Aug 10, 2008

Kansa, Shakuni and Suyodhan

Ekta Kapoor, the producer of Kahani Humari Mahabharat Ki, is deviating in detail from the storyline of Veda Vyasa. There are many who are complaining but I believe that there is no story re-teller worth his salt who has not twisted the original plots. What Ekta is doing is minor when compared to what Kalidas has done.

She has introduced an encounter between Kansa and an astrologer that I particularly liked. The astrologer tells Kansa that he will be killed in a few years. Kansa then asks the astrologer to predict his own longevity to which the astrologer replies, “ I have 45 years more to live”. Kansa immediately beheads him and proclaims himself God for being able to control destiny.

This serial is perhaps the first to depict Shakuni’s wife. I have seen and read several popular versions of the Mahabharata but have not come across her before. There are almost Shakespearian comic interludes in which Shakuni’s wife tries all sorts of rituals to get her to conceive. If only she was friendly with Kunti, she may have learned the secret incantation from the latter. After all Kunti did produce four sons using it. Ultimately Shakuni does sire a son named Uluk. Uluk plays a minor role in the epic when he goes as Duryodhan’s emissary to the Pandavas. In the war he is killed by Sahadeva.

Finally it is great to see Duryodhan being called by his given name Suyodhan. Suyodhan means good warrior. He came to be called Duryodhan because of his misdeeds. But no child is born evil and the young prince has every right to be called by his correct name. It remains to be seen how and when Ekta makes the transition from Suyodhan to Duryodhan.