Religions mentioned in the "Life of Pi"
In the Movie Life of Pi, Pi wanted to believe in three religions (Hinduism, Christianity and Islam). But he is not aware of Buddhism. As I guess, in the movie the Buddhism is represented by the Buddhist Sailor (Zebra).
What does that mean? Why Buddhism is kept away from Pi's knowledge (even though Buddhism originated in India)?
Best Answer
Not only Buddhism but there are many more religions left, too. Especially Sikhism which is far more famous religion. Even Jainism, as in India there are more followers of Jainism than Buddhism.
Fact is that India is too rich in religions, so it's harder to include them all in one single movie.
Another reason may be that the film was shot in Puducherry (Pi's House) where Hinduism, Christianity and Islam are the prevalent religions. Showing Buddhism in Puducherry is going to be unrealistic as in Puducherry, as I know, Buddhism is not that popular.(source)
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How is religion shown in Life of Pi?
Pi sees Christianity and Islam as full of bloodshed, vengeance, and both with a spiteful god. Internalizing the violence of Christian parables is later seen through his retelling of his ordeal at sea and the violence that takes place in order to survive.What are the 3 religions in Life of Pi?
On a literal level, each of Pi's three religions, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam, come with its own set of tales and fables, which are used to spread the teachings and illustrate the beliefs of the faith.What religion is Pi in Life of Pi?
The Hindu Pandit One of three important religious figures in the novel. Never given a name, he is outraged when Pi, who was raised Hindu, begins practicing other religions. He and the other two religious leaders are quieted somewhat by Pi's declaration that he just wants to love God.Life of Pi, Religion, and the Exposition of Self
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Answer 2
If the movie about capturing every single religion in India, you can bet that it would be lengthier than four hours. We are too diverse to be in one movie. Either way, it wouldn't be too logical that Pi would get impressed by Buddhist traditions since we have a very minor proportion of Buddhists. I guess the writer was being a realist and his intention was never to show every religion in India.
Answer 3
I've read the book, though I haven't seen the movie. The book pretends to be based on a true story with a scene where the author goes to interview the grown up Pi. An amazing job is done with the characterization in the book, so much that it is my favorite part-more than any of the dramatic events. Because of this, I don't think that it's about representing all the religions in India, it's about Pi's personal beliefs. He's surely aware of Buddhism, just doesn't believe it.
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