This blog entry is dedicated to the “gem”-of-a-director, famous for epic remakes and renowned for taking Indian cinema to the World level who has recently come out with another movie which has had the audience dumbstruck again (for different reasons though)
Whilst the director’s movies have acclaimed fame internationally (One of his movies - Nayagan being listed in the TIME Magazine’s 100 Greatest Movies), his critics have this invariable argument against him – Most of his films are remakes of either real life occurrences or the mythological stories! Nevertheless it is difficult to adapt and present the same on the silver screen and the people of India are stupid only when they vote, not when they watch a movie! So, when a movie is a success, it deserved to be (Vijay’s movies are hard core exceptions)
Such is the reputation of the director who decided that it is “Ramayana” which is to get reshaped in his forge this time. Whereas all his previous remakes proved a worthy watch, I’m still wondering whether the director was high on cocaine when he wrote (to be read as re-structured! or may be got inspired from would be soothing) the script for this movie. Lets analyse...
Always on the short cut Rama! Did he really pass police training or got his certificates from those who have been selling duplicates for literally every document on Earth!?
Half exposed Sita! What was she – A cabaret or pole – dancer?
The all hyped, good-to-good, bad-to-bad Ravana - Man this is how every Tamil movie’s hero is portrayed !
Let alone the characters which were blasphemously transformed. The story line suffered a much worse treatment!
Cutting of nose becomes “gang rape”! That too by the police!
Accepting the one who surrenders, and wishes to talk for peace is replaced by killing the same person!
And this hurt a lot! The all mighty Hanuman is a complete “comedy-piece*” who somehow retains the ability from his alter ego, to jump between the trees!
*I insist on the usage of this word over here, although there are proper English words like moron, brainless, kook or whatever!
And finally Sita falls in love with Ravana! Boy O’ Boy… Here the director became a bit too predictable. When everything is being represented as the opposite, its obvious the heroine is going to fall in love with the villain (With the movie titled after the villain, this is pretty much expected – As already stated We are fools only when We vote)
Having gone this far in insulting a great epic, why didn’t you instead push Sita off that cliff in the climax and make Rama and Ravana - gay partners? That would have been an unexpected twist and would have left the audience completely bewildered! And you would have been appreciated for enlightening about Section 377 too. You missed a grand opportunity of entering politics!!
It is when such loathsome representations are being made, am I reminded of movies like ‘The Da Vinci Code’ that received a strong opposition from the Catholic Churches of India (while the ones in the Rest of the World did not protest much – I still wonder what was itching the ones in India) The but-for-Hindus secular Govt. which was already hanging loose on the about-to-be snapped threads did support the groups, failing which they would have lost the opportunity to loot for the years to come, till date! Adding a specific disclaimer did give the admit pass for the movie. Regardless of religion, insulting epics cannot be considered as Freedom of Expression.
Are the Hindus and their mythologies in existence just for making such hideous depictions? Even people who said ‘God ain’t there’ or those who criticized that bindi on a woman’s head looks like blood oozing out, wouldn’t have gone to this extent! Thanks for scaling a surmountable peak!! You have now set new records, which will definitely be overtaken (may be even by you, God knows). You are just Mani. Not Murali, to create unachievable targets!!
May be just one question is left un-asked! Why didn’t the Hindus or the organizations that supposedly represent them didn’t protest against the release of the movie or after the release!? There are two possible answers.
One they are completely bored of fighting. Such acts have been happening from the M F Hussain era. Atleast they could term him a Muslim protagonist and tell that his art work was against the religion. What can they term you? A Hindu traitor?? Their stupid acts are already digging their graves. We do not want you as the icing on that stinking cake!
Second reason! May be they did not watch the movie at all !! Half the India does not
have a 3 square meal. Who would bother about a so-called artistic movie! A 5 song 2 fight masala entertainer cheers that part of India more and makes them feel the money’s worth! Your creative wonders are beyond reach for them.
You may continue giving such remakes for the mouthwatering A Class audience while the country is still in awe with the question – Why do all producers fall in short of budget when it comes to designing a heroine’s dress!
Help these epics live longer (by not doing such profane remakes) !
Long Live the sovereign secular democratic republic !
Ever Loving
Ganesh Ramachandran
The above mentioned 'Indian'
