Christopher Nolan‘The Odyssey’ is hours away from its global release, but it has already sparked discussions online among Indian fans. As per the latest chat, the film starring: Matt Damon:Anne Hathaway and: Tom Holland in the lead roles, there are some desi fans who have drawn comparisons between an important scene in the film and one of the most iconic moments from Ramayana:which is also teased in director Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming big-screen retelling.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Social media was abuzz with netizens pointing out what they believed to be similarities that tie the ancient Greek epic to the Indian epic. One of the most talked about parallels centers on the climactic bow contest in ‘The Odyssey’. In the Greek epic, Odysseus, who returned to Ithaca in disguise years later, strung his legendary bow and shot 12 ax heads to prove his identity and win back his wife, Penelope, from suitors vying for her hand.
‘The Odyssey’ scene inspired by ‘Ramayana’
Indian audiences are quick to point out the proximity of the archery battle to the Ramayana, where Lord Rama succeeds in lifting and stringing Lord Shiva’s holy bow, ultimately winning Sita’s hand. A similar scene was teased in the trailer of the upcoming movie Ranbir Kapoor starrer which saw him playing the role of Lord Rama and Sai Pallavi playing the role of Sita.
Fans reaction:
One user wrote, “Does Odyssey actually have a Ramayana reference in the climax?” while another explained the similarities, saying, “In Valmiki’s Ramayana, Rama lifts and cuts Lord Shiva’s bow to marry Sita. In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus returns home in disguise, stringing his own bow to win Penelope back.
Was the Ramayana the ‘inspiration’ behind the scene?
This has prompted fans to speculate whether the sequel to ‘The Odyssey’ is inspired by the Ramayana. However, others are quick to point out that the Ramayana and Homer’s Odyssey share similar texts, and this is not one of Nolan’s creative liberties.‘The Odyssey’ has a wide release in India on July 17.