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49 Responses to “Yudh (images & trailer) (updated)”
I am hoping this and last season’s Hindi 24 mark the beginning of TV’s “grown up” phase in India; certainly in America the best TV offerings interest me far more than what Hollywood has to offer — we’re a long away from that in India, but the Hindi film industry is beyond the point of staleness, it is practically fetid.
It does look low on quality but not sure is it due to low budget and quite sure that it can’t be due to have been shot on digital medium. Even low budget dslr (canon 5d and similar) is very high on resolution and image quality.
Hoping it is just the design of the project and/or just the poor encoding of Youtube.
Urvi Malvania | Mumbai May 31, 2014
Last Updated at 11:19 PM IST
Sony set to score big with Bachchan’s TV fiction debut, Yudh
Co-produced by Endemol and Saraswati Productions, the show has 20 hours of content to be presented as a daily programme
General entertainment channel Sony Entertainment Television’s (SET’s) soon-to-be-launched show, Yudh, which marks Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan’s television debut in the ‘fiction’ format, is touted to be India’s most expensive show in that segment. It is also estimated to command higher advertisement rates than any other fiction show on Indian television.
Co-produced by Endemol and Saraswati Productions, the show has 20 hours of content to be presented as a daily programme. While its promotions were launched on Saturday night, the show is expected to hit the small screen later this month.
SET refused to divulge the production cost but sources said it could be close to Rs 3 crore per episode (including marketing spends) – that’s more than any fiction show ever on the Indian television. Generally, the production cost for daily soaps is less than Rs 1 crore per episode, but these shows run for longer durations.
Bachchan is a familiar face on the Indian TV for playing the genial anchor of Kaun Banega Crorepati but he is yet to act in a TV fiction. Yudh, which boasts a sterling starcast that includes Sarika, Tigmanshu Dhulia and Kay Kay Menon, will see Bachchan playing the role of Yudhishthir, the protagonist. While Anurag Kashyap is part of the team as a creative director, Shoojit Sircar has donned the director’s hat for part of the show.
Rohit Gupta, vice-president of MSM, which runs SET, did not say much on the cost of the show but agreed “the mounting of the show is huge, given the cast and production quality”. The network is also expected to spend extensively on marketing the show, considering it has a “one-of-a-kind differentiated content”.
Last year, Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor had made his television debut with the Indian adaptation of the thriller series 24, which was made at the cost of about Rs 2.5 crore per episode (including licence fee). This, at that time, was the highest for a fiction show in the country. But the show got a lukewarm response in terms of ratings – it did well in the metros but failed to get eyeballs in non-metro cities and towns. Launched with an all-India rating of 2.8 TVM (television viewership in million), 24 averaged at between 2.2 and 2.8 TVM for the whole season.
Grand ad rates
Yudh has also managed to break boundaries in terms of ad rates – at Rs 3 lakh for a 10-second spot – thanks to its mega starcast. This is practically double the normal rates of Rs 1.5 lakh for 10 seconds on top-rated daily shows on general entertainment channels.
Besides charging premium spot rates for advertising, MSM has roped in a bevy of sponsors as well – primary sponsorship revenues alone come to more than Rs 12-14 crore. These include presenting sponsor Cadbury’s (at Rs 6-7 crore) and “powered-by” sponsor OLX (Rs 6-7 crore), apart from associate sponsors Maruti, Ruchi Soya and Dabur (Rs 4-5crore each). MSM’s Gupta says three more sponsors are expected to come on board by next week.
“We have 20 hours of content and we are still figuring out how to slot it. But we are confident of the eyeballs the show will get. Also, since it is a finite show, we can pack a punch in each episode. We aim to end each episode on a high note to keep the viewers intrigued. Advertisers have realised the potential of the show and the value it will bring,” Gupta explains.
Yudh’s storyline follows the different relationships that Yudhishthir, played by Bachchan, shares with various people in his life. While it is a family drama, there are realistic undertones in the storytelling.
“We had experimented with such content four-five years ago in partnership with Yash Raj Films (the television division). We had shows like Powder, Mahi-Way and Seven. At that time, the audience, maybe, was not prepared for such content. Today, the viewers have evolved and there is scope for differentiated content,” says Gupta, who is optimistic of the show’s success, both critically and financially. He is confident that the show will prove profitable for the channel.
SPOT SPINNERS
Ad rates (Rs /10 second) commanded by top TV shows
I hope this sort of thing is a harbinger of things to come: in America, at least, premium TV has long left cinema behind as THE place to go for great drama and stories, in a format that allows time (even as cinema has gone down the route of ever larger and more soulless extravaganzas). In India, the time is ripe for shows that are a cut (or several) above what the small screen has given us thus far: the Hindi 24 was quite gripping (better, I thought, than the US- series, if only because of the vast cast of characters and the wider canvas), and I can’t wait to check Yudh out too.
Looking forward to this. Using film cameras to shoot television isn’t really done anywhere anymore, so not too worried about the look here, not to mention that that Youtube clip seems pretty heavily compressed. If there’s anything that feels a bit amateurish it’s the score. Reminds me of an RGV kind of thing and that’s not a compliment.
Going by the reactions from friends i have spoken to. This gives a breaking bad kind of a feel. This will be a big hit in India tV for sure as AB has pitch perfect record on TV when debuting..be it KBC, Big Boss and now this.
If this is a “true copy” of Breaking Bad then the clash between the role and Mr Bachchan’s public persona will generate a counter productive baggage.
Perhaps this starts off at the same health crisis point but then departs from there onwards. Keeping in mind that Amitabh Bachchan is playing the role, the character will have to be softer & kinder at its core, in order to make it palatable for the Indian audience.
Fantastic episode it was .. bit slow, but powerful performances specially by Amitabh and build-up of suspense and excitement made sure that everyone look forward for next one .. Direction was good.
Amitabh was looking stunning .. he has returned to iconic bachchan style and delivered terrific performance. Small screen must be feeling bigger than anything today 🙂
I’m sure it’s available to torrent at full resolution. Will try and track it down at some point.
In terms of the sense that it’s too slow, what’s the comparison? If it’s slow relative to your average Hindi soap masquerading as family drama, then that sounds just about right to me!
Some of the best shows around now in the US and UK started out at a very measured pace. If that’s the model Yudh is following I’d be more than pleased. Look forward to catching it.
the question is whether this picks up the pace soon or whether it’s meant to be this kind of brooding affair. Must say that based on all the reviews I’ve seen the BGM point concerns me more than anything else. A quality show shouldn’t be marred by these kinds of choices.
It’s four episodes a week for 5 weeks, I think the slowness is simply the characters getting etched in the first episode. But people today have little patience. By the way, Amitabh is very good here. Also loved KK and Tigmanshu Dhulia (the former’s scene was the best in the first episode). Finally, it was great to hear crisp Hindustani dialogue, a rarity these days. It isn’t Breaking Bad, but given most of the films in the cinemas I would take this any day. I was also happy to see a vivid representation of Noida (as far as I can tell the first onscreen) — some of the overhead shots were striking.
Didn’t know that was the roll-out. A twenty episode season is kind of a tall order, again, if the comparison is the standard in the US and UK. Hopefully they keep it interesting.
just saw the first episode. Very surprised at some of these reviews. Found it gripping from the very first moment and onwards. Also really liked a Bachchan performance after a long time. Brooding, inward.. he doesn’t do this very often in the movies. Actually wish this were a netflix release or something where I could watch all of it in a limited period of time.
Q: While I liked the first episode far less than you did (I somehow missed last night’s episode), I absolutely agree on Dhulia and the Hindustani dialogue bit. Loved this particular one- “Rajneeti mein dost woh jo mauka milne par bhi peeth par chhoora na ghonpe”.
In an effort to make more money out of sponsors and perhaps because the channel figured they need to do something, anything, to make Yudh seem engaging, before each commercial break, you get something called “Yudh Moments”. These are scintillating anecdotes about the programme and the wonder that is Amitabh Bachchan. We are informed that he ad libbed his lines on the show and incorporated the flies on the set into his dialogue. Also, in a scene where he’s looking at his iPad, Bachchan was actually playing a game while delivering his lines. (When you see the scene, you can see him playing the game though. So I missed the point of this anecdote.) I expect in the next Yudh Moment, we will be told Bachchan turned water into milk and honey. Because that’s what happens when a massive cinema legend is squished into the small screen.
so far it’s just the first episode for US viewers (4th episode on tonight otherwise), ‘unofficially’ you can get them even before they’re shown on TV (i.e. once they’re screened in India) but this channel provides the best quality. So if one cannot watch it on TV and one doesn’t mind the lag this is the best way to go.
Anyways, been watching it daily. This has to be the perfect casted TV series or even a movie, I’ve ever seen. Every character is so well casted from non-TV artist like Ayesha Raza as Yudh’s wife, Sarika and Aahana Kumra as his daughter( facial features also resemble too much with Big B). KK Menon as Corrupt commissioner and Zakir Hussain as Yudh’s confidate.
Anyways, Yudh’s character is complete extension of TRISHUL (one of my fav films ever, heck even his company his called Shakti Mining.. )
Those so called reviewers are in the last lag of existence and will disappear sooner than later and after glancing through their utterly dumb and copycat review of this very engaging Tv series “Yudh” , it has already become reality for me!
If zooming camera from one character to another endlessly called pace then thank goodness it isn’t there in Yudh.
There is cinematic lighting, high production value sets, shuttle camera movements, a proper storytelling and amazing performances from all is trademark of this Yudh.
it is endearing to see AB act or rather react with so much control and intensity with and without words.
The only thing in excess is make up of AB and that also after a planting story (marketing gimmick) of him using no make up at all for this throughout!
To add to this there is surely resemblance with “Boss” created by Farhad Safinia stars Kelsey Grammer as Tom Kane, who has recently been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative neurological disorder.
Incidentally finished watching it on netflix not too long ago.
Have loved it so far.
So different from the usual drivel on Indian TV.
AB is masterful.
Am not sure how it will fare in TRP wars given it is at times grim and dark but I find it pretty engaging,sincere, well casted and acted.
“When I watch Yudh I feel a sense of accomplishment” – Amitabh Bachchan
By Subhash K. Jha, Aug 12, 2014 – 11:01 IST
Amitabh Bachchan talks about the audiences’ response to Yudh, the excitement for the new season of KBC, and Kapil.
Yudh your first fictional series has been greeted with pleasant surprise and some amount of initial bewilderment. Amitji, did you expect this response?
Any effort that entails a change in direction shall always be met with surprise and bewilderment. ‘Yudh’ has perhaps provoked this among viewers. It’s normal.
Yudh is an entirely different experience from what fictional television in our country has come to be. Was Yudh designed as a game-changer?
I do not think we go about creativity with a predetermined notion that ‘we shall be game changers’! Yes we wanted to do something that looked and felt different, that is all. The game changing bit is now audience related. They shall decide what they feel about it!
Not only have you done your dialogues in sync sound for Yudh–a rarity on Indian television, you have lowered the sur and pitch of your character’s emotions much lower than what television audiences are used to. Were these conscious decisions?
I did what was asked of me to do. The team wanted it to be as natural and unaffected as possible, and all of us did that, or made effort to do so.
Your character Yudhistir Sikarwar is tormented by inner demons and a serious health problem. How emotionally and physically exhausting was it for you to play out Yudhistir’s agonizing predicament?
Not just Yudhishtir, but any character we play demands an involvement as close to reality as possible. I and all the others made similar effort. The profession does have its moments of exertion, both physically and emotionally, and I guess we learn to live with it.
You have some fine co-stars in Yudh….I especially like Aahana Kumra. How much did you draw from your own real-life experiences for your scenes with Aahana?
Yes Aahana has been a joy to work with. She is a very accomplished artist, as are all the others on the show. Even the very smallest part has been chosen with great care and distinction.
Yudh traverses an unexplored emotional and narrative territory on Indian television. Do you watch the serial? And what is your evaluation of its achievements?
Yes I do watch the serial, and feel a sense of accomplishment. But much like all other creative work, there is always room for improvement, and we shall work to that end.
You now embark on another season of KBC. Your thoughts as you move into this life-changing game show one more time?
Yes KBC starts again and we have had some very interesting episodes and openings for the game show. It all started in 2000, and still exists in 2014. 14 years is a long time to be associated with it, with approximately 600 episodes that I have been involved in, it does seem like the enactment of a lifetime, but I have never felt the years go by. I feel as excited about meeting different contestants today as I did on day one…
The first episode features the very entertaining Kapil Sharma. What was it like shooting with him?
Kapil Sharma is an institution by himself. It is an honour and a joy to share space with him. Gifted and talented, he has single-handedly created a niche for not just himself, but for all those who endeavour to follow his track .
What sort of guests can we hope to see sitting on the hot seat with you this season?
Aise contestants jo sirf paise hi na jeetein, par ham sab ka dil bhi …
Finally, what are your thoughts on the growth of Indian television as you are now such an integral and indispensable part of it?
Correction. I am neither an integral nor an indispensable part of the tv industry, but I do feel that tv in India has grown exponentially, and shall continue to grow. Its turn over has already reached 3 times that of cinema and with 800 odd channels in play it can only become even bigger. The potential here is massive and I see it becoming a most integral part of our lives … If it hasn’t already.
Saw all 20 episodes of Yudh within the last 10 days.
fine performances by Amitabh, Zakir Hussain and Dhulia…..but man what a waste of talent and money .. the same costant disgusting BGM alone was enough to piss me off….the screenplay and direction were kind of non existent.
..but then what can you expect from the Khapshyap house ! Barbaaad !!!!
SATYAMSHOT 
June 2, 2014 at 1:42 PM
Should have been shot on film…this looks too low budget but looking forward to it anyway.
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June 16, 2014 at 3:50 AM
I am hoping this and last season’s Hindi 24 mark the beginning of TV’s “grown up” phase in India; certainly in America the best TV offerings interest me far more than what Hollywood has to offer — we’re a long away from that in India, but the Hindi film industry is beyond the point of staleness, it is practically fetid.
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June 2, 2014 at 2:01 PM
It does look low on quality but not sure is it due to low budget and quite sure that it can’t be due to have been shot on digital medium. Even low budget dslr (canon 5d and similar) is very high on resolution and image quality.
Hoping it is just the design of the project and/or just the poor encoding of Youtube.
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June 2, 2014 at 2:04 PM
At least one thing is very sure that it is not getting that many eyeballs here and elsewhere.
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June 2, 2014 at 4:50 PM
Urvi Malvania | Mumbai May 31, 2014
Last Updated at 11:19 PM IST
Sony set to score big with Bachchan’s TV fiction debut, Yudh
Co-produced by Endemol and Saraswati Productions, the show has 20 hours of content to be presented as a daily programme
General entertainment channel Sony Entertainment Television’s (SET’s) soon-to-be-launched show, Yudh, which marks Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan’s television debut in the ‘fiction’ format, is touted to be India’s most expensive show in that segment. It is also estimated to command higher advertisement rates than any other fiction show on Indian television.
Co-produced by Endemol and Saraswati Productions, the show has 20 hours of content to be presented as a daily programme. While its promotions were launched on Saturday night, the show is expected to hit the small screen later this month.
SET refused to divulge the production cost but sources said it could be close to Rs 3 crore per episode (including marketing spends) – that’s more than any fiction show ever on the Indian television. Generally, the production cost for daily soaps is less than Rs 1 crore per episode, but these shows run for longer durations.
Bachchan is a familiar face on the Indian TV for playing the genial anchor of Kaun Banega Crorepati but he is yet to act in a TV fiction. Yudh, which boasts a sterling starcast that includes Sarika, Tigmanshu Dhulia and Kay Kay Menon, will see Bachchan playing the role of Yudhishthir, the protagonist. While Anurag Kashyap is part of the team as a creative director, Shoojit Sircar has donned the director’s hat for part of the show.
Rohit Gupta, vice-president of MSM, which runs SET, did not say much on the cost of the show but agreed “the mounting of the show is huge, given the cast and production quality”. The network is also expected to spend extensively on marketing the show, considering it has a “one-of-a-kind differentiated content”.
Last year, Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor had made his television debut with the Indian adaptation of the thriller series 24, which was made at the cost of about Rs 2.5 crore per episode (including licence fee). This, at that time, was the highest for a fiction show in the country. But the show got a lukewarm response in terms of ratings – it did well in the metros but failed to get eyeballs in non-metro cities and towns. Launched with an all-India rating of 2.8 TVM (television viewership in million), 24 averaged at between 2.2 and 2.8 TVM for the whole season.
Grand ad rates
Yudh has also managed to break boundaries in terms of ad rates – at Rs 3 lakh for a 10-second spot – thanks to its mega starcast. This is practically double the normal rates of Rs 1.5 lakh for 10 seconds on top-rated daily shows on general entertainment channels.
Besides charging premium spot rates for advertising, MSM has roped in a bevy of sponsors as well – primary sponsorship revenues alone come to more than Rs 12-14 crore. These include presenting sponsor Cadbury’s (at Rs 6-7 crore) and “powered-by” sponsor OLX (Rs 6-7 crore), apart from associate sponsors Maruti, Ruchi Soya and Dabur (Rs 4-5crore each). MSM’s Gupta says three more sponsors are expected to come on board by next week.
“We have 20 hours of content and we are still figuring out how to slot it. But we are confident of the eyeballs the show will get. Also, since it is a finite show, we can pack a punch in each episode. We aim to end each episode on a high note to keep the viewers intrigued. Advertisers have realised the potential of the show and the value it will bring,” Gupta explains.
Yudh’s storyline follows the different relationships that Yudhishthir, played by Bachchan, shares with various people in his life. While it is a family drama, there are realistic undertones in the storytelling.
“We had experimented with such content four-five years ago in partnership with Yash Raj Films (the television division). We had shows like Powder, Mahi-Way and Seven. At that time, the audience, maybe, was not prepared for such content. Today, the viewers have evolved and there is scope for differentiated content,” says Gupta, who is optimistic of the show’s success, both critically and financially. He is confident that the show will prove profitable for the channel.
SPOT SPINNERS
Ad rates (Rs /10 second) commanded by top TV shows
Yudh
Rs 3 lakh
20 hours of content (slots to be decided)
24 (Season 1)
Rs 2 lakh
24 episodes
Top daily GEC shows*
Rs 1.5 lakh (average)
Long running (most have completed 200 episodes)
* Diya aur Bati Hum, Balika Vadhu, Jodha Akbar, Maharana Pratap, etc
Source: TV industry
http://wap.business-standard.com/article/companies/sony-set-to-score-big-with-bachchan-s-tv-fiction-debut-yudh-114053101824_1.html
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June 2, 2014 at 5:17 PM
with him these barriers have a way of being crossed…! thanks for the link..
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June 3, 2014 at 6:49 AM
I hope this sort of thing is a harbinger of things to come: in America, at least, premium TV has long left cinema behind as THE place to go for great drama and stories, in a format that allows time (even as cinema has gone down the route of ever larger and more soulless extravaganzas). In India, the time is ripe for shows that are a cut (or several) above what the small screen has given us thus far: the Hindi 24 was quite gripping (better, I thought, than the US- series, if only because of the vast cast of characters and the wider canvas), and I can’t wait to check Yudh out too.
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June 3, 2014 at 10:39 AM
Looking forward to this. Using film cameras to shoot television isn’t really done anywhere anymore, so not too worried about the look here, not to mention that that Youtube clip seems pretty heavily compressed. If there’s anything that feels a bit amateurish it’s the score. Reminds me of an RGV kind of thing and that’s not a compliment.
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June 3, 2014 at 5:33 PM
Going by the reactions from friends i have spoken to. This gives a breaking bad kind of a feel. This will be a big hit in India tV for sure as AB has pitch perfect record on TV when debuting..be it KBC, Big Boss and now this.
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June 4, 2014 at 8:55 AM
If this is a “true copy” of Breaking Bad then the clash between the role and Mr Bachchan’s public persona will generate a counter productive baggage.
Perhaps this starts off at the same health crisis point but then departs from there onwards. Keeping in mind that Amitabh Bachchan is playing the role, the character will have to be softer & kinder at its core, in order to make it palatable for the Indian audience.
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June 17, 2014 at 9:24 AM
Bachchan at the BSE for Yudh:
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June 17, 2014 at 9:29 AM
his company in the show is called Shanti Constructions!
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June 17, 2014 at 10:15 AM
Ha! Amazing.
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June 17, 2014 at 9:25 AM
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June 28, 2014 at 3:42 PM
super exited about this show.
of course to see our rajasthan ki shan ‘Himesh Choudahry’ sharing screen with Big B.
cant wait much.
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July 5, 2014 at 1:16 PM
One opportunist praises another opportunist.
http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/celebrity/waiting-for-yudh-srk-tells-big-b_157886.html
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July 6, 2014 at 1:59 AM
mr bachchan and anurag kashyap …thats enough to look forward to
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/id-like-to-tell-longer-stories-on-tv-anurag-kashyap/1/369122.html
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July 6, 2014 at 2:09 AM
kashyap on tv in 90’s
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July 8, 2014 at 7:05 AM
looking forward to this..
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July 14, 2014 at 3:20 PM
Fantastic episode it was .. bit slow, but powerful performances specially by Amitabh and build-up of suspense and excitement made sure that everyone look forward for next one .. Direction was good.
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July 14, 2014 at 3:22 PM
Amitabh was looking stunning .. he has returned to iconic bachchan style and delivered terrific performance. Small screen must be feeling bigger than anything today 🙂
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July 14, 2014 at 10:34 PM
It was real treat. After a long time remote control is getting used to stay on Indian TV channel!
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July 15, 2014 at 9:45 AM
Heard it was very slow. Twitter is not taking to it too well but maybe its too early to judge. I would love to catch this. IS this available online?
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July 15, 2014 at 10:02 AM
Sony puts up everything on youtube eventually. Haven’t seen it yet myself. Should be available elsewhere online.
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July 15, 2014 at 10:21 AM
I’m sure it’s available to torrent at full resolution. Will try and track it down at some point.
In terms of the sense that it’s too slow, what’s the comparison? If it’s slow relative to your average Hindi soap masquerading as family drama, then that sounds just about right to me!
Some of the best shows around now in the US and UK started out at a very measured pace. If that’s the model Yudh is following I’d be more than pleased. Look forward to catching it.
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July 15, 2014 at 10:26 AM
“If it’s slow relative to your average Hindi soap masquerading as family drama, then that sounds just about right to me!”
LOL, true! On your last point the HT review makes it too.
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July 15, 2014 at 9:42 AM
Saw the first episode and it was so boring that i switched off my TV.
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July 15, 2014 at 9:57 AM
Yes it was painfully static, hoping it will pick up in the next few episodes.
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July 15, 2014 at 10:06 AM
most of the reviewers have the same complaint so far… here’s one example:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/television/yudh-review-amitabh-bachchan-s-soap-draws-new-battlelines-for-indian-tv/article1-1240530.aspx
the question is whether this picks up the pace soon or whether it’s meant to be this kind of brooding affair. Must say that based on all the reviews I’ve seen the BGM point concerns me more than anything else. A quality show shouldn’t be marred by these kinds of choices.
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July 15, 2014 at 10:22 AM
It’s four episodes a week for 5 weeks, I think the slowness is simply the characters getting etched in the first episode. But people today have little patience. By the way, Amitabh is very good here. Also loved KK and Tigmanshu Dhulia (the former’s scene was the best in the first episode). Finally, it was great to hear crisp Hindustani dialogue, a rarity these days. It isn’t Breaking Bad, but given most of the films in the cinemas I would take this any day. I was also happy to see a vivid representation of Noida (as far as I can tell the first onscreen) — some of the overhead shots were striking.
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July 15, 2014 at 10:27 AM
Glad to hear this Qalandar..
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July 15, 2014 at 10:30 AM
Didn’t know that was the roll-out. A twenty episode season is kind of a tall order, again, if the comparison is the standard in the US and UK. Hopefully they keep it interesting.
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July 15, 2014 at 1:01 PM
just saw the first episode. Very surprised at some of these reviews. Found it gripping from the very first moment and onwards. Also really liked a Bachchan performance after a long time. Brooding, inward.. he doesn’t do this very often in the movies. Actually wish this were a netflix release or something where I could watch all of it in a limited period of time.
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July 16, 2014 at 1:29 AM
Q: While I liked the first episode far less than you did (I somehow missed last night’s episode), I absolutely agree on Dhulia and the Hindustani dialogue bit. Loved this particular one- “Rajneeti mein dost woh jo mauka milne par bhi peeth par chhoora na ghonpe”.
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July 15, 2014 at 9:56 AM
Review: Bachchan’s strong, but Yudh starts off too slow
http://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-bachchans-strong-but-yudh-starts-off-too-slow/20140715.htm
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July 15, 2014 at 11:12 AM
In an effort to make more money out of sponsors and perhaps because the channel figured they need to do something, anything, to make Yudh seem engaging, before each commercial break, you get something called “Yudh Moments”. These are scintillating anecdotes about the programme and the wonder that is Amitabh Bachchan. We are informed that he ad libbed his lines on the show and incorporated the flies on the set into his dialogue. Also, in a scene where he’s looking at his iPad, Bachchan was actually playing a game while delivering his lines. (When you see the scene, you can see him playing the game though. So I missed the point of this anecdote.) I expect in the next Yudh Moment, we will be told Bachchan turned water into milk and honey. Because that’s what happens when a massive cinema legend is squished into the small screen.
Simply put, there’s way too much Amitabh Bachchan in this one hour. He’s on this show. When the commercials begin, he’s in the promos telling us to take part in Kaun Banega Crorepati. He’s probably in a few of the ads too. By the end of the hour, I’m starting to see dwarves dressed as clowns.
http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/amitabh-bachchan-in-yudh-acts-like-mother-teresa-with-a-french-beard-1619587.html
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July 16, 2014 at 8:46 AM
2nd episode is good compare to 1st… so many things are happening here…looking forward to this.
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July 17, 2014 at 2:04 PM
Yudh now available on Sony’s youtube channel:
so far it’s just the first episode for US viewers (4th episode on tonight otherwise), ‘unofficially’ you can get them even before they’re shown on TV (i.e. once they’re screened in India) but this channel provides the best quality. So if one cannot watch it on TV and one doesn’t mind the lag this is the best way to go.
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July 18, 2014 at 12:55 AM
Video is private, unable to see it.
Anyways, been watching it daily. This has to be the perfect casted TV series or even a movie, I’ve ever seen. Every character is so well casted from non-TV artist like Ayesha Raza as Yudh’s wife, Sarika and Aahana Kumra as his daughter( facial features also resemble too much with Big B). KK Menon as Corrupt commissioner and Zakir Hussain as Yudh’s confidate.
Anyways, Yudh’s character is complete extension of TRISHUL (one of my fav films ever, heck even his company his called Shakti Mining.. )
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July 18, 2014 at 1:33 AM
Yudh – Episode 1 – 14th July 2014 – Amitabh Bachchan
Yudh – Episode 2 – 15th July 2014 – Amitabh Bachchan
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July 18, 2014 at 9:26 AM
Those so called reviewers are in the last lag of existence and will disappear sooner than later and after glancing through their utterly dumb and copycat review of this very engaging Tv series “Yudh” , it has already become reality for me!
If zooming camera from one character to another endlessly called pace then thank goodness it isn’t there in Yudh.
There is cinematic lighting, high production value sets, shuttle camera movements, a proper storytelling and amazing performances from all is trademark of this Yudh.
it is endearing to see AB act or rather react with so much control and intensity with and without words.
The only thing in excess is make up of AB and that also after a planting story (marketing gimmick) of him using no make up at all for this throughout!
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July 19, 2014 at 9:50 AM
To add to this there is surely resemblance with “Boss” created by Farhad Safinia stars Kelsey Grammer as Tom Kane, who has recently been diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, a degenerative neurological disorder.
Incidentally finished watching it on netflix not too long ago.
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July 19, 2014 at 12:12 PM
Have loved it so far.
So different from the usual drivel on Indian TV.
AB is masterful.
Am not sure how it will fare in TRP wars given it is at times grim and dark but I find it pretty engaging,sincere, well casted and acted.
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July 19, 2014 at 12:13 PM
Cannot wait for Mon and the next episode.
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July 20, 2014 at 10:08 AM
Glad you liked it Rajen — I’m actually glad for the 3 day gap, as it let me catch up on an episode I was behind on…
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July 20, 2014 at 11:33 AM
left a comment in this thread some days ago but agree completely will your sense of the show..
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July 23, 2014 at 12:25 PM
any reviews of the week 2 episodes, not sure if week 2 episodes has started.
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August 18, 2014 at 8:02 PM
“When I watch Yudh I feel a sense of accomplishment” – Amitabh Bachchan
By Subhash K. Jha, Aug 12, 2014 – 11:01 IST
Amitabh Bachchan talks about the audiences’ response to Yudh, the excitement for the new season of KBC, and Kapil.
Yudh your first fictional series has been greeted with pleasant surprise and some amount of initial bewilderment. Amitji, did you expect this response?
Any effort that entails a change in direction shall always be met with surprise and bewilderment. ‘Yudh’ has perhaps provoked this among viewers. It’s normal.
Yudh is an entirely different experience from what fictional television in our country has come to be. Was Yudh designed as a game-changer?
I do not think we go about creativity with a predetermined notion that ‘we shall be game changers’! Yes we wanted to do something that looked and felt different, that is all. The game changing bit is now audience related. They shall decide what they feel about it!
Not only have you done your dialogues in sync sound for Yudh–a rarity on Indian television, you have lowered the sur and pitch of your character’s emotions much lower than what television audiences are used to. Were these conscious decisions?
I did what was asked of me to do. The team wanted it to be as natural and unaffected as possible, and all of us did that, or made effort to do so.
Your character Yudhistir Sikarwar is tormented by inner demons and a serious health problem. How emotionally and physically exhausting was it for you to play out Yudhistir’s agonizing predicament?
Not just Yudhishtir, but any character we play demands an involvement as close to reality as possible. I and all the others made similar effort. The profession does have its moments of exertion, both physically and emotionally, and I guess we learn to live with it.
You have some fine co-stars in Yudh….I especially like Aahana Kumra. How much did you draw from your own real-life experiences for your scenes with Aahana?
Yes Aahana has been a joy to work with. She is a very accomplished artist, as are all the others on the show. Even the very smallest part has been chosen with great care and distinction.
Yudh traverses an unexplored emotional and narrative territory on Indian television. Do you watch the serial? And what is your evaluation of its achievements?
Yes I do watch the serial, and feel a sense of accomplishment. But much like all other creative work, there is always room for improvement, and we shall work to that end.
You now embark on another season of KBC. Your thoughts as you move into this life-changing game show one more time?
Yes KBC starts again and we have had some very interesting episodes and openings for the game show. It all started in 2000, and still exists in 2014. 14 years is a long time to be associated with it, with approximately 600 episodes that I have been involved in, it does seem like the enactment of a lifetime, but I have never felt the years go by. I feel as excited about meeting different contestants today as I did on day one…
The first episode features the very entertaining Kapil Sharma. What was it like shooting with him?
Kapil Sharma is an institution by himself. It is an honour and a joy to share space with him. Gifted and talented, he has single-handedly created a niche for not just himself, but for all those who endeavour to follow his track .
What sort of guests can we hope to see sitting on the hot seat with you this season?
Aise contestants jo sirf paise hi na jeetein, par ham sab ka dil bhi …
Finally, what are your thoughts on the growth of Indian television as you are now such an integral and indispensable part of it?
Correction. I am neither an integral nor an indispensable part of the tv industry, but I do feel that tv in India has grown exponentially, and shall continue to grow. Its turn over has already reached 3 times that of cinema and with 800 odd channels in play it can only become even bigger. The potential here is massive and I see it becoming a most integral part of our lives … If it hasn’t already.
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May 28, 2015 at 1:58 PM
Saw all 20 episodes of Yudh within the last 10 days.
fine performances by Amitabh, Zakir Hussain and Dhulia…..but man what a waste of talent and money .. the same costant disgusting BGM alone was enough to piss me off….the screenplay and direction were kind of non existent.
..but then what can you expect from the Khapshyap house ! Barbaaad !!!!
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