We grew up listening to Ramayana from our grandparents. We watched it in the form of Ramleela on stage, and on television screens as one of the biggest shows ever. Umpteen versions of the epic have appeared in films, plays and TV series. Yet, what is it about the recent theatre production "Humare Ram" that has taken India by storm? I got an opportunity to watch the play a few days ago and see for myself the reasons behind this phenomenon.
The production's tagline says, "Discover Ramayana's untold chapters live on stage". It boasts an ensemble cast of talented actors led by the formidable Ashutosh Rana in the role of Ravan. Rana is not only a terrific actor, but he is also an accomplished orator, scholar, writer, and presenter with a deep voice, and an admirable fluency in Hindi with excellent diction. He has written a book "Ramrajya". And he had always wanted to play Ravan ever since he watched Ramleela as a child, fascinated as he was by the powerful character. All of this makes him the perfect choice for the role of Ravan.
Ram, on the other hand is played by Rahull R Bhuchar with the required dignity and decorum. Bhuchar is an actor, producer and entrepreneur. He has produced "Humare Ram" under the banner of his Felicity Theatre. Wearing multiple hats, he also co-wrote the play along with Naresh Katyayan.
Perhaps it will not be right to call it just a play. It is a grand theatrical production presented making use of the available technology in terms of lights, sound, music, and digital screens that bring alive numerous backdrops. So, in one scene, you see a royal palace with windows opening to blue skies and flying birds, in the next scene it could be a forest with a gurgling waterfall, and yet another scene depicts waves in an ocean almost touching the floor of the stage! Beautiful costumes and pleasing props add to the overall look and feel of the play. Also, most of the major characters make their entries from within the audience, giving us an immersive experience.
What are the untold chapters that we discover here? The makers claim that they have found these nuggets after extensive research into different versions of the Ramayana. We know the story of Ravan's sister Shurpanakha whose nose and ears were cut off by Lakshman because she made undue advances towards Ram and Lakshman in the forest. The twist in "Humare Ram" is that Shurpanakha did what she did because she wished to take revenge on Ravan as he had killed her husband. She knew that her brother would eventually lose in the fight with Ram and Lakshman.
Another nugget is that when Ram built a bridge on the ocean to go to Ravan's capital, he wanted to pray to Lord Shiva before starting on his way to Sri Lanka. He invited Ravan for the consecration of the Shivalinga and Ravan did come in spite of the fact that the two were about to start a war against each other. And the place was named Rameshwaram at Ravan's suggestion.
There are more but let me refrain from mentioning them here as they could be spoilers. But what is worth mentioning is the fact that Ravan is portrayed in this play as a scholar, a powerful ruler and a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva. Many other productions have depicted Ravan as a mere villainous character.
In the age of short content and reels, "Humare Ram" captivates the audience for more than three hours without an interval. There is action, drama, dance, war, and many applause-worthy lines that keep the auditorium alive. Some of them, especially about the position of women in a family and society are as relevant today as they were then. The entire play is written in delightful couplets. And then there are moments. My favourite is when Ravan recites the Shiva Tandava stotra and Shiva dances to it. It was magical. Ashutosh Rana has himself translated the Sanskrit verses to Hindi and it is sheer joy to listen to his powerful voice recite them. I also loved the act put on by the spunky Deepti Kumari in the role of Shurpanakha.
Then there are Hanuman, Sita, Luv-Kush and a host of other characters who are very good in their acts. Shankar Mahadevan, Kailash Kher and Sonu Nigam have lent their voices to the beautiful songs that add a special touch to the production. You may listen to them here.
The absolute takeaway from the play is life lessons given by Ravan to Lakshman. There are many gems there but here is just one: रावण को ज्ञान का अहंकार था और राम को अहंकार का ज्ञान.
"Humare Ram" has been touring various cities in India for the last one year. I watched its 196th show. Do watch it if it visits your city.