Mythology never had it so good. Two of the country’s eminent filmmakers from two corners of the country are all set to do their own take on the Hindu epic Mahabharat.

Mani Ratnam has started spade-work on his version of the Hindu epic which Bobby Bedi will produce. Rituparno Ghosh has already started scripting his version of the Mahabharat which will be produced by RPG, the film production sector of Sa Re Ga Ma.

Ghosh who has just completed a new Bengali film, Doshar, by Planman, is quick to clarify, “Please, everyone is making Mahabharat! My film is not about the entire Mahabharat. It will therefore not clash with Mani’s plans at all. Mine is a womanist view of the Mahabharat. It will focus almost entirely on the female characters, particularly Draupadi who I think is one of the most fascinating women in our mythical culture.”

Ghosh’s epic will start shooting in mid-2006. “Ideally, I’d have wanted it to be only in English. For Hindi audiences the image of B.R. Chopra’s telethon, Mahabharat, is indelible. However, my producers want Draupadi to be a bilingual. So be it.”