By
Sharada Iyer
Lord Rama is without doubt one of the most cherished and revered deities in our nation. Worshipped because the Lord of Dharma or ‘The Supreme upholder of social values’, Lord Rama is considered ‘Maryada Purushottam’ or ‘Epitome of Righteousness’. The story of his life written within the epic Ramayana has come to be considered probably the most sacred texts in India. His calm demeanor, stoic composure, and his unwavering pursuit of Dharma whereas going through any scenario in life is entrenched so deeply within the tradition, emotion, and the psyche of each Indian, that simply chanting his title with religion is believed to impart happiness and peace of thoughts to the particular person.
This blog-post explores Lord Rama’s tryst with Hindi cinema. From 1917 through the ‘Silent Period’, when his story first appeared on the silver display screen, to as latest because the 12 months 2023, I got here throughout 15 movies which have been made based mostly on the tales of his life. To start with since our movies leaned closely on mythology for tales, we had many filmmakers trying to seize some incidents based mostly on The Ramayana, and these have been highlighted and made into movies.
The Silent Period:
We discover the earliest reference to Lord Rama in our cinema within the silent movie Lanka Dahan, made in 1917 and directed by the daddy of our Indian cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke. Because the title suggests this was a brief movie pertaining to the burning of Lanka- the town of the demon king Ravana, who had kidnapped Sita and held her captive in his palace backyard. Hanuman has a significant function within the movie. This movie was declared a super-hit on the time it was launched and thought of by many as the primary box-office hit of Hindi cinema.
Apparently, the male actor Anna Salunke who had earlier performed Queen Taramati in Phalke’s 1913 movie Raja Harishchandra, dons the garb of each Lord Rama in addition to Devi Sita. Primarily Anna Salunke turns into the primary actor to play a ‘double function’ in Hindi cinema. Here’s a brief clip accessible from the movie on YouTube which exhibits the monkey God Hanuman bringing Lord Rama’s ring to Sita.
In 1918, one other pioneer of Indian cinema S N Patankar, made Ram Vanvas or The Exile of Rama in 4 components. In 1919, the daddy of Tamil cinema Nataraja Mudaliar made Lava Kusha based mostly on the sons of Lord Ram, however the movie didn’t get success. The 12 months 1920 noticed the discharge of two films- Ram Janma by Gajanan V Sane and Sita Swayamvar by S N Patankar.
In 1922, director Eugenio de Liguoso directed Ramayan which had the attractive Endurance Cooper play the function of Devi Sita. Dadasaheb Phalke teamed up with Gajanan V Sane in 1923 to direct Sita Shuddhi (Purification of Sita). The movie additionally glided by the title- Ram Ravan Yuddha. There have been different movies like Lanka Li Ladi in 1925, Janki Swayamvar and Ram Rajya Viyog in 1926, Dasarathi Ram in 1928, and Hanuman Janma (12 months not clear). The information of our Silent Period haven’t been preserved correctly however the above movies give an concept that Lord Ram’s life was an essential matter for our movies.
Characteristic Movies:
Producer-director-screenwriter Vijay Bhatt could be considered the pioneer on this regard and made glorious movies based mostly on the tales of Ramayana. He established the banner Prakash Photos along with his elder brother Shankarbhai Bhatt and his trilogy of movies Bharat Milap (1942), Ram Rajya (1943), and Rambaan (1948), got here to be considered classics of that point and until date stay the most effective movies made on the epic.
These movies might have been easy in technical points with rudimentary particular results used throughout battle scenes, and so forth., however the sincerity of the makers comes via and the feelings conveyed have been spot-on with the characters dwelling the function they have been enacting. Babubhai Mistry who was considered grasp of particular results had an enormous hand within the success of the movies, and in later years he himself turned director for the movies.
Actors who obtained the chance to play Lord Rama in Hindi cinema include- Prem Adib, Mahipal, Ashim Kumar, Trilok Kapoor, Rakesh Pandey, Biswajit, Ashish Kumar, Kumar Sen and Prabhas. Of those the preferred ones have been Prem Adib and Mahipal. Because the trilogy by Vijay Bhatt that includes Prem Adib as Rama and Shobhana Samarth as Sita, have been the primary movies to be made on the epic, the movies have been huge hits and it’s stated that their reputation soared so excessive that within the minds of the folks they turned imprinted because the faces of Rama and Sita.
Bharat Milap (1942)
Because the title conveys, this movie revolves across the emotional assembly of Lord Rama and his brother Bharata. The movie begins with Prince Bharata’s birthday celebrations. After this he leaves for the dominion of Kekeya, with brother Shatrughana, and his uncle to fulfill his maternal grandfather. Of their absence and on the insistence of Bharata’s mom Kaikeyi, Rama’s coronation ceremony as the longer term king is introduced and the folks of Ayodhya are delirious with pleasure.
Nevertheless, quickly after the announcement, sure sudden and unlucky occasions are set in movement. Kaikeyi’s devoted maid Manthara manages to poison Kaikeyi’s thoughts towards Rama and due to this, Kaikeyi finally ends up demanding the success of her two boons to King Dasharath, in response to which Bharata needs to be coronated as the longer term king and Rama needs to be exiled to the forest for fourteen years. Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana instantly go away for the forest and shortly after their exit, Dasharath passes away in grief and shock.
Upon his return from his grandfather’s place, when Bharata involves know of all these incidents, he rushes in direction of the forest to plead with Rama to return with him to Ayodhya and never go to the forest. However seeing Rama’s dedication to honour his father’s ruling, Bharata pledges to rule the dominion not because the king however as a servant of Rama and requests Rama to half along with his slippers which he can be inserting on the throne in his absence.
Rama guarantees to return and meet Bharat on the identical spot after 14 years and the movie ends with their reunion after Rama’ victorious return from exile. The main target right here is extra on Bharata’s character and his feelings and his love and respect for Rama. The movie stars Prem Adib as Rama, Shahu Modak as Bharata, Umakant Desai as Lakshmana, Shobhna Samarth as Sita, Durga Khote as Kaikeyi, Vimla Vashisht as Manthara, Nibhalkar as King Dasharath and Shanthabai Kothare as Kausalya. Music was by Shankar Rao Vyas.
Ram Rajya (1943)
This movie is in regards to the occasions that happen publish Rama’s return from his exile. After efficiently rescuing Sita and vanquishing the evil Ravana, he now guidelines his kingdom with Sita by his aspect. The movie begins with Rama and Sita sitting in courtroom. However simply when issues appear blissful in his ‘rajya’ or ‘kingdom’, hassle comes within the type of a washer-woman who has been thrown out of her home by her husband for staying away from their home for 2 nights with out his permission.
When the washer-man is known as in courtroom and questioned, he says everybody isn’t like Rama to take again the spouse after she has spent many nights away from the home. As a king, Rama realizes that his topics usually are not completely happy having a queen whose repute could be questioned. As he has pledged his life to his topics, he realizes that for a king his obligation is foremost and is above any emotion (“Bhavna se kartavya ooncha hai”). He’s compelled to take a harsh determination of abandoning Sita regardless that in his coronary heart he is aware of that she is harmless. Even her pregnant state doesn’t cease him from ordering Lakshmana to take her deep into the forest and go away her.
Sage Valmiki stops her from taking her personal life and takes her to his ashram and shortly she provides beginning to twin boys- named Luv and Kush. The remainder of the movie is in regards to the boys and their activities-how they be taught the story of Rama and Sita from Sage Valmiki with out figuring out that Sita is their very own mom (within the ashram, she goes by the title of Vandevi), how they catch the horse despatched out for Sri Ram’s Ashwamedha yagna, and the way they’re lastly united with their father.
For a movie launched nearly 80 years again, the movie could be very daring with the depiction of how Rama as king should sacrifice his queen on the behest of the folks of Ayodhya. His determination is questioned by Sita and Lakshmana. The dialogues are well-written and performing is nice. Characters like Hanuman, Bharata and the three queen moms don’t seem. Solely Lakshmana and sage Valmiki are the opposite two essential characters. The final scene the place Mom Earth splits and Sita enters was captured very properly and the picture has remained within the minds of the viewers even after so a few years.
Directed by Vijay Bhatt, the movie stars Prem Adib as Rama, Shobhana Samarth as Sita, Umakant Desai as Lakshmana, and Amirbai Karnataki because the washer-woman. By the way few scenes of this movie have been seen by Mahatma Gandhi and so they stay his solely publicity to Indian cinema. Right here is the YouTube hyperlink to the extremely well-liked music sung by the 2 princes Luv and Kush once they come to Ayodhya and recite the story of Sita to the folks.
Track: ‘Bharat ki Ek sannari ki hum katha sunate hain…’
Rambaan (1948)
As soon as once more directed by Vijay Bhatt, the movie stars Prem Adib as Rama, Shobhana Samarth as Sita, and Chandramohan as Ravana.
I couldn’t discover a print of this movie to observe and touch upon, however from what little info I may collect, the movie offers with the exile interval of Rama-Sita-Lakshmana, the kidnapping of Sita by Ravana, and the ultimate battle to rescue Sita. How a lot of the narrative focuses on Hanuman and so forth., couldn’t be discovered.
Shri Ram Bhakta Hanuman (1948)
Produced and Directed by Homi Wadia, this movie had Trilok Kapoor as Rama, S N Tripathi as Hanuman, Prabhash Joshi as Lakshmana, Sona Chatterjee as Devi Sita, and Niranjan Sharma as Ravana.
The movie begins with the demon-king Ravana instructing Mareech to go and take the type of a deer and separate Rama from Sita within the forest in order that he can kidnap her simply. In Lanka, queen Mandodari and sons Akshay Kumar and Meghnath are awaiting his return. When Mandodari finds out what Ravana has achieved, she isn’t completely happy and forbids Ravana from bringing Sita contained in the palace.
In the meantime, within the forest, Rama and Lakshmana meet Hanuman and incidents main as much as the constructing of the bridge to Lanka by the ‘vanar-sena’ are proven intimately. Hanuman’s assembly with Devi Sita, his assembly with Ravana adopted by the burning of Lanka, and Sita’s ‘Agnipariksha’ are additionally a part of the narrative. The movie ends with Rama and Sita sitting fortunately because the king and queen of Ayodhya, and Hanuman reiterating his devotion for Rama by singing ‘Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram…’, most likely the primary occasion of this music in any movie. However the hyperlink of this music isn’t permitted to be embedded in any weblog.
Right here is the YouTube hyperlink of one other music from the movie: ‘Ram Ram Siya Ram…’
Ram Hanuman Yuddha (1957)
This movie elaborates on the occasions resulting in the uncommon scenario when Lord Hanuman thought of to be the best devotee of Lord Rama, should face Lord Rama in a battle. This incident might be taken from folklore. As soon as, Sage Narada whereas visiting Lord Vishnu’s abode, is sad to listen to that Vishnu considers Hanuman to be his biggest devotee and never Narada. Irked by this, Narada goes to Shanidev and goads him to check Hanuman’s devotion.
Parallel to this, we’re proven one other monitor the place the deep love shared between King Shakunta and his spouse Charumati is highlighted. However their happiness is short-lived when Shanidev decides to enter Shakunta’s physique which makes him behave in a vile and erratic method. He wishes to enter ‘Indralok’ in his human type and for this to occur his guru advises him to carry out a yagna within the presence of the king Rama. Shakunta is overjoyed when Rama guarantees to be there for him.
Nevertheless, in a drunken state whereas having enjoyable with many ladies, king Shakunta finally ends up insulting Sage Vishwamitra who now seeks revenge. He approaches his disciple Rama and asks him to behead Shakunta for insulting him. Listening to this, Shakunta’s spouse Charumati approaches Rama and pleads with him to not behead her husband however Rama solely requests her to attract energy from her Sati energy and attempt to discover a approach to cease him. Charumati then turns to Hanuman’s mom Devi Anjana to provide refuge to her husband. She guarantees that her son Hanuman will maintain him protected and nobody would be capable to contact him.
So, each Rama and Hanuman unintentionally, owing to circumstances past their management, find yourself going through one another in a battle. One looking for to kill king Shakunta for his guru and the opposite to guard the king to honor his mom’s phrase. This movie directed by S N Tripathi, who additionally composed music for the movie, stars Prem Adib as Rama and Lord Vishnu, Manhar Desai as King Shakunta, Nirupa Roy as his spouse Charumati, and Durga Khote as Hanuman’s mom Devi Anjana.
This was an enticing movie to observe and highly effective performing by Nirupa Roy and Durga Khote who appeared nice of their respective roles. Apparently, the ace costume designer Bhanu Athaiya’s title seems within the credit below ‘costume designer’, which most likely explains why the costumes appeared so good!
Hanuman Patal Vijay (1951)
Directed by Homi Wadia for Basant Photos banner, the movie has actor Mahipal as Rama and S N Tripathi as Hanuman. Actress Meena Kumari who began her grownup roles within the movie trade with mythological movies could be seen within the movie taking part in the function of Naga princess Chandrasena.
I couldn’t discover any print of the movie and can’t remark a lot past this however I did learn that this movie was remade in 1974 as Hanuman Vijay and that movie could be watched on YouTube. I shall describe the story below that movie.
Sampoorna Ramayan (1961)
Most likely probably the most complete of the movies that have been based mostly on Lord Rama’s story, this was produced by Homi Wadia and directed by Babubhai Mistry. The movie begins with Sita Swayamvar on the courtroom of King Janaka the place Rama breaks the bow of Lord Shiva to marry Sita, after which follows Ram’s journey from his exile, to battle with Ravana, return to Ayodhya, reunion with Bharata, banishing Sita from the dominion due to a washer-man, assembly his sons Luv and Kush and at last dropping Sita when she goes again to Mom Earth. In a means it combines the story of Vijay Bhatt’s trilogy of movies.
The distinction is within the added songs and dramatic impact in some scenes. For example, when Luv Kush query her about their father, Sita breaks right into a music; when the twins profess their dislike for King Rama, she slaps Kush, and within the final scene, earlier than the earth splits and Sita enters, there’s a large storm blowing and he or she runs for a very long time with Ram chasing her, to succeed in a specific spot the place the earth splits and he or she enters. Within the unique there isn’t a dramatic operating, the earth simply splits the place she stands.
The movie had an awesome forged. Mahipal performs Rama, and Anita Guha performs Sita, and their pairing additionally turned extremely popular. Different actors included Sulochana as Kaikeyi, Lalita Pawar as Manthara, Achla Sachdev as Kausalya, Anand Kumar as Bharata, Raj Kumar as Lakshmana, and Helen as Surpanaka. I couldn’t acknowledge the actors who performed Hanuman and Ravana.
Bharat Milap (1965)
The movie Bharat Milap of 1942, was remade twice by two totally different administrators within the 12 months 1965.
One was titled Bharat Milap once more, and this movie produced by P N Shukla and directed by Babubhai Mistry had Ashish Kumar as Rama, Anand Kumar as Prince Bharata, Indrani Mukherjee as Sita, Mridula as Kausalya, Sohrab Modi as Dasharath, and Sulochana as Kaikeyi.
Shri Ram Bharat Milan (1965)
Produced by Ratan Mohan, and directed by Manibhai Vyas, the movie starred Prithviraj Kapoor as Dasharath, Mahipal as Rama, Anita Guha as Sita, Raj Kumar as Bharata, Sulochana as Kausalya and Nirupa Roy as Kaikeyi. Music was by Pandit Shivram.
I couldn’t discover a print of this movie on YouTube and therefore can’t write in regards to the particulars of this movie, however here’s a YouTube hyperlink of a music from the movie:
Track: ‘Jagat mein ho Ram Bharat jaise bhai…’
Ram Rajya (1967)
Director Vijay Bhatt remade his personal 1943 movie Ram Rajya 20 years later with a brand new forged. This time Kumar Sen performs Rama, Bina Rai is Sita, and Kanhaiyalal performs the washer-man. Music was by Vasant Desai.
Lav Kush (1967)
Produced by Homi Wadia and directed by S N Tripathi, this movie was once more mainly a remake of Vijay Bhatt’s 1943 movie Ram Rajya. The distinction was that whereas the previous began straight with Lord Rama and Sita sitting within the courtroom because the king and queen of Ayodhya, Lav Kush had a 15-minute music sequence at first which mainly encapsulates the occasions ranging from King Janaka discovering Child Sita whereas ploughing the sphere someday proper as much as the time when Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman return to Ayodhya after defeating demon-king Ravana in a ferocious battle.
Actor Ashim Kumar performs Rama and Jayashree Gadkar performs Sita. There’s a particular point out within the credit for Grasp Babloo the proficient youngster actor who performs one in every of Sita’s sons both Luv or Kush. Names of actors who play Hanuman, Lakshmana and so forth., are unknown. The washer-woman right here is performed by Bela Bose.
Hanuman Vijay (1974)
Director Babubhai Mistry remade the 1951 movie Hanuman Patal Vijay and this time, Ashish Kumar performs Rama, Hercules performs Hanuman, and Kanan Kaushal performs the Naga princess Chandrasena. The movie offers with Hanuman’s confrontation with the 2 brothers Ahiravana and Mahiravana, who seize Rama and Lakshmana in order that Ahiravana can marry Chandrasena. Hanuman additionally will get to fulfill his son Makaradwaja (stated to have been born from his sweat).
Because the story goes, the Naga princess loses her coronary heart to Lord Rama the second she units eyes on him and thinks of him day and night time. However the demon Ahiravana who needs to marry her kidnaps her and takes her to the netherworld the place he and his brother together with latter’s spouse make life depressing for Chandrasena.
Ahiravana modifications his type to appear like Vibhishana, and reaches the spot the place Hanuman is defending Rama and Lakshmana inside a tower made along with his tail and is sitting atop to protect it. Ahiravana tips Hanuman along with his disguise and enters the tower and manages to seize Rama and Lakshmana.
In the long run, when Chandrasena professes her love for Rama and pleads with him to marry her, he tells her that on this avatar, he has pledged to take just one spouse and that was Sita. However within the distant future, in one other period, when he would return to earth as Lord Krishna, she can be reborn as Satyabama after which he would marry her.
Bajrangbali 1976
Produced and directed by Chandrakant, this movie because the title suggests, depicts the story of Rama from the angle of Hanuman. Beginning along with his tryst with Shanidev, he proceeds to fulfill Rama and Lakshman within the forest and helps them to search out out about Sita, he burns up Lanka with the hearth in his tail after assembly Sita in Ravana’s forest, and at last the battle with Ravana. The movie additionally consists of Hanuman’s battle with Rama, the Luv-Kush story, and ends with Sita getting into Mom Earth.
The movie had Dara Singh taking part in Hanuman and he turned extremely popular on this function. We had Biswajit as Ram, Moushmi Chatterjee as Sita, and Premnath as Ravana. Lyrics have been by Kavi Pradeep, and music by Kalyanji Anandji.
Mahabali Hanuman (1981)
Directed by Babubhai Mistry, this movie chronicles occasions ranging from Hanuman’s beginning to Devi Anjana, proper as much as his assist to Lord Rama in bringing again Devi Sita after vanquishing the demon-king Ravana in a fierce battle. Later the movie incorporates a quick overview of Rama’s confrontation with Hanuman in a battle (already seen intimately within the movie Ram Hanuman Yuddha).
The movie has Rakesh Pandey as Lord Rama, Kavita Kiran as Devi Sita, Manher Desai as Ravana, Anjana Mumtaz as Devi Anjana, and the actor Hercules within the function of Hanuman.
Adipurush (2023)
That is the most recent movie based mostly on the Ramayana. Produced by T-Sequence and directed by Om Raut, the movie stars Prabhas as Rama, Kriti Sanon as Sita, Sunny Singh as Lakshmana, Saif Ali Khan as Ravana and Devdatta Nage as Hanuman.
After the credit score titles, the preliminary story of the epic is conveyed in photos with a background narration. The movie begins with Ravana praying to Lord Brahma to grant him boon of immortality. Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana are proven to be within the forest and the scene is about when Sita spots a golden deer. The movie concentrates solely on Sita’s abduction by Ravana, and Rama and Lakshmana rescuing her with the assistance of Hanuman and his military of ‘vanar-sena’, and ends with Rama and Sita returning to Ayodhya after the battle with Ravana.
I finish the weblog with this music from the movie, ‘Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram….’
{All photos have been taken from the web}
