The Mahabharata Trilogy — starcast too big to be true
General September 3rd, 2006
The Mahabharata Trilogy is a project undertaken by Bobby Bedi, a producer in Mumbai.
The project incorporates a plan to make three cinemas entirely based on the stories of Mahabharata and is believed to include some top Bollywood superstars. The multi-starrer will include the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and Rani Mukerji. It has been claimed that the project will capture the battles, intrigues, spiritual complexity and cultural aesthetics of India 4,000 years ago.
Cast:
- Karan … Shahrukh Khan
- Krishna … Salman Khan
- Yudhhishthir … Jackie Shroff
- Bheema … Vikram
- Arjun … Aamir Khan
- Nakul … Madhavan
- Sehdev … Mohan Lal
- Draupadi … Rani Mukerji
- Kunti … Madhuri Dixit
- Gandhari … Juhi Chawla
- Ganga … Sridevi
- Subhadra … Preity Zinta
- Bheeshma … Amitabh Bachchan
- Shikhandi … Karan Johar
- Dronacharya … Dharmendra
- Duryodhan … Kamal Haasan
- Dushshasan … Akkineni Nagarjuna
- Shakuni Mama… Ajith Kumar
- Ashwathama … Rajini Kanth
- Eklavya … Manoj Bajpai
- Dhritrashtra … Navin Nischol
- Paandu … Siddharth Narayan
- Vidur … Kabir Bedi
- Karagi … Aishwarya Rai
- Chandrudu …Trisha Krishnan
- Seethai … Meera Jasmine
- Usaja … Kajol
- Popojith … Shriya Saran
Crew:
- Director … Mani Ratnam
- Producer … Crossover Films (Bobby Bedi, Mani Ratnam)
- Music director … Ilaiyaraja, A.R. Rahman & Yuvan Shankar Raja
Here is the Times of India article:
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.
It is very hard to beleive that this project will be a success but anticipate that it comes true and Mahabharata Trilogy becomes a great saga to depict the deep Indian culture to the world.
About
Wow… Thatz a Really Big Project. But it really leaves a doubt… “Will that Work?”
And regarding Starcast…
“Draupati”, who is described as one of the most beautiful woman is played by Rani who falls behind in terms of her beauty.
“Sahdev”, the youngest of the Pandav is played by Mohanlal who looks as old as Jackie Shroff.
“Krishna” by Salman Khan… I don’t know how to look at a Muscular Krishna.
“Arjun” by Aamir…? Hmmm… He lacks the Aryan warrior look and looks much more feminine…
“Bheem” by Vikram…? He doesn’t even have half the size of the Bheem in dreams… Some one like Sharat Saxena, but some more young could have been better…
And Rajnikanth… Yikes!!
And sad that Arjun Rampal, packed with a lot of Aryan Masculine virtues hasn’t found a place…
(will be contined…)
it is interesting news for every one in india.
the option for Duryodhan as Kamal is the best choice than anyother.
Vikram suits best for the character Bheema.
Amazing Project !! Directed well, this is the way to the Oscars!!
I would have suggested Hrithik as Arjun, young and charming.
Ash as draupadi, not rani..c’mon
Krishna by salman, thats a blunder
the project is good n fantastic…as far as it is heard..the conditions can change drastically when all the biggest names in the indian cinemas come under the same camera..star cast as described above is good..being n individual i would never suggest vikram for bheema..bheema’s known for his strength n physique..i dont think vikram would make that up in this span of life..kamal hassan as duryodhan n amitabh bachan as bheeshma was the best casting..no one will do that better.mohanlal should have been given a better imporatant character which suites his age n appearance..
I think Arshad Warsi shud be Krishna, Aamir to be Karna, karan Johar to be Shikhandi, Kab Bedi to be Bhishma Pita, Arjun shud be played by eiher SRK, Priyanka as Panchali and Sanjay Dutt as Duryodhan
Salman as Krishna is a disaster!! That pulls the moview down all the way…Abhishek would be much better. Salman should be Pandu or something….
No doubt it would be a great project, if happened.
But many south stars given negative roles.
They don’t agree for those roles.
But, a good project.
Its very good project. it should be compleated soon. But its star cast is not apropriat. In my opinion The role of Arjun should be given to Akscchay Kumar, Bheem to Sunny Deol, Ritik will be a better option for Abhimaniyu. ompuri as Dronacharya, Manoj Bajpeyi as Dusasan, And Sharukh khan as Karna, Amir Khan as Krishna, Duriyodhan to Mukesh Rishi,
Sridevi’s role reduced to that of somebody who every so often will come out of the Ganga just for a 2 min chat with Bhishma…(Amitabh Bachchan’s mother????). For Pete sake that’s ridiculous. She should at least get the place of Kunti or Gandhari….though I prefer Kunti so that her beautiful eyes don’t get covered up.
A very good project but casting is not even near the appropriate, must involve hollywood superstars in this visual, like Hunter Hearst Helmsley (Triple H) should be given the role of Bheem. Also some modifications would improve the project like south indian superstars are not appropriately placed e.g. Mohan Lal as Sehdev, etc, and Bheeshma must be played by Dharmendra and Drona by Amit Ji.
I think the starcast is Fake……..
But If any mythological movie is planned to be made in bollywood, I would rather suggest RAMAYAN to MAHABARATH. And I agree with the person above to give roles to hollywood superstars. HHH in my RAMAYAN would be RAVAN and no one else in d world could fit that role perfectly…..
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