Ramayana Reboot: Lust Removed, Franchise Added

Two distinct eras of the Ramayana on Indian screens are highlighted: Ramanand Sagar's 1987 series and Namit Malhotra's contemporary adaptation. The 1987 serial, a faithful rendition of North Indian Ramlila and Tulsidas's verses, resonated deeply without adding new elements. In contrast, the recent production, born in the digital age, prioritizes commercial success, earning crores and aiming for millions of views and extensive merchandise.

This new adaptation has notably excised Ravan's defining characteristic: lust. Traditionally depicted as driven by desire, Ravan's curse by Vedavati and Rambha, not honor, protected Sita. Tulsidas even portrayed him as a secret devotee of Ram. However, the modern Ravan is presented as a victim with a grievance, a trope common in Hollywood, akin to Gotham's Ravan or the Joker.

Similarly, the hero Ram's desire for Sita has been subdued, resulting in a family-friendly product suitable for global multiplexes. Key characters and events, like Sita's abduction and Jatayu's role, have been altered to avoid potentially unmarketable elements or to align with toy sales. This transformation is described as "colonization by Indians," stripping the epic of its poetic essence and selling back Americanized heroes and villains with Indian names.