Adipurush Review – It is a good watch for the present generation fed on Star Wars and DC movies. For the seasoned Ramayan watchers, however, there is a major string missing which binds them with the story of Ram and Sita.
Adipurush starring actor Prabhas and Kriti Sanon in lead roles as Rama and Sita or rather Raghav and Janaki as they are referred to in the film has hit the theaters across India in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. The shows that started at 4 am in Hyderabad went on through the day with housefull theatres – a rare sight these days on even a Friday.
Coming to the film – this is the story of Ramayana – the same story heard numerous times through films, ballets, dance performances, ram leelas after all those who listen to the story or read it will reap benefits or what you call Punya. Having grown up on the Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan; being fed with the Telugu pride NT Ramarao’s Lavakusa – there is a certain image of Ram, Sita and even Ravana and other Rakshasas. And, there is a way we have used to consuming this story – with devotion crying with Maa Sita on her troubles, feeling sorry for the Ram pining for his wife in Ravana’s Ashoka Vanam, rejoicing over Sugreeva’s win, feeling delighted as the young squirrel does her bit while collecting the pebbles for the RamSetu – and most importantly the eternal love story that begins with Seetha Swayamvaram. However Om Raut does not dwell over quite a few of these chapters – instead most of the story in the beginning is said using pictorial language like a comic book narration before the main story begins with Surpanakha coming to Ravana to complain of her disfigured nose.
As the movie progresses and we feast over the Rama who does look the description in the sloka – AJANU-BAHUM ARAVINDA-DALAYATAKSHAM. RAMAM NISHACARA-VINASHAKARAM NAMAMI Raghav, Janaki and Seshu (that’s how Lakshmana is referred to) live in the forest with its beauty of flora and fauna on one side and the infested with asuras on the other. Then the inevitable happens – Ravan the ominous Saif Ali Khan comes and takes her away. Raghav on his search meets Bajrang and Sugreev, kills vali, builds the bridge with the help of Vanar sena and goes to Lanka to fight the Rakshasa king, who is also a great Shiva Bhakt. Saif Ali Khan is a good choice for Ravana while Devdatt Nage is endearing as Hanuman. Om Raut does not create yet another version of Ramayana by recreating the images of the characters that have been around in
popular discourse for so long that no one even thinks of reimagining them. It does take a brave heart to think differently and execute it.
What makes Adipurush engaging for audience’s of all ages is that it is technically brilliant using high quality VFX well conceptualized and are entertaining to watch especially on 3D – the story is edited well making the 3-hour watch effortless and it is simple in its rendition making it relatable to Gen Z, and the costumes and sets take the technicalities a notch higher. There isn’t much to talk about the music except the background score of the chants in varying degrees to suit the mood.
Adipurush is a good watch for the present generation fed on Star Wars and DC movies. For the seasoned Ramayan watchers, however, there is a major string missing which binds them with the story of Ram and Sita. The emotional connect that makes this epic story the all time bed story inevitable part of our prayers, part of festivities at all times and an integral part of classical arts – music & dance – is missing and missing badly.
Adipurush Review
Production – Gulshan Kumar, T-Series, and Retrophiles production
Cast – Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan, Kriti Sanon, Sunny Singh,
Direction – Om Raut
Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Om Raut, Prasad Sutar, Rajesh Nair
