Costly films are not new to Bollywood, and neither are mythologicals. What is news is a big-budget mythological feature film. And the movie in question is Luv Kush. This over Rs 10-crore project, produced by Dilip Kankaria and directed by V Madhusudan Rao is slottet for release on July 25. The film has been made on the lines of a Telugu film by the same name that was made in 1961.

Jaya Prada plays Sita and Jumping Jack Jeetendra plays Ram. "It was difficult to get him to play the role, but we did get his yes after all," says Kankaria. And that's not all. Bollywood's best bad man, Pran, plays Valmiki Rishi and Arun Govil, the small screen Ram, plays Lakshman. "It wasn't easy for Pran to get accustomed to the pure Hindi pronunciation at the age of 78, but we are grateful he did it for us," says Kankaria. While the cast seems perfect for the film, Luv Kush has plenty of surprises in store. Dolby digital sound track is being used in the film and the special effects used for the war scenes are impressive. On the lines of Jurassic Park, in Luv Kush the effects are often extended for 11 minutes.

There are 19 songs in the film with the rhythm more upbeat and trendy than previous mythologicals. One song has been sung by the famous trio -- Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Usha Mangeshkar -- together for the first time. A veritable coup of sorts.Rao, a veteran director of Telugu films, has directed 65 films so far, of which 60 have been runaway hits. All those connected with this film are, obviously, keeping their fingers crossed; especially so because Luv Kush made in 1961 with N T Rama Rao, ran for three years.But is religion still relevant? "Devotion to God has not changed. Sita, to me, is the greatest woman of all times. And to seek the blessings of the audience, the first show of the film will be free for women," says Kankaria.Times have changed, and changed drastically for a mythological film to be a hit today. But the makers of the film have high hopes. The fate of the film, though, as that of all other films, now lies in the hands of, not God, but the fickle masses.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.