Catch 'em young!

Adipurush (Primordial Human, 2023)

Director: Om Raut

Growing up immersed in many devotional movies, I concluded they were all too uninspiring. I remember Dasavaratham (1976) was a bore with song after song. Then some stories were unbelievable, like Aathi Parasakthi  (1971), where a new moon day becomes full with the Goddess' divine intervention. I was not impressed. I was seeking a scientific explanation, which I have yet to find. 

As an adult, I was once called bewildered by a Christmas production by a local church. It was produced, choreographed, stage-managed, and sound-checked all by the teenage members of its church. And the musical accompaniment was theirs too. Now, I told myself, that is what draws (or keeps) members in their fold. It fulfilled their contemporary needs - staying attuned to the times and keeping them 'entertained'.

That was where it stood. Hindu narratives remained myths, and the hidden life lessons were lost in translation. Times have changed, and Hindus are returning with a bang. This film can be considered one of their tools to capture the minds of young Hindus.

The story is the one we all know. Rama, with Sita and Laxman, is exiled to the jungles. In her journeys, Raavan's sister, Shurpanaka, sighted a spunk in Rama. Her advances were rejected, and he slashed her nose when she could not accept rejection. She ran crying to her brother. She enticed him with Rama's wife. Then the kidnapping, Jentayu, Rama's meeting with the Vanaras (ape-like jungle people), the invasion of Lanka and Sita's rescue.

The above was depicted in impressive CGI against possible cinematographic depictions of what a primordial Bharat would have looked like. It piqued the young Hindus' interest, making them open their Amar Chitra comic books and watch or make Youtube presentations. Otherwise, they will still go on with life thinking that avatar is an American word created by James Cameron. 

Depending on which side of the camps one stands for, this movie was either an epic disappointment or a phenomenal collection at the box office. 

I am surprised that many states in India and even Nepal is requesting for screening ban in their vicinity. Whilst non-BJP-ruled states in India are worried about the spread of Hindutva in their states, Nepal is offended that Sita is described as India's daughter. The jokers failed to remember that in ancient Bharat, there was a vast spread of land from present-day Pakistan to Myanmar and Afghanistan to Lanka, following the teachings of Sanarta Dharma. In fact, if not for Pandit Nehru, for all his wisdom when he blockaded Nepal's entry into the Union of India, Nepal would have been part of India. 

Then many quickly point out that this film version deviates from the 'original' Ramayana. The million-dollar question is, which is referred to as the original one? There is Vyasa's Ramayana, Tulsidas' version, Kamban Ramayanam and more in India. Many interpretations are seen outside India in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Indochina and as far as Japan. Various versions of Ramayana are told in their puppet shadow play of Wayang Kulit. Is one more authentic than the other?

Politicians in the South who subscribe to the now defunct 'Aryan Invasion Theory' insist that the story of Ramayana is the tale of invasion by an army from the North to crush a prosperous Dravidan monarch is in for a surprise. Some quarters assert that Raavan originates from a kingdom in present-day Uttar Pradesh, the Northern part of India. On his visit to the view of the kingdom ruled by Kuberan, he usurped power. 

Do not believe the cyberspace ratings on the film. Google gave it a 4.4/100 rating, which is basically a dud. All those burning the box office and laughing all the way to the bank cannot be idiots!

P.S. If 'Adipurush' refers to primordial man, logically, it should be Manu, the 'Adam' of the Hindu scriptures. Interestingly, the term Adipurush also includes Siva, Vishnu and Brahma. Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu, is deemed the first human being to have embodied the qualities of righteousness, truth, and compassion in their purest form.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.