Concept
The challenge of a comprehensive film treatment for the Mahabharata 18-day war is fitting the amount of action and number of characters into a film.
This table represents a count of each day’s events.
Bhimasena roams around with a club, like death. Bhimasena, with the Chedis, met the Kalingas, led by Shrutaya. A fierce battle raged, terrible in form. ... With his horses slain, Bhimasena remained stationed on his chariot. He hurled a club of steel at Shakradeva. The son of Shrutaya was thus killed. Seeing his son fallen, Shrutaya moved to Bhima to attack. With the sword in his hand, Bhima used the elephant's tusks to climb onto its back. He sliced Bhanuman down the middle. He then made his sword descend on the neck of the elephant. With its neck severed, the elephant screamed and fell, like the summit of a mountain shattered by the battering sea. Bhima leaped from the falling elephant. He roamed along many paths, bringing down frightened elephants. Everywhere, he was a whirling wheel of fire. He slaughtered masses of horses, elephants, masses of chariots and infantry. Intoxicated, Bhima was seen in that battle, roaming like an angry hawk. Bhimasena was seen to display many different motions. Leaping onto chariots, horse riders, elephants. The elephants were slain, with the front and rears of their bodies, and their trunks, shattered. The arena was strewn with boulders of dead elephants. Having killed many elephants, Bhima began to destroy the horses. He leapt up and brought down chariots. He cut them and their standards down with his sword. Shrutaya pierced Bhimasena with nine arrows. Bhima ascended a chariot and advanced to Shrutaya, king of Kalinga. Shrutaya pierced Bhima with nine arrows that Bhima rushed through - Bhima stretched his bow and killed the king with seven iron headed arrows.
Bhima’s actions against the Kalingas is counted as 1 of 10 events on day 2. Could Bhima’s action on day 2 against the Kalingas be represented in a minute or less of film with editing/cuts?
The challenge is quantified as time per event on film. Forgoing time killers like slow-motion or other flashy effects and forgo spending time on conventional or trope character development with verbose dialogue outside the action. The dialogue of battle in Mahabharata is “Slice! Pierce! Retreat! Stay!”
The breakneck pace of action following the opening continues unbroken from day 1 until day 12 with the ‘kings of horses’ intermission.
EXT. KURUKSHETRE BATTLEFIELD
Masses of chariots, elephants, infantry and cavalry stand ready in battle formation. The Kauravas and Pandavas are set to do battle. The latent energy is palpable, like a sheared cliff that is about to topple from a mountain.
A chariot parks between two bronze age armies. Arjuna and Krishna sit under the chariot umbrella talking. All eyes in both armies watch Arjuna and Krishna from a distance carry on an animated discussion. After some time, Arjuna picks up his bow and fastens his helmet. Krishna drives the chariot back into the masses of the Pandava army.
FADE OUT.
BLACK SCREEN. DAY 1. FADE TO-
EXT. KURUKSHETRE BATTLEFIELD
Bhishma leads his troops through a hectic battlefield from his chariot. Bhishma’s bow is a wheel of fire. Bhishma’s force unleashes arrows that fell enemy Chedi, Panchala and Kashi soldiers. Wounded and injured men are trampled by horses and elephants.
A fast-paced battle ensues.
Abhimanyu attacks Kripa and Kritavarma. Bhishma attacks Abhimanyu. Bhima, Virata Bhima, Virata Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki ride into counterattack. (3) Then Uttara attacks Shalya, Shalya kills Uttara in the counterattack. Shanka attacks Shalya, thereupon Jayadratha and four of Duryodhana’s brothers and two of Krishna’s brothers (Vinda and Anuvinda) counterattack Shanka. Arjuna enters the fray to check Bhima and save Shanka, whose chariot and horses have been destroyed by the gang of seven - Shanka jumps on Arjuna’s chariot to get away. (4) After fighting with Arjuna for a bit, Bhishma turns and attacks Drupada - king of the Panchalas - killing many Panchala soldiers.
FADE OUT.
BLACK SCREEN. DAY 2. FADE TO-
EXT. KURUKSHETRE BATTLEFIELD
The two armies get in formation as the sun rises at dawn. The two vyuhas begin to engage.
Bhishma and Arjuna fight for a moment.
Drona and Dhrishtadyumna exchange arrows. Bhima attacks Drona. Drona moves off to attack Virata and Drupada off Dhrishtadyumna’s flank.
Bhima leads the Chedis into battle against the Kalingas.
EXT. KURUKSHETRE
INTERMISSION
An array of Pandava heroes ride forth to battle on their best horses.
Following the horse intermission, the action picks up cutting from one event to the next until the end of the war of day 18.
FADE TO BLACK
EXT. NIGHTTIME. CAMP.
Ashvatthama, Kripa and Kritavarma warriors sleeping in their camp.
Every day’s events with storyboards (not already referenced above) are -
