HOUSTON, TEXAS, September 9, 2007: Nittish Bharadwaj has acted in Arthur Miller dramas, Oscar Wilde comedies and Moti Roti, a London musical extravaganza spoofing Indian cinema. To millions around the world, however, Bharadwaj will always be Lord Krishna, the Hindu manifestation of God in the world that he portrayed in the Indian TV serial adaptation of the Mahabharata, the ancient Sanskrit epic. Originally aired in 94 weekly, 45-minute episodes in 1988-90, it became the most popular Indian series ever and was seen in 65 nations. Even years later, some viewers still touch Bharadwaj’s feet — “out of devotion to Lord Krishna,” Bharadwaj recognizes, “not to Nittish Bharadwaj.”
Bharadwaj will be the keynote speaker at the 18th annual Grand Janmashtami Celebration, presented by Hindus of Greater Houston tonight at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu the protector of the universe. “I will speak about the relevance of spirituality in the modern world, the ‘global village’ as we now call it,” Bharadwaj said by phone from his home in Mumbai. “My forte is Indian spirituality, where I draw my strength and inspiration from. “My address will touch upon why Krishna is so important in Indian spirituality,” he said. “To me, He is the God of celebration. He tells us not to renounce life but to accept it as presented. No one’s life is rosy all the way, but accept it as a whole and learn to celebrate it.”
The event’s sponsors have sought Bharadwaj’s participation for several years. “It didn’t materialize before,” he said. “But this year I was able to, so I decided to come. The Indian community there (in Houston) seems very keen.”
He is currently completing the second season of a new TV series, Man Mein Hai Visshwas. “The title translates as “The Faith Is There in Your Heart,” Bharadwaj said. “It’s based on people’s real-life spiritual experiences. We check the stories, and once authenticated, we dramatize them. It’s completely different for me. And it’s proving very popular.”