The Tale of India's Legend 'Ramayana' Is the Focus of Animated Feature 'Princess Sita'

May 18, 2022

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Veteran producer Jainardhan Sathyan (“Vendetta”) is retelling of India’s legend of Ramayana from a female point of view in the upcoming animated feature “Princess Sita.” The film is now in pre-production.

“With society becoming more open to different points of view and perspectives it feels worthwhile and meaningful to tell the great legend of Ramayana from the matriarchal, feminine vantage point of Princess Sita,” Sathyan said. “Sita not only has so much to offer audiences across societies and cultures, but also to provide a fresh perspective on a legendary epic – a story every family should know.”

Written and directed by Paul Hamilton Magid (“The Guardian Monk”), the movie follows the life of Princess Sita of the epic The Ramayana and how she becomes the object of desire by many, and how she exhibits and proves her tremendous inner strength and character in the face of great adversity throughout her lifetime. Despite facing many ordeals, she never lessens her efforts – at great personal cost – to remain an inspiration to the world.

“I was drawn to write a modern retelling of the Princess Sita story for so many reasons as to inspire audiences of all ages, genders and nationalities,” Magid said. “Sita as a protagonist has undeniably stood the test of time in resonating with hundreds of millions of people in how we can all overcome the adversities we inevitably face, but it’s almost as if she was waiting for society to catch up to her and truly value women’s incredible courage, strength, integrity, and determination against overwhelming odds. It is my pleasure to manifest the timeless Sita for modern audiences everywhere.”

Sathyan spent nearly eight years developing Sita’s story into a modern telling of a legendary tale that would resonate with today’s audiences. “The film’s message is that Sita can be a spiritual North Star for people across the world,” Sathyan said. “We can learn that while life throws adversities at all of us, we can triumph over the inherent challenges by summoning integrity, inner strength and high-level character.”

The film, which is currently casting, is set to begin shooting later this year, with release slated for next spring.

The animated format allows producers to give a greater depth to the film’s various storylines while letting the story be told without as many practical and financial limitations that live action imposes, as well as permitting greater flexibility in filming each era of Sita’s life.

Another reason for an animated version is to bring the deserved attention to key role of flora and fauna (more than 180 plants and more than 60 animals) mentioned extensively in the epic.

Sathyan comes to the movie from the upcoming action thriller “Vendetta,” starring Bruce Willis and Thomas Jane. His other work includes “Archenemy,” “The Matchmaker’s Playbook,” “The Trouble with Mistletoe,” “God’s Club” and many others.

For more information on Sathyan, follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sathyan.jainardhan.