We’ve seen the story of Lord Rama told on screen several times, but Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Part 1 arrives with a scale and ambition that are hard to ignore. Backed by Yash and Namit Malhotra, the film takes on one of India’s most familiar epics, with Ranbir Kapoor as Rama, Sai Pallavi as Sita, and Yash playing Ravana. But does all that money, visual grandeur, and star power actually come together to make a memorable film? Well, there is quite a bit to admire here, although it isn’t without its problems.
Story
When someone says Ramayana, most of us immediately think of Rama, Sita, Ravana, the abduction, and Hanuman coming to Rama’s aid. We know the broad outline, even if we haven’t read the original epic. So, the interesting thing about Nitesh Tiwari’s version is that it doesn’t simply rush through those familiar moments. It spends time on characters and episodes that previous screen adaptations haven’t explored in quite the same way.
One of the biggest changes is right at the beginning. Rather than opening with Rama’s birth, the film introduces Ravana (Yash), giving us a look at his past, the person he once was, and the reasons behind his growing arrogance. From there, the story moves to Prince Rama (Ranbir Kapoor), the heir to Ayodhya’s throne, and follows his early life and the challenges that shape him.
Under Sage Vishwamitra’s guidance, Rama learns to use several divine weapons, or astras, and proves his strength by defeating the demoness Tataka. His journey then takes him to Mithila, where he strings Lord Shiva’s bow at Sita’s Swayamvara and marries Sita (Sai Pallavi). These are familiar episodes, of course, but the film gives them plenty of room to unfold.
Things take a turn just when Rama is about to be crowned king. His stepmother Kaikeyi (Lara Dutta) calls in the boons she was promised earlier and demands that Rama give up the throne and spend 14 years in exile. Rama doesn’t fight the decision. He accepts it to protect his father’s word and uphold dharma, leaving Ayodhya for the dangerous Dandakaranya forest with Sita and his younger brother Lakshmana (Ravi Dubey).
Their life in the forest doesn’t remain peaceful for long. Ravana, the king of Lanka, sets a plan in motion, using the demon Maricha in the form of a golden deer to lure Rama away. With the plan working as intended, Ravana abducts Sita. The film ends with Rama and Lakshmana beginning their search for her, setting up the much larger conflict between Rama and Ravana that lies ahead.
Screenplay & Direction
Nitesh Tiwari clearly has a much bigger audience in mind than just viewers who already know the Ramayana. His version is designed as a large-scale international production, and he takes time to explain the characters, their motivations, and the world they inhabit. Drawing from Maharishi Valmiki’s epic, the director tries to make the story accessible without losing its central ideas. The conflict between dharma and adharma, compassion and ego, is at the heart of the film, and the contrast between Rama and Ravana gives the narrative much of its strength.
The first half is quite deliberate about introducing everyone and establishing their backgrounds. At times, it feels like the film is taking its time a little too seriously, but the intention is understandable. Tiwari wants even someone unfamiliar with the epic to follow what’s happening. The screenplay also makes a clear distinction between Rama’s calm, principled nature and Ravana’s aggressive, power-driven personality. That contrast works, particularly when the two sides of the story begin to come together.
There is no shortage of spectacle either. Flying elephants, charging rhinoceroses, shape-shifting demons, and all kinds of mythical creatures fill the screen. The film is constantly trying to make its world feel larger than life, and in many scenes, it succeeds. The events following Sita’s abduction also build anticipation for what comes next, especially with Hanuman’s arrival waiting further down the line.
But this is where the film has a problem. Ramayana is so busy showing us how big and visually impressive everything can be that some of the emotional weight gets lost along the way. The relationships between Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana should be the heart of the story, yet there are moments when the film seems more interested in its next grand visual than in letting those bonds breathe. And that’s a little disappointing, because these characters are the reason the epic has stayed with audiences for generations.
The narrative can also feel like one elaborate set-piece followed by another, rather than a story moving naturally from one moment to the next. Everything looks impressive, but looking impressive and making the audience feel something are two different things. There are stretches where the characters remain at a distance, even when the events around them should be emotionally affecting. Still, the ambition behind the film deserves credit. Bringing an epic of this scale to the screen for a new generation is no small undertaking, and Tiwari clearly wants to explore more than just the familiar highlights.
Performances
The casting is one of the film’s stronger aspects. Ranbir Kapoor plays Rama with a calmness and dignity that suit the character. He doesn’t go overboard trying to make the role look heroic, and that restraint works in his favour. Sai Pallavi is a natural fit as Sita, bringing a certain warmth and ease to the character. Ravi Dubey, as Lakshmana, provides dependable support and holds his own alongside the lead pair.
Yash, however, is the one who really grabs attention. As Ravana, he brings a commanding presence to the screen, and his scenes have a different kind of energy whenever he appears. He captures the character’s arrogance and intimidating nature without making him feel like just another loud villain. It’s a performance that gives the film some of its most striking moments.
Vivek Oberoi also makes an impression as Vidyutjihva, while the supporting cast does its part in keeping the story moving. Rakul Preet Singh, Kajal Aggarwal, Shobana, Arun Govil, and Lara Dutta all feature in the film, with their respective appearances adding to the larger ensemble.
Technical Aspects
With a reported budget of around ₹4,000 crore, the technical side of Ramayana was always going to attract attention. The music, composed by A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer, is decent, although the background score could have done more to lift some of the film’s biggest moments. Given the scale of the story, a few scenes really needed that extra musical punch.
Pankaj Kumar and Mahesh Limaye’s cinematography is among the film’s biggest strengths. The frames are rich in detail, and the visual presentation gives the mythical world a sense of scale. The visual effects work well for the most part, though there are a few areas where the finishing could have been better. With a little more refinement, some of these sequences might have looked even more convincing.
Tiwari’s research and the effort that has gone into building this world are visible throughout. There is clearly a lot happening behind the scenes, and the film rarely feels short on ambition. The bigger question is whether all that technical effort always serves the story, and the answer, unfortunately, isn’t yes every single time.
Final Verdict
Ramayana: Part 1 is an ambitious retelling of a story that audiences already know, but it does make an effort to bring something different to the screen. The scale, cinematography, performances, and especially Yash’s Ravana make it worth watching. The emotional connections don’t always land as strongly as they should, and the film occasionally gets carried away by its own visual spectacle. Even so, this is a grand cinematic take on the clash between Rama and Ravana, and one that deserves to be experienced on the big screen.