Mahabharat Katha

Storyline

Chopras reunited with Mahabharat team to do a spin-off series 7 years after the original called Mahabharat Katha! Tehis series covers events not included in original show. Life of Gatotkatcha and his marriage to Maurvi, Krishna killing Narkasur and marrying 16000 of unmarried women he held captive, Hidimbaa, Birth and role of Barbareek, Aftermath of War, Arjuna's various royal Friendship marriages on Tour of Repentence, Ashwamedha Yagna, Mourning after war etc. Also covered are Psychological sufferings of war survivors, reunion of Kuru-Pandav families that broke down in war with families of Shakuni & Dushala [Kaurava sister married to Jaydrath], back stories of Karna's marriage to Padmavati, Arjuna's marriages to Uloopi-Chitrangada, acceptance of Karna as family member by all after his death, Arjun-Chitrangada son Babruvahan's quest to defeat own father, Guilt of Yudhisthir-Arjun at Karna murder, Gandhari-Dhritrashtra acceptance of death of all sons etc.. Sadly the series was a mess full of continuity glitches from original series. When detailed explanations for some scenes in Mahabharat war were explained There were contradictions like in original series Duryodhan dies when Ashwathama leaves to seek revenge to kill Pandavas and Sanjay's vision ends. BUT here he returns with murder of Pandava sons heads. Dhritrashtra and Gandhari even visit Duryodhan before he dies. He regrets murder of Innocent Pandava sons?????? Seriously? Here Gatotkacha is known to family and he marries Morvi with Krishna blessings and meets Pandavas before Dyut kreeda. But in original series Bhim never met Gatotkach till Vanvaas. These discrepancies ruined the series for me. Gatotkach story, Barbareek, some distortions in Babruvahan killing Arjuna etc are later additions or folk tales not finding mention in Vyas epic. The timeline is all messed up! Chopra simply didn't bother to cross check his own original run and was careless! The series ran 45 episodes. But was a failure cutting short a lot more events it. Including ending with Pandvas death never reached there! But mostly from time period of Rajsuya to Arjuna's death at hands of Babruvahan and his resurrection.2 characters did not return back and were replaced with other actors. Kunti was one. Nitish Bhardwaj was in USA that time and unavailable so Rishabh Shukla [who played King Shantanu in original series], plays Lord Krishna! Series traced Arjuna's path while on tour to make friends with various Kingdoms, Krishna slaying Narkasur and his commander Murari with Satybhama, His marrying the captive 16000 women to grant them social security but devoid of any physical consummation to save them from committing suicide. Preparations for War, Karna's love stories, rejections by princesses and marrying a charioteer's daughter, Unification of Karna and Dushala families after war with Pandavas, Arjuna's marriages to Uloopi and Chitarngada, Uloopi's conspiracy to make Arjuna doubt and reject Chitrangada, her bringing up son Babruvahan to humiliate Arjuna, Ganga's revenge on Arjun for killing Bheeshma, psychological scars Pandavas suffer in grief after war. This series traces background story of Gatotkach and his son Barbareek who could have changed Mahabharat War outcome single handed but was stopped from doing so by Lord Krishna. It explains in detail life of Gatotkach, his marriage to Morvi engineered by Krishna, birth of his son and Bhim grandson Barbareek. The events take place between Rajsuya yagna, game of Dice, Forest exile, Mahabharat War and Ashwamedh Yagna. The original Mahabharat actors here are a bit older, jaded, overweight and some seem clearly disinterested doing almost guest to special appearance length roles. Story looks back on Hidimbaa's life briefly after Bhima returned back. The story narrates how Krishna killed Narkasur who had kidnapped 16000 unmarried women with his general of war Murar, thus getting name of Murari. Murar's daughter Morvi tries to take revenge against Krishna but is stopped by Goddess Durga. She accepts Krishna's blessings who cannot be defeated. Later Krishna arranges for her marriage to son of Bhim, Gatotkacha. They give birth to a powerful son Barbareek. He grows into an adult like his father Gatotkacha on birth. Under guidance of Krishna and Sage Vijay Siddh Sen, he gets special powers boons from Maa Durga and 3 most powerful arrows becoming unbeatable. The arrows can at same time target and kill millions of enemies aimed at. he promises to Maa Durga he would always use hos boons and weapons to help the weak. he encounters Bheema while he is in forest exile time in a jungle and both fight without knowing their blood ties then reunite. When Mahabharat war is to commence Barbareek decides to join his family of Pandavas. He can destroy any army with his special arrow just one arrow at a time. His entry creates panic in both Pandava and Kaurava camps. Kauravs fear he will destroy them. For Pandavas and Krishna his promise to help the weak is a curse now. In a war his presence will automatically make rival side weak. When Kauravas will start losing becoming weak he will be duty bound by his promise to help them vs Pandavas and then when Pandavas would be on losing side he would switch over. His promise would mean he would keep switching over and killing warriors on both sides till he alone would survive. Unable to convince him to not join the war as he feels its his duty to not help own family in need, Krishna asks him his head for Gurudakshina. Barbareek agrees to behead self but requests Krishna to allow him to watch the whole Mahabharat war as a spectator if not as a participant. Krishna agrees and his severed head is allowed life to watch the war from a mountain overlooking Kurukshetra battlefield. His sacrifice makes Krishna bless him as a saint to be worshiped. He is then revered as Khatushyam whose temple exists in Sikar of Rajasthan. This character is mentioned only in later Skand Puran and many believe this hero does not exist in actual Mahabharat. Pandavas then embark on Ashwamedh Yagna, in a diversion from it's history, not a show of strength but for peace and unity of Indian states. on Krishna's advice after overcoming severe emotional grief and trauma. They bring in family Karna's wife and surviving son Vrishketu, Gatotkacha's youngest son Meghvan, Shakuni's surviving son, sister Dushala from Sindh. The final stop is Manipur where Chitrangada waits for a chance to have her son defeat Arjuna. Babruvahan is unaware who Arjuna is, all he knows is he must defeat Arjuna as Gurudakshina to his mother so he can finally meet his father. Years ago Uloopi in her jealousy had lied to Arjun and cast doubts on Chitrangada's fidelity making Arjun disown Chitrangada. She seeks to prove her son is Arjun's by his valor alone. But a desperate Babruvahan who has killed Vrishketu in tussle for the Ashwamedh Horse ends up also killing Arjun in ignorance of his relations when unable to defeat him in conventional war. Uloopi's lie years ago reaps devastating result for both her and Chitrangada. But Krishna revives both Arjun and Vrishketu. The series ended abruptly at this point without finishing chapters of Pandavas final journey, Krishna's death and Parikshit's rise to throne due to bad TRPs. Follow that series run from episode 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bk-dUCC_2o&list=PL3GeqwDPMJJoxKVfBHbimSBPEstLt-1yN&index=15 Summary by Vikas Bhatt