Mumbai, July 29 (IANS) Sagar Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has announced ‘Shrimad Bhagavatam’, a seven-part cinematic saga inspired by the Bhagavata Mahapurana.
The announcement was made on the occasion of Guru Purnima (Vyasa Purnima).
The studio said the project will be its first large-scale theatrical franchise and aims to bring one of India’s most revered spiritual texts to the big screen through contemporary filmmaking.
Inspired by the Bhagavata Mahapurana, the saga will chronicle the life and teachings of Lord Krishna while also exploring the stories of a lot many avatars of Lord Mahavishnu. The films will focus on themes of devotion, spirituality, duty and humanity’s pursuit of liberation.
Conceived as the first complete cinematic adaptation of the Shrimad Bhagavatam, the project will unfold across seven interconnected films, along with spin-offs and series.
The adaptation will cover key episodes including Lord Krishna’s childhood in Braja, the Rasa Leela, Gopi Gita, Samudra Manthan, and the stories of avatars such as Matsya, Varaha and Narasimha. It will also feature narratives of devotees including Dhruva and Bharata.
The saga is being developed by filmmakers Amrit Sagar Chopra and Akash Sagar Chopra, who are also directing the first installment. The films are being produced by Sagar Pictures Global. Spiritual teacher and Padma Bhushan awardee Sri M is guiding the research, while Moti Sagar, co-director of the iconic television series Ramayan (1987), is mentoring the project.
Speaking about the announcement, Akash Sagar Chopra, CEO of Sagar Pictures Entertainment, said, “The Shrimad Bhagavatam is one of India’s greatest literary and spiritual works. Our ambition is to present these stories with complete accuracy, realism and cinematic scale while allowing every narrative to have its own visual identity.”
The makers also revealed that the first installment has commenced production at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. Principal photography was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Telangana. The film is being shot by cinematographer Joel Schaefer, while acclaimed visual effects producer Clwyd Edwards serves as executive producer.
Dedicated to the memory of Dr. Ramanand Sagar and Leela Sagar, Shrimad Bhagavatam marks the beginning of Sagar Pictures Entertainment’s long-term vision of adapting India’s ancient texts for the big screen. The studio said more updates on the first film will be announced in the coming months.
—IANS
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