Director Shashidharan Nair On Broadway Ramlila And How He Reimagined Ramayana To Ask 'Why' Instead Of 'What'
Nair's version shifts the spotlight from mythology to humanity, portraying the central characters not as distant deities but as individuals struggling with moral dilemmas
Published : October 8, 2025 at 11:03 AM IST
When theatre director Shashidharan Nair wanted to reimagine the Ramayana for a Broadway-style stage, he wasn't interested in simply retelling the story. He wanted to unfold the soul of this epic tale – the 'why' behind every action, every choice, every emotion that has defined its text for centuries. As Broadway Ramlila celebrates its 10th presentation, Nair's production is a fusion of grandeur and introspection, spectacle and substance.
"Most people focus on what happened in the Ramayana, and not why. If we return to Valmiki's text instead of relying on popular interpretation, many of our questions find clarity," he says. In doing so, Nair's version shifts the spotlight from mythology to humanity, portraying the central characters —Rama, Sita, Ravana, and Hanuman — not as distant deities but as individuals struggling with moral dilemmas that are relevant even today.
The musical features music by Udit Narayan and Kailash Kher, with narration by Saurabh Raaj Jain. It blends timeless storytelling with modern stagecraft. From the carefully designed costumes and choreography to its reflective tone of dialogue, Nair's interpretation is less about grand battles and more about the inner conflicts that define greatness. The director spoke to us about the production that invites the audience to rediscover the Ramayana not as a legend, but as a mirror to their own humanity. Excerpts:
What inspired you to go beyond the what and how of the Ramayana to focus on the why of each character’s actions?
The inspiration came from my own 'Why’s of Ramayana', and those of many people around me. It made me think and motivated me to look for answers. And all these reasons are because people primarily focus on events shown in popular TV shows and other media, rather than reading the source material. If one reads Valmiki's Ramayana, I am sure most of our Why’s will be answered, and we will look at Ramayana with a whole new perspective.
How did you balance the epic scale of Ramayana with the Broadway format, which is often more fast-paced and performance-driven?
The entire story of Ramayana can never be told in three hours. But we can definitely focus on the most important parts of Ramayana, which move the story forward, and also deliver a message. So with this approach, we have carefully chosen which scenes to show and how best to move the story forward, without feeling rushed.
Many versions of the Ramayana have been staged across centuries. In what ways does your production reinterpret the story for contemporary audiences while staying true to tradition?
Most versions of Ramayana staged and shown on TV are based on Tulsi Ramayana, which in itself is an interpretation of Valmiki Ramayana. In his interpretation, he has changed many scenes, which ultimately gave way to many Why’s related to Ramayana. We decided to focus more on the source, i.e., Valmiki Ramayana, while still respecting all other versions of Ramayana.
What was your process of deconstructing characters like Rama, Sita, Ravana, and Hanuman for the stage? Did you approach them as mythic figures, or as deeply human characters with flaws and dilemmas?
We see the characters of Ramayana as divine, but still human beings. They face the same dilemmas we face today, but how they faced those situations is what made them so great. If we see them as human beings, they become more relatable and relevant.
You have worked with actor Sourabh Raaj Jain (Krishna of Mahabharat), who has portrayed mythological roles on screen before. How did his experience and presence shape the stage narrative in Broadway Ramlila?
Sourabh Raaj Jain is known for his portrayal of Krishna in Mahabharata, and he gives so much wisdom in his divine voice. His voice was perfect to impart wisdom in our production as a narrator. But narrative came first, and choice of voice came later. His interpretation and improvisation of the character were perfect for the messages we were trying to deliver.
Did you encourage the actors to draw from their own interpretations of the characters, or did you maintain a strict directorial vision of how each role should be embodied?
Actors were given a lot of freedom to improvise their characters within a broad framework. This freedom allowed us to have various interpretations of the characters, which were sometimes even better than what we envisioned.
How did the collaboration with Udit Narayan and Kailash Kher influence the mood, texture, and storytelling of the production?
India has always been the land of culture, and our culture is very tightly tied up to music. Music evokes emotions like nothing else. Music is used to represent celebration, bhakti, excitement, and often as a tool to move the story forward, and keep it fast paced. Udit Narayan is known for his sweet voice, which is perfect for the title song of a Ramayan-based production. Kailash Kher is known for his signature tone, perfect to represent a character like Ravan. Similarly, all other singers have been very carefully chosen to do justice to the situation.
Broadway productions are as much about spectacle as they are about story. What were the challenges of designing the stage, choreography, and costumes for such a culturally and spiritually rooted narrative?
It was very challenging to bring an epic like Ramayana to the Broadway style of storytelling. Films and television have the luxury of using CGI to show epic battle scenes and other sorcery. The biggest challenge was to adapt it to the stage. So the best option for us was to focus on characters, and not the action, as audiences are exposed to much better action in Bollywood and Hollywood. So we designed the costumes, sets, and stage to enhance the characters and their dilemmas, with Broadway-style spectacle.
The Ramayana is often told with moral clarity, but your theme suggests complexity. How did you ensure the audience grasped the nuances without losing emotional connection?
Most of the characters of Ramayana are, in fact, very complex. It is very easy to say Ram went into exile to keep the word of his father. Though it was a very important reason, it was not the only reason. Highlighting his other reasons brings in much more complexity and yet clarity on why he is Lord Ram. Similarly, it is very easy to show Ahalya as a victim and Kaykai as a villain, but there are so many other nuances to their character that it is unfair to tag them in such ways. Adding this layer does not lose emotional connect, in fact, it elevates it to great heights.
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