Bhima the tragic hero: Reading and rereading M T Vasudevan Nair’s ‘Randamoozham’

Being a prince but growing up like a refugee, being the strongest, but also mocked as a dimwit, being the fastest but called slow-minded, in the late writer’s epic novel, Bhima embodies a range of contradictions

M T Vasudevan NairRenowned Malayalam author-filmmaker MT Vasudevan Nair passed away in Kozhikode on Wednesday at the age of 91. (Express Archive photo)

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Akhil PJ

Dec 30, 2024 07:32 IST

Was it the plot? Or the epic canvas? Or was it the fascination for the radical new retelling of a familiar story? Looking back, it is hard to tell what attracted my 15-year-old self to Randamoozham by M T Vasudevan Nair — a book that would change my perspective on life, once and for all.

A retelling of the Mahabharata that brings Bhima to its centre, but with the rawest human emotions at play — that’s the one-line description that hooked and drew me into the novel.

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To the rebellious teenager I once was, the book was more about MT’s boldness in redrawing the contours of the epic by shifting its centre from Arjuna or Krishna to the much-overlooked Bhima. Each time I returned to it afterwards, I would once again experience burning passion, unrequited love and fuming jealousy that fuelled this tale retold — an ensemble of the most human of emotions. It wasn’t just that the mythical muscleman was humanised — I was also curious to see someone known only for his rage hurtle through love, lust and loss.

As an adult, I read this as a story about how individuals are mere pawns in a larger game. The novel shows that it doesn’t matter whether you’re the strongest or the wisest — there are always things at play that are beyond your reach. It shows how opposing interests can align for a cause — like a Krishna who dances with joy knowing that Bhima’s son Ghatotkach is dead. It explains the difficult realities of life so effortlessly.

Also in Express Opinion | For Malayalis, M T Vasudevan Nair conjured up fascinating worlds

For a cinephile, the book could also be a movie. Your reading experience depends on where you place the camera. The narrator has set the perspective of Bhima but then there are perspectives that you find to look at him. Be it through Vidura, who is compassionate to Bhima and his brothers, or be it Duryodhana who’s trying to get him killed, the reader’s experience differs every time. Coming from a writer who was also an accomplished, sought-after screenwriter, the elaborate and visual descriptions in the novel were a great pretext for a screenplay.

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The lines, more or less all of them, echo inside your head in your favourite voices, making it a complete cinematic experience. Be it the eery veiled Lady Death whom Bhima sees or the jaw-dropping war scenes, the reader ends up watching an epic movie beyond comparison, even while just skimming through the pages.

It felt to me also that the book connects with every individual who has been overlooked at some point in life.

Bhima’s characterisation is not that of an epic hero. If anything, he is a tragic hero. Being a prince but growing up like a refugee, being the strongest, but also mocked as a dimwit, being the fastest but called slow-minded, Bhima embodies a range of contradictions.

Choosing such a strong and fierce man who can also be fragile and vulnerable to narrate an epic serves two purposes. One, it gives the author the chance to assert that epics aren’t always about the best of humans. Two, it enables him to become a “listener”, paying attention to the most overlooked human beings. A connection that transcends space, time and even reality connects the character to the reader, and in MT’s case, other overlooked and outcast characters.

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It helps us, the readers, own the spotlight in our stories, allowing us to discover our own voices, even when we are mostly just the listeners.

A Bhima who walks alone at night to his tent to drink himself to sleep could be anybody, anywhere, at any point of time. His emotional churn, ranging from the secrets of his birth to the secrets of death, can be anyone’s.

To me, reading Randamoozham again at this juncture, it wouldn’t be surprising if Bhima, amid his stroll, meets another character from another work by MT — maybe from Kaalam (Time) or Manju (Mist) — their inner turmoil and loneliness echoing one another’s. They share the same woes, face the same losses, and yet, carry on with the same wry smiles on their faces.

akhil.pj@expressindia.com

Cover of 30th edition
AuthorM. T. Vasudevan Nair
IllustratorNamboothiri (first edition)
Cover artistVinaylal (first edition)
LanguageMalayalam
GenreMythology, drama
Set inAncient India
PublisherCurrent Books
Publication dateDecember 1984
Publication placeIndia
Media typePrint (Paperback)
Pages300[1]
AwardsVayalar Award
Muttathu Varkey Award
ISBN81-226-0731-4

Randamoozham (transl. Second turn) is a 1984 Indian Malayalam-language mythological drama novel by M. T. Vasudevan Nair, widely credited as his masterpiece.[2] First serialized in Kalakaumudi Weekly, it won the Vayalar Award for the best literary work in Malayalam in 1985.[3] It also won the Muttathu Varkey Award in 1994.

The novel is a retelling of the Indian epic Mahabharata from the perspective of Bhima, the second Pandava. The story deviates from the traditional story as it avoids the divine elements and re-represent the characters and events realistically. One of the reasons critics cite for the novel’s cult following is its revisionism.

The novel has been translated into multiple languages. It was translated into English as Second Turn by P. K. Ravindranath in 1997. Another English translation by Gita Krishnankutty published in 2013 is titled Bhima: Lone Warrior.[4][5] The book was translated into Tamil by Kurunjivelan as Irandaam Idam with the cover illustration by Trotsky Marudu.

Plot

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The plot begins with the incident of Mahaprasthanika Parva where the Pandavas leave for the pilgrimage to Himalayas, forsaking all worldly possessions. The story runs through the eyes of Bhima who faces seemingly severe frustrations as a young man. Always destined to be second to his weak elder brother, Yudhishthira, in seniority and younger brother, Arjuna, in fame and popularity, Bhima is not given his due as the main architect of the Pandava victory over their cousins, Kauravas, in the Kurukshetra war, despite killing all the 100 Kauravas.

The book unravels all the hardships and dilemmas encountered by Bhima which remain unnoticed. It explores the emotions of the mighty Pandava as a son, brother, husband, and father. The story brings to light his affection for his wife, Draupadi, and how unnoticed his acts of love remain. The narrative questions the mourning of Arjuna’s son, Abhimanyu, when he is killed during the battle while trying to break the Chakravyuh formation, while Bhima’s son, Ghatokkach, is led to his death by sacrificing his life to save Arjuna’s life. Ghatokkach’s sacrifice too remains unsung and everyone finds happiness in saving Arjuna. Towards the end, Bhima is shown as the only husband who stops and tries to stay with Draupadi in her last moments during their pilgrimage.

Film adaptation

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In 2011, director Hariharan announced his plan to adapt Randamoozham to screen, scripted by M. T. Vasudevan Nair himself with Mohanlal cast to play Bhima.[6] Later, V. A. Shrikumar Menon took the project again with Mohanlal in the lead. It was announced in April 2017 that the film adaptation will be produced by B. R. Shetty.[7][8] With its ₹1,000 crore (US$120 million) budget, the film is expected to be the most expensive film in Indian cinema, and one of the most expensive non-English language film. The film was to be shot in two parts.[9][10][11] Plans for the movie has since been shelved after M. T. Vasudevan Nair was upset with the pace at which the film was progressing and demanded Srikumar Menon to return the script.[12][13]

References

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  1. ^ M. T. Vasudevan Nair (6 August 2012). “Randamoozham”. DC Books. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  2. ^ M. T. Vasudevan Nair (August 2016). “Randamoozham”. Indulekha.com. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  3. ^ “Jnanpith Awards”. Department of Information and Public Relations. Archived from the original on 24 May 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  4. ^ Kunhikrishnan, K. (24 November 1997). “Bhima, The Wronged”. Outlook India. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  5. ^ Srilata, K. (4 January 2014). “An exercise in guilt”. The Hindu. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  6. ^ “Bheema’s outing – The Hindu”. The Hindu. 10 November 2011.
  7. ^ Suresh, Mera (20 April 2017). “Mohanlal’s Mahabharatha to be most expensive Indian movie at Rs 1,000 crore”. The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on April 18, 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  8. ^ Somani, Deepa (27 January 2017). “Randamoozham’s pre-production works begin”. The Times of India. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  9. ^ Suri, Manveena (19 April 2017). “‘Randamoozham’: India to produce its most expensive film ever”. CNN Entertainment. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  10. ^ Mumford, Gwilum (19 April 2017). “Mahabharata epic set to become India’s most expensive movie ever”. The Guardian. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  11. ^ “Karnataka billionaire to bring Malayalam Mahabharata on screen at Rs 1000 cr”. Asia News Network. 18 April 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  12. ^ “Mohanlal’s Rs 1000 crore film Randamoozham shelved”. The Indian Express. 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2020-02-07.
  13. ^ “‘Randamoozham’ case: Verdict on March 15”. Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 2020-02-07

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