Sita Sings The Blues, Yak: Ramayana has attracted global audience through the ages

Movies based on the epic Ramayana have been made across the country ever since Indian filmmaking began. However, adaptations of Ramayana ranging from films set in modern times that deal with contemporary themes to some straightforward mythological tales have been created over time. Also, there have been derivations of the epic tale where the storyline has been reimagined.

The original version of Ramayana written by Valmiki has often been twisted and adapted by countries outside of India as well. One of the most popular adaptations of this tale in foreign countries to date remains the anime movie from the 21st century titled Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama. The film was released back in 1992 and the father of Indian animation named Ram Mohan was the one behind this movie. 

Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama (1992)

(Poster of Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama. | Image: IMDb)

The anime film co-produced by Japan and India was based on Valmiki's version of Ramayana and it explored the animation-Manga of Japan with an Indian touch. The Legend of Prince Rama was helmed by Yugo Sako, Koichi Sasaki, and Indian animator Ram Mohan. During the initial stages, the film was surrounded by controversies as its production time coincided with the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute. It was even banned for a while. However, it was later released in India and aired on DD National. 

Sita Sings the Blues (2008)

(Sita Sings the Blues' poster released in 2008. | Image: IMDb)

Sita Sings the Blues helmed by Nina Paley is an American animated version of Ramayana. This animated movie manages to retain the original story in a clever and funny way by combining several animation styles. This unique retelling of Ramayana through musical sequences made the film win several accolades. However, this film was also subjected to controversies as a Hindu organisation called for a complete ban on it as they believed it misrepresented the events. 

Opera Jawa (2006)

(Opera Jawa is an Indonesian-Austrian musical film. | Image: IMDb)

Opera Jawa revolves around the chapter from Ramayana where Sita gets abducted. This Indonesian-Austrian musical movie featured classical Javanese culture and was based on the life of a couple named Siti and Setyo. This married couple used to partake in plays showcasing the cultural tradition of Ramayan in the Asian country, Indonesia. 

Yak: The Giant King (2015)

(Official poster of Yak: The Giant King from 2015. | Image: IMDb)

This is the latest foreign adaptation of Ramayana which re-interprets the story of Lord Hanuman from the Thai version of Ramayana called the Ramakien. This Thai animated film narrates the ordeal of a robot who's stuck in a wasteland after a war. This film is just a futuristic adaptation of Ramayana and was dubbed twice in English.