The Lion King, originally made in 1994, was meant to play second fiddle to Pocahontas (1995). Disney had banked all its hopes on the latter. So, instead of the heavyweights roped in for Pocahontas, The Lion King was moulded by the inexperienced hands of first-time directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff. As it turned out, Pocahontas got a lukewarm response while The Lion King went on to smash all records. Within a few months, The Lion King would become Disney’s highest-grossing film. It is the best-selling home video of all time, with more than 55 million copies sold to date.
So how did it achieve the cult status that it did? One could perhaps attribute it to the visual effects—the majesty of the Serengeti captured through beautiful sunrises and breath-taking vistas. Or to the lilting melodies of Hans Zimmers. Who can resist Elton John’s love ballad, ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight’, with Simba and Nala frolicking under the star-spangled dome of a sapphire sky? But, ultimately, the core appeal of the film lies in the universality of its story.
Different versions of the same story exist in most cultures—whether it is the Egyptian myth of King Osiris, the beloved African story of King Sundiata or the Shakespearean one of Hamlet. In India, we have the Sanskrit epic of Lord Ram banished into the forest and his eventual return to Ayodhya to assume the throne. Even at the centre of Christianity is the story of a Son coming to reclaim his kingdom. It is difficult to demystify the magnetic pull of this story of betrayal, love, redemption…. Perhaps the different myths are multi-coloured garments cut from the same truth.
Jon Faverau, who directed the live-action remake of the film which released in India last week, had a tough act to follow. He knew it, too. “It feels like we are restoring a classic historic architectural landmark, how do you update it without changing its personality?” he had said in an earlier interview. Yes, technology has added a dimension of reality to the story. Yes, the animals in the animated version are stick figures compared to their live-action counterparts. But the truth is that, the best mythologies lose their appeal when you try to imbue them with realism. You do not need to know what Ram looked like for him to come alive. Neither does a lion need actual fur to tell his story.