PROJEKT iVIEW : Ghosts of Ravan are still alive!!!
iVIEW AUTHOR:
Kumar Gautam (Bombay, India)
email:
writerdirectorgautam [at] gmail.com
The day TV serial Ravan was commissioned by ZEE TV; there was a huge buzz and murmur in industry. People with different mindset had different opinion; How can a leading channel commission a mythological serial in today’s era? Is there any story of Ravan? Isn’t Ravan’s story, Ram’s story? Haven’t we seen enough of Ravan’s story in Ramayana? Has the programming department of ZEE TV gone mad by repeating the cliché offbeat stuff again? Likewise, there were innumerable doubts and questions in the mind of content development department in the entire TV industry. Even when this writer was given a proposal to join Ravan’s writing team he was skeptical that how honest, justified and logical would be to write a mythology. Yet, everyone had words of praise for the concept writer of Ravan. Not only because he got the concept of Ravan cleared but also he turned the most notorious villain of Indian history into a hero.
Ravan started with a bang. The stupendous success of Ravan, the creeping up of TRP’S yet again proved that ZEE TV knows well about its market and target audience. Whether it is Ravan or the colour prejudiced protagonist of ‘Saath phere’, ZEE TV has measured the entertainment pulse and taste buds of Indian TV audience. Success of Ravan opened floodgates of employment for real actors (who look like man and can speak Hindi), writers (who really are well read and know to write chaste Hindi), junior artist (who are tall and well built, you need more junior artist in such serials) and above all a need for more mythological and historical concepts. Rival channels excited by the success of Ravan started inviting mythological concepts. So, suddenly the Indian television was ready for a marriage with Indian history and culture. The dust laden concepts kept untouched for years in the cupboards of almost retired writers were in demand. Directors from yester years could see awakening and enlightening of programmers of software in Indian TV industry. But all this hunky-dory could not go for long. Today, Ravan is dying a slow death. An asset has become pain. Is it all because of Ravan? Is that ominous power doing some magic? Are his ghosts still alive?
Yes, ghosts of Ravan are still alive. They are there in every department of TV production and direction. They just love to play, prick and beastly crush any peacefully, lovingly, calmly blooming flower. But it would be disrespecting to call them ghosts of Ravan. They are the metaphor ‘Ravan’ who is the most notorious villain of Indian culture. But who this real Ravan was, needs to be answered first. Many of us even don’t know that Ravan was born in Australia, became king of Lanka, ruled over half of the India (south west India) and all island countries of south east Asia. But that’s not the reason why TV serial Ravan is dying a slow death. Ravan was a hero allegedly turned into villain because he disagreed. He disagreed to norms and practices of Aryan civilization. He developed enmity because he was not a diplomat. Ravan was a laureate, a warrior, a fighter and above all a social reformer. Ravan collected Aryans and Non-Aryans (the real Indians) together and formed “Rakcha Vansh”. He gave downtrodden and discriminated a single voice, “Vyam Rakshamah”. Ravan gave the modern India’s concept of SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC. So Ravan was an educated rebel. He asked questions and that too right questions. And he had guts to argue and fight until the truth was revealed. So, sometimes he went out of his way too search answers and this shook the ego of people singlehandedly running the world at that time. With this attitude and gutsy feeling the TV serial Ravan was conceptualized and there started the problem.
Problem No.1 –
Ravan as a hero. It is a popular practice amongst story writers to follow the story of “Ramayana” while conceptualizing soap for TV. They are given instructions – please make characters clear, there has to be a Ram and a Ravan, rest you can do anything with Sita and add as many Lakhsman and Manthra. So, Ravan as a hero…nah, impossible. Parents were in dilemma as to what to tell their kids, whether Ravan was a hero or villain. They decided to play safe with the popular practice as they were scared about children asking too many questions and they having no answers. So, first hiccup Ravan remained a villain.
Problem No.2 –
Ravan questioned too much. Ravan had a mixed blood. His father was a Brahmin while his mother was from lineage of demons. So, he got the privilege to live in both the cultures. He could not find any difference between the two cultures except for the fact that demons were exploited and thought to be down trodden by Gods (people who read or wrote Vedas). He questioned the morality of Brahmins. So, the questions also flared out in TV serial. It invited a big debate in the elite Hindi class of India. Writer started getting hate mails. Channel was crticised for showing something defamatory and derogatory. Some has to either answer or escape. The concerned authorities saving their own grace took the escape door. There in the enthusiasm of writers also slowed down.
Problem No.3 –
Ravan, stupid he was associated with golden city, Lanka. Gosh, what a burden on producer. He got a serial after ages and that too where the sets were so opulent and lavish. Now, how will poor chap save money to pay off his loans? He looked for cost cutting in every department. In his books, art department was not of much use. What will director do, if everything is done by art-director? Ravan paid his price for taking birth in a rich family. His grandeur was curtailed in serial. Producer on a cost-cutting spree started first my paying less to artist, technicians and creative team. So, here in the people with passion left the show (they preferred being RAM, then Ravan). Show was left in the hands of second hand people trying to recreate first hand history. Later the producer just stopped paying anyone and everyone (ghost of Ravan got into him). Those who demanded their money was hailed as Ravan and slowly they were kicked out of the show in decent manner. Thus many Ravan were born. They are still fighting to win over Ram, the producer. Will they win?
Problem No.4 –
Oh, these TRP’s! What a stupid fellow was Ravan, he had no vision. He should have spent his life in such manner that if someday TV soap is made on him, it comes out tailor-made to fit into the scheme of TRP’s. Why didn’t he think that rival TV channel may run Prithviraj Chauhan in competition to him? Why didn’t he do something substantial in his childhood, the way prithviraj chauhan did? We could have kept his childhood story for as long as Prithviraj doesn’t end up growing up? Silly Ravan, he was a not a visionary…he suddenly grew up. Ideological writers could not bluff their conscience as they lived Ravan for years while conceptualizing his character for contemporary world. Today, Ravan and Prithviraj are not explaining their ideologies but fighting for attention. How magical is this idiot box, war between the heroes of two different generations in our home just by the push of a remote button. Its magic…please clap. Poor chap Ravan, he is standing out to be a loser.
Today Ravan is a loser as he was in his age. Yes, his ghosts are killing him as the custodians of history in his era cooked up all his pride and valour as negative energy and hailed Ram as hero. And the real heroes (writers) behind TV serial “Ravan” are trying to move on as they have enough energy left to recreate millions of Ravan…a Ravan who had guts to do revolution, create a new world, create a new era and take the challenge and not surrender like the Ram’s of present generation with hidden agendas.
Tags: Television
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Gautam,Problem no 4 of TRPs is not a problem but a metaphor for Ravan in modern times.Anything going wrong blame it on TRPs.you can get away with murder,i assume, by citing this Ravana of TRPs.
Yes any Hero worth his salt need an equally powerful opposition in form of a villain. In Ramayana Ram is projected as Hero and his counterpart,almost his alter-ego is Ravana. And when Ravana was dying, Ram exhorted his brother Laxman to go and pay his obeisance and get gyaan from a stalwart like Ravana. But in modern days in context of TRP wars, Channel Rams have no clue whatsoever as to what they are upto. They are as whimsical and egomaniacal as Ravana.
Its not Prithviraj Chauhan vs Ravana, its Ravanas in garb of Rams at channels that have lost their head and consequently the technicians and artists their bread! Anything mired in so much controversy,intrigue,politicking and downright exploitation (of the crew) is good riddance any way. But yes Ravana as a serial in the beginning was really rocking.I liked its childhood portion indeed. And if you were there on the writing team that time Gautam, then Cheers!
Gautam thanks for another very entertaining post.
cheers
hey Gautam…. loved reading your post.
Maslafying is in our blood! I would not be surprised if majority of us would prefer Pasta with desi ‘tardka’. :-\”
(that does not mean that i prefer those kind of pastas ;-) )
Kumar Gautam:
I did not get the real problem you wished to raise in the article because material itself is contradictory.
You say Serial “Ravan/Raven2 was started with a bang and TRP was bumper that means people had curiosity to watch a serial on the life of Ravana.
if TRP was reduced then many factors can be responsible and not this fact that people dont wish to see life of Ravana.
I have never seen this serial so cant say anything on the quality of the serial and I even dont know who was the writer who conceptualised the serial. But I know for sure
(1) Late hindi author Dr Rahi Masoom Raja
(author of Topi Shukla, Adha Gaon, Katra B Arzu and BR Chopra’s film Nikah) had written a detailed book on Ravana.
(2) People in India have been giving full regard to Ravana. He is never termed as completely villain. He is always treated as a proufound king and scholar who took wrong path. He is treated as Rishi who destroyed his life himself. His ancesotors are treated with high regards like Pulatsya Rishi.
Images of mythological figures are not matter of a decade or 10 decades but several thousand years and if in that long span images have been filtered by several millions of people belonging to different eras and still Ravana’s wrong deeds are criticized then we cant blame understanding of people. Both Ram and Ravana are just names of mythological figures and one cant have conflict with the images in the mind of people. If someone says that Ravana was not a scholar then you can say that its a biased approach.
I am not sure how you got this idea that Ravana was putting question before Brahmins. Ravana was a Brahmin and thus belonged to priest class and Rama was a Kshatriya or warriar class and thus belonged to little lower class in traditional Sanatan dharma based Bhartiya system.
Balmiki and Tulsidas both have shown Ram giving full regard to Ravana and its said Ravana was invited to perform a puja at Rama’s camp before war between Ram and Ravana was started then it says much. When Ravana was on death bed then Rama sent Lakshaman to take blessings of Ravana who was a profound scholar and a brahmin. Rama did atonement to kill a Brahmin.
If down the ages Ram and Ravana have become symbols of good and bad then it has come through a filtering system.
People have learnt not to hate Ravana but his deeds. Thats why one of the most profound book on astrology called “Ravan Samhita” which is said to be written by Ravana has been given highest regards along with “Bhrigusamhita”.
Ravana was born in Australlia, is something like its said that one of wife of Arjuna was belonging to Maxico. and we often say that present days America was Patallok for ancient India.
Even its mentioned that Kumbhkarna was a high class scientist who used to devote 6 months in research in his laboratory and 6 months he used to take interest in civil state works thats why a saying was started that he used to sleep 6 months because he was lost for 6 months in his laboratory.
Bhardwaj Rishi was a nuclear scientist and he had invented Brahmastra (which he gave to Rama)
but all these are mythological things.
Kansa can be said as a truley Villaneous character in mythology who gets no sympathy from any quarter. Even Duryodhan gets some sympathy but Kans is the ultimate villain.
Name of Ravana has become a symbol of bad for people and now it has less to do with original Ravana the Brahmin king. When he is killed in at the end of Ramlila then people take it symbolically.
But to say people are not and wont be interested to know about Ravana is just exaggeration and is not based on truth.
The reasons, why Ravana Serial lost charm, can be different.
As mentioned what ever good contribution Ravana had given to society has been regarded since then and till now and what was bad has been bad since then and will remain bad since humanbeings are alive on earth.
good one…
I appreciate it !!
Ravan was fair skinned and Brahmin. How can he be Dravidian? On the contrary, Ram was dark skinned. Equating Ramayan with Aryan-Dravidian struggle is a new theory.
Interesting read
Dude keep it up…cheers….!!!!!
Thanks Krysh, onir, mainak, romeo and A…Yes krysh i was part of the writing team of ravan…RK…the issue was the rise and fall of TV serial Ravan and the reasons behind…reasons were cliche, mostly superstitions and that too of creative and production team around…anyway RK , i appreciate your knowledge about Ravan. CY…you missed out certain things in article…ravan’s father was an aryaan…but mother came from raksh vansh…Thanks to all for comments…keep writing…:)
Kumar Gautam:
Thanks for response,
Your comments pushes me to ask:
Ravan’s clan was matriarchial and not patriarchal that he should be known by his mother’s clan and not by his father’s clan?
and general question, did your writing team, followed book written by Dr Rahi Masoom Raza to any extent?
thanks in advance!
Good to know about Ravana in detail. Although I knew he was a great Thapasvi who was blessed with numerous boons from Lord Shiva, I did not know he was a social reformer.
The Devathas (Demi-Gods) were afraid of him due to his acquired powers and his growing influence on the Earth. And like as any great person his demise led him to do one bad thing and was rightly punshied for his sins.
The legend says that he went to heaven after death as a virtue of being killed by Ram.
Hi All,
Can anyone pelase help me with the title of the book written by Dr Rahi Masoom Raza on Ravana. I was watching Aaj tak today where they claim to have found the mummy of Ravana.