Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, ‘Ramayana‘ arrived in theatres on November 5. Even before its release, Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ had generated considerable excitement among fans, particularly over a scene in which a queen sets a bow-and-arrow challenge to choose her husband. Nitesh Tiwari and Ranbir Kapoor, who plays Lord Rama in the Indian epic, recently discussed the similarities between the two stories and the parallels they noticed.In a conversation with Screen Rant, Nitesh Tiwari said he believes Homer may have drawn inspiration from the Ramayana, pointing to the similarities between the two epics. He said, “Ramayana is the oldest epic, and I believe Homer was inspired by Ramayana in some way; having written those bits in Odyssey. And yes, I did notice those equivalents and I felt very happy that our greatest epic has got a tribute in another epic which belongs to the West side, and it’s going to make it very easier for the people to also connect with what we were trying to bring to the West also.”The filmmaker expressed happiness at spotting these parallels and felt that the similarities could help international audiences connect with the Indian epic.
Ranbir Kapoor calls the bow-lifting scene a sweet coincidence
Speaking about the ancient origins of the Ramayana, Ranbir Kapoor said the story was written thousands of years ago and described the similarities, particularly the bow-related challenge, as a sweet coincidence.“To be honest, it’s written in our text 4,000 years ago. So actually, when I saw Odyssey, I thought, ‘That’s from Ramayana.’ Exactly. But yeah, sweet coincidence. I love The Odyssey. I love Christopher Nolan. But yeah, doing Ramayana had a very different feeling,” the actor said.Ranbir also recalled the experience of performing the bow-lifting scene, saying it gave him goosebumps. He added that he felt a “weird current going up and down” when he picked up the bow.
The bow scene in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’
In Homer’s epic, Odysseus has been away from home for years and is presumed dead by many. His wife, Penelope, faces pressure from several suitors who want to marry her. She eventually sets a challenge: the suitors must string Odysseus’ powerful bow and shoot an arrow through 12 axe heads. The challenge is designed around a feat that only her husband has previously accomplished.In Christopher Nolan’s adaptation, Matt Damon plays Odysseus, while Anne Hathaway portrays Penelope. The bow challenge is among the moments that have drawn comparisons with the Indian epic.
Sita’s swayamvar in ‘Ramayana’ featuring Ranbir Kapoor
The scene has prompted Indian viewers to draw parallels with Sita’s swayamvar in the Ramayana. According to the epic, King Janaka invites suitors to Mithila to compete for his daughter Sita’s hand in marriage. The condition is that they must lift and string the mighty Shivadhanush, a bow associated with Lord Shiva.Lord Rama not only lifts the bow but also breaks it while attempting to string it, winning Sita’s hand in marriage. In Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’, Ranbir Kapoor plays Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi portrays Sita, and Yash takes on the role of Ravana.
