MAHAYODDHA rocks!

UPDATE: 8 March 2008: The MYR trailer is currently showing exclusively in PVR Juhu and Malad in Mumbai before Jodha-Akbar and Black & White. I’m given to understand that this is an initial test screening. Nationwide exposure will happen later this month, with the release of the upcoming Hindi film Race. –AKB

Yesterday, I saw the opening sequence of Mahayoddha Rama, the final animation complete with background music and voice performances. I also heard two songs from the film.

I was blown away.

I’ve written a lot of scripts in my career. A lot. In my almost-decade in advertising, I saw almost a hundred commercials shot based on my scripts. In my freelance writing years, I wrote several dozen corporate films, public service films, and documentaries. I won a few awards. Later, I wrote over 400 television scripts–I’m talking about the ones that were produced and telecast, not the countless spec scripts and pilots that I wrote (a few of which I directed) that never saw the light of day. And even a few feature films, which I was careful enough not to lend my name to, thankfully. (Although some were for major names in the biz, I’d rather remain uncredited for mainstream commercial Bollwood movies.)

But I’d mostly been disgusted by the Bombay movie biz. The attitude. The mediocrity. the commercialism. The lack of any creative integrity. The lack of creativity, period.

So around this time last year, when I was approached by a debutante director named Rohit Vaid and a producer named Abhimanyu Singh, of Contiloe Pictures, I wasn’t very enthusiastic. Rohit was a fan of my Ramayana series, which helped a bit. :~) And Abhimanyu, ironically, turned out to be a neighbour–living just two floors below me! I met with them after taking pains to clarify that I didn’t take on commissioned scriptwriting assignments anymore. Whatever the project, price or prestige involved.

But their enthusiasm, love, and passion for the project hooked me. I signed on, despite myself. Surprising myself, my family, friends. And so Mahayoddha Rama was born, an animated film for viewers of all ages (it’s not just for kids, trust me) that aspired to match the quality of any international animated film, while aiming for a photo-realistic 3D animation style that hasn’t even been attempted yet here let alone achieved, and overall storytelling and production qualities that would make all of us proud–would make every Indian proud, in fact.

The script was gruelling. Yes, the film was based on the Ramayana of Valmiki. (Not on my Ramayana books–those are being adapted separately to live-action films by a Hollywood studio.) Yes, I knew the Ramayana fairly well, to put it euphemistically. Yes, the story was clear. But yet. But yet.

What we were trying was to reinvent the Ramayana for Indian filmgoing audiences, through the grammar of all-ages animation. Now that may seem simple at first, but it’s not. For one thing, there’s never been an Indian animation film that truly uses the grammar of animation. Sure, there have been the Hanumans and Bal Ganeshs, and the like, and they may even have done reasonably well, but they’ve essentially been compromises between low budgets and a dearth of creative courage.

Our attempt was much bolder: It was to create a film experience that wouldn’t simply retell Ramayana, but would reinvent it for a new generation. Similar to the way I had retold it in my books, but using a completely different approach, one suitable for the medium. The challenge for me personally was to write a screenplay in which not a single word, line, dialogue, scene, or new character, would be in any way similar to any part of my Ramayana books. Does that sound impossible? After all, we are still talking about the Ramayana. Well, it was hard as hell. But in the end, I did write the script, and, I’m proud to say, it retells Rama’s story (and Ravana’s story) in a way that even my books don’t. In a way that could only be done through the medium of theatrical animation.

Mahayoddha Rama is the Ramayana reinvented as an animation film for Indian viewers of all ages. After seeing the opening sequence, hearing the songs, bits and pieces of the production-in-progress, I can now honestly say that it’s the first Indian animation film that will match the international animation experience.

The animation, co-produced by Contiloe Pictures and Pixion is superb. It’s of a level you haven’t seen before on the Indian screen. It’s very different from even the typical American “Disney” style (or Pixar style) in that it aims for a more mature illustration style. More graphic novel than kiddie comic. More mature, while yet being fantastically entertaining. This is as much Ravana’s film as Rama’s–you have never seen Ravana brought to life this entertainingly and imaginatively before.

I could go on raving about it. But you’ll soon be able to see the first trailer promo for the film in theatres within a few weeks: It airs in March in all theatres and TV channels. It will be followed by a second trailer a month or two later. And then the music launch. And then the merchandizing–yes, there will be plush toys, and much more.

For the moment, I’m going to simply list some of the talent involved with the film. And end by saying that after thirty years of professional writing, several hundred produced scripts of all kinds, all genres, I’m finally proud to attach my name to a film that I think is really good. You’ll judge how good for yourself at the end of this year, when it’s released in theatres. But I’m already cheering and whooping about it here at my desk.

MAHAYODDHA RAMA: WARRIOR PRINCE
Producers: Contiloe Pictures/Abhimanyu Singh, Pixion Studios
Director: Rohit Raizada Jaising Vaid
Screenwriter: Ashok Banker
Music: Adesh Shrivastava
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar

VOICE CAST includes
Kunal Kapoor (Rama), Gulshan Grover and 9 others (Ravana), Jimmy Shergill (Lakshman), Sameera Reddy (Sita), Mukesh Rishi, Amin Sayani, Manini Dey, Lushin Dubey, Mukul Dev, Roshan Abbas…