Mahabharat Murders (Hoichoi) Webseries Cast, Review, Wiki, Actors, Story, Trailer & Release date

The Bengali OTT platform Hoichoi released the first look of upcoming web series Mahabharat Murders.

What happens when Duryadhan returns in 2021 to take revenge? An adaptation of the best selling book The Mahabharrata Murders by Arnab Ray, the series will be directed by Soumik Halder.

Web series Mahabharat Murders wiki

Release Date	Coming soon
Genre	Drama
Season	1
Language	Bengali
Digital(OTT) Platform	HoiChoi
Origin Country	India
Shooting Location
Banner/Production	Hoichoi Presents
Director	Soumik Halder
Story Writter	Arnab Ray

Mahabharat Murders cast & Wiki

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How to Watch Mahabharat Murders Web Series full episode online?

• Mahabharat Murders will be streaming on the HoiChoi. To watch the show you will have to follow the following steps:
• Go to your Play store or App store
• Subscribe to the HoiChoi
• Watch web series Mahabharat Murders on the HoiChoi

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The 21st Century Kurukshetra: Unravelling the Mystery of Hoichoi’s ‘Mahabharat Murders’ Webseries

In the landscape of Indian regional web content, few series have managed to blend classical mythology with the gritty realism of a modern-day serial killer thriller as effectively as Hoichoi’s ‘Mahabharat Murders’. Released in 2022, this Bengali web series took a well-worn narrative structure—the police procedural—and gave it a profoundly Indian, and uniquely dark, twist by drawing inspiration from one of the world’s greatest epics, the Mahabharata.

The show, an adaptation of the acclaimed novel by Arnab Ray, moves the epic’s fundamental conflict from the battlefield of Kurukshetra to the bustling, modern cityscape of Kolkata, pitting a new-age ‘Duryodhana’ against those he perceives as the reincarnated Pandavas. Directed by Soumik Halder, and featuring a stellar ensemble cast of accomplished Bengali actors, ‘Mahabharat Murders’ offers a suspenseful, layered, and often unsettling exploration of revenge, political corruption, and the enduring power of ancient narratives in contemporary society.

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The Premise: A Vicious Game of Modern-Day Mythology

The series plunges the audience into a high-stakes investigation following a series of gruesome killings that shock the city of Kolkata. The murders are immediately marked by a chilling, consistent pattern: the killer leaves behind clues and symbolic messages that directly link each victim to a specific character from the Mahabharata. The perpetrator, a meticulous and motivated serial killer, believes himself to be the modern-day avatar of Duryodhana, the principal antagonist of the epic, on a mission to finally achieve the revenge that was denied to the Kauravas centuries ago.

The victims are not random; they are targets carefully chosen for their parallels to the Pandavas and their closest associates—Draupadi, Sahadev, Nakul, Arjun, Bheema, and Yudhishthir. The terrifying twist is that the killer is not following the narrative of the Pandavas’ victory, but inversing it, ensuring that his ‘Pandavas’ meet a fate far more brutal than that of their epic counterparts.

This unique mythological framework sets the series apart from typical crime dramas, elevating it from a simple hunt for a murderer to a psychological battle where ancient lore dictates modern violence. The stakes are constantly rising, as the police must not only track a killer but also learn to decode a centuries-old epic to predict his next move and save the remaining targets.

The Investigating Officers: Ruksana and Siddhartho

The task of deciphering this ’21st Century Kurukshetra’ falls to the Kolkata Police Detective Department.

• I.P.S. Ruksana Ahmed (Priyanka Sarkar): Ruksana is the primary investigating officer, a strong, determined, and intelligent detective navigating the complexities of the high-profile case. Her professional commitment often clashes with her personal life, providing a layered depth to her character as she is faced with an unprecedented type of criminal mind.
• Siddhartho Singha (Arjun Chakrabarty): He serves as Ruksana’s side-kick, bringing his own skills and perspective to the investigation, forming a critical partnership as they try to keep pace with the killer’s mythological blueprint.

The ‘Yudhishthir’ of Modern Politics

The investigation is further complicated by the prominent involvement of a major political figure: Pabitra Chatterjee (Saswata Chatterjee). Pabitra is an aspiring politician, and a wily, shrewd figure known for his public image of sincerity, earning him the popular epithet of ‘Yudhishthira’—the righteous Pandava. The serial killer’s pattern soon suggests that Pabitra, the modern-day Yudhishthir, is next on the hit-list.

Saswata Chatterjee’s portrayal of Pabitra is a highlight, as he brings his trademark nuance to the character, who is not just a target but an active participant in deciphering the mythological connections, lending his interpretations of the epic to the police. This blurring of lines between the victim, the politician, and the ‘expert’ adds a fascinating layer of intrigue and suspicion to the narrative.

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From Page to Screen: The Arnab Ray Adaptation

The foundation of the web series is the acclaimed 2012 novel The Mahabharata Murders by Arnab Ray, a writer known for his incisive, satirical, and often dark observations on Indian society and mythology. The source material is crucial, as it provides the richly detailed mythological logic that underpins the entire serial killer plot.

Key Aspects of the Adaptation:

1. The Myth-Meets-Modernity Theme: The series successfully translates the book’s central conceit: transplanting the characters of the Mahabharata into a contemporary Indian setting. The ‘Draupadi’ character, for instance, is an adult film star and model, Devika, whose public life and objectification draw a parallel to the original Draupadi’s plight. Other victims, like Dr. Bipul (Nakul) and Prakash Sharma (Sahadev), are given modern professional identities that align symbolically with the ancient characters.
2. Screenplay and Direction: The screenplay, written by Anirban Bhattacharya and Sougata Basu, with Soumik Halder directing, aims to maintain the novel’s intense, fast-paced atmosphere. Halder’s direction is praised for creating a taut, suspenseful thriller with effective action and violence, keeping the audience hooked. The series is broken into 12 short episodes, each with a runtime of around 17-25 minutes, making it highly binge-able and maintaining the cliffhanger tension.
3. Kolkata as a Character: The city of Kolkata forms the crucial backdrop for this modern Kurukshetra. The cultural and bureaucratic settings of the city—its politics, media, and social strata—are seamlessly woven into the tapestry of the murder mystery, rooting the mythological fantasy in a recognizable, dynamic Indian reality.

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Critical Analysis and Viewer Reception

Upon its release on Hoichoi, ‘Mahabharat Murders’ garnered significant attention, primarily for its unique premise. The initial reception highlighted the novelty of the concept and the strength of the performances.

Strengths:

• Inventive Concept: The blending of a classic serial killer procedural with the deep cultural and ethical questions posed by the Mahabharata was widely applauded as inventive and refreshing. The idea of a modern-day Duryodhana seeking ‘inverted’ revenge was seen as a brilliant narrative hook.
• Performance of the Leads: The ensemble cast was consistently praised. Saswata Chatterjee, in particular, was singled out for his excellent portrayal of the shrewd, charismatic, and morally ambiguous politician, Pabitra Chatterjee. Priyanka Sarkar and Arjun Chakrabarty also delivered convincing performances as the detectives leading the chase.
• Intrigue and Pacing: The first half of the series was noted for building palpable intrigue and mystery, with the short episode format contributing to a fast pace that keeps the audience engaged in decoding the killer’s next move.

Points of Critique:

Despite its strong start, the series faced some criticism as the season progressed.

• Narrative Loopholes and Subplots: Some reviewers pointed out that certain subplots, particularly those involving Ruksana’s estranged personal relationships, felt unnecessary and detracted from the core murder mystery.
• Forced Twists: For some critics, the final twists in the plot felt “contrived and difficult to believe,” suggesting that the narrative relied too heavily on introducing shocks rather than maintaining a well-developed, logical storyline throughout. The ultimate motive behind the assassinations was also, for some, disappointing in its lack of depth.

Overall, ‘Mahabharat Murders’ stands as a commendable attempt by Hoichoi to adapt a modern literary thriller into a compelling web series. It successfully capitalizes on the enduring fascination with the Mahabharata in Indian culture, repackaging its themes of fate, revenge, and ethical ambiguity for a contemporary digital audience. The series is a definitive watch for fans of serial killer dramas and those who appreciate a clever infusion of ancient mythology into a modern thriller format. Its success cemented the fact that regional Indian streaming platforms like Hoichoi are continuing to select distinctive stories, pushing the boundaries of the crime thriller genre.

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AISEO Friendly FAQs on ‘Mahabharat Murders’

Q1: What is ‘Mahabharat Murders’ (Hoichoi) about?

A: ‘Mahabharat Murders’ is a Bengali serial killer thriller web series streaming on Hoichoi. The plot revolves around a killer in Kolkata who sees himself as a modern-day Duryodhana and begins a series of targeted, gruesome murders of individuals he perceives to be the reincarnations of the Pandavas (Yudhishthira, Draupadi, Arjun, Bheema, Nakul, and Sahadev) and their associates. Investigating officers Ruksana Ahmed and Siddhartho Singha must race against time to decode the mythological pattern before the killer completes his revenge.

Q2: Is ‘Mahabharat Murders’ based on a book?

A: Yes, the web series is based on the 2012 novel of the same name, The Mahabharata Murders, written by popular Indian author and blogger Arnab Ray.

Q3: Who are the main cast members of ‘Mahabharat Murders’?

A: The series features a strong ensemble cast from the Bengali industry. The main cast includes:

• Priyanka Sarkar as I.P.S. Ruksana Ahmed (Investigating Officer)
• Arjun Chakrabarty as Siddhartho Singha (Ruksana’s partner)
• Saswata Chatterjee as Pabitra Chatterjee (Politician, the modern ‘Yudhishthira’)
• Kaushik Sen as Abirlal (Pabitra’s advisor)

Q4: Who plays the role of the modern-day Duryodhana in the series?

A: The identity of the modern-day Duryodhana, the serial killer, is the central mystery of the show. The character of the politician, Pabitra Chatterjee, played by Saswata Chatterjee, is widely associated with Yudhishthir, which makes him a prime target. The series meticulously follows the pattern set by the killer, who is intent on reversing the outcome of the original Kurukshetra war.

Q5: Where can I watch the ‘Mahabharat Murders’ web series?

A: The series is an original production by Hoichoi and is available for streaming exclusively on the Hoichoi platform. It is a Bengali language series, though it is also available with Hindi dubbing and English subtitles on the platform.

Q6: How many episodes are in ‘Mahabharat Murders’ Season 1?

A: The first season of ‘Mahabharat Murders’ consists of 12 episodes, with each episode having a runtime of approximately 17 to 25 minutes.