‘The Mahabharata’ Simon Brook’s remastering of father’s classic stage film is powerful and moving…

The London Indian Film Festival (July 16-23) continues and it screened a work that British director Peter Brook popularised in the West in 1985 – even though the story, that mixes myth and reality, is reckoned by some to be about events that took place 10,000 years ago…

THERE was a full house for the first ever screening of Peter Brook’s ‘The Mahabharata’ at the BFI IMAX on the Southbank in London on Sunday (July 20) and the anticipation of many was richly rewarded.
Taking place as part of the London Indian Film Festival (July 16-23), the film’s only showing at this festival was graced too by the presence of the High Commissioner of India Vikram Doraiswami, as well as producer Simon Book, Peter’s son and two of the actors in the production were also present.
Brook junior has remastered and reworked the original sound and pictures from this 1989 stage production which is apparently longer (at six hours and was screened episodically on Channel 4), while this new 8K version is three hours long and was displayed on the UK’s largest screen on Sunday.
Brook was joined in the post Q&A by actor Antonin Stahly and several members of the production, including Kissoon were also in the audience.
The film had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival last year, is screening in a wider distribution deal in Italy shortly and being shown in one off screenings around the world – Brook revealed he is going to New York with it next.
There is talk of a UK cinema deal but that is all it is currently.
See our forthcoming Instagram Reels… coming soon!

The Mahabharata (Simon Brook) – Absorbing, dramatic retelling deserves wide distribution

THIS IS the story behind all stories in some ways and Peter Brook (1925-2022) was instrumental in bringing this ancient Indian epic – actually one of the longest, if not the longest poem ever composed in mankind’s history, first to the stage and then to the screen as it is now.
The original stage version is some nine hours long and was presented mostly in 3 hour live stage episodes in the 1980s – with one nine hour sitting sometimes taking place in the nights with requisite intervals and meals breaks, revealed Antonin Stahly, one of the young actors in Brook senior’s original production.
Stahly plays a young boy who stumbles into an ancient dwelling and befriends Vyasa – attributed as the original author of ‘The Mahabharata’ – which started to take written shape in about the 3rd Century BCE with oral versions predating this and some historical evidence suggesting a huge war did engulf a swathe of North India in 3102 BCE (according to Hindu cosmologists who calculate the period as the beginning of a dark age – Kali Yuga).
This ancient story is about two noble ruling families at war with each other and is ‘peopled’ by gods and men and in the western context is similar to ancient Greek stories – what Brook does so well is focus on the narrative and each character’s role within the story. You don’t need to know anything of the original ‘Mahabharata’ to enjoy this film.
Stahly listens intently to Vyasa (Robert Langdon Lloyd) with Ganesha (in a mask) faithfully documenting events and so the story unfolds as Vyasa aims to tell the tale of the human race.
There are strong performances everywhere and the main characters all excel – you quickly forget that this is a multi-racial and diverse cast and the film goes deep and profound in places and has huge resonance in a time of terrible global conflict and strife.
Kissoon is outstanding as Karna – a man born of a god and a human mother who abandons him as a baby to a river.
With his muddy origins, the Pandavas, of whom Arjuna is the stellar of five brothers, disbelieve his prowess and outstanding qualities and while he is embraced by the Kauravas – the Pandavas never accept him – there is a terrible in irony in all this and those familiar with the story will know what it is.
It’s very powerful and evocative and remember these are ancient times (the Iron Age here) – the earth is a character too and that comes through – how we maybe abusing mother earth and ignoring the power of nature.
There are great characters and Krishna played by Bruce Myers is wonderful – his great speech to Arjuna (Vittorio Mezzogiorno), on the eve of the great battle when he has enormous self-doubts about going to war with his cousins, is beautifully done.
This is the Bhagavad Gita, regarded as one of the central texts of ideas that form around what we we call Hinduism today.
Is it a call for righteousness, doing the right thing, regardless of the consequences and that acting selflessly and dispassionately is the best course of action…
If you are interested in ideas and what exactly constitutes ‘the good life’ and morality, then this film will speak to you and stay with you – it is a universal and very accessible story, thanks to Peter Brook’s original stage version – which was actually in French (rendered through the ancient Sanskrit), then translated again into English for the film. It’s a major achievement and Simon Brook deserves much praise for painstakingly remastering the original.
Acv rating: **** (four out of five).

*The last day of the LIFF takes place today (July 23) – check here: London Indian Film Festival