Why Adipurush is an abomination of epic proportions

• Release Date: – 16/06/2023
• Cast: – Prabhas, Kriti Sanon, Sunny Singh, Saif Ali Khan, Devdutta Nage
• Director: – Om Raut

Ever since the first teaser of Adipurush was launched, I was confident that this would turn out to be a disappointment. The only hope I had for the film was from its storytelling, the reimagination of key elements from a timeless Indian epic and the dialogues that were slated to be written by Manoj Muntashir Shukla. However, after enduring 2 hours and 59 minutes of a mockery of the epic that defines me as an individual, all I can say is that every thinking person should avoid watching this film at all costs. I noticed numerous families coming to watch the film with their kids, probably hoping to introduce them to the essence of the great Ramayana, which safeguards one’s inner self from the evils that come with being human. I was horrified at the thought that these children might leave with a distorted understanding of what the Ramayana truly represents. I rarely discourage my readers from watching a film, but in this case, I feel compelled to give you enough reasons why you should not watch this film.

Horrifying and cringe-worthy dialogues:

The Ramayana is not just an action-adventure; its heart and soul lie in the solemn and subtle dialogues between characters. The teachings of the Gods are conveyed through the words of the story’s individuals, encompassing the true essence and ambrosia that the Gods intended to share with the mortals. Differentiating between “dharma” and “adharma,” understanding the sanctity of “maryada,” recognizing the importance of action, and, most importantly, embracing the virtue of forgiveness. All these elements are demonstrated through Ram and Laxman’s words and actions throughout the epic. Unfortunately, Om Raut’s “Adipurush” handles this complex and nuanced aspect of the story with mockery and contempt for the original text, which infuriated me to an inexplicable extent. Lines that would be fitting for uncultured brutes in modern times are given to revered figures like Hanuman, Ravan, and Meghnadh. The inconsistency in dialogue is so jarring that even the most casual viewer will notice and be disgusted by it.

Here are some of the dialogues from the film that will leave you shocked.

Hanuman tells Meghnadh:

“Kapda tere baap ka, tel tere baap ki, lanka tere baap ki, to jalegi bhi tere baap ki”. He continues awhile later, “jo humari behen ki taraf aankh bhi uthayega uski lanka laga denge”.

Ravan tells his minions:

“Koi kaam dhanda nahi hai kya, bandar ko utha ke laye ho”.

Meghnadh tells the vanar sena:

“subhah hone se pehle pehle nikal lo”.

The CGI and VFX are worse than some of the direct-to-video cartoon renditions of the Epics:

I fail to understand how the producers and director of this film could consider putting such poor-quality CGI and VFX on screen in 2023. The visual effects in this film are worse than those in some animated shows featured on YouTube channels created by individuals. It’s not just the technical aspect that is lacking, but also the envisioning of the characters and the pivotal focal points of the story. Ravan’s ten heads are arranged in a double-decker form, with each head sporting a rocket propulsion emanating from its base. Meghnadh is covered in tattoos and behaves more like an evil “Flash” from DC comics than the warrior who had defeated Indra and earned the title of Indrajit. Ravan flies around on a bat that sometimes resembles and behaves like a dragon.

Unfortunately, it still remains exactly as it appeared in the teaser and was ridiculed. If bats had access to our judicial system, they would probably file a defamation case against the makers of this film. Everything in the film looks fake, cheap, copied, and uninspiring. You will see crass and terrible recreations of elements from films like “Dracula Untold”, “The Harry Potter Series”, “Lord of the Rings” etc.

Character assassination of every individual in the epic:

Numerous characters from the epic were completely ignored in the film. Sadly, those that were included suffered from an unpardonable crime against Valmiki’s creation. Ravan looks like a party animal with spiked hair and a beard that resembles Aurangzeb more than Ravan. Saif Ali Khan’s comical gait made me burst into laughter when he was shown walking in his full form for the first time. His dialogue delivery and interpretation of the character resembled more of a maniacal supervillain from a cheap B-grade film than the iconic foe that Ravan was to Ram.

Meghnadh is covered in tattoos and sports a contemporary and hip hairstyle, making it seem like he just walked out of a pub and drove onto the film set. Vatsal Seth’s performance is better left unmentioned. Prabhas looks haggard, disinterested, and sometimes on the verge of dozing off. His portrayal of Bahubali was more inspiring than his performance as Raghav. It’s shocking how much CGI is used to enhance his features, yet he looks unbelievably unimpressive. His performance is even worse than his digitally- enhanced presentation in the film. Sunny Singh as Sesh is worthless and pointless. Lakshman, an integral part of the Ramayana, is reduced to nothing more than a glorified cameo who is quick to say the most ill-informed and random things. It’s no surprise that sunny Singh’s performance matches the insignificance of his character.

Kriti Sanon momentarily looks the part, but the inconsistency in her character’s dialogues and writing quickly draws attention back to the negatives more than the marginal good that she was trying to do. Devdutta Nage is wasted as Bajrang. His essay mocks the iconic character of Hanuman rather than portraying him as a charismatic and all-powerful being that he was. The character’s atrocious dialogues only make matters worse. Nage cannot escape the ill feeling and malice that comes with seeing such an iconic deity reduced to using unparliamentary language.

It would not be wrong to say that “Adipurush” will remain a dark blemish on the careers of its ensemble cast. It will also serve as a reminder for actors to choose their projects more carefully in the future.

Final words:

I despised “Adipurush” to such an extent that I could tear apart every scene, every moment, every dialogue, and every character, but it would be futile since the damage has already been done. The film is receiving overwhelmingly negative reviews, and that trend will likely continue. Only someone delusional could enjoy this farce. If there was ever a true insult to Hinduism and Ram, it is this film. If there were a call to ban this film, I would gladly support it. I asked a friend of mine who had recently watched the film how he felt afterwards. He smiled and recounted a day when he was caught in the rain without an umbrella, had his slipper break, and dropped his bag of vegetables and fruits, which were scattered across the dirty paths. To add to his misfortune, he stepped on a pile of dog excrement with his bare foot while collecting the vegetables from the road. After describing his story with a gentle smile, he turned serious and sternly said, “I had a better experience in that market on that fateful day than I did watching “Adipurush” in the theatre.”

Rating: 0/5 (0 out of 5 Stars)

The views expressed in this article are that of the reviewer and do not reflect EastMojo’s position

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