‘Harry Potter’ is arguably one of the most famous and beloved book and movie franchises of all time. The first novel in the series was published on 26 June 1997, followed by six more parts, which were adapted into eight hit movies. The tremendous success made J.K. Rowling, the author – who had been turned down by 12 publishers initially – one of the most successful persons in the literary world and set the ball rolling for her to become a billionaire.
“He’ll be famous – a legend – every child in our world will know his name.” This is what Professor McGonagall predicted of the boy wizard Harry Potter in the first chapter of ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’. Much like the magical world of the stories, he became famous, a legend, in our world too. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that every child in the real world also knows his name. The legacy of ‘Harry Potter’ hasn’t been without its ups and downs, with J.K. Rowling’s image dwindling for her ‘transphobic’ views, amid other struggles of the star cast. But, that aside, we are here to celebrate the franchise that made our childhood magical, and has a hold over us even now.
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The Magical Appeal Of ‘Harry Potter’ Even After Decades
J.K. Rowling’s rags-to-riches story is an inspiration to many, and her meteoric success can seem quite magical, much like the world she created for millions of children. Harry Potter’s story appealed to the readers for its simple, yet enduring writing style. The themes of friendship, courage and morality also wheeled in eager souls, for we related or wanted to relate to ‘the boy who lived’ despite all his ceaseless struggles and unimaginably powerful enemies, and the formidable Voldemort. The characters and creatures written by Rowling exercised their own fantastical grip on the readers and eventually viewers of the movies. How can we not love a three-headed giant dog named Fluffy? Well, and its master, the most lovable, Hagrid.
But the biggest draw of all was Hogwarts – the school of magic. Against all odds, children wished for such a school, and to be special enough to get in. Maybe not because of magic, but for its glorious history, heritage and grandeur, for its secret passageways and mysteries around every corner. Ah! There was so much to imagine and explore. Countless times we asked ourselves which Hogwarts house we belonged to – Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin.
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The Values Endure, The Legacy Lives On
‘Harry Potter’ might belong to children’s literature, but it imbibes great values pertaining to loyalty even at the cost of personal peril, lifelong friendship (who doesn’t want what Harry, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley shared?), and bravery in the most dangerous and volatile situations. It shows humanity stands above all, and that we are all capable of great things. Kudos to Neville Longbottom’s personality development. And the value of sacrifice we learned from Severus Snape was a jolt, and joy, rolled into sad-and-happy tears.
The pearls of wisdom from Albus Dumbledore are still a guiding light for us – “But you know, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” This reminds us of a profound quote by Harry’s initially misunderstood godfather, Sirius Black – “We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.”
The Boy Wizard’s Wonder Changed Pop Culture
Over the years, it wasn’t just the books or movies that lured in the audience. It was the fierce marketing that made Harry Potter a huge part of our lives. I remember how everyone wanted to dress up as characters from the franchise at fancy dress competitions. For our monthly movie session at school, we would vote for ‘Harry Potter’. Games – board and video – were made on the wizarding world. Ardent fans still have collectibles – different book editions, wands, and other merchandise.
Till date, those who have loved and grown up with Harry Potter, choose the film franchise for movie marathon nights. In January 2022, ‘Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts’ hit us with nostalgia. We revisited the memories with those who brought Harry’s story to life – the trio of Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Rupert Grint (Ron) and Emma Watson (Hermione), along with Helena Bonham Carter, Jim Broadbent, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Richard Griffiths, Richard Harris, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, among others.
In the end, there’s just one this that rings loud – “After all this time? Always!“
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