The Lion King is animated Baahubali
Film: The Lion King
Date: 19.07.2019
Director: John Favreau
Writer: Jeff Nathanson
Voice Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Aryan Khan, AshishVidyarthi, Asrani
In 1994 Walt Disney Pictures released their animated musical The Lion King shot in the African jungles which was Disney’s 32nd animation feature film and inspired from the Christian Bibleand Shakespear’s Hamlet. Now so many years later, Walt Disney Pictures, brings another The Lion King directed by Jon Favreauand written by Jeff Nathanson. While the 1994 The Lion Kingwas a traditional animation film the 2019 release is a photorealistic, computer animated remake of the earlier film.
Twenty-five years ago, The Lion King was made in 2D and released in one language, English. This time it is releasing in 3D and 4 languages – English, Hindi, Telegu and Tamil where superstars and singers of different languages have lent their voice to the film. While the characters are more or less the same,the new narrative is more Indian than you can imagine.
It tells the story of Mufasa/ Shah Rukh Khan who is the Jungle king, his brother Scar/Ashish Vidyarthi is envious of his popularity and plays a dirty game to oust him and his sonSimbaa out of the kingdom. In the climax of course Simbaareturns to his roots and good triumph over evil exactly the same way it happened in Bahubaali.
The characters emote and behave like any of our Indian films. There is a limping chimpanzee that plays guru to the royal family, he follows horoscopes and blesses the prince. There is a loyal parrot/ Zazu who follows the prince and the king everywhere. King Mufasa is the patriarch but also a poet, he talks about the moon and the stars. Prince Simbaa is almost vegetarian, he would rather sing in the meadows than hunt for his prey.
What works about the film is the animation, the cinematographyand the jungle world, the robust mountains, the streams, the dense forests, the dark caves and all the creatures, the birds, the insects and the animals. It is a delight to watch them move together. The demerits include the length and the Bahubaalistory! There are no surprises at all which a letdown!
I watched The Lion King in Hindi and enjoyed the voice oversparticularly young Simbaa/ Arush Nand and Zazu/ Asrani. Shah Rukh Khan is Mufasa is philosophic while Aryan Khan as Simbaa refreshing. I recommend you watch the animated Bahubaali in your nearest theatre.
I rate The Lion King with 3 stars.
Bhawana Somaaya