MUMBAI: Mahabharat is one of the most loved and watched mythological shows which aired from 1988 to 1990 on Television. The BR Chopra’s show
gained a cult status for the time and there was hardly anyone who hadn’t watched the show. After many years, the show still has the ability to make an impact on the minds of people and is still remembered.
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Actor Nitish Bharadwaj who played the epic role of Lord Krishna became a household face and name and gained immense popularity and fame overnight. However the actor initially refused to play the role. Talking about the show in an interview earlier with a new portal, Nitish said, “I was first cast as Vidur and called to the Seth studios for the shooting. When I was in the makeup room, Virendra Razdan came up in costume and said he was playing Vidur. I said, ‘How can you play Vidur? They have called me for the shoot’. I went inside to meet Ravi ji (Ravi Chopra). He told me, ‘You are hardly 23-24. After a few episodes, Vidur is going to be an old man. It won’t look appropriate’. After that, I was jobless as far as Mahabharat was concerned.’
Nitish wanted to play the role of Abhimanyu and was also asked to play Nakul or Shadev, but ultimately the role of Lord Krishna went to Nitish. The latter recalls how his mother told him that Gufi Paintal was trying to contact him for the role of Lord Krishna and said, “I told my mother to say no as I felt I couldn’t do it. She used her wisdom and told Gufi that I was shooting in Kolhapur and she would be able to inform me about his offer only when I return.”
Nitish finally took up the role and as they say, the rest was history!
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Credit-Koimoi