the flaws, however, this Mahabharata was still eminently watchable - and most of the credit should go to the rock-solid screenplay, crisp dialogues and the soulful couplets - all written by Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza. Using Samay - Time - as the narrator was an absolute masterstroke, and Harish Bhimani's unforgettable baritone 'Main Samay Hoon...' still echoes in my ears after so many years! Towering performances by Nitish Bharadwaj as Krishna and Mukesh Khanna as Bheeshma made it easy to overlook the shortcomings of the rest of the cast! Bharadwaj especially, was beyond fantastic - for millions of viewers, he was, and still is, the very embodiment of Krishna! It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that an entire generation was introduced to this magnificent epic in the most entertaining way possible!

And although the tale of the Mahabharata remains immortal, the 1980s TV series appears to be quite dated on recent viewing. So when the new version of the Mahabharata was announced with much fanfare - I was quite curious to watch this new take on the epic. Hopefully a more grounded, contemporary approach - treating the classic as historical rather than mythological? Better special effects for sure, but also a deeper exploration of the grey areas? Spectacularly realistic war scenes, maybe even like those seen in the Lord of the Rings films?

Alas, the new show is mostly fluff - more glitz and glamor, much less substance! The actors are all toned and buffed - without exception, everyone looks like they spent hours at the gym! Pandavas and Kauravas alike sport designer stubbles, and blow-dried hair - the salon is probably where they go after they're done with the gym! The same dhotis and angvastras, the same elaborate crowns - oh wait, the jewellery is better, and to make it easier to keep track of the different characters, each person has their unique jewellery! To say the acting is terrible would be an understatement - while veterans like Sudesh Berry and Puneet Issar are tolerable, no-one seems to have told all the newcomers that they were on the sets of a TV show, and not on a ramp of a fashion show! Arav Chaudhary makes a valiant effort as Bheeshma, but dressing him exactly like Mukesh Khanna on the previous show only serves to highlight his lack of screen presence! As for Krishna - I'll just say that Nitish Bharadwaj is sorely missed!!

The special effects, too, aren't really 'special' - the computer graphics are completely visible in most places and not much of an upgrade either! The episode with the Varnavat fire, or Draupadi's birth - could have been spectacular, but are surprisingly shoddy! And where exactly is this Hastinapur supposed to be located - surrounded by waterfalls and mountains - reminds me of Rivendell from Middle Earth! The sets are opulent enough, but again, they just seem to have used the earlier versions as templates, and then added more bling! Also unlike the 1980s series, which took its own time meandering about all the different back stories - the new version is on the fast track, completely bypassing anything other than the main thread.

So why am I still watching? - well, there's so much scope for improvement, that I can't but help hope that things will get better! And not everything is a loss - I really like the camaraderie between the Pandavas, the playful banter is really good! Saurav Gurjar as Bheem is getting better and better, and Shaheer Sheikh's vulnerable Arjun is clearly the best of the lot. I'm also liking the way Draupadi's character is shaping up - from standing up to Kunti, to playing an integral part as an advisor to Yudhishtir, this Draupadi is certainly not just an ornament! So, I'm in for the ride - for better or worse!

At the end of the day, it is the Mahabharata itself that is the clear winner - how can anyone go wrong with such a powerful saga? With its lessons on dharma and karma, the Mahabharata is as relevant today as it was centuries ago - and in any of its versions, will always remain the most popular epic of all!