Immortality, begins Disney+Hotstar's animated show The Legend of Hanuman, means different things to different beings. Some will tear the universe apart to gain its power. But for others, it is about finding the true hero within through faith and hope. This sets the tone for the epic good vs evil battle between Ravan and Lord Hanuman in the series. According to its co-creator Sharad Devarajan, most stories about Hanuman either focus on his impish childhood or his leap to Lanka. But between these two realities lies a rich tale of pathos and profundity. Of a god who is made to forget his own immortality until he truly understands its power and can wield it responsibly.
"Through the show, one of the themes we wanted to explore was the duality of immortality," says Devarajan. "Ravan is craving immortality, but he never had a purpose to his life. This purposelessness made him numb, and the numbness started to take over. The obsession with Sita and everything that led to his downfall was because he was void in his soul. Immortality without purpose is an endless torture. Whereas Hanuman is also immortal, but has this deep connection to Ram. So, his immortality is filled with great purpose, joy, and love."
The show is visually stunning, and imbues the much-loved story of Hanuman with depth and poignancy. Upon its launch in 2021, it became the most watched show across all streaming platforms and has now been renewed for a third season.
This story is from the December 03, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 03, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
William Dalrymple goes further back
Indian readers have long known William Dalrymple as the chronicler nonpareil of India in the early years of the British raj. His latest book, The Golden Road, is a striking departure, since it takes him to a period from about the third century BC to the 12th-13th centuries CE.
The bleat from the street
What with all the apps delivering straight to one’s doorstep, the supermarkets, the food halls and even the occasional (super-expensive) pop-up thela (cart) offering the woke from field-to-fork option, the good old veggie-market/mandi has fallen off my regular beat.
Courage and conviction
Justice A.M. Ahmadi's biography by his granddaughter brings out behind-the-scenes tension in the Supreme Court as it dealt with the Babri Masjid demolition case
EPIC ENTERPRISE
Gowri Ramnarayan's translation of Ponniyin Selvan brings a fresh perspective to her grandfather's magnum opus
Upgrade your jeans
If you don’t live in the top four-five northern states of India, winter means little else than a pair of jeans. I live in Mumbai, where only mad people wear jeans throughout the year. High temperatures and extreme levels of humidity ensure we go to work in mulmul salwars, cotton pants, or, if you are lucky like me, wear shorts every day.
Garden by the sea
When Kozhikode beach became a fertile ground for ideas with Manorama Hortus
RECRUITERS SPEAK
Industry requirements and selection criteria of management graduates
MORAL COMPASS
The need to infuse ethics into India's MBA landscape
B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH
INTERVIEW - Prof DEBASHIS CHATTERJEE, director, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode
COURSE CORRECTION
India's best b-schools are navigating tumultuous times. Hurdles include lower salaries offered to their graduates and students misusing AI
