SRI SIDDHARTHA GAUTHAMA MOVIE: CONTROVERSY

In the movie “Siddhartha Gauthama”, Prince Siddhartha tells his wife and the father that he is leaving home

Directing a movie based on the life of Gauthama Buddha is a very delicate matter. Yet if the life story of a pious and religious Priest is changed by the director that can bring upon a tremendous harm.
A scene which has been controversial has been reported to us by the viewers of the movie “Siddhartha Gauthama”. This phenomena occurs where the Prince Siddhartha’s renunciation of household life.  According to the teachings of Buddhism, Prince Siddhartha doesn’t discuss about his plans of leaving household life with his wife or with his father. He gets disappointed after seeing the four omens and then he peeps into the chamber where Prince Rahula sleeps with his mother and leaves. Yet the movie depicts a picture where he discusses his plans with his wife Princess Yashodhara and father King Suddhodhana.
There is also a dialogue between Prince Siddhartha and princess Yashodhara where the princess tells him to leave without bidding her good bye. Yet a popular Buddhist song describes the situation as below. It is transliterated as below:
“Nokiyama eda esala mahe sanda atha paya
Maha reka moko yanna giye ma hara dala
Nindei eda himi oba yanawita ma unne
Denuna nam oba yana bawa ne yannata denne”
When we searched a on this subject from the scholars, we heard that Chankee Sutta in Thirpitaka, Majjima Nikaya mentions that Prince Siddhartha discussed the matters with his family before he left. Yet what we have learnt at school is that nobody knew that he was leaving the palace.
The movie introduces this controversial fact which is new to us. Watch the scene in a video below where the Prince tells his wife that he is leaving.