(This part of the article was written before the film got released.)
Just three days before the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s RAM-LEELA, a Delhi Court decides to put a stay on it due to its objectionable content as per the complaint filed. A similar case against RAM-LEELA was earlier rejected by the court with some interesting remarks but this new stay has again raised some valid questions regarding the film’s title and its content being discussed widely.
However, here I am not going into any details regarding whether it is wrong, misleading or hurting any religious sentiments in particular unintentionally. Instead here I would like to ask a simple question to the film’s director Sanjay Leela Bhansali with reference to the Indian Folk Love Tales being read, told and cherished from centuries. But before coming to that question, I would like to quote what the director has to say about his creation as posted at a reputed site.
“I would like to clarify and state that the said film is inspired and based on work of William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'. The said film is neither related to 'Ramleela' - folklore/traditional performance associated with Lord Ram nor related to 'Rasleela' associated with Lord Krishna. I trust that this clarifies all doubts and misgivings,"
said Bhansali at the following link.
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/2200647/Court-orders-stay-on-Ram-Leela%27s-release
So referring to the above statement, I would like to ask the renowned director that firstly if this was nothing to do with either Lord Ram or his respected tale then why are huge portraits of Lord Hanuman and Ram used in the song “Ram Ji Ki Chaal Dekho” where in the lead character is also doing an open body show with the girls falling down as if fainted.
But most importantly if this is really a beautiful Indian love story based in a fictional city, inspired by the western “Romeo & Juliet” then being an Indian version, it should have ideally used the name of the lady first as it has been respectfully done in our part of the world from ages.
In other words, if this is an Indian love story told in an epic or traditional style then,
"Why it was not called "LEELA-RAM" instead of “RAM-LEELA” to clear all doubts & controversies?" …………following the Eastern trend of Heer-Ranjha, Laila-Majnu, Shiri-Farhad, Sassi-Punnu or the devotional Radha-Krishan, Seeta-Ram and more.
And this remains a valid question, unless the film has the girl betraying the boy in the end like in Punjab’s folk lore of Mirza-Sahiba wherein the male name comes first, being the only exception to the eastern rule……..due to the very reason of betrayal by the lady love.
So I am eager to see the film to know that whether this is the reason Mr. Bhansali decided to call it RAM-LEELA or the title was just kept to gain some extra attention, controversy and instant eye-balls as per the ongoing business trend?
(Interestingly the same question I had in mind before watching VEER-ZAARA in 2004, that why it was the male named first in the title against our own tradition. But then the film's theme itself answered my doubt and I hope RAM-LEELA too does the same once again)
(But unfortunately following is the conclusion derived after watching the film)
Post its release, SLB’s RAM-LEELA clearly answers the question raised above, as the film has nothing to do with either Lord Ram or his sacred Leela at all in its love-portrayal. So the director had a clear intention of using the phrase “RAM-LEELA” for his film’s instant publicity alone and all this controversy could have been easily avoided by using any other name with a regional touch as per the requirement. Moreover, since there is no betraying lady here in its plot, it could have been called “LEELA-RAM” too if he wished. But because SLB simply wanted to en-cash the traditional name and its wide appeal all over the country, so he titled his film “RAM-LEELA”, which otherwise had no relation whatsoever with any of the respected characters in the devotional tale.
Hence it was all a sick mind game played by the renowned director and nothing else.
Cheers!
