Immortality, it bears different meanings to different beings.
It has two different interpretations.
For some, they will tear the universe apart to gain its power.
But, for some, it's about finding the true hero within
by embracing faith and hope.
This is the story of two such beings
intertwined by the cosmic wheel of destiny.
Ravan, whose end is soon beginning.
And another, whose beginning shall never end... Hanuman.
No more games, my son!
Where are you?
No more games, my son!
Where are you?
Here I am!
Where are you?
Here I am.
Oh! Be careful, son!
You promised me a story.
I want a story.
I am ready for another lesson. What story shall you teach me today?
Today you will learn how gods gained immortality.
Long ago, all the gods went to the fearsome asuras
and made a deal to churn the ocean
and gain the nectar of immortality.
If they worked together, they would share the fabled nectar between them.
The asuras agreed.
Together they churned the Ocean of Milk
using the great snake Vasuki wrapped around Mount Mandara.
And then the nectar was produced.
Yet, when the time came, Vishnu, in his infinite wisdom,
tricked the asuras by distracting them,
ensuring that only the gods would drink the nectar
and claim the gift of eternity.
Vishnu knew that if the asuras became immortal, they would...
Enslave all beings and cast the three realms into an endless darkness.
I will fight evil just like the gods!
I will make sure their darkness never spreads across the three realms!
You just watch me!
So you see, son, the gods saved us all.
You're wrong, Father.
The asuras kept their word. Why were they denied their fair share?
Such evil cannot be given so powerful a gift. The gods knew this.
How can you say that? Isn't mother part of asura and rakshas ancestry?
Aren't I?
Yes, but you don't understand--
No, you don't understand!
Had the gods not betrayed us, we would have been immortal!
The gods lied. They stole from us!
It's time for a payback. I will have my revenge!
Wait, son! Listen... Please, Ravan, come back!
Anjana?
What is it, Ma?
Wait here.
Ma!
Please, he is only a child.
He doesn't know what he does. Please forgive him.
O mighty God.
We were cheated out of our birthright by the Gods.
I swear I will put my heel upon their throats.
But to get rid of their light, I need your darkness.
There are secret methods and ways to gain such power.
But are you prepared for the price?
Tell me. To gain my power, what are you willing to sacrifice?
Except my revenge, everything!
He has grown too powerful, Anjana.
He almost ate the sun. If I had not intervened--
But you did, my Lord!
Give him time and he will learn to control his great power.
Till then we must ensure he cannot do such harm.
The gods have decided his power, his immortality
shall be taken from him, forgotten, until such time he is ready.
Please, without his powers, he'll be nothing.
No! There's a strength within the child, a purity.
His powers are holding him back.
As Devraj, I'm here to make him forget all his powers,
face the real challenges he is meant to face
and become the hero he is meant to be.
Leave her alone! If you hurt her, I will hurt you a hundred-fold!
Yes, I believe you would. And, for that very reason...
I must do this.
Forget, child... forget.
Are we there, yet?
Can we stop? My feet ache and look...
even my tail is limp.
Where is he? He should have returned by now.
Quiet, you fools!
The borders of Kishkindha are no place to be flapping your lips.
There could be spies of my brother lurking nearby or even rakshasas.
Though I doubt any rakshas would be so desperate to eat either of you.
What? I'm sure I'm most delicious. A feast for any rakshas!
A feast? You'd be the most meagre meal, brother. Even ants will go hungry.
Just stringy meat and bones!
I, on the other hand,
would be a dish fit for the rakshas king himself!
Enough!
It amazes me you weren't devoured long ago.
It must be true; fools have charmed lives.
We will halt here for rest and take a break to eat.
If only to shut you up.
It's a fine day, Sugreev.
You should be enjoying it more.
Like those two fools? Is that how I should be?
Frolicking in the woods, with a garland wrapped around my neck?
Yet, I do envy them. To be so free of responsibility.
And free of thought, too, apparently.
I never wanted to be king, Jambhvan.
The crown is a heavier burden than you can imagine.
That's good.
To rule others should be hard, Sugreev.
To be responsible for the lives of thousands should be a burden.
There are many who take such duties lightly.
They are not kings, but tyrants.
My brother was a good vaanar, old bear.
But not always a good king.
He cannot rule himself, so what hope does he have of ruling others?
Of ruling well?
Stop it or I'll give you one.
What? A guava?
A slap! Stop pulling my tail.
I was not pulling your tail.
I never touched your stinking--
Is that you, Vaali?
Why fight from the shadows?
Do you not have the courage to face me?
Face me, Vaali!
Face your brother if you dare!
So, you decided to join us, eh?
What took you so long?
I couldn't let you have all the fun, could I?
Fun? If this is fun, I wonder what you call danger.
How bad is it?
Looks like the fun's not over yet.
So eager, my Lord?
Would you deny this humble servant
the chance to prove himself against this small grass snake?
If you need my help--
Of course not, Your Highness. I just need your blessings.
Glory be to you.
Don't be proud, boy. Let me help.
From this worm, my Lord? I would die of shame.
Just give me a moment, and I'll be done with this pest.
I am a vaanar, but my name is--
Have you quite finished?
Apologies. Some of these grass snakes can be tricky.
Well, you've made enough noise doing it.
Let's return to Rishyamukh
before we attract the attention of any more grass snakes
or the agents of Vaali.
That naag was lucky you dealt with it.
It's lucky it died when it did. I'd have killed it for sure!
That I can believe.
He'd already tucked his tail between his legs
before that naag rattled its tail!
I do believe it would have laughed itself to death.
Vaali has gone too far with this latest assassination attempt.
We don't know that the naag was sent by him, Lord Sugreev.
Who else? He's taken my throne, my kingdom and now...
Now he wants my head.
The forest whispers something new to me.
What now, Jambhvan?
My little friend has spotted two humans approaching Rishyamukh.
Humans? Here?
Yes. Dressed as ascetics, but carrying weapons of war.
What could two humans want here? They could be dangerous.
This cannot be a coincidence, and right after the naag's attack.
The signs are clear, my Lord!
First Vaali sends a naag assassin, and now this.
We cannot trust their presence in our forests, my Lord! We must attack first.
I advise we kill them quickly while we still have the element of surprise.
Why such suspicion, my Lords?
Maybe they have nothing to do with Vaali.
Perhaps they are merely lost. You know what humans are like.
No, the counsellors are right.
Better they be destroyed, before they bring destruction upon us.
You know what Vaali is, what he is capable of!
Yes, I do know him, my Lord.
A suspicious king, the type to ambush strangers,
because all he sees are shadows. A king who chases his own fear.
You are not that king, my Lord.
My King.
Very well. We will not attack them yet. I will go to them.
You must not meet them, Lord Sugreev.
If they are assassins, we must keep you in hiding.
It is far too dangerous for any of us to go meet with them.
It would be best to send an expendable soldier.
Nobody's life is expendable.
Neither any soldier's nor yours.
I'll speak to them. I'm sure I can find a way to reason with them.
And if they turn out to be unreasonable? What then?
Then, I will reason with this.
It has been persuasive in the past.
Yes, it certainly has.
A word of caution.
These humans may have never seen a vaanar before.
In their ignorance, they might confuse you for a rakshas.
It would be wise for you to wear a disguise.
Are you sure we're on the right path? Do you think he'll help us?
We're taking a big risk exploring so deep into Dandaka Forest.
It has a dangerous reputation. Hope we haven't come in vain.
And since when did danger ever stop the fearless Lakshman?
Since he thought he should've brought more arrows.
Who? Who's there?
Come out and show yourselves!
You don't know how lucky you are, old man.
I almost put an arrow through you.
Is that how you treat all strangers, young man?
Who are you?
My name is Lakshman, and this is no place to go wandering about.
And what do I call you?
This is my home. I wander as I please.
And my name is my own business.
And you...
Who are you?
Lakshman's elder brother.
Lakshman?
There is a prince of Ayodhya with such a name.
His elder brother is also the Prince. His name...
R... R--
You are mistaken.
In Ayodhya, there is neither Prince Lakshman nor his elder brother. Not anymore.
So what brings you so deep into the forest?
There are dangerous people about.
Such as yourselves?
Two young, strong men walking through such a dangerous place.
No human has set foot in these woods in years.
Apart from you, you mean?
Yes, of course.
I am but a humble sage travelling through Kishkindha
on a pilgrimage of inner reflection.
The quietness of these woods helps bring peace to my soul.
We apologise if we have disturbed your meditations.
You're dressed like sages yourselves,
but you don't look as if you're here to seek peace.
We're here to find Sugreev.
Sugreev? Ruler of the vaanars?
Why do you want to see him?
It's a painful story. We would rather tell Sugreev himself.
I see. Well, young man, I've sipped misery from my bowl
and I know how bitter it tastes.
Share your tale with me.
Perhaps, we can find some way
to sweeten that bitterness.
Very well. It started some time back...
My brother, his wife, Sita, and I...
lived peacefully as hermits in the Dandaka Forest.
One day, Sita spotted a beautiful golden deer
and asked my brother to fetch it for her.
But the deer was in fact the rakshas Maricha in disguise,
who acted as bait.
He lured my brother deep into the jungle, and, as my brother slew him,
he continued his tricks by screaming for help in my brother's voice.
When Sita heard my brother's scream,
she begged me to go after him.
To my shame, I did. Leaving her alone and unguarded.
When we returned, Sita was gone.
We learnt that she had been abducted
and taken away in the flying chariot, Pushpak Viman.
The king of vultures, Jatayu, tried to save her.
But his wings were ruthlessly ripped off by a rakshas.
His dying words told us to follow Sita in this direction.
On our way, we battled a gandharva named Kabandha
and freed him from his curse.
As thanks, Kabandha told us to find the wise Sugreev,
for his vaanars could help find Sita anywhere in the forest.
And so, o wise sage, now that you have heard our story, will you help us?
Do you know how to find Sugreev?
I am moved by your story, young warriors.
But Sugreev is in hiding and does not wish to be found.
I do not think he will help you.
He has few resources himself to be squandered
on what could be a fool's quest.
A fool's quest?
I know it seems hopeless, but we can never give up.
My life has no meaning without Sita.
Can you understand that?
There is more to this than you can understand.
Yet, I must consider my King... this Sugreev's other burdens.
We may be able to help him.
We go to him for aid, but we offer him a chance to reclaim his kingdom.
Sugreev's burdens are heavy. Heavier than you can imagine.
How can I know you are telling the truth?
Because you are walking the same path as me, my friend.
Who? Who are you?
I am... Ram.
Who? Who are you really?
A friend. A friend to you and to your Lord Sugreev.
What is this creature?
He is a vaanar.
I am Ram, once a Prince of Ayodhya. This is my brother, Lakshman.
Forgive my deception.
I needed to learn whether you were a friend or foe to my Lord Sugreev.
And what have you learned?
That there is more to you than appears, Prince.
And perhaps there is more to myself.
I don't know why, but, after meeting you, I feel whole.
As if a part of me was always missing before. I trust you, Prince Ram.
My brother has that effect on people.
Come with me. I will take you to my Lord Sugreev at Rishyamukh.
Before we do that, we must know who has greeted us
with such kindness and friendship.
What is your name?
I am Hanuman.