Indian Parliament to screen of 1993 Indo-Japanese animated film Ramayana
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New Delhi: The Indian Parliament is set to screen the 1993 Indo-Japanese animated film Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama on February 15.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, members of Parliament, and cultural dignitaries will be in attendance.
The special screening has been organised by distribution company Geek Pictures, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent mention of the film during his Mann Ki Baat address. In his speech, he highlighted the movie’s global significance and its role in strengthening India-Japan diplomatic ties.
Originally directed by Yugo Sako, Ram Mohan, and Koichi Sasaki, Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama faced political challenges during its 1993 release due to concerns over communal sensitivities. However, the film later gained widespread recognition through television broadcasts in the early 2000s.
Now, the film is making a grand return in 4K resolution, with Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu dubbing alongside its original English tracks.
The re-release features a new voice cast, including Yudhvir Dahiya as Lord Rama and Sonal Kaushal as Sita. Notably, the earlier Hindi and Tamil dubs featuring Arun Govil as Rama and Amrish Puri as Ravana could not be restored due to missing master recordings.
Arjun Aggarwal, co-founder of Geek Pictures, described the Parliament screening as a tribute to India’s rich cultural heritage. He emphasised that the animated adaptation would resonate with audiences across generations, offering a fresh perspective on the timeless epic.
The renewed interest in Ramayana has also fueled the development of major cinematic projects, such as the 2023 film Adipurush and an upcoming live-action adaptation starring Ranbir Kapoor.
Originally premiered at the 1993 International Film Festival of India, the animated classic also had notable public screenings during the Mahakumbh Festival in 1995.