He is the man with probably the largest repertoire in the history of literature -be it stories, novels, plays, poems and songs. Kaviguru Rabindranath Tagore lived more than 100 years ago in a conservative pre-Independence India, but wrote stories that resonate even now. Tapping into this reservoir of literary delights, filmmaker Anurag Basu will take his viewers to Tagore's Bengal of the 20s and 30s, with his latest outing on the small screen titled Stories By Rabindranath Tagore. It airs on Monday and Tuesday at 10 pm on The EPIC Channel, a segmented Hindi entertainment channel in the space of Indian history and mythology, told in a contemporary format. It is an era when dhoti-clad men talked about John Donne and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in the same breath, and women were still progressive beneath their ghoonghats.

Known for his visual storytelling, Anurag has chosen to translate the stories by the Nobel Laureate in his own unique way, thereby realising his 10-year-old dream. He has handpicked different stories like Chokher Bali, Charulata, Kabuliwala, Detective, Samapti, Chutti, etc, and created a unique background score for them. The show will devote two or three episodes to each novel, while short stories will be narrated in a single episode. However, each novel or story will be linked to the next in an intrinsic way. The narration will be blended with Tagore's songs (either sung or in the background), translated and composed by well-known lyricists and composers of our time. Here Anurag talks about his fascination for Tagore and the significance of his stories in this day and age. Excerpts:

Tell us about your fascination for Tagore and his influences in your work?
I wanted to depict Tagore stories, but never got the chance. I thought that I will never get a chance to fulfill my dream until the channel came with this offer. I visualised and depicted these stories through the show.

Do you think the younger audience will connect to iconic characters like Binodini and Charulata?
I realised that my kids have no literary exposure. And it's my responsibility to introduce them to this rich repertoire. I want to bring these stories close to every Indian, I want Hindi speakers to get to know these stories and that Tagore did a lot more than just write our National Anthem. They might not relate to all the stories, but will find some of them relevant. Tagore stories are an emotional journey and leave you happy. These stories are still relevant in Bengal even 74 years after his death. His thoughts and ideas are still contemporary, and I want the rest of India to get exposed to it.

Will you be staying true to the text?
Since I am making it, there will certainly be some of my own elements. But I have tried my best not to tamper with the stories and depict them as it is. The Bengali culture and the language are very rich. Adapting it in Hindi, while retaining the nuances, is a big challenge.

Our audiences are used to a certain kind of shows and serials on TV. Do you think it'll be able to break through the clutter?
I am a product of television. It has frozen now. They are showing the same kind of shows and repackaging them. We are not trying new things. It's a challenge for me and I am waiting for the response. I am hoping that Tagore will change TV.

Since the first story is Choker Bali, did you fear comparisons?
Rituda (Rituparno Ghosh) had adapted Choker Bali in his style, which was brilliant. But I am sticking to the text as I want my protagonists to have those layers that is in the story.

Did you have any problems in having your heroines 'understand' the char acters as they rather complex?
I didn't have to as there are some really good actors. In fact, it is through Tagore that I discovered new talent.

Your style of projecting a woman is a far cry from what we usually see on TV. They are headstrong and progressive. Given the kind of family drama dominating the TV scene, where does your show fit in?
I have grown up amid headstrong women and the two women - my wife and my mother - around me, are extremely progressive. What's the point if you can't speak your mind? I am a lazy director, and hence, I take references from my real life. I have known strong women all my life. I can't understand regressive characters.

How did you manage to condense one story in two episodes?
Each story will follow the other in a seamless way, before one story ends the other will begin from the narration of the previous story itself. When a scene you've written is taken out and doesn't affect the storyline, then it's not required in the first place. Given the shows today, I think we can remove episodes for an entire week and the storyline will be where it was.

Kolkata and music are always an intrinsic part of all your projects.Comment.
As I said earlier, I am a lazy film director. This is the culture I understand, know of and relate to. I can't justify a Punjabi or a South Indian culture.

How has TV changed since the time you turned director?
TV is more challenging than films. You can do different things. It can keep you on your toes, if one is brave enough to do more. Having said that, TV hasn't changed at all. It's the same with a majority of the shows being similar. The shows I was associated with, were ahead of their time and enjoyed a niche audience. Current television serials are mostly regressive and do not break the mould.