Animation, Agency and Authority in Nina Paley’s Sita Sings the Blues and the Ramayana of Valmiki: Journal of Vaishnava Studies

Abstract

Sita Sings the Blues (2008) retells the ancient Hindu story of the Ramayana through the medium of modern-day animation and the filter of graphic artist Nina Paley’s own experiences as her marriage dissolves. Interwoven with the lavish visuals of the film is a score that includes the lilting vocals of 1920s jazz singer Annette Hanshaw with haunting music from an international cast of contemporary composers. Paley’s reimagining of the Ramayana, through the lens of a popular culture medium like animation, has a lot to teach us about ownership over sacred texts, religious traditions, artistic creations, physical bodies and our personal stories.