Shakespeare-Adapted Films and Indian Aesthetic concept of Rasa theory: A critical study

Name of Author : Santanu Sarkar, Dr. Anuradha Choudry

Abstract: Film as a cultural institution has been studied by academic researchers in the arts and humanities. At present, cultural media studies are home to the aesthetics and critical analysis of films, and other branches of film scholarship. In the 1970s, a new practice of the critical study of cinema emerged, wherein the concepts from the other arts and human sciences began to be applied to cinema. The growth of cinema, reflected in the diversity of cultural expression and the wide accessibility of films through international festivals and other means also encouraged this practice. The ancient Indian aesthetic notion of Rasa theory is a seminal contribution of the ancient Indian Sanskrit dramaturgy textbook, the Natyashastra (of Sage Bharata), which provides a definitive template for appreciating and analyzing all major fine arts in the Indian sub-continent for over two millennia. There is a steady interest in critical writing in various aspects of this theory but mostly in the fields of drama and literature. To us, this theory, when applied to cinema, can provide insight into the adaptation process (script writing) and mise-en-scene. On the other hand, Shakespeare provides a rich and complex text for filmmakers to adapt and critics to investigate the adaptation process using the concept of Rasa theory. In this study, we emphasize how Rasa theory can be used to appreciate cinematic aesthetics. The aim is to explore the continuing relevance of the concepts of Bhava and Rasa for the study and methods of film perception and their potential use in discussing alternative modes of cinematic expression. To do this, we analyze the opening scenes of Shakespeares Macbeth, Vishal Bhardwajs film Maqbool (an adaptation of Macbeth in Hindi, 2004), and Akira Kurosawas film Throne of Blood (an adaptation of Macbeth in Japanese, 1957) through the lens of Indian aesthetic theory of Rasa and how these concepts (of Rasa theory) are realized through mise-en-scène in cinema.

Keywords : Film, Rasa theory, Bhava, Appreciation, mise-en-scene, Adaptation

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