'Humare Ram', a theatrical Ramayana retelling, is seeing full houses across the country. This theatre version of Ramayana, in which Ashutosh Rana plays Ravan, gained success while a big-budget movie based on the epic bombed.
Silence engulfs the packed theatre as lights fade out 30 minutes into the play. Smoke fills the rear end of the gallery as a human figure emerges from the near-darkness and walks towards the stage with his entourage.
This, as Kailash Kher's captivating Dashanan plays on the audio system. As the smoke clears out, the audience get to see that it is Ashutosh Rana, in the role of Rava - reports 'India Today'.
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| A scene from the play Humare Ram showing the battle between Ravan and Jatayu (Picture: Gaurav Bhhardwaj/India Today) |
During the scene, which is one of the most iconic sequences from the Humare Ram -- a play based on the epic Ramayana -- Ravan also pauses and gives a death stare to the people.
There is pin-drop silence among the spectators, enthralled by the performance as Ashutosh Rana, the Ravan, makes his way to a large Shivling placed at the centre of the stage and performs a yagna, which is backed by rarely-seen-before visual effects.
With around 120 house-full shows in 10 cities, Humare Ram is creating waves across India. This, given the fact that the minimum price of a ticket is Rs 800 while those close to the stage can cost up to Rs 15,000.
So, what is Humare Ram and its crew getting right that even a big-budget movie like Adipurush couldn't and bombed at the box office?
How is it able to keep people hooked for around 4 hours in the age of OTT and an ever-diminishing attention span?
Written by Rahul Bhuchar and Naresh Katyayan, and directed by Gaurav Bhhardwaj, Humare Ram is a modern retelling of the timeless epic, in a grand and visually-stunning way.
HUMARE RAM ANSWERS QUESTIONS ON RAMAYANA, SANATANA
Not just that. Humare Ram subtly answers several questions that have been raised on the Hindu epic and Sanatana from different quarters through the decades.
“There were questions like why Lord Ram abandons his wife, Sita, even after an Agni Pariksha (trial by fire). Humare Ram answers those questions," Rahul Bhuchar, the co-writer who also plays Ram, tells India Today Digital.
Another question that has been raised is about the treatment Lakshman metes out to Ravana's sister Surpanakha.
But did you know that Suparnakha tricked Ravan into going to war with Ram, knowing fully well that he would be defeated, because he had killed her husband?
Humare Ram reveals such lesser-known facts about Ramayana.
“Two years of research has gone into Humare Ram. We have researched every minute detail of the epic before staging it," says Bhuchar, who is the founder of Felicity Theatre that produced the play.
That is evident in how the play holds the attention of the audience for 3.15 hours and 30 minutes of post-play interaction.
People emerge overwhelmed, giving standing ovations, and some even touch Lord Ram's feet. This is something reminiscent of the Doordarshan days, when people used to shower and sit with folded hands as Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan played on TV sets.
“I don’t act, I just surrender to the character of Lord Ram. Some people become so overwhelmed by the performance that they come and touch my feet, which is a huge compliment to my act,” Bhuchar says.
That limited number of shows have been staged despite its success has also added to the popularity of Humare Ram.
HUMARE RAM ALSO TALKS ABOUT RAPE
The uniqueness of the play is that Humare Ram doesn't just answer questions, it also delves into issues like rape.
Rambha, the Apsara, is engaged to Ravan's nephew Nal Kuber. Ravan forces himself on Rambha in Nal's absence.
Nal explodes, telling Ravan that sex without consent isn't appropriate even for a spouse, let alone the bride-to-be of his nephew, a father-daughter relationship.
He then curses Ravan that his lust for women would one day lead to his downfall.
ends
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