Adipurush: Ramayana Remixed!

but, when Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan or B.R. Chopra's Mahabharat were telecast every Sunday morning, people bathed and got ready to watch them. Streets used to be empty.

don’t always make sense. I know the language well! There is no meaning, meter or rhyme in what he comes up with.

Mumbai, June 27 (IANS) Actors

Hrithik Roshan and Vaani Kapoor, who set the screens on fire with their dance moves in the song ‘Ghungroo’ from ‘War’, will now ignite the stage in their UK Tour ‘Stars On Fire’.

The first-ever UK tour ‘Stars On Fire’ will take place in London and Leeds. It will take place on September 1 at OVO Arena, Wembley, London, and September 2 at First Direct Arena, Leeds.

Vaani said: "It's a special moment and feeling to share the stage with Hrithik Roshan. He is immensely talented and I am elated at this opportunity to set the stage on fire alongside him. Hrithik is not only an exceptional performer but also an inspiration. I can't wait to create unforgettable moments and give our fans an electrifying experience they will cherish forever."

She added: "I’ve been blessed to have super-hit songs as part of my filmography be it Gulabi, Nashe Si Chad Gayi, or Ghungroo. Indian song and dance is celebrated worldwide and has a massive fandom."

On the film front, Vaani is all set to captivate audiences as the leading lady in the upcoming film 'Sarvagunn Sampanna' by Maddock Films.

Furthermore, she will be headlining YRF Entertainment's streaming series, 'Mandala Murders', a gritty crime thriller created and directed by the acclaimed Gopi Puthran, known for his work on 'Mardaani 2'.

Malaika sets the dance floor ablaze with ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya’ moves on Arjun’s b’day bash

A lot of films have been at the centre of controversies in all the years I have been an observer of the film trade.

Some, because they chose a subject where a certain community was at the centre of the story, some, while they were attempting a realistic film, and some others who loved a book penned by a renowned writer, decided it was worth retelling it as a film and getting brickbats in return.

Take, for instance, 'Ramnagari' by Ram Nagarkar. The film was made by the National Award-winning filmmaker Kantilal Rathod in 1982. Objections were raised against certain references in the film and the Censor Board stalled its release. The problem Shah Rukh Khan's 'Billu Barber' faced some 27 years later was similar. The community known as Nayi or Hajam is called Barber in English. In later years, these examples were followed by communities on a larger scale and somewhere along the way, various political groups with vested interests got involved and films such as 'PK', 'Ramleela' and 'Padmavat', among others, had to pay the price. There were mild objections to 'The Accidental Prime Minister' as well as 'The Kashmir Files' and the recent release, 'The Kerala Story'. These protests, again, had political hues. Films are a soft target. Sadly, film folk never speak up either way. But, never in my long career in film trade journalism have I been a witness to something like 'Adipurush'! Who is Adi here?

Lord Rama? Adi, I presume, has different definitions depending on a culture. Does it mean someone as ancient as Adam (of Adam and Eve). As the Hindi saying goes: Baba Adam ke zamane ka. 'Adipurush' reminded me of the 1977 Kannada movie, 'Aadi Manava'. I suggest you Google for its poster.

Lord Rama was not Adipurush. He was described as Purushottam, a complete man, a man above all other men.

Indians are quite attached to their beliefs and are proud and protective about them. I remember two films. One was 'Jai Santoshi Maa'. Not many people had heard about this particular deity. But when the film was released in 1975, people, especially women, flocked to the cinemas to watch the film.

There were reports of viewer leaving their footwear outside cinemas. The film created such a huge following of believers that people took to keeping a fast for 16 Fridays to please the deity.

Earlier, in 1969, we had a film titled 'Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai', a film based on the Sikh faith. One had to live in that era to see what a frenzy the film had created in the North, particularly in Punjab. In the case of this film, too, no one entered the cinemas with footwear on.

In the recent past, we had 'Chaar Sahibzaade', an animated film on the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th and last Sikh guru, who sacrificed their lives to protect the faith.

And, now, somebody goes and makes 'Adipurush'! What is it all about?

I think 'Adipurush', as the film has been titled, is a chapter out of one of the greatest epics of India, Ramayana, where the protagonist, Lord Ram, has earned the place of a god among Hindus. Call this mythology or call it an epic, it is a story revered across India. The tomes are not oral and have been written by rishis. Then there comes a media-bred, self-styled genius on Indian culture and beliefs who claims he has written the film 'Adipurush' to suit the ethos of 2023!

So, what does he do to make it contemporary? He redefines the characters of Ram, Sita, Hanuman and Ravan. He also redefines the way they dress! Come on, if you are casting them in the present times, Rama should be sporting fatigues and an automatic rifle and the same goes for Ravan!

As for his research for the film 'Adipurush', what research can one do? The age-old story of Ramayana is all one needed to follow. What research showed that Sita was an Indian and that Nepal was a part of India? In Mumbai and in the South, the Ramayana has been made as a film many times. They have never disappointed viewers or created controversy.

Now that everything, from the presentation of characters to the costumes, has been mucked up, Muntashir promises to rephrase the dialogues. When I heard them the first time, they sounded like the kind 'Gully Boy' or a Manmohan Desai film would have!

I wonder if any filmmaker has the courage to make a 2023 film on Jesus Christ wearing jeans and T-shirts and mouthing f-words. Or, on any other religious head?

Muntashir is a media-made scholar and that same media wants his head today!

What has 'Adipurush' achieved? It has displeased the believers and earned their anger.

It has also upset a neighbouring country, Nepal, which has been screening Indian films forever, but has now decided to ban not only 'Adipurush' but all films from India!

This ban was lifted by a local Katmandu court but the city mayor, who had banned the movies, is still adamant. The promo of 'Adipurush' was launched at Ayodhya. Reportedly, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was to do the honours.

The CM is said to have changed his mind after he got wind of the film's content.

This should have been the first warning for the makers.

Manoj Desai, who manages the G7 multiplex in Mumbai’s Bandra area, laments that he is forced to continue screening 'Adipurush' even if there are 30-35 people in the halls.

Mumbai, June 26 (IANS) On her boyfriend Arjun Kapoor's 38th birthday bash, diva Malaika Arora set the dance floor on fire with her killer moves on her iconic number 'Chaiyya Chaiyya' from the 1998 film 'Dil Se'.

A video of her acing the moves 25 years after the film was released is doing the rounds on social media. The clip is from Arjun's birthday party which took place on Sunday night. Malaika is seen dancing in a white and red bodyfit dress.

She even performed all her hooksteps from the number.

The films on the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata have been made many times, in Hindi as well as by the southern film industries. And, not only have they always adhered to the tomes written aeons ago, but also have been successful without depending on controversy. The fact is, mythological films are a popular genre in the Indian film industry with the biggest of banners making them on a regular basis. That was till the television medium came in and relieved filmmakers of this genre. A Sunday morning is meant for sleeping till late and starting late,

Why does Ravan look as if he's from ISIS, sporting an Islamic beard and look? Why is Sita draped in whites? Don't you know that is the dress of a widow in our culture?

Manoj Muntashir, who is presented as the face of the project, 'Adipurush', and mostly responsible for mucking up this project, earned fame and public recognition through his song, 'Teri mitti...' from the film 'Kesari'. Since then, I have seen him on music-based television serials where he composes on-thespot couplets. Frankly, they

He cannot discontinue the film as there is no other film available to screen. The G7 property has its own loyal audience, whatever the film.

The cinema is also considered an indicator of the success or failure of films.

From this past Thursday, admission rates for the film have been brought down to Rs 150 flat. Is that an achievement?

No filmmaker has ever needed police protection for the film he has made, but the writer and director of 'Adipurush' have sought it! Now, that is an achievement.