The Mahabharata (1989 film)

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This article is about Peter Brooks' 1989 film. For the Hindu epic, see Mahabharata.

The Mahabharata
DVD cover
Directed by	Peter Brook
Written by	Peter Brook Jean-Claude Carrière Marie-Hélène Estienne
Starring	Robert Langton-Lloyd Antonin Stahly-Vishwanadan Bruce Myers Vittorio Mezzogiorno Andrzej Seweryn Georges Corraface
Music by	Toshi Tsuchitori Rabindranath Tagore
Cinematography	William Lubtchansky
Release date(s)	1989
Running time	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
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

The Mahabharata is a 1989 film version of the Hindu epic, directed by Peter Brook. Brook's original 1985 stage play was 9 hours longs, 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 and Marie-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.

1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Awards
4 External links

[edit] Plot

Main article: Mahabharata

In general terms, the story involves epic incidents between two warring families, the Pandavas (representing the good side) and the Kauravas (representing the bad side). Both sides, being the offspring of kings and gods, fight for dominion. They have been both advised from god Krishna 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 of Brahmin sage Viasa towards an unnamed Indian boy who comes to him inquiring about the story of the human race.

[edit] Cast

Robert Langton-Lloyd as Vyasa
Antonin Stahly-Vishwanadan as Boy
Bruce Myers as Ganesha/Krishna
Vittorio Mezzogiorno as Arjuna
Andrzej Seweryn as Yudhishthira
Georges Corraface as Duryodhana
Jean-Paul Denizon as Nakula
Mahmoud Tabrizi-Zadeh as Sahadeva
Mallika Sarabhai as Draupadi
Miriam Goldschmidt as Kunti
Ryszard Cieslak as Dhritharashtra
Hélène Patarot as Gandhari
Myriam Tadesse as Gandhari's servant
Urs Bihler as Dushassana
Lou Bihler as Young Karna
Jeffrey Kissoon as Karna
Maurice Bénichou as Kitchaka
Yoshi Oida as Drona
Sotigui Kouyaté as Parashurama / Bishma
Tuncel Kurtiz as Shakuni
Ciarán Hinds as Ashwattaman
Erika Alexander as Madri / Hidimbi
Bakary Sangaré as The Sun / Rakshasa / Ghatotkatcha
Tapa Sudana as Pandu/Shiva
Akram Khan as Ekalavya
Nolan Hemmings as Abhimanyu
Hapsari Hardjito as Abhimanyu's wife
Mas Soegeng as Virata
Yumi Nara as Virata's wife
Amba Bihler as Virata's daughter
Tamsir Niane as Urvasi
Lutfi Jakfar as Uttara
Gisèle Hogard as 1st princess
Julie Romanus as 2nd princess
Abbi Patricx as Salvi
Mamadou Dioumé as Bhima
Ken Higelin as Deathless boy
Corinne Jaber as Amba / Sikhandin
Joseph Kurian as Drishtadyumna
Clement Masdongar as Gazelle
Leela Mayor as Satyavati
Velu Vishwananan as The hermit

[edit] Awards

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.