Adipurush

Adipurush (The First Man) is a 2023 Indian mythological action film inspired by the Hindu epic the Ramayana. Directed and co-written by Om Raut and produced by T-Series and Retrophiles, it was made as a Bollywood production and shot simultaneously in Hindi and Telugu, and also filmed in 3D. Prabhas plays Raghava, the film’s version of Rama, with Saif Ali Khan, Kriti Sanon, Sunny Singh and Devdutta Nage in the main cast. One of the most expensive Indian films ever made, it was heavily criticised on release and became a box-office bomb.

Story

The film retells the central story of the Ramayana using its own names for the characters. Lankesh, the demon king of Lanka, has won a boon from the god Brahma that makes him almost impossible to kill. In Ayodhya, King Dashratha is bound by a vow to his wife Kaikeyi and must send his eldest son, Raghava, into exile for fourteen years. Raghava accepts calmly and goes to live in the Panchavati forest with his wife, Janaki, and his loyal brother, Shesh.

After a violent clash in the forest with Lankesh’s sister, Shurpanakha, Lankesh abducts Janaki and takes her to Lanka. Raghava and Shesh set out to rescue her, gathering allies along the way. The film builds towards a war with Lanka, following the familiar shape of the epic.

Cast

• Prabhas as Raghava (Rama)
• Saif Ali Khan as Lankesh (Ravana)
• Kriti Sanon, Sunny Singh and Devdutta Nage

Development

Om Raut, who had previously directed the period action film Tanhaji (2020), was inspired by the 1992 Japanese film Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama and wanted to adapt the epic using modern technology. He wrote the script during the COVID-19 lockdown in India. Prabhas liked the project immediately, and T-Series came on board. The film was announced on 18 August 2020 with a motion poster.

In September 2020 the makers confirmed that Prabhas would play Rama, whose name in the film was later revealed to be Raghava. Saif Ali Khan, who had been the antagonist in Tanhaji, signed on as Ravana under the name Lankesh.

Production and budget

Principal photography took place mainly in Mumbai, starting in February 2021 and finishing in November 2021. The music was composed by Ajay–Atul and Sachet–Parampara.

The source gives several budget figures, ranging from ₹500 crore to ₹800 crore. It was first reported at a lower figure, but the first teaser drew strong criticism for the quality of its visual effects and computer graphics. The makers then postponed the release by five months and assigned additional money to improve the effects.

Release and reception

Adipurush was released on 16 June 2023. Critics and audiences alike panned it, taking particular issue with its screenplay, dialogue and visuals. The film was a box-office bomb, although it still became the second-highest-grossing Telugu film of 2023.

In Prabhas’s career

The film came in a period when Prabhas was leading a run of large-budget productions after the Baahubali films. Unlike Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire, released later the same year, it failed to win over critics or audiences.

Sources: Wikipedia and Wikidata.