Humare Ram at Dubai Opera: Dazzling, if inconsistently paced, adaptation of the Ramayana

Performances of its cast, including award-winning actor Ashutosh Rana, more than make up for bumps in road

Hit theatre spectacle Humare Ram, based on the Indian epic Ramayana, is making its international debut with a four-day run at the Dubai Opera. Photo: Felicity Theatre

One of my earliest childhood memories includes weekends spent watching TV reruns of Ramanand Sagar's 1987 fantasy series Ramayan.

Balancing period theatrics with a sincere exploration of its famous mythological roots, the show and its leading cast soon became household names within our extended families. It endured the test of time that few other adaptations of Valmiki’s Sanskrit epic could ever achieve.

Now, almost four decades after its release, several reinterpretations have been made, with varying degrees of success. From the 2015 Star Plus series Siya Ke Raam to global interpretations such as 1993's Japanese animated feature film Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama, the mythological texts have had – and are likely to have – varying retellings from across the world.

All of that being said, I never knew I’d find myself revisiting the oft-told story in the form of a theatre production at the Dubai Opera on Thursday. Being held for the first time internationally, and co-written and starring Rahull R Bhuchar in the titular role, Humare Ram adapts the Ramayana through a more episodic set of scenes, in which the estranged sons of Ram, Luv and Kush, are taken through the events leading to their father’s exile with their mother Sita.

Ashutosh Rana as Ravan in Humare Ram. Photo: Felicity Theatre

While the cornucopia of lights, sound and colour often does come together to form an engaging whole, as the writing flows (both literally and metaphorically) like a poem, the narrative itself feels fractured and without focus, preferring spectacle over storytelling. Some scenes overstay their welcome, stretching the pace. Despite this, there are areas where Humare Ram shines.

Ashutosh Rana is among those bright spots. His thunderous presence as the antagonist Ravan commands the stage, delivering a physical and vocal performance that fuses menace with pangs of existentialism and well-timed humour. He works well off the strengths of Bhuchar, whose warm, baritone voice is perfectly in line with the benevolent, yet wise-beyond-his-years protagonist, who is exiled from his kingdom for 14 years in a sour turn of hunger for political power.

Harleen Rekhi is phenomenal as Sita, but unfortunately, since this isn’t entirely her story, she isn’t present for most of this play. The narrative focuses largely on the events that lead to the inevitable battle between good and evil.

Although the pacing can drag on at times, the strong acting from the cast help make up for it. Photo: Felicity Theatre

But the real surprise is Deepti Kumar as Shurpanakha, Ravan’s vengeful sister. In just two scenes, she lights up the stage with an electrifying physical performance, playing to the crowd with unapologetic glee. Her mix of rage and slyness turns into a hilarious bit of meta-acting, leading to what might be the sharpest, most perfectly timed comedic exchange in the play.

The music is mostly a delight, even if the compositions sometimes veer into soap-opera territory. With powerhouse voices such as Shankar Mahadevan, Sonu Nigam and Kailash Kher giving it their all, the soundtrack becomes a memorable companion to the action on stage. The only drawback is the title song, which is used so often as a scene-change cue that it starts to wear thin.

There’s still plenty to love, enough to make up for the many slow-paced scenes that bring the production’s rhythm to a halt more than once. However, it’s hard not to wonder, given what’s already been achieved, how much further it could have gone. Thankfully, as the curtains fall, you’ll be more inclined to remember the incredible stage performances of Kumar, Rana and Bhuchar, as well as some splendid musical numbers.

Humare Ram will be at the Dubai Opera until Sunday