Thor. Zeus. Poseidon. Heimdall. These are Gods, or at least revered figures, in Greek and Norse mythology. But, fascinatingly, these are household names even in India, particularly in the urban upper and upper-middle classes. For many middle-school goers, the knowledge of these names and their stories are often the ticket to truly belonging in the leagues of the “cool kids.”
This is truly a “Marvel”ous phenomenon. The reason for these characters’ soaring global popularity is the depiction of their lives and stories in Western pop-culture, particularly the Marvel franchises. While these depictions are, more often than not, factually inaccurate, the basis of the characters usually draw their inspiration from Norse or Greek mythology. And the result is they are forever etched in the hearts and minds of young, impressionable children.
Closer home, the spread and the associated romanticism of Sufism can be attributed to a large extent to Bollywood’s efforts, often through music. Certainly, there were other factors at play, but the Hindi film industry deserves a substantial share of credit.
This is the power of pop-culture, and cinema is perhaps its most visible and far-reaching medium.
It is for this reason Brahmastra, Ayan Mukerjee’s magnum opus which releases this Friday, could be a game changer for Indian culture and its stories. Starring the likes of Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, and Nagarjuna, among others, Brahmastra could turn out to be the larger-than-life pop-culture propeller that Indian mythology has sorely lacked so far. The Astraverse (the cinematic universe Brahmastra is set in) could very well be India’s answer to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is an ambitious project – a story rooted deep in ancient Indian scriptures, playing out in the modern world.
Modern scholars of Hinduism, and Dharmic Traditions at large, have arguably caused more harm than good to its global understanding and the way they are perceived by the masses. Rectifying this image through academic engagements will be a long process, although significant progress has been made. In such a scenario, cinema, and pop-culture at large, is a medium which allows a wide reach in a considerably short span of time. If we harness its potential, we could witness a future where heroes and stories rooted in our traditions could very well rule the hearts of audiences across the globe. Brahmastra is the first step towards that future.
However, as has been the case with a host of recent Bollywood releases, the film is facing a barrage of calls for its boycott across social media platforms. On this occasion, though, the people behind the calls for the film’s boycott, no matter how well-meaning they think they may be, would probably want to pause for just a bit, and rethink.
We are all proud inheritors of a glorious civilisation, brimming with great stories and traditions. Brahmastra is a novel attempt that celebrates our culture and heritage, with all of its gripping stories and truly heroic figures. If it turns out to be a successful attempt, it may just end up opening the door for scores of other such tales, rooted in our Itihasa, to a global audience, a development that will immensely enrich all of human society.