MUMBAI: Kaleidoscope Entertainment managing director Bobby Bedi has entered the television space as he sets out to prepare Mahabharata for Star Plus with a fresh lot of actors. Added to that, he also plans to make a film on the epic. He will be reviving the film in 2009, which was initially to take off in 2007. The film, that was to be directed by Mani Ratnam, will now be taken over by an international director. The script is still being worked upon and it will be co-produced by Barris M Osborne, the producer of The Lord of The Rings. 

The star cast will be an amalgamation of Hollywood actors and a few Indian stars. Working around a budget of $70 to $80 million, Bedi says, "My idea is to make this film a part of world cinema. It’s going to be grand and magnificent." The film is slated to be out by 2011.

Incidentally, BR Films is also planning to make a Rs 1+ billion film on Mahabharat.

As for their expansion plans, they are now looking at television as a lucrative avenue. Vinta Nanda, who produced shows like Millee and scripted Tara, is now heading Bedi’s television unit. Vinta says, "Right now we are concentrating on Mahabharat, but soon we will start working on dailies and weeklies. We are building up a few lifestyle shows for various channels across television. Next on our list is syndication of news content focusing on social and political issues. We will be tying with news channels too." 

This apart, Kaleidoscope is also producing Stoneman that will be directed by Manish Gupta. Stoneman will hit the cinemas in a couple of months. Yahaan Sab Theek Hai, their other film with Rishi Kapoor, will also be up for release in a few months’ time.