Exclusive: Ashutosh Rana Explains Why Hindi Cinema Failed To Crack Ramayana As A Film!
Advertisement
Since ages, Arts has been trying to present one subject with infinite perspectives – Ramayana. The story of Lord Rama, that is the essence of any Hindu household. Ashutosh Rana, has now taken the responsibility of playing Ravana in the play Humare Ram. The theater is being recieved with housefull shows currently in Mumbai’s NMAAC and is scheduled to be staged all over the country in the upcoming weeks.
Loveyapa actor, in an exclusive conversation with Koimoi, talked about playing Ravana in Humare Ram and said, “The play has completed 160 shows in the whole country. And 160 shows, house-packed shows all over India. We have performed ourselves in about 11-12 states. So far, we have received a lot of applause, appreciation, and acceptance. And that is the reason that we were able to complete 160 shows in a year. Otherwise, it is very difficult for any play to have 160 shows in a year.”
Ashutosh Rana On Playing Ravana
While Ashutosh Rana has written a book on Lord Ram titled Ram Rajya, he chose to play Ravana in the play Humare Ram. Discussing how he balanced between the two contrasts, the actor explained, ” Look, it is very exciting in itself. When you write a book on Lord Ram’s darshan, which won the Sahitya Academy Award and is a bestseller, you play the role of Ravana.”
Talking further, the actor said, “So, I feel that Ravana’s character, who we know as the ultimate negative consciousness when he comes in contact with Ram, the process of transforming that negative consciousness into positive consciousness, and whenever you see someone from a friend’s point of view, and you see someone from an enemy’s point of view, and when you see someone from an enemy’s point of view, and then fall in love with him, then definitely his personality becomes even greater. So, through Ravana’s character, when you see Lord Ram from an enemy’s point of view, you fall in love with him. This is a wonderful journey. And I believe that more than our friends, our enemies remember our name more. So, by using this excuse, Ravana’s contemplation moves faster in our minds. So, it benefits us in some way.”
The Responsibility To Play Ravana
Ashutosh Rana further talked about how important it was to play the biggest villain. He confessed, “As an actor, you will ask, then I will say that, whether it is a negative character or a positive character, fulfilling the character with honesty, responsibility, and dignity is the work of a writer and an actor. And I believe that when you come to our Ram, then the character of Ravana can be played by the person who knows God Ram a little. Because without knowing Ram, you cannot play Ravana. So, this is a very responsible job.”
Why Does Ramayana In Films Fail?
Since the actor has written a book inspired by Ramayana and plays Ravana in the play Humare Ram, we asked him why Ramayana is successful as a play or a TV serial but not in films. In the past, films on Ramayana failed, but in the future, there are films on Ramayana being made. The actor, very importantly, pointed out, “So, sometimes in life, we are able to communicate with someone, but we are not able to connect. Sometimes, we connect but are not able to communicate. In theatre, the possibility of connecting and communicating is very, very much present.
The actor elaborated, “The energy that is required every day is different for us every moment. Our emotions are different. The truth of the moment, in you and me, works to give joy or to create joy. But, in film, the truth of the moment is not there. It was the truth of that moment when it was being shot. And along with the truth of that moment, I feel that the biggest thing is that somewhere, you have to pay attention to the writing. Why was Ramayan written so many times? Because so many people saw it from their own perspective.”
Ashutosh Rana also talked about OTT, the changing shape of cinema, the fear of getting typecast, the lack of quality content, and more.
Stay tuned to Koimoi for the next part of the conversation.
