Mumbai, April 2 Ranbir Kapoor's first look as Lord Rama was unveiled on Thursday from producer Namit Malhotra's "Ramayana", one of the most ambitious cinematic projects in the history of Indian cinema.
The makers released a two-minute-38-second teaser titled 'Rama' on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, offering audiences their first glimpse into Lord Rama's world, from the battlefields to the grand palaces and dense forests, with Kapoor donning royal robes adorned with heavy gold jewellery as the king and warrior of Ayodhya.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, best known for "Dangal" and "Chhichhore", the film has been seven years in the making.
"To reach this moment, it has personally taken me seven years. Filmmaking is a speculative and lonely process. Every moment of these seven years, I've imagined this moment and wondered what the reaction would be when it's released.
"Today, seeing your reaction, I feel that the seven years were worth it. Many people have worked on this film. We hope you all will love it," Tiwari said at a promotional event.
The film also features "KGF" star Yash as Ravana, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, Sunny Deol as Lord Hanuman and Ravie Dubey as Lord Lakshman.
"Ramayana" is produced by Namit Malhotra's Prime Focus Studios and DNEG, in association with Yash's Monster Mind Creations. The film is a two-part live-action saga set 5,000 years ago and rooted in one of Indian mythology's most enduring epics.
Producer Namit Malhotra described it as a "special moment".
"We've made this (film) with a lot of love. Before you release it, there's a feeling of wanting to keep it, and we're asking ourselves, 'Are we ready to share it?' Thanks to Nitesh and the team who have worked hard to create this.
"I'm proud of what we've created. I hope you all have loved it. You don't choose 'Ramayana', 'Ramayana' chooses you," Malhotra, known for creating the VFX for Hollywood and Bollywood films like "Dune: Part Two", "Interstellar", "Inception" and "Brahmastra", said.
In a statement, Kapoor said the experience has been humbling.
"I don't think I'm here to represent Rama. I'm here to learn from him. There is a simplicity and purity to him that is very rare; and trying to understand and imbibe that has been a deeply humbling experience," the actor said.
The first part of "Ramayana" is slated to release worldwide in IMAX during Diwali 2026, with part two following in Diwali 2027.
