At first glance, if you look at the kind of trolling that both mythological epics, Adipurush and Ramayana, went through, it almost seems similar. Think about it.
Adipurush was trolled for its cartoonish CGI effects, as was Ramayana. To add to that, there was the social-media scepticism that ensued. The difference is that the criticism only amplified after Adipurush proved to be a colossal disaster at the box office, whereas Ramayana, which has crossed Rs 1,000 crore in its worldwide box-office collection today, has mostly been revered for the sheer ambition and vision with which it has been made.
Somewhere, it can also be assumed that Ramayana was burdened with the responsibility and unfair scrutiny coming its way because of how Om Raut's Adipurush was a massive disappointment.
Needless to say, ever since Ramayana's first glimpses and trailer started surfacing, more and more comparisons made their way to social media. Even now, as the reviews follow, the memes surrounding the two films are endless.
But having said that, looking at the stupendous wreckage that Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana has caused at the box office, one could conclude that it is good that the film released after Adipurush.
Somewhere, the Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and Yash-starrer has restored the faith of many cinegoers with its representation of one of the most revered epics of Indian culture.
Adipurush Vs Ramayana
To begin with the scene-by-scene elemental contrast, here is where Ramayana succeeded over the post-Adipurush trauma.
1. Ravana's 10 Heads
Saif Ali Khan's version of Dashanan-the one with 10 heads-was heavily criticised because it looked like an AI-generated filter. Unevenly stacked one above the other, rather than instilling fear and a sense of awe, the representation was relentlessly mocked.
On the contrary, Yash's 10 heads as Ravana in Ramayana was one of the key highlights of the film. It went viral on social media soon after the first few shows on the day of release. The visual representation of the demon's emotions and intellect, while setting up the context of the menace he was capable of, was hugely admired for accurately showcasing 10 distinct facial expressions, unique angles and intricate crowns.
2. Ravana-Jatayu Face-Off
Viewers were horrified by the video-game aesthetic of the Ravana-Jatayu battle scene in Adipurush. One of the most pivotal scenes in the film was made to look murky and chaotic, and had no impact.
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Whereas in Ramayana, this turned out to be one of the standout moments. The incredible use of CGI did its work, as did the impressive battle choreography. The mid-air clash between Ravana on his chariot, the Pushpak Vimaan, and Jatayu, voiced by Anupam Kher, clearly showed the work that went into making it so iconic. Nitesh Tiwari stated that it took six and a half years to bring that moment to life. The crisp daylight visuals, emotional weight and breathtaking choreography were compared to top-tier Hollywood spectacles.
3. The Colour Scheme And World Of Ramayana
The making of Ramayana is a huge responsibility to begin with, even more so when you are building an entire world. Adipurush settled for blue-toned colour palettes. It looked gloomy and stripped the narrative of the aesthetic it demanded. Whereas, after the incessant trolling in the initial period, Ramayana's warm-toned kingdom was much appreciated by viewers. "Sone Ki Lanka" looked luminous, as opposed to the gothic-villain version we saw in the former film. The beautiful early colour tones and natural lighting made Ayodhya and the forests of Panchavati look very real and lived in.
Another example was the Pushpak Vimaan. What should have looked like a swan-drawn chariot came across as a weird, giant bat-like creature in Adipurush, which simply did not work with audiences.
4. Costumes And Looks
When the trailer of Ramayana dropped, a wide section of the fashion police criticised the blouses worn by Queen Kaikeyi and Sita. There was a lot of chatter about Sai Pallavi's look as Sita-from her beauty to her skin tone and hair texture. However, it was still nowhere close to how Adipurush was trolled for its costumes.
In Ramayana, Ravana is seen adorned in regal silk drapes, heavy temple jewellery and classical armour. Lord Ram, played by Ranbir Kapoor, and Sita, played by Sai Pallavi, wear handloom clothes during their exile in the forest, fitting the scenario. On the other hand, Adipurush was ridiculously trolled for Ravana's comical costumes, where he was decked out in modern black leather tunics with a spiked haircut. As for Hanuman's army, they were left with unfinished looks.
While Kriti Sanon was trolled for her sleeveless blouses as Sita in Adipurush, funnily enough, Sai Pallavi was trolled for wearing full-sleeved blouses during her exile.
5. Characters
Even after Ramayana has received glowing reviews, the chatter around Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi not being suitable for their characters, Lord Ram and Sita, has carried on. However, the contrast between Ravana's powerful avatar and Ram's calming demeanour has been praised in Ramayana-something that was completely missing in Adipurush.
So, what makes Ramayana releasing after Adipurush better?
The sheer task of living up to the expectations of an audience that had lost faith.
The reverence and authenticity in Nitesh Tiwari's epic have been much appreciated, as it kept the source material intact. It goes without saying that the rushed CGI in Adipurush was the most talked-about topic and a major reason for viewers' rage, as they would not accept sacred texts being mishandled.
This pushed Nitesh Tiwari and his team to put in extra effort into meticulous pre-production and refine the VFX even after early teaser feedback.
The audience did walk into Ramayana with guarded expectations, as they had been in two minds about how Bollywood adapts mythological epics. But it goes without saying that Ramayana's response has, in many ways, restored the faith that had gone missing.
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