The major female character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, also known as Krishnaa, Panchali, and Yagyaseni, is Draupadi. She is the common consort of the five Pandava brothers—Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva. She is renowned for her grace, tenacity, and polyandrous union.

Ram Kamal Mukherjee announced that he will be making the magnum opus Draupadi with Rukmini Maitra in the lead role. This will be their second collaboration after Binodiini-Ekti Natir Upakhyan, a Bengali biopic based on theatre legend Binodini Dasi.

Dev Entertainment Ventures and Pramod Films once again collaborate for this film. It is produced by Dev Adhikari and Prateek Chakravorty from Mumbai.

The production houses released a motion poster designed by Ekta Bhattacharjee from Ekta Tales with a background score composed by Sourendro and Soumyojit duo. The Sanskrit verses in the Draupadi motion poster are written by Ram Kamal.

The film is based on noted author Pratibha Ray’s award-winning Odiya novel Yajnaseni.

“When director Ram Kamal contacted me for the Yajnaseni film rights through my publisher Rupa Publications, I was thrilled to see that Indian filmmakers are still drawn to the Mahabharata’s epic tale. Yajnaseni, my book, tells the Mahabharata story through Draupadi’s perspective and has present-day relevance. Yajnaseni is the definition of Power, Penance, and Patience. It’s a collaborative effort, and Ram Kamal, who is also an author, will do Yajnaseni and her story justice. Now is the perfect moment to reread our epics and educate the younger generation about our history and traditions” said Pratibha Ray.

“After watching Ram Kamal’s work in Binodiini Ekti Natir Upakhyan, I realized that he has an amazing sense of aesthetics and visual presentation skills. I had the impression that he would definitely do justice to the scope and subject when he revealed his desire to create Draupadi. I also saw Rukmini’s range as a performer in Binodiini, so I was aware of Ram Kamal’s motivation for choosing her to play Draupadi. As a producer, I was drawn in by his story’s originality. Everyone will have an incredible experience” said producer Dev.

“It’s wonderful to be back with Ram Kamal after Binodiini Ekti Natir Upakhyan, because he makes me feel at ease in characters that are very difficult to play on screen. I suppose these are the extra benefits you get from working with a friend. While waiting for the ideal moment, he had been longing to make Draupadi. Being a part of the Mahabharata, a topic that is dear to every Indian, is an honor. Without a doubt, after Binodiini, this will be one of the most difficult roles I ever play in my career” said Rukmini Maitra.

 The director is wrapping up his post-production work on Binodiini Ekti Natir Upakhyan, and working on the research and screenplay of the film. He will be working along with Paawaan Aagarwal as co-researcher and screenplay writer for this film. He worked as my Chief Associate Director in Binodiini Ekti Natir Upakhyan. The remaining cast and technical team will be finalized after the completion of the screenplay. The film needs four months of pre-production and a rigorous workshop before the shoot begins, added the director.

A great film to look forward to!!

Priyanka Dutta