Peter Brook's the Mahabharata

I can't recall anything Peter Brook has done that wasn't at least worthwhile, and most of his oeuvre is far more than that--including his Mahabharata. To my great disappointment I never got to see the stage version, but did see the film, as presented on TV. It was cut down (!) to a mere 6 hours, and the only word for it is stunning. The international cast is as good as any ensemble I've seen: they're always right on target, never over the top, and I think I could watch the whole 6 hours without ever getting restless. I've read the Mahabharata in a very good American adaptation that trims the enormous length--15 times the length of the Old and New Testament combined!--to manageable size. While some fine material was necessarily excised from Brook and Carriere's version, the essence seems to be there. By turns, it is amusing, touching gripping, and always absorbing. I believe it is still available on videocassette and may well be on DVD as well. .I notice that, with only one exception, all the users who have written appreciations share my feelings, and I suspect that most others will feel the same way. I won't bother to mention individual performers or scenes; it's all of a piece and a great accomplishment. Next time I watch it will be my seventh or eighth time, and it won't have lost any of its appeal. This is a work of art to savor and treasure.

This adaptation of the original play by Juan-Claude Carriere, which was three hours longer (and was in turn the adaptation of the classic poem, which is 15 times the size of the Bible!) will be, for many, the only version they will ever know of the Mahabharata. But rest assured, the essential is all here: all the wisdom, passion and emotion of one of the three or four truly immortal works of literature. This should not be viewed as a feature film, but as the filming of a theater play. Then you will be able to appreciate better the great work of almost every actor and actress, and the sheer boldness of their performance and the director's vision. A clue is the great variety of nationalities and accents: the Mahabharata is a literary work that belongs to all of us.

As Vyasa (the storyteller) says at the beginning. "If you listen closely, at the end you'll be someone else." Shakespearean layer upon layer of meanings. Gives westerners a glimpse (sometimes shocking) into the different mindset of the East.

All our western ideas of 'good' and 'evil'; 'truth' and 'justice' are flipped on their heads.

And the acting... particularly Krishna,,, is subtle and sublime.

Rather than try to render the 'cast of millions' they strip it down to a minimalist production where only the barest essentials are there. This puts the acting on full display and these people, from around the world, do not disappoint.

Unforgettable. Unique. Incomparable.

Peter Brook's magnum opus- The Mahabharata is a film everyone should watch- not only does it magnificently translate a difficult play on screen, it captures all the inherent philosophies of what is perhaps the greatest epic ever written. The acting is top notch and the style of storytelling unique- the 5 hour running time slips past unnoticed.

One scene which deserves particular mention is the story of Ahbimanyu and the magic disc- it is so wonderfully handled and serves as one of the high points of the movie.

Perhaps the ending slackens the pace a bit, but is still apt and a fitting one.

Brooks has done an amazing job of distilling the monumental indian epic into less than a 6 hour film. In the process, a lot of good stuff had to left out, but what remains is pure gold.

The style is spare and theatrical, with fairly minimal sets. Rather than detracting from the sense of immediacy, however, the lack of background serves to throw the characters into bolder relief. And what characters! Arjuna, Yudhisthira, Draupadi, Bhima, Krishna - marvelous characters all. And the 'bad guys' are nearly as good - flawed, but complex and even somewhat sympathetic. The minor characters too are arresting - bhishma and drona especially.

This movie translates the power of myth to the screen better than any other by far. Maybe when LotR is complete that will change, but for now Mahabharata reigns supreme.