The fascination with mythology in Indian Cinema ft mythwala

Vedant Pophale, aka Mythwala, an expert on mythologies, explores the current trend seen in Indian cinema that is mythologies. 

Once upon a time, ancient legends were just that—stories of the yore. But currently, we live in a time when storytellers largely go back to the core, exploring and unearthing our deep-rooted mythologies to tell modern stories. In short, Indian cinema has seen a resurgence of films rooted in the myths of the land, blending these ancient stories from the scriptures with modern storytelling techniques to create something fantastical in the most literal sense. The very recent film Kalki 2898 AD reimagines mythological epics in a futuristic setting, while last year, Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva brought gods and legends to life with incredible visual effects. On the other hand, films like Ram Setu and Karthikeya 2 mix cultural stories with history to resonate with the growing sentiments of the audience, and Kantara and Hanu-Man use magical realism to bring a twist to superhero tales for the Indian taste. Moreover, all the films from the infamous Maddock horror-comedy universe, like Munjya and Stree 2, use mythological elements like Brahmarakshasa and Skondhokata to create contemporary stories.

Apart from the reception audiences gave to these stories, the hovering question that still remains associated with this trend in Indian cinema is this - why is there a sudden growing fascination with mythology? The answer is surprisingly simple—it’s not sudden at all.

The Indian film industry began in 1913 when Dadasaheb Phalke saw a film based on Jesus called The Life of Christ and was inspired to create films that depicted stories from Hindu mythology for the Indian diaspora. Thus, Raja Harishchandra, the first Indian film, was born, showcasing the story of King Harishchandra from the Puranas. However, it could be seen that a large number of Dadasaheb Phalke’s films are based on mythological stories. After Phalke, it was Sr. N.T. Rama Rao who brought Puranic tales to the screen, earning him not only acclaim as a master of the craft but also a lasting image in the minds of the audience as the embodiment of a god. Since then, filmmakers in the country have sought to visualize the myths that have fascinated the storytellers of the land for a very long time. That's history, but how exactly are these filmmakers adapting these myths into stories that entertain the modern sensibilities?

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Take the example of Kalki 2898 AD. Director Nag Ashwin takes the prophesied account of the arrival of Kalki, the tenth Avatar of Vishnu, and builds a sci-fi world around it with elements from myths. Like when the Mahabharata warrior Ashwatthama, Amitabh Bachchan stands out as a mythical figure in an otherwise human world with his giant size and magical gem on his forehead. In the sequel, it seems like he will face Kamal Haasan’s Yaskin, who is equipped with Gandiva, the legendary bow of Arjuna from the Mahabharata. While Mr Bachchan may not have any divine weapon as seen in Kalki 2898 AD, in Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva, he plays a Guru of a secret ashram, giving Shiva and other impressionable kids the knowledge of Astras (divine weapons) and safeguarding the Brahmastra. Mukerji also manages to invoke interesting imagery by portraying Dev, the antagonist of the story, having a similar appearance as the deity Shiva since they are both shown holding a trishul, sporting long locks of hair and wearing tethered clothes.

However, the Telugu connection with mythological films doesn’t start with Kalki 2898 AD. It was instead with the film Mayabazar, based on an episode from the Mahabharata, which is still considered a magnum opus in Indian cinematic history. Even S.S. Rajamouli has been vocally fascinated with the world of epics, especially Mahabharata, which can be seen in his films—the Bahubali duology shares many elements from the epics in its storyline. The rivalry between cousins for the throne is akin to the strife between Pandavas and Kauravas, or the kidnapping and capture of Devasena for 25 years by Bhallaldev. This is an apparent replication of Sita’s abduction by Ravana. In Prasanth Varma’s Hanu-Man, the powers of Hanuman are stuck inside a jewel, along with the blood drop of the Vanara deity. A supposed loser of the village comes across the jewel, and his life turns upside down. While the film portrays itself as a superhero film, the looming presence of Hanuman finally turns into an awe-inspiring cameo that leads the way for the sequel. And borrowing mythological characters like Brahmarakshasa and Skondhokata to create the monsters of Munjya and Stree 2 to make a commentary on patriarchy is the most effective utilization of our myths to tell a modern tale with a resonating social message. Hence, making the field of mythological films is increasingly fertile ground for filmmakers to uncover. 

Having said that, the audience is growing equally vigilant about seeing their favourite myths on screen. Om Raut’s directorial Adipurush was the most significant example, where the audience rejected the film for its poor depiction of the Ramayana. With criticism over the unnecessary creative changes (turning Ravana’s Pushpaka Vimana into a laughable dragon-like creature) or the controversial dialogues given to the figures revered by the entire country, it turned out to be a wakeup call for the filmmakers to be true to the scriptural description and devotional value of the characters. To avoid this, one genre of filmmaking has been proven quite effective in exploring mythological themes and receives critical acclaim - an adaptation of these stories into contemporary settings. Films like Mani Ratnam’s Raavanan flips the perspective on Ramayana and shows the story of Ravana, or Raj B. Shetty’s Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana creates a strife between Vishnu and Shiva while Brahma outwits them both. Vikram Vedha modernises the tale of Vikrama and Vetala into a tale of a cop and a gangster. These films effectively take fantastical stories from the scriptures and set them in the world of humans, incorporating emotions and plot points while retaining creative liberties. 

So, what needs to be done is to manage how these mythologies are consciously and effectively borrowed to make sense without compromising storytelling. Hence, when I forayed into the film industry as a mythologist and creative consultant, I realized that the intent behind making such films is as important as the stories themselves. Without proper intent and knowledge, there will always be a lack of good mythological adaptations on the silver screen. This is why the job is not just to ensure the accuracy with which the filmmakers adapt the stories but also to guide them towards understanding the coherence of popular attitudes towards these myths. Due to the variations found in myths and their different levels of acceptance across the country, creating a film that satisfies every audience member is quite tricky. However, it is not impossible to visualize the incredibly rich tales of the past, which can bring together traditional audiences loyal to the stories and younger generations curious to explore the possibilities.

Who knows, maybe one day we will see an ensemble of the Hindu Pantheon fighting something big and bad in a shared mythological universe! Given this trend and the audience's acceptance, one can only hope for the best!

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