Harish Bhimani (Voice over artist for B.R Chopra’ Mahabharat)

Main samay hoon aur aj Mahabharat ki amar katha sunane ja rahi hoon.

Yeh mahabharat kewal Bharat vansh ki sidhi sadhi yudh katha nehi hai.

Yeh katha hai Bhartiya sanskriti ke utar charav ki

Yeh katha Hai satya aur asatya ke mahayudh ki

Yeh katha hai andhere se jujne wale ujale ki

This were the very first lines narrated by famous voiceover artiste Harish Bhimani in B. R. Chopra’s created epic Mahabharat which is currently airing on Star Bharat every day at 8pm. Harish Bhimani is also a writer, anchor, documentary & corporate film maker. 

 

• How are you spending your time in the lockdown?

 

Answer – The style of lockdown is not new to me. I have one studio at home the reason being that I cater to the clients around the globe so I have to maintain several time zones. Since the last couple of years, I am mostly operating from my home where I have a separate office, study room and a studio. But in this lockdown, I have learnt some additional skills, like doing dishes and cleaning my house.

• Mahabharat has given you name and fame. Now after so many years it is re-running what is your take?

Answer – Let me clarify this that I was already a known voiceover artist and because of that I was selected as the narrator. But what happens in the show business that something becomes so popular that everything else is forgotten. No one ever expected that a narrator of a serial will become so popular. 

I think the credit goes to the screenplay and dialogue writers because everybody knew Mahabharat but the way it was picturized that made entire India sit down and take a note of it. Mostly, people think it is the fight between Pandavas and Kauravas but it is beyond that and that is why Mahabharat is said to be the manual of human life. 

 

• Is it true that someone else was considered for the role of Narrator before you?

 

Answer – Yes, when Chopra sahab got the permission from Doordarshan to come up with an epic Mahabharat after having framed the basic structure of the serial. He introspected a lot as to how to present this epic saga to the public. As the saying goes “Jo kahani Mahabharat mein nehi hai, who kahi nahi hai” and hence, they decided to have a narrator in the serial whose face won’t be shown on the screen but who should have a compelling voice depicting the Samay.

Firstly, Chopra Sahab considered Dilip Kumar for the role of Narrator but due to some reasons this idea was dropped and fortunately, I was selected for the said role because Chopra Sahab has heard my voice on an Onida TV advertisement in Radio and liked it.

 

• After Mahabharat what kept you busy for so many years?

 

Answer – I run two voice websites which provide recorded audio content to clients across 38 countries. Currently, I am working on an audio content for a client in USA. I have also written 5 to 6 serials which include Khandaan, Sukanya, Grahan, Choti Badi Baatein and so on. I have also directed movies like ISIS – Enemies of Humanity & Kashmir – The ultimate solution. I have also written the biography of Lata Mangeshkar after having attended 140 events across 21 countries with her and the book was later translated into 3 more languages. I have also written mini books on Asha Bhonsle, Amitabh Bachchan, RD Burman and Muhammad Rafi. With the grace of God, so far, I have 25,000 recordings to my credit.

 

 

• After the success of B. R. Chopra’s Mahabharat, other channel and producers have also made Mahabharat. So, what is your take on that? 

 

Answer – Ekta Kapoor has contemporized which according to me couldn’t justify the essence of Mahabharat. Now, if you see Shyam Benegal has already made a movie named Kalyug which was based on modern take of Mahabharat. So, if you want to streamline Mahabharat, you have to take into consideration the theme, plot points and so many other things and put them as per the current scenario.  

One more version of Mahabharat was made by Dr Chandra Prakash Dwivedi but he changed the screenplay to a flashback format. He started the Mahabharat with Kurukshetra war and then went back to the start of the story. I believe that a complicated story like Mahabharat should always be shown in a linear narrative format so it becomes easier for the audience to understand.  

 

• What got you into Radio & TV?

 

Answer – I belong to a business family from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan and no one in my family was remotely related to Radio or TV. But I was crazy about radio and photography right from my childhood and when I expressed my desire to join the radio industry, my family didn’t support me. Therefore, moved forward and studied Chemical engineering followed by MBA as a result of which I got a job in an American firm. Once I started working, I realized that though my job is providing me with money and security but I was not feeling happy with whatever I was doing because my passion was something different. So I started doing anchoring for AIR, the prestigious music shows with Bhimsen Joshi and Jagjit Singh. Later, one of my colleagues saw my name in an advertisement and suggested me to take it as full time job. That is how I plunged into this industry and I struggled a lot till I got the job of a newscaster. 

 

• Any part of Mahabharat which has touched you.

 

Answer – It is very difficult to say as Mahabharat is the rarest of rare epic in the world because the writer Ved Vyas himself is an important character in it. He is the father of Drishtarashtra, Pandu and Vidur who later took the story forward.  

 

• Who is your favourite character from Mahabharat?

 

Answer – Krishna is my favourite character because he represents love, philosophy and diplomacy all at the same time.

 

• Often times, Politicians use Mahabharat as a reference, what is your take on that?

 

Answer – I have often being asked why Mahabharat has been made 4 times, why it is showed again and again, why it is even popular today when we have advanced so much technologically. The reason is very simple – Mahabharat is a story from Pitrabhakti (Respect for father) to Putrmoha (Love for son). It holds a mirror to dos & don'ts of life and nudges us to rise above the perils of emotions and be righteous in life. I have often been asked why Mahabharat has been made 4 times, why it is showed again and again, why it is even popular today when we have advanced so much technologically. The reason is very simple – Mahabharat is a story from Pitrabhakti (Respect for father) to Putrmoha (Love for son). It holds a mirror to dos & don'ts of life and nudges us to rise above the perils of emotions and be righteous in life.

 

• When someone talk negatively about Mahabharat. Does it affect you?

 

Answer – There are people who will talk negative about everything just to get media space. As we all know the saying "When a dog bites a man that is not news, because it happens so often. But if a man bites a dog, that is news". So, if you keep saying good things no one will listen to you. Mahabharat is a symbolic epic and B.R. Chopra’s Mahabharat has analyzed it so well. Draupadi was born out of fire and that symbolizes Nari Shakti (Women Power). So, the people who criticize they have not understood the epic and not even tried to understand it. I feel pity for those who criticize Mahabharat.

 

• According to you what has changed in the recent TV scenario and whether is it positive or negative?

 

Answer – Who am I to decide that, time changes everything. I don’t feel it’s going in a positive way. I feel weird that nowadays everything is available in google. There is overdose of information and too many options as a result of which are strengths are getting diluted. That has happened with me too. I believe I am a better writer and even better still photographer but then I decided to focus only on one thing.