Mumbai, Apr 2 The first look of Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama from producer Namit Malhotra's "Ramayana," one of the most ambitious cinematic projects in the history of Indian cinema, was unveiled on Thursday.
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 jewelry 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 what the reaction would be when it comes out.
"Today, looking at your reaction, I feel the seven years are worth those seven years. A lot of people have worked on this film. We hope we get much love from you all," 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.
A two-part live-action saga rooted in one of Indian mythology's most enduring epics, the film draws on the full might of DNEG, one of the world's leading visual effects studios, with eight Academy Awards for films including "Inception," "Interstellar," "Dune," and "Dune: Part Two."
Malhotra, who is the CEO of DNEG, described it as a “special moment”.
“We’ve made this (film) with a lot of love. Before you let it go, there’s a feeling of wanting to keep it, and we are like, ‘Are we ready to share it?’ Thanks to Nitesh and the team who have worked hard to put this labour of love.
"I’m proud of what we’ve put out. I hope you all have loved it. You don’t pick ‘Ramayana’, ‘Ramayana’ picks you,” said Malhotra.
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.
The film’s crew includes renowned international artists, including Oscar-winning composers Hans Zimmer and A R Rahman, who are collaborating on the score.
The action sequences are choreographed by Hollywood stunt veterans Terry Notary and Guy Norris, and the film’s visual world is being shaped by production designers Ravi Bansal of “Dune: Part Two” fame and Ramsey Avery as “Captain America”.
