In OTT age, why a Ramayana play on Dharma and Sanatana is a superhit

Silence engulfs the packed theatre as lights fade out 30 minutes into the play. Smoke fills the rear end of the gallery as a human figure emerges from the near-darkness and walks towards the stage with his entourage. This, as Kailash Kher’s captivating Dashanan plays on the audio system. As the smoke clears out, the audience get to see that it is Ashutosh Rana, in the role of Ravan.
During the scene, which is one of the most iconic sequences from the Humare Ram — a play based on the epic Ramayana — Ravan also pauses and gives a death stare to the people.
There is pin-drop silence among the spectators, enthralled by the performance as Ashutosh Rana, the Ravan, makes his way to a large Shivling placed at the centre of the stage and performs a yagna, which is backed by rarely-seen-before visual effects.
With around 120 house-full shows in 10 cities, Humare Ram is creating waves across India. This, given the fact that the minimum price of a ticket is Rs 800 while those close to the stage can cost up to Rs 15,000.
So, what is Humare Ram and its crew getting right that even a big-budget movie like Adipurush couldn’t and bombed at the box office? How is it able to keep people hooked for around 4 hours in the age of OTT and an ever-diminishing attention span?

A scene from the play Humare Ram showing the battle between Ravan and Jatayu during Sita’s abduction. (Picture: Gaurav Bhhardwaj)

Written by Rahul Bhuchar and Naresh Katyayan, and directed by Gaurav Bhhardwaj, Humare Ram is a modern retelling of the timeless epic, in a grand and visually-stunning way.
Not just that. Humare Ram subtly answers several questions that have been raised on the Hindu epic and Sanatana from different quarters through the decades.
“There were questions like why Lord Ram abandons his wife, Sita, even after an Agni Pariksha (trial by fire). Humare Ram answers those questions,” Rahul Bhuchar, the co-writer who also plays Ram, tells India Today Digital.
Another question that has been raised is about the treatment Lakshman metes out to Ravana’s sister Surpanakha. But did you know that Suparnakha tricked Ravan into going to war with Ram, knowing fully well that he would be defeated, because he had killed her husband?
Humare Ram reveals such lesser-known facts about Ramayana.
“Two years of research has gone into Humare Ram. We have researched every minute detail of the epic before staging it,” says Bhuchar, who is the founder of Felicity Theatre that produced the play.
That is evident in how the play holds the attention of the audience for 3.15 hours and 30 minutes of post-play interaction.

A battle scene from Humare Ram, a play that has put technology to good use. (Picture: Gaurav Bhhardwaj)

People emerge overwhelmed, giving standing ovations, and some even touch Lord Ram’s feet. This is something reminiscent of the Doordarshan days, when people used to shower and sit with folded hands as Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan played on TV sets.
“I don’t act, I just surrender to the character of Lord Ram. Some people become so overwhelmed by the performance that they come and touch my feet, which is a huge compliment to my act,” Bhuchar tells India Today Digital.
That limited number of shows have been staged despite its success has also added to the popularity of Humare Ram.
The uniqueness of the play is that Humare Ram doesn’t just answer questions, it also delves into issues like rape.
Rambha, the Apsara, is engaged to Ravan’s nephew Nal Kuber. Ravan forces himself on Rambha in Nal’s absence. Nal explodes, telling Ravan that sex without consent isn’t appropriate even for a spouse, let alone the bride-to-be of his nephew, a father-daughter relationship. He then curses Ravan that his lust for women would one day lead to his downfall.
The sutradhar or narrator of the play is Surya (the Sun God) who descends to earth to narrate the story to Ram and Sita’s twins, Luv and Kush.
Humare Ram doesn’t follow the usual linear narration but retells the epic through several lesser-known chapters in a spectacular way, aided by digital screens. Complete with songs by Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahadevan and Kailash Kher, the play provides a rare immersive experience.
The play opens with an anti-climax as Sita, played by Harleen Rekhi, is seen returning to her mother, Earth, as the stage splits open.
It is then that Luv and Kush address Ram, their father, as ‘king’ and start bombarding him with questions.
The beauty of the Sanatana way of conduct is depicted through how even a king isn’t beyond question.
It is then that Surya, from whom Ram draws his lineage, descends on earth and narrates the story of Ramayana to them.

The sutradhar, or narrator of the play, is Surya (the Sun God) who descends to earth to narrate the story of Ramayana to Ram and Sita’s twins, Luv and Kush. (Picture: Gaurav Bhhardwaj)

The innovative idea of digital screens as a backdrop works perfectly, transporting the spectators into the world of Ramayana right from the moment the curtains go up. For the entire duration, people watch the play with rapt attention, with momentary hooting and clapping.
Such is the experience that people return to watch the play with friends and family.
“The people returning to watch the play over and over again validates for me that it is a good play and they aren’t drawn to it just due to some hype. It proves that Humare Ram is really appealing to people,” Gaurav Bhhardwaj, the director of the play, tells India Today Digital.
This is quite a contrast to the fate of Prabhas-starrer Adipurush, which was released in July 2023. The film, also an adaptation of the epic, was made with a budget of around Rs 700 crore but fell flat at the box office.
Spectator testimony of Humare Ram reveal the difference.
“Watched Humare Ram! It is a three-hour spectacular journey. Ashutosh Rana is beyond excellence,” says a Gurgaon-based person on X.
“It was a fabulous experience. I don’t think I have seen a show like before,” says a woman.
There will be hardly many Indians who wouldn’t know the Ramayana storyline. Its appeal has seen it being broadcast on TV, at Ramleelas, and also as animated series.
However, what makes Humare Ram unique is the focus on the lesser-known facts of Ramayana.
Did you know that Ravana attended the consecration ceremony of a Shivalinga in Rameswaram upon Lord Ram’s invitation?
The play doesn’t portray Ravan just as an antagonist, but also as a scholar. In another iconic scene from the play, Ravan communicates with his nine other heads, which are seen on the digital screen.
Director Gaurav Bhhardwaj admits that he was sceptical and nervous before staging the play. “I direct ad films and am from a camera background. This is my first time I am directing a theatrical play,” he says.
But how and why was Ashutosh Rana roped to play Ravan?
Bhhardwaj says they wanted Ravan to be an actor with a strong persona and well-versed in mythology.
“Ashutosh Rana has even written a book, Ram Rajya, and was the only choice to play Ravan. He contributed a lot to the script,” says Bhhardwaj.
Rahul Bhuchar says they wanted an actor who could play the different shades of Ravan, including of a scholar. “In real life, Ashutosh Rana is a reflection of a great scholar and hence, we decided to rope him in as Ravan.”
“For us, it was not a commercial endeavour. We wanted to celebrate the legacy of Lord Ram and also all other characters, including Hanuman, Ravan and Suparanakha,” says Bhhardwaj.
What did the Humare Ram team get right that many others failed to?
Bhhardwaj says it’s the emotional connect that the play could establish that is behind its success.
“One should be true to the emotions. That core should remain the same, everything around it, the theatrical part, should be upgraded,” says Bhhardwaj.

Behind Humare Ram’s success is the retelling of a timeless story with nuanced answers. (Picture: Gaurav Bhhardwaj)

After a great run in India, the Humare Ram will be performed in the US next year, says Bhuchar.
Behind Humare Ram’s success is the successful retelling of a timeless story, with nuanced answers. It is the power of actors who believe in being honest with the story and connecting with the spectators. It is also the successful marriage of an age-old story with innovative stagecraft.