New Delhi: Amish Tripathi will be back on the screen in March with the second season of Legends, and this time he’s taking viewers across India to discover Shiva. From Kedaranth to Varanasi to the temples of South India, the three-part series, Legends of Shiva with Amish, promises to weave history and culture, with a heavy dose of spirituality.
“Legends of Ramayana was a superhit series, and we knew that the next best thing to do after this was Shiva, and who better than Amish,” said Sai Abishek, South Asia head of factual & lifestyle cluster, Warner Bros Discovery. The trailer of the series was unveiled on 9 February at the New Delhi World Book Fair ahead of its 3 March release on the Discovery Channel and Discovery+.
Legends of Ramayana with Amish took viewers on a pilgrimage to various sites associated with the epic in India and Sri Lanka—Ayodhya, Hampi, Anegundi, Rameswaram, Sigiriya, Trincomalee, Anuradhapura, and Nuwara Eliya. The Shiva series promises the same—Kedarnath, Chitrakoot and Chikkaballapura have been covered in the project. The research and pre-production for the show took about six to eight months.
One of the most gruelling experiences according to the show’s directors—Sujata Kulshreshtha and Abhimanyu Tewari—was the 22-kilometre uphill trek to Kedarnath.
Tripathi decided to do it on foot, and was soon followed by his wife and the rest of the crew.
“When I had the first glimpse of the temple, I was deeply moved and tears started streaming down,” he said.
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Bringing stories to life
For the series, the show runners have roped in a cast of ‘experts’ including a writer from Pune who spent time with the ascetic Aghori sadhus and a geologist to talk about the underground river in Chitrakoot. The production has also made use of state-of-the-art technology like first-person view (FPV) drones to bring stories and locations to life.
“Unlike conventional narratives that focus solely on mythology, this docu-series delves into the living spirit of these tales, anchored in the very places where they have been passed down for centuries. It presents a rich, immersive experience that brings to life the landscapes, temples, and traditions that continue to shape them,” said Sujata Kulshreshtha.
But will it be enough to keep viewers, especially the younger generation, hooked?
“The key is the Gen Z audience, who either give you attention for a 30-second reel or for an entire weekend, binge-watching your show. How do you get into that high quality space? Discovery does that,” said Tripathi.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)