The greatest story ever

Jaskiran Kapoor

“The beauty of Mahabharata lies in its relevance that transcends time and generations. It’s part of the Indian culture and diaspora. I know no one can compete with Vyas, but this is my way of dealing with the truth. It’s my quest to understand society in that era, the culture, the governance, the trade and commerce, traditions, lifestyle...I’m trying to find life in this story, life of that time,” Diwedi, who also directed the award-winning film Pinjar, is a man following his ‘dharma’. It’s not easy, though, to follow the righteous path. To open locked doors, turn pages and dive into a time so sacred to man. Perhaps that’s what attracts this doctor to history. “Literature, art, culture, history...I did my medical, but never practised it for more than 28 days. I left it and came back with a microscope, one that could read this language. You see, we are so far from truth, that it’s mythology to us in simplified language,” his search. “I am a wanderer, in search of truth, and I look for it in books, the past, in ruins, for perhaps I haven’t found moksha,” Dr Diwedi is also working on Upanishads and has shot 26 episodes. As for Mahabharata, the saga will be live action television, replete with special effects and grandiose and a whole new star cast. It takes off later this year. “First aim is entertainment. I don’t want this tale to be a burden on my viewer,” he says. Well, news is that Ekta Kapoor too is eyeing her own Mahabharata. This will be one battleground!