Chandraprakash Dwivedi
Encyclopedia
Chandraprakash Dwivedi is an India
n film director
and script writer
, who is best known for directing the 1991 television epic Chanakya
in which he also played the title role of the political strategist Chanakya
. His other major work is the 2003 film Pinjar
, a tragic love story set amidst the Hindu-Muslim tensions during the Partition of India
, based on Amrita Pritam
's novel of the same name. He has also directed the 1996 television series Mrityunjay
which is based on the life of Karna
, a major character from the epic Mahabharata
, and he won a Screen Videocon Best Director award for the same.
. During his stint at Zee, he tried his hand at retelling the Mahabharata (Ek Aur Mahabharat
) but had to abort the experiment after 14 episodes due to a poor response from advertisers and viewers. The rerun of Chanakya too failed to attract advertisers. Dwivedi wrote the dialogues for the 2001 epic Doordarshan television series on Chhatrapati Shivaji.
In February 2008, Bobby Bedi announced that he had been planning a new Mahabharata with Dwivedi as director. However, in April, Dwivedi disassociated himself from the project citing pressure brought on as a result of competition from Ekta Kapoor
's Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki
.
In 2008, Dwivedi directed a television serial based on the Upanishad
s titled Upanishad Ganga. He is presently working on The Legend Of Kunal
, a film based on the life of Kunal, the son of Emperor Asoka.
In 2009, the South Asian Cinema Foundation honored Dwivedi with its Cultural Catalyst Award "in recognition of his commitment to exploring India’s ancient culture and history in television and popular cinema."
In January 2011, his film Mohalla Assi
set around Assi Ghat
of Varanasi
, went into production with shooting starting in Film City
, Mumbai, with Sunny Deol
as lead actor.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and script writer
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, who is best known for directing the 1991 television epic Chanakya
Chanakya (TV series)
Chanakya is a 47-part Indian television historical drama written and directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi that was originally telecast on DD National from September 1991 to August 1992...
in which he also played the title role of the political strategist Chanakya
Chanakya
Chānakya was a teacher to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta , and the first Indian emperor generally considered to be the architect of his rise to power. Traditionally, Chanakya is also identified by the names Kautilya and VishnuGupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise...
. His other major work is the 2003 film Pinjar
Pinjar (film)
Pinjar is a 2003 film about Hindu-Muslim problems during the time around the partition of India. The film is based on a Punjabi novel by the same name, written by Amrita Pritam...
, a tragic love story set amidst the Hindu-Muslim tensions during the Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, based on Amrita Pritam
Amrita Pritam
Amrita Pritam was a Punjabi writer and poet, considered the first prominent woman Punjabi poet, novelist, and essayist, and the leading 20th-century poet of the Punjabi language, who is equally loved on both the sides of the India-Pakistan border, with a career spanning over six decades, she...
's novel of the same name. He has also directed the 1996 television series Mrityunjay
Mrityunjay (TV series)
Mrityunjay is an Indian television series based on the celebrated Marathi novel by Shivaji Sawant directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi. It was telecast on Doordarshan in 1996. The series takes a look at the events in the Mahabharata from the perspective of Karna, a major character in the epic...
which is based on the life of Karna
Karna
Karna or Radheya is one of the central characters in the epic Mahābhārata, from ancient India. He was the King of Anga...
, a major character from the epic Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
, and he won a Screen Videocon Best Director award for the same.
Career
Dwivedi is a qualified medical professional who gave up his profession because of a deep interest in Indian literature, and began working in theater instead. In the late 1990s, he held the position of programming division head at Zee TVZee TV
Zee TV is an India-based satellite television channel owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, which broadcasts various programmes in Hindi and other regional languages of India. Broadcasting is also present in various nations of South Asia, Europe, the Middle East,...
. During his stint at Zee, he tried his hand at retelling the Mahabharata (Ek Aur Mahabharat
Ek Aur Mahabharat
Ek Aur Mahabharat is an Indian television series based on the Mahabharata directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi...
) but had to abort the experiment after 14 episodes due to a poor response from advertisers and viewers. The rerun of Chanakya too failed to attract advertisers. Dwivedi wrote the dialogues for the 2001 epic Doordarshan television series on Chhatrapati Shivaji.
In February 2008, Bobby Bedi announced that he had been planning a new Mahabharata with Dwivedi as director. However, in April, Dwivedi disassociated himself from the project citing pressure brought on as a result of competition from Ekta Kapoor
Ekta Kapoor
Ekta Jeetendra Kapoor is an Indian TV and film producer. She is the Creative Director and Joint Managing Director of Balaji Telefilms, her production company.-Biography:...
's Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki
Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki
Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki was an Indian television epic series produced by Ekta Kapoor of Balaji Telefilms. Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki premiered on 9X July 7, 2008. It was a modern and westernized version of the epic Mahabharata and aired every Monday - Thursday at 9pm...
.
In 2008, Dwivedi directed a television serial based on the Upanishad
Upanishad
The Upanishads are philosophical texts considered to be an early source of Hindu religion. More than 200 are known, of which the first dozen or so, the oldest and most important, are variously referred to as the principal, main or old Upanishads...
s titled Upanishad Ganga. He is presently working on The Legend Of Kunal
The Legend Of Kunal
The Legend of Kunal is an upcoming film based on the life of Kunal, the son of the Indian emperor Ashoka. The movie will be directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi and star Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu, Arjun Rampal and Amrita Rao....
, a film based on the life of Kunal, the son of Emperor Asoka.
In 2009, the South Asian Cinema Foundation honored Dwivedi with its Cultural Catalyst Award "in recognition of his commitment to exploring India’s ancient culture and history in television and popular cinema."
In January 2011, his film Mohalla Assi
Mohalla Assi
Mohalla Assi is an upcoming 2011 Bollywood film starring Sunny Deol, and directed by Chandra Prakash Dwivedi who previously directed Pinjar , starring Urmila Matondkar and Manoj Bajpai, and most known for television epic Chanakya.The film is based on Dr. Kashinath Singh's popular Hindi novel...
set around Assi Ghat
Assi Ghat
Assi Ghat is the southernmost ghat in Varanasi. To most visitors to Varanasi, it is known for being a place where long-term foreign students, researchers, and tourists live.-Tourism at Assi Ghat:...
of Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
, went into production with shooting starting in Film City
Film City
Film City is an integrated film studio complex situated near Sanjay Gandhi National Park at Goregaon, Mumbai in India. It has several recording rooms, gardens, lakes, theatres and grounds that serve as the venue of many Bollywood film shootings. It was built by the state government to provide...
, Mumbai, with Sunny Deol
Sunny Deol
Sunny Deol often credited as "Action King of Bollywood" is an Indian film actor, producer and director. Deol was born to Bollywood actor Dharmendra. He has won two National Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards. He went to England to study acting...
as lead actor.
Filmography
- Chanakya (TV series)Chanakya (TV series)Chanakya is a 47-part Indian television historical drama written and directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi that was originally telecast on DD National from September 1991 to August 1992...
(1991–92) - Mrityunjay (TV series)Mrityunjay (TV series)Mrityunjay is an Indian television series based on the celebrated Marathi novel by Shivaji Sawant directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi. It was telecast on Doordarshan in 1996. The series takes a look at the events in the Mahabharata from the perspective of Karna, a major character in the epic...
- Ek Aur MahabharatEk Aur MahabharatEk Aur Mahabharat is an Indian television series based on the Mahabharata directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi...
(1997) - PinjarPinjar (film)Pinjar is a 2003 film about Hindu-Muslim problems during the time around the partition of India. The film is based on a Punjabi novel by the same name, written by Amrita Pritam...
(2003) - Upanishad Ganga (2008) (under production)
- The Legend Of KunalThe Legend Of KunalThe Legend of Kunal is an upcoming film based on the life of Kunal, the son of the Indian emperor Ashoka. The movie will be directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi and star Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu, Arjun Rampal and Amrita Rao....
(2010) (under production) - Mohalla AssiMohalla AssiMohalla Assi is an upcoming 2011 Bollywood film starring Sunny Deol, and directed by Chandra Prakash Dwivedi who previously directed Pinjar , starring Urmila Matondkar and Manoj Bajpai, and most known for television epic Chanakya.The film is based on Dr. Kashinath Singh's popular Hindi novel...
(2011) (under production)