# Vishnu Puran (विष्णु पुराण) (TV series)
**Vishnu Puran** (विष्णु पुराण) is an Indian Hindi-language mythological television series about the Hindu deity Vishnu, produced by B.R. Chopra and directed by [Ravi Chopra](https://www.edgepedia.org/ravi-chopra), which tells how Vishnu fights evil and comes to earth time and again to maintain the balance between good and evil[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/). It dramatizes the [Dashavatara](https://www.edgepedia.org/dashavatara), the ten incarnations of Vishnu as the protector of the universe, along with related stories[2](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/amp/telly-talk/serials/article/vishnu-puran-serial-cast-list-of-actors-who-play-key-roles-in-br-chopras-television-serial-on-doordarshan/592137). The series ran for a single season on [Zee TV](https://www.edgepedia.org/zee-tv) beginning in January 2000, with later broadcasts on DD National and DD Bharati, and it returned to Doordarshan during India's 2020 coronavirus lockdown after the re-run of B.R. Chopra's *Mahabharat* (1988)[2](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/amp/telly-talk/serials/article/vishnu-puran-serial-cast-list-of-actors-who-play-key-roles-in-br-chopras-television-serial-on-doordarshan/592137).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Subject | Lord Vishnu, who fights evil and comes to earth time and again to maintain the balance between good and evil[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/) |
| Production | Produced by B.R. Chopra (B.R. Films), directed by Ravi Chopra; written by Ram Govind with dialogues by Hasan Kamal[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/) • [3](https://hindiwikia.com/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%81_%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3_%28%E0%A4%9F%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%80_%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%BE%29) |
| Episodes | 126 per IMDb, JustWatch, and BhaktiBharat; the Japanese-language database lists 124, and a 2020 press feature says "nearly 128"[4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/episodes/) • [2](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/amp/telly-talk/serials/article/vishnu-puran-serial-cast-list-of-actors-who-play-key-roles-in-br-chopras-television-serial-on-doordarshan/592137) |
| Lead cast | Nitish Bharadwaj as Vishnu, Ram, Parashurama, Krishna, and Vamana; Vaidehi Amrute as Lakshmi[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/fullcredits/) |
| Music | Score by Raj Kamal; opening theme by Shankar Mahadevan[3](https://hindiwikia.com/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%81_%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3_%28%E0%A4%9F%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%80_%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%BE%29) |
| Availability | Not currently streaming in India; previously on Zee5 (May 2020 to February 2023) and VI movies and tv (until July 2023)[6](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/vishnu-puran) |
## Premise and source
The series presents stories of Vishnu's ten incarnations (Dashavatara) and his role as protector of the universe[2](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/amp/telly-talk/serials/article/vishnu-puran-serial-cast-list-of-actors-who-play-key-roles-in-br-chopras-television-serial-on-doordarshan/592137). Sources disagree on which scripture it adapts: BhaktiBharat and the 2020 [Doordarshan](https://www.edgepedia.org/doordarshan) coverage describe it as based on the ancient [Vishnu Purana](https://www.edgepedia.org/vishnu-purana)[7](https://www.bhaktibharat.com/movie/vishnu-puran) • [2](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/amp/telly-talk/serials/article/vishnu-puran-serial-cast-list-of-actors-who-play-key-roles-in-br-chopras-television-serial-on-doordarshan/592137), while the Japanese media database JMediaWiki lists the [Bhagavata Purana](https://www.edgepedia.org/bhagavata-purana) as its basis. A 2020 feature described the serial as "a primer on Indian Pauranic scriptures, with a little tweaking to suit the television format's narration style"[2](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/amp/telly-talk/serials/article/vishnu-puran-serial-cast-list-of-actors-who-play-key-roles-in-br-chopras-television-serial-on-doordarshan/592137).
## Broadcast
The premiere date is reported differently across databases: IMDb gives the first episode as 22 January 2000 in India[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/), while JMediaWiki gives 23 January 2000, a Sunday morning, on Zee TV. JMediaWiki dates the run to 16 June 2002, and BhaktiBharat lists the original broadcast as 1999 to 2000[7](https://www.bhaktibharat.com/movie/vishnu-puran).
**Lockdown re-run.** During the nationwide coronavirus lockdown of 2020, Doordarshan re-aired the serial after the re-run of B.R. Chopra's *Mahabharat* ended, making it available to viewers across India on the public broadcaster[2](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/amp/telly-talk/serials/article/vishnu-puran-serial-cast-list-of-actors-who-play-key-roles-in-br-chopras-television-serial-on-doordarshan/592137). Times Now Navbharat reported the same re-telecast in May 2020, noting that viewers would again see [Nitish Bharadwaj](https://www.edgepedia.org/nitish-bharadwaj) in the role of Vishnu[8](https://www.timesnowhindi.com/entertainment/television/article/vishu-puran-dd-bharti-b-r-chopra-vishnu-puran-full-serial-cast-name/293498).
## Cast
Nitish Bharadwaj, who had played Krishna in B.R. Chopra's *Mahabharat*, headed the cast as Vishnu and appeared as his avatars Ram, Parashurama, Krishna, and Vamana across 126 episodes[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/fullcredits/) • [2](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/amp/telly-talk/serials/article/vishnu-puran-serial-cast-list-of-actors-who-play-key-roles-in-br-chopras-television-serial-on-doordarshan/592137). Vaidehi Amrute played Goddess Lakshmi in 74 episodes[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/fullcredits/). Other principal roles included:
- Sudhir Dalvi as Brahma (29 episodes) and Samar Jai Singh as Shiva (37 episodes)[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/fullcredits/)
- Nimai Bali as Jaya, Hiranyakashipu, and Ravana (43 episodes)[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/fullcredits/)
- Reena Kapoor as [Sita](https://www.edgepedia.org/sita) (47 episodes) and Amit Pachori as Lakshman (41 episodes)[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/fullcredits/)
- Sandeep Mohan as Indra and Vikrant Chaturvedi as Devarishi Narad Muni[2](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/amp/telly-talk/serials/article/vishnu-puran-serial-cast-list-of-actors-who-play-key-roles-in-br-chopras-television-serial-on-doordarshan/592137)
- Jibraan Khan as Dhruv, Sameer Dharmadhikari as Manu, and Rishabh Shukla as Raja Dasharatha[2](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/amp/telly-talk/serials/article/vishnu-puran-serial-cast-list-of-actors-who-play-key-roles-in-br-chopras-television-serial-on-doordarshan/592137)
- [Varsha Usgaonkar](https://www.edgepedia.org/varsha-usgaonkar) as [Mohini](https://www.edgepedia.org/mohini), the alluring female form of Vishnu, in one 2000 episode[2](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/amp/telly-talk/serials/article/vishnu-puran-serial-cast-list-of-actors-who-play-key-roles-in-br-chopras-television-serial-on-doordarshan/592137) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/fullcredits/)
[Gufi Paintal](https://www.edgepedia.org/gufi-paintal) served as casting director and production designer[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/fullcredits/).
## Production
Ram Govind wrote the screenplay and Hasan Kamal the dialogues, with additional writing credited to Satish Bhatnagar, Hasan Kamal, Ram Govind, and Shafiq Ansari[3](https://hindiwikia.com/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%81_%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3_%28%E0%A4%9F%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%80_%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%BE%29). Raj Kamal composed the music and [Shankar Mahadevan](https://www.edgepedia.org/shankar-mahadevan) performed the opening theme[3](https://hindiwikia.com/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%81_%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3_%28%E0%A4%9F%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%80_%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%BE%29). A home-video release distributed by Indo-American Video Corporation around 2002 collected the serial in 23 volumes, under the alternate title "Saga of the ten avtars of Vishnu"[9](https://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BB07439069.amp).
## Reception and availability
On [JustWatch](https://www.edgepedia.org/justwatch) the series holds a user rating of 8.7 from 776 ratings, with a listed runtime of 37 minutes per episode[6](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/vishnu-puran). As of the most recent check, the series is unavailable to stream in India; it was previously available on Zee5 from May 2020 to February 2023 and on VI movies and tv until July 2023[6](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/vishnu-puran). Full episodes have circulated on YouTube, where channel uploads of the serial have drawn millions of views[10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdVfBXavJDY).
## References
1. [Vishnu Puran (TV Series 2000–2002), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/)
2. [Vishnu Puran serial cast: List of actors who play key roles in BR Chopra's television serial on Doordarshan, Zoom TV Entertainment (2020)](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/amp/telly-talk/serials/article/vishnu-puran-serial-cast-list-of-actors-who-play-key-roles-in-br-chopras-television-serial-on-doordarshan/592137)
3. [विष्णु पुराण (टीवी श्रृंखला), Hindi Wikia](https://hindiwikia.com/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%81_%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3_%28%E0%A4%9F%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%80_%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%BE%29)
4. [Vishnu Puran (TV Series 2000–2002) - Episode list, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/episodes/)
5. [Vishnu Puran (TV Series 2000–2002) - Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397214/fullcredits/)
6. [Vishnu Puran - watch tv show streaming online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/vishnu-puran)
7. [विष्णुपुराण - Vishnu Puran, BhaktiBharat.com](https://www.bhaktibharat.com/movie/vishnu-puran)
8. [Vishnu Puran: TV पर एक बार फिर से प्रसारित हो रहा विष्णु पुराण, Times Now Navbharat (2020)](https://www.timesnowhindi.com/entertainment/television/article/vishu-puran-dd-bharti-b-r-chopra-vishnu-puran-full-serial-cast-name/293498)
9. [विष्णु पुराण = Vishnu Puran (video recording record), CiNii Books](https://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BB07439069.amp)
10. [Vishnu Puran विष्णुपुराण Episode-1 BR Chopra Devotional Hindi TV Serial, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdVfBXavJDY)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › South and Southeast Asian serials › Hindi serials and Indian Hindi-language dramas › Mythological serials*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license