A modern-day retelling of Mahabharata through blend of music and mantras

Pune: Telling the tales from Mahabharata in song, "Jaya - The Victory!" promises to transport audiences into the heart of India's most revered epic but through a more contemporary path.To be staged at The Poona Club on Feb 22, this musical is a labour of love that was revived by Lillete Dubey after a decade-long hiatus.Reflecting on the play's journey, Dubey said, "In 1998, I opened the play in Mumbai, and all the celebrities came to see it. Vishal Dadlani played the role of Krishna. From Shyam Benegal to Yash Chopra, everyone was blown away by the musical as they had not seen Mahabharata performed in this way before."Over the last three years, the revived production with a new cast, music, set, and costumes captivated audiences across India with over 20 houseful shows in different cities. Recasting the show, Dubey handpicked a stellar cast of professional singers and actors, ensuring that the production's musical prowess matches its dramatic depth.At its core lies the perspective of Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava brother, whose "experiments with truth" are juxtaposed against the contrasting beliefs of Duryodhana's pursuit of victory at any cost and Karna's fatalistic acceptance of destiny. This dramatic montage is brought to life through a seamless blend of music, mantras, Krishna's flute, and thunderous beats of Kallari drums, creating a modern-day retelling that resonates with audiences across generations.Dubey said, "It is the Mahabharata for the 21st century. The characters talk like you and I, not in some archaic language that is difficult for today's audience to understand. The play illuminates why and how the Mahabharata is still so vital and relevant for us.""The show is fun, inspiring, emotional—quite the rollercoaster. Everyone knows the stories from Mahabharata, but many people who watched the show said that they did not engage with it as emotionally as they did during the show. Though the plot is from the ancient epic, the context is contemporary," said Dubey, citing examples of how the scene featuring the disrobing of Draupadi comes out as a MeToo moment with her singing a powerful song confronting people who stood and stared at her rather than helped her.The stellar cast includes singer-musician-actor Sherrin Verghese, the founder of the early-2000s sensation Band of Boys, and Megan Murray, a musical theatre actress who lent her vocals to the Grammy-nominated blues queen Copeland's album "Done Come Too Far". Joining them are Tirthankar Poddar, aka 2blue, a seasoned performer who shared the stage with legendary bands like Iron Maiden, Guns N' Roses, and Dokken, as well as Vikrant Chatturvedi, Asif Ali Beg, and other accomplished stage and screen veterans.