Ramayana Part 1 Review: Yash Shines as Ravana in a Visual Spectacle
Sarkar Rating: 3/5 Release Date : November 05, 2026
Cast
Ranbir Kapoor, Yash, Sai Pallavi, Sunny Deol, Ravi Dubey, Rakul Preet Singh, Kajal Aggarwal
Crew
Director: Nitesh Tiwari
Story: Nitesh Tiwari
Screenplay: Shridhar Raghavan, Nitesh Tiwari
Music: Hans Zimmer, A.R. Rahman
Cinematography: Pankaj Kumar, Mahesh Limaye
Editor: Huzefa Lokhandwala
Producers: Namit Malhotra, Yash
Presented by: Prime Focus Studios
Production Houses: Prime Focus Studios, Monster Mind Creations
U.S. Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
What Is the Film About?
Ramayana Part 1 explores the origins of Ravana, the rise of his tyranny and the birth of Lord Rama, setting the stage for the legendary conflict between good and evil.
The narrative begins with Dashanana (Yash), who is reprimanded by his mother Kaikasi (Shobana) for pursuing his passion for music instead of taking responsibility for restoring the pride of the Asura clan. At her insistence, he undertakes severe penance to please Lord Brahma. When Brahma appears before him, Dashanana seeks immortality. Though the request is denied, he receives a powerful boon that makes him invulnerable to the gods. Armed with this blessing, he gradually establishes his supremacy and becomes the mighty ruler of Lanka, eventually earning the name Ravana.
Witnessing Ravana’s increasing atrocities, Lord Indra approaches Lord Vishnu for help. Vishnu decides to take human form as Rama (Ranbir Kapoor), the eldest son of King Dasharatha. Rama grows up under the guidance of his guru and eventually marries Sita (Sai Pallavi).
However, fate takes an unexpected turn when Kaikeyi (Lara Dutta) reminds Dasharatha of the promises he had made to her. Bound by his word, the king sends Rama into a 14-year exile. Sita and his younger brother Lakshmana (Ravi Dubey) accompany him into the forest.
During their exile, Soorpanakha (Rakul Preet Singh) approaches Rama with a marriage proposal, which he politely rejects. An ensuing confrontation with Lakshmana leaves her humiliated. Seeking revenge, she approaches her brother Ravana and instigates him against Rama. Ravana eventually disguises himself as a sage, approaches Sita and abducts her, setting the stage for the epic battle between Rama and Ravana.
Analysis
The Ramayana, authored by Valmiki, is one of India’s greatest literary and spiritual epics. Its story has been retold countless times across generations, languages and cultures. Several countries in Southeast Asia also have their own interpretations of this timeless saga. Indian cinema has explored the epic on numerous occasions, with Telugu cinema having a particularly rich legacy of mythological filmmaking. NTR’s portrayal of Lord Rama continues to remain an unforgettable benchmark.
Against this backdrop, bringing the Ramayana to the big screen on such a massive scale is undoubtedly an ambitious undertaking. Producer Namit Malhotra and director Nitesh Tiwari have taken up the challenge of presenting this familiar epic to a new generation through cutting-edge visual effects, lavish production design and international technical standards.
On the visual front, the film largely succeeds in delivering what it promises.
One of the most interesting aspects of the screenplay is the importance given to Ravana’s backstory. Instead of immediately introducing Rama, the makers devote nearly an hour to exploring Dashanana’s transformation into Ravana. This extended introduction establishes his personality, ambitions, devotion and eventual arrogance. It also provides a narrative foundation for the larger conflict between good and evil.
The first half primarily establishes the characters and their motivations, while the second half offers several visually impressive sequences. The confrontation between Ravana and his brother-in-law, the encounters involving Rama, Sita and Lakshmana against the Rakshasas, the tornado sequence created by Rama and, particularly, the spectacular battle between Ravana and Jatayu stand out.
The Jatayu episode is among the film’s biggest highlights. Its scale, visual detailing and action choreography create a genuinely immersive cinematic experience. The sequence has the grandeur and fantasy elements that audiences associate with international productions such as House of the Dragon.
The production design, visual effects and overall staging give the film an impressive international look. Several sequences demonstrate the makers’ commitment to presenting the Ramayana as a grand theatrical spectacle rather than just another familiar retelling.
However, the film has its share of drawbacks. Despite its impressive scale, the narrative suffers from slow pacing, particularly in portions of the first half. The lengthy runtime also affects the overall engagement. More importantly, the emotional and devotional connect expected from a subject as powerful as the Ramayana is not consistently achieved.
The biggest disappointment, however, is the music. With Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman and renowned Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer coming together, expectations are naturally enormous. Unfortunately, the songs and background score do not consistently deliver the emotional elevation or spiritual resonance required for a film of this magnitude. The music could have played a much stronger role in enhancing the dramatic moments and making several key sequences more memorable.
The Telugu dubbing deserves appreciation. The dialogues and voice performances are handled effectively, ensuring that the film retains its impact for Telugu audiences. The 3D presentation is also good, although its effectiveness varies from sequence to sequence.
Performances
Ranbir Kapoor delivers a sincere and restrained performance as Lord Rama. He approaches the character with composure and dignity, avoiding unnecessary dramatics. His expressions and screen presence suit the calm and noble personality associated with Rama.
Yash is undoubtedly the film’s biggest attraction. He delivers a powerful performance as Ravana, bringing tremendous energy, intensity and authority to the character. His portrayal of Dashanana, the music-loving and devoted individual, is quite different from his transformation into the arrogant and power-hungry ruler of Lanka. Yash convincingly handles both shades and commands attention whenever he appears on screen.
Sai Pallavi brings grace, dignity and natural charm to Sita. Her presence adds emotional depth to the narrative, and she suits the character well.
Rakul Preet Singh makes a striking impression as Soorpanakha. The character is given considerable scope, and Rakul makes effective use of it with a confident and glamorous portrayal.
Ravi Dubey is convincing as Lakshmana. He brings the required sincerity to the role and adds occasional lighter moments to the proceedings.
The supporting cast also contributes to the film’s overall impact.
Technical Aspects
Technically, Ramayana Part 1 is a remarkable achievement. Cinematographers Pankaj Kumar and Mahesh Limaye capture the grandeur of the epic through impressive visuals and carefully composed frames.
The production design is one of the film’s strongest assets. The magnificent sets, detailed environments and elaborate costumes help recreate the world of the Ramayana convincingly.
The visual effects, handled by Hollywood-based VFX company DNEG, are spectacular in several sequences. The scale of the action episodes, particularly the Jatayu battle, reflects the technical ambition behind the project.
Editor Huzefa Lokhandwala ensures that the film maintains its epic structure, although tighter editing could have improved the pace considerably.
The adapted screenplay by Shridhar Raghavan and Nitesh Tiwari deserves appreciation for exploring certain portions of the familiar story in greater detail. Director Nitesh Tiwari succeeds in translating the revered epic into a visually rich cinematic experience. However, a more emotionally engaging screenplay and a stronger musical score could have elevated the film to another level.
Verdict
Ramayana Part 1 is an ambitious and visually magnificent cinematic adaptation of India’s greatest epic. Nitesh Tiwari succeeds in creating a grand spectacle backed by impressive production design, world-class visual effects and strong performances, particularly from Yash, who emerges as the film’s biggest highlight as Ravana.
Ranbir Kapoor makes a sincere impression as Lord Rama, while Sai Pallavi and Rakul Preet Singh add grace and appeal to their respective roles.
However, the slow narration, lengthy runtime and disappointing music prevent the film from achieving the emotional and devotional impact that audiences would expect from a subject of this stature.
Despite these shortcomings, the film offers several spectacular moments that are worth experiencing on the big screen. Its visual grandeur and Yash’s commanding performance make it an engaging theatrical spectacle, even if it falls short of becoming a completely satisfying cinematic experience.
Overall, Ramayana Part 1 is a technically impressive epic with spectacular visuals and a terrific Yash, but it needed stronger emotional storytelling and music to become truly extraordinary.