Mahabharata in 3D

Tales from the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata, which describes the deadly discord between two groups of cousins, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, will form the basis of the cartoon Mahabharat, the shooting of which began in Bollywood, the Indian news agency IANS reports.

The epic’s protagonists will be voiced by highly prominent Indian actors. For instance, the Kaurava army commander Bhishma will speak through Amitabh Bachchan of Zanjeer’s fame, the earthly incarnation of the goddess of wealth and prosperity Lakshmi princess Draupadi will be voiced by Vidya Balan who starred in The Dirty Picture, and Ajay Devgan, known as the protagonist of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, will voice Arjuna, the Pandava army commander. Anil Kapoor, who starred in Slumdog Millionaire, is a recent addition to the cartoon’s cast, the ITAR-TASS news agency clarifies further.

The Mahabharata is among most revered texts of Indian culture, comprising myths about the Hindu gods, the universe and the origin of life as well as parables. It includes famous Bhagavad Gita, a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna occurring before the battle of Kurukshetra. Scenes from the epic were repeatedly depicted by artists and used by later Indian authors, and many films and TV series were based on them. British director Peter Brook made a 6-episode series named Mahabharata in the 1980s.

The epic’s first part dates from the seventh century BC, but the 18-book Sanskrit Mahabharata as we know it now, heavily edited and interpolated, belongs to the fifth century AD.

The 3D cartoon will premiere in November, when India will celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, one of the nation’s most popular holidays.