Volume : 11, Issue : 8, AUG 2025

RETELLING OF THE MAHABHARATA IN CONTEMPORARY GRAPHIC FICTION: A STUDY OF SAMHITA ARNI’S WORK

JAGDISH PRASAD SAINI, DR. SEEMA SHARMA

Abstract

This paper explores the retelling of the Mahabharata in contemporary graphic fiction, with a specific focus on Samhita Arni’s graphic novel, The Mahabharata: A Child’s View. As a visual storytelling medium, graphic fiction provides a dynamic and effective platform for interpreting ancient narratives for modern audiences. Through the analysis of Arni’s adaptation, this study investigates how graphic fiction engages with ancient epic texts and reframes their stories to resonate with modern sensibilities. Arni’s approach adapts the Mahabharata through the fresh perspective of a child, simplifying intricate themes such as dignity, morality, justice, fate, and the devastating impact of war. Arni consistently maintains the central theme, moral core, and overall essence of the original Mahabharata. This paper assesses the importance of the visual storytelling medium in enhancing accessibility to ancient epics. Ultimately, this study argues that use of graphic fiction is an effective and accessible medium for the retelling of ancient epics, connecting younger generations with timeless stories.  

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JOURNAL ARTICLES:

1. Chatterjee, Ananya. “Visual Storytelling and Gender in Sita’s Ramayana.” Journal of South Asian Culture, vol. 5, no. 1, 2013, pp. 18–27.

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