Bryan Cranston, best known for his role as Walter White in ‘Breaking Bad’, took on an unexpected role as the voice of Lord Ram in the English-dubbed version of the animated film ‘The Prince of Light: The Legend of Ramayana’. This version of the film, based on the Hindu epic ‘Ramayana’, was edited to cater to American audiences and released in the United States.
The original film, titled ‘Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama’, was first released in Hindi in 1993 and directed by Yugo Sako, Ram Mohan, and Koichi Sasaki. The film uniquely combines three animation styles: Manga from Japan, Disney from the US, and Indian art inspired by Ravi Varma. It was made available in Hindi, Japanese, and English.
For the Hindi version, notable actors such as Arun Govil (Lord Ram), Namrata Sawhney (Sita), and Amrish Puri (Ravana) lent their voices. In the English version, along with Cranston as Lord Ram, Tom Wyner voiced Ravana, and James Earl Jones, known for his role as Mufasa in ‘The Lion King’, narrated the film.
This adaptation, rooted in the ancient Indian tale, showcases an interesting collaboration between Eastern and Western animation techniques and voice talents.
