Artists from Five Countries Will Perform at Dipotsav Festival in Ayodhya, Presenting Ramalila on 12 Stages

In East Delhi, in the Prit Vihar area, Ramlila is being held, where schoolchildren play all the roles in the production. Students from the first to the twelfth grade embody various characters from the epic Ramayana. Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, Ravana, as well as Hanuman and Jatayu appear on stage.

As the narrative begins, quatrains are recited, and the actors playing these roles are not professional artists, but school students. This production is notable because it does not involve an external cast of actors, nor does it require the help of professional makeup artists.

Behind the presented characters is the diligent work of the children and the guidance of the school teachers. While acting is one thing, memorizing lines and confidently performing in front of an audience is a completely different challenge that the children of Prit Vihar take on themselves.

The children recite the quatrains of the Ramayana and their lines in their own voices, using microphones so that their speech can be heard by the audience. The process requires significant preparation—from memorizing dialogues to timely appearance on stage.

At an age when children are usually occupied with studies and homework, they strive to understand many characters of the Ramayana, memorize their lines, and play them on stage. In this Ramlila, Aryan plays Rama, Ankit plays Lakshmana, Sadhvi plays Sita, and Pawan portrays Ravana. For these children, participating in the production is not just a theatrical activity, but an opportunity to showcase their talent to the public.

External makeup artists are not invited to prepare the children. School teachers handle the children's makeup and prepare them according to their roles. Teachers play a key role, guiding the children both in role preparation and during the performance on stage. Thus, although the heroes of the Ramayana appear on stage, behind the scenes, the hard work of the children and teachers is evident.

By participating in acting, the children gain experience in discipline, speaking, and presenting before an audience. The involvement of students from different grades in such an event is an important part of the whole affair.

Ramlila presents not only an introduction to the characters but also a depiction of crucial events from the Ramayana, such as the meeting of Bharata, Shurpanakha's nose amputation, Sita's abduction, and Jatayu's death. These episodes advance the plot through the actions of characters like Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, and Ravana. The audience witnesses on stage those events from the Ramayana that Indian society has been familiar with for a long time, thanks to the acting skills and dialogues of the children.

For the audience, the spectacle where small children play the roles is captivating. Each child must understand their role and act accordingly. The uniqueness of this Ramlila lies not only in the presence of children on stage but also in their preparation and collective efforts.

This event has been held in Prit Vihar for many years. Its goal is also to connect children with the stories of the Ramayana and Indian cultural traditions. In addition to the school curriculum, such events give students a chance to display their talent. Here, students go beyond textbooks by participating in a performance where they need to memorize dialogues, coordinate with other actors, and perform in front of the public.

The Ramlila chairman, Yogesh Arora, and the school director, Chhavi Narayan Arora, are also associated with this event. Children, preparing under the guidance of teachers, demonstrate their art on this stage. The tradition of Ramlila has long connected people with the stories of the Ramayana, but the way it is continued in Prit Vihar is different: instead of large actors on stage, schoolchildren perform. Instead of involving external actors and a team of makeup artists, the school prepares the production jointly with teachers and students.

For children like Aryan (Rama), Ankit (Lakshmana), Sadhvi (Sita), and Pawan (Ravana), this experience is a chance to show their talent outside of school. At the same time, the audience can see familiar characters from the Ramayana portrayed by children.

Interest in the film 'Ramayana' continues to grow daily. A recent new trailer caused a big stir due to improved visual effects (VFX) scenes. Furthermore, 'Ramayana' has gained popularity in the American cinema market; about eight thousand tickets were sold within 24 hours after the trailer's release.

The long-awaited anticipation for the film 'Ramayana' is linked to its cast. Ranbir Kapoor plays Rama, and Yash plays Ravana. Special attention was drawn to the fact that Sani Deol will play the role of Hanuman. This news generated great enthusiasm among fans. However, viewers were disappointed because he was not present in the initial teasers and trailers of 'Ramayana.'

The need to reveal Hanuman's contribution to such an epic story raises questions due to his absence. Nevertheless, Sonia Balani, who is working on 'Ramayana', announced that Sani Deol will definitely appear in the role of Hanuman. In an interview given to the Indian newspaper Hindustan, she stated: 'I can state with confidence that Hanuman's appearance will make everyone stand up. Because when I read the script, I had such a feeling. You can only imagine what the experience will be like when he appears on screen.'

Sonia Balani also plays the role of Urmila, Lakshmana's wife in the film. Her character will be shown during the wedding scene of Rama and Sita, which has already been demonstrated in the teasers and trailers. Although the duration of her role remains a mystery, the story of Urmila and Lakshmana will only become known after the film's premiere in theaters on November 5. That is also when the mystery surrounding Hanuman's appearance will be lifted.

The film 'Ramayana' is directed by Nitish Tiwari, and Namit Malhotra is the producer. Currently, the entire team is busy promoting the project. It remains to be seen how successful 'Ramayana' will be globally.