Several makers have tried to create Hindu epic Mahabharat for the small screen, but no one has been able to match the one created by BR Chopra and son Ravi. Their 139-episode series aired between 1988 and 1990 took the nation by storm with its screenplay and star cast. The show is set to return to the small screen, and will air on PEN India’s new channel, WOW.
The channel is elated to have procured the rights from the makers. It stars Mukesh Khanna (Bhishma), Pankaj Dheer (Karna), Gajendra Chouhan (Yudhishthir), Arjun (Arjun), Roopa Ganguly (Draupadi), Puneet Issar (Duryodhan) and Nitish Bharadwaj (Krishna) among others. A PEN source said, “The show will air between 5.30 am and 6.15 am every day.”
When contacted, Jayantilal Gada of PEN India Limited says, “We feel, no other version of the Mahabharat can be compared with the creation of BR Chopra. His version is like history, which cannot be rewritten. It’s an honour for us to have procured the rights to air the coveted show on our channel.’’
Asked if the show could garner sufficient eyeballs since it is set to air in the wee hours, Aksshay Gada, who is helming WOW, said, “Our channel’s programming team is trying to make room for more slots during the day so that people across age groups can enjoy it. Watching this version will bring back memories for the older generation. As for the younger lot, they will witness a show that has been unparalleled till date.”
Another segment to watch out for in the morning is Love — which will air at 8 am. It will feature the best romantic songs. The channel is available on all MSO and DTH networks.