Sagar Pictures Entertainment Unveils Shrimad Bhagavatam, an Epic Seven-Part Cinematic Franchise Inspired by the Ancient Purana!

The studio’s inaugural cinematic saga begins with Part I, bringing one of India’s greatest literary and spiritual works to the big screen.

National, July 29, 2026: On the revered occasion of Guru Purnima (Vyasa Purnima), Sagar Pictures Entertainment (SPE) officially announced Shrimad Bhagavatam, an ambitious seven-part cinematic series based on the Bhagavata Mahapurana. Marking the studio’s entry into large-scale theatrical franchises, the multi-film project reflects SPE’s long-term objective to adapt India’s sacred heritage through cinematic realism, rich storytelling, and modern filmmaking techniques for global audiences.

Inspired by the Bhagavata Mahapurana, attributed to Maharishi Ved Vyasa, the Shrimad Bhagavatam—also fondly known simply as the Bhagavatam—is the most revered of the eighteen Puranas of ancient Indian literature. The text explores, in its authentic form, the complete life and teachings of Lord Krishna through a non-linear narrative while unfolding the stories of the many avatars of Lord Mahavishnu. At its heart, it is a profound exploration of devotion, spirituality and humanity’s eternal pursuit of liberation through deeply interconnected stories spanning eons, worlds and generations.

Conceived as the first complete cinematic adaptation of the Shrimad Bhagavatam in its authentic form, the project will unfold across seven interconnected films, spin offs and series collectively envisioned as a Saptaha, borrowing its name from the revered tradition of seven-day Bhagavata recitations, where millions of devotees gather across India and around the world to celebrate and experience the timeless narratives of the sacred text.

Widely regarded as one of the most significant works of Sanatana literature, the Shrimad Bhagavatam has never before been adapted in its entirety for the screen. Spanning approximately 18,000 verses across twelve Skandas, the text in principle explores the philosophy of Bhakti while presenting some of Sanatana Ithihasa’s most enduring narratives. The cinematic adaptation includes all the events from Lord Krishna’s childhood and youth in Braja—including never before seen realistic cinematic interpretations of the Rasa Leela and the Gopi Gita—to the huge scaled large format realistic interpretations of the Poorna Avataras including Matsya, Varaha and Narasimha. Across the entire adaptation, audiences will witness events such as the Samudra Manthan, the rise of the Suryavansh and Chandravansh dynasties, stories of lesser known manifestations of Lord Mahavishnu including Prithu and Kapila, and learn from the inspiring lives of devotees such as Dhruva and Bharata. The adaption will also depict many other profound chapters and popular stories from the Sanatan Ithihasa rarely brought to the screen with this scale, realism and authenticity.

Beyond its epic scope, the adaptation seeks to explore enduring themes of devotion, duty, morality and the nature of existence through authentic shloka by shloka interpretation as written in the text. It will also bring to the screen the lesser-known chapters of Lord Krishna’s life and the events that follow the Great War of Hastinapur—stories rarely depicted in cinema.

Rather than adopting a single visual language, each chapter of the saga is developed with its own distinct identity, allowing its filmmaking style, visual grammar and tone to emerge organically from the story it tells. Drawing upon decades of cultural and philosophical research, the production embraces a grounded true interpretation of the source material to create an immersive cinematic experience. Featuring an international ensemble alongside performers from across India, the films seek authenticity in both performance and characterization while presenting the narratives with cinematic gravitas.

The Bhagavatam saga is developed and created by filmmakers Amrit Sagar Chopra and Akash Sagar Chopra, who are also directing Part I. Produced by Sagar Pictures Global, and guided on research by spiritual teacher and author Sri M, recipient of the Padma Bhushan, and mentored by Chairman Moti Sagar, co-director of the world’s most-watched television series, Ramayan (1987), the films seek to unite rigorous textual research with ambitious cinematic storytelling, bringing the philosophical depth of the text to contemporary global audiences through world-class visual execution.

Speaking on the announcement, Akash Sagar Chopra, CEO, Sagar Pictures Entertainment, said: “The Shrimad Bhagavatam is one of India’s greatest literary and spiritual works—arguably even more expansive than the Ramayan and the Mahabharata. Its extraordinary scale, layered narratives and profound philosophical depth present an unparalleled cinematic opportunity. Our ambition is to present these stories with depth and a cinematic language unlike anything previously seen with complete accuracy, grounded in realism but driven by the mega scale of each narrative, where every story guides its own visual identity and filmmaking style.”

The first installment commenced production at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, with principal photography officially inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Telangana, marking the beginning of one of India’s most ambitious cinematic productions. Designed for premium large-format exhibition, the film is photographed by Joel Schaefer, with acclaimed visual effects producer Clwyd Edwards, whose body of work includes Academy Award-winning and internationally celebrated productions, serving as Executive Producer.

Dedicated to the memory of the late Dr. Ramanand Sagar and Smt. Leela Sagar, Shrimad Bhagavatam marks the beginning of a new chapter for Sagar Pictures Entertainment as it embarks on a long-term vision to create premium cinematic storytelling inspired by India’s ancient texts. Following today’s title announcement, the studio will share further updates on Part I in the coming months.

About Sagar Pictures Entertainment
Sagar Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is the motion picture studio of the Sagar Pix Group and one of India’s leading media and entertainment companies, with operations across Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Built upon a storytelling legacy spanning more than 75 years, SPE develops and produces feature films, premium series and large-scale entertainment experiences rooted in culturally resonant narratives and cinematic world-building. The studio combines authentic storytelling, contemporary filmmaking and franchise-led intellectual property to create enduring entertainment for audiences worldwide.

With a legacy spanning more than seven decades, the group’s body of work includes over 55 television series and more than 25 feature films that have reached audiences across India, South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and the global Indian diaspora. Its catalogue includes National Film Award-winning feature films, acclaimed ITA Award-winning television programming and some of Indian entertainment’s most culturally significant productions. Today, Sagar Pictures Entertainment continues to expand across feature films, television, music, children’s entertainment, documentaries and emerging consumer-facing media brands.

By Keerti Kadam