Never Ending Movie Carnival
Never Ending Movie Carnival
Adipurush exclusive: Arun Govil, Prem Sagar and Sunil Lahri on the controversial retelling of Ramayana and much more
Adipurush – the recently released film based on Valmiki’s Ramayana directed by Om Raut starring Prabhas as Lord Ram, Kriti Sanon as Janaki (Maa Sita), Saif Ali Khan as Ravan, Sunny Singh as Laxman and Devdatta Nage as Lord Hanuman is under controversial storm for its alleged depiction and handling of the enlightening story of Lord Rama.
The use of language, the dialogues and distortion of facts from the original in this modern representation in 3D motion capture and VFX is now facing angry trolls and calls of boycott from the audience whose sentiments are hurt. An organization has also threatened the dialogue writer Manoj Muntashir Shukla and director Om Raut.
In an exclusive chat with Vishal Verma, Prem Sagar – son of the legendary Ramanand Sagar who created the historic Ramayana, Arun Govil – the actor who played Lord Rama and became immortal and Sunil Lahri – the actor who played Laxman and stayed in the minds and hearts of all Indians and Hindus all over forever, express their feelings regarding the Adipurush controversy
“I have not seen Adipurush, I have seen those controversial clips and heard those dialogues. I feel if you touch such divine subject like Ramayana, you should be aware of the responsibilities required to handle such a subject. You are free to take creative liberties but the sensibility of the subject matter should be kept in mind.”
“If in the name of creative liberty, you start hurting the sentiments of the people, disturb them, make them sad, angry then you are not following the good karma. That’s not ‘dharam’.”
What you have to say on the role of the CBFC (Censor Board of Film Certification)
“I think duty, karma, responsibility is an individual think. There are certain things regarding faith, religion, sanatan dharma which should be kept untouched. My consciousness will never allow me to play with people’s faith, belief, sanatan ideology which is followed since ages. Adipurush is their Karma.“
Movie making is a business and it has to get returns as well
"Yes, a movie has to earn in the end. We are in the business of filmmaking but certain subjects like Ramayana requires pious dedication, when Papaji my dad Ramanad Sagar made Ramayan he was certain that this is the image of Lord Ram and Sita as seen in Sivakashi posters, nobody will touch her, forget about dragging her by hair as shown in Adipurush, the image of Lord Hanuman – the image of Ravan – the brahmin scholar and greatest Shiv Bhakth".
What was the USP of Ramanad Sagar’s Ramayana that it remains the best
"My father Ramanad Sagar was a Ram Bhakth, he made Ramayan with devotion, dedication and honesty. He wanted the core audience to experience the aura, the holiness of Lord Ram and Maryada Purshotam’s philosophy in his Ramayan. With the grace of God people showered their love and it became history. Lack of devotion and understanding of people’s sentiments who are your audience results in substandard products like Adipurush".
The makers of Adipurush have released a statement which says that they will change those controversial dialogues and release it in coming days. However, till the changes are done the current version will be shown, what’s your take?
"I have told earlier, it’s a matter of faith, devotion and understanding of the sentiments regarding subjects like Ramayana. Nobody can stop you from taking creative liberties but a story based/inspired by Prabhu Shree Ram has a Maryada (boundary) which should not be crossed. Unfortunately, the dialogue writer has crossed the boundary by dialogues like “tel tere baap ka, kapada bhi tere baap ka, toh jelgi bhi tere baap ki’, “mere ek sapole ne tere sesh nag ko lamba kar diya’ such ‘tapori’ dialogues cannot be accepted. We have not passed on such sanskar/values to our children and we have not received such sanskar/values from our parents. It reflects the upbringing and I will never encourage my kids and future generation to watch such degraded shameful version of Ramayana.
Coming to the changes that will be done by the makers, first of all this should have been rectified before making it public. Good if they make the changes but the damage has been done. Money is not everything. They could have made an action oriented VFX movie without taking the name of Lord Ram and Ramayana. They could have kept the basic story same and made a pure commercial film. Promoting on Lord Ram’s name and then backing away saying it’s not Ramayana after the backlash is not done. You cannot sail on two boats at one time."
“I have seen Adipursh and I am sad, angry and disturbed. Playing with people’s faith and sentiments and calling it an interpretation of Ramayana is not at all accepted.”
“The dialogues are of such low standards that your blood boils, I respect Manoj Muntashir Shukla for his knowledge but I don’t know what went wrong over here. Who gave you the right to ridicule our beloved Lord Hanuman and hurt the sentiments of Hindus all over?”
The anger is growing, people are expressing their displeasure?
“Yes, people should come out and talk to prevent the sanity of our religion, culture and rich history. It’s the tolerance of the Hindus that nothing major has happened as yet. Other wise in other religion faith, things could have gone out of hand. Voice should be raised against this disrespect of Ramayana and Prabhu Shree Ram”.
“A subject like Ramayana needs devotion, faith and understanding, I am glad that people still remember me as Laxman and Arun Govil as Ram and Deepikaji as Sita because we and Ramanand Sagar shared that devotion, respect and compassion towards the subject.”
On the statement from makers of Adipurush regarding changes in the controversial dialogue after the backlash, what you have to say?
“Good for them but the damage has already been done. This should have been done much before going into public. Dialogue is not the only issue, the handling, the treatment, the way they have shown Ravan, that ugly bat, the way Inderjit (Meghganada) is shown, that dark gloomy Lanka, that wife of Vibhishan coming from nowhere. What is happening. This is not the Ramayana we would have imagined and would like kids to see."
“The Adipurush debate has stretched so long that I am tired of saying anything more. They have made it, it is their karma, who are we to judge. Subjects like Ramayana require devotion, dedication, understanding of the sentiments. Lord Ram is not a character, its divine, its God, proper care and pious approach is needed.”
Whatever they have made is their Karma, as an audience you may like or reject anything. It all depends on what you are watching and what is being made and what is your faith, devotion regarding Lord Ram as an audience and as a filmmaker.”
Adipurush – is such a colossal waste. What could have been a learning, a spiritual awakening and reassurance of the richness of Indian history, Lord Ram’s divine story in today’s time if done with devotion, dedication and understanding of the sentiments may have worked as a torch bearer of hope for the whole universe.
But the narrowmindedness of such film makers like Om Raut who had done commendable work before (Lokmanya: Ek Yug Purush, Tanhaji) have turned filmfakers in their complete commercial approach. Further and deeper damage is done by writers like Manoj Muntashir Shukla whose nationalist and believer in Hinduism mask has got exposed which has killed a mega opportunity to showcase the great Indian history to the world.
A child born from life & fed by cinema. A filmi keeda from child & a film journalist for the last fifteen years. a father, seeker, foodie who loves crooning bollywood melodies twitter.com/cineblues More By vishal verma