Lord Rama in Bollywood | My Sights On Bollywood
16 min read
By
Sharada Iyer
Lord Rama is a single of the most liked and revered deities in our country. Worshipped as the Lord of Dharma or ‘The Supreme upholder of social values’, Lord Rama is regarded as ‘Maryada Purushottam’ or ‘Epitome of Righteousness’. The tale of his lifestyle composed in the epic Ramayana has come to be regarded as one particular of the most sacred texts in India. His serene demeanor, stoic composure, and his unwavering pursuit of Dharma though experiencing any problem in daily life is entrenched so deeply in the tradition, emotion, and the psyche of every Indian, that just chanting his title with religion is thought to impart happiness and peace of head to the particular person.
This website-write-up explores Lord Rama’s tryst with Hindi cinema. From 1917 for the duration of the ‘Silent Era’, when his tale initially appeared on the silver monitor, to as modern as the calendar year 2023, I came throughout 15 movies that have been created based on the tales of his life. In the starting given that our films leaned greatly on mythology for tales, we had numerous filmmakers trying to capture some incidents primarily based on The Ramayana, and these were highlighted and produced into films.
The Silent Period:
We obtain the earliest reference to Lord Rama in our cinema in the silent movie Lanka Dahan, made in 1917 and directed by the father of our Indian cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke. As the title suggests this was a limited film pertaining to the burning of Lanka- the city of the demon king Ravana, who had kidnapped Sita and held her captive in his palace yard. Hanuman has a big role in the film. This film was declared a super-hit at the time it was released and thought of by several as the initially box-workplace hit of Hindi cinema.
Apparently, the male actor Anna Salunke who experienced previously played Queen Taramati in Phalke’s 1913 movie Raja Harishchandra, dons the garb of both of those Lord Rama as properly as Devi Sita. In essence Anna Salunke results in being the initially actor to enjoy a ‘double role’ in Hindi cinema. Right here is a limited clip out there from the movie on YouTube which demonstrates the monkey God Hanuman bringing Lord Rama’s ring to Sita.
In 1918, an additional pioneer of Indian cinema S N Patankar, made Ram Vanvas or The Exile of Rama in four pieces. In 1919, the father of Tamil cinema Nataraja Mudaliar created Lava Kusha dependent on the sons of Lord Ram, but the movie did not get achievements. The calendar year 1920 saw the release 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 beautiful Patience Cooper play the part of Devi Sita. Dadasaheb Phalke teamed up with Gajanan V Sane in 1923 to immediate Sita Shuddhi (Purification of Sita). The movie also went by the title- Ram Ravan Yuddha. There ended up other films like Lanka Li Ladi in 1925, Janki Swayamvar and Ram Rajya Viyog in 1926, Dasarathi Ram in 1928, and Hanuman Janma (12 months not obvious). The data of our Silent Era have not been preserved properly but the over films give an notion that Lord Ram’s life was an crucial subject for our movies.
Attribute Films:
Producer-director-screenwriter Vijay Bhatt can be regarded as the pioneer in this regard and produced great films dependent on the tales of Ramayana. He set up the banner Prakash Shots with his elder brother Shankarbhai Bhatt and his trilogy of movies Bharat Milap (1942), Ram Rajya (1943), and Rambaan (1948), arrived to be regarded as classics of that time and till day stay the ideal movies made on the epic.
These films might have been straightforward in technical elements with rudimentary specific effects made use of for the duration of war scenes, and many others., but the sincerity of the makers comes as a result of and the emotions conveyed ended up spot-on with the figures dwelling the purpose they were enacting. Babubhai Mistry who was regarded as master of unique effects experienced a massive hand in the achievement of the films, and in later on several years he himself turned director for the movies.
Actors who bought the opportunity to engage in Lord Rama in Hindi cinema include things like- Prem Adib, Mahipal, Ashim Kumar, Trilok Kapoor, Rakesh Pandey, Biswajit, Ashish Kumar, Kumar Sen and Prabhas. Of these the most preferred types were being Prem Adib and Mahipal. As the trilogy by Vijay Bhatt featuring Prem Adib as Rama and Shobhana Samarth as Sita, have been the very first films to be manufactured on the epic, the films were being huge hits and it is said that their reputation soared so high that in the minds of the people today they grew to become imprinted as the faces of Rama and Sita.
Bharat Milap (1942)
As the title conveys, this movie revolves around the emotional meeting of Lord Rama and his brother Bharata. The film starts off with Prince Bharata’s birthday celebrations. Just after this he leaves for the kingdom of Kekeya, with brother Shatrughana, and his uncle to meet his maternal grandfather. In their absence and on the insistence of Bharata’s mother Kaikeyi, Rama’s coronation ceremony as the long run king is introduced and the folks of Ayodhya are delirious with pleasure.
Even so, soon soon after the announcement, selected surprising and regrettable gatherings are established in movement. Kaikeyi’s devoted maid Manthara manages to poison Kaikeyi’s mind in opposition to Rama and because of this, Kaikeyi ends up demanding the success of her two boons to King Dasharath, according to which Bharata should be coronated as the potential king and Rama must be exiled to the forest for fourteen several years. Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana straight away depart for the forest and shortly just after their exit, Dasharath passes absent in grief and shock.
Upon his return from his grandfather’s area, when Bharata comes to know of all these incidents, he rushes in the direction of the forest to plead with Rama to return with him to Ayodhya and not go to the forest. But looking at Rama’s resolve to honour his father’s ruling, Bharata pledges to rule the kingdom not as the king but as a servant of Rama and requests Rama to component with his slippers which he would be positioning on the throne in his absence.
Rama claims to return and satisfy Bharat at the similar spot just after 14 yrs and the film ends with their reunion soon after Rama’ victorious return from exile. The focus right here is additional on Bharata’s character and his emotions and his really like and regard for Rama. The film 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. Songs was by Shankar Rao Vyas.
Ram Rajya (1943)
This movie is about the events that get location post Rama’s return from his exile. Right after effectively rescuing Sita and vanquishing the evil Ravana, he now policies his kingdom with Sita by his aspect. The film begins with Rama and Sita sitting in court. But just when matters seem to be blissful in his ‘rajya’ or ‘kingdom’, difficulties will come in the kind of a washer-lady who has been thrown out of her house by her partner for staying absent from their house for two nights with no his permission.
When the washer-man is referred to as in courtroom and questioned, he states all people is not like Rama to take back the spouse immediately after she has invested quite a few evenings absent from the property. As a king, Rama realizes that his topics are not satisfied having a queen whose popularity can be questioned. As he has pledged his life to his subjects, he realizes that for a king his responsibility is foremost and is higher than any emotion (“Bhavna se kartavya ooncha hai”). He is compelled to just take a severe final decision of abandoning Sita even however in his heart he is aware of that she is innocent. Even her expecting state does not prevent him from purchasing Lakshmana to consider her deep into the forest and depart her.
Sage Valmiki stops her from taking her personal everyday living and requires her to his ashram and soon she presents delivery to twin boys- named Luv and Kush. The rest of the movie is about the boys and their actions-how they study the story of Rama and Sita from Sage Valmiki devoid of understanding that Sita is their personal mother (in the ashram, she goes by the name of Vandevi), how they catch the horse sent out for Sri Ram’s Ashwamedha yagna, and how they are lastly united with their father.
For a movie launched practically 80 several years back again, the movie is very bold with the depiction of how Rama as king will have to sacrifice his queen at the behest of the folks of Ayodhya. His decision is questioned by Sita and Lakshmana. The dialogues are perfectly-penned and performing is excellent. People like Hanuman, Bharata and the 3 queen moms do not show up. Only Lakshmana and sage Valmiki are the other two essential people. The last scene where by Mother Earth splits and Sita enters was captured very perfectly and the image has remained in the minds of the viewers even after so a lot of a long time.
Directed by Vijay Bhatt, the film stars Prem Adib as Rama, Shobhana Samarth as Sita, Umakant Desai as Lakshmana, and Amirbai Karnataki as the washer-female. By the way few scenes of this film ended up noticed by Mahatma Gandhi and they keep on being his only exposure to Indian cinema. Below is the YouTube backlink to the extremely preferred music sung by the two princes Luv and Kush when they occur to Ayodhya and recite the tale of Sita to the people.
Song: ‘Bharat ki Ek sannari ki hum katha sunate hain…’
Rambaan (1948)
Once once more directed by Vijay Bhatt, the movie stars Prem Adib as Rama, Shobhana Samarth as Sita, and Chandramohan as Ravana.
I could not come across a print of this movie to enjoy and remark on, but from what small info I could get, the film discounts with the exile interval of Rama-Sita-Lakshmana, the kidnapping of Sita by Ravana, and the remaining struggle to rescue Sita. How significantly of the narrative focuses on Hanuman and so on., could not be uncovered out.
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 film starts with the demon-king Ravana instructing Mareech to go and get the form of a deer and separate Rama from Sita in the forest so that he can kidnap her very easily. In Lanka, queen Mandodari and sons Akshay Kumar and Meghnath are awaiting his return. When Mandodari finds out what Ravana has performed, she is not content and forbids Ravana from bringing Sita inside of the palace.
In the meantime, in the forest, Rama and Lakshmana meet Hanuman and incidents leading up to the setting up of the bridge to Lanka by the ‘vanar-sena’ are proven in element. Hanuman’s meeting with Devi Sita, his assembly with Ravana followed by the burning of Lanka, and Sita’s ‘Agnipariksha’ are also element of the narrative. The film finishes with Rama and Sita sitting happily as the king and queen of Ayodhya, and Hanuman reiterating his devotion for Rama by singing ‘Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram…’, most likely the first instance of this tune in any film. But the link of this song is not permitted to be embedded in any blog.
In this article is the YouTube link of one more track from the film: ‘Ram Ram Siya Ram…’
Ram Hanuman Yuddha (1957)
This film elaborates on the situations main to the unusual circumstance when Lord Hanuman regarded as to be the best devotee of Lord Rama, need to facial area Lord Rama in a struggle. This incident is possibly taken from folklore. Once, Sage Narada although checking out Lord Vishnu’s abode, is not happy to hear that Vishnu considers Hanuman to be his biggest devotee and not Narada. Irked by this, Narada goes to Shanidev and goads him to check Hanuman’s devotion.
Parallel to this, we are proven a different keep track of the place the deep adore shared amongst King Shakunta and his wife Charumati is highlighted. But their happiness is small-lived when Shanidev decides to enter Shakunta’s body which will make him behave in a vile and erratic fashion. He desires to enter ‘Indralok’ in his human sort and for this to happen his guru advises him to conduct a yagna in the existence of the king Rama. Shakunta is overjoyed when Rama claims to be there for him.
On the other hand, in a drunken state while owning enjoyable with lots of girls, king Shakunta finishes 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 wife Charumati techniques Rama and pleads with him to not behead her partner but Rama only requests her to draw energy from her Sati electrical power and attempt to come across a way to cease him. Charumati then turns to Hanuman’s mother Devi Anjana to give refuge to her partner. She claims that her son Hanuman will keep him protected and no one particular would be able to touch him.
So, equally Rama and Hanuman unintentionally, owing to circumstances over and above their manage, close up dealing with each other in a fight. 1 searching for to eliminate king Shakunta for his expert and the other to shield the king to honor his mother’s term. This film directed by S N Tripathi, who also composed music for the movie, stars Prem Adib as Rama and Lord Vishnu, Manhar Desai as King Shakunta, Nirupa Roy as his wife Charumati, and Durga Khote as Hanuman’s mom Devi Anjana.
This was an engaging movie to enjoy and impressive acting by Nirupa Roy and Durga Khote who appeared great in their respective roles. Apparently, the ace costume designer Bhanu Athaiya’s identify appears in the credits below ‘costume designer’, which almost certainly describes why the costumes appeared so great!
Hanuman Patal Vijay (1951)
Directed by Homi Wadia for Basant Photos banner, the film has actor Mahipal as Rama and S N Tripathi as Hanuman. Actress Meena Kumari who began her grownup roles in the movie marketplace with mythological movies can be viewed in the movie taking part in the job of Naga princess Chandrasena.
I could not locate any print of the film and can’t comment much further than this but I did read through that this film was remade in 1974 as Hanuman Vijay and that film can be watched on YouTube. I shall explain the tale underneath that movie.
Sampoorna Ramayan (1961)
Probably the most extensive of the movies that had been primarily based on Lord Rama’s story, this was produced by Homi Wadia and directed by Babubhai Mistry. The film starts off with Sita Swayamvar at the courtroom of King Janaka the place Rama breaks the bow of Lord Shiva to marry Sita, and then follows Ram’s journey from his exile, to war with Ravana, return to Ayodhya, reunion with Bharata, banishing Sita from the kingdom simply because of a washer-gentleman, conference his sons Luv and Kush and finally shedding Sita when she goes again to Mom Earth. In a way it brings together the tale of Vijay Bhatt’s trilogy of movies.
The change is in the additional tunes and extraordinary outcome in some scenes. For occasion, when Luv Kush dilemma her about their father, Sita breaks into a music when the twins profess their dislike for King Rama, she slaps Kush, and in the final scene, in advance of the earth splits and Sita enters, there is a substantial storm blowing and she operates for a long time with Ram chasing her, to arrive at a individual location the place the earth splits and she enters. In the primary there is no extraordinary functioning, the earth just splits where by she stands.
The film experienced a great cast. Mahipal performs Rama, and Anita Guha performs Sita, and their pairing also turned really common. Other actors bundled Sulochana as Kaikeyi, Lalita Pawar as Manthara, Achla Sachdev as Kausalya, Anand Kumar as Bharata, Raj Kumar as Lakshmana, and Helen as Surpanaka. I could not understand the actors who played Hanuman and Ravana.
Bharat Milap (1965)
The film Bharat Milap of 1942, was remade two times by two diverse directors in the yr 1965.
One was titled Bharat Milap yet again, and this film made 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)
Developed by Ratan Mohan, and directed by Manibhai Vyas, the film starred Prithviraj Kapoor as Dasharath, Mahipal as Rama, Anita Guha as Sita, Raj Kumar as Bharata, Sulochana as Kausalya and Nirupa Roy as Kaikeyi. Tunes was by Pandit Shivram.
I could not come across a print of this film on YouTube and for this reason are unable to publish about the specifics of this film, but here is a YouTube website link of a tune from the movie:
Music: ‘Jagat mein ho Ram Bharat jaise bhai…’
Ram Rajya (1967)
Director Vijay Bhatt remade his very own 1943 film Ram Rajya two decades later on with a new cast. This time Kumar Sen plays Rama, Bina Rai is Sita, and Kanhaiyalal performs the washer-man. New music was by Vasant Desai.
Lav Kush (1967)
Created by Homi Wadia and directed by S N Tripathi, this film was yet again in essence a remake of Vijay Bhatt’s 1943 film Ram Rajya. The variance was that whilst the previous started out directly with Lord Rama and Sita sitting in the court docket as the king and queen of Ayodhya, Lav Kush had a 15-moment tune sequence in the commencing which fundamentally encapsulates the events setting up from King Janaka getting Baby Sita whilst ploughing the field 1 working day appropriate up to the time when Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman return to Ayodhya after defeating demon-king Ravana in a ferocious struggle.
Actor Ashim Kumar performs Rama and Jayashree Gadkar performs Sita. There is a distinctive mention in the credits for Master Babloo the proficient little one actor who performs a single of Sita’s sons either Luv or Kush. Names of actors who engage in Hanuman, Lakshmana etcetera., are not known. The washer-woman listed here is played by Bela Bose.
Hanuman Vijay (1974)
Director Babubhai Mistry remade the 1951 film Hanuman Patal Vijay and this time, Ashish Kumar plays Rama, Hercules plays Hanuman, and Kanan Kaushal plays the Naga princess Chandrasena. The film promotions with Hanuman’s confrontation with the two brothers Ahiravana and Mahiravana, who seize Rama and Lakshmana so that Ahiravana can marry Chandrasena. Hanuman also gets to meet his son Makaradwaja (stated to have been born from his sweat).
As the tale goes, the Naga princess loses her heart to Lord Rama the minute she sets eyes on him and thinks of him day and night time. But the demon Ahiravana who would like to marry her kidnaps her and can take her to the netherworld wherever he and his brother along with latter’s spouse make lifestyle depressing for Chandrasena.
Ahiravana changes his type to search like Vibhishana, and reaches the spot the place Hanuman is shielding Rama and Lakshmana inside of a tower designed with his tail and is sitting atop to guard it. Ahiravana tricks Hanuman with his disguise and enters the tower and manages to capture Rama and Lakshmana.
In the stop, when Chandrasena professes her adore for Rama and pleads with him to marry her, he tells her that in this avatar, he has pledged to acquire only a single wife and that was Sita. But in the distant potential, in an additional period, when he would return to earth as Lord Krishna, she would be reborn as Satyabama and then he would marry her.
Bajrangbali 1976
Created and directed by Chandrakant, this movie as the title suggests, depicts the tale of Rama from the angle of Hanuman. Starting up with his tryst with Shanidev, he proceeds to meet up with Rama and Lakshman in the forest and can help them to find out about Sita, he burns up Lanka with the hearth in his tail following conference Sita in Ravana’s forest, and at last the war with Ravana. The film also involves Hanuman’s fight with Rama, the Luv-Kush tale, and finishes with Sita moving into Mom Earth.
The film experienced Dara Singh enjoying Hanuman and he turned extremely common in this job. We had Biswajit as Ram, Moushmi Chatterjee as Sita, and Premnath as Ravana. Lyrics were being by Kavi Pradeep, and audio by Kalyanji Anandji.
Mahabali Hanuman (1981)
Directed by Babubhai Mistry, this film chronicles activities setting up from Hanuman’s beginning to Devi Anjana, ideal up to his enable to Lord Rama in bringing back again Devi Sita right after vanquishing the demon-king Ravana in a fierce struggle. Later on the film incorporates a temporary overview of Rama’s confrontation with Hanuman in a fight (already seen in depth in the film Ram Hanuman Yuddha).
The film has Rakesh Pandey as Lord Rama, Kavita Kiran as Devi Sita, Manher Desai as Ravana, Anjana Mumtaz as Devi Anjana, and the actor Hercules in the role of Hanuman.
Adipurush (2023)
This is the latest movie centered on the Ramayana. Produced by T-Collection 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.
Right after the credit score titles, the preliminary tale of the epic is conveyed in shots with a track record narration. The movie commences with Ravana praying to Lord Brahma to grant him boon of immortality. Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana are demonstrated to be in the forest and the scene is established when Sita places a golden deer. The movie concentrates only on Sita’s abduction by Ravana, and Rama and Lakshmana rescuing her with the enable of Hanuman and his army of ‘vanar-sena’, and ends with Rama and Sita returning to Ayodhya after the fight with Ravana.
I end the blog site with this tune from the movie, ‘Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram Jai Jai Ram….’
All photographs have been taken from the online
