Want to hear the chartbuster Munni badnaam hui or the catchy Cry cry, Hum rote hain kai ko? Well, instead of plugging into your ipod, just stroll into a nearby “Ram Lila” and see how these latest hits are being incorporated into the tales of Ramayana.
The traditional “Ram Lilas” being played out in various cities of Uttar Pradesh this year, have adapted themselves to modern tastes and in order to attract youth, they are even incorporating Bollywood hits in the plays — even at the cost of earning the ire of older generations.
In a “Ram Lila” in Allahabad, Munni badnaam hui has been modified to suit the story line.
Surpanakha, after getting her nose chopped off by Lakshman sings, Main to badnaam hui, hai Lakshman tere liye — appropriately sung to the tune of Munni badnaam hui.
In another “Ram Lila” in Lucknow, when Lord Ram pines for sita who has been abducted by Ravan, brother Lakshman tries to uplift the mood of Ram by singing — Cry cry, hum rote hain kai ko, a popular ditty from Jhoota Hi Sahi.
In neighbouring Sitapur, the “Vanar Sena” (army of monkeys) marches to Lanka singing Hud dabangg dabangg and Ravan tries to woo Sita in Ashok Vatika with Tere mast mast do nain.
According to available information, the “Ram Lilas” being enacted in Hardoi, Sultanpur and Barabanki are also using film songs o enhance the mood of the script. For example Ram sings Aa laut ke aaja mere meet after Sita is abducted and Lakshman sings Kitne bazu kitne sar, gin le dushman dhyan se as he prepares to march to Lanka.
Salil Babu, one of the organisers of Ram Lila in Allahabad, defends the commercialisation of a religious tradition and says, “What can we do? In this era of TV and cinema, who is going to see a traditional Ram Lila? Therefore, we decided to spice up the presentation with some film songs without disturbing the story line and believe me, the idea, so far, has been a super hit. The crowds go wild with excitement the moment one of the characters breaks into a song. We, however, have taken care not to vulgarise the presentation and the selection fo songs has also been judicious.”
The “corruption of religion”, meanwhile, has left the older generations fuming with rage.
Mahant Agrasen Acharya of a local Hanuman temple in Lucknow, on the other hand, says that “Ram Lila was a way of popularising the story of Ramayana, especially for the youth. If these distortions are creeping in, it would be better if Ram Lila is banned altogether.”