Shivendra Singh
Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of Ashwatthama in the upcoming film Kalki 2898 AD is not an Indian version of Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings. While both characters are immortal and play important roles in their respective mythologies, they have distinct origins and characteristics.
Ashwatthama , played by Amitabh Bachchan is a character from the Hindu epic Mahabharata, the son of Dronacharya and a fierce warrior who fought on the side of the Kauravas during the Kurukshetra War. He was born with a divine gem on his forehead that granted him near-invincibility and immortality. After the war, he committed dishonorable acts and was cursed by Lord Krishna to wander the earth in perpetual suffering until the end of Kali Yuga.
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In contrast, Gandalf is a wizard and one of the Maiar in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings fantasy series. He is an angelic being sent to Middle-earth to help the free peoples of the world in their struggle against the Dark Lord Sauron. Gandalf is not a human character and does not have a physical body like Ashwatthama.
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While both Ashwatthama and Gandalf are immortal and play pivotal roles in their respective stories, their origins, powers, and narrative functions are fundamentally different. Ashwatthama is a mortal being cursed with immortality, while Gandalf is a divine being who takes on a mortal form to fulfill his mission. Amitabh Bachchan is praised by everyone in the character like Gandalf.
