Movie distribution company Geek Pictures has announced that it will organize a special screening of the 1993 Japanese-Indian anime film “Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama” for Indian Parliament lawmakers on February 15 at the Parliament.
The screening will be attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla along with members of Parliament as well as special invitees from the cultural sectors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the 1993 Japanese-Indian animated film “Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama” during his well-known radio broadcast “Mann Ki Baat” recently.
Arjun Aggarwal, co-founder of Geek Pictures, expressed gratitude for the recognition, stating, “We are deeply honoured by this gesture from the Parliament of India. It is a privilege to see our work being recognized at such a prestigious level.”
He further added, “This screening is not just a showcase of a film but a celebration of our rich heritage and the timeless story of the Ramayana, which continues to inspire and guide us.”
Aggarwal stated that the special screening highlights the film’s cultural and artistic importance and celebrates the strong bonds between India and Japan.
The film, originally released in 1993, returned to Indian cinemas in a restored 4K format on January 24, featuring new Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu dubs, along with its original English version.
Directed by Yugo Sako, Ram Mohan, and Koichi Sasaki, the animated feature is based on the “Valmiki Ramayana”, with extensive research into the epic and related Indian traditions.
Aggarwal explained that the 1997 Hindi and Tamil versions were not used for this theatrical release as there was a loss of the master data for those versions, whereas the original English version had been preserved.
In the earlier Hindi version of the animation, Arun Govil voiced the character of Ram, Namrata Sawhney voiced Sita, and the late Amrish Puri lent his voice to Raavan. Veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha served as the narrator.
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‘Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama’ was first showcased at the 24th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in 1993, but did not see a release in cinemas at the time. It gained popularity in India after being re-broadcast on TV channels in the early 2000s.
