Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently mentioned about the animated film Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama in his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’. During his recent visit to Japan, Modi met Atsushi Matsuo and Kenji Yoshi related to Japanese company TEM Co, which initially financed the film and holds its copyright.
The movie, co-directed by the father of Indian animation the late Ram Mohan, and Japanese helmers Yugo Sako and Koichi Sasaki, has been cleaned up and digitally remastered in 4K. It was released in 1993.
In his programme, the PM shared how the renowned film director Yugo Sako who came to know about the Ramayana nearly 40 years ago in 1983 and the story touched his heart immensely. Sako started in-depth research on the Ramayana and read 10 Japanese versions of Ramayana as he wanted to make an animation film on it.
He mentioned how Indian animators guided Sako about the Indian tradition and culture. He also got acquainted with the Indian way of dressing, grooming and family structure. Modi mentioned about the project being remastered.
In an exclusive interview with Animation Xpress TEM representative director Atsushi Matsuo and assistant producer Kenji Yoshii shared their experience of meeting the Indian PM and talking about the joint collaboration on Ramayana.
Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama is all set to be screened at the seventeenth edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) for documentary, short and animation films. The freshened up version of the film was first shown in Tokyo in February 2022 and its India debut is being supported by The Japan Foundation, New Delhi. The MIFF screening is scheduled for 31 May 2022 between 3:45 -6:15 pm at JB Hall of Mumbai’s Films Division Complex.
Image courtesy: Official Twitter account
