The Matrix, 1999, is was highly inspired by Hindu philosophy. The Vedanta is closely similar to the Matrix. As one of the schools of Hindu philosophy, Vedanta reflects ides contained in the Upanishads with special focus on ideas such as liberation as well as knowledge. Om Shanti Om is equally developed from the Hindu philosophy. Om (Omprakash Makhija), plays the role of a young artist who starts from zero and rises quickly to celebrity hood. Om Shanti Om reminds the viewer about several aspects when analyzed from a Hindu perspective; being peaceful is an important aspect of life and a reflection of Bramhan, Bramhan with his supremacy is all peaceful and that our Atman is derived from Bramhan and so humans are also Om. The two films, therefore, present humans as subjects living in a matrix-like world where they are simply victims of fate.
The two films have a number of similarities. They share major theological and religious themes. The Matric was released in 1999 as a science and technology film that explored the future of humankind. In the film, humans are presented as objects living in a dystopian world that is simulated by a computer. The movie can be categorized in the cyberpunk genre of film. The complexity of religion presented in the film is similar to the case seen in Om Shanti Om. The position of humans in earth is seen as passive since both are supposed to follow a clearly determined path, hence confirming the idea in the Matrix that the world is actually computer simulated. Religion is almost synonymous with the Indian film industry (Ostrowski 2016, 1). Hindu deities are well acknowledged in the films. The songs used also reflect on Hindu religion, for instance the song at the ending scene on the Matrix that ties the whole idea into a religious debate. Bollywood films use Hinduism as a major theme in their development to ensure that they resonate with the needs of their consumers. Since 1998 when the Bollywood film industry started booming, major changes have been seen with a special focus on themes that relate to religion while at the same time exploring other ideas such as science and technology. Therefore, both Om Shanti Om and the Matrix explore different aspects of Hinduism to help their viewers reflect on their lives and have been knowledge about the future.
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With a reflection of the Matrix, James argues that humans are mythologizing world-building creatures (James 2016, 1). The matrix qualifies in all aspects as a mythological narrative. The same can be said about Om Shanti Om. However, there is a specific aspect about the two films that place them somewhere between mythology and reality. The two films reflect on ideas that the viewers can easily resonate with. When the Matrix was released, many people could not identify with the ideas. However, more than twenty years on, it is easy identifying with the ideas. The film was, therefore, postmodern in nature. It ceases to be categorized as a myth and fits in a postmodernist genre, same as Om Shanti Om. Om Shanti Om also fails to fully fit in the mythology section. It provides important insights, mainly intertextuality which allows it to fit into the current world, unlike what is seen in pure mythology-inspired films.
The quest for Buddhist wisdom is reflected in both films. Buddhist wisdom is associated with freedom in life. Buddhism teaches that "impermanent and unstable are all conditioned things” (Baker 2016, 3). The term ‘conditioned’ is used in this section to refer to the simulation seen in the Matrix where humans are seen as a passive players in their own life. It appears that there is a stronger force that drives them and determines their fate in life. Humans, therefore, try to use any media to have a better understanding of their lives. The intertextuality seen in Om Shanti Om tries to provide better meaning to human life (Shastri 2011, 32). Intertextuality refers to the relationship created in a given material such as film with other materials to gain authenticity.
The Matrix has several differences with Om Shanti Om. The Matrix is science based while Om Shanti Om focuses on the life of an artist hence failing to fit in the same category. The theme of reincarnation is prominent in Om Shanti Om while the same cannot be said about the Matrix. The two films explore different times of human life. Om Shanti Om focuses on the early to late 1970s while the Matrix is postmodern and focuses on the tech-situation in the 21st century world. Bollywood, the popular Hindi-language cinema of India, is a rich source for exploring religious values, images, and tensions in Indian popular culture (Erndl 2013, 2). The two films presents the various themes that resonate with the viewers’ lives.
Nonetheless, both Om Shanti Om and the Matrix are deeply entrenched in Hindu philosophy. They try to analyze different ideas such as science and technology through the lens of Hindu philosophy. Om Shanti Om further tries to identify ideas in other religions such Christianity to try and marry them with Hinduism. The two films reflect the paradigm shift in Bollywood film witnessed since 1998 when the industry was allowed to seek external funding to ensure that it grows. The local consumers, i.e. the Hindu Indians, determine the themes covered in Bollywood films. Since Hinduism determines every aspect of their lives, the films they watch must resonate with their way of living. Om Shanti Om is a tribute to the Bollywood industry that has grown to unimaginable magnitudes over the years.
References
Baker, G. (2016). Portraying the Quest for Buddhist Wisdom? A Comparative Study of the Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Journal of Religion & Film, 10 (1), Art. 3. 1-14.
Erndl, K. M. (2013). Woman becomes Goddess in Bollywood: Justice, violence, and the feminine in popular Hindi film. Journal of Religion & Film, 17 (2), Art. 1, 1-31.
James, F. (2016). Buddhism, Christianity, and the Matrix: The Dialect of the myth-making in contemporary cinema. Journal of religion & Religion, 4 (1), 1-16.
Hkan, F. (2007). Om Shanti Om.
Ostrowski, A. (2016). Found in Translation: From Hollywood Hits to Bollywood Blockbusters. Journal of Religion & Film , 11 (2), Art. 4. 1-33.
Shastri, S. (2011). ‘The play’s the thing, wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king’: Intertextuality n Om Shanti Om. The Journal of Film and Video, 63 (1), 32-43.
Wachowski, L. & Wachowski, L. (1999). The Matrix.
