One of the most anticipated Indian films in recent years has made its first departure. To commemorate Hanuman Jayanti, the makers of ‘Ramayana’ have released a new trailer, giving audiences the fullest look yet of Ranbir Kapoor as the Hindu god Lord Rama.
The film is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios in association with eight-time Oscar-winning VFX company DNEG and Yash’s production company Monster Mind Creations. The film is based on Valmiki’s ancient Sanskrit epic.
The film’s ensemble cast is anchored by Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana. Ravi Dubey plays Lakshmana and Sunny Deol plays the role of Hanuman. Kajal Aggarwal plays Mandodari, Rakul Preet Singh plays Surpanakha, and co-stars Arun Govil, Kunal Kapoor, Adinath Kotare, Sheeba Chaddha and Indira Krishnan. Lara Dutta will be seen in the role of Kaikeyi.
The film’s music is composed by Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman. The film is planned as a two-part global release, with the first part to follow on Diwali 2026 and the second part to follow on Diwali 2027. Both parts were shot for Imax. According to Variety, the combined budget for the two films is approximately $500 million.
Ranbir Kapoor – “Ramayana”
prime focus studio
Tiwari previously directed the blockbuster pro-wrestling drama “Dangal,” which became the highest-grossing Indian film ever. The film follows the exiled prince Rama and his wife Sita as their forest idyll is shattered by Sita’s abduction at the hands of the demon king Ravana, sparking an epic war between the forces of good and evil. The first part is expected to culminate in the kidnapping, while the second part will depict Ram’s campaign to get his wife back and conquer Ravana.
Ancient Hindu epics have influenced film adaptations across multiple generations and formats. Most fondly remembered by people is Ramanand Sagar’s landmark television series. The television series aired on India’s national broadcaster Doordarshan from 1987 to 1988, attracting hundreds of millions of viewers across India and turning it into a cultural event of unprecedented scale. Decades ago, this story was made into a movie through the 1943 devotional film Ram Rajya, directed by Vijay Bhatt. It is particularly notable for being the only film that Mahatma Gandhi saw.
On the international front, the 1993 Japanese-Indian animation co-production Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama, a collaboration between Indian animation pioneer Ram Mohan and Japanese director Yugo Sako, brought the epic to animation audiences around the world.
Watch the trailer here:
