The movie ‘Adipurush,’ a cinematic adaptation of the epic ‘Ramayana,’ has stirred up controversy ever since its theatrical release on June 16, 2023. While the movie is accused of misrepresenting the story of Ramayana with inappropriate character design, storyline, dialogues etc, the makers of the movie are staunchly defending it. In a recent interview, director Om Raut made a statement suggesting that individuals criticising the movie are misguided.
In an interview with Republic World, Om Raut said, “Ramayana is so big that it is impossible for anyone to understand it. If someone is saying that he or she understands Ramayana, either they are fools or they are lying. The Ramayana that we have seen on TV before, is something that I have grown up watching in the big format. We can’t call it a film (Ramayan). That is why we are calling it Adipurush because it is a section within the Ramayana. This is a Yuddh Kaand which is the chapter of war in Ramayana, which we are trying to show and it is just a small part of that war chapter.”
#HinduReawakening | This film is for everyone. If I were to say I understand Ramayan, I'd be wrong. It's too vast for anyone to understand fully. What little bit I've understood, I've tried to put on film: @omraut, #Adipurush Director pic.twitter.com/5ThniSXG0N
— Republic (@republic) June 16, 2023
When asked if the film is only for practising Hindus, Raut said, “This film is for every living being. The way of Ram is Ramayan. It is for everyone. Whatever little I have learned about Ramayan, I have tried to portray it on celluloid. If you make a kid draw a painting for Prabhu Shri Ram, it may look the best but the spirituality that the kid has, that is something I will appreciate.”
He further said, “You need that validation as a filmmaker. You need to know that there are so many people that are liking your work. I was going through the ticketing websites and for tomorrow all the charts are looking orange which means the advances for tomorrow are very high. Advances for Sunday and Monday also are very high, which means people are actually liking it. The type of responses we are getting from cinema halls, the way people are cheering and chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram,’ really makes me feel very happy.”
He added, “I am very happy to say that we are going for an unprecedented number of day 1 of the global box office. Definitely, it is a huge number in India but when you look at the global box office, it is a very large number. What I am told is ‘Om you will be surprised.”
The movie ‘Adipurush’ witnessed an unprecedented opening day at the box office, setting new records for earnings. However, alongside its commercial success, the film has also faced an escalating controversy. Critics have labelled the film’s dialogues as “tapori” or street-smart, with even the portrayal of characters like Ravana and Indrajit being criticized as lacking depth. This departure from expectations has surprised audiences, given that renowned writer Manoj Muntashir penned the script for director Om Raut’s ‘Adipurush’. Nonetheless, Manoj has defended his approach, asserting that he intentionally crafted relatable dialogues to connect with the audience.
