Reading Notes: Sita Sings the Blues, Part A

I watched the first act of the film Sita Sings the Blues for this week's reading assignment. I have seen this film before, but this was such a different experience than the first time I watched it because now I have prior knowledge about the characters in this film. I immediately recognized each deity - Lakshmi, Shiva, etc. - introduced at the beginning thanks to the iconography and symbolism typically associated with them. And, since I recently read the Ramayana, this was a nice refresher of the epic but was told in a new way. I love the comedic take on the story. It kept me engaged in the dialogue and plot because it was informal and humorous while still being educational and true to the story. I especially enjoy the scenes with the narrators because of their banter regarding how the series of events unfolded.

One aspect of this film that I found really interesting was how the character design was different for each story line in the film. The character designs for the storytelling process, the narrations, the singing/musical moments, and the modern-day storyline were all unique. I wonder why they made that creative decision. Was it to differentiate between each storyline? Was it just because they wanted to? I don't know why but would love to know. I think it was a fun detail of the film. 

I also really liked how this film hit all of the important points of the story without needing to be too detailed or specific. This kept me interested in what was going to happen (even though I already knew) instead of me getting distracted or struggling to keep up. Plus, I think the musical numbers do a great job of breaking up the plot so that viewers can have a break to catch up with the story if they need to. In being an overview rather than a detailed story, however, they did not include some characters, like Lakshmana, or certain events of the story, like building the bridge to Lanka, that I think are important aspects of the original story. Despite those differences, it still does a wonderful job of teaching the viewers the basic story of the Ramayana. But more than that, this film tells the story from Sita's perspective, which I appreciate. You really notice the injustices see faced and the unfair hand she was dealt, which is a little bit harder to pinpoint in the original stories like Tiny Tales. All in all, I really enjoy this film and am excited to watch the second act.

Rama, Sita, and the gods from Sita Sings 

the Blues: Wikimedia Commons

Bibliography: Sita Sings the Blues, written, directed, produced and animated by Nina Paley. Youtube.