- The Mahabharata (1989 film)
Infobox Film
name = The Mahabharata
image_size = 210px
caption = DVD cover
director =Peter Brook
producer =
writer = Peter BrookJean-Claude Carrière Marie-Hélène Estienne
narrator =
starring = Robert Langton-Lloyd
Antonin Stahly-Vishwanadan
Bruce Myers
Vittorio MezzogiornoAndrzej Seweryn Georges Corraface
music =Toshi Tsuchitori Rabindranath Tagore
cinematography =William Lubtchansky
editing =
distributor =
released = 1989
runtime = 318 / 171 min.
country =Belgium /Australia /U.S.A. /Sweden /Portugal /Norway /Netherlands /Japan /Ireland /Iceland /Finland /Denmark /U.K. /France
language = English
budget = $5 million
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id = 1:30862
imdb_id = 0097810"The Mahabharata" is a 1989 film version of the
Hindu epic,Mahabharata , directed byPeter Brook . Brook's original 1985 stage play was 9 hours long, and toured around the world for four years. In 1989, it was reduced to under 6 hours for television (TV mini series). Later it was also reduced to about 3 hours for theatrical and DVD release. The screeplay was the result of eight years work by Peter Brook,Jean-Claude Carrière andMarie-Hélène Estienne . For the casting an international selection of actors was intentionally chosen, to show that the nature of the Hindu epic is the story of all humanity.Plot
In general terms, the story involves epic incidents between two warring families, the
Pandavas (representing the good side) and theKauravas (representing the bad side). Both sides, being the offspring of kings and gods, fight for dominion. They have been both advised by the godKrishna to live in harmony and abstain from the bloody lust for power. Yet their fights come to threaten the very order of the Universe. The plot is framed as a narrative between the Brahmin sage Vyasa and the Hindu deityGanesha , and directed towards an unnamed Indian boy who comes to him inquiring about the story of the human race.Cast
*Robert Langton-Lloyd as
Vyasa
*Antonin Stahly-Vishwanadan as Boy
*Bruce Myers asGanesha /Krishna
*Vittorio Mezzogiorno asArjuna
*Andrzej Seweryn asYudhishthira
*Georges Corraface asDuryodhana
*Jean-Paul Denizon asNakula
*Mahmoud Tabrizi-Zadeh asSahadeva
*Mallika Sarabhai asDraupadi
*Miriam Goldschmidt asKunti
*Ryszard Cieslak asDhritarashtra
*Hélène Patarot asGandhari
*Myriam Tadesse as Gandhari's servant
*Urs Bihler asDushasana
*Lou Bihler as YoungKarna
*Jeffrey Kissoon asKarna
*Maurice Bénichou asKitchaka
*Yoshi Oida asDrona
*Sotigui Kouyaté asParashurama /Bhishma
*Tuncel Kurtiz asShakuni
*Ciarán Hinds asAshwatthama
*Erika Alexander asMadri /Hidimbi
*Bakary Sangaré as The Sun /Rakshasa /Ghatotkacha
*Tapa Sudana asPandu /Shiva
*Akram Khan asEkalavya
*Nolan Hemmings asAbhimanyu
*Hapsari Hardjito as Abhimanyu's wife
*Mas Soegeng asVirata
*Yumi Nara as Virata's wife
*Amba Bihler as Virata's daughter
*Tamsir Niane asUrvasi
*Lutfi Jakfar asUttara
*Gisèle Hogard as 1st princess
*Julie Romanus as 2nd princess
*Abbi Patricx as Salvi
*Mamadou Dioumé asBhima
*Ken Higelin as Deathless boy
*Corinne Jaber as Amba /Sikhandin
*Joseph Kurian asDhristadyumna
*Clement Masdongar as Gazelle
*Leela Mayor asSatyavati
*Velu Vishwananan as The hermitAwards
In 1990, the film won the award for Performing Arts of the International Emmy Awards and the Audience Award for Best Feature at the
São Paulo International Film Festival .External links
*imdb title|id=0097810|title=The Mahabharata
*amg title|id=1:30862|title=The Mahabharata
* [http://www.miracosta.cc.ca.us/home/gfloren/mahabfilm.htm The Mahabarata at miracosta.cc.ca.us]
* [http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum210/coursepack/mahabharata.htm Mahabarata film notes at web.cocc.edu]
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