It has been some time since Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan, an enthralling series which depicted Lord Ram, the manifestation of Lord Vishnu, in a sheer magnificent way. With a head start, the ‘Devon Ke Dev….Mahadev’ fame’s producer has produced this much awaited Historical Television Drama, with the help of Triangle Film Company. I remember watching the 1986’s Ramayan as a kid. It used to evoke the right emotions and somewhere down the line, that’s what connected many people from that generation to our culture and religion. In many places it wasn’t right, but it had the simplicity, storytelling and Lord Ram used to be more altruistic. Nevertheless, I cannot say the same about the host of Historical & Mythological dramas of this century. Mostly, all of them have lost the cultural touch and retract giving that torch of knowledge that we used to look upon.
Moving to ‘Siya Ke Ram’, the series for which consultancy of the renowned author Anand Neelakantan has been accommodated. Though, as I feel, he is a wrong man to go to, if you’re hoping to educate the youth of our country, about our religion and Gods. I’m not against his writing, he is one of the best writers I’ve read but, all of his work is perceived from the point of the actual villains from mythology and his books exhibit them as heroes. This Series highlights the chronicle through Lady Sita’s perception.
I don’t need to brag about the story, but what I will nit-pick are its details. First off, to all the people, who watched the premiere of Siya Ke Ram, I’ll tell that, there is no mention about Lord Ram’s sister in Valmiki written Ramayan. The ambience set by the series and it’s aura aren’t in anyway going to give you even a hint, that it’s Ramayan running on T.V. Being only the first episode, I wouldn’t criticize it much, as there is much to see how the series grows from this point. But the visual effects are a harbinger of how tacky the technical department is. Also, like every other Indian series, it goes in the time-consuming-series list. It happens quite a lot and it’s almost as if it’s an implied condition, that if you’re producing an Indian series, you have to circle the camera across the room and hold it on every individual’s face so that their precious emotions are delivered to the people sitting across the T.V. It comes almost as a revelation, that the said policy hasn’t been applied much to this initial episode.
The Final Word:
It’s too early to comment on the acting quotient, though, I sense a feeble storytelling, which will result in wrong creeds & disbelief of the actual facts by the younger population in our culture. On the other hand when, 1986’s Ramayan had a music so blessed, the lyrics and the composition of Siya Ke Ram fail to move the heart. But with a better cinematography and a hint of good directing, the series looks stable.
On a last note, I will say this, if you haven’t read Valmiki/Tulsidas Ramayan or heard it from your mother or grandparents, this series will place the wrong ideals of Lord Ram in your kids’ minds.
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