Voice Cast: Amitabh Bachchan as Bheeshma Pitamaha, Shatrughan Sinha as Lord Krishna, Anupam Kher as Shakuni, Jackie Shroff as Duryodhan, Manoj Bajpai as Yudhisthir, Deepti Naval as Kunti, Ajay Devgan as Arjun, Anil Kapoor as Karn, Sunny Deol as Bheem, Vidya Balan as Draupadi
Directed by: Amaan Khan
Music: Rajendra Shiv
The Indian Animation Industry, which now comprises of 2D, 3D and Visual Effects for films, got a kick-start way back in the 1930s. Nonetheless, it hasn’t been able to set up as a strong contender for animation in the world. In 2008, India saw its first 3D animated film, Roadside Romeo, which was produced under the banner of Yash Raj Films. After a gap of six years, we have yet another animation film paving its way at the silver screen. India’s most expensive multi-starrer animation film, Mahabharat, got an opening at the theaters this week. It is for the first time that the Great Indian Epic has been revived in an animated form.
Plot: The story of Mahabharat, the Great Indian Epic of the Hindu Mythology, is something that almost everyone is fluent with. Mahabharat in itself is the greatest story ever told. Composed by Rishi Vyasa, Mahabharat narrates the tale of sibling rivalry between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. It is the story of emotions, a paradigm of socio-political aspirations and to the most, the politics within the family for the sake of power and property.
Performances: The top-notch stars of the Indian film industry have rendered their voices for the various characters. Amongst all, the best work has been put forward by the Megastar Amitabh Bachchan as well as Vidya Balan. The two of them have put in special efforts in bringing out the right pitch and tone for their roles. Sunny Deol and Anil Kapoor have done their part fabulously well. The rest of them are good to ignore.
What’s Good: The only good thing about the movie is the revival of Mahabharat with animation as the platform.
What’s Bad: The animation has been poorly done in transforming the stars into their animated forms. The characters are vague look-alikes of the star cast. The movement of the animations is quite awkward and stiff. As a film for the children, it is too complex and grim. The animation effects which could have transformed the epic into a must watch visual haven’t been made use of by the animator.
India’s most expensive animated film, Mahabharat, unfortunately fails to impress the viewers. Only if the makers of the film had made use of the animation techniques aptly and kept in mind the young audience that the animated films target, the film could have taken the Animation Industry to a different pedestal. The Epic Mahabharat has been revived a number of times till date, but portraying it in animation was definitely a novel idea. Expecting an Avatar like film would have been an unfair deal but Mahabharat surely had high expectations which sadly could not be fulfilled.
Verdict: Don’t let your children have a wrong perception of what Mahabharat was all about! Avoid watching this one.
Rating: **
