Radio drama ‘Mahabharat’: Innovative enactment of the epic

In September 2018 Fever FM launched Mahabharat, with a star cast comprising of Shilpa Shetty Kundra as Draupadi, Shatrughan Sinha as Bheeshma Pitamah, Shakti Kapoor as Shakuni, Vivek Anand Oberoi as Karna, Shaan as Sri Krishna and Rahul Dev as Bheem.

The radio station has also repackaged epics like Ramayana, Gandhi, Bose, Bal Gopal and Jai Bajrangi for radio. These recreations have been voiced by top stars including Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Naseeruddin Shah and Smriti Irani among others.

With around100 episodes, Mahabharat plays across 13 stations of Fever FM for six months and it is narrated by Vijay Raaz. The show has become a popular among listeners.

“I have always been fascinated by epics such as Mahabharat and its very strong characters. Karan in Mahabharat not only exuded enigma but also selflessness and worldly excellence. So strong was his character that even 5000 years after Mahabharat, the reference to the trait ‘danveer’ embodies and describes only him,” says Vivek Oberoi

Actor Shakti Kapoor said, “Shakuni mama is a very riveting and colourful personality. The shades and layers to his persona are fun to explore. Deceptive yet funny, magnanimous yet narcissist, cunningness at the surface but a story underneath.”

Talking about the epic “Mahabharat”, Harshad Jain, CEO, Radio and Entertainment, HT Media Ltd. said,“Mahabharat is a timeless epic and an integral part of Indian culture. Its characters, episodes and learning hold relevance even in today’s times. We strongly felt that the epic should be presented to the young generation, and in a contemporary manner. Radio has never witnessed a production of this scale and grandeur, and a star cast of such stature.”