Creators of the film 'Ramayana' reacted to criticism and trolling regarding the depiction of a monkey in glasses

With the release of the film 'Ramayana: Part 1,' which has generated significant public interest, details of this adaptation are being actively discussed. The film, directed by Nitish Tiwari, features Ranbir Kapoor as Shri Rama, Sai Palvi as Mother Sita, and Yash as ten-headed Ravana. Particular attention is drawn to the songs composed by A.R. Rahman and Dr. Kumar Vishwas, including the composition 'Jai Jai Ram.'

The song 'Jai Jai Ram' presents beautiful scenes of the wedding of God Rama (Ranbir Kapoor) and Mother Sita (Sai Palvi), as well as the meeting of God Rama and his younger brother Bharata. Furthermore, the trailer shows the images of Shri Rama's brothers—Bharata, Lakshmana, and Shatrughna—and Mother Sita's sisters—Urmili, Mandavi, and Shrutakirti. This track revealed that the role of Shri Rama's youngest brother, Shatrughna, will be played by actor Nitish Sharma.

In the mythological narrative of the Ramayana, the devotion of Lakshmana to God Rama and the renunciation of Bharata are often emphasized. However, there is another figure in this ancient story who diligently performed his duties without any personal gain—this is Shatrughna, the youngest son of King Dasharatha.

Shatrughna was the son of King Dasharatha and Queen Sumitra, and he was Lakshmana's twin. According to some legends, if Lord Shri Rama is an incarnation of God Vishnu, then Shatrughna is considered a partial incarnation of Shrihari's weapon—the 'Sudarshana Chakra.' When the weddings of the princes of Ayodhya were arranged in Mithila, Shatrughna married Shrutakirti, the youngest daughter of Kushadhwaja, the brother of Maharaja Janaka.

According to the Ramayana, when Shri Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana went into fourteen years of exile, and Bharata remained as an ascetic in Nandigram, Shatrughna took charge of the state apparatus of Ayodhya. He not only ensured the protection of the kingdom's borders but also completely and devotedly cared for the three royal mothers: Kaushalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra.

Shatrughna was not only a capable administrator but also an invincible warrior. After defeating Lanka and establishing Rama's reign, when a demon named Ravanasura terrorized the sages and monks in the Madhuvana area (on the banks of the Yamuna), Shatrughna launched an attack under the command of God Rama. Although Ravanasura possessed the mighty trident of the god Shiva, Shatrughna managed to kill him with arrows, preventing him from raising the trident thanks to his astute tactics. After this victory, he founded a magnificent and prosperous city there, which is known today as Mathura.

During the killing of Ravanasura, Shatrughna stayed at the ashram of Mudreshi Valmiki. That same night, Mother Sita gave birth to Lava and Kusha. Later, when Lava and Kusha seized the horse intended for Rama's Ashwamedha, Shatrughna encountered them during the battle. It is believed that Shatrughna also oversaw the guard of the horse during Shri Rama's Ashwamedha, overcoming all obstacles and enemy armies so that the ceremony could proceed without interruption. When the earthly incarnation of God Rama concluded, Shatrughna passed his kingdom to his sons, and then, along with his brothers, traveled to the Saru river and departed for Vaikuntha Dham.

The film 'Hanuman Ansh' is demonstrating box office success, continuing to collect significant earnings on its 47th day of screening. It has earned 350 million globally against a budget of 20 million. Despite initial predictions of failure, the film has become a blockbuster.

Anupriya Nagar, producer of 'Hanuman Ansh', commented on the film's success in an interview with Siddharth Kanana. She emphasized the necessity of authenticity at all stages of filmmaking. In her opinion, any film does not become a masterpiece solely due to a good plot, quality content, big actors, or directors; the love and dedication that an actor must demonstrate on screen are important.

Anupriya believes that the success of 'Hanuman Ansh' is largely related to the blessings of Nim Karoli Baba. Previously, people considered the film a failure for two weeks.

When asked about trolling regarding the film 'Ramayana', she noted that during the shooting, Rambhar Kapoor refrained from consuming meat. However, Anupriya believes that it is not enough for an actor to focus only on diet. It is extremely important to establish a spiritual connection with one's role.

She cited the example of Shobhinav, who played the role of Maharaj, and who is still revered as Maharaj. This principle applies to 'Ramayana' as well: the crew should perceive the actor as Rama. Nevertheless, she refers to Premanand Maharaj, who stated that it is important for the actor's character and diet to be in order, as well as whom they associate with, where they appear, and where they go. She added that even after achieving success, humility must be maintained, as merely changing one's diet is insufficient.

Anupriya recounted a case where one person gave up meat to watch 'Hanuman Ansh' and then watched the film in the theater. At the same time, the team made a daily decision to read the 'Hanuman Chalisa' on set. Although Anupriya highly praised the trailer for 'Ramayana', she found it strange how the film was being promoted with an emphasis on a large budget.

After posting a critique of the approach to depicting characters from mythological stories in recent films, actress Kangana Ranaut has sparked rumors that she is commenting on the forthcoming film 'Ramayana' starring Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi.

On Friday, the actress and Member of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party shared a video clip from an old religious film. Along with this, she highly praised the way mythological plots were depicted in old cinema and criticized the use of modern clothing in recent films based on religious figures.

In her Instagram account, Kangana Ranaut wrote under the video: 'The more access people have to technology, the further they move away. We watch recent movies about God where characters who lived thousands of years ago are dressed in clothes resembling modern television series. It gives the impression that designers do not pay attention to the descriptions given in the scriptures. Whereas decades ago, without any visual effects or CGI, the masters of cinematography worked strictly according to the descriptions given in the scriptures. Look at the results, Jai Menaxi Amma.'

In her post, Kangana did not mention 'Ramayana' or any of its actors. However, after the release of the trailer for Nitesh Tiwari's upcoming 'Ramayana', when debates arose over the costumes and stylization of some characters, speculations began online based on her words.

Social media discussions revolve around the looks of Sai Pallavi as Sita and Laura Datta as Kaikeyi. Some users questioned the modern styling of the costumes, while others compared some looks to those shown in mythological TV shows.

Costume designers Rimple and Harpreet Narula commented on this criticism and explained the creative concept behind the film's costumes. They stated that these designs were created considering the cultural context, production needs, and the scale of the project, rather than aiming for an exact reproduction of any historical attire from the Ramayana period.

The designers also mentioned the difficulty of presenting this Indian epic to a global audience and viewers worldwide. These statements came amid ongoing discussions about character stylization, including Sita and Kaikeyi.

This is not the first time Kangana has voiced criticism related to 'Ramayana'. In 2023, she expressed disappointment that Ranbir Kapoor was chosen to play the role of Lord Rama in Nitesh Tiwari's film. At that time, Kangana made several personal accusations and criticized Kapoor's suitability for the role. She also questioned his acting abilities in the role of Lord Shiva in the 'Brahmastra' franchise.