Adipurush is being cricitised for depicting Ramayana inappropriately and taking too many creative liberties
Adipurush, a feature film based on Ramayana or inspired by it is in the eye of the storm despite record collections on its first day. It courted controversy as soon as it was released. It has run into trouble not only in India but even in neighbouring Nepal where it has been banned in two cities. It might be banned in India in some states as well if the makers of the film do not take corrective measures. Adipurush, directed by Om Raut has its dialogues written by well-known lyricist Manoj Muntashir who is also known for being close to the BJP. The film has sparked a political backlash and many leaders are openly criticising the film for its portrayal of Lord Hanuman, Lord Ram and goddess Sita. They maintain that its dialogues are in bad taste and factually incorrect. Lord Hanuman speaks a rowdy language while Sita is referred to as the ‘daughter of India.’ After its ban in Nepal it may be banned in Congress-ruled Chattisgarh as its chief minister Bhupesh Baghal has criticised the film for objectionable dialogues which he maintains are of 'low-level' and may consider ban. Interestingly the BJP leaders and cadres are refraining from making any comments on the film despite the fact that the film portrays the Ramayana characters in a bad light. The very same people who were very vocal on Kashmir Files and the Kerala story are silent and despite seriously hurting the Hindu sentiment the film is running without any disruptions. The right-wing element who get hurt on the slightest provocation in the name of religion are restraint.
The reason is that the makers of the film have a close affinity with the ruling party and many chief ministers have already given their best wishes to the film, thanks to the proximity of Manoj Muntashir with the people in power. It exposes the double standards and hypocrisy of the people and organizations who claim that they are sole custodians of the Hindu faith and would not tolerate any aberrations. It is not to condone that the film must be banned or screening stopped. The sole authority to clear a film remains the Censor Board of India and once it clears the film for screening then it is nobody’s business to indulge in vandalism or disrupt the screening in the name of hurt sentiments. It is a dangerous trend and needs to be curbed. Of course, they can protest and seek a court’s stay in a civil manner. As for the film, its makers have gone too far in taking creative liberties and would have done well to research and pen the dialogues with more sensitivity that would be in keeping with the stature of the Epic. Ram is not ‘Adipurush’ but is always referred to as ‘maryada purushottam’. Ancient texts refer to India as ‘Jamboo Dweep’ not as Bharat, to mention a few anomalies. The dialogues which ought to be sober are laced with venom and border cuss words something not acceptable to a large audience. The makers of the film would do well to make corrections to avoid any spar