Bringing the Mahabharata to the big screen has been a dream of sorts for Aamir Khan. Recently, the superstar revealed that he would soon begin work on the magnum opus. It turns out he isn’t the only one training his focus on the Indian epic. Titled Mahabharata, a modern version of the epic will make its debut on Instagram this week. The centuries-old story has been told from one generation to another, and this time, it is designed for today’s fast-scrolling audience and touted to be India’s first AI-led micro-drama adaptation of the mythological tale.

Creator Sudeep Lahiri believes the vast canvas of the epic offers scope for many adaptations. His offering will have over 600 episodes, each about three to four minutes long. Ask him whether he sees his AI version thriving when Khan has teased a big-screen epic, and Lahiri says, “They are different experiences. A film or series made for theatres or OTT is built for immersion over hours. Ours is for the daily scroll, the late-night binge, the ‘just-one-more’ watch. It’s not about replacing long-form, it’s about giving mythology a new form that travels faster and further.”

Aamir Khan and Sudeep Lahiri