The Rugveda phrase “Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanthi” says “Truth is one, learned by different learned persons.” Indian art forms, tales, and sub-stories of epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana have influenced Hollywood in a way that no other cinema in the world has managed to. Our organic art forms, merging seamlessly with the 24 crafts of cinema, have introduced breathtaking elements to Hollywood cinematic literature, leaving an everlasting impact on global cinephiles’ minds. This is an undeniable truth.
The movie “Wednesday” (2008), directed by Neeraj Pandey, was officially remade in Hollywood as “A Common Man” (2013), which is a matter of pride for Indian cinema. Released as an American thriller in 2013, this movie went on to win countless awards at various international festivals, marking a proud moment for Indian cinema. The role played by Naseeruddin Shah in the original was portrayed by the famous Hollywood actor Ben Kingsley as “The Man” in the remake. It is noteworthy that after directing “Jaws,” renowned filmmaker Steven Spielberg visited India to study Indian storytelling techniques, a fact he has mentioned on several occasions, which brings further pride to Indian cinema.
Screenplay, in essence, is the holistic representation of four types of acting, which are:
- Angika (Physical expressions),
- Vachika (Verbal expressions),
- Aharya (Costumes and makeup),
- Sattvika (Inner emotions).
Hollywood screenwriters have drawn inspiration from these elements of Indian screenplay, leaving the global cinema intellectuals astonished. The formula in Indian storytelling consists of:
- Beginning,
- Effort,
- Possibility of success,
- Attainment of results according to one’s actions, and
- Reaping the fruits.
These aspects have been adapted by famous Hollywood screenwriters, and anyone who reads their books can easily understand this. Whenever a story is told on the silver screen, these five elements must be present. This formula is like a divine medicine that India has gifted to screenwriters around the world. By Prakash Surya